(A/N-Special thanks to Bekki boo for beta reading this!)
"Come on, Regina!" Mal said to her longtime friend, Regina as the two women made their way downstairs.
"Shh, Mal. You have to be quiet, if my mother catches us I'll be in deep trouble," Regina said as the two friends were in the process of sneaking out of Regina's house. It was the summer before they went off to college, and they were going to live it up. Mal was always the one who was getting them into trouble, Regina being the one to tag alone with no protests though.
Regina Mills thought her life was all set. She would be leaving to go away from home in about three months; she would be staying in the dorm with Mal her best friend from when they were in kinder garden. She would finally be free from her mother's clutches on her life. Cora Mills had chosen everything so far in her daughter's life. She chose her clothes, her car, and who she was allowed to hang out with. But finally, Regina saw what she had always wanted...freedom.
"You act like she's some monster or something, Regina," Mal said as she rolled her eyes. Cora Mills might scare some people, but not her.
"You don't know her like I do, Mal," Regina said as they were finally at the back door of the house. It was a wonder that the two of them had made it this far.
"She's nothing compared to me. She's never met a dragon like me," Mal said as she looked at the dragon tattoo on her upper arm. Regina made a mental note that Mal always kept that tattoo hidden when she came over to study with Regina.
"Let's just get out of here okay," Regina said as just then the lights came on the kitchen. Both women froze in their tracks.
"Going somewhere, ladies?" Henry Mills' voice asked.
"Daddy, I-"
"You're sneaking out of the house," Henry finished for her.
"Oh, just for a little while," Regina said as her father walked up to her and put his hands on her upper arms.
"Have fun, darling," Henry said.
"Way cool, Mr. Mills," Mal said.
"Take care of one another," Henry said as he also added. "And Regina, don't be too late."
Regina smiled as she nodded at her father, who turned the lights back off before heading upstairs.
"He's cool," Mal said.
"He's the best," Regina said as they made their way out of house, and to the road where Mal's car awaited. They were heading to a bonfire party tonight that Mal knew some of the people that would be there, yes some were older then Regina and her, but that had never stopped Mal from doing anything.
"We'll need to be back before Martha comes to the house," Regina reminded Mal of their maid that came in the early mornings to start on cleaning the house and preparing their breakfast.
"I know, Regina. You've only reminded me about a hundred times already," Mal said as she drove, taking a drink of the whiskey she had. She handed it to Regina for her to have a drink.
"I'm just saying that if mother-"
"I know, Regina! It's always your mother this or your mother that. I'll be so glad when you finally get away from her so that you'll lighten up a little," Mal said.
"I am not such a tight ass, Mal," Regina defended herself.
"Oh please! You're still at home after graduating last month and if that wasn't bad enough, still a virgin," Mal said as she continued to drive.
"A lot of people are still at home, just waiting to go to college," Regina said. "And just because I haven't had sex with someone doesn't mean anything. It means I've never met someone special enough."
"You're too picky," Mal scoffed at her friend.
"I am not!" Regina denied. She inwardly admitted to herself that this was one thing that was completely her choice. She chose who she would fall in love with and eventually sleep with, share a life with, not her mother!
"Really, well the last few years you have had your head buried in a book, instead of letting a guy be between your-"
"Mal!"
"Fine, but I dare you to prove it tonight, let's see the wild child come out of you," Mal dared her, "that is if there is one in there."
A few minutes later they arrived at the scene of the party/bonfire. The two friends scanned the crowd, seeing a few ex classmates and some that had already graduated before them. The bonfire was in an old baseball field that had long since seen its glory. There were people everywhere, many of them drinking and being foolish. There was music blasting from several areas of the field as well.
"There's so many people here," Regina said as they looked around the huge crowd of people.
"I don't see anything yet that gets my eyes," Mal said with a soft smirk on her face.
"Ms. Regina and Ms. Mal, so what are you two doing out this fine evening," a male voice said from behind them. Both women turned back to look to see a former teacher of theirs.
"Mr. Glass, now what would make you come out here to a party with a bunch of young people?" " Mal asked.
Sidney Glass was an English teacher of theirs in high school, he also had a way of making Regina feel very uncomfortable. There were times she thought that he was staring at her, there were also times in class that he would stop at her desk as they were taking a test. He would put his hand on her shoulder, letting it pat her gently. It gave her the creeps, literally.
