A/N: My first entry for Inspired By OQ Week. This one is inspired by Jen's (starscythe) January manip for this year's OQ calendar.
Finding Robin
It was a freak accident.
That was what the investigators said. The plane had been serviced and passed an inspection before Robin had flown to South America for his latest relief mission-delivering much-needed medicines to remote villages-and the airport he took off from there certified that the plane was still in good condition. The investigation would take more time to determine why his engine had burst into flames once he got into American airspace but their best theory was that he had hit a flock of birds, probably geese.
They also told her that while there was no concrete evidence that Robin had died in the fiery crash, they were confident he did. They were confident all parachutes were accounted for and they doubted Robin would've jumped into the thick forest he was flying over. He no doubt would've tried to escape the plane before it exploded but they didn't think he made it out in time.
Regina Mills, though, couldn't accept that her partner-in relief work and in life-was gone. Friends of theirs gathered around her and tried to conduct a search and rescue but in the end, the forest proved far too dense. After several weeks of trying, they had to give up. She had to move on, to make sure the organization they worked so hard to build didn't collapse. It felt like she was giving up on Robin, like she was failing him somehow.
Dr. Hopper told her that was normal, that it was part of the grieving process. She tried to believe him but she couldn't shake the feeling that he was out there, somewhere. And she wasn't even trying to find him.
A dream of all things changed that.
She walked through the halls of a hospital, feeling like a ghost as no one seemed to acknowledge her or answer when she asked what was going on. Regina found herself drawn to one particular room-Room 23-and she entered, finding doctors standing around a bed. It sounded as if they were talking in a fishbowl, their voices muffled and hard to make out. She strained to do so, able to figure out that the patient was some sort of John Doe who was in a medical coma for one reason or another. If they couldn't figure out who he was or who his next of kin was, they were going to have to release him to a long-term care facility.
Regina tried to get closer to the bed, to see who the man was but it felt like the curtain around his bed was an iron wall. It kept her from going any farther, forcing her to jump back each and every time she tried. "Who is it?" she yelled, hoping someone would hear her.
Instead of an answer, she felt as if someone kicked her in the chest. She flew backwards, ending up in the hallway again. The doctors and nurses left the room, closing the door behind them. When she reached for the door handle, her hand went right through it. She tried to go through the door, but it was as sturdy as ever. Whatever was going on, she could not get back into the room again.
She just didn't know why.
"Who are you?" she asked, yelling at the door. "Why are you haunting my dreams?"
"Regina..."
Her heart stopped as she heard the voice she had longed to hear the most the past few months. The low tenor with a slightly hoarse quality to it and a British accent she found irresistible. She missed the way her name sounded when spoken by that voice and it brought tears to her eyes. Regina knew it was her subconscious drawing it up from her memories and that the voice would only live on in her dreams.
"Regina, look at me," the voice repeated.
She slowly turned around, feeling like a vise gripped her heart as the voice's owner came into focus. He was taller than her and his blond hair had spattering of gray in it. She had often teased him about it but she loved the fact he was turning into a silver fox. The blond scruff on his cheeks and chin were still blond as ever and she reached out, wanting to feel the prickle of it against her palm again-even if it was just a memory playing out in her dream.
Her hand passed through him though and she frowned. "Robin?"
"Regina, you need to save me," he told her. "You don't have much time. Find me. Please."
"Where are you? Robin, tell me," she begged, growing desperate as he grew more and more transparent. How was she supposed to find him when he could be anywhere? "Robin!"
He faded away as a bright light assaulted her senses, forcing Regina back into consciousness.
She gasped as she sat up, her heart beating wildly. Beads of sweat rolled down her face and her pajamas were stuck to her skin. She pushed back the blankets as she reached over, turning on the lamp on her nightstand. It illuminated her room, revealing she was alone. There were no other sounds and for a moment, Regina wondered if she had gone deaf as she couldn't hear a thing. Everything felt weird, as if she were really dreaming now and what she had just experienced was real.
