Once Upon a Time 1. Once Upon A Dream

**A/N: I know I have two unfinished NCIS/Jibbs stories but my muse was fixated on this tumblr prompt so I had to go along with it.**

**OQ Prompt: Robin chooses obligation over love and everyone is miserable because of it because everyone is trying to do the right thing. It's a few weeks later when Robin gets into an accident. He wakes up to a complete different life. One where he chose love over obligation.**

**It will be three chapters long, the first two are posted on my tumblr (the link is in my profile), the third is in the work. A big shout-out to Tbuddah, my wonderful beta.**

**This one is Robin's POV with Lana Del Rey's version of Once Upon A Dream as a soundtrack.**

* * *

><p>Part 1 : Once Upon A Dream<p>

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

The regular, and frankly quite annoying sound, is the first thing he becomes aware of as he slowly regains consciousness. His eyelids feel too heavy to be lifted just yet so he tries to focus on what he hears and smells and...why on Earth does his head feel like it's been trampled over by a dozen very hefty animals? Or like he has been drinking way too much of that awful beverage Friar Tuck calls alcohol, but really doesn't deserve that name after having tasted what this new world has to offer. His personal favorite has become whiskey, and it isn't at all because it makes him think of _her_, no, not at all.

His thoughts are straying in a dangerous direction, a perilous place, so he pulls himself back to the present, reminds himself that he's trying to figure out why he is lying on a very different bed from the one in which he usually sleeps, why he is nursing the mother of all headaches.

_Beep_

_Beep _

_Beep_

That sound again. It seems to echo a memory of not too long ago. It takes him a few minutes, time to rack his sluggish mind, before he can recall where he heard that noise before. The hospital, the place where they brought Little John as he was turning into a flying beast, the place where they tried to protect Princess Snow White and her child. Now that he thinks about it, it explains the clean smell around him, the bright light he can make out as his eyelids begin cooperating.

He remembers being told that the equipment making this sound is a heart monitor, to record a patient's heart rate, to be able to intervene if it becomes too slow, too fast or irregular. He had other things to worry about at the time, so he hadn't paid much attention, but now he is wondering why he would need such a thing.

That's when he remembers. He had been drinking alone in that shabby place called The Rabbit Hole. Probably too much, or maybe too little if he can still remember it. He was once again trying to convince himself he had made the right choice when Marian came back from the past. Trying to convince himself that breaking the heart of a woman, a woman who had known far too much pain, enough pain to last anyone several lifetimes, was a small price to pay to have his wife back, alive and well. What a load of bullshit that was!

But what could he have done? Marian was his wife, they had made vows to one another and...what is the point of rehashing this now?

He had been in the Rabbit Hole, staggered outside trying to make his way back to his camp, but apparently not paying enough attention to his surroundings. The next thing he knew, he was crossing the street, headlights were blinding him, tires screeching in his ears, and then there was pain, pain like he hadn't known in a very long time, if ever, and then nothing, darkness all around him.

A car, those contraptions people of this world use as means of transportation, had hit him, and from the few things he had heard, remembers seeing, he is probably very lucky to be alive.

He is finally able to open his eyes, blinks several times as the harsh, white lights greet him. His whole body feels heavy. He can see his left leg is elevated and covered in some kind of boot that leaves his toes free. He tries to move his hand to touch it but he can't, and looking down, he realises it is because someone is using it as a pillow. Not just any someone either. Even if her face is mostly covered, he'd recognize her hair anywhere. He frowns, wonders if he is imagining it, but the brown tresses appear to be longer than the last time he had seen her. He can't have been unconscious that long?

He watches her for a while. He has always loved being able to just watch her, committing every feature to memory to feast on when they aren't together. He has been doing a lot of that lately, with very little new material to go on as they seem to make it their mission to avoid each other. He will take this opportunity to look upon her as long as he can, and try to ignore his guilt knowing there is no way she could be comfortable in that position.

A few moments pass before he questions why she is here at all, not that he isn't glad, but it doesn't make sense. He had left her, alone and heartbroken in her office, barely a day after she had told him of a second chance she had let go of all those years ago only to find again, their second chance. He had left her, telling her that no matter his feelings for her, he now had his wife back. A wife he pledged vows to long before he knew what it really meant to love, to have your heart so full it could burst, to be so connected to someone that their pain made you cry and their joy made you weep.

He lets out a shaky breath recalling that moment, the moment he had told her he was choosing Marian. He knew he had to flee her office, knew he had never been able to bear seeing her cry, knew he wasn't strong enough. If he had seen her tears he would have turned back, taken her in his arms, his vows, his honor be damned, because how could he become part of the list of people to hurt this amazing woman, hurt her so much she no longer felt worthy of love?

They had spent the days, weeks that followed, avoiding each other at all costs. Her family, her friends, they rallied around her, even when she would adamantly say she didn't need anyone to protect her.

If she is here, does it mean she has forgiven him? Could they work something out so that they could still be in each other's lives, still see each other without it feeling like his heart is squeezed so tightly in his chest he can't breathe?

She stirs, and he holds his breath, it seems he will get his answer sooner than he expected. She slowly straightens herself up, her right hand brushing her hair away from her face while her left still holds his in a tight grip. It takes her a moment to notice he is observing her intently.

When she finally does, she smiles widely, her eyes filling with tears, and his name escapes her mouth in a shaky, questioning whisper, as if doubting he is right there in front of her. Her left hand raises from his coming to rest upon his cheek, caressing it slowly as he leans into her palm. A glimmer catches his eye, and he takes her hand to look at it more closely. There, on her ring finger, is a beautiful diamond and emerald band, a band that looks a lot like an engagement ring.

When did that happen?

He must have been looking at it longer than he thought because she chuckles lightly, startling him from his confused haze.

"I still have trouble believing a thief could offer me something as beautiful as this ring. Remember when I accused you of having stolen it? You looked so offended." She says, and despite the fact that he has absolutely no recollection of what she is talking about, he can't seem to care. Instead he feels relieved that he is apparently the one who gave it to her.

"How..." He tries to speak but his voice is so raspy from being unused it causes a coughing spell, sends a wave of pain through him.

"Don't push yourself, you've been in a coma for 3 days," she explains as she gets him an ice chip. "You were in a car accident, had a concussion, several broken ribs and a broken leg. I'm afraid breathing and walking are going to be a challenge for a while." She tries to sound light, but he has spent enough time with her, knows she is trying to hide the worry she really feels.

"I should get Dr Whale," she says anxiously, "He will want to check you over, and I should tell everyone that you're awake. You really scared us, we were all so worried, especially the children."

Before he can protest and say that he wants her to stay with him, just the two of them for a little while longer, she is opening the door and asking a passing nurse to page Dr. Whale and inform him Robin of Locksley is awake.

The doctor is there less than five minutes later, and Robin is certain that the moment the man starts questioning him, his answers are not going to make sense. He doesn't know enough about what's going on to want Regina to be here for this, and as she hovers in the background, he attempts to talk again, this time his voice working properly.

"Maybe you should call for the children now and get something to eat," he says in a soft voice. He can see she wants to argue, but her stomach chooses that moment to growl, and she looks down at it as if it betrayed her.

"Alright, I will leave you two to it, but I won't be long. I hope Mary Margaret has enough bottles left for Sarah, otherwise we're going to have a very hungry princess on our hands." It's a good thing Regina seems to be in a world of her own when she says this because the shock on Robin's face would have given him away, his confusion evident.

