A/N: My entry for day #1 of Inspired by OQ 2020 based on a manip of Robin and Regina kissing under an umbrella by Starscythe
Rain
It had been raining a lot in Storybrooke. At first, it was dismissed as the change from winter to spring but after it rained for almost a month straight, concerns started to grow. There were small floods every where and the lake in the park was in danger of flooding half the walking trails there. Mary Margaret had resigned as mayor and let Regina return to the role, meaning that particular headache was hers to bear. But she didn't mind it too much – all the work in overseeing sandbagging and other flood prevention tactics kept her busy. And at that moment, being busy was a very good thing.
"Do you think Ingrid's spells messed with our weather systems and that's what caused the rain?" Emma asked, setting her umbrella aside to dry as she entered Regina's office.
"Maybe," Regina replied. She motioned to her computer screen. "It does seem like it's only centered over Storybrooke and not affecting anywhere else."
David leaned forward in his chair. "So if it has a magical cause, does that mean it has a magical solution?"
"Possibly," she agreed, looking at Belle. While she still wasn't the best team player, Regina was working on it and knew that if anyone else would be able to find some helpful information, it was their resident bookworm. "Maybe we should coordinate researching that?"
Belle looked reluctant to work with Regina, which was understandable. Regina knew she had hurt the younger woman and hadn't yet given her much reason to trust her. She hoped to fix that and get to a place where they were at least friendly even if it was unlikely that they would ever become friends.
After a noticeably long pause, Belle nodded slowly. "I think that would be a good idea."
"Thank you, Belle," Emma said, looking relieved. "We need to find an answer before Storybrooke gets washed away."
"I don't think it'll get that far," Regina replied. "We'll figure this out and stop the rain."
Everyone nodded and Hook smirked. "I always have room on my ship for whoever needs it."
Regina rolled her eyes. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that."
"Just throwing it out there," he replied, nonplussed by her as he shrugged.
"Okay, we at least have a theory and a way to prove or disprove it," she replied. "But we should probably prepare for if the flooding gets worse – we can't fit all of Storybrooke on the Jolly Roger after all."
Emma leaned back in her chair. "Does Storybrooke have hurricane evacuation shelters?"
"We do," Regina said, believing she was getting the same idea as Emma. "We haven't had to use them but I'm sure I can activate them. We have one here in Town Hall, another in the rec center and a third in the school gym."
David stood. "We should ask Blue and the Fairies to help us staff the centers and then start moving people in flood zones to them."
She nodded, opening a drawer where she kept all the emergency plans for the town. "I'll start getting supplies gathered and delivered to the centers."
Everyone agreed and they stood, ready to execute their roles in the plan. Regina pulled out the hurricane preparation plan she had and opened it to the part about the evacuation centers, amazed she actually had to use them – though not for a hurricane. But it would do until they could figure out what was messing with their weather and stop it.
"Regina? I think we should also ask the Merry Men for help," David suggested, his voice soft. "There's a lot of them and they already work well together to help people. It would be a natural fit."
She knew he had a point and nodded. "I'll ask them," she said, just as softly.
"Thank you," he replied. "You have the best relationship with them though I know it must bring up memories."
"It does but thankfully good ones," she tried to reassure David. And probably herself. But she felt tears building behind her eyes as David reached out and gave her arm a gentle squeeze. She took a deep breath and fought back the tears, not wanting to breakdown yet again.
Storybrooke needed her to be focused on solving their problem and so she needed to put hers aside.
David tilted his head, studying her. "It's okay to miss him."
"I know," she replied, "But Storybrooke needs me to be focused right now. And so that's what I'm going to do."
"Okay. But if you need any help, you know you can call," he reminded her before walking away.
She took a deep breath before reaching for her coat, deciding to get it done sooner rather than later. After all, it would take time for her and Belle to figure out what was going on with the weather. Until they did, they had to make sure the town was ready for flooding and evacuations so she had to get all the resources ready now.
Once again, her own pain was just going to have to wait.
Regina slowed her pace as she approached the Merry Men's camp. Gone, though, was the smoke that usually rose from the fire they always kept burning in the middle of their circle of tents before realizing the tents were down. The men hurried about the camp, packing everything they could in the bags they had acquired since arriving Storybrooke – most of which she assumed had not been obtained legally.
"Regina!" Much greeted her, straightening up after tightening the ties on his pack. "What brings you here?"
"I was hoping to speak to John," she replied. "What's going on here?"
"We need to move. The rain has made the ground too soft and our tents were starting to collapse. We also couldn't keep our things and food dry and couldn't keep the fire going," John answered, approaching her with a concerned look.
She nodded, moving toward him. "There's a lodge nearby you can all go to. I think it'll be for the best until we get the weather situation sorted."
