He knew something was bound to happen the moment he ran into her in the middle of a very much deserted hallway.
Yes, he knew it; he felt it in his gut, in the way his stomach tightened up in a knot by her mere presence and in the manner in which all the muscles of his body tensed the moment he laid eyes on her.
It was an odd thing, as he didn't necessarily feel overwhelmed by the kind of fear anyone would feel when in the presence of someone with her kind of reputation, but there was definitely a tingle of apprehension prickling on his skin that made goosebumps break all over his arms and back.
Now, he wouldn't exactly know how to put into words the sensation that took over him just with the encounter, but he was aware that there was something there… in the aura surrounding her and in the air that moved with her that made him halt on his tracks and hold his breath.
It was strange, something he couldn't quite pick up but than none the less made him go into full alert mode, his fingers flexing involuntarily as if they were getting ready to reach for a bow he was not even carrying.
He guessed he felt that way because this was no ordinary woman, the one he encountered; no… it was the Queen, The Evil Queen, the sorcerer everyone was accusing of casting this new curse and he almost collided against her as he tried to get away from the chaos that was starting to take place back in the assembly.
A chaos, that needless to say, she provoked by walking away the way she did. Brash, haughty and according to many of the people gathered in the spacious saloon, looking very much guilty.
Now… the man known by his peers as Robin Hood didn't know how responsible the woman was or not about this curse that swept them out of The Enchanted Forest or if she was indeed scheming something vile like everyone was set to believe; but he did know that as soon as he saw her up close, he realized he needed to be on alert.
For what? he didn't know. But he brazed himself for it anyway. A dirty glance, an outburst of her sharp tongue… perhaps a fireball thrown right in his face if she was still in a foul mood… something, anything.
But nothing quite like that happened; no, she just walked right past him, all spaced out and without even sparing a glance his way.
He didn't think she even saw him… actually, she didn't look like she was aware of much. She looked off, her movements too slow and forced, her face too pale and her eyes unfocused.
True, he didn't know if this was how she looked like on daily basis since that day marked the first time he ever saw the woman; but this was definitely not how she portrayed herself back at the assembly when the dwarf was throwing accusation her way.
No. Back there she has looked fierce, her eyes blazing and her cheeks sporting a healthy blush that spoke volumes of how annoyed she was. She has looked mighty, imposing, and very much like the Queen of many a story he has heard back in The Enchanted Forest.
In contrast, this woman who walked right past him didn't look quite like the one he saw earlier on. Actually, she didn't look too well; she looked quite a bit ill, if you asked him.
That was why with a frown and one of his hard to control impulses, the man swirled around on the heels of his boots and spoke the first thing that came into his mind.
"Are you alright?"
As soon as the words rolled out of his tongue, Robin realized that he shouldn't have done it, that he shouldn't have asked. No… what he should have done was stay on his lane and keep going his way instead of jumping head first and nosing into things that didn't concern him.
Unfortunately, he realized that a little too late, recognized how imprudent he was being the moment he asked the question and The Queen's entire posture tensed, her shoulders all squared up as she lifted her chin petulantly.
Judging by that reaction, he knew he should have just walked away as his instinct told him to do the moment he saw her because really, what kind of idiot approached the infamous Evil Queen on his own free will, and in a deserted corridor where she could easily burn him to a crisp without anyone taking notice?
It has been a risky impulse, one he hadn't been able to repress, not even when he was aware of how dangerous the woman was.
Well, dangerous according to the many tales he has heard of her and her vicious ways… dangerous in the way that she was the great and terrible Evil Queen.
But what could he say? He has always been a fool when it came to helping others and the Queen looked as if she was about to fall ill at any given moment. That was something he simply couldn't ignore, so yes, maybe he was being a little short-sighted but what could he say? Common sense has never been his forte and as it happened, this new realm in which he seemed to be trapped now didn't seem to have improved his tendency of meddling into things that didn't concern him.
