Hello everyone! Here is the third chapter, and even if it's still the beginning of the story, it's my favorite chapter I've written so far, so I hope you'll enjoy your reading!

Also, thanks to everyone who followed, favorites, reviewed, and even read my story, it means so much! :)

Disclaimer: Everything (characters, setting) belongs to Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis and ABC. I don't make any money out of this story.

And now… Enjoy!

Chapter 3: You're Very Kind

Regina walked off towards Snow, Charming and the others, trying to forget the terrified little scream that had escaped Roland's lips.

She had been discreetly roaming around the camp, trying to think about all the reasons the people in here had to hate her. She had been thinking about the reasons that led them to become the outlaws they were, and in the worst scenarios… Well, it had been because of her and her cruelty.

She had stayed hidden, and had waited a few minutes, when suddenly, she had heard a little boy scream. It had reminded her of Henry, and so she had immediately looked into the clearing, and she had seen a little boy, a lot younger than Henry. That little child was crouching in the center of the meadow, and above him was… one of those damn flying monkeys! The people under the tents were running towards him, but none of them was going to reach him in time, that much she knew.

She had readied herself and had thrown a fire ball at the creature, and this time it hadn't had time to escape. It had hit it just as the creature had gotten ready to hurt the little boy. It had flown away and she had come closer to the scared child, and he had almost thrown himself into her arms, thanking her a thousand times. She had held him close and had hummed a little song, just as she usually did with Henry when he was a little boy. And the boy had slightly calmed down, until his father (that exasperating thief again!) had come running into the clearing.

And now she was heading towards her former enemies, and no one tried to stop her. Maybe she had been right to help the boy (Roland, she reminded herself), now they all considered her as… something else. Something else than the Evil Queen.

Regina was sitting in front of a very small fire, apart from all the others who where sitting around a larger one, observing everything that happened around her. She let her attention settle on Roland, who was sitting in his father's lap and listening to his conversation with Snow and Charming. She didn't think he would notice her looking at him, but he suddenly looked towards her and smiled at her. It was really one of the biggest smiles she had ever seen, and she couldn't help but smile back. And then, he stopped looking at her and turned his attention back to Snow, who was laughing quietly at something the thief had said.

She frowned a little when she saw a man approaching her. It obviously wasn't one of the cursed people, because she knew every single one of them, and so she turned towards him, rising to her feet as well.

"Yes?" she asked before he could say anything.

"I'm John," he introduced himself. She raised an eyebrow and, completely ignorant of the fact that she was not enchanted to see him here, he continued, "But everyone calls me Little John."

She took a deep breath and told him, "I saw you earlier. You were running towards Roland, when the flying monkey attacked him."

"Of course I'd try to save him! Robin's like my brother, and I've known Roland since he was a little boy. If I let that thing hurt him…"

"You wouldn't have forgiven yourself," she completed.

He seemed surprised she understood him, but if he knew what happened earlier that day, he wouldn't be so shocked, she was sure. She still hadn't forgiven herself for giving up on Henry.

"I like you, you know?" he suddenly said in a more joyous tone.

She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face, and he seemed to realize what he had just said and precised, "Well, for giving them the name 'flying monkeys'. Have to say it describes them pretty well".

She almost laughed and chose to shook her head instead.

"How long have they been here?" she asked, following the topic he had chosen.

"It's been a long time. A very long time. Since everyone of you left, actually. And there are some rumors about…" he paused and something clouded his eyes. Something that resembled pain.

She didn't push the matter and waited for him to talk again. She wondered why she wanted him to speak to her. Probably to know everything that had happened in the Enchanted Forest while they were gone.

When she realized he wasn't going to continue, she sighed quietly and lowered her head. She just heard his rather heavy footsteps walking away from her.

"M'lady?" a small voice suddenly called for her.

She turned around and saw Roland standing there with a sheepish smile. She crouched down and looked at him, a little smile on her lips.

"Papa calls for you," he told her.

"Are you sure, Roland?" she asked. "What does he need me for?"

Roland frowned a little and then shook his head.

"He didn't call me, is that right?" Regina asked, holding back a smirk when she saw him nod briefly. "You're certainly very sly, little one."

"You think?"

"Well, of course! But… why did you want me to come with you? All of you?" With that, she looked at the people around the bigger fire and saw Robin staring at them. He didn't look hostile though, there was just a wrinkle on his forehead, as if he was deep in thought.

"You looked sad, m'lady," he said confidently. "And you're alone. Someone has to be with you. I can stay if you want."

She definitely admired that child, she decided. She was surprised he could read in her so perfectly, and so she decided to make a deal with him.

"Well, Roland, I promise I will join you all in a few minutes. I just need to think a little more right now, alright?"

"So that's why you were sad? You were thinking?" he asked innocently.

"No, that's not the reason," she replied, perhaps a little more tensely than she wanted to.

He stayed silent for a few moments and then nodded fervently, bowing before her. She stared at him, startled, and when Roland rose again, he told her with a proud smile which showed his dimples (the same as his father's, she couldn't help but notice), "Papa said you were your majesty!"

