A/N: Thanks for the nice reviews I have been getting, it means a lot to me. This is an extra special chapter for me. It is the longest one yet and well there are key elements that are a bit of my personal touch. Anyway after this chapter things are going to pick up a bit more. There are many moments to come that in my belief are a bit feelsy and I really do hope you enjoy but for now I want you guys to enjoy this story. I am opened to questions and suggestions and will try to reply back to everything you guys have to say. This chapter is not beta because I couldn't wait to post it. Mistakes are mine and please if you don't get something feel free to ask. The good part is about to come so…

Without another word, please enjoy.

Xoxo Janice ( RegalChivalry.)

Chapter III: A phantom of a dream.

"Why do you love this movie so much?" Robin asked as he passed a glass of wine to her hands. He sat beside her, arm slinging around her shoulders, the brunette snuggling into his side. Regina was completely mesmerized with the view in front of her. It was her favorite scene, and the song Once Upon a December was playing into the room making her sway softly from side to side.

"Ever since I was a little girl I've loved this movie. Anastacia has been one of my favorite characters since I can remember. In some ways she reminds me of myself. A girl lost in a world where I am treated like a stranger, a shadow without a tether." Regina lifted her glass to crimson lips, drinking a sip of her red liquid. There wasn't time for Robin to say anything else, not when this perfect woman beside him began to sing in tune,

Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully

Across my memory.

Far away, long ago

Glowing dim as an amber

Things my heart used to know

Once Upon A December.

Robin's lips quirk into a smile and Regina swore she could feel it over her skin. Head turns to the side to look at said man that always seems to be smiling when he looking at her and the brunette can't help tilting her head with a question on her lips. "What?" She whispered softly into the space between them, the wine in her hands, and the sound of the tv forgotten for a moment. A moment she takes to stare back into those blue loving eyes that always seem to evoke pure an unadulterated love for her. The smile on his face never breaks not even when he is speaking again.

"Nothing. It is just…" he licked his lips, his mind trying to form a coherent sentence to speak up but words are always seem to be getting lost every time those hazel eyes are looking back at him. He feels weak thanks to them, and no, it isn't a bad thing, it makes him realize for the millionth time how much love he can bear for Regina. How much his heart can create just for her. With a faint sigh, the Englishman, opened his mouth. ". . . Every day I discover something new about you. For example you have an amazing voice. How I didn't know that before?" She freed an 'Oh' followed by a rapid pink shade coloring her cheeks. She felt embarrassed and even then she looked beautiful.

"Singing isn't something I am passionate about, not like you are." Regina rose her legs to tuck them under herself and took another mouthful of her wine. She always received compliments for her voice but she never pursue any type of career that involved music. Like she told Robin she isn't as dedicated to that like him, the only type of art she wanted to follow was painting, drawing but her mother had other ideas for her, and well the rest his history. Robin took her free hand, laced their fingers together and kissed the side of her head.

"Well you have a beautiful voice Regina and I feel blessed I got to listen to you." Squeezing her hand reassuringly, Robin took this time to whisper something into her ear, "As to the movie, well, I think you would look quite fetching in a ball gown."

"What I have is an amazing boyfriend that always seemed to see the best in me." She smiled, a hand cupping the side of his head.

"Because there is so much in you that is beautiful to see."

"You are a dork, Robin. But I love you for it and knows maybe one day you'll get to see me in a ball gown."

-x-

Saturday morning came by so slow and she was pretty sure the doctor was to blame.

She has been watchingway too much Doctor Who for her own good.

Regina got out of bed with a loud yawn. Surprisingly her body felt well rested and with added bonus of zero bag under her eyes. Maybe today, tonight, promised to be a good time.

Or so she hopes.

The brunette stretched, arms up to the ceiling and eyes closed. Once the task of stretching was done she made her way to the kitchen and began preparing her coffee. It was going to be a long day. Between getting her hair done, picking up her dress (mysterious dress. Mal insisted on getting her one. Reason why? Regina is still clueless.) Going to the gallery and prepare everything for the ball, the brunette knew she would need a lot of fuel and patience. Coffee will do nicely.

