A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first time writing a Once fic so bear with me, okay? Also, I have been on a writing hiatus for almost a year, so please forgive me for mistakes in this story. I write mostly because it's fun and writing this has made me realise how much I have been missing out on these past few months. This will be a fourshot, and hopefully you guys like it. So, happy reading!
Chapter 1: I Miss You
"Missing someone and not being able to see them is the worst feeling ever."
- Nathaniel Richmond
"I had a feeling you would be here," she smiles at him as he turns away from her, arms across his chest as she sits herself beside him. "Your parents are worried about you, you know."
Roland glares at her and she frowns. What did she do?
"Roland – "
"Where have you been?" the boy asks and Regina startles, surprised at his question.
"What do you mean?"
His brown doe eyes meet hers and she resists the urge to cry at his sad face.
"I miss you," he says so softly she almost doesn't hear it but she does. And her heart breaks all over again. She misses him too. "Is it because of Mama?"
Well, yes, it was but she's not telling a five-year-old that.
She nudges his shoulder, "Of course not. I've just been busy, that's all."
"I miss you," he says again and she puts an arm around him.
"I miss you too, Roland. But with that new bad witch around town, I've been busy with her," she tells him and when he just wraps his arms around her, she hugs him back tightly.
"Will you take me for ice-cream after that?"
"I'm sure your Mama would love to take you for ice-cream," she tries again as she pulls away. He just stares at her. "Okay, how about this? I'll take you for ice-cream if you tell me why you ran away from Mama and Papa?"
"They were fighting," he tells her and she resists the urge to ask him further details. When a woman returns to her family after a long period of time, there are bound to be challenges. One of them being the constant the presence of the Evil Queen that had ordered her death all those years ago in the lives of her husband and son. But that is something that cannot be helped, since Robin offered his services to the Royals all those weeks ago after Elsa's first freezing appearance.
"Ah, I see. Well, they're not anymore. They're actually very worried about you. Your mother was practically in tears."
"I made Mama cry?" he asks, and she shakes her head almost immediately.
"She's just afraid of losing you again," she nods her head towards the ladder of the playground. He sighs cutely as he climbs down the ladder after her. When she's sure that he's safely on the ground, she kisses him on his forehead before taking his hand.
"Alright, let's go to Granny's and get you your ice-cream. Your parents can meet us there," she swings her hand and grins when he giggles at her lifting him up a little. The smile on her face turns nostalgic as she reminisces a time when another little boy was laughing as he took her hand, telling her that she is the best mother in the world. Henry hardly needed her these days.
She was shaken from her thoughts when she remembered she had to call Roland's parents. Steeling herself, she dialed the number she had memorized by heart since she first bought it for its owner.
"Did you find him?"
"Hello to you too."
"Regina –"
"Oh stop being such a paranoid thief. He's fine. I'm bringing him to Granny's for ice-cream. You and your wife can meet us there."
"Regina, thank you so much. Marian and I –"
"Can repay me by paying more attention to your son. Goodbye."
"Regina, wait, I meant to –"
She pressed the 'End' button, not at all willing to hear his voice any longer. It still hurt, hearing his voice or being near him, knowing that the man she had known to be her true love now belonged to someone else. He'd always belonged to someone else. He would never be hers and there was no such thing as true love for a person as sinned as her.
"What did Daddy say?"
"He'll meet us there," she plasters a smile on her face as she says this and he grins at her.
A/N: Anyone interested for chapter 2? Let me know by reviewing! :)