AN: Thanks to those of you that followed, favorited, and reviewed. I like hearing what you guys think good or bad, as long as its constructive critism. For those of you who don't like it (guest reviewer), I don't expect everyone to like what I am writing.
To guest reviewer Calliope: this is a fantastic theory and should probably be written but I can tell you it is not that. When she is cold and when she is not is actually important.
I hope you are going to enjoy what I am doing here. After talking with the wonderful Sandpiper, Ive decided to make some adjustments to my story with the way I am telling it because I want to and Outlaw Queen has been through too much and I think you will enjoy the story more. I've made some edits, so new chapter title.
I loved you once
Needed protection
You're still a part of everything I do
You're on my heart just like a tattoo
Just like a tattoo I'll always have you
I'll always have you
I'll always have you
Jordin Sparks—Tattoo (cheesy I know, but it goes with the chapter)
Chapter 10: Operation Fun Week 5: Tattoos, movie night &nightmares.
The following Saturday morning, Regina found herself in front of Robin's Tombstone once again. She had just taken the dead flowers out of the attached vase and replaced them with fresh sunflowers. A sad smile crossed her lips as she fiddled with the petals of the flowers. "Hello, my thief…" She started before a tear threatened to fall. "I miss you…everyday" She sniffed. "These two past weeks have almost been bearable. Henry has finally had a summer where he can just be a kid. He's enjoying it. I don't know what I would do without him. Die probably."
Blinking a tear away that threatened to fall, she made herself continue to speak without breaking down. "Your daughter is growing like a weed. I swear she's an inch taller already, certainly growing more beautiful every day." Looking down at the grass in front of her, she begins to pick at it, a little nervous for what she's about to admit. "I try to help Zelena with your daughter. She asks for advice all the time but sometimes I find it hard. Hard because she reminds me of you and I wish we could have had that together. Hard because I still hang onto the guilt of what happened to you, what Zelena did to you in order to hurt me. We are trying to move forward as sisters, but I don't know if I'll fully be able to because I can't forgive her for what she did to you. But I try to move past my feelings because your daughter deserves her best chance and I feel a kinship with her. Like me, she was conceived selfishly for someone else's personal gain. I was conceived to be a Queen and she was conceived to try and hurt people. But if there's one thing I know, I won't let that little girl feel unloved and I'll keep an eye on zelena."
She paused for a moment and turned her head to the sky, closing her eyes and taking in the suns warmth. After a moment, she sighed and looked back towards the tombstone. "I got a hair cut. I feel like I needed something new. Do you like it?" she asked as she flipped her hair back and forth. "You always loved it, no matter what length it was, you were always running your fingers through it." Running her own hand through it, she smiled in reverence as she did so. "Rob took me to, get this, Sweeney Todd. Things didn't turn out for him as everyone thought. He changed his ways to become a good man, loves his daughter, and he gave me one hell of hair cut." She laughed lightly at the last part with a sad smile. "His daughter Johanna is lovely and we have a lot in common. She was locked up like a caged bird too. Maybe we can be some sort of friends eventually."
She exhaled a deep breath before continuing. "Rob is becoming a good friend. He just seems to want me to be happy and says that is what you would want to. But that just doesn't feel possible, not fully at least." At this point she sniffs and wipes her nose with a tissue she was holding. "I'll never admit this to him, but I like having him around. He dulls the pain somewhat." Shivers run through her at the comment. Damn these chills that come and go, she thinks to herself. "Did you send him to me Robin? To help me as a friend because you couldn't be here? He reminds me a lot of you though, not afraid to stand toe to toe with me and snark right back. It's kind of weird and spooky. Do you have a brother you never told me about?" Puffing out a laugh, she thought about the banter that happened between them in the enchanted forest.
"Last Saturday he took me swimming, something I never got to do as a kid. Mother wouldn't let me, she said peasants bath in the lake. Sound familiar, Thief?" Teasing, she raised her eyebrow at the tombstone, like he could see her. A frown came across her lips. Like he could hear her, maybe, she thought. "I love you Robin. I don't know if you can hear me but I do. I love you so much. Your love is forever tattooed on my heart." She choked out, holding back more tears, as she reached out and caressed his name on the tombstone. "I'll be back next week, thief. I love you, truly"
Taking one more moment to say goodbye, she got up, gazed upon his name before turning and leaving to go back to her car.
Once she got home, she threw her keys into the dish next to the door, took out her cell phone, and dialed the number of her intended recipient. Pacing the entrance way, she listened to several rings before he picked up.