Regina watched the coffee pot intently. The heavy smell of dark roast slowly making its way known around her form. The scent was like a drug. Moving up her nostril and piercing her brain allowing the woman to enter into a blissful moment of serenity, serenity that rudely interrupted by the knock on the door. A huff is freed from the brunette's lips as she turned on her heels and made her way to the front entrance. Hand on the knob opened the door wide open, words rapidly stumbling from her mouth. "I hope you have a really –" but words died there when her eyes finally focused on who was waiting there, Mal.

"Good to see you two, Regina. I have to say you look well today." There was an undertone she quite couldn't describe, and the brunette didn't have time to call her on it, "Here. Your dress. I wanted to spare you the time of actually getting out of the house." She walked right in not even bothering to wait for her friend to invite her in. Not that she needed any invitation, Mal always had a free pass in and out but usually she is more patience, usually she waits for Regina to say something and the fact that she didn't? Well Mills knew something was up.

"What did you do, Malia Drake?"

"Whatever makes you think I did something?" When Regina finally took a step back and close the door, Mal was already in the kitchen. Regina walked right in, leaving the black bag with her dress on top of the couch and made her way where her friend was serving coffee. Two mugs, she definitely did something.

"Well for starters…" she sat down on one of the stools, Mal placed her coffee mug in front of her. "You brought me the dress," Slim fingers hugged the ceramic demitasse, lifting it until her lips clasps the rim. She drank a good mouthful of her hot beverage, the warmth down her throat sent a pleasant feeling to her belly. "Served me coffee and I am pretty sure you are going to tell me someone is coming here to take care of my hair and makeup." Oh how well she knew her friend and it was confirmed the moment Mal nodded and drank form her own cup. "Now tell me. What did you do?"

Mal shifted a bit nervously from leg to leg, her drink now rested on top of the marvel counter to the opposite side to Regina. The brunette wonder what on earth could make Mal nervous, she had nerve of steel and this was completely uncharacteristic to her many traits. After a beat or two of silence, the blonde dragon lady, or at least that is how Regina liked to call her, released a faint sigh, features returning to her usual sharp demeanor.

"I might have placed one of your portraits in display…" She trailed off., waiting for Regina to react to what she just said.

Color left Regina's face once Malia announced what she just done. 'She couldn't be serious?' Mills gawked at Mal for long pressing seconds before she was even able to form a logical and lucid thought in her head. Her art isn't something she share for the world to see. It was her hobby, a coping mechanism to her incessant nightmares that never seemed to leave her be. This was too much for Regina, specially when her latest artworks –really all of them – are about a certain blue eyed man that didn't even exist.

"WHAT?" Regina's tone rose rasping, her coffee long forgotten and her eyes in a glare. "You know I don't like the idea of my art being criticize…"

A stern look from Mal caused the brunette to stop talking for a moment, a moment where she allow herself to rail in the bubbling anger that was forming in the pit of her stomach. "Why?" Mills gave up with a faint sigh a hand running her face with a bit of annoyance.

"Because your art deserves to be shared…" It was a vague excuse and the blonde was pretty sure Regina would see right through it. Her intentions behind what she did would go amiss for her friend but to Mal? It was necessary.

Ever since she interviewed and gave the job to that Robin Locksley something has been bugging her, and that was the familiarity of his face. She swore she has seen it somewhere else but didn't made the connection until yesterday, Friday. Malia had call Regina to ask her about some papers she needed for the new contract and her friend kindly directed her to one of the drawers in her office to which the head of the gallery had keys to. It was when she opened the office and looked to the wall on her left she saw it, the portrait of the man she just interviewed the day before and everything clicked for the blonde. That is the reason why she asked Ashley, Regina's assistant to take the painting to one of the curators, August so he could accommodate it as the center piece of the collection and maybe just maybe provoked a bit of spark between Regina and the mysterious man that has been haunting the brunette's dream.

