A/N: Once again, I should warn you. Major feels in this chapter and major heartache too. Prepare yourselves.
After Robin had finally told Regina he loved her, and after they shared a few more passionate kisses, Robin felt it was only fitting that he take his woman out to dinner. They decided not to go anywhere fancy, so they just went to Chili's.
While they were there, Robin was constantly saying 'I love you,' being sure Regina didn't forget. Regina was still sad she couldn't say it back. She wanted to, but fear kept her from saying it. At some point during the night, Regina decided that maybe if she opened up to Robin about her past relationships and everything she'd struggled with throughout her life, her insecurities and worries would slowly begin to fade away. But she wasn't sure when she should do it. She didn't want to do it that night. Robin had worked so hard to make this night enjoyable, so she wanted to make sure it stayed that way.
Once dinner was over, Robin brought Regina back home and said goodnight. They both slept rather peacefully that night. Robin fell asleep thinking of how much he loved Regina. And Regina went to bed thinking about how much she wanted to love Robin.
Regina woke up rather early on that Friday morning. She didn't get much sleep. She was planning in her head how she wanted to bring her past up to Robin. She knew it would kill him to hear the things she's gone through, but she also knew he'd be able to comfort her and prove to her that she could love him.
Despite how tired she was, Regina went off to work. She didn't bother eating anything; she was too busy planning to eat.
When she arrived at work, Belle noticed the bags under Regina's eyes. "Are you okay Regina?"
"It's 'Doctor' and I'm fine. Now please just hand me my messages," she demanded.
Belle did as she was told, but looked at Regina with confusion. Regina isn't normally this rude. Sure, Belle has seen the rude and sassy side of Regina, but it is an extremely rare sight.
Regina walked into her office and sat down at her desk. Almost without thinking, she pulled her phone out to text Robin.
'Hey. I hope your morning is going well :). So I was thinking, you've spent so much time at my house, and yet I haven't even seen yours. Would it be okay if maybe I came over tonight and cooked for you?' she read the text over before sending it. Once she did, she sat there patiently. Normally, he responded within seconds, but today took longer.
Regina felt really nervous for some reason. 'Was he regretting what he said to me? Does he not love me anymore? Did I do something wrong?' she asked herself.
Despite her anxiety, she had to work. She sadly put her phone inside her coat pocket, and wrapped her stethoscope around her neck. She walked out into the lobby to fetch her first patient of the day.
"August Booth?" she called. Just then a little boy about 7 years old stood up and tugged on his father's hand to walk toward Regina.
"I'm August," he said.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Doctor Regina," she informed the little boy. "And you're the father, I assume," she stuck her hand out to him.
"Yes that I am. My name is Marcus Booth. It's a pleasure to meet you," he replied, taking her hand to shake.
"The pleasure is all mine. Now if you will come with me, we can get started," Regina requested as she walked back to the exam room. When they arrived, Regina gestured toward the exam table. "Alright, August, could you sit up there for me please?"
The boy nodded and did as she said. He climbed up the steps and plopped himself down on the table.
"Alright, so you're here for a new patient check-up, right?" she asked the boy, but then looked up at Marcus for confirmation. The boy shrugged his shoulders, but the father answered her.
"Yes. I've heard such great things about you, so I figured I should see for myself," he smiled.
"Well, I hope I can live up to your expectations," she smiled back. "So in a new patient check-up, I just ask some questions about his medical history and then I'll measure his height and weight. Kind of like a physical," she informed.
Ever since her malpractice suit, she's changed how she does these types of appointments. She still requires them to fill out a form, just so they have written information, but she now asks those questions in person so she can hear it for herself.
"First off, does August have any allergies? To food, medicine, anything?" she asks this first. She learned her lesson from the Smith case.
"I'm not sure. I haven't gotten him tested yet," Marcus replied.
Boy is Regina glad she asked, then. "Well, be sure to do that very soon. If you want, I can have my receptionist call and make you an appointment with a trusted allergy doctor,"
"That would be great! Thank you," he said happily.
