Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Regina stopped by Granny's to see how Emma was doing and to get breakfast. To Regina's surprise, Emma was out and about today, so she ate and ordered a cup of coffee to-go. She needed to do a few more dozen stacks of paperwork and prepare invitations for the first Christmas party she's ever had. She wasn't sure how she felt about having all of the Charmings over and Hook and...Emma, but she wasn't going to selfishly tear Henry in two. She wanted to show him that, and Christmas was coming in a couple weeks, so it would be a nice gesture.

She worked most of the day, dealing with a few unpleasant things and trying to figure out who all to invite to the party. She had Henry write a list, but he only added the family: Emma, Snow, David, Neal, Hook, Belle and Rumpelstiltskin. She'd noticed he'd written down Robin, but erased it. She could see it very faintly on the paper. She wasn't entirely sure she didn't want Robin there. She was conflicted.

Robin had asked her to lunch via note attached to her headboard with an arrow. She wasn't sure if she wanted to attend or not. She needed to speak with him, and he clearly needed to speak with her, but it would be messy and someone was bound to get hurt. She didn't want to make him choose and tear a family apart, but...she couldn't be that hero. She wanted him in her life, and not as a friend. She refused the idea of being with a married man, so that left only one choice if they were to be together.

Shaking her head, she put the list away and returned to her work. She needed to get a lot done before lunch. She had only done a portion of the work the other night, because she was so focused on baby Neal. Hopefully, Mary Margaret wouldn't use her as an impromptu babysitter again. She wouldn't mind if Mary Margaret called ahead of time and let her know. She was quite fond of the boy. He was so sweet. She'd forgotten how nice it was to have a baby around.

She concentrated on her work, trying not to get sidetracked by anything, and she was so focused, she almost didn't hear the sound of feet. Someone was walking down the hall toward her office. She lifted her eyes as the door open and Henry walked in. She was happy to see him, but he was supposed to be with Mary Margaret and the baby. He'd asked to go and see them this morning.

"Henry, what brings you here?" She smiled at him.

"I thought we could go to lunch." He stopped by her desk.

"Lunch?" Regina glanced at her watch, and it was going on two. She was so absorbed in her work, she must've forgotten to check the time. "I would love to have lunch." She stood up.

"Great." He smiled.

She put her coat, and they walked down the hall together, and Henry mentioned someone coming with them. She saw Emma outside, and she was tempted to come up with an excuse to get out of this lunch, but she decided Henry asking her to lunch was worth Emma being there.

"We have something to show you." He stopped by the car.

"We?" Regina's brows rose. "All right. I'm curious."

Regina and Henry took the backseats since Emma had a box in the passenger seat, Regina had a feeling she knew what this was about, but she kept it to herself. Henry asked her about her morning, and she tried not to bore him with the details.

"Okay, kid, right or left?" Emma asked at a stop sign.

"Left." Henry peered out the window, and Emma turned.

"Just where are we going?" Regina looked from Emma to Henry.

"We're almost there," was all he said.

They drove for about ten more minutes then stopped in the middle of nowhere. Regina knew this place, though. About twenty minutes up the road was her house. Why had they brought her here? What did they have to show her?

"I got it." Emma picked up the box from the passenger seat and closed the door. "It's this way."

Regina turned as Emma started down a stone path, Henry was waiting for her, and Regina followed. She saw a small house in the distance, and she realized it was where Emma and Henry were going to be staying from now on. She didn't have a problem with it. It was close to her house and Emma's parents' apartment. It looked cozy enough, trees for shade, bushes that would bloom roses in the spring and plenty of space that held a For Sale sign with a Sold sticker across it.

They entered the house, Henry and Emma set their coats down across the rail on the stairs, and Regina did the same. They gave Regina the grand tour. The house looked so big, but that was probably because the house was completely empty. The first floor had a well-sized kitchen, the living room had wooden floors and a bay window looking into the backyard, and there was an office that Emma was going to use.

Emma let Henry show Regina the second floor by himself while she went to the kitchen and emptied the box. The second floor held three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a closet. Henry's bedroom was the first room on the left, and he had his own bathroom, room for a desk to do homework on and plenty of windows for light and fresh air to get in.

"First item to be added is a desk," Regina teased, "for doing algebra and calculus and trigonometry."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I can see it now."

"Me too. You'll ignore it to play video games and then cram the last minute."

"Probably, but I've gotten pretty good at it."

She laughed. "I'll bet."

Henry showed her Emma's room. It was down the hall to the right, and there would be plenty of room for that shipless pirate what with the walk-in closet and private bathroom that had a window with a stained glass swan.

