You guys! You are seriously so amazing, I can't even explain it! All of the love and support of this story means so much to me! I can't wait to hear what you think of what's to come next...
Only a few more chapters! Thank you so much for sharing this experience with me. it's been absolutely amazing! :) Now, I introduce to you, Chapter 11!
Chapter 11
Thirty days. One month. It's been a month since Regina broke Robin's heart. And it was pure torture. Absolute, pure torture. They lived close to each other, worked at the same place, went to the same stores, same restaurants, and hung out with the same friends. Their worlds were bound to collide. But they didn't. They avoided each other, and even though Robin didn't know it, it was hurting Regina as much as it did him.
Robin tried. He really did. He wanted to forget every little thing about Regina, but he just couldn't. He didn't want to lose his soulmate any further, and he knew that if he forgot about her, it would make it official.
He knew how it would work if he saw Regina. His heart would break all over again, and he would have to witness her moving on. But was it moving on if it was never real? For her?
It had been hard for Robin to process. Realizing he would never see Olivia again, realizing he would never see her family again, realizing he would never see Regina again, but his best mate, Will, tried everything to help him through it.
As soon as Robin came to his front door, an emotional mess, Will had welcomed him into his home, and now, Robin was sharing Will's apartment.
Robin should be used to the loneliness, he should be, he's lived by himself for a few years, but dealing with the loss of Regina? He needed someone by his side. Even if it wasn't the person he wanted.
Will tried anything to get Robin out of his slump, but he just wouldn't budge. He never smiled anymore. Or laughed. Or showed any ounce of his usual cheerful personality. It was like Regina had haunted him for life, and now all that was left was the ghost of Robin. It wasn't him.
There had been a few drunk nights when Robin didn't want to leave the apartment ever again, but he would always drag himself out of bed after Will talked to him. He was so thankful for his best friend. He wasn't sure he would be here at the moment if he wasn't around.
Will convinced Robin that he would be okay, and with time, a few weeks, he started to believe it. But he needed to be ready. Because if he saw Regina again, he knew he would never get better.
So, Robin started his new schedule. He went to work before Regina got there, stayed in his office most of the day, and went home after she did. He went shopping at the times he knew she wouldn't, and he didn't eat out at all. He didn't know if he was strong enough to see Regina with another man.
And it was working. Until today.
Robin walked down the sidewalk, taking a deep breath, reaching the front of his building, but what he saw through the glass walls made his heart stop, along with his whole body.
He had to know this would happen. He had to. But why so soon? Couldn't she show a bit of mercy to his torn and tattered heart? Apparently not, because right in the middle of the main lobby stood Regina, kissing Daniel, holding onto him like she used to do with him.
Robin froze on spot. She looked so happy. Unlike him. There weren't circles under her eyes, or wrinkled clothes, or a sickening look on her face. Just happiness. And that was the last straw.
Robin turned around quickly, walking away from the building, feeling big, salty tears drop down his face. He couldn't do this. He couldn't live in a place where Regina was in another's arms. He just couldn't.
…..
Today was the day. The day she was finally going to speak with Daniel after their break up. She wore a red dress, professional for her job, and wore her black high heels. Regina reached for her necklace, Robin's necklace, and tried not to cry. She couldn't take it off. No matter how hard she tried.
If you asked her, Regina would say she's perfectly fine. But she wasn't. Honestly, she was a complete and utter mess, just ready to crumble with all the mistakes she's made. She didn't even know what to do anymore.
And the worst part, she didn't tell anyone. Not even Mal. She had no clue why Robin hadn't been around anymore, and to make it even worse, she didn't ask any questions. Regina hated lying to her best friend, but she couldn't lose her too. Mal was the only thing she had left.
And she wished she could change that. She wished Robin was still in her life.
She hasn't seen him since their fight, and Regina was growing worried. Was he okay? Was he healthy? Was he sick? She knew he showed up to work, could hear him talking to Gold or Mal or someone on the phone, but what was he doing with his life?
Well, that wasn't her job to worry anymore. If Robin was hurt or sick, if was all her fault, and she knew he never wanted to see her again.
