A/N: Based on this prompt from the last OQ Prompt Party: #100: Regina is queen and has never been in love until she meets Robin, who is her new assistant. It is love at first sight with her, but he believes what the press is writing about her and doesn't bother to get to know her at first, until at some point (through a certain event) he realizes she's the one.

I did start writing this and posted an earlier draft for that Prompt Party, which is still up if you want to read it. If you did read it, some parts may feel familiar. I wanted to slow it down as I realized it needed more. So I've gone back, focused more on the relationship between Robin and Regina. Show how he takes things out of context or filters them through his biased lens to reinforce his beliefs about her before everything he thinks he knows is challenged.

I hope you enjoy!

-Mac

Chapter 1: The New Assistant

Tink walked into her office, carrying several files. She stopped when she saw a blond-haired man sitting by her desk dressed in a crisp black suit with a blue button-down shirt. He stood as she approached, smiling and revealing two dimples. "Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," she replied. "May I help you?"

"Yes, Johanna told me to report here to a Rose Tinker," he said. "I'm Robin Locksley."

Tink nearly dropped her files when she heard that, surprise and dismay coursing through her. She had been told to expect Robin Locksley to report that day to fill the recently vacated Royal Assistant position but clearly Johanna had forgotten to mention a very important fact about Robin.

"You were expecting a woman," he said rather than asked. He didn't sound too surprised and Tink figured it happened often.

"Yes," she replied, knowing it was likely pointless to lie. She sighed. "But I do trust Johanna when it comes to staff. She's been hiring for the palace for decades and has a great track record."

He grinned, looking relieved. "Good. I was afraid I was about to wade back into the unemployment pool."

"No, no," Tink said, sighing again. "I have to tell Her Majesty that her new assistant is a man, not a woman, but that should just be a minor hiccup."

"Her Majesty?" he asked, a strange look crossing his eyes as his smile faded away.

Cold swept through Tink and she started to wonder if maybe Johanna was losing her touch after all. "Yes. Didn't they tell you what position you were hired for?"

"That I was to be an assistant to a high-ranking person here in the palace," he replied. "That was all."

"Right, right," Tink said, knowing that was standard practice. Most staffers did not know who they would be assigned to until they showed up for their first day of work. However, she felt like those working directly with the Queen needed to go through more intense scrutiny and be made aware of who they were working for before they took the job.

Especially given the Queen's reputation.

No matter how inaccurate it was.

She studied Robin and could tell that he believed the lies Sidney Glass printed about her and the other media outlets took as gospel truth. In a firm, cold voice, she asked: "Do you have a problem working with Her Majesty?"

"No," he said, a mask slipping over his eyes and his expression becoming neutral. "This is a job and I am a professional, I assure you."

"Good," she replied, hoping that would prove to be the case.

He looked around before asking: "So…are you Rose Tinker?"

She realized she had never introduced herself and her cheeks heated up as she held out her hand. "Yes, sorry. You can call me Tink – everyone else does. I'm the Queen's chief of staff."

"Nice to meet you," he said. "So am I reporting to you or to the Queen?"

"Well, I guess to both of us," she replied. "But it's very likely you'll get most of your duties directly from Her Majesty."

Robin nodded. "So are there any rules I need to know? Like I'm not allowed to make eye contact with the Queen or something like that?"

"Of course you are," Tink replied, trying not to frown as her fear that the lies the media told about the Queen would make it difficult for Robin to do his job. "There are certain rules about working in the palace but she's not going to make you do anything crazy just because she's the Queen. She's just a regular person underneath the crown."

All Robin did was tilt his head as his expression continued to remain unreadable. "I see."

It didn't do much to assuage Tink's concerns about him. She was tempted to dismiss him there and then but decided that she needed more than a gut feeling. Besides, she didn't want to have to explain to the Queen why the assistant she had been told was starting that day had already been dismissed.

Regina already had enough to worry about.

Tink checked her watch and then reviewed Regina's schedule. "She has some free time. Why don't I go introduce you two and she can tell you what she expects from her assistant?"

