"Are you sure?" he whispered, lips moving against the skin of her forehead as her fingers gripped at the shirt covering his upper arms. His hands were pressed to the small of her back, palms warm against her dress covered form as they breathed together, deep, slow breaths that he'd worked hard to maintain with her since they'd returned here and she'd almost passed out with the toll the transportation magic had taken on her. "Roland is tucked up at the end of Henry's bed, I would make no objection if you wished me to sleep elsewhere Regina."
Her fingers clenched with his words, nails biting at his upper arms though he paid it no mind, they'd discarded their jackets downstairs, hers hanging in the hallway closet that Henry had shown him to and his own on folded neatly on the back of the sofa. She'd rejected his offer to fetch her a blanket when she'd shivered against him on the couch but allowed him to wrap her in the warmth of his jacket. She'd shrugged down deep into it to bury her nose in the collar and leant even heavier against him, seeking all of the comfort that he could give with her legs curled up tight beside her and bare toes finding warmth beneath a cushion. "No," her head rocked with a shake where his lips still remained, pressing tender, comforting kisses along her hairline as she told him "I don't want to be alone."
His heart ached at the tremble in her hushed voice, the way she pressed even closer to him, held him even tighter and he wouldn't leave her, had only offered in attempts to make her more comfortable but it seemed his presence would aid rather than exacerbate that. "Okay," he pressed one last kiss to her forehead before pulling back to look down at her and tell her with complete sincerity "I won't leave you."
She'd fallen asleep barely an hour ago, the sobs that she'd muffled against his chest for the better part of the night had finally subsided and she'd grown still against him. There'd been hiccupped breaths that had continued long after she'd fallen into slumber but with his even breaths had come her own. He hadn't slept though, not one wink, not whilst she was in distress, not whilst she was still trembling against him. She'd told him how she'd attempted to escape from the castle so many times during her time there, told him of the spells her mother had placed upon both her and the King to ensure she could never leave and how that bond lasted even after she'd banished her mother. How her father had placed her unhappiness down to nerves on her wedding day rather than listening and helping her and how Snow reminded her every single day of the man she'd lost just to become a replacement mother for her.
The arm he had around her shoulders tightened, pulling her even closer to him and though she let out a sleepy grunt, she didn't wake. His lips were pressed to her forehead again, their legs tangled and her toes cold where they were wedged between his feet. Her own hands were pressed to his chest, tucked between them, her fingers bent gently. His other hand was wrapped around the front of her, draped over her hips and holding her close to him.
She was so much smaller than what she seemed, petite without her towering heels, dainty without her sharp words and crossed arms and so very vulnerable in her despair. She'd been so happy before they'd walked into that building, filled with a victory that she'd won all on her own, a confirmation of what she'd been too scared to hope for, that she could be good, that she is good. They'd returned her heart, had sat before the warmth of her fire and she'd dazzled him with her smile, with the joy and affection in her dark eyes and the belief that this could be their second chance at love.
Then he'd tainted it all, this man, this ghost that she'd put behind her and it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair.
He wanted to blame Emma for bringing him back, wanted to curse her name for putting Regina through this again but the rational part of him wouldn't allow it for what would he have done in the very same situation? He knew the good in him would have told him to do exactly as Emma had, to save someone he knew was fated for death.
He rubbed a soothing hand down the length of her back, a feather light touch that had her nose nuzzling into his neck as he laid his head heavier against the side of hers and vowed to himself that he would do whatever he could to keep Regina feeling safe, that he would do whatever needed to be done to have her feeling safe again.
He moved only as much as was needed when he heard the bedroom door crack open and he knew that it was at least 7am with the way the light managed to stream through from the cracks around the curtains but was most certainly surprised to find Henry standing quietly in the doorway, peering over at them with uncertainty on his face until Robin gave him a warm smile, still holding Regina close to him.
"How is she?" he asked after a long moment, his fingers curled around the door as he looked over his mother, taking in the way she clung to Robin with the very same frown he'd worn for the better part of yesterday evening until Robin had convinced him that getting a good night's rest would help, that his mother would be taken care of for the night. He'd listened and nodded, trusting Robin to care for his mom and when he'd told him so, that he knew she'd be okay as long as Robin was with her, he'd had to swallow down the lump that had formed in his throat.
"Better," he replied honestly, his voice barely above a whisper though he doubted she'd wake anytime soon, "she fell asleep about an hour ago."
Henry nodded, his brow still not smoothing out. It was a worry that Robin knew wouldn't dissipate until his mother was awake and smiling once more and he understood it for he too felt the same concern with the way she'd been last night. His heart ached for the boy though and so he asked him "how about I come make you some breakfast?" surprised when Henry's hand came up to stop him even before he'd begun shifting.
"It's okay," he told the man, nodding as he continued "you stay with Mom, she needs you right now," and it wasn't surprising that Regina was so proud of her son, "I've made Roland something to eat and I can keep him busy with cartoons for a few more hours, it's no problem."
As he turned to leave, Robin not completely sure of what 'cartoons' were but deciding that particular lesson wasn't needed right now, he stopped the boy with a call of his name. Henry turned with eyebrows raised and his expression so very much like Regina's despite the fact that they shared no blood, it had Robin smiling as he told him "she loves you very much you know."
A small smile broke out over Henry's face as he looked from Robin and to his mother before replying with complete sincerity "I know, I love her too."
She stirred only slightly when her son shut the door softly behind him, slurring "R'bin?" as her fingers clenched in the material of the sleeping shirt she'd given him before they'd climbed into bed last night.
He rubbed a hand up and down the length of her spine in soothing passes, shuffling down further onto the bed and tucking her head beneath his chin as he told her "sleep my darling, I'm here." She nodded drowsily against him, mumbling something that told him she was barely awake for it made absolutely no sense - he swallowed his chuckle for fear of further waking her - before he felt her dropping heavier against him once more and falling back into sleep.
He didn't know what was going to happen now that the King was back, were they still married? Was he right in thinking that Regina was still his wife? His death had been nullified now, Regina's widower status revoked. He knew things were different over here, that there were ways of severing the ties between man and wife but Regina had been barely able to breathe in the man's presence, surely it would only torture her more to put her through something like that...
She'd been through so much already, had confessed to him only yesterday evening after she'd told him of their bond, of the meaning behind his tattoo that it was only recently that she'd been able to find light in the dark of her life once more. They'd spoken of their lost loves and she'd lit up when he'd accepted that they'd been fated to be together long before either of them had ever met. She'd looked so beautifully happy, elated, like she couldn't truly believe that this was going to be her life, that she had someone now who would be there for her no matter what. Someone who would support her, who would care for her when she needed it and someone who - though the time wasn't right for telling her just yet - loved her for her. She had a person now and that thought had had her practically floating towards the diner with him and his son and then it was as though her whole world had come crashing down in a matter of minutes.
"I should have known life would kick me in the teeth again," she'd sobbed into his chest, "villain's don't get happy endings."
He'd told her then and he'd tell her every day until he was blue in the face that she was not a villain and that she would find her happy ending, that he would help her find it. She was good, her heart was bruised but it was no longer as dark as it once had been. They'd get through this, through whatever Leopold's return was going to bring with him, they would get through this - together.