"And the owner won't mind?" John asked.
"He's no longer around," she replied, "so it's been sitting empty since we returned to Storybrooke. I will feel better knowing you all are safe there."
He nodded before tilting his head. "You said you were going to sort out the weather. You can control the weather?"
"When it may be magical, yes," she said. "Until we figure out what's going on, we're going to start evacuate people who may be threatened by flooding. I was hoping your men would help man the centers."
"We would be honored," he replied.
Relief flooded through her and she nodded. "Thank you. I'll show you where the lodge is and then we can discuss what you'll need to do at the centers."
He grinned as he thanked her. It then fell as he lowered his voice to ask: "Have you heard from him?"
"No," she replied. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."
"I can barely operate that thing. I figured if he contacted anyone it would be you," John said.
She shook her head, once again fighting tears. "We both agreed that he needed to fall back in love with Marian and be a family with her and Roland as it's very likely he will never return to Storybrooke. And talking with me won't help either of us move on."
"I suppose so," he replied, though he didn't sound convinced. "But I do know how much Robin loves you. And while it took me and the other men a long time to accept that fact, we also know that he loves you in a way he never loved Marian. He's always going to love her but I don't think they'll ever find the happiness they deserve with each other."
"Or maybe they will. Maybe I was just an obstacle to that," Regina said, her heart breaking with every word.
John shook his head. "You weren't anything like that. Robin considered himself so blessed to have you and Henry in his life. He wouldn't want to hear you talking about yourself like this."
She felt her body start to tremble as she fought the urge to cry. He frowned, pulling her further away from the camp and behind a big tree. "We should have some privacy here. It's okay to cry," he told her.
"I'm not going to…" she protested before her voice gave out. She didn't want to cry but her body had other plans. Tears ran down her cheeks and she sobbed, her body shaking with each one. Regina braced herself against the tree while John also supported her, rubbing her back as she cried.
When her sobs subsided and her tears dried up, she leaned against the tree and tried to get her breathing under control. John handed her a handkerchief as he asked: "Do you feel better now?"
"A little," she admitted. She did feel lighter and realized a pressure had been lifted in her chest.
"Good," he replied. "I know you have a lot on your plate right now and a lot of people need you, but don't forget to take care of yourself too, okay? Robin would want you to."
She gave him a slightly annoyed look. "You can't keep playing the Robin card."
He, though, just chuckled. "I will speak for him until he is back here to speak for himself."
"John, I've told you, they are never coming back," Regina reminded him, her breaking all over again as she said those words.
"Regina, there's one thing I've learned about you during the Missing Year and now," he replied. "When you put your mind to something, you make it happen. So I think if you want Robin to return, it will happen."
She wished she shared his confidence. But there was still a big problem. "I don't think I can cure Marian."
"But there has to be a better option than the one where we never see them again," he replied. "Even if we set Marian up on the other side of the town line and we can come and go as we please. Just…something. I can't imagine I will never see my friend, my leader, my brother again."
The despair in his voice and sadness in his eyes broke Regina's already broken heart. She reached out and rubbed his arm. "I wish I knew what to do," she admitted softly.
"I know," he replied. "But let's get through this crisis and then we can figure out how to work on getting Robin back. How about that?"
She nodded, wondering if maybe was right. Maybe there was a way to break the curse on the town line and bring Robin back. And if there was, she would find it – once she stopped the rains before it washed Storybrooke away.
They headed back to the main part of town to tell the Merry Men of their plan. It wasn't until she had left them at the lodge and had to turn on her wipers that she realized something odd about her afternoon with them.
It had stopped raining until she left them.
Regina hurried into Granny's diner, closing her umbrella and giving it a good shake to try to get the excess water off it. She slipped it into one of the many holders Granny now had by the door before heading to the table the others had claimed for their meeting. Maps of Storybrooke were stretched out on the table and Belle had some books beside her.
"Did you find something?" Regina asked her, taking one of the empty seats.
"I'm not sure," Belle replied, pulling out one book. "There aren't many whose magic only revolves around weather like the Snow Queen or Elsa, so there's a lot that's still very much unknown."
Hook pinched the bridge of his nose. "So we don't have any answers."
"Well, there may be one," Belle said, opening the book and flipping the pages. "It seems that some people who possess magic may unintentionally affect the weather when they are dealing – or not dealing – with strong emotions. And that this usually is traced back to very powerful witches or sorcerers or the like."
Regina rubbed her forehead. The last thing she needed at that moment was another powerful witch who was emotional creating havoc in Storybrooke. "Okay, do we have any idea who that might be?" she asked.
"Well, there are three main powerful magic users in this town right now," Belle explained. "Emma, Blue and you."
"Unless there's someone we don't know about," Regina replied, a knot twisting in her gut. She did not like the way everyone was looking at her.
