Her numbers never seemed to move. 

The other children seemed to meet their soulmates almost instantly. Regina’s had only taken a couple of years to reach 00:00:00. Katherine barely saw hers transition until she turned twenty. By that time, she’d given up all hope that she would ever find her soul mate. Maybe she wouldn’t, and her numbers were simply counting down until the moment she died. 

Even Mother said she’d never find someone. She was too gawky and awkward anyway. Too smart for her own good. She was better off alone. And eventually, she’d started to believe it, the watch on her wrist simply a heavy reminder of the lonely existence she lived. 

She’d been lucky enough to be allowed the opportunity to attend Oxford, where she was studying to be a surgeon. If she was going to be alone for the rest of her life, she might as well do something meaningful with the cards she’d been dealt. Papers were scattered all over her usual table in the back corner of her favourite café just on the edge of campus, her usual cup of coffee left cold and forgotten, soon replaced by a steaming mug. They were too kind to her here. Or maybe it was because they’d noticed her numbers. Noticed that they didn’t move. It’d become so ingrained into Katherine’s being that she’d be alone that she’d simply stopped looking at them, not noticing the night halfway through her third year that they began to move once more, at a much faster pace than they’d ever done before. 

The rain in Oxford was horrifyingly cold. Even the slightest bump into another marginally warm body was disregarded with a light smile in appreciation of the warm metaphorically being transferred from person to person. And of course, she’d forgotten her jacket, her umbrella struggling against the harsh winds, until it finally flew from her palm and into the darkened skies. She’d barely had time to register what was happening and move to the side before lightning struck the pavement, following the path of her umbrella. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her body, forcing her out of the way, and the resounding shock was so strong, at first she thought’d she’d been hit. Until her eyes wandered towards the wrist of the offending arms. 

                                                       00:00:00

immediately, her own hand flew to the right sleeve of her sweater, pushing it up enough to see her watch. 

                                                      00:00:00

Katherine’s eyes shot back up to the man who’d rescued her from being hospitalised, fumbling for words, eyes darting between their watches. 

Leaving the house would do her some good, Henry told her. But out there she'd remember all the places they'd been together, the places they'd kissed. No matter how Henry tried, Regina was constantly reminded that Robin was no longer there.

She didn't know what was worse - seeing him with Marian, knowing he loved her more but still had to stick to his vows, but still seeing him - or having him choose her but be forced to leave. She thought she'd rather see him, even if he couldn't be hers.

Now she was all alone. She should have known this was coming - that she'd have a taste of true love and happiness and then it would be ripped away from her. Like Daniel and her mother. Just when she thought she had them back and they could be together and be happy, they were taken again. 

She thought her love for Robin was different. That they suffered when they were apart but life was leading up to something better where they could be together.

And in many ways, it had been different. She finally knew what unconditional love felt like, and with him, he never saw her as Evil or dark. With him, she had just been Regina, the woman he loved. She was always good enough, always more than enough for him. And she knew what it felt like to touch and be touched by someone she loved and who loved her. That night in her vault...had been magical. 

And now she knew they really were soul mates. She'd given up on a happy ending, and even if she expected to be separated from him again, it didn't stop the pain. She felt weaker and sick most of the time without him. There was a constant pain in her heart and in the pit of her stomach in his absence. 

send me a ✿ and i’ll generate a number.

17: rain kiss

They had to hide their relationship. If anyone saw - Snow White, Charming, Belle, or the Merry Men - they would face never ending questions and knowing looks. Like how could the Evil Queen end up with such an honorable man as Robin Hood? How could Robin ever fall for the Evil Queen? How could Regina open her heart again after losing so much?

These were things Regina couldn’t explain, and or did she want to. She couldn’t explain her attraction to the thief, or her affections for him. She was quite content to sneak around and kiss him in hidden rooms and dark corridors. They agreed to meet on the rooftop balcony, under the stars, away from prying eyes. They could kiss to their hearts’ content under the light of the moon. 

It sounded achingly romantic, the kind Regina read about in stories as a young girl, when she still had faith in true love. The problem was, it was pouring rain, and still she waited for him. The downpour soaked her satin and velvet gown, and loosened her elaborate up-do. The Queen wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against the castle walls. If she left, he might show up and think she didn’t care. If she stayed, she’d only get colder.