Unfortunately, the doctor did notice and the man smirks before asking, "Still can't believe you had a child with the Evil Queen?"

"Don't call her that," Robin replies automatically before the words truly register in his mind. "What did you just say?"

"I was talking about your daughter of course." The other man replies.

Robin's dumbfounded expression makes the doctor's mouth curve into a frown, eyes narrowing. "You don't remember, do you?"

The outlaw shakes his head slowly in response, but abruptly stops when it starts pounding.

"What if you told me the last thing you remember and work your way from there?" Dr. Whale offers, and Robin tells him about the Rabbit Hole, about impossible choices, a woman back from the dead, and the new life he had made for his son and himself torn apart. Dr Whale listens to him intently, and when he is finished, the other man nods thoughtfully.

"It is not uncommon for patients having suffered from a coma to experience memory loss or memory alterations; it's a way for the brain to cope while the body recovers. I expect things to go back to normal in the next few days, weeks at the most." His voice is calm, his words technical, as if he isn't talking about Robin losing what seems to be very precious memories with his Queen and their family.

"She cannot know about this." Robin says, challenging the doctor to argue. "I can't possibly tell her what my brain_imagined while I was in that coma, or that I don't remember the past few months."

Whale nods. "There is such a thing as patient/Doctor confidentiality in this world. I can't share with your relatives more than what you wish for me to say. Why don't I catch you up on the recent events then?"

And he does. He tells Robin about Zelena accepting the second chance Regina offered her, and how she lives with them at the mayor's mansion, how she is still looked upon with suspicion, but with the Charmings accepting her among them, Storybrooke's population is slowly coming to terms with her redemption. After all, if the Evil Queen can change, why not her sister? The doctor tells him about how Regina and himself were the object of the town's gossip, when, in less than six months, he had moved in to her house with his son, proposed, and gotten her pregnant. He tells him about the difficult pregnancy, Regina's issues with her magic and how there was a moment when they thought they would lose both mother and daughter. But Regina is a survivor, has always beaten the odds, and when she gave birth a month ago, the whole town had suffered a blackout due to the release of pure, blinding, light magic.

"What's her name?" Robin asks in wonder.

"Sarah Abigail." Whale says, allowing an overwhelmed Robin some time to ponder what he has heard. The doctor runs some basic tests, making sure Robin's cognitive and motor functions haven't been affected by his concussion.

Robin feels strangely disconnected as he is examined. Could everything he recalls really have been a trick of his mind as he was lying in a coma, some test to determine his commitment to Regina? A test he has utterly failed, a failure that has cost him his memories with her, their sons, and their newborn daughter.

He had known choosing Marian wasn't the right thing to do, perhaps not even the honorable thing. He had let his first love, his wife, the mother of his son, become an obligation, without taking enough time to think things through, to explain to her how much his life had changed. Marian was a good person, far better than he had ever been, could ever strive to be. She had made him change, shown him the much different path he could take. If he had explained the situation to her, she would have understood. She wouldn't have let him choose obligation over love. He hates himself all over again, and wonders, is he really worthy of Regina and this family they created?

As the doctor finishes, Regina comes back into the room with a tight smile, looking unsure, and he has so rarely seen her this way that it tugs something inside him, it's almost painful. She seems different, it's not just the hair, although he definitely appreciates it being longer, there is a softness to her, as if some of the burden she had always carried has been lifted. She frowns slightly at his intense look.

"Is everything okay?" She directs the question at him as much as towards Dr Whale, approaching the bed slowly.

"Comas always tend to be disorienting, but every test I ran points to a full recovery," The physician answers, and the man sounds so confident, Robin could almost forget that his brain has distorted more than a year of his life. Almost.

"Well that's certainly good news. Thank you Victor." Her tone isn't quite the warm one he is used to, but he had heard whispers of the at best, less than cordial, and at worst, nearly murderous relationship between his Queen and the only medical practitioner of this town. This is probably the best they can ever manage, and since the man delivered their child, and saved him, some bridges have probably been rebuilt.

They turn their heads toward the door as thunderous footsteps can be heard rapidly approaching. Regina smiles.

"I think some people are impatient to see you," she says, opening the door and letting Roland, Henry, Mary Margaret and David, who holds a much bigger Prince Neal that he remembers, into the room.

Dr Whale exits, reminding them all not to overtire the patient, and that visiting hours are in place even for the Enchanted Forest's royals, to which they all roll their eyes.

Roland looks ready to jump on the bed, but Regina intervenes before he can make the leap.

"Roland, sweetheart, you need to be very careful with your father. He has some injuries that are painful and will need time to heal. Can you do that? Be gentle?"

Roland nods in such a serious and earnest way, it makes everyone in the room smile fondly.

"Come here my boy," Robin beckons, and he notices Neal isn't the only one to have grown.

Henry steps behind Roland, lifting him carefully on the bed, where the boy promptly surrounds his father in the kind of warm embrace only children know how to achieve. They stay like that for a moment, Roland whispering softly in his ear that he scared him, and that he shouldn't do this again, it's not nice at all. Robin tightens his embrace, exchanges a knowing look with Henry, who looks more and more like a young man. They both turn their heads toward the other adults in the room, and Robin sees for the first time that Mary Margaret is holding a bunch of blankets, a bundle she is delicately transferring into Regina's arms.

"Someone was missing their mother," she tells her softly.

"And someone was missing their daughter even more," Regina replies, a wide smile illuminating her face as she looks down upon the bundle in her arms.

"Abi cried a lot," Roland informs them as he straightens up. "Even Mr Monkey couldn't calm her down."

"Well, she was as worried as the rest of us, but now everything is fine, isn't it my darling?" Regina cooes softly. "Your papa is awake, and he will heal perfectly because he is going to follow all the instructions the Doctor gives him," she throws him a pointed look, making him grin.

"You know I always follow my Queen's orders." Had his ribs not hurt quite as much, he would have bowed, but his point seems to have been made as Regina rolls her eyes and Henry coughs in a manner that resembles a muffled 'Kiss ass'.

"I will pretend I didn't hear you, Henry, and that I believe you, Robin, and we'll leave it at that," she states, shaking her head at their antics.

"That's probably for the best," Robin replies. "May I?" he requests, nodding towards the baby.

"Of course," she says, "as if you had to ask," and she disentangles the little girl from the blankets, placing her in his waiting arms.

He is speechless as he finally lays eyes on his, their, daughter's face. She is the perfect mix of Regina and him, the oval of her face and his eyes, her mouth and a hint of his dimples and, most of all, Regina's dark hair.

He loses himself in her blue eyes, and in that moment, he thinks that it doesn't matter if he can't remember the past several months, that his brain is playing tricks on him, that he failed them all in the battle against his own mind. All of this could be a dream and he wouldn't want to wake up. Here, with his boy snuggled into him, his infant daughter in his arms, Regina and her son by his side, nothing else matters. He has his family, and more love to give them than he could have ever imagined possible. He has a fleeting thought for Marian, for that second chance she and Roland never had to know one another, but she is in the past, and he is right here, right where he belongs. He will dedicate himself to never forget that, and to regain his lost memories, after all, it seems to be the fashion of this strange town.

_To be continued._

* * *

><p>What did you think? :)<p>

Second part is called Sorry that I love you and is from Regina's POV during Robin's coma.


