Hi my lovelies.

Still working through a giant prompt list and most of them are angst related, now I adore writing angst I really do but on occasion something light hearted is needed. This isn't a prompt its all me. As always guys I promise if you have sent me a prompt I will get to it, I'm getting through them. Also send me prompts after all I need something to do for the next few months while Once is on break (sob).

As always thanks to my wonderful beta Ivy.

Not mine.

Prompt- So what happens when Robin finds out about Regina and Nottingham's past meeting?

``Ah Locksley.''

He automatically tensed at the voice, that same smug, arrogant drawl that set his teeth on edge in an instant. His hand tightened on Regina's without even thinking about it, a fact he wasn't even aware of until he felt her run her thumb soothingly over his knuckles.

He turned to regard the owner of the voice with a hard expression, he couldn't deal with him now, the man had a habit of always bringing out the worst in him and he didn't want that. Not in front of Regina.

``Nottingham.'' He bit out, giving a curt nod in his direction, hoping he would be able to leave now with Regina and avoid what would inevitably be a confrontation if he stayed in his old enemy's presence a moment longer.

It seemed his prayers wouldn't be answered though when Nottingham stumbled forward and bridged the gap between himself, him and Regina, he was unsteady on his feet and as he got closer Robin smelt the rancid smell of stale, cheap booze. He tensed further and slipped his hand free from Regina's so he could wind it tightly around her waist. She looked to him in confusion, a question in her eyes to which he gave her hip a small squeeze, silently telling her he was ok.

His protective nature had kicked in even though he knew it was absurd. If there were ever a woman in this world that could look after herself it was Regina, his beautifully strong and fierce soulmate. Yet instinct had taken over and he was powerless to curb it and it all stemmed from the man now standing in front of him.

The man was vile and that was not a statement Robin would ever use lightly with a person, he was always willing to see the good in people, give everyone the benefit of the doubt but after years of dealing with Nottingham he was still yet to find a single redeemable quality about the man. The man was cruel, he prayed on the weak and had not an ounce of sympathy for anyone less fortunate than himself, a greedy and selfish opportunist, but all that paled in comparison to how the man treated women.

He treated them like objects, pieces of meat put on this earth for nothing but his amusement. A drunken, letch and he didn't want Regina anywhere near him because Regina may be a powerful queen but to Nottingham it wouldn't matter, he would view her in exactly the same way. As was proof by the way his eyes were raking over his love's form right now.

He felt the low, deep growl raise in his throat, too low for Nottingham to hear but Regina caught it and she wrapped her arm tightly around his waist and began to rub soothing circles at the bottom of his spine. The action calmed him considerably as her touch always did and he felt calm enough again to face Nottingham head on.

``So.'' Nottingham slurred as he rocked slightly on his feet. ``I heard you were back in town Locksley, and by the looks of things I can guess why. Nice to see you again Your Majesty.''

His last words were finished with a knowing smirk which instantly put Robin on edge. Regina had met Nottingham before, but where and why? He knew what the other man's smug look was trying to indicate but he didn't believe it, not for a second. He knew Regina and he knew that she didn't tolerate fools gladly, even the new gentler her, and this man was the biggest fool of all.

``Your drunk Nottingham.'' Robin bit out dangerously. ``I suggest you go home and sleep it off, lets not make a scene in front of the lady.''

Nottingham scoffed in his direction before he dropped his glassy eyes back onto Regina. He glaced to his side at Regina to see her meeting the other man's gaze head on, she held herself straight with the poise of a queen like she always did. Her eyes were hard and unimpressed as she regarded Nottingham, it gave nothing away of their past dealings only that she had no time or patience for the man. Clearly in typical form he had not made a good impression on his love.

Nottingham took another step forward towards them, he ignored Robin completely as he leaned towards Regina. His voice was low as he spoke to her and he saw Regina wrinkle her noise up in distaste as the waft of alcohol hit her face.

``I see you found him Your Majesty but if you ever feel you have done slumming it maybe we could finish what we started?''

