Hi everyone! Thank you so much for coming back to read this chapter! It means so much to me that you love this story as much as I do :) I'm sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger, but hopefully this will make up for it. Warning: Multiple answers are revealed in this chapter! Thank you so much for sticking with this story, and don't worry! The wedding is not as far away as you think, hehe. Love you all! Please let me know what you think of this chapter! I love to hear your thoughts! :)

Without anymore waiting, here is chapter 11!

Chapter 11

Helen and Robert were in the living room, Robert watching an old football game on the television in the center of the room, as Helen frowned, looking down at her phone. Every morning, for the past couple of months now, she would receive a text from her son, checking to make sure she and his father had a good night. He would tell them he would talk to them after work. But now? There was nothing. And it worried her.

"Robert," Helen sighed, putting her phone on the arm of the couch while staring at it desperately, waiting for a response to the messages she's sent that morning. Robert hummed as an answer as he kept his eyes on the game, his head leaning towards his wife. Helen rolled her eyes. She will never understand Robert and Robin's obsession with football.

"Robin hasn't gotten back to me," Helen frowned, her eyes still glued to the screen of her phone. Robert sighed as he tore his eyes away from the game he was so enchanted with and smiled at Helen, his lips in the shape of a forming smirk.

"He's probably busy, Dear. I wouldn't be stressing about it so much," Helen rolled her eyes in protest, turning in her spot on the cushion, crossing her arms.

"You know me better than that, Robert….. I'm gonna head over there and see if he's still home," Helen spoke as she got up from her seat, grabbing her jacket from the closet by the front door. Robert groaned as he dug his head into the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

"Helen, you're being ridiculous. Robin's a grown man. If he was in some kind of trouble, he would let us know," Henry reason, also getting out of his seat, following his wife to the door. Helen put her hands on her hips, and smiled at him.

"I never said you have to tag along. But I'm going," Helen smiled victoriously as she saw her husband grab his jacket. They walked out of Paige and Will's apartment, Robert thinking to himself the whole time, this better be good.

Regina grunted softly when her eyes fluttered open to the sunlight pouring through the cracks of the curtains. Curtains that weren't hers. What the hell, she thought, and when she tried to move, she froze. Her entire body was sore. Holy shit.

All the events of the previous night came back to her, and Regina cupped her hand to her mouth, her eyes widening. She….she and Robin…..they had…..oh my god….they did. Regina closed her eyes, cursing herself for her stupidity. How could she let herself fall that deep? How could she let Robin that close to her after everything he's done to her?

Oh my god. Oh. My. God. This isn't real. None of this is. When you open your eyes again, you will be in your own bed, only your thoughts of Robin to keep you warm. Regina opened her eyes and cringed when nothing changed. It really did happen. She had slept with Robin. Oh no. God, no. She looked to the side of her and saw the man who had stolen her heart (too many times to count) soundly asleep, his arm laying across her stomach. How was any of this possible?

Regina's eyes darted around the room as she scoured the area for the clothes that had been discarded, by no other than Robin himself. She found them in a pile, scattered along the wall where his closet was.

Regina's cheeks burned at the memories of the night before. Robin's lips on hers. His hands roaming her body. Her hands roaming his. The way he looked at her, with such love and want. The way she allowed him to hold her. The way he said her name. Oh god. She let herself be with Robin. And now, she would pay for it.

If Regina wasn't so scared of this, of them, she would have just lied back down safely in Robin's arms and rest her head on his chest, breathing in the scent of forest that always seemed to consume her thoughts. But she was scared. Scared that now that their moment was over (that all of the desire and energy they both possessed had faded), Robin would only do what he was good at.

Breaking her heart.

He's done it so many times, just in the time period of the past week. Who was to say he wouldn't do it again? He's ripped her and her soul to shreds in the matter of seconds multiple times before. What would happen when he realized he didn't want this anymore? That she would always be just someone to mess with when he wanted to?