Regina smiled in response. "Now, is there any genetic diseases or disorders that are of concern for your son?" she questions.
"No. Fortunately, my family has been blessed. No one has had any serious illnesses," he answered.
Regina kept questioning him for a bit, asking general medical questions. When she ran out of questions, it was time to take his measurements.
"August, will you come with me?" August immediately got off the table and followed her. "Now step on this and stand as still as you can for me," she requested. She waited for the scale to calculate his weight and then recorded it in his chart. "52 pounds. You're such a big boy," she said sweetly to the boy. August just giggled in return. Then she measured his height. He came in at 3 feet 9 inches. When she finished taking those measurements, Regina handed the boy a lollipop and walked them back out to the lobby.
She leaned over the front desk and handed Belle the chart. "Belle, could you call Dr. Whale's office and make an appointment for little August to get tested for allergies?"
"Absolutely," Belle replied.
"Belle will call and schedule that for you, and you can pay her when you're ready," Regina said. She then bent down to August's eye level. "It was really nice meeting you, August." The boy wasn't a talkative one, so he nodded and smiled. Regina stood back up and shook Marcus' hand. "Same for you, Mr. Booth. Have a nice evening," she said as she walked back to her office.
When she sat back down at her desk, she pulled her phone out of her coat. She had completely forgotten that she had texted Robin. Her anxieties resurfaced immediately. She hesitantly looked at the screen on her phone. To her relief, Robin had answered. His text read:
'You're absolutely right, my love. It is definitely time you come over to my place. And as long as you're the one cooking, I'm all for it ;). Wanna come over around 5:30? Oh and just in case you've forgotten, I love you 3.'
Regina was delighted to read the words he had sent. And her heart skipped a beat when she read his closing words. She still hadn't gotten used to being told those three delicate words.
'5:30 is perfect! I can't wait to see you :).' she sent back.
Regina, once again, had something to look forward to after work. She continued her work day, doing her best not to let herself get distracted. She rejoiced when it was finally time to head home and get ready for her night with Robin.
She scurried through her apartment changing into something more casual, and then gathering the ingredients she needed to make her famous lasagna. She even decided to bring stuff to make apple turnovers. She knew for a fact she made the best apple turnovers known to man, so she figured Robin deserved to taste it. The moment she had everything she needed put in a basket, she ran out the door and made her way to Robin's.
He had given her his address, so she put it in her GPS to ensure she wouldn't get lost. It was only a few blocks away, so she wasn't too worried. She pulled into the parking garage and made her way inside and to the elevator. Robin had told her he was on the top floor, but left out a room number. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to know which room it was, but to her surprise, the elevator open to a relatively empty hallway. That is, of course, with the exception of candles lighting the walkway to the next set of elevator doors. Just then, Robin texted her.
'So when you arrive at the second elevator, there will be a welcome mat lying in front of it. Reach underneath and you'll find the key that will grant you access to the elevator :). Oh, and I love you.'
She texted back, 'Just arrived there. I'm confused, but I guess I'll see you soon.'
She practically giggled as she followed his instructions. She found the key and then placed it in the key hole. She turned it, and the doors opened. After walking inside it, she pressed the only button there was to push. Her eyes widened when the doors opened again. Robin was standing there, in what she presumed to be his condo, waiting for her. At first she was staring at him, but then her eyes drifted to what surrounded him.
"This is where you live?" she asked with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.
"Indeed," he smirks.
"What is this place? It's bigger than any condo I've ever seen," she noted.
Robin grinned. "This would be the penthouse suite," he smiled. "You see, I technically live in a hotel. But... I bought this place from them."
Regina stood there in awe, unsure of what to say. "That must have cost a fortune! How did you pay for it?"
Robin couldn't help but laugh. "Well, for one, I've worked my ass of since high school. And I've been wise with my money," he smiled at her. "Oh, and I love you," he smirked.