It was that way, almost as if having a death wish, that the thief furrowed his brows almost painfully and then took a couple of steps after her, trying to catch up before she would leave.
He even opened his mouth to call for her, but before he could utter a single word, he saw her stumble.
It was a subtle thing, barely worth a notice by the average eye, but he was an expert on picking on small details so making good use of his quick reflexes, he moved swiftly on his feet and stood in front of her.
It happened fast, but he ended up grabbing her, his hands firmly on her elbows so she wouldn't fall.
"Milady…"
As soon as he said that, the Queen lifted her face to him, fixing a pair of deep brown eyes right into his own gaze and he was not going to lie, he was stunned in place.
Yes, he has heard a great deal about The Queen's beauty and hell, he has even confirmed it earlier that day when he saw her sitting opposite to the crowd, a distant expression on her face as everyone argued back and forth about how they all ended up in that town.
Back there he has been caught off guard by how gorgeous she actually was so he observed with some kind of morbid fascination all of he could of the infamous royal. From the way her dark hair fell loose over her shoulders, to the restless way in which she tapped her manicured fingers to her lap and even to that strange manner of dressing she took upon in this realm.
She has looked good up there, like the Queen she was; not necessarily evil even though she looked severe and imposing but yes, even from afar one could easily pick up the woman was a stunner.
But up close? Damn she was really something else…
She was simply breathtaking, in every single way. So much that she was almost ethereal, a true vision… standing right in front of him with her flawless smooth skin and that full mouth carved in perfection.
It was almost a sin on itself to look at her. At least that's what he thought when he found himself completely caught up staring deep into her eyes; so deep that he was able to take notice that they were not entirely a solid color, but more like two ponds of liquid brown mixed with honey droplets.
It was entrancing… to gaze into those dark orbs, and he was sure that if he kept at it a little longer, he could drown in their depths. That was the kind of pull she had on him.
Yes, it was silly, he was dimly aware of that, but there was no doubt in his mind now about the stories that had the woman enticing countless of men at her will just by looking at them right in the eyes…
"Regina?"
Taken out of his trance, Robin heard someone calling the Queen and as if in cue, the raven-haired woman's eyes rolled shut, her body gave up and she went limp against him…
Yes, The Queen just fainted in his arms; leaving him a little flabbergasted with the whole thing.
He was able to catch her though… thankfully.
"Oh my God what happened?"
Biting hard on his lips and circling her waist with one of his arms so that he could steady her, Robin's eyes moved to the woman hurrying towards him.
It was Snow White, looking very much worried and despite the fact that he now knew the two women seemed to have overcome the dispute that wrecked an entire kingdom, he couldn't help but to shake his head in surprise.
Snow White and The Evil Queen on the same side and in amicable terms?
He'll be damned to hell, but that was certainly something he has never expected to see.
But then again, he never imagined he would ever hold a passed-out Queen in his arms either.
He was definitely living strange times now, and in strange lands…
"Is she okay?" Snow White asked a little out of breath once she finally made it to them.
"I don't know. I think she fainted?" He adjusted his hold on her, afraid that if he let go, the woman would crumble.
Hissing, Snow ran a hand over her stepmother's hair. "Stupid, stupid woman… ugh I knew something was up with her but she's just too damn stubborn to say anything."
At Snow White's words and gentle touch, Robin blinked a couple of times, his eyes moving back to The Queen. It was a quick glance though, his eyes rapidly scanning from her dark-long eyelashes, down to the scar just above her lip and then lower to her perfect and slightly pouted mouth.
He didn't allow his eyes to linger much though, as he didn't want to get caught up again in the Queen's pretty features; so instead of staring as his curious blue orbs wanted to do, he just proceeded to lift her up in his arms, his mind unable to process that this woman who weighted almost nothing and whose face was now resting against his shoulder, was actually the Evil Queen everyone was so afraid of.
"I think it will be better if I sit her down."
He said at last, looking around to find a good place to do it. He found none.
