Hello hello lovlies! This giant of a fic is for Guest13, who has been nothing but lovely in all of her/his reviews! I must say I had an emotional moment while writing this one. First off, a big thank you to all of you for leaving prompts that make me actually excited to write! So excited that I sometimes forgo sleeping... which is not good friends so don't do that! Ah well, C'est la vie. Do enjoy and as a fair warning, this ones a little bit graphic, if you don't like blood... well maybe skip a portion of the lower 3rd. But nevertheless there is plenty of OQ and a wee bit of humor/banter as well... OH! and a whole lot of staring... sorry, not sure where all of that came from?! I blame Biffy...

prompt: How about one set in the missing year, where Regina and Robin are patrolling the woods looking for monkeys, when they are attacked and Regina hurts her leg so they have to take cover in a cabin, and Robin takes care of her leg, and Regina really wants to kiss him, but sees his tattoo and gets scared again, and the next day acts like it didn't happen.

She stepped over a thicket of buttercups nearly losing her balance. She straightened automatically hoping that he wouldn't notice.

"You alright Milady?"

He did. Damn it.

"I suggest you keep your eyes on the skies thief if we are ever going to find these monkeys." And off of me, she thought.

She heard a grunt from behind her and took that as a sign of his reluctant understanding.

She had no sympathy for the man. She hadn't asked for him to come along. In fact she had adamantly stated that she didn't want him there, or near her, at all.

But, of course, he hadn't listened. He had stayed long past his welcome, patrolling the halls of her castle as if he was one of her guard. And the moment that Snow White had jumped on board with the idea of him being her unofficial 'protector' she couldn't get a word in edgewise.

So he was there. Following her every step. She was beyond annoyed.

But not entirely at the man. But at herself.

She was causing herself more problems than she was solving. She couldn't seem to keep her eyes off of the rugged thief. For every part of him that she found annoying there was an equal or greater part that she found unwelcomely attractive. The way he looked. The way his accent flared when he talked to her. The way he walked. That was why he was currently behind her as she hurried forward, for she knew her eyes would be on him if they were reversed.

She wondered if he felt the same tingles she did when he was in her presence. Quickly, she shot a peak over her shoulder, to find him staring directly at her hips.

A blush warmed her cheeks as she raised brow. So he was as attracted to looking at her as she was at him? Her smirk grew as she whipped her head back around in the hopes that he wouldn't catch her looking at him, but her ascent was paused when a flurry of wings before her arrested her attention.

Monkey!

"Your Majesty!" He yelled, but it was to late. The winged beast had swooped down in the midst of her not paying attention.

She conjured a fireball but the beast was already upon her. He swung his powerful talons effectively slicing at her dresses, tearing them to shreds. The thief fired arrow after arrow but the beast was to fast. When it hooked his claws into it's desired point, her bodice, it began to ascend, lifting her up with it.

She heard his yells from the ground. But by now the thief was too far below her for her to make out his words. The beast flapped its monstrous wings, the wind from them causing the fire to extinguish in her palms.

Suddenly and arrow whizzed loudly past her ear, slicing right through the beasts left wing. The monkey howled in pain, effectively breaking the arrow, embedding it deeper into it's feathers. It's shaking was thunderous, talons retracting fast as it fought to get away from it's attacker. The beast freed itself and began to fly away as fast as it could with it's wounded wing. Regina was overjoyed that she was free of the foul creatures clutches. Until she felt the wind whip around her, thrashing her long hair, leaving small cuts across her face, and she realized her dilemma. She was falling.

Falling.

Falling.

And her magic still wasn't working.

All she heard was the thief screams next to her as she plummeted to the ground. All she could smell was the scent of some far away forest surround her as the black took over her vision.

xxx

It was dark when she awoke. She could hear the sound of a fire crackling close by, she could feel the warmth of multiple heavy blankets covering her making her break out into a sweat.

Was she back in her palace?

She went to remove some of the warmth when suddenly a sharp pain shot directly through her thigh causing her to drop the blankets and scream out in anguish.

The sound of pots crashing alerted her to the second presence in the room but she didn't care. The sting of the pain that was coursing through her was making her delirious.

"Milady! Are you alright?!"

As much as she wanted to respond sarcastically with a 'does it look like I'm alright?!' she couldn't. The pain was excruciating and she could barely concentrate enough to remember to breathe.

Oh wait. Nope. No, she forgot that to.

The last thing she remembered was a pair of strong hands holding her before her head hit the pillows.

xxx

When she awoke the second time the stars were shining brightly outside of the large window to her right, casting their light into her eyes. She blinked groggily, trying to shake the sleep from her eyes when the figure that was hovering over her materialized into view.

It was the thief.

