Silver Lining

Going Home

Robin wanted to respond, he wanted to spoil her with all his attention and care, but he did not want to rush her into something she was not ready for. He understood what she had been through and could not imagine how he managed to get her to trust him so much in such short time. However, Robin gently kissed her back and when Regina finally pulled away, her head was guided towards his chest. Robin was hugging her tightly and placing small kisses on top of her head, just like he had done countless time before. He could feel Regina relax in his embrace and wanted nothing more than to protect her.

Thousands of thoughts were racing through Regina's mind. How could she risk her chance of having a safe home to live in for a kiss? Why did she trust him so much? Wasn't he a man, and weren't all men just like Leo? For the past 5 years, she had never gotten what she wanted and rarely felt safe in her own home, but right then, she set all of her worries aside and reveled in Robin's soothing presence.

"Regina..." Robin started.
"I am so sorry, I do not know what is wrong with me," she said, with tears starting to form in her eyes.
Robin cut her off with another kiss, which felt just as right as their first. She quickly understood that he was not going to push her away or leave her, so Regina allowed herself to kiss him back. It felt weird, having someone want her as much as she did, but it was definitely a feeling she could get used to.

Was not he supposed to have butterflies in his stomach or at least feel a bit different? Kissing Regina gave him a sense of security, of warmth. He did not need to touch her to feel the chemistry between them, he just felt the obvious connection when he looked into her eyes. Regina's mere presence around him was something that felt so right, so natural.

Regina felt the same way towards Robin. She was not able to fully express it, but just being close to him made her feel that nothing bad would ever happen to her again. She felt as if she had known him forever, and them meeting right then was just fate bringing them back together.

"Regina," Robin said more sternly. "I can let you go tomorrow and I will take a few days off. We can go home," he finished, feeling her smile against his chest. He did not need to see her, he just knew she was happy.
"I would love that," she said through a wet smile.
For once, she felt what it was like for someone to care about her, and she could not let go of something so special, not after living through all the hardships of an abusive relationship.

The next morning, Robin was wheeling Regina through the hospital halls, towards his car. He decided to lay her down on the back seat because she had not really walked since her intervention and the seat next to him would have put her in an uncomfortable position. As much as Robin wanted her next to him, making her sit upright on the passenger's seat would have put too much pressure on her body.

"Everything alright?" Robin asked, adjusting the rear view mirror so he could see her better. Reguna nodded shyly and smiled. She was going to have a home. A home where she would not be afraid of a man beating her or forcing her to sleep with him after he had starved her for days. A home where she would finally be able to sleep through the night, in an actual bed. A house which would actually feel like a home.

When they reached his place, Robin rushed towards her door, not letting her take a single step alone. He knew she was still weak and would probably collapse, so he wanted to avoid putting her in danger. Robin wrapped his arm around her waist and steadied her, also providing the sense of security she needed.
By the time they got to the door, Regina was exhausted. The lack of food, the persistent pain and the fear that would not leave her alone left their mark on her. Feeling her knees giving in, she clung to Robin's shoulder and closed her eyes.

He quickly understood and scooped her up. She was light as a feather and he could feel her cuddle closer to his chest.
"I am going to give you my bedroom and I will take the couch. The living room is right next to your bedroom, so I will be close if you need anything," Robin told her.

Robin put her on the bed, but thought her clothes could not be the most comfortable. After all, they were the ones she wore the day she arrived at the hospital, covered in sweat. He did not have any women's clothes she could wear, so he picked out one of his shirts and went ahead to ask her if she wanted to change. When he reached the side of the bed, he noticed she was fast asleep. Her body had relaxed between the soft pillows, and nothing seemed capable of waking her up.

He decided to change her anyway, mostly because he saw that the clothes she was wearing were worn out and dirty. Robin had already seen Regina without her clothes on, and she never seemed to have a problem with it. Robin slowly lifted her, making sure not to wake her up, and removed her T-shirt. He felt Regina fuss, so he stood in silence until she calmed down again and dressed her in his shirt.

Next, Robin did his best to slide off her jeans and tuck her in underneath the thick blankets. For once, Robin was glad he kept so many blankets and pillows on his bed. After he was done, Robin leaned over her and lovingly kissed her forehead.
"Sleep tight, milady."