Chapter 7

Regina looks towards Snow and Granny, when they reached her, and handed the little boy that was clinging to her into the arms of Granny. All she had to do was to glance at the woman to know what this little boy meant. As the Wicked Witch continued her walk towards the crowd that had surround Robin, Regina appeared instantly in front of the green skinned witch.

"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but if you came here for your death, take one more step and I'll be glad to bring it upon on you."

"Why my dear sister, I just had to come pay you a visit, don't you think? It's been oh so long." The moment the word sister came out of her mouth a collective gasp could be hurt behind them.

"Oh don't tell them you haven't told them the wonderful news now? Where are your manners Regina, did mother not teach them to you? Such a shame." She said as she made an attempt to pass by Regina, and the moment she did, she was thrown against the nearest wall Regina could see.

"You take one more step and ill end you. This is between me and you, you leave them the hell alone."

"Now, now, no need to get physical dear, you see, I just came here to see how you were doing considering last time I saw you, you were trying to put yourself user a sleeping curse... Now tell me dear, why on earth are you so protective of these people. That's not like you now is it?" She said as she got off from the floor, magically appearing right in front of Regina, who by now had taken a defensive stance in front of the group. The witch continued to make her approach, clearly not threatened by Regina's threats, but she wasn't here to kill anyone today, no today she was making her grand entrance to these people.

"What. Do. You. Want." Regina hissed.

"Oh that's for another day love, I just wanted to get acquainted with your guests here, you see I have plans, plans that will finally be able to give me what I deserved, and unfortunately for you, that means a fate worse than death. So let this be a little warning to you and your band of misfits, enjoy this little grace period I'm giving you, for soon you won't have nothing but misery left. And you my dear sister, will be begging for your death." With that the witch upped and left leaving behind cloud of green smoke.

/

Regina stood there, trying to process what had just happened.

She didn't want anyone to know for this was to be her fight and hers along, but now Greenie had just declared war, not only on Regina but on these people as well. Something Regina could not allow.

Now that Zelena was gone, she turned around to face a group of people staring at her in confusion and disbelief. She didn't know what to say to them, or what their reaction would be. But she knew, that for Henry she would have to keep them safe.

It took a matter of seconds for Roland to escape Granny's hold and made his way to his Gina. His little legs carried him to her as fast as they could, and crashed unceremoniously to hers. As she felt the little boy clutching her legs, she knelt down to him once more and hugged him for dear life. Above all else she swore above all else that no harm would come to this child.

It's when he is running his hands down her face and arms that he feels the warm liquid, and when he inspects his hands to see what it is he lets out a rather loud gasp.

"GINA YOUR HURT. PAPA HELP!"

She hadn't noticed it yet, the adrenaline was pumping in her, not letting her feel the small gash on her arm, and another on her cheek. She tried to sooth the young boy but it was no use. Snow, Granny and Robin were the first to go to her side, quickly ushering her and everyone into the castle.

Robin offered her hand, in order to help her in standing, hesitantly Regina took his hand, and they all went into the castle, the four of them plus Neal and Charming heading to the council room.

Once inside they cleaned Regina's arm, while Roland decided it was his job to take care of her 'pretty face'. She in turn, when he was done cleaning her wound, showed him some more of her magic, and with a wave of her hand the cuts were all gone. Leaving only the bruising.

The room grew quiet, as they observed the scene in front of them as Regina sat with the little boy in her arms as if there was no one else in the world besides them. Robin could only join in their stares, as he watched the most beautiful smile grace her face. He would do anything to see it again. But there was much to discuss. His son's life was threatened, and he couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Thankfully the man called Grumpy walked in along with Little John and Will.

The moment they came in, her face changed, and her mask was up. She rose with Roland in her arms, and made her way to Will.

"Roland, Will is going to take you downstairs to your room ok. You've had a long day, and I think you're in need of a nap ok?"

"No Gina! I wanna stay here with you!"

"I know, but I need to talk with these people right now, and I know you won't have any fun here. But luckily for you, Will ere is anything but a grownup and would have no problem playing with you until you tire out, right Will?"

