Thanks for sticking with me guys, I know the updates aren't as regular as I'd like but due to unforeseen events for both me and my beta it's taken a little while for this chapter to get sorted. I hope you can accept this chapter as a sincere apology from me :)
I'm still a bit nervous about publishing stuff like this (I usually stick to writing teen-rated fics :S) so any hints or tips would be appreciated if something was not quite right – or if it was all good then you can tell me that too :P
Anyways, enjoy :D
xXx

Watching Roland play was one of Robin's favourite past-times. The boy's imagination was astounding; to him, a lump of clay could be a castle or a wooden twig could be a horse. The four year old had the ability to turn anything into anything – and look adorable whilst doing it.

Of course, castle rooms had more potential animals and buildings that the little boy knew what to do with. Roland sat on the floor amidst piles of boxes, small books and odd things he had found amongst the drawers. Roland stuck his tongue out the corner of his mouth in concentration as he tried to decide what to play with next.

Robin looked at his son with a smile, pulling himself off of the edge of his bed to help Roland with whatever scenario his boy was acting out. But the sound of several loud knocks in rapid succession echoed throughout the room and Robin looked over his shoulder to the door.

He walked over with a small smile, expecting Regina; the thief had made it quite clear to her that the next time they met would not be a short confrontation, and the Queen hadn't seemed adverse to the idea. But to Robin's dismay, he was not greeted by dark hair, brown eyes and soft curves at the door. Rather, it was Little John, followed closely behind by Will Stutely. They both appeared quite serious and Robin felt a seed of worry plant itself in the pit of his stomach.

Will did nothing to settle Robin's uneasiness by asking Roland to play elsewhere with Little John, claiming that he needed to speak with the boy's father in private.

Roland agreed readily, throwing pinecones and twigs into a small brown box and scurrying out of the room, his little hands gripping it tightly to keep the box from falling from his grasp. Little John gave Will a nod and then left, calling out for Roland to wait for him. The elder man stepped through the doorway and shut the door behind him.

And without warning, he smacked Robin upside the head. "What were you thinking son?" asked Will incredulously.

The outlaw frowned, rubbing the back of his neck, confused. "What?"

"I was growing tired of you deflecting my questions with vague answers every time I asked you what happened to me. So I asked the Men. They didn't think you'd tell me everything so they informed me themselves," said Will as he delivered another slap him upside Robin's head again. "Magic, son? That was what you resorted to?"

"Will—" he started to explain.

"No," Will's sharp tone stopped the outlaw in his tracks. "Robin, whatever happened to your ideals? 'All magic comes with a price', that's what you would always say. You were livid when Scarlet stole magic from Maleficent. And now you're cavorting with the Evil Queen?"

"Will, she's—" Robin began.

"She's what?"

Robin bit his tongue. How was he to voice his opinion without sounding like a madman? Regina was not evil, but saying that the Evil Queen was good? It would most likely get him nothing but another slap upside the head. Regina was far more than what everyone thought her to be, of this Robin was certain. They hadn't seen what he had; the beautiful parts of her that she kept hidden behind walls so tall very few were able to get past. If other people could see that, they would treat her a lot differently.

Will softened his tone to the one he used to use to gently scold the outlaw as a child. "Robin, lad, she tried to kill us. She put a bounty on our heads, ordered her Black Knights to bring us to her dead or alive. And you asked her to save me?"

"I didn't ask her," Robin replied. "She offered."

"Oh, yes, I suppose that makes everything alright, then." Sarcasm practically dripped from Will's words. "Robin, she slaughtered whole villages, she ruined lives and she spent years of her life trying to destroy Snow White."

Robin sighed. "I know. I know that she did. But now she's fighting with Snow—fighting for us—she's making amends and trying to be a better person. She healed you, a stranger, because she wanted to. That's a far cry from being a mass murderer don't you think?"

"She's the Evil Queen, Robin. I don't trust her," argued Will.

Robin's response was immediate, "Then trust me."

Will paused, contemplating the reasons why his leader might be defending the Evil Queen so adamantly. The man did not like what he was coming up with. "What's going on Robin?"

"Nothing," Robin replied, shaking his head.

"Robin," Will warned, "As your father's steward I watched you grow up. I know when you're lying to me. What's going on?"

Robin felt slightly nervous at his friend's stare. "It's nothing," he protested with his eyes averted to the ground.

