AN: quick note. some are concerned for reasons. I will say this, this a fix it fic. I want to show how Adam and Eddy could have done everything I think they are going to do in another way, Give a longtime favorite character more depth, build a relationship for outlaw queen, and delve further into a certain character we love backstory. Stick with me and I think you'll end up loving it. Take this as you will, I love SM Robin. That is all. I won't say more bc I don't want to ruin story. Without further Ado…chapter 5, no beta…so all mistakes are mine.

Chapter 5: Rise

Oh, ye of so little faith
Don't doubt it, don't doubt it
Victory is in my veins
I know it, I know it
And I will not negotiate
I'll fight it, I'll fight it
I will transform

When, when the fire's at my feet again
And the vultures all start circling
They're whispering, you're out of time
But still, I rise
This is no mistake, no accident
When you think the final nail is in, think again
Don't be surprised, I will still rise

Purple smoke plumed and then dissipated to reveal a very tired and dirty Regina. All she wanted to do was get some well deserved rest—maybe a bath—but apparently that would have to wait as she heard voices from her kitchen. With a heavy annoyed sigh, she made her way towards the kitchen, hoping it wasn't another unwanted intruder. Arriving to her kitchen doorway, she peered around the doorway to see who it was and almost straight away turned back to right where she came from.

"Do you think she's ok?" Snow asked looking up at David from the floor as she cleaned up the broken glass.

"You know Regina, she can take care of herself. She's probably sulking in her vault." David commented handing his wife a damp cloth to mop up the spilt wine

"Gee David, thanks for being so very concerned for my safety." Regina sassed, making her presence know, as she leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed and a raised eyebrow.

"Oh Regina…You're here!"

Snow jumped up and hugged her. "Thank god you're ok. You weren't answering your phone so David and I decided to come and check on you. What happened? I was worried sick." After a moment, snow let her go and looked at her with anxious eyes.

Looking from snow and glaring at David, she replied bluntly. "Well, I wasn't sulking in my vault."

David grimaced. "Yeah, sorry about that. WE are glad you're ok. What happened? you look like you rolled through a mud pile."

"Well, I'm a little dirty from trotting through underground tunnels, trying to escape from my other half and her creepy, herculean side kick." Regina bit back.

"What? How did you end up in there?" snow questioned.

"Let's just say Hyde snuck up on me with his little lightening stabber. Chump move if you ask me." She said sarcastically waving her hands and slumping to lean against the kitchen island "anyway, right now I am exhausted and need to sleep. Why don't we all meet at Granny's in a few hours and I will fill everyone in on what happened. See if we can come up with some sort of plan"

Snow stepped up to Regina and laid both of her hands on her shoulders with a squeeze. "Ok get some rest. You need it after the past couple of days. We will see you later." Letting go of Regina's shoulder, snow turned towards David with a reached out hand. "Come on David, lets leave Regina be for a bit."

Grabbing his Wife's hand and walking her towards the door, David spoke to Regina as he passed. "Be careful Regina."

"Don't worry, I am going to put up some much needed protection spells this time" Regina informed David as she walked with them to the front door.

Snow smiled. "Good idea."

Watching them leave, Regina signed that they were finally gone and turned to go upstairs. She showered and then got dressed into a pair of black leggings and a white V neck T shirt. Crawling into bed, she sighed and snuggled under the covers in order to get warm. With a shiver, she pulled the comforter tighter under her chin to get warmer, but after a few minutes realized it wasn't working, she was still cold. With a huff, she threw the blankets off and went into closet. Scanning and pushing aside different dress shirts, she looked for a warm sweater. Exhaling in defeat, she dropped her hands from the clothes bar and scanned down the line with her eyes until she came to his end of the closet. There were nights he and Roland would spend the night, so she offered him some space within her closet.

With a sad smile, she took his grey zip up sweatshirt off its hanger and brought it to her nose, smelling it reverently. It smelled like forest. She put it on and it zipped it up as she made her way back to her bed. Once again, she snuggled under the covers, only this time she was toasty warm.

Later that day…Grannies

"So, she didn't say anything else about what kind of "experimenting" she wanted to do with you, Regina?" Emma asked with air quotes around experimenting as she, Snow, David, and Regina sat together in a booth at Granny's.

Regina looked up towards Emma and replied with sarcasm. "Please, she's my dark self. It's not like she's going to divulge her devious plan to me while she sits and braids my hair and gabs about American Idol."

"What about that prisoner? He said something about Hyde and The Queen experimenting on him with different serums." David asked as put an arm protectively around Snow's shoulder.

Taking a sip of her tea, Regina shifted nervously in her seat and then looked towards David. "Yes but he said none of them had worked. They tried all different kinds, including the ones that turned you to the good side and the one that turned you to the dark side. It's odd really."

"What makes him different? Did he give any clues?" Snow interjected, leaning her hand on her chin in an inquisitive form.

"Besides being smug, constantly staring, and commenting about my ass, he was not very helpful." Regina replied with a shake of her head, a frustrated undertone to her voice. She just wanted all of this to be over with.

