Chapter 8

Few weeks later.

'It's the right thing to do.' Regina is talking to herself in her vault. She thought about it for a lot, wondering if it was really necessary. She still feels horrible for what she did to save Robin and the last thing she wants is to do something like that ever again. Regina walks outside the vault, placing Graham's beating heart in a wooden box. The same box that was destined to contain Snow White's heart.

You're now mine. My pet.

Those were the words she said only few inches from Graham's face after she ripped his heart out. He betrayed her and he had to pay, but now? Is it really necessary for her to keep his heart, to control him? With Robin by her side, she doesn't need to be evil. Not anymore.

A dense rain starts hitting the windscreen of Regina's car. She can barely see but, staying focused on the street, she reaches the police station. Checking the back seat, she notices that she doesn't have any umbrellas with her.

Great. Really great.

She couldn't just go around with a wooden box in her hands, so she puts it in her bag. Paying attention to not slip on the wet asphalt, Regina runs fast towards the front door of the police station, with her heavy bag on her shoulder. She was wet, from head to toe, like she just jumped in the shower. Looking at her reflection on the glass door, she sees how bad her hair looks because of the rain. 'For God's sake..' She says thrusting her fingers through her unruly hair, to fix it as best as she can. Even if she doesn't like the result, Regina walks inside, hoping Graham is alone.

'Sheriff?' Regina says reaching his office. He's sitting at one of the few desks in front of the cells. Thankfully, nobody is there. 'Graham?'

He turns, and only in that moment, Regina notices he's at the phone. 'Please, wait a moment.' He pauses the phone call. 'Madame Mayor, what can I do for you?'

'No, go on. I can wait.'

Graham listens to her and turns to continue the phone call. 'Yes, I'm here. Tell me, what's the problem?'

It's now or never. He wouldn't even realize it.

Regina opens her leather black bag and grabs his heart from the box. She takes few steps closer to him, trying to not catching his attention. What could happen if he sees her with a beating heart in her hand? How he could react? What kind of excuse she could use in a situation like that? Regina is not bold enough to find out, so she moves carefully.

As Evil Queen, she usually ripped out people's hearts and turned them into dust. For what matters, it's something new for her. Regina's hand trembles, she takes a deep breath before to push Graham's heart back where it belongs, in his chest. Graham gaps loudly on that chair. Regina steps back fast, wondering what happens next.

'O – okay.. I'll be right there, Marco.' Graham says, putting down the handset.

Something is wrong with Regina. A wave of nausea hits her out of the blue. She can't explain what's going on inside her, but she wants it to stop. She can taste the acid from her stomach rising up to her mouth.

'I'm sorry, Regina. This is an emergency..' Graham turns to her and stands up. 'Are – are you okay?' He asks as soon as he meets her glance.

'I'm..' Regina takes deep breaths, barely able to contain the nausea. 'I'm fine.'

'Okay. Did you come here to talk to me?'

'No. I just.. hmm.. wanted to be sure everything was alright.' Regina lies shamelessly to his face. She surely can't tell him the truth, can she?

'Yes. Everything is under control. But I have to go now!'

'Sure. Have a good day, Graham.'

The Sheriff runs away fast. Apparently something happened to Marco, Geppetto in the Enchanted Forest, or at least that's what she got from the phone call. Regina is alone at the police station, still taking deep breaths. Walking in the hallway to reach the front door, a new wave of nausea hits her. It starts from deep in her stomach and crawls its way up her spine, vertebrae by vertebrae to her head. Luckily for her, there's a bathroom at the end of the hallway. She runs fast towards it, slamming the door on her way in. Regina drops to her knees in front of the toiler, throwing her bag at the ground. She vomits up the entire breakfast she had that morning with Henry at Granny's. Every muscle, every fiber of her body is in pain now. Regina doesn't bother to stand up after the nausea passed. She turns and presses her back against the wall as she grabs a wad of toilet paper to wipe her mouth.

'What the hell..'

Regina closes her eyes, leaning the back of her head against the wall. It feels like someone just hit her in the head with a sledge hammer without any warning. The pain is horrible and unrelenting. She takes deep breaths hoping it'd relax her contracted muscles all over her body.

