Shout out to Bex for being an amazing beta and to Shay, for giving me the confidence the post this. Hope you enjoy it!

She is sitting at Granny's, at the table with Charming, Snow and baby Neal. They are having a late lunch. Snow is being her optimistic self, talking about hope and love, and Regina has to refrain herself from rolling her eyes every two seconds. But Charming is staring at Mary Margaret like she is the sun and the moon. And she knows how it feels to be looked at that way. The look David gives Snow has her mind taking a trip down memory lane...

one month ago

Robin walks into the house after his camping trip with the Merry Men. He takes off his shoes at the door because he knows Regina needs everything to be tidy and cleaned so the house looks like you can eat of the floor.

He chuckles softly when he remembers the time he didn't take off his shoes right away and walked right into the living room with his "dirty forest shoes" as Regina called them. He swears she almost had a cardiac arrest when she saw the dirt all over the floor. Needless to say, he had to clean it right away and was told to sleep on the couch. But after only 15 minutes of her being in their room she called him up because she couldn't sleep without her daily cuddles.

Smiling to himself, he walks into the foyer and goes to the living room - No Regina to be seen.

"Perhaps she is in the kitchen." He thinks to himself.

He walks into the kitchen with a hopeful smile, but yet again there is no Regina to be found. He looks in the study, the garden, the washing room, but there is no trace of her anywhere. Her Mercedes is standing outside the garage so she is home but he has no idea where she is. He calls out for her and hears a weak " In the bedroom" coming from upstairs.

Robin rushes upstairs because there is no way Regina is in bed at 4PM without something major going on. He pushes the door open, out of breath and what he sees takes his breath away. There she is, his beautiful soulmate, in bed wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. However, she is still the most stunning creature he has ever laid eyes upon. Regina looks up and grimaces trying to give him a reassuring smile. Robin walks over to the bed, sits down and looks at her. She seemed to be alright, she didn't look sick but he knows something is off if she is lounging in bed in the afternoon.

"What's going on, my love?" He asks her while tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"It's.. Uhm... Well... You know... It's THAT time of the month..." She confesses with her cheeks heating up and an embarrassed smile. She looks down because Regina can't believe that she, the Regina Mills, is embarrassed while talking about her period.

"Oh, that explains the lounging and the sweatpants... Is there anything I can get for you, lovely?" He says with a smile and lifting her face so she can see that there is no need to be embarrassed about it.

"I'm not a child, I can take care of myself and get what I need if I need anything, thief." Regina spits out because how dare this cute dimpled man think that she needs anything from him. And if Robin didn't know what a period could do to a woman, after all he has been through with Marian, he might have been hurt but all it does now is make him chuckle and smile lovingly at her.

"I know milady, you are independent and you don't need me to take care of you. The thing is... I want to take care of you, not because you need it, but because I just want to help you. We are in this together from scary creatures trying to take my life, to mother nature popping over for her monthly visit. I want to make it easier for you, I want to show you that I care for you. This has nothing to do with you not being capable, but it's for my own selfish reasons to be close to you and spend more time with you."

By the time he is done with his little speech Regina is crying. God she loves this man so much. And she wants to tell him, no she wants to scream it but there is still so much that they need to talk about and Regina feels like it's just too early for her to confess her love.

"I'm sorry I lashed out. I'm not used being cared for or taken care of. This is very new to me... " He is still smiling at her so she adds with a grin " If you are so adamant on helping me, I would appreciate it if you take of your shirt, and get comfortable under these covers and cuddle me while stroking my belly. "

Robin is grinning at her like a love sick puppy and does as he is told. He takes off his shirt and takes off his trousers, so his boxers are the only thing he is still wearing. He pulls back the covers and open his arms for Regina to come in. She shuffles closer into his arms and puts her head on his chest while wrapping her arms around his torso. Robin has one arm across her back and pulls her closer, if that is even possible. And the other goes to her belly to draw patterns on it in slow movements that will pull Regina into slumber in no time.

"Does this suffice, your majesty?" Regina can hear the cheekiness dripping from the sentence so she decides to play along.

"It does... For a common thief." Robin fake gasps in shock but chuckles slowly. Then silence takes over and he is looking around the room. Everything is clean except for her nightstand. It is filled with chocolate and candy. He grins at the mess and gives her a kiss on the forehead.

Regina looks up at him and Robin looks down, her heartbeat increases at the look Robin gives her. He is looking at her like she is the sun and the moon. But there is something else there and she knows what it is. Regina just doesn't want to name it, in fear of losing it again. But she feels the same and that makes her smile.

"There it is, there is that elusive but satisfying smile I think about everytime I close my eyes." Robin kisses her softly and continues to stroke her belly while Regina purrs at the feeling of being loved and taken care of.

While she is falling asleep she can hear a murmur in the distance, it's her thief. And what he says next makes her fall asleep with a smile on her face.

"I love you, Regina."

Present

Regina smiles softly as she recalls the memory. She should let him take care of her more often. Maybe she'll tell him tonight that she loves him. At a candlelit diner, no kids around so they can have the house all to themselves for the night. And he will look at her like she is the sun and the moon.

And then it hits her - it hits her like a ton of bricks. She was so deep in the memory that she forgot where she was. Regina chokes back a sob as she stands up and leaves Granny's. In the distance she hears Snow and Charming calling her name, but she doesn't stop. She keeps running and eventually she does stop. If only she told him that night that she loves him. But she didn't and every memory after that flashes in fast pace after that. Hell, Zelena, Hades, the baby, the office, lightning and then nothing. Regina falls to her knees as she sobs and sobs and sobs. She cries out for Robin because it isn't fair. Regina is angry not only at Hades and Zelena but at Robin. She told him "don't get in my way". But he did, and it cost him his life.

Regina doesn't know for how long she is there, but when she finally calms down she looks around and recognizes where she is. She is at his grave. She was here only a few hours ago. Because the lunch with Charming and Snow wasn't lunch. It was his wake and they were the only ones brave enough to sit with her. Regina crawls closer to the headstone, rests her head on it and chokes on another sob fighting it's way out of her throat. The exhaustion is taking over her body and she is almost falling asleep, with her body curled up on his grave and her head resting against the headstone, but the last thing she whispers is:

"I love you too, Robin."