"Well we know about that underground tunnel now, maybe we could sneak in and take a look around the asylum."

"Yeah like The Queen wouldn't figure out that is how we got out and lock it down further now." Regina snarked as she looked towards Emma. "It was just a—" Before Emma could finish her thought, there was a loud boom followed with Granny's shaking on its foundation and the lights flickering intensely.

"Oh god, what else am I going to have to put in the budget to be fixed." Regina said while tilting her head back in annoyance. "I guess she finally figured out the outlaw and I escaped. We should probably go stop them before they burn the entire town down."

The group followed Regina as she exited Granny's and made her way to the middle of main street, where The Queen and a group of her black knights were waiting for her.

"Well look who finally figured out I escaped, took you long enough Queenie." Regina goaded at the Queen.

"Where is he? Where is my prisoner that you took from me." The Queen snarled with rage in her eyes.

While examining her nails nonchalantly, Regina answered "Don't know, haven't see him."

"You're LYING. He escaped with you. TELL ME!" The Queen shouted with wrath surrounding her voice

In mock deviance, Regina just shrugged her shoulders.

"Fine, then we will do this the HARD way." Clearly losing her patience, the Queen raised her hand and drew forth her magic to choke Regina and lift her into the air. There was a simultaneous shout of Regina from the charming family

"Don't interfere." Regina muttered as she continued to stare down The Queen from 15 feet in the air. "She knows she cant hurt me."

"WHERE IS THE OUTLAW?" The Queen countered back, disdain in her voice.

"What do you want with him? Why is he SO important to you?" Queried Regina to the Queen with a self-satisfied smirk on her face, knowing she was getting to her dark counter part.

"That is none of your business. Like I would tell you." The Queen retorted, glaring down at Regina as she tightened her hold on her neck causing a choking gasp to come out of Regina, who seemed like she was close to passing out.

With maniac eyes, The Queen did not look away from her victim thus not noticing the shadowed outline of a hooded man on top of one of the buildings. It wasn't until the sharp whistle of an arrow grazed past her ear did the Queen come out of her stupor and cause her to lose her grip on Regina, letting her fall to the ground, gasping for air as she grabbed at her neck. The Queen turned with a dramatic whip of her cape to see the hooded figure on top of one of the stores. "YOU!" she shouted towards her enemy. "That arrow almost took off my head!"

Chuckling, he leapt off the building, landing on his feet in a crouched position as he looked up towards the Queen with a wide smile. "My apologies Your Majesty, but I was simply trying to save your other ass." As he stood, Rob lowered his hood of his leathered vest that showcased his toned arms wrapped in leather forearm long cuffs and highlighted his slim waist. He also wore matching black leather and cloth trousers that displayed his muscular legs.

Huffing, the Queen flicked her cape again as she said looking down on him with hooded eyes as she raised her chin regally "excuse you, who do you think you are talking to me like that!"

Knocking an arrow to his bow and lifting it in the direction of the queen, The Outlaw replied with sarcasm because of course the Queen knew who he was. "Name is Robert but my friends call me Rob, Your Majesty." Without hesitation, Rob aimed his arrow a little to the left of the queen at one of her knights and let go. His arrow flew, catching her elaborate cape before it hit the thigh of a knight beside her. Before the queen or her knights could react, rob let another arrow go on the other side of the queen, also catching her cape before it got imbedded with the arrow in her knights thigh on the other side. A third arrow passed between her legs and through her cape before it hit a knight's chest. Stumbling to the ground, the Queen screamed as she was literally stuck to her knights, unable to get free as her cape was attached to her dress.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS OUTLAW!" With a flick of her hand, The Queen poofed herself and her knights out of there.

Once they were gone, Rob turned and walked towards Regina and reached his hand out in order to help her up. "Milady are you injured?"

Still holding her throat, she glared up at him. "I told you not to call me that! It's Regina and I didn't ask for your help." She retorted back as she stood.

"You know a simple Thank you would suffice for saving your royal ass, REGINA." He snapped back. "even if it is quite a nice one at that."

"You are insufferable you know that!" Regina sassed back before she turned and made her way towards Grannies, only stopping to tell the charming that they should go back and form a game plan. After the charmings invited Rob to go with them, the group made their way back to Grannies.

A few minutes later…

Charming stood arms crossed, one eyebrow raised, and mouth opened in amazement at the scene before him. Snow, on his left, leaned against him as she stared in amusement at the spectacle before her while emma tilted her head in confusion at the pair arguing.

"You're SO smug." Regina yelled.

"You're SO aggravating." Rob retorted back

"You're still SO insufferable!" Regina bit back

"Like you aren't pompous, YOUR MAJESTY!" He roared

"You're irritating!" she screeched

"And you're just as pretentious as any Royal I have ever met!" He quipped back.

"You're just a greedy Thief who knows nothing about me!" She lipped at him

"You're a stubborn, intolerable, hot head." Rob hollered back.

The Two continued to argue back and forth as the others continued to gawk at the pair. Charming leaned over to snow. "Are you having a sense of deja vu? This is familiar, right?" He asked and snow nodded her head slowly in reply, unable to look away with her mouth open in shock.

