Only Needs Him (Regina and Henry with past Robin/Regina and Daniel/Regina)

[katleept.livejournal.com]

Working Title: Only Needs Him
Author: Kat Lee
Fandom: Once Upon A Time
Character/Pairing: Robin/Regina, Robin/Marian, Daniel/Regina, Henry, Ensemble
Rating: PG-13/T
Challenge: fan_flashworks: #83: Fight
Warnings: SPOILERS! for the season finale
Word Count: 1,196
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their respective owners, not the author, and are used without permission.


She would fight it if only she knew how, but although she did finally defeat her wicked sister, she still can't reverse time or send Swan packing back into the Enchanted Forest with this other wretched woman who's ruined her final chance for happiness. She was finally happy. She was in love again, and Emma has now taken that from her just as surely as her mother caused her first True Love to die. Regina stares at Emma, but she's not seeing her. She is instead seeing every moment she's spent happy with Robin and Roland and loving the thief when she'd thought she could never love any one again, and she's seeing that all shatter before her misting eyes.

She turns away from Emma, who's steadily prattling apologies, each one more meaningless than the last, to take one last look at Robin. He doesn't even appear to know she's there, or even still alive. He's forgotten her completely, but she can not blame him no more than she can kill Marian. She'd fawn just as much over Daniel if he was to suddenly walk in alive, and had his mind intact unlike the last time she saw him. Fresh pain stabs her heart at that memory. She closes her eyes against it, balls her fists. No, this isn't Robin's fault, or even Maid Marian's.

What self-respecting woman calls herself a Maid any way? A Lady, a Queen, or a Princess, yes, but a Maid? She should condemn her to scrubbing her scullery every day of her life, but that would bring no less a wrath from Robin, who once loved her or, at least, thought he did, than if she was to kill her. She could kill her or make her disappear, but she will have still lost Robin.

She turns from the scene, still ignoring Emma, who's continuing to apologize as if she thinks she's actually paying attention to her. She scowls at Tinker Bell who starts to come forward, her face full of concern. Even Snow has realized what has happened and is approaching. "Regina -- "

Even the sound of her name still doesn't make Robin look up. He's completely lost in Maid Marian. He has no more attention for her, let alone love or adoration. Regina makes a final turn, and then the great Queen, broken-hearted once again, all but runs from Granny's. She hears the old woman chuckle as she remarks about her black heart getting what it deserves, but she won't fry her, not tonight.

Tonight, all she can do is escape, and so she runs. She runs pass Snow and Tink, who, although they want to, can offer no support. She runs pass Henry, the only one who sees the tears in her eyes. "Mom -- " For the first time, she doesn't stop when he calls to her. She only continues to flee.

She doesn't see him move on to the woman who gave birth to him and then decided to give him away so that Regina could be lucky enough to find him and love him. He doesn't see the fury that fills his face or hear him shoot at her, "Nice going, Mom."

"Kid, I didn't -- "

"You couldn't be bothered to ask her name?"

"It's not like -- "

The boy shakes his head. "Mom's tried so hard, and she can't even get to be happy." He's crying, too, as he leaves Granny's without bothering to look back at his birth mother whose bottom lip is trembling.

Snow touches her daughter's shoulder gently. "I didn't know!" Emma cries.

"I know," she says, not wanting to tell her just how much she really does know. "I know, Emma, but it doesn't lessen her pain any."

"What can I do?" She knew Regina would say she had already done too much, and indeed, she had. She had made this mess. She had stolen her happiness again, and no matter how completely she had done so with good intentions and not having the first idea of the repercussions that allowing one innocent life to live would cause, she still aches to find a way to make amends, both to Regina and to Henry. The boy is right: Regina has tried hard to be good, and she's just given her another reason to be evil. Her jaw trembles as David and Hook arrive. She looks to her father, but even he has no advice.

"I tried to tell you, love, we couldn't change anything without it having repercussions."

"But I didn't know this was going to happen!" She stares at the family. Robin's still oblivious to Regina's pain and to everything and one else around him beside Marian. Emma would like to blame the man for caring so little for Regina in comparison to his wife, but she knows it's not his fault. She's to blame for Marian still being alive, for their family being reunited, and whereas in any other case a family being united would be a good thing, she wishes desperately that she could somehow undo what she has done even as her son runs through the streets of their small town.

Henry knows just where to find his mother, and he doesn't stop running until he's gone into their family crypt right behind her. She's leaning against the wall in darkness, silent tears weeping down her face. "Henry . . . " She straightens. Her face twists as she tries to control her emotions. "Henry, you shouldn't be here."

She's even more surprised when he throws his little arms around her. Hugging her tightly, he tells her, "I'm exactly where I should be, Mom. I'm with you."

She smiles through her tears and returns his hug. "I didn't want you to see me like this."

"What? Crying?" he asks. He looks up at her and grins as he tries once more to convince her everything is okay. "It just shows how much you care." He hugs her again; she hugs him closer to her, cradling him against her body. Her fingers stroke his short, brown hair. She's never known such love as this child so readily gives her, even when she's been cruel. "And, by the way, I wasn't going anywhere."

"Of course you weren't."

"No, I mean it. If Emma had gone back to New York, she would've had to have gone by herself."

Regina's tears finally stop. She sniffles still slightly, and her lip almost curls at the undignified sound coming from her own regal mouth. "Really?" she whispers.

"Absolutely." He squeezes her so hard that her breath is forced to pause. "She's my Mom, but you are, too. I'm not leaving you again. Ever."

Regina's heart still aches as she holds Henry and he her, but as she is reminded of how great his love is, she thinks again that she doesn't need a man or a "True Love". She only needs her son, his belief in her, and all the love he can give her for the rest of her days. Henry may need others to be happy, like his other mother and his grandparents, but she doesn't. She kisses the top of his head, thinking again she only needs him.

The End