Regina sat singing quietly in the kitchen for what felt like ages. She grabbed a glass of water at one point, so thirsty that she couldn't go without for a minute longer. She didn't know how long she should go on, and with each new lyric and tune, her heart grew lighter at the thought of what awaited her. Freedom, the chance to collect her thoughts after what Daniel had done… it was a sweet mixture of relief and hope that kept her going. She remembered the walk to the castle earlier that day, how Robin had made it seem like it had taken no time at all. While the walk had certainly passed quicker with him by her side, it had still seemed long to her, given that her only exercise was ballet. That wasn't helping her now, knowing that her chance of a breather was so far away.
By the time she had moved on from the songs of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King to more recent Broadway hits like Wicked and Dear Evan Hanson, she was starting to lose hope. Had he forgotten his promise? Unlikely, given that he had made it earlier that day, but still… had he betrayed her, stood her up? The thought that she would be left to deal with her mother and Daniel on her own was something she didn't even want to consider.
At last, she started singing Hamilton, and she heard something creak. Turning, she saw a panel in the wall right by the pantry swing open.
"Robin!" she exclaimed when he walked out.
"Hey," he replied, smiling. "Ready to go back so soon?"
She nodded, not really wanting to talk about it. It had been hard enough to live through the first time around. Having to relive it… she wasn't sure if she was ready for that, or if she would ever be.
He seemed to sense her reluctance to talk about it, so he simply held out his hand. "When you're ready to talk about it, I'm here. In the meantime, are you ready to go?"
She nodded and took his hand, her heart beating rapidly. She had no idea what her mother would think about her second disappearance in the span of two days. All she knew was that it was necessary. She had to figure out what was going on in her life, what to do with the information she had been given in the past 24 hours. It would also be nice to learn a little bit more about Robin's camp and the people who lived there. She knew some of them didn't trust her, and with good reason, to an extent. After all, she was an outsider, and it had become immediately apparent to her that this group had secrets that some of them, who weren't as trusting as Robin, didn't want shared. She wanted to use this time not only to have some time to think, but also to find out more about them, or whatever they were willing to tell her in such a short amount of time.
He led her back into the tunnel he had emerged from. It was made of stone, but the further they went, the more earthy the ground beneath her feet became. If she looked down, she suspected she would find moss beneath her feet as well as dirt and roots. There may also be small critters she didn't even want to think about, so she was glad that the lantern Robin held above their heads to light the way illuminated the walls and allowed her to focus on something other than the ground beneath her feet.
"At first, the people in the castle used to paint the walls with the story of their reign," Robin narrated as they walked. He may be trying to distract her from everything, or he was just trying to tell her more about a country that wasn't her own. Either way, she was grateful. It kept her mind off of everything else going on, which was, of course, exactly what she needed. "Now, of course, there are pictures instead."
Finally, the tunnel started sloping uphill. Regina was panting by the time they reached what seemed to be a trapdoor that was almost imperceptible in the ceiling.
Robin pushed it open. Regina saw dark skies and trees above them and knew they had emerged into the middle of the forest.
Once he had helped her out of the tunnel, she looked around them. He had led her to what seemed to be a secret entrance just at the edge of town, close enough to the forest that she could take two steps and be in the woods again. She would ask him why he hadn't led her to the castle this way when they had come back earlier that day, but she suspected she already knew. If he had done that and the others had found out, they would worry that she would betray their secrets, but she wouldn't. They were doing something good. What, exactly, she wasn't sure, but she was dying to find out.
"This way," Robin beckoned, and Regina snapped out of her reverie and followed him into the woods. The path they followed was a nice one that had obviously been traversed many times. She had no trouble walking by his side until they reached a place that was deep enough into the woods that they started encountering large roots and other obstacles that they had to walk around.
Eventually, Robin stopped, holding out his arm so she did the same. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to blindfold you," he apologized. "We start to station lookouts not far from here, and I don't want it to get back to Will that I let you walk to camp while being able to see every step of the way." He looked at her, a desperate hope in his eyes. "Do you trust me?"
Without hesitation, she nodded. By this point, her trust wasn't blind. He had come back for her when he had said he would, ready to take her from the chaos around her. No one else in her life had ever cared enough to do that, not even the one person she had once thought would always be there for her.
He pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket, and she knew exactly what would be happening. Sure enough, he wrapped the cloth around her eyes. As he passed by her ear, he whispered, "Don't worry, I've got you. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."
The words sent shivers down her spine. Some people would probably think she was crazy for thinking this, given that they had only known each other for a day or so, but her gut instinct told her that she could trust Robin with anything, including, in this case, her life. "I know," she breathed, a bolt of lightning going through her as he brushed her hair back behind her shoulder.
He led her through the woods, holding her close with an arm around her back. He would warn her when they were coming across a particularly high root or if they needed to go around a tree stump, and it was in those moments that she knew she had been right to trust him not only with steering her through the woods, but with her secrets as well.
"Stop," he said at last. "You can take off the blindfold now."
