Again, you guys blow me away with your enthusiasm for this story. All your reviews are truly awesome. I'm so super glad you liked Ingrid. She is such a fun character to write, and so different from OUAT's version. But I feel Emma needs a fun-loving mother to help counteract all the crap she's been through.

The usually thanks go out to ilovemesomekillianjones. You're a star who I would give my coffee to, if you drank it. :) (This is something huge, guys. I can't live without my coffee)

Chapter warning: Just some mild talk about substance abuse.

Chapter 11: Sometimes It Hurts

Killian watched as Emma and her mom talked and fixed lunch while he was busy doing whatever task they gave him. Cut this, clean that, and get that. As far as Killian could tell, it was best just to do as asked and stay out of the way.

"A Pig!" Ingrid exclaimed, looking at Killian. "No offense."

Killian just shrugged. It wasn't as if he hadn't heard that term before... and from Emma at that.

"Mom, I'm putting this whole discussion under the heading of 'none of your business', so butt out!"

"Emma!"

"No! Don't Emma me. Remember Dak Nemo?" Emma said, waving a knife around carelessly at her mother. Killian reached across, took the knife from her, and continued slicing the beef.

"Dak is different!" Ingrid argued in her defense.

"He is not! You don't even know Killian. So how do you know? How do you know?" Emma winked at Killian with a loving grin, finally realizing why he'd taken the knife. He didn't want her brandishing a weapon at her mother, which when she thought about it was pretty sweet, seeing as her mother was currently bashing him based on nothing more than his career choice.

Killian watched as Ingrid removed Kaiser rolls from the oven and tried to slice them without burning herself. He calmly slid the tray away from her to take over the task. She smiled her thanks at Killian and continued to argue back and forth with Emma about names, times, dates, and instances that had Killian's head racing. August emerged from his cubbyhole once, saw the two, shook his head no, and disappeared back inside, closing the door firmly behind him.

Killian smoothly walked around the two, grabbed an already made sandwich, added extra roast beef, and some chips, took a beer from the refrigerator, then walked over to tap on August's door. The man cautiously opened it to see sustenance being offered August snatched the food and beer, then quickly shut the door in Killian's face. Killian paused for a second, went back into the kitchen, found the ketchup, and returned to knock on August's door again. Just a hand came out to grab the ketchup, and then disappeared. He heard a "Thanks, man." from the other side. Coward!

It was a phone call for Emma that finally broke the argument. Killian tried not to listen while Emma talked to her Department Head, Christopher Walsh. Anger twisted his face as he listened to her side of the conversation, her voice becoming increasingly irritated. As the man continued to harass her, Killian lost his patience, finally taking the phone from Emma.

"... and I expect you to be in the office tomorrow. Your constant tardiness and nonattendance is noted. If you think..."

"Professor Walsh? This is Detective Jones. I believe we spoke last week." Killian waited for the sputtering man to pause, then smirked hearing Walsh cautiously acknowledge him. "You, Mr. Walsh, are exactly the type of person I've been looking for as a possible suspect in my current case. Someone with connections to the university, connections to the museum, and a black, evil, worthless soul. I think you and I need to talk." Killian smiled humorlessly at the phone, his voice low, dark and quiet. "I will expect you at the Storybrooke P.D. for questioning, no later than one-thirty, or I will send uniformed officers to escort you from your university offices in handcuffs." Killian paused to listen to Walsh stammer. "Do I make my intentions clear? Good. Just sign in at the front desk and they will escort you to an interrogation room."

Killian hung up the phone and called his partner. "David, mate. I know we were going to lay low today, take some time to recharge, but I've got a need to squash a big ugly toad... maybe make it cry a little. Do you want to play?" Killian listened and smiled. That was his partner, always willing to play in other people's sandboxes. "On my way as soon as I eat. Emma made me lunch. I'll see you around one. Later."

When Killian hung up, he was surprised when Ingrid Arden pulled him into a full-blown hug. With a quick kiss on his cheek, Ingrid headed for the door. "I expect to see you both at family dinner this Sunday. No excuses! Bye, sweeties." Emma came over to stand beside Killian and he immediately pulled her close to his body.

"Your mum, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I like her."

