Zelena finds out that Robin's back.

Day 2

Regina eyes opened before the morning sun even rose. Sleep had evaded her all night, she barely caught more than a few hours of it. And how could she? How could anyone expect her to sleep knowing what she knew now?

Robin had been returned to her but he was living in an hourglass. One that would eventually run empty.

They were lying in bed together now. Regina could hardly remember how they got there. Everything blurred after she saw that 365 turn to 364. She remembered Robin kissing her tears away and holding her as she cried. He must've gotten her upstairs.

She could feel his arm around her now. And his rhythmic breathing at her neck. She turned to find him sleeping behind her. Her heart clenched at the sight of him. Though she supposed even dead men walking had to rest eventually it just seemed a horrible waste. They officially had less than a year left together. Every second had turned precious and she didn't want to sleep through one.

She softly sighed as she ran her fingers over the numbers on his right forearm. 364. Time was slipping away from them and she had to do more than just watch it run out.

As quietly as she could she slipped out of bed, not wanting to disturb him. He'd just come back from the dead. He probably needed his rest. She got dressed and walked out the front door. A tiny flicker of guilt rose up her chest when she realized she was taking away from their already limited time together but she convinced herself that he was sleeping anyway so it wasn't as if she was missing anything.

Stepping outside she took a deep breath when the chilly air hit her skin, a puff of fog appeared in front of her as she deeply exhaled.

She had to do something.

She didn't know what but she had to. Time was running out and she couldn't waste it all staring at the numbers and crying. She reminded herself that she had never been that type of woman.

She thought she'd end up at the vault or the library. Somewhere where she could do research and get a better handle on what would was happening. She'd ended up in neither of those places.

Instead, she'd ended up in the farmhouse sitting next to baby Robyn's cradle.

The sun had barely risen and the baby girl slept soundly in her crib, unaware that she was being watched. And unaware that her father had returned from the dead. As Regina looked down at her wistfulness and guilt began to creep into her heart. She'd hadn't spent much time with Robyn since her father's death. Seeing her and hearing her name had been more pain than she could handle at the time. She'd promised Robin that she'd love and protect her like one of her own but she'd failed. She cringed at the thought of this baby in the arms of her darker half. Lying in her cradle with the cricket trapped above her. It was hideous. She should've put a stop to it. Spoken up against Zelena and protected her like she promised. But she hadn't. She'd been too weak.

That ends now.

The sun rose and she heard the floorboards above her head creak. A moment later Zelena appeared in the kitchen, cinching the waist of her green silk robe, eyes widening in surprise when she saw Regina sitting silently by her daughter's bassinet.

For a moment she seemed caught off guard but she quickly recovered with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. "Well now," she said, crossing her arms. "Doesn't this feel familiar."

"We need to talk," Regina said bluntly.

"So early in the day?" Zelena replied, clearly annoyed. She scoffed. "At least your dark half came with the moon and a drink in hand."

Regina ignored her sarcasm continuing. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors by now Zelena."

"You say that as if anyone in this town talks to me," Zelena lied, crossing over to her daughter's bassinet. She let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw the baby was still inside.

"Robin is back," said Regina. "He's home."

The air in the cabin grew tense. She saw Zelena's back go rigid and her grip on the bassinet go tighter as she forced a closed lip smile on her face. "So is that why you've finally decided to grace us with your presence Regina?" she said bitterly. "You've come to gloat?"

"You know the reason I'm here," Regina said in a low voice.

Zelena finally turned to face her, her blue eyes harsh and cold as she glared. "So that's it then? Your thief has come back from the dead and you're here to rip my daughter from my arms again?"

Regina sighed and clenched her jaw in response. Shaking her head, she answered, "No Zelena that's not what I'm here to do."

She stood to her feet. "I am not here to take her. I am not here to fight you nor am I here to ask you to do what's right. I don't have to do… because you're going to do it on your own."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Regina gritted out. "I am not going to take Robyn from you. You're going to deliver her to her father yourself. Not fighting. No arguing. Today."

Zelena let out a dry wicked chuckle. "There's no way in hell…"

"Don't test me Zelena!" Regina hissed, stepping closer to her in a threatening manner. "From the moment that man has stepped foot in your sights you've tortured him. You've deceived him, you've threatened him and you've harmed people that he cares for. You will not put up a wall between him and his daughter. You will not be the obstacle that you tried so very hard to be when she was born. Not this time."

"I gave you the chance to raise Robyn on your own," Regina continued. "You used it poorly. You gave her a front row seat to your cruelty and placed her in the arms of sociopath who, if not for me, would've murdered you and left her an orphan."

Zelena gritted her teeth as she listened to her sister list out the mistakes she made in her daughter's very short life.

"You've had your chance Zelena," she said. "Now he gets his. You will not stand in his way and if you truly love your daughter you won't stand in her way either."

Zelena jutted out of her chin as she intensely stared down her younger sister. She searched her eyes and saw an unmistakable conviction that lying inside them.

"Robyn deserves time with her father," Regina softly continued. "She'll never get another chance at it."

Her tone lost its bite then. She spoke with a gentleness that had been missing during her demands. If Robin only had a year left then it should be spent getting to know his daughter in the ways that he hadn't been allowed before. And nothing would get in the way of that.

