A/N: Good evening! Thanks for continuing to read the fic, I hope you're enjoying it. Things are going to start progressing now, and the identities of Regina and Henry are going to become clearer in the coming chapters. First I wanted to develop Robin and Regina's relationship a little more, so please let me know what you think, and if you have any requests/criticism/prompts do let me know J
Thanks,
HQ21
On Friday morning Regina headed to her office early, spending some time working at her desk before the start of the school day. The school sports' day was to be held that day, meaning she would have to ensure she was caught up with her work ahead of the weekend. Although Regina worked almost solidly for two hours, she found that she got much less done than she had anticipated, as memories of the night she spent with Robin played over and over again in her mind. It was so surreal, so exciting and so incredibly divine. She had never felt so cared for and so cherished, so loved. They'd been in the pool for almost an hour before showering together and getting dressed. He walked her to her apartment and kissed her sweetly before departing, whispering his goodbyes as they stood together in the threshold of her home, that bright smile upon his lips as he gazed at her with those beautiful eyes. Regina smiled softly at the memories of the previous night, which would remain with her forever. If she closed her eyes and cleared her mind of all thoughts and fears and concerns, she would swear that she could still feel his hands on her body, his breath upon her skin, his body pressed tightly against hers as they-
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She inhaled sharply and opened her eyes, before picking up the receiver and staring at the caller ID.
"Good morning Katherine" she greeted pleasantly, her eyes flickering towards the time on her laptop. "You're early" she commented.
"Good morning, Principal Mills" the secretary returned. "Mr Locksley is here to see you. He would like to discuss his role in the school's sports day."
Regina smiled in response to the statement, her eyes drifting towards the door as excitement built up within her.
"Of course" she stated, her tone formal and professional. "Please send him in" she stated, rising from her seat and placing the receiver down.
Regina smoothed down her silk blouse as she walked across her office and towards her the door, reaching it just as the sound of three confident taps resounded throughout the room. She inhaled deeply and her eyes grew wide with anticipation, as she opened the door and faced the handsome man before her with an unreadable expression.
"Principal Mills" Robin greeted pleasantly, meeting her eyes with his own. She ran her eyes across his body briefly and noticed the black shorts and white shirt, which were quite different from his usual attire. As she had discovered last night, sportswear suited him. Very, very much.
"Mr Locksley" Regina returned, her tone gentle yet professional. She drew the door open and stood aside to allow him to enter. "Please" she stated, gesturing to the inside of the room with her free hand.
"Thank you" he responded, stepping into the room and facing the bookcase behind her.
Regina smiled politely at Katherine as she closed the door behind her guest, before turning on the spot and facing him directly. He was facing her and smiling, causing her previously formal demeanour to fade away completely, as a broad smile lit up her face. She stepped forward instinctively and he copied the action, placing one hand upon her cheek and the other on her hip, as she leaned up towards him and their lips met.
The kiss they shared was deep and intimate, and free from the tentative nature of the ones they shared initially. Following their discussion the night before, and their subsequent encounter in the pool, Robin and Regina kissed without restriction or wariness. They had explored every inch of each other the night before, and they now felt indescribably comfortable in each other's company, and the doubt and fear which once plagued Regina had disappeared almost completely. Being with him, in every sense of the word, felt right; irrefutably and indescribably so. The calmness his presence had upon her, the feel of his body upon hers, the softness of his touches and caresses, made her feel transcendent. As she and Robin finally broke their kiss, and that eager hands rested upon the waists of the other as they paused their keen explorations, she opened her eyes and gazed into his, considering the affect this remarkable man had upon her. And for a moment, she almost found herself forgetting about a very different man, the one who posed a threat to the safety of her son and those she cared about deeply. Her expression sobered slightly and Robin, instantly sensing the change, placed his hand upon her cheek and brushed her hair behind her ear, the gesture causing the tension in her body to lessen as she looked up at him with bright eyes.
"What is it?" he asked gently, as he ran his thumb lightly down her cheek. Regina smiled in response; a simple, disarming smile.