…

Before they left the station, David and Killian stopped to check up on the lab boys. They were still chuckling over scaring the crap out of Christopher Walsh. What a prick! Just for being super stupid, obnoxious, and creepy, they decided to keep him on their list. David asked Killian how Emma was dealing with Tink's death, and Killian just shrugged. Emma was keeping things close to her chest, not giving out much. He knew that eventually it would all cascade out of control and there was nothing he could do to stop it, he just hoped he could help her survive it.

"Lance, do you have anything for us?" Killian asked as they entered the room. A small group of technicians was standing around the computer, making comments and suggestions, with Lance, chief technician and Blanchard's second-in-charge, in the center, frowning at the monitor before him.

"Afternoon, Jones. We've been working on the computer all morning. The system is totally trashed. The entire hard drive appears to have been wiped," Lance told them before he turned back to argue with one of his technicians.

David and Killian looked at each other. This confirmed their worst suspicions. Tink had found or located information that was a danger to the unsub. Ruby had reported all the information they had uncovered, and told them that hard copies existed. But nothing was retrieved from the scene.

They stayed a little longer before heading home. David looked over at Killian curiously. The whole 'tossing a university official, threatening him if he in any way, shape, or form harmed, caused harm, or caused a single tear to be shed by one Emma Swan, then he would receive a visit from one Killian Jones' was a surprise. Whatever had happened between the two the day before was obviously fixed.

When David returned home, he was surprised to see Regina dressed and ready to go out. Usually she waited a little later than four in the afternoon to take off for the night.

"Regina? You're not going out, are you? I'm home tonight, and I was hoping we could do something. Maybe go out for dinner?"

Regina looked at David distractedly. She had plans. After learning more about Killian and his new relationship, and seeing him so incredibly upset last night, Regina had made some decisions. She was going to confront Robin Locksley... no more cat and mouse games. It was time to get on with it.

"I can't, David," she said regretfully David had always supported her completely. She had run through her savings in no time flat and then started eating away at David's, too. Despite all the things he did, all the sacrifices he made, they were becoming increasingly out of touch. Regina knew it was her fault. She was practicing a lifestyle he couldn't even try to understand, let alone support. They were growing further and further apart.

"Regina-"

"I've got to go."

Before David could stop her, she was out the door. He somberly moved to the living room window and looked out across Storybrooke. With Killian involved and busy, Regina off doing what she did, he suddenly felt incredibly alone.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his cell, scowling through his contacts. He hesitated for a few moments, asking himself if what he was about to do was the right thing. Pressing the button, he made the call.

"Hi, Mary Margaret? It's David Nolan. I was wondering if you were busy tonight."

David paused and listened as Mary Margaret spluttered out that she was available for work whenever he needed.

"Mary Margaret," he interrupted her rambling, "I don't need you to work. How would you feel about going to dinner, and an art opening on campus?"

There was a pause as she seemed to consider his request. David's heart jumped when she softly agreed, and after arranging to pick her up, he ended the call. Moving into the kitchen, he thought about what Killian had said. He did find fault in every woman he dated, never found a reason to commit. He grabbed a beer and sat down for a moment to drink it. David always made sure to date only women looking for a good time, maybe interested in a light affair that might go somewhere, but not ones who were the kind that tied a man up inside with thinking about them, not ones like Emma Swan.

Mary Margaret stirred something different inside him, something that scared him a little but something that made him feel more alive every time he saw her. She was kind and sweet, but timid, a scared little bird who needed encouragement to fly. He wanted to help her, he wanted to be the reason she spread her wings. He wanted to understand her loneliness.

Seeing her laugh and chat with August Booth had driven him crazy. August wasn't a serious man, he wouldn't give Mary Margaret a forever. August was all wrong, and David somehow knew he was right.

Thinking of Booth brought his mind back to Emma Swan. David felt a twinge in his stomach, a forbidden feeling, as if he let himself, he could fall for her. It was obvious that she only had eyes for Killian, and that she didn't really see him, and he knew he would never do anything to jeopardize his relationship with his partner. Emma Swan was threatening to become a major fascination, and no matter how he looked at it, or turned it around, he was becoming obsessed with finding someone just like her.

…

Killian let himself into the condo through the garage, expecting to find Emma still working on his car. When he entered her home, he stopped in his tracks, shocked at the flurry of activity. There were about half a dozen young adults moving around, running power cords across the room, setting up a few large tables, and phone lines. Killian counted three computers.

Emma was busy talking to a group of people, and Killian just watched her. She was still pale, and her voice raised and then lowered unnaturally, but the slight tremble in her hand worried him the most. She wasn't going to stop.

