Summary: Robin finds Regina, with her heart in his possession.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of OUAT

Rating: T

Pairing: Regina/Robin

Note: A/U on how Regina got her heart back.

A HEART:

Regina stood by the window in Snow's loft while the Charming family, her son Henry included, kept a watch over the latest member of their family that had narrowly escaped Zelena's twisted plan. She shook her head, even Belle the bookworm had Rumplestiltskin returned to her. Since the hospital, Regina hadn't seen Robin, and she feared the worst while trying to tell herself that he was capable of taking care of himself. Still, that sound reasoning didn't take away the dread that something had happened to him. It was why she was still by the window, still watching the street for him. For just a second she dared to look at the happy family behind her, just in time to see Henry smile at her, motion for her to join them. Regina smiled, held up her index finger signaling she would in a moments. Then she turned her eyes back to the street below hoping to catch a glimpse of Robin.

Robin of Locksley held his side as he climbed the stairs leading to the loft apartment of Snow White and Prince Charming. Today while Regina had faced her sister, he had taken chance to retrieve her heart. What he hadn't anticipated had been some of the flying monkey's guarding the ingredients. Robin hadn't come away unscathed, but he had managed to come away with Regina's heart in his possession. Balling his blood stained hand into a fist, Robin knocked heavily on the door and then leaned against the wall until someone let him in. Fortunately he didn't have to wait long. The door opened revealing the object of his deep affection. "Milady," He sucked in air, "I have something that belongs to you."

"Robin," Regina gasped seeing him with blood stains on his shirt. Her arms went around him, helping him inside. "What did you do, you big idiot?" She asked without anger in her voice. The dread she had as a tight knot in her stomach all evening was now made manifest in his wounds. "She could have killed you." Regina scolded taking him to the couch. Everyone looked up, but she motioned she didn't need help.

"It wasn't Zelena I faced," Robin gasped when the wound in his side pulled apart a fraction. "Rather a few very annoyed flying monkeys." He tried to joke, but the sideways glare Regina threw his way meant he wasn't being amusing. "I swore I'd get your heart back and so I have." He muttered when she lowered him to the couch. Robin reached out and with the back of his hand he touched her face gently, "I always keep my promises."

Regina wanted to smile at his words, in fact she was on the inside, but that didn't stop the fear. "You could have been turned into one of those monkeys too." She pointed out, her hands flying to the rips in his shirt. She pulled the fabric apart to see the extent of the damage. His wound wasn't serious, but it would take longer for him to heal it than she would. "This will hurt" Regina said moments before she set her hand to his laceration, palm down, and summoned her magic to transfer the deep gash from his flesh to hers. She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out as she felt her flesh split open to match the wound he had sustained. If he had put his life at risk simply to reclaim her heart, then she could take his wounds.

Robin felt the wound at his side heal, his skin tingling with the magic Regina was using. It wasn't how he had imagined her mystical touch. He had seen her use magic before, but not on him. When she pulled her hands away he could breathe easier, and the blood from his hands was gone. It was then he looked at her, really looked, seeing the blood on her side in the exact same place his wound had been. "Oh, Regina, what did you do?" Robin asked switching places with her, setting her on the couch.

Regina cupped his face, "I took your wounds onto myself." She answered with an exhausted voice. She had only ever used this spell once before and it had been when her father had been stricken ill. At the time he was the only person she had loved and the thought of losing him had been terrifying to her. Now, she was happy to take Robin's pain into herself. "You risked being turned into a flying monkey just for my heart, the battered blackened thing that it is." She knew she had tears in her eyes. No one had ever done anything like that for her before.

"It's your heart, of course I would do anything to get it back." Robin said sitting on her right side. For a second he glanced over his shoulder at the others. They were watching them. He nodded his head letting them know they were ok. "And I saw an opportunity to set the witch back in her plans." Next to him Regina hissed, her hand flying to her left side. She had yet to cry out in pain. "I had no idea magic could do this, could transfer a wound to another person."

"Magic can do anything." Regina said with a pained smile. "I've only done this once before." At Robin's questioning glance she went on. "My father had fallen ill, he had been caught in the dead of winter without shelter. It was a wonder he survived, and he would have died had I not taken his illness for myself."

"What happened to you?" Emma asked having over heard her conversation with Robin.

Regina looked up at Emma and continued to talk, "I used my magic to heal him, to give him my strength because I knew I could survive. The magic I have inside me helps me to heal faster." She felt her side, felt the heat of her healing laceration. "In a day, this will be gone." Robin reached across her, placing his warm hand atop hers.

"I have a lot to learn." Emma shook her head.

"You certainly do." Regina replied in her usual tone. "Least you have me teaching you rather than Rumplestiltskin."

"Yes, because you've been a walk in the park." Emma quipped, gentleness in her tone though. If she had an actual choice between the two, Emma would have chosen Regina.