Emma too leaned closer in to her parents with a questioning look. "What do you mean this is familiar?"

David shifted back towards Emma and whispered, "In the Enchanted Forest, during the missing year, Regain and Robin argued exactly like this."

"Well this isn't helping!" Emma replied before she spoke up and stopped their squabbling. "GUYS STOP! THIS IS NOT HELPING TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEM!"

Rob and Regina jumped and looked towards Emma, both pointing towards the other and saying He/She started it at the same time. Both turned and stared daggers at one another as snow stepped up to talk to them.

"Emma's right. If we want to get through this we have to work together and having Rob on our side could be to our ADVANTAGE." Snow emphasized towards Regina before she continued. "He was in the asylum for a long time and around Hyde more as well. He may know how to defeat them. Maybe something even Jekyll doesn't know."

"That is what I was trying to explain to Regina here before, if she wasn't so stubborn." Rob said as he looked towards Regina who just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms miffed. "There is no way to destroy her…well, not truely"

"What?!" The three others said in response as they looked towards him.

"I'm Sorry about this Regina." He looked towards her as he explained everything. "There's only two options, the first excepting that your darkness is a part of you and rejoining yourself with the queen or…" He paused with a gulp. "killing yourself and the queen at the same time…I overheard both Jekyll and Hyde talking about it. At one point Jekyll was working on a serum that could reconnect a person who split themselves. I just don't know if he ever finished it."

"Well…it's a good think he's on our side." David replied.

Regina spoke then, on the verge of tears, getting Robs attention "So that's it, those are my choices." Her voice had a soft disappointment in its tone.

"I'm afraid so." Rob replied gently as he came up to her and squeezed her shoulder in comfort. Without another word, Regina shook his hand off her shoulder and stormed out of the diner.

Outside of Grannie's

Feeling on the verge of a panic attack, Regina stopped outside of Grannie's and sat down at one of the tables, dropping her head into her propped up elbows against her knees, trying to take deep breaths. She couldn't comprehend how these were her only options. Once again, it felt like she was always going to suffer and face the consequences of her past, no matter how hard she tries to move on. Oh how she wished Robin was here right now. He would know exactly what to say to make things better and she needed his unwavering faith in her right now. Why did he have to die? It should have been her, not the honorable father who was cursed to love her.

Continuing and staring off into space within her thoughts, she didn't hear the bell jingle or the shuffled steps of boots behind her. It wasn't until someone cleared their throat, clearly trying to get her attention. Before turning around to reply, she rolled her eyes. "Snow please leave me alone. I don't need one of your hope speeches."

"I am definitely not snow and I will definitely not be giving one of those speeches." Rob replied as he scooted out a chair and sat down facing her. "I think that's the last thing you need right now. Hence why I am here and not the President, VP, and secretary of the forever hope commission."

Looking up towards him, Regina looked towards him in disbelief. "And how do you know what I need?"

Rob shifted back to lean against his chair more as he continued on. "Take it from someone who has been in your shoes—"

"And what do you know about what I'm going through." She cut him off, shifting uncomfortably in her seat and avoiding eye contact with him as she stared at old, stuck gum on the ground.

"Lets just say I know a thing or two about darkness and wanting to escape it. I can see your struggling and that your disappointed by what I said. You feel stuck."

Snapping her head up in surprise at how easily he read her, she replied. "Yeah well, what I HAVE to do is kind of obvious. It's one of two choices. I rejoin myself with the The Evil Queen and continue to suffer the consequences or I don't and there are more chances, the longer she's outside of me, that the people I love pay the consequences. Yes I could sacrifice myself to protect everyone but I can't do that to Henry, he's lost too many people in his life."

As she finished, Rob nodded and leaned against the table, elbows crossed on the surface. "It seems you have already made up your mind."

"Yeah well…I'm obviously stuck with one choice." Crossing her legs and licking her lips in nervousness before she continued. "I'll suffer the consequences, I probably deserve it after everything the Queen—I did. I'll pay my karma but the people I love and care about shouldn't have to.

"Your Robin Hood?" He questioned.

"Yes." She choked, trying to hold back her tears and not get over emotional in front of him. "He should have never had to pay for it. Maybe I never should have let him get close and distance myself like I did when we met in the Enchanted Forest the first time…I'm always questioning the choices I make, whether they are wrong or right." A treacherous tear escaped and she wiped it away, shaking her head in disbelief with how vulnerable she was being with this almost stranger, but for some odd reason, it felt like she could be with him. "Apart of me wonders if maybe the right choice might be sacrificing myself and riding the world forever of the Evil Queen, then no one else could pay the price for my past deeds."

At this, rob reached out and squeezed her hand that was resting on the table, making sure he had her attention. "I think you have your friends and family who would not agree with that plan what so ever, especially your son and the man who sacrificed himself so you could be the woman who lived." He paused and swallowed before he continued while looking straight into lost brown eyes. "You can't let your past dictate your future, Regina. But you can let it be a part of whom you become, learning from it.

