Regina ended up boycotting Christmas.

Of course, she humoured Roland when he came to her, willingly told him stories about Christmas in Storybrooke and with Henry, but that was the extent of it.

And she avoided his father like the plague.

More than that, when she was forced to interact with him, her sharp tongue made a savage comeback, keeping him at bay with barbs and insults that made Snow look disappointed and left her feeling guilty even as the words left her.

A few days into the new year, Regina found herself face to face, not with Robin, but with Tinkerbelle.

"I knew you'd find me sooner or later."

Tinkerbelle frowned. "You found him. And you still haven't …"

"Not here," Regina hissed, glancing up and down the corridor. "Come on."

A swirl of purple smoke took them to Regina's bedchamber, and the queen closed the drapes with a flick of her hand.

"Honestly," Tinkerbelle commented, lighting the candles, "anyone would think this is top secret."

"It is," Regina said. "Please tell me you haven't told him."

Tinkerbelle sighed. "No, Regina, I haven't said a word. But I want to know why. I still don't understand why you ran away all those years ago. You could have been happy."

"First of all, if I'd walked through that door, I wouldn't have had Henry," Regina said. "So I don't regret that."

Tinkerbelle thought for a second. "Okay, I hadn't seen it that way; that's fair, I suppose."

"Second of all," Regina took a seat in front of the fire, "you were wrong, about the king. He would never have let me go. He would have executed us both."

For a second, Tinkerbelle looked as though she would protest, but then her shoulders slumped and she fell into the chair opposite her. "Seriously?"

Regina nodded. "It wasn't just discontent that led me to wish for a way out, Tink. I was miserable … I was broken … and … Rumple had convinced me that I wasn't capable of love, not anymore."

"Oh, Regina …" Tinkerbelle reached across to take her hand. "I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you showed me," Regina admitted. "It was nice to know that there was someone out there, but … After everything I've done … you can't still think we're soul-mates, can you?"

"Things like that don't change," Tinkerbelle said gently. "It's not like true love, which can change forms over time - romantic can change to platonic, and vice versa, but it's two souls that just … fit. Everything that they are."

"But I'm a monster," Regina whispered. "He's a good man."

"You are not a monster," Tinkerbelle said firmly. "I won't stand for anyone talking about you like that, not even you."

Regina was a little taken aback, but gave her a small smile. "Thank you. It doesn't change things though."

"What things?" Tinkerbelle asked.

"Zelena," Regina said simply. "She wants to take everything I have, to destroy my life. I cannot - will not - put him in the path of that."

Tinkerbelle clearly did not agree with her reasoning, but agreed to keep their discovery a secret - however:

"You need to talk to him," she said firmly. "You've been a bit of a …"

"Bitch?" Regina finished.

"I wasn't going to say that," Tinkerbelle said. "Although now you mention it …"

Regina rolled her eyes. "If he's willing to talk to me again, I'll speak to him."

As it happened, Robin found her first, while she was holed up in the library, still trying to figure out a way to find out a) what her sister was up to and b) how to stop her from whatever that was.

He tapped on the open door as he entered to get her attention. "Your Majesty?"

Regina stiffened automatically, but forced herself to relax, closing her book and turning to face him. "Yes?"

"I wanted to apologise."

Regina blinked. "Pardon me?"

"Well, I'm not sure what I've done," Robin admitted, "but I fear I've offended you in some way, so I felt I should apologise."

"Oh." Regina sighed. "You don't owe me any apology, Robin; I owe you one. At the risk of sounding like an other-world cliché, it's not you, it's me."

Robin hesitated, before taking the seat beside her. "I don't understand. This wasn't grief."

Regina managed a small smile. "No, you're right; it wasn't. There was something that happened, but …" she hesitated.

"You don't owe me an explanation," Robin said hastily.

"I do," Regina said. "Tinkerbelle's right; I've acted like a complete bitch over the last month, and you did not deserve that. So, for the love of the gods, if I do that again, don't let me. Tell me where to shove it." She realised belatedly that the phrase was from the other realm. "Tell me to cut it out."

Robin smirked. "Are you sure you want me to do that?"