"Yes, let's get her into her office. I'll call David." With that said, Snow turned around and showed him through a door standing opposite to the entrance of the building. She did that while taking some kind of apparatus out of her pocket and putting it to her ear.
Not minding the other woman and how she remained behind talking to herself, Robin looked around the luxurious room until he spotted a couch to the left side. It looked big enough to lay her down so he carried the Queen there and settled her on it.
He tried to do it slowly, extremely aware of his every move; but despite his effort not to manhandle her, the Queen groaned as he put her down, the sound caught in her throat and her brows furrowing a little.
Robin held his breath, part of him expecting the Queen to turn and lash out at him, but when she just scrunched her nose and curled the corner of her lips up, he did nothing but watch.
What could he say? Even that she did beautifully and as he drank on the image of her, his fingers itched to go ahead and brush a rebel dark strand of hair out of the woman's face.
He didn't dare though; she was getting back to her senses, she even opened her eyes into slits and then closed them back again so how would he explain such a reckless impulse as touching her?
He would look like an imprudent fool so stepping back he just blinked in confusion, one of his hands running down his jaw and that odd sense that he was missing something hitting him full force.
Had he meet the woman before? Seen her? He doubted it, as there was no way he would ever forget laying his eyes on her.
Unless it was of course during that pesky year that was mysteriously erased from their memories…
"Did she wake up?"
Clearing his throat, Robin saw Snow White getting between him and the Queen. She did it quickly, lowering herself so that she could try and bring the Queen back to herself.
"Regina." The Princess called softly, patting her cheek lightly. "Come on, wake up."
And yes, as simple as it was, that seemed to do the trick, because the Queen quickly snarled her lips and moved her face away. "Stop hassling me."
For some reason, the Queen's dry words made Snow White chuckle. "Hey there, welcome back."
With her eyes tight shut, Regina hummed in what seemed to be a protest. Robin just watched… his trained eyes glued to the way her head moved from side to side as she tried to sit.
She was getting out of the fainting spell already, and there was a little more color in her face so he once again wondered what just happened.
But before he could start speculating, the Queen and most powerful woman he has ever heard of opened her eyes once again and as if there was some kind of magnet between them, she looked at him dead in the eye, brown meeting blue in the simplest of ways. At least that's how it would look like for everyone else, but to him it felt like so much more.
Now he wasn't sure if this was how it felt to be bewitched, but for the longest few seconds of his life, he felt the world stop spinning… it halted abruptly, rattling him a little while he could do nothing more than to stare back.
It was like being swept away into an entire different dimension, one where only she existed…
But then, the echo of footsteps thundered all around them and just like that, the spell was broken. After that, in a matter of nothing, someone else joined them.
It was a man, and he quickly lowered down by Snow White, his hand immediately rubbing her back soothingly.
Robin recognized him as Snow's Prince, the one who has been addressing the crowd with the two women by his side back at the council.
"What happened?"
Sighing a little too dramatically, Snow White lifted and then dropped her hands. "She fainted."
The Queen groaned, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Then she closed her eyes again and lowered her face while she pressed both hands hard into the couch.
As for the man, he blew out an incredulous huff and frowned. "Seriously?"
"Yes, if it wasn't for him, she would have fallen right on the floor."
"I was not going to fall."
Apparently not minding the Queen's words, the blonde man lifted his face up and as if seeing Robin for the first time, he got back to his feet and offered him a hand.
"I guess we have to thank you then, we all know Regina wouldn't have taken it well if that happened so it seems like you saved the day."
Taking notice of how the Queen scoffed, Robin bit hard into the inside of his cheek while shaking the man's hand firmly. "I don't think it is anyone's intentions to upset the Queen so it was no problem. I'm Robin by the way, Robin of Locksley."
"David, and this is my wife, Snow. The Queen I gather you already know."
Sending a glance towards the woman and the way she was deliberately looking away, Robin shrugged.
