Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Once Upon a Time. Even if I want to sometimes to make sure they get treated better.

A/N: Thanks to queen-of-the-merry-men on tumblr for the original prompt: OQ + Hotel. I decided to make it an AU in which Robin came over in the first curse because I feel we need more of those. This has been posted to my tumblr since April and I've written a few more pieces set in this verse. People began asking if I was going to put it up elsewhere so I decided to do so. I hope you all enjoy it!

There were days where Regina Mills wished that her curse had allowed her to keep her magic. For right now, she wanted nothing more than to turn the idiot standing in her foyer into a pile of ashes. Or at least back into the mouse he had been in the Enchanted Forest. Then she could just let a cat loose on him.

"What do you mean I have termites?" she asked, hissing at him.

He gave her a bored expression. "I mean I found termites here in the floor. The sound your son was talking about when he was in a quiet room? Was him hearing them eating through the beams."

"But how did I get them? When did I get them?"

"You seem to have had them for a few years now," he explained. "And as for how…I don't see any records of you putting in anything to prevent termites."

Regina wanted to throttle him. "Isn't that your job? Why didn't you tell me about these options before?"

"It never came up."

"It never…" She blew out. "Okay, what do I do now?"

He looked up from his clipboard. "I'm going to advise you and your son to stay elsewhere while we fumigate and lay down the treatment. We can get started tomorrow and be done in about three days."

"Three days? Where am I supposed to take Henry for three days?" she asked.

"Granny always has rooms," he replied, not blinking before she slammed her front door in his face.

Regina scowled and stormed off to her study, grabbing the phone book. There was no way she was staying at that flea-ridden wolf's bed and breakfast. She had to have created a five-star hotel when she cast the Dark Curse, though tourism wasn't much of an industry in Storybrooke.

Her fingers stopped when she saw "Ever After Hotel" listed and dialed the number printed. A pleasant, accented voice answered the phone and she took on a businesslike tone. "I'd like to book your best suite for four nights. It'll be for one adult and one child."

"And when will you be checking in?"

"Tonight," Regina replied, already gathering items she believed she would need while away from her house.

She heard the clicking of a computer. "Okay, we can accommodate that. I'll put everything through. Will you be paying with a credit card?"

"Yes, I will," she replied. "Do you need anything else?"

"Just your name."

Her cheeks warmed and she grimaced. "Right. It's Regina Mills."

There was a pause before: "As in Mayor Mills?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Of course not, Madam Mayor. Your reservation is in the system and we'll see you and your son later tonight. Thank you for choosing Ever After Hotel."

Regina hung up her phone and took a deep breath. "Henry! You need to start packing! We're going on a little adventure," she called out.

She parked outside the Ever After Hotel a few hours later as the sun began to set. Gathering her purse, she motioned for Henry to get out. He frowned as he took in the hotel. "Why do we have to stay here?" he asked.

"I told you," she replied with a sigh. "This will be fun."

His frown deepened. "How?"

Regina knelt in front of her sullen five-years-old. "This will be a vacation. I won't go to work and you'll have me all to yourself. We'll order room service and watch all the TV you want."

"Really?" His eyes lit up though he still seemed hesitant.

She nodded and leaned in. "There's also an indoor pool. We can go swimming."

That sold him. He took her hand and let her lead him into the Ever After Hotel. Regina paused inside the lobby, taking in the place. For a hotel that probably saw no visitors, it was maintained beautifully. Deep red carpets covered the lobby and several plants surrounded the room. Wicker chairs with red cushions were positioned around tables, newspapers and magazines piled on them. A TV was positioned in a corner, playing the news.

A tall man with well-coiffed gray hair stood behind the desk, wearing a white button down shirt under a navy blue jacket. A gray cravat was tucked into the collar of his shirt. He smiled as she approached with Henry. "Mayor Mills, this is truly an honor," he said.

"I can imagine," she replied. While he had an accent, it was different from the one belonging to the person she had spoken to earlier. His had been warm and pleasant. This man's accent was snooty and off-putting. "You weren't who I spoke to earlier."

"Oh, no. That was Bobby. He's the handyman but he also covers the desk when needed."

Regina nodded. "Well, you should consider letting him do so more often. He made everything very easy."

The proprietor—who had yet to offer his name and Regina found she didn't care to learn it—seemed taken aback. "I'll…I'll consider it, Madam Mayor, but he really is much better with his hands.

"Anyway, we've put you and your son in our best suite. I'll escort you up and Bobby can fetch your bags," he said, heading toward the elevators.

