Everything Has Changed

Chapter 12 - Don't Put Dirt On My Grave Just Yet

The lavender cloud overtook them in seconds. No one ran there would have been no escaping it anyway. The curse had broken; Robin and Regina's True Love had been enough to wake everyone. The question was what were they all going to wake up to?

When the lavender smoke finally rolled away Regina looked around and found herself standing somewhere very familiar...

"Mother?" It was a cautious question as Snow took in their surroundings. She stood and shook the residue from her dress. No longer were they wearing the clothes of the modern world, gone were the cars, the shops and the clock tower. They were standing once again in the Enchanted Forest.

"Yes Snow, I know exactly where we are."

"Do you think...?"

Regina looked around her as she rose and spotted Robin struggling to his feet nearby. "I don't know Little Bird." The use of the familiar nickname was not lost on the girl. She turned and called out to her True Love, "Robin! Are you alright?"

He came walking over to where the two girls were standing in the middle of the road. "Where are we?"

"Home."

He looked down at her confused. "Well home for me." She gently pushed his shoulder until he turned to look up the road. His eyes fell on a palace some distance away. "That is my father's castle. We have come back in roughly the same position that we left in the first place."

"Then how am I here? And where is the King?"

Regina sighed and leaned into his shoulder. "I don't know. What I do know is that we need to find shelter, find our people and gather all of the supplies we can." Worry flitted through her eyes as she spoke. "Magic is much stronger here, and I am not the only one that can harness it."

"Mother? Is it safe to go to the palace? What if your mother and your sister were sent back there as well?"

"We won't know until something happens now will we? We may as well head in that direction. It's not like we can sleep out here tonight."

"Why not?"

Both girls stopped dead and looked at him. "Excuse me?" Regina seemed less than thrilled with the notion of sleeping outside on the ground.

"Come on Your Majesty lighten up. There is no one in their right mind that is going to look for the Queen and the Princess in the forest."

"That's because, Outlaw, no one in their right mind would choose to sleep in the Forest." They were arguing, but Snow could tell from their tones and the gleam in their eyes and their smiles that they were teasing each other.

"Are you saying I am out of my mind m'lady?" He reached out an arm and grabbed her, ever so gently and guided her towards him.

She willingly let her body be pulled closer to his. When she was in his arms she felt safe, and that was a luxury she was going to let herself indulge in. "Mm, maybe, but then again, that would mean I am out of my mind as well."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because I love you." A dazzling smile crossed her face and Robin felt his heart melt. He knew that she loved him, after all their True Love had been strong enough to break the curse, but to hear her say it... He found himself getting lost in her eyes and he smiled.

"I love you too. Now," He broke the moment in an abrupt change of pace, "as far as where we will be staying the night?"

Regina pushed out of Robin's arms, took Snow by the hand and started walking towards the trees. When they had gone a few steps she threw a haughty grin over her shoulder and called out, "Well aren't you coming?"