What do you see in me?
Hopefully the same thing you see in me - a second chance…
"Mom! Mom, wake up! Please…"
The voice that called to her was familiar, and she knew she should know who it was. The name was on the tip of her tongue but she just couldn't…couldn't place it. It was a name she knew held double significance to her but it just wasn't there.
"MOM!"
The yelling wouldn't stop, and were she in full control of her body her head would probably be screaming at her right about now. As it was, she couldn't feel anything - except for an overwhelming sensation of loss and grief. That she could feel deep down in her soul - as if half of her very being were just gone.
The dark fog that prevented her from waking was thicker than the voice, dug deep and tangled like knots around her consciousness. It extended its reach into her senses and her memories, so much so that she was having a difficult time remembering even her own name.
"Come on, sis, you're scaring everyone - just wake up already!"
This voice was different than the first but still just as unknown to her. There was a different connection to this one, though still familial. The ghost of a feeling - agitation - followed this voice and were she in control of her face it would crinkle in slight disgust.
"You have to wake up...they need you to wake up. He needs you to wake up. You're his mom…"
There was the feeling of annoyance with this voice too, though not as strong as the last. As if there had been full-blown hatred at first that developed into a respected friendship. He needs you… The voice had said. Who was he? The fractured nerves in her brain just weren't putting any of this together. The voice had also said they needed her too though…
The fog just wasn't lifting nor were her senses returning. When she tried to open her eyes, nothing happened. Frustration began to set in though she had no outlet to ease it.
"Why isn't she waking up? What's wrong with her?"
"She could have a concussion - from the blood and bump on her head she must have hit it pretty hard."
"Then shouldn't we get her to the hospital?! Can't you just bring her there?"
"We shouldn't move her - even that way, it could make it worse. Besides, the doctor's on his way here."
The voices all swam together, making her dizzy even though her eyes weren't even open. A pounding in her skull set in, throbbing with the pulse of her heartbeat. She felt nauseous though unable to move if she would need to get sick.
"What about him? What should we do?"
"Right now we have to worry about her - it's what he would want us to do."
A flash of memory hit her like a freight train to the soul, the reason for the loss and grief that ate at her. No….no, it couldn't be true. No... Not him…
"We have to do something - neither one of you were able to heal her!"
"Kid, we will - you just need to calm down okay?"
"I don't understand why we couldn't heal her. I mean, you sure - you've barely had magic for five minutes compared to the two of us. But I'm arguably more powerful than both of you - it should have worked."
"The human brain is a mystery not even doctors and scientists can figure out. The rest of her is fine so there could be another reason she won't wake up."
The ache in her soul was the reason she couldn't wake up - she knew that now. He was gone - half of her soul was gone, how could she ever go on?
It was then she could feel drops of water fall onto the skin of her face and the faintest sound of crying reached her ears. Arms wrapped around her shoulders and a nose dug into her collarbone. Her heart beat rapidly, the body over her crying into the crook of her neck.
"Mom, you have to wake up!"
Were she in control of her body, tears would fall down her face. The voice who cried into her shoulder was her son - her precious Little Prince, Henry Daniel Mills. She wanted to open her eyes so she could look at him, move her arms to wrap him into a hug - but she still couldn't move.
"Henry, be careful!" His other mother - Emma, the Savior - warned him. And the other voice - that had been her sister, Zelena.
She didn't know what was going on or where she was. How did she get hurt? Her back ached from the solid floor beneath her but she didn't remember why she was on the ground. Henry whispered into her ear, begging her to wake up and she wished she could with everything she had. Listening to her baby boy cry and not being able to do anything about it was tearing her apart.
"Her heart's beating so fast..." Henry sounded so scared. "Will she be okay?"
"I don't know, Kid - but Whale should be here soon." Emma sighed.
"Not bloody soon enough - the town is like six blocks wide. How long does it take to drive six blocks?" Zelena grumbled.
The longer Henry held on to her, the more she could feel more of her body. The pounding in her skull and the ache in her back were accompanied by bruising on either of her sides, throbbing in her left ankle, and a stabbing pain in her elbow. She felt like she got hit by a truck - a few of them maybe.
"The longer she's out, the more likely she won't wake up." Henry cried. "I can't lose her!"
"You won't - I know it." Emma assured hir.
The voices stopped for awhile though Henry continued to cry into her neck and shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Even though she could feel her body now, she still couldn't move it. She couldn't even open her eyes.
She tried to remember what happened just before she'd lost consciousness but it was blocked in her mind. Whatever it was must have been far too traumatic for her heart and mind to handle. Her fingers tingled then and she wriggled them. Her toes were next, moving inside her shoes.
"Kid…"
Her nose scrunched and she inhaled sharply, the scent of Henry's deodorant mixed with sweat absorbing into her senses. Henry lifted his head and her lips twitched.
"Mom!?"
She blinked, her eyes remaining closed. "...nry…" Her voice was weak.
"Oh my god, Mom you're waking up!" Henry had a hand on each of her shoulders, shaking her.
She grunted in pain, scrunching her nose. "H-Henry…" She breathed. Her eyes fluttered open, the bright light of the room blinding her. She blinked, wincing as she tried to sit up.
