"Regina."
That was all he said. Just one word. Her name. Regina's throat closed up. He watched her, his brown, expressive eyes pleading with her. He wanted her to let him in. To tell her what was going on inside her head. And she so badly wanted to. It was eating her alive not to.
But she couldn't. Not now. Not today. Maybe not ever.
"I have to go," she muttered, turning away from him. She had barely taken a step when she felt a warm hand grip her own. Regina could swear she felt her fingers tingling.
"Why?" Robin asked simply. Regina turned halfway.
"Why what?"
"Why did you trust me with your heart?"
Regina imagined that if her heart was with her right then, it would be pounding furiously. She absentmindedly wondered if it seriously was, wherever he had hidden it.
"Zelena wouldn't expect you to have it," she lied. Half-lied, really. That part was actually true.
"I think there's more to it," he pressed. Robin squeezed her hand gently. Regina longed to squeeze back.
Get out of here, she told herself. She was in the danger zone.
Regina started to move away again, but something stopped her. It was his eyes. His perfect, deep, beautiful eyes. They trapped her where she stood, looking inside her, asking her to stay. She wished she had the power to resist.
Then again, maybe she didn't.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she whispered.
"Try me," he whispered back.
Regina could have moved away. She could have wrenched her hand free from his and walked out of the forest. She could have given herself time to think this through, to make the decision to hide. Again.
But she didn't. She stayed firmly in her spot, watching Robin as he came closer. Their eyes never left each other. And when their lips touched, Regina knew she made the right choice in staying.