"Your Majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" The deep voice of Rob answered.
"Hey. I was wondering if you can come over?" She asked him as she made her way into the living room and sat down on her couch.
"Everything alright?" He asked her back with a concerned tone in his voice.
"Yeah…I was wondering if we can post pone whatever you have planned today? There's something else I want to do and was wondering if you would come with me." A little nervous, she started to nibble on her thumb.
"Sure thing. Let me get a shower and I'll be over in a jiffy."
"Did you just say jiffy? And you're not even dressed yet, it's noontime!"
"I did just say jiffy. My mom said it a lot and I met some pals last night for drinks. Lets just say I walked back to Granny's. What did you do last?"
"So hung over huh? Hope your head is pounding. Should I scream into the phone?" she teased him.
"Please bloody don't that's just mean." He lamented.
"hahaha they don't call me the evil queen for nothing, Outlaw."
"hmmm more bold and audacious I would say."
Those words sent shivers down her spine. She was stunned and didn't say anything back.
"Regina…Regina, are you there? Helllooooo."
"Where did you hear that?" she stammered into the receiver.
"N—No where." Rob stuttered a little into the phone. "Just think those are good words to describe you." He tried to sound more confident at the end. "Let me jump into the shower and I'll be over in a little bit."
"Ok. I'll see you soon."
They said goodbye and Regina hung up the phone with shivers that began to run through her body. She was starting to get really irritated by being cold all the time. After throwing her phone on the coffee table, she marched up the stairs and went to her closet to put Robin's hoodie on. As soon as she put it on, she sighed in relief as the shivers began to stop. Then deciding tea would help relax her, she went downstairs to put the kettle on the stove.
After the kettle started to whistle, she took it off the stove, poured it into her favorite mug, and dunked the tea bag. As she was about to take a sip, the door bell rang. With an annoyed huff, she put her cup down and went to answer the door. Rob was on the other side.
"That may have been the quickest shower known to man, did you even bother to use soap?" Regina sassed him as she stepped aside to let him in.
"Ha ha. Very funny. Yes I used soap. I'm not an animal. I just did it quickly. You sounded upset on the phone." With genuine concern, he followed her as they walked into the kitchen.
"I'm fine." Regina said plainly as she took out another mug, knowing that what she said didn't sound very convincing. "want some tea?" she held up the mug to him.
"Yes that would be lovely and you know I'm not buying that. Spill." He took the mug from her.
Leaning against the kitchen island, Regina watched as he made his tea, her arms crossed in front of her. Grimacing, she hated how well he could read her. Noticing she was starting to get hot, she unzipped her hoodie. "I went to Robin's grave."
Rob turned and took a sip of tea before answering. "That must have been emotional."
"It was." She stated matter of factly. "I feel silly though sometimes. I talk to him, tell him about my week or how I'm feeling, as if he can hear me. "
"What makes you think he doesn't?" Rob asked with a raise of his brow.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Just doesn't seem rational."
With cup in hand, Rob leaned against the kitchen island with his elbows propped up and looked at her. "Do you not believe in an afterlife? Seems like you would after the story I heard that some of you traveled to the underworld."
Fidgeting, this conversation made her nervous. She pulled up her sleeves, thinking that would actually help cool her off. Why was she so hot right now? "Doesn't matter what I believe or don't believe. What matters is that Hades said there was no moving on for him, that he was obliterated."
"We talked about this, Regina. Hades could have lied. Maybe there were circumstances he didn't know about. Like some sort of get pass go or exclusion to the rules."
"Maybe." Regina mumbled, looking down at her tea.
"I think he hears you Regina, loud and clear." He turned and squeezed her hand; she could tell that he knew she was done with this conversation for now. "So, are you going to tell me what you wanted to do today or are you going to leave me hanging?"
"Oh look, are you annoyed I didn't tell you what I wanted to do today?" She sassed him with a smug look.
Rob chortled at her comment. "You got me it seems, fair enough."
"I want your advice anyways whether I should do this or not. I've never done had one done before."
"Had what done?" he asked with intrigue.
"This." Taking out a scrap of paper from her trouser pocket, she unfolded it and flattened it out on the counter. One the paper was a drawing of a lion roaring on his hind legs with a black background shaped like a shield. Encircling the top was a classic five point jeweled crown. "is a sketch of a tattoo I was thinking about getting." Skeptical, she looked up at Rob for his reaction.
Nodding, he had a look of surprise on his face. "I'm guessing this means something to you."
