(no subject)
Title: (include part numbers here if fic is in progress) "Hearts & Minds" Part I
Author: Zeldabel
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Regina / Robin Hood
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: spoilers up to (episode title) the finale
Warnings: (adult content, non-con, incest, fluff, violence, etc.)
Disclaimers: Spoliers for the finals
Summary: "You!" Marian whispered, her voice soft and trembling. "You tried to have me killed."
"Yes," Regina smiled. "And I'm very sorry for that. In this realm, I'm known as Regina Mills
"You just better hope to hell you didn't bring anything else back with you."
Regina stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, despising herself. How could she have believed in second chances, in love and faith and, that most desperate emotion of them all, hope? She was a villain. And villains didn't get happy endings.
"Damn that Tinkerbell," she muttered. If it hadn't been for that interfering fairy, would she have been attracted to Robin at all? It was, after all, the damn lion tattoo which had first caught her attention. The tattoo which branded a common thief the soulmate of an evil queen. Had she never spied the tattoo, never been told he was her chance at happiness, would Regina have noticed him at all?
If only he weren't such a good kisser.
Time to end this, she thought. Enough. A quick glamour spell fixed the red-rimmed eyes and smudged mascara, washing her hands rid them of Roland's sticky, little-boy fingerprints.
Being Cora's daughter kept her lips from trembling and a smile in place.
The bathroom door opened behind Regina, and she prepared herself for battle. It had to be Emma Swan coming to apologize again, or Snow White, cooing over her precious prince's dirty diapers. Whomever it was, Regina was the mayor. This was her town, her people. She was Regina Mills, and she was in total control.
"Mom?"
Regina spun around, eyes widening in surprise. "Henry?! You can't be in here!" She strode across the floor to him, high heels clicking on the tile floor. "You need to go back to the party. Now."
Henry stayed where he was, his eyes focused on his mother's face. "Mom, I saw what happened."
Regina stilled. "Yes, well, I'm sure everyone in the diner saw what happened." She bent down to Henry's eye level and smiled. "But it's not something I'm worried about. What I am concerned about, however, is where you are going to be living. I think we need to work out some sort of schedule with Ms. Swan..."
"Mom!" Henry interrupted. "Don't try and pretend like it's not a big deal. Maid Marian isn't really dead. Robin had his arms around her." He scowled at this, looking a little disgusted.
"Yes, I noticed that," Regina straightened up. "It was hard to miss."
Henry watched her seriously. "You love him."
"Love?" Regina cocked an eyebrow. "Henry, I barely know the man. We were caught up in an..." she searched for the right word. "Adventure. Beating the Wicked Witch was an adventure, right? It forced us to work together. We were close, yes, but now it's over. I didn't love him." She cupped his face in her hands. "You're the only one I love."
"You need more than just me, Mom," Henry said. He grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the door. "Let's go back to the christening. Grandma and Grandpa are there, and so is Emma. You know she didn't mean to hurt you. They're your family, just like me. Let's go be with them."
"No, Henry. I just want to go home right now, sweetheart. I need some time."
"But you're a hero now. You can face anything."
Staring down into her son's innocent, hopeful face, Regina debated with herself. Leave the christening and have everyone talking behind her back, feeling sorry for her, or stay and fight.
She was Cora's daughter. She would always stay and fight.
"All right, Henry," she said, squaring her shoulders. "Let's go back to the party."
***
It wouldn't do for the mayor of the town to ignore a new citizen. It wouldn't do for Regina Mills to hide behind her son. She could face this, would face this, and tomorrow everything would go back to normal. No homicidal sister, no pregnant stepdaughter to protect, no reaching inside herself to find the good.
No Robin.
"Hello," Regina walked over to the table where Robin was huddled with his wife and son. His arms were still around her, Regina noticed, while Marian was holding onto Roland. All three were beaming smiles and had tear tracks on their bright faces.
It took all of Regina's control not to turn them all into dung beetles.
Well, except the boy. She had a fondness for little boys.
"You!" Marian whispered, her voice soft and trembling. "You tried to have me killed."
"Yes," Regina smiled. "And I'm very sorry for that. In this realm, I'm known as Regina Mills. I'm the mayor of Storybrooke, and I hope you'll be very happy here. We have an excellent library operated by Belle French, and you already know what a treasure Granny's is. Please let me know if there's anything you need while you're here."