Regina wished she was strong. She wished she had the courage to wake Robin, ask him why he felt what he felt last night. She wished she had the courage to tell him he had to stop playing with her mind and heart. Regina wished she could be strong enough to learn the truth of why their relationship had ended.

And what about him? While she was crying her eyes out for her beloved, he was traveling the world, bedding another woman like she meant nothing. He never reached out to her. Never took the time to even send another letter, explaining how rude he'd been and how he apologized. He wasn't allowed to just waltz back into her life like it was in the palm of his hands…..even if it secretly was.

Regina shoved Robin's arm off of her, jumping out of bed, trying to throw on her clothes as fast as she could and leave without Robin ever knowing. But apparently, she pushed him away a little too hard.

"Regina?" Robin mumbled sleepily as she threw on her bra and underwear. She rolled her eyes as she bent down hurriedly and climbed into her old, worn, ripped jeans. Robin heard the furious movement and sat up straight, alarmed. What was going on?

Robin's heart froze when he saw Regina, the way she was freaking out in front of him, the way she was looking at him as if to tell him she was done suffering. Done hurting. Robin flung out of bed in his boxers and tried to go to her, but she threw one of his shirts at him as she fit into her crumbled, wrinkled maroon turtleneck from the day before. Robin stared in disbelief and shock as Regina ran past him, reaching for her socks.

"Regina, wait!" Robin exclaimed as she sped out of the door and down the hallway, into the kitchen. Robin followed her as he tripped on the jeans he was trying to get into. Once he finally caught up with her, Robin grabbed her arm and saw her frantic eyes stare back at him.

She was scared.

"Love, please. We can talk and-"

"I don't want to talk!" Regina shouted, so frustrated at herself for giving herself away like that. She wasn't some stupid, immature girl who had her first time. She was a grown woman. She shouldn't have crawled back to the man that hurt her.

Robin froze at the sudden outburst, worried towards Regina's behavior. She never screamed. And when she did, she was usually having a mental breakdown or she felt too overwhelmed to do anything. Robin tried to calm her by reach to cup her cheek, but she pulled away, as if his touch would burn her.

She was pretty sure it would.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked, letting go of her arm, giving her the space she needed. Regina breathed deeply and shook her head, tears starting to form in her eyes. She chuckled darkly as she crossed her arms, still in disbelief she had let him see her like that. Why did she?

"What's wrong? What's wrong is that I keep on going back to the person who has hurt me the most! And I know no matter what, I'll never stop feeling the way I do about you! The problem is that you're the only thing I've ever known and if I lose you, I am nothing!" Regina screamed, her eyes wide, her breath uneven. She ran her hands across her face as she tried to stop her heart from bleeding.

"What's wrong is you're a dumbass if you think we could ever be anything again after what you did to me!" Regina and Robin both froze. All that could be heard in the room were Regina's loud, heavy breaths, and Robin's excessive heartbeat. Robin's eyes widened as he looked at the woman he loved, wondering exactly how damaged he had made her.

Robin moved closer to her, barely a centimeter at a time, waiting for her to punch him in the face, tell him to rot in hell and leave. But she didn't. She stood there, watching him come closer to her each step of the way.

"Regina, what I did in the past? What I chose to do instead of fight for what we had? It was a mistake! And I know I have hurt you! I know that we can never go back to what we had, and I know it's all my fault! I don't know what I did to deserve you standing right here in front of me. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you at all. But I can promise you that I'll never hurt a single piece of your heart again!" Robin explained, running his hand through his disheveled hair, as his eyes moved back and forth between hers, waiting for her to say something.

Anything.

After long moments of silence, Regina looked down and put her arms together, almost in the position as she would have them if she were holding a baby. She rocked on her feet, a single tear leaving her eye.

"You may be right….. You may never hurt me again, and you may have never meant to give up on us…. And Robin," Regina cried, covering her mouth to stifle a quiet, small sob, "Robin, I've tried so damn hard. I've tried to go back and tell myself that it's alright. That you did what you did for a reason….. But it's not. It's just not enough anymore," Regina let the tears fall, no longer caring how miserable or pathetic she looked. After all, this was Robin. He's already seen her cry a million times before.