"Rumplestiltskin would have bullied you until you either quit, or did what he wanted." Regina shifted on the couch, a slice of pain cutting though her, but she refused to cry out in pain. She was trying to ignore the sound of her heart beating. "I can hear it." She looked at Robin with a look of anticipation and dread.

Robin pulled free the tie holding the leather back to his belt where her heart was. "Would you like to put it back?" He handed her to bag seeing her hands shaking. There was apprehension in her eyes. "Regina, it's ok. You deserve to have your heart back, and it's not as black you think it is." Robin whispered to her.

Regina accepted the bag, pulling the top open, "It's still pretty black." She said taking her heart out. Robin was right, it was a little less black than it had been the last time she had set her eyes on it. "But, I can't put it back in my chest. Once Zelena's knows it's missing, she'll come straight here and rip it right out." Then an idea occurred to her. "Oh that good." She muttered looking at her heart and then to Robin.

"What?" Robin was a little confused.

"I split my heart in half." Regina smiled looking over Robin's shoulder to Snow and Charming. She had done the same thing for them after the Dark Curse had been enacted. "I can live with only half my heart."

"Are you sure?" Robin asked placing his hands on either side of her as she cradled her heart.

"Yes," Regina nodded. "It could work." She took a deep breath and then looked to Emma, "When I split my heart, I want you to take half and put it back in my chest." Emma looked like she was about to argue. Regina only shook her head, saying, "You can do this." Keeping her eyes on Robin, Regina funneled her magic into her heart, used it to separate her heart much in the same way she had for Snow and Charming.

Emma watched as Regina's heart started to glow as the former Evil Queen split her heart in half. With a small yelp of pain, the heart split, and Regina slumped against the couch. This was Emma's cue to take half of the heart, which still seemed weird to her, but she used her growing magic to replace the magical organ in Regina's chest. The Evil Queen gasped, fought to control her breathing for a few seconds. "You ok?"

"Yes," Regina nodded but focused her attention on Robin. She could see the worry in his gaze. "Really, I'm alright." Showing him how well she could feel again, Regina dazzled him with an emotion filled smile making sure it reached her eyes.

"I cannot wait for what's to come." Robin whispered wickedly keeping his hands around hers still holding her heart. "What do we do with this?"

"No, you focus on me," Regina said closing her hand over the other half of her heart. This time when she used her magic, she used it to compress and transform her heart into another form that wouldn't be so easily destroyed. She focused all of her magic until the burn in her palms grew more intense. Calling back her powers Regina took a deep breath, her head was swimming. Opening her hand she showed Robin what she had done with her heart.

Robin gazed down at Regina's to see that the other half of her heart had been turned into a pulsing red gem with a matching red chain. Taking his right hand, he tentatively touched the very center of the stone. It was warm and alive and he could feel the beating from within. "This…" He gasped. "Why?" Robin was at a loss for words, even more so when Regina took the chain to slip it over his head.

"I entrusted my heart to you and you didn't let me down." Regina set the gem over his heart. "Now, I know that it will always be safe with you in whatever form it's in." Robin took her hand, placing it over his heart and the gem. "I think I'm ready to go home." She smirked carefully pulling herself from the couch, but he was there. Robin wrapped his arm around her waist lending her his strength.

Robin helped to steady Regina and then reluctantly let her go, but she needed to speak to Henry. So, he stood back, waiting for her. Taking the chain between his fingers, he studied the gem. The blood diamond pulsed, glowed from within, making the stone come alive. If he hadn't watched her use her magic, then he might not have believed that this stone had actually been her heart. 'Regina's heart.' He smiled. She was entrusting a half of her heart to him again. This time, he wouldn't lose it.

Regina tried to keep her transferred wound from bothering her as she stepped from Robin's strong embrace so she could go to her son. "Hey, ready to go home?" She smiled when Henry looked up at her.

"I think I want to stay here tonight." Henry looked past his mom to see Robin Hood standing half way between them. "You go home, rest, and I'll see you in the morning at Granny's." He smiled knowingly. His mom grasped his chin making him smile. Gently, seeing the pain she was fighting back, he hugged her. She kissed the top of his head and then he pulled back. "I'll be right here." Henry promised earning him another kiss to his brow. "I love you mom."

"I love you Henry," Regina smiled down at her son. "So very much." Reluctantly she pulled back from her son knowing that he would be protected. Emma's magic was getting stronger, the loft had a protection charm around it, but the thought of leaving here without Henry left a sour taste in her mouth. Before leaving, she felt the need to say, "You stay inside, stay with Emma. I don't want…"

"I know, mom," Henry nodded. "I think I'm safe and I know she's going to regret starting this battle with you." Once more he hugged her. This time he felt her stiffen, but she hugged him just as hard.

REGINA'S HOUSE:

Regina sighed the moment the front door closed. Robin had walked with her from Mary-Margaret's loft all the way to her house. She wasn't afraid to admit, at least to him, that she was tired. "How did you manage to make it back to town with wound?" She asked, leaning heavily on him as they made their way to the stairs. If she wasn't careful then she would trip, and that would be all that she needed to add to this day.