Mind over matter. Mind over matter.

Regina tries to focus on those words as best as she can, ignoring the exhausting pain. She can't explain what caused all that turmoil inside her. Giving Graham his heart back is something she never thought was possible, but was it enough to cause that wave of nausea?

'I can do this..' Regina says to herself, leaning to the toilet to stand on her feet. 'I can do this..'

When she met Robin at the Granny's Diner few days before, she invited him and Roland for dinner. A dinner they're supposed to have tonight. She spent the entire Friday afternoon to make her second specialty – lasagna. Nobody and, especially, nothing will ruin that day. She loved that afternoon in the forest with Robin and his son, it's the closest she ever felt like family. Regina wants that feeling back.

Taking a long look at her reflection in the small mirror, she notices how pale her skin is. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' Regina asks herself. She doesn't even bother to answer that question out lout, but either she got a stomach bug or her conscience is taking control of her body. What she did to Graham was a good thing, she has no remorse of it.

Regina decides to postpone those questions to another time. She's already worried for tonight's dinner, she doesn't need more problems to think about. She leaves the police station fast, driving her way home.

Luckily for her, Regina is a clean freak. The house is always on point even if, every once in a while, she has to remind her son to keep his room clean. When she got home from the police station, she went straight in her bedroom and lied down, trying to get some rest. Staring at the ceiling, she kept wondering what caused those sudden waves of nausea. She considered every option but nothing made sense in her mind and she eventually fell asleep.

When she woke up she felt a lot better, but it was already late. She had one of the quickest showers ever, getting ready right in time. She decided to wear a dark crimson dress and a pair of low black heels. She didn't need to wear high heels in her own home, but at the same time, she wanted to look elegant for her guests. She brushed her short black hair leaving it straight and flowing. She used light make-up to highlight her brown eyes and set off her cheeks and lips. She looked at the finished product in the mirror. She looked as good as she could.

'Not that Roland will care about my outfit, but I can't say the same for Robin.' She said to herself. She was ready, but uncharacteristically nervous.

Regina took a deep breath, mentally repeating herself that she could do it. Before to walk downstairs, she knocked at Henry's bedroom door. She reminded her little boy that their guests would be there soon and that he had to get ready. For the first time, as she recall, Henry stood up from his bed and ran in the bathroom to have a shower. He was happy to spend some time with Robin and Roland again, and so was Regina.

Waiting for her guests to arrive, Regina put the lasagna in the oven and set the table. It felt like the time slowed. At each minute passed, she became more nervous.

I need to calm down. It's just a dinner.

Robin and Roland arrive just in time. When Regina opens the door, her heart starts beating faster.

'Roland has a gift for you.' Robin says breaking the silence.

'Really?' She lowers in front of the little boy.

'This is for you, Regina.' Roland says showing a rose he was hiding behind his back.

'Oh, Roland.' A smile spontaneously appears on her face as she takes the red rose in her fingers by its stem. 'Thank you! It's such a beautiful rose.'

'Just like you.' Roland says. His big black eyes are shining as he's looking straight in hers.

'Awww.. thank you.' Regina's heart melts like snow in the sun. She raises her hand and gently cups his cheek, rubbing her thumb on his cold skin. 'Why don't you get in? Henry is waiting for you.'

Roland nods his head before to run inside fast, looking for his friend. Regina stands up in front of Robin, meeting his glance again.

'Hi.' Robin says, taking a step toward her. He moves his face closer, reducing the space between them.

Regina moves her head uncontrollably. 'Oh. Sorry.' She says placing her hand on his shoulder. She wants to kiss him as much as he does. She wants to feel those soft lips on hers again. See him standing right there makes Regina's body reacts impulsively. But what if Roland sees them? What if Henry sees them? Damn. It's too soon, even Regina doesn't know exactly what's going on between them. They kissed in the forest and made love on her couch. How she's supposed to call that? She tilts her head and kisses his cheek, trying to not leave any lipstick mark. Taking a step back, she lowers her glance. 'Is that.. wine?'

'I didn't know what to expect from the Madame Mayor herself, so..' Robin says raising both his hands, 'I brought both white and red.'