BANG!
Regina jumped as she glanced out the window, her mind processing that it was just a car backfiring. Another car's alarm went off while several dogs started to bark, breaking the silence and proving that she was awake and what she had experienced had been a dream.
Yet it had felt so real.
She stood and walked over to the bathroom. Regina flipped on the light before running the water to splash it on her face, hoping to cool herself down. It dripped down her face as she leaned against the counter, trying to figure out what her dream meant. It had to be her subconscious wishing Robin were still alive. Maybe it had absorbed the plot of some movie or TV show, casting her and Robin into the leads instead. He was gone. She needed to accept that.
But what if he wasn't? What if he really was alive? What if he had reached out to her to find him?
Regina turned off the tap and dried her face, shaking her head. It was just a dream. She had tried to find him and failed. It wasn't healthy to keep hoping he was alive, not if she wanted to keep moving on with her life like he wanted. Robin was gone. She needed to accept that.
The car alarms had stopped and the dogs were soothed, so all was again silent as she climbed into bed. All but the noise in her head as she replayed the dream over and over. Especially the part where Robin pleaded with her to find him.
She pushed the covers back and picked up her phone, hitting one particular contact before she could reconsider. Biting her lip, she listened to it ring and started to compose the message she would leave on his voicemail in her head.
"Regina?" a sleepy voice asked. "What's wrong?"
Fuck. She didn't expect him to pick up. Part of her hoped that by the time he returned her call in the morning, she would've talked herself out of it but that plan went out the window.
"Regina? Are you there?" he asked, now even more concerned.
"Yes, sorry," she replied. "I didn't expect you to answer."
"Neal is teething and not really sleeping during the night. Tonight is my turn," he answered. "What has you up at this time of the night?"
She sighed, running her hand through her hair. "You're going to think I'm crazy, David."
"Nonsense, Regina. Clearly something has you spooked. What is it?"
"It was a dream. At least I think it was," she said, doubting herself now. "It felt so real. And Robin...he was there."
David was silent for a bit before saying: "Dreams can feel real, Regina. It makes sense you would dream about him."
She sighed, letting herself fall back onto her bed. "I know. But this was different. It was more like an out-of-body experience than a dream."
"You mean you saw Robin in the afterlife?" He sounded concerned and she wondered if he was already texting their friend Archie, who was a therapist.
"No," she replied. "I was taken to a hospital where there was a nameless man in a hospital bed. Robin then appeared behind me and begged me to find him before it was too late."
David was quiet and she wondered if the call had dropped when he said: "Robin is dead, Regina."
"But what if he isn't?" she asked. "What if he's some John Doe in a hospital and is waiting for me to find him?"
"Regina, we searched the hospitals..."
She knew that but she still couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something. "Not all of them. Can't you look for hospitals with John Does?"
He was once again quiet before saying her name with every ounce of concern he was no doubt feeling for her. "Maybe you should talk to Archie about this. He can help you..."
"My gut is telling me that Robin is still out there, David. It hasn't led me astray yet. I'm going to find him with or without your help." She ended the call and threw her phone onto the bed as she pushed herself into a standing position.
Regina paced her room. She knew David was concerned about her. He didn't want her to get hurt or suffer any setbacks in her grief. Yet she also trusted her gut and it was telling her that Robin wasn't dead. He was out there, waiting for her. She needed to find him.
Now.
She knew what she had to do-go find her husband on her own.
Too excited to sleep, she grabbed her laptop and powered it on. She then retrieved the file she had made on Robin's plane crash. Flipping through the pages, she followed his flight path and found a map of the area around where his plane had been found. She knew all the parachutes had been accounted for on the plane but she wondered if maybe he had been ejected from the plane upon impact, landing somewhere away from the wreckage. There were too many variables for her to figure out a specific location on her own. She was going to have to make do with a general area, noting all the towns he could've been taken to. From there, it was just a matter of compiling a list of hospitals in those towns and then calling around to see if they had any John Does fitting Robin's description. Giddiness filled her as did the one thing she thought she would never have again.