She reached up and took it off, seeing the camp around her. Most people seemed busy with various things, but she couldn't help noticing that Will was looking at them in a way that made her nervous. She could imagine that he and Robin had had a conversation that didn't exactly go well, and knowing that, she was thankful he had still come for her like he had promised.
That reminded her that she hadn't asked how he had known she was singing in the kitchen. Now probably wasn't the best time, so she filed it away for a future moment when they had time to themselves again.
Her attention was drawn back to the present when Will came over to her, Robin thankfully close behind him. "You know you can't keep doing this, right?" he asked. "Treating our camp, which is supposed to be secret, like it's Kings Cross, where you can just come and go as you please, just isn't okay at all. You're here now, so you're staying."
"Fine by me," she shrugged. She certainly had no desire to be back at the castle anyway, not with a tyrannical mother who dictated her life.
Will grunted and walked away, leaving her with Robin. "Don't mind him," he murmured. "He's just very protective of what we have. It's admirable except in cases like this when he doesn't need to be so paranoid."
"It's okay," she dismissed. "I get it. He just wanted to make sure everyone's safe."
Robin nodded. "He and I are the ones who started all of this. Because of that, he's always been very protective of everyone at the camp and the camp itself. Some might even go so far as to say he's a bit overprotective."
Regina nodded. "Understandable." That did bring up another question, though. "How did you guys start all of this?" She had an idea of why it had all begun, but not the process, and it honestly fascinated her. How someone her age had seen the bad in the world and wanted to fix it, to live differently from the broken world around them… It was very admirable, to say the least.
Instead of answering, Robin led her to his tent. He held the flap open and gestured for her to step inside. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "It's just… Well, you already know how Will is. If he found out I was telling you this story…" He shook his head. "There's no telling how he'd react."
She nodded. She could understand that… but that didn't change the fact that she still wanted to know how it had all started. "So now that we're alone what's the story?"
Robin sighed, and Regina saw a shadow come over his face. "We're very similar, Will and me. We both ran away in our teenage years. Will grew up in an orphanage jumping from place to place, and he had finally had enough of feeling like a meal ticket, so he decided to try his luck on the streets. Naturally, he struggled for a bit, so he decided to start stealing instead of being just another one of the beggars asking people for the simple kindness of a meal.
"By this time, I had also had rotten luck with my living situation. My father died before I was born, and my mother…" he became silent and she could see him swallow hard. "She… she took care of me for as long as she could, but… See, she got really sick with meningitis, and of course, we couldn't afford for a doctor to see her, let alone the medications she would need, so…"
He trailed off, and a lone tear made its way down his cheek. She reached out her hand and brushed it away, then pulled her hand away and stared at it then back at Robin, her eyes wide. Had she been too forward? Surely she had been, right? Yes, there had been an instantaneous connection between them, one neither of them could explain, but that didn't give her the right to touch or comfort him now, right? "Sorry," she whispered.
He bridged the gap between them and took her hand, placing it so she was cupping his cheek, his stubble rough under her fingers. "Don't be. You're not the one who infected her. And… I suppose it all worked out in the end."
She cleared her throat, determined to get him away from this topic that made him so sad as quickly as possible. "What happened next?" she asked.
Robin cleared his throat. "Well, it took a bit for me to get back on my feet, to be quite honest. My mother had always taught me to live a certain way, and with her not around anymore… there was just no point to it anymore, d'you know what I mean?"
She nodded, squeezing his hand as she thought of her father and how much she missed him. He had been her whole world for so long, then when Daniel had died (or at least, she had thought he had), he had been her rock, the only thing that had gotten her through each day. Without him, she didn't know what she would've done- actually, she still didn't know what to do without him. She had decisions to make that would impact her future, had to figure out what to do about both Daniel trying to come back into her life and her mother trying to run it. She had to find a way to live her own life, and while he had had his flaws, her father had had a way of calming her that no one else could accomplish.
Until recently, anyway. She didn't know what it was about Robin, but somehow, she trusted him. From that first moment when she had fallen into his arms, she had somehow instinctively known that he had no bad intentions toward her, that he would take care of her and put her needs first. Given that her mother was the exact opposite, saw a star instead of a daughter in Regina's eyes, Regina found the fact that Robin actually cared about how she felt refreshing, to say the least. In fact, did she dare describe how she felt as comforting? It was so dangerous to start to rely on someone else, especially when she was leaving so soon.
At the same time though, did she really want to leave, be stuck with nothing but her mother and no escape for the rest of her life? No thank you. Not at all. She had to think of some solution to her problem, some way for her to live her own life free from her mother's control.
"That's how I felt when Daniel died, especially with Mother having her own ambitions for my life," she told him. "It's part of why…" she trailed off, not completely sure she wanted to get into it. Wasn't this supposed to be her safe place, free from all of that?
"Part of why…?" Robin prompted softly, and it was only when he squeezed her hand that she noticed her hand was still clasped in his, and she immediately withdrew it, putting it in her lap. What he must be thinking of her, she had no idea, but it couldn't be good, that much she knew for sure.