"I can't forgive you for breaking my heart, Robin," Regina cried, wiping her tears away with the sleeves of her sweater. Robin looked down, his own tear treading down his face. It felt like a thousand knives had just been stabbed in his heart. Like a gunshot to the head that would leave him dead.

"Regina, how do you feel? Tell me you don't have any feelings for me at all, and I swear I'll try to stay out of your life," Robin's red eyes were killing Regina, never wanting to make her cry. Even if he's done it to her. Regina sniffled and smiled sadly, the light escaping her eyes for the last time.

"It doesn't matter what I feel anymore….. This was a mistake." Regina sighed, finally looking back up at Robin. And to dig it in even worse….

"We were a mistake," Regina whispered. She never knew the ripple effect of something so quiet and small could be so extraordinarily loud. Her hushed tone seemed to fill the air, and she took Robin's silence to her advantage. She walked to the door and slipped on her shoes, fiddling with the zipper as she heard Robin calling her name.

Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning around one last time, finding Robin rushing to her. And before he could do anything else, Regina opened the door. After all, she was always the best at running.

But Regina's eyes widened when she saw what was in front of her. More like who was in front of her. Of course it would be this way. Why wouldn't it? The universe just hated her, so why not throw this in the mix as well?

Just as Regina had opened Robin's door, Helen and Robert were about to knock, but she had beaten them to it. Robin's parents stood there, their eyes and mouths wide with shock.

Holy shit.

Regina's mouth opened and she looked anywhere but at them. All she kept saying to herself was, this wasn't happening, this wasn't happening. And to make matters even worse, she just knew they knew what she and Robin did.

Her hair was a complete mess, all her makeup had vanished, and she was sure her sweater was on inside out. Regina closed her eyes and looked down, putting her face in her hands.

"Oh my god," she muttered quietly. Because none of this should be real. She shouldn't be sneaking out of Robin's apartment in the morning, or facing his parents, or feeling this guilt of leaving him inside. It should not be real. Any of it.

The door opened again behind Regina, and Robin showed up, of course, shirtless.

"Regina, wait," Robin exclaimed, but also froze when he saw his parents there. What the hell were they doing? They couldn't seriously be here right now, could they? Regina took Robin's frozen figure and shock as a go, and she sped past him and his parents, walking down the hallway of apartment numbers, keeping her head down the whole time.

Robin saw Regina leave and started to panic. He ran back inside and grabbed an old gray t-shirt that Regina had thrown at him and tried to go after her when his father spoke before he left the room.

"Robin-"

"No. Just stop," Robin sighed as he ran down the hall to catch up to Regina. He found her waiting at the elevator, and he sighed.

"Regina-"

"Every single time I let myself go, every single time I let myself feel what I want to feel, something terrible happens. And I don't want to be hurt again….. Last night, it was…. But we both know we can't go back….. We both know it wouldn't work out, Robin," Regina cried, stepping through the elevator backwards, watching Robin hold back tears of his own. Robin shook his head and stepped as close as he could to her without breaking her space.

"But it would, Love. Please," Robin begged, but Regina looked down as the doors began to close. She folded her arms to her chest, shaking her head.

"No, it wouldn't." Regina whispered scarcely as Robin watched her disappear from his sight, traveling all the way down, along with his hurting heart. Robin leaned his forehead against the elevator door and put his hands in fists at his side. If Regina couldn't trust him now, she never would. So what was the point? He had already ruined her life enough.

Robin walked back to his apartment with one hand in his hair, the other still in a fist at his side. Robin met the eyes of his parents, expecting to find them glaring at him, or worse, looking at him with disappointment in their eyes. But they held no such thing. Instead his parents looked at him with sorrow. God, he just couldn't take those stupid pitiful looks any longer.

