Author's note: Sorry for the wait! Here we are! I think we all need this after a midseason finale like that. Thank you so much for all your reviews. Please don't stop, I love to know that y'all think about each chapter. (: Also, someone asked how long this will be. The answer is... I'm not sure. We'll just have to see!

Robin sat up abruptly the next morning when he awoke. Glancing around, he gained his bearings and realized he was not in fact in his own small tent, but instead in a musty, damp cabin. Things started to slowly come back to him, and then he saw the figure lying on the opposite side of the room near the fireplace. Sleeping soundly in a mess of brown cloth and black hair was none other than the queen herself. The Evil Queen, he reminded himself. Or was it… Regina?

Memories of the previous night flooded back. The fire warm against his back as the queen poured out her heart out of nowhere over the mysterious ring. The tears that streamed down her soft face and the way Robin surprised even himself by reaching forward to wipe them.

They had… connected to say the least. And the queen – Regina – continued to surprise him. His eyes lingered for a moment longer on her sleeping figure, knowing that her seemingly peaceful and fragile appearance was far from the truth.

Light was beginning to stream into the cabin, and Robin decided to take a look around outside without the shadows of darkness and rain to cover it. As he ducked out of the doorway, he breathed in the fresh air and noticed the sound of rushing water, no doubt having been drowned out by the rain the previous night. Robin jogged the rest of the way up the hill in search of its source.

"You're kidding me," he murmured to himself upon reaching the top of the hill, chuckling and shaking his head. "Bloody Hell… M'lady!" He hurried back into the cabin and crouched down next to Regina, shaking her gently. "M'lady! Wake up!"

Regina let out a tired groan. "What," she croaked, pushing Robin's hand away.

"M'lady! Please get up. I think we've found that waterfall you spoke of!" Regina cracked one eye open to look at him. Robin tugged at her arm, smiling almost giddily. "Come on!"

He thought he caught her rolling her eyes, but at last, with the help of his hand, she stood up and hobbled outside and up the hill. Her hand was warm and tight against Robin's as she grasped it for support. Her hair was a complete mess. Her eyelids were droopy. Yet somehow she still managed to look stunning. Fairest of them all, or so they said. Robin couldn't disagree.

At last they reached the hilltop and Regina's droopy eyes sprung open wide. Before them, a beautiful pond sparkled in the morning sunlight, fed by a rushing white waterfall. "Is this the waterfall you spoke of, M'lady?" Robin asked, half grinning down at her.

"Uh… yes," she replied dumbly. Then she shook herself and punched him lightly (maybe even playfully?). "I told you it was around here somewhere."

Robin chuckled and stood close by as she made her way down a slope near the waterfall. When at last they reached the water's edge, she kicked off her shoes and stepped into the water, almost immediately slipping on the loose pebbles beneath.

"Whoa!" Robin yelped, grasping her shoulders to hold her steady. "M'lday, perhaps it would be easier if I –"

"No!" Regina said firmly. "Like hell I'm getting carried again." With a bold thrust of her hand, the water before them parted, and the muddy and pebbled pond floor smoothed out into dry ground. Regina limped forward with determination, and Robin followed close behind in case she got too bold, chuckling inside all the while.

When they reached the base of the waterfall, Regina carefully began lifting her skirt above the wound on her thigh. After a pointed look from Regina, Robin casually turned away.

"Ha!" Regina exclaimed. "Well what do you know?" Robin turned back around to a very triumphant Regina who was now standing much taller.

"All healed up?" he asked. Regina grimaced and nodded.

"Just make sure you're careful with those arrows next time," she warned as she marched quite easily back up the dry path toward the bank. Robin had to jog to keep up, noticing that the waters she had parted were closing in behind her.

"Forgive me, M'lady, but was that a joke I just heard?"

Regina scoffed as she bent down to pick up her shoes. "Don't get too excited, Thief," she replied, but he could hear the hint of humor in her voice. "Dear god, is that me?" she said in exasperation upon flinching at her own reflection in the water. She waved a hand over her face, and the dark smudged mess of makeup over her eyes was rearranged into a much more even and complimentary shape, while her hair was smoothed out into its long dark curls. If Robin had thought she was stunning with a bedhead, he had to admit she was breathtaking now that her hair and makeup were fixed. She must have noticed him staring. "Are we going or not?" she said with a wink as she brushed past him. His eyes followed her as she strode forward with a gait that could belong to no one else but a queen.

Robin's heart pounded way faster than it should. He'd seen plenty of beautiful women in his lifetime, and he'd caught plenty of beautiful women's eyes too, but he couldn't say any women had ever made him feel this… whatever this was.

