The ticking of the clock is the only thing that she can hear.
The sound of it drowns out everything else. Every second is punctuated with a tiny tick and a pin slides in her heart with everyone she hears.
It's nearly midnight and they're sitting on the couch together in silence. His left arm is around her shoulders pulling her closer into his side while his right arm rest on the side of the couch, palm up so they can both the tattoos on his forearm. The lion tattoo, the first piece of him that she'd ever known. She used to run her fingers over it as they'd lay in bed together, ever the reminder that against all odds she'd managed to find her soulmate. Seeing it used to bring her peace.
But now, the lion no longer holds the calming effect that it once did.
Not with the number above its head.
365.
It's been sitting there on his arm all day. Taunting her. Mocking her. Telling her what she already knew in her heart was true.
That whatever had caused Robin's reappearance would not be permanent.
They wasted no time getting to Gold's shop after the number appeared.
He was not pleased to see her. After everything that had happened between him and her dark half their relationship had become more hostile than ever. They mostly avoided each other and Regina would've preferred to keep it that way but her desperation overrode her feelings toward Gold. The same, however, could not be said for him.
He'd practically thrown her out the minute she'd stepped foot inside. Her pleading was not enough to acquire his assistance but thankfully a request from his grandson had been.
Despite his reluctance, he examined the tattoo on Robin's arm. A smirk appeared on his face as he looked it over.
"Well, well," he drawled, bringing his eyes up to Regina's. "Looks like someone made a wish."
"What does it mean?" asked Regina, ignoring the superiority in his attitude.
"Exactly what you think it does," Gold calmly replied. "It appears your thief's time on this earth is limited."
"Can you fix it?" asked Robin.
Gold eyes flickered over to him. "There's nothing to be fixed."
"The hell there isn't!" growled Regina. "This is-"
"Exactly what you wished for," Gold coldly interjected. "The devil's in the details dearie. And the wish is in the wording. Now you tell me Regina. What did you wish for that night at Robin's grave?"
Regina hesitated before answering in a small voice, "I wished that we'd had more time together."
"And you received it!" Gold said, gesturing toward the tattoo. "More time with your true love. A whole year's worth in fact." He shrugged his shoulders. "The fates were being quite generous if you ask me."
"I assure you… no one was," Robin gritted out.
Gold narrowed his eyes at him. "Might I remind you that it was you who came to my door not the other way around," he hissed. "Do not insult me because you don't like what I have to say."
His eyes fell back down to the number on Robin's forearm. "It appears you don't have very much time left, thief. And I don't need a tattoo to know that you're wasting mine."
He began to walk toward the back of his shop, tossing over his shoulder, "I assume you can weep over your fate elsewhere."
After Gold left there wasn't much else to say.
Of course, she hadn't been that lucky.
Of course, Robin wasn't here to say.
Like the rest of her life Robin's reappearance would follow a very specific pattern. One brief flicker of happiness, followed by a never-ending stretch of misery. And just when she'd dared to hope.
They sit together and wait with bated breath as they listen for the clock to strike twelve. One final tick and the hands reunite at the top of the clock. Their heads swivel in its direction when they hear the chime signaling midnight's arrival. Her heart pounds when she sees the time and her gaze immediately falls to the number tattooed across his forearm.
They watch together as the clock chimes once… then twice… a third time… and a fourth… until finally…
365...
364.
Her throat nearly closes up when she sees that five disappear into smoke. A four takes its place and she lets out a sob. She feels the tiny bit of hope she'd held onto flicker away.
He's pressing kisses into her hair as she cries. "It's alright, my love," he says. "It's okay."
He's lying.
This situation might be many things for her but it will never be okay.
A/N: I hope you're all enjoying the angst. I don't have much of a planned for this fic besides the ending. But I will be dropping in through 2017 to check up on these two, I promise. Angst is promised but fluff can also be expected.
I hope you like it! Please review!