Robin walked into his living room, his eyes scouring the place. In the matter of seconds, the papers that were on his coffee table flew in the air as he flipped the table over. Helen and Robert walked in hearing the loud slam of the small table collide with the wood floor.

"Robin!" Helen exclaimed, her eyes wide. She had never seen her son like this before. It scared her. Robin was never one to lash out in violence, or feel so overwhelmed by life that he screamed even once. But now, he was freaking out, and Helen nor Robert knew what to do to help their son.

"It's my fault she's gone! I should have fought for us! I should have never listened to a damn word Cora ever said! I should have kept Regina safe!" Robin screamed, throwing an old picture frame of him with Paige. He couldn't even remember the last time he's truly spoken to her. Yet another thing Cora managed to steal from him. His relationship with his baby sister.

"Robin, what the hell are you talking about?" Robert asked, his hands moving in front of him. Robin shook his head as if he hadn't heard his father speak, still pacing the room furiously.

"Everyone thinks it's my fault! That I'm the one who wanted to end things with Regina!" Robin exclaimed, his eyes widening at the realization. He didn't care about what his parents thought or what their questions were at the moment. He couldn't care less. But what he did care about right now was Regina.

She didn't know. She still thought he wanted to leave all those years ago. Holy shit. This changed everything. If he would have told her yesterday, told Regina about Cora and how he manipulated him into leaving her, she might have stayed. She wouldn't have ran off this morning. She would have understood….. Wouldn't she have?

Robin's head spun as he walked to the closet, grabbing a deep green leather jacket from the hanger, wrapping it around himself. He threw a pair of old, worn sneakers on his feet and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Helen asked, still very, very confused by her son's actions and words. But Robin shook his head again, walking out of the room with one single stride, ignoring his parents calling his name behind him.

Regina sat in a booth of an old diner, tracing the cup of her coffee with her index finger. Her head was rested in the palm of her hand, her body slouching. She closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but it didn't help.

Nothing did.

After she had stopped at her place to change into a new set of clothes for the day (she hid the ones she wore the night before in her closet, not ready to leave the scent of Robin yet), she knew she couldn't go to the coffee shop. She just couldn't. Emma and Killian could read her like she was an open book, and they would know with one glance that something had happened.

And that is how Regina found herself sitting in a lonely diner, one of two customers in the whole place. The counter that wrapped around the kitchen was where the waiters and waitresses hung around, and Regina sighed, her eyes traveling to them. Why couldn't she ever be free like them? She was sure they weren't in this situation. The one where she slept with the man who had turned his back on her, but was still in love with him and would always be no matter what. Was there even a cure for this shit?

Regina groaned as she let her head hang, disappointed in herself. It's been more than five years. She's survived without Robin for 2,857 days. Of course she kept count. But why couldn't she move on from him? He's been doing fine without her. Why couldn't she be like that?

"You alright, Sweetheart?" Regina looked up to find an older man looking down at her, showing her a friendly smile. He wore a black fall jacket with crisp navy jeans, his brown boots looking like they were almost glued to the floor. Regina offered a small smile. This man didn't know her He wouldn't know the difference between her fake and real smile. The last time she had a real smile…...was last night. Shit.

"I'm fine," Regina replied, nodding her head, taking her head out of her hand, sitting up taller than she had all morning. The man smiled and shook his head, holding his arm out to the spot in front of her, silently asking if he could sit there for a moment or two. Regina shrugged with a small smile and the man sat down, folding his hands in front of him in the old, worn table.

"What's your name, Dear?" The man asked, and Regina couldn't help but feel confusion running through her veins. She didn't know this man, She's never seen him before in her whole life, and he was here in front of her, speaking to her as if they were old friends. But there was something about his eyes. The way he looked at her like he cared. She could tell she could trust this man, whoever he was.

"Regina," she sighed quietly. The older man smiled brightly, rubbing his thumbs together. Regina…. I didn't even know.