	2. Sorry That I Love You

**A/N: So glad for your response to the first chapter! Thank you to everyone who read, favorited, followed and a big shout out to Polypocket, manon59390, Karneol, pt159 and Nikki (Guest) for their reviews!**

**Now presenting the second part which focus on Regina. Soundtrack for this one is Sorry by Clooney. And credit for the editing goes to Tbuddah.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Part 2: Sorry that I love you<strong>

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

It's a sound many people find annoying, but to her it brings comfort. As long as she hears that sound, it means his heart still beats, that he is still alive, that there is still a chance for him to come back. Even if it's not to her.

This is the first time she has stepped in his hospital room since he's been out of surgery, three days ago, and she only does it now because Marian has finally left for the night. Earlier today, Roland had been crying and screaming, almost throwing himself on the floor asking, begging, for his father to be given back to him, and his mother had decided to leave Robin's side and go back to the camp. Until now, the littlest outlaw had seemed fine, had seemed content being left in the woods with Little John, but having realised his father won't be coming back to him any time soon has caused tears and tantrums to bubble to the surface.

It still brings tears to Regina's eyes to have seen the usually so cheerful boy like that, so distraught. The past few weeks haven't been easy on him either. He has had to adjust to his mother's return, a stranger to him when he had only known his father all his life, (well, his father and the merry men but most of them were children themselves pretending to be adults) and now, Robin's accident. It was bound to be difficult for such a young boy.

Regina can still see Roland's face crumbling after the boy had asked her to use her magic to wake his papa up, and she had to explain she could only attempt to heal Robin's injuries, that it was up to him to wake, that it couldn't be rushed. The boy had been crushed, clinging to his stuffed monkey, his head bowed, disappointment radiating from him in waves that could have brought her to her knees had she not been so used to seeing it on Henry's face many times before. Things have changed between her and her son, but it doesn't mean she can forget, doesn't mean she can erase the memory of his sad face, or the guilt that weighs heavily in her mind.

It has been three days, 72 hours, or rather 71 hours, 39 minutes and 45 seconds, not that she has been counting, since she got the call from Mary Margaret, who had herself been informed by Emma. A call in the middle of the night, that had made her heart skip several, possibly vital, beats. She hadn't been sleeping, sleep means dreaming, dreaming means seeing _him__, _means waking up feeling even worse in the morning because he isn't there. Sometimes sleep means nightmares, usually watching as her past self kills his wife in front of him, him claiming revenge.

Those dreams rarely end well for either of them, and cause her to wake up, screaming in agony, with Henry almost unhinging the door in his hurry to get to her. Her little prince, her self-appointed protector, she had barely gotten him back and she was already scaring him. That's how she sees it anyway.

She has mostly given up on sleep. Sometimes she indulges in a bit too much alcohol, passes out and pretends that her head doesn't hurt in the morning. She is giving Henry enough reasons to worry as it is. Most nights though, like three nights ago, she sits in an armchair near the window and imagines what her life would be like if Marian hadn't come back, or if Robin had made a different choice, or if she didn't have a giant neon sign above her head saying, "If you're a happy ending, turn around and never come back", or something along those lines.

Imagining isn't much better than dreaming, but at least she has a little more control then. When her phone rang that night, she had reached the point of imagining never having met Robin. She had frozen, unable to think, unable to breathe, unable to do anything, but listen to Mary Margaret uttering words she wished she never had to hear, words she hopes she will never have to hear again: "Robin had an accident".

When she finally regained her faculties, the first thing she thought was that it was somehow her fault, she had somehow brought this on, cursed him without realising it. She had just wished she had never known him, and now there was a strong possibility that she would never see him again.

She had been close to hyperventilating, and Mary Margaret's voice going on and on in her ears wasn't helping. It had taken extreme efforts to calm herself down without attracting her former stepdaughter's attention. _It's not your fault, he was hit by a car. A car you weren't driving. It's just a coincidence __that__ you got the call right as you were thinking... well you know_. Somewhere in her jumble of thoughts she had been able to hear Mary Margaret tell her that Robin had been taken into surgery, that they would know more in a few hours, and she would be more than willing to join her at the hospital.

"I won't be going to the hospital. I don't belong there. His wife should be beside him, not me." Regina had replied and, when Mary Margaret tried to protest, she added, "Thank you for calling me." and hung up. She had then started furiously pacing, wanting to throw various, and mostly precious, objects across the room. She only abstained because Henry was asleep down the corridor, and she didn't want to explain to her son why she was letting her rage flow at midnight.

She had managed to keep true to her words until the morning, even after another update from Snow. Robin was out of surgery but he was seriously concussed, currently recovering in a coma. Dr Whale had no idea when (the if was implied) he would wake up. He had explained the possibility of damage, but he hadn't gone into much detail, especially in front of Marian, who was completely overwhelmed by what was happening. Robin was her rock, her constant in this new, strange world, and Regina could almost feel sorry for the other woman. Almost.

She had managed to prepare breakfast, get Henry to school, and almost made it back home before she changed her mind and drove to the hospital. She told herself, she was just checking on him, so she could have something concrete when she would explain to Henry what had happened, but when what should have been a quick visit, transformed into two hours, then the whole day, well, that excuse just wasn't working anymore.

It was probably one of the first, and only times, Regina was glad for the glass wall around the intensive care unit. It allowed her to see him without having to approach him, and without having to justify her presence to Marian. She has no idea what Robin's wife knows about their relationship, and she isn't sure she wants to find out.

The first day, and the second, and the third, she had positioned her seat to be able to see his face, even from her rather far away observation point. It became her spot, and no one questioned it, mostly staying out of her way. She had seen Emma talking to Whale just after she had first gotten to the hospital. The doctor had pointed her out to the Sheriff, but Regina had been in no mood to deal with the blonde, and she must have sensed it. She hadn't approached her, but she had brought Henry by later that day, and even called the Charmings, who were since taking turns to keep her company. She would never admit it to anyone, but she rather preferred when it was David. He, contrary to his wife, didn't force her into conversation, responding to her only when she finally broke the silence.

Three days and she is finally in his room, nearing his bed slowly. He is bruised, concussed, wires and IV lines hooked up to him, a cast on his left leg. At least he can breathe on his own, the respirator was taken off the day before. "A good sign", Whale had said, encouraging.

At last, she is right beside him, she can see his chest inflating and deflating with every inspiration and expiration. In a sort of reflex, she raises her hand to touch his cheek, but halts mid-movement, looking around her. She shouldn't be here, it's late, way past visiting hours, there is a night nurse sitting at a desk further into the room, past rows of empty beds, but she isn't paying Regina any attention.

She allows herself the contact, and the moment her hand comes to rest on his cheek, there is a spike in his heartbeat, as if he is responding to her, even in his present state. His face is relaxed, looking oddly peaceful, and she hopes that whatever he sees right now is good. She hopes that at least his mind doesn't make him suffer like his body will when he wakes. She reminds herself that this isn't a sleeping curse, he isn't trapped, he just needs time to heal.

Seeing him like this, after the agony of the past few weeks, she decides it doesn't matter if he didn't choose her, if he went back to his wife. One of the things she has always loved about him is his ridiculous moral compass, his honour that had pushed him to follow her when she was retaking the castle, to repay his debt, when he didn't know enough about her to be sure he would escape unscathed. What else could his honour have dictated him to do?