'Great!' She says taking a step back. 'Come in. It's so cold outside.' Robin walks in and closes the door behind him.

Since that morning, the weather only got worse. The rain kept falling down uninterruptedly during the entire day, turning into a real storm. For a moment, Regina even considered the idea of cancel the dinner, but now she's glad she didn't. Looking at Robin as he walks in her foyer makes her unbelievably happy. When she's with him, all her masks drop down and she can be herself. Or at least, her better half.

'Apparently you chose the most rainy day to invite us for dinner.' He says turning to her.

'Bad luck, I guess.'

'Well, thank you anyway.'

Regina smiles getting closer as she wraps her hand around his arm. 'Let's go. I'm famishing.' They walk together over the round table, side by side. She breaths his scent, clean and sexy. It's getting harder for her to control her own instincts.

The dinner went perfectly. Roland and Henry planned many mysterious adventures they wanted to play at the next time in the forest. Regina was speechless realizing how much imagination her beautiful little boy had. They make quite a team. While the kids fantasized about defeating dragons and finding hidden treasures, Regina and Robin gazed at each other multiple times. She can't help but be hypnotized by those beautiful blue eyes. Robin even dared moving his hand on hers, holding it. At first Regina tried to move away, but she didn't. She loved the gentle way he holds her hand.

'It was delicious, Regina. Thank you.' Robin says breaking the silence that filled room after they finished eating.

'Would you like some more lasagna?' Regina asks to the three men sit in front of them.

'No. Thank you.' The oldest one speaks up first.

'I think I'll pass, mum.'

'Regina..' Roland says catching her attention. The youngest one is sitting on her right. 'Can I have a piece of your apple pie?'

'Roland!' Robin says before she even has the chance to answer him.

Regina winks at Robin, then turns to Roland. Slightly lowering her back, she gets closer. 'I'm afraid that's not possible, little boy..'

'Ooh…' Roland lowers his head, suddenly looking sad. It looks like someone just stole his favorite toy. 'It's okay.'

'Because it's not ready yet..' Regina whispers. The little boy raises his head, wondering what exactly she meant with those words. 'The apple pie is in the oven right now.'

A big smile appears on his face. 'Really?'

'Hm-mm.' Regina nods her head, smiling at him. 'You just need to be patient.'

'Thank you!' Roland screams, jumping off his chair. He wraps his tiny arms around her neck and hugs her very tight. Regina winds her arms around his body and keeps him very close. The sweetness of that boy will never stop surprising her. When he breaks the hug, he gently presses his lips on her cheek. 'Mwah!'.

'Mum, can I show Roland my bedroom?' Henry says standing up.

'Of course, Henry. I'll call you when the pie is ready.'

The kids run fast upstairs, leaving them alone. 'I'm sorry for that.'

'No need to apologies. I remember how much he really loved it at the picnic.' Regina stands up and starts gathering the dishes from the table. She turns and walks over the kitchen.

'Let me help you.' Robin says grabbing the glasses and follows her.

Regina leads the way, with the feeling of being stared by Robin. She doesn't mind it, but she's not used to it either. Not like that anyway. As Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest, people barely looked at her, they were scared to unleash her wrath. Some people were bold enough to challenge her glace but they didn't end well. Only Daniel and her father used to look at her with love in their eyes, but Robin is something else. The unique way he looks at her with those blue eyes makes her heart racing wild. The idea of Robin walking just few steps behind her makes her blush. Regina walks in the kitchen and places the dishes next to the sink. With her left hand she opens the door of the dishwasher, then she puts the dishes and cutlery in it, one by one.

'Here.' Robin says handing over the glasses from behind her.

'Thanks.'

Once all the glasses are in it too, Regina starts the dishwasher and turns to Robin. He grabs her waist and pulls her closer. He tilts his head bringing his lips closer to hers, before to kiss them. Their lips gently touch as Regina wraps her arms around his shoulders.

'I'm sorry..' Robin whispers breaking the kiss. His hands are still on her hips, with no intention of letting them go. 'I wanted to kiss you the moment I saw you at the door.'

'I know..' Regina moves her hands on his neck, rubbing her thumbs against his skin. Surprising even herself, she says, 'Me too.'