"That's a beautiful name," The man complimented, and Regina smiled as she looked down. The past few years have been rough. No compliments or friendly smiles or warm looks. She wasn't used to it. Not when she's been apart from Robin for so long.

"Thank you," Regina used her fingers to place strands of hair behind her ear, not really knowing why this man was here. Maybe he saw she looked miserable and wanted to make sure he was okay. Maybe he couldn't give a damn and was a lunatic. She didn't care. Not anymore.

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, crumbled and wrinkled. Regina's eyebrows furrowed as he put a piece of paper on the table, sliding it to her across the table. Seeing the girl's confusion, the man stood from the booth and smiled.

"Have a good day, Regina," The man walked out of the diner without saying another word, and Regina froze. What just happened? Should she read the note? Should she recycle it? Regina took a leap of faith as she read the piece of paper, the neat, cursive handwriting making her feel clam already.

Everyday may not be a good day, but there is good in every day

Regina read the note. She read it again. And again. And again. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and flipped the slip of paper over. It read: Pass this on to someone who needs to hear it.

Well, she definitely needed it. And if a sweet old man could see that without knowing her, she didn't know what to believe anymore. Regina tucked the piece of paper in her pocket and left the diner, leaving a few dollar bills on the table for her coffee.

She didn't know where, but she needed to go. She needed to take a long drive and clear her head. If only she knew she would never get as far as the old coffee shop her friends owned.

…..

"Hello? Earth to Regina?" Emma waved the front of her hand in front of Regina's face, and the brunette jumped, her eyes leaving the spot in front of her they had been staring at. Regina looked at Emma. She could see the concern in the blonde's face. Of course she was worried. Why wouldn't she be? But she didn't know. She couldn't know.

"Are you okay? You've been gazing off for hours," Emma frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest, which was covered by a red leather jacket. Regina rolled her eyes as she continued to move her hands through racks of dresses, avoiding eye contact with her best friend. She couldn't tell Emma. She wouldn't understand.

"I'm fine, Em. I promise," Regina brushed her hair back over her shoulder as she tried to look over more dresses, but groaned in defeat. Why was this so damn hard?

She had talked to Paige days ago. About the wedding, of course (Regina wouldn't let herself get any more attached as she already was). Paige had told her any maroon dress was fine. But, it needed to have an illusion neckline. And apparently, they were impossible to find in New York City.

"Regina, why do you even need this dress? Are you throwing a party and didn't tell me?" Emma asked, trying to lighten the mood, but Regina just rolled her eyes once more, walking across the store to the next rack of dresses. Emma rolled her eyes as well with a huff and followed her best friend.

"I have a conference with one of my editors," Regina whipped up a quick lie, and couldn't help but feel disappointed when Emma ohhed and nodded her head. Her best friend should know her better than that, should know when she was lying and when she wasn't, but now, at this moment, she was thankful Emma was blind to this.

"How's that going, by the way?" Emma asked as she held up a dress, but made a face full of disgust as she put it back on the rack. She was pretty sure that was the ugliest thing she's ever seen. And she's met Cora.

"Honestly? Horrible. I'm so far behind and I have no idea where I'm even trying to go with the storyline," Regina frowned once again, feeling like the sorrow had finally caught up to her, overwhelming all of her senses. Regina raised her hand to her head as she closed her eyes and tried to fight off the headache she could feel coming on.

Emma sighed and laid a comforting hand on on Regina's shoulder, giving her a knowing look. She's been in situations far less stressful than anything Regina's gone through, and the blonde thought she might've lost her head. Even if she had no clue to what Regina was feeling, she would be there for her.

"You are the smartest person I know. I'm sure if you just sit down, relax, let yourself rest for even a few hours, something will come to you. You've always had a way with words," Regina felt a pang in her chest when she heard Emma's last words.

You've always had a way with words.

God, Robin used to say that to her all the time. Whether it was when she was writing a college essay or just jotting down words on a piece of napkin at the table, Robin had always admired the way the emotion and power of words came so easily to her. If only she had the chance to hear the only three words she's craved to hear for a so long now. She wasn't even sure if she knew what those three little words meant anymore.