Pulling her hand from his, she replied with sarcasm. "How poetic…You do speak as if you know from experience. And how did you know about…"

"Your family may have mentioned it to me inside before you came back…" He said covering himself before he continued, avoiding the subject further. "But everyone has some sort of darkness in their past." He stopped as she tipped her head in curiosity at him. "It's how you take that, learn from it, and forgive yourself. You have a lot of self lothaing within you Regina. That's your biggest enemy and it seems like it always has been. You're your own worst enemy."

No sassy comment came from her, the only response she had was to gaze at him in astonishment at how well he could read her. "So where do we go from here." She eventually got out, trying to change the subject.

"Well, the Charmings went up to get Jekyll in his room and he is waiting inside to discuss that very thing. Shall we?" He stood and paused as she got up and they both made their way inside to where the rest of the group was waiting, looking to her as they came in.

"So is this serum possible to make or what?" She interjected before anyone else could say something, looking to Jekyll who adjusted his spectacles before he spoke. "Yes, I was able to finish it awhile back and could probably find most of the ingredients within your vault."

"Most?" Regina questioned with a raised eyebrow as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"There's one special ingredient that I would need from our land. It's called golden forsythia. It doesn't grow in this realm or the Enchanted Forest. But…I do know I believe where some may reside…" Jekyll stalled.

"Where?" Regina asked, frustration dripping from Regina's voice at his avoidance.

Jekyll shifted awkwardly before he went on. "In the asylum."

"Great! Now how in the hell are we going to get it from in there" Regina exhaled as she pinched her eyes shut and rubbed them with a hand in irritation.

Snow stepped in to join the conversation. "What about sneaking in somehow? Those underground tunnels?" She inquired to Rob with the excitement that this might work.

Rob just shook his head as he responded, thinking how gullible this princess could be. "You don't think she would have that well guarded and tricked with magic by now. Surely she figured out that's how we escaped."

"Anyone else have any bright ideas?"Regina snarked.

"I might have another idea." Rob stated simply, looking toward Regina. "But you may not like it."

"Well, spit it out. We don't have all day."

Knowing he had to be gentle, he said hesitantly, "Your son is the author, No? Perhaps he could write this—Forsythia right into our hands.

"NO!" Regina and Emma both cut him off and stepped towards him before he could continue.

Rob held up both of his hands in defense. "I know you two would not want to get him involved but it may be our only chance. All of us would make sure he is protected and…" He swallowed nervously before he continued, unsure if this tactic would work. "The Queen is also—sort of—his mother too so I doubt she would ever hurt him. Going into the tunnels would be a suicide mission where one of us would get hurt or worse killed. That's the last thing any of us would want."

"He has a point." David piped in. "It probably would work. We could put up protection spells when we did it."

Emma looked uneasily towards Regina and, after a moment, they both nodded in silent agreement at each other.

"Ok." Regina huffed, shoulders dropping, knowing they were right. "But we do this MY way. I can't lose anyone else.

All of them nodded in agreement. Regina took out her phone out to call her son, discovering he was at Merlin's mansion doing research. During his exploration, he had discovered that new stories started to pop up in the once empty volumes. Telling him to stay where he was, the troop trekked their way up towards the house that stood on the edge of the cliff.

Eventually, they found him in the library looking through the different stories that now filled the books, hoping to find something to help his family. As his family and Jekyll filled him on the plan, Rob began puttering around and flicking through the pages of one of the books on the table that was closest. He went through page after page, without interest, until he got to about page 20 or so and froze. There in front of him was a cartooned version of his face, Symbol of his family name, and past.

Quickly, he picked the book up and spun on his heels so his back was towards the others. Looking over his shoulder nervously, he made sure one was watching before he tore the pages out and stuffed them into his vest. No one could discover these pages.

To not draw attention, he casually closed the book, returned it to its original spot on the table, and made his way back to the group, pretending he was there the whole time. Listening, Henry had agreed and was eager to help out even though it was mostly against the rules of being the author; however, this was for the greater good.

As a group and with Regina's advice, they had decided to go to her vault where she could conjure up the most protection spells to keep all of them safe. So once again, blank book and the Author's pen in Henry's hand, they made their way to the Vault. Once there, Regina and Emma immediately put up the protection spells. After making sure everything was in place, Regina and the Charmings circled around Henry with Jekyll flanked on the side and Rob standing casually with his arms crossed by the entrance into the main room.

Not wasting any time, and with everyone watching, Henry opened the book and with a shaky, nervous hand, began to write: For the greater good, the Golden Forsythia that the heroes needed appeared in the author's hand.

After a moment, there was a swirl of smoke and a cluster of the flower appeared in Henry's hand. It sparkled in the dim light, a deep golden glow it inherited compared to its non magical counterpart. With a proud smile, he lifted it toward Regina and she accepted it with a hug, waiting for the Evil Queen and Hyde to make their entrance; however, they never showed up. A collective sigh went through the group as they all relaxed.

