Chapter 10: Revelations

The motion to move Mary Margaret's trial was granted and relocated to the next jurisdiction from Storybrooke, Portland. Mary Margaret was scheduled to be transported to their prison there by the end of the week, after which no one would ever remember her again.

Well, with two exceptions but Regina could handle those.

First, she would start brewing a memory potion. She had limited ingredients but she hadn't had a need for a potion in a long time so she knew she would be able to make one and then wait. Emma would then likely follow Mary Margaret as one of the two who would remember the woman. Once she was gone, Regina would give the potion to Henry and get him to forget Mary Margaret as well as Emma.

Then everything would go back to normal.

Her only problem would be figuring out how to keep Emma Swan from crossing the town line again but she hoped Gold could help her with that as well.

Who said villains didn't get happy endings?

"Alright, Robin will be here shortly," Regina said, coming down the stairs as she finished putting in a new pair of earrings to go with her outfit. "Will you two be okay?"

Emma nodded, still looking awkward in Regina's house. She wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulder. "We'll be fine. Right, kid?"

"Absolutely," Henry said, smiling for the first time in a long time. "Have fun tonight, Mom."

It broke Regina's heart that Henry was only happy because she had agreed to let Emma babysit him that night. But she reminded herself that she had only done it because soon the pesky Savior would be gone and Henry would forget her. She saw no harm in letting him spend some time with the woman before then.

Forcing a smile to her face, she said: "I will."

"Why don't you head inside while I talk to your mom about a few things before she leaves?" Emma asked, gently pushing Henry toward the dining room. He nodded, heading into the room and leaving the two alone.

Regina raised an eyebrow, wondering what was going on. "Is something wrong, Miss Swan?"

"A lot is wrong," Emma replied, speaking low so Henry couldn't hear her. "We both know Mary Margaret is innocent."

"No, we don't," Regina said, keeping her voice even. "You believe she is innocent. I know she is not."

Emma frowned. "And is that why you are going out on a date? I thought you were so broken up over your friend."

Fire filled Regina's veins. Emma should consider herself lucky there was no magic in this realm or she would've already been incinerated by one of Regina's fireballs. Instead, she stepped closer as she fixed Emma with a cold glare. "I am heartbroken that Kathryn is gone and it pains me that we will never give her a proper funeral because of Mary Margaret. But I am glad that she is going to get justice and I think I can go celebrate that."

"Is it justice if the wrong person is going to prison?" Emma asked, still harping on Mary Margaret's innocence.

Thankfully, the doorbell rang and Regina was able to step back. "I have to get that. And I would ask that you keep your theories about Mary Margaret's innocence to yourself tonight, Miss Swan. The last thing I need is for Henry to believe she has been framed. This is hard enough on him as it is."

"Fine," Emma said, crossing her arms. "But Henry is a smart boy. He knows the truth as much as we do."

Regina didn't respond, crossing to the door. She opened it, relieved to see Robin there with a bouquet of flowers. He smiled, holding them out to her. "For you," he said.

"Thank you," she said, leaning closer to kiss him. "They're beautiful."

"Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman," he replied. It was cheesy but it still melted Regina's heart.

She motioned for him to come in. "Let me just put these in water and then we can go."

"Take your time," he replied, stepping into the house. "We have plenty of time before our reservation."

"Hello, Robin," Emma said, still standing by the dining room with her arms crossed as she regarded Regina with narrowed eyes. Regina didn't know what the sheriff expected from her and decided to just ignore her for now.

Confusion filled Robin's eyes as he looked between Regina and Emma. He cleared his throat before saying: "Hello, Emma."

"I asked Emma to watch Henry," Regina said. "A peace offering, I guess."

Pride and happiness replaced the confusion in his eyes. "I'm glad to hear it."

Warmth spread through her and she kissed his cheek, hurrying into the dining room. Henry sat there, looking bored until he saw the flowers. "Did Robin give those to you?" he asked.

"He did," she replied. "I'm just going to put them in water before we head out."

"Is he out in the foyer?" Henry asked, perking up.

She nodded, pleased to see that he was excited about Robin being there. "You can go say hi if you want."

"Thanks, Mom," he said, jumping up to head toward the foyer. Regina took it as a good sign as she entered the kitchen with her flowers.

After taking a vase and filling it with water, she unwrapped the flowers and just put them in the water for now. She figured she would trim and prepare the stems once she got home to ensure the flowers lasted longer. Regina carried them out to the dining room and placed them in the middle of the table, running a finger along the silky petals of one of the many red roses in the bouquet.

She was a very lucky woman.

Regina headed back to the foyer, hearing Henry's voice as he was talking with Robin. She picked up her pace, eager to see her son interacting with her soulmate and boyfriend as she hoped they would build a good relationship. Coming through the doorway, she smiled as she saw Henry and Robin standing next to each other.