"I think I finally found what you're looking for," Emma called at the other end of the rack, and Regina's eyes traveled down to her best friend. Apparently, when she was stuck in though (once again) the blonde had already moved past a whole rack. Great.

Regina took the few short steps towards Emma and gasped when she saw the dress fully. It was absolutely beautiful. It was exactly how she pictured it, and she could have swore it was made just for her.

"Your welcome," Emma smirked when she saw Regina's wide eyes and parted mouth. Obviously had fallen in love with the dress. Almost as fast as she fell for Robin, Emma thought, beside her best judgement.

"It's beautiful," Regina breathed, admiring the beauty of the dress. She felt nostalgic as she ran her fingers along the waistline of the maroon wonder. This was bringing her back to the days when Robin fought for her.

When he did everything he could just to buy her a simple dress….. Where had those days gone? Why did they have to leave?

"Come on. Let's see it," Emma encouraged, pushing Regina towards one of the dressing rooms. Regina sighed with a memorable smile as she went inside the small room.

"Bloody hell," Robert breathed, his jaw dropping at the scene he was witnessing. He and Helen had been walking through the city, trying to find and calm their son, when they came across a very small shop. A beautiful dress shop.

He didn't even mean to look inside. Not really. He wasn't even going to give it another small glance. But a figure had caught his eyes, and that, a mesmerizing sight. Because right in front of his and Helen's eyes was Regina, in a beautiful dress that could've only been made for her.

She was talking to a blonde, the same one from the coffee shop. Robert sighed as he closed his eyes, thinking about how much Robin had lost. He could have had Regina in his life forever. They could have had her in their lives forever.

But Regina wasn't a young girl in love anymore. Yes, she may be in love, if Robert could read any signs at all, but she had memories. Memories of Robin leaving, walking out on her. Memories of their fights, the ones Robert knew about from Robin, who had called him, so afraid he would lose Regina. Memories of Robin promising her she'd never be alone.

He still didn't know why his son had ran out on Regina like he did, for he always thought Robin would marry her. But he couldn't change the past. He couldn't change people. Maybe Robin would realize his horrible mistake once he sees what he could have had.

….

Regina smiled softly as she went back into the dressing room to put on her clothes. It was official. She was in love with this dress. Nothing could stop her from buying it, and for once, she actually couldn't wait to go to Paige's wedding.

Regina walked out of the dressing room, but froze when Emma stared at her with that look. The one that said, Why?

"You told me you, Regina. You told me you were going to let him go. That you were going to let the past go….. So why is Robin calling your phone?" Regina just stood there, unable to find an excuse that would meet Emma's expectations, but she knew there were none. She couldn't tell Emma anything about what happened with Robin the past couple of weeks. For this reason. She just wouldn't understand.

"I…. It's…. Emma," Regina sighed, tired of lying to her best friend. But Emma looked at her as though they've been here before. And most likely, they probably have been here, in this very situation, a time before. But Regina was in love with Robin back then. And absolutely nothing changed.

"I won't let you do this to yourself, Regina. I won't. If you think that Robin ever loved you, you are wrong!" Emma exclaimed, thankful that they were the only ones at the end of the store. Regina's breath caught in her throat, and she stood there, staring intently at Emma.

"You don't know that," Regina barely whispered, the blonde's words clenching her battered and bruised heart. Emma shook her head with an evil laugh, crossing her arms as she looked down, wondering how Robin always had Regina in his deadly spell.

"What I do know is that Robin left you without a single word. What I know is that I had to pick up the pieces he had smashed all over the floor….. Regina, you just got out of therapy! I can't let you go down this road again!" Emma exclaimed, trying her best to knock some sense into Regina. But the brunette stood there, her mouth parted slightly, her jaw tense.