"'Nothing' is no valid explanation for why you're defending the Evil Queen like this." Will folded his arms in front of his dark green shirt. "What happened between the two of you?"

Taking a few seconds to breathe in and out, Robin considered the best way to get Will to understand his way of thinking. Obviously, their whole 'distraction' agreement wouldn't be mentioned, but if there was a way that he could explain that Regina was more than just the Queen, or the Evil Queen at that, then perhaps Will wouldn't be so quick to judge her.

"I've seen the woman behind the mask, Will." Robin started. "I've seen Regina. And she's not… the monster everyone makes her out to be. She's much more than that, and she's trying so hard to be a better person but no one will give her a chance."

Will looked sceptical, "And that's what you're doing? Giving her a chance?"

"Yes," Robin replied with a nod of his head and a reassuring smile, aiming to at least placate his friend a little.

It didn't work. "Watch what you're doing, son," warned Will.

"Will—"

"I understand that you want to help people, but some are simply beyond saving Robin." Will brought both his hands up and placed them on his friend's shoulders. "You can't fix everyone, my boy."

Robin's immediate thoughts were that he could fix Regina… but then he realised that she didn't need him to; she was doing it by herself. She was making her own efforts to help others, and it was she who had the strength to become the person she wanted to be. And he would be there by her side, should she ever need him.

"Perhaps, but I want to try to help her, at the least," he said.

Will's grasp on Robin's shoulders tightened, "Don't let yourself get swept up by her, Robin. Anyone with eyes can see she's a beautiful woman. But she's dangerous, very dangerous, and we don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't," said Robin.

It was not a promise; the outlaw wouldn't promise things that were beyond his control, but he would make a conscious effort to not get in too deep, regardless of whether it would be effective or not.

Seeing that his words were not going to get him anywhere with his stubborn leader, Will stood to leave, making his way to the door. He stopped when he had a grasp on the handle. "The next time you see her majesty," he said to Robin over his shoulder, "thank her for me." Robin looked up in mild shock "I may not like the woman but she did save my life. I owe her thanks," continued Will.

"Yes, of course," Robin replied with a nod of his head, watching the door as it drifted shut. The sound of a click signalled that he was alone with his thoughts.

Those thoughts plagued him for the majority of his day and did not stop when night fell. A number of scenarios and doubts began creeping into Robin's head; was it possible that the nature of Will's visit was only to scold him against using magic? Or had he been sent by the rest of the Merry Men to supply Robin with an intervention of sorts? Little John had accompanied Will initially, and both of them—and the rest of his men—had been acting somewhat out of sorts. Robin knew that striking an alliance with the Queen would not have been his men's first choice, but she had saved Will. And for that, they all owed her, regardless of their feelings toward her.

If his men had a problem with him spending time with Regina they could talk to Robin directly. But until then, he would continue to seek out the Queen unless there was reason for him not to. And if he was being true to himself, the outlaw couldn't think of anything that could classify as valid reason. There was just something about Regina that made any moment he had with her time well spent. Something that kept her in Robin's every waking – and non-waking – thought, whether she was with him or not.

After Regina had saved Will, two days had passed before Robin had the opportunity to find her again. The outlaw had spent this time helping his friend get up on his feet, but Robin's fingers had itched to hold Regina again, and he had worked himself up into such a frenzy that he simply needed to have her and he didn't care where. That was the moment when he had caught sight of the Queen in one of the many rooms, promptly placing his hands and lips on her before he could burst into flames from unbridled lust.

But, of course, they were interrupted again, which seemed to have become somewhat of a reoccurrence for them. He swore next time he would have her, and he would. This almost-but-never-quite-having-her nearly drove Robin to madness, and if he was denied his wishes once more he would most likely snap and tumble off the edge of insanity without a care.

Upon realising that he wouldn't get any sleep whilst his thoughts remained on Regina, Robin called upon his old habit of taking comfort from the outdoors and walked over to his window to take in the beautiful scenery beneath him.

The moon washed the gardens with a silver glow and the dewy grass glittered as it rippled with every caress of the wind. The deep forests that he knew surrounded the grounds were a mere outline under the night time cover, as was the shrubbery that lined a few of the pathways for those who enjoyed nature to take a restful stroll when they so desired.

