The Queen and her Thief

by ruffledparasol

A collection of sickly sweet drabbels and heart breaking one shots all about a certain Queen and her Thief. A multitude of requested AU's - Regina as Cinderella, Mr & Mrs Smith, College OQ - and lost year memories - Sir Dimples & The Cabin! S'mores & Fluff. REQUESTS ARE OPEN.

21. The Cabin (3)

Well, well, well! Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year & everything else goes along with that! Hello my lovelies! I am back! I do hope you enjoyed your holidays - I sure did mine as you can tell by my absence! In response to LucyTheMarauder, YES! I saw Imagine Dragons! They were INCREDIBLE live! Oh my goodness! GO SEE THEM if they ever come to your area!

Aaaannnnd, we hit 100 reviews! WOW! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I am honestly blown away to your love & feedback for this story! You guys rock! *evil regal sign* Therefore, if you read the Author Notes you know what that means... An early update of The Cabin! This chapter comes as promised as a Christmas present, however a late one - I didn't plan on updating this part of the story until January however so let us rejoice! This one is for: selenagoncalves, LucyTheMarauder, Nikki, fangurlofouat/guest (you crack me up!), Voguevamp, .796, NocoleLeeTV & Praewa (on Twitter) & Guest 1,2,3,4 & 5 and all you you that helped us reach 100 reviews!

*If you're reviewing as a guest feel free to leave a name that you'd like me to refer to you as in the comments! That way if I leave a shoutout for you I can use your name! (:

As a warning - there is a reason this chapter took so long to post... if you were to copy and paste it into a word document you'd see that it's exactly 50 pages long! So do enjoy! And send a big thanks to Inquisitive Dreamer - my lovely friend /beta who took on editing this beast to make it understandable for all of you(; *claps!* There is plenty of OQ feels here! As well, some more surprise should be coming throughout the week! (;

To my lovely guest Rapunzel - I saw your review on Of Swans and Queens' - thank you first! and second, if you have an account please feel free to DM me or leave your request in the comments! I am so sorry it has taken so long for me to respond! I had nothing to post to do so! (If it works for you I am also on Twitter, you can find me at RuffledParasols - tweet me it there!)

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To her dismay, he wasn't in his chambers when she came looking.

She turned down the hall and searched through the dining area.

Empty.

She scanned the grounds.

Clear.

She searched the library.

Nothing but books.

Her leg began to burn under the bandages around her fourth circle of the main landing and she decided to turn back, giving up for the night. That of course was when he ran straight into her.

"Your Majesty! I am so sorry, did I hurt you?" He asked.

His words were sincere, but his voice was detached.

"No, no, I'm fine." She responded. She would have been overjoyed to see him, however, the scowl he was sporting on his face made her second guess herself.

"What are you doing out here?"

The man looked like he had had a long night, a lot like her; however he looked worse for the wear. He had bathed, for she could see that the shine she had become accustomed to was back in his sandy hair. He had also swapped his shredded attire for what looked like a soft cotton shirt and pants. It was the most undone she had ever seen him. She could no longer see the outline of the scar that she knew hid under his shirt, save for the red tip that poked out on his neck and curled around his ear. At a glance, he looked perfectly fine however, she noticed the deep set lines and the dark circles under his eyes as he spoke, "I often come out here when I need to clear my head."

"Can't sleep?" She asked.

Robin shook his head. His eyes had dropped from her's. She followed his gaze, realizing that he was trying to look anywhere but at her.

She suddenly felt a hurt in her chest that she couldn't explain. In a second she went from excited to see him, to wishing that she hadn't listened to Snow and come out looking for him. She wished that they hadn't spent that week alone in his cabin. She wished that she had never opened up to him. That he had never saved her. That he hadn't cared for her. That she hadn't grown to care for him. That she had never seen that stupid tattoo.

This was what she got for following her heart.

She was so consumed with her thoughts that she almost didn't register him speaking to her again, "How is your leg faring?"

"Huh- oh, fine." Regina responded. She made a move subconsciously to show off it's new found dexterity, however; at that moment, one of her bandages slipped and a bolt of pain shot through her.

Robin's hands shot out to her, gripping at her sides to keep her from falling, "You shouldn't be on it." He grunted as he caught her.

She sensed a bit of anger in the undertones of his voice and immediately found herself on the defensive.

"I'll do whatever I please." She snapped. She was tired of his clipped tone already, but she was trying to remain calm.

"Of that, I have no doubt," he said under his breath. When he had steadied her he added, under his breath, "Your Majesty."

That did it.

"Why are you calling me that?"

Robin looked stunned, "It's your name?"

"No, I gave you express permission to call me Regina. And you haven't stopped doing so since that night in the cabin. Not until we reached the castle." She stated factually, "Why? What is it that's changed?"

Regina had never found herself talking like this to the man, during their week together she had witnessed him going from speaking abruptly to her, to bold and even, sometimes assertively. She had responded in her normal brazen manner whenever he told her to stay off of her leg however, that was until he had commanded her to do so or else he would tie her to the bed.

She had gotten shivers. She promptly decided to avoid him for the rest of the night, ignoring his threat and walking the short distance between her bed and the fireplace, proceeding to sit there until she fell asleep.

But he had never been rude to her. He had never treated her poorly or shown her any ill will. All he had done was help her. That was what had initially annoyed her, his overbearing need to take care of her. She had let him feed her the first night and then when he went in to do so the next she had stopped him.

She could see the hurt in his eyes then, as clearly as he stood before her now.

But she couldn't let him continue. Not after what she knew about him. About them.

He had been there, back in the cabin, his front pressed to hers, hands around her waist. He was helping her stand however she couldn't seem to hold her legs steady with him touching her like that.

"Move your leg Your Majesty."

"I am."

"No," Robin said, "You are not."

"Yes I am!" Regina snapped.

Robin huffed and she felt his grip around her hips tighten ever so slightly, as if he wished to shake her to force some sense into her, but decided against it.

"No, Your Majesty, I am sorry to say it, but you are most definitely keeping your leg as stationary as a fallen log."

Regina was just about fed up with the mans accusations. She wriggled her arms away from him, promptly crossing them over her chest. In retrospect, she probably looked like a spoiled rotten 10 year old having a temper tantrum, but she didn't much care. She replied snidely, "Well maybe I would be able to, if it didn't hurt so much!"

"Your Majesty, it's going to hurt whether you sit or stand, and you were the one that insisted on walking as soon as possible." He said, as factually as he could manage.

Regina wanted nothing more than to singe him with one of her fireballs however, he was the one thing keeping her upright at the moment; instead of crumbling into a heap where she stood, so she decided against it. When she did not respond in a timely fashion he readjusted his grip on her and took in a deep breath before speaking again.

"Your Majesty-" he began but he was cut off.

"Stop calling me that."

"Calling you what?" Robin questioned.

"Your Majesty," Regina answered, destain seeping into her words like poison, "As if it were a derogatory term. I didn't choose to be Queen. And if I am to be calling you Robin, by your request, need I remind you, then it is only right for you to be referring to me by my name. Call me Regina."

For a moment the Queen would have sworn the mans eyes lit up, brightening by a shade or two, into what looked like the exact color of vivid blue in a cloudless sky.

"Are we understood?" Regina continued when she received no reply.

"Perfectly, Your Maj-" the thief stopped at the highly arched eyebrow from the woman he was still holding in his arms, "Regina."

Regina felt like a bolt of lightening shot straight threw her and this time it didn't have anything to do with the injury to her leg. The way her name fell from his lips was like magic. It made every hair on her body shoot up and stand to attention. She felt goosebumps pebble her skin. His lips curved in a way the entranced her as he spoke it and she found that she couldn't tear her eyes away from his mouth.

"Regina." She heard him say. There was definitely some power in his voice because it lured her in like honey would a bear. She couldn't get enough of it.

"Regina," She heard again, "Regina?"

The seductive quality had changed. Only then did she realize that he was actually speaking to her now.

"Yes?" She responded.

"Are you alright? You seemed to have zoned out for a moment there."

"I'm fine I assure you." She said, and then quickly added, "Let's try again."

"What?" Robin asked, appearing stunned at her sudden abruptness. Regina explained non-verbally by nodding her head down, signaling at her legs and then flicking her eyes between them. Robins mouth formed an 'o' as understanding hit him. "Right, would you like to try and move your leg again?"

Regina wanted to shake her head 'no', however he was right, she was the one that insisted on getting up and fully functionally as quickly as possible. So she suppressed the urge and nodded, biting her lower lip as she focused all of her concentration on her legs.

She took one tentative step and nearly let out a scream as the pain rippled through her in waves. It was excruciating. Her leg felt like it was being ripped apart, shredded into strings, like cheese and then put through a blender - or whatever the Enchanted Forest version of a blender was. Regardless, it was painful, highly uncomfortable to say the least.

Her eyes screwed shut, she stopped moving, her hands gripping tightly around his biceps.

"I-I can't." she all but whispered.

Robin nodded, seeing her pain.

"Why don't we call it a day." He said, leading her to the bed, carefully, as not to hurt her injured leg any further. "You rest here and I'll make dinner."

Regina nodded, as it was the only thing she was currently capable of doing. Her eyes were still shut but she felt the loss immediately as the mans strong arms left her once she was sat down and situated on the mattress.

In what felt like only minutes later he had returned. Something appetizing and well cooked in his hands.

Regina opened one eye, seeing him cutting the well done meat on the plate into small, bite sized chunks, proceeding to stab one piece with the fork in his hands.

When he went to lift it up, however she realized what he was doing.

She stopped him before he could reach her mouth. He had had the biggest look of confusion on his face.

"It's deer?" He said, questioningly.

She shook her head.

"Look I know it may not be what you are accustomed to-" Robin began, but she proceeded to grab the fork from his hand, taking the full bite into her mouth, effectively shutting him up.

Robin stared at her for a moment, like he was in shock, that a Queen would ever dare to eat like that, much less been seen doing so. When Regina finished her bite, reaching out to stab another piece of the pre-cut deer meat, he seemed to snap himself out of his momentary trance. He set the plate down on the bed, his hands brushing over her lap as he did so.

