Chapter 5: Secret Connections
"YOU WERE POISONED?"
Regina pulled the phone from her ear as Lady Mary Margaret Blanchard's voice boomed from the receiver, full of panic and concern. She sighed, knowing her dear friend and sister had a flair for the dramatic. "It was food poisoning," she told her.
"That's not what Daddy said," Mary Margaret replied, still panicked. "He said that Whale told the council that you were poisoned with arsenic. Arsenic!"
"No, he reported there were elevated levels of arsenic in my bloodwork but not enough to definitively prove deliberate poisoning," Regina said. "It could've been naturally occurring in something I ate."
Her words, though, did not reassure her friend. "I don't think you're taking this seriously, Regina. Daddy says there are threats against your life all the time," Mary Margaret said.
"Exactly," Regina replied, reclining on the couch. "People threaten me all the time. If I reacted dramatically to every one of them, I'd be an even bigger ball of anxiety than I already am. And I am a giant ball of anxiety all the time."
"Oh, Regina," Mary Margaret sighed, sounding like she was going to cry. "I wish I could be there to hug you right now."
Lady Mary Margaret Blanchard was Regina's oldest and dearest friend, the closest thing she had to a sister. She had easily gotten the approval of Regina's advisors – the Blanchards were one of the original families that settled Mist Haven alongside Regina's and had enjoyed close ties with the Crown for centuries. It honestly was the reason Mary Margaret and Regina were friends in the first place – they were just together often because they were involved in the same social circles.
At first, their friendship seemed unlikely. Mary Margaret seemed to be the polar opposite of Regina. She was bubbly and outgoing, attracting people to her, while Regina was more withdrawn and introverted. Her mother expected Regina to behave perfectly, as if she had been born knowing all the rules of etiquette. It seemed after every social event, Queen Cora would have a list of things Regina did wrong and would punish her for them. While Regina eventually would come to learn everything she needed to know as a princess and would be praised for how polite and ladylike she was as a child, she dreaded all social events and would often avoid interacting with people so that she didn't make a mistake and get punished for it.
Even now, though she was an adult and her mother was no longer there to correct her, Regina still dreaded parties and other social events. She always left them worried she had said something wrong or done something wrong. That someone would then call her and scold her for what she had said or done like she was a little child.
It certainly didn't help improve her image in the media or expand her social circles. Many people found her then too standoffish and aloof. No one really took the time to get to know her, like Robin.
But unlike Mary Margaret. She had decided that she was going to be friends with Regina and when she set her mind to something, Mary Margaret did not stop until she attained it. Even though Regina made it clear that she found the other girl's bubbly and jovial personality annoying, Mary Margaret refused to give up. She kept trying to draw Regina out of her shell and win her over.
However, it wasn't one of her attempts that finally won Regina over. Queen Cora did not think that Regina had properly greeted a diplomat and didn't wait for the party to end to scold her daughter. She had smiled and excused them before letting Regina have it in the hallway, out of earshot of anyone in the party – especially King Henry, who usually intervened to stop his wife from berating their daughter. Regina had started crying, which had earned her a slap from her mother. That was when King Henry had intervened and told Regina to head to her room. She had fled but found Mary Margaret waiting for her. Mary Margaret had followed Regina and Queen Cora and witnessed the scolding, which had upset her so much she went to get the king so he could stop it. Then she took Regina's hand and promised to spend the rest of the time with her, even if it meant just sitting there and doing nothing if that was what Regina wanted.
And in that moment, Regina found her dearest friend and fiercest protector.
For her part, Regina tried to be the same for Mary Margaret. She wasn't sure if she was always successful but she still tried, hoping it would be enough.
Over the years, they still had their clashes – Mary Margaret was occasionally too cheerful and optimistic for Regina and she in turn was too pessimistic and tended to lash out at everyone around her. But they stayed by each other's side, teasing each other and supporting each other through everything life had thrown at them.
A lump formed in her throat as Regina thought of all the times she and Mary Margaret had comforted each other over the years. They would curl up under a blanket with cups of tea, loads of chocolate and a movie marathon. No matter what had been bothering them, they had always felt better afterwards. "I wish you could as well."
"Say the word and I can hop on a plane," Mary Margaret said. "I can be there by tonight if you need me."
"No, no," Regina insisted. "You're doing such great work for your mother's foundation. I know that's important to you."
Mary Margaret sighed. "You're important to me, Regina."
"I know," Regina replied. "But I'm fine. And you'll be back in no time. We can have a girls' weekend once you are home. How does that sound?"
"That sounds great," Mary Margaret said.
Regina smiled. "Good. And maybe David can join us for dinner one night as well. We can all catch up."
"I think he would like that," her friend replied. "And you can always call him on your own. He's always willing to come over."
"I have plenty of security," Regina said, knowing what Mary Margaret was trying to do. "I don't need your boyfriend to come protect me, no matter how good of a cop he is."
"He is a good cop," Mary Margaret agreed. "But I just meant for companionship. I worry that you get too lonely up in your palace. You two have spent time together alone before and I know you've both had fun. So why be lonely when you have each other?"
Regina knew her friend had a point. She did get lonely, feeling locked away in the palace. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she wrapped her free arm around them as she thought of the time she had spent with David without Mary Margaret. He was the first of her boyfriends that Regina actually liked and considered David to be like a brother to her. From what she could tell, David felt the same toward her – once he got over the fact that she was the Queen. As Mary Margaret's boyfriend and a police officer, certainly her advisors wouldn't protest her spending some time with him.
"I'll see how my schedule looks," Regina said. "And I'll send David a message to see how his looks."
"Good," Mary Margaret replied, sounding relieved. "I'll feel better knowing you two are together."
She then changed subjects as her tone grew lighter. "So, tell me more about the new assistant. Robin, right?"
"Yes," Regina replied. "He seems to be doing well…"
"He?" Mary Margaret asked, interrupting her. "Robin is a he?"
Regina paused, realizing that she likely hadn't told Mary Margaret that. "Yes, Robin is a man."
"I guess I forgot that Robin can be a unisex name," her friend replied. "You don't really see too many male Robins anymore."
"I guess not," Regina agreed. "But this Robin is a man and he's a very good assistant. Well, at least administratively."
Mary Margaret was silent for a moment before asking: "What do you mean by that?"
Regina sighed, letting her legs rest against the couch again as she decided how best to word her response. "He's still new so Tink has him mostly doing administrative work. We're going to ease him into the more intimate duties of his job."
"Oh," Mary Margaret said. "I guess that makes sense. He is practically a stranger to you."
"Yes," Regina replied, relieved. "Exactly."
Mary Margaret hummed. "Are you okay with having a male assistant?"
"I am," Regina assured her. "It was a surprise at first but Robin is very respectful and very kind. He also has this calming way about him that puts you at ease and he can be very warm. I think he'll also excel as Tink eases him into more of his duties."
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I would say you are smitten with him," Mary Margaret teased her.
Regina felt her cheeks burn as she tried to figure out the best response. But she took too long as her friend soon gasped before exclaiming: "You are smitten with him!"
"I guess you could call it that," Regina admitted.