A few of those walkways curved towards a stunning water feature; a horse rearing on its hind legs formed the centrepiece at the very top, the water flowed down to the second tier, then the third, then the fourth, before it cascaded into the pool contained by a knee high wall intricately carved with vines and leaves.

Robin had to admit it; for a castle that looked as foreboding as it did magnificent, the gardens were quite breath-taking.

After a few moments, when his thoughts were somewhat under control, Robin turned back to his bed. But he couldn't resist one more look at the grounds, finding comfort in the peaceful tranquillity the night offered. And as he spotted a figure making its way away from the castle, travelling at a leisurely pace along the paved pathways with no clear destination in mind, he realised the habit of going outdoors was perhaps more common than he had realised.

He had fully intended to try and get some sleep and leave the stranger to some peace, but then Robin saw the light reflecting off of jewels, he heard the faint clicking sound of heels and he felt his heart pick up speed as he realised it was not any stranger, but the Queen.

Well, that was typical of cruel irony; Robin was trying to get her off of his mind, and there she was. Apparently, fate and the thief were not friends. And now he was faced with a decision; go back to bed and leave Regina be, or walk outside to see what had her wandering her gardens in the middle of the night.

The decision was not a difficult one to make.

A few minutes later, Robin closed the large castle doors behind him, taking a deep breath and enjoying the cool crispness of the midnight air. His eyes scoured the grounds for Regina, looking out for the silhouette of her figure on any one of the paths. His gaze fell to the fountain; she sat on the wall surrounding the water feature with her back to him, the Queen had her head bowed and seemed somewhat resigned in comparison to her usual, bold self.

"Your majesty?" Robin asked tentatively as he approached, speaking softly to avoid startling her.

It apparently wasn't quietly enough; his voice broke Regina out of her deep thoughts and she jumped with a start. Regina turned to glare at the outlaw, no doubt annoyed with him for disturbing her peace. "What are you doing here, thief?" she asked, irritated.

Robin had a feeling that admitting to checking on her wellbeing would not have been the right thing to say, so he settled for; "I couldn't sleep."

The Queen replied with a mere nod of her head, attempting to end the conversation before it even began.

Robin had not come to give up that easily, though. "Milady, are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," snapped Regina with a frustrated sigh.

"Are you certain?" Robin prodded in a tone that clearly said, I know you're lying.

Regina gave him a glare. "There's a lot going on. I just came out here to try to clear my head."

"I understand," said Robin with a nod, "You know, most people find it easier to let go of their troubles by talking it out with someone."

She scoffed. "I'm not most people."

That she wasn't. Most people would not have him hurriedly rushing outside in the middle of the night to spend some time with them. Most people did not have him planning his every word because he wanted to see their smile, and most people did not make his heartbeat stutter whenever they were near. No, Regina was definitely not "most people".

"Well, should you change your mind, I'll be right here." Robin sat down to her right; their bodies were not quite touching, but his hand grasped the stone edge of the fountain wall a mere hair's breadth away from hers.

After a few seconds, he turned to look at her and his breath caught in his throat. Random strands of dark hair had fallen loose and floated in the breeze, her eyes travelled so that she was looking in every direction except for his, and every so often her lips would press together and she'd inhale through her nose, releasing her breath in a quiet sigh. The moonlight softened her features in a way that made her seem much younger and more peaceful than the woman he had come to know as the Queen.

And when he could not tear his gaze away, he realised that he desired to spend more time with her like this, when everything was peaceful and she wasn't hurling insults or threats.

Regina ignored Robin's gaze, continuing in her earlier thoughts as if the thief wasn't even there. Nevertheless, Regina was still comforted by his presence and the slight warmth along the side of her hand where it nearly touched his.

For a few glorious moments, there was no noise other than the sounds of the water splashing and the occasional distant call from an animal prowling the grounds. Robin was reminded again of why he loved the outdoors so much; the serenity and beauty of it. The outlaw closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, then released the breath and relaxed his muscles with a small smile.

Regina was not relaxed; there were still many things running through her mind that she could not seem to work out. Nothing that she'd done helped; she had tried reading in the library to focus, she had tried walking the corridors of her castle aimlessly, she had only resorted to walking the grounds because she'd recalled how comforting the outdoors were to her when she was younger. The fresh smell and vast, open space gave her a sense of freedom—made her family residence seem less like a prison cell and more like the home it was supposed to feel like. Although, that was when she had her father and Daniel. And now her Henry was lost. The only person in the Enchanted Forest that she could possibly talk to was herself, and that was part of the problem.

