Title: Someone Good, Someplace Great

Rated: K+

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.

A/N: Inspired by last night's episode! [Spoilers!] Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the SnowQueen scene, it felt fitting and it made sense for her to be the one to go with her (would've loved more words to be exchanged between them but c'est la vie). But I had this idea in my head ever since I realized Regina was looking for Daniel's stone. This is a two parter. Part one is OutlawMaiden and OutlawQueen equally I guess. Enjoy! Un-betaed so sorry for the mistakes!

"Something about first love defies duplication. Before it, your heart is blank. Unwritten. After, the walls are left inscribed and graffitied. When it ends, no amount of scrubbing will purge the scrawled oaths and sketched images, but sooner or later, you find that there's space for someone else, between the words and in the margins."
—Tammara Webber

.:.

They'd talked about it while searching Snow White's Underbrooke's apartment. Both of them genuinely concerned for their first lover's whereabouts and their soul's resting place. So they parted ways, intent on finding something, anything that will give them a clue.

And Regina found something, which is why they're here right now, amidst the never ending anxiety that's building inside of them by the minute.

"Follow me," Regina whispers, offering him a small smile before turning and walking in front of him, hand closed tightly around his as she gently pulls him with her.

Each step she takes is deliberate, each step strong, unnerved as he follows her around this never ending cemetery.

He sees different names, different shapes of stones and for a moment he wonders how hers will be like. Will it be simple like she was in life? Will it carry her name amongst a design carved from the beauty of her soul? Robin does not know, but he's intent —even through the fear and hurt he feels every time he hears her name— he's intent to find out just where that beautiful soul rests.

Cruella had said to look out for the position of the stones, the only thing important being the fact that if it's tipped it means the person is in a far better place.

And he knows, has no doubt that the beauty of Marian's soul granted her a space up in heaven, away from misery, away from pain. But still, he wants to know for sure, wants to be able to smile and answer in truth whenever Roland asks him of her.

So he follows her, he follows Regina to the path down to knowledge, down to certainty, a certainty that him and her, thanks to her sister's act, desperately need.

For what feels like hours they walk, passing by hundreds of stones before she comes to a stop in front of him, and after a few moments turns to look at him.

"We found it," Regina murmurs, a small smile on her face as she bites her lower lip, a small tear escaping her eye.

And that's answer enough for him. The relief in Regina's eyes and stance enough for him to confirm of her soul's fate.

Robin simply swallows and nods.

"I'll give you a few minutes," Regina smiles brightly again, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze as she moves to the side, no longer blocking his view of the stone before she walks down the path they came from.

His gaze follow Regina for a minute, until she's a few yards away from him and he turns to her stone.

He stays rooted on his place for what feels like hours, eyes glassy with emotion at the immaculate inscription of her name.

Marian of Locksley

The tipped over stone the confirmation of her soul's resting place.

Robin simply chuckles, offers a silent prayer in thanks before he walks closer to the stone and kneels in front of it, hands reaching forward as his fingers absentmindedly trace her name.

"I…" He swallows hard and takes a deep breath, suddenly at loss for words.

"Frankly, I don't know what to say," he chuckles and sniffles before he swallows hard. "But I guess I must start by saying how utterly grateful I am of knowing this," a tear falls from his eyes and he laughs at himself again, a mixture of pain and happiness filling him to the brim. "I'm so happy, Marian, so happy that you're somewhere wonderful."

And he truly is. He's happy, extremely happy and relieved that dear Marian is at a better place. That every time Roland asks of his mother, he can in fact confirm that she's somewhere beautiful, looking down at them from paradise.

"Our son is wonderful, the most kindest soul I've ever met which can only be said came from your side of the family. But I can't complain, not when he gives the best snuggles and big bear hugs, Oh Marian, if you could only see him, if you could only be with him one minute, God he'll melt your heart. You'll instantly fall in love, like Regina says," Robin chuckles, a small smile playing upon his face as he looks to the side, to the direction Regina headed off before he looks down at the stone again.

"Do you remember that time you were sick when Roland was a babe?" Robin swallows for the umpteenth time, suddenly feeling nervous at the topic. "You said… You said that if you ever were to part from our sides, that I should move on, that I should find someone who loves me, but most importantly, someone who loves Roland as their own," he chuckles once again, and lets out a content sigh before he glances to the right, catching Regina's back yards away from him.

"Marian, I found her. But I must say, the love story between her and our son, is quite more interesting than the story between her and me," he laughs then, relief flooding him before he touches the stone again.

He stays that way for minutes, reminiscing on afternoons spent between his family and finds himself missing his son immensely. His bubbly self, that small snort he does whenever he laughs, and the determination and independence his little 5 year old self carries.

"I love you, Marian. You gave me the best thing someone could ever hope for. You gave me my son. You gave me my reason to live after your death, my reason to smile, my reason to move on and truly be happy with who I am today. For that, Marian, and for so many other things, I will be eternally grateful."

For a few moments Robin stays like that, hand on stone, sight focused on her name before he stands up and smiles one last time at it.

..::..

Robin finds her by a nearby tree, gaze set directly to the sky, back to him giving him the privacy he needs.

"Regina," he calls out softly, the sudden need to be near her overpowering him as he steps closer to her and offers her a small smile.

Regina turns around and smiles at him, gaze anxious, hands crossed over her chest as she tries to give him space.

"Are you okay?" She asks, concern written all over her face as she steps closer to him.

Robin simply smiles again, the love he has for this woman growing by the minute with the concern and understanding only she possesses.

"I'm as well as can be expected," he shrugs, looks to the side before he meets her gaze again. "It's just, her image has been trampled and played with and… It's so unfair to her. She made me who I am today," Robin confesses, voice cracking and Regina breaks the distance between them, embracing him as she mentally curses her sister.

They remain that way for minutes, embracing each other, reassuring one another with unspoken words before he steps back, and looks down at her.

Robin offers her a small smile and a squeeze of her hand.

"Follow me," he whispers much like she did nearly two hours ago, and with her hand clutched tightly in his grasp, he starts the long trek towards her first lover's resting place.