He knew if she slowed down, sat still for a moment, it would hit, thoughts of Tink would come rushing in, and she would lose it. Going over to her, Killian positioned himself between her and the few students. Emma looked at him and frowned for a moment. Suddenly her face cleared as she seemed to register it was Killian standing before her.

"Killian."

"What's going on, Professor?" he asked, tucking a wild piece of hair behind her ear just as the doorbell rang.

"Emma! Food delivery!" the young man who answered the door called out.

"Hold that thought," she said, holding a finger up to Killian. "I'll be right back." Emma went over to the door and let in the three delivery men carrying containers food. "Just set them up on the breakfast bar. Floyd, did you bring steamers? I told Granny to make two seafood platters. Now I think I should have asked for three..."

"She made you three, also two deli platters, a veggie platter, and three lasagnas. She also sent her homemade chowder. The salads are over there, with the fresh bread, breadsticks, and garlic cheese bread." The man handed her an order form. Emma quickly checked it over and signed her name, taking her receipt.

"Thank her for me," she said with a hollow smile, handing the ticket back. Emma walked the men out as the students made their way to the large quantities of food, and began fixing plates.

"Professor!" Emma turned back to Killian and nodded. Stopping momentarily to tell the students where drinks were, she headed upstairs towards her bedroom with Killian on her heels. "Okay, what's going on?" he asked as soon as they reached the top.

Emma sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. After Killian left a few hours ago, she'd checked her email. She'd been shaking inside since. "After you left, while Gus was still sleeping, I decided to check my email. Tink emailed me all the research she had received." Killian swore under his breath and sat next to her. "She sent me a message that was timestamped at one in the morning."

Killian didn't like the way her voice was wavering, he quickly pulled her into his arms, and could feel the deep tremors. Picking her up, he took her into the bathroom and started a hot bath. "Okay... it's okay Emma, you don't have to tell me what she said. The perp wiped her computer, they must know we can find the information again. They just wanted to stall us. This will help."

Emma's teeth were chattering. "She wrote me. I was the last person she ever talked to, sort of. Oh god, she wanted to know if you were into threesomes, being that you were so 'godlike'." Emma started to laugh, and then with a hiccup, a sob left her body as she began to shake.

Bloody hell! Killian tossed off his shoes, quickly removing his shoulder holster and gun, and climbed into the tub fully clothed. Grabbing her body, he held her close to him. All this repressed sorrow was doing her nothing but damage. She needed to cry, to find some outlet instead of letting it tear her insides apart.

"Emma?" Killian heard August's voice in the bedroom.

"August!" Killian called him as he held her. It wasn't as bad as when she saw Geppeti's murder scene pictures, but it was close. He needed to get her warm and calm and talking.

August came in and looked at them incredulously in the tub. "What the hell is going on? Who are all these people, and why are you in the tub with your clothes? Emma-" August finally saw her face and stopped talking. Looking at Killian, he immediately exited the bathroom to get her something hot to drink, hot tea... with a ton of sugar.

Killian's brows flexed in confusion. August still looked sick, and despite all his sleeping, he still looked like he needed more. This case, the stress, and even Tink's death were hitting him just as hard. When August returned, he passed Killian a cup of hot tea laced with lots of sugar and a finger of scotch. He also handed Killian two sleeping tablets from his private reserve. He used them when he was on long stretches in Vice, sometimes he'd only get a chance to sleep in the middle of day and couldn't because of the light and noise. August watched Killian feed her the tea, speaking in low soothing tones.

When Killian lifted the meds to her lips, Emma thrashed in his arms. "No," she cried out weakly. "I can't."

"Please Emma, you need to rest, and give your mind a break," Killian pleaded. The blue of his eyes dulled a little, not liking himself very much in that moment. He understood all too well what it was like to be force fed medication when you didn't want it.

"I can't," she said brokenly. "I don't want to go where they will take me."

"It's okay, love," he reassured her. "I'll be with you the entire time."

Her watery eyes shifted to his, and Killian was floored by the complete trust he saw shining through a touch of fright. She slowly opened her mouth and accepted the pills.

"She needs to learn to cry instead of bottling it all up inside," August said, looking at the woman who he considered a sister as she rested against Killian, her body shaking as they waited for the tablets to take effect. He hated himself for giving Killian the sleeping aids. He knew she hated to take sleeping pills, to have no control over her night terrors.