"Nothing" she breathed, leaning back towards him and kissing his lips. "Nothing" she repeated, as he stared down at her. She was lying, clearly. But he wouldn't push her. "You know exactly what your role is in the school sports day" she stated, her voice adopting a deep, sultry tone as she stared up at him with a teasing expression. "So why exactly did you come here this morning, Mr Locksley?" Robin smirked.
"So I could do this" he stated in a low tone which made her quiver.
Before Regina could react Robin had placed his hands upon her hips and pressed her against the wall, pushing his body against hers as he ran his hand through her hair, guiding her into a sensual kiss which rendered them both breathless. Regina moaned as she pulled him against him, her hands running up his back and resting on his shoulder blades, as she felt his tense muscles beneath his hands. She continued to kiss him passionately, angling her head to the side and deepening the kiss, causing him to groan as his hips slammed into hers. After a short while Regina broke the kiss breathlessly, and looked up at him with bright eyes.
"Is that really what you came here for?" she asked. Robin smiled in response.
"Not exactly, no" he responded, his voice unsteady and slightly breathless. Regina looked up at him expectantly. "I hoped that I would be able to speak with you before your secretary arrived, but it appears she's quite keen" he stated. Regina rose her eyebrows in response.
"Apparently she's not the only one" she responded in a low, husky tone. Robin suppressed a smile.
"Despite what you may believe, Ms Mills, the reason I came here this morning were entirely innocent, I assure you" he added, as Regina rose her eyebrows and indicated for him to continue. "I was hoping that you might join me for dinner this evening." Regina smiled in response, her entire body relaxing against his. His hands were on her hips and her body was pressed against hers. She wished they could stay there for an eternity.
"And that's an innocent offer, is it?" she asked.
"Of course" Robin returned, feigning shock. Regina smiled once more and lowered her eyes from his. Somehow dinner with him seemed almost too intimate, and the prospect frightened her. "As much as I enjoyed last night" he stated, moving his hands from her hips to her waist as they both smiled at the memory, "and as much as I am enjoying this, right now" he purred, causing her to exhale deeply and turn towards him. "I would like to do this properly" he stated sincerely, watching as Regina stared at him with an unreadable expression. "I want to show you that my interest in you is not simply physical" he continued, watching as her cheeks flushed slightly. He drew his fingers lightly across her cheek. "I adore everything about you" he stated candidly. Regina rose her eyes to meet his and stared at him for a moment. And for some reason she found herself believing him. Completely and without reservation. Regina nodded.
"Okay" she stated gently, a slightly nervousness entering her tone.
"Okay?" Robin returned, trying to ensure that it was what she truly wanted.
"Yes" she smiled. "Yes, I would love to have dinner with you." Robin's smile widened and his eyes shone.
"Thank you" he stated, before leaning in and kissing her gently on the cheek. She inhaled a shaky breath at the contact, finding her body feeling flushed and tingly, yearning for more. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as Robin stepped back, before opening her eyes and facing him directly.
"So what did you have in mind?" she asked.
"Food, wine, conversation-"
"You know what I mean" she interjected.
"I do" he responded simply, staring down at the look of confusion on her face, her adorable pout, her narrowed eyes. "It's a surprise" he whispered.
"A surprise" she repeated.
"Indeed" he stated. "But I promise you, it will be worth it" he smiled. And she didn't doubt it. Not for a second. Regina ran her hand across his forearm and towards the hand which was resting upon her cheek.
"Fine" she returned, lacing her fingers through his and entwining their hands, which she drew from her face and to her side. "What time were you thinking?" she asked. "Or is that a surprise too?" Robin smiled and his expression softened.
"How about I pick you up from your apartment at around seven" he asked, his tone soft and reassuring, as Regina felt herself weaken beneath his touch. "Would that give you enough time to get ready after your day?"
"Yes" she replied instantly. "I can ask Tink to watch Henry" she stated. "Would you like me to ask if she can look after Roland too?"
"Thank you, but Roland is quite looking forward to an evening with his uncle Killian" he returned. "He's grown quite fond of him" he continued, watching as Regina smiled in response. "He likes him almost as much as he likes you" he added, watching as her eyes rose to meet his. "But not quite, of course."
