A/N: Hopefully there's still some of you out there who are wanting to read this.

T/W for needles and strong depictions of blood.

Enjoy :)

Chapter 21: A Fork in the Road

It's been a week. A week and five days since he last saw Regina, and not once has Robin been able to stop thinking about her.

He misses her, more than he ever thought possible. But in this moment, all the thief can think about is how he's broken the promise he made to her. No more than a week were the exact words he'd said to Regina, wanting to get back to her as quickly as possible. Now, the week is up and Robin has yet to leave the Merry Men's camp.

Why? Because his men decided to blackmail him, claiming they would follow him to wherever he needed to go so long as they completed one more score. Arthur had further stated that the score from their last endeavour would only sustain the people of Nottingham for just over a month. And while it is true with taxes being doubled or even tripled once every few weeks, Robin is not at all happy that his men have devised such a cocky and foolhardy plan.

To an outsider the job appears simple, a quick in and out – but, Robin knows better when the Sherriff of Nottingham is involved.

Yes, rather than keeping the job simple and stealing the jewels from some snobbish rich person, his men decided to plan an attack directed at the very man who's been hunting down the merry band of thieves for years.

When Tuck first informed Robin of the situation, the thief had been sure to inform his men on how he believed this heist to be one big, unnecessary risk. However, his men claimed that in his absence, they had thought through every possible scenario before settling on a simple hit and run.

Though Robin was not convinced, he was still outnumbered – by his own men no less – and now finds himself hiding amongst the forest foliage along with at least twenty of his most trusted merry men, as they all silently wait for Much's signal to attack.

But as he sits, crouching in the cover of the forest, Robin cannot stop his thoughts from drifting back to Regina. Gods she must hate me, is one of the many thoughts to roam the forefront of his mind. He knows Regina could only be assuming the worst, after all the Dark One made it clear that Robin was on the top of his hit list should Regina fail to find an alternative to whatever curse the imp wanted her to cast in his stead.

This train of thought causes another line of questions to flit through his mind; just what exactly is this Dark Curse and what will it do? How long has Regina been associated with the Dark One and how did she become entangled with him in the first place? And why is Regina so adamant about getting revenge against Snow White?

Robin knows the only ways to obtain these answers is to ask Regina herself. And yet, the thief cannot help but wonder if the young princess and the Dark One played a significant role in Regina's path towards the Evil Queen.

Suddenly, a robin's bird call cuts through the silence of the tranquil forest, effectively breaking the thief from his sombre thoughts. The bird call is soon followed by the faint sounds of rustling leaves causing Robin to scan his surroundings, only to notice that the Merry Men have moved into their designated positions. Realising that the bird call was the signal, Robin moves into position, simultaneously knocking an arrow to his bow and drawing the string back.

The outlaw watches as the sheriff's overly-garnished carriage is pulled along by a pair of strapping black stallions. Robin follows the steady movements of the horses as they unknowingly make their way towards their designated position.

Just as the stallions move into the target range, Robin shifts his aim, tightening the bow's drawstring before letting the knocked arrow fly. The arrow sails through the air, zooming in a graceful arc before finding its target within the ground – directly in front of the stallions' path. Both horses are instantly startled, sharply veering off to the side of the road in a desperate attempt to avoid the deadly projectile.

Perfect, Robin muses as he slings the bow over his shoulder, watching the carriage drive straight towards the waiting pair of Little John and Alan-a-dale, both ready to calm the horses and bring them to a steady halt.

Robin watches with anticipation, though he doesn't have to wait long until Much, Will and Arthur move to take the carriage hostage with their bows drawn at the ready. Once it's clear that the carriage and driver are secured, Much repeats the bird call, causing the rest of the Merry Men to emerge from their hiding spots, quickly surrounding the carriage with various raised weapons.

Happy that his men seem to have everything under control, Robin proceeds to stand in front of the carriage door. Raising his hand to meet the door handle, Robin glances over to Little John, who in turn gives him a nod for the all clear. So, without further hesitation, Robin yanks the door open to reveal the smirking face of none other than the sheriff of Nottingham.

"Hello, Robin," the man drawls, "fancy seeing you here."

"Nottingham." Robin growls, reaching forward to grab the man by his shirt collar before dragging him from the confines of the carriage. Once outside, the thief shoves the sheriff towards David who briskly secures the sheriff's hands behind his back. Surprisingly, Nottingham hardly utters a word of protest, causing a deep sense of dread to sink to the pit of Robin's stomach. However, convinced that his men will watch the sheriff should he try anything, the outlaw turns back to the carriage with the intention of retrieving the gold within.

But much to Robin's surprise, he steps into the carriage only to discover the compartment is empty; no sacks, no chests, absolutely no gold to be seen of any kind. "Son of a bitch." Robin growls, that sense of dread leaping from his stomach to strangle the confines of his throat.

Quickly, the blue-eyed thief exits the carriage and makes a beeline for the sheriff, "Where is it?"

Smirking, Nottingham mockingly questions, "Couldn't find what you were looking for, Locksley?"

Feeling his annoyance flare, Robin walks up to the sheriff until they're toe to toe. "What are you up to?" Robins asks.

What can only be described as a sadistic smirk crosses Nottingham's lips as he replies, "Well, that's for me to know and for you to find out, isn't it?"

Suddenly, the outlaw is filled with the notion that himself and his men have just walked into a trap.

"Robin, what's wrong?" Little John asks, clearly picking up Robin's trepidation of the situation.

Just as the thief is going over the best course of action, he hears the faint sound of approaching horses. Robin instantly looks to John, praying that the drumming of hooves is merely a figment of his imagination. But when John looks at him with the same wide-eyed expression he knows to be plastered on his own face, Robin turns to address the rest of the Merry Men, "It's a trap! Fall back! Now!"

