Robin made his way back to his campsite. His thoughts were still on the encounter he had just had with Regina. She had acted so strangely. He had thought she was just going to leave him, refuse to hear him out, but then she seemed glued to the sidewalk. He had just got to his camp when he saw Roland running from Marian towards him.

"I don't like her daddy," Roland said with tears in his eyes.

"Roland, your mother is just trying to get to know you," Robin tried to explain as Marian walked up to them.

"He's not even trying to give me a chance, Robin," Marian grumbled.

"It's not his fault. You're a stranger to him and though the rift is by no fault of your own, you must give him time to adjust," Robin replied, holding the boy closely and rubbing his back to try to mend his nerves.

"I want to see Gina, daddy!" Roland whined.

"I'll take you to see her tomorrow. For now you must give your mother a chance, my boy," Robin promised, tickling the boy under his chin to elicit a smile.

"I was thinking that maybe he could spend time with Little John tonight, so that you and I could have some alone time," Marian smiled seductively.

"Roland, go find Friar Tuck," Robin said, putting his son down. He watched the little boy run off, before he turned back to Marian. "Marian, you just got back and I want to help you adjust to this new world but…"

"But I have missed you, missed us. We need some time to reconnect," Marian said as she snaked one hand on his chest and started to rub it. "Didn't you miss me? You haven't even kissed me since I got here."

Reaching up, she pulled him into a kiss.

"Marian, wait," Robin stilled her with his hands, taking a step back. He had no wish to hurt her, but he couldn't live a lie. He knew it would do more harm than good. He had to start telling her everything. "Let's go for a walk in the forest. There are some things I need to tell you."

"Robin, what's wrong?" Marian asked once they were far enough away.

"Marian, I love you and a part of me will always love you, but you died and when you died the part of me who was in love with you died as well. I was left to raise our son alone. I put all my focus on him. Then when we were brought here I met someone and I fell in love with her." Robin watched the emotions cross over her face from confusion to hurt.

"A part of me understands that since you thought I was dead, you would move on, but why her. She is a monster. She has killed so many, myself included," Marian tried to reason with her husband, tears filling her eyes.

"That was her past. She is not like that anymore. I have seen her goodness myself," Robin tried to convince her of the truth.

"She has you under a spell of some sort. She's lying Robin, there is no way someone with that much darkness in their heart does not change," Marian insisted, pleading with her husband to listen.

"It's not that dark anymore, Marian. I have held it in my hands. I have seen with my own eyes the goodness in her heart."

"She trusted you with her heart?" she asked in disbelief. "You should have crushed it when you had the chance. She killed your wife! She is the reason Roland grew up without me. Didn't that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it did, but you are not dead. The savior rescued you. Above that, if I had crushed it I would have been no better than her wicked sister," Robin replied, not believing that the young woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago had just said such a hateful thing to him.

"So what now? You're going to leave me for her? A woman who murders at the drop of a hat?" Marian said clearly angry now.

"I'm going to help you here, but I can't stay with you Marian. What we had will always be very special to me, but my heart loves another," Robin said as gently as he could. "It wouldn't be fair to either of us living a lie."

"Fair? You want to talk about fair? How is it fair that I get my husband and son back, only to lose them to the monster who murdered me?" Marian was literally screaming at Robin now.

"None of this is fair, but it's the cards we have been dealt. I am trying to be as gentle as I can be, but no matter what I do, I'm going to hurt someone," Robin said his emotions getting the best of him. "If I had chosen to stay in this marriage, I would have hurt Regina immensely and I would also of been hurting you and our son as well as myself." Robin said the words that had been in his head for days.

"She's just going to hurt you like she has everyone else," Marian warned him, rage flickering in her eyes. "And I don't want that monster around my son."

"First of all, she is not a monster. She is simply Regina, a woman trying to rebuild her life," Robin said not liking anyone calling her that. "And secondly, if I choose to have Roland around her that is my choice. Roland loves spending time with her. Now I suggest you go lie down and rest. All of this has been a lot to take in, I'm sure."

Marian blinked several times, thunder in her eyes, before she stormed back to the camp. Robin took a few deep breaths, slightly relieved that the truth was out in the open. Then he looked around the forest for a moment enjoying the serenity of his chosen home, before going back to the camp. He saw that Marian was not in the tent he and Roland had been sharing, but figured she had chosen to sleep elsewhere. Knowing that sleep would be illusive, he sat down for a moment outside of the tent for a moment.

"You look like you could use a drink my friend," Little John offered, as he sat down beside his oldest friend.

"That I do," Robin agreed, taking the offered canteen.

"I take it you told Marian the truth," John sighed. He had seen Marian storm back into the camp.

"Yes, I owed her to tell her the truth about everything."

"I see, and if I may, how is the other lady in your life taking all this?" John asked.

Robin closed his eyes and breathed deeply, "She was not happy when I ran into her earlier. I told her I was waiting to talk to Marian, but then when I returned to camp, I realized that my waiting was causing more harm than the truth."

"You know I ran into Regina in town today. She looked exhausted. I had to carry her over to Mr. Gold's shop when she passed out in the street."

"Passed out? What do you mean you had to carry her? Was she alright?" Robin asked his friend, instantly alarmed at John's words.

"I was just walking to the grocery store. When I noticed her ahead of me. I was right behind her, when she fell to her knees and then she was about to fall again, so I caught her. Then Belle ran out of Gold's and she said we could take her into the shop to recover," John recounted the strange turn of events.

"Was she hurt? What happened then?" Robin questioned, remembering how strange she was acting earlier.

"Well, the imp came in and was almost to her, when this gust of white magic sent him flying backwards. It was the strangest thing though, Regina was still out when it happened. Then, a few moments later she woke up and seemed ok. They told me to leave, so I did," John said. He had never been a big fan of magic, so when he could he tried to stay far away from it.

"You left her there with that imp?" Robin asked, not that he was mad at John for doing so. He was just concerned for Regina.

"She seemed like she had her wits back, besides Belle was there. She wouldn't let any harm befall Regina."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just over-reacting right now. I'll ask Regina about what happened when I take Roland over to see her tomorrow."

Robin was looking forward to seeing her even more so now. He had known something was not right and now was kicking himself for not pressing her on the issue, but he would be sure to get an explanation for this whole confusing tale tomorrow. And maybe if he was lucky, he could get another kiss too.

Thanks to Joy Booth for her help with this story