"Not really, never met her until now; not that I would call this much of a meeting. Her black knights though, those I've definitely met. Me and my men spend quite some time running from them back in The Enchanted Forest."
"Well I'm sure you deserved it." The Queen fired back rudely, her eyebrows raising a little and her lips twisting some. She did that while briefly looking at him, her jaw clenched and her posture rigid; but then she was back at looking away.
Humming at her quick dismissal, Robin threw his head a bit back, trying his best to bite his tongue to keep himself from responding to that.
It was not his place to do so, no... she was the Queen and he a simple thief so the last thing he needed was to let his cheeky tongue come out to play.
But it happened, as much as he pointed out how nobody would want to upset the Queen, the remark slipped out of his mouth before he could even stop it.
It was the story of his life, knowing he shouldn't do something and doing it anyway.
"You know, considering I just saved your arse from hitting the floor back there, a simple thank you would suffice."
As soon as the words were out, all three of the people in that room looked at him, chins tilting up and eyes a little wide. He saw it, even felt the weight of their reactions and he once again recognized his mistake.
Still, he kept his own eyes fixed on the Queen's icy-cold stare, waiting...
"So, you are Robin Hood." Snow White interrupted with a forced smile. She remained down by the Queen though and from there she extended an hand in his direction.
Looking away from the chocolate deep eyes so that he could focus on Snow White instead, the corner of Robin's lips curved a little as he shook the woman's hand. "I am indeed, at your service."
"I have to say that I'm glad to know you out-bested the black knight's efforts; I mean I know firsthand how bothersome they were."
"Bothersome and persistent, yes, but not very clever. They also didn't know the woods like I did so that gave me quite the advantage."
"I have no doubt of that, but from someone who also spent some time on the run, I have to say that you never getting caught was quite impressive."
Nodding and not surprised that Snow White knew who he was, as there has been a time when both their faces graced wanted posters side by side, Robin smiled.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Snow White; you know, despite the circumstances."
He pointed at the Queen, not wanting to take from the fact that she just fainted but at the same time, finding it ironic that said woman had once upon a time ordered both of them to be arrested; all that with the intention of having them executed… and look where they were now.
"These are weird circumstances to say the least, you know, with the curse and memory loss. I also heard we have some people unaccounted for; people that were here and suddenly disappeared and others that simply haven't been seen."
"Disappeared?" Robin asked, as he has heard none of that.
"Apparently."
"Well me and my men made camp deep into the woods but we happen to be great trackers, so if you need help in that regard we are at your service."
"Sounds perfect to me and maybe I'll have to take you on the offer. You were not here for the first curse, right?"
"No I wasn't. Me and the rest of my Merry Men just suddenly woke up in this new realm so we are still a little lost about all of this."
"We all are a little lost right now, actually."
"David, I think we should take her to the hospital. She's back to it, but I don't like how pale she is looking or that she fainted."
Turning to his wife, David cleared his throat. "Are you sure she fainted? because that doesn't sound like Regina. Maybe it's magic, if there is a new curse, whoever casted it could be aiming for her. Everyone know she's our best bet to figure out what's going on so what if she is being targeted? I mean, do we even know how she ended up passing out?"
Remembering how pale and stunned the Queen has looked as she moved through the corridor, Robin spoke. "Didn't look like magic to me; she looked off since I saw her walking by."
"She didn't look so good back there either but I just thought it was because of Henry… never thought it was something to make her pass out."
"She, is right here listening to all this idle talk so stop talking about me as if I'm not even here. I'm fine." The Queen finally joined the conversation, her voice more than a little groggy but strong. "I just need to go home, no need to make such a fuss."
"We are not making a fuss, Regina, you fainted."
"So I can't have a bad day now without you getting your panties in a bunch?" The Queen scoffed, but there was no trace of amusement in the sound. She didn't even add more to what she said and just lifted a hand to press it over her temples.
Shaking her head, Snow looked back to her husband and started whispering, apparently not wanting for the Queen to listen. "Let's get her to the hospital."
