Author's Note: I'm going to apologize now for the shitty format. I'm really sorry, ff wouldn't let me upload anything so I took one of my already uploaded docs and copied and pasted so I apologize again! I might change it when it finally lets me upload stuff. Anyway thank you everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! I was really surprised at the feedback! So thank you so much! It is really appreciated! One thing I forgot to mention is that there's no Magic, it's AU with no magic. We'll find out all about the backstory, why Regina left, the origin of Roland, and the love story between Robin and Regina in the story. I forgot to mention that last chapter so I just wanted to let you guys know! Also there will be arguments between Robin and Regina for a good few chapters because I love their cat and dog fights. Just a forewarning. And there will be a happy ending! Please review!
Thank you to: Henley B, Guest, Outlawqueen108, sf hermit, Guest, Regalregina, lana447, angiefebles, ouatfangirlxoxo, Guest, Anny Rodrigues, Grace5231973, & RockaRosalie!
Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Battle Number Two
Regina angrily walked up the steps into the house she had once shared with Robin. She stood on the porch and looked around at the various knick-knacks that had been there six years earlier. She let her mind wander back to a time when they had gone shopping together for items for their new house. She let herself feel a moment of sadness at the innocence of shopping for her first house with her first love and then she moved forward.
She reached for the little green frog next to the 'Welcome' mate and cringed inwardly at the tacky item before reaching underneath it to produce a dusty key.
She grinned in triumph and pushed the key into the lock to open the door.
Walking into the house she felt like she was twenty years old again and coming home after a long day at the local community college. She felt all of the air go out of her lungs and she looked around at the living room that was the exact same from six years earlier.
The worn couch was still pushed up against the wall. There was a coffee table in the middle of the room that was littered with beer bottles and empty boxes of take out. There was still the tacky armchair that Robin would come and sit in after a long day at the Rabbit Hole.
She breathed in the homey smell of the house and she hated how at home she felt coming into the room. It was like she had never left. Except now there were toys in the corner of the living room and she noticed there were some pictures on the bookshelf behind the TV.
She went over to investigate the pictures, curious to know what Roland's mother looked like. As she walked over to the pictures she hoped that whoever the woman was didn't live here. She didn't want the woman to walk into the house and think she was a thief of anything – yes that was the only reason she hoped that woman didn't live in this house. It wasn't because she didn't want another woman sharing the home she had built with Robin. She cringed at that thought knowing if she ever voiced it she would sound like the hypocritical insane wife, soon to be ex-wife.
She leaned around the TV to look at the first picture and smiled when she saw one of Roland and Robin at what looked like one of the many festivals in town. If Regina had to guess she would think it was the Miner's Day Festival since they were both holding candles. She moved on to the next picture and saw one of Robin's grandmother and sister. She touched the picture fondly, remembering all of the fun times that she and Ruby had, had together.
Regina sighed sadly thinking of her old friend. Ruby was the one responsible for getting her and Robin together in the first place. Regina had befriended Ruby when they were in grade school together. Back then Regina had, had the biggest crush on Robin, but she was so shy she couldn't muster up the courage to speak with him. As time passed Ruby had caught on to her friend's crush and had begun to play matchmaker. By the time they were fourteen Robin had taken notice of Regina and the rest as they say was history.
Or at least until Regina left Storybrooke.
She moved on to the next picture and frowned not immediately recognizing the two people in it. She reached for the picture and brought it closer so she could inspect the two people in the frame. Well, three if she counted the little baby held in the woman's arms.
She stared at the picture mentally looking through her brain to match a name with a face and then a memory of getting drunk at a party in the woods with Ruby Locksley, Victor Whale, Mary Margaret Blanchard, Emma Swan, Killian Jones, Little John Hood, David & James Nolan, and Robin came back to her. She remembered that a few younger students had joined them, one of them being the woman in the picture Marian something or other. She frowned looking at the man and realized with shock that it was Little John, about fifty pounds heavier than when she saw him last. She frowned wondering why there was a photo of Little John, Marian, and a baby with the other pictures.
She moved to put it back, but froze when two pictures caught her eye. She traded the framed photograph for the two tucked shyly behind the other pictures. She held them close to her face, but there was no need since she recognized the people in the picture immediately.
