The rating went up with this one. Fair warning.

Chapter 5

Regina made her way upstairs to her room after riding back to the palace with Robin. Being with him was surprisingly easy and she was easily getting used to this. She shook off the feeling as the file that she had hidden within her coat started to stab her. She went into her room, locking the door she slipped it out and started to go through the papers within the file.

She furrowed her brow as she looked over the papers. There were some notes and letters, but then she found the money maker, two nearly identical birth certificates. One for Robin and one for a Patrick Seller. She looked at them wondering who this Patrick was, he had the same birth date as Robin but why did the King have this birth certificate. Her question was answered as she picked up the next piece of paper. An official adoption certificate… for Robin Locksley. Robin was not a biological son to the King and Queen. He was adopted.

Regina's jaw drops as she realized what this meant. The ruling in Sherwood was the throne went to the next blood male relative. If Robin wasn't blood, he would have to forfeit the throne to the next in line, in this case, John. Did he know he was adopted? Did anyone know? Aside from the King and Queen obviously. They seem to have gone through many lengths to hide these papers so it was safe to say that word wasn't out about the adoption. Chances are Robin didn't know either. He admitted to Regina that he didn't want the throne. If he knew he was adopted he would have played this card already.

This was definitely the dirt that she was looking for but she wasn't sure she wanted to use it. Using this would mean hurting someone that she had actually started caring for. Not necessarily because he would lose his throne but realizing your parents lied to you your whole life is not something she wished upon him. She didn't know what to do.

She checked the time, it was daytime in New York, she pulled up Skype on her laptop and dialed her friends back home.

"Hey you," Mal said as she came up on the screen. August rolled over to her desk waving at Regina.

"I found something," Regina said and went on to explain how Robin was adopted.

"Are you sure?" August asked.

Regina nodded, "I have both birth certificates, and the adoption certificate. They obviously covered it up well, if anyone knew Robin wouldn't even be in line for the throne right now."

"Have you told, Fiona?" Mal asked.

"No, and you can't either," Regina said instantly.

"Gina, you have your smoking gun right here," Mal reasoned, "This is what you were looking for."

"She's right," August concurred. "A royal birther scandal, one that's actually legit? You can throw all those stupid Obama birther articles into the gutter with your one piece."

"But, this is going to hurt people. I can't do that."

"Oh sweetie," Mal started, "I know you like him, I can see it on your face. But this will put you on the map. This will make your career, Regina. Don't throw that away for someone who isn't going to be in your future." Mal looked over her shoulder, "We gotta go back to work. You got this."

Regina sighed as she sat back thinking about what Mal had said. She really shouldn't throw away something that would make her career for someone temporary. But what if he wasn't temporary. There were moments the two of them had shared. She wasn't the only one. Was she? Was she imagining some of those looks? She frowned picking up the papers again and looking them over for the hundredth time.

.::.

The next day, Marian tracked Robin down in one of the drawing rooms of the palace. "Robin," she said getting his attention. "I saw you coming back last night, with that… peasant."

"Peasant?" Robin asked incredulously, "You really do have some nerve. Why don't you join us in the 21st century, it's quite nice over here."

"Always the rebel," she smiled, a fake smile as she walked over to him. "I know you better than anyone else. I care about you, more than anyone else."

"Sure you do," Robin said rolling his eyes.

"I do care, Robin." Marian insisted.

Robin scoffed, "I seriously doubt that."

"Then let me show you," she reached up cupping his cheek and bringing their lips together in a tender kiss.

Meanwhile, Regina had left the Princess in the library and walked towards the drawing room to talk to Robin, she wanted to see if things between them had been all in her head or if there was actually something there. She didn't get to ask though. His mouth had been busy snogging Marian when she walked over to the drawing room. She felt as though she had been punched in the gut witnessing them kiss. She turned around and walked away as fast as she could to get away from them. He clearly did not feel for her the way she did for him and she was just playing herself.

The kiss had been short, Robin stopped it nearly immediately, but not before Regina had seen them. He pulled away from Marian and wiped his lip, "Stop, this isn't going to work," he told Marian.