And she knew what he was doing. He came into work hours before she did, and left after she did. She knew that. He was avoiding her. Of course he was. But she was sick of it. She just needed to see him. See how he was.
So that's why she was here at the crack of dawn, yawning away, waiting for Robin to walk through the door. Regina knew Robin would be surprised, hell, who wouldn't be? But what she didn't know was how he would react.
Would he be mad at her? Angry? Sad? Pissed past the point of all limits? She didn't know. And she didn't care. Regina just wanted to see him, would be so happy if she got a single word out of him, even if he didn't.
Regina was standing in the middle of the main lobby, staring at the clock, pacing the lobby, waiting for Robin. She played with her necklace the whole time, wondering if this was all just a horrible idea, when a familiar voice stopped her.
"Regina?"
Regina turned around slowly, and was left speechless. Because right in front of her was the same person who broke her heart a week ago. He looked different. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, or his posture, or even his voice, but Regina couldn't put her finger on it.
"Daniel?" Regina crossed her arms across her chest, feeling like she needed to guard herself from him. At least at the beginning. Her heart had been hurt by him, and even if he was sorry, it would take time for her to forgive him (if she still wanted to).
"What are you doing here?" Regina asked, and Daniel took a step closer to Regina, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
"I, uh, was going to surprise you at work, but," Regina nodded, getting the picture. Yesterday, Regina texted him to tell Daniel that she wanted to talk today, and obviously, he got the message. But Regina didn't know he would be here this early.
"You look good," Regina looked down, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear as she mumbled a thanks, the silence between them becoming awkward fast. Daniel shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to figure out where to start.
"Regina, I just wanted to apologize. What I did to you was unfair and stupid, and I'm sorry I hurt you so many times….." Regina sighed, fidgeting on her feet. She didn't want it to be this way. Awkward and hard and weird. But it was…. And maybe that was a sign.
"You're right. It was unfair… But I'm over it now. It's in the past," Daniel smiled sadly, but Regina didn't. She didn't want to smile. Or laugh. Or joke with this guy. She was finally realizing how she really didn't know him at all.
"I hope you can forgive me," Daniel begged, and Regina took a deep breath. He sounded sorry. And thoughtful. And hopeful. Regina uncrossed her arms, letting them fall back to her sides.
"It's going to take some time….. But I will. Someday." Daniel smiled, and Regina did too, a shy one that Daniel's never seen before. Daniel tried to walk closer to her, but Regina held out her hand, stopping him. Daniel froze.
"Daniel, when I wanted to talk to you, I really thought we could save our relationship. Because you still loved me….. But I don't think we can. I don't think I want to," Regina looked up to Daniel's eyes, and she knew he was hurt. But honestly, she didn't care. Finally, she was realizing how many times he hurt her, and now it was only fair.
But the only thing on her mind was Robin. Jesus, what has she done?
Daniel looked over Regina and saw that her mind was somewhere else. And he was thinking. What would cause her to officially end everything? And then, he understood. He always knew it, deep down, he just never thought she would realize it too.
"You're in love with him," Daniel stated, not even a question. Regina smiled, thinking back to Robin. She got it. She finally did. She was in love with Robin. Not Daniel. She had been wrong all along. And Robin had been right.
"I am," Daniel smiled sadly, just wanting her to be happy. They had their time together, and maybe Regina was right. Maybe they needed to go their separate ways.
"I'm glad you found happiness, Regina,"
"You'll find it too," Regina smiled. And then, what happened next was totally unplanned. But she felt the need to do it. So, as a final goodbye, Regina leaned into Daniel one last time, placing a gentle kiss to his lips.
She meant for it to be sentimental. She meant it to be special. But all she could think about was that they were the wrong lips. Robin should be here with her, not Daniel. And she screwed up. Big time. She needed Robin back.
Regina pulled away, "Goodbye, Daniel,"
"Goodbye, Regina," Daniel breathed, and left the building with one last friendly smile…..
…..
