157.

Robin has amnesia. He falls in love with his doctor, Regina.

This is my submission for the OQ Prompt Party., Day 1. Thank you so much to Manon ( onhowtobecrazy) for beta-ing.

"Not remembering who you are it's like… it's like being in the dark, all the time. But then, I see your eyes and oddly, it's like I'm home."

Robin Locksley is a thirty-six-year-old man, a divorced single father who shares custody of his son, Roland, with his ex-wife, Marian. Robin Locksley is a professor who teaches history at Portland university. He's got a few friends but one best friend, Killian Jones (an Irish pub owner he's known since high school).

Robin Locksley is a thirty-six-year-old man and everything stated previously, he doesn't remember.

...

Regina Mills only has two great passions in life. Her ten-year-old son and her job. She excels at both being a mother and a neurosurgeon but when Robin Locksley arrives at the hospital after a car accident, she suddenly feels helpless.

Regina Mills is a great surgeon. It's not that she's never lost any patients (she's lost two in ten years of career and they still haunt her until this day), but it's rare and usually, her patients recover quickly and with no post-op after-effect.

But Robin Locksley is a stubborn man and two days after the surgery, he still won't wake up and it drives her mad.

…

She receives the call in the middle of the night and a trail of curses leaves her well-bred mouth as her palm hits the bedside table, blindly searching for her phone.

It's Emma, the ICU on-call nurse and her closest friend.

"Robin Locksley woke up".

…

"Mom, why are we here? It's late." Henry whines as she drags him behind in the hospital's hallways.

"I know, baby," she says hurriedly, turning the corner. "You're gonna lay down in the attendings' lounge while mommy goes to see her patient."

"Couldn't it have waited until tomorrow?"

"I'm afraid not," Regina tells him as they arrive by the lounge.

She then wraps an arm around his shoulder and kisses his temple, opening the door.

Henry sound asleep on one of the couches and Regina now changed into her lab coat, she heads towards the ICU.

He is awake indeed.

"Good evening Mr. Locksley," she greets him with a smile as she walks up to his bed.

She gives a pat on Emma's shoulder and thanks her.

"It's good to finally see you awake."

He doesn't reply. Instead, his eyes dart around with confusion and fear. Regina quickly puts a gentle hand on his.

He instantly grabs onto it, surprising her a little but it's nothing compared to what she feels when his blue eyes bore into her eyes.

"I..." she stutters. "You're okay, now, Robin," she comforts, clearing her throat and ignoring the sudden acceleration of her heart. "You've been in a car accident and you gave us quite a scare. I'm Doctor Regina Mills. I had to open your brain to repair a leak in it so I'm going to ask you just a few questions and check your reflexes to make sure everything is working as it should, alright?"

He nods.

"Alright then," she grins as she grabs her penlight. "So, what's your name?" She asks and starts checking his sensitivity to light.

"Robin Locksley," he replies with a groggy voice.

"And, what's the date today, Robin?" She asks, putting the pen back in her pocket and looking back at him.

No response. She can tell he's trying really hard to come up with an answer. His brows are furrowed and his jaw clenched.

"It's okay," she tells him, trying to be as reassuring as she possibly can. "Let's try this: How old are you?"

Silence. She could have heard a pin drop.

Regina glances at Emma and the girl nods before exiting the room.

"Alright, Robin. We're just going to do a couple more exams. I'm going to have an intern come to prep you and then we're going to make a scan, okay?"

He doesn't reply. His brows are still furrowed and on the monitor, she notices his heart rate starting to increase.

"Hey," she tells him, leaning a little and he focuses his gaze on her. "It's going to be okay. I'm very good at my job." She smirks and she sees a flash of amusement pass through his eyes. "You remember your name. That's already great."

She's about to turn around to leave but a tug on her arm stops her. She looks back at him.

"I don't… My name… I said that because this is what you called me when you entered."

…

Regina is a woman of science. Everything she believes in, she can touch, explain, prove… Her whole perception of life is based on one thing: logic.

Regina is a woman of science but she doesn't have any logical explanation as to why she keeps on visiting Robin Locksley.

She's a surgeon, an attending with two residents working under her, each having a team of at least five interns. Checking on patients everyday when there's no problem that can be fixed on the table is not something that she does. Yet, she visits.

This is how she meets Roland.