"Sounds good," he replied.

"Then follow me," she said, setting down her files. "I'll also show you your office when we pass it."

His eyes widened a bit. "I get my own office?"

"Of course you do," she replied. "What did you expect?"

"I honestly don't know," he said. "I've held corporate jobs where I usually had my own desk but it was positioned outside my boss' office."

Tink chuckled. "You won't have that here. You won't have to play gatekeeper here. We have other people who do that."

"Right," he said. "I believe they were the lovely gentleman who patted me down when I entered this morning."

She laughed as she nodded, leading him toward a hallway. "So that was my office. Your office is closer to Regina's and is located behind the door we're about to pass on your left."

"Will I get my name on it?" he asked, pausing briefly to study the door.

"Yes," she replied, continuing down the hallway until she came to a heavy wood door with an ornate gold crown on it. "And this is the Queen's office."

He looked it over, nodding. "Easy to spot."

"It is," Tink said. She then rapped on the door once before opening it, warning Regina that she was about to enter.

Tink's heels clicked against the white marble floor as she approached the black desk Regina used. She had positioned it by the large windows in the room so she could look out over the palace gardens when she needed a break. It was a warm day so the black fireplace was not in use, leaving it as more of a decoration with a statue of a horse sitting on the mantel next to two pictures. Over the mantel hung the last portrait taken of the royal family before the death of King Henry a few years earlier. He sat on his throne with Queen Cora by his side and the then Crown Princess Regina standing behind her parents. All were dressed in their royal finery, dark blue as the Mills family always favored. It flattered every member of the family but especially Regina, in Tink's opinion. She always tried to convince her to wear it more but Regina kept insisting that black was her color.

While she did look good in black, Tink also felt it was because she was still in mourning for her father.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Tink said, more formal than she usually was with Regina. But she didn't know what type of relationship Robin would have with the Queen and so decided to set a more formal tone for now.

Queen Regina looked up from the paperwork she was reviewing and leaned back. "Good morning, Tink. Who is your companion?"

"This is Robin Locksley," Tink said. She paused for a moment before adding: "Your new assistant."

"Your Majesty," he said, bowing just like he had no doubt been taught at the palace staff orientation.

Regina glanced over at Tink, raising her eyebrow for a moment. Tink just shrugged in response before Regina stood, moving around her desk. "There's no need to bow like that all the time, Mr. Locksley. Is it okay if I call you Robin?"

"If Your Majesty wishes," he replied, sounding a bit colder than he had been with Tink. It made her heart sink a bit more.

Regina paused and Tink knew that his answer had spoken volumes to her as well. She pressed her lips together before smiling. "Well, welcome to the palace, Robin, and I look forward to working with you. My expectations for my assistants are for them to be prompt and efficient. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "I always strive to do my best."

She nodded, still studying. "Then I shall leave you in Tink's capable hands and we can meet later to go my schedule as well as any duties Tink didn't cover."

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said, bowing again. Regina raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tink, her expression conveying her message loud and clear.

Stop the bowing, please.

Tink would do her best. She ushered Robin from the office and prayed that she was also able to get him to warm up to Regina soon.

Or else the bowing would be the least of their worries.

Being Queen had its upsides.

Of course, there were the surface benefits of being royalty. Regina's family lived in the palace in Storybrooke and also owned another castle, two chateaus and a ski lodge throughout the country. She had grown up surrounded by a staff of servants paid to attend to her every need, though her father had taught her how to be independent as well. King Henry made his daughter do chores such as cleaning her room and doing laundry so that she knew the value of hard work. It also taught her important life skills she would need, understanding she couldn't rely on servants forever.

Regina also had the finest clothes with fashion designers ready to supply her with new gowns or outfits at a moment's notice. Shoes and other accessories were always available for her and she also had access to Mist Haven's crown jewels for state affairs. But she still liked to slip away in her own car – despite having a chauffeur, she insisted on getting her license like any other teenager in Mist Haven – and go shopping in disguise in the little shops the people of Storybrooke frequented. They were where she found some of her favorite items, most of them also her comfiest.