"Then there's the guest bedroom." Henry sat down in the window seat. "Mom said you could come over for dinner once everything is all set up."

Regina turned to face him. "That'd be nice."

"You mean it?"

"I do."

He nodded. "I was worried."

"About what?" She sat beside him.

"How you would react," he said slowly and very softly, "after Emma brought back Marian."

"React?" She studied his eyes. "Don't you mean, change?"

"I just didn't want you to go back to being the Evil Queen," he admitted. "I believe in you, and I love you, but...before...you'd let your emotions take over, and you'd changed, and I was worried it might happen again."

"Yes, I did let my emotions get the better of me before, but that's not who I am anymore," she assured him. "This change is permanent. I promise you."

He smiled. "I knew that, for the most part."

"I thought we were having lunch. I'm hungry, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Let's go eat."

They went downstairs, Emma had the island in the kitchen covered with containers of food from Granny's, three drinks already filled and three wooden stools. Regina had a feeling they were going to eat together after this drive. She didn't mind. She and Emma were...something once, and they could try and friends. If it didn't work this time, she honestly wouldn't be surprised. Alphas tended to butt heads.

They ate a lunch of baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Emma had a pile of paint choices, and she and Henry were trying to decided what to paint each room. Regina gave them some suggestions when they couldn't decide on a color, and she even took Henry's side on what to paint the living room.

"Why? Why not?" Emma asked, holding up the sample.

"Because if I'm going to be coming over, I'm not looking at—" Regina took the sample and found the color she wanted, "—'Loose Leaf'."

"Oh, but 'Midwinter Sky' is better?"

"Yes," Regina and Henry said in unison.

"I guess I like what it says about the color," Emma admitted, "Comfort, nature, growth."

Henry read, "Greens cozy up a space and refreshes the spirit. I don't think our spirits need refreshed, Mom."

"How in the hell does green cozy up a space?" Regina muttered.

"Oh, but we need blues that revive and refresh, to assure strength and stability and have a calming effect? Actually, that does sound better."

"Look, since we choose the color, we'll paint it," Regina offered.

"Good. Now I still have to figure out what to paint my room."

"How about 'Enchanted Forest'?" Henry teased. "It's an actual color."

"Cute." Emma took the sample and hit him in the head lightly with it. "No." She flipped through the many choices and sighed, setting them down and taking a drink of water. She looked at Regina. "Could I ask you for a favor?"

"That depends on the favor."

"Our belongings will be here any day now, and I could use a hand moving boxes. Dad and Killian are coming to help, but—"

"They're only three hands." Regina nodded. "Let me know when."

Henry smiled happily behind a bit of chicken.

When they finished eating, Emma put all of the empty containers in the box, and they went back to Regina's office. Henry stayed with Regina since they were going home together, and Emma had to some errands to run.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Regina asked as they walked toward her office. "I think the vending machine's fixed."

"Sure. I'll get it."

She gave him the money and continued walking, glancing back once to make sure he still knew the way—he did. She opened the door and stepped into her office, finding Robin at her desk. Momentarily, she was confused then she remembered their plans. He didn't look angry, so that was a good sign. He also hadn't seen her yet, he was fixing one of his arrows, it seemed.

"Robin." She approached him, stopping about two feet away.

He slipped the arrow back into his quiver. "It's good to see you."

She smiled. "It's good to see you too. You look well."

"And you're as beautiful as ever." She looked away, and he stepped closer. "My apologies. It...slipped out."

She didn't say anything, just offered a small smile.

"I see you forgot our plans."

"Pla—Oh, damn. I'm sorry. I was so focused on my work," she explained, "and then Henry asked me out to lunch. I'm sorry. It slipped my mind."

"No, that's all right. Roland and I decided to stay in today anyway." He closed the space between them. "Are you free now?"

"Not quite."

"Henry?" She nodded. "Well, perhaps tomorrow you will be free."

"I just may be."

"I look forward to your call. If none comes...well, you got my first message." He smiled at her, looking over her beautiful face.

"Yes, I did." She laughed a little at her reaction to the arrow in her headboard that morning.

"All I could—Oh." Henry stopped in the doorway. "I can come back. Maybe knock."

Robin shook his head. "No need. I should be going." He looked at Regina. "Tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"Goodbye, Henry." He gave him a smile as he left.

Regina sighed and Henry walked over to her. He noticed how tense she was, so he held out a can to her. "Trusty machine. Gave me Pepsi when I asked for Coke."

She smiled and took the drink. "Thanks." She set it on her desk. "I should be done soon."

