Meredith sits against the side of the booth, watching the snow flurry in the wind and settle on the streets. The a-team, as she liked to think of the council, were still arguing as to whether to venture out and look for her parents. Meredith had long given up trying to convince them to let her go and search, none of them seemed to keen on the idea of sending the strange teenage girl into the woods in the middle of a storm. She had gritted her teeth and bared their doubt, despite being near one hundred percent sure she knew the woods better than any of them, and she would quite easily be able to defend herself against the Ice Queen Unfortunately for her, Meredith also knew she couldn't tell them that. And it was nearly killing her.
Marian had demanded an explanation when her mother's purple cloud had disappeared, and Meredith realised everyone was hesitant to offer one. She had sat and listened, curiously at first, drinking in Charming's words when he'd broken it to the maiden that Regina and Robin couldn't bare the sight of each other in the Enchanted Forest, but when they'd cast the curse and forgotten their lives, a relationship had blossomed despite all the odds. David spoke of his surprise at the pairing, Mary Margaret told him he was an idiot if he hadn't seen it coming all those months back, and Marian had been so devastated she had attempted to run back to the woods all alone. Emma had tried to calm her, managed to talk her into seeing the room Granny was giving them, and lead her upstairs.
A short while after their disappearing act, the Merry Men had turned up with Roland in toe, covered in snow. If she hadn't felt so stressed, Meredith would have laughed out loud at the sight of her uncle. John looked like the abominable snowman as he bounded through the door of Granny's, holding Roland in one arm and shaking his head so vigorously his hair whipped from side to side. Roland giggled as the snowflakes on John's beard fell onto his head.
"We came here at just the right time, men!" He had yelled, before looking around. "Where's Robin?" The council had stared at him, clearly at a loss of where to begin.
And when he was finally caught up to speed, Little John and the other Men were almost half way out the door before Emma had called them back. "Marian needs you," she had said, and it had been just the right sentence to get them to take pause.
"We will all go out and look for them," the savior had promised, "just as soon as it's safe enough to do so."
And now here they all were. The Merry Men had retreated to their rooms, John instantly going to comfort Marian, the council were sitting around trying to get more answers out of Gold, and Meredith moved to the window to wait.
Wait for her parents to get back.
Wait for the snow to stop.
Wait for an excuse not to sleep in the same room as Maid freaking Marian.
But mainly, wait for a clever idea to hit her as to how the hell she would get back home. She'd done nothing but wish and will and cry out for the time portal to open for her again since the second she arrived in this god forsaken year. She'd concocted a plan to reopen Zelena's portal, despite the obvious draw backs being she would need the pendent that seemed impossible to get and the fact she'd never used dark magic in her life.
The ache in her chest grew more every second. She missed her family, more than she would ever care to admit, and it was only now that she wasn't with them did Meredith begin seeing just how difficult she'd become in the past few years. The portal had given her the chance to realise she had acted like a brat. The only thing her mother wanted was for her to behave herself, behave respectfully and gracefully, (and probably try not to blow the house up again), and all Meredith had ever done was go in a strop, or yell, or throw random fire balls at her mom's apple tree. That last one probably hurt the most.
She didn't mean to, not really. Even in the seconds after an argument with Regina, she would always feel a niggle of guilt in her chest and a sting of tears in her eyes. She tried hard not to get emotional, but as far as Meredith was concerned, it just wasn't possible.
"You're your mother's daughter," her dad had told her once, not all that long ago. "You feel very ... passionately ... about things and sometimes all those feelings escalate into something you have next to no control over."
He had been talking of Regina's years as the Evil Queen. A shadow of the person she is now, and one that only gets mentioned every once in while. A sly comment from a passing stranger, a light joke from Snow White, or even a distant memory from the Queen herself. Meredith can't remember the last time anyone, other than Regina herself, referred to her mother as the Evil Queen.