There was a deep crease in his brow as he bent over her. She could just make out the determined look in his eyes as he worked. The starlight seemed to hit is hair, turning it a soft color of honey brown. He was concentrated, staring at some fixed point on her and he had yet to notice her change in breathing. He didn't know she was awake.

She realized that in the time that they had spent together they had rarely had a moment alone. When they did it was in passing, down a hallway or running into each other in some corridor. The times that they did find themselves utterly alone, after a council meeting or dinner, one would undoubtedly be called away, either her by one of the idiotic Charmings or him by his son or Merry Men. So realizing that he hadn't noticed her change in state, she took her chance and studied him.

He was ruggedly handsome. His skin showed the signs of a life spent outdoors in the wild. His hair was matted slightly from their excursions that day. However, the crinkle that formed beside his eyes and mouth signaled he was deep in thought and blissfully unaware of her observations. The glint in his eyes sent her stomach for a spin. He had a hard exterior, but his hands were soft. She knew this from his constant brushes she received whenever they were in the same vicinity. He always seemed to find a way to touch her. Whether by an accidental graze as he passed by, a unintentional nudge of the hips or a skim of their hands. He was always there, near enough to touch her, but never close enough to hold on.

She was about to analyze his actions further when all thoughts stopped. He had placed a hand on her leg and she could swear it sent a spark the strength of a lightening bolt through her. She jolted at the contact.

She cursed him for the shock effecting her so. She knew there was no way that he hadn't realized her awakened state by now, so she held her breath, waiting for him to comment.

"Somebodies awake." He said quietly, his eyes still focused on whatever he had been staring at before.

"Where have you brought me to thief?" She said, not intentionally adding the venom that seeped out into her words.

He inhaled deeply through his nose, the movement rattling her bed sightly and she realized just how close they were.

"A simple thank you would suffice."

"Thank you for what? From this angle it looks like you've taken me here against my will, therefore kidnapping me, for who knows what reason-"

"For saving your life!"

Regina was shocked at the mans sharp tone, effectively silencing her. In all of their encounters he had always been chivalrous, annoyingly so. He never let her get the best of him. She had constantly dangled the bait in front of him, waiting for him to rise, and he had constantly ignored it. She had got him once and only once, when she had made a remark about a thief's honor towards women, he had flinched. She had secretly prided herself over that fact, keeping the knowledge of how to get under his skin like a precious secret. But now, now was different. He had actually snapped, raising his voice and staring directly at her. There was a fire blazing behind his normally cool blue eyes and she could feel the heat of his glare. She did all she could do. She gulped.

"Saving my life?"

"Yes. After you fell from the sky. After you went out cold. Who do you think it was that grabbed you, picked you up and carried you here? Who do you think it was that has watched over you for the past few days, monitoring your state. Feeding you and keeping you alive? Who do you think Your Majesty?"

"Few days?" Regina commented more than questioned, stunned.

The thief sighed. Somewhere in the midst of his tirade he had began pacing. He ran a hand over his face, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"I'm sorry Milady, I didn't mean to tell you like that." He sighed, his hand lowering to reveal his eyelids scrunched tightly, as if he were trying with all of his might not to burst, "It's just that sometimes you are so reckless and you go off and get hurt like you don't care, and you get me so worried. And then you go off like that, and you make it so hard not to, to.. I just... I-" he trailed off.

Regina had never felt more awkward in her life. She knew how to handle men that were mad. Or men that were only out to use her to serve their interests. But she wasn't sure how to deal with one's expressing their feelings. Especially not one's that involved caring, and about her. She couldn't read the thief, but then again, she never really could.

He sighed again, which was seeming to become a habit with him, before sitting back down on the stool next to the bed.

"I'll just-" He began, raising his hands as if to touch her again.

Regina shot up, trying to avoid his impending touch that had gotten them into this whole situation in the first place. But as soon as she shifted on the small bed she felt the familiar shot of pain course through her. It was duller now, hitting her like a mallet instead of the sharp sting of a knife, but nevertheless there. She bit her tongue, trying to hold back her cry of pain, but it escaped in a whimper.

"Don't move your Majesty." The thief said, placing his hands exactly where she didn't want them. She twitched again, trying to get free of his clutches and sit up.

He put his hands firmly on her, holding her to the bed. "Milady, you will only injure yourself more."

She squirmed again in an attempt to buck his embrace.

"Regina sit still!"

Again he snapped at her. Her eyes widened at his use of her first name. She could feel his strong hands, now fully around her, gripping her hips. All attempts to move were gone. She stared at him, her jaw dropped, ears reddening.

There was no shy sigh from him now. He had a furry behind his eyes and she didn't know why. She stilled, doing as she was told.