"Or let me guess," Mal said as she looked over at Regina.
"I'm taking in the scenery, it's quite lovely out here," Sidney said as his eyes roamed over Regina's form, even in the darkness of the atmosphere here. "And how are you Regina?"
"I'm fine." Regina said as she put her hands on her arms, to try to ward off the chill that he was giving her by looking at her.
"That's nice to hear. I can tell you, your presence is going to be missed at school," Sidney said.
"Aren't you needed back at the nursing home for your snack of vanilla pudding?" Mal asked sarcastically, causing Regina to laugh.
Sidney just looked from Mal and back to Regina, "Have a nice night, Ms. Regina. I do hope it's enjoyable for you."
He stood there for a few seconds more before turning and walking away. Mal turned back to look at Regina, "Can you believe that creep?"
"I hate the way he looks at me," Regina said.
"Well, you won't ever have to worry about being around him once we're in college and out of this dump of a town," Mal reminded her.
"Oh great, all the creeps must be here tonight," Regina said as she spotted one that she literally wanted to wash her skin after just being in his presence.
"Let me guess, Keith," Mal said as she saw him start to move his way over. "I'll tell you what, you take care of Keith, miss wild child, while I go see if I can sink my teeth into someone." Regina watched as Mal walked over to a girl named Tara, the two were like oil and water but something about them made sense.
"Hello there," a smug, sly voice said as Regina turned her attention back to the object of her disgust.
"Hello, Keith, what brings you here?" Regina asked. Keith Nottingham and his family were long time family friends of Regina's family. Cora and Agatha Nottingham had gone to school together and had remained close ever since, both had married well and had high hopes that their off springs would hit it off. Not on Regina's life, she thought.
"I'm looking at it," Keith said as he lifted a finger and touched a curl of her hair, letting it wrap around his finger. Regina slapped lightly at his hand. "Now don't be like that, Regina. I'm sure your mother would like you to be nice to me."
"I don't wish to be," Regina said defiantly.
"You can be naughty to me, I have no objections," Keith said.
"Not on your life," Regina said as she started to walk away.
"I bet your mother doesn't know that you're here, now does she?" Keith's voice called out from behind her, effectively stopping her in her tracks. His body was right behind her as he continued to talk, "I don't know why you are so cold to me, Regina."
She closed her eyes as she felt his breath on her skin. "Mind your own business, Keith." Regina started to where Mal and Tara were, she had only taken a few steps when she felt a hand catch at her arm, and she turned to see Keith had his hands on her.
"Come dance with me, Regina or I'll tell your mother about you being here," His eyes raked over her and he always made her uneasy.
She pulled her arm back, "If you want to tell her, tell her." Regina dared him to do so, "Now if you don't mind, I'm meeting someone here."
Keith clicked his tongue and Regina felt goose bumps rise on her arms. "Oh really? And who might that be? Mother never told me about you seeing anyone."
"It's none of your business, so why don't you go take a long walk on a short road and leave me the hell alone," Regina fired at him as she walked away. She didn't stop to see what he did, she just kept walking, her feet found Mal in under a minute. She was dancing with Tara, well grinding is what it really should be called.
"Where's that wild child at, Regina?" Mal teased her friend as she saw Regina looking at them.
"She's here, and she's roaring to be let out," Regina said as she stomped over to where there was a group of people getting drinks. As she was finally near where they were being passed out, she looked back over at Mal who raised an eyebrow at her as if daring her.
Regina turned back around and looked at the woman who was passing the drinks out, "What's in them?"
"Stuff that will make you feel...so good," the woman replied as she handed Regina a red solo cup filled with the beverage.
Regina took it and turned back to look at Mal, she then raised the drink and proceeded to take deep swallows of it. It was a little sweet, but there was definitely some alcohol in it. "Thank you," Regina told the woman as she started to walk away.
The woman wore an evil smile as a certain man walked up to her and asked, "Did you put it in her drink like I asked you to?"
"Give her ten minutes, and she'll be out like a light. That roofie is very strong and she'll be out for hours," she replied.
The man raised his hand and cupped under the woman's chin and said, "Thank you, Marian. It is always a pleasure doing business with you."
"Tell me again why I just drugged her?" Marian asked.