They were both of her and Robin.
One was on their wedding day eight years earlier a few days after her eighteenth birthday. The other was when they had first started going out and Robin had asked her to the Homecoming Dance freshman year of High School. She gulped feeling an unfamiliar bubble of emotion form in her throat. She felt as if she were choking on it. She closed her eyes and began her deep breathing exercises hoping to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling that was taking residence in her chest.
She remembered that dance so clearly, much clearer than her wedding. At her wedding Robin had still been drunk from his bachelor party the night before and had puked on her dress. She had gone to the reception alone while Robin had slept it off in one of Granny's rooms. They had gotten one picture of them together and that was straight after the ceremony moments before he had upchucked the remainder of his fun night.
She remembered being so angry and heartbroken. She remembered Mary Margaret's father – her step-father – dancing with her because he felt bad for her. She remembered how her mother had repeatedly told her that marrying a good for nothing loser, like Robin would destroy her future. She wondered if she should've known that, that would foreshadow their marriage together.
She moved to the older picture and sighed wistfully as she gazed at her happy expression in the picture of them at Homecoming. She remembered how Robin had shyly asked her and how they had been late because they had to walk. She remembered her feet hurting because of those stupid heels and how Mary Margaret had spilled punch on her dress. But the one thing she remembered above all else was Robin kissing her when he dropped her off that night. It had been such a gentle kiss – her first kiss – and she remembered how nervous she had been. She remembered the feeling of her stomach filling with butterflies and she remembered how her mother had opened the door right as they had broken apart. Cora had chased Robin away, but he had been back the next day with some flowers he had stolen from one of her neighbor's gardens.
She remembered how ecstatic she felt.
She stuffed the pictures back where she found them and went to sit on the couch trying to ignore the mesh of feelings that were swirling around her. She tried to remember that she had Daniel and she was happy, but she couldn't help to think about how happy she had been once upon a time with Robin.
Before she could delve back into her regrets, hopes, and memories of days past she heard the familiar growl of his truck pulling into the driveway. She heard him groan and stifle a swear before opening the screen door and banging into the house.
His face was tight with anger as he gazed at her sitting on his couch in her still wet clothes. She smirked knowing she was probably ruining the couch, but not particularly caring, since he wasn't doing what she had so politely asked of him.
"I figured you'd be gone by now." He snapped moodily placing Roland on the ground.
They watched as he ran for his toys in the corner and picked up two action figures before giving them different voices.
"I'm not leaving until you sign these." She announced producing the binder of divorce papers again.
Robin gritted his teeth and looked over at Roland who was beginning to make a little village out of Legos and blocks.
"Roland, can you go to your room, please? I need to talk to Regina." Robin said going toward the little boy.
Roland looking between Regina and Robin and then smiled shyly. To both of their surprises he moved from his little play area and toward Regina.
"I'm sorry I sprayed you with water." Roland said looking up at her with big brown eyes.
She smiled down at him and wondered how anyone could be angry at that adorable face.
"It's fine, Roland, but thank you for apologizing." She said sweetly.
Then to her even greater surprise he moved forward and wrapped his arms around her in a little hug. She hesitantly returned the hug and then he withdrew his arms, gave her one last smile, and ran upstairs. They listened to him thud up the stairs and then Robin turned to her, his arms crossed, and she knew he had asked Roland to leave so that they could have their second battle. Regina was thankful for it, she hated when her mother and step-father argued even though she hated him.
"Regina—" Robin began, but was interrupted with the little feet thudding back down the steps and rushing into the living room. Roland ran toward the corner with his toys and grabbed the two action figures he had been playing with before and then went back upstairs.
They waited a beat before Regina dove into the conversation wanting to get her point across before Robin could side track her.
"I just need you to sign the papers and then I'll be out of here. I promise, just sign the papers." She pleaded holding up the binder and wiggling it.
Robin scowled down at her and leaned against the wall across from her. "Do your parents even know you're here? Does Mary Margaret?" he asked and she sighed heavily.
