Untitled Pt 1

Digging Deeper

Robin sighed as he stared off into the distance, his hand absently caressing Regina's knuckles. When Carmen had assigned him on this mission, he hadn't anticipated such a reaction. But it was for the best. This way, he and Regina would be able to have a future together. A wonderful future, with a family of their own. But first, they had to figure out how to save Regina from her fate as the Dark One. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the small stirs coming from his love. He turned and smiled as her eyes flickered open.
"Robin?" she asked sleepily. "What are you doing in my room?"
"You passed out." He explained with a grin.
"Concise and to the point. I like it."
"I learned from the best." He said, leaning in to kiss her. Despite the numerous times they had kissed, his heart still skipped a beat as their lips brushed against each other. To his surprise, Regina started to laugh. But her laughter quickly subsided, replaced with groans of pain.
"What did you give me?" she moaned, holding her hand to her forehead.
"I don't know. It was in your pantry."
"Probably something stale. I need some aspirin." She declared, swinging her legs out of bed. Robin chuckled to himself as he moved to the door. He was sure there was nothing in the world that would ever be able to wipe the smile of his face. There was a sudden gasp behind him. He whirled around and was dismayed at how wrong he had been. Because instead of looking into Regina's chocolate brown eyes, he was met with two black, emotionless voids.
"Regina." He said, backing away slowly as a sword appeared in her hand.

∞

"I never thought I'd see the day I'd be a fugitive in Storybrooke." Henry Senior murmured to his younger self. They were sat in one of the booths in Granny's, their faces obscured by sunglasses and hoodies.
"I know. It feels wrong."
"I guess we should be glad we have a bail bondsperson as a mother so she can teach us how to run a stakeout." Henry Snr smiled at Emma, who sat alone on the other side of the restaurant.
"It's fairly self-explanatory, kid." Emma's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.
"You'd think so, wouldn't you."
"Head's up, lads. Target at three 'o' clock." Killian's voice fizzed through Henry Jnr's radio. The two looked up to see a smartly dressed man walk into the café, a small, red cloth hanging from his top pocket.
"Thanks. We're on it."
The two Henrys moved to the counter, seating themselves on either side of the man.
"I'll the special and a shot." He grumbled.
"Make it three." The Henrys chorused. The three men shared a look of knowing, before the Henrys returned to the booth. A few minute later, the man joined them.
"Are you Cooper Jones?" Killian asked, sliding in next to his stepson.
"That I am." Coopers smiled, shuffling over to make room for the Saviour. "Carmen told me to meet you here and give you this."
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a thick, weighty envelope. "It's what we call an RCS. Rebel Cash Stash. $100, 000 dollars waiting to be used. We have dozens of these, but we only bust em' out if we're in a pinch." He explained, handing the money to Emma.
"Thank you. Your assistance is greatly appreciated." Killian said. "Carmen sends her regards, and wishes she could be here, but under the circumstances, it was not the wisest decision."
"I understand."
"Is there any way we can repay you?" Henry Jnr asked.
"Win the war." Cooper replied, scrapping back his chair.

∞

"Regina."
Robin's heart was hammering as his eyes flicked between the gleam of the sword, and the emotionless, black voids that bore deep into his soul. Regina's body was shaking violently as she advanced ever further.
"Regina!" he cried. Her face wore no expression as she edged closer and closer. A heavy blanket of panic fell upon him as he felt the smoothness of the wall against his back. He called to her again, but still she emitted no response as she brought the sword level with his heart. Her body was quaking ferociously, causing the blade to tremble. Suddenly, her face contorted into one of pain. The darkness that had swallowed her eyes retreated back to her pupils, revealing her chocolate brown eyes once more. With a gasp of horror, she dropped the sword with a clatter, and collapsed against the bed. Her breaths were hard and fast, her cheeks wet with tears. Her fear ridden eyes locked with his, and he raced to her side. Her hand flew to her throat, and her gasping became faster and raspier.
"Regina, slow down. You're not getting enough air. Take a deep breath." He urged, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Regina sat bolt upright, breathed in as deeply as she could, then passed out in his arms.

∞

"Where is he? He should be back by now." Carmen's troubled voice bounced off the empty cave walls. For the first time since the rebellion had started, the Hive was abuzz with silence.
"Relax, Carm. You can't expect a man who was given a task like this to not stay back and reap the rewards." Rhydian said with a devilish smile. "Enjoy the peace and quiet. You're the one whose always going on about that 'diamond in time' sh-"
Rhydian's sentence was stopped short as the stone entrance of the Hive grinded open. Upon instinct, every Alpha Team member picked up a crossbow, ready to shoot whoever had the audacity to break into their base.
"Wait, wait! It's just me!"
"Robin!" Carmen sighed with relief. "Where have you been?"
"Where do you think?" Rhydian chuckled.
"Rhydian!" hissed Jana.
"Ignore him. How did it go? Did it work?" Carmen pressed.
"I'm not sure. She passed out."
"She what?!"
"She woke up! Don't worry!"
"Is she okay?"
"Well..."
"Robin? Is she okay?" Carmen asked slowly, her voice edge with warning.
"I think Conan's starting to use the dagger."
"What do you mean?"
"When she woke up, her eyes turned black and she almost killed me. Her body was shaking like she was fighting something. It was like something had possessed her and Regina was trying to push it down or something. I don't quite know how to explain it."
"This is bad. Conan's only dipping his toes in the water. It won't be long before he cries 'cowabunga' and tells Regina to go all out with the darkness."
"So what do we do?" Lucas asked. Everyone waited on Carmen's response. But for once, the acclaimed war hero was lost for words. She knew exactly what they should do. But she didn't know if she could find the courage to tell them, let alone actually do it.
"Having courage means you let your fear fill your sails and carry you straight into the storm." Once again, her father's words of wisdom arrived to save the day, floating in from the far reaches of her memory. Carmen smiled as she remembered the day her father had given her that piece of advice.
"Thank you, father." She whispered.
"Carm?" Rhydian's voice broke through her cloud of thought.
"I know what we have to do. We have to strike first."
"What?" Robin choked. "You can't be serious."
"I am. We have to strike first. Regina's the Dark One now, and therefore immortal. She can't be hurt."
"But we can."
"I'm in." Rhydian smiled.
"And once again, it falls on me to be the voice of reason." Jana huffed. "Carmen, you know this is crazy, right?"
"Of course I do. But we've been hiding in the shadows for far too long. Conan's thrown a lot of punches, so it's high time we through some back, and then some. It's time for us to kick the weasel's ass back down the burrow he come from."
"You're asking a lot there, Carmen. And what will we do if this should blow up in our faces?" Robin demanded.
"I know it's a scary concept, but all we need is courage and each other."
"Well we have one of those things. Each other? Yes. Courage? Try fear." Jana snapped.
"Jana, having courage means you let your fear fill your sails and carry you straight into the bloody storm!" Carmen countered.
"Have you been taking hope speech lessons from Snow or something?" Robin asked sarcastically.
"You know I'm right."
"I know." she sighed. "Doesn't mean I like it any less."
"I know."
"Well then. Sounds like it's been settled." Rhydian chuckled. "Cowabunga it is."