Someday Regina will thank her for this. She thinks.

"There is more, I can sense it." Arms folded together over her chest, a knowing look on her features. Regina knew her blonde friend well enough to deduce that there was more but she was stubborn so there wasn't any point to keep insisting, not now anyway. "But you won't tell me anything. So lets talk about something else. White or Black?" When Malia looked at her with quizzical eyes, Regina, rolled her own. "The dress." She provided, picking up her cup and taking another swig of her coffee. Mal 'Ah.' Softly and shook her head.

"Neither."

Oh here is the other shoe waiting to drop.

"The ball is black and white." She said matter-of-factly before finally giving up on her coffee. Mal was a stronger wakeup call for Regina than the hot dark roast she had been trying to enjoy. The brunette glanced back at her friend who was looking back at her rather strange. "Now what?" There was a tension brewing inside Regina, a tension she couldn't quite ease. It hadn't been there when she first woke up but now, thanks to her dearest friend, she felt for the first time a nervousness she couldn't comprehend and the silence to which Mal has taken a solid grasp off had Mills chewing on the inside of her cheek.

Peachy.

Just went the blonde was about to open her mouth to speak her phone rang. "Well would you look at that…" She muttered, taking the phone out of her purse and pressing send to respond. "Yes…" She walked out of the kitchen and into Regina's personal office. The previous mention woman sighed a little too loud, exasperation pouring out of her.

"Might as well go and look at the damn dress." She jumped from the bar stool and marked her steps to the living room where she previously deposited the black bag hiding her dress. For a few moments she just stared at it, could almost hear it mocking her. Why does Malia think surprises are good? Regina certainly hated surprises, mainly because it was impossible for her to control the outcome and when she doesn't feel in control, bad things are surely to happen. Pinching the bridge of her nose. "Here it goes…" She leaned forwards, undid the zipper revealing a gorgeous red flowing ball gown. Her eyes roam the beautiful and well-crafted design with awe.

But why red?

Regina took it out of the bag, trying to see if the dress had any flaws but no, Malia Drake have an eye for fashion way beyond Regina's expectations.

"Do you like it?" Mal's voice flowed into the room as a melody, a softness that she only seemed to use with the brunette. "It took me a while to get it in that color. Black is beautiful and all but red seemed like a good choice for you."

It downed on Regina that her friend here was always looking after her, even when she was rather stubborn. "It is exquisite but red? The masquerade ball is black and white and with this I will just…"

"Stand out?" Mal interjected right there and then, not allowing Regina too say another word but nod. "I know. That is the idea." Cue a smirk, and well Mal's plan is finally in motion.

-x-

Robin paced up and down the living room as he waited for the nanny to arrive. The tension on his shoulders never ceasing to exist and his palms starting to sweat like they had a secret stashed away. During the day Robin received a phone call from Ashley asking him to call Miss Drake for a quiet chat, more like a list of request he didn't have a clue on how to understand. His new boss personally – over the phone – requested for him to wear a complete white suite with a bright red tie and rose on his blazer pocket and as to the mask, well it was his choice in model but he needed to make sure it had red as well. The white thing didn't actually surprise him, after all it was a black and white masquerade ball but red? He had a feeling that this woman had something up her sleeve. But he went along with it, don't want to disappoint the person who's going to sign his checks. Not that he needs to be paid, he has enough money to last a lifetime and then some.

It would have been bad karma to completely disregard her new boss healthy suggestions.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Oh there is his cellphone. Robin takes it out of his blazer pocket and read 'David' on the screen. He took a deep breath and glided his fingers over the smooth screen. "Hello…" the Englishman greeted, a hint of nerve in his voice to which David took noticed immediately. He knew his friend very well.