"Of course" Regina repeated. "It's probably a good idea for the boys to have separate sitters" she stated gently as she looked into his eyes. "Otherwise they'd both have lots of questions."
"Indeed they would" Robin returned, his eyes meeting her nervous ones with a reassuring expression. "Questions which we need to answer ourselves before we're able to explain them to someone else."
"Exactly" Regina returned, relieved. She was worried he'd take her remark as an insult, which it was not. "I don't want to confuse them."
"And we shan't" he reassured her, stroking her arm as he spoke. His eyes drifted to the side and he caught sight of a gym bag upon a chair. "You're taking part in the day's activities, I see?" Regina snorted.
"Hardly" she returned. "Whilst I will be dressed the part I'll be observing only." Robin frowned in confusion.
"Isn't there a series of teachers' events at the end?" he asked. "I heard it was tradition."
"Indeed it is, Mr Locksley" she returned, her tone semi-formal. "A tradition which I myself started" she added, watching as he rose an eyebrow in response. "One of the many perks of being the principal is that I am able to excuse myself from the events." Robin tilted his head to the side slightly and considered her with a kind expression.
"And why would you wish to do that?" he asked gently.
"I wouldn't want to show anyone up" she returned dismissively.
"Heaven forbid" Robin returned with a chuckle. Regina smiled. "I should let you get ready" he added, watching as she turned from him to a clock on the wall, and her eyes widened in surprise. "I'll see you out there" he added.
"Yes" Regina responded absently, as she looked down at her own watch. "Yes, you will."
Just as Robin was about to leave he took a step closer to Regina, who turned towards him in response, just as his hand reached her face and they leaned towards one another, their lips meeting once more. They exchanged a deep, lingering kiss which neither wanted to end, before Robin uttered some breathless words of goodbye and left her office. Regina remained standing still for a moment, the taste of him still upon her lips, as she turned towards the closed door. She felt her entire body relax at the memory of their conversation, and a small smile played on her face. She glanced at her watch once more before heading towards her gym bag and laying out her sports clothes. She had to be on the field in ten minutes, and her uncharacteristic lateness would attract attention if she did not leave soon; and her gossipy secretary would not help matters. With that in mind Regina changed quickly, securing her hair into a high ponytail and walked briskly onto the field.
Regina met Dr Hopper, Mr Hook, Tink, Robin and Miss Gardner, who were already at the field with the eager classes. The other teachers brought their classes shortly afterwards, and once everyone was assembled Regina gave a brief speech of welcome, explaining to the new students what would be happening that day. She explained that refreshments were already set up on tables upon the field (which were tended to be Granny and Ruby), and that if anyone felt unwell they should tell a teacher straight away. Her speech was informative and considerate, and the students listened to her attentively as she spoke. Some of the newer students had not met her before, and they seemed slightly nervous of her, but she quickly put them at their ease. There was an applause at the end of her speech, as she announced the beginning of the sports day.
The sports day began with the students and some of the teachers running a couple laps of the field, which Regina and Tink observed. Regina and Tink chatted briefly, and the principal expertly avoided the subject of the night she shared with Robin. She asked if Tink could take care of Henry for the evening to allow her to deal with some 'unfinished business', which Tink took to mean work. She agreed instantly, and appeared to be unsuspicious; she certainly didn't question Regina about it, and for that she was grateful. After their conversation they remained in a comfortable silence. Regina draped one arm across her stomach and played with her necklace as she watched Henry run confidently at the front, just a few feet away from Robin. Tink smiled.
"Enjoying the view?" she asked.
Regina sighed and continued to turn the necklace around in her hand.
"Of my son doing so well?" she returned, her eyes not leaving Henry. "Absolutely." Tink smirked.
"I take it you won't compete this year either?" Tink asked.
"Why break with tradition?" Regina replied distractedly.
"Regina, you used to love track in high school. And I would love to run with you again" she stated gently. "Won't you run just this once?"