David nodded slowly. "That's true. So I think we should rule out you three first."
Regina knew that made a lot of sense. She just hoped no one really probed too deep – she was not in the mood to discuss how she was feeling lately. It was a can of worms she had opened too much already.
"Why don't you talk with Blue, Belle?" Mary Margaret suggested. "I know you two have a good relationship. She'll probably feel more comfortable opening up to you."
"I'll head over there now," Belle said, gathering up her books. She pushed her chair back and stood, ready to head out.
David, meanwhile, placed his hand on Emma's shoulder. "Why don't we go back to the sheriff's station and have a good talk?"
"Alright," she agreed, standing with him. Regina wondered who was then going to talk with her, hoping it wasn't the pirate. She glared at him as Hook smirked at her, almost enjoying this.
A hand gently gripped her shoulder and Regina turned to find Mary Margaret now sitting next to her. She gave Regina a soft smile. "Granny says we can use her backroom to talk."
"Okay," Regina replied, standing with her. She followed her stepdaughter to a back room and waited while Mary Margaret closed the door behind them, guaranteeing them some privacy for this conversation.
Mary Margaret stepped closer to her. "I know you don't like talking about your emotions and I know it's because Cora taught you that they were weaknesses that could be used against you. But I hope you trust me enough to know I'm not going to do that."
Swallowing past the lump already forming in her throat, Regina nodded as she tried to hold onto her mask of confidence. "I know that. Let's just get this over with."
Mary Margaret pressed her lips together before motioning to the two chairs set up there. "Fine. Let's do this then."
"Okay," Regina said, sitting down across from her. "What do you want to know?"
"How are you doing?" Mary Margaret asked.
Regina shrugged. "I'm stressed, I won't lie. I'm worried about everyone in Storybrooke if the rains continue and the town really floods. With the curse on the town line, if we're forced to leave, we may never be able to come back. And if we are forced to disperse…well…even I didn't do that when I cursed us."
Storybrooke felt more like home than the Enchanted Forest ever did. And though she had once despised them, she was coming to appreciate and care for the people who called the town home. Without them all together, the magic would be gone.
And then Storybrooke just wouldn't be…Storybrooke.
Mary Margaret nodded in understand. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that."
"I'm trying to prevent it," Regina reminded her. "But it's hard."
"I know," Mary Margaret replied. She shifted in her seat before asking: "How are you doing with Robin being gone?"
Regina paused, fighting the urge to just reply that she was doing fine. Instead, she tucked some hair behind her ear as she softly admitted: "That's even harder than stopping the rains from destroying Storybrooke."
Mary Margaret reached out and took Regina's hand. "I know how much you love each other."
"We do," Regina said, "but it seems once again, love just isn't enough. I guess I'm just doomed to never have romance in my life. Thank goodness I have Henry back. I don't know what I would do if I lost Robin, Roland and him."
"I know," Mary Margaret replied. "But don't give up on romance. Don't give up on Robin."
The knot in Regina's stomach tightened. John had told her the same thing and for a moment, she had let herself believe him. So much so that she had started to research ways to counter the curse on the town line and had kept running into dead ends. Regina had started to wonder if this was what Robin would truly want. After all, he hadn't even contacted his men. She could understand him not being able to talk to her but them? It had made no sense. For a moment, she worried that something was wrong but then she realized there was probably another reason why Robin had cut all ties to Storybrooke.
He didn't want to come back and wanted to move forward creating a new life for him, Marian and Roland as a family.
And they all needed to accept that.
"This has nothing to do with Robin," Regina snapped. "And now's not the time for a hope speech."
Mary Margaret frowned. "I think now's a perfect time for one. We all need hope now."
"Well, just save it," Regina told her, standing as she started to pace the room. "I gave hope a try and look what happened. Robin's gone with very little chance of him coming back. In fact, he's probably already moved on and is trying to have a happy life with his wife and their son. I've gotten the universe's message loud and clear. I am not worthy of love and happiness. And while I haven't completely made peace with it, I will."
She stopped, leaning against the chair as she watched Mary Margaret. The other woman studied her with a frown, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Regina…"
Her tone made Regina tense up and she shook her head. "No, I don't need your pity."
"It's not pity," Mary Margaret protested.
"Really? Then what is it?" Regina asked, wondering what Mary Margaret would say to handwave it all away.
Mary Margaret stood. "It's sadness. Sadness that you've experienced so much loss and heartbreak in your life that you think it's what you deserve and just accept it."
"But don't you think I do?" Regina asked, surprised that Snow White of all people seemed to be suggesting otherwise. "Look at what I did as the Evil Queen."
"That's in your past," Mary Margaret told her. "You're working hard to be better. You are a hero now, Regina, and heroes get happy endings."