Mary Margaret let out a little squeal. "Tell me everything."
Regina laid down on the couch, curling up with the phone. "There's not much to tell, honestly."
"Oh, come on," Mary Margaret said. "You don't have to be coy with me."
"I'm not," Regina replied. "It's just that my interactions with Robin are limited because of our jobs and the fact that he's not yet doing his full duties."
"But you like him," Mary Margaret stated, not bothering to disguise it as a question.
Regina nodded before remembering she was on the phone. "I do. I mean, at firs tit was most physical. He's very handsome with thick blonde hair and these gorgeous bright blue eyes. And when he smiles, he gets these dimples that just make me want to swoon."
"I can't wait to see him," Mary Margaret said and Regina knew that she would also find Robin handsome. He looked a little like her own fiancé, after all. "Go on."
"We haven't had many conversations that aren't work-related but I've observed him in the office. He has a great sense of humor and clearly loves to make people laugh," Regina continued, thinking of all the times she had seen him entertain his coworkers and put smiles on their faces – and hers, even if she couldn't hear what he had said.
Happiness surged through her as she continued. "When we were on our way to Hyperion-by-the-Sea, he told me about Victoria Belfrey…"
"Victoria who?" Mary Margaret said, interrupting her as she continued to gush about Robin.
"From what I can tell, a developer who doesn't care who or what she destroys in order to get what she wants," Regina replied. "I have a couple bureaus now doing quiet investigations into her as it seems she may not be entirely on the up-and-up."
"And Robin told you about her?" Mary Margaret asked, returning them back to her previous topic.
Regina grinned. "Yes. He got very passionate about it. It's clear he has a very defined sense of justice and can't stand to see people abuse power, especially if innocent people get hurt."
"Sounds like he's a great guy," Mary Margaret said. "No wonder you're smitten."
"He is a great guy," Regina said, ignoring the guilt at not mentioning how cold Robin was to her and that he seemed to believe the lies about her. Perhaps she wanted to live in the fantasy that they could work out a bit longer.
Mary Margaret sighed dreamily. "I hope this works out for you, Regina. You deserve a chance at love and happiness like the rest of us."
"I don't know if there's much hope for us," Regina said, omitting the worst as she focused on the obvious. "He's my assistant. The media would have a field day and I doubt the council would approve."
"They probably won't but they shouldn't keep controlling your life like that," Mary Margaret said. "I've told Daddy that many times."
Regina sighed. "They're my council."
"And they are only supposed to guide you on matters of policy and law," Mary Margaret argued. "Not dictate every second of your life."
"I'm the queen," Regina replied. "If it wasn't them, it would be someone or something else. Queens aren't truly free."
Mary Margaret sighed now. "Maybe but I think a modern queen could be freer than in the past."
"Maybe," Regina said. "But I wouldn't want to be a boss who goes after her employees. There's enough of a power imbalance with the fact I'm the Queen, let alone to start dating my assistant…"
She trailed off, knowing she didn't really have to explain it to Mary Margaret. "Well, do you think he is interested in you?"
"I don't know," Regina replied. "Once again, I'm his boss and we're still getting to know each other."
"Well, don't give up hope," Mary Margaret said. "Maybe it will all work out in the end."
Regina sighed before deciding to change the subject. "Well, that's all I can tell you about Robin for now. Tell me about your trip. How is everything going?"
"It's going very well," Mary Margaret replied, thankfully agreeing to the subject change. "I may be able to come home early because set up is going really smoothly and we have a great team out here."
They spoke a bit more about Mary Margaret's latest project as Regina let her eyes close, enjoying hearing her friend's voice. She always had the ability to calm Regina down and lift her spirits, no matter what was happening in her life – first as princess and now as queen.
"Anyway, I think we're going to wait and have our grand opening in the fall when people are back from vacations," Mary Margaret said. "I would like to officially invite you to come cut the ribbon."
"I officially accept," Regina replied. "Just be sure to let Tink know so she can put it on my calendar and Ashley can prepare for it."
Mary Margaret chuckled. "Will do."
She then sighed. "I have to go, Regina, but we'll talk soon. Promise."
"Good," Regina said, sad that their call had to come to an end. "Good luck with the rest of your project."
"Thank you," Mary Margaret replied. "And don't forget to call David!"
Regina chuckled. "I won't. Promise."
They ended their call and Regina set her phone down. She stood from the couch, feeling her back pop in a few places. Making a note to have a massage scheduled, she padded into her kitchen to get a snack to watch some movies for the rest of her rare evening off.
Her phone then started to ring and she frowned, returning to the couch. She was surprised to see that it was Mary Margaret again and she answered it, wondering if her friend had accidentally called her. "Hello?"
"Regina, sorry, there's something I forgot to tell you," Mary Margaret said.
"What?" Regina asked, her stomach tightening as she worried that something was wrong with her friend.
Mary Margaret lowered her voice. "There's more about the conversation I had with my father. After he told me about your poisoning…"
"I wasn't poisoned!"
"He also started talking about the annual Guardian Angel grant," Mary Margaret said. "The submissions have been put in and he said they have chosen the three finalists."
Regina sipped her tea as she leaned back against the couch. The Guardian Angel grant had been started by her father shortly after he had taken the throne and he would use money in the royal family's personal treasury to fund a special project that was meant for the betterment of the community. He had enjoyed awarding the grant each year and seeing a deserving organization get funds that could really help them provide for the people of Mist Haven. Over the years, though, less deserving organizations had made attempts to get projects that would only benefit their owners rather than the people funded to help them save money. It had gotten worse since her father's death as the council had taken over narrowing down the applicants to three finalists and would make a recommendation for Regina before she made the final selection. They had their ways of getting pet projects funded because they hid it from her until the money had already been paid out. It had cheapened her father's legacy and the spirit of his generosity while giving the media more to use against her.
"Okay," Regina said. "Did he mention what they were?"
"I think there's that new sports center for the youth in Storybrooke run by the Magic Carpet Foundation," Mary Margaret said, sounding like she was doing her best to remember her conversation with her father. "Then there is a project submitted by Waves of Change that's supposed to be aimed at cleaning the beaches and the ocean waters by Mist Haven and lastly there's the ski camp that is allegedly for youth who wouldn't otherwise learn how to ski or experience time in the mountains run by Saved by Snow."
Pressing her lips together, she knew only the first foundation named was legitimate. She had worked with the Magic Carpet Foundation before and had a friendly relationship with the founders, Al and Jasmine Agrabah. They were dedicated to giving children as many opportunities as possible and she recalled them talking about building a new sports center in Storybrooke so children and teenagers had a safe place to go and gain the life skills taught through sports. Regina vowed to do everything in her power to make sure that they were the winners of the Guardian Angel grant.
As for the other two foundations, she was able to figure out what their true purposes were easily. Her advisors were often more vocal than they should be about their own pet projects, even around her. "I'm guessing the first one is to upgrade the marina and yacht club now that the country club got completely replaced and the other is for a new ski lodge that will only serve the children of the wealthy and noble families who use it," she said.
"Bingo," Mary Margaret replied. "But you didn't hear that from me."