Roland is a five-year-old boy with beautiful brown curled hair that bounce when he moves, a smile flanked by two dimples that makes her heart melt. He has happy eyes, two brown happy eyes that, unlike his dimpled smile, he's inherited from his mother. Roland has Regina wrapped around his finger. So, when he asks her with his hopeful eyes if she's going to fix his Papa's head, she says yes before her brain can stop her.

Which is a crazy promise because this is completely outside of her skill set. The scan didn't reveal any physical damage to the brain. The surgery went well, she did her job and now only a psychologist can help Robin. Or rather… Only Robin can help himself.

But she lies. Or… she doesn't completely lie because she's sure as hell determined to harass Dc. Hopper so that he can give Roland his Papa back and she convinces herself that this is not that big of a deal.

Others are more difficult to convince.

"So, how is The English patient doing?" Emma teases her one day as she sits next to her at lunch.

Regina rolls her eyes, taking a bite out of her chicken.

"I'm assuming you're talking about Robin Locksley?"

"Robin Locksley… Hottie… However you want to call him," Emma smirks.

"You're an idiot," Regina lets out and her friend chuckles.

"Come on, admit it," she pushes, leaning against her chair. "You like him. I've never seen you so invested into a patient's care like that before."

"I care about all my patients. You know that very well."

"Yes, but in general you send someone checking on them for you. An intern… or me. Despite the fact that I don't work in your service, by the way," she points out knowingly. "You never ever do checkups yourself especially when they're not in your service anymore. How long has it been since he's been transferred to the 1st floor? A week? A week and a half?" Emma raises an eyebrow at her but Regina keeps her mouth shut, her teeth digging into the skin of her lip. "You care about him. And it's fine," Emma continues with a smile. "I get it. He's hot and he likes you too," she smirks, wriggling her brows.

Regina doesn't reply. Actually, she decides to blatantly ignore her because she doesn't care about him. Not that way. And he sure as hell do not like her.

It would be crazy.

…

The first time he tells her, they're alone. For once, his friends who visit a lot aren't there yet when she comes his the room early that morning.

As soon as she steps inside the room, a bright smile appears on his face and she feels butterflies flying around in her belly.

"Trying to jog off your memory?" She asks, pointing at the pictures he's holding.

He looks down at them as if he had forgotten for a second that he was holding them before chuckling and replying with a "yes".

"Killian brought me a new set yesterday," he adds, waving them.

She smiles and looms closer to look at them.

"Roland, I'm assuming," she says, recognising the big brown eyes and the cute dimples the young boy already seemed to own in his younger years.

He's in the arms of a tall, broad-shouldered man that looks like a giant next to him.

"And this is John," she points out. "Clearly."

Robin laughs and nods.

"You're better at this than I am and they're supposed to be 'my mates'." He's smiling but he doesn't fool her. "That's how Killian calls us. Apparently, we've known each other since high school. He introduced us, Marian and I…"

"Hey," Regina tells her, resting a hand on his arm and he looks up into her eyes. "You'll be alright. It might take time but you will remember."

"How can you be so sure?"

She smiles wholeheartedly at that.

"Because, you're a fighter." He frowns, confused so she explains. "When you arrived on that gurney two weeks ago you were in a terrible, terrible state."

He laughs.

"I mean it," she insists. "MVAs are sadly common but I'd never seen injuries quite as bad as yours. We were four attendings in the OR, rotating… It was quite stressful and then you stayed in a coma for two days. But… eventually, you did wake up," she gives him an earnest smile. "You fought through it and now, you're awake and your wounds are healing nicely," she says pointing at his chest and legs. "My point is, yes, you are a fighter. That's how I know you will remember."

There is a small pause and they simply look at each other, a soft smile on their faces. Somehow, her hand is now in his and his touch is comfortingly warm.

Regina bites her lip, feeling her cheeks blushing. She shifts a bit on her feet and gently pulls her hand away and runs it through her hair.

Robin gives her a small smile.

"I should go," she tells him. "I have a surgery this morning."

"I remember…" Regina frowns at that. "That day… when I arrived at the hospital… I was barely conscious but I remember meeting your eyes and… all the while I was in a coma, they were all I would see. Not remembering who you are it's like… it's like being in the dark, all the time. But then, I see your eyes and oddly, it's like I'm home."

When she gets out of the room, Emma is in the nurse lobby, leaning on the counter, arms crossed over her chest and a smug smile.

Regina doesn't even stop. She heads straight to the OR to start scrubbing and if she can't keep the smile off her face all the while she's duly passing her hands underneath the water, well who can blame her?

