A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews and support with all the follows/favs!
I wanted to make one thing clear beforehand. This was actually supposed to be a one show but your reviews convinced me to go on with this story. I talked to my friend and best beta in the world waterbaby and had two options where to go with this story. Most of you probably know how much of a fake the Bachelorette is. The candidates are cast beforehand, the interviews are fake, the sex is not and it's all just a big show. All the candidates are very simple and superficial - not a way I want to write my favourite ship. So my choices were either the real way or the mushy gushy fairy tale way. I decided on the latter so you guys get a lot of feels and I hope that's going to be okay for you!
Enjoy the new chapter
(2)
The evening was pleasant, perhaps a bit chilly due to the soft breeze that was heading their way from the Pacific. In the back yard of the Bachelorette villa, the men were already getting drunk on champagne, chit chatting and testing the waters. Perhaps they were already looking for potential allies; perhaps they were carefully exchanging their first impression of Regina. Robin didn't know and truthfully, he didn't much care either. He was still struck from the fact Regina was posing as the Bachelorette. The plan he'd sorted out beforehand had received a strong blow. Should he stop it right now, should he leave? Or should he take this as a chance, a chance to clear their past and be done with it once and for all?
The end of their love affair or whatever he should call it was still haunting him in his dreams. "You never forget your first," Will had told him once. It was true. What crazy twist of fate was this? What did he do to deserve this whole thing blowing up in his face? For years he'd wondered what had happened to her, if she was still married to that creep and whether her mother was still making all decisions for her. Had she even thought about him once in all this time?
Sighing, he came to the conclusion he needed to talk to her. Somewhere private, somewhere where they would not be overheard by the cameras. Well, that would certainly turn out to be difficult. Despite the fact he needed to get a few things off his chest, Robin also wondered whether Regina was willing to reveal their connection or not. Perhaps she had already made her mind up, knew for sure he would be one of the ten guys to leave without a rose tonight.
God, all of this was so fucked up, he really...
"You look like you could use a drink, mate," someone beside him said cheerfully. Robin blinked twice, before he let out a sincere "thank you." He took the glass from the tall dark haired guy with a short beard who was completely clad in leather. From his first impression, Robin would say he looked like a member of the Sons of Anarchy.
"They gave out the hard stuff to you already? I thought they'd force us to drink champagne the whole time."
The man laughed. "They do. Good thing I brought a bottle of my own then. Enjoy the rum while you still have it. I've had two guys come after me already because they wanted their fair share. I think I'll have to bribe someone from the outside to keep my supplies stocked up. I'm Killian by the way," he introduced himself, holding out a hand for Robin to shake.
"Robin." They sipped from their champagne glasses, Killian making a satisfied face while Robin raised his eyebrow in surprise. This was good. Really good. He was usually the whiskey kind of guy, but this rum held its promise.
"So, Robin, tell me. What do you think about Regina?" Robin looked around to make sure both cameras were busy with filming the other men. He discretely covered his microphone with his hand since he did not want anyone to overhear them.
"She seems... interesting."
"You mean hot," Killian answered dryly.
"Yeah, that, too." Robin took another sip from his drink. What was he supposed to tell this man? Regina is the most caring, breathtakingly beautiful woman he's ever met apart from his wife but she'd managed to break his heart ten years ago when they were both too young to understand what a commitment love was? She'd been only twenty-one; he'd been barely twenty-three. At the time he met her, he'd just come out of a rough phase and she'd been the light in the darkness that surrounded him. He'd never forget meeting her in a pub, her mind set only on getting drunk.
She sat down two chairs next to him, giving the bar keeper a sign to hand over two shots which she knocked back without blinking twice. Robin gave her an admiring glance, wondering what made a lovely young woman like her visit a dirty shit hole like the Rabbit Hole all by herself.
The barkeeper didn't hesitate to give her shots a refill. She turned her face to the side and only then Robin noticed the nasty bruise on her cheek and the split upper lip that looked like it could only be a few hours old. The shock was deep in his bones. Who would dare to beat up her angelic face like this?! A sudden madness overcame him toward the anonymous person who had done this to her. If he ever met this guy, he'd make sure...
"You're not being very subtle about your staring," she noted with a frown, not even bothering to look at him.
"Wasn't trying to be subtle," he grinned. "Honestly, Milady, can you blame any man for staring at a beautiful vision as yours?" Now she looked up, her brown eyes seeming almost completely dark in the light of the bar. He detested a hint of sadness in them, which made his heart squeeze painfully.
"I take that as a compliment then."
"It was meant to be one." This time, she smiled, even though it turned into some kind of a grimace when the pain of her bruise made itself felt. Her eyes trailed back to her drink. Robin winced internally. This was just not fair.
"Care if I join you, Milady?"
"Not stopping you," she sighed, so quietly he barely heard. He took her answer as a yes, got up and took the available seat next to her. They didn't talk, not for a while. Instead they both knocked back two more shots before Regina finally let out a defeated sigh. "Go on, ask what I know you desperately want me to ask."
"Oh, I don't have a question," Robin reassured.
"Liar."
Well, she had him there. "I was merely wondering why an incredibly stunning woman such as yourself would choose the Rabbit Hole of all places to get drunk."
"Perhaps this young woman was simply hoping to find a place where she'd be left alone and could get drunk in peace."