Watching the exchange, Robin observed as lifting both eyebrows and taking in a deep breath, David clapped his hands together. "Well, this promises to be interesting. Robin, thanks once again."
"It was no problem." He replied, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he ventured to take another look at the Queen.
By then her eyes were back close and she was shaking her head at something Snow was telling her.
She still wasn't looking a hundred percent good so part of him wanted to pry, he wanted to step in and directly ask her how she was doing just so that maybe he could gaze into her eyes once more.
But he didn't, new realm or not, there were boundaries that shouldn't be crossed and as tantalizing as she looked, the Queen's territories were one of those lines he and his men should never venture into.
They were outlaws after all, in a strange realm where the same Queen whose dark knights chased relentlessly after them reigned so no, this was not his dance to dance despite of how he intervened before.
The way he saw it, the less the monarch knew of them the better and he already made quite a bad impression so perhaps, he needed to lay low. At least until they could completely figure out on what to do.
That's why he didn't linger much, why he quietly left the moment Snow and David started to lure Regina up.
He was going back to camp, back to his son… let the Charmings deal with the Queen, because the woman or what happened to her was definitely not his problem.
If he was lucky, he would stay out of her radar and she would never even hear of the man who left that day with the alluring scent of her dancing all around him…
XxXxXxXxX
It has been ages since Regina felt the need to give into the impulse of biting on her nails; years, since the last time she broke into that old habit that used to bother her mother so much.
But in that moment, as she sat by her kitchen's counter, she couldn't help but to break into the compulsive behavior and just go for it.
It was bad, enough to make her cringe, but despite the fact that she knew she needed to stop, she has managed to completely chew on all ten of her fingernails and then, with the lack of material to wear off, she also started to bite into the inside of her thumb.
By then the digit was quite sore and the more it hurt, the harder she would bite.
"Okay, let's try to think this through."
Rolling her eyes at the sound of Mary Margaret's voice disrupting her way of coping, Regina lowered her hand from her mouth and placed it flat over the granite of the counter, her face moving to the side until she was able to see the way the younger woman put a cup of tea in front of her.
"Why are you still here?" And most importantly, who told her she could make herself at home and make tea in her kitchen?
She didn't ask last part though, because if she admitted she has been too spaced out to notice her presence, Snow would want to talk about it and she didn't want that… hell, she didn't even want to think about it.
"Come on, Regina, you know why I'm here. I told you I was going to help you find out what happened so here I am."
Snarling her lips, Regina shook her head in disbelief. Not because of Snow White's insistence because maybe, just maybe she has accepted the woman's help earlier on.
Yes, it has been in a moment of weakness and when she has been in complete shock, but she definitely did accept the woman's help.
Her disbelief was because of the situation… because somehow, someway, she managed to get knocked-up during the missing year and she had no idea of how could that happen or by whom.
Last she knew she was barren and now this…
"I made a list of every male in Storybrooke and you know, possible father. We can cross names as we go and then see what we come up with."
"Oh my God." Snorting in anything but amusement, Regina shook her head, her eyes lifting to the ceiling so that she could focus on something other than the piece of paper Snow brought over.
It was humiliating, and not for the first time since she found out she was pregnant, she wondered how the hell did she got herself into that situation.
"I didn't put David because… well, he's obviously not the father, and I scratched Whale off as well just because he's a lousy date and I can't imagine you giving him a chance to get you pregnant; so… Archie?"
Sending Snow a sideway glance as her brows furrowed, Regina scoffed. "No."
"Okay… so, how about Killian… by the way, have you seen him, or Neal for that matter?"
"No I haven't. And you can scratch both Capitan eyeliner and the Dark One's son off the list. I mean are you even being serious?"
Clicking her tongue to the roof of her mouth as she actually scratched the names off, Snow continued. "Alright so moving on… I think we will both agree that Leroy is a big no too but how about-"
Before Snow White could continue with her nonsense, Regina cut her off. "Who are you going to suggest now, Geppetto or a two headed mutant goblin?"