She turned to face him. She was able to see his eyes now, and it was only then that she noticed the gray light of dawn was making its way into Robin's tent through the opening in the roof, because she was able to see those mesmerizing blue eyes much more easily. "Part of why I feel so lost and betrayed at the moment," she confessed.
From there, the whole story spilled out: how Daniel had been taken from her instead of killed like she had always thought, how her mother was the instigator behind the whole scheme, and, perhaps the most heartbreaking detail of all, how Daniel had never tried to find her the minute he was able so they could be together.
"I just… I don't know what to do," she finally confessed. "I'm so mad at him, but at the same time, it's not completely his fault. He can't control my mother and she started everything, after all. And as much as I hate to admit it at this particular moment, I know how she is." She sighed and looked up from where she had been staring at their intertwined hands. "I just… I just want to be free of her, honestly."
He frowned at her words, but far from looking disappointed, he looked deep in thought. At last, he asked, "Are you sure about that? What about your friends, the rest of your family?"
She shook her head. "Thanks to her, I haven't had many friends. You're one of the only friends I've ever had- judging by everything I've found out recently, the best one," she admitted both to him and to herself. She loved Mal, she really did, but there was a big difference between her friendship with her and the one that was blossoming between her and Robin. With Mal, everything was about the company her mother ran and nothing else, nothing of substance. Regina honestly couldn't say she even knew what Mal did with her limited spare time. It wasn't like she spent it with Regina. No, her mother would never allow that.
He smiled. "I'm honored, milady. I was thinking- do you really want an escape? Because I can think of a way for you to disappear, but you have to be certain that that's what you want."
She paused, thinking. Would she really want to give up everything? Would she be able to give up things like a good meal? She couldn't imagine that Robin and the rest of the people here had many opportunities to eat a well-balanced diet. However, at the same time, she could imagine what the rest of her life would be like if she didn't do something about it while she had the chance, and she didn't like it at all. "Can I still think about it?"
He nodded, smiling. "Take all the time you need."
She sighed with relief. That was something she had never been given before: time. Time to just be herself and figure out what she wanted from life. At the same time though, she knew she didn't have much of it. After all, the second her mother realized her star was gone- again- she would do everything she could to find a way to fix it. "How can I ever thank you for this?" she asked, mortified when her voice wavered, heavy with emotion.
He shook his head. "There's no need. I always want to help people in need."
"Yeah, but I hate the thought that I'm one of those people," she grumbled. "I'm sure there are a lot of other people you care about more than me, people who are a lot more deserving of your time and help."
He shook his head. "Don't think that just because you were fortunate enough to have a roof over your head that that means you're no less deserving of someone's help. Everyone has their own troubles that are no less important than someone else's."
She let out a long sigh, then after a moment of silence cleared her throat. "So what happened next? I can't imagine there isn't a story behind you meeting Will. There's no way it wasn't uneventful."
"You're right," he snickered. "I had just hauled my latest loot back to the abandoned house where I was staying at the time. I had barely entered the kitchen when I suddenly had a knife pressed against my throat. Will demanded to know what I was doing there, and of course, I pretended I was just coming home from a long day of work. The sun was setting at the time.
"Will, though, must have known better. He told me he had been squatting in this house before moving on, but he had come back, realizing that the house was better than the park playground he had been living in- which, honestly, he should have known from the start. He knew I was using it as a roof over my head just like he had, and he wanted his turf back."
She sucked in a breath, easily imagining how that scenario must have played out. Will was skinny, yes, which was likely a byproduct of his life of wandering from place to place and struggling to have two shillings to rub together, but from what she had seen, he also had the potential to pick a fight and win. She wasn't sure she wanted to know how that altercation had turned out. "And…?"
Robin shrugged. "It wasn't the easiest fight I've ever had by any means. Not that I've had many of them," he added quickly once he saw the look on Regina's face. "But we were well-matched. After that, he agreed to work together as long as I swore I would never betray him. It might have taken a while to completely earn each other's trust, but ever since that day, we've been partners, brothers in arms of sorts."
"Good," she murmured. At least one of them had a friend they could rely on. She had Mal, of course, but given her mother's habit of taking everything from her, she had always kept a part of herself from her, afraid that she would lose Mal's friendship just like she had once thought she had lost Daniel. "Even though that's a crazy story, that's good that you two have had each other's backs. I have one friend. One. And she wouldn't betray me, but thanks to my mother…"
"You hesitate to get too close," he finished, putting an arm around her and squeezing her shoulder. "I feel even more honored now that you have shared so much with me in such a short span of time."
She shrugged. "It was easy. You made it easy. And…" Looking into his eyes, she trailed off. They were so blue, just like the sky right before it got completely dark. She leaned in closer, closing her eyes, waiting. Was this the moment that changed everything? She had never felt so safe before.
"Robin, what are you- oh."
Will was standing at the door to the tent, his mouth falling open at the scene in front of him. "Sorry, sorry, I'll just be going now, and you should be too."