Then there were the deeper benefits, such as the satisfaction knowing she was working to give her subjects the best lives possible. Regina worked from sunrise to sunset on the behind-the-scenes things that no one really paid attention to unless something stopped working. And it was her job to make sure that didn't happen. She read reports, received updates, met with her ministers and foreign dignitaries to make sure Mist Haven was a wonderful place to live, a land of peace and prosperity.

Of course, being Queen also had its downsides.

Regina was used to always having an escort with her when she left the palace grounds. Even when she was just a princess, a guard followed her everywhere – even to school. But she at least was able to go places as herself. She could go to school or to the library or even to meet up with friends to see a movie. While the press always took pictures of her when she was out and about, the people of Storybrooke tended to treat her as another person back then. It all changed once she became queen. She no longer could just go to the movies if she wanted to or meet friends at a pub. Press would swarm her and now even the people would react differently. They would pepper her with questions, trying to compliment her or hurl complaints at her. It tended to get overwhelming and she usually had to be extracted by her security detail. So she had started to collect wigs and go out in disguise – so far, no one had yet to see through them.

Being Queen also cost her friendships as she had more obligations than she did as the Crown Princess. That left her less time to spend time with friends and just hang out or even to do something spontaneously. And she also had to be careful with whom she associated so all her friends had received scrutiny from her advisors. Regina then had to distance herself from those who did not get their approval, costing her some dear friendships.

That was the ultimate downside – she had almost no control over her life at all. Her days were planned from the moment she woke up to the moment she fell asleep, including who she talked to or spent time with. And most of them were employed by her in some capacity.

Whoever said it was lonely at the top certainly wasn't kidding.

All the scrutiny over her relationships conflicted with the public's desire for a fairy tale. They wanted her to find her Prince Charming, fall in love and then have a wedding to rival anything held by the British royal family. Each of her relationships after she graduated secondary school and started university were watched with hope and anticipation. Pictures of her and whoever her partner was were plastered across newspapers, news shows and the internet. Reporters did deep dives into each person and would often know everything about them before she had even been dating them a month. It made everything more intense and most men had the good sense to bow out early, knowing they could not handle the pressure. And she found that those who didn't and seemed to be okay with the pressure were usually dating her for the wrong reasons. They generally wanted either the fame, the wealth or the power – or all three as was the case with her last boyfriend, Sidney Glass.

She really regretted that relationship.

Even before the disaster that was her relationship with Sidney, Regina had started to doubt she would ever find someone who would get her advisors' approval and who she would want to marry. She had resigned herself to having to marry for convenience rather than love. After all, she would need an heir. Though she was trying to overturn the law that required heirs to be born within wedlock, she knew it was an uphill battle. So she would need to find someone who she would be able to parent with and hopefully also be a lifelong companion.

There would be no fairy tale romance for her and she thought she had made peace with that.

Until now.

Now she knew Robin Locksley and for the first time in her life, believed in love at first sight.

Her heart had skipped a beat the moment she had looked up and saw the handsome blond man standing behind Tink. Surprise had filled her when Tink had introduced him as her new assistant. Regina didn't mind having a man as her assistant but didn't know how she would be able to keep her attraction to him under wraps. The last thing her advisors would want was rumors of her romancing her assistant – it certainly would be quite scandalous.

But then she saw the hard look in his blue eyes and heard the coolness in his voice when he addressed her. She was attracted to him but he certainly was not attracted to her. Robin clearly believed everything the press said about her and she knew it would take some time to show him how wrong they were – she usually did.

Regina walked down the hallway from her living quarters to her office. She opened the door and stepped inside, finding her curtains open to let in the morning sun and a mug of fresh coffee waiting on her desk, meaning Robin was already in. He had proven to be prompt, just as she asked. Picking up her mug, she took a sip and grinned. A dash of almond milk and some Stevia, just as she liked it. Robin was a quick study and had picked up her preference within a week, impressing her with his efficiency, her second requirement for her assistants.

So far, Robin was the ideal assistant.