Mal was just going to drop some papers off to Gold's office. That's it. As she carried the pile of papers in one hand, her cup of coffee in the other, she looked out at the lobby, a floor below her, and in a split second, her chocolate latte was spilled all over the floor.
Her mouth was wide open, her eyes huge. This couldn't be happening, There was no freaking way. But it was. And all Mal saw was red.
She should have put the pieces together. Neither of them told her. They hadn't been speaking since they got back from Storybrooke, but she just thought it was from being busy at work. Well, now that she just witnessed this disturbing scene in front of her, she now knew the truth.
She left him. For Daniel. Again.
God, she was so screwed.
She was going to kill her best friend.
….
Cora and Henry sat in the living room, Henry reading the newspaper as Cora stared into the fireplace, deep in thought. Henry chuckled as he lowered the paper from his face, observing his wife. What was she up to now?
"I can hear you thinking from over here," Henry teased, and Cora rolled her eyes, sighing as she face her husband.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked, placing his paper down on the coffee table. Cora fidgeted with her hands, trying to make this sound as best she could.
"Do you want to do something crazy?" Cora asked, and Henry smiled.
"With you, always…. What do you have in mind?" Cora smiled.
"We're going to New York….. Let's surprise Regina. She won't see it coming, and I don't even know the next time she's going to be back up here," Henry smiled as he walked over to his wife. He laid a kiss to her temple, agreeing to go with her.
"I think that sounds great, Dear," Cora nodded, but froze when she heard her husband ask his next question, "Should we get something for her and Robin along the way?"
Cora knew she shouldn't be thinking this, it was her daughter's love life, but Regina was so much like her. And if she knew her daughter like she did, she was sure Regina had found a way to push Robin away by now.
But she wouldn't tell Henry.
For all she knew, she could be wrong.
Hell, for the first time in her life she wanted to be wrong.
"I'm sure they would like that…. Now, let's go get packing. We should be there by tomorrow," They both smiled as they headed for their bedroom, ready to see their daughter once again. And hopefully, her loving boyfriend.
….
Robin was losing his damn mind. Seeing Regina in someone else's arms, on someone else's lips, it was too much for him. He could still feel tears streaming down his face, but he didn't care at that point. He didn't care if the whole world knew about his devastation. All he knew was he needed to escape.
He needed to be somewhere Regina wasn't.
Where could he go?
He had no bloody clue.
Robin walked the busy streets of New York City, trying to get as far away from her as possible. People were walking down the same path as him, noises were as distracting as hell, and bright, flashing lights were surrounding him, but all he could focus on was leaving.
It got to the point to where he didn't even know where he was. And he didn't give a damn.
He hated Regina. But he loved her. He never wanted to see her again. But he needed to. She hurt him. But he never did anything to hurt her. Why was everything so complicated? Why didn't he listen to Will when he knew what would happen?
And even after a whole month, Robin still couldn't get Regina's words out of his head.
"I don't have feelings for you, Robin. I never did, and I never will."
"Did you really think it could ever be real? The two of us? It was all an act….. And you fell for it too."
"My heart belongs to Daniel. And even if it didn't, it would never belong to you."
God, he was going to throw up. He's laid in his bed, wide awake, each night since that moment, and he still didn't understand. What did he do? She seemed so happy…. But she was right. It was just an act. But his love for Regina wasn't. That as the problem. He would never be loved by her. He would never be loved. No one could love him, and Regina only proved that to him.
Then, he couldn't help but think of Olivia. God, she didn't even know. About anything. No one did. And she would be heartbroken. Join the club, Robin thought sadly.
What was Robin doing with his life? Without Reina in it, did it have any purpose? Well, he was about to find out, wasn't he?
…..
Robin didn't show up to work.
He never missed a day.
Even if he was sick, he would come in.
And he always said it was to see her.
Regina thought he had been joking each and every time, but now, she knew he wasn't.
God, she would give anything for him to just walk through the door. She would run to him, beg him to forgive her, and maybe, just maybe, he would. But could she ever truly convince him her heart was fully his? After everything she's said?
Now, it wasn't just worry clouding Regina's head, but also scaredness. What had she done?