"Of course," Regina assured her. "I probably would've figured it out even if you hadn't told me."
"I don't know," Mary Margaret said. "None of us knew about the golf course at the country club until it was far too late to stop it."
Regina sighed, remembering that debacle from a couple years ago. She had thought she had approved a new park for a neighborhood that desperately needed one. Instead, she was stunned when Tink started bringing her invoices and pointed out the discrepancies. By the time they were able to figure everything out, the golf course was almost completely renovated and the money was all gone. The press had a field day with that one and still often referenced it when it came time for her to announce the newest recipient of the Guardian Angel grant.
Of course, they completely ignored that she personally got that park built for the neighborhood but that seemed par for the course with them.
She then winced at her own inadvertent, internal golf pun.
"Well, I'll be very careful now," Regina promised her friend. "Once again, thank you for telling me."
"You're welcome," Mary Margaret said. "I've tried to tell Daddy to stop putting these projects through since they only hurt you but you know how his friends are and how they make him."
Regina refrained from making any comments about it. Mary Margaret knew that her father tended to be greedy and selfish but he was her idol. She preferred to believe the other noblemen who made up Regina's council influenced him and pressured him into acting in ways that were not in the best interests of either Regina or the country. And that when push came to shove, he would ultimately do the right thing because he was a good person deep down. But Regina knew he was just as bad as the others and the only thing keeping him relatively on the straight and narrow was his desire not to disappoint his daughter.
Mary Margaret had a lot more power than she realized and Regina was always grateful that she used it to help Regina.
"Well, I appreciate everything you do," Regina said. "Talk to you soon, Mary."
"Oh, yes," Mary Margaret promised before ending the call once again.
Regina chuckled before setting her phone down again. For a moment, she considered calling Tink to let her know the scoop but decided against it. Tink deserved to enjoy her weekends and recharge for the week. It was likely her council wouldn't present her with anything until the end of the week so Regina's news could wait until Monday.
But she had an idea. She picked up her phone and sent Jasmine a brief email before she forgot. The sooner she got this process started, the better chances she had of making sure the right organization won the Guardian Angel grant. Her council was filled with sneaky men but she was even sneakier.
At least she liked to think so.
With the email sent, she let her phone fall to her side for good this time as she found a good movie to watch. Regina wrapped herself in the blanket she kept on the couch, pleased with herself. She would not look like a fool again this year when the Guardian Angel grant was announced.
So help her God.
"Next stop – Palace Square," the soothing female voice of the train's automated system announced.
Robin stood from his seat next to John. "This is me. I'll see you at home."
John nodded before chuckling. "Everyone on this train must think we're husbands," he said.
"At this point, we might as well be," Robin replied. He then grinned, noticing the train was pulling into the station. "Have a good day at work, honey."
The train stopped and the doors opened, allowing him to jump out before John could respond. Robin walked away but turned back, looking at the window where John was sitting. His roommate and friend saw him and raised one finger in his direction. Laughing, Robin just saluted him before walking out of the station.
Palace Square was filled with people as it not only was home to the palace but many buildings that housed government agencies. Robin weaved through his fellow government employees as he approached a rather popular coffee shop housed in the same building as the Bureau of Taxation and the Bureau of the Treasury. Apparently accountants needed coffee to survive.
Robin could understand.
He got his usual order and picked up a pastry to eat on his way down the cobblestone walk that led from the main part of the square to the palace's employee entrance. Two guards stood there as staff members showed their badges and passed through the metal detectors. Robin placed his pastry in his mouth as he flashed his palace badge. When the guard nodded at him, he then set his work bag on the conveyor belt and checked his pockets before walking through the metal detector with his breakfast in hand. His bag came out the other side of the X-ray machine and the guard waved him into the palace, just like he did every weekday morning.
The hallway felt more like one for a hotel, with several numbered doors unlocked by a keycard lining either side of the red carpet. From what Robin understood, those were apartments used by royal guards who did not have families and chose to live in the free lodging provided by the palace. He didn't know how many guards lived in the hallway but Robin always tried to be as quiet as possible to avoid disturbing anyone there. Once he got to the elevator banks, he relaxed a bit and climbed onto the first elevator that arrived. Choosing his floor, he continued eating his pastry as the carriage rose to his floor.
Robin stepped off and greeted Belle as she walked past him. She stopped, smiling. "Did you have a good weekend?"
"I did," he replied. "Went to the beach with some friends for the weekend. You?"
She nodded. "Got some cleaning done and some reading. So very productive in my book."
"That's all the matters," he said. "Have a good day."
"You too," she replied, continuing down the hall as he walked toward his own office. He glanced at Tink's desk but it was empty, so he knew she was not in yet. That would give him time to get settled and prepare for the Queen.
He unlocked his door and flipped on his office lights, placing his cup on the desk. After slipping off his bag and placing it by his chair, he sat down and booted up his computer. Tink had left him a draft of the Queen's agenda for the day on Friday and now he would see if the Queen had added anything to it during the weekend, especially as her own schedule for the last two days had been the lightest he had seen since becoming her assistant. Robin worried that it was a bad thing and that it just left her time to come up with new things for him to do. He hadn't gotten many emails from her over the weekend but he wouldn't put it past her to delay them so that they filled his inbox on Monday morning so he couldn't forget them.
Once his inbox was open, though, he only found two emails from her sent the night before that he had already eyed before coming into work. They were about events later in the week and were not marked urgent so he put them aside to work on later. Otherwise, there was nothing from her that would need to be added to her schedule.
There was an email from the Magic Carpet Foundation with a subject asking for a lunch meeting. He clicked it and read the email, which was asking for the meeting to either happen that day or Tuesday with the Queen. From what he could tell, the person writing – Jasmine Agrabah – already had something of a relationship with the Queen and wanted to catch up with her. He pulled up the list his predecessor, Ivy, left him of people who he should give priority to and found Jasmine's name on it. Looking at the Queen's calendar, he booked the lunch and sent an email to Jasmine confirming it.
"Good morning," Tink said, startling him. She chuckled. "Sorry. Didn't realize you were so engrossed in your work already."
"That's okay," he replied. "Got a last-minute lunch request from Jasmine Agrabah and I need to get that set up."
Tink walked into the office, nodding. "You can just let the kitchen know. Jasmine's eaten here before so they are familiar with her. She and Regina will likely have lunch in the Queen's apartment so that's not too difficult to set up."
"Oh," he replied, thinking of all the lunches he had set up in restaurants for his previous boss. "Her Majesty doesn't like out eating out?"
"She does," Tink said. "It's just too dangerous as Queen."
Yes, she might have to interact with her people and find out about her failings a ruler, he thought. But out loud, he said: "Of course. I'll let the kitchen know then."
She nodded. "Good. Is there anything else?"
"I don't think so," he replied, opening the Queen's agenda. "Do you have anything?"
"Just this," Tink said, handing him a thumb drive. "They've thankfully digitized the book about royal etiquette. It's time for you to start learning it."
He nodded, remembering overhearing her conversation with the Queen about making sure he knew the rules so she didn't need to. But he couldn't let Tink know he had been eavesdropping so he just thanked her. "I promise to learn this as soon as possible," he said.