Well, almost. It would be better if he wasn't so cold and didn't try to spend the least amount of time possible in her presence.

Regina sat down and saw the Storybrooke Times waiting for her with a note from Robin that specifically marked several stories he believed she should read. She set it aside and went to the first story, reading the paper to understand what was happening in her country as well as the world and how it was being reported.

Once she finished the stories Robin had highlighted, she set the paper aside so she could read the other stories at her leisure later. She then picked up the packet of articles Robin had thought she should read from other news outlets. Despite being new, he had proven to have a good idea of what stories she should read and she appreciated it. The only thing Regina wished he would do was throw in a few "fluff" articles. With everything happening in the world, she liked to read about a community coming together to rescue ducklings from a storm drain or some stupid criminals. Everyone needed a good laugh from time to time and she was no different.

Maybe she would give him a little more time to get to know her before she made that request.

Regina picked up the phone and pressed one button. She counted two rings before Robin's familiar voice greeted her. Her stomach did a flip as she asked: "Can you come in here?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "I'll be right in."

She hung up the phone and pushed her chair closer to her desk, waiting for Robin to walk in. The door to her office opened and he stepped in, wearing a nice dark blue suit with a white shirt and matching blue tie. As he closed the door behind him, his security cards dangled from his neck. He looked very good and she felt something warm pool deep inside her.

Push it away, she told herself. You need to stay professional.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked, apparently waiting for her to give him permission to sit down. She pressed her lips as she tried not to sigh, hoping he would learn that he did not need permission to do things like that. Instead, Regina just waved at an empty chair and he moved toward it.

Once he was seated, she studied him and thought she would try to break the ice. "Did you have a good night?"

"I did," he said. She waited but he did not elaborate or even repeat the question to her, so it seemed like another failed icebreaker. It was probably once again best to just keep going with the tasks for the day.

Regina picked up her schedule and looked it over. She frowned as she read one item. "I have a meeting with the Commerce Minister today?"

He looked down at the schedule and frowned. "I don't recall putting that on your schedule. Maybe Tink did?"

"I doubt it," she said, having a sinking feeling about what happened. She reached for her phone. "But let's check with her."

Regina called Tink's extension and again counted two rings before her chief of staff picked up. "Tink, can you come in here for a few moments?"

"Sure," Tink said. "I'll be right in."

Hanging up the phone again, Regina looked over her agenda. Everything else seemed to be normal, meaning the meeting with the Commerce Minister was the only surprise change to it from the night before. And if her suspicions were correct, someone's head was going to roll.

Tink walked in and closed the door behind her, smiling. "Good morning, Robin," she greeted him.

"Good morning, Tink," he said, his voice warmer as his gaze softened. For a moment, Regina felt jealous that he looked at her chief of staff like that and not her.

She then swallowed it down as she held out her agenda to Tink. "Do you know anything about a meeting with the Minister of Commerce today?"

Tink frowned, taking the agenda. She looked it over before sighing. Her look told Regina everything she needed to know. Leaning to the side, Regina addressed Robin. "Can you give us some privacy?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," he said, the chill back in his voice as he stood. He glanced over at Tink before walking out of Regina's office.

"I had no idea about this," Tink told her. "I would've emailed you about it."

Regina knew that but she wanted to hear Tink confirm it before she did anything rash. Her anger rose as she said: "This is unacceptable."

Tink nodded, sitting down in the chair Robin had vacated. "I don't even know how he did this. Did he hack my computer or spoof my email account?"

"We can let security sort that out," Regina said, hoping they could prevent it from happening in the future. "Please also let Johanna know that Lord Spencer is going to need a new assistant."

"Lord Spencer isn't going to let him go easily," Tink warned her. "He likes how sneaky this one is because he gets Lord Spencer the results he wants."

Regina sighed, knowing she was right. Many assistants didn't last long under Lord Spencer because of his demands and insistence that his staff do whatever it takes to get what he wanted – whether it was proper or not. Part of Regina felt bad that someone was going to lose their job because of his attitudes and behavior but she reminded himself that many assistants didn't go to the length this one did to please Lord Spencer.