Her joy, though, was tempered by Robin's serious expression as he looked down at Henry. "I know it's hard to believe, Henry, but Miss Blanchard is the only one with motive to hurt Kathryn. Everything points to her," he said.

"But she's being framed," Henry insisted.

"No, she's not," Robin said, reaching out and gently squeezing Henry's shoulder. "If you think about it, there is no one who would want to hurt Miss Blanchard or hurt Kathryn and frame an innocent woman."

Henry frowned. "You really believe that she did it."

"I do," Robin confirmed. "And I think one day, you'll realize it too."

"Come on, kid," Emma said softly, pulling Henry to her side. "Robin and your mother have a reservation to make. Let's let them go."

Regina took a deep breath as she approached them. "You know how to reach us in case of emergency, right?" she asked Emma.

Emma nodded. "I have your number and Robin's. I should be good."

"Good," Regina said, turning her attention to Henry. "Goodnight, sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning."

He shrugged. "Whatever."

She swallowed, opening her arms. "Do you want to give me a hug?"

"I guess," he said, leaving Emma's side to just press his body against Regina's. He didn't wrap his arms around her, instead letting her do that with him instead. She knew it was the best she was going to get so she accepted it.

Regina kissed the top of his head. "Love you, sweetheart."

He mumbled something that she chose to believe was love you too before moving away from her to stand with Emma again. Regina took a deep breath before turning to Robin. "I'm ready to go if you are," she said.

"I am," he replied, holding out his hand. "I think you're going to love this place. It comes highly recommended from John."

She hummed, knowing that his roommate and friend was something of a connoisseur of food. As they left her house, she said: "Then I'm sure it will be wonderful."

Once they were in the car, Robin said: "I'm glad you're letting Emma spend time with Henry. I think it will be good for all of you."

"I hope so," Regina said, knowing that Emma's time in Storybrooke was no doubt limited. "I worry though, especially with Henry's belief that Mary Margaret is being framed."

"It's hard to imagine your teacher killing someone," he said. "At least when that teacher is Mary Margaret Blanchard. I know I had a few teachers that if they were arrested for killing someone, I would absolutely believe it."

She chuckled, wishing the curse had given her some memories of a false life to share with others. It had only come up a few times but they were growing more frequent now that she knew Robin. Regina recalled some of her tutors when she was younger instead and nodded. "I had at least one I would've been believed that about myself."

He nodded before his smile fell. "I'm guessing Emma believes Mary Margaret is being framed as well?"

"Yes," Regina said. "Or at least she wants to believe it. However, she's yet to offer me any alternate theories. I figure either she's going to accept it herself or resign if she can't."

"You think she would do that?" he asked.

She shrugged, even though she was certain Emma would do just that. "It's just a possibility. Emma's background is as a bail bondwoman. She may decide to use the skills used there to try to prove Mary Margaret innocent and can't do that and be the sheriff at the same time."

Regina held her breath, waiting to see how Robin reacted. She hoped that story would seem plausible enough for when she started to sow the seeds of doubt amongst the townspeople about Emma's fitness to be sheriff. It would help get rid of the Savior earlier if the people of Storybrooke thought her crazy and too dedicated to pet projects rather than their safety.

"You're right," he agreed. "Eventually, something is going to have to give. I doubt the people would be happy to let her use up their tax dollars trying to prove some crazy theory."

"Exactly," she said, letting out a sigh of relief. It seemed her story would work.

Good.

"Well, I guess you'll cross that bridge if you get to it," he said. "Tonight, though, we are not going to talk about conspiracy theories. Or about Mary Margaret. Tonight is all about a respite for you from all that craziness. Okay?"

She smiled, touched by how much he cared about her. "Okay."

He grinned at her before turning into a nearby parking lot. "Alright, we're here."

"I'm excited to see where John recommended for us," she said, unbuckling her seat belt after he stopped the car.

"Honestly? Me too," Robin admitted, opening his door. He leaned closer to her, though. "I didn't even finish asking my question when John recommended this place. When he does that, it means it's really good."

He climbed out of the car and came over as she opened her door. Robin held out his hand. "Here, milady."

"Thank you," she said, taking his hand and letting him help her out of the car. He closed the door behind her before locking it.

Lacing his fingers with hers, Robin led her to the door of the building made to look like a Chinese pagoda building. Regina tilted her head. "I've never seen this place before," she said.

"It's new," Robin said. "Just opened the other month, I believe."

"Huh," she replied, confused. Nothing had opened since Storybrooke had been created. The curse just wasn't set up that way.

So how did this place just open?

