Author's Note: So it's been a long, Long, LOng, LONg, LONG time and a lot of life has come at me in the two years since I last touched this story on top of the fact the show is no longer on anymore. I'm not sure if anyone is even still interested in this story but I'm going to try and slowly but surely finish it out because when I started out I had a story in my head that I wish the show would have told. Personally I thought they ruined and cheapened the love story between Robin and Regina and so hopefully I can remedy that. They always say write the stories that you want to read and so that is what I will try to do.

Disclaimer: Per usual I don't own these characters and all credit goes to the OUAT folks and Disney. I just decided to have a little fun with them.

Chapter 10

Robin found himself aimlessly wandering the forest desperately needing some alone time to clear his head. He hadn't been that physically close to Regina in so long and he ached for her, but what could he do. What made it all the more excruciating was that the love of his life had just informed him he could no longer be part of her life. They would go on from this time forward as two strangers as if nothing had ever been shared between them when nothing could be further from the truth.

He knew he would have to try and move on but it felt like an impossible task. As much as he wanted to just flip her switch off he just couldn't seem to get his mind off of Regina. What was she going to be doing this evening? Who would she be with? And worst of all had she found someone new? He knew it would only be a matter of time if it hadn't already occurred that Tinkerbelle or perhaps Henry would tell her it was time to open her heart to someone new. After all she didn't deserve to be alone; not anymore. The jealousy that consumed him when he thought about her with another man was immeasurable and deep down he knew it was wrong. Here he was getting to start anew with his family. How could he expect her to remain alone just so he wouldn't have to be hurt by seeing her happy with someone else? If he truly loved her he would let her go but something about it just felt wrong.

"HELP PAPA!" suddenly Robin was brought from his reverie when he heard the voice of his young son screaming out for him. Without pause he began to race towards the sound of his son's cries for help.

"Roland! Roland! Hang on!" he shouted out in panic as he swiftly darted through the forest treescape.

Before he knew it he saw the little boy break through the thicket crashing into his arms at full speed. Robin clutched him tightly to his chest while pulling the dagger from his belt to fend off whatever had been chasing him.

Robin's eyes scanned the forest as he rotated to cover all angles that they might be assaulted from, "You're safe now. What is chasing you?"

In that moment a ragged looking Marian also fell through the thicket out of breath with tendrils of hair wildly falling around her face. She had clearly been the victim of a few stray branches during the chase and her skirt had a bit of caked mud near her knees seeming to indicate she had fallen to the ground more than once. Obviously annoyed she walked marched toward her husband and son brushing a few stray bits of earth from her clothing, "He was running from me. He won't listen to me Robin. Do you ever discipline him?"

Robin took a moment to look down at his young son who had buried his head into the folds of his forest green overcoat. He had never had any problems with Roland being headstrong. In fact, he had always been a docile, sweet child, never defiant in any way.

Robin stroked the boy's hair speaking softly, "Roland why were you running from your mother? Did something scare you?"

Roland's dark brown eyes met his father's, "No. It's just that I miss Gina daddy. I wanted to find her so I could see her."

Marian squinted her eyes. She knew Robin seemed different here than the Robin she had known back in the Enchanted Forest. She knew it must have something to do with Regina or The Evil Queen as she had recently come to know her. She hadn't wanted to acknowledge it but that night at the diner before Robin had rushed back into her arms he had seemed very comfortable even affectionate with that woman.

"Robin, what is he talking about? Why would he want to find that monster?" she asked standing stone still with white knuckle clenched fists at her sides.

Robin sighed. He knew this was the moment he had to reveal the truth. A fact he wasn't even sure he had been hiding all the well, "Marian…Regina and I…"

"No…no, no, no," she knew what was coming, "Don't say it." Suddenly her gross disbelief turned to unbridled rage "How could you Robin? How could you let the woman who murdered me near our child? How could you…how could you ever care for her? She is disgusting? What has she done to you?" she seethed as she looked back up at her husband. As her gaze met her husband's though she sensed a sadness and knew not everything must be ask it seemed, "My love she must have put a curse on you. She must have used her magic to trick you and Roland. We can break her spell through our true love for one another. We can destroy the Evil Queen and her magic and be the family we were always meant to be."