Just following orders was not a good excuse around her palace.

"Well, it ultimately isn't up to Lord Spencer this time," Regina said calmly. "This was a serious breach in security. No one has the right to dictate my schedule and both he and his assistant will have to pay the price."

"More his assistant than him," Tink said, something darkening her eyes. "Lord Spencer should get something more consequential than just losing his assistant."

Regina sighed, knowing that Tink and the few friends she had been allowed to keep as queen often told her that she needed to change her advisors. They were all against Lord Spencer and she had to admit that he was probably the one advisor who was openly defiant toward her. However, she needed her advisors' approval to remove any of them and she doubted they would support any actions against Lord Spencer in fear that they could be next.

"I will see what I can do," Regina said. "But you know my hands are tied."

"I know but even your other advisors have to realize how disrespectful and illegal this is," Tink argued. "They should want to punish him as much as you do."

Everything Tink was saying made sense. Maybe this would be the time that Lord Spencer overstepped and her advisors would agree to let her act. She nodded. "You're right. I'll talk to them and see if they feel the same," she said.

"Good," Tink said. "So are you keeping your meeting with Lord Spencer or do you want me to cancel?"

Regina paused, considering her answer. Keeping the meeting would reward Lord Spencer's poor behavior but she knew she did have to meet with him. She glanced at her schedule again before responding: "Yes, but let's move it to this afternoon."

Tink nodded. "Alright, sounds good. Do you want me to prep Robin for the meeting?"

"No," Regina said slowly. "Lord Spencer is wily. I think I'd rather start him with an easier meeting rather than throwing him to the wolves so soon. Can you cover the meeting instead?"

"Sure," Tink agreed. "And you're right. We don't want to scare Robin off so soon. We should ease him into the Lord Spencers of your court."

"Glad we agree. We can find something to keep him busy during that time. I think I have some dry cleaning that is done. Maybe he can pick that up and grab a few things in town?" Regina suggested, hating to use Robin as an errand boy but finding no other solution.

Tink nodded, standing. "I'll be ready and I'll come up with things to keep him busy while we both try not to set Lord Spencer on fire with our eyes."

Regina laughed, knowing that was an accurate description of how her meetings with Lord Spencer usually went. "Thank you, Tink. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," Tink replied. "Hopefully we'll be able to bring Robin up to speed soon regarding all your advisors."

"I'm certain we will. He's a fast learner and already making great progress. I have no doubt he'll be just as knowledgeable and proficient as you," Regina told her, ready to get to work on her other items as they wrapped up the meeting.

Tink tilted her head. "You like him?"

"I do," Regina replied, now worried about her chief of staff's reaction. Was there something Tink saw about Robin that Regina hadn't yet? Did she have concerns about his performance? "You don't?"

"I like him for the most part," Tink replied. "He's very good at his job, very professional and seems like a good guy. Except that he clearly believes all the lies printed and said about you in the media. I'm concerned about that."

Regina knew her concern was valid and she did share it. "I know. That is very obvious but it's a hurdle we've overcome in other staff. I'm sure we can also clear it with Robin."

"I'm not as sure," Tink said, which did worry Regina. Before she could ask any follow up questions, Tink continued: "He hasn't said anything outright offensive or you know I would have him marched out of this office in a heartbeat. But it's just little comments and the way he is with you that makes me worried he's more entrenched in the lies than the others have been."

If Tink was worried about that, then Regina knew it was a serious concern. Tink had even more interaction with Robin so far and would have a good read on him. Regina always trusted her friend's judgment and now was no different. But Robin was still new and she didn't want to reinforce any wrong ideas about her by firing him just because he wasn't warm enough to her. It seemed like a PR nightmare in the making.

And that didn't even include the fact that she just wanted to keep him around.

"Your concerns are noted," Regina said slowly. "However, I think we should give Robin a fair chance and reevaluate at regular intervals. Agreed?"

"As you wish," Tink said, meaning she did not exactly agree but would respect Regina's wishes. She glanced at the door. "I'll go get everything ready for today."