"Because I plan on having my way with her and forcing her to marry me, I'm going to get one of the richest heiresses in this state," the man said as he walked off in the direction that his prey, Regina, had started in.
Regina stumbled onto a bench in a side park, not far from the ball field; it felt like she was getting sick. She was light on her feet and the world seemed to be spinning. She laid down on the bench because the effort of sitting was just too much now. Her eyes were so heavy and she just wanted to go to sleep. She knew she should get up and try to find Mal to get her home, but sleep was calling to her.
As her eyes drifted shut, in the semi darkness she saw the legs of a male figure approaching her...
Seconds later she was being lifted up and carried towards an abandoned barn on the outskirts of the park. Once the man had Regina in the barn, he laid her down on some old blankets on the ground and looked down at the treasure he had acquired.
"Now, why don't we get down to business?" the man said as his hands went to the button of his jeans, and once open he then started to unzip his jeans, all the while looking down at the unconscious form of Regina.
Robin Locksley was from the wrong part of town; his family was poor and barely making it. He had been forced to drop out of high school in his senior year four years ago and go from working part time while he was in school to full time to keep the roof over their home. His mom was a waitress at a Granny's, a local diner. And his father, well the man who sired him, because Robin had never thought too much of Carl Locksley's parenting skills, along with husband skills.
Carl Locksley, was simply a drunk. And when he was drinking, he was a mean drunk. He was often abusive, both verbally and physically with Evelyn Locksley. He didn't work and instead depended on Evelyn and for the past few years, Robin, to keep food on the table and the lights on in the house.
Robin worked full time at a body shop owned by Sammy Rowland, he didn't mind the work; he actually loved working on cars and motorcycles. The one time in his whole life he had ever been selfish and spent his money on himself he bought an old motorcycle, one that needed to be remodeled but for the most part he could get around with just fine. Robin was trying to save enough money to get his mom and him a new place to start, away from Carl Locksley. But Evelyn wouldn't consider it even if they had the money; she often told her son when they were alone.
What money Evelyn could bring home, Carl took most of it to go and buy his liquor or would send Evelyn back out into town after just working a twelve hour shift to buy it for him. Evelyn had come from money, but after she had gotten mixed up with Carl Locksley, someone they deemed of the lower class, she had been disowned. She had never seen her or heard from her family since the day her father had tossed her out of her home, her last image of her mother had been one where she was on her knees begging Evelyn's father to stop this and to not throw out Evelyn. He had refused and had literally pushed Evelyn out of the house.
Robin had never met his grandparents, had been told so many times how they were just pure snobs from his father. He saw how much those words hurt his mother and the times he had told Carl Locksley to stop talking about them like that, he had gotten a black eye or a bruise here or there. Robin didn't care, as long as it wasn't his mother that Carl was hitting on, he could take the brunt for her. When Robin had been smaller he had witnessed the abuse his mother received and had sworn if there was ever a way to get her out of it, he would. No matter the cost.
He was on his way tonight to meet up with some friends, he hadn't seen them in a while and with them and this party tonight, it would do him good to let off some steam. He arrived and headed to where there were some kegs and got him a drink.
"Robin!" a voice called from behind him. He turned to see and old friend.
"John! It's been a long time," Robin said.
"Two years, you still living here?" John asked.
"Unfortunately," Robin said.
"Why don't you come to New York with me? I've got plenty of room," John offered.
"I'd need a job first," Robin said, also thinking of how he couldn't leave his mother behind.
"Hell, I can get you a job," John said, "I'm a bouncer right now, but I'm pretty tight with the owners I'm sure I can get you in."
"John, I do appreciate the offer, but there is more than just me on the line here," Robin said as he took another swallow of his drink.
"Your mother," John's words were not a question.
"I can't leave her here, there's no telling what he could do," Robin said.
"Get his ass arrested then, he's a deadbeat," John said.
"If only I could," Robin said.
"Look, how about-"
"John, I do appreciate it but I don't want to think about this tonight," Robin said as John nodded, "Then why don't we take a walk and clear our heads and then come back and mingle?"
The two men headed down the trail by the park, neither knowing what they were about to get into.
Regina felt her limbs being moved here and there but she was too sleepy to care. In her mind she thought she must have made it home and someone was putting her into bed, as her top got pulled off her head, then her jeans were removed, leaving her in her bra and panties. But why was it so cold?
