Thank you for the reviews faves and follows. Enjoy chap 4 !

Chapter 4: Half and Half

With a sigh, she slumped against the door once she closed it behind her and leaned her head against it. After the whirlwind of the past 24 hours, she was glad to be home. Henry had the bright idea of destroying magic since it had taken so much away from them. He thought it had done more damage than good and perhaps, after everything that happened, he wasn't completely wrong

So he had decided to take Violet, steal the piece of the crystal that was left and travel to New York in order to study the research his father had done about the subject. Only he didn't realize he was putting the whole town in danger. Did no one realize actions have consequences? Why was she always the one to pay them?

Gold had found them and took the crystal before her and Emma were able to, finding them unconscious from magic on the New York Public Library floor. After waking them and Henry scolding Emma about not believing in her, they told Henry and Violet to stay in the library and they easily tracked Gold to the Hotel thanks to the magical cloud circling above the building.

Pretending Regina was aligning herself with Gold, Emma tried to steal the crystal back but gold was too smart. In the end, he got what he needed, a piece of Regina hair, to open the portal in order to find his lost love in a box; however, before he could succeed, Henry and violet showed up with the goblet. Utilizing its powers, they did indeed destroy magic without knowing apart of our family was stuck in another land.

While we had looked to the dragon for help without success, Henry, being quick witted, realized the fountain where he made a fruitful wish before, could maybe bring back magic and return our family. With the help of others in New York, who thought they were watching a street show, magic was returned through hundreds of wishes and their family with Dr. Jekyll was returned. Before we left, Henry handed Regina another coin and told her to make a second wish. She wished with everything she had that she would be free of the Evil Queen.

Who knew that this fountain was indeed magic because her wish was granted. Thanks to the magic and science of Dr. Jekyll, she was able to use his serum and, not only separated herself from the Evil Queen, but destroyed her by crushing her heart, freeing herself from the binds of her past.

Now they were home and everyone was in one piece—well mostly. Thanks to Gold, Jekyll's other Half, Hyde, was able to make it into storybrooke and had met her in the streets for a little chat. The hairs on her neck still stood as he told her it's not that easily to snuff out the darkness.

What does that mean?

"Mom!"

She jumped, coming out of her reverie as her son called her name. She shook her head and focused towards him. "Yes Henry?"

" You ok? I was calling your name like 10 times?" He questioned her with a puzzled look from the stairs, leaning against the banister.

" Yes. I'm fine, Just a little exhausted from chasing everyone half way across the world." With a raise of her eyebrows, she made her way towards him and cupped his chin a second before letting go.

"I'm sorry mom, I thought was I was helping" He said with sincerity.

"I know but you have to realize actions have consequences, Henry."

"Let me guess, I am about to get mine?" He sighed, shifting on his feet, knowing what was coming.

"You guessed right, no Video games, TV, or any other devices with screens for an undetermined amount of time."

" Any idea when that amount of time WILL BE determined?" He emphasized the "will be" part.

"I will discuss it with Emma tomorrow. Along with asking her if she has any other suggestions for your insubordination."

Henry scrunched his face. "Awww come on mom and you're still using that word?"

Regina couldn't help but chuckle at that one and pointed her finger up the stairs. "Yes sir, now get to bed. It's been a hell of a day."

Before heading upstairs, he pecked her on the cheek and wished her a good night. Her eyes followed him as he ascended the rest of the staircase and waited until she heard the closing of his bedroom door. Taking a breath and running her fingers through her hair, she then took proceeded to remove her coat and boots to place them in the closet. After everything was in their proper place, she turned and padded her way up the grand staircase to her room.

Upon entering, she closed the door, leaving it open a crack in case Henry needed her, and then ensued to change into her pajamas. Starting with her denim jacket, She slid it off her shoulders and that was when the letter glided down to the carpeted surface. The same letter she had found, while they hunted down Henry in New York, tucked into the Robin Hood book that remained in the apartment where Robin had tried to make things work with Marian—Eeeer zelena?

Staring at it while trying to hold back the tears, she slowly crouched to pick up the envelope in which the letter was housed and made her way to sit on the end of the bed. Treacherous tears fell again she reread his words of about how he shouldn't be writing this but couldn't help himself it seems, of how proud he was of her, of how she would always be a heroine, and of how she would always be the woman he fell in love with. This would be the closest he would ever hear of him saying "I love you." More tears fell as she realized the room still smelled of him, of forest.

Upon that thought, she clasped the letter close to her heart and let the tears flow like a river with a choked sob.