Regina couldn't help but blush every time he told her that. It made her feel special, which she's never felt before.
Robin gestured for her to walk in. He took the basket from her hands and kissed her on the cheek as she walked in. Before long, Regina saw Niles. She gave Robin a look that asked 'Who is he?'
"Oh, Regina, this is Niles... my butler," he paused. "Niles, this is Regina, my girlfriend."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Regina. I should thank you. It seems you've made Sir Robin so much happier these days," Niles said.
"I'm pleased to meet you as well. And there's no need to thank me. He's helped me more than I've helped him," she turned her head and smiled to Robin as she said that.
Niles turned to Robin as well. "Sir, I'm heading out for the night. Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?"
"No, I think we're good here. Thank you," Robin replied.
Niles bowed and then walked out of the penthouse.
"Sir Robin? Shall we make dinner now?" Regina joked.
Robin came up to her and nudged her shoulder gently. "Ha ha. Very funny. But don't make fun of my butler. He prefers to call me that. I've told him countless times to just call me 'Robin', but he refuses," he explains.
"Ah, I see," Regina says briefly.
"So what did you bring for us to eat? I do hope it's that lasagna you've been bragging about."
Regina pulled out the pasta box and the tomato sauce. "Your wish is my command," she plays.
Robin's eyes lit up. "You sure know how to make a man happy."
"And if you behave, I've brought stuff to make apple turnovers," Regina says with smirk. "But only if you behave."
"Why on earth would I misbehave?" Robin smirks back.
"I see that smirk on your face, Locksley. I know how men are... but I'm NOT letting that happen," she demands.
Robin is a little hurt by her words, but then he realizes they haven't really talked about that before, so she wouldn't know how he feels about the idea. So he decides not to defend himself just yet. Maybe later.
Regina spends about 20 minutes preparing the lasagna, and then it sits in the oven for about 25 minutes. While it cooks, she begins preparing the apple turnovers. Robin attempts to help, but he ends up making a mess so Regina playfully kicked him out of the kitchen. She told him to go set the table.
When the lasagna was done, and the turnovers were prepared, only needing to be put in the oven, Regina called for Robin to help her make their plates. Once they finished, they walked to the dining room and sat down across from each other.
Robin scooped up a bit of lasagna on his fork and brought it to his mouth. Just before he took the bite, he noticed Regina staring at him. "Would you stop staring? You're making me nervous," he says playfully.
"I'm sorry. I just really wanna know what you think. After all, I did work my ass of making sure it was the best I've made," she defended.
Robin looked under the table, at her butt, and then back up at her. "You most certainly didn't work off your ass. It's still there, and it looks as perfect as ever. Trust me," he smirked.
"Robin Andrew Locksley! What did I say about behaving tonight?" she questioned astounded at his remark.
"Oh be quiet. You and I both know that was hardly inappropriate. But I promise I'll be on my best behavior from here on out."
Regina huffed dramatically. "Fine. But would you just eat the lasagna already? I'm dying to hear your opinion!"
"Okay. Okay. Calm down," he laughed. His mouth opened, and the fork entered. His teeth clenched around the pasta and slid it off the fork. As he chewed, his faced looked as if he was deep in thought. Then, after swallowing, his face turned to pure pleasure. "My god, Regina! That was incredible."
Regina glared at him, "You aren't just saying that are you? Because if you are, that's a really cruel joke."
"I swear, Regina! This is the best lasagna I've ever had. And I eat Italian food all the time," he commented.
Regina's eyes grew bigger, and her smile widened. "Really?"
"Absolutely! You're amazing," Robin stated excitedly.
The couple sat in the dining room, blissfully eating their food, for the next hour or so. Afterwards, Regina slipped the desert in the oven and set the timer. They proceeded into the living room, where they sat on the floor in front of the couch, leaning up against it.
Robin traced his fingers gently along her arm, following his hand as it moved. Then he decided to speak up, so he looked up at her. "Regina, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."
Regina looked at him confused for a second. "Dear, you've already said 'I love you' like a million times."
