In… out… in… out…

"Are you okay?"

In… out… in… out

"Regina?"

The voices around her were only a blur as she focused on her breathing. In for three seconds, out for three seconds. She was feeling her feet on the floor and mentally telling herself that she was fine, she was safe. "I'm okay," she managed to mumble. Her gaze remained on Emma who was kneeling in front of her, eyes full of concern. She knew that Henry was nearby but she couldn't look at him, didn't want to see the look of worry on his face.

"Someone get her a class of water." Henry rushed to the counter at Emma's demand, happily accepting a tall glass of ice water from Granny. He sat it on the table in front of Regina and took a small step back.

The crowd in Granny's had all stopped eating and all eyes were on Regina as she shakily held the glass in her hand. She tempted to take a sip but her hands were unsteady, causing her to splash water all over her blouse. She could feel her cheeks growing warmer at the embarrassment.

"It's okay," Emma assured her quietly before grabbing a straw and sticking it into the glass. She turned her body and gave the growing crowd a glare that told them to get back to their own business. She then turned back to Regina and offered a small smile as Regina sipped the cool liquid.

"Robin?"

"He's on his way," Emma assured her, "he should be here any minute."

Regina just nodded, not taking her eyes away from the table in front of her. She knew that people were staring, she could feel their eyes on her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at them. She was too ashamed. "I need to get out of her," she said so quietly that Emma was afraid she had imagined it. "Please."

Emma stood and gently took Regina's hand, guiding her out of the diner and outside into the cool autumn air. Henry followed but stayed a close distance behind. His young eyes watched intently as his mother leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

"You want to talk about it?"

Regina could hear the concern in Emma's voice and nearly brought more tears to eyes but she managed to keep them suppressed. Regina shook her head no. "Useless therapy," she sniffed, "isn't helping a damn thing."

Emma forced a smile, "I think that's the first time I have ever heard you use profanity."

Regina chuckled and that meant Emma had done her job, she had helped, even if only in a small way. "Flashbacks?"

Regina's smile vanished and she nodded slowly. "They feel so real," she answered softly, "like I'm still there and he's…" she drew in a deep breath and held it before counting to three and slowly exhaling. "He hurt me, Emma."

It was the first time Regina had admitted it out loud to anyone. She hadn't told Robin, her therapist, or even admitted it to herself until now. It seemed easier with Emma, someone who couldn't judge her.

"I know," Emma responded, "and I'm so sorry."

Regina rolled her eyes, "I don't want your pity. I just want someone to understand. I'm trying so hard but there's always something that brings me back there." Her eyes were grew glossy again and her breathing became more rapid so Emma stopped her, telling her that she didn't have to explain herself.

It had been only a few weeks since the whole ordeal and Regina was still suffering greatly. She tried to hide her struggles away from everyone but sometimes they got the better of her. She knew the whole town was on her side, especially after they all risked their lives to save her, but she still couldn't appear weak in front of them.

She had been attending therapy sessions three times a week with Archie, talking through her struggles and trying different coping mechanisms that would help her cope. So far, things weren't helping at all. Every day she heard a noise that reminded her of him or she smelled something that triggered a flashback. She would tell herself that she was safe and back in Storybrooke but that didn't always work. Sometimes the memories took over.

"Regina?" Robin had finally arrived after rushing to the diner after receiving the phone call. He had been with Roland at the park for special father and son bonding but had quickly left when he got the news.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I didn't mean to ruin your day… again…"

Emma stepped away and let Robin and Regina talk in private, not wanting to put herself in a conversation she didn't belong. She made her way to the other side of the diner where Henry was standing with his hands in his pockets, pretending that he hadn't been listening to the entire conversation.

"You alright?"

Henry nodded. "It's not just the flashbacks anymore." Emma looked at Henry, really looked at him, and she could tell that he hadn't been sleeping much the last few weeks either.

"Nightmares?"

Henry nodded. "It's bad," he whispered. "Every night I wake up to her throwing up in the bathroom. She gets so scared that she gets sick… I hate it. I hate what he did to her." His teeth clenched at his final words and Emma lovingly patted his back.

"Me too, kid. Things will get better though. We are all trying to help her get her life back and she's trying too, she's trying really hard, Henry."

"I know," Henry said, "but she shouldn't have to. She isn't getting any sleep, she's not eating, look at her."