"Regina, are you okay?" Robin asked, pausing outside the door to the restaurant. He frowned. "Do you want to try someplace else?"

"No," she insisted. "Let's try here."

He didn't move. "Are you sure? You look upset."

"Yes," she replied, deciding to again tell him a version of the truth. "I've just been so distracted by other matters I didn't notice a new business opened in town. What kind of mayor am I?"

"A good one," he replied, rubbing her arms. "You don't have to know every little thing that happens in Storybrooke. That's what you have other staff members for."

She sighed. "I know. I still like to be on top of everything, you know?"

He nodded. "But maybe you need to let others handle some less important things so you can have time for yourself and Henry."

"And you?" she asked, amused by his statement.

"Well, if you can spare me a few moments here or there, I would be a very happy man," he told her, grinning and revealing those sexy dimples.

God, she loved them.

Reaching out, she ran her thumb over one of his dimples as fondness filled her. "I think I can do that."

"Good," he said, leaning closer and capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. She melted against him, knowing she would do anything to keep him and Roland in her life.

He broke the kiss and gently bopped her nose with his. "Come on. Let's go see if this place is as good as John said."

Robin opened the door and Regina stepped inside, ready to share a wonderful evening with the man she loved. She left all her worries outside, knowing she could figure everything out tomorrow.

Then soon, she wouldn't have any more worries at all. Just the happy ending she deserved.

"John was right. That place was amazing!"

Robin and Regina walked through the park as the stars shone overhead, lights along the path illuminating their way. Their fingers were laced together as they walked in sync, neither ready to part from the other and so walked to prolong their time together as well digest the delicious meal they had just consumed.

Chuckling, Robin nodded. "He's yet to steer me wrong. At least when it comes to food."

"Oh?" Regina asked, deciding to have some fun with him. "Does that mean he's steered you wrong in other ways?"

"We may have had some youthful misadventures," he replied. He then grimaced. "And some not-so-youthful ones as well."

That intrigued her and she leaned closer to him. "Care to share?"

He hummed. "Maybe. Would you share as well?"

"Oh," she said, surprised. Her stomach tightened as she realized she didn't have many stories that didn't involve murder or mayhem. It was the side she didn't want to show to Robin – at least not yet, if ever.

But maybe she could tell him a little white lie. After all, she had watched many movies from this world over the years. Perhaps she could use a plot or two from those to come up with her own youthful misadventure, as Robin called it. Maybe she could figure out what memories the curse would've given her if she had been affected by it.

After all, she had constructed almost everything about the curse. It should be a piece of cake.

"Alright," she said. "I'll play. You tell me one story and I'll tell you one."

"Deal," he said, motioning to a nearby bench. "Why don't we sit down and rest for a bit while we share embarrassing stories?"

She nodded, letting him lead her to the bench. They sat next to each other and he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "Ladies' first?"

"Not this time," she replied. "You first. That was the deal."

"Alright, alright," he said, sighing. "Let choose one."

She waited, feeling him rub her arm before he nodded. "Alright, I think I have it – the time John and I went skinny dipping."

"Skinny dipping?" she asked, feeling a bit disappointed. "That's it?"

"Well, it was in our headmaster's hot tub," he said. "In January."

That intrigued her and she leaned closer. "Okay, now you've got my attention. Did you go to boarding school or something?"

He shook his head. "Normal secondary school. But the headmaster and his family lived in a house right next to the school, I guess provided to him by the school, and they put in a hot tub. So naturally, we were all curious about it."

"Naturally," she agreed, eager to hear more as she wondered if this was anecdote was just created by the curse or if the curse had twisted something that had really happened to him to fit this world.

She guessed it ultimately didn't matter. Once her plan succeeded, he would always be Robin Locksley and not Robin Hood.

(And why did that thought make her feel guilty?)

"Well, I had a bit of a reputation when it came to getting into places where I was not allowed," Robin continued, something that tracked given his real history as the Prince of Thieves. "So some classmates dared me to break into the headmaster's yard and use his hot tub."

"Well, you were dared," she said, grinning. "You couldn't risk your reputation."

He nodded solemnly. "Exactly. I convinced John to come with me and we made our plan. We told our parents we were at each other's house to cover and then snuck into the headmaster's yard."

"How cold was it?" she asked, recalling that he said it was winter.

"Very cold," he said. "I'm surprised certain parts of my body didn't shrink."

He glanced downwards and she chuckled, imagining his cock shriveling up like prune. She then patted his cheek. "Thank goodness that didn't happen."

"I know, right?" He winked at her. "But despite the cold, John and I still took off all our clothes and jumped into the hot tub after turning it on."

"Wait, were you dared to go in naked or did you do that on your own?" Regina asked, now curious.