"Good," she replied. "There's a test you can take when you're done and get a nice little certification."
"I can't tell if you're joking or not," he said, not putting it past her to have some fun with him but also believing the palace would have such a certification for staff to earn.
She chuckled. "This time, I'm telling the truth. I'll show you my certification later."
He nodded, certain this wasn't a joke. "I'll be sure to stop by your desk to see it. Hopefully I'll have one just like it soon."
"I'm sure you will," she said as the courier arrived with the daily newspaper. "I'll leave you to finish getting ready for Regina and I'll talk to you later."
"Look forward to it," he said, taking the paper and settling down to read it for the Queen.
Soon, everything was ready for the Queen and he went to her office to get everything ready. He left before she entered and settled back at his desk, calling the kitchens to make sure everything would be set for her lunch with Jasmine Agrabah. They assured him they had it handled, leaving him to start learning about royal etiquette for the rest of the morning. Inserting the thumb drive, he opened the manual and began reading.
He had gotten through a good chunk of it when he received a message from Tink. Pulling up the screen, he read her message.
Hey, Robin, did you remember to inform Security about Jasmine Agrabah's visit? If not, better do it soon.
Robin mentally cursed himself as he pulled up the automated system security used for palace guests. Thankfully Jasmine Agrabah had a profile in the system already so he was able to call it up and input her scheduled lunch with the Queen. He hit send and waited until he got the confirmation from security that Jasmine's name had been added to the day's list. Once he did, he wrote a message back to Tink.
Done. Thanks for the reminder.
A few seconds later, the messenger dinged again.
You're welcome. I know it can be a lot. We always watch each other's back here.
He chuckled before writing back to thank her. Robin then set an alarm to make sure he was ready to greet Jasmine Agrabah and escort her to the Queen's office before turning back to the lessons on etiquette.
When it went off, he almost jumped from his chair. He silenced it before standing, smoothing out his suit jacket. Robin left his office, walking toward the elevator. Tink nodded when she saw him. "Security has confirmed that Jasmine is in the building," she said.
"They confirmed with you?" he asked, surprised. He would've thought they would confirm with him since he put the request into the system.
"Yes," she replied. "They usually do since I'm the Chief of Staff. But I can also make sure they confirm with you as well."
He nodded, relieved. Since he was still in his probationary period, he overanalyzed everything and tried to figure out if it meant he was doing a good job or that his job was in danger. "That sounds good. Thank you."
"You're welcome," she replied. "And relax. Jasmine is the sweetest person you'll ever meet."
"I'll keep that in mind," he said, feeling some tension leave his body as his shoulders relaxed. He continued to the elevator, reaching it just as it opened and the Queen's lunch companion stepped out.
Jasmine Agrabah wore a pastel green silk sleeveless blouse with a tan skirt and matching sandals with heels. Her dark hair was swept up into a braided bun, giving a clear view to the gold earrings and necklace she wore. It was a very summery look and Robin hoped she wasn't deemed too casual for lunch with the Queen.
She paused, looking at him before smiling. "Robin, I presume?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied, remembering himself. "I am Queen Regina's new assistant."
"Nice to meet you," she said, holding out her hand. "I am Jasmine Agrabah."
He shook her hand. "Nice to meet you as well. Shall I escort you to the Queen's office?"
"Yes, please," she said. "I am looking forward to my lunch with Her Majesty. Regina is always very interested in our work."
"The Magic Carpet Foundation," he said, recalling her email signature. "I don't think I've heard of you."
She chuckled as they walked toward the Queen's office. "I'm not surprised. We're still relatively small but we're growing. And Regina has been a big supporter from the very beginning. She and I were classmates at university."
"Oh," Robin said, surprised by that. He wondered what the Queen was like as a student and if she paid other people to do her work for her. But he only said the first part out loud, keeping the second to himself.
"She was quiet and reserved," Jasmine said. "But when she started speaking on topics that she was passionate about, she just became effervescent. Like, I'm pretty sure she literally glowed. You couldn't take your eyes off her. She is also one of the most intelligent people I know and so she could always excellently argue her point. I wish the people of Mist Haven saw more of that Regina."
They reached the door as he just nodded, not sure what to say to that. While it was clear from his trip to Hyperion-by-the-Sea that the Queen did like to be informed and liked to put together solid arguments, he never would've called her effervescent. In fact, she had seemed pretty pale for the second day of their trip and had been very shaky, leaning heavily on either Graham or Tink during their tour of a children's museum.
He figured she had been hungover again.
But maybe she just hadn't been passionate about her people and their lives.
That seemed very much like her.
"Here we go," Robin said, opening the door. He stepped into the office, finding two staffers setting up the table for the Queen's lunch with Jasmine. The Queen sat at her desk, writing something. He cleared his throat before announcing Jasmine.
The Queen looked up, smiling. "Jasmine! It's so good to see you."
"You too," Jasmine said, walking toward the Queen and hugging her. "Thank you for having lunch with me."
"Thank you for having lunch with me," the Queen said, her face relaxing and looking almost soft.
It was a surprise to Robin.
The women pulled apart and he cleared his throat, standing at attention again. "Do you need anything else?"
"No," the Queen said. "You can go have your own lunch."
Jasmine nodded. "Thank you, Robin."
"You're welcome," he replied, glad someone thanked him. It seemed the Queen did not know how to use the words for her staff. But he knew he had to keep his mouth shut about that and so he left without another word. He retrieved his own lunch and went to heat it up.
Once his lunch was ready, Robin returned to his office and minimized the etiquette book to browse some other websites while he ate. He also listened for anything from the Queen's office in case either she or Jasmine needed him.
After eating his lunch, Robin went to clean out his container and returned to his office. The door to the Queen's office opened and he knew that meant Jasmine was about to leave. Robin quickly tossed his container into his office as he continued into the Queen's office, ready to escort her guest back to the elevator.
"Thank you so much again for having lunch with me," Jasmine said, squeezing the Queen's hands as she smiled softly. "I think we had a great conversation and are in agreement."
"We are," the Queen said, nodding. "I'll be glad to see the Guardian Angel grant go to the right cause."
Jasmine smiled. "The grant is going to be a big help."
"Good. And I'll happily come open it when it's done," the Queen told her.
"I look forward to it," Jasmine said, releasing the Queen's hands. She stepped back and smiled as she turned to Robin. "Hello. Come to escort me back?"
He nodded. "If you're ready."
"I am," she said, picking up her bag. "And, Regina, you should come by for dinner with Aladdin and me. We would love to have you. You haven't been to our new place yet."
The Queen smiled sadly. "I know. And I would love to have dinner with you but…"
"No buts," Jasmine insisted. "My chief of security will call yours and we can work it out. Okay?"
"Okay," the Queen said, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "You can have your assistant reach out to Robin to set everything up."
Jasmine nodded. "Sounds good. I'll talk to you soon."
She then turned to Robin. "I'm ready to go."
"Follow me," he said. "Do you need help with anything?"
