Five stages of grief, five drabbles.
This, is for Robin.


Un: Denial

Oblivion.

Never again.

One minute you're here, and then… you're gone.

Her hands cradle softly his face, stroking the shadow of beard she likes so much, and hot tears land quickly, she sobs.

No, not again, no.

Zelena's hand finds hers, but her eyes never leave his body, a Camelot reminiscence, and her heart is beating fast – adrenaline pumping blood, even if there's nothing to fear, Hades is a pile of ashes.

No.

You can't be gone. You promised.

But he's there – and he isn't moving –

She is sure, in one minute he'll get up. He'll call her Milady again.


Deux: Anger

When she sees him, all goes red.
Emma keeps avoiding her eyes, and she knows why.
They walk slowly towards her family, holding hands, and she remembers that time they did so as Dark Ones, except that Robin was alive in the diner and not erased by existence –

"How."

It's a demand, and Emma meets her gaze, for a second, clears her throat.

"Zeus… rewarded him…"

"I can see."
Her words are a cold, sharp cut in the rain. She feels Zelena squeezing her forearm. The world stills, waiting her reaction. Darkness boils.

"It seems some ex-villains get happy endings."


Trois: Depression

She hears the toasts in his honor. The clinking of the glasses fill the diner, and maybe someone is staring at her expectantly, but she doesn't find a reason to lift her hand and cheer. Eyes fixed on a crack in the table's wood, she waits.

"Regina?"

Snow's voice, and she turns her head – she and David linger sheepishly. She barely acknowledges their presence.

"You don't have to go through this alone."

Says the split-heart princess, she thinks bitterly. Then she kicks herself, they're trying to help, she shouldn't be so ungrateful. She realizes they're still there.

She nods slowly.


Quatre: Bargaining

Déjà-vus are weird, she thinks. You'd believe two situations are equals – but the first time, her world wasn't so shattered, she was just worried for him, for having left him and Roland with her sister.

And now he's gone.

Emma is speeding the yellow bug up towards New York, again.
To Henry, not to Robin.
Threatened by Gold, again.

"It should have been me."

Emma doesn't answer.

She could scream to those unfair gods.
Bring him back, take me. Punish me. He didn't deserve this.
Bring him back, and I'll do anything. Let me know he's okay.

Only silence answers.


Cinq: Acceptance

"Robin was a good man, and a good father, and I loved him for this."

One year later, they are all standing next to his grave, and she holds Roland's hand, meets Henry's proud gaze.

"I'm sure he would tell me Regina, I didn't think you had such a great opinion of me," she smiles fondly. "But it's true."

She watches as little Robyn climbs down from Zelena's arms. Her blue eyes flash towards her – and it's like meeting his eyes again. Her niece takes two tentative steps and reaches the stone, places her chubby hand there. Daddy, she whispers.