She finished the plate, eating every single shred of meat on it. The deer was delicious. When she finally set her fork down to symbolize that she was done, Robin returned to where he had gone off to to get himself his own bowl.

He gazed at her, and she pretended not to notice as she stared out the window to her right, looking at the stars. Their brightness was at just the right intensity to be blinding if one stared too long. Without breaking her gaze she felt herself slip into her subconscious, focusing now only on her internal thoughts.

She wasn't sure why she didn't let him feed her. He had done nothing wrong by offering his help. Sure, she was strong enough now and capable to do it herself. As a matter of fact she had been so the night prior but in her haze of overheating and exhaustion she had deemed his ministrations acceptable.

But now, now she couldn't have him doing that. Not after she had seen the tattoo that marred his forearm. The marking that symbolized their undeniable connection.

Helping her to walk was one thing.

But feeding her?

Bathing her?

Those were completely different.

She had to distance him.

Distance them.

And she had tried to do so, every single day since.

He had continued going out early in the morning, hunting for whatever animal they would consume that day. He continued to chop wood and stack it in order to bring it in, to keep the fire from dying out. He sat by her bed as she rested and brought her cool towels when she needed them. He cooked in the morning and as well as in the evening, he helped her stretch her leg and walk on it in the afternoon.

It had been a week of perfect domesticity between them, minus the fights and the sometimes loud outbursts; followed by creative words meant to describe the other, it had been the most home like experience Regina had ever had. For brief, almost fleeting moments, Regina had felt like she could have experienced what a true partnership, a true relationship felt like when she was with him.

He was kind and caring. Strong and courageous.

There were many times when her eyes locked with his and she felt that same pull to him that she did that first night. Every time she moved in, just a little, and she heard how his breathing stopped. Her heart beat hammered in her chest. Once or twice she could almost feel his stubble on her cheeks, his warm breath on her lips. But then she remembered the tattoo and she pulled back.

It had become increasingly difficult throughout the week and even worse on their trek home. But that was a whole other story.

"What's changed?" She heard him ask as he was standing in front of her in the hall, shaking her out of her reverie, in a tone that suggested he was astonished that she would ask that, "You've changed. Ever since we got nearer to the castle. The closer we got the more you distanced yourself from me, as if for some reason, being back her erased everything that happened in the time that we spent together."

Regina was taken aback. She had grown used to his inability to speak anything but the utter truth, however she had not been prepared to hear it put so bluntly. She was silent for a moment, feeling awkward as the silence grew between them. She took in a shallow breath and spoke.

"Well what did you expect?

"I've learned to expect only the unexpected with you, Your Majesty." He said, solemnly.

For some reason, that she was not sure of, Regina was extremely hurt by that comment. The man began to turn to walk away, but before he did so he added, "I'm only trying to follow your lead Your Majesty."

He turned and walked away.

"Wait!" she yelled, stopping him with her voice. Suddenly it felt as if she had left her body and was floating towards him, landing dead center in front of him, her body conveniently blocking him from stepping around her, "You say your trying to follow my lead? Well then, follow this."

Her hands shot out and grabbed his neck, before he knew it she was crashing her lips to his. In a matter of seconds it was a battle of clashing teeth and tongues. The thief responded almost automatically, his strong arms wrapping around her with vigor.

He hoisted her up, the underside of his hands, brushing against the areas of her exposed flesh as he trailed them down her body to find the point just above the meatier part of her legs to grip onto her tightly.

Regina moaned. The thief's mouth went to her neck, sucking and nibbling his way down the long column.

She felt her back hit the cold stone wall of the hallway behind them, and she hissed. Her hands went to his hair and around his back, trying to remove him of his many layers of clothing.

It was all heat and passion until suddenly she heard him speaking.

"Your Majesty?" he said then there was a pause, and then he spoke again, "Regina?"

Regina snapped her eyes open, shaking her head to clear the haze. The outlaw stood before her, just a little way down the hallway.

She had not kissed him, nor had he pushed her against a wall and made her moan oh-so deliciously.

In fact, she was still standing there, mouth open, arm outstretched, reaching to grab his forearm in the hopes to turn him around.

"Regina are you alright?" He asked again.

There was something a bit lighter in his voice this time as he addressed her. She could see from the way that his brow furrowed that he was genuinely concerned for her health. His eyes automatically shot down to her leg, where he must have assumed her pain was spawning from. He gave her a thorough once over and Regina felt her cheeks turn pink.

There was something about his stare. Every time his eyes raked over hers, they put her on edge. Whether it was a casual glance or an out right lingering gaze of appreciation, the man always seemed to send a shiver up her spine. And apparently her subconscious knew it as well.

"I'm-I'm fine," Regina started still trying to shake the image of him kissing her so passionately from out of her mind. "I'm just not feeling so well." she lied.

"I think you could use some sleep Your Majesty." he said, returning to addressing her by her title again.

"I'm not tired." Regina snapped, her hands shooting to her hips.

She could see Robin inwardly roll his eyes at her tone. She seemed to revert back into her adolescent self more and more when she was around him.

She would have sworn he was about to say 'fine' and leave her be, standing alone in the hallway, but he didn't. Instead he surprised her as he pivoted on his heel, coming towards her.

When he was in range he put his hands on her hips and she gasped as she felt him beginning to pull her.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked, trying desperately to hide the fact that he had stolen her breath with his sudden movements, but failing when her voice had came out a bit huskier than normal.

"Taking you to bed."

xxx

Charming paced back and forth in his room.

He hadn't seen his wife for the past few hours, and he was getting anxious.

He knew that things had changed between her and Regina. That the blood, that had been spilt between them, all of the wrong doings and hatred, had been washed away under some proverbial bridge. However, he still didn't find himself too fond of Snow going of in search of her former step Mother.

Especially when she was gone for longer than she said she would be.

Charming turned, pivoting on his feet, towards the large double doors of their chambers. He was about to go through them, when they burst open and he saw his wife make her way into the room, a wide smile on her face.

"Snow!" He said, relief evident in his voice, "What is it?"

"She likes him!" Snow sing-songed, hazily, as if she were wrapped up in some fabulous dream. David wouldn't be surprised if she threw in a twirl.

"She likes who? Who is she? Regina? Regina likes someone!?" Charming rambled.

Snow only nodded, her eyes fluttering shut as if she were floating on some imaginary cloud of euphoria.

"Mmmhhmm," she hummed. "And Regina like likes him. She may not say it, but I can tell. I can always tell with her." Snow stated factually.

"Regina wears her emotions so clearly on her face, it's almost comical really." She continued.

Charming watched as his wife flitted through the room, reminding him of a frivolous butterfly. The gold and red designs in her dress caught the light of the flames in the fireplace, looking like wings, "And do you know what the best part is?" She asked once she calmed down enough to sit, perched on the arm of his grand chair.

"What?" Charming asked.

"I called it!" Snow exclaimed almost before he finished. "I knew it would be the archer that she would fall for! Knew it since the first day that they met! I saw the way she looked at him. I knew she was only trying to throw me off with her 'he smells like forest' comment." She said, making air quotations with her fingers, "Ha!"

"The archer?" Charming questioned, trying to decipher who it could be his wife was alluding to, "Who... wait Robin?! Regina likes Robin!?"

Snow fixed her husband with a look, as if to say 'of course, what are you? Blind?' After a moment of silence, she spoke.

"Of course Regina likes Robin, and he definitely likes her back. It's painfully obvious."

"Well apparently not," Charming rebuffed, "I didn't see it!"

His wife fixed him with another look. Charming huffed.

"So she's finally found someone? Huh, Well good luck to him." Charming said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snow asked.

It was now Charming's turn to stare at his wife, he raised his eyebrows trying to make his point, but when she continued to look confused he elaborated.

"This is Regina we're talking about. It's not hard to see why someone would like her. Physically she is something else, but..." he trailed off seeing his wife's eyes widen before narrowing dangerously, "I'm just saying that physically, she is beautiful!" He cleared up, raising his hands like a white flag, "You can't deny it."

Snow resorted to raising a brow but she said nothing.

"I'm just saying that I understand the initial attraction. But to really like her, that I admit, I didn't see coming. And for that I wish him luck. That does explain however why she gave him those arrows," Charming said pensively.

He raised one hand to rub his chin in thought and Snow noticed something that she hadn't before.

"David? What is that?"

Charming stopped rubbing his hand back and forth, "What is what?"

"That!" Snow said, shooting up from her spot on the arm rest of the chair, jetting to his side, "Is that stubble!?"

Charming tensed, he immediately spat out a 'No', trying to turn away from his wife's prying eyes. But she was to quick for him.

Snow grabbed her husbands hand, removing it from his face.

"It is!" She exclaimed seeing the blonde hairs!

"So what if it is?"

Snow gasped, "David Nolan, you've always been clean shaven! What is this? Trying to mimic the archer?"

By the shade of red that her husband turned, Snow took that as a yes.

"I just didn't feel like shaving." Charming muttered, but it was useless. Snow dissolved into a fit of laughter, pointing and snickering at her husbands flimsy excuse.

Charming swatted her hand away, but the princess didn't care as she couldn't do much but hold her sides to keep herself from doubling over with laughter.

"Yes-yes, ha ha," Charming said, "You have had your fun. I, for one rather like it. I think it gives me a rather dashing quality." He said, brushing off invisible pieces of lint from his coat.

Snow wiped the tears from eyes, heaving a few times before regaining somewhat of a normalcy to her breathing.

"Yes, yes it does," She agreed, cupping her hand around her husbands face, turning him to look at her again. "But, there is a reason why I call you Charming and not Dashing."

"Oh?" Charming said.

Snow nodded. She pulled him in, connecting their lips in a soft kiss. She felt the newly formed stubble scratch her cheeks. Instantly she thought of Regina and the archer, Robin. Unlike Charming, Robin had a full set of stubble and Snow realized that this must be what Regina felt when she kissed him.

Realizing that she was thinking of her step mother as she was kissing her husband, Snow made a small noise that sounded like a squeak, just about gagged; pulling away, breaking their kiss with a loud 'pop'.