The men do as ordered, scattering into the trees to retrieve their own steeds. Although the sheriff's personal guard must have been closer than they'd anticipated as each bandit is forced to a halt upon their arrival. Wasting no time, the sheriff's men briskly dismount and unsheathe the swords at their sides. The Merry Men respond in kind, levelling their own weapons to their nearest opponent.

The two guards closest to the sheriff stride forward with their weapons raised at the ready. "Release him." the first guard commands, his sword levelling with David's throat, whilst the second raises his to Little John's chest. David looks to Robin, who knowing they don't have much of a choice, nods in silent resignation.

The Merry Man shoves Nottingham forward, causing the guards to lower their weapons upon turning to help the sheriff. "Hurry up!" he huffs impatiently.

Taking the opportunity, Robin quickly scans their surroundings. Nottingham's guards only outnumber them by two to one. Not ideal, but if they're fighting skills have yet to improve, the odds should favour the Merry Men.

"Did you really think I was stupid enough to think you wouldn't try something?" Nottingham declares.

"Yes, actually." the thief replies, bringing his attention back to the man standing a few feet in front of him, taking notice that the two guards have now taken a fighting stance on either side of the sheriff.

"That's your problem, Locksley," Nottingham drawls, unsheathing his own sword and taking a step forward, "you're reckless and arrogant. And that will be your downfall."

Suddenly the sheriff charges forward, giving Robin a few seconds to unsheathe his own sword to block the oncoming attack. He succeeds, raising his weapon to meet Nottingham's a few inches from his face. Robin is quick to respond by pushing the sheriff back before delivering his own series of quick blows. Though the sheriff manages to block each attack, the thief triumphs in how he's forced the sheriff back a few paces. Upon pushing each other off, predator and prey move to circle each other, giving Robin the chance to catch a glimpse of his men from the corner of his eye. They each seem to be holding their own and a couple have succeeded in taking down a handful of guards, greatly increasing their odds.

"Not bad, Locksley. You're almost as good with a sword as you are with your bow." Nottingham taunts before swiftly lunging forward.

However, this time Robin is ready and manages to strike against the sheriff's blade with enough force to knock the man slightly off balance before delivering a kick to the man's hip. As Nottingham stumbles backwards, a pouch secured to the sheriff's belt catches the thief's eye, though his attention is soon brought back to Nottingham rushing forward for another charge. Robin swiftly blocks the attack and purposely tilts his sword on an angle that forces the blades to cross.

"I think you'll find today, you'll meet your end." Nottingham says with a chilling grin.

Shifting his grip on the blade, Robin stealthily moves his hand to loosen the ties securing the pouch to the sheriff's belt. "Not today Nottingham, not by a longshot." the thief replies with a grin of his own as he lifts the coin-filled pouch into the sheriff's line of sight.

For a moment, the sheriff is genuinely shocked, though he soon regains his composure with a growl and reaches for the small pouch. But Robin is ready, pushing against the blades and knocking Nottingham off balance before deftly stepping to the side and bringing his sword up to graze the man's cheek.

Dismayed, the sheriff runs a finger over the fresh cut on his cheek before lifting it towards his line of sight to discover the few beads of blood that now rest there. Instantly, fury replaces the disbelief within Nottingham's features as he wildly swings his sword at Robin. But the attack is sloppy and the outlaw side steps once again, permitting the sheriff to stumble forward before curling his fist and delivering a solid punch to the sheriff's jaw.

Nottingham is instantly knocked off balance and falls to the ground.

Seeing their chance to retreat Robin calls over the chaos around him, "Quick men! Fall back!" The Merry Men quickly follow his orders, exchanging a final series of blows before swiftly turning to the refuge of the trees.

Just as the thief goes to make his own retreat, he hears a pained cry. Robin swiftly turns to the sound of the noise where he is greeted with the sight of Arthur clutching at his side. Noticing that his attacker is moving in for another blow, the outlaw unslings his bow, quickly drawing an arrow and releasing it. The arrow finds its mark in the guard's leg, giving Robin the chance to go to Arthur's aid and lead him towards the nearest horse to make their escape.

Robin throws one last glance over his shoulder to ensure himself and the rest of his men weren't followed. Satisfied when the surrounding woods remain still and tranquil, the thief urges his horse behind the waterfall and into the secret entrance leading to the Merry Men's camp.

"Tuck!" Robin yells once his horse has broken through the foliage to reveal the various cabins and tents that many call home. "Friar Tuck!" the thief calls again, his eyes scanning the familiar surroundings for his friend.

"I've got him!" Little John bellows, barging his way through the small crowd that have gathered upon their arrival with a composed Friar Tuck in tow.

"Where was he injured?" Tuck asks, briskly moving to help brace an agonised Arthur.

Doing his best to keep the horse steady beneath him, Robin replies, "His right side."

Tuck shifts his gaze to inspect the injury which the outlaw can only imagine is a bloody sight given the way Arthur groans in pain and leans heavily against Robin's shoulder. Please may we have gotten back in time, Robin prays silently.

"Help me get him off!" Tuck yells to no one in particular. Little John and David rush forward, both reaching towards Arthur to help ease him from his place on the horse in the gentlest way possible.

Once they've managed to place Arthur – if a bit unsteadily – on his feet, Robin dismounts the horse before quickly passing the mare off to the first man he sees. "What do you need, Tuck?" the thief asks.

"What I need is to get him to my tent." Tuck replies tersely, his hands tearing at the cloth covering the wounded area.

"Right." Robin nods, walking towards the gathered crowd, "Move! The lot of you!" Those closest to Robin scramble backwards, forcing the others behind them to quickly do the same. Soon, they've created a clear path through the crowd, allowing Little John and David to tow Arthur forward.

It takes a fair bit of effort to keep Arthur moving, mostly because his legs refuse to work properly and cause him to stumble every few paces. It's also very clear that every movement hurts if the continuous pained howls are any indication, making Robin wince as he picks up his pace.

