Hi my friends ! :) So, here I am again ! With a brand new idea... Actually, I was always curious about what would have happened if Regina had walked into that tavern ... So here we are ! I hope you'll like it because I already have A LOT of ideas ! :)

Chapter 1

Regina was in front of the door, taking a deep breath.

She could do that.

She could be happy.

She opened the door and a gulf of wind went to her, she watched him, the man with the lion tatto, right in front of her.

And then panic won over.

She closed the door and was ready to run when...

"And pray tell where you're going ?"

She froze. Tinkerbelle was there, beside her.

"I... I can't do it..."

A soft smile graced the fairy lips and she walked closer, taking Regina's hand.

"Of course you can. I'll stay by you."

"You will ?" asked weakly Regina.

"I promise."

Tears were shinning in the Queen's eyes.

"I just ... I just ..."

"I know." repeated the fairy, "and by his side you will be."

"You don't know that." scoffed the Queen.

Tinkerbell just smiled.

"Of course I do, pixie dust never lies."

Pixie dust never lies.

Regina took a deep breath again.

"Ok." she whispered and the fairy's face lighten. "You'll stay with me ?" she was clutching at her hand like her life depended on it and the fairy knew it was the truth, literally.

"I'll be right here."

"You won't come in with me ?"

Now fear was shinning in the brown eyes of the woman,

"I'll be at the window so you can always see me. Don't be afraid. Everything will be ok, I promise."

Regina shook her head weakly, wiped her cheeks where she had not been aware but tears were rolling, and walked toward the door again.

"I can do this." she whispered to herself and then smiled to Tinkerbell, "Thank you."

"You'll thank me when you're happy, Regina. This is all I want."

They both smiled and the fairy said happily,

"Now go ! Go and meet your soulmate !"

Regina let out a happy sigh and opened the door again.

"I can do this."

Regina opened the door again, she could hear her heart beat in her chest and that was quite disturbing because she couldn't think of what she was going to say.

Hi, I'm Regina. I'm your soulmate.

Hello, a fairy told me we were meant to be together so here I am !

You're my last chance at a happy ending, when do we get married ?

You're the only one who can save me from the darkness and loneliness ? Happy with your fate ?

This won't go at all.

Panic took hold of her again and she looked back toward the reassuring smiling face of Tinkerbell who urged her to go.

All happened fast, Regina wasn't looking where she was going and she stumbled upon her own dress ; in one second, she was on the ground.

"Ouch..." she whispered, putting a hand on her forehead.

"M'lady, are you ok ?" asked a charming accented voice right away.

Regina opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was two kind blue eyes. Then her eyes deviated toward the hand he was holding her and she froze, seeing the lion tattoo on his forearm.

"I ..." her voice broke.

"Have you hurt yourself ?"

"I'm... I'm fine. I think."

She took his hand and a warm feeling took her. She looked up and saw he was frowning, watching their hands. Then he composed himself and gave her a smile, showing her his dimples.

She couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance !" he teased and she blushed slightly.

"It can be useful at times like this, won't you say ?"

Robin's eyes widened before he laughed. He liked that she teased back.

"Well then, as an reward for such efforts, may I offer you a drink ?"

She smiled shyly,

"I would love that."

He smiled again and she noticed his entire face lighten when he did so.

"Let me just warn my friends, and I'm all yours."

Regina turned toward the window but Tinkerbell was all gone. She smiled softly to herself.

Robin turned around, ready to go to the woman again, and the sight in front of him made him stop. He didn't know what push him to turn around earlier, when he heard the door open, he didn't know why he didn't want her to go away in the moment, he didn't even know what came over him when he asked her out on a drink . But God, he would be an idiot if he denied her beauty ( some of his men certainly didn't bothered to when he told them he was going with her.) . Right now, she was smiling softly to herself and he was lost in the sight of her.

But he composed himself and walked to her.

"M'lady ?" She turned around and saw Robin was in front of her, holding her his arm, "Shall we ?"

She took his arms and led her to a more secluded table. The night just took a surprising turn in a matter of seconds. In one second he was drinking and laughing with his merry men and the next ? He was sitting with a beautiful woman. Well, he certainly wasn't complaining. At all.

Regina was drinking her glass quietly, and everytime she would cross Robin's stare - which was on her the all time - she'd blush and looked down.

He loved it.

For some reasons, he felt a pull toward her.

"So," he resumed, "I didn't catch your name."

She smiled and laid her glass down,

"That's because I didn't tell you what it was. And you didn't ask. " then she added, teasing, 'That poor attempt you just did didn't count."

He smirked, then chuckled.