"Look at what you've become. So Pathetic." Regina jumped as the owner of the disgraced, deep voice crept out from the corner, making herself known.

With wide eyes, Regina was Gobsmacked with who emerged from the dark corner into the light of the moon from the window. "No…" She whispered.

" Yes. Did you think it was that easy to get rid of me?" The Evil Queen smirked towards Regina, questioning her.

Regina stood from the bed. "But how? I crushed your heart. No one survives that, believe me we know that personally."

Regina watched as her other half surveyed the room and came to the dresser, "Isn't it obvious?" she questioned with a tilt of her head at Regina before she looked down as she swiped her finger across the dresser, checking for dust. "You can't just destroy me Regina, not while you are alive too." She looked up towards Regina as she finished her statement, looking bored.

"What?" Regina replied in a short, husky tone.

The Queen smirked again, looking over her shoulder towards Regina. "We are half of one whole, Regina. As long as one of lives, so does the other. Neither can be destroyed—obliterated, whatever you were trying to do to me."

"Why would you chose those words." Regina retorted back with gritted teeth

The Queen turned and raised an eyebrow with a wicked smile towards her. "Why? Did they hit a soft spot?"

"You know what happened to Robin. You know he was…He died…for me, for us. He sacrificed everything for us. That's true love" Regina choked back her tears.

The queen rolled her eyes, examining her finger nails. "Look what love has done to you, where it has gotten you"

"It made me stronger" Regina retorted back.

Looking up, the queen took one step towards Regina and sneered. "It made you weeeeeak." She drawled out.

"I AM NOT WEAK!" Regina screeched.

"There's some of our fire." The Queen gleamed with happiness. "And you may want to keep that fire my dear."

"Why is that?"

The queen stood straight and flipped her cape as she turned and the light hit her, revealing her most maniacal look. "Because this is War." She jeered with wide eyes before she cackled and poofed herself away, leaving only her dark smoke behind.

The Next Morning…

"This is insane!" Emma said as she paced around her parent's loft living room with her hands on her hips. "So, crushing her heart didn't kill her? How is that possible?"

"I don't know." Regina replied looking up towards Emma from her spot sitting at the kitchen table, coffee cup cradled in both hands.

"Did she give you any hints or clues, Regina?" Snow asked while she was washing the breakfast dishes at the sink.

"She said something like Hyde did, that it's not that easy to destroy her and the darkness." She swallowed before she continued. "Then, she said that while I live, she can not die. That we are half of one soul. I couldn't just obliterate her."

David moved and leaned on the kitchen chair that was on the other side of the table. "Does the same hold for you?"

Regina crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair, focusing a raised eyebrow on David. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I assume the same holds true for you too. You can't die as long as she lives?"

"I assume. This is powerful magic I don't know much about. But Perhaps your new friend, Jekyll, may know something." Regina stated as she leaned forward, elbows on the table, messaging her temples to try to ward off the oncoming headache. Nothing could ever be simple in this town. After a moment, she looked up towards the others. "She also had quite the threat."

"What was that?" Emma inquired as she walked over to Regina and sat down on the chair adjacent to her, leaning back with a worried look.

Swallowing nervously, Regina made sure she had everyone's attention before she continued. "That this was war."

A war it was indeed with many endless battles that had no end in site. Jekyll had confirmed what the Queen had said, as long as one lived so would the other as well. It was complicated magic dealing with split souls. To make matters worse, they had come to learn that the queen had aligned herself with Gold and Hyde, making a formidable team.

Gold was a menace as always, willing to align himself with whomever could get Belle back. The Queen was causing wreckage wherever she went, taunting Regina and using fear as the ever effective tool. Unified with Hyde, they utilized their magic and his serums to pit the heroes against one another. Snow was much like alter ego in the Prior author's alterative universe, going after Regina's heart. Her mind was manipulated to make her think Regina had killed charming. Charming had been turned into a mix of someone like his brother and character in the alternative universe. Being brought back to the darkness, Emma was turned into the dark swan once again. Hook, well, he didn't change much at all besides taking treasures all for himself. Perhaps the killing or threatening anyone that got in his way was a little out of his current character.

Having Jekyll on their side came in handy. He was able to re create the serum that brought their heroes back to their normal selves. Now their enemies seemed to have their sights set on Regina, trying to kidnap her into the asylum at every chance. The heroes were able to miraculously evade any attempts to do so until one night, when things had been quiet and the trio had not made an appearance in a few weeks, when Regina told Henry she would be fine on her own. After all the craziness, she needed a night on her own with a hot bubble bath and glass—probably bottle of wine. Still not completely convinced, Henry conceded and went to spend a night with Emma and the pirate.