Regina's fingers fell from her necklace and she turned towards Tink. They'd been on the track team together at high school and had led their team to victory. She used to adore running, and would go with Tink every morning before class. It was a hobby she continued after she graduated high school and through college, and it became a firm and almost religious part of her routine. Until the morning Daniel died. She had been running slightly earlier than usual and for longer, as she was trying to get into shape for an upcoming race, meaning that she got home after Daniel left for his morning class. It was only by chance that she listened to the answerphone message before jumping into the shower that day, the one from the hospital explaining that he'd been in a car accident. She'd rushed to the hospital and spent his final hours with him, but it scarred her deeply, and she found herself unable to run afterwards. After he died she went straight to Tink's apartment, her white running top saturated with blood, her face pale and ashen and stained with tears. She couldn't talk for almost thirty minutes, and after Tink realised she was unhurt and manage to coax some words of explanation out of Regina, the distressed woman's eyes befell her blood-stained shirt. Tink would never forget how Regina screamed as she stood up, tearing the bloody garment from her body and hurling it across the room, before collapsing against her friend and crying hysterically. The blood stained far deeper than her clothes. She hadn't run since.
"You found the courage to swim again, Regina" Tink reminded her gently, watching as her friend's eyes slowly travelled to meet her own. "And you could run again too" she continued, offering her a small reassuring smile as they both turned towards the approaching runners. "You just need to find something to run for" she added lightly, as Henry broke away from the others and headed towards his mother with a smile.
"Well done, sweetheart" Regina beamed, recovering herself the moment she saw her son, and rubbing his arm as she looked down at him. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
"Yeah" he returned, looking up at his mother as she spoke. He wouldn't tell her that he'd enjoy it more if she ran with him. It didn't work before, it wouldn't now. And she always looked so sad when he asked her. "What about you?"
"Your mother is thoroughly enjoying herself" Tink smiled, causing Regina to turn towards her with a glare.
"Huh?" Henry asked, looking up at his mother with confusion.
"Ignore her, dear. She's trying to be funny" Regina stated, causing her son to smile. "Sweetheart, can I ask you something?" she asked as she reached into her bag.
"Sure" Henry stated, as his mother handed him a bottle of water.
"Would you mind if Tink came over to watch you tonight? I have some things to catch up on and won't be back until late" she explained.
"Okay" he replied instantly, turning his attention towards Tink. "Can we please watch the last film?"
"Of course we can" Tink smiled. Henry beamed in response, and Regina found herself feeling instantly calmer. She smiled at her son and cast a furtive glance towards Robin Locksley, who was offering his son some juice as they interacted. Regina was very much looking forward to her evening.
The rest of the morning passed relatively quickly, with medals being awarded, snacks being shared and a refreshingly low amount of injuries being sustained. The day was warm and a light breeze cooled the students, who slowly began to feel weary from the day's activities. Before long it was time for the students' favourite part of the Mills' Academy sports day: the teachers' races. All but three or four teachers competed, and Regina watched as everyone got into place, as Robin and Zelena headed towards the start point. Before Robin reached his mark he turned on the spot and looked directly at Regina, before walking towards her. Regina stared at him with a confused expression.
"Is everything okay, Mr Locksley?" she asked.
"Oh yes, thank you" he replied politely, as he stood before her. "I was just wondering if you would care to join us?" he asked. Regina rose an eyebrow. "I realise that it isn't something you normally participate in, and I promise that I will only ask once" he added kindly. Regina sighed.
"Thank you, Mr Locksley, but I think I'll stay here."
"Please, mom" Henry stated, causing her to turn towards him with a surprise expression. "You used to love track in school, I remember you telling me" he stated. "And Mr Hook has been telling everyone that he's gonna win again" Henry stated in a hushed tone.
"Again?" Robin asked.
"Hook always wins" Regina replied in a low tone.
"I see" Robin returned, his eyes meeting Regina's as he turned towards her. "Then perhaps we should break a few traditions" he stated, taking a step backwards in an attempt to draw her towards the start line. Regina scoffed, and Tink watched the exchange with interest.
"No" she replied.
"Not afraid of losing are you, Principal Mills?" he returned teasingly. Regina rose her eyebrows.
"Hardly."
"Come on mom, please. I know you can beat him" Henry stated, tugging at her arm as he spoke.