Thankfully, the small group reaches Tuck's tent without any further resistance. Without a moment to lose, Robin pulls the tent flaps aside, permitting John and David to hoist Arthur through the small entry. The men drag him towards a corner of the tent where they situate the injured man atop the cot typically used for situations such as this. Tuck follows after them, ensuring Arthur is laying as comfortably as possible before further removing any strap of clothing that obscures access to the damaged flesh.

"Quick, grab me the nearest bottle of mead," Tuck says, his gaze focused on the bloody mess in front of him, "And my bottle of vinegar."

Little John rushes out of the tent for the former whilst Robin dashes towards the friar's trunk of collected herbs and other medicinal concoctions for the latter. He swiftly and delicately sifts through the trunk's contents before his eyes fall upon the bottle of translucent liquid. Robin snatches the bottle, then briskly turns and hands it to the friar who is now pressing a rag to Arthur's side in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. The thief proceeds to hand Tuck the bottle of vinegar, which the friar quickly pops open before pouring a generous amount over the open wound.

Little John re-enters the tent with a bottle of mead in hand just as Arthur yells a string of curses.

"Here." John supplies, offering the bottle to Tuck.

The friar takes the offered bottle, bringing it to his lips and taking a swig. Upon swallowing, Tuck holds the bottle out to David. "Get him to drink most of this, he's going to need it." the friar murmurs as he turns to reach for a leather satchel sitting beside the base of the cot. He soon produces a needle and thread.

"John, Rob! I need the two of you to keep him secure." Tuck snaps, threading the thread through the needle, "And David, make sure you keep pouring that mead!" Robin quickly moves to the base of the cot to secure Arthur's legs, whilst John leans over to clasp the man's shoulders. The two men exchange a look, both fully aware that this next part isn't going to be pretty. Robin's gaze falls to Tuck's hands which continue to remain steady despite the commotion. "Keep him as still as possible." Tuck reiterates before he jabs the needle through the skin and Arthur screams.

Between the four of them, Tuck was able to successfully stitch up Arthur's wound. But the man has yet to make it out of the woods.

The wound caused Arthur to lose a fair amount of blood, though once the stitching of the wound was taken care of, Tuck quickly put together a stew that consisted of lentils and meat. But even though Arthur ingested a meal that is sure to thicken his blood, there is still the risk of the wound becoming infected.

Hence why Robin now paces the outside of Tuck's tent, anxiously waiting for an update on Arthur's condition.

This never should have happened, Robin says to himself as worry and anger bubble within his chest, knowing he should have been firmer with his men about performing a harried, last-minute robbery that had been guaranteed to go south. Robin can only pray that his men will learn from this disaster of a mission, though the outlaw regrets that Arthur is being forced to carry such a life-threatening consequence for both his actions and those of the younger and greedier of the Merry Men.

Suddenly, Robin hears the rustling of canvas causing the blue-eyed man to lift his gaze to the tent's entrance to see Tuck making his exit. Walking towards the man to gain his attention, Robin asks, "How is he?"

Smiling a tired smile, Tuck places a comforting hand to the thief's shoulder, "It may take a good few days, but don't worry, he's going to make it."

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Robin returns the gesture of placing his hand to the friar's shoulder, "Thank you, Tuck. We're lucky to have a man as good as you."

Chuckling, Tuck replies, "While I cannot deny that, I must admit it was a team effort." Smiling as he gives another pat to Robin's shoulder, the friar adds, "Now get some rest, it's been a long day for all of us."

"I won't argue with that." the thief quips, a smirk pulling at his lips. However, as quick as it came, the smirk falls from his lips as a thought occurs to him, "How long until he could ride?"

Tuck's face grows sombre, a sigh falling from his lips, "I know you wish to return to Wil–Regina as soon as possible. But I need to keep an eye on Arthur for at least a couple more days."

"I understand." Robin nods, ignoring the tightness within his chest. Forcing a smile onto his lips, the thief states, "Our trip to Misthaven shall have to wait a little longer."

"Or instead of waiting around for the rest of us, you could already be on your way." Tuck retorts with a shrug of his shoulders.

Robin has to admit, he's gone over the idea himself a handful of times. The thief knows if he told them to, his men would catch up to him eventually. But Robin cannot guarantee that his men would not attempt another foolish mission in his absence. Besides, Regina will need all the help she can get in her fight against the Dark One.

So, shaking his head, Robin replies, "No, Tuck. After today I cannot trust that the rest of the men won't attempt another foolhardy mission for the sake of gold and jewels." Placing both arms on the friar's shoulders, Robin smirks, "I'd rather have a full band of thieves by the time we reach Regina."

Chuckling, Tuck nods with a smile of his own, "Help is often better in numbers."

"Exactly!" Robin quips with a wink before turning to walk in the direction of the campfire.

"You're our leader, Robin. Don't let the men forget it!" Tuck calls after him.

"I won't!" Robin calls back over his shoulder.

"Men, I'm sorry to admit that I have failed you today." Robin declares to those gathered around him a few minutes later, "I let myself be coerced into a plan for very rushed job, that I forgot to follow our one golden rule – don't go into a job without a good plan to get out." Looking out at the crowd, Robin continues, "Therefore, I feel that I need to remind you all that our job is not stealing to make ourselves rich. Our job is to steal from those that have to much and to give to those that have too little."

In response, the men murmur amongst themselves, exchanging hesitant glances with one another. Robin knows they mean well, but it is important that they remember that greed is not a part of the code they follow as Merry Men.

"Therefore, I'm giving you two options!" Robin states once the murmuring has died down, "You can either pack your bags and join me in aiding the Queen, or you can stay behind and watch over the many that call both this camp and Sherwood forest their home. However, if you were to stay here, I must ask that you steal from the rich only when it is absolutely necessary in benefitting the people of Sherwood and Nottingham." The thief notices how the men exchange glances once more, leading him to add, "I ask that you take time to consider your choice over the next couple of days."

