Chapter 10:

The next day was a very somber one in Storybrooke, as it was the day that the town paid homage to their fallen hero, Neal Cassidy. This day was hard on Emma, not only was she saying goodbye to an ex and to a friend, she was saying goodbye to the father of her son. To make the whole thing worse, Henry had no idea that it was his father they were burying; he thought it was just his mother's friend and an important member of this odd town he was stuck in. After the funeral everyone went down to Granny's for a repass of sorts, to honor the fallen hero. Everyone was enjoying their time together reminiscing on their times shared with Neal, and simply being together.

At this time Tink came up to Regina and asked her about Robin. She had spoken to Regina about it earlier before the funeral, but she had yet to see the man in person. Robin brought drinks over to the two women.

"I believe I owe you a drink milady."

"No thank you, I don't day drink." Regina replied coldly. Robin then gave the drink to Tink who gladly accepted it.

Robin was curious as to what happened to the woman from the cabin. "I apologize if I said something wrong yesterday that made you run away."

"I didn't run away. I simply…found a clue and ran with it." She replied. "Now if you'll excuse me" Regina started to walk away but was stopped unexpectedly.

"I'd really hate to intrude on such a sad day, but I really can't take it any longer" said the midwife, Zelena as she bursts through the door of the dinner.

"Who are you and what do you want" said the savior.

"You must be the savior. How noble of you to try and protect these people"

"What do you want!" says the ever protective David.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not here for you…yet." She said mischievously.

"Today I am here to see my sister. We have some family business to take care of." Zelena says while looking to Regina.

"What are you talking about? I don't have a sister."

"That's where you're wrong. I'm not surprised mother dearest never told you about me."

"We are not sisters. I think my mother would have told me if she had a lovechild with a scarecrow." That comment made Zelena mad and she was not going to stand there and lose control.

"What? Are you afraid of little competition? Afraid I might be better than you." Zelena teased.

"You, better than me? HA! In your dreams sis" Regina hissed.

"Prove it. Tonight, in the town square at dusk, meet me there and we can really see who is better."

With that Zelena left the dinner leaving everyone dumbfounded at what just unfolded in front of them.

Regina ran out of the dinner after her "Sister" left and headed straight to her fault. When her sister confessed her relations to the queen, Regina remembered a letter written from Rumple to her mother that she now questioned. When she got to the fault, she looked through her mother's things and found exactly what she was looking for. Of course after she read it she heard the savior come in and she dismissed her and went to find some quiet. She found herself walking into the woods and came across a log that she sat on and read the letter over and over again.

"I can hear you, you know. You're not very quiet for a thief." Regina stated as Robin Hood came out of hiding.

"I'm sorry milady. I was patrolling the forest when I heard something, I then I saw it was you and I didn't want to disturb you." Robin said while taking a seat next to her. "What are you looking at?"

"It's a letter from Rumpelstiltskin to my mother. It is something that I always went to for solace and for comfort t but now…I don't know."

"Well what does it say?" he asked.

"why should I tell you?"

"You don't have to, I can just read it." He said while holding out the letter that was previously in her pocket. "I have spent many a year's learning the art of pickpocketing magicians." Robin said jovially before reading the letter.

"I used to always think that that letter was about me, but now I know that it is not."
"Why is that a problem?"

"Don't you see? If she is the most powerful sorceress that Rumple has ever seen, then I don't have a chance to win."

"I think that you need to have faith in yourself. You can do anything; you just can't let yourself think you have failed before you even try to fight."

After he said this, they parted ways and Regina went back to her house while Robin returned to his camp. Regina sat in her house thinking about what Robin had said, and she realized that he was right. Maybe she can defeat the Witch without magic. She changed into a different outfit, one more fitted for a witch fight and headed out to the woods again.

She went to Robin's camp and saw him playing with his son. She watched for a minute before he saw her and came over to her. She almost turned a left, not wanting to involve the child, but she was not quick enough.

"I have to say, I am surprised to see you here milady. Don't you have somewhere to be soon?" He asked.

"That is why I'm here. I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything milady."

"I need you to hide this and keep it safe for me, for just a little while."

"What is in the satchel?"
"My heart." She says softly

"You would entrust such a valuable item with a common thief?" he asked

"You can't steal something that's been given to you." She said with a shy smile.

She then left the thief in the woods with her heart, not looking back once. Maybe, just maybe, if she can't beat her sister with magic, then maybe she can outwit her.