Marian trembled in Robin's arms. "All I need is for you to leave me alone."
"Marian!" Robin admonished, pulling back. "Regina is---"
Regina waved her hand. "No, that's okay. I perfectly understand. Regardless, you're very welcome here."
Still smiling, Regina turned her back on the happy little family. Only a few more minutes, she told herself. Just hang on a few more minutes and you can leave. Make your farewells, kiss Henry. Then run like hell out of here.
"I need to get going," Regina said, sliding into the booth next to Henry. She looked over at the Charmings, both of whom were still stargazing at their son. "I'm very grateful you have your baby back."
"Oh, Regina," Snow White said, glancing up at her. "So are we. And we are so glad you're here with us. So glad," she continued, sharing a mischievous look with her husband. "That we wanted to ask you to be Neal's godmother."
A gigantic knot formed in Regina's throat. No! No! "I...I can't possibly be," she stuttered. "You should ask Emma or Ruby..."
"But we want you," David said firmly. Regina opened her mouth, but David talked over her. "End of discussion. We trust you with our son, Regina. You're family."
"See, I told ya," Henry said, beaming at his mother. "We're a family."
Regina swallowed. "Yes, I suppose we are." She glanced at the baby, so tiny and fragile in his mother's arms. Imagine, only an hour ago she'd imagined having another baby of her own, feeling a child grow and mature inside her. Fear and loneliness welled up inside her until she thought she'd explode with it. "I have to go," she blurted out, grabbing her purse. Kissing Henry's hair, she scooted out of the booth and darted out of the diner. Home. She had to get home.
Once on the street, she slipped off her heels and began to run. She ran through the dark streets, desperate for the solitude and safety of home. She ran until her chest was heaving, until the soles of her feet were dirty and bleeding. She ran, hoping to forget.
***
"You do know what just happened, right?" Henry asked his grandparents.
Snow looked up from Neal. "What do you mean, Henry? Asking Regina to be Neal's godmother?"
"I think I know what Henry's talking about," Emma groaned, slinking up to their table. "I know why Regina ran out of here."
"Oh, Emma," Snow sighed. "What have you done now?"
"Me?" Emma cried. "Why do you automatically assume I've done something wrong?"
Hook nudged her with his shoulder. "It's probably because she knows you, love."
"Shut up," Emma snapped, dropping down beside Henry. "I kinda...brought Maid Marian back from the dead. So to speak. I mean, I rescued her from the castle's dungeon and brought her back here with us. To Storybrooke. Regina was going to kill her."
"You do realize you're not telling this story well at all, right, Swan?" Hook asked.
"Okay, let me see if I'm following," David said. "When you two went back in time to the Enchanted Forest, you found Maid Marian locked in Regina's dungeon."
"Right so far," Hook said. "Continue."
"Shut up," Emma said.
"Then when Emma escaped the dungeons she helped Marian escape, too? And brought her back to Storybrooke?"
"Right," Emma sighed, looking miserable. "That's right."
"I don't see why you're so upset," Snow said, looking from her daughter to Hook and back again. "You saved a woman's life. That's to be commended."
"The problem is that Maid Marian is married to Robin Hood," Emma moaned.
"And our reformed Evil Queen just happens to be in love with Robin Hood," Hook finished.
Snow and David glanced at each other in amazed horror. "That's why Regina looked so happy these past few days," Snow said. "I knew she looked smitten. She's in love. With Robin Hood. Regina is in love with Robin Hood and Emma just brought his long-lost wife to Storybrooke. Like I...like I helped take Daniel from her. Oh, God!"
"Oh, Emma," David breathed, turning to stare at his daughter. "What have you done?"
"Why is it always me?" Emma moaned, dropping her head onto the table.
For once, not even Hook had an answer.
***
Regina crawled into bed fully clothed, too exhausted to even wash her face or remove her jewelry. This couldn't be happening all over again. She was so in love with Daniel, flush with first love and a secret romance until Snow and Cora...no, until Cora. It wasn't Snow's fault. Regina could see that now. The princess had been a mere child, while Cora had always been a manipulative, cold-hearted bitch. Regina laughed bitterly. Manipulative. Cold-hearted. Bitch. She might as well have been describing herself.
Like mother like daughter.
"No!" She wasn't going to remember these things. Going back in time, dredging up old ghosts, wouldn't help her right now. She needed to focus on being strong for Henry, on settling back into the mayor's office, of forgetting about a thief and his merry men.