With that said, Robin steps down from the log he used for a perch and makes his way to the maze of tents with the sole intention of finding his son. Thankfully, it doesn't take very long before the familiar sound of Roland's joyous laughter makes its way to Robin's ears, allowing the thief to follow the sound. And sure enough, merely seconds later, Robin rounds one final tent just in time to watch his son knock a flailing Little John to his knees using only a wooden sword. Much to his credit, John falls in a heap, wailing and rolling around on the ground as he clutches his 'wounded' leg.

"I've got you, nasty dragon!" Roland exclaims triumphantly as he stands over the bear-like man. "And now, I won't allow you to hurt anyone again!" the boy says, levelling his wooden sword to the man's chest.

"No! Don't hurt me, sir knight! Have mercy!" John wails, raising his hands in a mock sign of surrender.

Lowering his sword, Roland giggles, "It's only a game, Uncle John. I'm not really going to hurt you."

"Phew! That's a relief!" John huffs as his arms dramatically flop to his sides.

"You're being silly!" Roland manages, doubling over into fits of laughter.

Seizing the opportunity, Robin decides to make himself known. Stealthily, the thief sneaks up behind his son before grabbing him and hoisting him into the air, causing Roland to shriek in delight. "Who's being silly?"

"Uncle John is, Papa!" Roland giggles, wriggling in an attempt to avoid the thief's tickling fingers. "He's a very silly dragon!"

Chuckling, Robin looks over at a now sitting Little John. "Is that so?" the thief smirks as he lowers his son to the floor, "Then we must stop this very silly dragon!"

Catching on, John gets to his feet and starts to run off in the opposite direction, calling over his shoulder, "You'll never catch me, sir knight!"

"You can't run from us silly dragon!" Roland exclaims, raising his wooden sword as he gives chase to the bear-like man.

Robin watches his son run off with a smile before letting his gaze fall to the leather strap that has remained tied to his wrist for nearly two weeks. His thoughts immediately drift to a woman with sparkling brown eyes and a smile that causes his heart to stutter. A strong sense of determination settles itself deep within the thief's heart as his eyes trail after Roland once more. Tomorrow he'll start making the necessary arrangements for the journey to Misthaven. But after a such a harrowing day, Robin will take this chance to spend this time with his son. After all, the future is always uncertain.

There has to be something I can use! Regina silently grumbles to herself whilst rapidly flicking through countless books detailing numerous magical artefacts. Her patience steadily wearing thinner upon reaching the end of each new book, having gained no further insight towards providing one passage into the Land Without Magic.

A mermaid portal? Those are only known to cross between realms of magical origin. The Looking Glass? Its magic is far too limited in order to reach the Land Without Magic. Silver Slippers? Supposedly in the possession of a powerful sorcerer. Magic Beans? Regrettably, none have been known to exist since before the war against the giants.

Though Regina hates to admit it, her search for an alternative to the Dark Curse is proving to be a lot harder than what she had initially thought.

So far, the only decent idea Regina has managed to conjure up is kidnapping the maid Rumple's become so fond of and use her as leverage against the insufferable imp. However, there is a major fault to this plan. If Regina were to reach such drastic measures, she could risk angering Rumple to the point where he would kill Robin just to spite her.

So, much to the brunette's chagrin, kidnapping maids has been struck from her to-do list.

Overcome with a sense of complete helplessness, Regina slumps forward in her chair, her elbow coming to rest against the edge of the table as her head falls into her open palm.

Closing her eyes against the familiar burn of unshed tears, Regina allows the reality of her situation to wash over her. It's been a week. A week and five days since Regina watched as Robin rode off to Sherwood Forest. Nearly two weeks of days spent secluded to her library with nothing to show for it except the numerous books strewn throughout the room in various states and a handful of scorch marks over several surfaces.

Regina has practically emptied nearly every single bookcase within her library. And yet, not a single tome has been able to grant her the information she so desperately seeks.

Sniffling, Regina opens her now tear-filled gaze to the gifted feather that pokes out from its hidden place within her dress sleeve. With a heavy heart, the brunette tenderly pulls the feather from her sleeve and trails a single finger along its delicate shaft. In Robin's absence, Regina has kept his token on her person at all times.

"Where are you?" she mutters, her fingers drifting over the delicate barbs, "You promised to come back to me."

Like it has done for the past twelve nights, Regina's mind drifts to her thief. Something must have happened, she muses as her thoughts try to find a logical explanation for Robin's extended absence.

Regina can almost guarantee the outlaw foolishly managed to get himself caught on a mission purely because he rushed through his planning for what he claims to be a quick 'in and out'. Look at how well that turned out last time, Regina cannot help but think to herself as she recalls how she had to rescue Robin and his men from Nottingham's clutches. But Regina knows Robin would never be so careless to allow the same mistake to happen twice.

Nevertheless, Nottingham could have managed to corner Robin while he was on the road – though Regina's almost certain she would have heard something if that were truly the case. I really should organise a full pardon for Robin and his men, Regina ponders not for the first time. Following that train of thought, Regina wonders if Robin would be better off without her. After all, he deserves to be with someone who isn't a broken woman and a constant death threat. But despite who she is and despite the stories he's been told, Robin still chooses to be with her. He still chooses to love her.

Overcome with a sense of self-loathing, Regina curses herself and her cowardice. The minute the week was up, Regina should have gone straight to one of her mirrors and commanded the genie within to find Robin, no matter the cost. But the truth is she's too scared for what she might or might not find – for all she knows the outlaw's lying severely injured in a ditch somewhere.

Not wanting the image of a wounded and bleeding Robin to plague her mind, Regina tenderly tucks the feather back into her dress sleeve. "I should be doing more. I should have found something by now!" the queen mutters as she brings her attention back to the open books in front of her. However, much like the other books strewn across the room, her current read also lacks for information on travelling to a realm without magic.