She can see more of her now. A darkness in her eyes and a lonely, cold ora around her body. This Regina is a ghost of the mother she's used to, and she has wanted nothing more than to hold her close and tell her everything will be okay in the end.
But she can't. And suddenly it hurt so much Meredith clutched a hand to her chest and took a deep breath, desperately trying to stop the tears from falling, fearing unwanted questions from the strangers sat on the other side of the diner. Because despite knowing them all her life, that's what they are to Meredith. Strangers.
Hours have gone by now, and the snow is letting up. Meredith wonders whether she should just get up and walk out. No one would notice she'd gone anywhere, and she could get to her parents in no time. She's just sliding out of the booth when she sees them.
A rush of emotions coarse through her, and Meredith has to stop herself from actually whooping. They look okay, she thinks, squinting through the snow.
Regina and Robin are walking side by side, close, but not quite touching. There's a casualness in the way they stroll, and she assumes this means they've made up.
"There you are!" Emma glares as they walk through the door. Meredith knows she isn't the only one to notice the ease now between them. The atmosphere has gone.
"Oh thank god you're back, we were so worried," Mary Margaret says.
"What happened out there?" David enquires. She catches a hustled look between the pair before Regina sits down.
"We didn't find her, the storm got too bad. But i'm absolutely positive she's up there."
"What makes you so sure? It was snowing just as bad here and we're nowhere near the woods."
"Because I can use my magic down here," Regina says heavily. Meredith frowns at her mother.
"What do you mean, 'down here'?" She asks and Regina meets her eyes.
"She can freeze magic. I couldn't do a thing up there. Even my fire turned to ice."
Gold snorts, more to himself than anyone else. "Something I could have told you, had you not been so quick to play the hero for the second time this week."
"Well then how the hell did you imprison her?! You're useless without you're magic!" Regina spits at the imp.
"I made a deal. With a woman none of you wish to ever come across, I can assure you."
"What kind of deal, Rumple?" Belle asks lightly.
"With who?" Emma interrupts. Meredith and Killian stand in silence next to Robin.
Gold sighs. "A witch. She had an issue with a king she needed my help with, and in return, she helped encase Elsa."
"But if Elsa can freeze magic how did this witch-"
Gold interrupts Emma before she can finish her sentence. "Because dearie, she was the original Ice Queen."
A grave silence settled on the group. Meredith feels panic rise in her chest, because this is the first time in her life she's ever felt so powerless. Rumplestiltskin had told her on more than one occasion she was one of the most powerful users of light magic he'd ever come across. Being born of soulmates and true love with a mother who had magic that was a force to be reckoned with made Meredith something of a rarity. Now here she was, in a time she was unable use her magic, in a time she needed it most and now she was being told some crazy ice bitch has the ability to freeze it?
She figures Regina has caught her looking so worried, because she pulls her to once side when the group regain their voices.
"Robin tells me you're not comfortable staying here?" Her mother asks, not a hint of warmth in her voice or concern in her eyes. Meredith is very suspicious Regina isn't asking out of the goodness of her heart.
"It will be fine I'm sure. I just don't know Marian very well," Meredith says, hoping she's covering the uncomforted tone in her voice.
"Well ... I have room at my house. If you don't feel like sharing a room with Marian. You can stay with me, it's no trouble."
She smiles at her mom, despite herself, finally finding a glimmer of the mother she knows. She nods gratefully. "I would love that, thank you."
A/N: So glad you all liked my take on future Robin/Regina in the last chapter. Thank you all so much for the reviews and support! I love writing this story, it's beginning to take shape exactly how I wanted it to, I'm so excited to really get going with the next few chapters!
Just answering some questions I've been asked.
Anna Caskettshiper asked: Will Regina find out Merida stole the spell book?
In short, the answer is yes, but how she finds out may surprise you.
Will Robin realize Merida is his daughter?
Tricky for me to answer without giving anything away. At the moment he trusts Merida, unusually more so than other people he's met.
Isah Underhill: Your review made my heart melt, thank you!