Regina looked at the clock on her desk, sighing in relief when she realized she could finally go home. She hurriedly packed all her things, and before anyone could even talk to her to say hi, she left the building. She needed to know where Robin was.
She needed to know he was okay.
She needed to know if he was still here.
…
Hours later, Regina slipped off her heels, took her black leather jacket off, and crumbled to the floor. Mascara streaks stained her face, and red eyes replaced chocolate brown ones. Regina curled up in a ball, wrapping her arms around her knees, bringing them to her chest, letting her head rest on them.
She didn't know where Robin was.
For all she knew, he could be gone. Out of town, out of the country, out of the continent, out of her life. And she wasn't ready for it. After what felt like an eternity of sobbing, wanting to rip her heart out, she felt a tiny buzz vibrate on the floor.
Slowly, her hiccups and cries filling the lonely air, she reached for her phone, and almost fainted from relief. Because on her phone was a text from a friend she hasn't heard from in such a long time.
He's okay. He's here with me. - Will
Regina smiled sadly, hugging the phone to her chest. She really needed that, and she was so grateful for everything she had. Especially her friend, Will, at the moment. Once she finally let herself find comfort in knowing Robin hadn't left, she crawled to her living room, sprawling herself across the couch.
Her leg landed on something, and Regina wanted to roll her eyes at fate. Because fate is such a bitch. She knew that now. Because rolled up next to her was Robin's sweatshirt.
Regina put it on, feeling as though a part of him was there with her. Regina curled up in a blanket, and fell asleep to the voices of the tv, her eyes giving up. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep, and she wondered if this was just like a movie, if Robin would be the only one to wake her.
…
Robin took a taxi home, having no clue where the bloody hell he was. He wasn't drunk. Not even close. He didn't want to risk it. He was completely sober, not an ounce of alcohol in him, but who would blame Robin if he wished that weren't the case?
All Robin wanted to do was drink to get drunk, forget about his problems for a little while, but that was irresponsible. And he was anything but that. So when he used Will's spare key to unlock the apartment, he was surprised when he found Will waiting for him in the kitchen.
"Hey," Will greeted as Robin walked in, and all he got in response was a nod of Robin's head.
"Where have you been?" Will asked, not judgingly or accusingly, just asking like a curious friend would.
Robin moved to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, raking his hand through his hair. Where has he been? The worst place of all. Memory lane. And he couldn't stop it.
"I took a walk," Robin answered, taking a sip of his water. Will looked him over, and even though he wouldn't say it, he best friend looked like hell….. He looked just like Regina did.
"A long one, I'm guessing?" Will teased, but Robin glared at his friend. Why was he even talking to him? Shouldn't he be, you know, anywhere but here?
"Robin," Will sighed. They still haven't talked about anything. All Robin told him was that he was never going to see Regina again. And now, Will wanted answers. More like needed them.
"I don't want to talk about it," Robin mumbled as he walked out of the room, leaving Will behind. Robin walked to his guest bedroom and locked the door. Will heard the lock click, and he sighed, leaning his head in his hands, groaning.
He just wanted to know. He wanted to know what happened, what was said, and why they both looked broken hearted…..
Will pulled out his phone, and typed a quick text to the person who hurt his best friend. Because she didn't know. Regina didn't know that he saw her at one of the bars she looked for Robin.
Regina had looked right through him, not even noticing he was there, and left in a hurry, and somehow, Will knew. He just knew it. She was looking for Robin.
And even if she broke his entire soul, she deserved to know he was okay. Because Robin wasn't the only one who had their heart broken. And Robin didn't even know.
…..
"Rise and shine, Mate!" Will opened the windows of Robin's room, sunshine filling the room, and Robin groaned, throwing one of his pillows at Will.
"Bloody hell, Mate! What is going on?" Robin sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes. Will rolled his eyes, smiling at the world in front of them. Robin didn't know it, but today was going to be a good day. Because no one wanted another horribly bad day, even him.
"We're going out," Will stated simply, as if Robin should know that. Like they had a whole conversation about it the night before. Robin rubbed his head, staring at his friend like he was an alien sent from Mars.
