STORYBROOKE (PRESENT)

It wasn't her plan to go to the bar.

It wasn't her plan to have several shots of vodka in quick succession.

It wasn't her plan to let some stranger rub up against her.

It was, however, her plan to ditch Robin.

They'd spent the entire day together. She, Robin, and his little boy.

Another shot went down as she congratulated herself for making it through the day without crying.

Robin had shaken her awake, inviting her to Granny's for breakfast with Roland. While one side of her simply wanted to curl up into a ball and go back to bed at the thought of the torture such a breakfast would entail, another side jumped for joy at the thought of seeing the cute little boy again.

Contemplating her image in the mirror, she'd shrugged. Maybe I'm just a masochist, she'd thought, washing her face. She'd agreed to go.

Robin, of course, was looking great that morning. Regina scowled as he combed his hair into its usual neat style in the mirror, wondering how he managed to look so impossibly composed at all times. Did the man ever break a sweat? It seemed he had her on the back foot from the off, every time they met. And now he was in her home, waking her up in the morning, giving her a warm smile as she sleepwalked into the bathroom in the early hours. She'd never had anything like this before, never had anyone to wake up to, never had anyone. Her husband, all those years ago, had ignored her when he didn't want something from her: a fuck, a word of encouragement, a woman's opinion. She didn't mean anything to him. And Daniel, what she'd had with him couldn't really be considered anything real. Looking back, Regina realized that she'd been in love with the adventure of it all, with the idea of having someone, more than she'd actually been in love with Daniel himself.

In any case, the day had been trying, to say the least.

Roland had been heart-breakingly cute, ordering pancakes with a face made of fruit and hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. Everything he did reminded her of Henry, and yet, he was different in so many ways too. Robin was just as lovely, making her laugh when she thought she was right on the edge of crying.

Breakfast was followed up by a morning spent with Roland making cookies, a morning filled with laughter and happiness, a morning Regina never thought she might experience again. Regina supposed that this must be what having a family was like.

Robin had tried to reel in his feelings, at least for now, so she could bond with Roland without feeling uncomfortable. It was so difficult for him, not to reach out and grab her hand when he saw that faraway look in her eyes, not to blurt out that he was IN LOVE WITH HER, when he knew, he knew that she felt the same.

After lunch, they'd said goodbye to Roland, heading to the Charmings' to attend a meeting with the Emergency Committee for Regaining Memories. It was mostly a meeting to catch everyone up on what Robin had remembered, and to increase security around Regina's house. Pointless bickering had ensued over whether or not the guards would be compensated extra for putting themselves in danger.

Both had left with a headache.

Robin, with much effort, had convinced Regina to go to Granny's for a quick bite of dinner, but quickly regretted it. As they sat down, Hook and Emma, with a smiling Henry in tow, had burst into laughter at something the boy had said.

Regina had looked over, startled by the noise, and Robin saw her face drop as she saw the trio. She'd looked back at him quickly.

"Regina…" he'd said softly.

The Queen had swallowed thickly and looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry," he'd said, and her eyes snapped up to look at him. "I'm supposed to be protecting you…"

She had smiled softly, tears forming in her eyes.

"Physically, Robin. Not emotionally. That's not your job," she'd explained kindly.

Robin had wanted to shake her and yell BUT IT COULD BE!

He had opted instead to rake a hand through his perfectly combed hair.

"I should know better by now," she'd said dismissively, waving a hand.

"You want to go home?"

She had nodded.

Once home, they'd done their awkward little dance for a while longer, until Regina had simply stated that she was just going to call it quits and go to bed early.

After changing into her favorite pajamas, a red silk and lace cami with matching little shorts, she huddled into bed, hopeful that if she buried herself deep enough under the covers her troubles would never be able to find her. Robin, Henry, the Curse…there was too much swirling around inside her head. And nothing seemed to have a simple answer. All her life, she'd tried to hard to keep her distance from others, to quietly and carefully step her way through the sinking sands, but it seemed that she'd failed even at that. Her head felt heavy on the pillow as she sank into a fitful sleep.

…

Her heart was beating loudly in her ears. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

She pressed send, and licked her lips.

An idea crossed her mind, and before she had the chance to talk herself out of it, she reached up underneath her skirt and slid her black panties down her long legs, hastily shoving them into the top drawer of her desk.

Mayor Regina Mills was strung out.

Her whole body was on edge, buzzing at the thought of him: his lips, his eyes, his chest, his body against her, his voice low in her ear. She wanted him. It had been a week since their first date: dinner out and some god-awful action movie (she didn't hear a word; she was too busy focusing on him next to her, the feel of his hand on hers, the brilliance of his smile, the woodsy smell that made heart race), followed by a night cap (more like he mixed margaritas until she couldn't see straight and he was stumbling towards her to kiss her drunkenly), followed by a deep sleep. They'd woken up at 1 pm the following day. He'd kissed her as her eyes were blinking awake, and her body reacted violently, the craving for him instant and painful.

They'd been interrupted, however, by Robin's phone buzzing.

He had smiled apologetically as he reached for it.

"Might be Roland."

