Prompt from Curious Cat: outlawqueen robin in storybrook during first curse they keep bumping into each other often and then one day conversation happens because of roland

When Regina leaves the office, it's late. The streets of Storybrooke are quiet, most of the town's citizens are already in their beds, sleeping.

Regina likes the stillness of the night, so she doesn't rush home.

She is walking slowly, enjoying the cool wind blowing in her face when all of the sudden she hears a faint cry. Regina frowns, but doesn't stop, continues walking, not in the mood to soothe anyone.

However, the sound reaches her again and this time she turns around. Narrowing her eyes, she scans the street until she notices someone sitting on the bench under the street light. Sighing, she makes her way there.

"Is everything alright?" She asks, when she approaches the bench and finds a little boy there, hugging his knees, his shoulders shaking as he cries.

The child lifts his face, his teary eyes meeting Regina's.

"Roland!"

His name leaves her mouth immediately and she pulls him into her arms as if on instinct. He doesn't know her (but she does), so he tries to pull away from her, but Regina assures him that everything is fine and she's not here to hurt him.

When the boy calms down a bit, he tells her that he got lost when his Papa was in their camp and Regina makes her way towards the woods with Roland on her hip.

She and Roland's father Robin avoid each other, after the history they share and the lies Robin was told, he hates her in every sense of a word. Robin was the one to cast the Dark Curse, he crushed his lovely but sick Marian's heart to save his precious child from death. Roland was saved, but Robin wasn't able to escape the cursed town like they've agreed in the beginning and he resented Regina for it;resented her because he was doomed to live here with the Evil Queen all these people who forget every single thing that happens in their lives.

But this time none of it matters because Roland is all he cares about. He won't mind seeing Regina if it means he'll see Roland again.

They meet him on the way towards Storybrooke, Robin's gaze bewildered, movements rushed as he walks.

"ROLAND!" Robin exclaims when he sees them and then he's running, taking Roland from Regina and into his arms.

It takes a moment of father and son hugging and kissing each other until Robin finally glances at Regina. His soft eyes turn into hard stare as he nods his head, "Regina, thank you."

She nods her head in return. With that, she turns around and walks back towards the town.

Two days later, Robin sits beside her in Granny's to thank her properly for returning his son home. The smile on his face is genuine and when he puts his hand on hers.

Regina returns the smile, not even thinking that soon Robin is going to offer her the most valuable friendship in her life.