"I'm good," she assured him as they left the office. He led her back down the hallway and past the rest of the Queen's staff until they got to the elevator. Robin summoned it and they waited for the car to arrive.
Jasmine turned to him. "Don't let her talk herself out of having dinner with my husband and me, okay?"
That surprised him and he frowned, tilting his head. "Pardon?"
"I know you're new so you might not know a lot," she continued, "but Regina has a tendency to overthink social events, even friendly meals. So try to make sure she doesn't do that this time, okay?"
"I don't think I have that much of a say," he replied. "Her Majesty the Queen will do whatever she wants."
Jasmine chuckled. "You really are new."
He frowned, wondering what that meant. "Yes, why?"
"You have a lot to learn," Jasmine said as the elevator arrived. She stepped on it as she pressed a button. "You have more power than you realize. I just hope you use it for good and not to hurt her."
Before Robin could ask her any more questions, the doors closed and the elevator descended to the lobby. He stood there, trying to figure out what she meant before shrugging. Robin turned back and headed to his office, sitting down and going to pull up the etiquette book again.
He paused and decided to open the security portal again. Robin pulled up Jasmine Agrabah's profile and leaned back forward, reading everything the palace guards knew about the woman – and since it was the palace guards, he knew it would be very thorough.
Robin read that she was the heir to a countship in Mist Haven, the only child of the current Count of Galland. Her family's claim to the countship was relatively recent in comparison to the others who held the title in Mist Haven and had been given to her grandfather by Regina's as a reward for helping Mist Haven win decisive battles during the country's last war. The county of Galland had been without a count when the last of the original family died without any heir and no relatives were easily found, allowing King Xavier to appoint Ahmed Agrabah to the countship, a meteoric rise for a man who had immigrated to Mist Haven as a child and joined the military to make a better life for his family.
Now his granddaughter was having lunch with the Queen and addressing her as a friend.
They certainly had come far in this world.
He then opened his browser and searched for the Magic Carpet Foundation. Robin frowned as he found a webpage that read "Under Construction." There weren't many responses for the foundation either. It seemed to be very new. Perhaps that was why the Queen wanted to make sure they got the Guardian Angel grant so that they could launch themselves properly.
Or maybe the Magic Carpet Foundation was cover.
Robin pulled up a story about the scam organization that had been given a Guardian Angel grant to create a park for inner city youth and had built a golf course only used by the very rich and the nobility. It had been done so that their dues at the country club wouldn't be raised to pay for the course. Everyone in Mist Haven had been understandably upset at the deception and greed. Disgraced and humiliated, the Queen had to apologize though he doubted she meant it. Thankfully some good Samaritan ended up building the park since it seemed the Queen cared more about her golf game than her subjects.
He hoped this wasn't another case of that.
But he wasn't going to hold his breath. Rich and greedy people were always rich and greedy and didn't care who got hurt by their vices.
"What do you think?" Regina asked, stepping out of her bedroom and standing in front of the man on the couch.
David raised an eyebrow. "I still prefer the red hair wigs to the blonde ones but I like the braid in this one."
"Thank you," she said, admiring the French braid in the mirror. She knew he had a point about her not looking good as a blonde but it also meant that it threw people off the most. No one ever recognized her as a blonde while she had had a few close calls as a redhead.
She then turned back to David, motioning to his blonde hair. "Besides, I'm more believable as your cousin when I'm a blonde."
He chuckled. "That is true."
"Let me just get my bag and then we can go," Regina said, moving past him. "Thank you for inviting me. I know Mary Margaret put you up to it and I appreciate you humoring her."
"She didn't put me up to anything," he insisted. "In fact, this was my idea. I thought it would be fun for you to come see the game and spend some time at the barbeque. You enjoyed it last year."
Regina smiled, recalling the fun she had had the year before. "I did."
He nodded. "Exactly. So are you ready, cousin?"
"I am," she said. "Are we going in your car, cousin?"
"We are," he replied. "I got the clearance from Graham to drive you myself. And I hope since you'll be surrounded by cops, the guards will back off a bit."
She chuckled, following him out of her apartment. "I would hope so but they'll probably still be there."
He shrugged. "It was worth a try."
"It was," she said, stepping onto the elevator with him. "Thanks for trying."
"You're welcome. I consider it a win that they're letting me drive you, honestly," he replied, playing with his car keys. "I think they're starting to trust me."
Regina chuckled. "My guards trust nobody. I don't even think they trust me. But this is definitely a good thing."
The elevator doors opened and they walked into the garage. David unlocked his car and opened the door for Regina. "After you," he said.
"Always a gentleman," she teased him, getting into his car.
He shrugged. "I try. I want to pretend I fit into your world."
"David, trust me, you don't want to fit into my world," she told him. "If Mary Margaret wanted someone who fit into our world, she would've dated the son of some count. She wants you because you aren't anything like the people in our world and that is a very good thing. Just be yourself. We like you just the way you are."
David leaned against the door, raising his eyebrow. "What's the punchline?"
"Surprisingly, there isn't one this time," Regina replied. "But if you want, I can come up with one quickly."
He chuckled. "That won't be necessary. I'll take the compliment."
"Good," Regina said, buckling herself in as he closed the door. A few seconds later, he climbed into the driver's seat and buckled himself in as well. Starting the car, he grinned. "Here we go!"
David pulled the car out of the garage and onto the road. He drove away from the palace as Regina relaxed, watching Storybrooke pass by her. She sighed. "I wish I could just walk around like everyone else," she said.
"You're starting to sound like a Disney princess," he teased her.
"There's truth in cliché," she reminded him, thinking of her life. "I mean, Ariel was a silly teenager who let her hormones make some questionable decisions. But Jasmine…Jasmine I can really understand. Her and Rapunzel."
He nodded. "Both trapped and controlled by other people."
"Exactly," she said, closing her eyes. "Sometimes, I wish I could just be a normal person with a normal job and a normal life."
"I don't think you would ever be normal," he said.
She opened one eye, amused by his statement. "Was that sarcasm or genuine?"
"Genuine," he replied. "Unless it makes things weird and then we can pretend it was sarcasm."
Regina laughed, amused by David. "Mary Margaret certainly picked a winner."
"I'm going to just assume that was a compliment and say thank you," he said, turning into a parking lot. "We're here."
She looked out at the people heading for the baseball game and took a deep breath. Regina turned to him. "Is my wig still on straight?"
"Yes," he replied. "You look great."
"Good. Now it's time to play your cousin…what name did I give myself last time?" she said, regretting that she hadn't written it down.
"Wilma," he said. "My colleagues were asking if you were coming the other day."
Joy surged through her. "They were?"
He nodded. "They liked you and wanted to spend more time with you."
"You mean they want to hear more stories about you from your cousin," she said, certain that had to be it. She never was one to endear herself to crowds.
The media certainly made that clear to her.
David frowned, shaking his head. "Not at all. They like you, Regina."
"They like Wilma," she reminded him. "Not me."
"Wilma is just you in a blonde wig. You are no different as Wilma as you are as Regina," he said, holding up his hand as she prepared to rebut him. "And I said Regina, not Her Majesty Queen Regina. As Wilma, everyone gets a chance to see the person behind the crown. And they like her."