He continued to stare at her, his eyes baring into hers, searching for something. Something she wasn't sure of.

She didn't realize how long she had been holding her breath until the need for air became to much and she broke the intense stare with her exhale. The thief blinked, he to unsure of how long he had been staring at her.

Both looked away for a beat, until Regina spoke.

"You know my name." She whispered, more as a statement than a question.

"Everyone knows your name, your Majesty. You are the Queen." He said shaking his head slightly as if he was trying to remind himself of that fact as he said it.

"Yes, but-" she stopped, unsure of how to continue.

"What?"

She sighed. It was just like him to question her when she didn't want it. She rolled her eyes slightly, trying and failing to erase the vulnerability from her voice.

"But you've never used it before."

He paused his ministrations, he had been playing almost nervously with his torn sleeves, to look at her, "And what, did you think I did not know it?"

She only nodded.

He huffed, almost laughing, "And here I thought it was you who did not know mine."

"What?" She said in disbelief.

Now he was laughing, the deep rumble of his chuckle shaking the bed again, causing the heavy sheets to scratch up against her thigh.

"Ah!" She exclaimed as another pain went through her.

He immediately stopped laughing, returning his hands to her, adding pressure to her leg.

"I am sorry Milady, did I hurt you?" He said, staring back at her, waiting for a response.

She would have unleashed an array of insults at him had she not felt bad for the man, and simply nodded.

"It's fine."

He seemed to take that and returned his focus to whatever it was that had him so concentrated. She followed his line of sight, shifting ever so slowly as to not trigger the pain.

"This will only take a minute," he said, before returning his hands.

"What will-" but her voice died in her throat.

There, where the blankets had been shifted, bunching up on the lower side of the bed, she could just make out what had him looking so aghast. She could see the left side of her body, her dress completely shredded in certain areas and nonexistent in others. Pieces of her bodice were missing and it looked like what little remained of her corset had been unlaced, freeing her aching ribs so that she could breathe. However, despite the poor state of her clothes, she was still completely covered, her modesty still intact. She scanned further down her torso and froze. There were splotches of red. Growing larger and larger as she looked down, until she reached her leg, and all breath left her.

There, where her olive skin used to be were hundreds of small holes. Her leg looked as if it had been mutilated by an onslaught of arrows. She was marred completely. There were hundreds of red soaked towels, and she wondered how the thief had managed to find so many until she realized that most weren't even towels at all. They looked like tiny scraps of fabric and she realized why the man had looked so different. He had torn his own clothing to help cleanse her wounds. Shreds and shreds of fabric, soaked red and it looked like there was still blood oozing slowly out of her leg as they spoke.

She gasped, afraid.

The man however did not seem to be so. He leaned over her, positioning his hands right and held up another long shred of fabric. Gently maneuvering her wounded leg, he wound the fabric underneath and over, effectively binding the wounds. When he was done, he pulled the fabric, sending a short shock up her side, but he quickly soothed her as his hands splayed over her thigh, careful not to touch the injured flesh.

"There." He said, staring at the leg.

She released a breath. Her brain could barely function. A river of blood swam through her mind every time she closed her eyes.

She suddenly understood why the thief had been so easily upset. He was angry with her. Angry that she had gone off in search of the flying monkeys. Angry that she had batted him away when he offered to help her. Angry that she had gotten hurt.

Regina caught the thief's gaze still burning holes into her marred flesh. She could swear she saw something else swimming in his eyes as well. Regret? At himself for not being able to do any better?

Suddenly his swift movement broke her thoughts as he muttered something about food, and began to stand up. He reached over her, one more time, grabbing the heap of blood soaked fabric to dispose of them. As he leaned however, the front of his shirt shredded hung open, exposing his chest. Regina gasped again.

There under the weathered material she could make out the markings of a scar that ran from the underside of his ear to his collar and all the way across his chest until she couldn't make out any more. It was as bright red as all of her injuries. He had been hurt as well.

He turned quickly, throwing the soiled fabrics into the fire that was raging behind them.

She heard the noises of pots and pans clinking against each other. The smell of warm food hit her senses and she felt her mouth begin to water and her stomach growl.

She hadn't realized until then how hungry she was.

When the thief returned he carried two small bowls, each full of what looked like the most delicious soup Regina had ever seen. He set one down, returning to his sitting position beside the bed and proceeded to dip a large wooden spoon into the other in his hands. He scooted closer and it was only then when she grasped what he was doing.

"Are you going to feed me?"

The man didn't stop, he blew on the contents, trying to cool down the liquid so it wouldn't burn her. "Only if you'll let me."

Regina blinked. She couldn't believe her ears. When the man in front of her finally looked up she locked onto his gaze. His eyes were earnest, she found no trickery about them. He was honestly trying to feed her, to help her, to nurse her back to health. She felt her mouth run dry, and not due to her hunger.