He nodded, opening his drink and sitting down at a table. He took his phone out and began to play a game while she finished up. She organized her desk, trying to find a conformation e-mail she'd gotten, and she found a child's drawing. It was by Roland, and it was of her, Robin, Henry and himself. He'd written to Regina and Henry in the right-hand corner. How thoughtful.

She set the picture down and took her phone out of her pocket, setting a reminder for her lunch with Robin. There, now unless she forgot her phone—unlikely—it was set. Tomorrow, they would talk.

~r~r~

Regina finished her work from home, Henry was with Emma trying to decide on paint colors, and Regina was struggling with choices of her own. She wasn't sure—for the first time in her life—what the hell to wear. She had this extensive wardrobe of beautiful, fanciful clothes and she didn't have any clue what to wear. And even if she did, she wasn't sure if it was appropriate or not. They were...something, but not together, and she didn't want to seem overdressed or as if she were trying to sway him with her body. She needed a second opinion.

She grabbed her cell phone and called the only person who wasn't busy and would probably give her an honest opinion.

Half an hour later, she arrived, and Regina tried not to be annoyed, because she had a lot to do before leaving. Regina still had two hours before her lunch anyway, so she wasn't really worried. She was just...panicking. She wasn't sure how this would go or if she could bite her tongue if needed. She never could.

She set her bag down on the floor and set the carrier on the table. "Okay, what did you need my help with?" Mary Margaret removed her coat.

"Not help," Regina corrected. "Opinion. I just need your opinion."

"All right. On what?"

"An outfit."

"Oh?" Her brows rose. "We're doing this? Isn't this a friendship thing?" She was poorly hiding a smile.

Regina met her eyes. "Yes, I...hear it can be taken as a friend...ship thing."

Snow smiled happily. "So, who are you seeing? Is this a business meeting?"

"If this were a business meeting, I would've called myself." Regina chewed her bottom lip.

"You're nervous." Mary Margaret stepped closer. "Who is this person?"

"No one of importance. I just...want a second opinion." She sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Let me guess: Robin Hood?"

"Do you want a prize?" Regina crossed her legs. "I'm being ridiculous."

"No." Snow sat beside her. "You're not. I get it."

"No...you don't." She looked at Mary Margaret. "You have David. You've always had him, and it always made sense. Nothing in my...love life has made sense. I was a child when I was with Daniel, and no one else was all that important, but with him...it's like something finally is right."

Snow smiled softly.

"Then Emma came in and destroyed that," she added.

She met Regina's eyes. "Regina, believe me, you make one hell of a first impression."

"So, leather pants then?" Regina mused.

She laughed. "I'm sure we can find something." She hopped up and looked through the closet. "I see who has all the dresses to go with my shoes."

Regina stood up and went over to Neal. "Well, I had to look my best, didn't I?" She glanced over her shoulder. "You look better."

"Hmm?" Snow poked her head out of Regina's deep ass closet. "I've gotten some rest." Regina felt Neal's hands wrap around her finger, and she looked at him. "Regina, I think I may have an outfit."

"You did?" She turned and Snow stepped out of the closet with a black dress with mesh on the top. "You picked that?" Regina looked it over.

"Try it on, at least."

She took the dress and stepped into her bathroom. She tried the dress on, leaving her robe on the bathroom counter. She looked over herself. It fit her well, and it was actually comfortable. She let Mary Margaret see it, and she approved. Regina felt like a child.

"I found these in your closet as well." She sat in the middle of Regina's bed with three dresses laying across the end of the bed. They were different color, lengths and styles. "They may be more appropriate."

"What is this? Dress up?" Regina put her hands on her hips.

"Only if you let me do your hair," she retorted teasingly.

Regina smirked. "Because your hair looks fantastic."

"Do you want my honest opinion or baby puke on all of your clothes?"

"Unfortunately, neither you or I can pull off the beehive look."

She glared, and Regina laughed at her expression. Regina checked her watch while Mary Margaret put the dresses she had brought out back in the closet, and she sighed. She needed to think about what to say to him. She had no idea how she wanted this to go. She wanted to be with him, she knew that, but she didn't want to split up a family. She wouldn't be that woman.

What did she even want to say? What did she want? A deep, meaningful relationship? Marriage and bouncing babies? She wasn't sure. She hadn't thought about it. Part of her kept waiting for the bottom to fall out and it did when she wasn't expecting it. At least she didn't have false hope of having a future with him like with Daniel. She made so many plans for them, had so many ideas on what they could do once they ran away from the castle. She wanted it to be different with Robin, and it was. Then...