"No. Not that. Something else," he replied.
Still confused, Regina asked, "What?"
Robin took a deep breath before beginning. "So, you know how I explained to you yesterday that I've never been in a serious relationship before?" Regina just nodded. "Well, as a result of that..." he paused to think. "Well I guess that wasn't really the only reason..." he paused again, struggling to find the words to say. "What I'm trying to say is... is that... I'm still a virgin," he finally gets out.
Regina looked at him in the eyes. Was she shocked? Yes, of course. Not many men his age can honestly say that, and not many who can, would admit to it. "Robin..." she started sweetly, "I don't care about that. And please don't think for a second that I think that makes you weaker of a man or the lesser person in this relationship. Because, honestly, I think just the opposite. It takes strength, courage, and responsibility to stay away from such activities. Something I wish I had done a long time ago. It would've saved me from a lot of heartbreak," she ends softly.
Robin sighs in relief. "Regina, I'm so incredibly thankful for how you responded. Truthfully, I wasn't sure how you'd take it, and that made me nervous," he paused and looked at her lovingly. "I also need you to know that I intend on remaining this way until marriage," he trails off, hoping she was catching his drift.
"I understand, Robin. And, frankly, I agree. Waiting until then is 100% the right decision. Unfortunately, that can't really be true for me anymore. But, I am striving to at least hold out starting now. I'm not positive where this relationship will lead, but if it does lead to marriage, then I believe waiting will be the most beautiful decision we've ever made," she smiled at him.
"I agree completely. But I am not putting any pressure on you about the marriage thing. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes," he smiled and then kissed her softly.
Regina kissed back for a second and then pulled away. "Robin. I too have things I want to share with you." Robin looked at her with questioning eyes. "I wanted to just share with you some about my past, and the struggles I've gone through."
"My love, don't feel like you have to if you don't want to. I know how tough it is for you to talk about it," Robin commented.
"I want to Robin. I NEED to." To that, Robin just nodded and encouraged her to keep going. "So I guess I'll start at the beginning. I grew up in an extremely poor family. My parents weren't well educated, and couldn't get good jobs because of that. My mom was a high school dropout and my father didn't finish college. Though their jobs were not well-paying, they continued to work hard to provide for me. Because they were poor, they only had one child. Me. And frankly, I was an accident. They knew they were poor, and they knew bringing a child into such a poor family would not be ideal. But, nevertheless, it happened. Somehow, my parents were able to send me to school. I always used to ask why they spent money on that, but they just kept telling me not to worry about it, and that I should focus on my schooling. Looking back at it now, I realize why they were so eager for me to go to school and do good- so I'd have a good life later on. Well moving to when I was 15, I had been at school one day, and so I walked home, as I typically did. On my walk home, I saw two bodies lying in the alleyway covered in blood. From far away, I couldn't tell who they were, but as I got closer, I recognized them. They were my parents." She began to get choked up and Robin moved closer and wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. She sniffled and wiped off the tears temporarily. "My parents had been murdered by some maniac roaming the streets looking for money," she said angrily and then she laughed. "If only he knew how little he'd actually get from them, then maybe he would've refrained. And if only he knew, what child he'd be making parentless," tears streamed down her cheeks slowly as she said that. "Anyways... and then I went to foster care until I was 18. While I was there, at the age of 16 I met a guy named Graham. I thought what I felt for him was love, and I thought he reciprocated that emotion. But not long into our relationship, he began to physically abuse me." She shuttered at the memory. " H-He'd bring me behind school property and beat the shit out of me. Many times I was left there unable to move or do anything. Teachers would see me and ask who did it, but I lied every time. I kept myself in that relationship for a year, and finally I got the sense to leave him, and get help and protection from the teachers in my school. I finished high school, and I got accepted into NYU: School of Medicine. I spent about 11 years in college and med school, and eventually opened my practice. Not long after that, I began another relationship. His name was Daniel."
"Is he the one who didn't like how much you worked?" Robin interrupted.