Her eyes were screwed shut and she shook her head trying to shake the very unwelcome image of her step mother and the archer making out passionately from her mind.

"Snow?" Charming spoke.

Snow opened her eyes at the sound of his concerned voice, finally ridding her mind of battling tongues and teeth on against flesh.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," Snow nodded, running her hand that was still cupping his face over his cheek. She felt the rough hairs under her thumbs. "But this," she said, eyeing the stubble, "This is not Charming and it has to go."

She heard a groan from her husband when she turned to walk away. He began to protest but she stopped him with a finger.

"There is no discussion, it needs to be gone before we go to sleep, or else you will be sleeping on the couch." She said and walked into the bathroom.

As much as she loved him, she could not kiss that stubbled face again.

Not when it conjured R-rated images of her step mother and the archer in to her mind.

Snow shook her head.

She needed a cold bath.

xxx

"Regina... Regina Stop! Look at me!"

Regina turned, twirling around so fast, her front almost rammed directly into the thief coming up behind her as she did so, taking him by surprise.

"What?!" She snapped.

The man looked stunned, however it only took him a minute to recover. She knew there was furry written in her eyes, embers left from a fire stoking behind them. Most would have backed down if the Evil Queen had turned on them like that, paralyzed with fear, begging her to spare their lives.

But he didn't.

He never did.

In fact, Robin didn't appear to be threatened by her at all. Quite the contrary. His eyes looked alarmed, yes, but there was a different emotion on his face. Concern. Concern for her well being. It showed in the lines that crinkled around his brow and marred his face.

That was what irked her, the way in which he could get under her skin with just a look. It was like he could read her, like she was an open book. Her life, the pain, the hurt, the love, the loss, the joy. All of it. Every page, every paragraph, every sentence. Even the ones that had been crossed out. All of her story, wrapped up neatly on the pages of a book that he held in his hands. He had unraveled her.

It unnerved her.

They had been walking for hours now. She could almost taste the smell of the forest around them. The sun was up, but the chill of the early morning still hovered in the mist.

She had insisted that they get as early of a start as possible. Which hadn't been hard considering that she hadn't slept a wink the night before.

She couldn't. Every part of her had ached. Her body had wanted nothing more than to fall into a deep, undisturbed slumber full of rest and recuperation. But no matter how hard she had tried, sleep wouldn't come. Her brain would not shut off.

It had whirred and buzzed, recounting the events of the week. Replaying everything. Analyzing ever look, every gesture, every word that had been uttered out of the thief's mouth and her own.

When had things changed between them?

Regina knew they had, but she wasn't sure when.

One moment they had been bickering, alone at the dinner tables in the castle, and then next he was saving her life from that of a flying monkey. Then rushing her to his camp, into his own cabin. Caring for her and helping her. Tending to her wounds and her battered spirit.

He had been there for her. No matter how much she didn't deserve it, he had. He had been the one to save the Evil Queen when all others would have probably let her die.

She would have deserved it too. He would have had an easy out. She had gone out, on her own, to fight of an entire army by herself. She had known it was a dumb plan all along. She had even known that it could be considered a death wish, but she hadn't cared. She wanted to go. She had wanted to fight. She had wanted to fail. She wanted an out. And she would have gotten it.

But he had insisted.

And he had followed, when she said not too.

And he had fought for her.

He saved her from the monkey that had shredded her to pieces, maiming him as well. He saved her from the poison that ravaged her body. He had bandaged her and wrapped her up to stop the screams. He had brought her cool towels to combat the terrible sweats and heat waves in the night. He had held her hand through it all. He saved her from herself too.

And, last night, he had held her.

It had been late. She had been restless, tired of being cooped up in the small cabin; rooted to one spot on the bed, unable to move far enough to leave it, without her leg feeling as if it were about to burst open right on the spot.

She had moved, inching her way to the side of the bed, being careful to set her leg down gently on the floor as to not move the bandages too much.

When she had positioned herself correctly, she reached out to grab the side table and hoisted herself up.

The bolts of pain immediately began to shoot through her. She screwed her eyes shut, holding her breath. It was extremely excruciating but it wasn't long before the the shocks eventually began to recede. A few moments later they were gone, leaving only the simmering embers in their wake. She could still feel where the beast had sliced her open, depositing the Wicked Witches poison. It's sting was still there, but it was durable.

She opened her eyes, taking in a breath, preparing to take a step forward.

She did.

Her foot hit the cold floor, and her leg remained steady, her body intact and upright.

She could walk!

Regina exhaled, elated, smiling as she took one step after another. She was by no means graceful, she was hobbling a bit more than she would have liked, but she was mobile, therefore grateful.

She made her way across the small living room deciding to head straight for the main door to the cabin.

It had been a whole week since she had felt the crisp air or seen the sun, save from through a window. However, night had already fallen over the Enchanted Forest so she would have to make do with the dark. But she didn't care. She wanted to be anywhere but stuck inside.

Grabbing the cape that hung on the rack by the hearth, she made her way out of the door.

The cold hit her like a slap to the face.

She had only taken one step outside of the door but the cold front was evident. She shivered, realizing that the thief had done a particularly good job of keeping the fire stoked for her not to have realized how cold it had gotten outside of the cabin walls.

Her mind instantly wandered to Robin.

He had left about an hour ago, with the excuse that he needed to go out to find more wood for the fire.

Regina had known it had been a lie the moment he had said it. An excuse for him to get out of the cabin. But she had let him go without comment. He had been adamant about keeping the wood pile stocked as to not run out. He had created a pile inside the cabin, and as well, stacked up extra logs outside.

She had known because she had watched him, bringing the heavy logs in on the second day. Two at a time he had walked in with, depositing a stack next to the hearth before heading back outdoors to grab more.

He hadn't known that she had been watching, for she had feigned sleep the moment she had heard him coming back to the door. It had been the day after she had seen his tattoo and she was still in shock.

She had been avoiding him all morning. When the smell of bacon sizzling had attacked her senses, she had made a comment about her stomach not feeling well, in the hopes that he wouldn't try to make her breakfast, however he was having none of that.

He presented her with her food, mumbling something about needing to get supplies before heading into another room to change into more suitable attire and heading out for the day.

It had been a few hours later when he had returned with the first batch of wood.

Under lidded eyes, she had watched him. His chest heaving, logs piled high in his arms, a sheen of sweat glistening on his exposed skin.

The man was strong, she could see that. Regina felt her heartbeat pick up as the outline of his muscles became apparent under the thin shirt that he wore.

Somewhere in the process of cutting wood, he must have discarded the cape that he had been wearing for now all he had on was his usual forest green pants and a thin shirt.

His shoulders were broad. His back strong and firm. She could see the way that his muscles stretched and retracted when he set the logs down with control.

Suddenly she had felt hot, but it had nothing to do with her fever.

She had watched him as he exited and entered, repeatedly. Each time her eyes drawn to him, his back, to his body.

The man was glorious to behold, even still fully dressed.

She had found herself wondering what he would look like without the restriction of his clothing, until her eyes spotted the red mark that ran across his chest and curled up behind his ear.

And then all of her memories came back. Memories of the monkeys and the saving, the injury and the tattoo. All of the reasons why she should be trying to get better and shouldn't be thinking of him like that.

It took about an hour before he finally finished bringing in the logs. She had heard the dull thud of him stacking extra up against the outside wall of the cabin.

When he had walked back in however she had had to bite her tongue as he peeled off his thin shirt, now standing in his full glory from the waist up.

He was gorgeous. His skin slicked with sweat, glistening in the light, accentuating every line. The thief was built. He wasn't what she would have called a broad man, like that of Charming or his ilk. His bone structure was different, more toned than brute, that of an archer, but from what she could see there was nothing remotely small about him.

Regina blushed at the thoughts that entered her mind.

It wasn't until Robin turned, giving her a full view of his well defined front that she got her first look at the scar that was now cut across his entire chest. It started at the corner of his left hipbone. A bright, red, jagged line that sliced directly through his midsection, cut over his shoulder and swirled behind his right ear.

To her it almost looked like the path drawn on a map, however there was flesh used for paper and blood for the ink.

She shuddered at the thought of the pain that he had to go through and alone, because she had been in her own pain and unable to help.

He must have had to tend to his wounds later since she knew that he had immediately picked her up from where she had crumbled into a heap after the monkeys attack; and he had carried her there, to the cabin. Regina found herself wondering how badly he must have been hurting, caring for her while being injured himself, until another thought hit her. He had been attacked by the same poisoned talons of the monkey that had attacked her. How had he managed to escape the effects of the poison?

Her mind spun however, at that moment, the thief moved, extending one long, muscular arm over his head, the other wrapping around to pull it into a stretch. There was a soft 'pop' of his muscles and then she saw the tell tale mark of the tattoo that embossed his wrist.

Her whole stomach did a flip. She had immediately rolled over, averting her eyes from being able to see his undressed form any longer.

And that was why she had known that he hadn't gone in search of more firewood earlier that day.

Regina took another step into the frigid air. She remembered the cape in her arms and immediately threw it around her shoulders, feeling the warmth as it molded over her, fitting her like a glove.

She made her way in to the forest of trees that surrounded the cabin.

xxx

It was around a quarter of an hour later when she spotted what she had been looking for.

Ahead, past the thicket of wild bushes was a cool spring. Regardless of the chilling weather the water looked inviting, and she longed to soak her aching muscles in the brook.

Regina walked towards the pool, discarding the cape and beginning to remove the clothing that she was currently wearing.

It had been another set left from the thief. He had ceased dressing her on the night after her shock the first time, but it had become accustom for her to find to a new set of clothes sitting by her beside every morning for her to wear.

This set, had been a bit baggier than the rest of the clothing he had been providing her. She removed the overly large blouse with ease and took her time with the trousers, careful not to irritate her leg.

Once undressed, she situated herself at the edge of the stream.

Lowering in her good leg first, she tested out the water. It was cool however not freezing, despite the contradicting weather. She lowered herself in completely, only wincing when her cuts hit the water, until they got used to the sensation.

When her body was settled she found the water to be luke warm and it seemed to have somewhat of a soothing effect.