Her voice came out dripping venom, that was how annoyed the woman made her feel and to show the extent of her new acrid mood, Regina reached for the paper and in a fit that was definitely not regal, she tore it into pieces and threw it away.
"I was actually going to say-"
"This is stupid! You want to know why? because I would never willingly sleep with anyone in this stupid town or in that list and let alone would I let them get me pregnant."
Getting to her feet, she gave one last defiant look at Snow and then she meant to walk away.
"You don't have to take it out on me, Regina, this is not my fault."
The town's former mayor guffawed at the stiffness in Snow White's tone because sure, it wasn't the younger woman's fault, but getting riled up was her mechanism of defense to prevent herself from completely freaking out about the whole situation.
Not that it was helping much, because as the implications of her new predicament kept settling in, she could feel the tightness that has been getting hold of her chest creep up to her throat, squeezing her passage of air, blocking the vital oxygen from ever reaching her lungs.
It was bad, because the thoughts invading her mind about how the creature growing in her womb was conceived ranged from the simply mundane to the most macabre, and the more she thought about it, the harder the grip on her throat would get…
What could she say though? She just couldn't stop the questions from invading her. Like what if the child she was carrying was the product of dark magic, one she created in a moment of desperation and that would once again corrupt her inside out… or what if this pregnancy was the consequence of a less than savory and unconsented encounter?
She doubted she would ever allow such a thing to happen, not after she was able to escape the hell her marriage to the King has been, but how could she be sure?
The way she saw it, the possibilities were endless and the fact that she just didn't know was so overwhelming that it physically hurt.
The pressure was too much, her worse fears wrapping their fingers around her throat, crushing so hard that for a wild second she even was afraid she would never be able to breathe again.
She actually lifted her hands up to the base of her neck, her fingers digging into her flesh as her face screwed up in horror because yes, she was pregnant… she was pregnant and she couldn't breathe…
"Hey, look at me."
Feeling Snow reach her shoulders, Regina snapped back into reality, a throaty gasp torn out of her letting her breathe again.
"You are not alone in this, okay?"
Blowing off a shaky breath, Regina blinked. Of course she was alone, as she has always been. She didn't say it out loud though because that would grant one of Snow White's unity and family speeches and she was really not in the mood for that.
"You are focusing on the negative side of this instead of the positive, because Regina, this pregnancy could be your chance at happiness."
Shaking her head and blinking the tears that wanted to slide out of her eyes, Regina looked away because no, her happiness was Henry and this child… well, she didn't even know what to think about it.
It was still too unreal, and if it wasn't because she actually got a sonogram done and heard the creature's heartbeat, she would still think this was a cruel joke.
"I mean I know I'm looking at mine pregnancy that way, not as a way to replace what I lost, but as a new beginning."
"Easy for you to say that, because you know this child to be your husband's while I…" She stopped there, scrunching her eyes shut. "I have no idea how mine was even conceived and as if that isn't bad enough, I had to watch you go through a list of possible fathers that included a cricket and your stupid dwarfs."
Snow cleared her throat, Regina heard her do it. "I was trying to help."
"Well you didn't." She hissed, blinking her eyes open.
"Okay so maybe that was a bad idea, but what else can we do? It's not like you remember or I don't know… like you have something to go by… a clue or whatever."
Tilting her chin up abruptly, Regina pursed her lips, her mind going back to three days ago when she woke up.
She has done it feeling exhausted, brokenhearted and disoriented, but there has been something, a little detail that definitely caught her attention but that later got lost in the tumult of waking into a new curse.
"There might be something."
With the words mumbled in a strangled breath, she quickly turned on her feet and as if in a trance, she walked towards her bedroom. Once there she went directly to the first drawer in her dresser and after opening it, she took out a necklace she has been wearing when she woke up…
But it wasn't the necklace what she was looking for, but the golden ring that has been hanging from it… same one she has been clutching when her eyes opened.