"He told me he still loves me, Emma….and I'm starting to believe him again,"

"He also told you he would never leave you," Emma regretted her words as soon as they came out. Regina's face paled and Emma could see she was trying so hard not to cry or break down. Regina took a deep breath and pushed aside the pain she was feeling flood her body.

"I've been fighting love my whole life, Emma. And I'm tired of it! What if…. What if Robin's telling me the truth. What if he didn't really want to leave?"

"Please, tell me, why would Robin leave if he didn't want to? Regina this doesn't make sense! You're scaring me!"

"Nothing makes any damn sense anymore! I'm going to the wedding of my ex's little sister, I've ran into his parents a million times, and I slept with him last night! None of this bullshit makes any sense, but it happened! It happened Emma, and I can't forget about it! About him! I've never been able to!" Regina exploded, the words leaving her mouth before she could even think about what she said. Emma's eyes bulged out of her head when she heard all of this, her mouth practically falling to the floor.

"You were with him last night?! Jesus, Regina! Do you know how dangerous that is?" Emma's worried eyes moved all over Regina, frantically trying to find some sense in what her friend was saying.

"How is it dangerous if the only time I feel safe is when I'm in his arms?" Regina asked, her voice settling down, letting her eyes travel down to the floor. Emma stood there, shocked, to say the least.

She understood how much pain Robin had put Regina through, but maybe, maybe she didn't understand how much love Robin had given her, too.

"If you could love someone," Regina chuckled humorlessly and shook her head, "and God knows how much I do," Regina took a deep breath, "and keep loving them without being loved back? It had to be real. The love had to be real….it hurt too much to be anything else."

"Everyone always says, 'Right person, wrong time.' Well, what if now is the right time? What if me and Robin had to spend years apart just to find each other again?" Regina didn't know where her words were coming from.

She's never been one to have hope. But now, more than ever, she hoped. She prayed to God that one day, she would be strong enough to listen why Robin left her. And maybe she would be able to get over the heartbreak, even if it was only a little piece.

"Regina," Emma sighed and ran a hand over her face, "You know the only thing I want for you is to be happy. All I've ever wanted for you is to find love, you know that….but what you have with Robin isn't love…..Regina, saying goodbye to the people you love isn't easy….and Robin? He left like you meant nothing to him. How could you ever think he truly loves you?"

Regina looked on stubbornly at the ground. Emma was wrong. She was dead wrong. The brunette ran from Robin apartment that morning because she was scared. She was scared of what could happen if she let herself be happy again. But when Robin told her he still loved her, he was still in love with her, she knew it was true. He would never lie about that. Come to think of it, he never had lied to her….right?

Regina knew if she continued to defend Robin, Emma would continue to fight her on it, and she so tired of fighting. For love, for hope, for her strength. She was so done with everything right now, so she would let Emma have this victory. Even if Regina's words meant absolutely nothing to her.

"You're right," Regina softly muttered, looking up to see Emma's relieved smile.

Little did she know, little did both of them know, Robin would do anything and everything to change Regina's mind. And everyone else's in the process.

…..

Dear Regina,

Hello, Dear. To say it's been a while would be an understatement. I assumed one day you would call, see how I'm doing, notice if I'm even alive anymore. But you didn't, which is why I am writing this letter to you.

I hope your well, hope your writing is taking a turn for the better instead of the worse. Hopefully you've been able to live life the way you've wanted to. Lord knows I haven't.

There are so many things I've done in my life time that I'm not proud of. Like never braiding your hair when you were little, or never making you breakfast, or never enjoying holidays together, or never talking to you when you needed someone to talk to.

But even all of those actions added up will never be worse than what I have to admit. What will break your heart even farther. You see, I'm the only parent you've ever known. Your father…..your father was an unworthy man. But you can't help who you fall in love with, now, can you?

When I found out I was pregnant with you, it was the best day of my life. I was ecstatic, and couldn't wait to to your father we would be starting a family….but he didn't want that. He told me he couldn't be a father. We fought hard that night, and it was the first time he ever saw me cry.