"Robin breath. This isn't your first ball." He matter-of-factly informed his friend, "Remember when we were teenagers and your father company threw one of the biggest ball in San Diego and you invited me?" When Robin 'hmm' into the phone he continued his tale. "Well you were so nervous about it but one step in and you forgot about it. You're going to be fine, don't worry too much." But this wasn't something he could take lightly, not when his new job was depending on his performance tonight, although he still didn't understand what was the big deal for him to be so well presented, it wasn't like he was going to meet the love of his life, not Regina anyway. But David didn't seem to understand that and honestly? He wasn't about to start explaining with a lot of details. So Locksley sighed into the phone,

"David this is different from that. We ended up fooling around back then. My job is riding on this. Even more so when Malia gave specifications on how to dress."

"She did?" Robin could almost see his friend brow raising in accordance to his voice.

"She did." He confirmed with another sigh, "Which is the reason why I am so nervous."

"That sounds more like setting you in a blind date."

Robin quirked a brow and was about to retort back when there was a knock on the door. "Give me a moment." He casually said, walking towards to the door. When he opened it, on the other side was a beautiful brunette with kind blue eyes. When he was looking for sitters someone suggested him a baby sitting service, a woman that was amazing with kids and love to read, which it was perfect because Roland just entered a phase where all he wants to do is collect and read books. "Good evening, Belle." He greeted,

Moving to the side to allow her space to enter the house. "Roland is upstairs, he might fall asleep at any moment but not before reading something."

The beauty giggled softly, head tilting to the side and her giggles dying into a soft smile. "Seems to me your son is rather smart." When he nodded, with a grin on his lips she added. "You go and have fun. I'll call you if anything happens here." With that she bid her goodnight and made her way to Roland's room. He watched her go until he remembered, David.

"Hey sorry about that. I was attending to the baby sitter." He chuckled picking up his things, keys, wallet and his white and red mas. Robin walked out of the house but before making his way to the car he made sure the house was locked.

"I heard." There was a shuffling sound in the backgroundmaking Robin frown but he rapidly turn that frown into a smirk.

"Hello Mary Margaret." Again that shuffling followed by a 'hey' and the man can't help laughing.

"Robin!" she exclaimed into the phone. He could almost hear the grin that was surely to be upon her lips. "How are you? It is good to know about you. David here thinks he is the only one who misses you."

Robin felt touched by her words, David and Mary have always been those two friends he could always count on, they, Regina and him, could. They were the ones to help them run away from New York all those years ago, they were the ones to be witnesses to their secret marriage. Knowing that they are still here for him kept him with the feet on the ground and sane. Their friendship is off high value to him which is why he made sure that they were always protected from Cora and Daniel but that isn't something they know and it will stay that way.

"I am well thanks for asking, and I miss you as well." He unlocked the door to his car and slide in. Once he closed the door and secured the lock, Robin put on his seatbelt and turned the engine on.

"Well you have fun tonight alright? Who knows, maybe you'll find the love of your life." But her words were laced with sadness, and she immediately regretted saying them but there was no way to take the back. It was no secret to Robin that Mary wanted him to move on, to find someone else and fall in love because in her words 'That's what Regina would want.' But he just couldn't, his love for Regina was too big, too strong for him just to erase like it was nothing.

"I already had love." He pointed out with a weary sigh, "I know you mean well but. . ." He took a deep breath, placed his feet on the break before putting the car in drive. ". . .I can't just be with somebody else. I tried it once to amuse you and it didn't pan out because…"

"You couldn't stop yourself from thinking about Regina and I get it I truly do but…"

"No buts Mary. Look I am about to drive. I'll call you guys tomorrow and let you know how it went. Say goodbye to David for me." With that he hang up, ran a hand over his face and look at the passenger seat where his white and red mask rested upon.

"Alright." A deep breath, "Time to do this."

-x-

The soft music, muffled by the double doors, hit her ear drums. She couldn't make it out well, didn't know if it was classical instrumental music or Adele. Although she is pretty sure 'Hello' is playing on the other side causing the brunette to hum softly to what she thinks it is playing. Regina hasn't mustered the bravery to walk into the ballroom, the red dress is pulling her to stop dry. Not believing, still, that she allowed her dearest friend to convinced her to this. Yes, the gown is beautiful. From the lace covering only her right arm down, to the way it hugged each and every one of her curves, oh and the silver details that her waist and neckline had, giving it a little bit of a princess look even though Regina is sure she is a queen, her name said as much. Mills could only stare at the doors, mocking her.