Hope.
Regina ended up crashing and almost missed her alarm. She dragged herself out of bed, changing into one of her pantsuits and doing her makeup to hide how tired she looked. The work she had done only hours earlier sat strewn on her floor, something she never did and so annoyed her even as she struggled to stay awake. She gathered it up and placed it on her desk, vowing to return to it when she got home that night. Deciding to pick up breakfast and coffee on her way to work, she grabbed her bag and headed out.
By the time she got to work, she felt as if she had already worked a full day and wanted nothing more that to turn around so she could go back to bed. Her fatigue only got worse when she entered the lobby and found David waiting for her. He stood, looking concerned as he approached her. "Regina, I wanted to talk about our call."
"If you're here to drag me to Archie, forget about it," she said brusquely. She turned away from him. "If you excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."
"I'm not here to bring you to Archie. I'm here to help you," he called after her.
She stopped, turning slowly back to him. He looked genuine but she didn't trust that it wasn't a trap. "You are? Why?"
"Because you aren't one to believe in fate or signs or dreams or what you would consider 'silly stuff' like that," he replied, coming closer to her. "So if you believe that Robin is alive, that you had some sort of out of body experience...well, I believe that you're right. And so I want to help you. Robin was...is...my friend too."
Her heart sped up at his words and the hope that had started the night before grew stronger. "Thank you."
David smiled before waving someone else over. A tall blonde woman wearing a red jacket and jeans joined them. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "This is Emma Swan, a private investigator. She's going to help us."
"If your husband is out there, I'll find him," Emma promised, holding out her hand.
Regina shook her head. "Thank you. I started some research I can share with you when I get home tonight."
"Maybe you should go home now," John Little said, approaching her. He frowned as he looked her over. "Don't take this the wrong way, Regina, but you look like shit."
She scowled at him. "I'm sorry, is there supposed to be a right way to take that statement?"
John, though, was not cowed by her attitude. He was a lot like Robin in that regard, able to stand up to her and not let her temper chase them away. It was no wonder he was Robin's best friend.
"I'm just worried, Regina. You look tired and I don't want you getting sick. We'll be fine without you for one day. Go home. Rest. Do whatever it is David needs you to do," he told her kindly.
She wanted to fight him, to tell him that she was fine and that she could work. However, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Robin's told her to take her chance and to go home to rest. As her shoulders slumped, she nodded. "Thank you, John."
"Emma and I will meet you at home?" David asked her.
"Yes," she replied, pulling out her keys again. She smiled. "Let's go find Robin."
Regina's phone rang one night, waking her up from her nap on the couch. She groaned as she rubbed her neck, picking up the phone without checking to see who it was. "Hello?"
"Regina? It's Emma," the person on the other end said.
"Emma? Hi." Regina sat up straighter. "What's wrong?"
"I think I found him."
Her heart stopped and she pressed her hand to her stomach as she asked: "You think so? Where?"
"A small town called Hyperion Heights. It's several miles from where his plane was found but it does align with your theory that he somehow got out of the plane before it crashed. I talked with the sheriff in town, who said some hikers found him with a parachute. They thought it was a skydiving experience gone wrong. He was taken to their hospital but has been in a coma since, so they couldn't ask him what happened."
"Did they hear about Robin's plane crash?" Regina asked, doubts starting to creep in. Why hadn't they contacted anyone to let them know they found someone with parachute so that the authorities could determine if it was Robin or not? Or had they and this was just a dead end?
The phone jostled as Emma said: "They had and they let investigators know about him. It seems that given the distance from the crash site and the fact they believed all the parachutes were accounted for, they didn't think John Doe was Robin so they didn't go to Hyperion Heights."