Regina sighed contentedly, leaning back, finding a small alcove near the edge to sit in, and rested her body.

She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply, letting the cool water wash around her.

She wasn't sure how long she had been there, soaking in the stream, until she opened her eyes again and noticed that the once dusky blue sky had darkened. The previous color now replaced by a deeper, darker shade.

The sky reminded her of a dress she owned, back at the castle. It was one of her favorites. The maker had made it specifically for her, using only the best and most luxurious royal blue velvet. He had said that the color complemented her eyes, and by the number of stares that she received when she wore the gown, he had been right. Maybe it helped that the back of the dress was completely non-existent, save for dozens of glittering diamonds that cascaded loosely down her back from the grand collar piece that ran around the front.

The diamonds started at her collar, draping over her shoulders like epaulets. Wrapping around and running down her back, adorning her in her own clinquant armor. It molded to her curves, the strands of sparkling diamonds weaving in and out intricately. It was a beautiful piece, and with the stars glittering brightly above in the sky the night reminded her of it, a lot.

Regina sat up, her body now blissfully numb. Only then did she realize that during her time spent in the stream her leg hadn't hurt once. In fact, for the first time since her arrival at the cabin, the excruciating pain that she had associated with any movement of the limb had stopped.

She gasped, momentarily in disbelief!

Had the cuts been healed?!

She looked down. The water in the brook was extremely clear and she could make out her leg perfectly. The injury was not gone, the gashes were still there, however the pain and the redness that had been swelling around them had receded.

Regina ran her fingers over the newly healed skin. Under the bubbling water there was no more coarseness, it was soft to the touch.

Her eyes ranked over the rest of her exposed body.

All of the cuts and bruises that had once been had now faded, only soft glowing skin left behind.

She blinked in surprise feeling her mind begin to work. The water must have some kind of healing ability, she thought.

Just then the image of the thief's glistening torso with the red scar made it way into her mind.

He surely would have had to have known that a brook with the ability to heal existed, and not so far from his camp. Regina then found herself questioning how good of an outdoors man he was if he hadn't yet discovered such a thing with all of his years of living amongst the trees.

She decided, that if he did not know, she would have to tell him about it and heal him with the streams powers.

The thought of Robin's body, completely unclothed and bare, dripping wet from the water shot a wave of heat through her so fast making her flush.

Regina was about to readjust herself where she sat but, just then she heard a noise from her left.

There was a 'crack', like the snap of branches breaking. She whipped her head around quickly, trying to get a view of whatever or whoever it was that had snuck up on her.

Her eye's zoomed in on the thicket back behind the boulder where she sat.

She could see nothing but leaves. The darkness of the night engulfed her, clouding her vision. However, a moment later, another branch moved near the spot where she had heard the noise.

Regina jumped.

Not only was she unprotected, but she was very alone and very, very naked.

She tried to reach out and grab for the discarded clothes that lay by the shore however all she could manage to reach was the cape. She gripped it just as she heard a voice.

"Regina!"

She instantly recognized the accent. It was none other than the thief.

She stood, water droplets dripping off of her as she wrapped the cape around herself just as he came into her view. He burst through the trees, chest heaving, eyes open wide with panic.

His head whipped back and forth, as if he were searching adamantly for something. His eyes moving along with until they stopped suddenly, landing on her her.

"Regina." he breathed. The airy quality of voice due made him sound like he had been out of breath and did things to her body.

She felt suddenly very warm even though she was standing naked, save for the cape draped over her, outside in the cool night.

The thief began to walks towards her and she stepped back, faltering slightly when her foot lost bearing on the slippery rocks below.

It was then that Robin seem to noticed for the that she was not in her normal setting but rather, in the stream with nothing but his cape covering her. He took her in and Regina could see his adams apple bob as he swallowed heavily.

When his eyes finally reached hers they were as dark as the night sky.

She shivered, but not from the cold.

"Regina, what are you doing out here?" He spoke again after the moment of silence.

"I was taking a walk and I came across this stream and decided to take a bath." She answered, as if her doing so was completely logical.

If she hadn't of been watching the mans face as closely as she was, she might have missed the way his eyes darkened further when she mentioned taking a bath. However he spoke again before she could comment.

"Why didn't you tell me you where you were going." He stated.

Immediately Regina felt her embarrassment from being caught fade away, replaced by a sudden pang of annoyance.

"I don't have to run everything past you," She snapped. "Besides you weren't there to tell. You left, remember?"

She watched as Robins face twisted, his brows knitting together unattractively.

She expected him to be upset, to rebuke her statement and to tell her that she was being childish, but he didn't. Instead he shook his head releasing a low breath.

After a moment, he whispered, "You are right."

"Excuse me?"

"I said you were right. You don't have to run anything past me Regina, I'm not your keeper, you owe me no loyalties." He said, bowing his head slightly, "I can see that you are perfectly fine, so I'll take my leave, sorry to have disturbed you."

With that the Thief began to turn away, reaching up a hand to pull back the curtain of branches that he had burst through moments before.

But he was stopped before he could go any further.

She wasn't sure what had possessed her. Whether it was the strangeness of the night or the attachment that she was beginning to feel towards the man before her, she couldn't let him leave. At least, not like that.

"Robin, wait." She said, turning him with her hand.

She hadn't realized that she had left the water, nor had she realized how cold the night truly was.

A shiver ran through her as the chill in the air seemed to ripple across her skin.

The man turned his head ever so slightly. Not enough to fully see her, yet enough to let her know that he was listening, as if he were waiting to see if something in her words was going to be enough to make him stay.

"The water," she began.

She felt him turn towards her and could picture the look of confusion on his face perfectly as she turned her head back towards the stream she was referring too.

She continued. "The water stream, it seems to have some sort of healing ability. I only just realized," she stated. "Look what it did to my leg."

Regina reached down, pulling the cape apart to show the newly healed skin. She realized only to late how high the injuries were, and remembered only then how naked she was. Nonetheless she found herself standing, facing the man, who was apparently her soul mate; pulling back the one garment that separated her from indecency and showing him the bare flesh of her upper thigh.

She blushed when she realized and pulled the cape shut.

"See," she stuttered slightly, "I think if you were to bathe in it it will do the same for you." She said, subconsciously reaching out and dragging a finger over the outline of the scar that he was boasting under his clothes as she spoke.

Robins eyes fluttered shut for a moment, however they sprung right back open when he felt her hand nearing the end of the bloody red line up by his ear.

"No, no, no, don't!" He said.

Regina instantly withdrew her wandering hand, confused as to how it had gotten so close to him anyway.

"What?!" She asked suddenly, taken aback at how quickly the man moved away from her, for a moment she would have believe that he had been burned until he spoke.

"Don't touch me!"

Now she was lost.

Unlike the soothing feeling from the water in the stream moments before, she felt like she had just been doused with a bucket of ice water. It shot through her veins, freezing her blood, stopping her heart.

Somewhere deep down she had thought that the man had somewhat enjoyed her touch, what from the way his eyes would always closed whenever she was near, or the quickening of his heartbeat whenever his chest was under her palms.

But judging by that reaction maybe she had been wrong. He found her repulsive.

Regina was about to turn and collect her clothes to leave but the man spoke, halting her.

"With the water I mean," Robin said. "It's still on you."

At the sight of Robin's hand gesturing towards her hands Regina looked down. Sure enough there was still water left from the stream on her palms.

"Why?" She asked, confused, "What does that have to do with anything?"

The thief seemed to take a moment to collect his thoughts before letting out a deep breath and speaking.

"This is a magic pond. It's waters come from the healing springs from ancient lagoon in a distant realm. They can heal, sooth, salve, stop aging, petrify youth, and even halt death if needed. It's one of the many reasons as to why we picked this place to set up our camp. It's only catch however is that the pool can only be used once by a single person, and for only one purpose." Robin said.

Understanding began to seep into the Queens mind. She nodded slowly, dissecting the information the thief had just given her before putting it back together.

"So you've used it before then?" She asked when clarity hit her.

Robin nodded his head once.

She wanted to ask more however the solemn look that now masked the mans face, made her think that he did not wish to explain further. So she bit her tongue.

"What happens if you do use it twice?" She asked instead.

At this the mans head dropped forward. Hands clenched and head shaking slightly, as if he were incredibly burdened by the question.

Regina was about to take it back but he spoke.

"Your leg."

Regina blinked, confused, "What?"

"The injuries on your leg, that's what happens."

In the entire week that Regina had spent with this man she had seen him in all sorts of lights. In panic, in calmness, in anger and in joy, but she had never seen him looking as defeated as he did now.

Regina looked down, following Robin's gaze. She parted the cape to try and take a look over her injured thigh, but she quickly stopped when she remembered that the skin would look normal as it had been healed only moments before.

"I thought it was the witches monkeys that did this to me?"

"It was!" Robin exclaimed, "The cuts, yes, the poison, yes, that was all from the monkey. But the pain, the screams. That, that was from the stream. That was the water. That was... my fault."

Regina felt her nose crinkle and her eyebrows furrow in confusion.

What did he mean by 'his fault'?

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

Robin looked at the least uncomfortable. Regina realized that she had never before seen the man like this, and it scared her.

When he didn't respond she whispered, "Robin?"

Her voice seemed to snap him out of the trance that he had fallen into. He shook his head, as if clearing an invisible fog from his eyes, turning to look at her.

She could barely make out the ragged breathing and the red rims forming under his eyelids, but the unshead tears were evident. The silvery light from the moon seemed to pick up on the dampness, making it shine like diamonds.

Regina felt her breath leave her when she noticed, and when his voice cracked as he spoke again she stopped breathing all together.

"The poison was fast acting. Regina, when you fell, from the beasts claws, you weren't just injured. Y-You were dying. And I-I thought that, I thought that maybe these waters could save you. So I picked you up and carried you here. And when I tried to bathe you in the water you did get better, the color began to return to your cheeks. But suddenly, it-it backfired. The poison doubled and the pain increased. You began screaming and thrashing, horridly, in severe pain. Those were the worst sounds I have ever heard. I pulled you out to bring you back but-" He stopped, taking in a deep breath, "But by then it was already to late. The witch must have known that I would try to do something like that. She must have mixed a spell into that poison."