"Sweetheart, it isn't about winning or losing, I told you that" she stated gently. "It's about fun."
"Indeed it is" Robin returned, watching Regina for a moment. "But it's not everyone's idea of fun, Henry" he added gently. "And I'd wager your mother is an excellent umpire" he continued, smiling at her kindly. "I'll see you both at the finish line" he stated, before turning on the spot and heading back towards his position, as the remaining teachers got into place.
"Good luck, Mr Locksley!" Henry yelled, as he stepped beside his mother. Regina watched as Henry's expression changed slightly, and she frowned in confusion.
"What's wrong, dear?" she asked kindly, causing her son to turn towards her.
"Oh, nothing" he stated dismissively, as Regina turned to the side and faced him directly, causing him to look up at her. "Are you hurt?" he asked. Regina frowned.
"What?" she asked gently.
"The grooms said that you said we aren't going riding this weekend, and you've been swimming a lot, and you have a really big bruise right there" Henry stated, indicating towards his mother's side. Regina's eyes widened in surprise; she didn't know that he had seen her injury, and she had no idea that he was so worried. "Are you hurt? Is that why you can't run? Or ride?"
"No, sweetheart" Regina stated sincerely, as she crouched before her son, who stared at her with a doubtful expression. The thought of him being so worried about her filled her with guilt. She never ran in these races, but the fact that she had injured herself so recently was still clearly playing on his mind. Regina inhaled sharply and pressed her hands to her thighs, pushing herself into a standing position. "And I'll prove it to you" she stated, turning on the spot and heading towards the start line.
Tink took a step closer to Henry and watched with surprise as Regina approached the start line, standing in the only free spot available: between Robin and Miss Gardner. As soon as she took up her position she felt her nervousness return to her, but as she glanced back towards her son she pushed it aside completely, and faced forward once more.
"Principal Mills" Robin stated, surprise clear in his tone. "Whatever changed your mind?" he asked with a smile.
"My son" she returned simply, before turning towards Dr Hopper, who was counting down from three.
Regina took up her position and prepared herself to run, the memories of her track days returning to her as she smelled the freshly cut grass and felt the wind on her face. As Dr Hopper yelled 'go!' Regina flew from her position and sprinted forward, soon overtaking the other runners, before she was running between Robin and Hook, who stared at her in amazement. She ignored everything and everyone around her, the high pitched cheers and words of encouragement simply forming background noise, as she ran around the circuit and back towards the starting position. Regina flew across the finish line and was followed by Hook, Robin, Zelena and the others. She bent forward and put her hands on her legs as she took in several deep breaths of air; whilst she was physically fit she had not been running in over a decade, and her body was clearly not used to such exertion. The sounds of cheering increased and Regina pushed herself into a standing position, as the familiar voice of her son drew her attention to her left.
"Mom, you did it!" he yelled, his broad smile causing her to smile back at him instinctively. "You won!" Regina suppressed a small smile.
"I suppose I did" she returned, glancing across at an exhausted looking Hook and an equally red-faced Robin, who smiled towards her.
"Congratulations" he stated breathlessly, as his own son ran across the track and launched himself at his father.
"Thank you" Regina returned gently, as the realisation of what she had just accomplished dawned upon her; and she did not mean winning the race.
"Well done, Principal Mills!" stated Dr Hopper as he approached her. Before she could turn to face him she felt a ribbon across her neck and cold metal upon her chest, as the gold medal was put over her head. "You broke the school record for fastest time" he added.
"Way to go, mom!" Henry smiled, and Regina laughed in response, running her hand through his hair.
"A very worthy victory, m'lady" stated Robin as he approached her. "Please accept my sincere congratulations" he added, extending his hand to her. Regina considered him for a moment before reaching for his hand and shaking it confidently in response.
"Thank you, Mr Locksley" she returned with a smile, which the red-faced history teacher returned.
"You'll have to give us the opportunity of a rematch some time" Robin smiled. Regina laughed.
"Perhaps" she stated, as she slowly removed her hand from his.
Zelena walked from the track and grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby table, taking several swigs as she watched the exchange between Robin and Regina. As she watched the principal smile at the teacher before her her eyes widened and her hand trembled slightly with anger, causing her to grip the bottle with incredible strength, the sound of crunching plastic drawing her from her thoughts.