Get a hold of yourself, Robin, he thought quickly. She's the bloody queen, and she probably hates you.

He felt a bit ridiculous, but as he hurried to catch up to Regina, he couldn't help but feel that the way this woman was beginning to peck at both his mind and his heart wouldn't seem to go away no matter how hard he tried to deny it.

It felt good to be back. To be able to walk on her own without being guided or carried. If there was anything Regina hated, it was being dependent on others. Unfortunately, she would have to solicit help from the thief a while longer until she managed to make it back to her palace.

They had been walking in silence for a good hour when Regina glanced up at Robin. "I've been thinking," she began. "Now that I'm out and about and all healed up, I don't see the point in going all the way back to the camp."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Then what would you rather do, M'lady?"

Regina shrugged. "Well why don't we… buy some horses or something? We can make it back to my palace."

Robin laughed. "Buy some horses? We don't even have any money! Or supplies!"

"Don't we?" she said, lifting her bag of jewels and jingling it in front of his face. Robin gave her a look. She narrowed her eyes. Robin raised his eyebrows. Regina continued to look at him. "Fine," he sighed, and a satisfied smile tugged at the corners of Regina's mouth. "If we take a short detour, there should be a small town a few miles from here. There should be horses and supplies there."

Regina nodded. "Please, lead the way," she said, gesturing forward.

Their dynamic was changing, Regina noticed. His apology, giving her the jewels back, her telling him about Daniel (her cheeks burned at the very thought). And of course she had gone and winked at him. She had to kick herself a bit for that one.

And there was the matter of his tattoo, but Regina avoided thinking of that at all costs.

"So," Robin ventured after a long moment of silent walking, "being the queen. What's it like?"

Regina looked at him suspiciously. "Why would a common thief need to know?"

Robin shrugged. "Curiosity? Friendly conversation? Not everyone is out to get you, you know."

Regina looked at him and moment longer before glancing back to the path ahead. "Not much to tell," she said. "It's like any other profession, I suppose, though not something I would have chosen for myself, especially when the whole kingdom hates you."

Robin glanced her way. "Well, I mean, that will happen when you rampage their villages in search of their princess."

"Snow White is no princess!" Regina snapped. "She's a lying, murderous brat who can't even keep a secret."

"You honestly believe that she – "

Regina stopped walking and turned to face him. "You don't know anything about me or my life or my relationship with your precious princess, Thief, so don't even try to tell me what I should believe!" she snarled.

Robin stared at her, wide-eyed. "Forgive me," he said after a pause. "You're right. It's not my place to say."

Regina said nothing in response, merely seethed in herself as they began to walk again.

If she were being honest with herself, she had thought of Snow White less and less each day. The fire of her hatred and need for revenge was there, but it was as if it were dimming each day, and slowly replaced by a newer, warmer flame.

Whatever that was.

"But surely there are some good sides to being queen," Robin continued. "Extravagant palaces, all the money you could need, hundreds of servants at your beck and call. And royal balls!" Regina scoffed. "You do have balls, don't you?" Robin asked.

Regina frowned. Not since Snow White had escaped, she thought. "Not… in a while."

"What! But balls have to be one of the best parts of being queen!" Robin exclaimed.

"Well what does a thief know about the wonders of royal balls?" said Regina. She didn't like where this conversation was going. Robin shrugged but didn't reply. Regina glanced toward him suspiciously. "What do you know about balls?"

Robin laughed, and it made Regina's heart beat a little faster. "Even a common thief can have his fair share of royal occasions," he replied, a smile teasing his mouth.

Regina frowned for a moment, thinking. Then she stopped and looked at him. "You didn't."

"It's in the job description, M'lady."

Regina scowled as they started up walking again. "You're insufferable. Attending balls uninvited to steal from their patrons."

"You knew I was a thief when you met me," he said with a smirk, earning him an eye roll. "But the question still remains," he continued. "Are balls not one of the best parts of being royalty?"

Regina shrugged offhandedly. "Never really had a taste for them," she muttered.

Robin squinted at her, but she kept her eyes straight ahead. "How is that? Did you not love the atmosphere? The romance? The dancing?" Regina snorted at the last one, and Robin feigned a surprised gasp. "Does Her Majesty not enjoy dancing?" Regina kept a straight face. "Or perhaps she does not know how!"

"I never said that," Regina snapped, but Robin merely smiled.