Over the course of time, he grew very, very distant. He told me every day I was a whore and if I ever thought he actually loved me, I was wrong. This happened for eight months. Finally, three weeks before you were born, he left. I was heartbroken.

Love makes you do terrible, terrible things. Love is weakness, as I've told you before…. The day you were born, I promised myself I would love you. That I would never hurt you or scar you as my own parents did, but I failed immediately. You look so much like him, your father, and every time I looked at you, it reminded me of everything I've lost.

There is nothing I could possibly say or do to make things right, but if you were wondering what you ever did to deserve my cruelness throughout the course of time, you did absolutely nothing. I am the one who messed it all up. All because I was hung up on the loss of your father.

I blamed you. So, so very much. I always told myself you were the reason why your father left me, why he could never learn to love you or me ever again. But it took years and years and years of therapy, and I realized that it was him who was to blame. You had done nothing wrong, and never will.

I apologize from the bottom of my heart for every cruel, malicious thing I've ever muttered or done to you, but I'm afraid your fearsome childhood is the least of worries now….

You see, when I got of therapy, it was your senior year at Harvard. The second year of your relationship with Robin Locksley. I knew as soon as I met that man that I would never get you back, never be able to explain the reasoning behind my actions. I had lost you, and I had no idea how to deal with that kind of hurt all over again….

I broke your relationship with Robin. He never wanted to leave. He fought me, very hard, but he was powerless. I told him I would have you out of Harvard as fast as he could say hello. I told him I would leave you homeless, whether you knew I was the cause or not. I told him…. I inferred I would have no problem-

Cora crumbled the letter and threw it across the room, along with the millions of other failed attempts scattered by the hotel's closet doors. Cora let the tears slip down her face as she held her knees to her chest, letting her head fall to her knees.

There was no way she could do this. She couldn't tell Regina the truth.

The truth really does hurt…

…..

Regina ran her fingers through her hair as she opened the door of the coffee shop. The sun had just set, the darkness consuming the sky for only a good hour now. She ducked her head as she turned around to shut the door, letting go of a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Why was she here again? Oh, yes. The text she had received from Killian three hours ago, telling her to come to the shop at seven o'clock sharp. Regina checked her phone. 7:00.

Regina rolled her eyes, looking around for Killian, when a glimpse of light caught her eye. She froze by the front door, looking ahead in confusion. All the tables had been moved out of the shop, now only one small, rectangular one left, with a tall candle on top if it, a light.

What the hell is going on, Regina thought as she walked slowly to the table, finding the glowing candle wasn't the only thing placed on the small table. A piece of paper rested against the smooth wood, and next to it, a simple, delicate rose.

Regina picked up the note and smoothed it out with her hands.

There's a million things I've done in my lifetime that I've regretted. I've lied, I've given up, and I've stolen. But nothing compares to the biggest regret of my life. Losing you. I know it's over, that last night was a moment of weakness. But I've never felt better having you in my arms once again.

I've lost your trust, and there is nothing I could ever do to get it back. I understand. I don't deserve it. But I will try my best to prove to you that I will never give up on us. On the love we share. I will grant you the space you wish. I will avoid bumping into you on a daily basis. I will stay out of your life. But every night, you will find a note, just like this one, right at this very spot.

Nine years ago, about a month before today, at this very time, we had our first date. And I presented this rose to you. There are many things that have slipped my memory, but you and your interests will never once fade.

I promise to make things right. And when the time comes, just look at this rose. It will take you home. To me.

Yours, Robin.

A tear dropped on the paper, right by his name. Regina looked up, her red eyes closed. She smiled thoughtfully as she folded the paper and slipped it into the pocket of her jeans.

Regina opened her eyes as she reached for the rose, stroking it gently.

Robin would give her the space she wanted. But he wouldn't not fight for them…..for her. Regina smiled as her tears dried, hugging the rose to her chest.

If only she has turned around to see the same man smiling in the window, walking away with a love-sick gleam in his eyes.