"How could she, no one knew you were going to go with me?" Regina thought aloud.

"It is obvious M'lady." Robin responded.

Regina watched him shrug, as if she should know what answer he was referring too, but when she came up with nothing she only found herself becoming more confused and frustrated.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking for clarification.

"I always go with you Regina."

Regina felt her heart slam against her chest.

There was nothing in the mans statement that was false. Nothing that was a lie or in anyway untrue, and that scared her. He was always with her. Whenever she ventured out, some way or some how he was always there. Maybe not by her side, but near. Near enough to keep an eye on her, to watch her, to make sure she was okay. He had become her own 'unofficial' protector.

She hadn't thought much of it when Snow had suggested that he be the one to accompany her in finding the Witches simian army. She had thought it was just her ex-step daughters way of looking out for her, like she always did, but now she could see the truth. Now she could see what everyone else in the castle had apparently seen for weeks now. Everyone except for her.

The thief cared for her.

And not only did he care to protect her, and to keep her safe, but he felt for her.

She could see it, written in his eyes, as clearly as she could see the sun in the sky on a clear day.

He was hurting, because he thought that he had hurt her.

Regina gasped, when she realized however the sound got stuck in her throat for it had dried up from her mouth hanging open in surprise.

He was her soul mate.

And he had found her.

And he had cared for her.

And he felt for her.

She felt like she was about to cry, until he spoke.

"Regina I-I'm so... I'm so sorry that I.. I should have-" he stammered. She could see the unshead tears now teetering dangerously close to the edge, ready to fall. She was already having trouble holding back the emotions that were coursing inside of her, ones that she hadn't felt in a very long time, and she wasn't sure what she would do if he began to cry. So instead she reached out, looking to stop him. To comfort him.

"Robin it's okay," She began. "You saved me."

Regina watched as the mans eyes went from staring at the ground and shot directly up to hers.

She could now see the tears clearly. The red around his eyes evident.

His eyes searched hers, and for a moment she would have sworn that they were speaking to her. Begging her to forgive him, pleading with her not to hate him. His eyes spoke volumes. She could see every fleck. Every line, every value that made up his unique color of blue. She was drawn in.

She didn't know when it was or who it was that had moved first, but they were now closer together than they had ever been.

She could feel his breath on her cheeks. She could almost taste the salt from his tears.

Her hand stretched out from under the cape, making it's way up to him, to soothe him and cupping his face.

She didn't care what she knew. She didn't care what fate had planned for them. She didn't care that he was apparently the man that she had walked away from all those years ago. She only cared about what was happening now. It was them. She could see how he felt clearly in his eyes. There had been no exchange of feelings stated verbally, there was no need. She could feel it, radiating from him.

Through every touch when she was sick. Every caress when he was helping her walk.

Him bathing her, nursing her. Bringing her back to life.

He felt for her, deeply, and it wasn't because of some stupid tattoo. She knew that now, staring deep into his eyes. She could feel it.

His face was close to hers. His lips just hovering over her own.

He was looking at her, asking for permission yet again with his eyes.

She felt her walls begin to rise up, but she forced them back down.

He could have kissed her at any moment, but he didn't. He was waiting, giving her all of the power. Waiting for her to be the one to make the first move.

Regina felt her heart swell suddenly at the thought.

There was someone who wanted to care for her. Who worried for her. Who was concerned for her well being. All of his own accord.

She had done nothing to make him want her. Nothing to force him into liking her. In fact, as she looked back, she would say she had done everything in her power to push him away.

But he had persisted. He hadn't given up on her. He had followed her to the end.

And now, he was waiting. Waiting for her to decide. To choose him.

And she was going to choose him.

She was going to let him in.

She was going to let him have her.

And, if he was willing, she was going to let him love her.

She nodded to him as her eyes fluttered shut.

Her hand found it's way to his face to cup his cheek. But the moment her fingers touched his flesh she felt a shock run straight through her.

There was nothing pleasant about it.

Everything that she had felt a moment before vanished, replaced by pain. Pain that ripped through her, tearing at her limb from limb. She screamed, her head shooting backwards, hand dropping by the wayside.

It felt as if the world had gone and imploded inside of her body, the epicenter of it of course being her leg. The water had still been on her hands and she had touched him!

It felt like the wounds that had been momentarily healed were back, ripping themselves open violently. She howled, pulled under by the searing pain. She began to crumble as she lost complete control of her body.

It was only then when she felt arms encircle her, surrounding her from the chilling night.

They picked her up, carrying her. She felt her head loll back onto a shoulder as her feet were swept from underneath her.

There were shouts, she could just make them out, mingling and mixing with her own screams. But she couldn't tell what they were saying.

There was wind, it was moving around her, brushing past her, fast.

She felt a sudden heat and then the feeling of soft feather pillows beneath her head as warm blankets encompassed her shivering body.

There was a lot of movement and then she heard a voice yelling, "Regina! Regina can you hear me?!"

The heat was beginning to over take her and she began to kick off the sheets.

"No, no you need to keep these on." she heard the disembodied voice say.

She kicked again, but then she felt two hands come around her sides, holding the blankets in place, "They're going to help the fever break, trust me, you'll want these on. Nod once if you can hear me.

Regina nodded. Something about the voice made her feel calm, safe. Since she couldn't think about anything other then the rippling pain she decided to trust it and she lay still. The motion of her head however sent her into another fit of screams as another bolt of pain shot through her body.

She bucked and yelled. Wailing into the night.

The hands moved, lower this time, right to the part of her leg that felt like a raging inferno.

"Regina, I'm going to have to get the numbing agent. I'm going to need you to stay still, can you do that?"

She tried to answer but her voice came out as nothing more than a strangled whimper.

"Just nod." It said.

She did.

Instantly she felt the loss of warmth as his hands left her body. There was a small crash and the sound of shuffling and then movement at the end of the bed.

She felt the thick blankets atop of her being moved.

"I'm going to apply this. It is going to sting, but I need you to stay strong and stay still, can you do that Regina?"

She nodded again, lighter this time as to not set off her leg.

When she felt the cool salve touch her skin there was a moment of pure bliss before the the pain set in.

It was different this time, cool, like she was freezing.

The chill set in almost instantly, attacking her every nerve. It started at her thigh, making its way up her leg and through her abdomen. She felt it slither it's way up her rib-cage and spread out through her chest as if it were freezing her from the inside.

And then, finally, it was gone.

She couldn't feel the burning in her leg. There was no more pain!

She wanted to laugh and to cry, all at the same time. She was in such a state of pure euphoria, for a moment she even forgot her own name.

The pain was gone and he had healed her, yet again!

The man in question was currently hovering over her, running his hands along her sides, grabbing at the blankets and the cape, trying to keep what little remained of her decency intact.

Regina however couldn't care less about her current state of undress.

She reached up, capturing his face and running her fingers through his soft hair.

She could see the mans eyes widen slightly as she did so. She curled her fingers, digging them in slightly to the nape of his neck. All she wanted was to hold him close.

She could do nothing but stare at his face, hovering above hers. They had been in that situation multiple times before. The first time on the night he had carried her there, when she had been sure that he was going to kiss her. And now with her staring at him, holding him close to her. All she could see was his blue eyes, sparkling in the light. She stared at his angled visage, taking in every detail. The lines above his brow, the crinkles around his eyes from laughter.

He was beautiful.

Her eyes dropped down, taking in his pink lips. She wanted to feel them on her own and as the thought hit her, it became too overpowering not to voice.

"Kiss me." She whispered, pulling at his neck.

She closed her eyes but he didn't move. Instead he stayed still, rock hard, completely immobile.

Regina opened her eyes, staring into his, "Robin," she said again, tugging on his neck to bring him closer to her, "Kiss me."

But he didn't.

"Regina, I-" he began. "I am an honorable man, I try to live by a code and right now you are not yourself. I will not take advantage of you in this state, therefore I cannot kiss you."

Regina couldn't believe her ears.

She dropped her hands from him so fast like they had been burned, they bounced slightly when they hit the bed beneath her.

"Regina I'm s-" he started but she cut him off.

"Save it." Was all she said, turning away from him.

She could hear him speaking behind her, but she didn't care for whatever it was he was saying. She spoke over him, "We leave, first thing tomorrow."

And with that she rolled over.

She felt the effects of the numbing agent working it's way through her system instantly, slowing down her heart beat until she felt sleep taking over, pulling her into it's black hole of dreamless slumber.

xxx

They had been walking for hours now and the sun was just starting to break through the clouds.

He breathed in the scent of the earth mixing with the dampness of the forest.

It had been a long walk. Painfully silent, but bearable. He had been watching her the entire time. Robin noticed she reached down every few minutes, rubbing circles on her leg, but other than that she was almost automatic, walking in a straight line towards the castle. He knew that the numbing potion he had given her would make the pain in her leg bearable enough for her to stand without wanting to chop it off every few seconds. However it was not meant to heal nor regrow flesh, and he worried for her health as she continued walking on it. He had tried to stop her, at least to get her to slow down a bit in the hopes of not overworking her leg, but she would have none of that.

She insisted that she was fine, but he could tell that she wasn't.

The moment the skies had opened up that morning and the light had streamed in through the windows of the cabin, she had sprung up, wrapping his cape that she had slept in around her shoulders and making her way towards his room. He had wondered how she had known where it was since she had never left the vicinity of the living room and why she was headed there. But when he heard the sound of his drawers being opened and clothes moved around, he understood.

She was looking for clothing.

He could hear her dressing. Picking out one of his shirts for a top and a pair of his pants for the bottoms. He had become slightly accustomed to seeing her clad in his attire. She managed to maintain her feminine appeal even under the mask of his baggy clothes. To him she looked more beautiful with her hair down, loose and wavy, her harsh makeup gone leaving only her blushed cheeks and tanned skin. Her face invaded his thoughts and he found himself thinking of her and the way that she had looked the night before.

When she had been holding him, pulling his face so close to hers. He had been almost been able to taste her, close enough to kiss her.

But he hadn't.