He was always deflecting what she wanted to talk about and always went directly for what she should be talking about or doing. He was always going on about the right thing. The right thing – and she already knew he'd tell her this within the next few minutes – was to go see her family and then demand a divorce from her estranged husband. In that exact order. Family always came first with Robin and that was one of the reasons she loved him, but now she found it really annoying because all she wanted to do was be in and out of Storybrooke without seeing her smarmy step-father, malevolent mother, and syrupy step-sister.
"Robin, I don't want to fight. I just need you to sign these papers." She said trying to remain calm. She knew if she let him get her off track he'd never sign the papers and she'd never get out of Maine. She needed to stay calm, collected, and on task.
Focus Regina, just get him to sign the papers.
"And I needed you for the last six years. I needed you to deal with reality instead of running to New York. I was hurting too, you know. You don't heal from something like that overnight." He growled angrily.
She gritted her teeth and stood up throwing the papers on the coffee table before advancing toward him.
Screw it. I could never stay calm and collected around Robin.
"I see you've healed just fine. What's her name?" Regina bite out and groaned inwardly for unleashing her inner green-eyed monster.
Robin's brow furrowed not understanding what she was referring too and when he didn't answer fast enough Regina rolled her eyes.
"Roland. His mother. You obviously didn't miss me that much. So just—" Regina began.
Robin let out a loud bitter laugh and leaned further into the wall. "You have no idea what you are talking about. God, how could you even…I did miss you. I missed you every day, but seeing what you've become…" He trailed off not able to finish his thought as he stared down at her in antipathy.
Regina frowned and took a step closer to him, "What do you mean?"
She tried to ignore the look of repugnance on his face, but it was difficult to do. She knew she deserved it after the way she had treated and left him, but she had hoped…God she had no idea what she had hoped for. Nothing like this, that was for sure.
Robin shook his head and moved around her. She watched as he went for the fridge and took out a beer. "Just leave Regina. Go see your family. Think about something other than your own agenda."
Regina let out a frustrated noise and followed him into the kitchen. "My agenda is getting you to sign the papers. I'm not asking anything difficult. Just—"
"You know, you've changed." He stated cutting her off.
She scowled at him and moved to stand in front of the doorway effectively blocking him.
"You're right, I have changed. I realized how much I was wasting my potential here. So I left. I moved on. I'm finally happy! I finally made something of myself!
Now, I'm asking you to sign the damn papers and then you'll never see me again." She promised trying to ignore the twinge of pain at her own words. She needed to treat this like a band-aid. Tell it like it is, anger him enough, and then he'd react. She'd worry about her own pain later.
He stared at her and she wondered for a brief moment if she'd gotten through to him.
"I'll sign your damn papers when you finally remember who you really are. Not this stuck up, hoity-toity, gluttonous New York lawyer. You used to want to help people. What happened to you?"
"I'm not leaving until you sign these papers, Robin! Just sign the damn papers!" she yelled losing the last remains of her cool exterior.
She was angry, still soaked in her suit, and irritated that he was making her suffer just because he liked watching her suffer.
Robin let out a low chuckle and shook his head. He pushed past her and she watched as he left the room and went up the stairs. She pondered whether she should follow him, but then she figured if she sat on the couch long enough he'd come back downstairs and they could go at it again.
She moved to sit down on the couch, but was barely sitting for more than fifteen minutes when the glow of red and blue flashed through the windows. She stood up uneasily and turned towards the thudding sound on the stairs to see Robin coming down with a smirk on his face.
"You called the cops?" she asked incredulously.
"You're trespassing." He stated enjoying the rage written all over her face.
"How could you?! What the hell! I can't believe you! I'm just asking for one thing! I just want a divorce!" she yelled taking a step toward him.
Robin chuckled and moved toward the front door when the Sheriff knocked.
Regina moved to run out the back door, but was stopped by a female voice shouting her name.
She turned around surprised to hear the familiar voice. Her eyes landed on none other than Emma Swan, her step-sister's best friend and she knew she wasn't going to be able to sneak out of town like she so wanted to do. She shot Robin a glare and his smirk widened in return. She hated how he knew her plans were now ruined and it was all because of him.
(A/n: So what did you think? Please review!)