Regina felt her cheeks heat up. "Really?"
He nodded. "Really. You're an amazing person, Regina. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
"Please say something sarcastic," she asked, feeling herself tear up. "Please."
"Okay, okay," he said. "Of course, you could always just set them on fire with the intensity of your glare."
Regina let out a little laugh. It wasn't exactly the sarcastic barbs they tended to trade but it worked to restore the balance between them. She nodded. "Thanks. We were getting a little too mushy there," she said.
"Sorry," he replied. "But I do really see you as my sister. Many times you annoy me and I love to tease you but I also really do care about you."
"You're the annoying, goofy but lovable brother I never had," Regina told him as someone tapped on the window. She jumped, pressing her hand to her chest as she turned to see David's partner Lance standing next to the car.
David rolled down the window as Lance leaned down. "You two okay in here? You've been parked for a while now."
"We were just talking," David said. "I guess we lost track of time."
"Alright," Lance replied, seeming to accept that explanation. He then smiled. "Hello, Wilma. Your cousin dragging you out for another boring football match?"
She chuckled but shook her head. "I wanted to come. Your football matches are far from boring."
He laughed. "If you think that, you need to get out more."
"Well, I would love to but you're blocking my door," she said, using the banter to avoid the punch to the gut his words had felt like.
Lance grew sheepish as he stepped aside, opening the door for her. "Sorry."
She assured him it was okay before he pulled her in for a hug. Regina didn't get hugged very often due to security concerns and she melted into the embrace, glad for the human contact. It felt very normal.
For the next few hours, she was Wilma Nolan, a very normal woman enjoying her cousin's football game and she was going to enjoy every minute of it.
No, every second.
"We should head to the pitch," Lance told David. "Sorry to ditch you, Wilma. But we'll see you once we kick the firefighters' asses."
"In your dreams, copper!" a man in a red jersey yelled from across the parking lot.
Regina chuckled, wishing she could attend this event as the Queen and enjoy watching the two teams of public servants raise money for a good cause. Her advisors, though, worried that if she attended one, then she would have to attend all such football matches across the country and never get any work done. So she was forced to attend as Wilma and support the fundraiser in her own way instead.
David hugged her. "See you after the game, cuz."
"Good luck," she said. "I'll be sure to cheer really loudly for all of you."
"You're the best," Lance replied, jogging with David toward the group of blue shirts heading onto the field.
Regina headed into the stands, realizing with a pang of dread that she had sat with Mary Margaret the previous year and that her friend had carried most of the conversations. She didn't know if the other wives would remember a cousin or even want to talk with her. But she took a deep breath, heading over to them in hopes that she would manage to handle a few conversations.
"Hello," she said. "This the cop section? I'm David Nolan's cousin, Wilma."
"Oh," one of the wives said. "Yes, this is. Have a seat."
Another wife looked her over. "I think I remember you from last year. You were with Lady Mary Margaret, right?"
"Yes," Regina replied, sitting down next to the woman. "She couldn't be here today. She's off opening another center with her foundation."
The woman scoffed. "You mean she's off being rich and showing off her wealth while pretending to be charitable."
Anger surged through Regina but before she could defend her friend, another woman did. "Mary Margaret is not pretending to be charitable. She is kind-hearted and genuinely cares," the woman said.
"I agree," a third woman said. "She is not like other nobles. She is one of us. Honestly, I would love for her to be our queen rather than Queen Regina."
The first woman, Yvonne, chuckled. "That's certainly true."
Regina felt a pang in her heart but just kept nodding along as the women laughed. Thankfully, they changed the topic and soon drifted to their children and the small details of motherhood. Unable to contribute much to the conversation, Regina turned her attention back to the field and watched as the two teams arrived. The captains shook their hands as a rather burly referee with long curly hair tied back watched. He then blew his whistle and the match began with the police team easily capturing the ball.
It was a good distraction.
She continued to watch the game as the other women chatted, clearly not inclined to include David's cousin. Regina tried not to care but she missed Mary Margaret. Her friend would keep up a conversation and laugh at the color commentary Regina liked to provide during games like this. Now, she just ran her silly comments in her head and hoped she remembered them when she talked to Mary Margaret later.
"Is this seat taken?"
A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked up, her heart skipping a beat. Robin stood next to her, dressed in casual clothes. He wore a white t-shirt under a gray button-down shirt that was unbuttoned and paired with khaki shorts. Sunglasses covered his blue eyes and the sun glinted in his blond hair as he looked down at her with the warmest smile he had ever directed toward her.
Swallowing, she shook her head. "Feel free to take it."
"Thank you," he said, sitting down next to her. He leaned closer, whispering: "You looked a little lonely so I hope you don't mind some company."
"Not at all," she told him, her head spinning as she got a good whiff of the woodsy cologne he always wore. She didn't think they had ever been this close since he started working for her.
He held out his hand. "Robin Locksley, at your service."
"Wilma Nolan," she said, shaking his hand as she remembered to use her fake name. "Nice to meet you."
"Wilma. That's not a name you hear often," he replied, though there didn't seem to be any judgment in his tone. If anything, he sounded curious.
She shrugged. "My parents were pretty traditional."
"It's a good name," he replied. He then motioned to the game. "So, are you rooting for the police or the firefighters?"
"Police," she said. "My cousin is playing for them. You?"
He shrugged. "Either way. I'm here because my mate is one of the referees and this seemed like a good way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon, you know?"
"I do," she said, looking at the three referees on the field. "Which one is your mate?"
"The main referee," he said, pointing to the one with the ponytail. "His name is John."
Regina pointed out David. "That's my cousin, David."
"Well, then, I think I may root for a side after all," he replied, chuckling. "Go, police."
She laughed as well. They watched the game in silence for a bit before Robin asked: "So, do you live here in Storybrooke?"
"No," she replied. "I live in Sheepshead."
It was David's hometown and so it was easier to claim it as her own. After all, they were supposed to be cousins and it was not unusual for several branches and generations of the same family tree to live in the same town.
He tilted his head. "I haven't heard of it."
"Not surprising," she said. "It's a tiny community about two hours south of here by car. Mostly farmland."
"Ahh," he asked. "Do you work on a farm?"
She shook her head, knowing her hands would give her away if she had tried to lie about that. Regina just couldn't remember if Wilma was the librarian or the one who worked in public administration. But knowing that Robin could easily look up anyone who worked in public administration through the country, she said: "I work in the town library."
"Nice," he replied. "I work in the palace."
"That must be interesting," she said, pretending she had no clue about his job. "What do you do in the palace?"
He shifted a bit against the warm metal bench. "I'm the queen's assistant."
"Oh," she replied, pretending to be surprised. "That must be an interesting job."
"I guess," he said, just shrugging.
She frowned. "You guess?"
"It's not as exciting as you might think," he replied. "I've only been there a couple of months and it's been the quiet season, or so I've been told, so I'm mostly in the office."
"Ahh," she said, feeling the knot in her stomach loosen a bit. While it was better to train someone during the summer, it did come with a lull in diplomatic and governmental activities. It was why most of her staff took vacation during these months.