As always in Storybrooke, one should never let their guard down because Hyde surprised Regina as she reached for that bottle of wine. Utilizing his lightening taser with her back turned, reaching for a wine glass, he knocked her unconscious, bottle of wine tumbling to the ground and shattering on impact, red liquid bathing the kitchen floor in its wake.

Regina groaned as she started to regain consciousness. Taking her head in hand, she sat up slowly and started to try and take in her surroundings. Everything was fuzzy at first and sounds sensitive to her ears, even the water dripping from the ceiling causing a stabbing pain. After a moment, she registered that she was on a cold, concrete ground and upon blinking a few times to bring things into a better focus, realized she was in Hyde's asylum cage.

Heaving a sigh, she slowly stood and made her way to the pad lock of the door, tugging on it at first to see if it would loosen. When that of course did not work, she huffed and called forth her magic to break the lock open; however, it seemed to be protected against magic and would not budge. Stomping her heeled foot in anger, she growled and tried several other spells without success repeatedly, getting more agitated with every failed attempt.

"That's not going to work."

Jumping in surprise, she stopped and turned towards the other side of the cage to see a shadow in the dark corner, leaning casually against the wall with his arms and legs crossed. "Come out. Show yourself." She demanded.

"As her majesty commands." He chuckled before emerging into the soft light that only torches provided, a hood covering his face that went along with his black, leather outfit similar to something of the main hero on the show, Arrow, that her son watched.

"Too cowardly to show your face?" She snided at him.

"Not to you, your highness." He retorted back as he lowered his hood revealing olive skin, dark short hair, a trimmed beard adorning his face, and deep set eyes.

Crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes in distrust, she questioned "Who the hell are you?"

With a bow, he reached out and took her hand. "Names Robert, but my friends call me Rob." He answered and then proceeded to kiss said hand before she pulled it back

"Well Rob-ERT, if you're so smart why can't I break us out of here." She said pointing towards the locked door."

"Well I thought that part would be quite obvious."He playfully said while scratching his beard."The queen clearly locked it by blocking your magic against it. The whole cage is covered in magic. She is you, you know."

"I am not her anymore." She growled before she groaned and threw her head back in frustration before she went and sat on the warped bench near her, putting her head In her hands. "So I am stuck in here…with you." She said as she looked up at him for confirmation.

"I'm afraid so Milady." He replied back

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" she barked at him

"My apologies." He said quite stunned. "So should I continue calling you Your Majesty."

"I Prefer Regina."

"Then Regina it is." He paused a second to take her in before he carried on. "Why don't you like being called Milady?"

She rolled her eyes. "That's none of your business."

Robert leaned on his side on the bench, head rested propped up on his elbow with one leg straight the other bent behind it. "Does someone you care about call you that?"

Her only response was to look down, not making eye contact.

"That's it isn't it." He said with a grin

"You're smug you know that, right." She retorted back in annoyance and continued in a whisper. "doesn't matter, he's dead."

His features softened and he genuinely said, "I'm sorry."

"Me too." She said softly.

"It's never easy, losing the ones we love."

"I know that one all too well." She said matter of factly before she continued, trying to change the subject. "So how did you end up in the Trio of Terror's clutches?"

He sniggered at that. "Trio of terror, I like that one." He complimented her. "Lets just the say The Queen didn't like me trying to steal from her all that much. After I was caught, I wasn't very forth coming on who I was and what I was trying to get. So I became her little play thing—her experiment."

Regina looked towards him and raised an eyebrow in question. "Experiment?"

Robert adjusted himself to a sitting position, one foot propped up on the bench, as he continued. "Yes. Let's just say she tried a whole lot of Hyde's littler serums to reveal who I was with no luck. None of them seemed to want to work on me. Hyde knew exactly who I was from our land of untold stories yet the queens trials still continued. I was a frustrating enigma to her"

"I bet." Regina responded.

"She's quite…spicy your other half."

Regina scoffed. "There are many things The Queen—or I, I suppose, have been called and spicy has not been one of them.

"Sassy? Enchanting?beautiful? Bold? Audacious?" He listed off words he might use to describe her.

She froze upon hearing those words and looked up to lock eyes with him, ready to respond until they heard the jangle of keys in a lock to the main door leading into the chambers. Looking towards the door, Regina and Robert saw the Queen standing there in the doorway with a chesire grin plastered on her face.