Annoyance flared up inside Regina as she considered the fact that she could've found Robin earlier, that they may not have had to grieve him had the investigators just gone to the small town to double check. One thought filled her mind: "When are we leaving?"
"We?" Emma asked, sounding confused. "Regina, I haven't confirmed it is Robin. I don't want you to head all the way out there just to be disappointed."
Regina knew she had a point but this was something she had to see through to the end, even if it was a disappointing one. "I have to go Emma. Besides, how else are you going to know if it's really him or not?"
There was silence on the other end and she knew Emma's resolve was weakening. When she heard the other woman sigh, Regina knew she was victorious. "Okay. But David should come too. Just in case," Emma said.
"Fine," Regina said, anxious to get going as soon as possible. "So I ask you again-when do we leave?"
"Depends on how soon you and David can leave," Emma replied.
"Okay. I'll call him and get back to you." Regina ended the call, already trying to figure out how quickly she could make arrangements to get out of town. The sooner she got to Robin, the better.
Otherwise, it could be too late.
Two days later, their small group arrived in Hyperion Heights. Emma had driven them in her yellow Volkswagen, which had been a tight fit for them for a nearly thousand-mile drive. They checked into a nearby hotel and freshened up before Emma went to meet with the local sheriff. Regina wanted to go but Emma shook her head. "I know you're anxious and eager, but it's best if it's just me for now," she told her.
"You should probably also rest," David added, placing a comforting hand on Regina's shoulder. "We drove most of the night."
Her eyelids grew heavy as she nodded, remembering the cat naps she took whenever it wasn't her turn to drive. They had done little to rejuvenate her and she knew she didn't want to be reunited with Robin looking like death warmed over. "I guess a nap wouldn't hurt," she said.
"Good," Emma replied, grabbing her keys. "You nap and I'll be back later."
She left and David handed Regina her bag. "You can use the bathroom first. I can use it once you're in bed."
"Thank you," she said, slipping into the bathroom. She decided she could take a shower after her nap and changed into her pajamas, washing her face and brushing her teeth. Leaving the bathroom, she slipped into bed and rolled over as the bathroom door closed behind David.
Alone, she reached into her bag and pulled out one of Robin's old shirts. She hugged it to her chest, letting his familiar forest scent wash over her as she closed her eyes. She had slept with one of his shirts after his scent had faded from his pillow, finding comfort in it. He always had a way of calming her down and ensuring she had only a peaceful rest. Though his shirt was poor substitute for his strong arms and beating heart, it still worked.
Closing her eyes, she felt as if she were floating as sleep began to put her under its spell. Warmth spread throughout her body and she almost felt Robin's arms around her, holding her close. Her body relaxed and she felt safe, loved.
Regina...Find me...Regina...
"REGINA!"
She sat up with a gasp, clutching the blankets close to her. Her heart beat wildly as she searched for the room, finding Emma standing next to the bed. She looked sheepish as she said: "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"You yelled my name," Regina pointed out, annoyed. "What did you expect to happen?"
"We couldn't wake you up otherwise. You were out," David replied. His hair was still damp and she could smell the clean scent of his aftershave as he sat on the other bed. "Emma has news."
Regina perked up at that, looking at the other woman. "What is it?"
"Sheriff Weaver believes that John Doe may be Robin. Since it would take too long to check his fingerprints or DNA, he agrees that the best way is for you to identify him. He's made arrangements with the hospital for us to visit John Doe today," Emma said.
"Today?" Regina threw back the covers and swung her legs out of the bed. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Emma placed her hand on Regina's shoulder, holding her back. "You might want to change first. I doubt you want to storm the hospital in your pajamas. Besides, Sheriff Weaver made an appointment for us. We're due there in about an hour."
An hour. Regina glanced at the clock and nodded, standing up. "I'll be ready by then."
She gathered her things and headed back to the bathroom. Pausing at the doorway, she smiled at Emma. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Emma replied. She then grinned. "Now go get ready for your husband."
