Prologue: The Heart Aches For Those We Lost

Robin sat anxiously in the waiting room of the hospital as he continued to look around for any sign of his new-born son. The previous two days have been nothing less than traumatic and yet still joyful for the young man. Tapping his leg nervously he glanced around the room, looking at the other people who were waiting as well. An elderly couple sitting side by side watching the door with eyes filled with anticipation and excitement. A soft smile found it's way onto Robin's feature's before pulling his eyes away from the elderly couple and onto the white floor at his feet.

Watching the couple only reminded him of the fact he would never have that with the love of his life, his wife Marian. He thought of her long dark brown hair draping over her shoulders when they met all those years ago at a summer camp in the woods. The camp was meant to be a get away, after all it was the summer of his junior year when everyone was freaking out about grades, what colleges they would get into and so much more. Already fond of the woods he figured he would go to the camp and have his own vacation with his closests friends, but he never expected to meet the love of his life there.

Robin ran his fingers through his light brown hair as he sighed picturing his wife. He thought of all the plans they had talked about while she was still pregnant with their son, how they talked of growing old together, traveling the world and going on adventures. It broke Robin's heart to think those plans would never happen. Robin had always dreamed of having a family to call his own and for a short while he had, had it all. The door opened, he snapped out of his daze to see if the person in the door had his son, but unfortunately it was a doctor calling the elderly couple he had been looking at forward. Robin leaned back in his chair trying to steady his already rapid heartbeat, but to no avail. He was incredibly worried about taking his son home, after all he had no idea what to do.

He closed his eyes and tried to remember any information about raising a child from the parenting books Marian had bought a few months ago. Unlike him, she was prepared for the baby. He was not. A million questions raced through his mind, what was he going to do? Would the baby like him? How would he work and care for a newborn? Robin had no idea what to do, but he would work it out. He was going to do everything in his power for his son to have the life he deserves, no matter what it takes.

"Robin Locksley," called a young doctor standing in the doorway with a clipboard in one hand and the other holding the door open. Robin was brought out of his daze to look at the doctor.

Taking a deep breath he stood from his chair, "That would be me," he replied as he shook the doctor's hand.

The doctor smiled, "If you will follow me, I will bring you to your son."

Robin offered a smile as his silent thank you before following the doctor through the door and down the white hospital halls. Robin's heart hammered in his chest with every step he took, he hadn't seen his son since last night and was more than anxious to take him home. He wanted to share this moment with Marian, he wanted to meet her in her hospital bed and wait with her for the doctors to bring their son to them before leaving to go home. Sadly it was not meant to be. The doctor told Robin to wait a moment longer before he disappeared into the room with all of the other babies.

He started searching for his son through the window, but he was not there. Robin frowned, but knew his son was with the doctor. After a few moments a baby carrier was brought to Robin and inside was a small infant wrapped in a green blanket with the name Roland sewed in red. Robin had told Marian the blanket seemed to much like Christmas, but she seemed to like it. It took awhile, but Marian convinced Robin to leave the blanket be and he was glad she did. Robin took the carrier and pamphlet from the nurse and offered her a thank you. Once the nurse was gone Robin looked at his sleeping son with love and pride.

"Well Roland," he whispered softly, "It looks like it's just you and me."

A young woman stood on her balcony, her watering brown eyes glancing around the town she called home ahead. She pressed the horseshoe of her palms on the woodened railing as she leaned forward slightly trying to keep from crying. It had been so hard these past few days, the loss of the man she loved was killing her, making her heart ache more so than she thought possible.

"Regina," said a woman slightly younger than Regina stood in the doorway timidly awaiting the woman's response, her hands resting on extended stomach.

Regina glanced over her shoulder at the younger woman with sorrow in her eyes as she whispered, "Mary Margaret I'm really not in the mood for one of your overly optimistic talks about hope."

Mary Margaret did not speak. Instead she walked over to Regina, her green eyes bright and filled with empathy for the older woman. She too felt loss of her friend Daniel and was having a hard time coping with his passing, but everyone knew Regina was taking it the hardest. The funeral had only ended a few hours ago, she was still wearing her funeral attire, an elegant black dress with lace sleeves that cut off at her elbows. It was incredibly hard for Regina to come to terms with the loss, honestly up until today she believed it was all a dream, that tomorrow she would wake up to find herself wrapped in his arms. His name was Daniel, he made Regina feel as though she were the Queen and the most important person to ever walk the earth. He brought out the good in her, he made her laugh when she was angry, upset or hurt, and was always there for her when she needed him.