She felt hands on her, hands that gave her even more chills. Hands were on her arms raising them above her head, she tried to open her eyes but she just couldn't.
"I think it's time the two of us became closer don't you think?" a man's voice asked her.
Wait, this was no one in her family. But the voice was familiar, why was she so sleepy? She had to get out of here and now. She tried to move but the man caught her wrists in one hand and held them as he smiled down at her.
"You don't want to leave the party too soon now do you?" he asked as his free hand went to his jeans, unbuttoning them as he did so.
"Party is over." A new voice said from behind him. The man turned and was punched in the jaw, effectively removing him from his prey. The man saw that his opportunity was over and grabbed a fistful of hay and through it at the newcomer, distracting him for a second as he ran out of the barn.
Robin was about to take off after him when he saw the woman on the ground. He removed his jacket and covered her up as he heard footsteps approaching. "Robin? Are you in here?" John's voice called to him.
"Over here, John!" Robin called back to him.
"What are you doing in here?" John asked as he walked to, and after looking down at the woman lying there, he looked back at his friend, "Oh. Did I interrupt something?"
"No. She's out. I think someone drugged her," Robin said as he crouched down to look at her in the little light from the moon as it peaked into the barn. He removed some hair that had fallen on her face. "Stunning." He said as he got his first look at her.
"Bloody hell, that's Regina Mills," John said as Robin looked back up at John.
"You know her?" Robin asked.
"She was a few years behind us in high school, her parents are Henry and Cora Mills," John informed him.
"Great. Well someone drugged her and brought her here to do harm to her," Robin said.
"Who was it?" John asked.
"I don't know, I couldn't see him in this poor light. He distracted me and ran off before I could pummel the guy," Robin said.
"Bastard. What type of pervert drugs someone?" John asked.
Robin looked down at the sleeping form of Regina Mills, "Someone really desperate. She's freaking royalty then in this town and whoever he was had a plan that is for sure."
"So what are we going to do? Call the cops?" John asked.
"I can't. If Carl finds out anything about this, he'll come down hard on me or my mother," Robin said. Robin had his few run in with the cops in the past, he was a bit of a troubled youth, but given the circumstances, not his mother's fault in the slightest, it was a given that Robin would have a few bad boys days.
"So then what? We can't just leave her here," John said.
"The box car," Robin said as he stood up.
"That old thing? Hell Robin, we don't even know if it's still there," John said.
"It's there," Robin confirmed. The box car was simply that, a box car from an old train that somehow was in the woods that Robin and John and a few others used to play in as children. Their little group was like Robin Hood and the Merry Men. They would act out scenes of the classic movies and always be on the run from the bad King John and the Sheriff as well. They had even made some bows and arrows from what wood that they could find, some had swords, but Robin loved a bow and arrow.
"I saw it a few weeks ago when I was out walking in the forest," Robin confirmed.
"But the thing is dirty and surely you can't take someone like her there," John said.
"I actually slept there the last time, it's clean enough and there is that old couch there that is in good condition for sleeping. And I put the blankets I used in that old chest that we found way back," Robin said.
"But Robin-"
"It's not like I can take her home with me, or take her to her parent's house," Robin said, "Can you imagine how fast I would be locked up if I turned up with her unconscious at her home?"
"You got a point there," John said.
"Look, I'm just going to let her sleep this off and by morning when she's awake I'll get her back home. I have my motorcycle in the parking lot. Will you bring it to the box car while I carry her there?" Robin asked.
"If you're sure about this," John said.
"I'm not sure about any of this, but I don't have any other options right now," Robin said as he gently put Regina's clothes back on and picked up her tiny frame. He stood there for a few seconds, looking down at her.
"I'll be there with your bike in about ten minutes," John promised as he held the barn door open for Robin to carry his precious cargo.
"See you then," Robin said as he started walking towards their old box car in the woods only a few minutes from the park. Once he arrived there, he carefully got into it and placed her down on the couch. He then lit the lantern and retrieved the blanket out of the chest and placed it over her sleeping form.
After he met with John about his bike being there, Robin sat against one of the walls of the box car, he would keep watch over her as she slept this night. "Why do I have this feeling, you're going to change my life somehow?"
Little did he know...