"What is it?" Snow, who apparently followed her asked.
Narrowing her eyes, Regina bit hard into the inside of her cheek and watched the small ring closely.
"I don't know, I had it when I woke up. I must have brought it back from the Enchanted Forest."
Humming, Snow White walked even closer and once by her side, she took the ring between her thumb and her forefinger, making it roll and inspecting it through curious eyes.
"This could easily be a wedding ring Regina."
"It is not, it was in a necklace, not in my finger so don't even suggest I got married, okay?"
No, just thinking about that was ridiculous, as marrying was a mistake she swore never to make again so that was immediately discarded. She didn't even have to remember to know that she would never go that route.
Arching an eyebrow, Snow sent her a weird look. "It has an inscription though, R&R… as if in Regina and-" Gasping and her eyes getting as wide as she has ever seen them, Snow White reached for Regina's hand to squeeze it hard between hers. "Oh my God Regina, Robin."
Snarling her lips in a mix of annoyance and forced disgust, the Queen groaned. "The thief? No, I mean are you out of your mind? I just had to meet him once to know it's not him."
Or was he? Because there has been something about him, something about his eyes and his sole presence that for a wild moment had her completely entranced back at her office.
He has rendered her basically speechless, and even though she has been able to quickly recuperate from that first impression, she still couldn't put her finger on why she reacted like that.
She ended up dismissing it as an effect of having fainted, of still feeling a bit off after the weird episode, but the truth was that she was not sure because as long as he has been standing there, stealing glances her way, she has felt completely shook.
Later on, with the unexpected news she received, she completely forgot about the strange feeling, but now that Snow brought him up, she couldn't help but to wonder…
"I don't know, you said yourself that you would never sleep with anyone from this town and guess what, he is actually not from here. And he's kind of cute so…"
Blowing out a breath, Regina scrunched her nose. "He smells like forest so no; I wouldn't sleep with him either. I'm a Queen and a bit more refined than that." Besides he and his irreverence kind of rubbed her the wrong way so no… just no.
Sure, he and those eyes with a thousand hues of blues and that jawline that could cut would have tangled her hormones long ago, but she was sure she needed more that good looks to make her forget about her grief.
"I think it could be him; it would be even epic… the way you two got back together, you know, with you fainting in his arms and all that."
"And I think you're watching too many soap operas."
"You should talk to him."
Groaning, Regina did a double take. "Yeah, and tell him exactly what? Because I don't think a 'hey, you don't know me and I don't know you but Snow White thinks I could be pregnant with your child' is going to cut it."
Pursing her lips and putting the ring back in Regina's hand, Snow White shrugged. "And what would you suggest then?"
Chewing on her lips, Regina sighed. "I will have the child by my own." Yes, plain and simple, because somehow, someway, knowing the origins of her pregnancy scared her more than the uncertainty, especially if the thief had anything to do with it…
"Um, okay… I'm not saying you are not capable of doing that because we all know you raised Henry on your own, but this is different. If the father is indeed here, he has a right to know. Your baby has a right to know and so do you."
"To know what? Without my memories there's nothing to know so for once, just keep out of my business and just… just don't tell anybody about this."
Snow lifted her hands in the air before letting them drop and while she looked back at her with her sad puppy eyes, Regina snarled her lips.
"I'm being serious here, Snow. You can't tell anyone, let alone that… thief."
"Alright, I won't..."
Having heard that before and knowing the consequences that brought her, Regina hoped that this time, Snow White could keep her secret. She doubted it, but she would deal with another disappointment when the time came.
"But… I really think that if Robin being the father is a possibility, then you should definitely let him know what's going on. I don't know…. At least show him the ring, maybe he recognizes it."
Closing her hand into a fist so that the ring would stay safely into her palm, Regina shook her head because no, she didn't want to do it, she didn't want to go and ask; but as her resolution of keeping her pregnancy to herself started to build, all she could think was on blue eyes and a dimple smile…