"We are?" Robin asked. He didn't want to go out. Or move. He didn't want to leave his bed at all. Never again. Because if he did, he could run into Regina. And that would be monstrous. His heart couldn't handle much of this any longer.
"Yes. Now get out of bed. We're leaving in ten minutes," Robin rolled his eyes as Will practically skipped out of the room, closing the door on his way out. Robin fell back on his bed, groaning the whole way down.
He already knew. This was going to be a horrible day.
As Will said, both men left the apartment ten minutes later, Will driving them to an old diner on the edge of the city. It was close to them, and Robin didn't even know the place was actually real.
"What the hell are we doing here, Will?" Will parked the car in the vacant parking lot, and smiled genuinely at his friend. He was doing this for him.
"I'm going to make today a good day. For both of us," Will said, and Robin sighed.
"I'm worried about you Robin….. I just want to make sure you're okay," Will sighed, giving up on avoiding the topic, and to Will's surprise, Robin showed a tiny smile.
"And you brought me to a diner to help?" Robin teased, and Will chuckled, feeling so much more happier than he was showing. This was him. The old Robin was slowly surfacing back to life, and Will knew that he would be okay. It would just take time.
"Come on," Will laughed, and the both of them hopped out of the car, walked in the diner, and got a seat, no wait needed. The waitress sat them in a little booth, both of them sitting across from each other.
The pale yellow walls were screaming for a new paint job, the old stained wood was begging to be replaced, and the whole diner was in desperate need for remodeling. But Robin smiled as he sat down, taking a deep breath.
He would try. For Will. He would try to make today a good day. Because hell knows he definitely deserved one.
After they ordered drinks, the waitress walked back to the kitchen, giving them time to look over the menu. Once Robin knew what he was getting, he folded his menu back to its original state and looked at Will.
"So…. How's life?" Robin asked, folding his hands together, and Will put his menu down too, shrugging his shoulders.
"Same old same old. Sleep, go to work, watch football, it's a routine, really," Will sighed, taking a sip of his water. Robin shook his head, a smirk pulling to his lips.
"So you're not going to tell me about your date with Mal?" Will spit the water out of his mouth, choking, and for the first time in a long time, Robin let out a real laugh. One he hasn't heard since…. Let it go Robin. You need to let her go.
"What?" Will croaked when he got his voice back, and Robin chuckled, crossing his arms across his chest, leaning back against his side of the booth.
"You didn't really think you could keep that from me, did you?" Robin asked, and Will's face froze. His mouth opened a bit from the shock, but eventually it ended, and he stared sheepishly at Robin.
"How did you find out?" Will asked, and Robin showed a small smile.
"You're not very quiet when you talk on the phone," Robin smirked, and Will groaned, putting his head in his hands. Robin chuckled softly, remembering what it felt like to smile. It's been so long. Too long.
"I know what this looks like, Mate. But I didn't telly uo only because-"
"It's fine, Will. I know you meant well," Will nodded his head, and before he could respond, the waitress showed up again, ready to take their orders. Afterwards, the waitress took their menus, and Robin and Will were left alone once again.
Robin traced the edge of his cup, knowing he couldn't avoid it forever. It wasn't Will's fault. He tried to get him out of it. And now, Robin had to live with the consequences.
"She told me she was ready to be more," Robin sighed, running his hand through his hair, still staring at his cup, missing Will's moment of shock. Will's eyes widened, knowing this would hurt him, and he needed to make sure this would be okay.
"Robin, you don't have to," Will said gently, and Robin smiled sadly, looking in his best friend's eyes.
"I know," Robin muttered before he took another deep breath, preparing the words he was about to say. This would hurt, of course it would, but Will should know.
"Everything was going great…. Her family is absolutely amazing, and they bought ever part of it. They actually thought we were something….. And I did too," Robin stopped, remembering how Olivia's face would light up when she saw him, or when Regina's parents smiled when they saw them together. Now, that was all gone.