Robin.
His scent was all around her. Wood-smoke and musk and sunlight. No! she thought again, flipping onto her stomach and burying her face in the pillow. No more memories!
But the smell of forest was too tempting, even for an evil queen.
"I'm right here, you know," Robin said, sliding his hand along her hip. "I can practically hear you thinking."
"You cannot," Regina giggled, sounding much more like the dreamy teenager Daniel loved than a queen about to go toe-to-toe with the Wicked Witch of the West. She rolled over onto her back so she could stare into his teasing face. "You have no idea what I'm thinking."
"Aye, milady, I believe I do," her thief corrected. "You're thinking that you don't deserve to be this happy. You're expecting everything to come crashing down around you at any moment."
The laughter stilled in her throat. "Maybe."
"Oh, I'd say for sure. But here is my oath, Regina. When the world does come crashing down around you, when you aren't as happy as you are right now, wrapped together in your bed, I can promise you one thing."
"What's that?" Regina whispered.
"That I'm going to be right here with you," Robin promised, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, the tip o f her nose. "And at the end of the day, you and I will be happy together." He kissed her mouth with exquisite tenderness, and all words between them stilled.
"I have to change these sheets," Regina muttered, climbing out of bed. The scent of forest was all around her, making her fists clench and her heart slam against her chest.
Her heart.
Regina stilled, one pillow dangling from her hand. It would be so easy to reach into her chest and remove her heart, to slip into indifference and peace. She brought her empty hand up to her chest, fingernails resting lightly over her heart. Remove her heart, and everything would be right again. Robin Hood would be no more than a random man in her town, someone she passed on the street or sat beside at Granny's. Her heart wouldn't swell with pleasure and happiness when she held hands with little Roland, when he kissed her on the cheek or whispered her name. It could be all gone with the simple removal of her heart.
Regina sighed. Old habits died hard. Shaking her head, she roughly pulled the pillow from it's case and set to stripping the sheets off the bed. It might feel good to set the entire bed on fire, she mused, or maybe take an old-fashioned Louisville slugger to it then set it on fire. Maybe beat it with the bat, set it on fire, then throw the burning embers out the window. The possibilities were endless.
Funny, she didn't blame the bed when Graham had turned his attentions to Ms. Swann. Regina had ridden Graham like Secretariat on this very bed, and yet breaking up with him, killing him, didn't cost her one sleepless night.
Wait. She wouldn't remove her heart, she'd only end up hurting Henry, but she could make a memory potion. She might could make one so she'd only forget the entire Robin-Marian-Roland fiasco, and keep her other memories. It would be tricky, but it might work. If not, well, she was Henry's mother. She'd always remember him, always find him.
Energized by her plan, Regina rushed through the house to the kitchen. Grabbing random bottles and, for some bizarre reason, a hunk of cheese, she began compiling the ingredients she'd need. Had she not chosen that exact moment to run back upstairs for her purse, she might have missed the quiet knock on her door.
Hearing it, Regina stilled. It was a timid knock, as if the person outside really didn't want her to hear. Probably Ms. Swan, coming to apologize again, blue eyes full of tears and sympathy. Or it could be Snow, here to make random excuses for her idiot offspring. Or it might be David, confessing that he realized the entire Charming family was full of imbeciles and they'd be moving to Siberia that very night. The idea perked her up immensely.
Or it might be Robin.
Robin.
Regina threw open the door, breathless with anticipation. It had to be him, it had to be him, ithadtobehimit...
"'Gina!"
"Roland!" Regina dropped to her knees in front of the boy, grabbing his thin shoulders. "What are you doing here, baby?" A horrible thought occurred to her. "Does your papa know where you are?"
Smiling impishly, Roland shook his curls. "Come meet Mama," he said, reaching up to take Regina's hand. "Come see Mama and Papa, 'Gina."
"Your papa must be frantic," Regina said. "We need to get you back to Granny's." Taking the little boy's hand, she grabbed her coat out of the hall closet and shut the front door. "Did you walk all this way by yourself?"
"Uh-huh," Roland beamed. "Got to missing you. Want you to meet Mama."
"Right," Regina said, the smile fading from her face. "Well, let's just get you back to your papa, okay? You really shouldn't have left him like that."
