Hi all, so some of you on twitter may know that I'm obsessed with the new Adele album so I decided to done a one shot based on "Love in the Dark" which is one of my favorite songs! Warning of vivid language and some other mature themes. Enjoy!


Please stay where you are

Don't come any closer

Don't try to change my mind

I'm being cruel to be kind

I can't love you in the dark

It feels like we're oceans apart

There is so much space between us

Maybe we're already defeated

Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah everything changed me


It was a monotonous cycle that never seemed to end; the bickering, the fighting, the drinking and occasionally the smashing of plates or whatever objects were closest to them. She had had enough, had said that she was "done with his shit" and "was leaving for good," but each morning she found herself crawling back to that dredged apartment where her fonder memories outlived her horrid ones.

She had never asked for a love like she had with him, as a matter of fact she never thought she would find love. Her Mother served as a constant reminder that "love is weakness," a phrase she was so used to hearing that by the time she had moved out, the words had no effect on her.

Love, after all, is weakness.

And then she saw him, sulking quietly in the corner of her favorite drinking spot. She had been halfway through college at the time, studying tediously for hours a day to fulfill her dreams of becoming a lawyer. The stress she burdened herself with often resulted in the consumption of alcohol, a habit she never flaunted.

The way she felt when she saw him was indescribable, and despite not yet having exchanged a proper greeting, knew she would connect with him immediately.

And so Regina Mills did the only thing she knew how to do; she walked over next to him and plopped herself down on the bar stool.

"I'll have a shot of the strongest whiskey you have, and make it quick."

Her request got the attention of the man sitting next to her, who now propped himself up to see eye to eye with her. She immediately turned to face him, however unaware of how closely their faces had been to each other. Had she been drunk already, it's likely she would have eliminated the distance between them.

"And just who might you be, milady?" he asked her, his British accent rough and low.

"My name is Regina," she responded, reaching her hand out to shake his already outstretched one. "And you are?"

"The name's Robin, Robin Locksley" he responded, his blue eyes glimmering with each word. "However I'm rather confused as to what a beautiful lady, like yourself, is doing in a run down, trashed bar like this."

"I'm doing what everyone does when they're stressed," Regina responded, "I'm drinking myself into the biggest hole possible. And you're here because…?"

"I am here for the same reason, love," he explained, never breaking the intense eye contact they had held since their first introductions. Regina then paused to drink her shot, tossing it back with such ease that Robin wondered how often she did this. No first timer could drink something of that strength so easily.

"I'll have another," Regina told the bartender. "As a matter of fact, make it a double, while you're at it of course." She then looked back to Robin, and scooted her bar stool a bit closer to him. "So Robin, tell me more about yourself," she whispered, leaning in as she placed her hands on his upper thighs. If she had been sober she most likely would have deemed the move utterly inappropriate, but by now the alcohol had begun to take its toll on her thought process.

"Well milady," he began, "I really don't have much to share. I'm rather new in this area of the world, having just moved here all but a few months ago. It's been bloody confusing really, I mean even just getting my fucking loft to the gas station is an excruciating struggle, but nonetheless I do love it here." He paused, rather unsure if he should continue telling his sob story. Regina met him with encouraging eyes; she had always found outsiders rather fascinating.

"It's also been quite bitter" he continued, "I had to leave much of my life behind in England and adjusting to a new world alone is a rather terrible thing to do. I wish I had someone that I could just talk to whenever I needed to rant about the simple things; I mean I couldn't even figure out how to turn on the bloody shower last night!"

Regina, knowing the feeling of being isolated and alone, felt for the poor man, on top of being inexplicably drawn towards him. She had no reason to even like him, hell they had just met ten minutes ago. Maybe it was his ocean blue eyes that seemed to stretch for miles or maybe it was the alcohol talking, but before she knew it she found herself consoling him.

"You know Robin," she slurred, "I for one sure know how it feels to be alone, all my Mother did while I lived with her is badger and break me with her harsh words. She made me feel so fucking low, as if I was shit and I would never rise to be as perfect, as powerful as she was." She felt a tear slide down her face, and Robin immediately reached out to wipe it away.

"Regina, I've known you for a few moments but I can already tell you that you are anything but that, love" he whispered, cupping her cheek with his hand. It was in that moment she knew that she wanted something with this man; that he could be the one to give her what she'd been denied her whole life.

And so Robin ordered them more shots, and they drank until neither one of them could even walk to the taxi that the bartender ended up calling for them. The driver took them to his apartment, and he managed to walk not only himself but her to the 8th floor where his loft resided. Upon opening the door, he guided her to the couch in the main area, laying her down gently as to not wake her. His mind was impaired but all he could think of was how beautiful she was. Sleeping Beauty had nothing on her.

They both woke up the next morning, happy that nothing had happened, and decided to grab breakfast. They found that conversing was easier sober, and that they actually had a lot in common. Robin, although a year older than Regina, was also studying at the same college as her. He wanted to become an electrical engineer, always having a knack for science while in school. He teased and complimented her throughout the entire meal, occasionally resulting in a smirk or slight giggle from Regina, a sound that he never wanted to stop hearing.