Taking the piece of paper in hand, she caressed the picture of the lion with a single fingernail, nodding her head as she eyed the picture reverently. "Without getting into it, yes it does mean something special to me. Robin had this tattoo but without the crown. I put that on to add my own personal touch to it. Is it a stupid idea?" She slumped her shoulders.
"Why do you want to do it?" Intent on listening to her, he turned and leaned with one elbow on the counter to better look at her.
"To commemorate him and something that is just for me to remember him by." Then she turned and met his eyes with a small smile.
"Where do you want to get it?"
"My hip. Where for the most part, only I can see it. This is for me and for him. It feels like this would be a way to carry him with me, always. To know that he in fact existed"
"Then yes, I think you should get it. Do you have an appointment scheduled?"
"Yes." She sniffed, trying to keep anymore tears from falling. "I had my initial consultation with a new tattoo artist that came from your world, everyone was raving about her. She came up with this sketch. I told her I had to think about and make sure I really wanted it and I think I really want to."
"Then lets do it." Rob said while pounding the back of his on the counter. "What time is your appointment?"
"In a little over an hour." she answered him, a little nervous about doing this. She knew it was going to hurt a lot, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. A little pain was not new to her.
"Then I will be there to hold your hand all the way through it. Lets get some lunch before hand. You shouldn't have low blood sugar before you do this."
"You mean breakfast for you lazy bones?" sniggering at her own joke, she play punched him. "But fair point on the low blood sugar thing and oh my god its so hot in here, are you hot?" she asked him as she tore off her sweat shirt.
"No. How scandalous for you to strip before me your majesty?"
"You wish, Outlaw. Plus, I'm a Queen and a little more refined than that." With a queenly tilt of her chin, she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Ok your highness, lets go fill that refined stomach of yours." Rob commented flatly before dragging her out the door.
After they had lunched at Granny's, they headed over to the tattoo parlor. Now Regina sat next to Rob, anxiously tapping her foot while waiting for it to be her turn.
Irritated, Rob placed his hand on her knee in order to make her stop fidgeting. "Stop. You're not helping yourself."
Regina straightened herself in her chair and wriggled to get comfortable before she snapped at him. "Well excuse me for being nervous when I'm about to get a needle stuck in my skin over and over."
Turning his head, Rob just scowled at her. "You don't have to do this." He said plainly and without judgment.
"No. I want to. Trust me I've been through worse pain in my life." She murmured as she played with her fingernails. Since she was a little girl, she always did this when she was anxious. Every time mother would scold her for it and she forced herself to stop.
Taken back a little, Rob didn't know how to take her comment and was curious. "Like what?"
"Well for one, being electrocuted for what seemed like hours."
"What?!" Rob snapped, gob smacked by this. "When was this?"
"A few years ago. Someone from my past held me hostage, trying to get answers about where his father was. Did him no good really because I killed his father years ago. Still want to be my friend?" Looking at him, she smiled sarcastically.
"I definitely want to find this guy and kick his ass." Rob held anger in his tone.
"Well, to do that you'll have to make a trip to the underworld because he's dead."
"Right where he belongs." Rob replied, looking as a tall, skinny, and dark haired Asian woman with tattoos came forward and called Regina's name. "Ya ready?" Rob asked as he held out his hand.
"As I'll ever be." With a small smile, Regina took his hand and they got up to meet the woman by the reception desk. "Rob this is Tori Wu, she's going to be doing the tattoo. Tori, this annoying Outlaw, is my friend Rob."
"Nice to meet you." Reaching out his hand, Tori took it in return for a handshake. "hmm…she said with a raise of her brows as she eyed him up and then looked at Regina. "You ready to get started?" Tori asked.
"Yeah." Regina said huffing out a breath.
Tori led them into a back room and had Regina lay on the tattoo chair while rob took the seat next her, grabbing her hand in support.
Tori sat in the stool on the other side of Regina and dragged the cart closer to her. "You want this in black and white, right?"
Regina nodded nervously in return. "Yes exactly how you sketched it out."
"Still want it on your right hip, right above your hip bone?"
"Perfect." Regina told her, trying not to let her voice crack in nervousness.
"Ok. This isn't a very big tattoo so it hopefully shouldn't take very long but the shading of the crown and blackening the shield will take the longest. You let me know if you need a break, you hear me. I don't want you passing out in my chair."
"Im tougher than that." Regina bit back, a little annoyed Tori was implying that she was week.
"Just letting you know." Tori said as she readied everything, lowered the waist band of her yoga pants she had changed into before they came, and began to stencil the tattoo on her hip. "Did you remember to eat something?"
