"Esme? Esme." She felt someone gently shaking her shoulder, and with that, she returned to the world. The voice was Henry's, Esme could tell, so she needed to wake up and be fine - she didn't want to give him another reason to worry. How was Robin? How long had she been unconscious. She could feel the arms of the chair surrounding her, and she felt Robin's hand was still in hers so she hoped she hadn't been out too long.

"Henry?" she said, slowly beginning to open her eyes. Her head felt a little fuzzy but it was nothing compared to what she felt like in the woods the first time she had her vision in this world, so she plastered a smile on her face and faked a yawn, hoping to pass it off to Henry as she fell asleep; when she looked at him, this seemed to be achieved.

"Hey. You sure you're okay to stay here? You seem pretty tired, sis," he said, sitting on the side of the chair with his arms around her. Esme placed her arms around him, rested her head on his chest and reassured him that she was fine, which he seemed to accept.

"Where's our little knight? I thought he'd be here in a flash!" Esme asked, looking around the room for a clock and feeling reassured that she had only been out for around a minute when she found one.

Henry laughed before continuing, "Will is bringing him now. He wanted to get a drawing he made for Robin but it was at home. What's happening with Robin?"

"I honestly dunno bud. The doctor said everything looks normal and he was awake for a minute or two but then his head hurt -"

"I…I'm aw..wake," said a very groggy Robin; Esme and Henry's attention was immediately focused on him.

"Hey? Hey!" Esme said, unquestionably excited to see that he was awake. Esme was holding Robin's left hand and Henry went to the other side to hold his right, offering him support and comfort they thought he would need desperately.

"How are you feeling?" Esme's main concern was that both Robin and Regina would keep waking up and then keep falling unconscious so if he was awake now, and staying awake, she needed to know how or why; maybe they could help Regina.

"I.. I feel fine," he said clearing his throat, well aware that his voice was making him sound weak. This wasn't fully true; physically he actually felt like he had been hit by a truck and emotionally, he was drowning in unanswered questions and felt the full spectrum of human emotion all at once.

"R..Regina. H..h..how is Regina? Put this bed up so that i can see her, please." Robin said slowly. He began to shuffle in the bed, but the drugs and weeks of lying down took their tole and he didn't get very far on his own. Henry raised his bed up so that Robin was in a sitting position while Esme fixed his pillows before joining Henry so that she wasn't in Robins way. Robin looked horrified and desperately sad; he gasped in shock at the sight of the strong woman he loved now confined to a hospital bed before he began crying.

"Robin?" Esme said, before sitting on the bed and wrapping her arms around him. He immediately gripped her arms, hoping to try and gain some strength from her, but he couldn't stop crying. He remembered Regina. He remembered this strong, beautiful, vibrant young woman but then he had a huge gap. He remembered how deeply he loved her and how desperately he wanted to protect her yet he didn't, he couldn't, not then and not now. After all these years, fate had bought them together again but instead of loving and cherishing her, he hurt her; the one thing he vowed never, ever to do. He couldn't protect her against the person who casts curse on them, he hurt her with Marion and Zelena and he couldn't protect her against her sister so now she is lying here in a hospital bed, weak and frail and he could do absolutely nothing. It should be him lying unconscious, not her; she would know what to do, she would know how to save him and their children - he didn't know what to do.

"Robin it's okay! She's gonna wake up really soon, just like you have-" Esme began, but Robin stopped listen. Here she was, his full grown daughter, comforting him when he should be comforting her. When the spell initially broke, he had all of these images flash at him all at once. The first was of Esme as a baby girl - a beautiful, tiny baby girl. She had a soft pink blanket wrapped around her with white, knitted hat on her head with a tiny little white bow. The next was an image of Regina holding her. They weren't in a hospital but the room looked warm, with a fire in the centre. Regina looked at Esme with utter adoration and her smile stretched the whole way across her face; like she was so happy, her smile could barely contain it. She rocked their daughter, kissed her tiny little nose and watched as her eyes began to flutter as she dreamt. The next was of Esme meeting Robin and Regina's friends. They were all squeezed into the same small room as the second image but Regina sat in a chair in the corner, smiling as she chatted and Robin waited on her, while Robin's 'merry men' cooed over their baby. It was after this wondrous image that Robin felt a piercing pain in his head; it felt like he was being stabbed again and again and again, with no break. and he slowly lost consciousness and the memory of his family. But that pain, didn't even compare to how he felt now. He was sobbing in the arms of a daughter who had gone through so much more than he ever wanted her to. She had told him about Messene when she was staying with them; how she was terrified when she discovered her powers, how she was hunted and used for possessing them and how she had been running for years. What kind of life was that? He had failed her entirely. He gradually began to stop sobbing, he had no energy left, and slowly placed his head back on the pillow in the bed. He took Esme's hand in his and looked at the scared, empathetic woman she now was and hoped to ease the pain he saw etched into eyes.

"I.. I remember you.." he said. Esme smiled and wiped away tears that had escaped her eyes and returned her hand to his. Henry smiled too, clearly glad Esme was finally getting a glimpse of the answers he knew she needed, and put his hand on her waist and the other on her shoulder.

"You do?" Esme asked, smiling so broadly, she reminded Robin of Regina.