He grew sheepish as he admitted: "On our own. We thought it would be cooler."

"Okay," she said, chuckling. "So you're naked in your headmaster's hot tub. How long did you stay in there?"

"We think about a half hour or forty-five minutes. Enough time to snap some pictures of ourselves in the tub and enjoy it," he said. "We then climbed out and found towels to wrap around ourselves. But that ended up almost being our undoing."

She felt her eyebrow go up. "How so?"

"While pulling out towels, we knocked something over. The sound alerted the headmaster's dog, who started barking," he said. "So naturally, we knew the headmaster would come to check it out. Instead of changing like we had planned, we just grabbed our clothes and started to run."

"Naked as the day you were born?" she asked, imagining a teenaged Robin and John running through a snowy English town naked as they clutched their clothes tightly.

He nodded. "Pretty much."

"Did he chase you?" she asked.

"He did," Robin said. "Though he was slowed down because he couldn't jump the fence like us and so had to run out and around the corner. That gave us a pretty good head start and we had the advantage of knowing the alleyways."

Regina nodded before asking: "Did he catch you?"

"He did not," he replied proudly. "John and I managed to put enough distance between us and him that he could never close the gap. We were able to stop and put our clothes back on before we developed frostbite and returned home. Our parents thought we were just being stupid and spent too long outside in the cold."

"And did your headmaster ever realize it was you?" she asked him.

"Oh, he knew," Robin replied. "After all, I had a reputation. But while everyone knew I had done it, no one would confirm it and so he couldn't punish me just on his suspicions. Meanwhile, his wife thought it was hysterical."

Regina chuckled. "At least one of them had a sense of humor."

"Yeah," he said. "Those two really proved that opposites attract."

He then shifted closer to her. "So I've told you my story. I believe it's your turn."

"Right," she said, debating which classic high school movie trope to use. She didn't want to repeat a movie beat for beat in case Robin was familiar with it. But she figured she could pick a scenario and run with it. "How about the time I threw the biggest house party Storybrooke has ever seen?"

He blinked a few times before leaning closer. "Go on…"

"So, I wasn't very popular in high school," she said, thinking of her own teenage years. "I didn't really have any friends. My mother had very high expectations for me and would punish me harshly if I didn't meet them so I spent more time studying than socializing. Adding in that I was wealthier than most of them…well…they all thought I was just a stuck-up rich bitch who thought she was better than them rather than a terrified teenage girl forced to be perfect or else."

"You must've been so lonely," he said, gently tucking some hair behind her ear. "You deserved to be a kid."

She sniffed, knowing he had a point. Regina took a deep breath before nodding. "Well, yes, and I had one glorious moment where I was."

"The party," he said.

"Yes," she replied, her story coming easily as if she was recounting a memory rather than creating one. "I was on the yearbook committee and so I got to see what superlative my classmates gave me. Most Likely to Follow the Rules."

He grimaced. "No teenager wants that."

"It gets worse," she said. "I saw that was an edit made by our faculty advisor. Originally, they voted me Most Boring."

"Teenagers can be little shits," he said. "That was cruel."

She nodded, leaning closer to him. "But I realized that they were right. I was pretty boring. I was going to leave high school with some of the most boring stories in the world. So I decided I wanted to do one crazy thing before graduation, one to prove to my classmates that I wasn't boring at all.

"First, I was going to play hooky," Regina said, really getting into her story now. "But then I started to overthink it, trying to figure out how I would not get caught by the school or my parents and then realized that it would only ever be my word that I had some crazy adventure. I doubted anyone would believe me then."

"You really were overthinking this," he replied. "But that doesn't surprise me. You like to plan to the very last detail. It makes you a good mayor."

Regina chuckled. "My council would say it makes me a pain."

"But I doubt they would even want to try to do half the job you do," he said, grinning. "In the end, you make everything easier for them and they know that."

"I hope so," she replied, knowing that Robin had no idea how easy she made things in Storybrooke. Thanks to the curse, the town could honestly run itself without anyone having to make any decisions. But she enjoyed being mayor and having to keep the town running. It finally felt like she was the leader she had wanted to be to her people.

She then continued with her made up story that she wished was real, that she had managed to pull off something so awesome. "My parents then told me that they were going to have to go out of town for a conference for a long weekend. Because it was so close to finals, my parents decided to leave me home for it. And since I was eighteen, they were going to leave me alone. I was going to have the entire house to myself and I decided to do what any teenager would do – I would throw an epic house party that would show my classmates that I wasn't the Most Boring in the class.

"Once again, I probably over planned but everything was ready," Regina said. "I slowly purchased drinks and snacks throughout the week and stored them in a corner of the basement I knew my parents would never look. I then told the class gossip that I was thinking of having a couple people over while my parents were out of town and let her do the rest."

