She knew it was foolish but she was rushing. She had just dropped off the budget for the library with Belle and she still needed to pick up dinner for the boys but she was running so late. All she wanted to do was send one little text. One little text to tell Robin she was on her way. She didn't even see the delivery truck until it crashed into the side of her car.
The steady beep of the heart monitor filled the room as Robin sat next to his wife's hospital bed with concern painted all over his face. He watched the rise and fall of her chest. The car crash had nearly killed her. The doctors still didn't know if she'd wake up. The delivery truck driver better pray that she does. Robin would wring his neck if he ever came across him in town. She hadn't opened her eyes in two days. Robin had stayed with her for every minute of it. He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't be able survive it.
He grasped his wife's hand. "Regina I know that I've asked before and I must be insane to think you can hear me but please listen. You have to wake up. I need you. And the boys need you. Henry is beside himself with worry. And Roland… Roland keeps asking when you're coming home. And none of us know what to say to him. I don't know what I'll say to them if you pass. We all miss you so much. We all need you to wake up. I don't think this family will survive if you don't. Just please… please come back to me."
He hung his head as silent tears streamed down his cheeks. Suddenly he heard a moan escape her lips. He whipped his head up at the sound. He could see her scrunching her eyebrows and fluttering her eyelids.
"Regina?" he said softly in disbelief.
Slowly but surely she opened her brown eyes and squinted at the florescent light. Robin let out a trembling breath in relief. She was back. She came back to him. "Regina…"
"What…" she whispered, barely able to speak. "What is going on?"
"Shh…try to save your strength milady," said Robin with a small reassuring smile. He still couldn't believe that she was up. "You were in a car accident but you should be fine now. Don't worry."
He heard her heart beat quicken on the monitor. "Henry?" she breathed with wide eyes.
"He's fine. I promise he's being taking care of," he said quickly. "Would you like some water?"
Regina slowly nodded her head. Robin quickly poured her a cup of water and helped her drink it through a straw. Once she was finished she eyed him with apprehension. Robin wasn't surprised. He was sure he looked like hell considering what he'd been through these last two days.
"Are you new here?" she asked.
He furrowed his brow at her. "What are you talking about?"
She stared up at him. "Are you new to the hospital? I haven't seen you before. Are you a new doctor?"
"Regina… do you… do you know who I am?"
"No," she said shaking her head. "Aren't you my doctor?"
Robin stared at her with shock in his eyes. How could she not remember him?
"Regina I'm your husband, I'm Robin." He said rubbing her hand gently.
She wrenched her fingers from his grasp and leaned away from him, clearly frightened. "Is this some sort of a joke? I don't have a husband. Who are you?"
"Regina I promise you I am telling you the truth. We are married!" he said earnestly.
"No we're not! I don't know you! Get away from me!" she said forcefully.
"Regina please…" he said reaching for her.
"Nurse!" she yelled. A young brunette in a crisp white uniform rushed into the room. "He's crazy! Please get him away from me!"
"Wait don't!" he said desperately as the nurse ushered him out of the room. "This is my wife. I just need to get her to remember!"
The doctors called it retrograde amnesia but it was so much more than a fancy word. Through a soft interrogation the doctors had determined that Regina remembered nothing of her life in the Enchanted Forest. Only the set of memories she'd acquired in the first curse. She remembered everything up to about a month before Emma came to Storybrooke.
"So she still remembers me?" asked Henry when he was told the news.
"Yes," said Doctor Whale. "She remembers all the events that took place in Storybrooke until a while before the Savior arrived. However, she remembers nothing of its creation or the curses or magic."
Robin sunk into a plastic chair in the waiting room. The Charmings had joined him to hear the doctor's diagnosis. He couldn't believe this. His soulmate didn't remember him. She had no memory of him or Roland or their life together. How could that be?
"Why is she only missing her Enchanted Forest memories?" asked Emma. To be honest she was happy she had her parenting partner back but if Regina had no memories of magic that meant she was the only sorceress in town. She wasn't prepared for that kind of responsibility. She still needed Regina to teach her.
"Well I'm not a therapist but I would assume that while her body was going through the trauma of the accident her mind tried to get through it by remembering the most calming time of her life," reasoned Whale.
"Her life with Henry," said Snow nodding her head.
"Well everything up until things got complicated," said Henry taking a seat.
"Is there any sure way to get her memories back?" asked David.
Whale shook his head. "I'm afraid not. You can try reintroducing her into things from her past but if it doesn't take, it doesn't take. There's nothing I can do. You might want to start preparing for the possibility that this Regina is the one that's here to stay."
Robin stomped out of the waiting at the doctor's words. This Regina is the one that's here to stay. He stood outside the hospital glaring at the sky. Who the hell decided that things that had to be this damn difficult for them, huh? They were finally together. Everything had finally sorted itself out. Marian, the queens of darkness, Gold. They were all finally dealt with. Why did this have to happen? Why did he have to lose the love of his life again?
"Robin?" said Snow softly. After watching him stomp out of the waiting room she wanted to make sure that he was okay. She knew that Regina would've wanted her to make sure that he was.
Robin turned toward the princess and shook his head softly. "I begged her Snow. I begged her to come back to me and she did and I still lost her."
"Robin..." said Snow sadly.
"How could I still lose her? After everything we've been through she's going to slip through my fingers without even the memory of our time together. How is that fair?"
"Robin you haven't lost her yet. She's still in there. You just have to reach her," said Snow hopefully.
Robin chuckled sarcastically at her. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you gave me one of your hope speeches but you heard the doctor Snow. There's no hope here."
Snow pressed her lips together in anger at Robin's words. "Give me your arm."
Robin furrowed his brow at her. "What?"
"I said give me your arm!" said Snow snatching his left wrist. She held it up and shoved down his sleeve revealing his lion tattoo. "Do you see this?"
Robin sighed. "Yes I see it. It's my tattoo."
"Exactly!" said Snow. "Do you understand what this represents Robin? Well if you don't you better buckle up because I'm going to let you know. And don't mistake this for a hope speech because it's not! This a get-off-your-ass-and-go-get-the-love-your-life speech and you will listen to every word of it!"
Robin had never seen Snow this angry. It was kind terrifying.
"This tattoo," she said pointing at the lion, "is a symbol of everything you and Regina have together. This was all that she saw you that night in the tavern and it was the first thing that signaled to her that you would be the love of her life. You are soulmates Robin. SOUL. MATES. And just like this tattoo that will never fade. I don't care if she remembers you or not. She will always be your soulmate. And instead of honoring that and fighting to regain what you have with her you're outside cursing the sky because you've already given up? Unacceptable!"
"Well what am I supposed to do?" he said angrily snatching his wrist back. "You didn't see the way she looked at me. She has no idea who am! And now she's terrified of me!"
Snow scoffed at him. "Are you seriously going to let a little memory loss keep you from the love of your life? Robin do you know how many times Charming and I have forgotten each other? I've almost lost track. You're not the first person to have a difficult path to happiness. Find a way and make her remember you! Fight for her! Cause if you don't then you never deserved her anyway!"
Snow took a deep breath to calm herself. She knew she was being harsh but this is what Robin needed to hear. "I know you love her Robin. So please bring back my stepmother. Because right now I think you're the only one who can."
With that Snow left him alone to think over what she said. And he did. He thought about everything that they'd been through. All the obstacles and all the victories. He loved Regina. He loved her with his entire soul. They belonged together and he couldn't give up on that. He refused to give up on her. Even though Storybrooke Regina was all that could be seen right now he knew his soulmate was still in there. He just had to reach her.