When they finished eating, they exchanged numbers and promised to meet at the bar where everything had started on Friday night. The week went by quickly, each excited for their "date" on Friday, although they had left it as a simple get together between two close friends. Each day they began to text one another more, finding that holding a conversation was extremely easy. Of course, emojis helped fill the space in which there was an awkward break in conversation.

Finally Friday arrived and Regina found herself wearing a slim black number, swooping low across her chest and bunching high above her thighs. She originally had thought of wearing something more casual, but figured this might be the one chance she had in life to wear something like this. She strapped on her matching heels and hailed a cab, texting Robin that she'd be there shortly.

Robin put on a pair of nice slacks and a freshly pressed shirt. He unfortunately had to ask around his apartment building to figure out how to even work an iron in the first place, oh the bloody technology in America. He too thought that he might be overdressed for the occasion, but felt himself falling for Regina and didn't want to disappoint her. Upon receiving her text he too hailed a cab, excited for their evening to come.

They both arrived at the bar at the same time, making eye contact the moment they emerged from their respective cabs. Regina strutted over to Robin, bashfully swiping her hair back as the wind blew her curly locks into her face.

"You look absolutely stunning Regina," Robin gasped. "Thank you, you don't clean up too shabby yourself" she responded, chuckling ever so softly. "However I do think we might be a tad overdressed for the occasion, maybe we should go somewhere else instead?" she asked, not wanting to actually go back to that muck house while looking as fine as she did.

"And just where do you suggest going, love?" he asked.

"Let's go to that one club down the road, the Rabbit Hole?" she asked, uncertain if he would be up for an outing like that.

"Whatever you want, milady" he asserted, hailing yet another cab in the process.

That night they went to the Rabbit Hole and danced the night away. Regina moved incredibly well for wearing such a tight dress and high heels, even managing to "get low" at the appropriate times during certain songs. Robin often saw others eyeing Regina, and made sure to let everyone know that she was taken for the evening, taken by no one else but him. As the night went on Regina and Robin became tipsier, and eventually found themselves shoved against a wall in the alley behind the club.

It was miraculous that Robin had kept his hands to himself during the entire night; between Regina grinding on him and her dress hitching upwards with each song he found himself more unable to control his thoughts than normal. When they finally reached the alley, after much teasing and toying from her, he spun her against the cold concrete wall, eliciting a low moan from her. He proceeded to cup her ass and suck on the side of her neck while she rubbed her hands up and down the side of his body. "You're so hot, Regina" he cooed into her ear as he swiped the straps of her dress down to expose more skin, "so fucking hot milady." The motion rendered her speechless, only allowing her to process the sheer pleasure he was making her feel.

Before they got any further they decided to take it home, wanting to consummate their first time in the convenience of their own home, on a real bed. That night both of them screamed at the top of their lungs, Robin being an animalistic lover while Regina being more of a passionate and teasing one. That night had been the birth of something special, something Regina knew she would fight hard to hold on to. Love was waiting at her door, and she knew she couldn't turn away from it, not anymore.

And here she finds herself, unable to leave the relationship that once promised her nothing but utter happiness and joy. Following that night, Robin asked if he could officially date her, words she never thought she'd be asked ever. They went out many times over the next few years, each endeavor more lavish than the last. He showed her the world, even asking her to accompany him on a trip back to his homeland to visit his family. He promised her that he loved her, and that he would never leave her.

She could plainly see a life with him, one they would build together and never let go of. She imagined their children running around in a large white house, her asking them to stop running as they would track in mud from outside and him laughing at her attempts to stop them. She imagined them growing old together, even their final goodbyes before a tragic disease would sweep and destroy either one of them.

They were supposed to make it out alive.

However, things could never go so easily for Regina Mills, as villains, apparently what she was considered to be, never could find happiness. It seemed as if life was constantly playing a cruel joke on her; happiness was simply unattainable.

It started when Robin started drinking again, however more than just their average "Friday night outing." She often had to drag him out of their special place after receiving a frantic call from the bartender. He promised that nothing was wrong, that he had just acquired "a taste for various types of alcohol" and that "she had nothing to worry about."

She knew better than that.

When the trips to the bar became a nightly habit, she thought of leaving his drunk ass, didn't he do that to her every night? Why should she have to hold this relationship together when obviously he didn't care about her anymore?

She eventually stopped going to the bar to retrieve him, instead settling for quiet nights at home that included binge watching every sad romantic movie on Netflix and blasting Adele music. Having never been in a relationship before she didn't know what a breakup was supposed to feel like, but she imagined it felt something like this.

Some nights however she would settle for a quiet thinking session, often pondering how they got themselves into this mess and more importantly if they could ever climb out. She would ask herself if it was something she did or said; was it little things like how she sometimes forgot to get his laundry out of the washer or large things like nights when she wouldn't arrive home from class until late? Nothing made sense to her; he had promised that he would never leave her.

It had been an average Wednesday night; Regina had gotten home from class around 9 pm and immediately indulged in a glass of wine. Robin of course wasn't home, god knows where he had decided to go drink tonight.

