She put her hand on the door handle, trying to steady her nerves. It's okay, she told herself, it's not like I haven't done this before.
Regina was in front of Granny's diner, ready to go in. She had received a text from Henry telling to come over as soon as she had finished talking to Zelena. Regina smiled: she still could not believe that her son remembered her, that he trusted her, that he loved her. She felt her heart beat faster at the thought –her heart, once again secure in her chest.
The memory of Robin picking up her heart ran through her mind. They had been the perfect team, she distracting her sister while he retrieved what had been taken from her. To be honest, she had been surprised –and touched- that he had taken care of her heart before the new born Charming offspring. It might not have been the morally correct path, but well: who was she to complain?
Once she had charged Emma with the task of locking up Zelena –promising to come by to magically seal the cell- , she had turned to Robin, who happened to be right by her side, waiting for her. She had looked down at his hands cradling her heart, as if afraid he would be forced to let go of it again. Regina had shaken her head then, as if to push these thoughts away: since when did such romantic notions invade her mind? She knew full well since when, but that was not the point. She had looked up at Robin –God he is tall- and he gave her a tender smile before whispering Told you I would get it back. She had merely nodded, unable to speak as she picked up her heart. It was lighter than she had ever seen it, the dark swirls barely visible beneath the surface. Was it true? Had she really been able to change? When Robin had first picked it up, she had felt something course through her veins, a power that seemed limitless, a power born of something greater that rage or hatred. She would have to think about what it all meant…
Thinking had to come later. At that moment, she had needed to be whole again. Gritting her teeth against the pain she had known was coming, Regina pushed her heart back into her chest, where it belonged. She had gasped, unable to stop herself. Robin had grasped her arms, a worried expression on his face. He had been about to question her when she had told him she was fine. How could she say anything different? She had been beyond fine: all her memories from the past few days seem to magnify under the input of her heart. Her fears, her reunion with Henry, Robin… She looked up at him then, trying to convey through her eyes all that her mouth would not let her say. She was about to grab his jacket –again- to crush his mouth to hers, to show him all that he meant, to finally feel fully, when they were interrupted by Little John.
Regina, despite her redemption and all, would have gladly murdered him on the spot. Sure, he had been forced to become one of the Wicked Witch's repulsive flying monkeys, but couldn't he see they were having a moment, here?!
Robin had left with John for the forest, and now here she was, her hand still glued to the diner's handle. The situation felt painfully familiar: she was reminiscent of another celebratory evening to which she had been late. Sure, she was no longer perceived as a threat; however she was unwilling to walk into a room and have the whole assembly glare at her as they had the night Emma and Snow had climbed unscathed out of that well. She knew many still saw her as the Evil Queen, and no amount of light magic would ever make them forget that.
Still, Henry had asked her to come. Ignoring her nausea –she had faced far worse, get a grip-. Regina turned the door handle and walked in.
The effect was immediate; conversations stopped abruptly and every single person in the room stared at her.
Regina showed nothing of the knots that had formed in her stomach, her face a perfect mask of trained indifference. She scanned the room for a friendly face, and found none. The Charmings –parents and children- were gaping like the rest of them, and Henry was nowhere to be seen.
Her mouth suddenly dry, Regina tried to make sense of what was happening. She had been to this diner a thousand times, why was now such a big deal? She was about to speak an icy comment about however much she appreciated the attention she was no flying monkey thank you very much when a slow clap started on her left. She turned around, and she saw Belle gently smiling at her. Others followed, and soon the whole room was cheering, thanking her.
Dumbfounded, Regina didn't notice a small form erupt from the bathroom and run towards her before it cannoned into her, arms circling her waist.
"Hen..Henry?!" she said, at a loss. "What's going on? I mean… even Grumpy is clapping"
Her son beamed at her
"They are cheering because you saved them, Mom! You proved you could overcome evil and be good. You defeated the Wicked Witch when she was about to destroy all of us, using light magic, and that makes you a hero"
"You mean they… they actually want me here?"
"Of course they do, and if they didn't, well… I would find myself forced to make them leave" said a low English accented voice behind her.
Regina turned around the man she had met only days ago and who, in that short space of time, had come to mean so much. She took in his short stumble, his truly fascinating dimples, his intense blue eyes.
"But, how did they…"
"Know what you have just accomplished? Well, Emma found out it was impossible to make Henry shut up about it. You've made your son very proud, Regina"
As if to corroborate, Regina felt the arms around her waist tighten.
"I'll go and get some food for us, okay Mom? I'll be right back"
Regina watched him leave, already missing the feel of his body against hers.
"So", she heard Robin say, "how are you feeling?"
She smiled "Whole again."
"I told you I would get it back, didn't I?
"I'm glad to see you are a man who keeps his word"
"What about you?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, I happen to remember a conversation in which I complimented your kissing skills, and you answered, quote : Just wait until I get my heart back. So my lady, I've come to demand you fulfil your promise."
Now positively beaming, Regina took the man's face between her hands and gently lowered it to hers. She could feel her pulse beating at her fingertips, he was so close…
It was like putting a match to gasoline; the whole world ignited and all she could comprehend was his tender and urgent lips against her own, his tongue forcing its way through the lips, taking her, filling her like never before. Her hands knotted in his hair and she gave as good as she got, licking, biting, caressing. His arms encircled her, pulling her closer until she was moulded against him, not caring if she couldn't breathe: this was definitively worth drowning for.
When they finally broke apart, Regina could see a few people gaping openly at the pair of them. She didn't care, her attention focused on the man that stood breathless in front of her.
"Well, your Majesty… I'm letting no one near you heart ever again, because there is no way I'm going to let you kiss me any other way"
Before Regina could reply, Robin crashed his mouth to hers, making her heart lose its head all over again.