The atmosphere in Granny's Diner was dismal at best; though packed full of people, only the sound of clinking dishes and Granny's barked orders to Ruby filled the small space. Robin assumed that everyone was terrified, on the edge of their seats, waiting for all hell to break loose.
The Charming family, now one member short, sat squished together in a corner booth with Robin, all holding each other as they dwelled on their fear and misery.
Regina and Robin had sworn to each other to keep their trip to the future a secret, but Robin had to bite his tongue from spilling the whole truth to Snow and Emma as they sat together contemplating what would drive Regina to act so rashly, without warning them before she plunged herself into eternal darkness.
God, it's all my fault, it's all my fault, it's all my fault. Over and over, Robin couldn't stop the endless cycle of torment that knotted his gut and stung at his eyes. There had to have been another choice, they could have found another way to save him and Hook from their fate. Of all the people to take on the darkness, it shouldn't have been Regina. He knew she was strong, but she shouldn't have to face these demons again, to relive the nightmares that wake her more often than not, that have her sobbing and screaming in her sleep.
It should have been him; he could have become the Dark One for her. He didn't have as much pain in his past and he wouldn't have been swallowed by his darkest thoughts. He could have kept her safe, but now he was powerless. He had no way of helping her; he couldn't even understand what kind of personal hell she threw herself into. For him.
"What do you think she'll be like?" Henry asked tentatively, surprising his family. He had been completely silent once he heard what his mother had done, had closed himself off from everyone for hours, staring into space as everyone talked around him. Now he wrung his hands nervously, and Robin realized how frightened the young boy might be. He may have complete faith in his mother, but he still worried about her.
"I can imagine," Snow answered, "If she's anything like the person I made her all those years ago…. She won't be happy." David tried to reassure her that it wasn't her fault, but still Snow sighed and squeezed Henry's hand, both of them wearing the same guilt stricken, painful expression. It seemed everyone was aching for Regina and the demons she was facing right now, all alone.
"Your mom's tough, kid," Emma said, taking Henry's shaking hands in her own, "She's stronger than we know, she can get through this."
"But she shouldn't have to do it alone!" Henry huffed, frustrated, and slumped in his seat, "She needs us to remind her that we love her. To help her control the darkness."
"We'll find a way to get to her," David said, faking his enthusiasm for Henry's sake, "We'll always find her."
Henry smiled sadly, the sentiment not quite meeting his eyes, before he drooped again. "We don't even know how to get to her, or where she went. And she told Robin not to go looking for her."
Robin grimaced as he remembered Regina's words, we can't go anywhere near Camelot, and he'd told his love's family as much, she wouldn't want them risking their lives for her, that it would make her sacrifice pointless. He wasn't sure what Regina expected: they're the Charmings after all, and they don't leave family behind. Ever since she'd disappeared, they'd all been racking their minds for a way to bring her back, with Robin choking back his urge to stop them, to explain that they can't find her, she'll find them.
"What if she never comes back?" Henry whispered, his sorrow cracking his voice. "What if she can't?"
"She will," Robin promised, nodding as Henry's watery hazel eyes met his, "I know it."
"How can you be sure?" Henry's face softened; hope glimmering in his eyes for a brief moment before fading away. He had to tell them, Robin decided, he wasn't going to let Henry believe that he'd lost his mother forever, and besides, she wasn't exactly here to stop him.
"Because… she took the Sorcerer's wand with her."
"What?" Snow and Emma exclaimed in unison as they both narrowed their eyes at the archer.
"Why would she take the wand? Why would she have it with her in the first place?"
Henry's eyes lit up as Robin floundered for something to calm the two women burning holes into him. "So she could come back! She took it so she could come back! Right Robin?" The young boy turned to him beaming; Robin chewed his bottom lip as everyone stared at him, regret flooding him in an instant. Shit, he should not have done this.
"How would she know she needed to come back?" David asked, more accusation than question in his tone.
"She… uh…."
A burst of purple smoke blasted through the diner's front door, throwing it off its hinges, and a crack of thunder shook the building, causing everyone to lose balance and fall on to each other. The lights blinked out, and everyone was left sitting in the twilight that slipped through the open windows.
As the smoke cleared slowly, seeping into the cracks in the floor, the room fell silent, and the clicking of very high heels echoed in Robin's ears.