"Regina you need to go in." The brunette turned around to see her dear friend in a black mermaid like dress that accentuated her figure perfectly. She walked closer to Regina, placing a hand over the arm that was void of the red lace fabric. "Everyone has been asking about you and your portrait. It is a huge success. You should be proud." The blonde smiled softly, a fond simper that was filled with warmth.

"At this point the portrait isn't what is worrying me." She sighed, fingers flexing around the beautiful mask. Regina opted for a red and silver mask, with two feathers to the side, one red and the other one white. "Are you sure about this…" Regina picked up the side of her dress, hand slightly shaken. "I can go and change, red is so…"

"Regina breathe. You are going to be just fine. Besides you are already here. Now…" She took the mask from Regina's hands and secured it on her face. "Go, have fun and mingle."

"Mal, people stopped saying mingle about two centuries ago." She teased, easing back into her own self again. This she could do.

"Don't spoil my good mood, Regina, or you might pay for it on Monday." She laughed, and Regina rolled her eyes but soon joined into the little fist of laughter that Malia had indulged in.

"Alright, here I go but…" The brunette looked up briefly, taking in the strength she needed to pull through the night, "I doubt something interesting will happen tonight." There was something in Mal's eyes, something Regina couldn't decipher. When the two woman locked visage, Regina noticed that glint. Malia was up to something, that much was clear to the brunette but with her is hard to tell what exactly she is planning, and well Regina had learned to just go with it, to no let it bother her. "You are hiding something, Malia Drake, I don't know what but something tells me I might either hate you or love you and the second one is hard to do so…"

Mal had enough of Regina's rambling, of her stalling. She placed both of her hand to the sides, turning Regina around and pushing her forward, "Just go, you are beginning to provoke me a headache."

"Geez, snappy aren't we." Regina mumbled, placing her soft palms against the cool surface and finally pushing the doors open revealing all the people in the ballroom. The moment she stepped inside with a soft exhale, all eyes were on her. Like she expected she was the only one with Red on. Everyone one was either dressed in black, white or even both but there wasn't a speck of red in the sea of black and white. "I am so making you pay for this later, my dearest Mal." There was a snickering sound behind her, followed by her loud footsteps approaching her. Why on earth did the music just stopped when she entered the room. It was just unbelievable.

-x-

With an approval nod was Robin received. His new boss praised him on his attire for the night, exactly what she wanted. The Englishman had asked him why he was the only one to sport red but she dismissed his question with a waving hand, a "You'll see." And then she was gone, leaving him to his own devices. So he took the time to go exploring around the ballroom. Many paintings were brought here from the gallery and Robin was curious to see them all. To experience the many different feelings artist put into them, but before he did all that, he had to make sure Roland was well so calling Belle took priority.

"He is fine, Robin. We finished reading and he fell hopelessly asleep. Now go have fun." He had laughed at the brunette's insistence. It almost reminded him of his friends back in New York who were always insisting on him having fun. He sighed into the phone, bid his goodbye and indulge in what he wanted to do, Art.

He walked around the room that was specially prepared for the occasion. Many splash of colors covering the many walls around him. From pastel, to neon bright to the more conserved ones to the simplest sketches. One in particular grasped his attention, one that he was pretty sure that he was looking into a mirror because it was him. He felt shocked momentarily. His heart hammering against his ribcage in a way he had long forgotten.

"That can't be…" He finally voiced out when his shock bleeded out, at least a little, the emotions thickening his voice. "That is me…"

-x-

An hour later, Regina was already feeling quitetired.