Regina paused for a moment as she considered something. Standing, she approached Tink. "I do trust your judgment, Tink. Do you think he's a threat?"

"No," Tink said, not needing any time to think about that. "I don't think he's going to leak secrets – whether they're personal about you or national ones – and I don't think he's going to hurt you physically. Just emotionally."

"I'm a big girl, Tink," Regina assured her friend. "I think I can handle it."

Tink sighed. "I know, Regina. But you're not just my queen and my boss. You're also my friend. And as your friend, I hate to see what all the gossip and nasty comments do to you. Even the strongest people break. I don't want to subject you to someone who could be part of that pain."

"I appreciate that," Regina said, meaning every word. "You're my friend too and I know you just have my best interest at heart. I just need you to trust me, alright?"

"Alright," Tink replied. She paused before saying: "I do think Robin is a good person. He clearly has a good heart and cares about other people so I hope he can give you a chance and realize you're a good person too."

Regina relaxed, glad that her belief in Robin's inherent goodness was not without merit. She had been worried Tink had seen something in him that she had overlooked and was glad that was not the case. "Then I guess we need to start convincing him," she said.

Tink nodded. "I'll do my best and you just keep doing what you do and we'll see what happens."

"You know I hate leaving things up to chance," Regina said, moving back toward her desk. It was one of the traits she had inherited from her mother though she tried not to go as far as her mother did when it came to trying to control everything.

"I know," Tink replied, "but this is one thing you can't command. And trying to do so could backfire spectacularly on you."

Regina sighed, sitting down. "I know."

"But we can worry about that later," Tink assured her. "After we deal with Lord Spencer."

"Sounds like a plan," Regina agreed. "Good luck."

Tink nodded, moving backwards. "You too."

Her assistant left the office and Regina turned to her emails, ready to continue with her morning routine before preparing for her meeting with Lord Spencer. She was going to need as much data as possible to counteract whatever ridiculous and self-serving proposition he was going to suggest to her. And she needed to make it known to him that his assistant was fired and he was on thin ice for the stunt he had pulled.

It was going to be a long day that would require a drink that night when all was said and done.

"Honey, I'm home," Robin called jokingly, closing the door to his apartment behind him. He took a deep breath and smelled something delicious, making him smile. "Please tell me that's dinner."

John, his roommate and best friend, poked his head out from the kitchen. "It is. And it should be ready in a few minutes."

"Wonderful," Robin said, loosening his tie as he walked to his room. "Let me change and I'll be right out. You're the best, John."

"I know," John said, stepping back into the kitchen.

Robin entered his bedroom and slipped off his suit jacket. His shirt and pants went next and he quickly pulled on a blue Henley shirt and paired it with a pair of gray sweats. After taking off his black socks, he padded back out barefoot and entered the kitchen. "We still have beer, yeah?" he asked, opening the fridge.

"We should," John said. "That bad, huh?"

"More frustrating than bad," Robin said, pulling a bottle from the fridge. He located the bottle opener and flipped off the cap before taking a long swig.

As he swallowed, John asked: "What did she do now?"

"Well, it started with her interrogating me about my weekend," Robin said, leaning against the counter. "You know, because how dare I not spend every second working? God only knows what she was doing this weekend but I'm certain it wasn't work."

"What did you do?" John asked, placing some pasta onto a plate before drizzling some sauce onto it.

"Kept my answer short and focused on work," he replied. "She got it and moved onto the agenda for the day."

John placed a chicken breast parmigiana on top of the pasta and handed it to Robin. "And how did that go?"

"Not so great. Apparently a meeting got added by one of her minister's assistants," Robin said, sitting down with his meal as his friend made his own plate. "She then called in Tink and dismissed me. Before I closed the door, I heard her threatening Tink's job."

"For someone else's mistake?" John asked, sitting down at the table with Robin now.

Robin nodded, cutting into his chicken and taking a bite. He let out a soft groan, believing it the best he had ever eaten. Pointing to it with his knife, he swallowed as he said: "This is amazing."