"Well, I'm asking now, m'lady, what's your name ?"

She seemed to hesitate now, and he didn't quite know why.

"I'm Regina." she finally breathed.

"Beautiful." he whispered, then added, pensive, "It suits you well." and she blushed again. "I'm Robin, by the way."

She smiled.

She had a damn beautiful smile.

"Enchanted to meet you, Robin."

If only he knew how true was that sentence.

"I never saw you in here," the man continued and she drank a little from her glass.

"Maybe you just never notice. I usually have a better balance that tonight."

"Trust me," he said, his voice a low murmur that sent shiver through her entire spine, "I would definitively have notice you if you had ever walk this door before."

They get lost in each other's eyes for a few seconds before she cleared her throat and he had the decency to look flush.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put you at unease."

"You didn't." she hurried to say. "I'm just not ... used to it..."

"Please," Robin added, his eyes widening, "Such a beautiful woman as you ? I won't believe a word of it. You must heard words of secret admirators all the time ! "

She laughed and the sound made his heart miss a beat.

God, what was happening ?

Then her eyes turned sad and Robin had notice she had quite expressive eyes.

Beautiful brown eyes with that.

"So, do you come here every nights ?" she asked,

He chuckled again and drank a bit of his own glass.

"No. But we do come at least once a week, you know, help us bound and relax."

She nodded, hoping she could have the same freedom but her life was a prison.

"Where do you live ?"

"Here and there..." the man answered and she studied him, he looked happy. "What about you ?"

She froze.

"This is quite a fancy gown you got there," he added, "Where are you from ? The castle ? Because you're quite away from it ..."

Regina froze.

The castle.

Leopold.

She was married.

She was the Queen.

What was she doing ?

Who was she kidding ?

It was like the man could see the moment her eyes change as she got up, panic overtaking her.

"I have to go." she whispered but the moment she did, he caught her arm and she shivered, before her eyes widened and she looked into his own blue one.

"Please don't." Robin begged. What was happening to him ? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. Please, stay. "

She was hesitating, he could see it.

"Fine." she sighed and sat back. "Shall we talk about lighter subject then ?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Everything that my lady wants." he answered and she laughed in a clear laugh.

Then she noticed.

It was the first time.

The first time a free and real laugh escaped her mouth since...

Since Daniel.

Regina studied the man in front of her, who was talking with animation to her and couldn't help but wonder...

Was Tinkerbell right ?

Could it be...

They left the tavern hours later and Regina had never felt so happy in such a long time. But then, she shivered and braced herself, hoping to keep the warmth in her body in this cold night.

Robin saw it and in one second, he took off his jacket and laid it on her shoulders.

She looked at him, startled, and he found her so beautiful he had to resist the stupid urge to kiss her. God, he had just meet her !

"Thank you." she smiled softly,

"Anytime, m'lady." he whispered back and they resumed walking.

They were walking side by side, talking, laughing, teasing.

And without her noticing it, he had accompagny her toward the castle, she sighed sadly, looking at it. Then, she turned toward Robin again,

"I've had a great time, Robin. Thank you."

He smiled and those dimples of him would be her undoing, she was sure of it.

She smiled one last time and was about to leave, but once again, gently, he caught her arms and she turned around, some hair coming in her eyes.

In a tender hand, he put them back behind her ear and when she shivered, he smiled, proud of himself. Happy to see he was affecting her the way she did him.

"Will we see each other ?"

Her heart started to beat faster.

"It depends..." she answered, smiling, "Do you treat this way all the woman who trip on their dress ?"

He laughed,

"No." he answered truthfully and her smile grew.

"Then we might see each other again..."

"It's not enough." Robin breathed, bringing her closer to him until she felt dizzy with his scent. Forest. Freedom. Hopes.

"What do you want ?"

"A date. A place." his arms slided to her arm toward her hand and she let him hold it. "I want to see you again very much, Regina."

She smiled.

"When ?" she breathed because right now, she was too exciting to even speak.

"Tomorrow ?"

"Tomorrow ?" she laughed and he nodded, hopefully. "Fine, I'll do my best."

"At the tavern ?"

She nodded, eyes glistening.

Robin leant in and kissed her cheek very tenderly, lingering there only a few seconds and she closed her eyes, enjoying the goosepumbs this was leaving on her skin.

She felt alive.

For the first time in years.

And it was so good.

"Goodnight then, m'lady." breathed the man, slowly walking away.

"Goodnight, Robin." she nodded her voice was trembling.

But she didn't care.

Regina walked back toward her chambers,

The biggest of the smiles on her face.

A/N: So ? What did you think ? Hope you'll like it and let me know what you think ! :)