"Gah! These books are useless!" Regina exclaims with a snarl.

Overcome with a deep sense of helplessness and frustration, Regina slams her hand down onto the open book in front of her before swiftly hurling it across the room where it meets the stone wall with a loud thud.

Feeling her frustration morph into rage, Regina stands, forming a fireball within her hand with the every intention of destroying the useless tome when her eye catches a glint of light coming from the library's entrance. Her attention instantly shifts to the doorway, the fireball extinguishing within her palm upon noticing her father carrying a silver tea tray towards her.

"What on earth has that book done to deserve your wrath, my dear?" Henry teases, clearly unfazed by her sudden outburst as he simply continues forward before placing the tea tray down on the desk where the discarded book was resting moments ago.

"That book proved to be just as useless as the rest of them." Regina snaps, collapsing into the chair behind her with a huff, "At this rate, it's becoming very likely that the Dark Curse is the only way to a world without magic."

"Well, what it sounds like to me is that you are in desperate need of a break," Henry tells her gently as Regina watches from the corner of her eye how her father drops a single sugar cube into a delicate porcelain cup. He gives the brown liquid a swift stir with a spoon, before removing it with a clink and offering the cup towards the brunette, "and a nice, warm cup of tea."

Forcing herself to accept her father's advice, Regina gently takes the offered cup with a soft smile towards her father, "Thank you, daddy."

"You're welcome, my dear." Henry replies with a smile of his own as he bends forward to place a tender kiss to her forehead before going back to the tray and making a cup of tea for himself.

A comfortable silence settles over the two as Regina brings the cup to her lips, giving the contents a blow before taking a sip. The liquid flows swiftly down her throat, leaving a warmth that helps to bring a slight comfort to her anxious thoughts. But the comfort is brief, because merely seconds later her worries concerning Robin return to the forefront of her mind.

Suddenly a gentle grip guides her hands into lowering the delicate cup towards the waiting saucer on the table. Then the hand moves to take one of Regina's, causing the woman to look at her father. Henry gives her hand a gentle squeeze as he smiles reassuringly, "Robin will find his way back to you."

"I know," Regina replies with a shaky smile that quickly morphs into a frown upon remembering her lack of progress, "But I have yet to find a way to successfully cross into a realm without magic."

"Do you have any potential leads?" her father asks, gesturing towards the books strewn across the table in front of them.

The queen merely shakes her head, admitting, "Nothing that contains enough magic to make such a jump. Or if they do contain such magic, they're either extinct or in the procession of a powerful sorcerer in another realm."

"I see." Henry murmurs as his eyes scan over the pages of the book closest to him, "Could you potentially enlist the help of another sorcerer?"

"The thought did cross my mind," Regina reveals, albeit reluctantly as she's never been one to admit when in need of assistance. "But, daddy, I doubt any sorcerer would offer to help purely out of the kindness of their heart."

"Not even your friend in the Forbidden Mountains?" Henry asks as his gaze levels with hers.

Narrowing her eyes, Regina tilts her head to the side, wondering if her father knows exactly what he's implying, "Somehow I suspect Maleficent will only help if there's something worthwhile for her in return."

"It was merely a suggestion." Henry softly replies as he gives her hand a gentle pat.

"I know." Regina murmurs, returning the pat with a gentle squeeze, "And you may have a point. Maleficent certainly would be the most willing."

"I have my moments." Henry chuckles as he stands, "Now, I'm going to off to bed." Turning, he levels Regina with a severe gaze, "Promise me you're not going to spend another night just sitting here, not when you're clearly exhausted."

"I promise, daddy," the queen states, surprising herself when she means it, "I'll just finish skimming these last few and then I'll go to sleep."

"I suppose that'll have to do." Henry relents, leaning forward to place a kiss to the top of her head, "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, daddy." Regina replies with a soft smile as she watches him go. The moment the door closes, Regina turns back to the scattered books in front of her. But her attempts at reading are futile, after all she's already read a slightly altered version of the information in front her.

Letting her gaze drift to one of the many tall windows that line the far wall of the library, Regina takes note of the pitch black sky. It must be well past midnight, the brunette realises, deciding she really should try to get some sleep if only to silence her worries for a few hours.

But as Regina moves to stand, she's overcome with a sudden wave of dizziness. Gripping the edge of the desk in front of her, the queen slowly lowers herself back into the chair behind her as she gives a slight shake of her head in an attempt to ward off the abrupt light-headedness. However, her actions only seem to make matters worse and before she knows it, her eyes are rolling to the back of her head as the rest of her body pitches forward, her head colliding against the desk with a thump.

"Regina!"

The said woman's heart beats erratically within her chest at the sound of the familiar voice. The very same voice that has pleasantly haunted her dreams since the day he left.

"Robin," she breathes, turning to be met with his bright blue eyes and winking dimples. A grin breaks out across her lips as her legs propel her forwards in a run. Robin meets her halfway, lifting Regina into his strong arms and swinging her around before crashing his lips to hers in a way that knocks the breath from her lungs.

Upon pulling back, Robin proceeds to place quick pecks to her cheeks, nose, and forehead. "Oh, my love, I've missed you." he murmurs against her ear, crushing her body to his in a warm embrace.

Clinging to him as though he'll disappear the moment she lets go, Regina shakily replies, "I've missed you, too, so much."

Smiling his dimpled-smile, Robin gently lifts her head, leaning in so his lips a mere inch from her own, "And I lo–"

Startled by the swooshing sound of a hand breaking past flesh and bone, Regina flicks her gaze to meet Robin's, only to see his eyes bulging out of his head. "Robin?" she asks, concerned, but before she can make a move to find the source of his apparent pain, Robin's body collapses at her feet with a harsh thud.

"Robin!" Regina shrieks, falling to the floor beside her soulmate before tenderly situating his head within her lap. "No, no, no stay with me!" she murmurs causing the thief to gaze up at her with cloudy blue eyes. "That's it." Regina finds herself saying, giving her thief a watery smile as she gently strokes his cheeks.