Regina had a feeling she knew exactly what Will thought of the scene he had just walked in on, and she braced herself for Robin's reaction. Would he feel the same way Will did about what had almost just happened?
"Sorry about him," Robin sighed. "Should we get some breakfast?"
She nodded, her suddenly rumbling stomach letting her know she had barely eaten anything all night with all the excitement of everything that had happened.
She followed him out to where the main campfire was always erected. She was a little nervous because she was unsure how the rest of Robin's group would react to her. After all, she hadn't really had any interactions with any of them other than Will and maybe Mulan and Emma. She could see the two of them sitting around the fire now, and to her relief, she saw Mulan smile brightly as she waved her over. "I see you're back with us. Are you here to stay?"
"Possibly?" Regina replied, the answer coming out as more of a question than anything else. She glanced at Robin and Will, who were talking quietly at the edge of the clearing. She could see enough of their profiles that she could register their expressions, and not surprisingly, neither of them looked happy. She was sure she would hear what they had said later, and for now, she honestly didn't want to think about it. She just wanted to eat something and spend time getting to know more people at the camp as well as she was starting to know Robin.
"You may want to decide quickly," Mulan said, following her gaze to where the boys were talking. "Will doesn't take kindly to strangers coming here. It's one thing if they come to stay, he starts to trust them eventually. Until then, though? Good luck. It's good in a way," she added, her expression turning apologetic when she looked at Regina. "It does help the camp more secure, after all. But he hates when Robin brings home strays, if you will. He says sometimes that Robin treats this place like a train station instead of a hideout, and I get his point."
"Just how many stray birds has he brought back?" Regina asked, not knowing if she actually wanted to hear the answer.
Emma shrugged. "Just you and Marian. Jealous?"
No, she wasn't. Not even a little bit. However, she had thought that what she had felt between herself and Robin was special, that whatever was going on was unique to him and her alone. From the sound of it though, Robin befriended every girl he met and brought her here to protect her. It was a good thing, she supposed, but she also wondered if Emma was brushing it aside like it was no big deal for her benefit or to save Robin from her questioning him later. It was likely the former. After all, she didn't know- these girls could be like Will, apprehensive about any newcomers coming to their camp- and she would understand that. From what she knew, they all had several very good reasons for wanting to remain hidden from the public eye. "Just trying to figure out how things work around here, that's all."
Mulan sighed. "If you're staying, you won't find out everything automatically. Will likes to keep his secrets until he thinks he can trust someone, until he thinks someone is there for the good of the camp. Sure, Robin's a little bit different, much more trusting than one os his best friends, but even he recognizes that we need to keep some things hidden from someone until we know we can trust them. I'm actually surprised he took you through the tunnel. He usually exercises a bit more caution than that."
"How did you know he did that?" Regina questioned, trying to cover for Robin. She didn't want him getting into more trouble than he already was, and maybe if she feigned ignorance, things wouldn't get any worse for him.
"It's obvious," Emma shrugged. "How else could he have come and go from the castle that fast? Getting to you that way is one thing, but coming back…that's probably part of why Will is so furious at the moment, if we're being honest."
"I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Regina fretted, looking at where the two boys were still having their heated discussion.
Mulan shook her head. "Honestly, don't worry about it. They may be as close as brothers, but they disagree so often that they're like an old married couple at this point."
Regina laughed, but she still worried. "I'm definitely not here to turn anyone against each other."
"Of course not, we didn't think that at all," Emma assured her. "And trust me, it won't happen. Those two are as thick as thieves, if you'll excuse the pun. Not even a strange new girl can change their friendship."
"If you're sure…" Regina mused, and both girls nodded.
At that moment, Regina felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Robin smiling down at them. "I see you three are getting along," he said. "But did either of the two of you bother to give Regina some breakfast?"
Emma's mouth dropped open and she immediately jumped up, scrambling, it seemed, to fix what she must see as her egregious error. "Oh my god he's right! Regina, I am so sorry. Forgive us for our rudeness. We get visitors so rarely."
"Then please, don't treat me like one," Regina requested, rising to her feet. "I'm no better than either of you. I can help myself."
"Well, yes and no," Mulan said carefully. "You're physically able to, of course, but there's a portion system here, so that we make sure everyone is healthy, but it helps us also make sure there's enough for everyone. I'm sure you can understand- with a limited amount of food, we can't afford to stuff ourselves unless we've just gotten our fresh batch of supplies."
"Of course," Regina nodded, understanding completely. She definitely didn't want to take any food from these people. After all, she was sure that to some extent, they deserved it more than her. For one thing, she had grown up used to having three good, healthy meals a day all her life, for for another, from what she knew, this group did more good with their lives than she had ever done. They were far more deserving of having a prosperous life than she would ever be. In fact, she should have thought of this sooner, should have packed a huge sack full of food for them all. Not only would it have been a peace offering of sorts for Will, but it would have shown everyone else that she cared about them and not just her own selfish needs as well. All this time, she had been so focused on everything happening to her that she hadn't even stopped to think about the other people and what they must think of her actions. It was very likely- extremely likely, almost guaranteed, in fact- that she seemed like a spoiled brat to them, and she made a vow to fix that starting now. Robin might have offered to spare her, give her a way to get out from under her mother's thumb, but if she took that chance, she wanted to do something useful with her life, and that started now. "I'm sorry. I probably seem like some spoiled brat to you and I'm sure that's a terrible first impression. I want to fix it, but you'll have to tell me how."