'You're stunning..' Staring deeply into her eyes, Robin moves her against the table in the middle of the kitchen. '.. in every way.' He whispers, lifting up the dark crimson dress. Regina feels her cheeks blushing as she spontaneously smiles. Firmly grabbing her waist, he lifts her up and makes her sit on the edge of the table. The white marble is cold, but she doesn't mind it.

'Robin?' She says with a surprised tone. He lowers his head to kiss her again, as she spreads her legs so he can move between them. Robin gently places his left hand on her back and pulls her closer, making her body bumps against his. She slowly deepens the kiss, tasting him on her tongue. Within few seconds, their kiss escalates. Her mouth is full, his tongue is sliding in and out of her lips.

Robin moves his right hand on her leg, slowly tracing his way up. He teases the skin behind her knee, before to trail his fingers up inside of her thighs. A soft moan escapes Regina's lips, forcing her to break the kiss. 'R – Robin.. we.. we can't..'. Regina is hot, uncontrollably hot. Just a simple touch of Robin's hand on her bare skin and she's easily turned on.

'Can you blame me?' He says pressing his lips on her neck.

Of course I can't, but..

'Noo..' She arches her back, moving her hand up on his head to sink her fingers in his hair. The rasp of his tongue against her skin makes her moan again. She wraps her legs around his waist, drawing him closer. His hand moves higher and she feels the exact moment he touches her panties. His fingertips are now rubbing against them. She's wet and she can't deny it.

Out of the sudden the timer of the oven goes off, scaring both of them. Robin raises his head fast, turning to it. Her heart is beating so fast inside her chest. After they both realize it was just the oven, they take deep breaths. Regina closes her eyes for a brief moment, calming herself down. She wanted it, every inch of her body wanted it, but she knows it can't happen. Robin turns and she watches his lips part, swollen with desire. The same desire that's burning inside her.

'We.. We should probably call the kids..' Regina says breaking the awkward silence.

'Y – yes..' Robin pulls his hand out of her thighs, taking a step back. 'We should probably do that.' He helps her getting off the table, then gently kisses her cheek. 'I'll call them.'

Regina doesn't take her eyes off of him until he completely disappears behind the wall. She fixes her dress as she walks over the oven, thinking of what just happen. Or what it could've happened if they had more time. Biting her lower lip, she takes the apple pie out of the oven and places it on the table behind her. Not to be modest, but it looks delicious as always. They're gonna love it, or at least, it's what Regina hopes.

'Madame Mayor, we have a problem..' Robin says walking in the kitchen.

'What?' She turns fast to him. Her blood freezes in her veins.

'The kids fell asleep in Henry's bed.'

Regina breaths out loudly, feeling relieved. 'Both of them?' She says, almost laughing.

'Yes.' Robin takes few steps, stopping right in front of her. 'I should probably go now. It's been a long day.'

'You can stay here!'

Why she can't control her own thoughts when she's with him? How is it possible that Robin has such influence on her?

'What?'

'I mean..' Regina takes a break to find the right words. 'The storm is only getting worse. Wake up Roland now is not necessary, you can stay in the guests room. And I think I still have some small pajamas Henry doesn't use anymore.'

Is this the best I can do? Really?

'Are you sure? I don't want to bother you.'

'I would've never said that if I wasn't sure.' Regina says getting closer.

'Apparently I can't say no.' He smiles, taking her hand.

'But.. I'm afraid I have nothing that would fit you.' Regina smiles like a dumb, looking at him.

'I'm the big guy here. I'll be fine.'

Regina leads the way as they are both laughing. She turns off the lights and starts walking upstairs, with her hand in his. None of them wants to let the other go and she's more than fine with it. She loves the way his big hand holds hers, gently and so intimate.

I'm sorry. It took me a month to update The Bandit.

I started two more OutlawQueen fanfics in the meantime. You can find them on my account if you're interested – My Other Half and One Ride Up.

BUT… let's stay focus. Robin is sleeping at Regina's huh? What will happen? As someone called me the Smut Queen, I warn you to expect a lot of smut in the next chapter.

For now, I really hope you liked this one. Let me know your opinion by reviewing it.

Daisy.