Regina walked into her house and leaned against the door as it closed behind her. She could still feel Marion's heart pulsating in her palm, but she had kept it beating. A small tear trailed down her pale cheek and traced her scar as she relived that moment – how she hadn't squeezed the heart of Robin's wife. This was the reassurance that she needed, because now she knew she was good. There had been a flicker of a second when Regina thought about what she would have done when she was still the Evil Queen, but then she heard her two favorite voices in her head:
I'm in love with someone else
That's the best idea you've ever had… we… Operation Mongoose
Her love for Henry and Robin had made her fingers gentle and warmed her heart even though it still hurt so much. If she killed Marion neither of them would love her, but because she had saved her they both did. That was what kept Regina good; it is better to be loved, even if you're being kept apart, than to be alone and unloved.
You are where you need to be, Regina thought to herself, just take a deep breath. She did just that as she stood tall and walked into her empty house.
Except it wasn't empty.
"Regina?" She spun around at the familiar voice and instinctively smiled at the man coming out of her kitchen.
"Robin!" She beamed at him, but then realized that he might be here because she had failed and her smile faded. "Is Marion's heart alright?"
He hesitated as if he didn't want to talk about it. "Yes, Marion is still alive. That's why I shouldn't be here, but I saw you save her today and all I could think was how much I love you for it."
There were those tears again, except this time they dampened both sides of her face. "I love you too, but I know –" the words caught in her throat.
"But I want to." It was quiet, like a whispery breath, but Regina heard him and felt her heart swell. Quickly, as if not wanting to think it through, her thief walked across to meet her in the hallway. Taking her in his arms he traced her tears and kissed them away. "I love you. I love you so much."
Regina's lips melted into his and she smiled when his beard brushed her face. Sinking into the man that felt so right the world slipped away, and when he started kissing her neck she felt every fear slip away. None of the shadows that usually haunted her were there when Robin was and she'd missed the bliss that came with being with him. But she could still feel Marion's heat pulsating in her palm.
"Robin," Regina whispered, "are you sure that this is… what you want." The last words were so quiet because she wasn't sure she wanted the answer until he said it:
"Yes. I can't not be with you anymore – we are meant to be together and that is the most honourable part of me."
After that Regina gave in completely – finally rewarded for having a warm heart and a gentle touch.