Written for Stiene, based on the prompt: You don't understand, you should never know.

There, and back again

- 3.21 AU - Regina and Robin fall into the time vortex instead of Emma and Killian, but they find a very different scenery.

Emma was gone, and Hook after her. Regina walked away and exited, slamming the door behind her. She stopped in the middle of Granny's outside. She heard the door open, and she lifted her eyes to the sky, letting out an annoyed huff.

"Grandpa, what is that?" said Henry, pointing at the sky, and everyone turned around, following the direction of his finger. A bright, golden column was spreading up in the sky. "That is a problem," stated Gold. "And we need to avoid getting close, before having figured out how to solve it".

"Regina, love, don't worry," came his gentle voice, and she didn't turn, but leant on his embrace when he circled her waist. "Emma and Henry will stay in Storybrooke, give her time," Robin murmured, and she nodded.

"I know," she answered. "I'm just pissed off… you've seen how it was for me, during the Missing Year," she murmured, and heard his sad sigh of agreement. "And… she dared to think about taking him away again…" she lowered her eyes, and he dropped a kiss to her hair. "I know, love, I know".

She turned to face him, still enveloped in his arms. "I need fresh air," she said. "Are you completely adverse to a magical trip?"

"Not completely," he smiled, and she waved her hand, making them appear in the woods.

When he noticed their surroundings, he squeezed her hand lightly. "I thought you despised the smell of forest," he mocked her, but she shook her head and started walking. "Not anymore," she answered. "Not since… what's that?" she had seen the yellow explosion of magic in the sky, and Robin turned to watch.

"We have to go and find out what…" Regina started, and before she could finish, she had transported them to the barn.

"…this is," she ended.

"Wait," he grabbed her arm, "it could be dangerous, we should call the others,"

"We can do it," she smirked, and turned to open the door, but the door slammed open, and the golden vortex attracted them inside.

They were still holding hands, and Regina tried to make them disappear again, but before they could even blink, they were falling into the hole…

Regina felt the deep smell of grass fill her nostrils, and she groaned – the impact had been quite powerful. She opened her eyes – the sudden loss of light made her blink. It was nightfall, and they were surrounded by trees. She turned, to see Robin on her left. He was rubbing his back – he was already up, and he extended and arm to help her. She snorted, feeling her heels sink into the squashy ground.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"More like when" Robin answered. He took a deep breath, looking at the trees. "This is the Enchanted Forest… and I think we just travelled in time," he pointed at a tree: there was a white poster hung to the trunk, and it said Prince John – Coronation – All hail the king.

"Oh my god," whispered Regina. "Prince John, I was like… twenty… when he became king," she remembered. "At least we'll avoid meeting my evil self," she shrugged, and Robin looked at her, she had diverted her gaze down.

He lifted his hand to cup her cheek, and she was forced to meet his eyes. "We could meet your younger self," he proposed. "And tell her that everything is gonna be fine".

Regina shook her head. "No, you don't understand," she said, "this is a time travel, and I've watched my fair dose of Doctor Who with Henry to tell you that… you should never know what the future holds for you. We could cause a disaster," she explained.

"You could make her forget," he said, and she tilted her head, thinking.

"I suppose so… but anyway, we should figure out how to go –" she stopped talking, because she had seen something in the sky, something she hadn't seen in a long time.

"– home" she whispered. She turned, and ignored Robin's concerned "What is it?" to start walking. He followed her, and she took his hand, urging him to go faster.

"Regina, what have you seen?"

"Look," she pointed at the sky. A bright, green wave of dust was glowing above their heads, and a white figure was flying, shining like an angel.

Robin gasped and squeezed her hand, they had reached the edge of the forest – they could see houses, and a bell tower, and the dust lowering down in the middle of the little town.

"Was that…?" he asked, and Regina nodded, as they continued to walk quickly towards the dust.

They turned a corner, and there it was – the tavern, and Tinkerbell had just regained her human form, she was shaking her wings. Regina stopped Robin in his tracks, and they hide behind the wall of the nearest house. She dared to peek towards the tavern, and felt Robin do the same.

