When the breeze blew from the turret,

as I parted his hair,

it wounded my neck

with its gentle hand,

suspending all my senses.

It was slow, gentle, and, well, very nice.

Ok. More than a little nice.

She broke away, but their faces stayed close together.

And then her took her head between his hands and kissed her.

And…..

Coherent thought just left every cell that operated her brain. Damn. Was she floating? No. He just was lifting her up, and …well…..not sure how long, but, but…

Hell, she wasn't complaining.

Not one little bit.

Finally, her feet were back on the ground and her head was, well somewhere on his shoulder? Neck?

Whatever.

She inhaled, and speech returned. "Ok. You got your kiss. So are you going to stop yelling at me now?"

"You started it!" Robin accused.

"You were the one acting all entitled," Regina shot right back.

"Are you really going to start this now?"

Regina thought about it. "No," and she went up to kiss him again.

She needed air sometime. And . . .

Sh-. Her happy ending, as awful as it was, vanished.

No unethical kidnapping of a little orphan boy, no new son, just a very sexy man that she was making out with.

His hand brushed some of her hair back, and that damned tattoo.

She stiffened.

"What is it?" Robin asked.

"Nothing." She stepped back, "I'm uh, I'm sorry, didn't mean to."

"No," he shook his head, "Don't. Do not run away."

"I'm not running," Regina protested. "I'm going to walk."

Robin reached for her hands, "Regina, talk to me."

She took a step back, "No, I don't think I will. I'm not much of a talker. In my world we just react, get mad, tell somebody they're horrible, and then pat ourselves on the back for being tolerant. The talking thing is for your little world."

"Oh, do not …"

"Good night," she backed away some more. "I…I didn't mean to lead you on. That wasn't very nice."

Not very nice? Really?

Regina walked and walked. Dang, when he lifted her he must have … Oh, getting them out of sight.

The forest equivalent of "getting a room."

Eventually she found her tent and dived in. And wow! Was asleep immediately.

She may have heard him walking outside. Stopping. But then, well, she was asleep.

The next morning everything was all just normal. Regina got Roland up, made sure he had breakfast, packed her tent, and off they walked!

She made no eye contact with Robin, of course, because why would she do that?

He too followed the routine, moving along in the same pattern, ahead, behind, and she might have felt his eyes burning a hole in her direction now and then, but …. Oh, Roland needed some help here!

"Regina."

Where did he come from?

"We need to talk," Robin said.

Talk? Why?

"About what?"

He was not being put off, "About what happened between you and me last night."

"Oh." She looked straight ahead.

"Regina. . . "

Fine then!

"Why?" she spun to face him. "Why? Why, Robin? I'm going to be gone forever in a day or two, or three. What's there to talk about?" She saw a large trunk blocking their path. Roland had run ahead, "Roland wait! Let me help you."

But Robin beat her to it and lifted his son over, and before she could object, he did the same to her. And held her waist between his two hands. She stubbornly looked down. His hands didn't move.

Regina looked up at him, "Are you an idiot? Did you hear what I said?"

He looked right back at her, "I heard you, Regina." He let her go and moved on.

Smug bastard.

Or . . .

No. Smug bastard!

When they finally made camp—perhaps the longest day of Regina's life—the routine went the same.

She got Roland to bed, sang him to sleep again, and then . . . well usually she went to the fire. And dammit, she would!

Regina sat down and yes, Robin was there. As he had been in their little routine.

She stared into the flames and made a show of warming herself.

Robin gave an ironic laugh. "So, you're not completely avoiding me."

"Why should I?" she turned to look, trying to be casual. "It's a nice warm fire, and…"

Some of the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen were on her, eyebrows raised, inviting her to finish her sentence.

"And?" he prodded.

"And…"

And she leaned in and kissed him again.

Damn!

This time it was a little more intense, if that was possible. Though in a way, a little more like two teenagers than the grown man and woman that they were.

Kind of like her and Daniel. In the stable loft.

Daniel.

They were lying side by side.

And she was thinking of Daniel.

Robin opened his mouth to speak, "Don't say it!" Regina stopped him.

"Say what?"

"'I told you so.'"

He smiled, "Do I need to?"

Smug bastard!

"Now, Regina, let's talk."

Will she let him win this one? What really was the point? What to talk about?

What to say?

Then the subject seemed to drop down from Heaven. Or Hell. Or both.

His chain, had become loose, or had it, sh-, his little vest thing had gotten undone… oh, she had done that. And his shirt was very fine and…the chain. The ring.

The ring.

Regina eyed it, "Talking could get awkward."

He looked down at it. "Does that bother you?"

"No, but…"

"So you mind," Robin stated.

"No," she insisted. "I really don't. You and I…well I'm not sure what it is, but it's not that, is it?"

He shrugged. She tried again, "This is you. Your heart belongs to her. Why should I mind?"

Talking about a man's dead wife after a tumble in the leaves. Lovely.

"Let me try this again," Regina took a deep breath. "I understand. My heart belongs to another too. Actually I was just thinking of him."

Oh no.

Robin's mouth opened, closed. Then, "Now that is awkward."

Regina wanted to die, "You see, that's it. I don't know why I keep wanting to, to well… " Snog him?

He touched her cheek. "If it makes you feel better, what this is, it's mutual."

It was.

Whatever this was.

Was she really going to do this? Have a three day fling in the forest?

Regina looked at him again. A rather fine looking…. Robin Hood.

Why not?

She leaned her head on one hand, looking up at him.

Why the hell not?

Robin continued. "You said your husband never had your heart."

Oh. Talking.

"Who was he?" he asked softly.

"I shouldn't have said that. It was tacky," she sat up and turned away.

"You don't have to say anything," he said, sitting up too. "It's not my business. Unless you want it to be."

"It's…." And for some reason Regina wanted to tell him. Wanted him to know. She turned back to him. "His name was Daniel. My fiancé. We grew up together, best friends, and then, the inevitable. Women and men can't really be friends can they?"

A long pause. This was a bad idea.

Robin took her hand, caressing it, "What happened, Regina?"

"My mother killed him," she said simply. The movement on her hand stopped. "After he gave me my ring, she ripped his heart right out of his chest."

His hand went to his mouth, pressing against it, "Oh my God, Regina."

Regina shook her head, "It was a long time ago. But," damn it, tears were pricking at her eyes, yet she said it, "I still love him."

"Time doesn't erase what we feel," he said quietly.

She shrugged, "I suppose I don't mind the ring, because I kept his too. For years. But I gave it up to hurt someone. I dishonored his memory. And did it with barely a second thought. " She wiped at her eyes, "I'm really a rather horrible person."

And on that, they began to walk back to the camp. There was no talking this time, and Regina didn't want to ask what he was thinking.

They were by the fire again, where they would part for their tents. But he held onto her hand, "We do have to sleep, Robin," she said with a small smile.

"Maybe a solution? Maybe sleep with me?"

Her jaw may have dropped, her hand certainly did.

Robin laughed nervously, "That sounded wrong. Not like that, of course!"

Of course. He was a gentleman.

Regina took his hand again, "Sucks to be you, then. You didn't give me a chance to say 'yes."