"Yes. I did." Regina took a deep breath as Tori finished stenciling and reached for the tattoo needle.
Of course Rob could tell that she was jittery about that this, so he squeezed her hand in comfort. "You can do this Regina. A little needle can't take out the Queen"
Trying to relax back against the headrest, she readied herself for the needle as Tori made sure her pants were out of the way for the tattoo. "You like the placement of it?" Tori asked as she pointed down to the penned drawing. Looking down, Regina examined the placement and nodded her head in approval. Once again she rested her head back, trying not to be afraid of a little needle. She had been through worse after all.
Feeling the pressure from Tori's hand on her hip, Regina scrunched her eyes shut as Tori pierced the skin with her tattoo needle. It pinched and she felt the vibrating from the instrument but overall it wasn't as bad as she thought. It sort of felt like someone was poking her over and over with little sharp twinges of pain.
"You ok?" Regina heard Rob ask and she peaked one eye open at him and nodded. "Getting electrocuted was definitely worse."
For awhile, the three remained in silence as Tori worked her magic. Rob was the first to break the silence. "So Tori, Regina tells me you also came from the land of untold stories. What made you stay here?"
Stopping a moment, Tori looked up and then patted Regina's skin with clean towel. "You were there and know how much it sucked. Sad and overcrowded. Where I'm originally from sucked even more than that. Imagine a world divided into 5 factions with each having their own job and something they like to call an aptitude test where they inject with some serum deciding where you belong. Where people try to control you your whole life." She explained to him with disgust in her voice as she went back to Regina's tattoo.
"That's bonkers." Rob said as he looked to Regina, who had her eyes scrunched shut and was biting her lip to distract her from the pain. "You ok?" Rob asked and she opened her eyes to look at him, nodding to let him know she was ok.
Tori had stopped but then continued, eyes knit in concentration, when she knew her client was ok.
"So you decided to build a life here?" Rob asked with interest.
"Yes a few friends that are like family and I decided to stay. This place is chill. Open. Clean." Tori answered him, not looking up, as she continued working on the tattoo and flipped her long hair away from her face.
" I understand why you like it here. I know I do." Rob stated, looking over to Regina who smiled in return, knowing what he was getting at, that he was happy to have met her. If she were honest, she was glad he came into her life too. She didn't know where she would be without his friendship.
"You doing ok, Regina? Do you need a break?" Tori looked up at Regina in question.
"I'm fine, lets get this finished." She replied.
"Ok. Good. Not too much longer. You're a tough one." Tori gave her a small smile then returned to her task her hand. "it's men like the one sitting next to you that are babies about this." Not looking up, she made this comment to Rob with a smirk on her face.
"Hey. I'm tough!" Rob defended himself.
"Please all you men are babies." Tori looked up and laughed with Regina.
"She's right. You men are all wimps." Regina backed Tori up.
"Hey! Now I feel like I'm being tag teamed by you ladies. Not fair!"
"Life's not fair, Outlaw." Regina directed her comment to Rob.
"And us woman have to stick together." Stopping a moment, Tori winked at Regina before she went back to finish the tattoo.
Crossing his arms, Rob just slumped back into his chair with a huff while glaring at the two snickering women.
Fifteen minutes later, Tori laid down the tattoo needle and declared that she was done, happy with her work. Regina got up and went over to the full length mirror. Pulling down the waist band on her pants, Regina admired Tori's work and she had to admit she was very happy too. Right above her hip bone, lay her very own lion tattoo with a regal corown. She caressed right above it with a single finger as she looked at reverently.
Rob came over and looked at her through the mirror, his hands tucked into his jean pockets. "You like it?"
With glassy eyes and a sad smile, she looked up, met his eyes in the mirror, and nodded. A rogue tear slipped down her cheek that she batted away immediately. She didn't want to cry anymore but she missed the thief so damn much.
Draping his arm around her shoulder, he squeezed it in comfort. "I think he would like it and be honored."
"You think so?" Regina asked unsure.
"Definitely." He nodded with confidence.
After a bandage was put on her tattoo and Tori gave her post care instructions (she'd probably just end up healing it with her magic), the two made their way out of the parlor and back to Regina's house. Dark, ominous clouds were merging in overhead, definitely threatening storms later on today and through the night.
Once there, they had decided to cook another favorite recipe of Regina's, chicken cacciatore for dinner. After having fun making the meal together, they sat down at her dining room table. As soon as Rob took a bite, he moaned that she was a goddess in the kitchen and may be having thirds again tonight. With a shake of her head, Regina just laughed at him as she sipped her wine. It was then that rain started to pelt against the window, falling from the sky in heavy sheets.