With a nod towards Jekyll, Regina handed the Forsythia to him and went around, helping him collect the items he would need. After the mixing of the base ingredients, the final ingredient, the golden forsythia, was added to the beaker with a dark inky liquid. The mixture glowed as bright as the sun before it faded and left a golden serum flecked with glitter as Jekyll raised the beaker and rotated it before his eyes. It seemed to almost twinkle as the rays of light caught the glitter inside. With a satisfied smile, he put the beaker down and picked up the syringe and suctioned the serum into it, holding it up to Regina afterwards. "The choice is yours, Regina."

Not knowing why, Regina looked over to Rob who nodded his approval. Turning her attention back to Jekyll, with a jittery hand, Regina took the syringe from him. "So what's the plan?"

The Next Morning…Granny's

Delaying the inevitable, Regina stood outside and stared at the entrance into the Diner. Her nerves were on edge to say the least. Today would hopefully be the final battle but she was still having trouble trusting her instincts to make the right decision. In the end, she knew she would do whatever it takes to protect the people she cares about. No one else was losing their life for her.

With a trembling, heavy sigh, she made her way up the few stairs and entered Granny's to see everyone was there waiting on her, even the outlaw who as the door jingled looked up and stared right into her. With one of those stupid smirks of his, he nodded and then made his way over to her and handed her a cup of coffee. "You ready?" He asked, detecting that she was nervous.

Looking up to him, she nodded hesitantly. "I know what I have to do…" Flicking her eyes downward, she took a sip of her coffee and after swallowing her eyes widened and she looked back to him. "How did you know how I take my coffee?"

"Granny knew." He stated simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

With an eyebrow raised in curiosity, she simply nodded and continued her original thought with a more confident and steady voice. "I know what I have to do…but in the end I'll do whatever it takes to protect my family and this town."

Rob nodded in response. "You can do this Regina." He said, trying to give her some confidence.

"Thanks. It's nice to know someone besides Henry really believes in me."

"Isn't that what friends are for?" He asked as he shrugged as shoulders. "Your family and friends believe in you too." He said matter of factly.

"You and I…Friends…that's a good one." She responded in sarcasm before she turned and went to discuss the final plans with the rest of his group. Watching her leave, Rob just shook his head in amazement as how stubborn this woman could be but he would not give in.

The plan was a fairly simple one; they would all go to the open field where the entrance to the underground tunnels into the asylum lay, and hoping they were right about The Queen putting up different protection spells. These protection spells would then draw out The Queen away from asylum, which should work to their advantage. Never to come alone, the Queen would surely bring a group of her knights along with Hyde and maybe even rumple would show up.

Now they all were standing at the opening of the forest that lead to the open field, mentally preparing themselves for batter. Even maleficent had shown up a few minutes before they left Granny's in support of her friend. Everyone agreed that it would be a smart idea to have another practitioner of magic on their side, especially a scary dragon bitch.

Rob looked over to Regina and asked if she was ready to which she responded, "As I'll ever be" with a weary smile. Nodding, robin flicked his pointed finger towards the field in signal to move forwards. As a collective group, everyone began to move and made their way towards the boulder in the middle that covered the entrance to the tunnels. Without hesitating, Regina lifted her hands and called forth her magic to lift the boulder. It raised into the air a few feet before she shifted her hands and put it down not far from its original spot. Standing a circle around the boulder, they all turned quickly on their heels and waited with abated breath for the battle to begin. But the only thing that could be heard were the crows overhead and the rustling of the tall grass around the field.

Emma looked to Regina at her right, who had Rob on the other side of her. "Could we have been wrong Regina, maybe she didn't figure out you and Rob escaped through the tunnels."

"No She did." The Queen stated simply in her deep voice, making everyone jump and turn towards her. Everyone fanned out into a line with Regina in the middle.

"You know never to doubt me my dearies." She barbed at the group with her queenly sneer."To what do I owe the pleasure? Come to submit?"

"No…we came to end this…to end you." Regina retaliated back with confidence and her own "scary face," as her son would call it.

The Queen cackles with a beaming, evil smile, leaning forward towards the group and clasping her hands together in front of her. "You know that's not possible dearie."

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect everyone. This ends today." Regina goads back as she slowly steps towards her dark half.

"Well I see you brought some friends, so did I." The Queen replied back as a large group of her knights marched forth from the trees, lead by Hyde.

"It looks like we are going to need a little fire power." Maleficent grinned at Regina before smoke surrounded her and her dragon self leapt from ground into the sky, hovering to wait for the battle to begin.

"Let the games Begin." The Queen yelled as she threw her arm forward, sending her knights into a charge, standing behind them in the process.

Maleficent shot forward and barreled towards the middle of the knights and sent a blast of fire at them, burning an unaccountable amount of knights.

Snow and Rob let arrow after arrow fly from their bows as Regina flung fireballs at the enemies. Emma stood at her right side using her light magic to stun every knight that neared. Charming, Jekyll, and hook charged forward with their swords to take on the knights that made it through the fire and arrows. A scattering of knights began to advance on them from behind.

Regina spun on her heels, putting herself back to back with rob and hurled fireball after fireball at the approaching knights while Rob continued to release one arrow after the other from his quiver that seemed to magically stay full.