The students remained on the field for another thirty minutes ago until Regina drew their attention towards her and announced that afternoon lessons would be suspended, and that their weekend could begin early. The announcement was met with loud cheers and clapping (from both students and staff alike), as friends found each other in the crowds and headed in various directions. Regina spent some time talking to various members of staff, exchanging some words with her son and then heading back into the main building with Tink.
"Something happened last night, didn't it?" Tink asked gently.
"I'm sorry?" Regina returned, feeling her stomach clench at the question. Was it that obvious? Had other people noticed? Had Henry?
"Between you and Robin" she stated in a hushed tone, as Regina looked around her, reassuring herself that no one else was present. Regina was silent as she led the way into the school. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I won't push you."
"That'd be a first" Regina returned in a low voice as she headed back towards her office.
"But if you want to talk about it" she continued. "I'm here" she added. "And thanks to my favourite employer, my afternoon is now free."
Regina suppressed a small smile as she approached her office. In truth she did want to talk to Tink about what had happened between her and Robin, and her confidante knew this. She opened the main door and greeted Katherine, removing the tie from her hair and running her fingers through her dark tresses, as she led Tink towards her own inner sanctuary. Tink closed the door behind them and sat upon the couch, where Regina joined her after a few moments of consideration, before telling her (almost) everything about the night before.
After Tink left Regina remained in her office for several hours, desperate to catch up on her paperwork ahead of the weekend. She wanted to arrange something special to do with her son over the weekend, as he was clearly concerned about her, and she wished to allay his fears. She had considered cancelling her night with Robin because of this, but Tink convinced her not to, explaining that Henry would open up to her when they hung out that night, and that would help them to help him. Regina agreed, knowing Tink was right. She and Henry always had had a special bond. Regina glanced at the clock in the bottom right hand side of her laptop and found it was almost 5pm, meaning she had less than two hours to get everything else sorted and prepare herself for her dinner with Robin. She found herself feeling butterflies once more. Just as she was about to turn her laptop off she received a new email from Emma Swan, which she opened immediately.
Her eyes scanned the email with interest, widening in a combination of surprise and relief at the contents, which she read twice to ensure that she had not misunderstood it. The trial was being brought forward to four weeks' from now. She smiled. It was almost over. In just over a month he would be locked up far away for the rest of his miserable existence, and he would not be able to lay a finger on Henry. Relief washed over her at the news, and she found herself trembling. However, after a few moments her smile fell and that familiar, sickening worry befell her, as she considered the affect the incarceration of the deplorable man would have on her life and her son's. He would be reunited with Emma, the mother he had never met, whose existence he knew about. When it was over, when he was safe, would she lose him? Forever? No, she assured herself, Emma wouldn't do that, we've talked about that several times. But now their hypothetical conversation which had been dragging on for ten years was acquiring solid foundations and an almost physical form. Regina's body felt weak and she felt almost faint, as her fingertips hovered over the keyboard, before typing her response. Regardless of the affect this would have upon her, Henry would be safe, and he would always be loved. And his safety and well-being was something she would give absolutely anything to ensure. Even if that meant that he could no longer be with her.
Regina considered how the upcoming trial would increase his interests in her son, and possibly cause him to act drastically in order to find him. She inhaled deeply and sent the response, before shutting down her laptop and reaching for her phone, and dialling Tink's number. Her friend answered the phone and agreed to meet Regina in her office, where they discussed the matter fully. Regina was trembling and looked terrified, and Tink did her best to reassure her, assuring her that no one would take Henry from her, not him and certainly not Emma. They would figure something out between them, between all of them, and everything was going to be okay. The main thing was that Henry would be safe, and so would the others, so would she. That was what she needed to focus on. And that was why it was perfectly fine for her to go ahead with her date that night. Regina disagreed, and Tink had to hold down the hang up button on Regina's phone to prevent her from cancelling on Robin at the last minute.
"My son needs me" Regina stated, her eyes ablaze and her body trembling.