She loves him, and she knows he still loves her, but they can't be together. She can learn to live with it, as long as _he_ lives, as long as she can still see him. It will be torture, her heart will bleed, but if the man who managed to see past her façade twice, who wormed his way into her defences, who held her heart in his hands and took better care of it than anyone else before, if he gets to live and be happy, then she can endure the pain. She has her son, and to some extent the Charmings, it can be enough. As long as he lives, it can be enough.

She strokes his cheek for a moment longer and then slowly withdraws her hand, taking a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. She leans down and whispers into his ear,

"Wake up. Come back. Your son and your wife need you. I need you. I know you chose her, and I understand. We can get past this. We can be friends. I'm not really good at being friends but we could manage. Just wake up, it doesn't have to be this way. I..."

She can't continue, her throat closes up, and she tries to swallow back her tears. She looks at him one last time, then turns around, leaves, never seeing the frown on his face or the way his pulse quickens with each step she takes away from him.

* * *

><p><strong>What did you think?<strong>

**Next we will see Robin waking up for real and the repercussions of what he saw in his coma.**


	3. I'll give my all to you

So, I thought I would be able to post this one sooner but with the recent events in France, things didn't go as planned. Anyway I'm back and here is part 3.

Thank you to everyone who read, favorited, alerted and reviewed! You guys rock! And a big shout out to Tbuddah for her beta work (if you're reading her Ethics and Morality story, you're missing out, just saying)

* * *

><p><strong>Part 3: I'll give my all to you<strong>

_Beep _

_Beep_

_Beep_

He frowns as he hears this sound again. He feels cold all of a sudden, when a moment before there had been warmth, a warm touch on his cheek he would know among a thousand. It seems strange since he told her to go home hours ago with their daughter. Now that he is finally out of the woods, so to speak, she deserves a proper bed and some quality time with their little princess. So why has he just heard her voice? His frown deepens as her words slowly register. They don't make sense, words like "wake up", he did and she knows that. "I know you chose her", could Dr. Whale have told her about what he had seen in his coma? "We can be friends", surely she doesn't mean to break things up between them over what his brain concocted while comatose?

He opens his eyes, and his already rapid pulse accelerates even more when he realises he is in a much bigger room than the one he fell asleep in, several empty beds surrounding him. What is happening?

"Mr. Locksley? You need to calm down!" A nurse is standing beside him, checking his vitals.

"Where is..." he coughs violently, and he feels like he is back to square one, as when he first woke up and his voice hadn't been working properly. His ribs hurt like hell and his head feels heavy.

"Your wife? She went back to your camp hours ago, your son wasn't feeling well." The young woman answers, giving him an ice chip once his coughs subside.

His wife? His son not feeling well? He had seen Roland just a few hours ago, and the boy had been fine, his usual cheerful self now that his papa was awake. Regina hadn't said anything as she packed up for the night, hadn't mentioned either of the boys being ill.

"Regina," he says. "You mean Regina went home?" He asks, his voice weak, uncertainty and fear tingeing it.

The nurse frowns. "The Queen? No, she was just here, she left just before you woke up. Did she do something?" She trails off hesitantly.

Robin feels like his world is crumbling around him. This cannot be happening. Not again.

"Mr Locksley? You really need to calm down, your heart is beating way too fast..." The nurse doesn't get the chance to finish before another voice speaks over her.

"What is going on here?" It's Dr Whale. "Why haven't I been told Mr Locksley is awake?"

"I was going to," the young woman answers defensively, "but he is tachycardic and seems very confused. I was trying to calm him down."

"Unsuccessfully, clearly." Whale replies sharply. "Mr Locksley, I know that waking up from a coma can be very confusing, but you're only going to do more damage if you send yourself into a frenzy. Now please, try to focus on your breathing. It's going to hurt, you have several broken ribs, but it's going to help slow your heart rate."

"I already know all of that." Robin states in exasperation. "I woke up hours ago. What on Earth is going on?" He demands, but still tries to slow his breathing like the doctor instructed him.

"Mr Locksley, I personally checked up on you less than an hour ago, and you were still very much in a coma. You spent the last three days recovering from a severe concussion caused by a car accident. Do you remember the accident?" Dr. Whale asks.

"Yes, I think so." Robin answers, knowing from past experience, or was it, that nodding would be a bad idea.

"Good. You were under the impression you woke up earlier, what makes you think that?" The doctor continues his questioning.

"I thought I woke up. I was in a room in this hospital and... and my family was here. You were here too. You ran tests, told me I was concussed, that you had to reset my leg because it was broken, that you wrapped my broken ribs." He pauses, takes a breath. "It all seemed very real." Robin explains.

The other man nods. "The brain copes in different ways with concussions. Vivid dreams, memory loss, or alterations..."

"You said that too then. How do I know that this, right now, is real and what I saw earlier isn't?" Robin interrupts, annoyed and impatient.

"I guess that for now, you're going to have to take our word for it. You should try to rest, it is the middle of the night, nothing can be accomplished now. We'll see how you're feeling in the morning, and I'll run some preliminary tests. Is that alright with you?" Whale asks him in an irritably calm tone.

"It is not as if I have a choice, is it?" Robin counters petulantly.

The doctor smirks and shakes his head. "I can see the appeal now."

Robin frowns at this, but his brain feels too sluggish to form a proper comeback. Instead, he closes his eyes, giving in, and hoping against hope that the morning will prove his worst fears wrong.

* * *

><p>This time he is dreaming. He is not sure how he can tell the difference, but he is certain that this isn't real. Everything seems less tangible, as if it could all disappear at the merest of touches. Well, that, and the fact that he is standing on his own two feet, in the middle of a garden, which appears to be nowhere near the hospital. He may not be sure of a lot of things right now, but his injuries are the only constant since he woke up, both times.<p>

So he is dreaming, and he is aware of it. It should be a relief, but it isn't. He hears laughter coming from behind him, and he turns around, his breath catching as he takes in the scene in front of him. There she is, his Queen. Regina and a little girl are picking apples from the great tree, the tree that has traveled through worlds as many times as Her Majesty herself. They smile and laugh together when the girl attempts to juggle with the apples. She must have sensed his presence because she turns towards him and her smile widens. It's Sarah, older, around five years old he would say, and looking more and more like her mother. Except for the eyes, his eyes, and his dimples. She waves at him, and he tries to move towards them, but he can't. He is frozen to the ground much like he had been when he had helped Regina retake the castle during the infamous missing year. Sarah frowns.

"Mommy, why can't Daddy come play with us?" Regina looks down at their daughter.

"Sweetheart, you know why." Regina states softly, brushing hair from the young girl's face. "I told you about the accident. Your Daddy never woke up, and now he watches over you but we can't see him."

"But Mommy, he is right there! He just can't move!" Sarah insists, pointing towards Robin.

Regina turns her head, and looks right through him. "Honey, there is no one else here."

"But I can see him. Why can't you?" The little princesses' lips quivers.

"Baby, I know you want your daddy to be here with us, and believe me I would give everything to make that happen but it's impossible. He is gone." Regina's eyes fill with tears she tries very hard not to let fall, but it becomes a lost battle when their daughter's little hand covers her cheek to wipe them away.

Robin can't take more of this, he tries to speak, to yell, he struggles against the force freezing him to the ground, but to no avail.

_Why can't she see me_? He wonders. Maybe he said it aloud because his daughter seems to have an answer to that.

"You don't believe anymore Mommy. It's like in Henry's stories, if you believe in something hard enough, everything becomes possible. You need to believe. Just look, Mommy, Daddy is right there." Sarah points at him again, and he sees Regina closing her eyes, taking a deep breath and turning her head towards him.