"We make a pretty good team, Regina. Even though I know you'll never admit it." Rob commented after he let an arrow fly

Regina scoffed at him. "What makes you think you know me so well?"

"I know you better than you think. You and I have much in common." Looking over his shoulder, he grinned and let an arrow go blindly that sunk squarely into another knight's chest.

"What could I possibly have in common with an Outlaw?" Regina sassed back as she thrust another fireball at the last knight coming at her from her side and then turned around.

"More than you know." Rob simply stated before he took an arrow from his quiver, pointed end up. "Care to give me a light. I like to watch the bastards burn." Regina raised an eyebrow; an amused look upon her faced as she lifted her hand and ignited a fireball. Rob lit his arrow, quickly pivoted, and shot his arrow at a knight racing towards them. Immediately, the knight incinerated into flames.

"Therapeutic, don't you think?" he asked as he watched with a tilt of head. "Well, Regina, we have an opening. Looks like it's time to face the music. I've got your back." Rob looked over to her as he withdrew his sword from its sheath. With a determined look, she nodded at him and they made their way through the battle. Rob fought ahead of her dueling against anyone who tried to get past him until they finally reached the Queen and he stood to her side to guard against the others.

"I didn't think you were a coward Queenie, hiding in the back behind your knights and Hyde." Regina taunted as she tilted her heads towards Hyde, who was battling against charming and Jekyll.

"I knew you would battle your way towards me, weakening your magic in the process." The Queen chided back at Regina as she stalked towards them and met her face to face. Regina knew she was trying to shake her, to doubt herself, but she wasn't going to let her win. "It's time to end this." Regina glowered at the queen as they met in a stare down.

Both taking a few steps back, they summoned their magic at the same, two purple beams of magic meeting in a dead lock. They remained this way for sometime, one pushing the other as their beams of magic inching closer towards the other back and forth. With sweat on her brow and neck, Regina felt herself begin to physically shake in fatigue. Rob saw this as he noticed The Queen's beam of magic creep towards Regina whose face was scrunched in pain,

"You can do this Regina." Rob yelled to her.

"No she can't. She's weak without me. She needs me." The Queen snarked at Regina.

"I—I cant do this, My magic…its…tired from battling." Regina replied with a worn tremble in her voice.

"You can do this Regina. Your family and friends are here to believe in you. I believe in you." Rob said to her, ignoring the sneers of the Queen. "Don't let your darkness win, let it be a part of you so you don't make the same mistakes again, but let your light shine through because it's beautiful, Regina." He paused as he gulped before he continued. "You are the holder of the most resilient heart, use that now. Use your light to stamp out the darkness. Use how proud your family is that you fight against the darkness every day. Use the fact that if your Robin was here, he would be SO proud of you." He choked on the last words.

Upon those words, Regina glimpsed upwards towards the Queen and did her best to drawn all of the surrounding noise and her own deprecating words out. She closed her eyes once again and thought of only good things that included her friends and her love for her son. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she thought of Robin— we all deserve a second chance—you just have to open your eyes to see it, Bold and audacious, You can't steal something that's been given to you, use my heart for the both of us, maybe it's all about timing, My feelings are real, Today is not one of those days, That was the best sleep I've had in a long time, It's a sign of hope—you aren't doomed to suffer, Have you ever looked into someones eyes and knew you meant to stare into them, Follow my heart to you—I choose you, I missed you—and I you, Looks like you have a few believers, Our future is not written by our past, You are my future.

The words of their relationship repeated in her head like a mantra before they began to fade and a complete silence overtook her with a scene she will never forget—her and Robin dancing together at the ball in Camelot. What she felt in that moment, she will never let slip away. Safe, loved, content, and at home are just some of the way she would describe it but what she remembered being the happiest about was finally having a partner, who loved all of her—both her light and darkness.

Within a moment of that thought, she felt a renewed strength and the tickle of another brand of magic. She concentrated on it and her thoughts of her son, friends, family, and her Robin. Letting it go, she opened her eyes and saw as a sparkling of white magic circle around the purple to make the most beautiful hue of lavender she had ever seen. Her magic met the Queen's and for the first time she felt like she could win.

Closing her eyes for a third time, she immersed herself into her magic and let it build, shaking from the power. Unable to stop it from flourishing, she began to levitate above the ground. Pushing herself higher as the magic built. Opening her eyes, she looked as her magic was about to take over the Queen, who now had a worried look upon her eyes. "No." the queen mumbled. "You need me."

"Maybe I do and Maybe because you are a part of me. Without you I wouldn't be where I am today. I wouldn't have my son and the other people who love us. But before I finish this there are a few things you need to know."Regina shouted to her counterpart as she kept her magic steady. "I forgive you. I forgive you because I know why you did what you did. All you've ever wanted was to love and be loved in return. You have that in Henry, in your other family, in your friends, and in Robin—who—"She stopped as she started to get emotional and stumble on her words. After a moment, she collected herself. "Who loved all of us, every part."

"Look where that got him. He's dead." The Queen weakly muttered, her magic wearing thin.