They parked in the hospital's parking lot and entered through the front door where an older man with gray hair met them in the lobby. Emma introduced him as Sheriff Weaver and he greeted them, taking note of Regina when Emma told him she was possibly John Doe's wife.
"The doctors are very eager to identify this patient," he told her. "They're slowly taking him out of the medically induced coma he's been in since arriving but they think it'll be a couple more days before he's fully conscious and cognizant. If you can identify him now..."
"I just want answers," she told him, not wanting to take on an entire medical team's hopes. She had her own that could be crushed in a few minutes. "I just want to know if my husband is alive or not."
He nodded. "I understand. Well, if you follow me, I will take you to John Doe's room."
David reached out to take Regina's hand and he gave it a squeeze as they followed Sheriff Weaver to the elevator bank. They boarded one of the elevators and he took them up to the third floor. When the doors opened, he pointed to the right. "It's room twenty-three."
Regina's heart sped up as they approached the room, the name John Doe written in marker outside. She squeezed David's hand again. "This is it."
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.
"Please," she whispered, terrified. She wanted to make sure there was someone else who could verify the identity if it was Robin and would comfort her if it wasn't him.
She and David walked into the room. There was an empty bed when they first walked in and a curtain blocked their view of the second bed. A nurse stood at the edge of that bed, though, as she wrote down notes in the chart kept there. She looked up, giving them a soft smile as she beckoned them closer.
It looked like the room from her strange dream. Hope surged through her as she gripped David's hand tighter, walking past the curtain. She took a deep breath and looked at the patient lying in the bed.
And her heart stopped.
His skin was paler than usual and she was certain there was a little more gray in his hair than she remembered but even with his eyes closed, she knew her husband anywhere. But just to be on the safe side, she went to check his right wrist. Disappointment filled her when she realized it was wrapped in gauze. She looked up as she asked: "Does he have a tattoo here?"
The nurse's eyes grew wider. "He does. Can you describe it?"
Of course Regina could. She loved to trace it whenever she could and so it was burnt into her memory. "It's a lion roaring against a black shield."
"We've never released that to the public," the nurse said, smiling as tears filled her eyes. "We've found his family at last."
Regina felt tears run down her face as she looked back at her husband. "He isn't dead," she whispered.
"I'll go let the doctors know," the nurse told her. "There's a lot to discuss."
As she left, David started to back out as well. "I'm going to let Weaver and Emma know it's him. I'll only be outside if you need me."
Regina nodded, approaching Robin. She reached out, brushing her fingers over his cheek. His skin was warm, reassuring her that he was alive. She had dreamed of this for weeks and to know her dreams had come true...it was overwhelming.
She leaned down, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I thought I lost you, Robin."
A doctor came into the room, carrying some papers. He looked relieved as he glanced at Robin. "The nurse says our John Doe isn't a John Doe anymore?"
Regina nodded. "His name is Robin Locksley. I'm his wife."
"So you have the power to make medical decisions for him?"
"Yes," she replied, frowning as she placed her hand on Robin's arm. "But I heard you were bringing him out of the coma."
The doctor nodded. "We are, but we're not sure what kind of state he will be in. He suffered a head injury and there was some swelling on the brain. I want to prepare you for that."
She swallowed as she nodded, realizing that she may have found her husband but it didn't guarantee he was the same man she remembered. Regina glanced down at him, watching his chest rise and fall as he slept on, and got the overwhelming sense that it would all be alright in the end. No matter what happened when he awoke, she had him back and would make any adjustments necessary. It wouldn't be easy but she believed they would be necessary.
"How much longer do you think he'll be out for?" she asked the doctor.
He shrugged. "Probably a couple more hours, though it could happen sooner or later. It's up to his body."
"So you're saying I just need to get comfortable and wait," she replied.
"Pretty much," he said. He then handed her some papers. "Though these should keep you busy."