A lump formed in Regina's throat. "You're right. Heroes do get happy endings. And the fact mine was once again taken away means that I am still not considered a hero."
She slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up. Regina wrapped her arms around her and she hugged them as she started to cry. A part of her hated crying in front of Mary Margaret but the rest of her didn't care. Mary Margaret had promised not to use her emotions against her and she was going to trust that the hero would keep her word this time.
Mary Margaret knelt next to her, handing her a tissue. "That's not true. This isn't the end of your story."
"It feels like it," Regina replied.
"I know," Mary Margaret told her, now sitting as well. "And now you're probably thinking I have no clue what it feels like but I really do. So I also know one important thing. This is not the end of your story with Robin. It's just the middle. The ending is still yet to be determined."
Regina slowly turned her head to face Mary Margaret, giving her an incredulous look. "You really think so?"
Mary Margaret nodded. "I do. And so now there's only one question left to answer – are you going to fight for your happy ending?"
"Do I need to remind you what happened the last time I did that?" Regina asked, motioning to not just the diner but the town that surrounded them.
"Well, let's be honest, you took the easy way to your happy ending then," Mary Margaret told her.
Images of her father's face flashed before Regina's eyes before she saw red. Pushing away from the wall, she stalked away from Mary Margaret. Glaring at her, she said: "Oh, yes, so easy. Crushing my father's heart was a piece of cake."
Mary Margaret winced, looking guilty. "That's not what I meant."
Regina crossed her arms. "Then what did you mean?"
"I meant that while you had to make painful sacrifices to create Storybrooke, you just used magic to get your happy ending," Mary Margaret said, standing. "And how did that work out for you? It ended up just being a house of cards that easily caved."
Though she was still annoyed at Mary Margaret's statement, Regina had to admit she had a point. Once Henry had started to push her away and got the book of fairy tales that led him to Emma, her supposed happy ending had fallen apart and she nearly lost the most precious thing in her life – her son.
"It did disintegrate pretty easily," Regina agreed, mostly muttering the words.
Mary Margaret nodded. "But now you're building a more solid happy ending by fighting for it the right way. You realized you needed help to be a better mother to Henry and got it. And that helped you rebuild your relationship with him. And we've been able to talk about everything that happened between us, take responsibility for what we did to each other and start to rebuild our relationship."
"I guess I did do all of that," Regina replied, giving Mary Margaret a small smile.
"Exactly," Mary Margaret said. "You now know the right way to fight. And so I'm surprised you're not fighting for Robin. He chose you, right?"
Regina grew wistful as she recalled sitting next to Robin, listening to him tell her that he had chosen her. That he loved her and was willing to figure out how to co-parent with Marian so he could be true to his heart. For a few brief seconds, Regina had been happier that she had ever been since the social worker put Henry in her arms. "Yes," she finally whispered.
"So it's pretty likely that while he may be trying to move on with Marian, his heart will always belong to you, right?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I don't know," Regina said. "He did love Marian. He still loves her, just not the same way he loves me. But after spending time with her…I don't know. Things can change."
Mary Margaret nodded. "That is the risk you have to take. But I think you need to trust in the strength of the bond you two share."
"And what if he doesn't want me?" Regina asked.
"Then he doesn't deserve you," Mary Margaret replied. "But I think you both deserve to have options rather than just the one conclusion that you accepted way too quickly if you asked me."
Recalling Marian collapsing to the ground and shivering, Regina raised an eyebrow. She didn't need to say anything as Mary Margaret held up her hand. "Okay, I mean, I get that you had to act quickly to save Marian's life and it was easier to send them to New York but I don't think anyone had to see it as a permanent solution rather than just a temporary one until better arrangements could be worked out."
"Okay," Regina allowed. "You may have a point there."
"Well, that's a start," Mary Margaret teased her, reaching out to her. "So, are you ready to start fighting for your happy ending?"
A lump formed in Regina's throat and tears filled her eyes as she took Mary Margaret's hand. "I am," she croaked.
The dam then broke, like it had in the forest, and her knees buckled as sobs racked her body. Mary Margaret eased her down to the floor and held her as she cried. She rocked her gently, a comforting motion that Regina hadn't experienced as a child – Cora was more likely to scold her crying daughter than comfort her. But Mary Margaret just comforted her as she cried, letting out the hurt she constantly carried around since Robin had left.
Like it had in the forest, it felt good to release it.
"Here," Mary Margaret said, handing her some tissues. "How do you feel?"
"A bit better," Regina admitted, wiping her eyes. "Thank you."
Mary Margaret helped her up. "Alright, let's go see what the others have found out and see if we can rule any of you out."
"Right," Regina replied, having forgotten why they were having this conversation in the first place. "The rain."
