A/N: So here's the beginning of what I think might be a very dramatic arc of the story. I needed to spice it up a little to draw you all in, so here it is.

Leave me a review after this chapter, because I'm afraid that you may not be happy with the next few chapters. I would like to know you guys still care about the story while you are still somewhat enjoying it.

I need to know you guys still care. Till next time.


Nine - And In The Dark Night

"And in the dark night, we see might not see it yet, but our hearts feel it oh so bright." she said as she leaned against his shoulder.

"The light, the light that warms our hearts, the one that brightens the day and shows our true parts…" he followed.

"May it never stop shining, in the dark night. Or it will end as the dark night and never be light. Our hearts will never feel it, ours days will never shine, our eyes will never see it, but we might just die." she smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

"I think I love your poems." he said against her hair.

"Do you really? That one was inspired by love." she laughed.

"Do we finally now understand love or are we still depending on Shakespeare?" he laughed as she playfully hit him. Regina stood from the couch and grabbed their ice cream bowls with her right hand, and pushed her hair behind her ear with her left. She made her way into the kitchen, where her phone was charging, and put the empty bowls in the sink. She heard her phone buzz.

She read the text message from Graham.

If you thought anything of last night, I'm sorry. Did not mean to scare you. See you at work tmrw.

She got chills up her arms and down her spine while reading the message. He knew she had seen him. And she still didn't tell Robin. But now she didn't have to, right? Graham said to think nothing of it.

She shrugged and placed her phone back on the countertop before making her way back into the living room and resting her body between Robin's and a couple of pillows. She wrapped her arms around him and dug her head into his embrace, wanting some sort of protection. To her demand, he wrapped his arms around her body and held her tight. She smiled to herself and kissed him goodnight before falling asleep in his lap.


She woke up the next morning in her bed, confused of what had happened after she fell asleep the previous night.


He watched her sleep in his lap and played with her hair. She was an angel, she was his angel. It was past eleven and Robin had work tomorrow, so he picked her up wedding style, and carried her to her bedroom. Without waking her, he slipped her shoes off and tucked her into her covers, brushing her hair off her face in the process.

He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you."

Robin made his way out of her house and to his car. The roads were dark, there were no lights, almost like the possible ending of Regina's poem. But her poem ended with if there was no light, they would just die.

Robin got chills just thinking about her poem as he drove down the dark streets and to his house. He got to his house and pulled in the driveway before getting out of the car and going to the front door. He dug into his pocket for his house key and struggled to find it before he saw a shadow glide past him.

He swung his body around and only saw a dark shadow, a dark fist, and of course, the dark night.


Regina jumped in the shower and quickly blow dried her hair, giving it some sort of wave for the day, before gluing it down with hairspray. She applied a good amount of makeup, enough to make her look awake, even though she was completely dead inside from the fun her and Robin had the night before. She got dressed in a black pant suit, and a burgundy blouse, under it a black tank top with lace on the edges. She topped everything off with some jewelry and black heels, before making her way to the kitchen to make some lunch. She checked her phone, which was still charging from the night before, and there was no message from Robin. There wasn't any notifications for anything. She shrugged before throwing a sandwich and an ice tea into her lunch bag. After grabbing her phone and storing it in her pocketbook, she applied some lipstick and made her way to the door with her bags and her lunchbox.

Regina got into her car and went straight to the office. Of course she wanted her coffee, but she had a strange feeling about today and she wanted to get rid of it. Her gut pulled from the inside and her stomach was in knots. She got chills and her mind started to think crazy. After pulling into her normal parking spot, she strutted to the doors, waving at the lady at the front desk and making her way up the stairs to her floor. She greeted Mr. Gold and his secretaries before opening her office door and settling inside.

She plopped down on her couch and let out a long sigh, "This is going to be a long day."

She heard the door unlock behind her.

"Good morning, Regina."

"Graham? Hello." she said, straightening herself and turning around.

"How was your night?" he asked.

"Fine. And yours?"

"It was successful." Graham said before clearing his throat, "I managed to finish a lot of my work."

She nodded and walked over to her desk before unpacking some files she had from home.

"How is everything?" he asked, "With you and Robin, I mean."

"I had to move on from you Graham, I just-"

"Oh, no. I get it. It's completely fine." he nodded.

She felt nervous for a second. He was controlling his temper a little too well.

"Did you enjoy the christmas ball?" she said, turning around and leaning against her desk.

"Very much, thanks for asking." he replied, "Well, I have to go. See you later at the meeting."

"Meeting?" she said as he walked out of her office without answering her.