Regina walked to the center of the diner, pushing tables out of her way with a flick of her wrist, with a tight menacing grin stretching across her face. Her body was covered with a long billowing cloak made of black feathers, the hood draped over her head. She lifted her hands slowly, Robin noticed the large black rings that sparkled around her fingers, and she removed the hood, dropping it behind her neck. Her hair was wildly curled and tucked over one shoulder, long enough to hang down to her belly button, which Robin realized was exposed. The dress she wore under her cloak was black silk, clinging to her curves as if it was liquid black smoke sewn together, and the neckline dropped farther than Robin had ever seen, ending just above her hip, leaving her cleavage and toned stomach on full display.
She turned slowly, her eyes raking the room until she landed on her family. Her gaze rested on Robin only for a moment before slipping to those sitting around him. Emma was the first to stand, stepping aside so her parents could follow her. Henry stayed firmly seated next to Robin, his jaw hanging slack, his eyes draining of the hope he had only moments ago. His voice wavered as he whispered a meek "Mom?"
Snow and Emma stepped in front of their family, followed closely by David and Hook. Regina ran her eyes up and down the women before her, fluttering her dramatically long eyelashes, and leaned back on her heels to let a wicked laugh rip out of her throat, sending ice down Robin's veins.
"You know, for a moment I wasn't going to come back to this hell hole, I had the whole realm to myself without all of you idiots cluttering it up. But then I got to thinking," she flourished her hand dramatically, a light airy tone filling her voice, something more terrifying than the deep growl that was escaping her lips only moments ago, "what's the fun in letting everyone who destroyed my life live on here, while I'm alone there? When I could just come back, and kill you all one by one."
Henry gasped beside Robin as Regina walked around the diner, laughing to herself as everyone coward from her. Robin slid from his seat to stand behind the Charmings, Emma, and Hook. He cautiously stepped past them, trying to get closer to Regina, to get her attention before she did something rash. She needed to remember why she did this, that her good intentions couldn't be overshadowed by the darkness now burning inside of her.
"What happened to you?" Emma asked, no delicacy in her tone, and Robin cursed her silently. Regina froze in her tracks and whipped towards Emma, her playful smile dropping to something predatory, as if she was going to growl at her. Oddly Regina turned her head to the side as if she'd heard something, looking beside her and listening before shaking her head and throwing up an impish smirk again.
"So who has my wonderful new dagger?" Regina glanced around the room, cocking her chin up regally. "Oh wait, let me guess… Emma!" She pointed at the blonde, who narrowed her eyes in disgust.
"Don't look at me like that, I know you have it. You're the only one who wouldn't give it to me." Regina raised an eyebrow and grinned menacingly, stalking towards Emma until they were almost nose-to-nose, flourishing her long cloak behind her. She noticed Hook move closer to Emma's side, as if to remind Regina that she would deal with him if she did anything to his girlfriend, and the idea made her laugh. She continued to smile as she looked Emma up and down, waiting.
"I'm not giving it to you, Regina," Emma spat, holding her ground as Regina leaned closer, her smile dropping to something far more terrifying.
"I'm not asking dear, give it to me. Now."
"I'd like to see you try and take it from me," Emma said defiantly, and Regina stepped back, a coy smile on her face again as she laughed.
"Oh miss Swan, I'm not in the mood for games. I'll take my dagger, or I'll take something else."
"What are you going to do, kill me? In front of Henry?" At the mention of his name Regina's eyes flickered between Emma and Hook's shoulders to her son before dropping to the ground as she chewed on her lower lip. Robin could see that she was ashamed to look at him, to let him see her like this, but she ignored her pain for the moment.
"Well, I can't take your heart… but I can take Captain Guyliner's." She plunged her hand into Hook's chest as a chorus of shock sounded around her. Hook grunted as the air flew from his lungs, and as she ripped her hand back, his red and black heart firmly in her grasp, he leaned over and placed a hand to his chest.
"Now there are three choices. One, you give me my dagger and you can have your boy toy's heart back. Two," Regina paused and raked her eyes along Hook's crumpled form, "I leave, and the pirate becomes my new play thing."
"I'd rather die," Hook spat.
"Oh good! That's option three."
Regina's fingers clenched around the glowing heart in her hand and Hook gasped and hissed through his teeth as he clutched at his chest.
