Written for OQ Fix It Week Day 3

The Quest to Get Robin Back

After the Final Battle, the people of Storybrooke settled into their happy beginnings, looking forward to some peace and quiet now that the ultimate battle of good versus evil had been decided in favor of good. Regina's main concern at that point was to continue helping those from the Land of Untold Stories settle into their new lives and stories.

One person from there, Pecos Bill, met with Regina one day to discuss taking over the stables and creating a horse ranch. The current owner, an older man, was willing to sell and Regina saw no reason to turn down the proposal. As she signed the required paperwork, she noticed Bill pick up a picture on her desk and study it.

"Here you go," she said, holding out the paperwork as she tried not to glare at the picture frame in his hands.

He looked sheepish as he held it out to her. "Beggin' yer pardon, ma'am, I didn't mean to snoop. But I was wondering who this here fella is."

She glanced over, her heart skipping a beat when she noticed it was a picture of her and Robin taken at the Miner's Day ball she was convinced to hold the year before. Regina wore a sleek black dress with one strap and her hair was pulled into a tight bun on top of her head. She smiled as she danced with Robin, who was dressed in a finely made tuxedo with a dark green cummerbund. His blond hair had been brushed and gelled into place, though one piece refused to be pushed back and rested against his forehead. They had been so happy.

"His name was Robin," she whispered, caressing his image.

Bill frowned. "Was, ma'am?"

She felt a lump form in her throat as she replied: "He died, protecting me."

"Are you sure about that?" Bill asked.

Regina glared at him, ready to give him a tongue lashing. Of course she was sure he died. She saw his body crumple to the ground, saw his soul disappear before her eyes. Nothing then would bring Robin back and she had to bury another loved one. How dare this man suggest she was lying.

He held up his hands before she could give him the dressing down he deserved. "I'm sorry, ma'am, that came out wrong. I'm just confused as I'm pretty certain I met a fella who looked just like that back in the Land of Untold Stories."

"What?" she asked, her stomach twisting into knots as she found it hard to catch her breath.

"Course, he wasn't dressed all fancy like that," he continued, looking at the picture again. "He was dressed more like Robin Hood, complete with bow and arrows. He was trying to get out the Land of Untold Stories, saying he had a family to get back to. Almost like he didn't choose to go there but was sent there by some other force."

She grabbed her desk as her head began to spin. Was Robin really alive somewhere else? Had his soul not been obliterated but reincarnated in the Land of Untold Stories, since Robin's ended prematurely? Was that why the Robin from the Wish Realm was able to come into their realm? Because part of Robin still existed and the two Robins were connected somehow?

"Ma'am? You alright?" Bill asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure," she said. "But thank you for that information."

He nodded, thanking her for the paperwork and left her with a tip of his hat. Once he was gone, she leaned back in her chair and pondered if the impossible really was possible.

Was Robin alive and trying to get back to her?

Regina spent the next few days mulling it over, trying to talk herself out of believing Pecos Bill's words. She knew she didn't need the heartbreak of losing Robin for a fourth time should it be that he was mistaken but hope was traitorous thing. It burrowed deep into her heart, into her soul, and refused to leave. She realized the only way she was going to know for sure was to go to the Land of Untold Stories and try to find Robin herself.

She finally told her family about her theory at their weekly dinner at Granny's. They were hesitant about it at best. Snow and Emma feared it would end up being a repeat of what happened with the Robin from the Wish Realm—that she would pin her hopes on resuming her relationship with Robin only to discover he still wasn't her Robin. Zelena, of course, made it all about her and how Robin's possible return would affect her life. Regina knew her sister enjoyed the autonomy she had when it came to raising Baby Robin and didn't want the minor inconvenience of having to co-parent.

Only Henry seemed excited and started to figure out ways to get Regina to the Land of Untold Stories, including asking Hook if he could contact Captain Nemo. Hook wasn't too certain but did offer to try, which surprised her. And even though she still looked angry, Zelena did suggest trying to use the Apprentice's Wand to try to journey to the other realm. Regina's spirits soared as a plan seemed to form and she felt she was one step closer to get Robin back.

Unfortunately, Nemo had not yet finished repairs on the Nautilus and so was unable to return to Storybrooke let alone usher Regina to the Land of Untold Stories. The Apprentice's Wand also ended up being a dead end as even with some of the Evil Queen's darkness back in her heart, Regina was unable to activate it. It seemed Zelena really was the only one who had been able to use it and she no longer had her magic, which she complained loudly about until Regina excused herself.

Regina wasn't going to give up yet. There were many other ways to get to other realms and she knew she would find one soon enough. It was Emma, though, who ended up giving her her way into the Land of Untold Stories. Clorinda still had the key Ashley had given her that would allow her passage to that realm and happily gave it to Emma. She handed it to Regina. "Go. Find the rest of your happy beginning," she told the brunette.

"Thank you," Regina said, taking the key. "I appreciate this."

Emma nodded. "Good luck, Regina."

With a deep breath, Regina approached the door to a spare bedroom. She inserted the key into the lock and turned it. When she opened the door, all she saw was a vortex of gold. Her heart sped up and she gently touched it, her hand going right through. She glanced back at Emma before stepping through, a cool tingle brushing her skin as she emerged on the other side.

People pushed past Regina as she emerged in a bustling marketplace. There was a mixture of wares being sold and everyone wore different styles of clothing based on the stories they had come from. She recognized the fleur-de-lis emblem of the Three Musketeers and spotted three blind mice working their way through some of the stalls. As she looked around at the mass of people, her spirits sank. There were so many people with untold stories. How was she to find Robin?