Regina glanced at the papers and sighed, recognizing them as insurance paperwork. "All hail bureaucracy," she muttered.
The doctor gave her a sympathetic nod before leaving, saying he would be back later to check on Robin. She sighed, sitting on a chair to fill out the paperwork. Looking up at Robin, she grinned at him. "You owe me."
He didn't respond but she took comfort in the fact he was still breathing.
"Hey, Regina." David's hand was warm against her shoulder, the weight pulling her back to consciousness. She looked up, blinking away sleep as she sat curled up on the chair next to Robin's bed. David gave her a tight smile. "Emma and I are going to get something to eat. You want something?"
She nodded. "Whatever you think I'd like. I know you know what that would be by now."
"Okay," he said before glancing at Robin. "No change?"
Regina shook her head as she looked at her still sleeping husband. "The doctor checked on him a while ago. He said Robin's vitals looked good but still didn't know when he would wake up."
David squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure it will be soon. Don't worry."
"Thank you," she whispered.
Once he was gone, she leaned forward and took Robin's hand. She was careful of the wires sticking out of it, filling his veins with nutrients and medicine to help his body recover, and kissed a bare patch of skin. "Please wake up soon, Robin. I miss the sound of your voice," she told him.
She reached forward and gently brushed some hair from his face. As she did so, she noticed his eyes flutter a bit. Hope burst inside her, though she reminded herself that it didn't mean anything. It was just a natural response, not a sign he was waking up.
Until he groaned.
"Robin?" she asked, starting to stand up. "Robin, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand."
His fingers closed around her hand and he gave her a small squeeze. She gasped, raising his hand to kiss it again before letting it go. "I'm going to get the doctor, Robin. I'll be right back."
She raced from his room, hurrying down to the nurse's station. Bracing herself against the counter, she breathlessly exclaimed: "My husband is waking up!"
"And your husband is...?" The nurse behind the desk gave her a bored look, not really caring what she had just said.
The nurse who had been in Robin's room earlier appeared then. "The former John Doe in Room Twenty-Three. You said he's waking?"
Regina nodded, relieved to see a friendly face. "He groaned and squeezed my hand when I asked him."
"He did?" The nurse brightened, tapping her coworker's shoulder. "Page Dr. Ludgate. This is great news!"
As the other nurse paged the doctor, Regina returned to Robin's room with the friendly nurse. She checked his vitals as Regina took his free hand, lacing their fingers together. "Robin? Can you hear me?"
He squeezed her hand again as he let out a little groan, amazing the nurse. She smiled. "This is wonderful!"
"He's coming around?" Dr. Ludgate asked, rushing into the room.
"Yes," the nurse said. "He's responded to Mrs. Locksley twice-once in my presence."
Robin groaned again as his eyes fluttered open, revealing the beautiful blue ones she had fallen in love with years ago. She gasped, squeezing his hand as her voice failed her at that moment. Tears trailed down her cheeks as joy surged through her. He was alive and he was awake.
Dr. Ludgate stepped forward, smiling. "Welcome back, Robin. Is that your name?"
When Robin nodded, Regina's hope soared. Dr. Ludgate then asked: "Is your last name Locksley?"
Regina held her breath as Robin nodded again. Dr. Ludgate smiled, asking him: "Is your wife in the room? If so, can you look at her?"
His head rolled on the pillow, blue eyes fixed on her as he lifted his hand off the bed. It shook and she realized he couldn't raise it anymore, that he was too weak to do that. She reached out, taking his hand as she smiled. "Hello, Robin."
"Re...Regi..." He croaked out before coughing, his torso rising up from the bed as his body shook.
Dr. Ludgate turned to a nurse who had just entered the room. "Get Mr. Locksley some water, please."
She nodded, hurrying from the room. Dr. Ludgate turned his attention to Robin, gently pushing him onto the bed. "You've been in a coma for a while, Mr. Locksley. You might not be able to talk for a bit, okay?"
