Wow… I am amazed by the amount of follows, favourites and reviews I got for this fic. Thank you so so so much! I'm glad I was insane enough to start a new fic! I am a little in love with Outlaw Queen… Can't wait for the next episode, I have a feeling sparks are going to fly between those two.

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Sadly.

Chapter 2

Regina was aware of the little boy behind them with every step she took and with every single step she regretted putting her heart back inside her chest more and more. Her hand travelled up to where her heart was beating painfully and for a second she wished she had the will to rip it out and crush it herself.

"Regina, don't…"

Snow's soft voice next to her was enough to reduce her to tears. Snow took the older woman's hand hesitantly and Regina grabbed onto it – it was all she could do to not bend over, give in to her sobs and fall apart.

"We're stopping to rest!"

It was Robin's voice that halted them from behind and Snow turned around. Regina, however, stood frozen – staring out in front of her blankly, her hand still clutching Snow's. It took one look for Snow to realize that Robin had somehow noticed Regina's impending breakdown and she smiled at him thankfully. Robin simply winked and the men dismounted their horses, light chatter immediately lifting the dark atmosphere.

"Regina?"
Snow's voice was hesitant and Regina shook her head, trying her best to keep the tears out of her voice.

"I just… I just need a minute. Please."

Snow nodded and allowed Regina to disappear into the bushes, earning herself a reproachful look from Robin. She approached him carefully and laid a hand on his arm.

"She needs to be alone for a minute, Robin. Besides, Regina can take care of herself."

Robin scoffed and folded his arms.

"It didn't seem like it when I was saving your lives a few minutes ago."

Snow smiled gently, trying to hide her own worry at the memory of finding Regina attempting to bury her own heart mere hours earlier.

"She won't go far. She…"

Little John's worried voice interrupted their conversation suddenly, causing both Snow and Robin's hearts to drop to their stomachs.

"Robin… where is Roland?"

Where she sat on a log, Regina heard the shuffling in the bushes and a fireball formed in her hand instantly. She held her breath, silently waiting for whatever it was to appear. The fire fizzed out at once when she recognized the small figure of the boy travelling with them. She moved forward with just a few steps and knelt in front of him. Roland looked up at the beautiful woman with an innocent grin and he held his arms out to her, silently requesting her to pick him up. Regina hesitated. Picking him up would release a flood of emotions she was not sure she was ready to deal with and yet… she could not deny his large dark eyes. Roland buried his face in her neck when he was in her arms and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him closer.

"What's your name?"

His hands rested on her shoulders lightly and she smiled at his question.

"Regina. What's yours?"

"Roland."

She nodded and sat back down on the log, allowing him to sit on her lap and inspect her face.

"Gina, why you crying?"

She released a deep breath and ran her fingers through his hair gently.

"I just… miss someone."

"Who?"

Her voice was barely a whisper when she answered.

"My son."

Roland's smile grew wider and he touched her cheeks softly.

"I'm my daddy's son. I can be your son too if you want?"

Regina could not help but laugh at the innocent comment. Before she could answer, however, someone crashed through the bushes and she threw Roland down to the ground, covering his body with her own. She breathed a sigh of relief when it was Robin's voice who spoke and he held his hand out to her once again, smiling mockingly.

"Nice reflexes, your majesty."

This time, she took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. His eyes moved suspiciously from her, to strictly at Roland. She was barely up when she felt hands around her legs, and she looked down to find Roland cowering behind her. She could not stop the smile forming around her lips as she looked at Robin.

"I assume he snuck away."

Robin's face was stern when he looked at his son.

"That he did. Now, Roland… Stop hiding behind the Queen."

Roland looked at his father from behind Regina's legs, refusing to let go of her.

"She's not the queen, daddy. She's just Gina."

Robin smiled at Regina, noticing the strange light in her eyes when she looked at his son. Snow had filled him in on why Regina was as upset as she was and he understood – he would be distraught if he ever lost Roland.

"Well, stop hiding behind just-Gina. You were very naughty, and you know that."

His lip started trembling and it took all of Regina's self-control not to pick him up in her arms and shield him from his father's anger. Her hand touched his arm gently and she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"He… he didn't mean any harm, Robin. He knew where I was, he knew he was safe with me. Please…"

A thoughtful grin appeared on Robin's face and he lifted a mocking brow.

"You plead for my son like a mother would."

She averted her eyes with a shrug.

"I am a mother."

She waited, expecting Robin to exclaim that even though she was a mother, Roland was not her son and she should keep out of their lives. He didn't. He simply continued smiling at her before he looked down at Roland.

"Well, Roland… it seems as though you did something right, because just-Gina is trying her best to convince me not to punish you."

Roland grinned, but refused to move from behind Regina's legs and he looked at Robin questioningly. Robin gave a mock sigh and knelt down in front of his son.

"Fine. I won't punish you this time, but you can never run away again, understand me?"

Roland nodded and Robin held his arms out to his son. Regina felt an odd sense of loss when the boy let go of her legs and jumped into his father's arms. Robin lifted him up with a laugh and she stared, intrigued by the way he handled his son.

"Daddy, can I walk with Gina the rest of the way?"

Robin lifted a brow, but nodded and let his son out of his arms. Roland immediately rushed to Regina and jumped into his arms. She caught him with a flabbergasted expression and Robin grinned.

"I always knew Roland would leave me for a beautiful woman one day. I just didn't think it would be so soon."

Regina's heart fluttered at his comment and she held Roland tighter. She quite liked it that Robin thought she was beautiful. He took her arm gently and led her back to where the group had assembled. Usually, she would have snapped at him for touching her in such a familiar way. She would have made more than one rude comment or thrown a few well worded insults in his direction. She had completely changed – from the angry woman who wanted nothing to do with him, to completely serene with Roland in her arms however, and Robin smiled to himself. It seemed as though he had found the Queen's kryptonite.