August had slept through all the chaos downstairs, leaving him a little confused on the congregation in the living room. "Who are all those people?" he asked. "No clue, mate," Killian admitted. "I went out to take care of an interview and just got back to the invasion." He gently wiped Emma's face, reaching to kiss her head, and then her pale lips.

He'd slept through all of this! Killian had left Emma because he was home, but he wasn't in any shape to take care of her. Here she was, almost in shock again and breaking into pieces. August cursed at himself under his breath. Worthless fuck, what the fuck is going on? This has to end soon!

Killian looked over helplessly when August suddenly lurched toward the toilet before he was violently ill. Shit, the man was shaking so much his hands could barely hold him over the toilet bowl as he dry-heaved. What the fuck was up with him? "Gus? Shit, mate, I think you need to go to the doctor's office. You look like crap. You usually look like crap, but this is major crap!" Killian said, trying to lighten the moment as he felt Emma's body relax against him.

"Asshole," August muttered, then wiped his mouth. "Man, I feel like I have mono or something. I swear my heart feels like it is pounding out of my chest. The nausea is okay unless I eat, then it's worse. I threw up blood earlier," August confided honestly.

Killian looked at the man. He looked like he was in pain. "I'm gonna call David to come get you, mate. He'll take you to the doctor."

"No. I'm fine. I think it's passing. Emma is my major concern right now." August got up on shaky legs and went to rinse out his mouth and wash his face.

Killian looked down and found Emma sleeping against him. "Gus, are you steady enough to grab me a bath towel?"

August nodded and grabbed one as the man stood up with Emma in his arms. She looked so small and delicate in Killian's embrace. He didn't know how much more she could take before it broke her to pieces, or she perforated her own ulcer.

"Can you get the bed ready," Killian nodded toward the room, "I'm going to get her out of these clothes." As soon as August exited the bathroom, Killian stripped Emma out of her soaking clothes, dried her with the towel, and then wrapped it around her body. As before she stood motionless letting him tend to her without reaction. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed, quickly covering her with the comforter as August brought a few more blankets over.

"Do you need to borrow some clothes?" August asked.

"I'm okay, thanks, mate. I've got some here."

August's eyebrow shot up at that. Since when did he start moving clothes over here? August watched as Killian opened a drawer and took out a Storybrooke P.D. t-shirt, and a pair of sweatpants, and set them on the dresser. He walked back to the bathroom, removed his wet clothes and hung them and Emma's on the shower door. When he went to grab the towel to wrap around his waist he realized it was still on Emma. Oh well, he thought. If Gus was still out there it would serve him right for bursting into their room butt ass naked in a scavenger hunt for condoms the other night. Retrieving his gun and holster, Killian marched back into the bedroom unabashedly to get dressed.

Damn! Killian Jones obviously has no shame, August thought as Killian walked around naked, like he owned the place. Double damn! He guessed it was only fair after he had flashed Killian with his naked body the other night, but seeing Jones's package up close was a shocker. August was suddenly suffering from a bout of penis envy. Damn, it's not even... August shook the thought from his head. He needed his brain washed out, all he could think of was his small Emma and that monster, and... he shook his head again. Some fronts were better left unexplored.

"August, I'm going downstairs to find out what the bloody hell is going on. Why don't you lie down with Emma, keep an eye on her, and rest?" Killian instructed, as he finished dressing. He wanted them both where he could keep an eye on them. He knew he'd promised her he wouldn't leave her, but he needed to find out if the group downstairs had anything concrete he could work with. He just hoped he'd be back before she woke.

August groaned, getting ready to refuse, but in truth, the smell of food from downstairs was making his stomach pitch and roll again. So, he acknowledged Killian's request and stretched out on the bed.

Killian wasn't surprised when August was asleep almost immediately.

…

Robin saw her immediately. He didn't know how she got into the club before opening hours. The bartender was restocking and getting the bar ready for the night, when he saw Robin and nodded his head towards Regina. Robin acknowledged the nod, and quickly went to find his band member Tuck.

A few moments later, he returned to the main bar, and the bartender discreetly found something to do in the back. Regina sat there sipping on a dry martini, munching on extra olives. Sensing someone watching her, she turned to see Robin just standing there with his hands on his hips looking at her.

Regina smiled grandly and turned in her seat to face him fully. He looked so wonderful in nothing but a pair of tight jeans and a t-shirt, his hair was unruly, and his face unshaved. She liked his hair curled at his neck and behind his ears, the color offset the glint of metal from his earrings.