Regina sat down. Emma brought Marian back from the Enchanted Forest. Was this a pattern woven into her life? She would be with someone and then someone would take them away. It were as if she were playing with someone else's toys. She didn't want to always live with someone holding the floor and just waiting to jerk it out from under her anymore. She did a lot of life-changing, mortifying things in the Enchanted Forest. Had she not atoned? Would the rest of her days be spent trying to earn karmic redemption? And if so, would her life only go well after she'd achieved that redemption?

Perhaps it would be best to not go tonight and end all association with Robin Hood. It would be hard on Roland if they were to be together, and he already has to adjust to having his mother back. She didn't want him to grow up angry, not like her, and the way Robin talked about Marian that night... Damn it.

"They were hard to reach, but they were worth it. These are going to look so... Regina?" Snow lowered the box of shoes. "Regina, what is it?"

"What is what? I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Because your eyes are red." She sat beside her. "What are you thinking about?"

Regina was going to lie, but lying was so tiresome. She wanted someone to confide in who wasn't assuming the worst in her. Mary Margaret was that person, even with their history, she'd always helped Regina. They had a connection—maybe from their mothers' history—and although it wasn't always channeling friendly affection, it was strong.

"You can tell me," Mary Margaret assured her.

"I was thinking...perhaps I shouldn't go tonight. Or any other night, for that matter."

"What? Regina, why would you think that?"

"Is it not evident?"

She shook her head. "You're not a villain, and you of all people deserve a happy ending."

"I don't need a speech or reassurance."

"Evidently, you do." She looked into Regina's eyes. "Tell me why you're thinking this. The real reason, no lies."

Regina rehashed their night by the fireplace, what Robin said and how he looked. Regina could feel her channeling her husband near the end of the memory, and she braced herself for whatever tacky, fortune cookie saying she had to say. Mary Margaret was smiling at her, and she moved over a bit.

"Listen to yourself," Mary Margaret told her. "He would've walked through hell to be with his Marian again."

"Yes, I know. Do you want subtitles?"

"Robin accepted her death." She moved closer to Regina, setting a hand on her arm. "He mourned her and gradually moved on."

"Yes, and now she's back. He didn't have to walk through hell after all." Just her. At least she was used to it.

"Have faith. True love isn't easy, but it must be fought for because once you find it, it can never be replaced."

"I knew this was coming."

"If what Tinker Bell said was true then—"

"Then I am easily fooled," Regina finished.

"Fine. If you want to ignore the pixie dust, Tinker Bell and me...trust this." She pointed to her heart. "Trust what you feel. Your heart has never faltered. And so what if Marian is back? She and whatever Robin had in the past doesn't compare to what you and Robin have right now. That look in his eyes when he watches you...and the look in yours when you ignore him...I know it well."

"Are you stalking me now?" Regina teased.

"Regina, hear me!"

"Well, it's your lucky day, I haven't tuned you out."

Snow bumped her shoulder with Regina, lightly laughing, and Regina smiled. "Finish getting ready. I need to check on Emma." She handed her the shoebox and gathered her belongings and baby.

Regina set a hand over the lid and took a deep breath, and Mary Margaret called to her. "Hmm?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Think about what I said. Screwing this up again may lead to a worse fate than you can imagine."

"Well, in the superlative category, it's nice to know I won: Most Likely To Revert To Form."

"The Evil Queen is gone," she said. "It's Regina's fate I worry about. Lingering in the past clouds the future."

"And lingering in my house increases the chance of me jumping out the window to escape."

"You called me."

"Don't remind me."

"Goodbye, Regina."

Regina heard Mary Margaret leave, and she stood up, setting the box on the nightstand. She looked through her jewelry, choosing earrings and a necklace. Her eyes landed on Daniel's ring, and she picked it up. Her love for Daniel was very like the ring itself: an unbreakable circle going on for eternity, but twisted. She would always love him, and she would never forget him.

She turned around and saw a dress on the bed. She softly smiled and picked it up. Perhaps calling Mary Margaret over wasn't such a bad idea. Regina changed and finished getting ready, her mind made up, and she wasn't going to worry about the consequences. She created Storybrooke for her happy ending, and yet only other people found theirs. Regina was thankful for Zelena. She gave her the opportunity to meet the man with the lion tattoo, and no matter what Zelena had done, Regina could forgive her and be thankful for her wickedness. Being evil or wicked can cause a lot of damage to both people and places, but among the wreckage eventually flowers bloom.

Robin looked up as Regina entered, and she smiled warmly.

Love again she would.

~e~mm~

Emma looked over the station, everything was in order and there was nothing to do. Marian hadn't done anything crazy, so she was tempted to just let it drop. It was probably one-time thing. Robin called and told her Marian was very stable, laughing and playing with Roland. Emma had a feeling he and Marian hadn't been spending time together. The way he spoke, it was like he was distantly watching. She hoped not. He should be with his wife right now. She was lost and confused, and she needed him. Maybe they'd work it out. It didn't really concern her.