They left Granny's and Mary Margaret held out her hand, her eyes wide. "It's not raining."
"No," Regina realized, looking around. "The skies are still gray though."
"But it's a start," Mary Margaret replied.
Regina nodded, a slow realization creeping on her. "This isn't the first time the rain's stopped."
"That's true," Mary Margaret replied. "I wonder what – or who caused – the other times."
"I think…I think it's me," Regina admitted, a strange sensation filling her as she confessed that. As she thought back to the few other times the rain had ceased, they always followed moments where she allowed herself to cry for Robin.
Her magic was causing the rain.
Once again, she was the menace threatening Storybrooke.
Mary Margaret smiled. "That's great!"
"What?" Regina asked, surprised by the other woman's reaction. "I am on the verge of destroying my town with my emotions and you think it's great?"
"Not that part," Mary Margaret replied, slightly annoyed. "I meant it's great if it is you. We can solve your problem easily!"
Now Regina was certain Mary Margaret had lost it. "Easily? Even if I can break the curse on the town line – and that is still a big if – there's also the fact that he hasn't reached out to anyone in Storybrooke, not just me. I think I can get that message loud and clear."
Mary Margaret frowned. "You're doing it again."
"Doing what?" Regina snapped, her anger growing again. "Being realistic? Understanding that not everything is resolved happily? That sometimes, it gets messy and there are no winners? And that when it comes to me, I never win? Is that what you're talking about, Snow?"
A clap of thunder shook the town before rain poured down in sheets, soaking Regina in seconds. Her hair stuck to her face and neck, her clothes grew heavy as they absorbed the water. She felt her shoes start to flood and her feet grew cold. Pins and needles pricked her skin as her body began to shake.
Mary Margaret shook her head, water droplets flying off her head. "Assuming the worst. No wonder we're about to drown – you've been drowning in doubt and loathing."
"This isn't a matter to joke about!" Regina shouted at her.
"I'm not joking," Mary Margaret replied, almost snapping now. "Even on the very slim chance that Robin does reject you, we still need to deal with your emotions and your broken heart. You need to deal with them or else we'll all suffer for it."
Regina stood there, absolutely drenched and almost frozen. As she trembled in the rain, she knew Mary Margaret had a point. There was no denying that her emotions were messing with her magic and causing the rain. If she didn't want to destroy Storybrooke, she needed to deal with her demons and finally make peace with herself.
"Alright," she relented. "Where do we begin?"
"We begin with getting to someplace warm where we can dry off. Then we'll figure out the next steps from there," Mary Margaret said, taking Regina's hand. "Come on."
Regina followed her to her car, wondering if maybe it was possible. Was she the only thing standing between her and her happy ending? And if so, did that mean complete happiness was in her grasp?
She started to realize she needed to believe in something stronger than pixie dust, magic spells, curses, and True Love's Kiss.
Herself.
"Well, we're no longer in danger of needing to build an ark and round up two of every animal," David said. "But the skies are still gray and it still rains every so often."
"I apologize for being so fucked up and not easily fixed," Regina shot back at him, glaring as she crossed her arms.
Mary Margaret glared at her husband as he tried to do some damage control, telling Regina: "I didn't mean to suggest such a thing. I think the progress you've made has been impressive."
For a brief moment, Regina thought she was just humoring her but there had been sincerity in Mary Margaret's voice so she accepted it for what it was – praise. "Thank you. I just wish it had worked better," she said.
"Well, you know it's a marathon and not a sprint," Mary Margaret replied. "We're no longer in immediate danger. I think we can wait a bit longer to see the sun again."
"Except it's starting to affect everything else – vegetation, animals, fish," Regina replied with a sigh. "Not even magic can save our economy if no one can work and if everyone starts to get depressed without sunlight."
Hook leaned forward. "So is there anyway to speed up this process? Some sort of spell?"
She shot him a look. "No amount of magic will heal me. We're just going to have to be patient and wait for my magic to slowly release it's grip on the town."
"And how's your quest to bring back Robin?" Emma asked, no doubt looking to take some heat off her boyfriend.
Everyone looked to Regina expectantly and she sighed. "I've just been hitting dead end after dead end. So has Belle. I appreciate her help and her persistence but right now, it doesn't look good."
"You're not giving up, are you?" Mary Margaret asked, looking afraid that the answer would be anything but no.
"Not yet, no," Regina told her, watching relief sweep over the woman's face. "But at some point, we are going to have to be realistic and realize we did everything we could but it wasn't enough."
Mary Margaret opened her mouth but fortunately Granny jumped in, saying: "I think that's the best course of action and I think it's great that you are at least trying. But sometimes, things just don't work out for us."
"Thank you," Regina told her. She then looked at Mary Margaret. "I promise that I will keep fighting as long as I can and if I do have to give up, I am prepared to process that in a healthy way."