"At first, everything went as planned. I pretended to be Regina's boyfriend, she pretended to be my girlfriend, but as more and more days passed on, we didn't need to act any more. And a few nights before Christmas, she told me that….. She told me she wanted us to be more than friends," Robin whispered to his friend, as if anyone could hear him besides Will.
Will watched his best friend replaying each and every moment in his head, and couldn't help but feel bad for him. Worse than before. Because now he was getting the story. And he was pretty sure he knew where it was going.
"We kissed, and for the last two days, we didn't act. We were together. And I thought she really meant it when she said she wanted to be with me. But the day we left, she started acting different, avoiding me for the most part, and….."
"And when we came back here, as I dropped her off, she said that we were never real. She never felt anything for me, and her heart would always belong to Daniel," Robin spat out his name like it was poison on his tongue, and he truly thought it was. He still didn't understand after all this time. What did Daniel have that he didn't?
"I'm sorry, Mate….." Will gave Robin a look full of sorrow, speechless. How could Regina do that? How could she say one thing, get Robin's hopes up, then break his heart? That wasn't her….. But maybe he didn't know Regina as well as he thought he did.
"And you want to know the best part?" Robin asked sarcastically, laughing darkly as he looked out the window, the shining bright sun mocking him.
"I saw her today. For the first time since we had our fight…. And you want to know something? She looked happy. She looked happy without me….. Because she was with him…." Robin shook his head. He still couldn't believe any of this.
He just wanted to wake up from all this madness. He wanted to go back in time and tell himself what would happen if he went to Storybrooke with Regina, but he couldn't. It wasn't possible.
"It's her loss, Robin. If Regina can't see how great of a guy you are, she doesn't deserve you….." Robin looked out onto the barren streets, trying not to let any tears cascade down his cheeks.
After a moment of silence, Will sighed, and closed his eyes. He knew Robin would kill him for saying this, but he didn't care. It needed to be said…..
"And if one thing is for sure, you deserve much better. You don't deserve her,"
…
Cora and Henry arrived at Regina's front door at seven in the morning, using the spare key to let themselves in. They were going to surprise Regina, sure, but they didn't expect her to be curled up in a ball on the couch, the first thing you saw when you walked into the small apartment.
Henry walked over to his daughter silently, smiling when she saw the sweatshirt wrapped around her tiny frame.
"The last time I checked, Regina didn't go to Yale," Henry whispered with a smirk to his wife, and Cora rolled her eyes with a smile, swatting Henry's arm.
"Oh, leave her alone," Cora laughed quietly. She shook her head, looking at her daughter….. Something was different. She could already tell.
Regina shifted in her sleep, frowning, and Cora wondered what she was dreaming about.
Henry walked around the living room, going over to the tiny mantle above the fireplace. He picked up a picture frame and smiled. It was Robin and Regina.
Regina was dressed in a black sequin dress, hugging her body, the sleeves of the dress stopping just below her elbows. She wore the same pair of earrings she wore when she came home for Christmas, (Henry could bet his money Robin had been the one to buy them for her), and she wore black high heels.
Robin wore a navy blue suit, his black tie complementing Regina's dress, and Henry couldn't help but wonder if they had planned it all out. Regina's arm was across Robin, and his rested on her hip. They were smiling. They both looked happy.
From the background, Henry assumed that they were at a work event (and if he ever asked, that was a story for another day). Henry chuckled with a smile, putting the frame back in its place.
He found another picture, and laughed silently, trying not to wake his sleeping daughter across the small room.
Mal and Regina were taking a picture, posing perfectly, and Robin was in the background, messing around. God, he could picture how Regina must have been pissed with him, but then she would laugh. And that's what he loved about Robin. He made Regina laugh. And smile. And be happy.
That's all he could ever ask for.
But when he saw the picture right next to the other one, his smile fell. Regina was in the picture, sure, but that wasn't the problem. Because Robin wasn't in this one. It was a man he's never seen before, kissing his daughter on the cheek.
Regina was smiling, but he noticed something. The smile was fake. It wasn't real. It wasn't like the ones she had with Robin. The smiles she shared with Robin were genuine. The ones with this man were not.
