We Can Love Again

The Road Ahead

The green portal had vanished- his family was gone.

Robin could hear himself breathing, helplessly gasping as magic continued to force him against the cold stone wall. Rumple and Alan both stood in front of him, silently standing before the empty room.

Then he remembered- John.

"Let me go- you have no reason to keep me here." He said frantically, anxiously peering over towards the fallen man. He couldn't be dead.

Rumple shrugged, and released his magic.

Robin was exhausted; he felt like someone had ripped his very soul from him and left him alone to die. He took off down the hallway towards him, falling to his knees and desperately shaking the man.

"John! John please talk to me!"

He looked so defeated for such a large man; the arrow was still stuck to his back and blood laid stagnant on the stone floor.

"What... Are you doing here?" He mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open.

"That doesn't matter right now," Robin said, keeping his voice calm, "I'm here."

"But they... They're gone... We lost."

He cringed as another shot of pain shook his body, making it almost impossible to breathe.

"Hey, don't think about that." Robin took his hand and held it tightly. "You are the only one out of all the Merry Men that stayed- out of all six of them... You proved to be loyal."

He couldn't keep tears from his eyes. "You're my best friend- I don't know what I'd do without you."

John managed a weak smile. "I'll always be your best friend... Robin you just have to let me go."

Shaking his head, Robin held his hand tighter. "You can't think like that. I'll... I'll get you out of here."

"No-" John winced, "you have to find them. Show those bastards who they're dealing with."

"John- John!" He was yelling now; the man was slowly fading away from him, he could feel it.

"Tell Roland that I'll miss him," he muttered, his eyes fluttering closed.

Robin watched, completely defenseless, as his best friend gave his last breath. His body ran still, immediately becoming stiff and cold.

He was gone.

That was it- Robin stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants, his eyes locking with the man that had ruined absolutely everything.

"I trusted you," he started, though clenched teeth, "we were friends, you and I. You betrayed me- and look at what happened because of it."

He was off down the hallway, moving swiftly towards Alan, who was nervously looking towards Rumplestiltskin, who didn't seem to want to be a part of the conversation.

"Look- Robin, all of what I did was for his plan, he made me!"

Rumple remained silent as Robin neared the man, a deathly shine to his eyes. "So you decided to attack my girlfriend in front of my kids?!"

He took no hesitation in plowing his fist into the side of his head, sending him down to the ground.

"You ruined everything!"

Alan's attempts to fight back were nothing compared to the fury filled punches he was sending him. Soon, his fist was covered with blood. He looked down at Alan's face, knowing he could easily kill him within the next few minutes.