Listening to the local radio station as he drove to the hospital ended up being one of the worst decisions he ever made, and yet, he couldn't find the will to turn it off.

Yes, listening to the constant updates about Regina's car accident was nerve wrecking and damaging to his psyche, and the more he listened, the more worried he would become. But the truth was that having any kind of news was better than having none, so he kept the volume up and his ear trained on everything being reported.

This was everywhere anyway, so even if he didn't want to know about it, he had no choice. Regina was one of the most recognized public figures in Hollywood, so every news outlet was taking whatever kind of information they would get and throwing it out there.

She was on the radio, on TV, in all forms of social media… and in every damn message he had received.

It was all crazy, the things they said, what the alleged witnesses were reporting… but shit, other than a message from Mary Margaret telling him to get his arse to the hospital through the back of the building, he had been unable to get any kind of real info about what was really going on. These little bits he was hearing were basically the only thing he had, and truth or not, he had been swallowing them as gospel.

He needed it… to be on the loop, to know something, anything... because he was blind when it came to Regina and Henry and it was driving him crazy. So yeah… as much as listening to everything the media had to say was making his heart shrink, he couldn't help but to keep tuned.

Right now, the broadcaster was invested in narrating the events as they happened and there he was, hanging on every word.

Apparently, it all started when a truck driver lost control of his 18 wheeler and rolled over. The truck kept going, sliding through several lanes until it slammed against Regina as she waited at a red light. Her SUV was pushed over the security barrier, and it only stopped when she impacted another vehicle.

Listening to that felt like some sort of torture, and Robin had been unable to stop his mind from imagining everything: Regina's surprise when the truck hit, her desperation, Henry being scared out of his innocent mind, and yeah, the damage inflicted on both of them upon impact. Because he had seen images of the scene, and there was no way to ignore the magnitude of the accident.

Regina's Rover ended up totally wrecked, and given how many people claimed to have seen the fire department cutting through the chassis of her car to get them out, he couldn't sit there and pretend they came out of that unscratched.

Hell, there were reports of someone being airlifted in a helicopter to the ER so yes, in a way, he had to brace himself to find them hurt.

He had been working on that, listening… thinking, and picking on every detail being said.

It was all terrible, but he also needed to keep calm because many of the reports were contradicting. Like some people claimed the person that had to be urgently transported to the hospital had been Regina, as they swore to have seen her, others said it was Henry, and that they had pictures to prove it, but a good deal of witnesses admitted that the first responders made it impossible for people to get a sneak peek in so no, nobody could say what really happened there.

One thing was for sure though: there were very strong rumors circulating that there was at least one deceased, but again, nobody had the information available to either confirm or deny it.

Regardless of how that last part could be totally wrong, thinking about it made Robin's heart almost wither and die right on the spot. After all, it could be true and what if it was one of them… or both?

God, he was not going to take it well if that was the case and he knew it. His stomach was in knots already and his nerves on edge…

But because the identity of this person hadn't been revealed, he decided to hang on for dear life and hope for them to be alright.

Yes, he was going to assume that they were all banged up at their worst, but not dead. It was just… Regina couldn't die, neither could Henry, because if they did…

God, he didn't even want to think about that. Only imagining it was enough to make him feel like despairing, and he couldn't have that while driving. It was hard to focus as it was, so he didn't need to torment his mind with any kind of possible scenarios where the woman he loved or her son ended up dead.

They were going to be alright, at least under the circumstances. He had to believe it, so gripping the steering wheel so hard he was afraid it was going to break, Robin inhaled deeply and kept going. He needed to get to her, to see her, to make sure she survived, and he was going to do that no matter what.

That was the only thing he could focus on the moment and it helped. However, once he arrived at the hospital, he found a great inconvenience: the entire area was a bloody circus.

There were news vans, reporters all over, and a huge crowd was starting to gather behind some security barriers the police placed in front of the building. Robin couldn't even see where the entrance to the hospital was, and well… that was a big problem.

"Shit."