/

The rest of the day pasted in a blur. She had just spent the last two hours of her life 'talking' with everyone, trying to explain the truth behind her 'sisters' words. She made it clear that she wouldn't have them running around trying to play hero, she fought her case in order for them to stay out of her way. After all it was the only way to protect them, you can't go up against a magical castor and expect to beat them with pointy swords of sticks unless you had a death wish.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Snow, or Granny, or the rest of them that fought against her, it was that damned Outlaw. He was the first to oppose her plan, I mean seriously, who the hell did he think he was, to be going against her, he was nothing but a thief! God that man infuriated her like no other. At this point she would be willing to spend the rest of her life in a room stuck with Snow, than him. After their screaming match against each other, she gave up, and let them have her way. She left the room telling them that the shield would be up by sundown, and stormed out of the room.

Now her she was in her chambers, asking herself why that thief had been so against her. It's not like he could care for her or what happened to her. He should be the first to allow her plan on taking on her sister alone, but the look in his eyes when he practically invaded her spacing telling her no, it was something that unsettled her, he had the eyes of someone who cared. But she couldn't have that, and she needed to stop whatever she and Roland were doing, she couldn't afford for her so called sister to unleash her rage on them, she would die before the hair on the child's head was out of place.

/

She made her way to the gardens in search of her apple tree later that night. It has become her ritual, she would walk the grounds until she felt the exhaustion, and her eyes go heavy. But tonight she just wanted her tree, so she made her way and sat on the ground, staring up into the stars that knew her deepest secrets. When she was living with Leopold, it was her only place to feel alive, but the nights he would call for her, this was the only place she could run to and cry her sorrows away. Granny always found her then, she would hold her, but as she got older she pushed her away. Tonight she wished she was here, she wished she could have someone to hold her and tell her it would ok, but she was the villain here and no one would dare approach her. That is until she heard someone coming up behind her.

"I would have thought you would have been sleeping by now milady."

"Seems I can't get a moment of privacy in this place. Leave"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, I need to speak with you. May I?"

He motioned to the spot next to her, she looked up to him and stared. He took her silence as a motion to sit, and so he did.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier today, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you. It was inexcusable but I just didn't want you to face that woman alone."

Of all the Things that she expected him to say this was not one of them, no one had ever apologize to her before. Not knowing whatt to say she just turned her face away from him. If anything she should be don't apologize. Yet her voice seemed to have failed her, and it took a moment for her to speak.

"There's nothing to apologize for. If anything I should be the one. She put Roland, you and everyone else here at risk, threatening you all just because she's after me... You have to know I won't let anything happen to him."

"He's quite taken with you, you know, the time you have spent locked Away in your chambers, and he's sought you out. He thinks he's done something wrong because you haven't seen him since my camp. "

She felt her heart ache when she heard this, she never intended to hurt her little knight, but she thought it was the only way o to keep him safe, to keep him from the disappointment she was bound to inflict in him.

"It's better this way, he won't get hurt. Anyone who's ever come into my life always does."

The words she spoke came out heavier than she intended it to, but Regina Mills was so tired of fighting. She would always be the Evil Queen to the eyes of many, but she wanted to be Regina, just Regina. And for some reason, the only time she felt like she was just Regina, was with him. She rose to her feet, not wanting to stay in the comfort he radiated, choosing instead to protect him from the fate that was destined to those whom she kept close. She made her move to stand, but Robin was quicker, and took her hand for her to stand. When she stood in front of each other, with only a step in between them, he spoke.

"I know my son, he's just like me, and we won't give up on you. I don't know what it is with you, but there's something that pulls, and I don't intend to let go. I know you're a woman in pain, with years' worth of loss, but a resilient woman no less. Above all I know my son has never been safer than in your presence, so I ask you to please not push him away."

THIS she did not see coming. How could he say this about her? When she put his son at risk? She knew what he spoke of, because no matter how many retorts she shot his way, she always felt a pang of guilt settle within her afterwards. She couldn't say anything, she didn't know how to respond. Anger was all she knew, but his eyes were sincere, and she couldn't deny her heart. He leaned in and gave her a lingering kiss on her cheek, she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent, she didn't pull back, her mind screamed at her to do so, but she couldn't. Instead, she lowered her head until their foreheads touch and relished in the feel of him. He was no Granny, but his arms boldly wrapped around her frame, while she curled herself into his warmth. She shouldn't be doing this, but hell if she didn't enjoy every second of it, and the safety she felt in his arms. She silently whispered another apology, and the next thing he knew, she was gone, engulfed in a purple cloud.

