Author's Notes:

Special Thanks to my illustrator and contributing author ale_nena for the constant support.

Setting: Misthaven non-magical modern AU. The society and political system will be based on a combination of modern countries, with a probable bias toward the American system as I am an American. However, all characters are fictional and resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidence.

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Regina woke slowly the next morning to the sound of chimes at the back of her consciousness. Slowly opening one eye, she took in her blurry surroundings.

Mind snapping awake, she shot up as she realized that the chimes were her phone. Reaching over, she grabbed the phone from the nightstand. The battery was very low, but signal showed one bar as her father's number flashed across the screen.

Beside her Robin startled awake at her sudden movements.

Tossing the covers aside, she hopped out of bed, wincing as her feet hit the cold floor.

"Hello?" she swiped to answer, hurrying out of the room.

"Regina!" Henry's voice was stressed on the other end, "Oh by the Gods, are you alright?!"

"Yes," she answered, sitting down on the living room sofa and lifting her feet off the cold wooden floor, "What about you? Are you guys alright?"

"Yes, we are. We made it to town but you never arrived! We were so worried!"

In the background she heard her mother's voice, "Is that her? Put the speaker phone on!"

"Yes, she's here."

"Regina, where are you?" Cora asked.

"Back at the cabin," Regina answered, "We ran into a tree across the road last night and had to go back. You guys got through?"

"Yes," Cora sighed, "Is Locksley there with you?"

"Yes," Regina answered tensing at the tone of her mother's voice. Did she suspect something?

"Well what happened?" Cora demanded, "If he'd kept up we'd have all made it out in time!"

"Mom, I don't think it was his fault," she said, trying to defend Robin without giving anything away, "In fact, if not for him, I'd have never made it back to the cabin. There was nothing else anyone could do."

Cora sighed, "Alright, if you say so."

"Regina," Henry's voice came on again, "Are you alright? It's still snowing in the mountains and there's supposed to be another storm tonight. The roads are blocked but we're trying to find someone who will can go through and get you."

"No, dad, don't do that!" she said, maybe a little too quickly, "Not until the storm has passed at least. It's too dangerous and the rescue operators will be needed elsewhere."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, "We can wait this out at the cabin, there's plenty of supplies and we have the gas generator for emergencies."

"Alright," Henry acknowledged, "You're right. Probably better just to wait it out."

"Are you guys going back to Unity City?" she asked.

"We were going to wait for you."

"Well don't wait too long. I don't want you to get stuck too," Regina argued, "I'll be fine, Dad, really."

"Okay," he finally gave in, "The cell service might go out again tonight, so stay safe!"

"You too, Dad. I love you."

As they hung up, Regina looked out the window. It was white and overcast outside with snow still falling in large white clumps, though not as heavily as the night before.

Glancing behind her, she noticed Robin standing in the doorway watching her.

"Everyone alright?"

"Yeah," she set her phone aside, "They made it to town last night."

"That's good," he said, trying the lightswitch, "Power's still out."

"Yep. The roads are blocked too and another storm is coming, so there's no way anyone's getting in at least until tomorrow!"

"That's a shame," he said dryly walking over to sit down next to her on the couch.

She chuckled as he draped blanket over both of them, "Are we horrible for being happy about that? My family is worried, I'm sure…"

"I know," he said, "I'm not celebrating that but I also can't help but be glad we get to spend time together."

"Yeah, me neither," she acknowledged, cuddling up next to him.

They sat together quietly for a moment, until Regina took a deep breath and declared, "I need coffee!"

"Yeah," Robin nodded, letting her up and following her to the kitchen.

Knowing the coffee maker wouldn't be working with the power out, she got the press out of the cabinet. The water tap burped worryingly as she filled a pot up at the tap.

"I don't know what we'll do if the pipes freeze…"

"We can always melt snow," Robin shrugged, opening up the dark fridge, "So, what are you thinking for breakfast? Omelettes?"

"Sounds wonderful," Regina said as she turned on the rage to boil water, "And we probably should eat as much of the perishable food as we can. It'll start to go bad with the fridge not working."

Robin laughed, "We don't need to worry about that! It's colder outside than it is inside a working fridge. All we need to do is move some things out into the snow."

Struck by the truth of his statement, Regina's lips dropped open, "You're right...we're really pretty much set here."

"Yeah," Robin agreed, their eyes meeting in silent conversation.

Coming to a wordless agreement they worked together getting breakfast ready, and, after eating retreated back to Regina's room to get changed. The gas water heater was working well enough for each to get in a quick shower.

After, Robin bundled up and hiked down to the shed. Returning with a cooler, they packed it full of snow and food from the fridge, and settled it an a sheltered spot on the deck.

While he worked Regina brewed another pot of coffee and got a fire going in the fireplace.

