Regina didn't know how this had happened, since she had cast the curse everything had been running smoothly, going off without a hitch. She was the mayor of a town that had little to no issues, her job was secure, she had a beautiful house, nice clothes, good money and she even had a lover. Though she wouldn't describe what she and Graham had as love, he was there to scratch an itch whenever she required.

Despite all of this, her life had become rather stale, she was unmotivated, she had everything and yet seemingly nothing at the same time. She wasn't happy, not really, it was supposed to be a curse on everyone else and yet she seemed to be the one stuck, at least they weren't aware that their dull existence rolled by on a repeat each day.

She was bored, wanted something different, something else and maybe even something more. Maybe she was selfish for wanting that, but she couldn't help it, she was only human. That was why when Graham came around like he usually did she turned him away, he had looked completely stunned at first and even had the cheek to question her, but she had stuck by her words, taking a night off for herself, breaking the monotonous repetition.

The next morning she awoke at the same time as she did every other morning, she was about to get out of bed and get on with her daily routine when a devious smirk formed on her lips, she reached over and turned off the alarm before snuggling back down into her luxury sheets. No longer would she conform to the curses timetable, she was the only one who could do as she pleased and from now on she would be doing so, rules of the curse be damned.

Regina had remained in bed for an extra hour that morning, knowing she would be late to work when she finally arrived, not that it would matter, she was her own boss anyway. To be honest, she might even just take the day off in its entirety, no one would remember the following day anyway when the whole town, except her, went back to factory settings.

She slipped into a knee-length black figure-hugging dress before adorning a grey suit jacket and black three-inch heels. Regina gazed in her mirror, thankful as always not to find the genie looking back at her, she flicked her hair and nodded to herself as she grabbed her purse from the bed before heading out to grab some breakfast.

When she slipped into Granny's it wasn't full of the same patrons, in fact, most of them were different, a sea of new faces which was enough to bring a smile to her face. She perched on one of the stools at the bar and looked at a rather stunned Ruby.

"Madam Mayor," the brunette quipped, her eyes flitting to the clock which sat on the opposite wall, clearly noting that she wasn't there at her usual time. "You're…"

"I'm taking the morning off," she scoffed, "not that it's really any of your business, dear."

"Would you like your usual?"

"Yes… no. Actually, can I look at the menu please?" Regina asked, raising a single eyebrow at the woman who was looking at her as though she had gone insane and maybe she had, but it was exhilarating just doing something new.

Ruby slipped her a menu before walking over to Granny and murmuring something to her, the older woman turned her head to Regina, the same expression that had been on her granddaughter's face now mirrored on her own.

"Regina, everything okay?"

"Everything is wonderful thank you. And yourself?"

If Regina thought the woman's eyes had been wide before then now they were almost boggling out of her head in shock, her mouth falling open as she was clearly lost for words. "I… can't complain I guess."

"Good."

"Have you decided what you're having?"

Regina peered back down at the menu, she hadn't even looked at it, but she had noticed the stack of waffles on the plate of one of the dwarves who was sat in a booth near the door. Her daily breakfast normally consisted of coffee and fruit, but today was a day for breaking traditions. "I think I'll have a plate of waffles with a side of bacon and maple please, oh and add some apple if you can."

"Good choice, can I have the same also?" A voice asked as someone came to sit beside her and now it was Regina's turn to be stunned. She turned her head to look at the man who was perched on the stool to her right, he was grinning at her and she furrowed her eyebrows for a moment. "I must say mayor Mills, I didn't have you down as a waffle kind of woman."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" she questioned, rather put off by the deep dimples that were pressed into his cheeks and the sparkle of his blue eyes as they seemed to stare right into her soul. She swallowed heavily, her palms feeling a little damp as her heart raced in her chest, what on earth was happening to her?

"Robin Locksley, I'm the park ranger."

"Oh, yes so you are," she nodded. The thief.

She hadn't realised who he was straight away, probably because they hadn't really met in person, not really, unless a run in when she was disguised as a peasant counted. She had merely seen his face on the wanted posters plastered around by the buffoon Nottingham. Let's just say in person he was much more striking, it was rare that she ever met anyone who rendered her rather useless within the first moment of meeting them. Steeling herself she came up with something else to say, "can I just ask why you picked this seat out of all of the ones free in this establishment?" She asked, gesturing to the empty chairs scattered around.

That cheeky grin not slipping from his face he shrugged his shoulders. "I usually sit where you are now, but seeing as you're in my seat, I figured I'd have to sit here instead."

"And you couldn't have just found another chair?"

"What can I say? I'm a man of habit. You also look as though you could do with the company."

Regina heard a snicker from behind the counter and turned just in time to see Ruby duck out of the way. Normally she would laugh in the man's face and send him packing, but today she was trying to be a different version of herself and that meant embracing new things. Part of her thought it might be quite nice to spend time with someone who wasn't her secretary, Sydney or Graham. "Very well. I do hope you're not trying to cosy up to me for extra funding for conservation because I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

He let out a full belly laugh as he shook his head, "very funny."

"I was being serious."

Robin shook his head at her as Ruby placed a cup of coffee in front of him and he thanked her, not flirting with the woman as most of the male patrons usually did. That put him up the scale in Regina's rankings, his eyes moved straight back to her and she had no idea why it made her feel so nervous.

Though to be honest that was a partial lie, it was because his look did something to her, something she wouldn't like to confess to. It stirred her up in a way she couldn't remember having in a long time, when Graham looked at her she felt nothing, sure he was good looking but he was rather a dull man.