This time, their eyes lock and her incredulous smile and watery eyes almost cause him to crumble, but he is still unable to move.

"Robin." Regina's voice is faint, barely audible but Sarah is holding her close, and she squeals.

"See Mommy, I told you! Now Daddy, you have to find your way back to us. We're waiting for you." She waves at him, and their smiles are the last thing he sees before everything around them fade away.

* * *

><p>His eyes snap open, and there is a pressure on his left shoulder, his name being called repeatedly, attracting his attention.<p>

"Robin, are you alright? You were screaming and thrashing about in your sleep." He knows this voice. His eyes take a moment to focus on the face of the woman standing over him, and for a second, just a second, he thinks it's _her,_ but it isn't. It's Marian, and some part of him finally comes to accept the harsh, cold truth. His wife is really back and the life he had thought he was living with Regina, and their little family was just a figment of his imagination, created by his confused and bruised brain.

He closes his eyes and sighs in defeat.

"Robin?" Marian calls him again, uncertain.

He turns his head back towards her, tries to smile reassuringly, but his heart isn't in it. "I'm alright Marian. It was just a dream." _Just a dream indeed_. He feels a sudden pang of emotion as Marian sits in the chair beside the bed. Just hours ago, it had been Regina there, nursing their daughter, and it had been one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Marian returns his smile, unaware of his train of thoughts. "I'm so glad you're finally awake. I was so worried. Roland will be thrilled."

"How is he? The nurse said he wasn't feeling well." Robin asks, trying to straighten up as carefully as possible in his bed.

"He heard Little John and Friar Tuck talk and he didn't really understand it. Then when we visited you and you were still in a coma, he just started crying and screaming for you. He thought it meant you would never wake up, but I tried to explain things to him as best as I could. He feels a little better today, and you being awake is only going to improve that." Marian explains in a soft voice, and Robin's smile becomes more sincere, easier, as he thinks about his boy.

Marian starts talking again, but Robin can't hear what she is saying, his eyes are drifting to the glass wall behind her where a woman is sweeping her dark hair away from her face with the tips of her fingers, her hand holding a cup of coffee, the other holding her phone which seems to be demanding all her attention.

* * *

><p>Regina turns her head towards him for a second and glances back down at her phone before freezing. She turns again and their eyes lock. She feels like she can't breathe for a long moment, her grip on her coffee slackens, it falls to the ground and splashes her shoes. That pulls her out of her trance, and she starts to move towards the room, but stops when she notices Marian. She lets out a sigh, shakes her head and walks away. This is not her place, it will never be again.<p>

_He is awake, he is awake_, and she wonders if it has anything to do with what she told him during the night. _Don't be ridiculous_, she scolds herself. _It's just a coincidence_.

She is so lost in her thoughts that she doesn't see Dr Whale until he seizes her arms to prevent her from crashing into him. Her eyes widen at the contact, and she steps away from him as soon as she gets her bearings back.

"Well, if it isn't the Queen herself. You have seen our patient I presume?" he asks, smirking.

Regina nods, but not ready to admit she couldn't go into the room, she tries to question the doctor without being too transparent. "What do you think? Is he going to make a full recovery?"

Whale nods. "He should. I haven't seen him yet this morning, but the nurses told me he seems much less confused and agitated than he was during the night. He will certainly suffer from some mild headaches for a while and, of course, he is going to need physiotherapy for his leg, and probably for his breathing, but all in all, he was lucky."

His words have registered in some part of her mind, but the only thing she seems to focus on is:

"During the night?" She wonders out loud. "You mean he woke up during the night?" She asks the doctor to clarify.

Whale nods slowly, furrowing his brow. "He didn't tell you?" It seems to suddenly dawn on him as Regina avoids his gaze. "You haven't talked to him yet, have you?"

The Queen shakes her head, unwilling to actually say the words.

The doctor sighs. "Well, he woke up just after you left from what I gathered. Did you do something?"

Regina turns her head back towards him so quickly and violently it almost makes the doctor wince.

"Of course not! Why would you-" She starts vehemently.

"Don't get on your high horse, Regina!" Whale cuts her off. "I know you told his boy that you couldn't heal him with your magic, but I thought maybe you did some research, found a way and tried it without telling anyone in case it didn't work. That's all I meant."

It placates Regina a bit, the past three days have taken their toll, and she feels even more on edge than usual. She seems incapable of properly donning her mask when she needs it more than ever.

"It wasn't me. Healing magic has never been my forte, simple wounds I can take care of, but nothing as major as what he suffered. I only talked to him." Regina mutters, forcing the doctor to strain his ears to hear her.

"Well, I told you we don't know much about what people in a coma are able to hear and understand, but it's generally agreed upon that some part of the mind remains aware. If the Prince's coma is anything to go by," Whale ignores Regina's flinch at this reminder, "maybe you did more than you think."

Regina studies him. They haven't gotten along since the curse broke, each of them has a lot of grievance against the other, but in this moment he is sincere, and she nods, not convinced, but appreciative.

The doctor nods back at her. "I will go see him now."

Regina watches him walk in the direction she just came from, and she leans against the wall, banging her head, closing her eyes and sighing. She feels confused and lost. For three days, his wife has been by his side, and the moment she left, the moment Regina came in, he woke up. Is she reading too much into this? It had been her intention to leave the hospital, to go back home, but she finds herself unable to. She heads towards the coffee machine, hoping the caffeine will help her clear her head.

Meanwhile Robin is struggling to get up, ignoring his wife's protests, which are soon joined by the nurses'.

"Robin, what are you doing? Your leg is broken, you can't just stand like that!" Marian exclaims as Robin rips and tugs at the wires monitoring him, the increasing beeping getting on his nerves.

"I need to talk to her. I need..." He trails off, wheezing slightly, talking becoming difficult as the pain in his ribs intensifies.

"Robin, what's going on? Please, just talk to me. I'm not blind, I can see that things have been different since I came back, but you've been trying to pretend that everything is fine. Whatever it is, just tell me." Marian is close to begging, and it gives Robin pause just as Dr. Whale opens the glass door.

The nurse who had tried to make herself invisible, while still remaining close enough to intervene if need be, approaches the man.

"I think we should come back later, and give them some time," she says softly, leading the doctor out of the room. "Press the call button if you need anything," she adds, looking back to the two people in the room, with a small smile.

Robin braces himself for the conversation to come. "Marian, I haven't been completely honest with you." He starts, and then the words seems to tumble out of his mouth. He tells Marian about the dark space he was in after she "died", how he drowned himself in alcohol until one day Little John threw a bucket of water at him, planted his crying son in his arms, and left him to calm him down. He tells her how, after that, his whole world became about his son, providing for him, and teaching him how to become a good person. He tells her about the great purple cloud that had invaded the land and miraculously spared them, freezing them in time.

He tells her about time finally moving again, and finding refuge in the Dark One's castle where he had once almost died. He tells her about the Dark One's son asking for help and the shadow who came for their son. He tells her about another cloud which brought back the Queen, the Princess Snow White and her Prince, and all the people who had been taken with them to this new world. He tells her how a flying monkey had attacked the Queen and the Princess, and he had saved them, and came face to face for the first time with the woman all the realms feared and he couldn't see why she inspired such fright.