"Regina, stop!" Emma yelled, holding Hook's shoulder as her eyes pleaded with the woman holding his heart.
"I don't have time for your stupidity, Swan, give me my dagger!" Regina raised her voice, squeezing harder and harder, and Robin could swear he heard a crack from the beating organ in his love's hand. Hook cried out in agony as Emma stood and reached into her jacket.
"Fine!" She slammed the dagger onto the diner floor, dropping to her knees next to the pirate while he caught his breath. Regina's focus flew to the blade on the floor and her fingers relaxed, letting the heart drop to the ground in front of Hook.
Robin stepped closer and looked around the couple kneeling together, pushing the pirate's heart back into his chest, and shifted closer to Regina. She stared at the ground, her eyes wide as she bent over. She lifted the blade and her hands began to tremble. Robin couldn't quite see her face behind her wild mane of hair, but she looked devastated. Her eyes were glued to her own name and her jaw hung slack. A single tear trailed down her cheek, falling onto the dagger, and she wrapped her fingers around her name firmly, without any reaction to the blood that spilled from her tight grip on the blade.
"So what now, Regina?" Snow asked firmly.
Regina cleared her throat and slipped her mask back on, turning to look back at her family as she locked eyes with Henry. Robin hadn't noticed him stand up behind him, and he'd inched his way closer to his mother. They mirrored each other, both horrified and wounded.
"Henry…" She whispered, stepping towards her son. She reached a hand out, either to brush his hair or stroke his cheek, Robin couldn't tell, but Henry swatted it away. Regina gasped as his hand hit hers, and she stared at her open palm before clenching it into a fist as her stone face cracked for an instant.
Regina's eyes flared as she turned back to the blonde crouched next to Hook.
"You did this," she spat venomously, "You took him away from me. You turned him against me."
Emma stood quickly, too quickly Robin realized, that it hadn't been Emma at all, but Regina's magic forcing her to her feet. Regina shoved her hand forward and Emma flew to the wall behind her, smashing her back into the tile with a crack and a loud cry.
"Mom stop!" Henry screamed, and Regina froze, her hand clenched in the air next to her face. "This isn't you! Why are you doing this?"
Regina dropped her hand and Emma collapsed to the ground, choking and gasping as Snow and David ran over to her. Regina forced her scowl to soften as she faced her son, but her eyes still blazed with all the fury of hell.
"They've all destroyed me time and again, and now they're about to be punished."
Henry stuttered as his eyes danced across his mother's face, his words stuck on the tip of his tongue. Robin moved to the boy's side and placed his hand on his back softly. Regina's gaze flickered to him, a flash of betrayal on her face for only a moment before Emma stood and closed in on her again.
"We're not taking any of your crap, Regina. We're not scared of you."
"Oh," Regina chuckled, gliding up to Emma as her red lips spread into a vicious grin, "But you should be, Saviour. I'm not the mayor; I'm not even the Evil Queen. I'm the Dark One, thanks to you." Something cracked Regina's smooth smile, a flicker of pain across her regal features before she composed herself again. "And you have no idea what I'm capable of."
Emma glared as Regina's head jerked to the side, and she growled a firm "shut the hell up."
Everyone stopped to look at each other before following Regina's gaze to an empty seat behind her. She was focused on the vacant seat, breathing raggedly and scowling.
"Who are you talking to, love?" Robin asked, low and quite, afraid to spook her.
"What are you talking about?" Regina turned to Robin and pointed behind her. "Rumple!" She stared at him, waiting for him to understand, but as he looked between his soul mate and the empty chair she pointed to, he slowly shook his head. She furrowed her brow and looked to the rest of her family, reading the same confusion on each of their faces. Her eyes widened, sudden horror replacing her fury. "You can't see him?"
She whipped back to the empty chair and kicked her leg out, throwing the chair across the room with a loud crash. Her hands started shaking violently, the dagger clutched so firmly her knuckles turned white. "He- He's in my head?"
Robin reached out, grazing his fingers on her sleeve before she yanked her arm away and stepped back quickly, her hands trembling as she clutched the dagger to her chest. He dropped his hand, wounded by her rejection, and wrapped his arm around Henry's shoulders as Regina retreated further, distancing herself from her family as panic took over her.
"I spent my entire life with Rumple in my head, I don't need it now!"