"So we don't have to worry about a hurricane then?" Hook asked.
She shot him a look. "You might."
"Okay, okay, enough," Mary Margaret said, holding up her hands. "Don't make me separate the two of you."
Both Hook and Regina opened their mouths but their snarky comments were cut off when Belle burst through the door. She smiled brightly, her eyes frantically searching the room until she found Regina. Holding up a book, she declared: "I think I found it."
Regina's heart sped up as she asked: "Found what?"
"A way to break the curse on the town line," she said, placing the book down. "It's something of a longshot but I think if anyone can do it, it's you."
"The potion shouldn't be much of a problem but this says it needs someone who uses white magic," Regina replied. "Shouldn't Emma be doing that part?"
Belle shook her head. "I think it will be best if it's you. You have the more emotional connection when it comes to taking down the town line. It will enhance your magic."
"And you did use light magic back when you defeated Zelena. If you did it once, you can do it again," Emma assured her, giving her an encouraging smile.
Though doubt clawed at Regina, she did know this was their best chance at that moment. "Alright. I'll do it."
"And we'll support you," Mary Margaret assured her. "You won't be alone."
Regina smiled, looking around the table at the people she had once considered her enemies and now called her friends. She nodded. "I know. I'm not alone anymore, no matter what happens."
Happiness swelled inside her as she realized that she believed that wholeheartedly.
Talk about personal growth.
It took a couple weeks but Regina managed to brew the potion in the book Belle had found. As she brewed it and the plan started to really solidify, Storybrooke went days without rain and there were even brief times when the sun started to peek out from behind the clouds. "You're getting happier, Mom," Henry commented at one point.
"I can feel it," she said, pulling him in for a hug. "And it's a good feeling."
He grinned. "I'm glad. You deserve to be happy. And I really hope we get Robin and Roland back."
"I hope we do too," she said, knowing how much Henry had already started to think of the two as family.
Not much longer after that, they joined the others at the town line. Regina took a deep breath and poured the potion along the line. She had to be careful, making sure it stayed in as straight alone as possible and covered the entire length of the road. Once she got to the other side, the last drop of potion dripped out and she placed the vial back in her pocket.
"Now to perform the spell," she said, motioning for Belle to come forward. Belle held up the book for Regina so she could keep her hands free and still read the spell.
After thanking Belle, Regina raised her hands and closed her eyes. She reached down deep inside her and tapped into the love she felt for her family, for her friends and for Storybrooke. Her hands grew warm and she opened her eyes, smiling when she saw white magic glowing from her fingers.
"See," Belle said softly. "I knew you could do this."
Regina's confidence grew even as she stumbled over the ancient Elvish of the spell. She had never been strong when it came to the language and so she tried to be as careful as possible, not wanting to mess anything up. She repeated the spell three times as instructed and watched her white magic grow brighter and brighter. By the time she finished, she couldn't look directly at it.
When she lowered her hands, the light faded and all she saw was the road leading into and out of Storybrooke. Her stomach twisted in knots as David asked the question in her head: "Did it work?"
"Anyone want to volunteer to be the guinea pig?" Hook asked in a snarky tone.
"How about you?" Regina asked, glaring at him.
David, though, picked up a branch that had fallen from a nearby tree. He approached the town line and poked it with the branch. Regina's heart sank when she saw the curse ripple, briefly revealing the barrier that kept everyone trapped in Storybrooke.
"It didn't work," she said sadly, disappointment and sorrow creeping over her.
Belle closed the book, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, Regina. I really thought it would work."
"I know," she replied. "I guess I just wasn't strong enough to break the curse."
"Or the curse is stronger than we thought," Mary Margaret said. "Maybe we need to throw a couple things at it."
Belle nodded. "I'll keep looking. There's still a whole section of books I haven't checked yet."
Regina took a deep breath, knowing she just couldn't give up yet. "Thank you."
"Why don't we go back home? I think some tea is in order," Mary Margaret said, reaching for Regina's hand.
"I think I want to go for a walk and clear my head," Regina said, pulling away. She looked up at Emma. "Can you take Henry with you, please?"
Emma nodded, wrapping her arm around Henry. "Come on, kid."
Henry shot Regina a look and she nodded. "I'll be fine. I'll be back in an hour. Promise," she told him.
Though still reluctant, Henry walked with Emma to her yellow bug. Regina watched everyone leave, though they all kept throwing sympathetic glances in her direction. Finally, she was alone and she let out a shaky breath as she started to walk down the road.
Belle was certain that there was another spell that would work and Regina tried to hold onto that hope but it was fading. She knew they were fast approaching the time when they would have to admit defeat – if they were ever able to undo the curse on the town line, so much time would have passed that Robin would've had an established new life. It would then be likely that either he was happily settled back in his marriage to Marian or would not want to return to Storybrooke.