She then decided to ask the question bouncing around her head. "And how is it working for the queen?"
"It's good," he said, though she noticed he looked away and focused his attention on the game. "I get a lot of satisfaction from my work."
Regina recognized a diplomatic response when she heard one. She decided to drop it for now, not sure she would like the answer if she tried to push him for more. Instead, she decided to change the subject and use this time to get to know her assistant better. "What do you when you're not working in the palace?" she asked.
"Hang out with my mates," he replied. "Play a little footy. Mostly archery though."
"Archery?" she asked, intrigued. "How did you get into that?"
He chuckled, his tongue sticking out of his lips for a moment as she admired his dimples. "My dad and my granddad. They had a bow in my hands as soon as I could walk, much to Mum's dismay. But I love it. It's a great way to get out any frustrations I have and to refocus my mind."
"Sounds nice," she said. "So it's your way to destress?"
"Yes," he replied. "I guess it is."
She hummed. "Do you do anything else to destress?"
He shrugged. "Play video games. I also like to go on long hikes in the parks just outside Mist Haven."
"I heard those parks are beautiful," she said, having often wished to go visit them. But Mother had insisted that princesses did not go traipsing through the woods while the palace guards insisted it would be a security nightmare.
"They are," he replied. "You should ask your cousin to take you some time."
She nodded, wishing it was as easy as that. "Maybe I will."
"What do you do?" he asked. "You know, when you're not in the library or visiting your cousin?"
"I bake," she replied honestly. "It helps calm me down, much like archery does for you."
He grinned. "Are you a good baker?"
"My friends and colleagues seem to think so," she replied, realizing it had been a long time since she had made anything for her team. She decided to bake something for them tomorrow.
"Maybe one day I'll try something of yours," he said.
She smiled, trying not to laugh at how he read her mind. "Maybe."
"Oh, one of the officers has the ball," he then said, pointing to the field.
Regina leaned closer, realizing it was David. She clapped as she said: "That's my cousin."
"Ahh," he replied. "What's his name?"
"David," she said, standing as she cheered for him. Robin stood as well as David got closer to the goal, avoiding the firefighters trying to stop him. He kicked the ball but the goalie blocked it, denying him the goal.
She groaned, sitting back down. "So close."
Robin nodded as he sat down as well. "He's really good."
"Yeah," she agreed. "He scored a few goals last year too."
"Did they win?" he asked, sounding intrigued.
She shook her head. "The game ended in a tie. It usually does. I don't think I've ever seen one side win since I've started coming."
"Ahh," he replied, shrugging. "Maybe this year will be the year one of them wins. And I hope it's the police."
"Me too," she agreed, laughing. She then decided to go back to his career. "So, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
He glanced at her, frowning. "Aren't we already grown up?"
She shrugged. "I feel like we're always growing up and can always have plans for the future. So what are yours?"
Robin grew pensive, rubbing his stubble-covered chin. "I never thought of that. I figured I would be an assistant all my life."
"Oh," she said, noting that he had a more resigned tone than one conveying excitement for his career. "While being an assistant is a good job, I get the feeling that's not what you really want to do with your life."
"Frankly, it's not," he admitted. "But there aren't many opportunities when you barely made it through school and didn't even go to university."
His words surprised her. Though a degree was not required to work as an assistant or an aide in the palace, most on her staff did have one. Robin's work and the few opinions he had shared with her expressed an intelligence equal to anyone on her staff as well as her advisors and ministers. This revelation certainly gave her a lot to think about now.
"A piece of paper doesn't really mean much this far down the line," she said after considering her words. "You probably have gotten an education in the real world that exceeds the one I got in university."
"Not many others would see it that way," he replied, shrugging.
She knew that was true and that there were remedies for that. "Why not go back to university now?"
"I've considered it," he replied. "It's one of the reasons why I wanted to work at the palace. A reference from them would mean I wouldn't have to send in my transcript from school."
"Well, whatever you choose to do, I have a feeling it will be great," she told him, vowing to do everything she could behind the scenes to help him find the perfect career for him. She recalled how passionate he had been about Victoria Belfry. Maybe there was some work she could put him to regarding either the environment or fighting injustice.
He looked away, a pink tint coming to his cheeks though she wasn't sure if he was blushing or getting a sunburn. Robin cleared his throat before asking: "What about you? What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I'm pretty happy being a librarian," she said, remembering she was still Wilma. But she could still tell Regina's truth. "I guess what I really want to be is a mother."
"I'd like to have a family one day too," he said, looking at her again. "How close a reality is that dream?"
She looked him over, knowing he had no idea how attracted she was to him nor how that attraction kept growing even though he was cool toward her as Regina – or rather, the Queen. It was just another reminder of how lacking her love life was. "It's a pretty distant dream. Like the distance to the moon. You?"
"Same," he replied, tilting his head. "I'm surprised you don't have a line of men breaking down your door. Or women, if that's your preference. Or both."
"I prefer men," she replied, amused. She then sighed. "And most tend to judge a book by its cover and don't explore its content."
It was as close to the truth as she could get without revealing her true identity. Even though her council had to approve all her relationships, there were many men seeking a romantic one with her due to her reputation. And those that did seek one never really cared to get to know her.
Robin shook his head. "Then they are fools."
Not all, she thought as she glanced at him. But out loud, she asked: "What about you?"
"Well, dating is paused right now as I get settled into my new job, so I don't know if saying I work at the palace will help. But before that, not many women were impressed by my choice in career," he said. "And the ADHD got to the few who didn't mind that."
His disclosure surprised her. She had no idea he had ADHD but quickly realized there was no reason for her to know that. Their interactions were brief and professional. He was exceptional at his job, so since his work was not affected by it, his diagnosis was none of her business.
Robin didn't seem to notice her reaction or possibly misinterpreted it as he continued speaking. "I don't want to make them seem like they were cold-hearted monsters. When I was dating them, I hadn't been diagnosed yet. I only got diagnosed a few years ago. Before that, it just seemed like I was a disorganized and lazy mess. Afterwards, a lot of things made sense."
"How did you get diagnosed?" she asked, curious.
"It's a bit of a long story but a former coworker recognized some of my habits and patterns and suggested I talk to a doctor about it," he said. "And so I did, thinking nothing would come of it. My parents did suspect I had ADHD as a child but none of the doctors I saw, including a specialist, agreed. They just thought I was a typical lazy boy. But they were all wrong."
Her heart broke for him as she realized everything that had been stolen for him. "That must've been painful to hear then."
"It was bittersweet," he replied. "Sweet because I finally understood why I did certain things and saw the world the way I did. And I could developed ways to handle it. But bitter because I could've gone to university if I had been diagnosed when my parents first brought it up. And I hated how my parents blamed themselves."
Unable to help herself, she took his hand. "It sounds like they did everything they could to help you."
"They did," he agreed. "Everyone else failed me but they didn't. And I am so grateful for that."
She nodded, hoping to meet his parents one day. Taking a deep breath, she said: "I suffer from anxiety, including social anxiety."