She had even asked him to, but he couldn't, even when everything inside of him had been screaming at him to run a hand through her hair, to bury his lips with hers and to never let her go.

But he couldn't bring himself to do it. She had given him permission but it hadn't felt right.

He had known that she had been in a massive amount of pain moments before and was being influenced somewhat by the ingredients in the numbing agent he had used. They were a very rare mix of herbs that he had come across once on his travels. Mashed together, they could numb the pain of just about anything. Not only physical injuries but mental and emotional ones as well.

Robin had known that in her mind she must have felt heavenly. The pain relieved, bringing her to a state of pure bliss and ecstasy.

Of course she had asked him to kiss her then.

She had forgotten everything that had happened between them up until that point. To her, he had just been the man that had healed her, bringing her to that rapturous state.

If she had been anyone else, he might have gone ahead and kissed her. He could not deny, he had wanted to feel her lips under his. To taste her, to feel her softness under his tongue. She had given him permission, she had asked for him to do it, but she wasn't just anyone and he couldn't bring himself to. She was a Queen, and though she wasn't his Queen by jurisdiction, she had somehow managed to become the Queen of his heart.

He wanted her, fully. And, selfish as it was, he wanted to be wanted by her in return. He made a vow that he would not kiss her until they were both fully in control of their minds and emotions, aware of what it was that they felt for each other.

So, for now, he would wait.

Initially when he had awoken that morning to find her bed completely empty he had felt like he had been thrust into a shower of pure ice, for that was the sensation that washed over him as fear clenched his heart. Had she left? It wasn't until he heard the sound of her shuffling feet, moving rapidly behind him, that he realized she was still there. He took in a deep breath, stilling his accelerated heart beat. He shifted his position in the rickety arm chair next to her bed where he had chosen to retire for the night in order to keep an eye on her as she slept.

She had only stirred once, whispering incoherent nothings' into the night in her sleep.

He closed his eyes as to appear still asleep when she returned.

But she didn't.

He strained his ears to pick up the sound of her feet moving over the floor boards of his room, but there was nothing.

She had stopped moving. Something in the room must have caught her attention. There was a moment of utter stillness that passed through the small cabin and then he picked up the tiniest of gasps.

He heard her feet move quickly, the floorboards creaking lightly under her weight. There was a thud of his door closing, moments later it opened again and she emerged fully dressed.

He watched through squinted eyes as she came back around leaning over to grab something on the bed, clad in the his attire. She was wearing one of his favorite tops, tucked into a pair of loose pants. It was a far cry from her royal gowns at the castle, but she somehow managed to look equally as regal. She turned after grabbing whatever it was she had been looking for and then he noticed what had made her pause in his room.

Under his shirt, she was now wearing the corset that she had been in when she had been attacked by the winged beast. It was torn slightly, the red that had stained it, the blood from her wounds was still visible. He had tried to wash it off in the stream when he had taken her there the first time. But when he had stepped in he had forgotten about the waters limits, to focused on divesting her of the item so that she could breath before dragging her in along with him.

That was when the screams had started. The moment she had touched the water they had ripped through her. He was momentarily stunned until he realized that it was because he had entered the pool first and the water was already working on healing him.

Robin had jumped out, picked her up and carried her back to the cabin in the hopes to stop her screaming, leaving her dress and corset behind them.

When she had calmed, falling into a deep sleep he had remembered the forgotten items and made his way back to the water to find then. He had jumped in, to the stream closer to the cabin, scrubbing at the torn dress and corset, trying to rid them of their blood stains but it was already to late. The color had already deeply set in to the fine fibers of the fabric and would not come out by any means of cleansing. So he had given up.

He had brought the items back with him however and hung them in his room to dry.

He still wasn't exactly sure why he had done it. But it had felt wrong to leave them, so he had hung them and they had stayed by his bedside the whole week.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Regina, as she tip-toed over to him. She stopped suddenly in front of him. For a moment Robin would have sworn that she was staring at him, gazing silently at his fallen arm.

He had seen her looking at it once before, the night when he had been sure that she was going to kiss him. Since then she had avoided looking at that part of his anatomy, casting her gaze the the ground whenever his forearm was exposed to her.

He wasn't quite sure why, but something about the tattoo that he boasted there disturbed her.

Nevertheless she had been standing over him for a moment before she woke him, saying that it was time to go.

He could smell her scent as clearly now, as he did then.

In his mind he had infanticide that the walk back would be quick and amicable but it was proving to be neither.

The more they neared the borders of the woods that lead to her castle the more rigid she became. Walking with more and more fervor, dropping her hand down to rub her leg more often.

At this rate she was going to burn out before they reached the bridges, possibly reopen her wounds and he only had so much salve left.

"What is it that you want?!" she snapped.

"Regina you need to slow down, or at least take a moment to drink some water and rest, your leg cannot be taking very well to all of this walking."

But she shook her head and didn't stop, "I'm fine." She responded.

"I'm not talking about what you're forcing yourself to believe," he began, "I applaud your tenacity and your ability to get back up so quickly and push forward. But right now your body is still healing and you are not doing a good job of taking care of it. And I for one would hate to see it damaged any further."

Robin was watching the Queen, her backside to him. He would swear that he saw her muscles tense suddenly as he finished speaking, however the moment was gone with the pass of the breeze and then she was stopped walking, standing stock still a few paces ahead of him.

"Regina,' he tried again. His voice seemed to wake her from her momentary trance and she began walking again.

"Regina... Regina Stop! Look at me!" He shouted, reaching out an arm to spin her around. But she had beaten him to it.

Her hair whipped around her head as she whirled back to face him. Her eyes were wide and dark with furry. He could see the annoyance lighting up in them.

"What?!" She snapped at him.

Robin had had enough, she had been on and off with him all morning, choosing to speak to him only when she absolutely needed to. Only showing him hospitality when she required his help, to lift her over a log or to jump over a pond. Other than that she had began to treat him like she had when they had first met. Cold and distant. Like he didn't even matter enough for her to acknowledge his presence.

That bugged him.

He could see that she was in no mood for him to test her, but he couldn't help it. If she continued on with the way she was treating him, she was going to make him lose his temper.

"Regina you need to stop!"

"Let go of me!"

"REGINA!" He bellowed.

His shout seemed to halt her, freezing her momentarily to the spot. Her eyes were already wide but they still seemed to grow by a fraction of an inch. She always froze whenever he raised his voice with her and Robin wondered briefly if anyone else had ever dared match themselves to her childish temper. Judging by the stunned expression on her face, he guessed not.

He wasn't exactly sure what made him think that he should be the one to equal her, but it didn't stop him.

Robin stared at her straight, keeping their eyes locked.

He could see her throat constrict as she swallowed and released a shallow breath. Her bottom lip began to tremble.

Realizing that he still had his hands wrapped tightly around her, gripping her forearms, he released her. She let out a small sound when he let her go and he wondered for a moment that if in his temporary rage he had hurt her.

Robin shook his head, dropping his eyes down, unable to bear the possibility of the thought and remain looking at her.

"Please," he said, looking to end the silence that had fallen between them, "Just drink this and rest a moment."

He procured a canteen from one of the many pockets of his cape. When she took it he released a breath that he hadn't known he had been holding. Regina took a sip, he was sure of it as his hands twitched to reach out and stop the few water droplets that escaped and rolled down her chin, leaving a glistening trail down her throat.

Robin looked up, avoiding her gaze.

He could just make out the castle looming in the distance. It always looked so lonely to him. Like a large museum. Big and full of treasures, but completely void of all love and life.

He realized then that it was Regina, who had been the one to paint the castle black. It had always been white before. But it had became a mirror image of how she had felt when she was it's main inhabitant, when she was the Evil Queen, the lone ruler of this land, the Enchanted Forest.

She had been lonely, just like the fortress. Desolate, compassionless and alone.

Robin frowned realizing that in the week that they had spent together he had seen her come out of her shell. She had taken off her regal mask that she wore with everyone else and she had let him in. She hadn't told him every dirty secret about herself, but she had opened up. She had trusted him enough to let him see her, the real her, and now, now she was reverting back.

He felt a slight pang in his heart as he realized that the events that had transpired between them, the companionship they had built, the trust, it was all gone. Faded away like the night turning into day.

He pushed down the lump that was beginning to form in his throat.

Looking at her out of the corner of his eye he could see that she too seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. She was staring off in the distance a glazed look over her eyes.

"Ready Your Majesty?" He asked.

The Queen shook her head, shaken from her daze. She nodded, turning her sight back to him.

The moment their eyes connected he thought he saw a hint of something flash through her eyes. He wasn't quite sure what, but he had known it had been there. Something had clouded her vision, running through her irises, making them flash. Sadness, maybe?

But she was moving again, walking past him before he had the chance to question what.

They made their way back to the castle in complete silence.

xxx

Snow waited, sitting patiently at the grand dining table, watching her breakfast cool in front of her.

"Snow, darling, your food is getting cold." came the voice of her husband next to her.

She didn't respond, merely shaking her head.

"You're going to have to eat some time today." He pushed.

"Yeah, it would be a real shame to let all of that good food go to waste Sister." Said Leroy from her right, "I hear Granny cooked it up special and she wouldn't want to see it thrown away untouched."

There was a unanimous grunt of approval from each of the inhabitants currently eating breakfast around the table.

When the Princess still didn't move towards her food however Charming took her hand in his trying to talk to her again, "Snow..." he began.

"I'm waiting for them David!" She snapped.

"Them?" He questioned, taken aback, "Them, who?"

But just then the doors to the dining hall opened. Charming watched as his wife's face lit up, her eyes shooting to the doors, but suddenly drooping as her face turned from it's bright smile into a frown.

He followed her eyes with his towards the person that had just made their entrance into the hall.

Robin walked into the great hall, making his way over to his spot at their table.

Charming smiled as his eyes made contact with Robin's. It was good to see him alive and well. Charming himself, had been one to place a bet that the Queen had gone off on one and killed the woodsman when news had spread that they had gone missing.