"Robin!" she greeted, her eyes shining with mischief.

"Regina." Robin sighed and decided to get it over with. "What are you doing here? It's not bar hours yet. This place can't serve until posted hours. It's against the law."

Regina smiled at that. "What do you know about the law?"

"I own the club. Knowing about the law and liquor regulations in Storybrooke is what keeps this place open, and only raided a few times a year." Robin didn't like giving out that much information about himself, but he was going to get up close and personal with her real soon, so he might as well come clean.

"You own The Hollow! That's priceless. I love this place. I come here all the time," Regina enthused.

"Aye, I know. I think you're determined to make me a rich man before I'm forty." Robin had set a limit to her drinks just recently. He didn't mind people coming to party in his place, but he didn't believe in taking money off people and then sending them out to die in cars on their way home.

"I thought the guy my brother talked to the other night was the owner," she stated, puzzled.

"Actually, he's the manager. He runs the place, does the ordering, hiring, and firing. I just watch from the stage." Robin reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, lighting up. "I noticed you here the other night talking to Will." He noticed a lot more than her socializing with a dealer, because she was impossible to ignore.

"Yeah, he's okay." Regina was cautious about mentioning what Will did for her.

"He's not okay, and he's not supposed to be dealing in my club. Look Regina, I don't care what you do for entertainment, but I don't like to see hardcore drugs done in my club. I have my people watching for creeps who use Ecstasy, Meth, and any other substance to entrap people. I don't allow drug use in my club, even though some find a way in. If we can catch it, we usually close it down immediately." Robin looked at her and felt something close to pity. This was going to be difficult.

"I'm sorry! I didn't-" Regina sputtered.

Robin cut her off. "My people like to party. They do some shit, but nothing so abusive it takes away your life. I know you're trying to get into the inner circle, close..." Robin paused not wanting to sound too knowledgeable or even self-assured. He wasn't sure she could take it in her condition. "I left orders that you're a no-admit."

Regina could feel the blood draining from her body. Guess she had her answer, he didn't like her, because he didn't like her. Simple as that.

"I'm sorry... I'll go," Regina mumbled as she reached for her stuff, but he stopped her. Robin knew he needed to treat her rough and cruelly, but he wasn't a man that believed in kicking wounded animals.

"Do you want to know why I ordered you off? Do you want to know why all staff and band members keep clear of you?" he asked.

Regina shook her head no. She didn't want to hear his cruel words. Men had said worse to her in the past six years, but nothing as harsh as she said to herself. Somehow, she just knew that words from Robin's mouth would be the worst, because they would somehow mean something.

Robin ignored her protest and told her anyway, knowing sometimes the only way to cure an illness was to lance it, to cut into the festering underbelly and cut away the disease. "I didn't want to see you whoring it up with my people. I don't want you doing it with me!" Robin watched her get up and run, and he pursued her. When she was close to the wall, he reached her and pushed her against it moving into her personal space.

"Leave me alone!" she spat out, finding a little of her grit. She was upset, positive that having him abuse her would break her for good. It would be something she couldn't forget or survive, so she used her only weapon, her anger.

"No!" Robin's voice lowered. "No, Regina. I will not leave you alone. You asked for this, moved in for it, wanted it for so long... why should I deny you? You want me, don't you?"

Regina wanted to say no. She wanted to lie, to wipe the self-assured, confident look off his face. He was a man too much in control of his world. She hated him for the strength she saw in him, the strength that mocked her weakness. She couldn't face him this way, continuing to be weak, so she admitted the terrible sin. "Yes, yes I wanted you!"

Robin pulled away and looked at her his eyes raging with emotions she couldn't understand. "No! No you don't! You want the image of me, what you think I am. And that is why you were banned," he growled, moving back from her, telling himself to do what he must before he became trapped by her. This wasn't going to happen.

"Don't tell me what I want and don't want," Regina ground out, her strength growing. She wanted him, she wanted him so much it hurt. Inside this bar, in a cheap motel, or up against a dark alley wall. But most of all she wanted to be in his bed, a place she could stay, and never leave.

"Robin, what the hell is wrong with you?" Regina gasped, "why are you so against this, against me?"

"Regina," Robin groaned, a hand coming up to run through his hair. "You're looking for something I can't give you. You want…" What the hell was he doing, he wondered. He stepped back to her and his hand slid up, stroking Regina's soft hair, caressing her face gently, his fingers trembling at the feel of her skin.