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a picture of Robin she had grabbed. It showed him in his usual street wear—his green jacket, jeans and blue scarf—and she hoped that people would recognize him even if the clothes seemed strange, just as Pecos Bill had recognized him even though he was in a tuxedo. Hopefully, someone would've seen him and would be able to help her.

Turning the picture around as she approached a vendor, Regina paused as she discovered a little satchel taped to the back of the photograph. She sat down on a wooden bench, pulling it off. A little note fell off as well and she opened it.

Regina,

I heard you were looking for Robin. I believe this might come in handy in leading you to him…again.

Tinkerbell

Confused, Regina opened the satchel and almost let out a laugh. Inside was pixie dust, the very thing that had first brought her to Robin. It seemed appropriate to use it again to find him once more.

She dumped the pixie dust into her hand and closed her eyes. Picturing Robin as she first met him—standing over her, dressed in a white shirt and green jerkin, bow at the ready—Regina then tossed the pixie dust into the air. She opened her eyes and smiled, finding a trail of sparkling green dust winding its way through the bustling city. All she had to do was follow it and pray her Robin was on the other end.

With a beaming smile, Regina set off to locate her soulmate.

The sun started to set as Regina finally arrived at the end of the dust path. Her heart sped up as she approached a tavern, remembering the first time she spotted the man with the lion tattoo. She reached for the door handle, pulling it open and stepping inside.

Her eyes were drawn to a far corner where a man sat bathed in a green glow. His back was to her, but she recognized the linen white shirt and green jerkin as he sat hunched over at the table, studying something. She smoothed down her pantsuit as she approached him, her heart beating faster with each step.

Especially once she spotted the lion tattoo.

"Can I buy you a drink?" she asked, her stomach feeling like she had just drunken really hot coffee.

The man tensed up before slowly turning his head toward her. Warm blue eyes widened when they landed on her and he jumped up, looking shocked. "Regina? What are you doing here? How did you find me?" he asked, his familiar accent soothing her nerves.

She smiled as tears filled her eyes, holding up the satchel. "Pixie dust. It brought me to you once again."

"Oh, thank god," he breathed, pulling her into his arms. He held her close as his hand cupped the back of her head. "I've missed you so much, Regina."

"I've missed you too," she said, feeling a few tears roll down her cheeks. She brushed them away as she pulled back. There was something she needed to do first, to make sure it was really him. Grabbing his shirt, she pulled him close for a kiss.

It felt like fireworks were going off inside her as their lips met and she sighed into the kiss, feeling the familiar tingle of love and excitement that always coursed through her when Robin kissed her. This was what had been missing when the other Robin had kissed her in the vault, the feeling she had wanted to experience again with him.

They broke the kiss and Robin rested his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed though she stared at him, afraid he would disappear again. "How did you end up here?" she asked.

He had her sit down, explaining that he remembered being hit with the Olympian crystal and watching her face until everything faded to black. "I figured that was it," he said, "until a bright light nearly blinded me. When it died down, I was back in my old clothes and standing in the middle of the marketplace. One of the vendors greeted me, explaining that I was in the Land of Untold Stories, saying most people choose to come here to stop their stories. Mine just seemed to stop even though there should be more. From that moment on, I tried to get back to you."

"There was a whole group from here who came to Storybrooke," Regina pointed out. "Why didn't you come with them?"

"I tried. But by the time I found the dirigible, it had already taken off and I couldn't catch up with it. All I could do was watch it fly away back to you," he said, shaking his head. "But how did you know where to look for me?"

She squeezed his hands as she explained about Pecos Bill clueing her into his location. "I was worried it would be another let down but…"

He frowned. "Another let down?"

"That," she replied, "is a long story I will gladly tell you once we figure out how to get home."

"I have that covered." Robin reached into his satchel and pulled out a translucent bean. "Just managed to procure this today. I was going to use it in the morning to get home to you."

She grinned. "Well, now we can use it to go home together."

He nodded, taking her hand again. "I meant what I said in that corridor, Regina. You are my future. That hasn't changed."

"I know," she said. "And once again, you're mine. Though it's not going to be easy. We're going to have to deal with my sister, who has already made it quite clear she's not going to be pleased to share custody of Robin with you…"

"Robin?" he asked, confused.

Regina nodded. "After you…died…Zelena named the baby after you."

"That's…touching," he replied, though he didn't appear thrilled by it. Of course, after everything Zelena had done to him, naming their daughter in his honor probably was too little, too late. "But I think we're going to have to come up with another name to call her. Having two Robins around might be confusing."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I think so. And I'll tell you now, Zelena doesn't have her magic. She gave it up to help save the town from the Black Fairy."

Robin's mouth fell open. "How much time has passed since I died?"

"You know Storybrooke," she said. "Something is always happening. Though things have calmed down since the Final Battle."

He shook his head. "We definitely have a lot to talk about."

She smiled, waving down one of the barmaids. "Yes, we do. So let me buy you that drink and we'll spend the whole night talking."

"Well, I would hope we can spend part of the night doing a bit more than talking, yeah?" His blue eyes sparkled and he raised her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.

Regina smirked back at him, heat pooling low inside her at the look he was giving her. "I think that can be arranged."

The barmaid brought them over two tankards of ale and Regina set down some gold coins she had found in her vault. Robin picked one up and held it out to her. "So, shall we drink to pixie dust?"

"To pixie dust," Regina agreed, picking up her own tankard. She clanked it against Robin's before adding: "And to happy beginnings."