"But you need me. You don't know how to be king without me."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "You'd like me to think that, wouldn't you? And funny, there was a time I believed you. There was a time I believed you loved me too. But you didn't love me, you loved the spotlight, the fame, the attention. You haven't changed one bit, Marian. You never will. I don't need you to be king."

Marian scoffed, "No, you're the one who hasn't changed, Robin. You will fail without me. The smallest amount of pressure will have you breaking down. You're going to regret this."

"I'll take my chances," he said as he walked out of the room leaving her stunned in place.

.::.

Regina had gone up to her room after Mary Margaret's lesson and was sitting at her laptop determined to write. But something was stopping her. Yes, she was hurt that he didn't reciprocate and kind of led her on, but a part of her could not do this to him. She didn't want to get her big break by hurting someone she cared for. She sighed as she looked at the adoption certificate again.

She picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts, landing on the one where she knew she could get some sort of clarity from and hit dial.

"Regina," she heard the voice on the other end and smiled.

"Hi daddy," she said, "Sorry it's been so long, it's been a little hectic."

"Oh don't worry about that sweetpea, how's the story coming along?"

"Daddy you know how you told me to take the opportunities that came my way to make my dreams a reality?"

"I still stand by those words," Henry replied.

Regina bit her nails as she held the phone, "What if the opportunity will hurt someone? Someone who really doesn't deserve it?"

Henry frowned as he listened to his daughter, "Sweetpea, what's going on? You need to give me a little more information than that."

"What if…" Regina started and sighed, "What if what I write will hurt someone who has already been through enough so much hurt in the past?"

"Hmm," Henry tried to figure out what she was getting at, "Honey, I don't know what your job is like, or what you're going through in that head of yours. But what I do know is you have a heart of gold and if you listen to it, you won't make a mistake."

Regina smiled at her father's words, "Classic dad advice."

"I hope it helps, you know what the right thing to do is."

"Thanks, dad," she hung up the phone and looked down at her laptop and the blank word document in front of her.

Before she could think about it too long, she heard a knock on her door. She got up from the bed and walked over to the door opening it and seeing the one person she never would have guessed standing on the other side.

"Hi," she said looking at Robin, she glanced behind her at the mess of papers on her bed and moved slightly to angle her body and the door in such a way that he wouldn't be able to see. "Did you need something from me?"

"I was hoping you'd like to go with me for a walk?" he said, "It's nice outside."

Regina sighed, "I don't know."

"Please," he said, "Half an hour, I could use the company."

Regina slipped her tongue out to lick her lip as she considered what he was asking. Her head was telling her no, but her heart was saying yes. Follow your heart she could hear her father saying so she nodding. "Alright, let me just get my coat."

"Thank you," he smiled and stepped back as she closed the door to her room. She quickly picked up everything from her bed and put it away before getting her coat and meeting him outside her room.

They walked out together in silence going down to the courtyard, "I was going to offer to take you for a horse ride but after the little incident yesterday I think a walk is a little safer," he joked smiling at her.

Regina pressed her lips together, she was confused. Why was he suddenly interested in walking with her when he was just making out with Marian. She was getting all kinds of mixed signals from this man and she didn't know how to deal with them. She was very much invested in this, more so than she should be but she didn't want to get hurt.

He could pick up on the tension she was giving off and watched her, "is something wrong?"

"Do you always take the help for romantic walks in the moonlight?" she muttered.

"What?" he frowned.

She shook her head, "Nevermind, it's stupid."

He sighed, "Talk to me, please. I feel like I've told you everything about myself but know hardly anything about you." He tried to reach for her hand as they walked but she pulled her away, "Roni, is something wrong?" he repeated his question.

"What would Lady Marian say if she saw us right now?" Regina asked looking up at him, trying to keep her own emotions at bay but failing. Her eyes always gave her away.

"Does that matter?" he asked furrowing his brow in confusion.

Regina stopped walking and turned to him, "I saw you two earlier."

Recognition registered in his head, "Whatever you saw, it wasn't what it looked like. It didn't mean anything."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked, "That kiss didn't exactly look platonic."

He sighed, "She was trying to rekindle something that isn't there anymore. It didn't mean anything."

She nodded slowly, "Does that happen a lot? Women throwing themselves at you?"