"You only seem that way to some of us," Mulan assured her, glancing in Will's direction so Regina knew exactly who she was referring to when she said that some of them didn't approve of her presence there. Not that Regina hadn't guessed as much. After all, Will had made his displeasure about her presence at the camp known from the first moment she set foot there. "The rest of us know that there are extenuating circumstances to consider- although don't worry," she rushed to add at the look on Regina's face. 'Robin hasn't filled us in on the details of what exactly those circumstances are."
"Okay," Regina shrugged. Honestly, she didn't care if they know everything or not. She should probably care about dragging her mother's name through the mud, but honestly, she couldn't bring herself to care nearly as much as her mother would. After all, she was much more down to earth and cared much less about people's opinions of her than her mother would.
Don't you, though? A small voice asked. It sounded awfully like her mother's voice, so of course, she wanted nothing to do with whatever it said, but she had to admit it had a point. Her mother had left her so starved for genuine affection and friendship that wasn't based on her mother's money and connections that she was desperate for Robin and the rest of the people at the camp to like her. She was determined that that desperation wouldn't show itself in her doing anything drastic, though. She didn't want them to know just how desperate she was for a little companionship, especially with people she knew she could trust.
A silence fell between them, and Regina took the opportunity to get a better look at her surroundings. She was surprised at the size of the camp, the resources they seemed to have. There were tents everywhere, some of them more makeshift, obviously improvised (sturdy branches with a tarp on top seemed to be a fairly common theme for these dwellings), and some of them different-colored versions of tents more like the ones she was used to. There was an old truck there too, one of the ones used to transport goods across long distances. She wondered what it was for, but she suspected she wouldn't know for a long time, if at all, and she couldn't say she blamed them for keeping their secrets and modes of operating close. After all, if she was right about what they did (and Robin had been telling her the truth, but he had never given her any reason to doubt him), she could guarantee that they were using it to do something good, but she didn't know what. Honestly, though, the fact that they did good in the world was all that mattered to her.
She wanted to find a way to break the silence, but she hesitated, not quite knowing what to say. She wanted to ask about their pasts, wanted to find out how they had ended up here, but she knew there was a good chance they would be guarded and close-lipped about that information. After all, whatever had driven them to come here, it couldn't be good.
It seemed that Mulan, though, could read her better than she thought. "I can see you have questions. Go on, ask. Emma might be a bit more secretive, but you can ask anyone at this camp: I'm an open book, and they all know it."
"All right…" Regina said slowly, not knowing what to ask first. "I know this is probably a very personal story, but how did you come to be here?"
Mulan sighed. "My family is…let's just say they're very traditional. Because of that, my grandmother was determined that I was going to marry a wealthy Chinese man who had a high place in society and then be a good little wife to him- and my parents, thanks to the honor given to our elders in our culture, agreed with her and did nothing to stop her, even though they knew…" She swallowed hard, and Regina saw tears glistening in her eyes before she casually ran her hand across the bridge of her nose, wiping them away. "Even though they knew I don't exactly swing that way."
Regina's mouth dropped open. She wasn't surprised by the revelation, of course- after all, she did have Mal in her life, and she hadn't witnessed a single moment proving her friend was straight. However, it was a surprise just what lengths the other girl's parents would go to to see to it that Mulan fit their mold for her, even though she never would. "I'm so sorry," she breathed. "So…you ran." It wasn't a question.
Mulan nodded. "So I ran. And there hasn't been a day since that I've regretted my decision. I'm much happier here with everyone, especially…" Her eyes drifted across the clearing, and Regina saw a girl with golden hair at the receiving end of her gaze. She cleared her throat. "Well, let's just say that things are much better for me here."
"I'm glad," Regina said. She knew she hadn't known either of these girls for very long, but she reached out and squeezed Mulan's hand anyway. After all, she may not have been through exactly the same experience, but she could certainly understand the frustration that came with the family a person was born to not understanding or accepting who they were. That feeling she was all too familiar with. "Your family doesn't deserve you. Believe me, I've dealt with my fair share of parental control over my life. That's…" She took a deep breath. "That's the main reason I'm here. That and a tricky situation that I just don't know what to do with it. That and I just- I honestly just needed a break from everything."
"I would ask what kind of situation-" Mulan started, but Emma cut her off.
"She just said she didn't want to talk about it! Didn't you hear her?"
"It's okay, I get it," Regina said quickly. "After all, I deserve it. I asked you guys a personal question too."
"Are you guys getting along?" a familiar voice asked.
Regina looked up and smiled when she saw Robin croouching down to be closer to them. "Of course," she replied, patting the log beside her.