She sighed and began her work for the day, knowing that if she did indeed have a meeting like he said they did, she would need all the time she could use to get her work done.


The clock struck 3PM as Graham burst through her door yet again.

"Can I help you, Graham?"

"Just checking on you." he smiled before closing the door and leaving her alone once again.


Her door swung open yet again at 5PM, and to no surprise, it was Graham.

"What can I help you with Graham?" she asked, grabbing the doorknob so he couldn't close it, "And don't say that you're just checking on me."

"Sorry, it's part of my job." He stepped inside and shut the door behind him as she walked over and sat in her desk.

"You aren't my father, I don't need checking on, thank you."

She looked up and saw him clenching his fist and breathing heavily. He shut the door behind him and walked over to her desk, finally looking up at her eyes.

"Excuse me, Regina, but I think I remember asking you not to talk to me like that." he said, trying to use whatever sanity he had left.

"I'm a grown woman, I can say what I want however I want to say it." she sassed, looking down at her laptop.

He shut her laptop and kept his hand on it so she couldn't open it again.

"Graham! I was doing an important document!" she yelled at him, trying to pry his hands off her laptop.

"Regina, we have been through this," he swallowed, "You cannot speak to me like that."

"Or what Graham?" she said, "You don't own me."

Not anymore I don't., he muttered to himself.

"Graham I seriously need to finish this work if I am going to be able to attend the meeting, please stop." she begged.

"Oh, yes," he sighed and smiled, taking his hand off her laptop, "The meeting."

He walked backwards until he reached the door and simply slid through the small opening, leaving her alone in her room, scared half to death.


At 7PM, Regina was finally allowed to clock out. She searched for Graham to ask about the meeting, but there was no sign of him. Her phone buzzed.

Image attachment… click to open.

She click the attachment and let out a gasp as she dropped her phone to the ground.

"Was that," she swallowed hard, covering her mouth in fear, "what I thought it was?"

She slowly bent down to the ground and sat down on her knees, shutting her eyes tight as she could. She took a deep breath and leaned over to where she had dropped her phone, holding it to her chest and not opening her eyes. With another deep breath, she gained enough strength to look at the screen once more, and she was right.

It was a picture of Robin, and he was in trouble.


"So, tell me about yourself, uh?" Neal said.

"Robin, and I'm not talking to you, I don't even know who you are and you have seemed to kidnap me and are now holding me captive." he struggled to get out of the chair he was tied to.

"I just want to be friends."

"And that's why you kidnapped me?" Robin yelled.

"Eh, you're right. So who's the girl?" Neal asked, leaning on his knees and staring at Robin.

"Girl? I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know, the one you were dancing with at the Christmas Ball?" Neal laughed, "The one with the chocolatey, silky brown hair, and those raven brown eyes that sparkle when the light hits them, the one with the big, full red lips, who was clenched to your side at the ball?"

Robin stayed silent.

"You know the girl I'm talking about, brother." Neal hit him playfully.

"I will not speak to you. I don't even know your name."

"Neal," he held out his hand, "Oh wait, you can't shake hands, you're tied up."

Robin rolled his eyes, "I'm still not telling you anything."

"That's fine, I already know who she is, I was just trying to get you to think of something happier than where you right now."

"Where am I right now?" Robin asked.

"Sorry, can't answer that. Graham-" Neal cleared his throat, "The boss will get mad."

"Graham is behind this?" Robin struggled in his chair once more, "I need to get to Regina."

"You'll turn fifty before you gain enough strength to break those ropes," Neal laughed, "Plus, I'm sure Graham is already with Regina, and if not, he will be soon."

"What's he need her for?" he yelled at Neal.

"He wants her for himself."

"I can't let him hurt her!"

"He'll do what needs to get done." Neal said, before leaving Robin alone in the darkened room.


She started to cry, but wiped the tears away and stood up. She needed to be strong, she needed to be smart. She tried hard to think of the possible people who could've done this.

"Graham." she said as she spun around and bumped into someone.

"At your service, ma'am." he laughed at her.

She stepped away from him and shivered to herself, "Where's Robin?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know you have him, Graham." she yelled, "Now where is he?"

"I'll tell you, come here, I can't say it out loud." he said. The only thing that was lighting them up was the moon. The dark night left them no light, Regina couldn't see her car, or her phone, she couldn't even see her feet. She saw the moon shining in his eyes.

She reluctantly stepped closer but not too close. He began to whisper in her ear, "You're mine now."


Well, if you don't like this, I'm terribly sorry. If I get enough responses from this chapter, I'll post a little early. :)