"My my my look what the cat dragged in." She taunted while she walked seductively towards the cage, her feathered cape floating behind her. "Enjoying your stay my dear other half."

"It's not exactly the Ritz." She retorted standing toe to toe with her, the cage the only thing between them. "Get to the point, Queenie. You're not here to discuss my accomidations. What exactly do you want with me?"

The Queen took and step and grabbed Regina's face to bring them nose to nose. "That's for me to know and for you to…find out." She cackled. Let's just say, you're going to be my other little experiment, Regina. It's just not that easy to get rid of darkness. To get rid of me, which I don't know why you would want to. We used to have so much fun."

Robert stood on the other side of the cage, leaning against the bars, unable to look away from the scene in front him. It was then the Queen noticed and turned towards him, pushing Regina away in the process. "You can put your tongue back in your mouth, Outlaw." She paused before continuing to as Regina. "He's quite handsome…" She took a breath, pushing up her corset clad cleavage in the process at him. "Isn't he? That would be fun the three of us, wouldn't it."

"I don't force people into my bad anymore." Regina replied flatly.

"I don't think we would have to force him dear. He's practically panting." The queen stated rolling her eyes turning to leave. "While this has been…stimulating for some," She glanced towards Rob over her shoulder as she sashayed towards the exit, "I have some other things to attend to. I will be back later dears."

Regina watched until the queen left and then looked towards Robert, whose eyes were glued to the retreating Queen. "Seriously, you should put your tongue back in your mouth." Regina teased.

"Jealous?" Robert asked

"what? Of myself?" She rolled her eyes. "I don't think so."

"Ahhh yes well the Queen may have ample bosom…" He held up his hand as if to show off large breasts. "on display, I can't help to hate that cape or long poofy dresses as it hides other "Ass-sets"

Regina's only reply was a scoff and another roll of her eyes before he continued. Men, she thought.

"However that tight skirt of yours does nothing to hide such Assset." He finished as he leant back to look at her bottom.

"You're insufferable you know that." Regina replied as she went to sit down again and took the pins out of her not so polished bun anymore as she did so.

"Why didn't you tell me you had those?" Robert questioned her with wide eyes.

"What? These bobby pins?" She replied back while holding them up with a curved brow and shake of her head in question. "You can't actually tell me you can get us out with these?"

Taking them from her hand, he proceeded to take them and pick the lock. "Watch me." He said with a smug a few clinks and turns of the wrists, the lock clicked open and he looked over to her with a wide grin.

"Smug bastard." She muttered.

He reached his hand out to her. "May I assist you out of here Regina?"

"And why should I trust you Outlaw?"

"Well, Regina, may I remind you I have been here for weeks and I did know this place in our land as well and I happen to know where the entrance is to the underground tunnel that will lead us right out to the woods is. But if you'd rather take your chance on your own, please feel free." He commented.

"Fine. Lets get out of here. But I swear to god outlaw if you get us caught or are lying to me, you'll lose what makes you a man. Is that clear?"

"Crystal. Now shall we." He said using his hands to show her like a gentlemen out and she proceeded to exit with a roll of her eyes in annoyance at this Outlaw.

With the stealth of a practiced thief, Robert opened the front prison doors without a sound and looked in all directions to make sure no one was on guard. Looking over his shoulder, he nodded to Regina that the coast was clear and grabbed her hand to make sure they didn't get separated. Turning left, he quietly lead them down a short hallway, halting only a moment to peer around the corner, before continuing down a much longer hallway that seemed to contain quarters for "patients."

"Does he keep people locked away in these rooms?" muttered Regina in question.

"Yes." Robert replied before holding his forefinger to his lip to signal Regina to be quiet. They would be chopped meat if they were caught escaping. He continued to lead them down the hallway until he saw an open door near the end. They went to tip toe past but he paused when he saw his own prized Bow and Arrows leaning against a book shelf, and turned to grin at Regina, giving her a knowing look.

Regina glowered at him, picking up on what he was going to do. "No. Are you crazy." She mouthed. Robert shrugged his shoulders and turned back towards the doorway to lean and see that the guardsman was passed out on his desk, empty bottle of cheap vodka still clutched in his hand. Perfect, he thought. Light on his feet, he entered the room and with careful steps made his way to get his weaponry. Reaching out with his fingers almost on the bow, he thought he was home free when he re planted his foot and the old wood floor beneath the molded carpet creaked in protest to the added weight.