There she was, in her white nightgown, standing in front of the glass door – raven hair long on her shoulders, and she felt Robin chuckle against her hair. "You were beautiful," he whispered. She hushed him, smiling, and they continued to watch as Tinkerbell pointed him to the young queen… the man with the lion tattoo.

Regina watched the fairy talk with her younger self – she still remembered her words, Go and get him, and she nearly laughed, because that was what she had done some days before… she had gone in the woods and kissed him, recklessly…

She placed a hand on Robin's arm, and young Regina was nodding to Tinkerbell. The fairy patted her forearm and turned on her heels, after one last encouraging smile.

Robin held her closer, as the queen opened the door, and then… Regina made a sudden movement, as if she wanted to go and talk to her younger self, but then she stopped.

"What is it?" whispered Robin, and she shook her head, the queen was standing in front of the open door, frozen for a moment, then she slammed the door, running away.

"Come," urged Regina, and she ran out of the corner, he followed her, because she was practically dragging him.

"What are you doing," he spat out, but she didn't answer, they had almost reached the queen.

"Stop," Regina said, in her best royal voice, and the white-dressed woman halted, her shoulders gulping. She turned, slowly, to face them.

Regina saw a glimmer of fear in her eyes – just a second, then the queen lifted her head and curved her hand, ready to fight.

"Is this a joke?" she asked sharply. "Rumple, I know it's you! What do you want?"

"I am not the Dark One," said Regina, approaching slowly. "I am yourself, we come from the future".

"How do I know that?" the rage in the queen's words was familiar and heart-breaking.

"Ask me something only you know"

Young Regina crossed her arms and tilted her head. "Fine," she said after a bit. "What was the first gift Daniel gave us?"

Regina smiled fondly at the memory and glanced at Robin. He was watching her younger self in disbelief – she squeezed his hand before answering. "A daisy," she said, and the queen stared at her, with a hard expression.

"Let's say I believe you," she conceded, and she took a step towards them. "How are you here? And who is he?"

"Long story," answered Regina, and she turned towards Robin. She motioned at his arm, "Show her," she encouraged him, and he rolled up his sleeve.

The queen's eyes widened as she stared at the tattoo. She threw a glance towards the tavern – but no one had exited, and she looked back at them. "What does it mean?" she asked, in a silent plea.

"It means that we'll find him someday, darling," answered Regina, and she was almost maternal when she neared the younger woman. She lifted a hand to her cheek. "We'll be happy, you just wait and see," she said, and the queen was crying now. Regina got closer and hugged her, and the young woman clung to her, silent sobs shaking her shoulders. She caressed the long, raven mane, and she rocked her gently until she calmed down. Young Regina sniffed, lifting her head form her shoulder, the ghost of a smile on her lips. She disentangled from the embrace, slowly, and turned towards Robin.

"Take care of her," she said, "well, of us," and he smiled back, nearing the two queens and pressing a kiss on her forehead. "That I'll do," he answered kindly.

The queen smiled at him and took Regina's hand. She met her eyes, hazel staring into hazel, and she shook her head. "I guess I should forget all of this, right?"

Regina nodded gravely. "I'm sorry," she said. "It will be worth it, I promise," she added, and the queen laughed. "Go on," she looked at them one last time. "You look so happy," she observed, and closed her eyes, a smile full of hope on her lips. Regina felt her heart so heavy, at the thought that she had to crush this girl's – well, her – hope, again. She felt Robin's reassuring touch on her hip and she waved her hand – it was a simple spell, she needed to make her forget a few minutes.

As the memories slowly disappeared, they started to back up, reaching quickly the wall. They hide again, as the young queen opened her eyes, the same expression as before their exchange – she turned on her heels to run away.

Regina placed her head on his chest, watching herself go, and Robin held her, until the white spot disappeared around a corner.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked, and she lifted her head to look at him.

"For finding me," she said, "for not giving up, for staying"

He cupped her cheeks, staring in her eyes, "As long as you'll have me," he vowed.

She leaned in to kiss him, just on his lips, and she smiled. "Come on, let's go home," she said, taking his hand, and they turned their back from the tavern, together.