Zelena gasped sitting up from her position on the forest floor. Tears welled in her eyes, she thought she had dreamed this whole ordeal and that she would wake up once again in her farmhouse to the cries of her daughter. Tears slid down her cheek as she thought of her daughter and the boy she'd come to love as a son. Robin had woken with her jumpy movement and lay in silence as Zelena's emotions got the better of her. He reached up to her shoulder and pulled her back down. Zelena jumped slightly at the contact but allowed herself to be pulled to Robin's chest as his arms wrapped around her waist holding her closer to him.
"I thought I heard her. I could have sworn it was her." Robin didn't need to ask Zelena to whom she was referring. Her arms tightened around the form that kept her grounded, for one of very few times, she was glad he was there with her.
"We'll get back to them, Zelena. I know it." Zelena nodded and lifted her face from its burrow in Robin's chest, she noticed the two wet patches her tears had left.
"Sorry." She said as she pointed to his shirt.
"That's alright, something tells me you needed that." Zelena chuckled and nodded, apparently, he knew her better than she thought. Zelena took the silence as a chance to look around their surroundings. She frowned. "Zelena? What is it?" Zelena stood and looked around quickly, gasping as her eyes found something she hadn't expected.
"Robin, we're not in the Enchanted forest."
"Well where are we then?"
"Oz." She pointed behind him and he turned to see why a smirk had appeared on her face. In the distance, an emerald palace stood tall and proud surrounded by forestry. Zelena waked past him to get a better view. "Good news is now that I know where we are, I can magic us there." Before Robin could protest Zelena had flicked her wrist and they appeared in the foyer of the palace in a whirl of green smoke. Robin noticed Zelena was paler than usual and only just managed to wrap an arm around her waist as her knees buckled beneath her. "Okay maybe I wasn't quite ready for that." Despite her many years of magic experience, she very rarely had to transport more than herself.
"You think?" He lifted her under her knees, causing her to yelp and flail to grab onto his neck,
"A little warning next time!" Robin laughed and climbed the stairs to the left of the room.
"Directions, m'lady?" Zelena scowled,
"Fourth door on the right." Robin smirked at how quickly she had given in and adjusted his hold. "I hate you."
"No you don't." he replied as he nudged the door open with his foot. He placed her gently on the bed that was wrapped up in emerald green, silk sheets. She rubbed her hand across the material and her lips lifted in the corners and she flicked her wrist. Before her eyes the silk sheets were replaced by a mint green cotton replacement.
"I never liked silk. I just thought it made me look fancy." Robin chuckled a little, happy to be learning these small things about the intriguing woman before him.
"Well, if we're being honest, I much prefer these." Zelena smiled, somehow unfazed that she had shared that information with a man she claimed to hate. Robin moved to walk out of the door, when a hand grabbed on to his upper arm.
"Where are you going?" Zelena looked worried, almost frightened at the prospect of being alone. Robin laid a hand over her own,
"Nowhere." He moved to close the door to cover up his previous move to leave the room. He sat on the bed next to her. He lifted her leg onto the mattress gently,
"What are you doing?"
"Just checking your ankle."
"It's fine, honestly. My magic is coming back and it's practically healed." Robin looked sceptical, but nodded.
"Fine, but we aren't leaving this bed for the rest of the night. And, I'm going to stay to make sure you don't move." Zelena was relieved that Robin wasn't going anywhere. Robin picked up on this but decided to keep it to himself. Zelena shuffled back in the bed until her back was resting comfortably against the headboard. She flicked her wrist and both were in warm flannel pyjamas and a tray of food between them. Robin smiled and moved her leg under the covers along with the rest of her. She chuckled at his gentle care of her foot. Thinking back, neither of them had ever thought they'd end up like this. Robin got up from the bed and admired his pyjamas in the full-length mirror, in the corner of the room.
"These are very cosy." Zelena blushed and mumbled something under her breath. "What was that?" She rolled her eyes and spoke up,
"They're the same ones I wear at home." Robin grinned. "Shut up."
"I didn't say anything!"
"You were thinking it." She pouted. Robin sat on the other side of the bed and dragged the tray between them. The platter was mainly covered in fruit and berries, bread and chesses. They ate in silence for some time. Not an uncomfortable silence, just silence. Zelena pushed the tray slightly towards him, signifying that she was finished. He lifted the tray and placed in on the table beside the bed. He slid down until his head hit the pillow, he turned into the bed and was slightly shocked when his face was mere inches from Zelena's when he turned around. Zelena chuckled at his spooked face.
"Not funny."
"I thought it was hilarious." She shuffled closer to him, and he opened his arms, he knew she needed this despite their past. She rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. "I miss them." Robin didn't have to ask, he tightened his grip and moved his right hand to cradle the head that lay on his chest.
"I know, I miss them too."
"This is all my fault." He felt tears on his chest.
"We went through this, it wasn't your fault okay?" Zelena didn't say anything but nodded into the flannel below her cheeks. "Good, now try and get some sleep." They both closed their eyes, it took some time for either of them to fall asleep and when they did, it was restlessly and filled with dark visions.