It was true, nightmares plagued Regina's sleep every night and whenever she tried to eat it only came back up. Her frame was thin and her nerves were shaky as she tried to maintain what little control she had left.

"She'll get better," Emma promised, "especially with you and Robin being there for her."

Robin had asked Regina if he could hug her and she vigorously shook her head yes, gladly accepting his arms wrapping around her. She let her head fall into the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent of his shampoo. She felt safe in his arms and finally let more tears fall. She was so tired of feeling so weak. She was tired of having no control over her body anymore and tired of crying every day. She wanted to feel strong again.

"I know," Robin whispered into her ear, almost as if he could read her mind. "You'll get there," he promised, "you will."

Regina wasn't sure if she believed him, at this point things looked so bleak. That man had took something from her, a piece of her, and she wasn't sure if she would get it back.

Henry had decided to spend the night at Emma's that night, wanting to get some sleep so he could return home the next day and be refreshed. He was scared at first to tell Regina, not wanting to upset her however, she was glad he was leaving for the night. She wanted him to get some rest and she knew he wouldn't if he stayed home.

Henry had fallen asleep just after dinner so Emma covered him up and plopped on the other couch, joining him in a deep sleep after a tiring day.

Robin had just finished the last of the dishes before joining Regina in the bedroom. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with a pair of pajamas neatly folded next to her. "Heading to bed?"

She shrugged. "I was contemplating taking a shower but I think I'm too tired." He could hear the exhaustion in her voice and his he felt his heart squeeze tighter. He wished he had been there to protect her when that man took her. He would murder him if he ever had the opportunity and that he was sure of.

"I have an idea," he smiled, "how about I run a hot bath and light some candles and I'll join you."

Regina smiled a genuine smile and Robin finally felt like he had done something right. "I would like that." She grabbed her clothes and followed Robin into the master bathroom, undressing as he filled the tub. Robin too took his clothes off and tossed them into the hamper, climbing into the tub first before helping Regina. He sat with his back to the wall as he pulled Regina to sit in his lap, leaning her back against his chest.

It had taken Regina awhile to let Robin see her naked after the kidnapping but she trusted him and she missed his delicate touch. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against his chest as he traced his fingers up and down her arms. He treaded lightly over her healing bruises, glad to see that they weren't nasty and blue anymore. He couldn't help but remember how she looked in that hospital bed…

"Oh… Regina…"

He had braced himself for what he was about to see but nothing could have prepared him for seeing his wife so hurt and so scared. She was asleep, not deeply, as her eyelids twitched with movement. She didn't even look like his Regina… Her face was bruised and swollen, dried blood covering cuts on her hairline and near her lip. Her left eye was swollen and bruised nearly three times its normal size. "A broken eye socket," the doctor had explained.

Robin walked closer to her bed and roamed her body looking for more damage. Her left arm was in a cast as it had been broken in three different places and required surgery to fix. Her ankles and wrists were bandaged from where the chains had cut into her skin, giving Robin only a sense of what she had endured.

"Robin?" Her voice was so small and she sounded so wounded that it made him wince.

"I'm here," he answered, gently taking her hand in his. "I'm right here."

"Is he gone?"

"He's gone," Robin answered, "you're in the hospital and you're safe. I'm not leaving your side."

"Robin?"

"Yes, love?"

"I was scared," Regina whispered, "I was so scared." Robin was sure he saw a tear and it made his own eyes water. The strongest woman he knew was lying in a hospital bed scared and in pain. He felt partly responsible. If he had remembered to lock the stupid door…

"You're alive," Robin kept repeating to her, "I'm right here. You're safe. Get some rest."

He looked at her skin now and was glad that everything was healing okay. Her wrist still bothered her some days and some days she wore her cast but other days she was okay to go without it. Her bruises were healing nicely and most of them were completely gone, except for a few of the ones that were worse off. Her eye was still bruised and black and although she tried to hide it with makeup, the wounds were visible.

He wasn't sure how long he had been lost in his thoughts but it must have been awhile because when he looked down, Regina was sound asleep against his chest. He didn't want to wake her but he didn't want her catching a cold as the water grew chilly. He wasn't sure if carrying her to bed was the best thing to do at this point so he drained the water carefully and filled it with more hot water. He wanted Regina to get as much sleep as she could, even if it meant that his skin would be equivalent to a prune.