Roland started babbling about ice cream and dinosaurs, so Regina knew further scolding would do no good. She listened to him chatter, saying "wow!" and "smart boy!" at appropriate times. Staring down at his flaxen curls, Regina felt a lump form in her throat. Only this morning she had imagined building a life around this little boy, a life with love and laughter and second chances. Now, she was alone. Again.
Villains don't get happy endings.
"Roland!" Robin was rushing up the dark street toward them. Grabbing Roland by the waist, he hefted the little boy into his arms. Closing his eyes, Robin pressed his son to his chest. "I had no idea what had happened to you. Where did you go?" He pulled back and glanced at Regina. "What happened?"
"He walked to my house. Apparently Roland wanted me to meet his mother," Regina said, sliding a hand through her hair. "And he said he missed me."
Robin slowly set his son on the ground. "Roland, go sit over on that bench while I talk to Regina. I won't be long."
Roland turned and threw his arms around Regina's legs. "Bye, 'Gina! Come to the forest and meet mama soon, okay? We can all play!"
"I'd like that, dear," Regina said, bending down to press a kiss to the boy's soft hair. She breathed him in, little-boy sweetness and vanilla. "I'd like that."
"Well," Robin said after Roland had left. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"
Regina stared at him. "I told you. Roland wanted me." She stared into Robin's eyes. "At least someone does."
"Don't start, Regina. I am not in the right mood to deal with the evil queen tonight."
"So I'm back to being the evil queen? Well, as I said, the name served me well."
"You knew my Marian, Roland's mother, was alive and you did nothing. I've lived years believing her death was my fault," he hissed, eyes blazing. "And it was all yours."
"In case you haven't noticed, your wife is very much alive," Regina reminded him. "And I can't remember every single person I threw into the dungeon. I'm sure she deserved her punishment anyway. Protecting an outlaw, wasn't she?"
"Yes, and just last night you were in bed with one," Robin said, leaning close.
"Was I?" Regina asked coldly. "I've already forgotten."
"Then remember this, your majesty," Robin snarled. "Roland is my son, not yours. He has a mother, no thanks to you. Stay away from my family."
"Not a problem," Regina said pleasantly. "Goodnight, Outlaw." She turned on her heel and headed back to the mayor's mansion.
Robin didn't stay to watch her go.
Author: Zeldabel
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Regina / Robin Hood
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: spoilers up to (episode title) the finale
Warnings: (adult content, non-con, incest, fluff, violence, etc.)
Disclaimers: Spoliers for the finals
Summary: "You!" Marian whispered, her voice soft and trembling. "You tried to have me killed."
"Yes," Regina smiled. "And I'm very sorry for that. In this realm, I'm known as Regina Mills
"You just better hope to hell you didn't bring anything else back with you."
Regina stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, despising herself. How could she have believed in second chances, in love and faith and, that most desperate emotion of them all, hope? She was a villain. And villains didn't get happy endings.
"Damn that Tinkerbell," she muttered. If it hadn't been for that interfering fairy, would she have been attracted to Robin at all? It was, after all, the damn lion tattoo which had first caught her attention. The tattoo which branded a common thief the soulmate of an evil queen. Had she never spied the tattoo, never been told he was her chance at happiness, would Regina have noticed him at all?
If only he weren't such a good kisser.
Time to end this, she thought. Enough. A quick glamour spell fixed the red-rimmed eyes and smudged mascara, washing her hands rid them of Roland's sticky, little-boy fingerprints.
Being Cora's daughter kept her lips from trembling and a smile in place.
The bathroom door opened behind Regina, and she prepared herself for battle. It had to be Emma Swan coming to apologize again, or Snow White, cooing over her precious prince's dirty diapers. Whomever it was, Regina was the mayor. This was her town, her people. She was Regina Mills, and she was in total control.
"Mom?"
Regina spun around, eyes widening in surprise. "Henry?! You can't be in here!" She strode across the floor to him, high heels clicking on the tile floor. "You need to go back to the party. Now."
Henry stayed where he was, his eyes focused on his mother's face. "Mom, I saw what happened."
Regina stilled. "Yes, well, I'm sure everyone in the diner saw what happened." She bent down to Henry's eye level and smiled. "But it's not something I'm worried about. What I am concerned about, however, is where you are going to be living. I think we need to work out some sort of schedule with Ms. Swan..."