Thankfully, Mary Margaret had been able to leave him a message with instructions of how to get in and he followed those, driving past the entrance and making it to the other side.

Once at the back, he got clearance to get in and he had been able to park his car without being seen or disturbed by the media.

That's when the real jitters started to kick in.

It was insane, but as soon as he set foot inside the building, his heart started beating so hard it physically hurt. It felt as if the organ was being squeezed to a bloody pulp, and with every step he took, the tighter the grip felt.

'Please, let them be alive,' he pleaded to no one in particular, repeating the words like a mantra inside his head. He kept this going until he spotted David… and from then on, he swore he couldn't breathe.

The air just got stuck at the back of his throat, and it wouldn't get past there.

This was it… this was the moment he was going to find out what happened.

Feeling his ears ringing, Robin started to move. David was by a coffee machine, waiting and alone, meaning that this was the best time to approach.

That was why the British actor walked towards him. It happened as if in a trance, his feet moving but his mind not registering the movements. What could he say? He was so anxious he was ready to pass out and this didn't give his brain enough fuel to process things.

Fortunately, he was able to survive the walk… and now he was ready to listen to whatever the man had to say.

"David." The word came out as a strangled growl, but it served its purpose, as David swirled on his feet at once.

"Shit, Robin, we've been trying to reach you since-"

"How is she?" Robin interrupted, clenching his jaw so hard his eyes watered.

"She's–" Running a hand down his face, the man took in a deep breath. "She's fine… you know, under the circumstances, but I think she's in a bit of a shock. Or maybe it's the meds, but she's kind of–" Leaving the words there, David pointed to his left, prompting Robin to look.

And God, in the same way he had felt his soul abandon his body when he heard about the accident, he felt it return now. It rushed so hard into him that he felt himself begin to tremble, the force of his relief brutal.

It was overwhelming… he wouldn't be able to explain how much, but seeing Regina there rattled the foundations of his whole existence. Yes, he immediately spotted a cast in her arm and the vacant look in her eyes spoke volumes of her trauma, but at least she was in one piece.

On the downside of things, he couldn't see Henry, and this made his apprehension sink back into his heart.

Now, he didn't want to speculate or to waste another second, so he walked to her, ready to face whatever there was to it.

Regina was sitting by Mary Margaret's side, her face pale, the light in her eyes gone, and her expression totally blank. She hadn't seen him, as she was staring off into the distance, and Robin took that moment to take in a deep breath that was meant to calm his nerves down.

He wasn't sure what he was going to find out now, but whatever it was, he needed to be in his best disposition… for her...

"Regina," he called softly, crouching down in front of her.

For a few seconds, she didn't react, but then he called her name again and grabbed her hand, and this made her turn to him.

"Hey," he said, almost choking with the simple word.

He just couldn't help it, because as soon as her deep chocolate brown eyes met his, something inside of him gave up.

She was there, finally tangible, and the sensation that washed over him was staggering.

He could cry just with that, because she was alive and breathing, because he found her…

But he wasn't going to do that. No… not when he still didn't know about the boy.

"Where is Henry?"

Now, Regina didn't say anything, but she did open her mouth to blow out a breath. The gesture came out as an act of defeat, and maybe a little shaky.

That right there broke Robin a little, because it was crystal clear that she was trying to hold herself together. She wanted to be strong… was probably trying to keep herself calm, but she didn't seem to have any more fight in her.

Her reaction couldn't be good, and once again he started to get very worried.

"Regina–"

"He's having surgery to repair some internal bleeding. It's supposed to be a simple procedure."

Without tearing his eyes away from Regina, Robin heard Mary Margaret say.

Sure, he hadn't been paying much attention to anything or anyone other than Regina, but now he realized that she was still there, sitting by the actress' side while rubbing her back.

"They haven't said anything since he got in," Regina said, her voice cracking and coming off as so unlike her that it hit him right in the feels.

Still, despite her obvious concern, the update on Henry allowed Robin to breathe a little easier. Surgery wasn't ideal, true, but it wasn't the worst case scenario he had been dreading and that was something to be grateful for.