Robin chuckled. "There's always that one person in every class. Did it work?"

"It did," she replied. "Though at first it didn't seem so. I was sitting in my empty house with all these snacks and drinks, just waiting and waiting. Finally, everyone started to show up and by the height of the party, my entire class was there as well as most of the junior class. I think there were some sophomores and freshmen as well."

"Sounds like an amazing party," Robin said, sounding impressed. "Did you enjoy it or were you nervous the entire time?"

She thought about her answer for a moment before saying: "I was nervous at first but I relaxed the more the night went on. After all, we lived on a deserted street and our nearest neighbor was about a half mile down the road. It was very unlikely anyone would realize that I was having this large house party. The alcohol probably helped. A few people managed to get some and bring it in and so I was pretty buzzed and almost drunk."

He chuckled. "First a party when your parents weren't home and now underage drinking? Quite the scandalous weekend."

"I know, right?" Regina giggled, feeling like the teenage girl she never got a chance to be. Maybe there were some blessings to the curse for the people of Storybrooke if they were able to get some better memories.

Maybe breaking the curse would be more of a punishment than the curse itself and Emma Swan would be no savior in the end.

"Anything else happen at this party?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant but unable to completely disguise the hints of jealousy in his tone.

That was interesting.

"If you're asking if I hit the trifecta and had sex as well, the answer is no," she told him, deciding on that. "I did kiss a few people – boys and girls – but nothing too serious."

She watched his face, wondering how he would react to the little confession she snuck into the middle. It was a side of herself she often kept hidden, knowing that not many in either world approved of same sex relationships – and especially of someone who bounced between the two sexes like she had in the past.

He nodded. "Sounds like a fun night. I know I spent a few parties snogging whoever caught my fancy as well. Girl, boy, depended on my mood."

"Exactly," she replied, relieved that Robin had shared her preferences as well and did not judge her for them. "I may not limit my romantic choices but once I commit to someone, I am entirely devoted to them."

"You don't have to convince me of that," he assured her, tucking some hair behind her ear as he smiled fondly at her. "I have no doubt of your fidelity and I hope you have no doubt of mine."

She took his hand and laced their fingers together. "I have no doubts."

He nodded before grinning. "So, how did the party end?"

"The way most parties end – slowly but surely," she replied. "We ran out of snacks and drinks, people needed to get home and others were getting tired. They just trickled out until I was left by myself around three in the morning. I went to bed myself and then spent the next day cleaning so everything was spotless by the time my parents came home. It was lots of work but I didn't care. I managed to pull off an epic house party and was pretty proud of myself."

"Did you ever get caught?" he asked, still grinning.

She considered saying that she was never caught and be truly awesome but decided to temper it with some realism. "Eventually. At graduation, my classmates thought they were being subtle and dropping hints about me having another party over the summer but they were pretty obvious. My parents figured out that I had had a party while they were gone and grounded me for the first couple weeks of summer. But it was worth it."

He laughed before sighing. "Recounting my youthful misadventures, it makes me wonder about what Roland will be like when he's a teenager. Which hopefully will be many, many years from now…but still."

"I know," she said softly. "Henry will be a teenager in only a few years. And I don't know if he's getting the defiance and sullenness out of his system now or if it will only get worse."

"Maybe he is just getting it out of his system and his teenage years will be easier," he said. "But if it's not, I'll be there to help you through it."

She bit her lip, realizing that he was promising to be there for her in three years and beyond. He was making a long-term commitment to her and that made her stomach flip. Regina looked into his eyes and saw only love, something that still felt foreign and novel to her after years of lust or cold hatred. It was nice to have someone want to be with her and want to support her in the years to come.

It felt good.

"That sounds comforting," she said softly. "And maybe then we'll be ready for when Roland becomes a teenager."

Even though he would never become one due to the curse.

But they could cross that bridge if they ever got to it.

"I like the sound of that," he said, leaning back. "What do you think you'd do if Henry threw a house party like you did?"

She bit her lip, knowing she would probably be upset with him…but also a bit proud that he did that. "I would probably do the same thing my parents did and ground him for a couple weeks. But deep down, I would be proud of him for it. And if that's the extent of his teenager rebellion, consider myself blessed. What about you? What if Roland takes after you?"

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I guess I'll have to invest in hair dye to cover all the grays he's going to give me."

"I don't know," she said, also running her fingers through his hair and feeling the silky strands between them. "I think some gray hairs would make you even sexier. I think you would be a silver fox."

"Is that so?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

She nodded. "Absolutely."

"Good to know," he replied, gently cupping her chin. "Though I'm sure that I'll get gray and wrinkly while you stay young and beautiful forever."