Whilst she and the thief had been growing closer, she wasn't going to suddenly start opening up to him. He was only there to distract her, to take her mind off things in ways that didn't involve talking.

The Queen's thoughts were interrupted by Robin's hand tentatively moving from beside hers to rest on top, entwining their fingers. The action was a simple one, and yet he could have proclaimed undying love for the way Regina's heart swelled and her eyes blinked back sudden moisture. The feeling of being cared for was not a common occurrence for the Evil Queen, and it made somewhat of a dent in her steel façade.

The thief had probably come outside in the middle of the night to check up on her—what with him being an honourable thief—whether he had difficulty sleeping or not. And yet he sat there, waiting patiently for her to say something, anything.

So, taking a large breath and a larger risk, Regina started talking.

"Years ago, I did nothing but cause pain and suffering for my kingdom. I enjoyed walking among my people and seeing them cower in fear. And now I'm doing everything I can to protect them from the Wicked Witch of the West—who is also my half-sister."

Robin recognised the guilt in her tone, "Being her sister does not make you responsible for her actions," He consoled.

"But it does," Regina insisted, "she's my family; my only family. And a few years ago, it was me in her position. I sought revenge, I destroyed, I tortured and I wanted nothing more than to kill all who had wronged me. But then I got a second chance. That was all I needed," a sad smile appeared on Regina's lips, "someone to believe in me."

Robin nodded his head in understanding, "Your son."

"It's because of him that I haven't killed anyone yet," Regina let out a wry laugh when the thief's eyes widened, "I think people antagonise me on purpose, testing to see how far they can push me before I snap and go on a homicidal rampage. But I won't do that; I couldn't do that, to Henry or to myself. I've come too far to go back to that now. Henry gave me a second chance, and that's what Zelena needs; a reason to try and climb out of the darkness. What better reason than family?"

Robin couldn't find any words to say, so he tightened his hold on Regina's hand. Without thinking, she tightened her hold on his in return.

"Speaking of family," Regina scoffed, "Snow's pregnant."

"Oh," exclaimed the outlaw in surprise, "Give her my congratulations."

Regina stared straight ahead, evidently not sharing his enthusiasm as she replied, "I will."

"Pardon my saying so, but you don't look particularly pleased with this news. I know you and the princess are not the best of friends, but this is good."

"For her, yes," agreed the Queen, "But for me? It's just another person that I have to protect."

Robin stroked his thumb over the hand he held in his grasp. "From what I've heard, Snow White and her prince are perfectly capable adults; you don't have to take care of their child for them."

"Yes, I do. After what I did to their last child…" Regina trailed off, but Robin understood what she was saying. "This one is not growing up without their parents," she promised, facing forward with steely determination in her eyes.

The fierce protectiveness Regina showed for her former arch-nemesis took Robin's breath away. Though she may not have many people that she could trust, the thief is sure that when Regina cares, she cares deeper than anyone else. And he knew that it must feel like walking in the sunlight, fighting with Regina on your side. Robin just hoped that, someday, he would be close enough to bask in her rays.

Removing his hand from hers, Robin slid his arm around her; his thumb stroked soothing patterns on her shoulder as he kissed her temple. "You do not have to go through any of this alone, you know. If you need someone to help with plans and strategies, I'm there. If you need an archer or a thief, I'm there. And bloody hell, if you need someone to throw insults and murderous threats at, I'm there," he said to her assuredly. Regina chuckled. "Tell me what you need, Regina, and you'll have it."

The Queen let out a sigh, "I need to think about something else for a while."

When she looked up at him, she knew there was a hint of vulnerability in her eyes that she could not mask. Regina heard her mother's voice resonating in the back of her mind.

Never be vulnerable in front of others, dear; they'll use it against you. They'll think you're weak.

No, she would not let Robin think of her as weak. So she leaned forward and kissed him, a hand travelling to his neck as she shifted toward him. Robin stood without detaching his lips from hers, snaking his arms around her and pulling her closer until there was no space between them.

Nipping at her bottom lip, Robin pulled away and leaned back. He hadn't gotten past a breathy moan of "Regina," before she had reclaimed his mouth with hers. It appeared that the Queen was not quite ready to let the thief speak yet, and—if he was being completely honest with himself—the thief didn't mind the lack of conversation, either. Not when Regina grabbed his shirt at the waist and pulled him even closer to her, tilting her head and trailing her tongue along his top lip before stroking it along his own when he allowed the kiss to deepen.