As his words trailed off he reached his hand up towards Regina's shoulder and Robin saw red. He quickly slapped the man's hand away before it could make its desired contact and the impact sent his old enemy stumbling backwards a few paces putting distance between him and Regina which is what he wanted to happen.

``I'll break any part of you that touches her.'' He growled out savagely as he unwound his arm from around Regina and started towards Nottingham. Any intentions of not starting a feud again with this man had become void as soon as he had dared try and touch his soulmate. He felt fire flood his veins as a red mist clouded his vision, a beast within him he had not felt in years snapped and roared at him, demanding to be let free so it could defend what it held most dear.

He didn't get very far as he felt Regina firmly place her hand on his chest effectively stopping his movement. His eyes met hers as her hand slid up to rest against his heart which was racing with adrenaline, her eyes unlike when they were on Nottingham were soft and full of love.

``Robin, don't.'' She whispered softly before lifting his hand up to her mouth and brushing a tender kiss to his palm.

He took a deep breath and he felt her calm flow into him. The urge to kill the other man left him slowly as he focused on her eyes and words.

``Let me handle this.'' She told him firmly.

He opened his mouth to protest, again need to have her nowhere near his old enemy overwhelmed him but she gently shushed him before nodding her head firmly. He didn't want to let her but he knew when he was beat, who was he kidding? He couldn't have stopped Regina doing something she insisted on no matter how hard he tried. With a deep sigh he gave her a tiny, unsure nod to which she replied with a small smile and another brush of her lips to his palm. She dropped her hand from his chest and with some difficulty wiggled her hand free from his tight grip. He felt instantly cold at the loss of her touch and he felt his nerves balancing on a knife's edge as she turned from him and walked towards the smirking Nottingham.

His frantic eyes darted between the two of him, his body tense like a coiled spring ready to snap at any moment, body ready to pounce if he needed to as he watched their every moment.

Regina walked with her head held high and her spine straight before she stopped in front of the arrogant Nottingham. The height difference between the two was startling but Regina managed to hold her own, she showed no fear or intimidation, if anything her presence alone dwarfed the man. Her voice was hard and dripped with contempt as she regarded Nottingham, a voice Robin could only guess had struck fear into many hearts when the Evil Queen was in her reign.

``Listen to me you pathetic little weasel of a man. First of all, we never ever got started and second of all I'd think yourself extremely lucky that he slapped that dirty little hand of yours away because if it had laid a finger on me I'd have detached it from your body. Now I suggest you take your booze-soaked ass out of my sight because if I ever clap eyes on you again, I'll take great pleasure in once again dangling you by your feet over a pit of fire, do I make myself clear?''

Robin felt a warm rush of pride in his chest as he looked at his soulmate in awe. Her words and her strong gaze had never once wavered, she was a marvel, his beautiful, strong, sassy love. Robin almost chuckled out loud as he saw the look of fear cross Nottingham's face, his eyes had gone wide and his mouth gaped as he dropped his eyes to the floor and stumbled away with a last bitter look to Robin.

Robin smirked back at him with a raised eyebrow as the man unsteadily walked away from them muttering darkly under his breath.

``The pair of you deserve each other.''

Once he had disappeared from sight Regina turned and made her way back towards Robin who was still gazing at her in awe. As she got closer Robin opened his arms ready for her to enter which she did willingly. He wrapped his arms around her and leant down to press a tender kiss to her forehead, smiling against her as he heard her sigh in content. He braced himself for the answer to a question he needed to ask though he was fearful of the answer.

``You have met him before.'' Though he had meant it to be a question it came out as a statement.

He felt Regina tense slightly in his arms before letting out a deep sigh and whispering lowly into his chest.

``It's a long story Robin.''

He gently cupped her chin and tilted her head so his eyes met her brown ones.

``I've got time if you have.'' He told her softly.

She searched his eyes for a few moments before sighing deeply and giving him a tiny nod, she was getting better at opening up and Robin was so proud of her and the progress she had made however that didn't mean she didn't still find it hard. She took his hand and led him over to a nearby bench, keeping their fingers tightly linked as they sat closely side by side, their shoulders and thighs pressed together. She took a deep breath and began to speak softly.

