Without Hate

Summary: A request by DorothyDeath. A short drabble about the glance exchanged between Regina and Gold towards the end of Season 2, Episode 8, "Into the Deep," when they both knew David/Charming wasn't going to wake up.

Regina's POV

David – Charming – whatever the hell he's calling himself today – is not waking up.

It's so ironic. In another time, another place, this simple fact might have filled her wicked heart with a black joy. And it still might today … if not for the grief-stricken expression on Henry's face.

"I'm sure they're just catching up," she says. Her words don't sound convincing even to her own ears, but for her son's sake, she actually hopes it's the truth.

She can't stand to see him suffer. She loves him.

Despite herself, Regina glances over at Rumple … no, Gold.

She remembers, though she doesn't want to, that there were times when they used to look at each other with …

Well, without loathing.

And now … and now he looks at her, for just a moment, and shakes his head sadly.

It's not really all that disheartening. Although she feels badly for Henry, it's only confirming what she already knew.

But the look on his face, in his eyes …

It's not right.

He shouldn't do that. He shouldn't look at her without hate. Not even for a minute.

It's not fair of him to do that to her.

She can't bear it.

Regina looks away, and back at her son.

Gold's POV

When she looks at her son, the years fall away from her, and she seems almost … innocent again.

It irritates him beyond all reason. After all she's done to him, to his true love, what business does she have looking innocent?

Especially since nothing is innocent …

She looks at him now, silently asking him if Henry's grandfather is going to wake up, though of course she must already know the answer.

But she wants him to make it better somehow.

"Can you help me?" She'd asked him, all those years ago. Gods, her eyes had been wide enough to drown in.

Just like they are now.

Damn her. She shouldn't do this. She shouldn't look at him with wide, pleading eyes, like she used to when she was sad, or hurt, or afraid, or when it was time for her to leave him and go back to the king …

She'd looked at him like she'd expected him to take all her pain away. Like she'd expected him to fix things.

Like she'd expected him to save her.

She should not be looking at him like this now. She should be looking at him with hate, like's she supposed to do.

He shakes his head, and mercifully, Regina looks away.

It is just a glance, just a moment. Nothing more. And it certainly doesn't change anything between them.

Still, they stand there, silent, watching Henry. They are determined not to look at each other until the hatred is back, in its proper place, shining cold and bright between them, shining in each other's eyes.