He had never seen the connection between Robin and Regina however, until his wife had mentioned it the night prior. Initially he had thought she was crazy, going off and spouting from her vast imagination that he loved her for, about some fairy-tale romance between the pair, that she liked to do; but now that he thought about it, the less crazy it seemed. He could understand feeling an attraction towards Regina. Like he had already told his wife, it was hard to deny that the woman was beautiful.

But to go further than that, to actually care for her? Well that would take a whole other kind of man.

Charming stared at the famous woodsman for a moment, taking in his muscular build and dashing looks.

He had to admit, the Thief and the Queen would look good together.

Robin pulled out his seat, sitting down to the left of the dwarf, Leroy, and said his 'hello's' to the rest of the gathered company, while grabbing a plate.

Charming could see Snow out of the corner of his eye, watching the man curiously.

By the way her eyes were shifting he could tell that she had been waiting for Regina to enter in along side him.

She had blurted out last night that she thought the Thief was sharing the Queens bed and she hadn't stopped talking about it since. Apparently she had sent Regina out after their talk to find the thief.

Charming had known that his wife was a bit of a busy body when he married her, he loved it about her, how much she cared for other people, but sometimes he found it a bit overbearing. And right now, suffice it to say, he was taking great pleasure in seeing the Thief come down to breakfast alone, blowing a hole into his wife's metaphorical-ship.

"Did you sleep well Robin-" he heard her begin, but suddenly all speaking was dulled as the doors to the great hall once again opened, this time with a bit more force, slamming as they hit the stone walls behind them.

He could just picture the wide smile that was growing on his wife's face as the royally dressed woman behind the doors sauntered her way towards the table.

"Sorry I'm late, I do hope you haven't been waiting." was all she said.

Charming almost rolled his eyes at the irony of the statement.

"You weren't the only one late." came the gruff voice of Leroy again as he gulped thirstily from his goblet.

Charming, who's eyes had been on the Thief, only caught a second of it as he turned his head back to the Queen, but he was certain about what he had seen. Regina had been masking her features well, up until that moment.

When the dwarf spoke she hadn't whipped her head around nor made any moves at all. No, it was more subtle. He had seen it in her eyes when they had flashed towards the Thief next to her before she schooled her features once again, responding in a cool tone.

"I see." She said. He hadn't picked up the huskiness in her tone until then. Her voice seemed to be quite a bit deeper and a bit more breathy than normal.

There was a slight smile in the crook of the Thief's rugged face and Charming felt his eyebrows shoot up as the Queen sat down. Snow had been right! They were sleeping together!

"Good Morning Regina," he heard his wife begin, a certain smugness to her voice, "how did you sleep?"

"Perfectly fine dear." Responded the Queen.

"Oh?" Snow questioned.

Regina fixed his wife with a look, "Yes, nothing new to report." She said, with a raise of her eyebrow as she tilted her head.

At that point it seemed like everyone else that had been blissfully unaware of the happenings between the Princess and the Queen up until then, were tuning in, turning their heads to watch the spectacle happening before them.

"I see." Snow said, mimicking the woman across from her.

The Queen only rolled her eyes, settling further into her seat while reaching for a plate.

As she did so however Robin's arm shot out before her, stopping her in her attempt to grab a bowl and he handed her one himself.

"For you Milady." Charming heard him whisper.

For a moment he felt his heartbeat quicken as he realized that might be the last time he ever saw his friend, Robin Hood, alive again. But Regina merely shook her head, her eyes staring at the man holding the plate before her. Charming felt his eyes widen when she chose just to take it from him, without first burning him to a crisp.

He thought he heard her whisper a 'thank you' but he was to focused on watching the way that each of their eyes sparkled when they looked at one another, to be sure.

If they had been going for discreet they were failing, miserably.

He sat back, suddenly not hungry anymore, enjoying the phenomenon happening before him more than his potatoes and toast.

It wasn't until he felt his wife's hand hit him from under the table that he looked away from the couple who were both trying to eat inconspicuously.

"Wha-" he began to say but he saw the small finger Snow was holding up to her lips and he stopped.

He shook his head, crinkling his brows and eyeing her in questioningly. She raised her brows flicking her eyes over to the couple that he himself had just been staring at.

As he began to shift his head to look over again he felt her hand squeeze his thigh. He whipped his head back, raising his brows higher, confused by her mixed signals.

Snow shook her head and then averted her eyes back at the couple then slowly downwards.

Charming followed her gaze, finally understanding. He leaned back a little to peer under the table at the Queen and the Thief.

He could just make out the deep green color of Robin's pant legs and the elaborate fabric of Regina's thick gowns. He was about to shake his head again and question his wife as to why she had directed him to look there, but then he did a double take, his jaw dropping open, as he saw what she had been looking at.

There, under the table, the Queen had her hand wrapped around the Thief's, drawing circles over his hand, resting comfortably atop of her thigh.

Charming quickly cast his gaze back up.

From the view presented above the table no one would assume that the duo was doing anything more than enjoying breakfast sitting next to each other. They wore no telling smiles nor shared any heated glances. But he had seen the evidence of their relationship from their connected hands and threaded fingers.

Charming sat back again, a wide smile on his face, contented to watch the two sit in silence as they tried to hide their apparent attraction for one another.

It appeared the Queen really had found someone that cared for her.

xxx

He wasn't dragging her but she also wasn't picking her feet up as much as she could have been, resulting in her slightly leaning on him as he helped her up the stairs.

Her leg was hurting, but not as badly as it could of been. Nevertheless she used it as an excuse and she leaned a little further back into his embrace as they made it to the threshold of the top landing, nearing her room.

It was completely dark in the hallways save for the light flickering against the walls from the mounted wicker candles.

She could see the outline of his figure behind her, their silhouettes slightly distorted on the stone wall, his hands on her hips, and it sent a shiver through her.

The doors of her chambers were now coming into view.

Suddenly she felt her heart jump into her throat, as her blood surged through her. It started at her core, heating up the rest of her body under her thin nightgown rapidly.

Robins hands moved suddenly and she felt her breath join her heart, catching in her throat.

He was spinning her around and for a moment she thought that she might fall. But of course his hands caught her, holding her close again in his embrace. This time her chest was against his, his eyes staring into hers.

"This is where I leave you Milady." He said.

She could feel the deep timbre of his voice rumble through his broad chest under her hand. Her eyes flickered up connecting with his and she found herself speaking.

"Do you have to?" She asked, hearing the words leaving her lips not registering that they were coming from her until she saw his eyes widen a little before he bit his top lip and shook his head.

"Do you not want me to?" He asked.

Regina wasn't sure if she was breathing or not, regardless she shook her head from side-to-side 'no', stepping back, exiting his embrace and heading towards the door.

She reached it, but before she pushed it open she turned her head, glancing at the man over her shoulder. She could see the confused look on Robin's face. She could tell that he was trying to decipher exactly what she had meant and why she was inviting him into her chambers.

To be honest, she wasn't exactly sure why, but she couldn't stop herself from doing so.

She pressed on the heavy doors immediately remembering how she had left the room not an hour before and she instantly hoped that Snow had been smart enough to vacate the vicinity. The last thing she wanted was to walk in and see her ex-step daughter, sitting on the edge of her bed with a toothy smile on her round face, as she returned to the room with the Thief in tow.

The doors creaked opened slowly and she made a quick glance around.

Seeing that her step daughter was no where in sight, Regina stepped into the room, turning to make sure that the man was following her.

He was. The look of confusion was still on his face but now it was diluted with conflicting emotions. He looked like he was going through a cycle of trepidation to elation to bewilderment. But he was following none the less, taking one hesitant step after another into the room.

She signaled for him to go past her and she turned, shutting the doors behind them when he did.

"Regina, wha-" he began but she cut him off.

"Wait."

He did.

She made sure to wait until she heard the doors 'click' shut, signaling that they were locked, before she turned back around.

She expected to see him standing right where he had been a few moments before, across the room from her, staring at the her. But he wasn't. When she turned she found him closer than she had imagined. Only a few feet away from her, looking down. If he had been any closer she would have brushed up against him as she spun around. Regardless of the missed contact, his presence still managed to be sending shivers throughout her body, as if he had knocked over a jar of butterflies, setting them free in her stomach.

It took her a minute to find her voice as she too looked downwards.

"Robin I..." She started, swallowing the nervous lump that form in her throat so she could continue. "I'm not really sure where to begin. I don't really know how to say this."

"Well, why don't you start at the beginning." He said, his face still turned away from her.

Regina looked up, fixing the man with a glare, trying to decipher if he was being sarcastic. But she couldn't tell. Judging from his down cast eyes and forlorn expression she assumed he was serious.

She couldn't think. The deathly still sound of silence permeated the room. His scent was overpowering her and his nearness was making her mind frazzled. She was racking her brain, trying to come up with something - anything adequate enough to use as a reason for her asking him into her chambers.

She knew she was the Queen, and therefore needed no reason at all to ask anything of anyone. but with him things were different. With him she had become someone else entirely. He had allowed her to bring her guard down and he had let her be herself, openly and freely, for that she was grateful. So she would think of a reason. Even if it took her all night.

Robin, however, didn't seem to have the same idea.

"Well," he said after a long moment of silence, releasing a heavy breath through his nose, "If her Majesty has nothing further to say to me then I think it best to be on my way."

He tipped his head as if to say 'good night', his eyes still avoiding hers, taking a step forward to move around her but she reached out to stop him.

"Wait!" She said catching him by his arm mid step.

His eyes caught hers as they stumbled slightly from the forced stop, but he instantly cast them away when her hand landed on his chest to steady them.

"Robin, why won't you look at me?"

"If Milady would put on some clothing first I..." he began.

Regina was confused.

She looked down, following the slight nod of his head and then realized for the first time that night what she was wearing. When she had gone back to her chambers earlier in the evening, before Snow had come to give her one of her famous pep talks, she had been planning on heading to bed and retiring early in the hopes to escape confronting the conflicting emotions tumbling around in the pit of her stomach.

