This chapter was written for OQ Realms Week. This is my entry for Fairy Tale Land- Enjoy!

Regina rushed to find Mary and Emma. While she couldn't find Mary, who was likely preparing some minute aspect of Zelena's day with Robin, she eventually found Emma in the kitchen with Eva.

One look at Regina's face was all it took for Emma to gauge the nature of the situation. She took Regina's hand and pulled her into the pantry. "What's wrong, Regina?" she asked worriedly.

She hesitantly answered, "If I told you something crazy, would you believe me?"

"Of course," Emma replied immediately. "There's nothing you could say that would make me doubt you."

Regina doubted that. Emma likely thought that it was something more minor than it was, Unlike Mary, Emma was practical, and therefore less likely to believe a tale like the one Regina was about to tell her.

And as she told Emma her story, she watched apprehensively as Emma's eyes grew wider by the minute. But loyal friend (and now sister) that she was, she didn't voice her doubts. While she was skeptical about matters that Mary would believe on faith alone, she had always prided herself on being able to detect when someone was lying, an ability she called her superpower. Regina prayed that she relied on that superpower and believed her when she saw that Regina was telling the truth.

"I- I don't know what to say," Emma breathed. "I don't recall any of this."

"That was a side effect of the wish- you wouldn't remember anything about the way our lives were before," Regina reminded her. "Do… do you actually believe me?" She waited with bated breath for the answer. If she couldn't get Emma and Mary to believe her, she didn't know what she'd do.

"Why wouldn't I?" Emma asked, perplexed. "You're my sister-"

Regina tried to correct her, but she forged ahead, her best friend's efforts to remain correct ignored. "Even if you're really only my friend, we're sisters in all but name from what you've told me. Besides, my superpower isn't going haywire. If nothing else, that tells me that you're telling the truth, as difficult as it may be to believe. But what are you going to do about Robin?"

Regina let out a frustrated sigh. "I have no idea. I thought I knew him, but clearly not- between his true identity and what I just saw, I don't know what to believe, or if I should even trust him."

"Maybe give him a chance to explain the circumstances behind what you saw," Emma suggested. "But even if what you saw isn't what you think, you should get to know him better before you do anything else, regardless of whether you are Regina or Reina."

Regina nodded. "You're right. I just… I don't know what to hope, but all I know is that what happens next needs to be what is best for the kingdom. Which reminds me…" she began as she filled her friend in on what she had overheard.

"Alliance with Underland?" Emma echoed. "Are your parents insane? That will never end well. Their ruler may act like he has power, but nothing good can come of that. That's almost as bad as your father trying to get you to marry Robin Locksley, of all people."

"Whoever he is…" Regina mused. She wanted nothing to do with him, but knew that she knew of two different personas: Robin, the pompous future Lord Locksley, and Phoenix, the kind man she had been instantly drawn to. But who was the real man? If she ever saw him again, she would need to find out, as much as she hated the idea. But she believed in second chances, and though some might think that he had sealed his fate with what she had just seen, she wanted to be fair and provide an opportunity to hear him out.

But the question remained: did Robin even want to be anywhere near her anymore? Or did she now come second to Zelena?

After the day he had had, all Robin wanted was an evening spent with his friends and hopefully the woman who never strayed far from his thoughts at Granny's tavern.

Yet when he was finally inside the tavern, he didn't see Regina's raven tresses anywhere. He asked Will if he had seen her, and his friend readily told him, "Haven't seen her, mate. But have you tried Granny's new recipe? It's even better than her chicken and dumplings."

Robin tried the dish as requested, but wasn't able to fully appreciate it or the conversation around him due to his wayward thoughts. As the sky started to brighten, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and set off for the Misthaven castle.

When he approached the castle, the first question that plagued his mind was how to find the woman he was looking for. He headed to the servants' quarters, thankfully avoiding the guards thanks to his skills sneaking out of his own house.

At last he found the room that he recognized as Regina's from his brief time there earlier that day. He knocked and a groggy Regina answered the door.

"Wh-what do you want?" she asked, covering her mouth to stifle a yawn. Then, as she became more aware of who was standing before her, her eyes widened and her tone turned harsh as she demanded in a whisper, "What are you doing here? Haven't you done enough damage for one day?"

"I sincerely apologize," he said. "But I had to see you. Precisely what damage are you referring to?"

Her expression could only be described as stone cold as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You really don't know? Does kissing Zelena ring any bells? Or do you kiss so many girls that they all blend together after a while?"

"What?" Robin questioned incredulously. There was no way he would kiss Zelena. Unless…

There had been one moment. Zelena had insisted that he kiss her, which he had refused. But in her efforts to force him to comply, she had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards her. Then she had embraced him, and had he not pulled away, she would have succeeded in getting her wish. Reina- who he had to remind himself was Regina- must have seen when Zelena's arms had trapped him in their grasp.

"That wasn't what happened," he rushed to explain, following his statement with an explanation of what had truly transpired.

She raised an eyebrow. "She tried to kiss you and you pushed her away? You really expect me to believe that? You hid your true identity from me, after all."

"So did you," Robin pointed out, feeling that she needed the reminder. "And I'm sure that was for the same reasons I did- to protect your identity, and prevent your parents from forbidding you to exit the palace walls again, am I correct?"

Regina lowered her head. "What makes you think you know me so well?"

He couldn't resist chuckling. "For one thing, I'd be charred to a crisp by now if you didn't. You have a way with words, milady, that easily wounds your enemies."

Her frown deepened, shoulders stiffening defensively. "So what do you suggest?"

"That we spend time together, get to know each other better," Robin readily replied. "After all, it's clear now that we don't know each other as well as we thought, and the only way to rectify that is to spend time together."

"That is, assuming you'd rather spend time with me instead of your precious fiance," Regina muttered. Clearly, she was still bitter about seeing him in a compromising position with the girl who was once her sister. The story she had told earlier was hard to believe, but looking into her eyes, he knew that secrets between them were over.

Her arms came to rest at her sides, which Robin took as a good sign. He took one of her hands in his. "I'll admit that we don't know each other as well as I'd like. But never doubt that to me you are worth a thousand times more than your sister."

She sighed, seemingly resigned. "Fine. How exactly do you suggest that we get to know each other better?"

"By spending time together, of course," Robin replied. "I thought that we might go to the Water Festival together. It's in two days' time. There, we'd have an opportunity to get to know each other without anything getting in the way."

"Oh really?" she retorted. "Fine, I'll go. But how will I know that the way your subjects treat you is because you forced them to or because they genuinely like you?"

"I am a man who lives by a code, milady," he informed her. "I would never force my subjects to do anything that wasn't in their best interests. And I would certainly never use them to woo you."

She nodded. "Fine, I'll go. But if I get a single inclination that you're not being your true self, we're done."

"Fair enough," Robin agreed, nodding his head. "So I will see you at midday two days from now."

With her soft, "Until then," Robin turned and headed back the way he had come. They may have some hurdles to jump through, most of them still unresolved, but he had faith that they were now heading in the right direction.