"Mom!" Henry interrupted. "Don't try and pretend like it's not a big deal. Maid Marian isn't really dead. Robin had his arms around her." He scowled at this, looking a little disgusted.
"Yes, I noticed that," Regina straightened up. "It was hard to miss."
Henry watched her seriously. "You love him."
"Love?" Regina cocked an eyebrow. "Henry, I barely know the man. We were caught up in an..." she searched for the right word. "Adventure. Beating the Wicked Witch was an adventure, right? It forced us to work together. We were close, yes, but now it's over. I didn't love him." She cupped his face in her hands. "You're the only one I love."
"You need more than just me, Mom," Henry said. He grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the door. "Let's go back to the christening. Grandma and Grandpa are there, and so is Emma. You know she didn't mean to hurt you. They're your family, just like me. Let's go be with them."
"No, Henry. I just want to go home right now, sweetheart. I need some time."
"But you're a hero now. You can face anything."
Staring down into her son's innocent, hopeful face, Regina debated with herself. Leave the christening and have everyone talking behind her back, feeling sorry for her, or stay and fight.
She was Cora's daughter. She would always stay and fight.
"All right, Henry," she said, squaring her shoulders. "Let's go back to the party."
***
It wouldn't do for the mayor of the town to ignore a new citizen. It wouldn't do for Regina Mills to hide behind her son. She could face this, would face this, and tomorrow everything would go back to normal. No homicidal sister, no pregnant stepdaughter to protect, no reaching inside herself to find the good.
No Robin.
"Hello," Regina walked over to the table where Robin was huddled with his wife and son. His arms were still around her, Regina noticed, while Marian was holding onto Roland. All three were beaming smiles and had tear tracks on their bright faces.
It took all of Regina's control not to turn them all into dung beetles.
Well, except the boy. She had a fondness for little boys.
"You!" Marian whispered, her voice soft and trembling. "You tried to have me killed."
"Yes," Regina smiled. "And I'm very sorry for that. In this realm, I'm known as Regina Mills. I'm the mayor of Storybrooke, and I hope you'll be very happy here. We have an excellent library operated by Belle French, and you already know what a treasure Granny's is. Please let me know if there's anything you need while you're here."
Marian trembled in Robin's arms. "All I need is for you to leave me alone."
"Marian!" Robin admonished, pulling back. "Regina is---"
Regina waved her hand. "No, that's okay. I perfectly understand. Regardless, you're very welcome here."
Still smiling, Regina turned her back on the happy little family. Only a few more minutes, she told herself. Just hang on a few more minutes and you can leave. Make your farewells, kiss Henry. Then run like hell out of here.
"I need to get going," Regina said, sliding into the booth next to Henry. She looked over at the Charmings, both of whom were still stargazing at their son. "I'm very grateful you have your baby back."
"Oh, Regina," Snow White said, glancing up at her. "So are we. And we are so glad you're here with us. So glad," she continued, sharing a mischievous look with her husband. "That we wanted to ask you to be Neal's godmother."
A gigantic knot formed in Regina's throat. No! No! "I...I can't possibly be," she stuttered. "You should ask Emma or Ruby..."
"But we want you," David said firmly. Regina opened her mouth, but David talked over her. "End of discussion. We trust you with our son, Regina. You're family."
"See, I told ya," Henry said, beaming at his mother. "We're a family."
Regina swallowed. "Yes, I suppose we are." She glanced at the baby, so tiny and fragile in his mother's arms. Imagine, only an hour ago she'd imagined having another baby of her own, feeling a child grow and mature inside her. Fear and loneliness welled up inside her until she thought she'd explode with it. "I have to go," she blurted out, grabbing her purse. Kissing Henry's hair, she scooted out of the booth and darted out of the diner. Home. She had to get home.
Once on the street, she slipped off her heels and began to run. She ran through the dark streets, desperate for the solitude and safety of home. She ran until her chest was heaving, until the soles of her feet were dirty and bleeding. She ran, hoping to forget.
***
"You do know what just happened, right?" Henry asked his grandparents.
Snow looked up from Neal. "What do you mean, Henry? Asking Regina to be Neal's godmother?"
"I think I know what Henry's talking about," Emma groaned, slinking up to their table. "I know why Regina ran out of here."
"Oh, Emma," Snow sighed. "What have you done now?"
"Me?" Emma cried. "Why do you automatically assume I've done something wrong?"