Robin reached up and removed the pins from Regina's hair, letting it cascade down her back in loose waves before he tangled his fingers in the soft strands. He kissed her fiercely for a long moment with as much passion as he was given.

It was a few seconds after they had parted when Regina opened her eyes, but once she did she saw Robin lick and bite his lips, and her brain short-circuited. She ran a hand down his arm and grabbed his hand. She then pulled away, tugging him behind her toward the castle doors and leaving him no choice but to follow after her.

They made it about halfway down the path before Robin stopped and tugged Regina back to him, winding his hands in her hair and pressing his lips to hers, pressing her backwards along the route he had assumed that she was taking them.

With a short laugh, Regina gently pushed him away and turned back around, setting off in the direction of the castle entrance again. But Robin wrapped his arms around her once more and his lips latched onto her neck—and every thought in Regina's head became muddled. She glanced at the castle doors that she had been aiming for and glanced upward to where she knew her chambers were. Suddenly, the journey there seemed like an impossible feat. There was no way they would make it all the way up the steps if Robin continued nipping and sucking at her neck as if doing just that was his only purpose in life. If the thief stopped long enough for her to concentrate, she could probably use her magic to teleport them both up to her room without an issue. But her thoughts were scattered; she could think of nothing other than the feel of his lips, tongue and teeth, no doubt creating pink patterns on her neck and shoulders.

Regina turned and grabbed the thief's wrist, taking a few steps backward while still holding his gaze. She pulled them over to a dark corner below a balcony not twenty steps away, shielding them from light and any person who might have been looking out their window at this ridiculous time of night.

For a woman so much smaller than him, Regina certainly had a lot of strength behind her. Robin practically tripped over his own feet when he was turned and pressed against the wall. He barely had time to breathe before she had commandeered his lips once again, giving him a mind-blowing kiss with her tongue exploring every crevice of his mouth and her hands travelling all over him, running from his torso to his shoulders, his neck, his hair, his cheeks.

As soon as Robin gripped Regina's waist, petite hands made haste unfastening his shirt. She had made it halfway down before she tore the rest apart impatiently. Regina tried to pull Robin forward, off of the wall, so there was enough room to remove his shirt, but he had wrapped his arms around her and he refused to loosen his hold even slightly. In fact, he only tightened it, pulling her to him and then leaning back a bit until her toes could barely touch the floor if she really tried. Taking a few steps away from the wall, Robin spun them so the Queen was the one trapped between his body and the hard surface. Drawing her legs up around his waist, Regina leveraged herself higher so that the thief had to tilt his chin up to keep their mouths connected.

When Regina's back collided with the wall, it was with enough force that the back of her head thumped against the bricks. Although, the ache in her skull quickly faded when Robin unfastened the tight bodice on her gown and pulled the fabric down, palming her breasts. He leisurely trailed circles on her flushed skin with his fingers before he lightly scraped over her nipples, drawing a breathy moan from Regina as she finally managed to push his shirt off of him to grip his shoulders.

As the need for breath became overpowering, Robin released the Queen's lips and attacked a spot behind her ear, before dragging his teeth down her neck and then lower, leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses across her clavicle. He continued downward until he reached the valley between her breasts. Regina's hand flew to Robin's head and tightly grasped a handful of his hair, drawing a hiss from the thief as he drew his head back. The path of wetness that he had created glistened under the moonlight.

Feeling too much and yet not enough, Regina grabbed one of his hands and moved it until it was under her skirt, tilting her head back. "Distract me, outlaw," she whispered to him breathlessly.

"My pleasure, your majesty," he replied with a low chuckle into her chest.

As he moved the hand she had placed between her legs, he swallowed her moans, and when her hands fervently pushed down his trousers before stroking hard and heated flesh, she swallowed his.