"Your son has you" Tink stated reassuringly, holding Regina's hands before her and looking up at her with wise eyes. "He is safe, and I will keep him so" she continued. "We've done it for over ten years, and we will continue to do it for as long as it takes" she added. "Regina, it's almost over" she enthused. "And I promise you, you will not lose your son" she stated with conviction. "No one will take him away from you."
"It's not about me" Regina countered. "It's about Henry" she stated. "I haven't been able to tell him much about Emma, but I made sure that he knows what a good person she is, and how much she loves him" she continued. "I want him to know her" she stated. "He deserves to" she added with conviction. "And so does she."
"And they will know each other" Tink returned gently. "She is his birth mother and she does love him" she continued. "But you are his mother too" she stated. "You kept that child safe when the risk to him was so great. You protected him and cared for him and made sure he was surrounded by love" she stated, watching as Regina's eyes welled up and she was unable to meet her gaze. She squeezed her hands slightly tighter. "Nothing will ever change that" she smiled. "You are his mother."
Regina inhaled shakily and nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes as she considered Tink's words. She was right. Of course she was right.
"Now come on, Cinderella" she stated, earning a small laugh from Regina, as she wrapped an arm across her back and led her from her office. "Let's get you ready for your ball."
In a room not too far away from Regina's office Zelena Gardner accepted a call from an irate Mr Gold, who was pacing his cell in federal prison in rage.
"We have less than four weeks before the trial begins" Gold spat. "The security will be increased, I could be moved to a different prison, and the guards I have bribed will no longer be with me" he added. "We are running out of time."
"I know" Zelena retuned in annoyance. "Don't you think I'm trying?" she added, rubbing her head with her hand as she paced her own rooms. "I thought I'd get her with the horse, but she somehow managed to survive it!"
"The horse idea was flawed, Zelena. Deeply flawed" Gold stated in a sinister tone. "You must try harder."
"I am trying!" she hissed. "But if I try anything now, so soon after her 'accident', someone could grow suspicious" she stated. "And if this is to work then foul play cannot be suspected."
Gold sighed audibly down the phone, his anger and his frustration increasing by the second. She was right, but he would not admit that to her, he wouldn't give her the satisfaction.
"I need that boy, Zelena. He is the only piece of leverage I have to get me out of where I am now, and to put an end to all of this" he continued. "Without him, I will be condemned to spend the rest of my life in a cell, and I refuse!" he seethed, casting a glance through the peephole to check that they weren't being overheard. "You need to get the boy, and get him quickly. And in order to do that, you have to remove the one thing that stands between us and him."
"Regina" Zelena stated with a sneer. "The only way I can get to Henry is to remove her from the equation" she stated.
"Precisely" Gold stated in an annoyed tone. "And I am confused as to why this is proving so difficult for you, Zelena" he spat. "You're possibly the only person in the world who wants her dead as much as I do."
"More" Zelena corrected, her eyes widening and a cold and sinister expression upon her face. "And I will succeed" she declared.
"You'd better, and fast" Gold returned. "Otherwise neither of us will get what we want."
"I know what I'm doing" she returned in annoyance. "The time I've spent with her, her colleagues and that vile child, have not been in vain" she continued. "She has a weakness, several of them, not just her son" she stated, a cruel smirk playing upon her face as she thought of the encounters she'd witnessed between Robin and Regina. "And they will be her downfall."
"They'd better be, Zelena" he replied in a low tone. "Otherwise, the only downfalls we'll be involved in will be our own."
Zelena scoffed in response.
"That is not going to happen" she stated with a smile, as her already well-formulated plan played out in her mind. "Trust me, Gold" she continued with such confidence that he almost found himself feeling reassured, "by this time next week Regina will be dead and the child will be with me" she smiled. "And you will be out of that dreaded cage of yours forever" she continued, before terminating the call and turning towards the fire.
Zelena picked up several pictures she had recently taken, some of Robin and Regina at the pool, some from their encounter in her office, some from earlier that day. She smiled down at them with a cruel and wicked grin, before tearing the images up and throwing them into the fire, and watching as the images of Robin Locksley and Regina Mills were reduced to ashes before her.