One glass turned into two glasses, which before she knew it turned into Regina consuming the whole bottle of wine. Although a small lady who could hold her alcohol well, the rush of the liquid was quickly taking its toll on her. Around 11, Robin stumbled in, surprisingly earlier than normal. He seemed more coherent than previous nights, and stumbled into the bedroom. Before Robin made it into the bedroom, he heard the smashing of glass erupt from the kitchen behind him.

"Regina what the fuck are you doing, it's nearly midnight and you'll wake the neighbors" he hissed, utterly unamused by her timing to pick a fight.

"What am I doing, what am I doing Robin? Funny you should ask, since you're never home and haven't given a single shit about anything that I've done recently. What I'm doing is throwing bottles of wine, is that okay with you honey? Do I receive your stamp of approval?" she clawed back, her eyes raging with anger and fury. He had never seen her like this – what the hell had driven her to act like this?

"Oh shut up," he responded, "you don't need my bloody stamp to do whatever you want, you do that anyways, love" he uttered, a fake smile creeping on his face. "You dumb bitch," he muttered under his breath, walking back towards the bedroom.

"Say it to my face, Locksley," she screamed, "say it to my god damn face you bastard, or have you lost your reeking surge of confidence that seems to follow you everywhere these days? Have you finally realized that you've ruined my life, you've ruined our life?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Regina, maybe you should leave and go to Emma's house tonight, because I can't deal with this right now" he responded.

"Oh I should be the one to go to Emma's house? Isn't that rich," she sputtered. Robin stood motionless at the doorway to their bedroom while Regina opened another bottle of wine. She took a large swig from the bottle, and crept her way over to Robin.

"I am not going anywhere, dear" she asserted, creeping closer to his face with each word. "I am not going anywhere because I have always been the one who stayed, who stayed here while you decided to go out and drink yourself shitless. I am the one who stayed and who promised to love you as equally as you used to love me, I am the one who stayed and kept our promise – that we'd never leave each other. Can you say the same, babe?" she groaned, the whole ordeal making her nauseous.

"Regina I can't do this right now, okay, just let it go," he begged, unaware of how much his absence had affected her.

"We are doing this right now, because I said so, because I'm the one who has held this shitty relationship together these last couple of months. Do you even care about me Robin?" she questioned, creating eye contact between the two of them. "Because lately it sure feels like you don't, I mean you come in half drunk late at night and then don't even look at me the next morning. Do I disgust you, do I make you want to be with someone else?" she spit out, about to cry herself.

"Regina, you would never make me feel like that, you know this love, I've just been having a rough time lately, alright?" he responded. "There, there, don't cry milady, I'll clean myself up and show you how much you mean to me, I promise okay?" he asserted, pulling her in for a hug. He hushed her as she broke out into a full sob in his arms, something he never would wish upon her in a million years. He was the reason she was crying, what had he done to her?

Their relationship got much better for a stretch of a few months, the time being spent with one another resulting in an aroma that felt like a honeymoon. Of course nothing good lasts forever, and they soon found themselves exactly where they had just been.

Robin had promised Regina that he was fine, that he had "been working late to finish a project at college" and "loved her as always." That went without question for a few nights, but when the smell of alcohol on his breath became too excessive to overlook the cycle of fighting began once again. Over a few short weeks Regina had broken every china plate her Mother had passed on to her, nearly missing Robin's head as she threw them at him and even once chipping the side of his hand. She screamed at him that she would leave his sorry ass just as he continually left hers, and that he better clean up his act before she decided to leave. And sure, some nights she would go to Emma, her best friend's house and sleep, but ultimately she always came back home.

It was a cold November night when Robin returned home from the university, actually having to work on a project for his masters class which resulted in him staying later than planned. He noticed Regina wasn't home and decided to heat up some leftovers for dinner. Upon reaching to open the fridge, he saw a piece of paper titled "Robin" attached to the refrigerator by a magnet. He opened the letter, and read the following words:

Dear Robin,

Hello love, it's me, Regina. I've decided to pursue a scholarship program offered in California in order to receive my degree faster. Please stay where you are, and don't come any closer. Please don't find me and try to change my mind, this is what's best for both of us. I've decided to go away because we both deserve better than the situation we currently have. I'm being cruel to be kind. I loved you from the moment I saw you in that bar, but I can't love you in the dark. When you're never home and I'm left sitting here alone at night it feels like we're oceans apart. I now realize that there is so much space between us, and maybe we're already defeated. I loved you once before, but I don't think I can anymore. My Mother always said that love was weakness, but you showed me it wasn't, you showed me that I can love, and that I can find happiness in life. However I now know it's not with you, I can't keep doing this Robin. Everything changed me, I used to think you were the one I was supposed to spend my life with, but now I can't even look at you in the eyes. I hope you pull yourself together, because you deserve that much.

Forever yours,

Regina Mills


I hope that wasn't too painful. Thanks to Carly for beta-ing again :) I'm still getting the hang of this so pleeeeease leave comments/reviews, thanks!