Robin returns the smile weakly, his breathing becoming heavily laboured.

Desperate to know what could have caused this, Regina gingerly removes her hands from Robin's face to hover them over his chest. With her magic flowing into the tips of her fingers, the former evil queen attempts to probe at the chosen area, only to discover her magic is blocked by a corresponding force. Frustrated, Regina closes her eyes in concentration as she attempts to push through the block, her concern growing as Robin's breaths steadily become shallower and shallower.

Just before she completely drains herself from the force of probing against the corresponding force, Regina feels a calloused hand weakly grasp one of her own as it hovers over the thief's chest, "R'gna," Robin barely manages, capturing her attention, "s-stop. You have to let m-me go."

Unable to stop the tears from filling her eyelids, Regina sniffles, "Shh, don't talk like that. Stay with me." He gives a pained groan in response as his eyes fall closed. "Robin? Robin, don't you dare close your eyes on me!"

"He can't help it, dearie."

Regina looks up, only for her stomach to drop as she's met with the sight of Rumple tightly gripping a weakly beating heart within the palm of his hand. Robin's heart.

"No…" the brunette manages to whimper breathlessly as realisation dawns on her.

"Say your goodbyes." Rumple taunts with a sickening grin.

Frantically, Regina turns her attention to Robin, adding a little more pressure into her strokes against his cheeks in the hopes that it will be enough to keep her soulmate alive. "No, no, no! Not again." she cries in complete agony, "I can't lose you, too!"

"I-I'll always b-be with you." Robin barley manages with a weak smile before his grip on her hand slackens and the light slowly drains from his eyes.

Not wanting to believe this is the end to their story, Regina shakes the man within her arms, "No, no, no! Robin? Robin!" When she receives no response, Regina stops the shaking to bring her palms to tenderly cup either side of her soulmate's lifeless face, her tear-filled gaze lovingly roaming over his handsome features.

"I did warn you." Rumple's chilling voice suddenly breaks through her sorrow, causing her gaze to drift away from the man in her arms to the imp crouching in front of her, "No one ever breaks deals with me."

Feeling her anger ignite within her veins, Regina lunges at him, her hand raised with the sole intention of ripping his throat out...when he suddenly vanishes from her sight. Just as she makes a move to chase after the imp, Regina looks down to discover that Robin's body is no longer within her arms and has disappeared, leaving her surrounded by nothing but darkness.

"I told you I would destroy all that you hold dear, should you ever attempt to break from our agreement." Rumple's voice echoes within her head and throughout the empty space around her. "You've tempted fate for too long, dearie,"

Suddenly, Regina feels a strong hand grip her shoulder before she's forced to turn around and face a furious Little John. "You did this," the bear-like man snarls, threateningly leaning into Regina, his face merely inches from hers, "You're the reason Robin's dead. You killed him!"

"No!" Regina cries, denying the cruel accusations with a vigorous shake of her head. "I didn't kill him. I could never! I love him!" she rambles on in an attempt to defend herself, backing away from the intimidating fury of Little John. However, she doesn't get far, as her back soon collides with a smaller and plumper frame. Startled, Regina frantically whirls around, only to be met with a very disappointed Friar Tuck.

"So, you chose to repay our kindness by knowingly putting our leader in harm's way." Tuck glowers with a slow shake of his head, "I must say, I am truly disappointed."

"No," Regina rebuts, "I would never–"

"You truly are evil!" Another of the men shouts, causing Regina's words to catch within her throat as the harsh words pierce her heart.

"You're no longer welcome here!"

"We were better off before you came along, witch!"

One by one the Merry Men assault the former evil queen with their words, each syllable cutting the woman deep within her soul. Steadily, the men grow louder, causing Regina to cover her ears in a poor attempt to drown them out as one sentence bleeds into another.

"Enough!" Regina yells, her eyes burning with unshed tears as their harsh words become too much to bear.

In an instant, the shouting stops, only to be followed by a familiar swooshing noise that causes Regina's pounding heart to fill with dread. Her gaze flits to the source of the noise only to find a wide-eyed Tuck with an oozing red stain against his shirt in the place where his heart should be. Before Regina can react to this rapid change of events, a single crimson trail leaks from the man's parted lips as his body crumples to the forest floor.

A chocked sob escapes the brunette's lips as she can do nothing but stare at the lifeless form on the ground in front of her. And just as she makes a move to go to the man's side, the same swooshing sound can be heard all around her, mingling with the pained gasps of the men she had come to think of as family. Regina can only watch the massacre, helpless as each of Robin's men gain a red, bloody mark against their shirts in place of their hearts before they all fall to the ground with a definite thud.

And before she knows it, the sounds have stopped. All Regina can do is look out at the massacre of the men she had come to consider her friends, a feeling of nausea settling within the pit of her stomach at the notion that she is the cause of all this.

"I should have known."

Regina turns to face a barely standing Little John, his face a combination of pure anger and pain as his chest rapidly rises and falls in his attempts to fill his failing lungs with air. "You could never be anything other than the Evil Queen." John chokes out before he's falling heavily to his knees.

"No." Regina murmurs brokenly, the burning tears within her eyelids falling in trails down her cheeks as she rushes to John's side. But just as she goes to reach out to him, the man fades before her eyes as the world once again falls into darkness.

"Tut-tut, Regina. Must you force me to kill everyone?" the voice of Rumplestiltskin echoes throughout her surroundings once more, "But alas, this is your price to pay for crossing the likes of me!"

Suddenly the darkness recedes, only for Regina's eyes to fall on a small body. The brunette can't quite make out who it is as their body lays on its side, facing away from her.

But as Regina moves closer, she can make out the structure of a small boy with soft brown curls and a forest green cloak similar to his father's, though the body remains motionless. Her stomach is instantly filled with dread upon realising that this small boy is Roland. Regina is at his side in an instant, desperately calling his name, "Roland!"