"Or perhaps she has never had –"

"Look, there it is!" Regina pointed forward where well within sight in the midst of the valley a small, bustling town was visible. Before Robin could say anything, she adjusted her grasp on her skirts, and she set off at an even brisker pace than before toward the town while Robin jogged to keep up.

Regina couldn't say she was pleased with peasant food, but she supposed it would have to do.

"I can't believe I paid my silver necklace for this," she murmured between bites of a particularly stale piece of bread.

"It was your idea to get something to eat," Robin pointed out with his mouth half full.

Regina sighed and glanced around the rather shady looking pub they had found themselves in. Ambiguous figures eyed her from every angle, but upon meeting her fiery gaze, most of them backed down. She was tempted to cause trouble, but Robin stayed her hand. She would have to put up with it until the evening, anyway. They were told two horses would not be available until then.

"I don't need you to come with me," Regina had said.

"M'lady, we've gotten this far, and I intend to see you safely home."

If she couldn't persuade Robin, Regina was ready to bring up her royal title to the salesman, but Robin managed to stop her, advising her that that would be a bad idea, especially when she has nothing to back her claim. And when she suggested using magic to convince the man, Robin wouldn't have it.

Why she was doing anything he suggested, she couldn't really fathom. Maybe it was the way his pale eyes pierced hers, or the way they also softened towards her the way no one's eyes had since Daniel died, or just the way her heart pounded when he was fewer than two feet away from her.

Either way, here they sat, munching away at peasant food, killing time until the evening when the horses would be available. Robin managed to employ a pageboy to send the message to his Merry Men that they were safe, and he would be escorting Regina home.

"More water, Madam?" the bar maid asked.

Regina glanced up in surprise, having been lost in thought. "Oh! Um. Yes," she muttered.

As the maid poured water into her cup, she eyed Regina. "Say, you look kinda familiar. What's your name?"

"Regina," Regina replied without thinking. Robin looked at her, then at the maid.

"Oh, just like the Evil Queen. How unfortunate. Well enjoy!"

Regina's jaw dropped as the maid strolled away. "At least she didn't recognize you," Robin offered, but Regina merely pursed her lips and stared down into her lap.

"I think it's time we left," she sighed as she began to stand up. Robin moved to copy her until they were interrupted.

"Robin? Robin, m'boy, is that you?" They both turned to face a man sitting at a table near the front. He was tall and lanky and wore a strange hat with a lyre at his side.

"Alan?" Robin said after a moment. Regina looked back and forth between Robin and the strange man. After another beat of silence, the two men burst into laughter and embraced each other. Regina merely stepped awkwardly out of the way.

"Dear Robin, it's been an age! What are you doing so far from Sherwood Forest?" Robin began to reply when the man named Alan's eyes fell on Regina. "And who's this?" he said teasingly, glancing to Robin.

Robin shifted nervously. "Ah!" he began. "That is– "

"Gina," Regina finished, feigning a smile. She should probably curtsey or something, but she couldn't bring herself to bow to a peasant.

"Ahhh," Alan replied, bowing low. "The name is Alan a Dale, Miss." He extended his hand, and Regina placed hers in his. He kissed her fingers gently, but his eyes lingered at the pouch of jewels on her waist. "I must say, Rob, you have done very well."

Robin's eyes grew wide and he glanced at Regina, whose cheeks were burning along with her hands about to throw a fireball at this man. "She's not – we're not – "

"Yes, yes, of course, now please sit and have a drink," Alan insisted, patting some stools next to himself.

Regina chewed her lip impatiently. "We really should be going," she said firmly as Robin seemed ready to concede. Robin looked at her and sighed.

"She's right. Forgive us, Alan, but– "

"Nonsense!" Alan exclaimed as he waved down the bar maid. After a look at their expressions he chuckled. "Please." He gestured to the two empty seats.

Robin turned to Regina. "I'm afraid once he's made up his mind it's very difficult to change," he murmured. He turned back to Alan. "Alright, Mate. Just one drink, I suppose."

Jaw clenched and fists tight in annoyance, Regina sat down as well and sipped quietly at her drink as Alan and Robin updated each other on recent events (Robin conveniently left out the part where he robbed the queen's castle). She was beginning to grow bored until Alan turned to face her once more. "So Rob, where'd you find this beautiful damsel?"

Regina had to keep herself from raising her lip in disgust, reminding herself that this man did not know who he was talking to. But how she would like to let him know.

"She's… one of the men's sisters," Robin put in. "I was just taking her back from seeing her…"

"Grandmother," Regina finished for him.

Alan nodded. "Well, you two must come to the bonfire tonight. Some of my fellow musicians and myself will be providing the musical entertainment."