He had once said their relationship had been about timing. It seemed once again timing was not on their side. Maybe the only time that would've worked for them was when Tinkerbell had brought her to the pub in the Enchanted Forest.
And she had epically blown that.
Maybe romantic love just wasn't in the cards for her. She would just have to come to terms with that with Dr. Hopper but she didn't think it would so hard. Not when she had Henry as well as a growing circle of family and friends. In many ways, she had already gotten what she had always wanted in like – a place to belong, surrounded by people who cared about her.
It was almost her happy ending.
She just wished that Robin and Roland were a part of it.
Her vision blurred and she felt a few tears roll down her cheeks. She didn't fight them, knowing she was allowed to let her grief and disappointment out after working through the toxic lessons taught by her mother. It was better to release her emotions rather than holding them in or she would once again become just a walking ball of rage.
Regina never wanted to be like that again.
Something wet landed on her head and she reached up, feeling her hair. A few moments later, a few more drops landed on her hand now. Regina looked up, sighing when she realized it was raining. Once again, her the weather reflected her emotions. Hopefully, it would be a quick burst and would pass quickly.
Conjuring up an umbrella, Regina continued walking down the road as the rain began to pour down on her. It was warm this time and she found it refreshing. The pain in her heart lessened as she continued, feeling better as her emotions were released. She closed her eyes and for a moment she allowed herself to imagine a happier ending. In her mind's eye, the curse on the town line broke and Robin could cross it with Roland. He would rush up to her, calling her name.
"Regina!"
It almost sounded real. She frowned, wondering if she was too lost in her daydream if she could almost hear him. Maybe it was time to go home and move forward before she set herself back.
"Regina! Milady!"
Regina opened her eyes. Now he sounded even closer but she had stopped the daydream. Why was she still hearing him? Unless…
She slowly turned around, holding her breath. Robin stood there, panting as he held Roland's hand. He smiled, rushing toward her. "Regina!"
"Robin?" she asked, surprised. "How? The curse on the town line…"
"Is down," he replied.
She couldn't believe it, reaching out a hand and pressing it to his cheek. He leaned against her hand, his skin warm and decidedly solid. It assured her that he was not just a figment of her imagination. "You're back," she said, crying for a whole new reason now.
"I am," he replied. He then glanced down and smiled. "Well, we are."
Regina looked down as Roland threw his arms around her, smiling at her. "I missed you, Regina."
"I missed you too," she said, holding him closer to her. She raised her head, meeting Robin's eyes again and nearly choking on her tears when she saw how full of love they still were. "I missed both of you."
He leaned forward, gently capturing her lips with his. She had to maneuver the umbrella so it didn't get in their way as she leaned into the kiss, amazed she was going this with him again. Butterflies took flight in her stomach and she saw fireworks when she closed her eyes, everything that always happened when she kissed Robin.
If she had any lingering doubts, they were gone.
They broke the kiss and Robin pressed his hand to her back. She leaned against him, letting her umbrella cover all of them. "We should probably get out of this rain," he said.
"Yeah," she replied. "Though the rain will probably stop soon as it's controlled by my emotions."
"It's what?" he asked, giving her that adorable, confused look he tended to make whenever she said something about magic he didn't quite understand.
She let out a soft laugh. "I'll explain later. Let's head home, okay?"
He grinned. "That sounds perfect to me."
Regina took Roland's hand and they started to walk toward her car. She paused, though, staring at the town line. Letting go of Roland's hand, she continued toward it and waved her hand over the town line. It moved through empty air, no barrier there anymore.
"I don't get it," she said, mostly to herself. "It didn't appear to work."
"What didn't work?" he asked, once again pressing hand to her back.
She looked up at Robin. "When we tried to break the curse earlier, it didn't work. The barrier had still been there. But now it's gone."
"Maybe it just needed some time to work?" he suggested.
"Probably," she replied, thinking it over. "We probably had to give the potion some time to real seep into the ground."
She took a deep breath, smiling at him. "Well, it's down and you're back. I think that deserves a celebration!"
"Ice cream?" Roland asked excitedly.
Robin and Regina laughed as she nodded. "Yes, we can get ice cream."
Once they were in her car and driving back to the main part of town, she asked Robin to call Henry with his phone. His smile disappeared and he sighed as he admitted: "I don't have it anymore, Regina."
"You don't? What happened to it?" she asked, frowning.
"The bad lady took it," Roland told her.
Regina glanced at Robin, seeing anguish in his eyes. It suddenly dawned on her that only he and Roland had returned and she asked: "Where's Marian?"
"There was no Marian," he told her softy.
"The bad lady was pretending to be her," Roland replied. "That witch with the monkeys."