"I wouldn't mind getting gray and wrinkly with you," she admitted, wanting to grow old and live a full life with him. She knew that no matter what happened, he would look at her like she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen and she would think he was the handsomest man she had ever met.

He leaned closer and kissed her. Though it was a bit awkward sitting on the bench, Regina moved closer and kissed him back. Robin played with her hair as they continued to share long, languid kisses full of love and passion, though not the heated kind that had driven them on their last date. Now was not the time for those kisses but Regina hoped they had a chance soon.

Robin broke the kiss with a sigh, gently bopping her nose with his. "I'm afraid it's getting late and I must return home before I turn into a pumpkin."

"Time always seems to stop when I'm with you," she said, disappointment filling her that their date was almost over.

"I know," he replied, brushing some hair from her face. "We should go away for a weekend."

That surprised her. "Away?"

He nodded. "Get out of Storybrooke and just enjoy three days all to ourselves. How does that sound?"

"It sounds wonderful," she replied. "But what about the boys?"

"It's just an idea. I'm not saying we run off this weekend," he told her, sounding amused. "We can figure out the details later."

She nodded, knowing he had a point – she certainly would have to figure out how to get him out of Storybrooke and then back in despite the curse. "That sounds like a plan."

"Good," he replied, standing. He held his hand to her. "Shall we?"

"Unfortunately," she said, taking his hand and letting him help her to her feet. She sighed. "At least we still have the drive home."

He nodded, holding her hand as they walked back toward the parking lot. "And we'll see each other again soon. I promise."

"I know," she replied, certain of that. "You're a man of you word."

"I am," he agreed. He smiled softly, gazing down at her. "Especially when it comes to you."

She leaned her head against his shoulder as they continued to walk. "I like the sound of that."

He kissed the top of her head. They walked slowly toward his car, making every minute last for now. It had been years since she had been with someone who she dreaded leaving, who she wanted to spend as much time as possible with. She liked how it felt and knew she was close to keeping him in her life forever.

Regina just had to wait a little bit longer.

Good thing she had gotten very good at being patient.

Sirens blared through Storybrooke.

Regina paused, her pen hovering over a proposal she had been reviewing. She frowned, wondering what was going on as she set her pen down and swiveled her chair to face the window. Walking toward it to get a better view, she saw an ambulance and a firetruck rush past Town Hall on their way to their call. But she didn't see any smoke and wondered what the emergency was.

Picking up her phone, she called her assistant. "Can you tell me what's going on? Why are there so many sirens going?"

"I don't know," her assistant replied. "Let me check."

Regina hung up the phone, pacing behind her desk as she waited for her assistant to call back. As she started to get dizzy from the back-and-forth motion, her phone rang again. She nearly dove for it, picking it up. "Yes?"

"You should call Sheriff Swan," her assistant said. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on but dispatch said it was pretty urgent. I think it has something to do with Kathryn Nolan."

"Kathryn?" Regina's heart skipped a beat. "Did they find her body?"

Her assistant could only repeat that she didn't know anything beyond that and that Regina should call Emma. Regina hung up and picked up her cell phone, quickly calling the sheriff's cell phone. It rang a few times before Emma's voicemail answered. Regina tried not to groan as she left Emma a message, asking her to call Regina back as soon as she got the message.

She hung up, debating her next option. Did she try to figure out where everyone had gone and go there herself? Or did she wait for Emma to call her back?

The image of the ambulance driving past Town Hall flashed into her mind and she quickly found Robin's contact. She hoped that he wasn't working but would be able to find out what was going on before Emma got back to her.

Voicemail.

She placed her phone down, groaning. Regina was the mayor – certainly she would have been contacted about something that required such a massive response. Why then was she now the last one to know anything?

"You're the mayor," she told herself. "Just go and find the scene."

Regina grabbed her bag and coat, leaving the office. Her assistant jumped up, wide-eyed as she snapped: "Since no one is bothering to tell the mayor anything, I'm going to go find out what is going on."

"Okay," her assistant said, clearly caught off-guard. "I'll hold your calls."

"Good," Regina replied, walking past her. "You can let them know where I've gone. Maybe then someone will come find me to tell me what's going on."

She walked away, her heels clicking on the marble floor as she headed down the hall to the elevator. As she hit the call button, the doors opened and she stepped onboard. The doors closed as her phone buzzed. She pulled it out as the elevator descended to the lobby, her heart skipping a beat when she saw it was a text from Robin.

Can't say much. You need to come to Ash Court and Lotus Street immediately.

Her stomach flipped as gratitude filled her. At least she now had a location to go to. Robin never let her down.

On my way now.