Deathly silence is her only response.

"Roland, can you hear me?" Regina asks shakily, her hands tenderly gripping the boy's shoulders, turning his small body onto its back with an unsettling ease. Regina ignores the increasing dread within the pit of her stomach as she shakily lifts a hand to gently cup his cheek; however instead of gazing into Roland's bright, big brown eyes, she is met with a pair of glassy and unseeing orbs.

A broken sob forces its way past her lips as Regina's eyes brim with tears once more. "Oh God, Roland." she chokes, tenderly brushing her hand over his mop of brown curls.

"This could have all been avoided, dearie." Rumple taunts, his cold breath hitting the back of her neck, alerting Regina to his presence behind her, "You've got no one to blame but yourself for their deaths."

Refusing to face the imp, Regina continues to focus on the boy now wrapped within her arms, her hand still brushing over his lifeless face as she growls, "I didn't do this. I never wanted to hurt any of them!"

"While that may be true," Rumplestiltskin continues from his place behind her, "you failed to meet your end of the bargain, claiming that you're no longer interested in being the Evil Queen of this realm."

Shaking her head, Regina tightens her grip on Roland. "I never wanted to be the evil queen!" she cries, tears now leaking from her eyelids, "I never wanted anything to do with magic!"

"Well, it's too late for that now, dearie!" the Dark One growls, "No one breaks deals with me! It's about time you learnt that lesson!" Suddenly the imp appears in front of her, his cold and yellow eyes finding her distraught brown gaze as he states, "Just as it's also time you remember who you truly are. A monster."

Regina wants to deny it, but the words are stuck within her throat as Rumple's words echo all around her and inside of her head. A monster. The woman continues to clutch Roland's body to her whilst her tears fall in streams down her cheeks. A monster. The weight of her inner turmoil steadily crashes down on top of her, slowly building up and up until it all becomes too much. A monster.

And then…

Regina screams.

Regina's screams echo within her ears as her body suddenly jolts awake. The woman quickly lifts her head from its place on the table, her chest heaving to desperately fill her lungs with air. Horrific images dance across her mind's eye as Regina's brown gaze frantically darts around the room in a desperate attempt to centre herself. She quickly takes comfort in the surrounding bookshelves and the musky smell of dust and leather-bound books. The familiar scent helps to steady her breathing as the brunette comes to realise she fell asleep in the library and fell victim to a very terrible nightmare.

But despite knowing all that just occurred was merely a dream, Regina's heart continues to beat erratically, threatening to break through of her chest as her stomach churns with a nauseating dread.

The woman is confused to say the least, after all Regina's dreams for the past week have never been as horrifying as the nightmare she just witnessed. No, instead her dreams have only ever been about reuniting with Robin and falling into his arms, with Roland making an occasional appearance. Not once has she been greeted with the image of Robin's lifeless body within her arms.

Could the dream be a warning of some kind? Regina cannot help but think to herself, wondering if the dream is meant to alert her to the fact that Robin could be in some sort of danger. However, before she is given the chance to catch a glimpse of Robin with her magic mirror, a chilling voice reaches her ears, "Having nightmares once again, Your Majesty?"

Regina's head instantly whirls to face the Dark One, successfully masking her surprise at his sudden appearance with a harsh glare. "What the hell are you doing here?" she growls.

"Why I'm here to check up on your progress of course!" the imp replies with a twirl of his hands, "Any luck?"

With a scowl marked on her lips, Regina snaps, "Not yet, no."

Rumple's expression shifts into a scowl of his own as he stalks forward to Regina's seat, "I must say, dearie, you're really trying my patience."

Refusing to feel intimidated by him, Regina stands from her seat and meets him nose to nose. "It's barely been two weeks, Rumple." she snarls, staring down the imp in front of her, "Need I remind you that these sorts of solutions take time."

"Yes, time." Rumple quips as a cruel smile curls at the corner of his lips, "Funny you should mention a thing you don't have much of."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Regina asks, eyes narrowed.

Leaning further forward, the imp states, "You and I both know there is no alternative to the Dark Curse."

"I refuse to believe that!" Regina replies, eyes burning with determination.

"Well, that's just foolish!" Rumple exclaims, taking a step back and lifting his hands in front of him as he continues, "Did you really think my threat on Robin and his Merry Men's lives was an empty one? Because I can assure you dearie, should you choose to break our deal, I shall personally see that your little dream comes to pass."

Suddenly, Regina feels as though the breath has been knocked from her lungs as his words lead her to put two and two together, "It was you. You put that nightmare in my head."

Playfully curling his fingers as he turns away from her, the Dark One smirks, "Really dearie, your father ought to pay more attention to his daughter's tea."

Shaking her head to distract her anger from rising into her fingertips, the former evil queen claims in surprisingly steady voice, "Scaring me won't work. I won't let you manipulate me into performing the ultimate act of evil."

"I don't need to manipulate you to do anything!" Rumple exclaims, whirling around and stalking to her once more, "You will cast the Dark Curse."

"And why would I do that?" Regina asks, her gaze refusing to drop from his.

Leaning into her, the imp snarls, "Because you and I both know that Robin and his Merry Men will never accept you for who you truly are."

Firmly setting her jaw, the brunette grounds out, "That's not true."

"Oh isn't it? Then tell me," Rumple taunts, the smile spreading across his lips chilling Regina to the bone, "how come Robin hasn't come back to you yet?"

"Something must have happened to him." Regina replies, swallowing against the sudden lump within her throat.

"You don't know for sure? Why, your majesty, I would have thought you'd be keeping a close eye on him with the help of your mirrors." Rumple mocks, slowly prowling behind her as his chilling voice whispers in her ear, "Or are you too afraid that you'll learn he's better off without you?"