"Men too, sometimes," he joked. "But I'm sure you know the feeling. Someone as smart and stunning as you would no doubt have a line of suitors waiting for a chance to be with you."

Regina laughed slightly, "Not exactly." She continued to walk with him, "It's easier for me to focus on my career right now. My love life has taken a back seat so to speak."

"The tutoring," he said matter of factly, "Listen, I hope you come tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" she asked.

"The coronation," he clarified, "there's a ball for the event, I would feel much calmer if you were there."

She closed her eyes having stepped a few paces ahead of him. She had to tell him the truth she had found out. He cared for her, or so she thought. Or even he didn't she cared for him and he deserved to know the truth. She turned back towards him, "Robin, I need to tell you somethi…" she was cut off by his lips landing on hers kissing her deeply and clarifying any doubts she had that he might not feel the same way.

She tangled her fingers in his hair as she pulled him closer, parting her lips when she felt his tongue on her bottom lip. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled her flush against his body. Robin pulled back after a moment and looked into her eyes. He reached down to lace his fingers with hers giving them a squeeze and turned back towards the palace. He led her inside and instead of heading towards her room, he detoured to his own.

She walked with him hand in hand, her heart starting to speed up a little. She needed to tell him the truth but right now, she just wanted to feel him, all of him. In every way, she possibly could. He opened the door to his room and ushered her in. Closing and locking it behind him he cupped her cheeks and kissed her again. Robin slipped his tongue into Regina's mouth, deepening the kiss as his hands went to the buttons on her coat, unbuttoning them one by one continuing to kiss her. Regina let him take off her coat before she made quick work of his own and helped him out of it.

Regina's fingers went to the buttons on Robin's shirt undoing them and pushing the shirt off his shoulders. Robin nibbled on Regina's lip making her moan softly as he slipped his fingers under her sweater and lightly caressed her bare sides. He broke the kiss and looked down at her, bringing one hand up to cup her cheek. "Are you sure?"

Regina nodded nuzzling his hand, "I've never been surer." A part of her was telling her she should tell him right now but there was another need that she had to fulfill and that part of her brain was winning this fight. "Kiss me," she requested.

He didn't need to be told twice, leaning back in he kissed her as he pulled her sweater over her head. He bent down to lift her up below her ass, carrying her over to his bed. He sat her down when he was closer and stepped back to toe out of his shoes and take off the t-shirt he had been wearing under his button down.

Regina stared at him bare-chested, her pupils dilating. He worked out, you could tell. She bit her lip drinking him in. He kneeled down in front of her reaching for one of her feet and undoing the laces of her shoes. "Have I told you how utterly adorable these shoes are?"

She blushed slightly, "Not exactly princess material," she quirked an eyebrow.

He laughed, "I beg to differ. It would be a nice change to the nobility." He winked up at her as he took off both shoes. She cupped his face kissing him again. Robin caressed Regina's sides and back, his hands coming around to run along right under her bra. He cupped her breasts, squeezing lightly causing her to gasp against his mouth. Her nipples stiffened up under his thumb as he rubbed her over her bra. He reached behind her unhooking it and peeling it away from her body.

Robin broke the kiss to look down at her bare chest, she was perfect in every sense of the word. Regina lightly scratched at the baby hairs along the back of his neck trying to regulate her already erratic breathing. Robin reached for the button of Regina's jeans and undid it. He slipped his fingers into the waistband of his jeans and looked into her eyes, silently asking permission. She lifted her hips giving him enough room to pull the jeans down and peel them off her. Once she was in only her panties sitting on his bed he gently pushed her legs apart and kneeled between them.

"God you're stunning," he said looking her over. His pupils were dilated, you could hardly see any of the blues of his irises as he leaned in to kiss Regina's chest. He peppered kisses over both breasts, expertly avoiding her aching nipples until she whimpered. He kissed her right nipple and wrapped his mouth around it sucking firmly while his fingers tweaked her left one, pulling and twisting. She leaned back on her arms moaning in pleasure as he bit down lightly on her nipple before letting it go with a pop and moving over to the left and giving it the same treatment.