Hook nudged her with his shoulder. "It's probably because she knows you, love."
"Shut up," Emma snapped, dropping down beside Henry. "I kinda...brought Maid Marian back from the dead. So to speak. I mean, I rescued her from the castle's dungeon and brought her back here with us. To Storybrooke. Regina was going to kill her."
"You do realize you're not telling this story well at all, right, Swan?" Hook asked.
"Okay, let me see if I'm following," David said. "When you two went back in time to the Enchanted Forest, you found Maid Marian locked in Regina's dungeon."
"Right so far," Hook said. "Continue."
"Shut up," Emma said.
"Then when Emma escaped the dungeons she helped Marian escape, too? And brought her back to Storybrooke?"
"Right," Emma sighed, looking miserable. "That's right."
"I don't see why you're so upset," Snow said, looking from her daughter to Hook and back again. "You saved a woman's life. That's to be commended."
"The problem is that Maid Marian is married to Robin Hood," Emma moaned.
"And our reformed Evil Queen just happens to be in love with Robin Hood," Hook finished.
Snow and David glanced at each other in amazed horror. "That's why Regina looked so happy these past few days," Snow said. "I knew she looked smitten. She's in love. With Robin Hood. Regina is in love with Robin Hood and Emma just brought his long-lost wife to Storybrooke. Like I...like I helped take Daniel from her. Oh, God!"
"Oh, Emma," David breathed, turning to stare at his daughter. "What have you done?"
"Why is it always me?" Emma moaned, dropping her head onto the table.
For once, not even Hook had an answer.
***
Regina crawled into bed fully clothed, too exhausted to even wash her face or remove her jewelry. This couldn't be happening all over again. She was so in love with Daniel, flush with first love and a secret romance until Snow and Cora...no, until Cora. It wasn't Snow's fault. Regina could see that now. The princess had been a mere child, while Cora had always been a manipulative, cold-hearted bitch. Regina laughed bitterly. Manipulative. Cold-hearted. Bitch. She might as well have been describing herself.
Like mother like daughter.
"No!" She wasn't going to remember these things. Going back in time, dredging up old ghosts, wouldn't help her right now. She needed to focus on being strong for Henry, on settling back into the mayor's office, of forgetting about a thief and his merry men.
Robin.
His scent was all around her. Wood-smoke and musk and sunlight. No! she thought again, flipping onto her stomach and burying her face in the pillow. No more memories!
But the smell of forest was too tempting, even for an evil queen.
"I'm right here, you know," Robin said, sliding his hand along her hip. "I can practically hear you thinking."
"You cannot," Regina giggled, sounding much more like the dreamy teenager Daniel loved than a queen about to go toe-to-toe with the Wicked Witch of the West. She rolled over onto her back so she could stare into his teasing face. "You have no idea what I'm thinking."
"Aye, milady, I believe I do," her thief corrected. "You're thinking that you don't deserve to be this happy. You're expecting everything to come crashing down around you at any moment."
The laughter stilled in her throat. "Maybe."
"Oh, I'd say for sure. But here is my oath, Regina. When the world does come crashing down around you, when you aren't as happy as you are right now, wrapped together in your bed, I can promise you one thing."
"What's that?" Regina whispered.
"That I'm going to be right here with you," Robin promised, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, the tip o f her nose. "And at the end of the day, you and I will be happy together." He kissed her mouth with exquisite tenderness, and all words between them stilled.
"I have to change these sheets," Regina muttered, climbing out of bed. The scent of forest was all around her, making her fists clench and her heart slam against her chest.
Her heart.
Regina stilled, one pillow dangling from her hand. It would be so easy to reach into her chest and remove her heart, to slip into indifference and peace. She brought her empty hand up to her chest, fingernails resting lightly over her heart. Remove her heart, and everything would be right again. Robin Hood would be no more than a random man in her town, someone she passed on the street or sat beside at Granny's. Her heart wouldn't swell with pleasure and happiness when she held hands with little Roland, when he kissed her on the cheek or whispered her name. It could be all gone with the simple removal of her heart.
Regina sighed. Old habits died hard. Shaking her head, she roughly pulled the pillow from it's case and set to stripping the sheets off the bed. It might feel good to set the entire bed on fire, she mused, or maybe take an old-fashioned Louisville slugger to it then set it on fire. Maybe beat it with the bat, set it on fire, then throw the burning embers out the window. The possibilities were endless.