She had been dancing with everyone who had invited her and talked to everyone about her portrait. No one seemed to understand the meaning behind it and how it made her feel every time she looked at it. Sometimes art goes amiss to the general eye, its meaning could get lost in the sea of time and space impossible to be recovered. Yes, art is supposed to be interpreted differently by everyone but there are things in a painting that could not be alter, like there are meanings in a song that cannot be changed.

There was a weary sigh falling from red lips as her steps took her to the destination, to that mysterious stranger painted by her own hands. She was surprised to see someone looking at it, well not really surprised everyone had been giving her amazing reviews about it, but that man seem like he was actually looking at it. Regina stood beside him, looking at the wall in front of her. The only splash of color in the portrait was the eyes. A type of icy blue orbs that are looking into her soul.

"There is sadness…" The man in the white tux said, head bobbing to the side to look more intently. She took the time to finally go over his profile and noticed the hints of red in his attire. His voice drew her out of her examination mode snapping her eyes back to the side of his covered face, "He looks like he lost something really precious to him, something he can't live without." His words, they were full of sorrow, like he is the living proof of what he is saying.

"Your interpretation is certainly different from everything I have heard tonight." She turned her visage back to the painting, head tilting to the side as well. The more she looked at it, the more his words made sense. Why were they making sense? Oh, and why is the air suddenly so charged with spark? Her mind is playing tricks on her. "Maybe you are right. Maybe the artist was painting the sorrow and pain those eyes held."

He huffed. Wait he did? Regina shook her head watched him straighten his back more and rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Is more than just pain…" A beat of silence between them, everything around them seemed to disappear and it was the two of them, this painting and an air of mystery slowly making her heart beat a bit faster against her ribcage. "He has a broken soul."

Oh!

Well he actually gets what she was trying to expose. This was more than just a way to sooth her nightmares. More than just a safety net for every time she opens her eyes after a hectic night full of tears and pain. It didn't only expose her agony, but also the grief this man must feel even though she knows nothing about. Regina only hummed in agreement with him, her eyes never leaving the rugged features of the man in the painting.

"Who is the artist?" There came a sweet voice with an accent that could do things to her she didn't expect. It took her a while for her to actually register his question. Mills turned to the man that had turned to her. When did that happened? She clearly was soaring through the sky to actually notice his movement. There was a kind smile on his lips. A smile that look too familiar to her but still, she couldn't placate where exactly she had seen it before. When Regina didn't answer his lips morphed into a confuse and almost adorable pout that had the brunette shaking her head softly and her lips curling into a warm simper.

"It doesn't say?" Glancing back to the wall, it indeed, didn't say who the artist was. So maybe Malia told a handful of people, the only people that spoke to her about it. This could be fun. Her eyes fell back to the man with rugged features, or at least that much she could tell, the mask covering half of his face didn't give too much to work with. The woman smiled, lips parting to speak once again. "I think the artist would like to remain anonymous."

"And here I wanted to ask her to dance with me." Regina eyebrow rose almost immediately, a smirk crossing red petals.

"What makes you think it is a she?"

There was a moment when his smirk mirrored hers and the air around her was sucked into a void. It was like something inside of her recognized it, actually even her skin seem to call out to him and it wasn't something normal. Regina was beginning to wonder who this man was and why is she having this type of feelings, no not feelings but she doesn't know what else to call it, maybe De-Ja Vu? Focus Regina. Oblivious to her internal struggle the nameless man offered her a hand, lips melting from a smirk into a smile.

"Just a wild guess I suppose…" She looked at his hand and then up to his mask covered face, "Care to join me in a dance? I promise I don't bite." There was a voice in her head pushing Regina to take his hand. A voice that wouldn't leave her alone until she ease the curiosity slowly building inside of her. There was no moment like the present to take a leap into the unknown, and right now this man was just that, an unknown surrounded with mystery and there was something burning in her soul, something telling her to discover this enigma. So without second thought, the brunette, place her soft palm against his callous on and nodded.

"Well you certainly know how to make a compelling assumption." A soft chortle, "Sure but I don't make any promises to not bite."