Robin and Regina exchanged glances. "I don't think we– " Robin began.

"Oh, enough! When's the last time you had a little fun, Robin? Please think about it."

Robin gave him a tight smile and nodded, standing up and clasping hands with Alan. "See you around, Mate," he said before he and Regina were finally able to leave the pub.

Regina sighed deeply the moment they were out the door. "Apologies, M'lady. It's hard to shut Alan up once he's begun. A nice fellow, though, really. Though never quite fit for the Merry Men."

"And why's that?" Regina asked.

"Stole too much for himself," Robin replied, glancing toward Regina.

"And that's not what you do?" Regina said with a laugh.

"Haven't you figured this out by now? A thief only steals for himself. We steal for the good of others."

If you say so, Regina thought, but she remained silent. "Well, shall we be off then?" she said at last. "Perhaps we should gather some supplies for our journey." Robin nodded in agreement and they set off down the marketplace. "I can't wait to finally be home," Regina muttered, but as she watched Robin make his way through the street, she felt like maybe she didn't want this to end.

Time flies when you're having fun. Was that how the saying went? Time was flying, Robin thought. And he dare said they were having fun.

Shopping for supplies for their journey had soon turned into looking around every shop they could find. The most fun they had was in a curio shop with all sorts of odd things and an odd shopkeeper. Throughout the whole adventure, Robin had made Regina laugh twice.

Twice.

And his chest constricted both times. He wanted that elusive smile tattooed on the back of his eyelids.

Okay, maybe that was taking it too far.

Whatever the case, Robin couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she didn't hate him so much, and maybe he could put up with her after all. Maybe they didn't have to be enemies or even sour companions. Maybe they could be friends. Or something along those lines.

Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set, showering the village in glimmering orange and yellow, and the village square was growing empty. Robin and Regina found themselves following the flow of townspeople a little ways out into the forest, where an enormous fire was burning, and music was beginning to play.

By the time they had arrived, the sun had set, and the forest was a deep shade of blue amidst the warm, orange glow of the fire. "It's the bonfire Alan spoke of," Robin realized, looking at Regina.

Regina gave him a flat look. "We are not," she said. When Robin continued to look at her, she rolled her eyes. "It's already evening. Our horses are probably ready by now! We should go."

Robin returned her expression with a pleading one. "Please, M'lady, we can simply watch. Just for a moment."

Regina gave him a hard stare of at least five seconds before exhaling in defeat. "Fine. But only a moment."

Robin smiled and took Regina's hand, leading her closer to the bonfire. Her fingers flinched at his grip at first, but soon relaxed, and Robin felt like perhaps that meant something. But he couldn't get ahead of himself. No matter what the two of them felt, if anything, she was still the queen and he was still a common thief.

They situated themselves on a log on the outside of the ring and watched in silence as a circle of townspeople danced around the fire to jolly music provided by Alan and his fellow minstrels. Alan caught Robin's eye and nodded to him from afar. Even this far from the fire, they could still feel its heat on their faces.

"I have to say, Robin," Regina began, surprising him, "even though you did steal from me… twice… and nearly killed me… You're not… as bad as I thought you were." After saying this, she bit her lip awkwardly, as if perhaps she had something more to say, but instead she merely nodded and glanced nervously at him.

Robin couldn't help but chuckle. "Thank you, M'lady. And I will say, perhaps I saw a glimpse of the great and terrible Evil Queen, but lately, I can't say the moniker really applies. Bold and audacious, perhaps, but not evil. No, you are a far more complex woman for so simple a word."

Regina's eyes grew wide at his statement, and slowly but surely her dark lips curled into a smile. There it was. The firelight flickered beautifully against her skin, the song changed, and suddenly everything fell into place.

Robin stood up. "This is my favorite song!" he exclaimed. He turned and offered his hand to Regina. "Dance with me."

"But you said—"

"Please!"

Regina rolled her eyes and smiled as she placed her hand in his. He nearly yanked her up off the log, and she struggled to keep up as he raced to the ring of dancers around the bonfire. It was a cheerful, melodic tune that Robin favored dearly. The dance was performed in a ring, but with one partner to perform specific moves with at various times. Regina was very lost at first, but soon got the hang of it and was spinning and clapping along as if she knew the dance her entire life. The song grew faster and faster in tempo as it progressed, making everyone's dancing progressively sloppy, but that was part of the fun. The drums rattled quickly, and Robin caught glimpses of Regina spinning, laughing, moving in time as her skirt flowed easily around her, and her laughter rang out above the flutes. The music grew louder and faster until at last the song reached its peak tempo and ended on a long note with everyone holding their positions until it ended, and everyone burst into laughter and applause.