``A year after Daniel's death, when I had just reached my peak as the Evil Queen my mother paid me a visit.''

Robin instantly tensed as she mentioned her mother, the woman who he had never even met but despised with a passion the more he heard about her and the pain she had inflicted on the woman he loved throughout her childhood. He said nothing, just gave her hand a gentle squeeze in encouragement so she would continue.

``She told me she wanted to make amends for Daniel's death.'' She said with a bitter chuckle. ``Said she wanted to help me find love. She told me she had met Tinkerbell and she had told her of you, the soulmate I had been too afraid to approach.''

Robin looked at the profile of his love's face, saw the slight sadness in her eyes as she thought of missed chances, he understood he felt it too. They both wholeheartedly agreed that now was their time, that all the missed chances had happened for a reason and that they were where they were meant to be right now in this moment, after all if they had met back then chances were they would not have their wonderful sons. However that didn't mean that on occasion they didn't feel a little sad about the time together they had missed.

``She promised me that she would find you and bring you too me, I was so excited to meet you.'' She said with a bitter chuckle.

Robin frowned in confusion at her words, he knew that Cora had never approached him so what had happened? And how was Nottingham involved?

``So she came to me and introduced me to a man, complete with lion tattoo and told me it was my soulmate.''

Horror dawned on Robin like a flash of lightning racing through him.

``It wasn't...'' He asked her in disgust.

``It was.'' She confirmed with a slow nod of her head. ``There stood Nottingham complete with fake lion tattoo.''

Robin felt sick and angry all at the same time, the possessive beast in him reared up once again, snapping and raging beneath the surface as it thought of how the man he hated most had tried to claim his soulmate as his own. Tried to fake a connection he could not even begin to understand. He felt his jaw clench in anger as air escaped between his teeth in an angry hiss.

He felt her hand cup his jaw softly and her touch instantly made the tension slowly leave his body, she turned on the bench to face him, her voice soft as she reassured him.

``Don't worry, it was barely ten minutes before I worked out it could not possibly be you. I had never met you but somehow I knew that he didn't make me feel the way I knew you would. Something that was confirmed years later when I met you for real... All three times''

He smiled at her words, it was the truth all three of their first meetings it had been pure fire and electricity, the overwhelming feeling of finding something you had no idea you were even looking for. Suddenly a dark thought occurred to him, he was terrified of the answer but he had to ask.

``He didn't hurt you, did he? I know that man and his treatment of women Regina. He's vile and I don't care if it was centuries ago. If he touched you, I'll kill him."

He was met with a eye roll and a smirk from Regina, her voice held a hint of amusement as she rushed to reassure him.

``Oh he attempted to cop a feel at which point I turned his fake tattoo into a very real tiny lion to give him a couple of love bites until he told me the truth. Seems Cora had promised him if he played along, he could be king, after which I hung him by his feet over a pit of fire in my dungeon.''

Robin let out a booming laugh to which Regina smirked back at him. Pride filled his chest again as he leant towards her and brushed his lips against her temple.

``That's my girl.'' He whispered against her skin making her giggle.

``Anything else I need to know about this encounter?'' He asked as he pulled back and began to trace her knuckles with his thumb as their hands remained linked.

``I don't think so.'' She answered him quickly.

Too quickly.

Her voice had been too cheery and her smile was strained, fake. After years of practice she was a master of hiding her emotions, but not from him, never from him and he knew she wasn't telling him something.

He wrestled with himself for a few moments before he decided to let it slide for now, he wouldn't push her too hard. She had already shared with him today and knowing how hard she still found it he decided to let it slide and hope that one day they would get to the point where she felt she could tell him anything.

He nodded his head in acceptance and he felt her let out a breath of relief that he wasn't going to push her. He lifted their linked hands to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss to each of her knuckles before getting to his feet and pulling her up with him.

``Let's go home sweetheart.'' He told her softly.