3x13 "Witch Hunt"

How do you endure

O life, not living where you live,

and being brought near death

by the arrows you receive

from that which you conceive of your Beloved?

Why, since you wounded

this heart, don't you heal it?

And why, since you stole it from me,

do you leave it so,

and fail to carry off what you have stolen?

They walked on and after a few minutes of relaxing her hand, Robin moved his thumb back and forth along hers.

Regina returned a few caresses.

Sorry?

Accepted?

Or as close as they would get to it now?

She sighed, looking back at her castle. Robin let her hand go and moved to the group behind him, falling back with Little John.

As they continued to move, Roland broke away, so that he was wandering in the middle. It happened so quickly that his precarious position was only noticed when the beast from the sky flew towards him. It was a sort of déjà vu from the last time Regina had saved Roland, but this time it was drier and she had a little bit of fun, turning the monster into a toy for him. Robin had run towards his son when the boy cried out and held him tightly as Regina handed him the stuffed animal. Roland then jumped into her arms, burying his head in her neck, and she was shocked to find that she was shaking. Her eyes met Robin's and suddenly everything just didn't seem to matter a damn.

Any of it. Her broken heart, even the unsettling distance she was feeling from him. What mattered was in her arms and now starting to pet the stuffed animal.

Better, she had a task now. Returning Roland to his father, off she went it to Snow and Charming. It took less than a minute to figure out with what they were dealing and what needed to be done. She stalked off and was not the least surprised when Robin fell into step with her.

Of course.

Together.

Sooner than she expected, she was back in her old rooms and beheld her potion box on the dresser.

And then she had a thought that scared her to the very bone.

"Regina?"

Had he spoken? The only thing she could register was that everything she needed lay before her.

Everything she needed.

It would be so easy.

She reached towards it. Close.

The darkness.

She could just ... she stared blankly into it.

"Regina!"

She shook her head sharply. Robin had her by both arms again.

Worried.

Afraid?

"What is it?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

And she looked at him. She'd said that. She'd really said that.

Robin took a step forward and she could have used her magic then and there to stop him.

Time to go.

She spun away left heading to the shield. He followed.

It only took a moment to disable the shield and then, sighing, Regina sat down on a bench looking over the stunning view.

Dawn.

Then her chin dropped to her chest and she wept. Full throated, bitter tears.

For once Robin did not try to sooth them away. He just walked to the bench and sat beside her. Gazing at the glorious sunrise.

"I think I need to release you," Regina told him presently.

He nodded, "I expected you to say that. But what if I refuse to be released?"

"You want to be engaged to a woman like me?" Red eyes fixed on him.

He chuckled, "I have been for quite some time, if you recall."

"Not like this."

"No," he conceded. "But what do you think true love is? All featherbeds and fluff?"

"This is different, Robin. The darkness has returned, but not the kind we had. This tears me to pieces, and inspires me to hate, to kill."

"Was it ever gone?" Robin asked. "Remember when I was falling in love with you, I said that you have done things that can never be forgiven. I've always known."

"And I can do them again," Regina responded. "You know that I'm selfish and horrible, but now, don't you see it? The evil. It wasn't just a nickname. I already hurt you once today. I nearly left my heart buried in a forest, and just a moment ago I thought of giving myself a sleeping curse. Really considered it. It could do happen again."

He hadn't been looking at her, but now he turned, "I don't believe you."

"You should," she insisted. "Losing Henry is the one thing… the one thing I don't trust myself with. I can't be certain to stand fast."

"Then I'll have to be there to stand for you."

"Dammit Robin!"

He tilted up her chin, "When we made love at Rumplestiltskin's castle it was more than, more than just… it never is, really. We sealed a bond, a consummation, out of order, true, but there none-the-less. I can no more turn my back on you now than I can my own soul."

Regina shook her head.

He cupped her face, letting the tears fall on his hand, "I love you. I won't abandon you."

She burst out fully then, and he allowed her, sobbing into his shoulder. "The evil won't consume you again, beloved," he murmured in her ear, "and you will do no harm to anyone, including yourself. I swear before you now, I won't let it happen."

What the hell had she done to gain such devotion?

Regina took a shuddering breath against his neck, "I'm sorry I hurt you today." She tightened her eyes as more tears flooded out, "you're my beloved, too."

He kissed her forehead, and then lowered his lips to hers.

Her Lover and her Beloved.

Regina tilted her head and they deepened into each other and then…

"Well, isn't this a pretty sight?"

And before Regina could register it, Robin was swept out in a cloud of green smoke and she was confronted by the witch.

Regina found Robin in her room minutes later, feet frozen to the floor. She released him with magic and they embraced. Taking his hand, she filled him in on her conversation with Zelena as they headed to where she hoped she'd find Snow, not telling him what she was thinking.

That she finally had something she hadn't in a long time.

Someone to destroy.

And she felt alive.