The whole time Marian spoke Robin was doing everything in his power to hold his tongue. He knew Marian couldn't understand. She was caught in the crossfire of a very difficult and complex situation but he couldn't stand here and let her talk about Regina this way, "Stop it Marian!"

Marian jolted back from him in fright standing there in shock at hearing Robin's voice raise to her, "Just stop it," he repeated much quieter. "Regina is not perfect but she is no monster. She didn't put any curse on either Roland or I. In fact, she tried to push us away…but I would not let her…because I have come to care about her very deeply."

"She MURDERED me Robin! She murdered me and stole our life," Marian bellowed at him accusatorily with tears brimming in her eyes.

But just before Robin could respond he could hear other voices approaching calling out the name of his love, "Regina! Are you out here?" rang out the voice of Tinkerbelle.

"Mom! Mom!" cried the much more panicked voice of Henry Mills.

He could even hear the voice of Regina's arch nemesis Emma Swan looking for her. Without a second thought he scooped Roland up and began to make his way towards the chorus of voices when he finally happened up on them with Marian following shortly after.

Henry Mills immediately locked eyes with him, "You. Whenever something bad happens to my mom you always seem to be around."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just saw her a few hours ago and she was fine," Robin said incredulously.

Tinkerbelle's eyes widened at the admission, "You went and saw her? What were you thinking? Robin the wound is still very fresh. No one wants to see their ex…especially if their ex has already moved on," Tink said as she raised her hand towards Marian and then turned throwing them up in exasperation.

"I…I had to see her. I'm sorry. I had to make sure she was okay."

"She better be okay…or I swear," Henry spoke as he purposefully marched towards Robin with his fists clenched clearly ready for a fight.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa kid," Emma said as she put an arm around his waist, "Seems you have inherited some of that Mills fire. Maybe take it down a few notches."

"Look we should get a move on. I just have a bad feeling about this," Tinkerbelle said.

"I'm coming with you," Robin said as he placed Roland back down, "If this is my fault I can't stand by and do nothing."

"That's exactly what you are going to do though," Henry spoke authoritatively.

"Robin, just let us handle this. We will let you know when we find her. I'm sure she's fine but she probably went somewhere to lick her wounds," Tink said with a twinge of sadness for the pain she knew her best friend just couldn't seem to escape.

"But…wait," Robin tried to plead but no one paid attention as they all turned away to continue their search for a woman mere years ago they would have all welcomed her disappearance. Robin stood helpless as he watched them all fade into the forest glade before he felt a light tug on his jacket sleeve.

As he turned around he saw a defeated Marian, "Please Robin…please. We have been given a chance to start again. She is vile and evil let's go back to the Enchanted Forest make a new start…away from…this."

Robin hung his head before looking back up towards his wife. She didn't deserve this but neither did Regina, "Marian, dear, you don't know her at all. That woman you met in the Enchanted Forest no longer exists here. None of us are under any kind of spell. We actually genuinely care about her," he said as could see in her eyes that simmering rage begin to heat up again. He knew it was of no use. He was never going to convince Marian of Regina's newfound goodness and so he once again picked up their son and began to walk away from her back towards their camp. Not hearing Marian's steps behind him though he turned to face her once more before continuing on his short trek, "And there is one more thing you should know," he briefly paused before continuing, "Regina did not kill you that night she captured you. She showed you mercy and let you go. In fact, you told me you sensed there was still good in her and you were right."

Robin waited for his wife to say something but she was clearly unmoved by his revelation. With that he turned and began to walk towards camp as twilight began to creep over the landscape. Marian did not move as she watched her family fade from view. She was not about to lose them at the hands of an evil monster. She lifted her chin and to herself whispered, "I will kill the Evil Queen."