Sitting together they sipped coffee and watched the flames. Regina leaned against his chest as he rested his hand absently on her hip, their eyes occasionally meeting and leading them to laugh.

"I keep worrying Drake or your Mom will come through that door," Robin admitted.

"Do you?" she asked.

"You're not worried?"

"No," she shook her head, "It's nice just being able to be together. It feels almost…"

"What?" he asked as she trailed off.

"Nothing, it's silly."

"No, what?"

"Well," she took a breath, "Like that first Unity Day we spent together. You remember that?"

"Do I remember?" Robin laughed, "Of course, I do!"

She sighed, "I don't think I really told you at the time how much that meant to me, you taking me along to meet your friends. It was one of the best times I've ever had."

"A weekend trip to Sherwood?" he asked, "Of all the vacations you've been on?"

"Yes! I liked Sherwood, and besides there were other things about that trip I remember fondly!" she insisted teasingly.

"Yeah, me too...well...mostly," he trailed off, saying the last part quietly.

"What?"

"Hm?"

"What does that mean? Mostly?" she asked.

"Well I just mean we did fight that weekend and you spraining your ankle and everything," he shrugged, voice a bit too casual.

"Everything? What do you mean 'everything'?"

He sighed, "Nothing! I didn't mean anything."

"You obviously meant something!"

"Regina will you just let it go? I didn't mean anything!"

"Why are you getting upset?"

"I'm not-" he cut himself off, "I'm not upset I just don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Talk about what? What could be so bad?"

"It's not! It's nothing!"

"Well then if it's nothing why won't you just tell me?"

He let out a breath sitting up and setting his coffee cup aside. She watched him quietly for a few minutes before speaking again, "Robin, it can't be that bad!"

"It's not!" he insisted, "It was just...there were some stresses that weekend. Killian was making assumptions about us…"

"Well he wasn't wrong about that," she laughed.

"...and, you know, that night was great until you ripped my heart out the next morning."

"What?"

Catching himself, Robin looked over at her, "I was just joking."

"No," she stood up from the couch stepping over to him, "You weren't."

"Regina," he sighed, "Don't."

"Robin."

Rubbing one hand down his face he finally spoke, "Yeah, okay, I admit it I fell for you pretty fast...already had even before that weekend actually."

Her jaw dropped incredulously.

"But," he shrugged, "Whatever, it's no big deal."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"Would it have made a difference?" he asked, "I knew you didn't feel the same way. I knew...you were out my league, that there was nothing I could really offer you."

She swallowed hard, recalling how she'd pushed him away the next morning. How for months she'd stayed away and then, when they finally gave in, how long she pretended they were just sleeping together, nothing more.

"That's not true," she said.

He sighed, "Regina-"

"It's not!" she insisted, gripping his face between her hands, "Robin, you don't have nothing to offer! I love you and everything about my life is better because you're in it!"

His eyes bore intensely into hers, their clear blue depths dark in the fire light. Not waiting for him react, Regina took the initiative and grabbed his shirt, pulling his lips toward hers and pouring everything she had into a kiss.

He waited only a moment before responding, the feelings of love strong between them.

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A few hours later they lay together under several blankets recovering from a nap after a passionate love-making session.

The fire had died down to embers, but under the covers the heat from their bodies kept each other warm.

Moving to stretch his back, Robin glanced up toward the window, "Snowing again."

Rotating her head, Regina noted that the windy, grey conditions from the previous night had come back. This time they didn't feel quiet as threatening, though.

"Mmm," she hummed, "So they have."

Rolling off his chest, she eased the covers back and began grabbing her clothes, dressing quickly to avoid getting.

"Where are you going?" Robin asked, sitting up.

"I'm hungry," she said as she pulled on her shocks.

Smiling good naturedly, he nodded, "Aright-"

"No," she stopped him with a hand on his chest as he moved to get up. Leaning over she pecked his lips, "You took care of breakfast and we missed lunch, so it's my turn to make dinner."

He laughed, a little surprised, "What are you going to make?"

"It's a surprise," she said, glancing over her shoulder teasingly as she sauntered to the kitchen.

One she got there, she laughed to herself and then opened up the cabinet to think about what she wanted to make. After taking stock of what was inside, she made a decision and took out pasta, crushed tomatoes, and anchovies.

There was a half-full jar of olives in the fridge that they'd left earlier when they moved the most perishable items.

She combined them in a pan with some olive oil and got out a big pot to fill with water. While waiting for it to boil, she stirred the sauce. The anchovy and tomatoes had begun to combine together, filling the room with a sumptuous aroma.

As she stirred, Robin walked leisurely into the kitchen, arms wrapping around her middle as she came up to stand behind her, "That smells wonderful. What is it?"