Shaking his head, Robin tried to regain some control. He should have known better than to let it get this far. Let her get to him. "Regina," he sighed. "Don't fuck with me."

"What do you mean?" Regina whispered, lifting her face closer to Robin, letting the smell and feel of him send her reeling in waves of lust and desire that pulsed through her body.

"Don't do this, not unless you understand what it means." Robin answered, his hands restraining her when she would have drawn near.

"What?" Regina moaned, her lips moving to Robin's, gently at first, then sinking into his mouth with a groan.

"Oh, god," Robin gasped, feeling her tongue probing against his slack and hungry lips, caressing his tongue, pulling it back into her mouth, sucking on it hungrily. "Is this what you want, Regina?" Robin moaned, his arms sliding under her hair around her neck, pulling her closer as he fed hungrily on her mouth. He pressed his hot body into her embrace, his legs spreading hers apart so he could rest in her cradle of her thighs as she gasped his name.

"Oh God, Robin," Regina moaned, feeling the blazing heat of Robin's tongue, and his hands cradling her against him. Regina breathed thickly, her body arching up against him, her hands sliding down, fumbling with the zipper that pressed into her, eagerly wanting to release the full weight of him into her hand.

Robin pulled back from her, keeping her hands out of his pants. "Do you understand, Regina? Is this what you want?"

Regina arched into him, pushing her body into his, struggling to have him release her so she could take him. "Yes, god yes, I want you, just you."

Robin watched her eyes close, heard her struggled breath, he needed to force her to say it, to acknowledge her options. "Then say it. Tell me, Regina, tell me what you want."

"You, I want you."

Robin gripped her hard and gave her a little shake to pull her out of this drug-like state she was in, to make her listen and talk. "The words, tell me what you want me to do to you, Regina. I need the words." Robin watched her eyes clear as she focused on his, taking in large gasping breaths, trying to calm her over heated body.

"I want you to sleep with me, to take me to bed-"

"The truth Regina! What do you want from me?!" Robin pushed for more, for the truth.

"I want you to fuck me! And keep fucking me until there's nothing left but-"

Robin didn't let her finish. "That's exactly why this can't go anywhere. You want me to fix you, to be an addiction that feeds you just like the drugs do, to make you forget whatever has you drowning your memories. I can't do that, Regina, I can't fix someone, not even you. You have to be willing to do that on your own."

"No, no I want."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to love me!" Regina was shocked at her answer, horrified at the look he gave her.

He stood back from her and searched for a cigarette. Finding one, he lit it and leaned back against a wall, looking at her critically. "I can't," Robin said finally, watching closely as her face shuddered with emotion.

"Why? Why can't you?" she asked, trying to keep the hysteria from her voice. She was mortified at what he was saying. Three weeks ago, she wouldn't have cared. She would have just wanted the physical gratification, the numbness. But not with him. He was different. She thought he might be the one to bring her back to life. She could feel his energy, the life-force of his music around him, but how could she be so wrong?

Robin moved in and tenderly cupped her beautiful face, running his thumb across her cheekbone. "I can't love a woman that doesn't love herself. I'm no hero, no knight in shining armor, but I won't be another man in a long line of men, who use you physically and throw you away. I won't take advantage of your pain. Do you want me to love you?" Robin asked waiting for her to nod yes. "Then learn to love yourself first."

Regina didn't know what to say. Why should he even care? She was nothing to him, less than nothing. All he saw when he looked at her was how weak and destructive she was. "Then we can never-"

"Look," he interrupted her. "If all you want from me is some momentary gratification, a little something to tide you over until you find another man to whore yourself to, then fine, let's get it on. I'm game. I haven't tried to hide the fact that my body responds to you, but, if what you want is more, more for you, more for me... then that takes work." He moved in and took her mouth in a long, and passionate kiss, putting feeling into it. "Baby, the work is on your side. I don't save broken souls or mend broken wings. You want me, then you heal yourself first."

"I've tried, I really have, but I don't know how."

"No excuses, Regina. I'm giving you two options." Robin looked up and saw Tuck giving him a sign from the door. "You can walk out and never come back, pretend this never happened. You go on with your life, and I with mine. Or you can decide to heal, to be the woman I know you can be, then we can give this thing a real shot. You can follow Tuck over there out of here, you can get in the cab that is waiting and let it take you to this clinic run by a friend of mine. I made all the arrangements. They'll let you check yourself in, but they won't let you leave until you're ready, if you leave before the program is complete, there's no going back."