Right now she needed him now more than ever, it was so hard for her to acknowledge that the man, whom she had loved more than anything in the world, was gone forever. Regina kept her eyes forward as Mary Margaret stood next to her, she didn't speak, she only stood by Regina's side offering silent support and comfort. Although Regina would never admit it, she appreciated the gesture and was happy Mary Margaret was there with her since she was the only person who was as close to Daniel as she was. Mary Margaret had been a part of a big brother's big sister's program, but there were not enough girls since they wanted it to be one on one so the younger kids didn't have to share. So Daniel became her big brother when she was ten and they shared a strong bond which Regina seemed to admire.

After a few minutes of silence Mary Margaret pulled out a sealed envelope from her coat pocket with the name Regina written across the top in beautiful calligraphy.

"What's this," Regina questioned trying to keep her voice even and unwavering despite the sobs that welled up in her throat.

Mary Margaret smiled sweetly as she said, "It's from Daniel, he asked me to hold onto this for safe keeping and told me to give it to you when it was time."

Regina took the envelope from Mary Margaret hesitantly as she spoke again in a shaky voice, "What's inside?"

Mary Margaret only smiled, she knew how much Daniel had loved Regina and how she felt towards him made her swell with joy. "Let's just say," Mary Margaret started glancing from Regina to the clock tower and back at Regina, "He wanted you to know how much he loved you, even if he couldn't be there."

Regina held the envelope shakily, without another word Mary Margaret left Regina alone with the sealed envelope. Regina opened the envelope to see he wrote her letter about all the times they shared and how he fell in love with her every single day he was with her and even when he wasn't with her, she was always on his mind. The second letter was the proposal, she remembered the day he proposed to her like it was yesterday and she read over the words again, she could practically hear his voice ringing in her ears. Regina and Daniel had been engaged for three months, but Daniel had been waiting for the right time and place to give a big speech and ring, he did propose to her, but was waiting to give her the ring.

Unfortunately the night he was planning to propose to her, he had been in a horrible car crash and suffered some terrible injuries to his chest. The night he died in the hospital Regina had been by his side refusing to leave him alone. Even though he was at death's door, he still found a way to make her smile and know how much she meant to him. A few minutes before he died, he proposed to her with the exact same words in the envelope. Hot tears streamed down Regina's cheeks at the memory of him smiling at her, slowly she slipped the gold ring on her ring finger. I love you Regina, go find your happy ending even if it's not with me. Those were his last words right before the monitor went dead and his heart had stopped, she knew she could never truly move on from Daniel, but for his sake she would try.

Her heart ached for his touch, she missed him more than she ever thought possible and could not believe he was gone. How was she to go on about him? What would she do now? Footsteps awoke her from her daze, turning around she faced her father with teary brown eyes.

He opened his arms as he said, "You have been strong for too long princess."

Regina ran to her father and threw her around him like she did when she was a little girl and in need of her father's comfort. He embraced her, holding her tightly offering her silent comfort and as much as assurance as he could. He knew how much his daughter loved Daniel and was heart broken to see his daughter so upset and so hurt.

Softly he whispered into her ear as she cried into his shoulder, "I know it may not seem like it now Regina, but with time you will get better. I promise the ache will fade."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut, the tears continued to fall yet no words left her lips. All she wanted was the believe this was a dream and wake up tomorrow morning with Daniel by her side.

"Not this ache," she cried feebly into his shoulder, "It hurts too much daddy... I need him here. I need him here with me."

Her father kissed her hair, to hear his daughter so broken made his chest ache. He swore to her when she was a child that she would never have to feel this kind of pain. Although he knew he couldn't protect her from something like this, he still felt guilty that he couldn't have saved Daniel and spared her the pain.

Softly he whispered, "I know Regina, it's never easy losing the ones you love. In time this wound will heal. One day you will be happy again."

Regina decided not to speak again, she wanted to believe her father was right, but she didn't. Daniel was everything to her and she loved him with her whole heart and soul. If she could, she would trade her life for his, but it wasn't possible. There was no magic spell that could help her now. Regina split from the hug, her brown eyes shimmering, her father cupped her face in his hand and he wiped away her tears.

Regina smiled sadly at her father, hoarsely she said, "Maybe you're right.. maybe I could be happy again."