Regina's blood froze in her veins as her heart stopped. She glanced over at Robin. "Zelena?"
He nodded. "She was using the six-leaf clover of Oz to disguise herself as Marian. Apparently the Dark One had tried to killed her but the magic in her amulet pulled her spirit into the time vortex with Emma and Hook. She found them with Marian, though at the time she didn't know who it was. She took Marian's place and came with them back to Storybrooke. When she found out who she really was pretending to be, she decided to go with it to hurt you."
"Of course she did," Regina replied, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "I guess Ingrid threw a wrench in her plan."
"She did," he replied, "but when she woke up and I chose you over who I thought was Marian, she decided to use it to her advantage."
Regina gritted her teeth. "She wasn't dying at all, was she?"
He shook his head. "She used it as an excuse to separate us."
"What was her goal? Why did she want you?" she asked.
"Because it would hurt you. I'm not sure what her end goal truly was, but when we first got to New York, she had tried to lure me into sleeping with her. Even though she still was disguised as Marian, I kept resisting, saying we needed to work on our relationship before we became physical again," he replied. "I think…I think she wanted to have my baby to really hurt you."
Regina almost saw red, wondering how her sister knew how that would be one of the most painful things she could do to her. She pushed that question aside, knowing she wasn't ready yet to have that conversation with Robin just yet, and asked another one. "So how did you learn it was Zelena?"
He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, there were some things that struck me as off about her. But really, the magic of the six-leaf clover wore off in the Land Without Magic. Apparently it could only retain its magic for so long after leaving Storybrooke. I don't think even she thought it would take too long for you to come after us."
"And yet she expected to be pregnant within a short amount of time?" Regina asked, rolling her eyes.
"Honestly, I think she had been winging it since we unfroze her," he replied. "I don't think she really expected me to pick you over my supposed wife and that really threw her."
That seemed to be pretty typical of her sister. Zelena didn't seem to really think out any of her plans so it made sense that ones she was coming with on the fly were full of flaws. "So what happened after that?"
"She took my phone and most of the money and fled the apartment," he explained. "I had some money saved up from the odd jobs I had been doing in New York and I bought bus tickets for Roland and me. I hoped that I could find a way to break back into Storybrooke, considering it my biggest job yet. I walked across the town line and found no barrier, so that was a bit disappointing in that regard."
He made a face and she tried not to laugh. Guilt then crept over her as she realized her gut had told her something was wrong with Robin but she had ignored it. "I almost gave up on us," she admitted softly. "When you didn't call me, I figured you just wanted to go no contact to help you move on. But when Little John said he hadn't heard from you, I first worried you were in danger. But then I figured you just wanted to build a whole new life and forget all about us."
She parked the car outside the ice cream shop but no one moved. Robin sighed. "I did purposefully not call you. She asked me not to as a sign that I was committed to rebuilding our marriage."
"Understandable," she said, her guilt lessening a little to know that he likely wouldn't have answered had she called. "And Little John?"
He sighed. "That was when I really started to get suspicious. She asked me not to contact my men either and I knew Marian would never abandon them like that. So I didn't just because I wasn't too sure who she was and if she was dangerous."
She nodded. "That was smart."
"I would've eventually found a way to get a message to all of you," he promised. "I wouldn't have stayed silent much longer."
"Well, now you're back," she said, reaching out and taking his hand.
He gave her hand a squeeze. "Yes, I am. Though, Regina, I don't know where Zelena went. I wouldn't be surprised if she was on her way back here to hurt you."
She knew he was right but at that moment, she didn't care. "Let her try. But she's wrong. Wicked doesn't always win – good does."
"Yes, it does," he replied, smiling proudly at her. He leaned forward and kissed her.
Her heart soared as she felt better knowing she had Robin by her side. Along with the others, Zelena would be in for a big surprise if she made the mistake of returning to Storybrooke. She would once again be defeated and would not be able to hurt her at all.
"Can we get the ice cream now?" Roland asked, clearly growing restless. Regina and Robin broke apart, smiling at him.
She nodded, pulling out her phone. "Let's head inside while I call Henry."
They climbed out of the car and Robin carried Roland into the shop as she called Henry, telling him that she had surprise for him at the ice cream shop. She ordered a sundae for him so it was waiting when he showed up. His eyes grew wide and he rushed forward, almost knocking Robin over when he hugged the old man. Robin held him close, telling Henry he missed him while Roland demanded he get to hug Henry next. After the boys hugged, Henry sat down next to his mother with a big grin. "You did it," he said.
"I did," she replied, running her fingers through his hair. "Now, you best eat that sundae before it melts."
As they ate their ice cream, she glanced outside and smiled when she saw something Storybrooke hadn't seen in weeks.
The sun.