Robin started kissing down Regina's body urging her to lie back as kissed her right inner thigh moving slowly towards her where she was wanted him most. Regina gasped as he kissed her clit over her panties, Robin groaning at how wet her panties had gotten. He slipped his fingers into the waistband of her panties and taking the last remaining piece of clothing off her body. He kissed his way up her left leg, wrapping his lips around her clit and sucking it once before flicking it with his tongue and licking down her slit.

Regina arched her back, "Oh god," she moaned. She fisted the sheets of his bed with one hand while the other reached down and tangled into his hair as he ate her out. Robin used one hand to steady her as she bucked her hips reflexively. His other moving between her folds and rubbing at her entrance before he pushed two fingers into her slowly. He slowly started to pump his fingers as his tongue paid attention to her clit. She gasped at the intrusion of his fingers and squirmed a little, "Faster," she panted shutting her eyes tightly. Robin adjusted his fingers slightly, hitting her at just the right angle to make her yelp, "Oh god, right there. Don't stop!" She widened her legs a little more giving him more access to speed up his thrusts and suck her clit harder as her climax slowly built up. "Robin," she gasped, "More." Robin slipped a third finger into her pumping his fingers faster hitting her g-spot. He felt her walls start to clam down around his fingers. A few more thrusts and she was screaming out as her orgasm hit. He continued to thrust his fingers into her at a steady and suck her clit until she was pushing his face away, too sensitive.

Regina laid back her legs feeling like jelly. When was the last time she had been eaten out like this? If ever. The prince has a talented tongue she thought as he came up to sit beside her grinning down at her. He leaned over to kiss her, letting her taste herself on his tongue. He caressed her cheek with his thumb watching her. Regina looked down frowning that he was still wearing his pants. "You're overdressed."

Robin laughed, "Am I?"

Regina nodded, sitting up and reaching for the zipper of his jeans. She quickly undid them and pushed both his jeans and boxer down his legs as he lifted up to give her some room. Freeing his very much erect penis from its confines. Regina's eyes widened as she took him in. He was much larger and thicker than she had imagined. Not that she had imagined that part of the prince, but wow, she was impressed.

"Like what you see?" he teased, his eyes dancing with amusement at her shocked features.

"Very much so," she winked at him and moved back towards the middle of the bed. He crawled over her balancing his weight on his arms as he leaned down to kiss her again. Regina reached down wrapping her fingers around his hard on and lightly pumping it in her hand.

Robin groaned breaking the kiss, "No, don't. I won't last if you keep that up."

Regina bit the inside of her cheek and nodded letting go, "Do you have a condom?"

Robin reached over to his bedside table pulling on out and slipping it on before positioning himself and slowly pushing into her. Regina wrapped her arms around his torso holding onto his back as he started to thrust into her. She took a minute to adjust to his girth before she started to meet his thrusts and drew his mouth back to hers in a deep kiss. Robin balanced himself on one arm, bringing the other up to Regina's breast and squeezing it as he thrust into her.

He sped up his thrusting as he felt her starting to get wetter and squirming under him. She slipped a hand between their bodies finding her clit and starting to rub it vigorously. She came again arching her back she panted through the waves of pleasure taking over her body. Robin came right after her continuing to thrust into her until they were both done. He moved off her, pinching the condom as he took it off and tying it before tossing in the wastebasket and lying down next to her. He pulled her closer, cuddling her as they both basked in the post-coital glow.

Regina laid her head on his shoulder as she waited for her breathing to start getting regular again.

"Well that was a rather pleasant end to the night," Robin stated as he caressed Regina's bareback.

"I'll say," Regina replied leaning up on her arm to look at him. "I should probably get back to my room though before Miss Eugene finds me in here and passes out."

Robin laughed, "That would certainly be a sight."

Regina pecked his lips and moved off the bed starting to dress and gather her things. She paused looking back at him. I'll tell him tomorrow, after the coronation. She thought as she smiled at his satisfied look and walked out of the door.

While Regina was in Robin's room, her own room had had a few visitors. Marian had convinced John to break into the room with her to find out what she was really hiding. Digging through her things, they easily found her passport with her real name as well as the file she had found in the King's cabin.

By the time Regina got back to her room, nothing looked out of place leaving her none the wiser of what had actually happened earlier that night.