Regina didn't mind. She found his devotion to his son one of his most attractive qualities (and that was saying something…).

As it turned out, it wasn't Roland, but Charming. Three more monkey attacks had occurred while they'd been sleeping off the margaritas; 24-hour patrols would now be necessary, and Robin was needed immediately.

Regina groaned as he slid off of her, her heart melting at his soft smile and gentle kiss.

She hadn't seen him since, and her dirty mind had been turning nonstop all the meantime.

Ten minutes later, she heard a knock on her office door.

Her heart thumping loudly in her chest, the ache between her legs growing painful, she forced herself not to run to the door. Robin was on the other side, looking amazing in his hunter green ensemble, dirty and disheveled from his guard duties.

"I got your message. Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned, stepping into her office and closing the door about half way.

Wordlessly, Regina reached her hand above his left shoulder, as if she were going to touch him, but slammed the door shut, leaving her arm perpendicular to the wall, cornering Robin. He swallowed thickly, his mouth turning dry at the promise in her dark eyes.

"Regina…?"

Electricity crackled through the air as she brought her hands silently to the strap on his chest that secured his arrows to his back. With shaking hands, she unbuckled it, and the quiver fell to the floor with a sound that seemed magnified amidst the tense silence. Robin looked down at her with hooded eyes, traced every outline of her figure with his hot gaze.

Leaning in, she pressed her face against his neck, inhaling his scent deeply.

"I've been wet for you all day," she whispered. "I can't stop thinking about you."

Robin's eyes fluttered shut and he exhaled shakily, though he wasn't sure whether it was from her admission or from her sudden closeness. She smelled like jasmine and his mind went fuzzy at the feeling of her chest pressed up against his.

Regina drew her head back to look at him, to gauge his reaction, and was delighted to find that his eyes had grown dark grey. He looked like he might eat her. Unwillingly, she took at step back, and something in the click of her heel against the wood floor made Robin snap.

He was upon her at once, coming in as ominously as a thunderhead over a sunny day, gathering her against him and kissing her deeply. Regina groaned in surprise and pleasure, a thousand tiny fireworks going off in her stomach.

Unable to do anything but kiss him back, Regina hardly noted the fact that he was gently guiding her body up against her desk, and she squeaked in surprise as her lower back made contact with the cold marble. The heat became nearly unbearable as Robin continued his assault on her, moving from her lips to her neck, nipping here and there, lingering on certain areas until she was sure he would leave a mark. Her hips shifted up into his and he groaned, his head momentarily resting on her shoulder with the sensation.

"I'm having you here, Regina," he gritted out between his teeth, his hands smoothing her hair back over and over again.

She nodded and let out a little noise of assent in reply, biting her lip. She felt like she might explode if he didn't touch her soon.

His hands made their way down her body and shoved up her dress, finding…nothing.

"Fuck," Robin groaned, realizing she wasn't wearing any panties.

Regina's short laugh turned into a shout of surprise as he spun her around so her ass was grinding into him, and her hands flew to her desk to balance herself.

Shifting his arousal against her, he whispered hotly, "You've been thinking about this all day? Sitting there, imagining what I might do to you if given the chance?"

Her head lolled back onto his shoulder at his words.

"You want me to fuck you? Right here?"

She nodded wildly, completely lost in him. One large hand snaked down her body, pausing only a moment to rake through her dark hair, before he finally touched her aching core. He growled at how wet she was, rubbing her clit as she undulated under his touch.

"I've imagined it too, your Majesty. Imagined what it might be like to feel you come around me, what my name might sound like if I could manage to get you to scream it," he whispered harshly into her ear. "And Christ, you are so wet right now, I just…I want…"

Using one hand to clear her desk, he used the other to push her torso down onto it, leaving her bending over. Then, he hauled one leg up onto the desk and knelt down behind her, pressing his lips against her core. Regina moaned into her hand as he licked and sucked, pleasure surging all through her body, his name falling from her lips over and over again.

…

Regina had woken with a start, groaning as she realized it had all been a dream.

Oh, no.

Oh no no no no no no.

Did she just have a wet dream about that forest creature?

What is wrong with me?! she had wondered to herself.

Her heart had been racing and she had been covered in sweat. She had clamped her legs together, trying to calm the painful throbbing there. Rolling over, she had read her clock: it was only 10 pm.

She needed to get out.

She just needed some physical release, that's all! Robin was good-looking enough, and so, naturally, her mind latched onto him. It's not like any other guys were breaking down her door. All this stress was getting to her.

Shaking, she had gotten up and decided, forcing herself not to second-guess it, to go to the Rabbit Hole. A perfect place to have casual sex with some random who she would never see again.

Regina had snuck out the door, dressed in a slinky red dress and black pumps, a sinful shade of crimson on her lips. A part of her she couldn't explain was protesting, telling her that she was betraying Robin, that he would be so ashamed of her. She didn't want him to ever know about this.

So, there she was, at the bar, downing shot after shot of vodka. Lord knows she needed some liquid courage.

Someone sidled up next to her.

She would never admit that she hoped it was Robin.

Instead, it was a stranger, with a lecherous smile and vacant eyes.

Perfect.