Funny, she didn't blame the bed when Graham had turned his attentions to Ms. Swann. Regina had ridden Graham like Secretariat on this very bed, and yet breaking up with him, killing him, didn't cost her one sleepless night.
Wait. She wouldn't remove her heart, she'd only end up hurting Henry, but she could make a memory potion. She might could make one so she'd only forget the entire Robin-Marian-Roland fiasco, and keep her other memories. It would be tricky, but it might work. If not, well, she was Henry's mother. She'd always remember him, always find him.
Energized by her plan, Regina rushed through the house to the kitchen. Grabbing random bottles and, for some bizarre reason, a hunk of cheese, she began compiling the ingredients she'd need. Had she not chosen that exact moment to run back upstairs for her purse, she might have missed the quiet knock on her door.
Hearing it, Regina stilled. It was a timid knock, as if the person outside really didn't want her to hear. Probably Ms. Swan, coming to apologize again, blue eyes full of tears and sympathy. Or it could be Snow, here to make random excuses for her idiot offspring. Or it might be David, confessing that he realized the entire Charming family was full of imbeciles and they'd be moving to Siberia that very night. The idea perked her up immensely.
Or it might be Robin.
Robin.
Regina threw open the door, breathless with anticipation. It had to be him, it had to be him, ithadtobehimit...
"'Gina!"
"Roland!" Regina dropped to her knees in front of the boy, grabbing his thin shoulders. "What are you doing here, baby?" A horrible thought occurred to her. "Does your papa know where you are?"
Smiling impishly, Roland shook his curls. "Come meet Mama," he said, reaching up to take Regina's hand. "Come see Mama and Papa, 'Gina."
"Your papa must be frantic," Regina said. "We need to get you back to Granny's." Taking the little boy's hand, she grabbed her coat out of the hall closet and shut the front door. "Did you walk all this way by yourself?"
"Uh-huh," Roland beamed. "Got to missing you. Want you to meet Mama."
"Right," Regina said, the smile fading from her face. "Well, let's just get you back to your papa, okay? You really shouldn't have left him like that."
Roland started babbling about ice cream and dinosaurs, so Regina knew further scolding would do no good. She listened to him chatter, saying "wow!" and "smart boy!" at appropriate times. Staring down at his flaxen curls, Regina felt a lump form in her throat. Only this morning she had imagined building a life around this little boy, a life with love and laughter and second chances. Now, she was alone. Again.
Villains don't get happy endings.
"Roland!" Robin was rushing up the dark street toward them. Grabbing Roland by the waist, he hefted the little boy into his arms. Closing his eyes, Robin pressed his son to his chest. "I had no idea what had happened to you. Where did you go?" He pulled back and glanced at Regina. "What happened?"
"He walked to my house. Apparently Roland wanted me to meet his mother," Regina said, sliding a hand through her hair. "And he said he missed me."
Robin slowly set his son on the ground. "Roland, go sit over on that bench while I talk to Regina. I won't be long."
Roland turned and threw his arms around Regina's legs. "Bye, 'Gina! Come to the forest and meet mama soon, okay? We can all play!"
"I'd like that, dear," Regina said, bending down to press a kiss to the boy's soft hair. She breathed him in, little-boy sweetness and vanilla. "I'd like that."
"Well," Robin said after Roland had left. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"
Regina stared at him. "I told you. Roland wanted me." She stared into Robin's eyes. "At least someone does."
"Don't start, Regina. I am not in the right mood to deal with the evil queen tonight."
"So I'm back to being the evil queen? Well, as I said, the name served me well."
"You knew my Marian, Roland's mother, was alive and you did nothing. I've lived years believing her death was my fault," he hissed, eyes blazing. "And it was all yours."
"In case you haven't noticed, your wife is very much alive," Regina reminded him. "And I can't remember every single person I threw into the dungeon. I'm sure she deserved her punishment anyway. Protecting an outlaw, wasn't she?"
"Yes, and just last night you were in bed with one," Robin said, leaning close.
"Was I?" Regina asked coldly. "I've already forgotten."
"Then remember this, your majesty," Robin snarled. "Roland is my son, not yours. He has a mother, no thanks to you. Stay away from my family."
"Not a problem," Regina said pleasantly. "Goodnight, Outlaw." She turned on her heel and headed back to the mayor's mansion.
Robin didn't stay to watch her go.