Freezing in place, he squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for them to get caught. The guardsman stirred from the noise but only snorted with a snore, raised his head slightly, only to fall right back into its original place. With a sigh, he relaxed and grabbed the bows and arrows to make his way out of there, avoiding the creaky spot on his way out. Regina was there glaring at him with her arms folded in front of her chest. Robert's only response was to raise the items and smile wildly in triumph before he moved to continue down the hallway. With a roll of her eyes in annoyance once again, Regina followed him until he stopped in front of a portrait. With a knowing hand, he reached for the candle holder next to the portrait and pulled it back to reveal a hidden passage way.

"Ladies first." He mouthed silently.

With a nod, she went and slipped through the small opening in the wall, Robert following shortly after her, closing the opening behind him. It was a tight space, so much so that after Rob closed the part of the wall, he was pressed up against her in the dark.

"Well…this is awkward." He chuckled.

If there had been enough light to see, Regina knew that he would have that smug grin plastered on his face. "You really take pride in stating the obvious, don't you." She retorted. "Is there any light in here."

"Yes, there should be a torch here somewhere on the wall. Those fireballs of yours should come in handy." Turning, he grasped at darkness to locate it until a loud thunk was heard followed by a son of bitch from the outlaw. He groaned as he rubbed the spot where his head hit the torch.

"ha ha ha ha ha, need some help there clumsy." Regina laughed at him as she opened her palm and ignited a fireball in her hand to illuminate the passageway. Locating the torch, she brought her palm up to it and it ignited in flames easily. She grasped the handle and directed the light deeper into the darkness, flooding their exitway of stairs down just a few meters from them. "So where to now." She queried as she made her way to the edge of the stairs.

With a grimace and still rubbing his head where a lump was starting to grow as he made his way towards her, he responded back. "The stairs lead down to a tunnel that exits out into the woods. Pretty simple unless you aren't aware of the Queen's traps along the way."

"Hah. Not surprising. Let me guess one of them is stepping stones with a deadly door in between and…"

"You have to step in between the stones. Yes that is one. How'd you know." He asked in surprise.

"Well…she is technically me. Just darker." She said matter of factly.

"Ah yes. I guess that would be true." He replied. "So lead the way your majesty."

The pair made their way down several flights of stairs before they made their way to a dark, danky, and rocky tunnel. Together, as a team, they made their way through the tunnel and around the several of the Queen's booby traps until they came to end of the tunnel, a rope ladder leading up to the exit.

"Well, Regina I believe this is where your expertise will come in handy." He said, eluding her to use her magic to move the rather large boulder that was keeping them from reaching their goal.

She nodded and lifted her hands, calling forth her magic to lift and move the boulder out of the way. After a moment and with her hands shaking from the weight, she was able to move it, letting light flood through the passageway in the process.

"quite impressive." He complimented her handy work. "as always, ladies first." he said with a smirk towards her as his hand was directed towards the exit.

" Don't EVER doubt me, Robert." She said as she walked towards the ladder swaying her hips and looking over his shoulder towards him with own self satisfied grin.

"Oh I won't, your majesty." He acknowledged back as he watched her ascend the ladder. "Now this is a nice view." He wisecracked.

"Oh shut up and behave outlaw or I'll move this boulder right back into its original place, leaving you prey to my other half." She sassed back.

"Well that's usually a nice view too." He responded with.

Regina paused her climbing and looked down towards him. "On second thought, maybe I'll just drop the boulder on your head."

"We both know that boulder won't fit through that hole." He retorted back with as he watched her start to climb again and reached the top to pull herself out onto the top and turn to look at him

"That doesn't mean I wouldn't fling it at you once you got to the top, Outlaw."

Rob chuckled and shook his head as he made his way to the ladder and quickly ascended and climbed out onto the threshold. As he stood and their eyes met, the sun reflecting off of his to reveal the most stunning sapphire crystal clear eyes she had only seen on one other person. It must have been too dark in the asylum and tunnels to have noticed then. Shivers ran down her spine as they continued to stare at one another.

"Well Regina, I do believe this is where we part ways." He stated, ending the moment between them. "Until we meet again." Meeting her eyes, he reached and cradled her hand in his as he bent down and kissed it, not looking away from her. Gently freeing her hand, he walked backwards and winked at her before he spun on his heels and ran deeper into the forest, letting their branches and leaves sweep him up.

As she watched his retreat, she grasped her hand to her chest as she tried to make sense of the tingle that remained there from his lips.

AN: stick with me, I think youre gonna like it. Remember, this is an OUTLAWQUEEN fic. As always please read and review. Always love hearing what people think!