"Yes," Regina said firmly.

Robin nodded. "As you wish. So what happened?"

"I can't tell you," Regina said quietly. "Not yet. I will, but when I've dealt with Zelena."

"You can trust me," Robin reminded her.

"I know," Regina said immediately - because she did know, however much that scared her. "I'm not hesitant to tell you because I don't trust you with the information …"

Although she doubted he would want to hear it, if he knew what it was - whoever wanted to hear that fate had bound them to someone like her?

"… but because it's something that could put you in danger if you know it."

Of course, there was no guarantees that Zelena didn't already know - from their conversation, it sounded like Zelena had been watching her.

But, no, Zelena hadn't made a move against him yet.

"Milady?"

Regina shook her head. "Sorry. I was miles away."

"You worry too much," Robin said - rather boldly, considering her attitude over the last few weeks.

Regina frowned. "My sister is trying to destroy everything. I think that's a reason to worry."

"Of course," Robin said. "That doesn't mean that you personally are responsible for everything she does, and it doesn't mean that you personally are solely responsible for the safety of everyone in this castle."

Regina sighed. "In this case, I am. I will tell you when Zelena is dealt with. If you even want to know."
"I do," Robin said. "I don't think you owe me an explanation, but I would like one."

"You might not feel that way when you get it," Regina muttered. "Out of interest," she said, before he could argue, "what was it that you thought you'd done?"

To her surprise, Robin didn't answer immediately, dropping his gaze. "Maybe I should tell you when Zelena's dealt with as well."

Regina smiled. "Because the answer could put me at risk or because you want me to get a taste of my own medicine?"

Robin grinned at her. "The latter. Is it working?"

Regina laughed, painfully aware of the one thing she had been avoiding since that December afternoon - that this was what a soul-mate felt like, that she had known on some level since the moment they met, and that now she knew what it was like to have him in her life, she wasn't strong enough to lose him, even if it put him in danger.

"Not at all," she said. "I can wait."

But, once again, Robin surprised her, his humour evaporating with a sigh. "No, I probably should tell you. I had assumed that you had … noticed something that I was hoping I was doing a better job of hiding and that you had taken offence."

Regina frowned, thinking back over the last few months. "Well, I can't think of what that would be. So either I haven't noticed, or it's nothing for me to take offence to."

Robin got to his feet in order to pace the floor, and Regina rose as well, concern stabbing at her heart.

"What is it?" She asked quietly. "I promise I won't throw you in the stocks," she added, trying to get a laugh out of him.

It didn't, but he did at least smile, his eyes wandering to her curves as she took the opportunity to stretch her back out.

"Wait," she said suddenly. "Is that you find me attractive? Because if it is, I hate to break it to you, but you really don't hide that."

That, thankfully, did get a laugh, although one that sounded a little bitter. "Of course I find you attractive, milady. I am neither blind nor dead, and I would have to be one or both of those not to find you attractive." He sighed. "No, I'm afraid that my … affections for you are not nearly so innocuous. I find myself drawn to you in a way that I haven't been to anyone in a … very long time."

Regina faltered - she should push him away, but then she'd already told him not to let her do that. "And you thought that would offend me?" She asked, trying to buy herself some time to figure out how to react.

"Your Majesty …"

"Regina," she said automatically. "You know me better than most people; I think we're on first-name terms by now."

"Regina," Robin said quietly, "you are still the queen. And I am a common thief."

Regina frowned. "First of all, if you were making unwanted advances, it might offend me, but you're not. And second of all, you are not a common thief."

"Yes, I am," Robin said. "As you well know. Coming from noble stock does not change that."

Regina rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant. A thief, yes, but hardly a common one. You would have been hanged long before now if that were the case." She sighed. "I'm not offended. But - we are friends, are we not?"

"I like to think so," Robin said. "And I can assure you that I had no intentions of …"

"As your friend," Regina interrupted, taking a step towards him, "I feel there is something you haven't considered."

Robin frowned. "What's that?"

Regina gave him a sad smile. "You, Robin of Locksley, are a good man. And, as such, you can do far better than me."

Her magic took her away before he could respond.

It was for the best.