Without warning she ran out the door, her cloak flying behind her as she disappeared in a cloud of purple. Robin chased after her, the Charmings close behind him, and as he stepped onto the street he saw Regina appear in front of Gold's shop, pausing long enough to kick the door in and storm inside.
Robin raced down the street, reaching the pawnshop in time to hear Regina throwing and smashing anything she could find. Shards of glass and broken magical objects littered the ground, and Regina pushed a counter out of her way as she stalked to the back room.
"You son of a bitch!" Regina shrieked as Robin found her standing above a comatose Rumple, lying helplessly on a cot in his office. Regina tucked her dagger into her cloak and grabbed Rumple's jacket, shaking him violently as she screamed at him. "Wake up! This is your fault! You made me like this!"
"Regina, stop!" Robin thought to reach out to her but stopped, afraid of pushing her to withdraw from him again. "Rumplestiltskin can't do anything, he's been like this since you left."
"He's in my head. He's everywhere." Regina's voice shook, her eyes burning behind the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.
"It's not real," he stepped closer, drawing her attention from the man lying beneath them, "He can't hurt you."
Regina's chin quivered as she steadied her breathing, her eyes looking over Robin's shoulder to her family behind him. She hid no pain from them, her sorrow clear on her face, in her posture, in her ragged breathing, in the tears sparkling in her eyes. Her gaze rested on Snow, who was hugging Henry in the office doorway, before falling to the floor.
"He already hurt me."
She waved her hands in front of her, and in a puff of smoke she was gone.
:::
Robin walked slowly, the echo of his shoes on pavement sounded rhythmic and numbing as fear and confusion weighed down every step.
He'd spent the night at the Charmings' loft, crashing on their couch in hopes to keep an eye on Henry, knowing it would be what Regina would want. He rose before the sun, as always, and snuck out of the apartment as daylight broke over the quaint houses of the neighbourhood. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, the morning air brisk and damp as the wind rolled off the sea just a few blocks away, and he lost himself in his thoughts as he meandered down the sidewalk, his feet carrying him by memory.
Henry had sealed himself off again, ever Regina's son, as he boiled in a mix of anger and sorrow. Robin wanted to help the boy, to remind him that Regina needed him, but he refused to speak to anyone, hiding away in his grandparent's bedroom. That's not my mom, he'd said meekly when Snow had tried to talk to him. Robin had imagined that getting him to help find his mother was pointless.
Snow and Emma mirrored each other, always the heroes in a time of crisis. They appeared the most level headed amongst the group, though Robin could see their pain as they had come to terms with what this new Dark One meant to Storybrooke. Everyone in this town had a past with the Queen that brought them here, trapping them for 28 years to live out their supposed eternal misery, and now that the Dark One embodied the great and terrible Evil Queen, anyone was a target. It seemed an unspoken resolution that Emma and Snow would be the first on Regina's hit list, and tension amongst the small family was evident. The Dark Curse seemed like a breeze compared to anything Regina might do now.
Charming and Hook were certainly no help, both at a loss for how they could defeat this kind of villain, one they didn't want to defeat. Hook had taken his chance to make his snarky comments about his past quests to destroy the Dark One – thankfully with Henry out of ear shot – and Snow had reminded him that if they were to win this fight, Regina would lose.
So, in the end, Robin decided that he needed to be the one to find Regina first. He wanted to see if there was still a piece of her left, so he could bring her back to herself as soon as possible. He wanted to prove to everyone that she was still Regina, that she wasn't swallowed by darkness, but perhaps it was too late.
He knew that, no matter how much he loved Regina, only Henry could pull her back from this hell. She needed him and his unyielding faith, but he was only a boy, and he needed time to adjust, to see that his mother was still there. They needed each other, and yet neither could be what the other relied on now.
He approached the white mansion and halted at the bushes that circled the yard. She wasn't in her vault, and he'd checked around the forest last night before returning to the Charmings' place, but her hiding out in her own home seemed too easy. Still, he was out of options, and he wanted his Regina back, so he trudged up to the door, urging the knot in his stomach to subside. There was no reason to be afraid.
He inhaled deeply and rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans, mustering any courage he had left to simply knock on the door. What if she rejected him? What if she didn't want him? What if she was standing in her living room brewing up a dark curse to kill every person in Storybrooke? No, he had faith in her. She wasn't that different. Sure she was angry, and in pain, and had Rumplestiltskin following her around everywhere she went….
