Inspired by OQ and the happy/sad manip by CarolinaMR9

The pirate burst through the door of the diner before the rattling of the dishes had stopped. Of course he did, Regina barely looked up. It wasn't fair, but when had life ever dealt her a fair hand. The Savior had her pirate back. Again. It would seem like dying was just a minor inconvenience for the storybook couple and she was destined to be the evil queen. The curse of loneliness her punishment for a past she'll never repent.

"Regina-"

"Don't," she cuts him off with a gloved finger poking into his chest. "Do not tell me you're sorry when you're standing here and he's not. I can't hear it."

Hook's eyes drop to her hand still pushing into his chest, trembling. He takes it in his, surprised when she doesn't rip it away and leans down to whisper against her ear. "He didn't want to burst in not knowing where his boy was. He didn't want to scare Roland." It takes a moment for his words to sink in, but when they do her eyes go wide and latch on to his. "I wasn't going to take my leave of that place without him, love. He's my best mate."

"Where...Where is he?" she can hardly voice the words, terrified to let herself hope that this horrible day could have been for nothing, that he's here and alive and waiting for their family.

"Waiting for you at the graves. I told him I'd send you ahead, give you two a minute before the children...well, you know how you two can be," he smiles at her, but she's gone in a swirl of purple smoke before she sees it.

It's surreal staring at one's own grave. The arrows are nice, he can picture her sitting at the table for hours tying the flowers to each one. He knows she wouldn't have used her magic for it; she would've wanted it to be personal. Henry helped her, he's certain. Roland would have sat with them the entire time, coloring a picture, perhaps making something of his own to send with his father. He hates that his return was timed so poorly, hates that they all had to go through this terrible ordeal.

There's a rustle of leaves behind him. She's here. He can smell the smoke and petrichor the use of her magic always leaves behind. "Milady," he says without turning around because she hasn't yet moved and he's not certain he should either.

That is until she slams into him like a freight train. His arms are around her instantly, burying in her hair and completely destroying the neat bun she'd spent an hour pinning this morning. "You're back," she gasps, pulling away just enough to take in his face and run her hands along the stubble of his cheeks.

"I didn't plan to be. I certainly didn't plan for it to be like this," he lets one arm drop away from her to emphasize the grave at their side before returning it to her hip. She moves them so that her back is to his grave. She doesn't want to see that, doesn't want to see anything but him and the way he is looking at her.

"You're timing could have been better," she laughs as grateful tears stream down her face and she can't believe she just said that, can't believe she can say anything at all except "I love you. I never told, but I love you."

"I know, Regina. And I love you too," he holds her against him, letting his forehead drop to hers as they stand amongst the dead sharing quiet sobs and grateful smiles as the rain once again continues to fall. "Never letting you go. Ever," he swears to her and on this day of improbable miracles she lets herself believe it.