3 days. 3 long days had passed, and Regina didn't know if she could take this heartbreak anymore.
The first day was terrible, each second more painful than the next. She was used to wearing black, from her days as the Evil Queen, scantily clad in leather and feathers, to her days as the mayor, with sleek and straight ebony skirts and jackets. Though even without the clothes, she would always have the dark strands of raven hair that fell softly to her shoulders that accented her olive skin. Black had always been her colour.
She had always used black for fear, for intimidation, for power. But that day it had been quite the opposite. She had searched her closet for the darkest yet simplest clothes she could find, clothes that could cover her completely, hiding her body as she shrunk into her sorrow. She had chosen a black cloak, long enough to hang past her simple dress, and covered her head with a wide brimmed hat, wearing it low enough on her head that if she lowered her chin it would cover her eyes.
Her clothes didn't feel like hers, they looked out of place, which she supposed was a good thing. She wasn't herself on this day. She wasn't Regina, the woman who learned to love again, who found hope and strength in the people around her. She was just a shell of that woman, of a girl who lost too much, and feared that loss would never end. That she would keep losing everything she held closest to her heart, despite all her efforts, despite her faith in love, magic, and destiny. No, her destiny was to lose everything.
She had planted her heels in the ground and forced every muscle to stay frozen, fighting every urge to run away from the hell in front of her. Silent tears slipped from her eyes, and her heart clenched in her chest over and over as she watched the coffin slide into the ground. The subtle thump as the box touched the bottom of the grave seemed to shake the ground beneath her, and the louder shovelling of the wet earth tore at her soul.
It smelled like him, the air was damp from the rain and the cool wind brought the scent of the wet leaves to the air. It smelled like forest. How fitting.
She had clung to Snow and Henry, and as the grave diggers had stepped back to reveal the tombstone precisely placed to mark the spot that her soul mate would lie in forever, she finally couldn't take it. She dropped her head and let herself sob, pain radiating from her heart through her whole body. There wasn't a piece of her that didn't ache with loss.
The next day had been the hardest. Going about their everyday lives like they hadn't just lost a member of their family was heart wrenching. Everywhere she stepped, Regina was flooded with memories. Her halls filled with echoes of laughter never to be heard again, her bedroom fell cold and empty as one side of the bed was never to be filled, her kitchen table bare as she served half the amount of food she normally would. Having Henry with her helped her, but it could never sooth the loss that threatened to drown her every second.
The third day was unexpected, and hurt more than she could have imagined. She woke to a knock on her front door, and her chest had tightened when she saw Little John before her. He had told her that he and the Merry Men needed to leave with those from Camelot today, that they didn't belong in this world without their leader. At first she didn't understand why he was telling her this, though she was touched that he thought it necessary. And then it clicked, that he meant all of the Merry Men, even her little knight.
She had stood in the ally, out of the way as the large crowd of people made their way through the portal that stood in the street. Zelena had helped to open it, as Regina was too heartbroken to control her magic. So she just stood and watched, helpless to stop Roland's true family from taking him away. It was the final straw, the last piece to break her, and everyone knew it. Losing Robin was one thing, but watching her little knight stand before the portal, looking back at her with a soft "Gina" falling from his lips, it was another pain entirely.
She stood in the same spot now, though not surrounded by her family as she had been before. Alone she waited, braving the cold wind that whipped through her heavy jacket. Her stomach rolled and something close to nausea passed over her. She hated waiting; it took away her control and made her feel vulnerable.
Finally she saw it, a dark shadow pass over the window of the library door, and she quickly made her way to stand beneath the clock tower, excitement and nervousness fighting for dominance in her stomach.
The door cracked open and a dark, hooded figure slipped outside. Regina's heart jumped to her throat and she gasped slightly, too terrified to move.
"So, did they buy it?" A familiar voice said through the silence.
"It looks like it," She replied, fighting to even her voice and hold back the tears stinging her eyes. Finally she couldn't stand the distance between them and threw herself onto the figure as soon as he closed the door behind him.
"Oh gods Regina!" Robin whispered harshly, "You're going to knock me over!"
"I'm sorry," she muttered into his shoulder, holding him as tight as she could against her, afraid he might disappear if she let go. "I'm just so happy to see you."
"It's only been 3 days, love," he said softly, running his hand through her hair as he held her.
"I know, I know," she leaned back to look him in the eyes, though never letting go of his arms, "But it's been the worst 3 days of my life."
"I know," he placed his hand on her cheek, wiping away the tears she didn't know were falling, "I'm so sorry. I hate that I had to put you through this."
"It's not your fault, it had to be done. Those two morons of brothers can't know you're alive, and I don't think they do. We put on quite a convincing show." She shuddered at the memory of standing at the coffin that was supposed to hold Robin's body, of the tombstone that now stands in the graveyard with his named etched elegantly into it.
"I just…" she trailed off, getting lost in the watery sapphire of his eyes, "For a second I thought that I had actually lost you."
"Never." He leaned in and kissed her gently, letting her decide when to pull away. When she did he touched his forehead to hers, and she breathed in the smell of his skin, salty and slightly dirty, probably from sleeping under the clock tower for 3 days. "You can't get rid of me that easily m'lady," he smiled as she poked his ribs, and they quietly laughed to themselves.
"I wish we had a better place to hide you, the caves under the town aren't exactly the most extravagant living arrangements."
"I've had it worse, believe me," he chuckled, "and at least I have some company."
"How is Mal doing? I haven't been able to thank her for protecting you since you left."
"She's fine, I think," He furrowed his brow as he thought, "most of the time she's in dragon form, just in case someone happens to find us. But when she's not we just talk about you."
"Me?" Regina cocked an eyebrow and grinned at him. "What about me? My exciting past, my charming personality, or your favourite asset?" She took his hands in hers and slid them down her waist to her rear, and he squeezed it once to make her laugh.
"I'd say we're guilty of all three." His eyes shined at her through the darkness, and she soaked in the happiness she felt in this small moment. She didn't know how many more she'd get before they got rid of the bastards who wanted Robin dead. She needed more time with him, but she knew getting him to leave his hiding place would be too dangerous.
"Roland left today, didn't he?" Robin broke her train of thought, and she looked up at him, finding sadness deep in his eyes. He frowned, his pain as evident as hers. Her heart ached for him, wishing for any way to make this end right here, right now.
"Yes, but we'll get him back as soon as we can." She placed her fingers under his chin, and softly kissed his lips. "I promise."
He nodded solemnly, and pulled her into him, pushing her face into his chest. She breathed deeply, committing this moment to memory. She focused on how his body felt against hers, his strong arms around her back, his hand on the back of her head, his breath warm in her hair. His smell filled her nose, making her smile into his jacket as she hoped it would make its way onto her clothes, so she could at least bring part of him home with her when she would reluctantly let him go a