He tells her about another flying monkey who could have hurt their son, but the Queen saved him and transformed the monkey into a toy for Roland, a toy he hasn't parted from since. He tells her about repaying a debt and helping the Queen against her wishes to retake the castle. He leaves out the part about the sleeping curse because it was between Regina and him, and he had never told anyone about it, even after the Charmings cornered him and demanded to know what happened. Instead, he tells her about what the Queen let slip about her son, lost to her, and her mother, dead and buried, and how he became convinced that this woman couldn't be the one who had cursed an entire land, and he had been determined to get to know her. He tells her about a year of getting under the Queen's skin, about the insults and the banter and the quiet moments when she just couldn't fight anymore. He tells her about Roland's affection for this woman who, on some days, could barely look at him because the pain was just too much.

He tells her about waking up in this new world, a year of memories gone, trying to understand what had happened to them, trying to protect his son and his men and failing for John. He tells her about patrolling to find the Witch and almost hitting the Queen herself with an arrow, but she isn't the Queen in this world, she is Regina and she told him as much. He tells her about Regina's plan to confront her sister, the Wicked Witch, and trusting her own heart to him for safe keeping. He tells her how he failed her because he was given an impossible choice between his son and her heart. She wasn't mad, she understood, would probably have done the same thing, but he felt awful and he swore he would get it back for her, and she kissed him and he felt alive, really alive for the first time in a very long time.

He can see Marian struggling with all he is saying, but he has started and he can't stop. He tells her about recovering their memories and finally being able to understand where this pull he felt towards Regina came from. He tells her about the Princess' baby, taken from her by the Witch and how he joined the party who went to recover him. He tells her about holding Regina's heart in his hand and her performing white magic and stopping the Dark One from killing the Witch, instead deciding to give her a second chance.

He tells her about finally spending time with Regina, knowing where they came from and wanting to build a future together with their sons. He tells her about getting Roland ice cream and entering the diner and then the world had spun on its axis, and suddenly it wasn't Regina he was holding in his arms but Marian. His wife, his first love, whom he had thought dead, and suddenly he didn't know what to do. His code, his honour, everything he had taught his son, told him to go back to Marian but his heart, his heart had been breaking, and he felt even worse.

Once he finishes the tale they both remain silent, tears falling down their faces.

"So you fell in love with her twice?" Marian's voice is raw, she is wringing her hands but he can't offer her any comfort so he simply nods slowly. "And since my return?"

"Nothing happened," Robin replies.

"But you have spent your evenings drinking, and it almost killed you. You just said you're staying with me because of your honour, but your heart is pulling you elsewhere! How am I supposed to feel about this? How am I supposed to accept that my husband has fallen in love with another woman, the same woman who imprisoned me and was about to execute me? How am I supposed to accept that you have made me an obligation, and couldn't even respect me enough to tell me all of this until you almost died?" Marian is out of breath, her tears still falling, and she doesn't even try to brush them away. Robin can feel she has had these emotions pent up for a while, but hadn't been able to say anything, hadn't been offered all the facts.

"I didn't want to hurt you. You had just come back, thrust in a new and foreign world, with our boy so grown up, having missed so much. I didn't want to add all of this to your plate." He forces himself to look in her eyes, to show her he means every word. He hadn't known how to handle their situation, he still doesn't, but she doesn't deserve this.

She shakes her head, deflating, a sad expression on her face where there had been anger a moment before.

"You may not have wanted to, but you did, and if her presence here over the last few days means anything, I would say I'm not the only one you hurt." She sighs. "I just need to clear my head. I..." She trails off and sighs again. "I will bring Roland to see you in the afternoon."

She doesn't wait for an answer, just turns around and leaves the room, and Robin hangs his head in shame.

* * *

><p>Regina has lost track of time, mulling over her thoughts, when she feels someone watching her insistently. She doesn't feel threatened, but she feels uncomfortable. She straightens her head slowly and sees Marian standing just a few feet away, studying her.<p>

"You killed me." Marian states, and Regina's eyebrows raise at the boldness of her statement.

"Obviously not." Regina replies, two can play that game.

Marian purses her lips and takes a deep breath. "You took me away from my family, you paraded me around as some sort of trophy to show people what happens when you help Snow White, and now you've wormed your way into my husband's heart, you know my son better than I do. I feel like a stranger in my own family, and I should hate you. And I do, some part of me can't stand the sight of you, but my husband is a good man, and he fell in love with you, twice, and my son adores you and I saw you with the Princess Snow White and with that boy you share with Leia, with Emma I mean. I should hate you, but I have a feeling there is nothing I can say you haven't already heard. People seem to think you have changed and I hope that's true. I don't want to be an obligation, and even if some part of Robin still loves me, he is in love with you. I won't stand in your way, but please, don't hurt them."

Shock is an understatement to how Regina feels when Marian finally finishes talking, but right now she doesn't have a better description. She tries to process what she just heard, and can only nod dumbly when Marian seems to wait for an answer.

"You should go see him. I think he needs you," the woman adds before slipping away.

Regina can't help but admire this woman's courage, and she wonders what she would have done in her stead_. You would have wanted out too because you know what it feels like to be the replacement. _She shakes off the thought, gets up, and heads back to Robin's room.

She finds him, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands. She knows the extent of his injuries, that there is no way he can't be in a lot of pain right now, but given the conversation she just had with Marian, physical discomfort is probably the last of his concerns. She approaches him slowly, and she hopes her instincts are right because she is not sure she can handle being rejected by him.

She threads her fingers in his hair, sliding them slowly to cup his cheek, and breathes a silent sigh of relief when he leans into her. His head comes to rest against her stomach.

"You're really here." His voice is muffled, but she can still hear him.

"I tried to stay away, but I couldn't." She replies as he takes her hand in his and kisses her palm.

"I'm an idiot, and I hurt you both. I don't deserve either of you, but I'm glad you're here." Robin says, and Regina almost snorts at the thought of him not deserving her. Doesn't he remember who she is? That's the thing though, it was never about that with him. He never denied her past deeds, but he has always acknowledged that there is more about her, that she has changed, and he is no judge.

She smiles softly. "I talked to your wife." She tells him, raising his chin up to meet his eyes. "She seems under the impression that you stayed with her out of obligation, and that your heart lies elsewhere."

"Told you I was an idiot. I should have talked to her weeks ago and spared us all of this. I am sorry. There is nothing I can ever say or do that will ever make any of this alright." He says, and she shushes him by pressing her index finger against his lips.

"There will be time for this later when you're out of this hospital." She tells him, resting her forehead against his. "You're alive, you're going to recover and you finally admitted you're an idiot, so all in all, things are not so bad."

He chuckles, grimacing from the pain in his ribs. "You should probably refrain from laughing for a while." Regina states, wincing.

He takes her face in his hands then, and the intensity of his gaze makes her falter for a moment.

"You're really here." He says again as if he is trying to convince himself, and she is confused.

"You already said that." She remarks, furrowing her brow, and he nods.

"One day I'll tell you what I saw when I was comatose, and you'll understand why I keep repeating this."

"Alright, I'll be all ears then. Maybe you should think about getting back into that bed though, because you look like you're going to collapse at any moment." She states, tilting her head towards the bed for emphasis.

"You're probably right about that, but only if you're sharing it with me." He bargains, his tone light and playful.

Regina's eyebrows fly up. "Well, aren't you rather forward and confident all of a sudden." She exclaims, trying to glare, but it has never really worked on him, and it doesn't seem like it will start working now.

"We have wasted enough time, don't you think?" Seriousness and sadness battle in his eyes, and she sighs.