"Pasta puttanesca," she said, setting aside the spoon and opening the box of spaghetti to dump into the boiling water.

"Anything I can do to help?" he murmured, kissing the side of her head.

"Hmm," she sighed, enjoying his attention, "Well you can set the table if you want. That would be very helpful."

"Think I can handle that," he said, kissing her one last time before stepping away to get plates out of the cabinet. Regina let the pasta soften as Robin set the table.

"Want something to drink?" he asked.

"Yes!" she said as she fished out a piece of spaghetti to check and see if it was done, "My dad has a wine cabinet in the bar in the lounge. I'd love a glass of red."

"Okay," he nodded, making his way toward the lounge.

The pasta was soft with just a little bite. After draining it in the sink, Regina mixed in the sauce. Robin returned with two glasses of wine just as she was dishing up two plates.

"Thank you," she accepted a glass.

Robin sat down into the chair next to her and they clinked their glasses together.

Regina took a sip, swallowing slowly to savor the taste.

"Wow," Robin commented as he took a first bite of the pasta, "This is delicious!"

She chuckled, "Why thank you."

"Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"Well, Mrs. Fa taught me a few things when I was a kid, and then when I was in college Daniel and I lived together for a while and he couldn't even boil water, so I didn't really have much choice but to learn."

"So you taught yourself?" he asked, looking surprised.

"Pretty much," she shrugged, seeing the look on his face, "I enjoy it and it's amazing the kind of things you can learn from the internet."

He was quiet, looking at her intently.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head, "It's just...you're an amazing woman."

She laughed, "Well thank you."

"I mean it," he said, "You amaze me everyday."

Blushing, she glanced down at her plate, "Well it is nice to get the opportunity to cook."

"Why don't you do it more often?" he asked as they started eating.

"Mmm, you know how it is at the estate," she said, taking a bite, "I don't want to get in Mrs. Fa's way or have to fight with Mother about it. Although she actually knows how to cook too."

"Seriously?" Robin laughed.

"Yeah, before she married my father she worked at a restaurant."

"I thought you said she was an aide in President Xavier's office when they met?"

"Yes, she was," Regina acknowledged, "That was after she finished at university. While she was in school she worked at the restaurant to support herself and Zelena."

"Wow," Robin said, feeling a level of respect for Cora he hadn't before, "That must have been rough for her. I take it her family wasn't wealthy?"

"Oh no! Her mom died when she was young, and her dad...well she never talks about him. I only met him once when I was very little. He was sick then…" she trailed off, making it obvious what happened next.

"I'm sorry," he reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Thanks," she squeezed back.

They spent the rest of their meal on lighter topics and afterward washed and dried the dishe together at the sink. As the last of the plates were stacked in the cabinet, Robin picked up the glasses, "More wine?"

"Please!" she said, following him to the lounge where he'd left the bottle on the bar.

Carrying it, he led her back to the livingroom and restarted the fire.

As they cuddled up on the couch, Regina sighed, "I wish I could be like this all the time."

"Yeah, me too," he said, stroking her hair.

They sat together for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak, "Robin do you-"

Her thought was interrupted, by a knocking on the front door, startling them both.

"Is someone here?" she asked, confused.

"Stay behind me," Robin instructed, standing up and making his way to the door. As he opened it, she heard a voice on the other side, "Is Regina Mills here?"

"Who's asking?" Robin demanded.

"Sir, I've been instructed to find Ms. Mills!"

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but Regina stopped him opening the door wider. The man on the other side was dressed head to toe in winter clothing a large beard, "I'm Regina Mills, who are you?"

"Search and rescue, Ma'am," he said, taking out his ID to show her, "Your parents contracted me to get you back to town."

"You managed to get through the roads?" Robin asked.

"Not in a car," the man acknowledged, but that's why we drive these he stood aside, letting them see the large three passenger snowmobile he'd parked in the driveway, "You're the bodyguard I presume?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "Robin Locksley."

"Well there should be room for both of you. If you have any important belongings we can fit a small bag into the storage compartment," he said.

"Oh," Regina said, "We're supposed to go now?"

"Yes, Ma'am. There's a break in the snow and we need to leave now if we're going to make it back to town before dark."

"I see," she answered.

"I can give you a few minutes to pack if you need," he repeated.

"Okay," she finally nodded, "Sure, why don't you come in and I'll...get packed."

"Thank you, Ma'am," he said, stepping inside as Regina turned back toward her bedroom, giving Robin an apologetic look on the way.

Left alone with their rescuer, Robin awkwardly invited him to warm up near the fireplace.

"Wow," the rescuer commented, whistling as he took in the view from the living room, "Pretty sweet set up you've got here."

"Yeah," Robin muttered as he cleaned up their wine glasses, "...it was."

Sorry for the short chapter, but I will have another update next week or sooner!