"I've gone farther with worse," Robin answered keeping his grip as gentle as he could and at the same time making sure she was securely held. Against him Regina stumbled when they moved to the stairs. Being the gentleman that he was, that was in his blood despite his outlaw status, Robin swept Regina up into his arms. She gasped and locked her arms around his neck. "Let me." He said when he saw her open her mouth in protest. "You're tired and I want to tend to you."

Regina knew she should argue, she make him put her down, but being in his arms, being cradled against his chest had the ability to still the flow of words about to stream from her mouth. Instead, she closed her mouth, smiled lightly, and nodded even as it was an odd sensation to have him carry her. Letting him physically take care of her was something new, something she found she wanted to let him do. With him she knew she could show moments of weakness, to be human, to be just a woman. "I've never let any take care of me like this." Regina whispered kissing his cheek.

"It's not weakness to have someone to lean on." Robin muttered taking each step carefully without breaking his stride. He could feel her muscles tense with each step her took, the movement causing pain to radiate through her side. The pain he could relate to, up until the moment she had taken his wound away, he had been fighting back the fatigue. Now, Regina was fighting the same battle. At least now he could do something for her.

"I know that now." Regina replied urging him to set her down when they reached the top of the stairs. Mindful of her wound, she took Robin's hand leading him to her bedroom. Her heart was skipping a beat, speeding up, and stopping all at once with the thought of him stepping over the threshold. He was right there, right behind her with his hands on her hips.

Robin leaned in close, placing his lips a breath away from her eyes and said, "Take off your shirt, and let me tend to your wound."

Regina rested her head back against his shoulder mumbling, "That was so close to the perfect sentence." She chuckled lightly. "There's just one problem, I'm wearing a dress." His hands rested flat on her abdomen. Regina quivered when his hands moved from her stomach to her back, and up to the zipper. Slowly he pulled the tongue of the zipper down. "I could get to like this."

"So could I." Robin kissed the side of her neck peeling the vibrant red fabric down her arms exposing her shoulders. When she removed her arms, he had to be careful to mind the wound on her left side. "But first, lie down, and let me take care of you."

Regina pouted playfully when he stepped away from her. She took that moment to use her magic to change from her every day clothes to something more comfortable. Instead of her red dress, black stockings, and heels, she now wore grey silk sleep pants and a matching grey silk cloth wrapped across her torso leaving her abdomen exposed. She looked down at her left side seeing the wound. It looked worse than she thought it would. Maybe it was good she was letting Robin tend to her wound.

Robin returned with a clean cloth and a basin of clean water. He had to stop at the sight of Regina, radiant and glowing in the low light of the room. Shaking himself free of his momentary awe, he went to her, set the basin on the bed, and say down pulling her between his knees. "Hold still if you can." He teased dipping the cloth into the clean warm water. With a gentle touch he wiped away the small trickle of blood from her side. Every few seconds she flinched but did not cry out. "What you did, taking this wound from me when I knew I could handle the pain was a gesture I cannot repay."

Regina cupped Robin's face, "I don't want to see you hurt or bleeding." Her thumbs caressed his cheeks watching him as he cleaned her wound. The pain was something she was happy to endure. She gasped when he touched the edge of the wound. "Ow…" Regina hissed.

"Forgive me?" Robin asked dropping the cloth back in the basin. He took a medicine pouch from his jacket. Inside of it was a moss he had found expedites healings and relieves pain better than any other medicine he had come to use. "I'll need some of your magic." Robin said placing the dried leaves to her wound. "Conjure a bandage." He ordered gentle, a smile gracing his lips when she scoffed at him, but she did what he asked. A pristine roll of cloth bandage appeared. "Thank you." With skilled hands, he took the edge of the bandage, setting it to her wound, and carefully started to unroll it around her lower ribs. The trick was to keep the bandage tight, but not painfully so.

Regina watched him as he tended to her, the gentle way he rolled the bandage around her waist. He tucked the edge of the bandage under and then leaned in to place a light kiss to her now covered wound. Her hands moved to cup the back of his head while she asked, "Will you stay with me tonight?" Regina used magic to banish the basin, the bloody cloth, and most of his clothes. Stepping back from him, she walked around the side of the bed, and stretched out on her right side. He settled on the bed inches from her with the glow of her heart between them. She was so tired, the long day, the many aches in her body from battling her sister. Her eyes closed bringing sleep quickly to her mind and her body.

Robin reached out to Regina, slipped his hand over her hip and to the small of her back so he could pull her closer. He wanted the touch of her warm flesh flush against him. Today had been one chaotic day that was ending with him, here in bed with Regina. There was nothing else that could compare to the beat of her heart against his, the warmth, the weight of the chain, around his neck showing just how much trust she had in him. Gently he kissed her brow as he felt his body slipping into sleep.

THE END