Regina was panting as she grasped Robin's arms and laughed loudly. Her relaxed features, her wide smile – Robin couldn't help but feel that this was the woman she once was – happy and carefree. And perhaps she could be that again. Maybe he could be there to see it when she did.

They moved to return to their seat, but the music began again. This time it wasn't a ring dance, but something more couple-oriented. Regina looked excitedly at Robin. "Wait," she said with a sly smile, and she pulled him back into the ring.

The song started slowly, with Robin and Regina circling each other, connected at their forearms. Robin was familiar with the dance, but this time it seemed Regina was as well. The flames reflected in her eyes as the first melodic tune interrupted the string of long notes, and the dance truly began with the two of them separated and soon coming together again. Robin learned quickly. "I thought you didn't know how to dance," he murmured to her at a moment when they were close together.

"I never said that," Regina replied.

"Oh that's right," Robin continued. "But you said you did not like it. I was going to say, M'lady, perhaps you never had the right partner."

He thought he caught a blush on her cheeks then, but it was hard to tell and he placed his hands around her waist and swung her easily into a lift.

"You're not bad at this yourself," she muttered.

"I told you, M'lady. I've attended my fair share of balls."

She merely smirked at this, and they continued with the lifts, the dips, and spins until the music died off and they were bowing to each other. Another applause gave them the chance to make their way back out of the ring, but neither of them made a move to do so. "One more" soon became six more, and neither one of them seemed to want to stop.

After taking a good moment to catch their breaths after a particularly fast song, the slow strum of a lyre indicated the beginning of a very slow song. Many people took this cue to have a rest. Robin looked unsurely at Regina, who was looking nervously to the side.

"Shall we?" he said, offering his hand. She smiled and took it, and they transitioned into a very slow, tired sway. Robin glanced up at the sound of a slow ballad being sung by none other than Alan a Dale as he strummed his lyre. They started with the normal stance, but Regina began shifting closer and closer to Robin until she was resting her head on his shoulder, and he was resting his chin in her hair.

"How did you know all those dances?" he asked quietly.

"I haven't always been a queen," Regina murmured tiredly against his chest.

He could feel her take a deep breath against his shoulder, practically breathing him in. He could guess that her eyes were closed and decided to do the same, feeling nothing but her warmth so close against him, and he was almost certain she could feel his heart pounding. Then again, he was almost certain he could feel her heart pounding as well. But maybe that was just from all the dancing.

Robin felt like perhaps he should say something, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. Alan plucked a final note, and the song was over. The fire was burning low. They didn't move from their position. Robin never wanted to move from this position.

Whether he liked it or not, whether they wanted to admit it or not, something had formed between Regina and himself. Perhaps she was the Evil Queen, but Robin knew there was so much more inside her, so much she used to be, so much she still was, so much he had seen the past day that made him see her in an entirely different way. A way he knew no one had thought of her in perhaps a very long time. And he knew that the way she made him feel was different. And he knew he didn't want it to end when he left her at her palace.

"Regina," he began.

"Mm?" Regina pulled back to look at him, and staring into those dark eyes, Robin felt speechless. Regina held his gaze a moment longer before her eyes grew wide. "Oh no," she said with a gasp. "We've wasted so much time – we need to get the horses!"

Regina tore herself away from him, and Robin could immediately feel the cold air against his skin despite the nearness of the fire. Regina felt at her waist for where she had attached the bag of jewels, but it was nowhere to be found. Her eyes scanned the ground. "I must have left it on the log," she murmured, and strode hurriedly to place where they had been sitting previously, but it was empty. "Oh no," she whispered, turning back to Robin. "I know I had it when we came here!"

The music started up again, but something was off this time. The familiar sound of a lyre was missing, and when Robin turned to look, Alan was nowhere to be found among his fellow musicians.

"Alan," Robin groaned. "He was eyeing those jewels back in the pub. He knows a pouch embroidered like yours holds nothing cheap."

"That thief!" she growled in a tone Robin was all too familiar with. "We have to find him! Make him give it back! I'll—"

"Wait, M'lday. Alan is very fast and very clever."

Regina huffed. "Then what will we do? We need those jewels for the horses!" Her voice grew quiet. "Daniel's ring is in there."

"I know," Robin said, placing his hands on Regina's shoulders and catching her eye. "We'll get them back, but we're going to do it my way. We're going to have to steal them back."

Headcanon: Regina is a hella good dancer. Thank you for reading! Please review!