"He died to protect us. So we could be the woman who lived. No one has ever loved us like that. He sacrificed EVERYTHING, that's true love." Tears started to flow freely as she finished. "He showed me that good can come from broken and that we all get a second chance. I wouldn't trade loving him for anything" She whimpered as she knew she had to finish this, thrusting her mixed magic towards the weakening queen and minimizing the distance between them in the process. Once she was above her by a few feet, she held her other half's gaze as her magic weakened and Regina was able to stun her. Without any further words, she took the syringe filled with the golden serum and plunged it into the Queen's jugular.

Her body glowed a golden hue before she dissipated into a similar colored smoke and traveled right into the center of Regina's chest before she too glowed so bright, everyone had to close their eyes and block it with their hands. After it dissipated, the group of heroes opened their eyes to see Regina completed once more.

"You did it!" Snow screamed in delight as she raced towards Regina and threw her arms around her . "I knew you could."

"Thanks snow." She replied as everyone else came and they all joined in a group hug. "ok you can all let go and stop suffocating me." Regina sassed after a moment and they all laughed as they pulled apart smiling at one another, relieved that everything was over.

"Wait a second." Emma chimed in to interrupt the moment. "Where is Hyde?"

"Back where he belongs." Jekyll replied as he cleaned and adjusted his spectacles. " I followed Regina's example and reunited him within myself again, forgiving myself for my past grievances." He smiled and nodded towards Regina, who did the same in return.

"So…" Snow stepped in. "I'd say it's time to celebrate. Granny's in a few hours after everyone cleans up?" snow asked raising her hands up as they all nodded and made their way back into town.

"Don't you guys have any other place besides Granny's" Rob stepped up next to Regina and asked.

"Unfortunately not." Regina answered. "I'll see you later?"

"I'll see you there, Regina." He nodded towards her.

Granny's, a few hours later

Everyone in town, including those that decided to stay from the world of untold stories, had met at Granny's to celebrate the end of another catastrophe in town. Villagers cheered in jubilation as they clinked their iced mugs filled with ale together, Henry and violet sat across from each other as he tried to show her video games on her phone, and the Charmings and Hook were tucked into a booth chatting happily with one another. Regina had decided to keep her distance from the group for now and sat at her usual spot at the bar, grinning as she looked over and saw how happy her son was. With a heaving breath, she turned back around and stared absent mindedly at the spoon in her coffee as she stirred the liquid. Oh how she wished robin was here. It was moments like these, the quiet ones, when she noticed his absence the most.

So lost in her own mind, she didn't notice the person that walked up to her right until he cleared his throat.

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I should have known it was you when I smelled a mixture of dirt and leather." She said as she looked over towards him and noticed that he was now wearing regular street clothes that consisted of a plain white t-shirt, leather jacket, dark washed jeans, and sturdy boots. If she wasn't missing Robin so much, she might actually say he looked good.

"Lovely to see you too, your majesty." Rob retorted with that annoying grin she hated and then proceeded to point at the stool next to her. "Anyone sitting here?"

"Even if I said yes you would probably just stay anyways." She sassed back as she took a sip of her now cold coffee and grimaced.

"I'll take that as an invitation." He smiled towards her as he pulled out the stool, sat down, and proceeded to peruse the menu as he asked. "How are you feeling?"

She scoffed. "Like I got hit by a semi truck, I used a lot of magic today. Tired…wait why do you care?"

"I thought we were becoming somewhat of friends?" he stated simply as he looked towards her sincerely and shrugged his shoulders.

She glared at him as she said. "I don't know what your angle is Robert—"

"I have no angle." He quickly cut her off. "Just trying to be a friend, you can never have too many of those."

"I don't have a lot of friends. Why would you want to be friends with me? I have really ever only been mean to you." She whispered solemnly.

"Well you have one in me now." He grinned as he met those soulful brown eyes of hers. "And you intrigue me. Like I said before, I feel like we have a lot in common."

She simply nodded once in reply as she said. "well…friend…right now I would like some peace and quiet."

Nodding, he looked back at the menu before Granny approached and asked what he would like. In the mood for dessert, he decided on a piece of her apple pie doused in ice cream. For his drink, he decided on a double whiskey. Granny told him it would be few minutes and he nodded in reply as he sat there with his hands clasped together and stared straight ahead.

Within a few minutes Granny brought him his whiskey and he sipped on it until she brought him his treat. Picking up the fork from the napkin, he immediately dove in and picked up a good size portion of pie with plenty of melted ice cream that dripped off the fork. Groaning and moaning, he swallowed and quickly took another bite.

"Could you eat any louder." Regina snapped as she scowled at him.

"It's so good!" He chirped at her as he wiped his mouth with the scratchy, paper napkin. "Want some? I know it's your favorite." He asked holding up his spare spoon.

"No it's all yours." She grimaced at him. "Enjoy. Just do so a little quieter."