"So, Belle dropped off some books." David set a box on the desk.

"Well, if we split the box, we ought to make easy work of it." She picked up one of the book.

"Do you know Belle?" David gestured to two other boxes behind him.

"Coffee?"

"She sent some of that too."

"Really?"

He held out a cup of coffee. "Your mother will be stopping by. She had to go to Regina's."

"Regina's?" Her eyebrows rose and she took a drink of coffee. "Why?"

"She didn't say. Regina just called her over."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"I think so." He began unload the box. "I guess we'll find out when they get here."

Emma nodded. "Isn't this a bit much?" She set her coffee down and picked up a box.

"Well, if we want to know what we're dealing with."

"What are we dealing with?" She placed the box on the table. "Marian's fine. She just had one moment, and that's it. The only feeling I get from her is a little sadness. She's missed a lot, and I think we should leave her be."

"And Regina?"

"What about Regina? It's not as if Marian's going to try and kill her. She just wants her family back."

"If you don't want to work on it, that's fine." He sat down and began flipping through a book.

"Was there a class on guil—?"

"I know you don't think there's something here, and you have the right to that opinion. I just want to make sure. I owe Regina that much."

"Owe her?" Emma leaned on the box.

"If it wasn't for her, Zelena couldn't have been defeated and neither you nor Neal would be here. Snow and Henry wouldn't be here. She saved our entire family."

"Yes, she did." Emma grabbed a book and sat down, seeing David smile. "It's not like we have a case right now anyway." She crossed her legs and laid the book in her lap, gathering up her hair and releasing it a moment later. "If I get bored, can I skip pages?"

"Be my guest."

They heard the front door open and a few seconds later, Mary Margaret and baby Neal walked into the room. Emma closed the book and set her hands on either side of the carrier her little brother was in, smiling at him. David asked her what Regina wanted, but she did was smile and shrug as if it were nothing.

"She called you over and it wasn't important?" David found that hard to believe.

"It was important, just for Regina." She glanced at the boxes. "What's all this?"

"Marian might be evil." Emma leaned back. "'Just for Regina'? What does that mean?"

"Evil?" She frowned. "Why would she be evil? I know she hit Regina, but how does that make her evil?"

"Marian was really freaked out by Regina, still saw her as The Evil Queen, so it's really odd that she would hit Regina." Emma grasped Neal's foot and gently tugged on it. "And you're changing the subject."

"It's not my subject," she replied. "It's Regina's. Do you need a hand at all?"

"We have three boxes, so yes." David let her have his seat and grabbed the other chair. "Henry can help when he gets back. He likes reading."

"I don't know if I want him involved in this," Emma said.

"It's just harmless reading," Mary Margaret stated.

"That's what Evie said and they unleashed an apocalypse-bringing mummy."

"Who?" David and Mary Margaret asked in unison.

"I just don't want Henry helping. I think we can manage."

Just as they stopped talking about him, Henry walked in carrying a box. He'd offered to go get lunch since they were waiting for Belle to deliver some boxes. He sensed something was up, and he looked around at them while they avoided looking directly into his eyes.

"Hey, Henry." Snow smiled.

"Hey, Grandma. You brought Neal?" He set the box down. "Isn't it a little cold?"

"Well, our last nanny tried to suck out his innocent life force, so forgive me if I'm reluctant to find another."

"So, is there anything else I can do?"

David and Mary Margaret exchanged glances, Emma looked up at him and he already knew what she was going to say. If he threw his phone into a lake, would she let him help then? He'd be grounded and have no games to play. She'd probably dig out a Game Boy for him to play since all of their stuff hadn't arrived yet.

"Why don't you have a seat and play some games?" Emma suggested.

"And I can't help because...?"

"Because it's boring."

"So? Playing games is getting boring. I want to help."

"Henry—"

"She's my mom!" he retorted. "And if she's in danger, I want to help. I have a right to help."

"Okay, not boring, but because I said so."

"That's not fair."

"We're done discussing this."

"You call this a discussion? You're just telling me what to do without listening to me!"

"Henry, I am listening. You don't need to help—"

"Emma," Snow softly interrupted. "Just let him help. There have to be dozens of books here, and—"

"And what? We have no idea what's wrong with Marian, or even if there is something wrong!" Emma snapped. "I know Regina's one of us now, and we should help, but there is nothing to help! That's why you can't help, Henry. There's no one to help."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, Swan." Hook was in the doorway and there was blood on his palm.