She tucked her phone back in her bag as she walked off the elevator. People stopped as she strode to the doors, as if clearing the way for her. Regina opened the door and left the building, walking the short distance to her car. Within minutes, she was buckled in and had the car started.

Ash Court and Lotus Street.

Regina flew through Storybrooke, getting to the intersection named in about fifteen minutes. The fire truck blocked Ash Court, preventing traffic from going down it and forcing her to park on Lotus Street. She climbed out of the car and walked toward Much, who nodded to her. "Hello, Madam Mayor," he said.

"Much," she replied. "Robin texted me to come here. What's going on?"

He stepped aside, looking somber. "You should see either Robin or Emma. They can explain what's going on."

She hurried past them as her heart hammered in her chest. People stood outside their homes on Ash Court, staying far away but still able to see what was going on. Many pointed to her as she approached the ambulance outside one house, trying to figure out why it seemed so familiar. But all the houses on Ash Court looked alike so she couldn't rule out just driving past the block and seeing another house that looked just like it.

Robin saw her first and jumped up from the back of his ambulance, which had its door opened. He hurried over to her. "I'm glad you're here," he said.

"I'm glad you texted me," she replied, feeling better around him. "I heard the sirens but had no information. What's going on?"

"It's Kathryn," he said, gently gripping her arms. "We found her."

Her legs trembled as she tried not to imagine what Kathryn could look like as she swallowed. "Where was she buried?"

"She wasn't," he said, his eyes shining. "She's not dead. We found her alive."

"What?" Regina asked, wondering if she was about to wake up from a dream and realize her friend was dead all over again.

He smiled, rubbing her arms. "Kathryn is alive."

"How?" Regina's mind couldn't process it. "Her heart…"

"I don't know," he replied, shrugging. "The lab must've made a mistake. Perhaps something got contaminated."

She nodded, knowing then that Gold had gotten someone to fake the results. Kathryn had been alive the entire time and he never told her. He let her go on thinking that her best friend was dead.

But why?

"Where is she?" Regina asked, now desperate to see her friend to ensure this wasn't some horrible trick. She looked over Robin, wondering what he was doing out there. "Why aren't you with her?"

"I was in there with her," he told her. "Will's in there now while Emma talks with her. I wanted to come out here and tell you and then wait for you."

She felt a lump form in her throat as tears pricked her eyes. Regina still couldn't believe it. "She's alive?"

He nodded, repeating: "She's alive."

Regina sobbed, letting him pull her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him as he rubbed her back. Tears poured down her eyes as she said: "I can't believe she's alive. I wished and wanted this but told myself I had to be realistic, that she wasn't coming back."

"I know," he said, kissing the side of her head. "I know. But she's back."

"I have to see her," Regina said, pulling away from him and wiping her eyes. "I need to hug her."

He nodded, taking her hand. "Come on. I'll bring you inside."

As they started to walk to the door, it opened and Emma led Sidney out in handcuffs. Regina's heart sank as she realized why the house looked familiar – it was Sidney's. But why had he kidnapped Kathryn? Why had Gold recruited him for this plan?

Emma placed Sidney in the back of her car as Kathryn emerged from the house, wrapped in a blanket with Will's arm around her. Her blond hair was greasy and knotted, her face sooty. She looked dazed and walked slowly down the stairs.

But she was alive.

Regina pulled away and ran toward Kathryn, eager to hug her friend. "Kathryn! Oh my god, Kathryn!" she called out, opening her arms.

Kathryn recoiled, her eyes colder than ice as she snarled at Regina. She nearly jumped behind Will as she shouted: "Stay away from me, you bitch!"

That stopped Regina in her tracks as her heart stopped for moment. Why was Kathryn reacting that way? Regina wasn't the one who locked her up and kept her prisoner for almost two weeks. So why was she acting like that was the case?

"Kathryn…" She started to move toward her friend, to plead with her to talk about it but someone gently gripped her arm and held her back.

"Come on, Regina," Robin said softly. "Let's give her some space."

He guided her away from the ambulance and had her sit on the edge of the firetruck. Robin crouched in front of her. "Do you need anything?"

"I need to know why my best friend hates me," Regina said, trying not to cry. "I don't understand."

"I'm sure Emma will have more answers," he replied. Robin glanced at the sheriff's car and grimaced. "Do you think it has something to do with Sidney? I know the night we met he was very obvious about his feelings for you. Maybe he did this in a warped desire to help you?"

She shook her head. "I don't see why he would think kidnapping my best friend was a way to help me."

"Or maybe he wanted to remove someone he saw as competition to your attention," Robin suggested. "Or maybe he wanted to hurt you."

"Well, he did," she said, feeling as if her heart was breaking. "That bastard."