He sat and asked, "You all did get food, right?"
Emma jumped up, cursing under her breath as she ran over to where people were starting to pack up the food left over from breakfast. Regina raised her eyebrows. Mulan and Emma had told her that it was rationed, but they had leftovers? It made no sense.
Seeing her expression, Robin explained, "We always give some of it to people who are less fortunate. We deliver to them once a day. Without us…"
"Oh," Regina said quietly, feeling horrible that she had even questioned it. "I'm sorry."
Robin shook his head, dismissing her apology with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry about it, you didn't know."
"Yeah, but-" Regina began, only for Robin to cut her off.
"Seriously, it's not a problem. Now you know."
She nodded, taking a second to process what she had learned. It was so thoughtful of them to share when they already had so little. Now she definitely understood why they rationed their food, so they had enough to share. Hoping the distraction would help things be a little less awkward, she asked, "So, what's for breakfast?'
She was led over to the fire, where there was a generous offering of potatoes and greens laid out. She smiled. She had always loved potatoes. She was sure life here wasn't glamorous, but if she decided to stay, it maybe wouldn't be so bad, especially if she got to escape her mother's patronizing ways.
She was quiet as she ate, listening to the silence around her. The others were quiet, possibly not wanting her to know anything about their lives, which she could understand to an extent, of course. It was a little unsettling, but at the same time, it was kind of nice. She hadn't noticed before that moment just how much noise the forest contained. Before, the cacophony of traffic had drowned out any sounds of nature in her life, the rush of cars on the highways of New York City drowning out any other signs of life, even the pigeons that liked to make their homes on every telephone pole and window ledge they could find. Not that she could blame them. After all, real estate in the Big Apple was hard to come by. She wasn't used to hearing birds or- was that an animal running across the ground? Each rustle of the leaves, every snap of a branch, was heightened here in this moment, and while it was jarring to someone who had been raised in such a large metropolitan area, she thought it was still nice to hear something other than the sounds made by humans. She had always thought that people needed to be easier on the planet and being here only solidified that point of view. Seeing nature uninhibited by the disastrous effects mankind had impressed upon it over the years, especially recently, was refreshing, to say the least.
"Is it always like this?" she whispered, a part of her hating that she was disturbing the sounds around them with human chatter.
"Like what?" Emma asked, cocking her head to the side.
Regina sighed. They were probably so used to it that they didn't even notice. It was a shame, really. They had this gift that they didn't even appreciate. Although she had to admit that until she had come here, she may not have appreciated it either. For that much, she was thankful that she had come here. Whatever else happened, it was nice that she had come here and gotten the chance to experience life the way she suspected it was always meant to be. "It's so calm and peaceful. Nice and quiet. How can you stand going into town at all, let alone sneaking into the castle?" It was possible they didn't want her to bring that up, but she did know they snuck into the castle- that was how Robin had gotten her out, after all. It wasn't like that knowledge was a secret. How could it be?
Emma laughed. "It's…different, that's for sure.
"It's a bit jarring, I'm not going to lie," she admitted. "I avoid doing it as much as I can."
"Yeah, you do, and you leave me to do all the hard work," Mulan grumbled, shooting Emma a glare.
Regina spent a moment worrying that she had started an unnecessary argument, which was, of course, the last thing she wanted to do, but Emma didn't seem too worried. "Oh, you know I'd be no good at sneaking into places."
"No good at it!" Mulan exclaimed, shaking her head. "You were once arrested for breaking and entering. Yeah, I'd say you're not good at it."
"It wasn't my fault!" Emma exclaimed. "Neal sabotaged me!"
"Then why do you two still look at each other with those doey eyes?" Mulan smirked as Emma's cheeks turned red.
Emma groaned and got up to leave, but Mulan reached out and tugged her back down on the log with them. "Forget it, I was just kidding. You can do whatever you want with Neal- or don't. And you're the best person at organizing everything anyway, so who am I to give you a guilt trip about not coming with us when we go on raids? If you want to leave that life behind… well, you shouldn't have come here, honestly, but still, it's none of my business. Sorry."
Emma sighed. "Apology accepted."
There was an awkward silence after that, and Regina tried to find a way to fill it, trying to remember where the conversation had been going before Emma and Mulan had gotten caught up in their squabbling. Oh, that's right. "Either way, it's crazy to me, and wonderful too. I can't imagine what it's like to have it all the time, but it must be great."
"Yeah, it definitely can be, but it has its downside too," Mulan shrugged. "The conversation we just had is the perfect example of what I'm referring to. We're around each other all the time, so we squabble like siblings. In fact, in a way we are siblings." She leaned over, nudging Emma with her shoulder. "We may fight all the time, but at the end of the day, I'd do anything for anyone here if it was for their safety, and hopefully they would do the same for me." She cast a glance at Emma, her eyebrows raised. "Right?"
Emma nodded and changed the subject. "So, what have we been missing in the outside world? It can't be much if you're here."