Regina tightened her grip on Henry's hand as she followed the proprietor into the elevator. Soft music played as it rose up, heading to the very top floor. "I think you will feel right at home here," he told her.

The doors opened to reveal their suite was nearly the entire floor. A kitchen took up a good portion of one corner, right next to a long wooden table. The living room had powder blue carpets with matching couches and Henry barreled toward one, amazing at the giant TV screen in the room. Regina spied one bedroom with a king-sized bed and another one with two twin beds across the way. Both rooms had their own bathrooms.

"Is it to your liking?" the man asked.

She nodded. "This is quite the room. Thank you."

He held out his hand. "If you give me your keys, Bobby will get your bags and bring them up. And if you need anything else, my numbers are by the phone."

Regina thanked him as she deposited her keys into his palm. She watched as he left in the elevator before turning to find her son jumping on the couch. "Henry, down. You know better than to jump on the furniture."

"That's at home," he argued. "This is vacation."

"No jumping on the furniture comes along for vacation. So sit down." She used her I'm-the-mother-so-you-will-listen-to-me tone.

Henry plopped down on the couch with a groan. But he then discovered the remote and soon found cartoons. Regina chuckled as the elevator dinged, meaning Bobby was up with her luggage. She tried to pretend she wasn't interested in meeting him but she knew she was lying to herself.

The elevator doors opened and a tall man dragged her luggage behind him. He had dark blond hair and bright blue eyes and was wearing a green plaid shirt over a gray t-shirt paired with jeans. She watched as he placed her luggage down, smiling at her.

Dimples like his were lethal weapons.

"Madam Mayor," he greeted, his voice as pleasing as it had been on the phone. "Where would you like your bags?"

"Oh, I can handle those. Just give me the keys back and you can go on your way," she replied, heading over to him.

A young boy peered out from behind the man's legs, gazing up at her with big brown eyes under a mop of dark brown curls. He smiled at her, revealing a missing tooth. "Hi!"

"Hello." She leaned down to look him in the eyes. "And who are you?"

"This is my son, Roland." The man held out his hand. "And I'm Robert Locke, but everyone in town calls me Bobby."

Before she could introduce herself properly, Henry sped past her and hugged Roland Locke. "Ro!"

"Henry!" The boys squeezed each other tightly, laughing.

For weeks, Henry had been going on about his best friend at school, a boy he only ever called "Ro." She had wondered when she would meet this "Ro" and found she was surprised that was at the hotel.

Bobby chuckled. "So that's my boy's best friend. I was starting to wonder if he was real or an imaginary friend."

"Mom, can Roland stay for dinner? Please?" Henry clasped his hands together and gave her his puppy dog look.

She looked over at Bobby. "Well, what do you say? Care to join us for dinner? I make a killer lasagna."

His smiled widened and his dimples deepened. "Who can pass up that offer? Roland and I would love to have dinner with you and Henry, Madam Mayor."

"I prefer Regina," she stressed with a warmth in her voice she usually reserved for Henry.

"Regina." The name rolled off his tongue and she felt a flutter in her core that she hadn't

felt for some time. He nodded. "Regina it is then."

Bobby took his son's hand. "Come on, Roland. Let's let Regina and Henry get settled in. We'll see them in a few hours."

Roland sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Okay, Papa. Goodbye, Henry. Goodbye, Ms. Regina."

"Bye, Roland," Regina replied, smiling at him as she held her son close. They watched as Bobby and Roland stepped into the elevator, the silver doors closing with a soft ding.

Henry looked up at her. "I think staying in the hotel just got even cooler."

She chuckled and sent him to start unpacking while she went to the phone. Once the proprietor picked up, she asked: "Can you have some groceries delivered to my room?"

Dinner was a success.

Regina sat back in her chair, sipping at her wine as she studied the remnants of the meal she had spent the afternoon preparing. Nothing remained of her lasagna between the three hungry boys at the table and a good portion of the salad was gone as well. She set down her wine glass. "Does anyone have room for dessert?"

Her dining companions all groaned in unison. "My heart says yes, but my tummy says no," Henry told her.

Beside her, Bobby let out a soft chuckle and she smiled. "Well, why don't you and Roland go play in your room? Maybe you'll find some room once dinner settles?"

They nodded, hopping down from their chairs and rushing off to the room Henry was staying in. Regina stood, starting to clear off the table, and was surprised when Bobby followed suit. "You sit. I've got this," she told him.

"Nonsense," he replied, grabbing the half-empty salad bowl. "You're technically the guest here."

She chuckled. "True. But you've no doubt been working all day long. Take a break."