Robin sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her, holding her close. "Give Kathryn some time. I'm sure once she's had some sleep and water and food, she'll realize that it wasn't your fault at all."

"I hope so," Regina said, resting her head on his shoulder as her mind continued to spin with everything that just happened. She tried to make sense of it but couldn't. It felt as if there was some part of the puzzle missing but she still did her best to solve it.

Gold didn't have Kathryn killed but kidnapped.

And he had Sidney do it.

But Sidney only ever did things on her orders, never anyone else's. She doubted even with the rift that formed between them that he would do Gold's dirty work unless he thought he was doing it for her.

Realization washed over her, feeling like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over her head. Sidney had kidnapped Kathryn because Gold led him to believe he was doing it for her, which explained Kathryn's reaction when she saw Regina. Everything was now likely leading back to her and as Emma approached, her stomach twisted into knots.

"Regina, I'm going to need you to come down to the station with me," Emma said softly. "I need to ask you some questions."

"What about?" Robin asked, tightening his hold on Regina as his tone grew defensive.

Emma hesitated before sighing. "Sidney is claiming that you hired him to kidnap Kathryn."

"I didn't," Regina insisted. "Why would I do that?"

"I think it's best if we talk at the station," Emma said, her eyes darting to Robin before going back to Regina. "You can drive yourself but it's best if you come alone."

Robin stood. "Isn't she allowed a lawyer?"

"Gold is the only lawyer in town," Regina replied, her heart sinking into her stomach. "And this would certainly be a conflict of interest for him given that his other client is also a suspect in this crime."

"And you're not a lawyer," Emma said, looking apologetically at Robin. "She's going to have to do this alone for now."

Robin glared at Emma. "Can I say a few words to her before she leaves?"

"Yes," she said hesitantly. "Just make it quick."

"Thank you," he replied, taking Regina's hand as he turned his attention back to her. "Let's go someplace a bit more private."

He gently led her toward her car before turning to her. Robin rubbed her arms as he shook his head. "This is bullshit."

"That is accurate," she replied, feeling her anger rise. Fire coursed through her veins and had she still had magic, she would've thrown some very powerful fireballs.

If only…

"Do you want me to try to find you a lawyer?" he asked her, concern in his eyes. "I'm sure someone nearby will be willing to come help you."

She shook her head, knowing the spell on the town line would prevent anyone from coming into Storybrooke. "It'll take too long. I would rather get this over with and prove that I'm innocent. I had no knowledge that Sidney had kidnapped Kathryn."

"Just keep telling Emma that," he told her. "Though I still wish you had a lawyer with you. Law enforcement officers are trained in interrogations to elicit confessions and given Emma's suspicions about Mary Margaret being framed, I doubt she'll go easy on you."

"Emma was a bails bondwoman, not a trained police officer or interrogator. I think I'll be fine," Regina replied, feeling confident she wouldn't be long – she would be telling the truth and Emma's so-called superpower would pick that up. But she then thought of returning home to the other person who was certain she had framed Mary Margaret and how he would react to the news that Sidney had kidnapped Kathryn, making her heart sink again. "I'm more worried about facing Henry than her."

Robin nodded, pulling her in for a hug. "Do you want me to come over tonight?"

Melting into his embrace, Regina was tempted to say yes. But she forced herself to shake her head, saying: "I think it should just be me and Henry for this conversation."

"Alright," he replied, though he looked less than thrilled with the decision. He sighed, kissing her forehead. "Remember, always a phone call away. Okay?"

She nodded. "Okay."

"And call me when you're done with Emma," he said, stepping back. "Promise?"

"I promise," she assured him. "Though I might be in a mood."

He chuckled. "I'd be very surprised if you weren't."

"Just be prepared," she replied, relieved he was so understanding. "I may be venting and just know that none of my ire is directed at you."

"Understood," he said, stepping back. "Good luck, though I feel Emma may need it more."

She chuckled now, pleased he thought so highly of her. "I'll try to go easy on her."

"Not too easy," he replied, winking with a grin.

Regina nodded and unlocked her car. She started to climb into her driver's seat when she met Emma's eyes. The sheriff nodded to her before getting into her own car. Closing the door behind her, Regina took a steadying breath before starting the car. Hopefully she was able to clear this all up and the convince Kathryn that she had nothing to do with her kidnapping.

And then they could put this all behind them as they found a new plan to get rid of Emma Swan for good.

A/N: It seems that maybe the shoe has finally dropped for Regina. And she's slowly realizing that maybe the plan she agreed to isn't the plan Gold put into effect.

Will the other shoe drop? Or will Regina escape again?

Find out soon!

I'm back from California and feeling rested. It was a fun trip and I always love going to a Disney park. Now it's time to continue writing!

-Mac