He knows not to push her, but now he knew she felt the same, she may have not voiced it, but he knows she felt it. He stayed there a minute longer, closing his eyes, remembering every detail of her face, her hair, her smell, and the feel of having her in his arms. He would fight for her, this he knew.

He turned to make his way back to the castle when Granny cut him short, catching him by surprise.

"Robin, I've known you for a long time, but I've known that girl years longer. I don't know what you want from her, but I suggest you let it go. She's a troubled soul, who life has beat her to her bones. She's the Evil Queen to many, but it's her only protection. SO I ask you now, what is it that you want from her."

"Granny! You just scared me half to death, what are you even doing here."

"That's not what I asked you." She paled.

"Granny, you know I would never hurt her, or anyone else for the matter. She, she's I don't know what it is about her, but I... I care for her. I just want her safe."

"Robin, she's been through enough. There hasn't been anyone there to protect her, something I myself failed to do. I know you mean well Robin, all I ask is that you don't hurt her. She's a scared little girl inside, a girl that's been battered and used by people who were supposed to love her and protect her. She known nothing but pain child, and I'm not hiding in the sidelines anymore. You do wrong by her, and you'll have me to deal with understood?"

With that she upped and left, leaving a further confused Robin behind. His heart ached to have her in his arms again, and show her love, and safety by his doing.

He would do right by her.

/

The following day ran the same as it would be for the next couple of weeks, security around the grounds had been tightened for fear of any attack, regardless of the shield that was up. The monkeys came, and her shield held against them, but she knew her sister would soon find a way around that. She spent her days teaming up with the people of the castle, she caved under Roland's request and now they share their evening meals together while Robin pretends not to shamelessly stare at the woman. It seems he will have to start taking lessons from his boy in order to get into the good graces of his Gina, considering she reserved her smiles only for the boy. Not to mention the countless times she's pushed him away with spiteful words, but he knows now, he knows her masks, her moods, and he seems to be the only one to be able to talk to her with them down.

Their nightly walks have become a norm, often spent in silence, or talks about just about anything. Some nights Roland even joins them, when the boy is wide awake at an hour he should be sleeping, Robin brings him out, and more often than not falls asleep in his Gina's arms. Those are the nights that he falls for her the hardest. Seeing Roland so attached to her, her soft tunes taking him into the land of his dreams, seeing him curl himself into her while gripping her gown, it makes his heart ache, not just for him, but for the experience his son never had.

Regina's heart hurts the most when the dimpled little boy comes within reach, his innocence reminds her so much of her little prince, the boy she'll never get to see again. But Roland, dear Roland has been able to crack her wall and settle himself in her heart. She knows she can never replace her own child, but whenever she's around her little knight she feels alive, she feels the corners of her mouth stretched out into a smile only he is able to get out of her. She still can't make heads or tails about the child's father, the way he looks at her still makes her breath hitch in her throat, it's a look she's not use to, it's an emotion she's not sure she can take or reciprocate, so when they get too close for her comfort, she pulls away. It had been weeks since the incident in the gardens, the night she broke her dam, and allowed him to hold her, she hasn't allowed it to get there since, but try as she might her will is slowly disappearing.

Snow had come to her, told her that she deserved to be happy, to give him a chance. 'It's time to give your heart a chance Regina, it's time to allow some happiness in your life.' She said, it was something she thought she didn't deserve, something she has spent the day questioning, and what has led her here, tonight to the very tree in which he held her. She knows he will come, and when he shows up, she does the one thing she's told herself not to do.

She gives in, she stares into his eyes, ignoring his question of whether to not she is ok or if something had happened, but all she does is close her eyes, breaths him in, and when she opens them, she's ready. She may live to regret this, he may not even want her, but tonight she's done fighting, tonight she will give her chance to be Regina, tonight, it's just her and her thief and the stars that know her better than she does herself. She gives herself one last second, before her gaze travels to his lips, and she closes the gap between them, with a kiss without a future, a kiss without a promise, and for once she's ok that. Tonight is the night Regina kissed her Thief, and in the moment the she pulled away, only to have his mouth devour hers, she felt like she was coming home, like he was the breath of fresh air she didn't know she was seeking.

A/N:

You guys are great! Thank you so much, im having trouble as to where or what i should do next, so if theres anything you want to see please let me know.

Also, i wrote a fic off of that last heartbreaking episode and got some great feedback, so if you can take a look at it and as always let me know what you think!

You can find me on tumblr as : justfangirlingit

make sure to leave your thoughts :)