"Well, looks like a night in." Regina commented, swirling her wine.
"I must admit, this ruins my plans but we can take a rain check. Get it?…rain…check" Rob pointed towards the window as he dryly chuckled at his own joke. With a blank glare directed at him, Regina did not find him amusing "Ha Ha Ha." Her voice dripped in sarcasm as she rolled her eyes.
"Ok. I'll admit it was lame." Rob held his palms up in defeat before looking towards her. "Why don't we spend our evening watching more of those things you call movies?"
Picking up her fork, Regina took a bite of food as she nodded. "Works for me."
When they were done with dinner, they cleaned up and then sat down in the sitting room and tried to settle on which movies to watch. In the end, they started with The Breakfast Club, Ghost, and then Say Anything. Somewhere in the middle of say anything, thunder started to rumble some distance away. Then as they started Pretty Woman, lightening struck, illuminating the room with each strike, and the wind started to pick up with a howl. This was going to be a bad storm.
"Maybe you should stay the night?" Regina asked as she settled deeper into the cushions, looking towards the window at the storm outside. "It's not going to be safe for you to go back to Granny's. I have plenty of spare bedrooms" A loud smack of thunder and strike of bright lightening punctuated her point.
"You may be right, your majesty."
"Of course I am. Now restart the movie. This is the best part." Clutching the couch pillow close to her chest, Regina snuggled back into the cushions.
Sometime before Richard Gere's character appears on the fire escape with roses in hand, Regina and Rob both fell asleep. With the boom of the thunder and strike of lightening, nightmares started to invade Regina's dreams. Over and over she saw the lightning bolt invading Robin's chest and his body falling helplessly to the ground with his soul disappearing into thin air. The scene played before her like a broken record repeating faster and faster until she was finally jerked awake screaming NO, jarring Rob in the process.
"You ok?" Rob asked, concern in her voice as he grasped her arm, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the other.
Trembling, she bent over and tucked her head into her legs, shaking her head that she wasn't ok.
"Come here." He pulled her into him, draping his arm across her shoulders as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Nightmares?"
Sniffing, Regina nodded her head, trying not to let more tears fall. "Every time it storms."
"About robin?" he asked as he rubbed her arm up and down meant to sooth.
Closing her eyes and willing the threat of tears away, she puffed out a small yes.
"Want to talk about it?"
"No." Her voice was horse, as if she had just been screaming for hours.
"When you're ready, I am here to listen, ok." Rob said supportively.
"Thank you." Regina was glad he wasn't pushing her but giving her comfort all the same.
"it's late. Well past midnight. Why don't we bring her majesty to her royal chambers and get into bed."
Wiping away her tears, Regina snickered as she got up to make her way upstairs. "Will you sit with me until I fall asleep.
"Of course. Not a problem." Rob confirmed as he followed her up to the master bedroom.
Once changed into her silk pajamas with Robin's hoodie over it, she got in and snuggled under the covers. The two friends talked for a little while about everything and nothing before Regina's eyes started to feel heavy. A few moments later, her breathing started to even out, letting Rob know she was asleep.
Rob sat with her for a few more minutes to make sure she was asleep and no more nightmares would plague her. Turning to look out the window, he noticed the storm was dying down with only drizzle hitting the windows. Seeing what Regina was going thru, he knew he needed to take action. So he got up and kissed her head before he whispered, "I'm going to fix this." She didn't stir.
Rob then made his way out of Regina's house and marched down to Main Street with purpose. Not knowing if this was a mistake, he ended up in front of the Dark One's door and wrapped his right fist against it. "I know you're there Imp. Dark One's don't need to sleep." Rob bellowed through the door as he continued to pound against it.
Suddenly, the door clicked open and creaked open ominously. Stepping inside, Rob closed the door and turned to see Rumple standing behind the display counter, polishing silver. "About time you showed up Dearie. I personally thought you would have been here sooner." Holding up the silver piece to the light, he inspected it.
Rob walked up to the counter and leaned against it, glaring at Rumple. "I don't have time for games Dark one. I need your help. I'm here to see if we can make a deal."
"Let me guess, does it have something to do with this?" Turning around, Rumple pulled away the picture and opened his safe with a wave of his hand. He extracted two storybook pages and placed them on the counter.