She most certainly agrees with that, she started it after all. All those years ago, when she made a choice, if it can be called that, for the both of them. When she made a choice without him ever knowing, until very recently, that there was even a choice to make. She finds it fitting somehow that they now have both been confronted with the same situation, and it still wasn't enough to separate them completely.

Regina shakes her head, focusing back on the present, and proceeds to help him lay back down. He takes one of her hands in his and tugs her to him gently. She lies on her side carefully, trying not to put too much pressure on the arm he encircles her shoulders with. Her left hand comes to rest over his heart, feeling its steady beating. He turns his head towards her, and he kisses her softly. It's not a passionate one like they exchanged before, but it tugs at her heart all the same. For the first time in weeks, she feels like herself again. She keeps her eyes closed even after the kiss ends, and rests her head in the crook of his shoulder. There will be time for words and apologies and explanations but now she is right where she is supposed to be.

Later, when Marian comes back to bring Roland, and the two women will stop him simultaneously from jumping on his father's bed, Regina will let the awkwardness return. Later, when Henry enters the room bringing dinner and speaking stern words to Robin that he better not hurt his mother again because he will have him to answer, she will feel proud and embarrassed all at once, but right now she just feels content.

It doesn't matter that they're in a hospital room with glass walls and no privacy, that just anyone could walk in and see the former Evil Queen snuggled against the infamous outlaw. She doesn't care, and if his arms tightening around her are any indication, he doesn't either.

* * *

><p><strong>What did you think?<strong>

**Oh and good news (I think), there will be an epilogue!**


	4. Epilogue: Dreams come true

A/N: And that's it, folks! The epilogue is here! (although I might add more to this 'verse if prompted, there are still things which are unexplored)

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who read, alerted, favorited and reviewed this story A big shout out to Tbuddah for her amazing beta work!

Disclaimer: (I don't think i put one before oops). I don't own OUAT or any of its characters. If I did, Regina and Robin would be together and so disgustingly happy they would be pucking rainbows! I only own little miss Sarah Abigail, she's mine, you can't have her :p

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue: Dreams Come True<strong>

It's a year and a half later, and Robin finds himself in the hospital again. This time though, he isn't the one lying in the bed. No, this time his Queen is, and, at the moment, squeezing his hand tightly as another strong contraction hits her, biting her lips hard enough to draw blood as she stifles her screams. She swore she wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of hearing her cries of pain. Robin had shaken his head at that, but being engaged to one of the most stubborn woman he had ever met meant trying to dissuade her would be futile.

The midwife and Dr Whale come back in the room to check her progress and finally, it's time. It's all a blur to Robin, only the pain in his hand grounds him to reality. In a few moments, they will hold their little princess in their arms.

Robin told Regina about his coma illusions not long after he left the hospital, but he left out the part about the baby. They had never talked about having more children before, and he wasn't sure he wanted to burden her with that if she wasn't ready. Especially since there was so much to deal with, his divorce and Roland's custody. He knew if Regina and him ever had the chance there was nothing he would want more than a child from both of them, but he had to do things right this time.

His recovery wasn't a walk in the park, but he was determined, and more often than not, he overworked himself. He managed to settle things with Marian, and to draw up a suitable arrangement for Roland. He and Regina took things slow, rebuilding trust and intimacy, and when they weren't off somewhere, fighting villains trying to take control over the town, they went on several dates until she surprised him by giving him a key to the mansion, telling him she wanted him to move in.

It hasn't been a smooth ride since then. They are still two very hot-tempered people after all, but each fight and argument have to be worked out before going to bed. It is a rule they are adamant on following to the letter. Almost a year after his accident, Regina had withdrawn a bit, she was sick for a while and cranky about it, and he tried to help as much as he could, but when she attempted to use her magic, to solve yet another incident in town, and passed out, there was no denying something was wrong. He remembered what he heard, during his coma, about Regina's pregnancy and the issues with her magic it had caused, and he dared to hope because he really didn't want to have to imagine any other alternatives.

She finally confirmed it, in a small barely audible voice, eyes turned down, as if she was afraid of his reaction, and he could have laughed, he almost did, if he hadn't been certain she would have taken it entirely the wrong way. Instead, he crushed her against him, kissed her thoroughly, and when she was out of breath, he threaded his hand in her hair, brought their foreheads together, and whispered that he loved her, that he couldn't be happier.

The dam broke, and she expressed her fears about screwing things up with this child as she feels she did with Henry, about becoming like her mother, about the child hating her for the things she did in the past, about not being able to carry this child to term because she was never able to before. He tensed at that, and she noticed, she probably hadn't meant to reveal that much, but once she had started she hadn't been able to stop.

He had guessed what her marriage had been like, but he hadn't imagined there could have been children, which was rather stupid of him since, no matter how much King Leopold had loved his daughter, he probably would have wanted more possible heirs in case anything happened. There were few reassurances he could give her, fears and insecurities of a lifetime can't be resolved overnight, but this time she wouldn't be alone, this time there would be someone who loves her, and who will always put her and the child first.

The pregnancy wasn't an easy one, the clashes between her magic and the baby's caused trouble for Regina, making Robin relive the terror he had felt when Marian had been in a similar situation.

Except Regina isn't Marian, she is a survivor, has always been, and she managed to get through this just as she managed to get through everything else, and now he is trying to give her some of his strength for the few ultimate pushes necessary to deliver their daughter. They found out by accident, they didn't want to know the sex of the baby, but during an ultrasound, another marvel of this world he can't quite wrap his head around, she presented herself just right, and even for someone as clueless as he was in that moment, there was no doubt. It was then he had revealed what he had hidden from his coma and his dreams. The little, barely a month old, princess, Sarah Abigail, that he saw and held, or thought he did anyway, and then, the little girl by the tree who showed him the way back to Regina's heart.

As Regina pushes for the last time, the lights flicker around them before blacking out completely.

There is confusion for a while until the baby cries as she takes her first breath, showing them that her little lungs are very healthy and how discontent she is at the situation, and the lights come back on.

Regina is falling back on the bed, her hair a mess. She is sweating and crying from the exertion her body just went through, but she has never looked more beautiful to him than she does right now, he can't take his eyes off her. He leans over her, cradles her head, and kisses her with everything he has. They are breathless as their lips part, Robin leans his forehead against hers and bumps her nose gently, eliciting a tired smile from her. No words are necessary in this moment.

They finish cleaning the baby, and she is finally being placed in her mother's arms, her crying subsiding to cooing as her big blue eyes, his eyes, settle on her mother's face and she blinks. Regina's tears are streaming by that point, and Robin is close to it himself.

"She is perfect. Our little princess. Welcome to the world, Sarah Abigail." Regina whispers in a broken voice, as she studies ten little fingers, ten little toes, some strands of black hair. Sarah Abigail, Regina loved the name, and decided to keep it. Especially when she found out it meant "Princess" and "Father's Joy".

"As if she could be anything else but perfect, have you seen her mother? The fairest of them all." Robin replies, sitting gently on the bed beside her, his right arm encircling her, his hand covering Regina's over the baby's head.

"Don't let Snow hear you, or anyone else for that matter." Regina says, smiling faintly.

"Not my fault if they're blind." Robin teases, nuzzling his nose against the side of her head. "She really is perfect. We did good, really good." He adds, watching Sarah's little arm moving around in some sort of wave. He catches her tiny hand in his, and she wraps it around his pinky. Her eyes wander in his direction, not quite fixing yet, she will learn that in time, but she has him under a spell the moment he manages to catch her baby blues.

