"Robin! Im home!" Regina Mills set her keys down on the table inside the door and shrugged off her black canvas trench coat. She gently hung it in its place on the iron coat rack. Her exhausted raspy voice echoed through the still manor. She knew the thief was the but he was nowhere in sight. The house was almost completely dark except for a flicker of candlelight coming from the dining room. A confused look passed over the mayors face. Why was the house so dark? And where was Robin? Her feet felt glued to the floor, but she forced herself to move toward the light in the next room. The silence was broken by the sound of her pricey Kate Spade purse clattering to the ground. Reginas eyes locked with Robins. There he was, sitting at the table alone with candles lit and fresh roses carefully positioned inside of a few glass vases. Fancy food and expensive champagne was arranged for two. A small grin spread his handsome face. Reginas face turned to stone and she tried to fight back tears. Robin was in her house, made them a romantic dinner, and now she wasn't brave enough to take her seat. It was all too much too soon. Was it? Or was she just afraid of what happened next? She knew Robin was not Daniel, but her heart had built a wall of steel that even her true love couldnt seem to get through. The pair stared at eachother in silence. Robin too worried that if he spoke, she would run away like she had done so many times before. The mayors heart was pounding and she began to hyperventilate.

" Regina..." he attempted to coax her cautiously to the table. A rebellious tear broke free and trickled down her face. " I-I...c-cant" she managed to stammer. Robin slowly rose from his chair. His hand stretched out in an attempt to stop her, but Regina was too fast and darted up the stairs.

" Regina please! Listen to me! Come here!" Robin pleaded from the bottom of the stairs. The mayor continued to run away.

" Get away from me Robin!" She shouted through tears. The next step came suddenly and she tripped and barely caught herself. The bathroom door slammed shut behind her with a bang and she plopped herself down on the toilet seat. She ran her fingers through her neatly clipped hair and buried her face in her hands. She heard her thiefs footsteps pace through the hall and stop outside the bathroom door.

" Im not going to 'get away'! I love you Regina Mills! I do, and one does not simply 'get away' from those they love. And you should know that better than anyone after Henry resented you after you first told him you were The Evil Queen! He ran from you like you run from me and you didnt give up and kept chasing after him. And Regina, i will do the exact same thing for you!"

The weight of the words he just spoke set in for both of them. Robin had always been cautious of the L word, but he was so upset that he forgot to filter it out. Regina had no idea what to say, so she just stared at the tile wall in silence trying to stifle her cries. No one could ever love Regina Mills. She was a cruel monster that took hundreds of lives and can't be trusted. Thats what everyone else thought, and one of the reasons why Robin cared for her so deeply. She couldnt allow another soul to love her after Daniel died. After what seemed like decades of silence, Robin finally mustered up the courage to say something.

" Im guessing, Regina, that when you when you built your walls up so many years ago, you didn't add a door," his voice was barely audible compared to the yelling from earlier, " which makes me want to tear it down brick by brick to allow myself into your heart because you won't let me in yourself."

Robin was answered with silence. He leaned his arm and head against the door and squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't know what else to say.

" I want to let you in," Reginas voice was no more than a whimper. It sounded like she was leaning on the other side of the door now too, " Your right that there isnt a door in the wall surrounding my heart. I would let you in, except i dont know how to tear them down myself." Regina had grown so used to being feared and hated that she didnt know how to let herself be loved or to love another again. She refused to be called a coward, but she was afraid of the concept of a relationship and the idea of a family. Regina wanted all of those things, she truly did, but her stupid walls wouldnt allow it.

" Then i guess we will just have to break them down together... only if you would permit it of course." Robin stated.

With that, Regina couldnt hold back anymore and unlocked the door. She couldnt bring herself to open it though. The mayor realized how ridiculous and cowardly she was being. Her heart leaped out of her chest and her chocolate eyes welled up with tears again as the crystal door knob slowly turned. With a pop the door creaked open. Robin entered to find a weeping mayor standing in the middle of the room staring at him with nothing but sheer terror and longing in her glistening eyes. Her mascara was smudged all over the place and her ruby lipstick wiped to the side. He could see the she trying her hardest to hold in her tears. The reformed thief and queen stood in silence once more, there eyes locked in fear.

" Don't hold back your feelings Regina. You can trust me. I trust you." Robin begged her to say something, anything, but she was frozen in her place. He cautiously walked over to the mayor and enveloped her in a tight hug. He became tense when he realized how ridged she was and how she stayed frozen and didnt wrap her arms around him in return.

" I got you, Madam Mayor, and im never. Letting. You. Go."

Regina couldnt stand it anymore and gave in. She melted into his grasp like Jello and squeezed her arms around him tightly.

" Robin im afraid. Of this. Us. All of it." She clenched her eyes shut. Her whole body trembled and shook as tears streamed down her bright red cheeks. Robin didnt know how exactly he should comfort her, so he let her bury her face in his shirt which always smelled of forest and earth. Her hair smelled of mint and roses when it whipped in his face as she cried violently.

She pounded her fists his chest and her forehead on his shoulder," i want to let you in so badly, but i don't know know!" She clenched her teeth.

Robin pulled her away from him arms length apart and braced his hands on her shoulders. She lightly held his strong wrists.

" I think," he paused and cupped her face in his hands and wiped away her mascara," you just did."

He sealed the deal with a thoughtful kiss. Regina was hesitant at first, but she kissed him back in seconds. Robin ran his fingers through her black hair. They each rested their foreheads on the others and gazed into eachothers eyes. The terror that once ruled Reginas eyes was replaced by something all new to her. It was love.

" Robin?"

" What, darling?"

" I..." she swallowed nervously and sniffled, " love...you...too."