"Regina, maybe you should just stay still until Dr. Whale gets here." Emma eyed her warily.
"I-I'm fine…." She ground out as Henry helped her sit up. "Where…" She looked around her office noting the pile of dust on the ground, the baby basket on the table, and her sister standing nearby holding her infant daughter. But wait… "W-Where's Robin!?" Henry, Emma, and Zelena all looked at each other before casting Regina a sympathetic look. Dread filled her to the core as her frazzled mind scrambled to remember her last moments with him before she'd fallen unconscious. "No…"
"Hades was going to kill you." Zelena spoke up, tears running down her face. "He wanted you out of the way so he could have me all to himself so he was going to use the crystal. Robin jumped in front of the blast and pushed you out of the way." Regina listened to her sister with her eyes wide. "I walked in just as you and Robin tumbled to the floor - you hit your head on the wall. I took the crystal from Hades and used it on him. I'm sorry, sis, I should have listened to you about Hades. He didn't really love me at all."
"Yeah, hence the pile of dust on the floor over there." Emma remarked.
Regina's head was pounding and she couldn't keep all of this straight. No one was telling her about Robin and the longer she went without knowing the longer she feared the worst. Her eyes scanned around the office again, looking for the one person she had yet to see since waking up. "N-No...please…"
"Regina, he-"
"No!" Regina cut the Savior off, her voice strained. She struggled to rise to her feet, balancing on unsteady legs. Her entire body ached from head to toe, her skull setting into a throb that made everything spin around her. She just couldn't take the condescending pity from anyone now that she'd lost another love of her life. "He's not here. His body - what did you do with him?!"
"Mom, be careful…" Henry reached out his hands.
She turned her head to face him but blinked when she found there were two of him and both of them were swaying. Or maybe she was the one swaying? Maybe Henry was right… "Where…" She couldn't even get the words out, her stomach turning and threatening to rise.
"Sis, you're going to fall!"
Zelena's words didn't even register as Regina's ear were ringing. The images in front of her blurred to the point where they bled together. "Where's…." Her heart pounded furiously in her chest. "Where is he?" Henry stepped forward toward her but she shook her head. "Where's my Robin?" She breathed out, her eyes fluttering closed as the last of her energy drained from her body and her legs gave out beneath her.
A pair of strong arms caught her just as she dropped. Her heart skipped a beat, the scent of forest overwhelming her senses and calming her all at the same time. Her eyes blinked open and she let out a gasp. "I'm right here, my Queen. Right here with you."
"Robin!" She whispered, gazing up at him. She felt herself be lifted up into his arms and she reached her hand to rest on the side of his face. "Are you really here?"
"I'm here, my love." Robin smiled down at her, walking over to the couch across the room and gently laying her down on it. He knelt down beside her, pushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. "I should have been here when you awoke, I offer my deepest apologies."
She tilted her head to the side, though she instantly regretted it when her head pounded again. She couldn't stop looking at him, at his ruggedly handsome, gentle face. And his soft, kind eyes - she could get lost in those forever.
"I just - after Zelena took care of Hades and I saw you lying on the ground not moving I lost it." Robin looked down. Tears fell down from Regina's eyes and Robin wiped them away with his finger. "I couldn't bear to lose you - not again. And the thought of it being at my hand…"
"You saved my life!" Regina croaked. "You got me out of the way of Hades' crystal - and nearly sacrificed yourself in the process."
"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat." Robin leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead. "Forgive me for saying so, milady - but it appears as if you're not feeling like yourself."
"You pushed her into the wall, of course she's not herself!" Zelena interjected behind them.
"Zelena!" Emma scolded her.
"No, it's fair." Robin chuckled, on hand on the top of Regina's head and the other holding her hand.
"You saved me, that's all that matters." Regina smiled up at him.
"Whale'll be here soon, but why don't we give these two a moment alone first?" Emma cleared her throat. "Just, ah, don't let her fall asleep okay? She's most likely got a concussion, Mr. Hero." Robin nodded, letting out a chuckle. Zelena protested but soon she, Emma, and Henry filed out of the office into the hall.
"How are you feeling, my love?" Robin rubbed her thumb in between his fingers.
She paused, intertwining her fingers with his. "Like I got pushed into a wall." He rolled his eyes and shook his head even as she laughed. "No...I'm with you and nothing else could matter. I could have lost you today - now we have the rest of our lives to make up for it."
"I quite agree, milady. You, and me, and our children." Robin leaned down to kiss her. "We'll never be apart, never again."
"Sounds like heaven to me, thief." Regina sighed happily.
In no time at all, all of Regina's wounds had healed and she was back on her feet. Today marked the first day following a new chapter in her life - for the night before on their weekly date night, Robin had pulled out a ring and requested she kindly agree to be his wife. She'd of course accepted without question and today they were having a get together at Granny's with all their friends to announce the good news (though the boys were the first to know of course).
Regina couldn't be happier - hadn't ever been in her entire life. She had her thief, her boys, her sister and niece, and her friends. She found peace within herself and learned to accept both sides of herself - the light and the dark. She had her happy ending, and no one was ever going to take that away from her.