From the direction that the situation was headed, Robin knew he could not last long, and although the Queen had made it quite clear that she was eager and not in the mood for longevity, he would not disappoint her by ending this too quickly. When he removed his hand from inside her, Regina whimpered in disappointment. But then she felt his hand wrap around the one she had around him as he lined himself up with her, and all her disappointment faded away, replaced by anticipation.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but the sound of harsh breathing until Robin heard the Queen speak, "Are you waiting for a written invitation, outl—"

Regina didn't get to finish her attempt at goading him. He thrust into her with such force that she was left out of breath, her snide remarks and thoughts gone in one swift movement. Then he placed a hand under her backside so that he held her full weight, he withdrew almost fully before he slammed back into her, and she could do nothing but moan and desperately claw at the wall behind her. "Oh, God…" she groaned.

"'Robin' will do just fine, your majesty," he snickered against her cheek as he set up a steady rhythm that sent her heart racing.

Apparently—unlike the Queen—the thief had no trouble completing sentences. Feeling the need to be on more equal ground, Regina pushed her hips off the wall to change the angle he was thrusting at to a deeper one, and then clenched around him. The resulting groan and his strained "your majesty" made her grin, and the scrapes she was developing on the flesh of her shoulders were completely worth it.

"Regina," she said, sounding breathless.

With Robin's thoughts now an incoherent jumble, he did not understand what the Queen meant. "What?" he asked.

"When we're like this," she paused as he shifted her up the wall, "I'm just 'Regina', never 'your majesty'."

"And what if you wish for me to call you 'your majesty'?" Robin asked with a sly smile.

"We'll address that if we come to it," Regina stated. She moved her mouth to his ear and gritted, "Now stop talking and fuck me."

He resumed thrusting into her, breathing "Regina" into her neck. She interlocked her ankles against the small of his back, forcing him deeper and it took all his strength to keep himself standing upright. "My god!" he grunted into her neck.

"Robin—" Whatever the Queen had intended to say was caught in her throat, the change of depth meant that he was hitting a sweet spot with every movement of his hips.

When the Queen had left her room not thirty minutes before, fucking Robin against an outside wall had not been an event she had pictured her night leading to.

Nevertheless, she wasn't complaining; she had to admit, for a common thief he seemed perfectly capable of reducing her to a quivering mess—if their past encounter in the library and their current engagement against this wall were anything to go by.

God help her if they ever actually got into a bed.

Afraid the scream she so desperately wanted to release would wake those sleeping a few stories above them, Regina bit into Robin's shoulder. Hard. The outlaw let out a growl as he kneaded her rear and thrusted into her more forcefully.

Regina clawed at his back, hands slipping on the fine sheen of sweat that coated his skin. She lifted her head from his shoulder until her mouth was right by his ear, subconsciously inhaling and exhaling in time with his thrusts before—in the sexiest voice Robin had ever heard—she whispered, "Take me harder."

Robin's movements faltered at her words and it took him a few seconds to recover before he complied with her orders. After all… she was his Queen.

The faster pace and harder thrusts made both Regina and Robin gasp for air. But nevertheless, they still met each other halfway for a bruising kiss, Regina's arms wrapped around Robin's neck to hold on to him and he wound his arms under her thighs to keep her from slipping.

Breaking apart and growling into her ear, Robin pulled Regina's hips to meet his, burying himself in her to the hilt time and time again. The Queen practically yelped, her moans became higher pitched as she felt herself climb unbearably high towards the edge.

Robin himself wasn't faring any better; the coil within him tightened to the point that he could snap at any second. Reaching a hand back around to Regina's front, he brushed his thumb against her clit once, twice, before he felt her spine arch against him and her whole body tightened. The repeated moans of his name and profanities that escaped her had Robin falling over the edge too. He dropped his head to the Queen's shoulder with a groan as he tried to remain standing on his quivering legs.

It was a short while before they heard anything other than the sounds of nature and their harsh breathing. Regina lowered her legs and leaned completely against the wall, the dull ache of bruises and scrapes signalled the marks that she would no doubt be tending to later.

Of course, the lull didn't last long as the insufferable thief mumbled, "I told you you'd enjoy it," into Regina's neck.

It was a few moments before Regina's brain could function enough to recall the conversation they'd had that the outlaw was referring to.

A man of his word, indeed.

It vaguely occurred to the Queen that they should set some boundaries; as fantastic as being taken against the wall had been, it would not do to make public sex a constant. Because if word of this got out, either Regina would never hear the end of it, or Robin would lose the respect of many. And Regina would not let herself ruin Robin's reputation.

The Queen promised herself that she would bring the topic up next time. There would be a next time; she promised that too.

And just like the outlaw, Regina always kept her word.