"I haven't ever seen you in here before," Robin grinned before chuckling to himself, "in fact, I don't think I have ever actually talked to you face to face."

"No."

"Strange really considering my job is a council one."

"Hmm. I guess, though I get all I need to know from your monthly reports," she shrugged. Nothing in Storybrooke ever really changed, the reports were always the same, there was no need for meetings.

"Well, I think it's nice to actually speak to you, maybe I'll have to stop by the mayoral office more often."

Regina rose an eyebrow at him and was about to reply when her breakfast was placed in front of her. The stack of waffles was larger than she had been expecting, layered up with slices of apple and doused in maple syrup. "I'm not sure I'll manage all of those."

"I think you can do that?"

"Really? I'm used to having an apple and a coffee in the mornings."

"So what's with the waffles then?"

"I suppose I wanted a change."

"Change is a good thing."

"Hmm, maybe."

Regina did go into work after her trip to Granny's, rocking up a couple of hours later her assistant had given her the strangest look but knew better than to question her. She'd dropped down in her chair, her stomach full from finishing three-quarters of her waffles. What she hadn't finished off Robin had done, she'd been shocked when he'd just eaten from her plate, had it been anyone else she would have ripped them a new one, but she hadn't done that, she'd merely sat there and let him whilst casting him a surprised expression.

They had joked around a little, something she wasn't used to, in fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had really joked with anyone, maybe it was Maleficent, she couldn't recall.

It had been enjoyable, strange, but she found she rather liked it.

She flicked open her laptop and opened up her emails, needing to check them even though they were most likely the same as always. There was one that was different though, his name in the sender box. Her pulse quickened as she clicked on it, her eyes scanning over the message.

Dear Miss Mills,

I very much enjoyed our time together at breakfast this morning. Is there any chance of an in-person appointment to discuss the upcoming events list?

Kind regards, Robin Locksley.

Regina bit down on her bottom lip, fighting the war inside her head was a strange feeling. She was conflicted and didn't know what to do, the curse was written a certain way for a reason and now this man had suddenly rocked up in her life, it had been partially her own fault for changing the routine, but she found herself not wanting to go back to the old ways.

No one knew who she was here, not really, they simply knew her as the coldhearted mayor who was an antisocial woman with no friends. She wasn't the evil queen though and there was a distinct difference between the two. For one she couldn't just go around Storybrooke killing people who got on her nerves without there being serious consequences. In the Enchanted Forest, she had been able to literally get away with murder. It made her shudder just to think about it.

Would it be possible to still keep her reputation for being hard-faced whilst keeping whatever this was with Robin going? She didn't really know the answer to that one, but she decided on her answer knowing that tomorrow never came in Storybrooke, not really.

Dear Mr Locksley,

I would very much like to give you an appointment to discuss this. Does tomorrow at noon suit you?

Yours Sincerely, Mayor Regina Mills.

Her eyes flicked open to the blare of her alarm the following morning at the same time as it always did. She dressed in a red power tailored jacket paired with a black silk shirt, black trousers and the same heels she had worn the day before. The jacket matched her crimson lips, both the shade of fresh blood or the reddest rose.

She knew that nothing would be different today than it was every day, it was back to the same mundane routine. She made her way to Granny's at the same time as she normally did, grabbing a coffee before darting to the office, taking a different route today, not having the effort to bump into Snow White. She was sulking and why wouldn't she be? She had a taste of something more interesting the day before and no one else could even remember it. It was like groundhog day, she was stuck in it, only she wasn't brave enough to try and get out of it like the man in the film did. It probably wouldn't work even if she were.

Nodding to her secretary she sauntered inside, slamming the glass door to her office and tossing her purse across the room, a low growl coming from her throat as she tried to get her feelings in check.

"Bad time?"

She startled out of her skin, her head shooting up to look straight ahead, seeing that there was someone sitting in one of the chairs opposite her desk. "I...what are you doing here?"

"I know you said noon, but I couldn't wait until then."

"I said noon… I…" she needed to sit down before she fell down. Her hand reached for the nearest chair and she brought herself to perch on the glass table, not taking her eyes from him should he disappear.

"Sorry, should I go and come back then? Your secretary said you had space this morning but I can always…"

"It's fine, sorry I just was surprised that's all."

"Clearly. Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes fine," she stood up again, feeling stupid for her reaction but it was justified. He shouldn't be here! He shouldn't even remember what had happened the day before, it wasn't possible, it shouldn't have happened. How had it happened? Sure she had organised the meeting for today, but the town should have reset, it always reset, it had been resetting for the past fifteen years, why should this day be any different?

She went through the meeting in some kind of trance, unable to get what had happened out of her mind. He hadn't forgotten and now she was in trouble. Something had happened to the curse. She wasn't entirely sure if it were a curse in itself or a blessing in disguise.

When an hour was over, he stood from the chair, a grin on his face, she had gone through it making the odd comment he seemed to enjoy and now he was looking at her in a way he shouldn't be. That look was capable of turning her insides to mush.

"Thank you, madam mayor, for this wonderful meeting."

"Well, it seems it was long overdue," she quipped, nodding at him as she stood also, walking with him over to the door. She couldn't stop herself from running her tongue over her bottom lip, there was just something about him that made her crazy. "Looking forward to next month's report."

"Ah, hopefully, we will talk before then," he smirked, holding his hand out to shake hers, she stared at him for a moment before taking the offered hand, her fingers curling around his as his hand engulfed hers.

She swallowed heavily, her eyes flitting down to their joint hands. That was when she saw something that made her whole world as she knew it fall apart.