Through her heart screams that his words don't hold a single ounce of truth, Regina still has to close her eyes to ward off the burn of oncoming tears.

"It's time to face the truth, Regina." Rumple continues, "That thief may say he loves you and may very well mean it. But sooner or later your horrors are going to catch up to you and you'll soon realise that redemption and notions of true love are no longer in the cards for you and your dark heart."

Images of a Robin's sapphire eyes filled with hatred float across her mind's eye, leading the woman to open her teary eyes as the imp stands before her once more.

"So, stop wasting all this time, Regina. Don't wait for the thief to break what's left of your heart before you cast my curse." Rumple prompts, his voice strangely gentle as his hand lifts to flick away a traitorous tear that rolls down her cheek, "Do it now and save everyone the hassle."

Furrowing her brow, Regina mulls over the imp's words. Yes, there is a part of her that wonders when Robin will realise that loving her is a mistake only to walk away and never come back. But deep within the root of her soul, Regina knows that Robin would never do that to her. Despite everything her thief still manages to see the good in her. And if that isn't what it feels like to have the love of a soulmate, then Regina doesn't know what is.

"No." she finally answers, her voice filled with an amount of strength that surprises even herself.

"What?" Rumple scoffs.

Once more going nose to nose with the imp, Regina states firmly, "No matter what you say, I will never cast your curse."

For a moment, Rumple merely stares at her, before asking with a dark frown pulling at his lips, "Is that your final decision Regina?"

Before a single doubt reaches the forefront of her mind, an image of Robin smiling at her lovingly floats across her mind's eye. After all, Robin believes Regina is no longer evil and is now on the path of becoming the person she had always wanted to be. And it's that thought that succeeds in only strengthening her resolve, "Yes. I won't let myself become as twisted as you."

"Well, that's your choice, dearie. But unless you can find another way to cross into the Land Without Magic, the Dark Curse is your only choice to save that forest-smelling thief and his merry band of outlaws." Rumple states, his frown curling into a cruel smirk once more, "If I have yet to hear of any progress by the next new moon, I can guarantee you'll be very sorry."

Regina silently watches with a simmering rage as the imp walks away from her, calling over his shoulder, "And don't forget to cut off all trade routes will King George. You and I are already on thin ice enough as it is!"

And just like that, the imp disappears in a cloud of crimson smoke.

All at once, the tension filling her body suddenly melts away, leading Regina to collapse into the closest seat behind her, relieved for the Dark One's departure. However, her relief is short lived as Rumple's renewed threat drifts into the forefront of her mind; …If I have yet to hear of any progress by the next new moon…

New moon…

In an instant Regina starts sifting through the books scattered across the table, looking for the calendar of the current year she knows lies somewhere amongst the various open pages. It takes her a while, but once most of the books are tossed from the table and onto the floor, the brunette finally lands her eyes upon what she's looking for.

Quickly, Regina moves this year's calendar towards the light of the candle, her brown eyes scanning over the dates in order to pinpoint the current day and month. She manages to roughly figure it out, despite not having kept track of the dates for well over two months.

It appears they're now in August – mid-august. And if Regina's estimations are correct, tonight marks a new moon; meaning Regina has less than a month to find an alternative mode of transportation to the World Without Magic other than the Dark Curse.

"Shit." the brunette groans, her head falling into her folded arms on top of the table. That bastard! Backing her into a corner in order to make her feel as though all hope is lost!

But Regina will not give in. No, she refuses to fall for his manipulative schemes once more! Regina will find some other way to the Realm Without Magic, even if she must sacrifice her own life to do so.

Lifting her head, Regina is suddenly aware of how the night sky is now tinged with a lighter blue, marking the start of another dawn, and alerting Regina to the exhaustion weighting within her bones. Releasing a heavy sigh, the brunette rubs her hands over her face wanting banish any remaining thoughts of curses and travelling across realms from her mind. But just as she goes to flick her wrist and transport herself to her personal chambers, her brown orbs catch a glimpse of Robin's lucky feather sticking out from its place within her dress sleeve.

A small smile inches its way onto her lips as her left hand delicately removes the feather once more, holding it in front of her as her fingers gently coast over its back. Tears form within her eyes as images of Robin's lifeless body in her arms fill her mind, causing Regina to realise that she will do anything to stop her dream from becoming a reality.

Even if it means pushing the man she loves far away from her.

More than anything, Regina wants Robin to stand by her side as they figure out a way to defeat Rumple. Together. But as Rumple's threats play over and over within her mind, it becomes clearer that in order for them to at least have a chance at a life together, Robin needs to stay as far away from her as possible. It's the only way Regina knows to ensure his safety – his, Roland's and the Merry Mens' – at least until she finds an alternative to the Dark Curse.

Not wanting to waste another second, Regina grabs a spare piece of parchment before flicking her wrist to conjure up a writing quill and small pot of ink. Then, she writes, her words coming out in a jumble as her head fights against the heavy pounding of her heart. And as she signs the letter off, the tears return, brimming within her eyelids whilst her heart continues its riot within her chest.

It's for the best, her head tells her, but somehow her heart refuses to believe it. You're a monster. With her heart aching, Regina allows her tears to fall in streams down her cheeks as she pushes the parchment from her reach and drops the quill. A monster. Overwhelmed by the sudden aching within her heart, a sob pushes past her lips. A monster.

Regina slumps forward as her tears continue to fall down her cheeks and her sobs only grow louder, the feeling of complete and utter devastation washing over her.

A/N: Poor Regina! Will she go through with her plan to push Robin away? Or will the outlaw return to her castle in time to knock some sense into her once and for all?

Stay tuned!

I'm not going to say much. Just know that I'm very sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up, but I hope the length makes up for it a little. I've finally managed to find some reading time amongst my busy life, so I'm aiming for monthly updates. And I'll stick to it this time.

If you read the story and you enjoyed it, I'd really love to know what you thought, so please leave a review.

Until next time :)