She nodded.

He leaned forward, carefully feeding her the broth from the spoon. Little by little he did, as to not spill, blowing on each spoonful before offering it to her. When she had emptied the bowl, he began to grab at the second, offering it to her.

She shook her head, "Are you not going to eat?"

He smiled, only slightly as if it were foreign to his lips, "I already have, and I assumed you'd be more hungry."

When he proceed to offer her more, she shook her head signaling that she was done.

He understood her gesture and began to clean up. "Alright, well you must sleep your Majesty." He began to say, "Your body needs the rest. Try not to lean onto your left side."

He proceeded to stand, placing the still full bowl on the table behind her when she reached out to stop him.

"Robin, wait."

It was the sound of his name on her lips that turned him. His eyes connected with hers.

"Your Majesty?" he said breathlessly.

For a moment Regina did not know what to do. The man was paused in his half crouched half standing position just near enough for her to touch him. She felt her fingers tingle as she realized his closeness.

"I-I" she began, but she knew no what to say. It was then that she saw the red mark on his chest again. Without saying a word she reached up. He jolted the moment her hands came in contact with his warm skin. She assumed it to be due to the coldness of her palms but when she began to trace the mark that was highlighted on his skin he closed his eyes, ever so softly leaning into her touch.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

She could barely make out his, "Don't be." As she felt the rise of the gash across him deepen as she followed it down.

When she reached the spot where she could see it no more, under his shredded shirt, she brought her hands back up, wrapping one around his neck to pull him closer. He opened his eyes to find hers locked onto the point where the fresh scar disappeared into his hairline, circling just behind his ear. Her touch was feather soft, and he felt his eyelids flutter as she traced the end, grazing his earlobe as she did.

If he hadn't have been paying perfect attention to her every move he wouldn't have heard the hushed 'thank you' that fell from her lips.

He opened his eyes, to find hers staring back into them. He could see a myriad of emotions circling through her wide chocolate eyes. At the for front he could make out pain and sadness. But underneath there was a layer of gratitude and thankfulness. For him.

Her small fingers moved, gently running through the hair at the base of his neck, causing goosebumps to prickle down his skin.

Staring at her, he felt like she was trying to ask his something through her eyes. something. She was almost pleading, as if she were fighting with herself about whatever it was. Her dark eyes darted back and forth between his, until they suddenly dropped lower to his lips.

Robin took in a shallow breath. She wanted to kiss him.

He felt like the world stopped spinning and all of the planets and stars had aligned just perfectly, causing this to be the stillest moment on the planet.

All he could see was her. All he could feel was the constant movement of her soft fingers on his neck, sending small shocks down his spine.

He leaned forward slowly, as to not scare her. She didn't flinch. Their lips were only a breath away when suddenly, she shifted.

The way in which she moved made him back up quickly, replaying everything that had just transpired back in his mind. He wondered where he had missed a piece.

She quietly whispered a 'good night,' before grabbing the discarded covers and draping them carefully over her.

He stood, confused.

She had turned, ever so slightly so that he couldn't see her face.

With a sigh he reached over, grabbing the left behind bowl to finally dispose of it. When he stood fully, he blew out the candle that sat next to her bed whispering.

"Goodnight... Regina."

xxx

The small room was cold as she shivered under the mass pile of blankets.

It had been hours since the thief had left, going to bed in what must be another room in the cabin. She stared out the window as the light of the morning sun began to hit the fields.

She had been about to kiss him and she was sure he was about to kiss her too.

She would have too, expressing her thanks in the best way that she knew how, if only she hadn't have seen it.

It. She couldn't believe it was there.

The symbol. The stupid one of the lion raised on it's hind legs. The tattoo that she had been destined a long time ago to find. The tattoo that was marked on the wrist of the man that was her true love.

She closed her eyes as a single tear fell. It couldn't be.

Not after she had spent so long searching for the man that she had ran away from that night, long ago at the tavern.

The one she had walked away from once, kissing off any hope of her happy ending.

There was no way she had found him again. There was no way he was here, in her life, sleeping in a room just down the hall from her.

There was no way that it was this nice, good man. Who had tended to her wounds. Who had rescued her when she had fallen unconscious. Who had fed her. Who had nursed her back to health. A man who annoyed her at most times but shocked her with his unwavering kindness and caring.

It couldn't be.

But she knew it was. For when he had moved, leaning in over her she had seen it bright as day. On his wrist, where the fabric of his shirt had been removed from the constant bandaging of her leg, was the marking of the lion tattoo.

He was her true love, he was her soul mate.

And she had almost kissed him.

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