"I..I do. You were a gorgeous baby. Perfect," he said slowly, trying to gain greater control over his voice while also trying to contain his emotions. He needed her to see that despite the spell and despite his absence in the past, he was here for her now and loved her with every bone in his body; he wiped the rest of the tears that had off of her cheeks. Now that he was talking, Esme was desperate to ask him all of the questions that had raced through her head these past few weeks, but he still looked frail. This was the first time he was awake, so he had to deal with things now without the comfort of knowing he will fall unconscious; she couldn't burden him further with her feelings and questions when he wasn't sure yet of his own. So the two sat and stared at each other, perfectly content to revel in the silence; Robin, happy to see the woman that baby had turned out to be, and Esme, thrilled to have a face to put on the person everyone called her dad.

"Daddy! Daddy!" interrupted Roland. Esme immediately bolted up and plastered a smile on her face. Tears were still prickling at her eyes so she immediately wrapped her arms around Henry, ensuring Roland didn't see her upset as she faced the wall. Henry held her tight, and only let her go when she told him she was fine; she was lucky he was a wonderful brother, she thought. When she turned around, Roland was squeezing Robin so tight, the poor man's face was going red. He tried to pretend he wasn't in pain but it was pretty obvious that he was so Henry told Roland to be a careful.

"But why? Daddy's better now." Roland asked innocently.

"He is buddy, but he still hurts a little," Henry explained but he needn't have bothered. Robin tickled and played with Roland almost the same as he always did, with the minor inclusion of a bed. Before long, Esme was playing referee to the game made up by Roland; basically, Henry and Roland hid under the bed and whenever they popped up, Robin was supposed to hit them on the head with a newspaper. This game went on for so long, that the lights went off in the hall, which Esme knew only happened after midnight.

"Okay buddies, i think we are gonna have to -" Esme said, fully aware that her brothers would not be co-operative.

"Nooooooooo! Please, sissy! Daddy ju-" Roland began.

"Sissy?" Robin interjected. Esme was a little stunned at his question. In all of the confusion and Roland's excitement, they hadn't actually talked. Not properly.

"Umm, yeah. I thought it would be best for Roland and Henry to know, at least the basics," Esme began, but she still saw that Robin was confused so she continued.

"I promise, i'll be back first thing in the morning and i'll explain everything but i should get them home. They have school in the morning." she said before kissing his head. He nodded and smiled at her before telling both Roland and Henry to 'Listen to your sister', which Esme couldn't help but smile at. Roland initially put up a little bit of a fight, and Henry wanted to wait for his mom but they eventually relented. They gave Robin a hug and a kiss and headed towards the door. Esme was about to join them when Robin grabbed her hand and stared at her.

"Thank you. Thank you for looking after my boys," he said, struggling to find what to thank her for.

"It's my pleasure. They're my brothers," she said, hoping that this reassured him a little. "Now get some rest, I'm sure you have a lot of quest-"

"I'm sure you do to. And i promise i'll answer any of them if i-" Robin began, desperate to show her he was sorry, that he loved her. Esme saw this and reassured him.

"Shhhhh," she said, squeezing his hand. "I know you will." With that she kissed his head and walked home.

They all remained pretty silent on the way home, all drained of energy now. Esme yawned and put and arm around each of her brothers, who both linked their arms around her back. Roland yawned too and asked for Esme to carry him, which Esme couldn't exactly refuse because it was around 5 hours after his bedtime. While Esme was carrying Roland, he fell asleep and so Esme took the opportunity to ask Henry why he was so quiet. She knew it was to do with his mom, and she completely understood, but she hoped talking to him would maybe help.

"Everything okay, squirt?"

"Yeah."

"You sure? It's just you seem kinda quiet."

"I'm good. Just tired."

"Okay," Esme said before continuing. "Listen buddy, we are gonna get Regina to wake up, okay? I promise," Esme explained. Henry looked at her and nodded but Esme was hoping he would smile.

"I would hug you but my arms are a little full" Esme joked, which made Henry laugh a little so Esme was content to walk the rest of the journey in silence, knowing that Henry was at least slightly reassured.

When they got home, Esme put Roland straight into his bed and Henry had a cup of tea waiting for her when she came downstairs.

"Thanks squirt!' she said, placing her arm around him and kissing his head.

"You're welcome. I know it helps you sleep."

"Wh- How do you know that?"

"Because i hear you boil the water at stupid o'clock in the morning," he said and laughed.

"Oh really? I'm sorry! In my defence, i have a lot on my mind," Esme laughed, nudging Henry's arm. "You should get some sleep now, buddy. Whether you like it or not, you are still going to school in the morning."

"Bu-"

"No buts Henry! Your mom would kill me if you got behind! I'll let you know if theres any changes, i promise." This seemed to appease Henry. "Okay, kiddo. Come on, i'll even tuck you in if you want," she teased, but Henry didn't smile.

"Umm..w- would you mind if i chilled down here with you tonight? I just don't really want to be by myself."

"Of course. We can sleep on the rug. Go grab your pillows and blankets - we can have our own little slumber party," Esme said, well aware that her brother needed her and if that meant sitting with him till he went to sleep, then thats what she would do. Henry smiled and ran upstairs, only to be followed down the stairs by four pillows, two blankets and Roland. Henry must have woken him up when he bounded upstairs and he, of course, wanted to join the slumber party; so he did. They made a huge bed on the rug, Roland slept to the right of Esme and Henry slept to the left and they all fell asleep readying the book that started it all.