"Here you go," the nurse said, returning with a pitcher and a glass with a straw. She handed it to Regina. "Can you pour him some water while I help the doctor."
Regina took them, pouring some water into the cup before she placed the pitcher down. Holding the cup out, she smiled at Robin. "Here, take a sip."
He leaned forward, wrapping his lips around the straw. She watched as he took a sip of water and warned him: "Not too fast and not too much. Your stomach's not going to be used to it."
"You should listen to your wife," Dr. Ludgate said, smiling. "We're going to keep you for some more tests but you're on the mend, Mr. Locksley."
Dr. Ludgate and the nurse left, leaving Regina alone with Robin. She helped him take another sip before setting the glass down so she could take his hand. Tears rolled down her cheek as she smiled at him. "It is so good to see you again."
He moved his lips and she realized he was mouthing the words to her. You too.
She reached out, brushing some hair away from his face. He smiled before mouthing another question to her: Where am I?
"You're in a small town called Hyperion Heights," she told him. "You were brought here after bailing out of your plane. It took us a long time to find you because of that. What have I told you about having your ID on you?"
He looked appropriately repentant as he mouthed: Sorry.
"I'm just glad we found you," she said, tears forming in her eyes. She sniffed. "We...The investigators believed you died in the wreck."
Robin's eyes widened before a horrified look settled into his eyes. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it. I'm sorry, he told her.
She shook her head. "Don't apologize. You're alive. That's all that matters."
He tugged on her hand, trying to pull her into bed with him. She dug her heels in and shook her head. "I don't want to mess with your wires and tubes and everything."
It's okay, he mouthed. Please.
Regina relented, climbing into bed with him. She was careful as she tenderly moved some of his wires, curling next to him. It felt good to have his arm around her and to be pressed against his body. Sighing happily, she smiled as he rested his cheek against her hair. "There we go."
"Regina, do you want to eat in here or go down to the..." David's voice trailed off and she looked over, finding him standing at the foot of Robin's hospital bed. He stared wide-eyed at Robin. "You're...You're awake."
"He woke up not long after you left," she said, sitting up.
Robin grinned, lifting his hand a bit before setting it back down. She smiled. "That was him saying hi. He's still pretty weak."
David nodded, still amazed. "I can imagine."
"Is she coming, David?" Emma called from the hallway, startling David.
He blinked a few times before smiling. "I guess you want to eat in here, huh?"
She looked back at Robin, who shook his head. Regina frowned. "I want to be with you, Robin. I don't want to let you out of my sight again."
I'm fine, he mouthed. He then motioned to the wires connected to him. Can't go too far.
"Robin..." she pleaded.
He shook his head. Go. Eat. Take care of yourself.
"Okay," she said, not wanting to get into a fight before he had been awake even for an hour. "But I'll be right back.
Robin looked past her and locked eyes with David. "Don't...let...her..." he gasped out.
Another coughing jag hit him and she reached over, grabbing the cup again. She eased the straw between his lips. "Little sips," she reminded him.
He took a few small sips before nodding, laying back down as she set the cup down. David approached the bed, placing his hand on Robin's shoulder. "I'll make sure she eats slowly and doesn't just inhale it to get back to you."
Robin smiled, nodding as he mouthed: Thank you.
She lay back down, pressing her hand to his cheek. "You should get some rest while I'm gone. We need to get you better so I can take you home."
He nodded and she leaned down, kissing him at last. Robin responded, his lips dried and chapped. She didn't care though. It felt good just to kiss him again, to know he was alive and that he was going to be fine. That she could keep kissing him for the rest of their lives.
Regina was never going to take that for granted ever again.
She broke the kiss, climbing out of bed. "We'll be back, Robin. I love you."
I love you too, he mouthed.
"Come on, Regina," David said, wrapping his arm around her. He guided her toward the door and she glanced back at her husband, giving him one more smile.
He was alive.
And she could not be happier.