She had bathed, washing away the grime from their long trek back. Letting the warm water cleanse her hair, separating the strands one by one and making them silky smooth again. She sat for a while letting the heat soothe her battered muscles and loosen the knots that had formed in her shoulders, skimming over her injured leg. When she had finished she dried herself, reaching out for the nearest night gown that she knew hung on the back of her bathroom door. Regina found herself missing the ease of the 21st century world that she had left a few months prior, wishing that she could just slip on one of her silk teddies from her closet in Storybrooke and fall fast asleep thanks to modern medicine. However there was no such thing as a sleeping pill, nor a short nightgown in the Enchanted Forest and she hadn't taken the time to conjure any new ones of her own. So, she put it on.

This one however was a bit more modern then any of the others that she owned, bordering on scandalous. It had come from her days as the Evil Queen, the deep shade of purple was made by layers of chiffon that wrapped around her torso and draped over her shoulders, just covering her breasts with the gauzy layers. However whenever she moved, or caught the light just right they would become sheer rendering her top half completely visible. She hadn't been paying much attention when she had grabbed it, for her mind had been otherwise preoccupied, realizing that not even twenty four hours before it had been the thief assisting her with these trivial things since she hadn't the ability to do so herself then.

She felt her mouth drop into a little 'o' as she released a breath, understanding why he had been avoiding her gaze ever since they had reached the room. The hallways of the castle had been dark, only lit by the single wicker candles that were mounted every few paces along the walls, however there in her chambers sat a fully fledged fire that was crackling in the corner of the room, luminous orange embers bouncing everywhere. The light reflecting from it most likely hit her just right, highlighting her assets more than before, causing her top to become completely see through.

Looking up at him, Regina could clearly see that his eyes were looking everywhere but at her. His face flushed red from the hotness of the fire or the heat of his embarrassment, or from his view of her, she could not tell. With a flick of her wrist she changed attire, settling for a set of more decent sleeping robes.

The moment she reemerged from the purple cloud that engulfed her however, Robin's eyes shot up.

"How did you do that?" He spouted.

Regina tilted her head slightly, confused. She would have thought that by now everyone in the kingdom knew that she wielded magic. Her powers had been the talk of most of the castle when they had returned, due to everyone wondering if it had returned to her in full since they had arrived back to the Enchanted Forest. Her powers were stronger than the most famed sorcerers in the realm and she had used it the first day that they had met, and again when they had been attacked by the winged monkey a week ago. She knew that he knew she had powers, but she answered his question anyway.

"Magic?" She said, almost questioningly.

"I mean," Robin said, seeming to realize the absurdity of his question. "I thought you had lost it. Ever since the attack you hadn't used it once. I thought that something might have happened to your ability to access it, like a side effect of the Witches poison."

Regina thought back, recounting all of her time in the cabin, that she had been their healing. He was right, she hadn't once utilized her powers. Not even to reheat her food when it had gotten cold sitting off to the wayside as she forgot about it, pretending to be staring out the window when she had actually been staring at him out of the corner of her eyes.

She could see why he would have thought that she might have lost her magic. She had completely forgotten about using it that week. For the first time in her life, Regina had felt like she didn't need it.

"Apparently I was wrong," he said, snapping her out of her train of thought. "Thank you for..." he continued, trailing off, nodding instead of finish his sentence.

Regina looked down, surveying the now white and very opaque night gown she was wearing.

She hummed, muttering under her breath, 'it's not like you haven't seen it before.'

"That was different."

Her eyes snapped up at his comment. She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks before she even had time to register what he had said. She had not meant for him to hear her! But he had, and now she was at a loss for words. Again.

She could feel the embarrassment as it creeped it's way across her face. She had known since the first day when she had woken up in the cabin, washed and dressed in new clothing that he had bathed and; therefore changed her, but he hadn't spoken about it since. He had been a perfect gentlemen. Treating her kindly and courteously, respecting her privacy. However she wasn't used to such charitable treatment. She was used to people treating her like a pawn, only servicing her when it gained something for them in return. But he hadn't done that. He had helped her out of the kindness of his heart. Because he had wanted to. She gulped.

When she spoke her words came out as barely more than a whisper, "Thank you."

"What?" Robins eyes shot to hers, searchingly as he asked.

Regina released a breath, still unable to speak in more than a whisper, "You heard me."

She watched closely as the man's facial expressions clued her into exactly what he was thinking. Confusion first crossed his face, settling heavily in the creases above his brow, but it was soon replaced as they raised up in astonishment.

"For what exactly?" He questioned.

"For everything..." She said timidly at first. But once the comment had left her mouth it was like a dam had been broken and a whole tidal wave came rushing forth, spilling from her lips. "For having my back, for being patient with me, for taking care of me, for healing me, for coming with me to find the monkey's in the first place..." She went on, only stopping when she found she needed to breathe.

"I realize that I'm not the easiest of people to be stuck with, let alone too tend to, or care for, and I wanted to let you know that, though I may do a poor job of showing it, I am grateful. I'm indebted to you."

"You have nothing to be indebted to me for," he said, stepping closer, "I did what any man would have."

Regina shook her head, "No, they would not have."

It was only when she felt his fingers wrap under her chin, tilting her head upwards, that she looked at him again.

"What do you mean?"

Regina released a shaky breath, feeling raw emotions forming in the pit of her stomach and she begged them to stay there.

"Anyone else would have left me there to die. Killed while searching for the Wicked Witches monkeys. Death by beast, it would have been a perfect alibi." She spoke, blinking back the traitorous tears that had crawled their way up, threatening to fall.

She didn't know what it was about him that brought out her emotions. He seemed to be able to pull them from her at the drop of a dime. A moment before, she would have sworn she was fine, trying to get her racing heart beat under control from being this close to him once again, but now she was finding it difficult to take a full breath without wheezing.

"Regina" he said.

She felt the pad of his thumb ghosting over her cheek and then, despite all of her efforts, one treacherous tear made it's way out of her eye and fell down her cheek.

The moment she felt him wipe it away, his hand cupping her face, she shut her eyes.

They were watery when she reopened them, and from her standing point his features became somewhat muddled, but she could make out his outline hovering next to her just fine.

"So," She continued when her voice returned to her, "I just wanted to make sure that you knew. I owe you."

He shook his head again. "You owe me nothing Regina, I did it because I wanted to."

She looked up, her eyes connecting with his for what felt like the thousandth time. However this time there was something new in his orbs. Their deep cerulean blue was lighter than normal, flecks of silvery grey reflecting in the surfaces.

She stared, her own eyes blinking rapidly to get rid of the unwanted tears.

They were close. Again, like all of those times in the cabin. She could feel his breath on her cheek, the hand that had wrapped around her back slowly rubbing up and down sending more shivers through her. She readjusted herself, her leg starting to cramp from their position.

"I really should let you rest," Robin said, noticing her movement.

"Just answer me one thing." She said.

Regina wasn't sure where her words were coming from. She was listening to them as they came out and if she hadn't said them, nor felt her lips moving, she would have sworn they were coming from someone else.

Nevertheless, she took his silence as a cue to go on and she asked what had been clawing at the back of her mind all night.

"When we were in the cabin, on the last night, I-I, " she stuttered, suddenly finding her throat beginning to clench up, she pushed through despite the nerves that were rattling inside of her, "I asked you to kiss me... You had my full permission, I asked you. Why didn't you?"

"Because you're not just anyone Regina. And you deserve better than some drug-induced sympathy kiss."

She watched the way his eyes defaulted to her lips and felt the way his hands tightened on her hips. So he had wanted to kiss her?

"But you did want to?" She asked, to clarify.

His eyes shut, whether it was because he was afraid of his answer or more afraid of her response, she did not know.

"God knows I did. Still do," He said, eyes still closed. Regina felt a shiver run from the base of her neck and down her spine, as he spoke again. "But I know I can't."

"Why not?" She asked, suddenly confused by his confession. She had thought it was her who couldn't bring herself to kiss him, but hearing him speak now made her reevaluate the past week.

"Because you are the Queen, Regina, and whether I agree with it or not, I am not a suitable choice for royalty. Thieves do not win the hearts of Queens, and no manner of good deeds will ever change that fact."

Regina nodded her head slowly, mulling over his words.

"You are right." She finally said, slowly. The normally composed man's shoulders began to droop infinitely lower than they had been moments before as he released a heavy breath.

She continued, "I am the Queen, and as such, it is me who will choose whom I am allowed to like..."

His head popped back up from where it had dropped.

She took a deep breath and finished, "Who I am allowed to love."

"What?"

Regina swallowed and whispered. "You heard me."

For a moment the man before her did nothing, she wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. But then he blinked, taking in a short, sharp, shaky breath. The look of shock that took over his face was almost enough to break her heart.

"You really like that phrase, don't you?" He breathed.

Her heart sank into her shoes as she realized at last how much she wanted him. No matter what her past was, no matter what she had done. Which was not to say that she would ever let him know, but only that he moved her chemically more than anyone she had ever met, he had cared for her nonetheless and all other men now seemed pale beside him.

Regina stood up, balancing on her tip-toes as her hand curled around his neck. She tugged, ever so softly as her hands weaved through his hair. She had done this before, back in the cabin, when she had wanted to kiss him for saving her life and had thought she was going to, until she saw his mark. That had stopped her then. But now, now nothing could stop her. She was drawn into his eyes. The little sparks of light from the fire, flickered in his irises, making them glow.

He held no fear of her there. Admiration was the only thing that she could make out in his blue eyes. They were dark, like the color of the night sky. She ran her other hand through his stubble, cupping his face.

Robins eyes fluttered shut as she did so. She watched as he breathed out, releasing a low breath between his pink lips. He was beautiful. His face showed so much about him. The lines above his brow from his constant worrying, the dimples on his cheeks from his wide smile. Everything about him was perfect.

She shook her head lightly, looking into his eyes and whispered.

"Kiss me."

And this time, he did.

---

again, to all of you - thank you! there is another fic of mine that needs to be updated badly... and I am certain that you know the one in which I speak! trust me, it shall happen soon! as well, ID thinks that there should be another section added to this chapter... something along the lines of 'what happened in between the kiss and them showing up late at breakfast'... i don't know - what do you all think? leave me your thoughts/reviews/questions/comments/prompts in the reviews & I shall talk to you later!

Much love! Ruffles x