Over the next few days Regina had begun to isolate herself from the rest of her friends. She would stay late at the office, and when she had to pick up or drop off Henry, she always waited in the car. she would have Robin go and grab their lunch from Granny's, and she stayed at the Merry Men's camp instead of loitering around to meet up with Ruby. As much as she hated abandoning her friends in this fashion, in her mind, Robin was right. They would all leave her eventually.

That's why Regina found herself, once again, still in the workplace late Thursday evening.

"Knock, knock. Is Mayor Hot Pants in?" Ruby joked as she stepped inside her office.

"No, get out." The brunette responded without missing a beat.

"No way, dude. You've been avoiding me since the fiasco at the dinner on Monday and I wanna know why," Ruby countered. Standing her ground, she dropped the bag of food that she brought with her on a nearby table.

"Look, I've just been busy. I don't have time to joke around now," The former queen legitimized.

"Bullshit. It's Robin isn't it?" Ruby took her lack of response as a yes. "Well he can't tell you who you choose to hang around with. You are your own person for God sakes!"

Quickly realizing that the wolf figured out her reason, Regina laid her head down in her hands and let out quiet tears. "I do-don't know why I-I can't just-st tell him no," she stammered.

Seeing her friend's distress, the younger brunette wrapped her arms around Regina before kneeling before her. "Babes, listen, you can do it. and if you don't feel okay telling him alone call me or Emma to back you up," she consoled her reassuringly.

Ruby hated to see the older woman in such a position. She always seemed so strong and in control of her emotions, but everyone had a breaking point. The young wolf only hoped that this wouldn't be Regina's. She knew how much she loved Robin.

Wiping her tears, Regina shook her head. "I don't know why I've been so emotional lately. I just can't ever seem to turn it off anymore. I used to be a queen, tsk."

"Shh, It's okay. I'll always be here for her whiny-ness." The waitress laughed at her play on words as the brunette shoved her playfully. "Alright, now we eat."

SQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQSQ

Thankfully for Regina, today was Emma's turn to pick up Henry; she could have her talk with Robin in peace. Determined to set boundaries, Regina walked into the camp with her head held high. She soon spotted her handsome thief sitting on a log next to his son. For a moment she just stood still, eyeing them from afar as second thoughts and different possible outcomes from this serious talk swirled through her mind. Did this rash decision of confronting him sprout from a measly rush of adrenaline? And, more importantly, how would Robin react? She soon realized, though, that no matter how this conversation went today it was one they needed to have. Gathering her courage, the former Evil Queen trudged forward until she was in eyesight of the two.

"Gina!" Roland cried with glee as he ran over to hug her.

Regina bent down to properly greet the child. "Hello, dear, how are you doing?" She asked sweetly as she ruffled the young boy's hair.

"Good! Thanks! And guess what!? Papa and Tuck are gonna take me fishing when Tuck gets back from school!" Roland squealed excitedly as he smiled brightly, the youngster teeming with energy.

Unlike Robin, Friar Tuck saw this as an opportunity to better himself. He got a job and began taking some necessary courses to become eligible to apply for Storybrooke College. When the others asked him why, he would reply, "This is a new world, a better and just world. Where men like us can make a life here an' leave something more to those we love than some stolen coins. We can do better here. So I'm taking advantage of it." That statement inspired other men to join the workforce or invest in getting a proper education as well. However, many decided to follow Robin, the leader's example, and refused to join.

"Hey, Ro, can you go play with John? I need a moment alone with your father. You can tell me all about your week after, I promise." Regina smiled reassuringly as Roland happily skipped past her towards Little John.

"Hello, love." The father of the young boy greeted Regina as he pulled her in for a sloppy kiss.

"Hey...we need to talk." The younger woman sat on the log where the four year old once was.

"Ah, what about?" Robin asked worriedly as he sat next to the former queen.

"Robin…" she started. Then it all came gushing out. "I love you, but I-I don't love the way you keep controlling me. You cannot tell me who I can and can't be friends with. You also cannot tell me what I can or can't eat. It-It's wrong! And I won't stick around if you continue to treat me as your puppet. I'm a queen, dear, so please act like it." Regina had tried to channel her mayoral, commanding voice during her declaration, but fell just short. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for her boyfriend's reaction.

"Fine." The older man spoke with annoyance.

"Fine?" The brunette looked at him in shock. She was positive it would take a lot more convincing for him to agree to let her around her friends once again, but then again, maybe she was overthinking the situation, like she had done on multiple occasions.

"Fine, if you don't like my rules then I don't like you." Robin's icy tone spoke with finality. He stood up and began to walk away.

For the fourth time in not even a full week, Robin had once again made her feel weak. She never desired to be some damsel in distress for others to pity, and she certainly never wanted to paint such a pathetic picture of her in anyone's mind. Yet here she was groveling for permission to talk to two of her only friends. And here he was threatening to leave her once again. What was it she kept doing wrong? Why couldn't she just be herself?

"I-I...Robin th-that's not what I meant. I j-just miss my friends." Regina desperately followed him, then grabbed his wrist, forcing him to confront her once more.

"Well, let me know when you miss me more," he snarled. With that he shoved the woman off of him and onto the ground, peering at her menacingly before walking away.

As she sat there looking like a kicked, injured puppy she tried to think of what she could do to fix her mistakes. Regina shakily stood up and dusted off her pants as she spotted her love's small figure in the distance disappear as he veered off the path. She silently pleaded to herself that there could be a way to get him back, to end their separation; she was in love with the man and didn't want him stepping off of the path of her life for good. She needed to make amends.

After all, she was to blame for the state of their relationship.

I never should have said anything.

Ahh, okay, so you all wanted me to continue and I did. :p Much thanks to my very first Beta, they really took this and made it sooo much better. Go check out their stories as well: Smthnborrowediamblue. Anything you want to see in this fic? Let me know in the reviews!

Xoxo, Lex.