Regina sighed, not knowing how much she wanted to divulge. "Oh, you know, the usual. Boys will be boys no matter what country they're in, apparently."
"Isn't that the truth," Emma grumbled in agreement. It was only then that Regina noticed that she had an American accent, not an English one like most of the people here. It made her wonder how on Earth Emma had gotten here, especially since it was on the other side of an ocean and from what she gathered, she had limited resources. The phrasing of her thoughts was something she despised, the product of growing up with her mother, but she resolved right here and right now to change that as soon as possible. Hopefully being around this vigilante group would help her have a better, more equal view of the world and the people in it. "What can we do to help?"
Regina considered her answer for a moment. Honestly, she didn't know, but the distraction was nice. "Honestly, exactly what you're already doing." The two of them, especially their banter, were a great distraction- the best, in fact. They had a way of making it easy to forget exactly where she was and what she had been through. "I've never really had friends," she admitted, hating every word. Why did her mother have to make her live the life of seclusion she did- and make it so difficult for her to escape?
"That settles it," Mulan declared. "If you decide you want to stay, you're staying with us no matter what anyone else says. No one deserves not having friends in their life-. Unless they like a life of solitude and choose to live that way, of course, and even then…"
"Mulan!" Emma chided. She glared at the other girl before turning to Regina and smiling. To Regina's amusement, all Mulan did was shrug. "What she means is that if you want to stay, we'd love to find a place for you here. She is right that no one who wants friends should be forced not to have them though," she acknowledged, and Mulan was silent, but she raised her arms in victory, making Regina's grin even wider. "So all you need to do is decide where you want to go from here."
"It's not entirely my decision," Regina acknowledged, looking first at Robin, then at Will, her gaze lingering on the latter. "After all, Will and Robin need to be okay with me staying, and all of you do, to some degree or other, I'm sure. I don't want to stay if someone doesn't trust me, or if you don't have the resources for me to even consider it."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Mulan dismissed with a wave of her hand. "We can always get more, add one more stop on a raid, that's not a big deal. And as for Will and Robin…" she glanced over at Robin, smirking when she found that their gazes met. "I guarantee that Robin would be over the moon to have you here."
"And Will?" Regina asked, her eyebrows raised. She couldn't imagine he would be thrilled, given his reactions to her so far. As for Robin… she didn't even want to think about the implications of Mulan's words. They would likely just make her think about all of the decisions she had to make, and she wasn't quite ready for that yet. She had stayed up all night, after all.
Mulan shook her head. "Don't worry about him. He's just an overprotective dad, really. He's just trying to protect the camp, is all."
Regina nodded, hiding a grin at the metaphor. It was funny to think of Will, someone who was so skinny, as a papa bear. He might be protective, but he was the opposite of that in appearance. "I get that." She looked around. "You have to protect what you have here."
"Exactly," Emma nodded. She clapped her hands. "So, how can we distract you?"
"Well, you can start by letting her have breakfast," Robin said, tapping the untouched plate in Regina's lap. "You three were so busy talking that you didn't even notice me slip away."
"How else is she supposed to find out anything or figure her life out?" Emma asked. "Sometimes, when making a decision, it's helpful to talk to someone, and from what I gather, our Regina doesn't really have anyone else to talk to."
Regina's cheeks flushed, her heart warming at Emma's words. Our Regina. It was a nice sentiment, that feeling of belonging that she had so often lacked growing up, given how secluded her mother had made her be throughout her life. Maybe she would stay here. It would certainly be a nice change, that was for sure.
She shook her head. At the same time though, what was she thinking? She couldn't just leave society behind, could she? Sure, leaving her mother in the dust wondering where she had gone would be a dream come true (to say the least), but the rest? She was so used to having three full meals a day that the thought of going without was a bit jarring. Not to mention: what would the others think of her decision? She was sure Robin would keep them in line, make sure they didn't judge her for any decisions she made or didn't make, but still, she knew she would be thinking it if the situations were reversed. After all, what would a spoiled princess have to offer out here in the middle of the woods?
"She has me," Robin whined, pouting adorably.
Mulan dismissed his dismal attitude with a wave of her hand. "Yeah, but there's nothing like getting another girl's perspective sometimes. Isn't that right, Regina?"
Brought out of her thoughts (which felt like a herculean task- she had to remember to thank them all later, especially Mulan), Regina shrugged. "Honestly, it's nice to get a second opinion- one that I trust." A statement that was a little frightening, given how little time she had known these people, but true all the same. After all, she and her mother never agreed about anything.
"So does that mean you're staying?" Mulan asked, a quiet, unvoiced hope in her eyes.
After a long moment, Regina nodded. She didn't have much left at home, after all, and one of the only people she would stay for had shown her that he didn't matter to her, not enough to counteract all that her mother put her through. There was nothing keeping her from saying yes.
At the same time though, what of her hopes and dreams? It would be impossible to both follow her dreams and be in hiding- after all, she would need to lay low for at least a few years before she would have the freedom to move around without worrying about if anyone was looking for her. She would be giving up those as well.