Regina looked at him as if he were insane. It was crazy. He was crazy to think it was just that easy. Get in a cab and change her life. If it were that easy, she would have done it long ago.

"It is that easy, baby," Robin soothed as he pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "It doesn't have to be difficult if it's what you really, really want. I'm not offering you any guarantees that I'll still be here, but I'm offering you a different path. This life you are leading, it's a killer, a long hard road, and the other is your salvation. I can't lead you down the path or walk with you, but I can point you in the right direction. And Regina? It's that way." Robin pointed to the door and Tuck.

Regina looked at his earnest eyes, the intent of his demeanor, and then at the door. Taking a breath, a long, deep sigh and letting something so old and corrupt out of her, she looked at Robin again. Taking his head between her hands, she reached over and kissed him slowly and deeply. Stopping to rest against him, she breathed in his energy, his assurance for just a second. Finally, straightening her back she smiled unsure at him. "Okay."

Regina took her stuff and turned away, walking unsteadily to the door, but never once faltering. It didn't matter if Robin waited for her, if they ever got together, or even if she ever saw him again. All that mattered was he gave her choices, and for once in her life, she was making this one for her.

Robin watched the door shut behind her. Taking one last draw on his cigarette, which had all but burned away, he threw the rest on the floor and ground it under his heel. Robin wished her luck in a whisper as he turned to go back to his life. "Godspeed."

…

Mary Margaret and David strolled toward campus and the Art show David had promised, enjoying the mild evening. They'd had a delicious meal at Tony's, a favored Italian restaurant close to campus and were now onto the second part of their evening. David had no clue if Mary Margaret even liked art, but he hadn't wanted to take her to the movies. There you needed to be quiet, and he wanted to learn as much about Mary Margaret as he could, away from her lab, and away from death.

"Are you interested in art?" Mary Margaret asked, seeming to read his mind.

"A little," he lied. "Well, enough to know what I like and what I don't," he admitted with a pleasant smile. "How about you?"

"A little," she smiled demurely. "I can identify the masterpieces, but I doubt we're going to see any of those here."

"Yeah, highly doubtful," David agreed. "So, tell me about yourself, Mary Margaret? Your family. Brothers and sisters."

"No siblings, I'm an only child," she revealed. "How about you?"

"Well, you know about Regina," he answered with a knowing look.

Mary Margaret nodded. Of course, she did, everyone knew about Regina. Though Storybrooke had expanded greatly in the last ten years, especially with the addition of the university, its long-time residents still maintained a small-town mentality, and gossip was rampant. Regina Nolan had fueled that gossip since she'd arrived in town.

"What is not well known is I had a brother as well, a twin brother," David added.

"Oh. Had?" She was all too aware what that small word meant.

"Yeah, he died when we were teenagers," David said, his eyes looking off into the distance.

"Do you mind me asking how?" Mary Margaret probed.

Usually David was unsettled and protective when it came to talking about his brother, but with Mary Margaret it didn't seem as hard.

"James was… different. He had a thirst for life, even at a young age. I was the cautious one, while he ran ahead, not thinking of the repercussions. He had a group of friends, he was like the ringleader, and they followed him like faithful dogs."

"And you? What was teenaged David like?"

"Someone had to have the responsibility of helping our mother run the farm, and try to keep Regina in line. James didn't care about that, he cared for what he could get out of life, what he felt life owed him."

"What happened?"

"He took it too far, went up against the wrong opponent and they cut him down. Literally."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, David," she said sincerely, her face expressing every emotion she felt for him.

He smiled wearily, "I think that's probably why I chose to be a cop as a career, to take out the bad guys before they took out someone else. James may not have been liked by many, even myself sometimes, but he was still my brother, my twin."

"Of course, he was," Mary Margaret agreed.

They strolled in silence for a block, neither one knowing what to say after David's revelation, until they came to the campus. "So this art thing, it's in the Horwitz building. Have any clue where that is?"

Mary Margaret laughed a little as she shook her head. "No idea."

"Well, it will be our first adventure together, then," David smiled back. He offered her his arm, saying gallantly, "Shall we, My Lady?"

"How charming," she chuckled as she slipped her arm through his. "Why, thank you, kind Sir." And together they went in search of adventure.

…