-x-

There were two things in this world that could completely attract Robin to the point of actually inviting someone to dance. One a winning and heart altering smile and two a connoisseur of art. Apparently this woman in front of him had both appealing traits for him. It made his heart ache because in a way he thought he might be betraying Regina but the moment the woman in front of him, finally, took his hand something inside of him shifted and his mind was momentarily wiped clean. In a sense everything felt right, like pieces of a puzzle were finally put together exposing a beautiful portrait. He must have been staring because the woman was squeezing his hand, trying to get his attention once more. "Sorry." He muttered. His free hand rubbing the back of his neck and a nervous laugh emitted from rugged features. "I got momentarily distracted. Now, shall we take this to the dance floor?"

"We shall." They descended the small flight of stairs that lead to the dance floor. Once they found space for their bodies to sway, Robin, bowed in front of her eliciting a soft laugh from the brunette he is holding hands with. He quickly noted how genuine and airy her laugh is and once against he was hit with the memory of her but he was determine to keep it in the back of his mind, to not disappoint this woman here who he asked to dance, it would be so disrespectful of him. The song that was playing ended, a new one beginning almost immediately. Robin recognized the melody, the soft tune hitting his eardrum and crushing his heart. Life was adamant to keep sending reminders his way, reminders that kept hurting him in a way he doesn't even know how to stop. "Oh I love this song." It was her velvety voice drawing him out of his state of shock. He placed a hand on her waist, and held up the other one who was still grasping her hand. They began to sway, to move like midnight waves on the seashore.

"So I am guessing you are fan of the movie."

The brunette lips turned up into a smile that was accompanied by a nod. "You know your animated movies."

Dancing bears,

Painted wings, Things I almost remember,

And a song someone sings

Once upon a December.

"I knew someone who loved the movie. She said Anastasia reminded her of herself because…" Robin was interrupted by the brunette.

"… Lost in a world where one is treated as a stranger. A shadow without a tether. I know the feeling." Those words, each and one of them made his heart stop for a moment. It was like being transported to that night with Regina where she explained to him what that movie meant to her. He wanted to say something but words got stuck in his throat. An invisible hand grabbing his heart and squeezing it until life bleeds out. The odds of two people thinking like that, the choice of words, was a million to one and finding that one seemed like an impossible task. But if it was her, his love, then she wouldn't pretend not knowing him, right? Yeah, she wouldn't.

"Word for word." He remarked, before twirling her around in one swift motion, his mouth in a easy smile but his mind is still hazy.

He needs to get a grip, and fast.

But he didn't fast enough because she began to sing.

Someone holds me safe and warm

Horses prance through a silver storm

Figures dancing gracefully

Across my memory.

Far away, long ago

Glowing dim as an amber

Things my heart used to know

Once Upon A December.

Her voice was a sweet drug, a melody that ran through his veins, and into his heart. No this wasn't a coincidence, destiny couldn't be playing him such a cruel, cruel joke. Robin couldn't deny it any longer, it must be her but something isn't right with this scene. Not once she showed any signs of knowing him and it was killing him. Blue eyes searched frantically but her covered face didn't give him too much to work with and then he remembered. Robin's eyes fell on her lips, and there he saw it. That scar on her upper lip that characterize Regina.

It was her there was no doubt it.

"There is one thing I want to know." He said suddenly, a hope in his heart that could only be describe as coming back to life after spending, what it felt, a lifetime without living. Is not secret to him how much he had suffered and yes it was self inflicted but he never lost an ounce of faith in her. "What is your name?"

The brunette looked at him strangely, not because of the question but because there was something in his voice she quite couldn't make sense of it. There was a longing shrouded with loss and love…? Her imagination is playing tricks on her.

"Regina Mills… why?"

That did it. Robin stopped they soft dance and took off his mask before proceeding to take hers off. Her hazel eyes widen at the action, or maybe it was because the man in front of her was the same one she has been painting for the last three years.

"Regina. I have been looking for you." The smile in his face, big and bright caused her heart to flutter but at the same time she was perplexed.

What just happened?