Swallowing, he just nodded in reply and then took a sip of his whiskey, noticing that she was eyeing the piece of pie. It was a rather large piece. He wondered if Granny had done so in purpose. With a smirk but not looking over at her, he proceeded to scoot the plate inch by inch towards her on the bar. Her eyes flickered back and forth to the plate. Again he inched it over, practically in front of her now, as she was salivating over it at this point. Granny noticed what he was doing and placed her own set of utensils and napkin in front of her with a smile. "Oh fine, since you're practically shoving it down my throat." She yipped at him and then picked up her own fork and scooped up a good size bite. "This is really good." Her voice was muffled as it was full of pie and ice cream.

"Your majesty, didn't your mother teach you to not to talk with your mouth fool." He said in a teasing manner.

She gulped down her bite as she glowered at him. "Shut up, Outlaw." His only response was to smile at her as she took another bite and he took another as well. They continued to take bites back a forth, fighting over how they would split the crust, until it was gone.

Rob put his fork down and let out a satisfied sigh as he looked towards her, gesturing to the Charmings with a tilt of his head. "Why weren't you sitting with your family."

"Would you want to be a fifth wheel?" She asked with a raise of her eyebrows as she too set her fork on the plate, signaling that they were done.

"Certainly not." He said in understanding as he knew she had just lost her true love. "Which is why I think you need something a little stronger than that lame coffee." He gestured towards the cup before he asked, "May I buy you a drink, or two?"

She leaned her head in her hand as she eyed him. "You know what…why the hell not. I'll take a whiskey.

" Ah a whiskey girl. Behold my heart, Regina." Rob replied with surprise in his voice as she chuckled. He held his hand up to Granny who immediately came over and poured them two each of their order. They both held their glasses up to clink together in cheers. "To new friendships." He said.

"To new friendships." She repeated as they clinked their glasses together with a contented smile upon their faces.

The two continued to chat between each other, talking about things like the latest gossip in town and making fun of how much guyliner hook wore. He told her more about the land of untold stories and she filled in the details he didn't know about Storybrooke. Surprised, Regina found him so easy to talk to, not once was she ever comfortable. And she actually laughed when he told her his story about the time when he was 15 and shot an arrow into his foot.

"And I accidently let go at the wrong time and the arrow went straight into my foot, still have a damn scar from it." They both laughed as he finisged the story. "well it's a good thing you've improved since then." She snorted at him.

"Aye." He said as he finished his whiskey. Noticing she too had finished, he raised his hand toward Granny for another round. "My mates and I growing up always had a grand time." He smiled as Granny came with their round of drinks and then looked towards her. "What about you Regina, did you have fun times? When was the last time you just had fun"

She scoffed and then said quietly to him. "I don't think I can answer that. I'm not sure I know what FUN is."

He raised an eyebrow towards her in astonishment. "You're kidding me. We must change this right away." He paused a moment before an idea came to him to show her about fun and happiness. "Name a day of the week, any week, and I will show you what fun is. Each time it will be a surprise and I promise to make you laugh at least once." He offered.

With a suspicious look, she tilted her head at him. "I find surprises threatening and why should I trust you?"

"Have I given you a reason not to?" He asked simply and waited for her answer.

She contemplated what he had just said and realized he had never given her reason not to trust him. From the very first time they had met, he had always been honest and had her back. There was something deep within her that told her she could trust him.

"What do you get out of it?" She asked skeptically.

"I get to know you better." He answered to which she smiled slightly. "Ok. Saturdays…Henry is with Emma then. I won't miss time with my son." She wouldn't miss time with Henry and she also knew that she dreaded being in that house alone on Saturdays.

"I wouldn't dare ask you too." He paused and took a sip of his drink. "Your boy would have an operation name for it, like operation fun."

"He would have a better one than that." She snickered at him.

"To operation fun until we find a better name." he claimed as he held up his glass to her and she clinked it in return before they both tipped their glasses back and finished off their drinks. Their easy chatter continued as they tipped back whiskey after whiskey, knowing they would regret it in the morning. But she had been through a lot these past few weeks and missed Robin. Being with Rob had somehow made her forget the ache within her soul for five minutes. She also noticed she wasn't shivering from coldness when he was around. So she had decided to keep whistling at Granny and pointing her fingering at their drinks for a refill, feeling tipsier with each drink that was finished.

Both enjoying themselves, they stayed until all had left and they were the only ones in the diner. Granny had kicked them out eventually and she swayed as she stood, the alcohol going straight to her head. Rob offered to see her home and she accepted, leaning against him as they walked

Once they arrived to her home on Mifflin Street, he took her keys, opened the door, and walked her inside. Supporting her with a hand around her waist, he guided her up the stairs as she mumbled sleepy directions to her room. He waited outside her door while she changed until she called that it was ok to come in.

Helping her into bed, she laid down on her pillow and closed her eyes immediately as he covered her with her quilt. After she snuggled underneath the blankets, he placed a chaste kiss on her head, told her he would see her tomorrow—defiantly in the afternoon, and left. After he left the house, she couldn't help but notice that she was cold again.

Wow! 9,000 words. This chapter will probably one of the longest. I felt if I broke it up the story wouldn't flow as well. Let me know what you think. Please review and I hope you stick with me.

Next chapter is entitled " Operation Fun: blackjack"