"Can I let you in on a secret?" Bobby motioned for her to come closer as he lowered his voice. "You and Henry are our only guests."

"Really? This entire hotel and not a single person stays in it?"

He shrugged. "Granny's rates are cheaper for the people who require something more long term. We get a few people here or there who have to check in for short stays like you but they are few and far between. I think Mr. Gull gets most of his business from people who use the hall for meetings and parties."

"What about you?" she asked, curious. "Do you and Roland live in the hotel or do you live elsewhere?"

"We live here. Mr. Gull gave us a room about a few floors down. It's not as spacious as this, but I do have a kitchen and a refrigerator. He's still little so I don't mind sharing the king-sized bed with him but soon one of us will probably have to move to the sofa bed."

Regina knew he meant himself because she would sacrifice the bigger bed for Henry if she was in his shoes. She frowned. "Have you looked at getting another place?"

He nodded. "But everywhere else is a bit too expensive and Mr. Gull won't up my salary, not with how little business we do. He puts most of it back into this hotel. And though I work a few other odd jobs, nothing adds up to something to pay rent without sacrificing groceries, medicine or whatever else my boy needs. So having free board here works for Roland and me."

"I guess there are worse places to live than a five-star hotel," she mused, but mentally made a note to investigate rent prices in her town. Maybe even investigate Mr. Gull to make sure he wasn't cheating Bobby either.

Drying the plates, he smiled at her and she nearly melted from his bright blue eyes and dimples. Good god, why did this man have such an effect on her? She had spent years not falling for anyone's good looks and here she was going weak at the knees like a schoolgirl with a crush. What was so different about him?

He leaned against the counter. "So, enough about me and my tale of woe. What about you?"

"I doubt there really isn't anything you don't know. I'm the mayor and a single mother to a young son. And we've been displaced due to an incompetent exterminator and a termite infestation."

"And there was no one else you could stay with?" he asked.

Graham briefly flashed in her mind but he was just a fling, someone to scratch an itch. She shook her head. "It's just me and Henry, I'm afraid."

"You're the mayor. Surely you have plenty of friends?"

Loneliness pricked at her as she shook her head again. "Not really. We mostly keep to ourselves."

"Well, that's going to change." He leaned closer to her. A pine scent wafted off him and an image of the Enchanted Forest flashed in her mind as he smiled at her. "You have a friend in me now."

She smiled, leaning closer to him. "Oh, do I now?"

He hummed and her eyes started to flutter closed. She felt her stomach doing flips and her head tried to stop her. Everything was moving too fast with a man she barely knew. And who had he been back in the Enchanted Forest? Who was she getting involved with?

"Mom? Mr. Bobby? Can we have dessert now?" Henry asked, coming into the kitchen. Roland was right behind him.

They jumped apart and she collected herself as she smiled. "Of course, sweetheart. I bought some ice cream so we can make sundaes."

Both boys cheered and hurried to the table. Regina busied herself with getting the ice cream ready, Bobby helping. The intimacy of earlier was gone and she wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

Henry and Roland stayed up way past their bedtimes as it was after ten by the time they conked out on the couch. Bobby picked up his son and smiled at her. "Thank you for a great evening, Regina."

"It was nice to have someone to entertain," she admitted, voice soft. "It was fun."

He nodded. "We should do it again."

"I'd like that. You two can even come to our real house after the termites are gone." She walked with him toward the door. "Do you think you can manage?"

"It's not that far. And Roland isn't that heavy yet," he insisted. He paused at the door and held out his hand. "Until next time?"

Regina smiled, shaking his hand. "Until next time."

She glanced down, noticing that his sleeve had ridden up his arm and revealed a tattoo. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a lion roaring against a black shield. Breathing grew difficult and it took all her willpower not to shove Bobby into the elevator.

Once father and son were gone and Henry was tucked in bed, Regina collapsed onto the couch with a glass of wine. No wonder she and Bobby were so drawn to each other. Despite cursing an entire realm, she had found the man with the lion tattoo.

She had found her soulmate.

Now she had to figure out what to do. She could retreat, forbid Henry from seeing Roland ever again and just ignore Bobby. He hadn't been a major part of her life before and she was certain it could be the same after she checked out of this hotel.

But she knew she couldn't do that to her son. He liked Roland too much. And she did like Bobby. He was so easy to talk to and she felt like she could be herself around him. Was that what she had been missing since she ran from the tavern all those years ago? Could she have it now, despite the curse?

Taking a gulp of her wine, she knew one thing. Her life just got a whole lot more complicated and interesting at the same time.