That was why he wanted to say something to comfort her, to let her know that everything was going to be okay, that he was there and that he got her, but he couldn't for the life of him find the words. He was only able to reach for her, his free hand cupping her cheek tenderly.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here sooner–" he started to say, his voice coming out too low.

Regina just blinked. But then, as if tired of putting up a front, she propelled herself forward and with her eyes filled with tears, she threw herself at him.

Robin hadn't been expecting the reaction, let alone in public, but he didn't hesitate in taking her in, letting her melt against him like she had never done before.

Despite the situation, it felt right, being there, breathing into that scent that was so hers and offering whatever comfort he could give. That was why once he had her in his arms, everything else faded and there was only her, warm and shaking against him.

"It will be alright, he's going to be alright, you'll see." Closing his eyes, Robin held her close against him, one of his hands cradling the back of her head while the other one settled on her back.

Regina cried like that, her face hidden in his neck while he whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

For how long that happened? He wasn't sure, but it was enough for him to start feeling his muscles protesting against the position. He ignored it though, and didn't let go until he could feel Regina starting to calm down.

Once she was a bit more composed, he upgraded the position and sat by her other side, pulling apart just enough for him to wipe the tears off her face.

He used his thumbs to do this, caressing her cheeks, the soft skin underneath her eyes, and then running them over her wet eyelashes.

"How is your arm?" His voice was raspy, so he cleared his throat, and it was at that moment that he realized that his own eyelashes were damp as well.

"I broke it," she claimed, the depths of her eyes pulling him in. "I think… they said I had a concussion too."

"Shit, Regina," feeling a new wave of concern filling him, Robin choked. He didn't know what to say, or how to start doing it.

Blinking slowly, the brunette turned her good hand around, her eyes lowering to it. "They hit me up with morphine so I don't feel a thing. Henry is the one that worries me. He's so tiny, Robin–"

Nodding because yes, he knew, Robin twisted his lips. Maybe he was being too intense, but he was somehow starting to feel guilty about everything.

True, he hadn't been the person driving the truck, but maybe nothing of this would have happened if he had taken her call the night before.

That could have been a real game changer, and yet he screwed it up by getting drunk and stupid.

Now look at what happened…

"I didn't see it coming," Regina cut in, her eyes full of tears once again. "I would have gotten out of the way if I did–"

Pulling her back into his arms, Robin breathed deeply in. "It's okay, this wasn't your fault, love. It wasn't."

"I'm going to get coffee, do you guys want me to get some for you as well?" Mary Margaret asked while getting up to her feet.

Regina shook her head no, and not wanting to let go of her, Robin did the same. He would get some later, as his stomach was completely empty and already protesting, but for now he just wanted to be there with Regina.

That was exactly what he did, holding her against him, running his fingers through her dark silky locks, and just waiting for any kind of news about Henry.

When the doctor finally walked into the waiting room, Regina jumped to her feet and made it to him.

"How is he?"

Walking after her, Robin held his breath, all his senses on alert…

Flashing a reassuring smile, the older man nodded. "He's fine. We were able to stop the source of the bleeding, so now it's just a matter of giving him time to heal. He's a tough kid, so I expect his recuperation to go smoothly."

Blowing out an obvious sigh of relief, Regina pressed a hand against her mouth. Robin could sense she was once again fighting hard to keep her composure, so he tried to reassure her by rubbing her back.

"Can I see him?" she asked at least, her eyes blinking rapidly.

"He's still in recovery and sedated, but sure, I'll take you to him. It always helps when they wake up and see mom first."

"Thank you," Regina whispered, her legs starting to move after the doctor.

But then she stopped and turned around, her eyes wide and bright staring straight at Robin. "You're not going to leave, are you?"

Trying his best to show her a reassuring smile, Robin shook his head. "No, I won't. I'm going to be right here."

Biting her lips, Regina nodded. Then she was walking away to see her son.

Robin watched her go, biting the urge of telling her that he was always going to be there for her….

TBC