"Thank you," John replied. "So what happened after the queen threatened Tink's job?"

"She came out and went over my tasks for the day. I tried to talk with her about what the queen said but she insisted everything was fine," he said, shrugging. "She probably doesn't trust me enough yet to really open up."

John nodded. "Makes sense."

"She did teach me how to set up for a meeting and showed me how the Queen likes everything," Robin said. "Apparently it's very important that the Queen drink her water from a glass and not a water bottle."

"Of course. We can't have her royal lips touching plastic like a commoner," John said, pretending to shudder. "How would she manage?"

Robin laughed, nodding. "I know, right?"

"How did the meeting go?" John asked, moving on from his chicken to his pasta.

"I'm not sure," Robin admitted. "Tink said she would be taking the minutes for the meeting and sent me to run some errands for Her Majesty."

John frowned. "Aren't you supposed to take minutes?"

"Yes," Robin replied, recalling that disappointing conversation from that morning. "Tink said something about wanting to ease me into that with a different minister, that the commerce minister would be too intense or something."

"You don't sound like you believe her," John commented, sipping his own beer.

Robin shrugged. "I honestly don't. I just don't know what the truth is. Maybe the Queen doesn't trust me yet with important secrets about the country or maybe the Queen was forcing Tink to do it as punishment. I don't know."

"You thinking of quitting?" John asked, no judgment in his tone – which Robin appreciated.

"No," Robin said, recalling the months he was unemployed after the company where he last worked folded. He was lucky to get into the palace pool and he did not want to leave it – even if it meant putting up with the Queen.

He took another bite of pasta before continuing: "I read in the handbook that if I last there at least a year, I can put in a transfer and get placed into someone else's office. Probably happens all the time."

John nodded. "Next time, you should ask why the last person left."

"I asked this time," Robin replied. "And I was told the Queen's previous assistant had left for personal reasons not related to the job."

"That sounds like a line if I ever heard one," John said, shaking his head. "She probably ran away screaming after dealing with the Queen."

Robin chuckled. "Probably. I might do the same."

"And no one would blame you," John replied, sipping his beer. "Maybe Tink will run out with you."

"Maybe," Robin said, shrugging as he thought of his other boss. "But it seems she's been with the Queen for a while now. Maybe she's just used to her."

John shrugged. "Maybe. But it doesn't sound like it's worth all that abuse."

Though he agreed, Robin knew he had no control over that situation. "I can only focus on myself. I can support Tink but I need to let her control her own career."

"Fair enough," John replied, finishing his pasta. "You already have a tendency to take on everyone's problems. You definitely need this boundary."

"I'm getting better," Robin said, knowing he was a fixer and wanted to help everyone with their problems. It often ended with him stressed and not dealing with his own problems, much to his detriment.

And with his new job, he needed to preserve his energy for his dealings with the Queen.

They finished their meals and Robin cleaned the dishes since John had cooked. Once the last fork was in the dishwasher, he turned to his friend. "What do you want to do tonight?" he asked.

John shrugged. "Don't really care. You had the shit day so you choose."

"Aww, thanks," Robin said sarcastically before glancing at their living room. He spotted their shared gaming console and motioned to it. "A few games before bed?"

"Sounds good to me," John said, grabbing his controller. "I might even let you win a game or two. You know, to make up for the shit day and all."

Robin rolled his eyes as he picked up his controller and sat down next to his friend. "Thanks for that."

"Go ahead," John said, pulling up their game library. "Pick your poison."

Laughing, Robin picked a racing game. As he and John chose their drivers, Robin let the Queen slip from his mind. He was going to turn off his brain and just enjoy some games with his mate. It would help him recharge his batteries before he faced work the next day and learn how else the Queen lived up to her Evil Queen persona.

Eleven more months. If he made it a year, then he could have any position in the palace he wanted. He just had to hold on until then.

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day!

I know many people have been waiting for this and so I thought it would be a great Valentine's gift! So I hope you enjoy it.

Check back monthly for updates to find out how Robin and Regina's story unfolds!

-Mac