She picked up her gloves from the kitchen table. "You will bring Robyn to the mansion… by noon. Not a minute later."

She stepped around Zelena and headed for the door. Before she reached it she heard…

"And what makes you think I won't fight for her?"

She lets out a dark chuckle before swiveling back on her heel to face her sister. "You don't want to fight me Zelena. After what happened with the queen… we both know you'd lose."

Zelena haughtily sniffed but offered no rebuttal. Regina could almost feel sorry her. She knew how she felt, especially now that her more empathetic side had been returned to her. But this wasn't about Zelena. This was about Robin, his daughter and the time they deserved together. And she wouldn't let Zelena stand in the way of that. No matter how damaged she was.

She returned to the mansion before anyone realized she was gone. Henry was still asleep in his room and Robin was still lying in her bed, snoring softly, completely ignorant of her absence.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair. He'd always been such a sound sleeper, so different from her. She'd always envied that about him.

She watched him sleep, her eyes occasionally drifting down to his tattoo every few seconds or so. Tick, tick, tick.

Somewhere deep inside she'd always known that she and Robin weren't meant to have forever. But seeing it so blatantly displayed was just cruel.

Taking a deep breath she tried to squash down her despair. She'd already wasted one day crying over their fate. She wouldn't waste another.

If their time together was meant to be short, she would do everything in her power to make sure it would be best of his life.

Regina didn't tell Robin about her visit to Zelena. She didn't want to get his hopes up in case her sister decided to put up a fight. But she knew he was aching to see his children. Sadly at the moment she could only ensure the arrival of one.

Though she grew anxious as the morning faded away, relief flowed through her when she heard the doorbell ring promptly at 12.

Zelena had stood on her doorstep, antagonistic as ever but with her daughter in hand. Robin eyed her warily as she stepped into the foyer and she scoffed when she caught sight of him.

"So the rumors are true," she drawled. "You're back."

"Yes I am," Robin said shortly, grabbing Regina's hand. "And quite pleased to be so."

"Well isn't that just…wonderful," she said, offering a cold sarcastic smile to them. Sidestepping them both she carried her daughter into the dining room and set her basket down on the table.

Robin wasted no time reaching inside and lifting his little girl into his arms. She'd grown so much in his absence. It nearly ripped his heart in two thinking over how much he'd missed. How much he will miss. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she gurgled happily in his arms. She looked beautiful. "Daddy's here," he whispered. "I missed you."

Regina watched their reunion with warmth in her eyes while Zelena just grimaced from the side of the table.

When curiosity finally got the better of him, he ripped his eyes away from his daughter long enough to ask, "Did you name her?"

"Of course," said Zelena, rolling her eyes. "Her name is Robyn."

Robin went still at that. "You named her after me?"

Zelena jutted out her chin and replied, "It was an impulse decision brought on by grief. Hers, not mine." She tilted her head toward Regina who rolled her eyes in response.

"Now that you're back I suppose you'll want her to stay with you?" mused Zelena, arching an eyebrow in their direction.

Robin opened his mouth, clearly prepared for a struggle. She cut him off with a soft chuckle and shake of her head. "Fine."

Robin raised his eyebrows at her, shocked and a little distrustful. "Fine?"

"Yes," said Zelena, squaring her shoulders haughtily. "Quite frankly it's been a bit exhausting doing all the heavy lifting on my own." She tilted her head thoughtfully and sighed, "Mummy could use a little break. So she's yours… for now."

It didn't escape either of their notices that her eyes dropped down to Robin's forearm with her final two words before offering Regina a wry smirk. After she gave them a rundown of baby Robyn's schedule Zelena allowed for her sister to walk her out.

Regina cleared her throat as she shut the door behind her and joined Zelena on the porch. Folding her arms across her chest she said, "I'll bring her by in a few days for a visit."

Zelena pursed her lips as she nodded. "Fine."

Regina softly exhaled as she took her in. Her body was tense and rigid. Her bluster might've fooled Robin but Regina could tell that her sister was clearly upset. They stood together in silence before Regina softly asked, "What made you decide not to fight?"

Zelena took a deep breath before turning to her sister tight-lipped smile. "Well I figured… why waste my energy trying to fight something that's so clearly temporary."

Regina dug her fingers into her arms as her sister stared her down with a superior look in her eye. So that's why she'd come so quietly. Of course, she'd take this opportunity to rub Robin's fate in her sister's fate.

She turned to leave before spinning on her heel to face Regina again. "I almost forgot," she said, snapping her fingers. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a long thin box which she handed to her sister. "Consider this my preemptive parting gift for Robin."

Regina opened it to find the wizard's wand inside.

Zelena shrugged her shoulder. "I promised Roland a visit from his baby sister. I suppose you'll want to take care of that for me as well."

Regina remained silent as her older sister looked at her with pity in her blue eyes.

"Enjoy your year sis," she said softly. "And don't expect me to comfort you when it's over."

She lifted a hand and disappeared in a flurry of green smoke leaving Regina alone on the porch. She understood her sister's bitterness. She really did. Zelena was hurting so she lashed out. It was familiar pattern in their family. One she'd fallen into for many years in the past. However, it didn't heal the figurative stab wounds her sister had so expertly left in her gut.

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