She laughed a little and just when she was about to tell him there was no need he bowed before her, he walked away, jumping around excitedly. She looked at him fooling around and smiled. He reminded her of the way Henry was before everything (the book, Emma, Neverland) happened.

She suddenly felt a pair of eyes glued on her, and she looked straight into Robin's blue eyes when she searched for its owner. Her smile faded a little and she raised her eyebrows, silently asking him what the hell was wrong with him. Why was he fixing her this way, as if he wanted to read her like an open book?

To her surprise, he rose from his seat and settled little Roland in the exact same place, onto the tree trunk he was sitting on. Roland's eyes widened and when he understood what he was about to do, he shook his head, his curls bouncing around his head. Robin didn't care though, and he ran a hand through his son's hair, leaving his side just after. She asked herself why she wasn't running away, or coming closer to the others, so that he wouldn't talk to her, but she didn't know the answer. And so she stayed where she was, waiting for him to sit next to her.

"You're very kind, your majesty," was the first thing he said. "I wouldn't have thought you would be, to be honest."

"I'm not kind. It's just –"

"Who knew an Evil Queen had a soft spot for children?" he asked himself with a smirk.

"And who knew a thief had so much honor?" she answered almost immediately, with a similar smirk on her lips.

They both stayed silent for a few moments, and then Robin started talking again, "What I meant was… You're very kind to Roland… Regina."

She didn't deny it, because she was too busy reflecting on how right her name had sounded on his lips this time.

"Where is his mother?" she finally asked after she finally got a hold of her wandering thoughts. "I noticed it before everyone arrived, but there was no woman in your camp."

He immediately stopped smirking and his rather good mood darkened very quickly.

"Sorry, it's none of my business, I know," she apologized.

He nodded stiffly at her apology, and rose to his feet, lending a hand to her. She thought about it for a few seconds, and then took it, standing up as well. She let go of his hand as soon as she was standing and marched towards the campfire, leaving him behind, staring at her.

She ate everything that they gave her. She wasn't going to complain: the spew was one of the best things she had eaten for a long time, thanks to Granny's cooking. Even with little, she could actually cook the best of meals!

She smiled a little at Roland when she noticed his gaze upon her, and cupped her bowl with her hands. It was warm, and even though the fire was glowing fiercely and warming her body, her hands had stayed cold. Now, she could feel warmth spreading through her fingers and she felt the numbness in her go away.

"Regina?" she suddenly heard, and she turned towards Snow, her brows furrowing.

"You were saying?" she answered in a tone colder than she had intended. She hated when people disrupted her course of thoughts.

"We were making a plan," the younger woman informed her.

"I already told you, I do have a plan."

"Could you at least listen to ours?" Leroy exclaimed.

She scowled but nodded, commanding herself to stay calm. She had never liked him… too rude, maybe. From the corners of her eyes, she saw Snow glaring at the man, but it frustrated her more than anything else. She didn't need Snow White, of all people, to protect her.

"Let's get back to our plan, okay?" Charming intervened.

All of them nodded and Snow continued, "We'll stay here for a few days, Robin already told us he was fine with it." Regina opened her mouth but Snow didn't let her intervene and glared at her, saying, "And you will stay here with us. And when we are ready, we will all go to the castle, and face our enemy together."

"You do realize that's not really a plan, right?" Regina sneered.

She received glares from everyone around her, Snow, Charming, Robin, Leroy…

"It's just the truth!" she insisted. "Your plan is to go to that castle without a plan?" She laughed again, shaking her head at the naive people surrounding her.

"We can't really make up a perfect plan in… what, a few hours?" Robin tried to calm her down.

"My plan is perfectly ready and I came up with it in seconds."

"Your plan is not really better than ours. If you go out there alone, you could die."

At that precise moment, she looked at him and by the expression on his face, she knew he had seen the look in her eyes. He stayed silent though, and she felt grateful for it.

"Stay with us, Regina," Snow begged her, disrupting their silent exchange. "Please."

She just stood up and nodded, once, very shortly, before she walked away. She found she couldn't really lie to them (she had no intention of staying with them, even if she knew it was the less stupid thing to do), and she preferred to walk towards her fire and think about everything, alone.

She woke up before everyone else and looked around her, noting that the one who guarded the camp was posted on the other side of the tents, half-hidden by them. If she was quick enough, he wouldn't even notice she had woken up and was gone before it was too late.

She chose to quickly write a note, under the light of the moon, before she ran away. The more honest note she had ever written, which was even more surprising because it was addressed to two of the most infuriating people she had ever known, Snow and Charming. She materialized a piece of parchment and a quill using a little bit of her magic, and started writing.

Snow, Charming,

I had to go. I couldn't stay. I think both of you know why.

I never liked you (I think you know that by now), but still, I'm sorry. Tell little Roland I'm sorry too.

Regina

She was not quite satisfied with the last sentence, but she had written it in one go, and she didn't really want to change it. Besides, she didn't have much time left. She left the note on the mattress she had created for herself and disappeared.

I hope you enjoyed that chapter (and I'm so sorry for the little delay, I was supposed to post this yesterday night) !

The next chapter will (normally) be out next Monday. :)