…

Marian is Robin's ex-wife and she visits a lot. Although Regina doesn't know the whole story, she can tell that she still cares deeply about her ex-husband.

Regina gets it. After all, when Daniel arrived at the hospital vomiting blood only to die a few hours after, it didn't matter that their romantic relationship had ended a year prior. When Dc. Glass came to tell her that there was too much blood and that they couldn't stop it, Regina fell onto the ground, a hand to her chest in which her heart was being torn apart.

Marian visits a lot and still cares very much about her ex-husband so when she asks Regina on her way out of the hospital if there is anything going on between her and Robin, a terrible feeling of guilt rises in her chest even though there is absolutely nothing going on between them.

"I… What? No," is her pathetic answer and clearly Marian doesn't buy it.

"Well whatever 'nothing' is going on between the two of you just… He is a good man."

Then, she beckons Roland to come and the young boy who was in a very cheerful conversation with August, one of the nurses, trots back towards them.

"Goodbye Regina," he says waving with one hand and placing the other inside his mother's.

Not quite trusting her voice at the moment, Regina smiles simply and waves back.

…

Regina doesn't have a lot of friends. In fact, she only has Emma and it wasn't really love at first sight when the two met. Like most people at the hospital, Emma wasn't too fond of Regina's "posh" and "superior" attitude (although Regina still denies ever having had such an attitude) but then Daniel died and everyone started to mellow around her, giving her pitiful glances. Emma never did. However, two months after Daniel's death, when Regina had a breakdown in the attendings' lounge because she had too many patients and that day, of all day, her babysitter called off on her, Emma kicked everyone out of the room, took a crying Henry in her arms and asked August to look after him for a while before coming back to the lounge. She then sat on the floor next to Regina, took her hand and squeezed it, telling her to let it all out.

The problem with having only one friend is that when it turns out that they were right about something you were denying, there is no one else to turn to in order to talk about said "something" and therefore, there is no way to escape the smug smile and the unavoidable "I told you so". Or, in this case:

"I knew it!" Emma lets out, banging on Regina's kitchen table.

"God, Emma," Regina scolds. "Henry's sleeping."

"Sorry," Emma says but her giggles don't quite convey the sentiment.

Regina rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest, deciding it would be best to patiently wait for her so-called friend to be done mocking her.

"Are you done?" She asks when Emma snickers start to dim.

"I am," she replies, sniffing. "But admit it. Just say the words."

A sigh leaves Regina's mouth and she clenches her jaw.

"You were right."

For only response, Emma throws her arms up before grabbing her glass of apple cider and drinking it straight.

"So, what happened?" She asks.

…

Robin Locksley is a fighter. Regina said it herself so when he slowly starts remembering stuff, it shouldn't completely come as a surprise.

However, the day he starts telling the story of Roland's first birthday and how he almost missed it because some idiot (in this case the idiot is John) shoot an arrow in his car's tire because he wanted to prove that he wasn't as bad as everyone says at shooting targets well, Regina's heart drops.

It's not that she isn't happy. She is happy. She's delighted. It truly is amazing but… There might be a part of her that just thinks that now that he's remembering, he soon is going to realise that he has a home and her eyes have nothing to do with it. And so, she feels sick, in a way she hasn't felt in nine years.

...

Regina is not a cryer. Being raised by Cora Mills teaches you one thing and that thing is to keep your chin up, your shoulder broad and to never ever, under any circumstances appear weak…

Somewhere at the Evergreen Cemetery, Cora Mills is rolling in her grave.

She stops visiting him after that.

One day passes.

Two days pass.

She misses him…

…

It turns out, he misses her just as much.

"I haven't seen you in a while," she hears and she almost drops her coffee.

She turns around, heart pounding extremely hard in her chest. She's pretty sure the last time her heart beat that fast, she was inside her mother's belly.

"I… I…" She stutters and feels utterly pathetic and he just smiles at her. "So… you're walking now," she points out, clearly avoiding his question.

"Yeah," he chuckles, peering down at his legs. "Physical therapy has paid off it seems."

She smiles.

"You must be happy. And your son, as well."

"He is. He can't wait to 'play Robin Hood again with his Papa'," he chuckles. "Whatever that consists in. I still haven't regain all of my memories, just some bits," he elaborates at her raised eyebrows and it makes sense, it's only been two days since he's started remembering even though it certainly does feel like more time has passed to her.