"You won't ever let her out of the house, will you?" Regina asks in a teasing tone, observing him as he looks down at their daughter in wonder.

"Not a chance," Robin replies immediately, louder than he expected, and Sarah's eyes widen at the sound.

"So, she won't ever get to learn archery from you and Roland, or how to ride horses with me, or how to sword fight with Henry?" Regina pouts, drawing Robin's attention back to her.

"Well, maybe I'll let her go out but only under our strict supervision." He replies, nodding firmly.

She shakes her head at his antics. "She is going to be the most spoiled Daddy's girl ever, and that's coming from Snow White's former stepmother!"

Robin looks horrified for a moment, being compared to her former husband would do that to someone.

"Alright, let's compromise and say she can't date until she is at least thirty." Robin says, and it makes Regina laughs out loud in response, startling the baby, causing her to whimper.

"Shh honey, it's alright, we didn't mean to scare you." Regina soothes her, rocking her a bit.

"You truly have the touch of a mother, she is so lucky to have you." Robin whispers, pressing his lips in her hair.

"To have us both." Regina replies, eyes closed, tears falling slowly, as she allows herself to bask in his attention. "Our little miracle."

The midwife comes back into the room accompanied by a nurse.

"Well, how are the new parents doing?" She asks, and their beaming smiles are all the answer she needs. "Regina, we need to settle things down here, so maybe Robin could take the baby, and follow the nurse to the nursery so she can take some measurements, and we can examine your baby properly. We will have you all in a private room in no time." She explains in a calm tone. She has accompanied the couple for the past few months and she knows there is no way Regina is going to let anyone take her baby anywhere if Robin, or her, can't follow.

Regina and Robin exchange a look, the Queen takes a deep breath, and presses her lips against her daughter's forehead before placing her carefully in Robin's arms. "Here you go honey."

"It's only for a few minutes, my love. You heard her, we will all be back together in no time." Robin says before kissing her. He gets up, careful of the precious bundle in his arms. He maintains eye contact with Regina as long as he can before the door closes.

* * *

><p>It's a few hours later, and they're in their hospital room as promised. Regina took a much needed nap while Robin made some calls to inform their family. Sarah had her first feeding, the midwife accompanying Regina every step of the way, not letting her get frustrated when a few tries were necessary.<p>

Henry and Roland should arrive at any moment. They had decided to wait before letting the boys come to the hospital, not wanting to get overwhelmed. They also had decided that the two new big brothers would be the only visitors until their return home. Just for a little while, they want to be able to enjoy their own little private bubble.

A knock on the door pulls the couple's attention away from the contemplation of their sleeping newborn.

"Come in." Regina calls out softly, and as Henry's head appears, her smile widens.

"Hey, Mom," Her son says, opening the door, guiding Roland inside.

"Hi Regina, hi Papa!" The boy says enthusiastically, skipping to the bed, raising himself on his tippy toes to get a better look at the baby. "Is that our new sister?" He asks in a breathy tone. "She is so tiny!"

"Well you were little like this too my boy, not so long ago." Robin says, as he takes Roland in his arms, and sits gently on the bed to Regina's right, Roland in his lap as Henry sits to her left.

Roland gasps in disbelief at what his father says "I don't think that's true, Papa." He says, shaking his head.

The others smile at his antics.

Henry kisses his mother's cheek. "She is beautiful, Mom. Congratulations." He whispers to her, leaning his head on her shoulder, observing his little sister, as she yawns cutely.

"Do you want to hold her?" Regina asks him. Henry is on the very short list of people she knows she can trust with the newborn. He has had practice with his uncle, and he is wonderfully patient for a teenage boy.

He smiles, nods enthusiastically, and she smiles back. Tears are brimming again, and she blames the hormones coursing through her body.

Henry cooes softly at his little sister, and Roland seizes the moment to climb carefully in Regina's lap and snuggle with her.

Robin watches his little family, his Queen, their little princes and the new little princess, and he knows it would have destroyed him if he had stood by his initial choice. Not having this would have left a hole in his heart, nothing else would have been able to fill it. He is right where he belongs, he knows as he locks eyes with Regina, with his heart and soul, complete and at peace.

The End.

* * *

><p>What did you think?<p> 


	5. Prompt: Nurse Me

A response to a tumblr prompt: Leave a "Nurse Me" in my ask, and I'll write a drabble about one character healing another.

It inspired this little piece for the "Coming Back To You" universe. Set between chapter 3 and the epilogue. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned them but I don't.

* * *

><p>Robin is supposed to leave the hospital today and Regina can't help but feel a strange sense of loss at the idea of being away from this little, safe, private bubble they've created over the past few days. Well, as private as a hospital room can get anyway.<p>

Being able to talk, just the two of them, no interference from the outside world, with only Roland, Henry and the occasional Merry Man or Charmings as regular visitors, has done them a world of good. Complete honesty is not something she is used to, but this time there was no argument as to its necessity. It was raw at first, and more than once their conversations ended with her leaving the room, trying to get her emotions under control.

They worked it out slowly, and now they're in a better place than they ever were before. She fears it won't last though, once they're out and the town and its judgemental little people make their reappearance in their lives. Things are complicated enough already.

Robin's living arrangements alone have been quite difficult to settle. Being out in the woods, sleeping in a tent on the ground, when his injuries are so fresh, didn't seem like a good solution. Also the fact that Marian is still there made it even less appealing to Regina She has considered asking him to move in but he beat her to it and told her he doesn't want her to play nurse. He wants to woo her, to prove to her she can trust him, not force her to be a caretaker. Not that she sees it that way but she understands. So it will be a room at Granny's B&B until the cast on his leg is off, with his men taking turns making sure he doesn't go mad from boredom and bringing Roland to him. It's close enough to the hospital for his PT sessions and medical exams and he won't have much to worry about, with the food and the cleaning taken care of.

It's late in the morning when Dr Whale finally signs the release papers. Robin is putting on proper clothes while Regina is assembling the few possessions he has in this room. She is about to shut the closet when she notices a hospital-labeled bag she hasn't paid attention to before. She pulls it out and sets it on the bed to examine its content. Her curiosity turns into horror when she realises that she is looking at the clothes he was wearing the night of the accident.

Seeing the extent of the damages, it hits her suddenly how worse the accident could have been. She had been so shocked that night and the days that followed, her thoughts all over the place. She had been so focused on Robin's waking up from his coma, there had been no room for the thought that it might not have been an option at all. She could have lost him.

She doesn't realise she is crying until Robin is standing by her side and wiping the tears away.

"They were supposed to burn them. With all the blood on them." Regina visibly shudders when he says this. "They were apparently a hazard or something. But I asked to keep them. I want a reminder of how stupid and foolish I was, and not just that night. We lost so much time already, I want to make sure that I never forget, that we never forget how much more we could have lost. It's going to take time for you to trust me again and I understand that. This," he points towards the bag, "is here to remind me everyday that, in the end, I made the right choice, even if it took a life-threatening event for me to do it."

She flinches and a few more tears fall from her eyes. He encircles her in his arms and she clutches at him and buries her face in his chest, resting her ear just against his heart to feel its regular and strong beats.

They both have scars, physical and emotional ones, and it's going to take time for them to heal, but at least they can heal together. That's enough for them, that's more than enough.

* * *

><p>What did you think?<p> 


End file.