He shook his head. No, she was fine. He lifted his hand, but before he could connect his knuckles with the door it swung open, cracking into the wall of the small foyer. She'll regret that later, he mused, crossing the threshold and scanning the empty doorway for any sign of her.
He walked up the front steps, briefly considering removing his shoes out of habit, but decided that if Regina was slamming doors into walls, she wouldn't mind his shoes trailing dirt into her home.
It didn't take much to find her; she sat on the dining room table waiting for him, leaning back on her hands, her legs crossed and her chin lowered suggestively. Despite the dramatic – and ungodly sexy – dress that clung to her body, or the wild and erratic hair, it was her eyes that were the most noticeably different thing about her. The warm brown seemed to swirl with darkness, any emotions inside her stirred in those whiskey irises, dripping from the theatrically long eyelashes.
He stepped closer, hesitating as he waited for her to make the first move. She took him in, watching each of his measured steps, as she seemed to think about how to respond to him. For a moment she dropped her theatrics and smiled deeply at him, the way she had before, that honest, true smile that he had dreamed of every night away from her.
She launched off the table and threw herself on him, her weight knocking him off balance and he stepped back to catch her. She hugged him tight and he buried his face in her long hair. He'd been unsure when he'd get to hold her again, to tell her he loved her, to breathe her scent of apples and vanilla and Regina, and he certainly wasn't complaining that it was so soon.
"I missed you, love," he whispered, and she choked out a laugh.
"It worked, you're safe."
"You shouldn't have done this," he leaned back, placing his palms on her cheeks, "There had to have been another way."
She squinted her eyes and tilted her head slightly, almost offended by his choice of words. "You don't think I'm strong enough to do this?"
"No, it's not that – you shouldn't have to," He tried softly, kissing her nose when her face softened, "This isn't fair to you."
"Life isn't fair," she said flatly, "But it's worth it to protect you."
She was right; life wasn't fair, not for her, and she'd learned that long ago. She'd lost too much, felt the brunt of heroism time and time again, and he blamed himself for most of it. For as long as she'd known him, she'd been struggling to make the right choices, to correct her past sins, and all he'd done is caused her pain. First with Marian, then with Zelena and their coming baby, and even when they overcame all of that, she had still been destined to lose him.
Her fate was pain, and she didn't deserve this. She was willing to throw herself into darkness to save him, to save everyone, and yet she was destined to suffer because of it.
She was always saving him, always saving everyone, and now it was his turn.
"You don't have to do this alone," Robin said, running his thumb along her cheek.
"It's my burden to bear, not yours." Regina replied firmly, clenching her fingers in the front of his jacket.
"It doesn't have to be." He placed his fingers under her chin when she moved to object, raising his eyebrows at her. "Hey, listen to me. You can control this, you can be yourself again."
Regina's eyes left his face, focusing on the air between them, and she slowly shook her head, closing her eyes to reveal the smoky makeup covering her lids. "That doesn't seem possible."
"Trust me." He smiled gently, taking her hands in his and squeezing lightly. "One small step at a time. And I can think of a first step."
She flashed her eyes and cocked a brow, her gaze dropping to her own side, her hand sliding inside her cloak before something indistinguishable crossed her face; a mix of anger, shock, and betrayal.
"Not you, too," she drew back from him, throwing his hand out of hers as she glared at him, "I thought…"
She shook her head in utter disbelief, and for a moment he was lost, how had he screwed up so quickly? Her dagger. Shit, she thought he was asking her to give it to him, that he might want to control her.
"No, no, Regina, you're…." His eyes dropped to her scantily clad form before bouncing back up to her eyes. "Please, you have to believe me. I'd never… I meant…" He waved his hands in front of him, trying to choose his words delicately while she watched him floundering.
She inhaled quickly as she realized what he was thinking. "Oh." Stepping back, she flicked her wrists in front of her, encircling herself in a purple cloud. Regina stood before him wearing a mayor-approved form fitting red dress, her hair shorter, bobbing just past her shoulders, and far straighter and tamed than before. She smiled softly and shook her head gently.
"I'm sorry. I should have trusted you. Better?" She winked at him, and draped her arms around his neck.
"What are you doing here?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, and didn't miss the way she wriggled her hips in his grasp. "Come back to your family."
"You mean the bastards who ruined my life?" Regina rolled her eyes. "Not likely."