"Yes. He's the one. At first, he seemed so caring and so understanding. I truly did grow to love him. But eventually, things turned ugly. He was abusive as well. Not physically abusive, like Graham, but verbally. He told me often how terrible of a girlfriend I was for not spending time with him like he thought I should've. He yelled at me for working so hard, and how much he hated me for it. Every time I came home from work, he'd start fights with me, usually for stupid reasons. He constantly told me how ugly I was and how worthless I was. And I grew to believe every word. As horrified as I was, I loved him, and I couldn't find the strength within me to leave him. But somehow, some way, after 2 years, I did it. And shortly after the breakup, Daniel moved away. I thought I was free. I thought my life would be forever rid of reminders of him. Boy was I wrong. A week after he left, I found out I was pregnant. At first, I was angry. Bitter. But despite who the father was, I had a baby- my baby- growing in my womb." Tears began flowing down her face even harder. Robin tried to console her, but it didn't help much. "I spent weeks, months planning for this baby. I was so excited. I loved this child more than life itself. I had finally prepared myself for being a mother. I was ready. But then my worst nightmare came true. I woke up in the middle of the night one night to blood pooled beneath me on my bed. My insides felt like they were being ripped apart. I screamed louder than I've ever screamed before, and sobbed for quite a while." She was close to sobbing now.
"Regina, please don't push yourself. You don't have to fini-" he was cut off.
"Yes I do! I NEED to finish this," she paused. "I-I couldn't move. My body had never been in so much pain, and I had no clue what was happening. Somehow I managed to grab the phone off the nightstand and call an ambulance. When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors ran test after test, and when they finally discovered what had happened, and when they told me, it was like I went numb. My whole world crumbled beneath me. The baby I had spent so long preparing for; the baby I loved more than life itself was gone. I can't tell you how much time I spent in my room sobbing. I had absolutely no one to be there for me. No mother to comfort me and help me understand everything and get through it. No boyfriend or husband to morn with. It was just me," she whimpered as she came to a close.
Robin didn't know what to say. What could he say? Nothing he thought of seemed good enough. He brought her face into the crook of his neck, and he stroked her hair. She laid there and sobbed for a few minutes before Robin spoke.
"Regina. I could sit here and try to tell you I understand how you feel, and that I can make all that pain and suffering go away, but I'm not going to. I'm not going to lie to you and say it's all gonna go away. Truth be told, those memories won't go away. But you know what? Neither will I. You said that you didn't have anyone there for you then. Well now you do. You have me. And you'll always have me for as long as you want me. I will be your shoulder to cry on; your ear to speak to and yell at and rant to; your encourager; your protector; your supporter. I will be here for you in every possibly way, for any possible need you may have. I AM NOT and WILL NOT leave you. I love you more than words can describe, Regina Mills. Forever and always."
And with that, the timer in the kitchen went off.
A/N: So… ya. Robin is a hero. He is incredible. I want a man like him. But sadly, I'm not sure if it will happen. Poor Regina. My baby! She's gone through so much. But praise the Lord for Robin! He's such a good boyfriend.
So I apologize to those of you who probably thought the turnovers were burning in the oven. And I know the timing of everything that took place doesn't seem realistic since turnovers don't take that long to cook, but this convo probably lasted a while. I just didn't want to interrupt the adorable talk. And I also didn't just want to take the whole turnover story out because then I would've had to take out the whole "If you behave" thing. So forgive me if you found it weird.
And for those of you who might be in love with Daniel or Graham in the OUAT story, and possible are offended that I turned them bad in this story, I apologize. But they were the first two names that came to mind, and they are the only two men Regina ever dated, so it made sense to me.
Anyways… I hate to say it folks, but this is where my daily updates stop. School has officially started up again. So I'm thinking I'm gonna try to update twice a week. I'll try that for a week or two and see how I like it, and if I need to adjust I will. So are Mondays and Saturdays good for everyone? Comment your thoughts.