"That's good," she lets out. "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

He looks at her for a little while and she feels uneasy. She bites her lower lip and swallows hard, looking around for an escape plan which is as pathetic as it sounds.

Regina closes her eyes. God.

"You haven't answered my question." Her eyes flash open. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"That's not a question," she argues, inclining her head.

He laughs. "Fair enough."

There's another pause.

"I missed your eyes."

Regina Mills isn't often rendered speechless. This does it.

"Mom?"

She jumps at the sound of her son's voice and turns around to see him watching her curiously.

"I got to the elevator and when I turned you weren't there anymore," he explains.

"Oh. Right. I'm sorry, baby." She looks at Robin, then back at Henry. "Huh… This is Robin Locksley," she tells him, extending a hand for him to take.

She smiles as he walks up to her and takes it.

"He's a patient."

"Former," Robin intervenes before stretching an arm towards her son and she tries not to think too hard over him stressing that out and over the fact that, technically he isn't her patient anymore because she's a neurosurgeon and in that regard, he's healed completely so, technically, there is nothing keeping them from seeing each other… in a non doctor/patient way. "It's nice to meet you…"

"Henry. Henry Mills-Colter," her son replies proudly and Regina beams.

"Nice to meet you Henry," Robin replies, chuckling. "I didn't know you had a son," he points out, his eyes meeting hers again.

"Yeah." She looks down at Henry. "I do. He comes at the hospital every Wednesday to have lunch with me before going to the club."

"I play soccer," Henry explains and Regina glances back at Robin, his eyes are suddenly unreactive.

"Robin?" She calls, putting a hand on his arm. "Robin?"

He snaps out of his thoughts and focuses back on her.

"Are you okay?" She asks and he nods, a smile tugging the corner of his lips.

"I think I used to play soccer."

Oh.

"You really are starting to remember."

"Little by little," he says with a smile and she can't help but smile back.

"I'm confused. What's happening?"

They both look at Henry and laugh.

"I was in a car accident and lost my memories," Robin explains.

"All of them?" Henry asks in shock.

"Pretty much but they are slowly coming back."

"I really wouldn't want that to happen to me," Henry says.

"And hopefully, it will never," Regina tells him, pulling him against her, kissing the top of his head. He giggles. "Come on, I have to drop you at the bus stop or you will miss it."

He nods.

"Bye Mr. Locksley."

"Bye Henry," Robin replies smiling. "Huh Regina," he stops her though.

"Yes?"

"Could we meet sometime? Outside or something. There is a nice spot by the big oak and the temperatures have warmed up a bit… If you'd like…"

"I… Huh… Sure. Okay," she says biting her lip and Robin's smile widens making her unable not to beam in turn.

"I'll be there tomorrow morning, around 9."

"Tomorrow at 9," she repeats and he nods.

They part their way and Regina walks towards the elevator, followed closely by Henry, a smile still firmly painted on her face.

"Mom?" Henry asks once the elevator's doors close.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

She looks at him.

"Are you dating Robin Locksley?"

…

She's dating Robin Locksley.

Their first date is by an old oak in the middle of the courtyard of Mercy Hospital and at the time neither of them is really aware that it is a date.

The second one is a bit more conventional and there's no ambiguity as to the status of their little outing. The month is April and he's been out of the hospital for exactly one week. He's regained most of his memories despite some holes that Dc. Hopper "is sure he's going to fill with time".

The weather is a bit warm for the month. Regina is wearing a blue dress carefully advised by Emma Swan, black pumps and a light faux leather jacket. She feels… pretty and when upon seeing her arriving at the restaurant, his mouth falls agape, she feels beautiful. They spend almost all night together. After dinner, they go for a stroll under the moon, hand in hand, talking, laughing, smiling, blushing… loving. It's when they stop by the small pond, illuminated solely by the moon and a solitary street lamp, and her eyes bore into his that she realises it. She loves Robin Locksley.

...

Regina Mills is a smart woman who knows a lot of things but what she doesn't know, it's that ten months earlier, Robin Locksley first laid eyes on her from the other side of a soccer field. She was watching her son's game. He was playing with his son. His heart stopped then, almost instantly and he could never forget the lady with the big brown eyes. He tried looking for her, kept going to the field every Wednesday after that in hope that he could catch her glance and maybe, this time, work up the courage to speak to her but she never showed up.

He doesn't share this particular memory with her when it comes back to him. After all, he feels they have better ones to make together, now.

I hope you liked it and I would love to know your thoughts.

Ella