"I think so, yes," she said, glancing over at Will. "Assuming someone is okay with that. Me staying won't come without complications."
Emma shook her head. "Don't worry about those. We've had people have this type of situation before. It's nothing we can't handle."
Regina muttered darkly, "Not like this, you haven't. You don't know my mother." Cora Mills wouldn't let her get away with just leaving her without a word. Granted, she could sneak back into the castle with Robin (or just have him do it for her) and leave a note. It would set her on her trail, but it would be better than nothing. She didn't want to endanger these people, but she didn't want to seem completely apathetic either. It was a fine line… one that, come to think of it, she hadn't even decided she wanted to toe.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a shout. "Everyone! Come help, quick!"
All of the people around her rushed over to the speaker, a man who was supporting another girl with her arm around his shoulder. Regina, of course, followed behind them. She didn't want to get in the way- far from it. However, since she was in the middle of making the life-altering decision whether or not to stay with this group, she figured seeing one of the downsides to living here wouldn't be such a bad idea.
When she got closer, she cringed. She would know that injury anywhere. The twist of the ankle was unmistakably a sprain, and it reminded her of when she had acquired the same injury when she was younger. This girl's recovery wouldn't be fun by any means, but it would be possible. "It's a sprain."
They all turned at her words, several of them with their eyebrows raised. "What do you know about injuries that you're so sure it's a sprain?" Will demanded.
She had to bite her tongue to keep from letting out an exasperated sigh. "I've had this exact injury before, so I know the signs. As long as we wrap it and she keeps off of her feet for the next week and she keeps ice on it, she'll be fine. That's what the doctor did for me."
With a wary look cast in her direction, Will stepped aside. "If you insist. But if you make things worse…" The warning he hadn't yet voiced was all too clear.
She nodded. "Understood." His words, both spoken and silent, were further proof of his protectiveness- not that she needed any other confirmation of it. "That won't happen though."
"This isn't the time, Will. If she can help, let her," Robin muttered through gritted teeth. He was clearly stressed, and she completely understood why. She was so used to the modern, readily available conveniences and medicines that a hospital provided that she hadn't thought of how these people staying away from society might affect things like this.
"Fine," Will grumbled, stepping aside. "Be my guest. But don't come blaming me if something goes wrong just because you all put your trust- and her fate- in the hands of a stranger."
The crowd parted and Regina stepped forward. She looked down at the girl, frowning. She looked like she was in a lot of pain, and Regina felt for her, remembering when it had happened to her. She looked at the injury more closely, only to confirm what she had already known. Her ankle was sprained, and needed to be wrapped so she didn't hurt it anymore. "Do we have bandages?" She asked. "Water would be helpful too."
As people hurried to find what she needed, she marveled at the situation she found herself in. Given that she was in the arts, she never thought she would be doing anything medical. For the first time, she was glad she had had that injury so long ago. Not being able to help now, feeling useless, would torment her. It wouldn't help her win any brownie points with Will either. This way, she could hopefully gain his trust, at least a little bit. She was sure, though, that accomplishing that particular goal was a marathon, not a sprint. Judging by what she had experienced so far, Will's trust wasn't something that could be won easily.
Once she had everything she needed, she set to work. Remembering her own experience when she had the injury, how it had hurt every time anyone touched the area where she had hurt herself, she tried to touch it as little as possible. Still, there was little she could do to avoid it in some cases, and every time she did, the girl sucked in her breath, and Regina felt terrible. She hated inflicting pain, even though it was necessary.
At last, her ankle was wrapped as tightly as Regina could get it, and she was gingerly standing, thanking Regina for her kindness and efforts.
"There's no need to thank me," Regina assured her. "Just pay it forward if you ever get the chance."
Nodding, she assured her she would, then with the help of others in the camp, she hobbled away. Once she was gone, Regina looked over to where Will had been watching her the entire time, his arms crossed over his chest. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Well?"
"What are you asking?" he pondered.
"Can I stay?"
He sighed and gave Robin a long look, one filled with words unsaid, but implied- and she could guess what it was. He walked away, and she looked over at Robin. "And the answer is…?"
"If you really want to, if you know this is what you want and you understand that you can't just change your mind all the time and go back and forth, you can stay. Once you've made this decision…"
"That's the decision I've made, and there's no going back," she finished, swallowing hard. She had known that, of course- that's why she had taken so long to even contemplate making this decision, after all. There were more factors to consider than just her own happiness- although that was the most important factor, no matter what her mother said. She did need to factor in her mother though, to a degree. At the very least, she needed to think about the consequences that would come with not going back to the castle. Her mother would most likely try to hunt her down, pay to put some sob story in the paper about how she just wanted Regina to come home safely, when in reality, she just cared that her star was missing. She also had to consider if she wanted the life on the run that Robin offered, filled with what seemed to be no shortage of food, but she would possibly need to adjust to having a more limited diet.
All in all, though, she knew that this, a life of freedom, was the right choice for her. So, taking a deep breath, she said, "I want in."
Let the adventure that was her freedom begin.