"Where did you get those?" Rob questioned with a gruff voice
"Thought you could burn them and then throw them down the well? Tsk tsk. These are pure magic Dearie. For it can't be destroyed, it can only change form." Rumpled explained with a smug grin on his face while Rob just continued to stare him down, not looking at the pages. "Tell me, thief, should I call you Robert or Robin of Locksley? Or should we stick with Robin Hood. It's becoming difficult to keep track."
Clenching his fists, Rob began to tremble in anger, stare hardening even more at Rumple before he looked down at the pages. Lying before him were the caricatures of his light and dark self drawn on the pages. The top one displayed who everyone in this world had known the honorable Robin Hood to be with sandy blonde hair, blue eyes sparkling with light behind them, and a smug grin showing off his dimples. The exact opposite could be found on the picture below. His dark self stood with dark hair and scruff, no light behind his eyes making them look sapphire in color, and anger etched into his face. The same face he wore now and the same one he used to steal the wand from the man in front of him.. The only thing they had in common were the lion tattoos on display.
"I see now where you got your inspiration for that glamour of yours when you stole from me. Here I thought you were apprehensive about magic but it seems our Queen wasn't the first to delve into the splitting of their light and dark selves." Rumple stated with that cocky grin of his.
"I was desperate and almost lost completely to darkness. I had to do something. I'm not this man anymore" Rob explained as his eyes didn't leave Rumple's and he pointed to the page.
"Your current situation begs to differ, thief, and be careful of that anger of yours. Just another thing you and the Queen seem to have in common." Picking up the silver he had been polishing, he opened the case and placed it carefully in while Ron continued to watch him carefully. "it's quite obvious after what we saw with Regina that your soul wasn't obliterated because your other half was still alive, but tell me how could your soul stay tethered to this world." Leaning on the counter, Rumple eyed the thief carefully.
"I don't know." Rob responded, flicking his gaze down back to the picture.
Rumple only glared at him harder. "You're lying." He pointed his finger at Rob. "You know something and aren't telling me. You want my help I need to know everything. All magic involved."
Rob gulped down the ball in his throat, unsure if he should share this fact with the Dark One, but he needed to fix this, get back to his real self, and get back to his soul mate, family, and friends. "Regina is my soul mate."
Eyes wide, Rumple was shocked and he began to pace back and forth behind the counter not offering any answers.
Watching him pace, Rob huffed out a breath. "Is there something wrong?"
Rumple stopped pacing and looked towards Rob. "Soulmate magic is rare. Not much is known about it. Your other half was left where?"
"In the land of untold stories." Rob said starting to grow impatient.
"Sort of fitting really. So there was time between when your soul merged back with your darker self?" Rumple paused, seemingly trying to answer his own question. "Do you remember anything from before your two halves were reunited?"
"It's hazy." Rob began. "Almost like looking at things through water but I knew I was tethered to Regina. I was with her everywhere, even outside in New York. Obviously magic got outside Storybrooke somehow. I saw everything that happened there and was with her every moment. It was torture not being able to be there for her or talk to her. After we got back to town and Hyde merged our realms, that's when I felt this pull and I traveled and rejoined my other half. Why? I have no clue."
As Rumple took in the information, he nodded and mmhmmed.
"Can you help me or not?" Rob asked, getting irritated.
"Hold your temper, Outlaw." Rumple cut him off before he could say anything further. "Just because it's rare, doesn't mean there isn't an answer. Just need to further research this and I don't do things for free dearie. The better question is what are you willing to do for me?"
"Anything." Rob said without hesitation. "If it means I can make things right.
"Oh I do love when they say that." An evil grin crept on Rumple's face."I'll have to think on this one. I'll draw up a contract. Come in tomorrow night and we will discuss it."
"I don't play games Rumple. Is there a way to get back to who I really am?"
"Never doubt the dark one." Rumple smiled, pretty sure he already knew what would fix this.
"I'll see you tomorrow night." With that, Rob turned to leave the shop but was stopped by Rumple's voice as he grabbed the door handle. "Remember, thief. No one breaks a deal with the Dark One. I can be your worst nightmare and I would hate for Regina to find out about the content and story on these pages. Not such the honorable man everyone thought you were. Would hate for Regina to be disappointed in you and look at you differently, wouldn't you?
"I'm not that person anymore." With nothing further to say, Rob swiftly opened the door and left.
Ok… covers eyes, nervous about this. Feel free to message me to discuss or leave reviews. Love it? Hate it? In between? Also I have no idea about tattoos. So if I got everything wrong,sorry about that.
Next chapter: Blood Does Not Always a Family Make