If Henry wasn't so caught up in the pictures, he would have heard Regina grumble quietly as she woke up from her sleep.
Regina heard voices. And they weren't the ones in her dreams….. They definitely weren't Robin's. Regina squinted her eyes, and when she saw her mother standing in front of her, she jumped, cursed, and earned a laugh from her mother.
"It's nice to see you too," Cora smirked, and Regina groaned, putting her head in her hands, thinking why she had to deal with this so early in the day.
"What the hell," Regina muttered, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, which was a horrible idea. Immediately, forest invaded her smell, and Regina missed Robin so much more than she had before. To think, Robin could have been here, with her in this very moment, if she hadn't pushed him away. For good.
"And here, I thought you would be delighted to see us," Cora teased, and Regina sighed, crossing her arms around her body, wrapping Robin's oversized sweatshirt around herself.
"It's not, It's because, wait, oh my god," Regina groaned as she rolled her eyes, and Cora laughed at her daughter again, finding it adorable how flustered she was.
"I seriously just woke up….. What are you guys doing here?" Regina asked as she stood from to couch, folding the blanket she was curled up in moments ago, tossing it onto her arm chair.
"We thought you would like a surprise," Henry added, and Regina smiled sleepily, her heart happy (for once) that her parents cared enough to come visit her.
"It's nice. Thank you," Regina smiled as she shoved her hands into the pockets of his sweatshirt. On the coffee table in front of the couch, her phone buzzed, and she bent down to pick it up.
She would be lying if she said she wasn't waiting for Robin to talk to her.
Regina frowned when she read the text Will had sent her earlier that morning. But instead of his happy text last night, this one was almost as painful as knowing she hurt Robin as badly as she did.
I hope you're happy - Will
"Everything okay?" Henry asked, and Regina cursed mentally. No. She was anything but okay. But could she tell her parents that? No. Could she tell Mal that? No. Could she tell Will? Or Robin? No. She couldn't tell anyone, and Regina was sure the pain would just kill her eventually.
Regina fidgeted, trying to find an answer.
"Yeah…. It's just been a horrible week," More like a horrible month, Regina thought as she placed her phone back on the coffee table, rubbing her eyes slowly. Henry and Cora both shared a concerned look, but Regina didn't notice. She didn't notice anything these days.
"Well, hopefully Robin can help you with that," Regina closed her eyes, wishing that was true. Because she knew it could be. He's done it before, and would do it again in a heartbeat….if she hadn't gone and broke his heart.
"Actually, he's, uh…." Not here. Never coming back. Hates me with every fiber of his being. Would do anything to stay away from me forever.
"Out of town," Regina settled with, nodding her head almost invisibly, finding the perfect excuse.
"Business trip," Regina lied, and her parents looked at her with questioning looks.
"Don't you two work together?" Cora asked, and Regina looked at the floor. She couldn't even say that anymore. They didn't work with each other. They didn't talk to each other. They didn't acknowledge each other's presence. They were new strangers. And it sucked.
So technically, speaking, yes, they worked together. But not anymore. Not in Regina's eyes, or Robin's.
"Gold assigned the project to him and some other guy….." Regina lied again, finding she was better at it than she thought. Then again, she's never had to lie so much in her entire life.
"Well, you'll have to send our best to him," Cora smiled, and Regina did too. But what Regina didn't know was that Henry saw it. The fake smile. The same damn one in the picture with the unknown man.
And that's when it hit him.
Robin wasn't out of town.
He wasn't on some business trip.
That wasn't why he wasn't there.
It was because he was gone.
That's why Regina looked so sad when Cora mentioned Robin.
Regina pushed Robin away, just like Cora had predicted.
And Henry already knew it was the worst mistake of Regina's life. Because he could see it. Finally, he could. The heartbreak and the pain. And if Robin was here, that would all go away. He would walk through the door, and Regina would be all better again.
But that would never happen because his daughter was just like his wife.
Scared. Scared of change.
One of the best changes she could've had.
Robin was gone.
He was really gone…..