We Can Love Again

Undaunted

In eighteen days, she and her soulmate were going to get married. They had just about everything planned for it too, thanks to Ruby's help. The Storybrooke Community Chapel had been reserved for the afternoon of June 14, 2014, and the pavilion behind the clock tower was all set and ready to be used for cake, food, and dancing. Invitations had been sent out to every single citizen of the misfit town, and piles of decorations were stashed away in their bedroom closet. Everything was ready in order for the wedding to happen; that was, everything except their five year old son.

"What do you think he's dreaming about?" Henry asked, watching his brother lie there on the white hospital bed, a heavy weight on his heart.

Robin set a hand on the boy's shoulder and released a sigh. "I have no idea. You'll have to ask him when he wakes up."

The thing was, Henry was nervous to see him wake up again, considering how their last conversation went. Half of him wished Roland would forget it happened- he felt so bad for treating him so wrongly. Sure he was annoying at times, as well as immature and whiny, but that was just how little brothers acted.

"So... What now?" The twelve year old asked, his voice drifting off into a void of nothingness, "do we just wait?"

His father cast a sideways glance towards his future wife, who was asleep in a chair next to the bed- she hadn't left Roland's side.

"Yeah, we just wait," Robin eventually responded, soon feeling a pang in his chest. He had done some things he regretted too.

"But, Henry... I'm sorry for snapping at you like that. I think you're a really good big brother to him- things just got out of hand. The way you handled the situation makes me so proud of you."

Henry sure wasn't expecting him to say that. At a loss of words, the boy simply sent him a small smile and wrapped his arms securely around his torso. Maybe he wasn't too old for hugs; not just yet.

"I'm glad you're my dad," he said, realizing then that he was now tall enough to see over his broad shoulders. Things had changed since he had first met the outlaw in his small cottage home. "And not just an awkward step dad that's marrying my mom, but my real dad. I love you and Neal exactly the same way."

Robin smiled, ruffling his hair. "I got way more than I bargained for when I invited your mother over to thank her for saving Roland. You're a good kid."

Henry was happy to know that he was going to be with him for the rest of his life.

With a hearty pat on the back, he turned his eyes back towards his unconscious brother.

"I remember when, before the curse, David was in a coma," he started, "and Mary Margret would come down to the hospital every day and read to him. Do you think we could do that?"

"I think that's a great idea. We both know how much he loves his comics."

Henry sighed, wishing Roland would just wake up so he could tell him how sorry he was. A substantial part of him believed that he was going to come back to them, though. But was it enough?

It was then that Regina opened her eyes; she surveyed the scene before her, cringing as she attempted to get the crick out of her neck. Though she had gotten about four hours of sleep, it certainly wasn't enough. She had somewhat expected Roland to wake while she was asleep, perhaps in a way that told her that what happened the previous night was just a nightmare.

Sadly, it wasn't. Her son was lying on the hospital bed, looking so out of place due to his small body. Roland may have been there in the room with them, but his soul was nowhere to be found.