Spoilers for: The Queen is Dead, The Miller's Daughter, the Zelena arc
Disclaimer: Don't own Once Upon a Time
A ball of fire appeared in Regina's hand. It burned, strong and bright, before flickering out of existence after a few seconds.
"You're getting better, dearie."
"Not good enough." Regina winced, raising a trembling hand to the side of her head as she leaned her weight against a nearby tree, trying to ignore the blurring of her vision and the fact that her breathing was far too deep to be normal.
Rumpelstiltskin watched her carefully, feeling a prick of irritation at her weakness; they had only been training for a few hours, and she already looked like a stiff wind would knock her over.
"Better than your mother," he offered, only to be glared at from half-lidded eyes.
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Regina drawled.
He scowled. "Take it however you want."
Regina made to reply, but her head was pounding and she couldn't stop herself from falling forwards, her eyes slipping closed as she made contact with the leaves covering the forest floor.
Rumpelstiltskin frowned, staring down at the unmoving woman with a growing sense of confusion. Was this some form of protest?
Unsure of what to do with himself, he held his hands daintily in front of his chest and looked around the clearing in the hope that someone was lurking nearby who would be able to explain this strange turn of events to him. Alas, they were alone, and he could only turn back to Regina and sigh. He made his way over to the woman, looking down at her peaceful face.
"Regina." He prompted, nudging her torso with his foot. Her body shifted at the movement, but her eyes remained closed. With growing frustration, he tried again. "Regina!"
She rolled onto her back but didn't react, only sleeping peacefully on. Rumpelstiltskin growled under his breath. Waving his hand flamboyantly, he enveloped the two of them in a large plume of purple smoke.
When the smoke faded away, they were no longer in the forest, but in the Queen's chambers. Regina was laid in her bed, while Rumpelstiltskin stood next to her, staring down at her sleeping face.
Carefully, he reached out to her, taking hold of her wrists and folding her hands neatly on top of one another on her stomach. He was finding it difficult to ignore the sense of guilt that began to gnaw at him.
Perhaps he had pushed her too hard today…
Rumpelstiltskin drew his hands back quickly from hers, sneering in disgust at himself. He shouldn't care for this woman.
Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to stop.
It would be like trying to stop caring about Bae.
How ironic it was that Cora had chosen to impersonate the Blue Fairy, the woman who had stolen his first child, when she had stolen his second.
Their first contract was null when it was made, and the miller's daughter had known that; she couldn't offer him her first child when she was safely in Oz living a lie.
But their second contract…
Their second contract said that Cora's next child should have been his – that Regina should have been his. As it was, King Henry's blood ran through her veins, and he truly had no child in the Enchanted Forest any longer.
Scoffing at himself, Rumpelstiltskin leaned down to press a feather-light kiss to the sleeping woman's forehead, before he dispatched himself to his castle before he could start mourning for what he had never had.