"It's not like that, they're your friends."
"They're not, they've brought me nothing but misery."
"That's the darkness talking, Regina. Not you."
Regina's eyes shot to the side, and she shifted her weight awkwardly, glaring over her own shoulder.
"He's here, isn't he? Rumplestiltskin?"
Regina didn't answer, her eyes darting between him and the apparition that was beside her. Robin placed his hands on her cheeks and drew her gaze back to him. "He's not real, don't listen to him. It's just you and me."
"Everything he says is right," she growled, yanking her face from his grasp, "They ruin everything. They never believe in me."
So the Dark One was whispering in her ear, feeding on her agony, urging her to follow her darkest impulses. Classic Rumple, Robin thought, manipulative bastard.
He took her hand again, holding it against his heart gently. "What about Henry?"
Shame replaced her anger and she slid her hand down his chest, dropping it at her side hopelessly. "He…. He can't see me like this. I'm not good for him."
"Regina you need him. He believes in you." Robin's gut pinched at his minor lie – Henry didn't believe right now, but Regina didn't need to know about her son's wavering faith. He rubbed his hands along her arms, praying she didn't notice his slip up. "What about me?"
"It's different now- I'm different." She sighed and raked her hands through her hair in frustration. "I'm not this heroine woman you fell in love with, I don't know if I ever was. Life's too complicated for that." Hope drained from her eyes as her shoulders slumped, defeat tugging the corners of her lips down. "I'd understand if you wanted to leave, I'm… I'm not-"
Robin shook his head once and rested his hands on the dip of her shoulders. "I'm with you, always."
He pulled her closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. As he pulled back he found her smiling, real, pure happiness shining inside her again. "You still think… We might… have a future together?"
"Doubt never crossed my mind. Dark One or not, you are my future, Regina."
She grinned and pulled him into her, hugging him fiercely as she choked back a sob. They laughed quietly together, holding each other as if for the first time, Robin looping his fingers in her hair while Regina slipped her hands under his jacket, running her palms along his lower back.
They separated only briefly, pressing their foreheads together as they shut their eyes, closing the world off. It was just them, and together they could take on anything.
She can do this, he realized, pride blooming inside of him so quickly he threatened to burst, if anyone can do this, it's her.
He lifted his head to look into her eyes, and he risked stealing a kiss from her. He pressed his lips to hers softly, meaning for it to only be a peck before she roped her arms around his neck and pulled him in further, locking his lips with hers.
A fire lit between them, sparking every nerve in Robin's body as she pressed her chest to his, kissing him hard and stirring something in his belly. She grabbed the front of his jacket and yanked him back, crashing her own back into the wall behind her, pinning herself under him. He rocked into her, pressing his thigh between her legs as she slid her tongue into his mouth.
Robin couldn't tell how long they stayed like this, making out like horny teenagers against her dining room wall, but he was fully lost in the feel of her soft skin under his palms, the taste of her neck when he ran his tongue from her clavicle to the hinge of her jaw, the sound of her moans as she rocked her hips against his thigh, when his cellphone erupted in his jacket pocket.
"Fuck," he hissed into her neck before he leaned back, grabbing the phone and reading the name on the screen. "It's David, they're probably wondering where I went."
Robin groaned as Regina gently pushed him off of her, releasing his leg from between her thighs, and she gave him a playful smile as she reached up to fix his hair, now dishevelled from her running her fingers through it. "You should go back," she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips, one he tried to pull her into before she smiled and leaned back, "Make sure Henry's okay for me."
"You can come with me, you know," Robin reminded her, "They want to see you."
She grimaced and slid her hand into his, pulling him towards the door gently. "No they don't."
He wanted to protest, to tell her they really did want her back, but he supposed he didn't know what they wanted. He trusted her completely, but perhaps her family had different opinions of the new Dark One; maybe they would only accept the old Regina. He stumbled over his words as she lead him down the stairs, and she shook her head and pressed her palm to his cheek.
"Just promise me you'll come back."
Robin took one last look at Regina, her face vulnerable yet more confident than it had been when he arrived, and he comforted himself in her strength, knowing that he could leave and she would be fine. He leaned forward to steal one last kiss, letting his lips linger on hers, committing the taste of her lips to memory, before she shoved him playfully out the door.
"I'll be back as soon as I can."