"Really?" he asked, sounding surprised. "You're doing pretty well now."
"That's mostly thanks to you," she told him. "Before you sat down and started to talk with me, I felt pretty awkward since I really couldn't talk with the others. My mind was starting to tell me I didn't belong here."
He frowned, shaking his head. "You absolutely belong here. Does your anxiety always tell you that?"
"Not always," she replied. "Most of the time, it makes me think I did something wrong – or I didn't do something I was supposed to do and that made me look foolish. During those times, it sounds like my mother."
He squeezed her hand this time, looking concerned. "That sounds awful."
She nodded, still surprised she had told him all that but still pressing on. "My father tried to protect me but Mother was very good at hiding what she was doing."
"From what I understand, most abusers are," he replied. "It isn't fair."
"No," she replied softly. "It's not. And now I'm left with the scars."
Robin looked around before asking: "Are you treating your anxiety?"
"I am," she replied. "I'm in therapy, which has helped me develop ways to combat it. I'm also on medication but I can't always take it, especially before the bigger events because I can't then have alcohol."
He frowned. "Why? Certainly you don't have to drink at them?"
"You would think," she said, recalling how weird people were when she kept refusing alcohol during her first party after being prescribed medication. "But it apparently mattered that I consume some alcohol."
"Some people get really weird about drinking," he said.
She shrugged. "I've learned to live with it."
"I guess that's good?" he said, though it was clear he doubted his own statement.
"Hey, Wilma, your cousin has the ball!" Yvonne said, drawing their attention and pointing to the field.
Regina perked up, turning her attention back to the field. David kicked the ball across the field, avoiding the firefighters pursuing him as he approached their goal. She stood as David kicked toward the net and watched the ball fly past the goalie, hitting the netting at the back.
Goal!
"Yes!" she yelled. "GO DAVID!"
"WAY TO GO!" Robin yelled, giving her a high five. "That was amazing!"
She nodded, feeling so happy she believed she would float away. "I think that might be the winning goal."
"I think you're right," Robin said. "I don't think there's much left in the game."
"Oh, David is going to be so proud of himself. I'm so proud of him!" Regina said, clapping her hands together and pressing them to her chest as warmth spread through her. She knew how much this game meant to David and she was so happy for her friend.
Shortly after, John blew his whistle and the game ended in a win for the police officers. They swarmed David, lifting him up on their shoulders and parading him around the field as they cheered. Nearby, the firefighters clapped in a show of good sportsmanship.
"We won!" Robin exclaimed, turning to her with the widest smile she had ever seen him have.
"We won!" she echoed, throwing her arms around him. Her mind caught up with her body and she tensed, worried she had overstepped. But Robin wrapped his arms around her as well and she relaxed as they hugged each other in celebration of the victory.
She took a deep whiff of his oaky cologne, closing her eyes and imagining the two of them in the middle of the woods.
It suited him.
He pulled away from her but took her hand. "Come on, let's go celebrate the win."
"Okay," she said, laughing as he led her down the bleachers. They joined the others swarming the field and creating a circle around the players, David still hoisted on their shoulders. She clapped and danced with them as they celebrated the victory. And for a brief moment in time, Regina felt part of a community and her kingdom rather than an outsider looking in.
It was a feeling she hoped she never forgot.
Robin felt like he floated from the elevator down to the staff room, whistling as he put his lunch in the refrigerator. August poured some sugar into his coffee as he raised an eyebrow. "Someone is in a good mood. Do I even need to ask about your weekend?"
"Nope because I'm just going to tell you," Robin replied, closing the door. "I went to a charity football game and I think I met the woman of my dreams."
"Woman of your dreams? Sound serious," Belle said, joining them in the room.
August nodded. "So what is her name?"
"Wilma," Robin replied, pulling up the picture he had taken with Wilma while they were celebrating on the field. He turned the screen around to show August and Belle. "Wilma Nolan."
Their eyes widened and they shared a quick glance with soft smiles. He frowned, wondering what they were thinking as he pulled his phone back. "What?"
"Nothing," August said. "So, Wilma, huh?"
Robin nodded, still suspicious that there was something his colleagues weren't telling him. "Yeah. She's a librarian in Sheepshead and was visiting her cousin who is a police officer here in Storybrooke."
"She sounds very nice," Belle said, smiling.
"Yes, she was," Robin replied, recalling her beautiful brown eyes and warm smile. "And she was just so easy to talk to. I told her about my ADHD and she told me about her anxiety…"
Both Belle and August gasped, their eyes going wide. August gasped out: "She told you about that?"
That reaction surprised Robin. "Yeah. Why?"
"I guess it just seems like a heavy conversation to have at a charity football game," Belle said, elbowing August. "So it was a bit surprising."
"True," Robin replied, still suspicious but finding that explanation plausible. "I was a bit surprised I told her about my ADHD too."
Belle nodded. "But she must've been special."
Robin sighed, thinking of Wilma. "She was."
"Did she give you some way to get in touch with her?" August asked. "Phone number, email, social media, address for snail mail…?"
"No," Robin admitted, feeling the same disappointment he felt that night when he realized he had walked away without anyway to contact her. "But I should be able to find her somehow, right?"
August nodded. "Of course. Good luck, man."
"I hope you find the woman of your dreams," Belle replied. "Who knows? Maybe she's a lot closer than you think."
"She's in Sheepshead," Robin reminded her. "But it's not that far away. I think we could make something work."
August patted his shoulder. "I'm sure you can."
Robin shrugged before picking up his coffee again. "Well, I look forward to introducing her to you. Until then, duty calls."
"Of course," Belle said. "Have a good day."
Robin walked out of the break room. He was only a few steps away when he heard August and Belle continue talking. Slowing, Robin listened in for a few seconds and caught something that confused him.
"Do you think we should tell him? He's going to find out sooner rather than later," Belle said.
"I know," August replied. "But I don't think we should tell him just yet."
She sighed. "I suppose he'll find out in good time."
August didn't say anything right away but Robin imagined he had nodded. "He's still new. Tink can ease him into it. She's good at that."
"She is," Belle agreed. "I'm sure he'll understand how careful we have to be with Regina."
Robin decided he had heard enough and continued to his office. He didn't know what Wilma had to do with the Queen but he already was certain he wouldn't like it. Maybe the Queen didn't like her staff dating since her own love life seemed to be dead. Or maybe she was required to approve of their partners due to some ancient bullshit that had no place in the modern world.
Well, if that was the case, he was sure if he explained it to Wilma once he found her, she would be okay waiting until he could transfer out of the Queen's office. Then they could date without royal interference.
Nine more months, he told himself as he looked at the calendar he hung by his desk. You can do this.
He could do this.
A/N: Is Regina being a little too naïve about what happened to her in Hyperion-by-the-Sea? Most likely. But if your life was constantly in danger, you'd probably like to pretend otherwise as well.
At least she has Mary Margaret on her team, helping her to outsmart her advisors.
I also hope that maybe Robin didn't annoy you as much this time around and that you enjoyed the Outlaw Queen scene in this chapter. Will Robin ever find out who Wilma Nolan really is? You'll have to wait and see!
-Mac