"Seems like you failed," Robin commented. He searched for the barkeeper's eyes to order two more shots for them.
"And whose fault is that?" Regina asked with a hint of annoyance. He was about to reply something when she cut him off. "If you're about to give me a pep talk you should know I don't do well with pep-talks." She nodded at the barkeeper who placed two more shots in front of them, knocking one back without making a face.
Fiveshots in fifteen minutes, Robin noted, wondering if she really knew what she was doing. From what he knew, the alcohol level of petite women such as her was rather low. If she kept this speed up, he'd have to take control and stop her from developing alcohol poisoning.
"Not here to do that... however I think you actually want to talk about what's bothering you."
"And what makes you think you know me so well?"
"Well, I'm sure I'd have gotten my arse kicked by now if you didn't."
Regina snorted. "True." She was reaching for the sixth shot, but Robin covered her hand with his. She looked up, pulling away, her brown eyes picked with fury. "Just because I haven't kicked your ass yet, doesn't mean I won't if you dare touch me again."
Robin sighed heavily. "Listen, I don't want to patronize you..."
"Then don't!" Regina shot back angrily, knocking back the shot of tequila without blinking an eye.
"I just don't think alcohol is the best solution for your problems right now."
"And what do you know about my problems? You have no idea what's going on at the moment."
"Maybe I don't. But you can tell me. Perhaps I can help," he offered.
Regina let out a deep, cruel laugh. "Nobody can help me." The desperation and bitterness in her voice was almost unbearable for him. How could a woman so young be so filled with bitterness? Even though he was sure she would probably disapprove, he felt pity for her. He just wanted to help. Knocking back drinks in a bar was not the best way to deal with problems. Then, the realization that he'd just been doing that himself, struck him like lightning.
Perhaps he should back off, give her the space she needed. If she wanted to get drunk, his mind told him, who was he to stop her? His heart was telling him a completely different story though. This woman was desperate and needed help, not a seventh shot of tequila. She'd regret the six she'd had already, come morning.
"I'm Robin."
"Regina."
He smiled. The name was beautiful, almost royal which fit perfectly to her regal but at the moment very broken, charisma. "How about I propose a deal, Regina." Her eyebrow shot up curiously. She was waiting, waiting for him to continue.
"Let's take this back to my place. I have a very nice bottle of whiskey stashed away somewhere. We can talk or simply sit and drink - whatever you like." The moment he said these words he wondered which sane woman would agree to following a stranger she just met at a bar back to his apartment. This idea was the stupidest he ever had.
"Okay," Regina simply answered after a second of hesitation.
His eyes widened. "Okay?"
She got up from the barstool. "Who am I to turn down a free bottle of whiskey?"
Robin swallowed hard. "Are you sure?"
She smiled, leaning in closer to him, so her hot breath was brushing his ear. "After today I don't care what happens to me anymore." Regina tugged at his hand, leaving Robin just enough time to throw a few bills on the bar to cover both their drinks.
He smiled at the memory of that night. They'd gone to the apartment he shared with Will at that time. Will hadn't been at home; he'd been on a date with Ana so they could occupy the living room for their late-night talk. However the moment he'd come back out of his room with the bottle of expensive Scottish whiskey, Regina had been lying knocked out on the couch. He had considered waking her, calling a cab to take her home, but she'd looked so peaceful the way she slept, he'd covered her sleeping form with a blanket and bid her goodnight.
"Woah, what's going on in that pretty little head of yours, mate?" Killian asked teasingly. Only then Robin noticed all the men had gathered together at the pool, waiting for Regina to appear. They started cheering when she entered the pool area, waving cheerfully at the men. Robin and Killian moved over, taking places at the side so they had a good view of what was going on.
Robin could see she was nervous, could see she was scanning the crowd for someone in particular. Him. Their eyes met for one short moment, making Robin's heart clench painfully when her face tightened and her gaze grew more serious. It was all over in a second but it did nothing to make the dryness in his throat go away.
"Hey guys," she greeted, "I'm so glad you all came here. I've been waiting for this night for what it feels like forever and I hope you're as excited as I am." The crowd confirmed with clapping and cheering. "I'm really excited to meet each and every one of you and I hope to get to know you. I know we don't have much time tonight and by the end of the night I'll have to choose fifteen out of twenty-five that will stay here. I am in a very emotional position here and there is only one piece of advice I have for myself and for you. Be honest with yourselves and even more importantly, please be honest with me. Don't be scared of feeling, allow yourself to feel and I'm sure we will all have a great time here."
"To Regina!" a man Killian introduced to Robin as Graham cheered. The crowd agreed by raising their glasses.
Regina laughed. "Have a fun night!"
Xxxxx
While everyone was keen on getting to talk to Regina to maybe be the receiver of the first-impression-rose, Robin was hanging back. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he approach her? Should he wait for her to approach him? Should he do anything at all or just wait until tonight was over and he could go home?
One thing was for sure; he couldn't stand the cockfight Regina was already in the middle of. One man, he thought was called Sidney, had already swept her off to a more private area where they could talk alone.
A while later, the first-impression-rose was given to a tall muscular guy named Daniel, who looked so love-struck by Regina it was almost comical.
Killian came over to him after a group conversation with Regina and another blond guy who introduced himself as David. He shared the last bit of rum with them, toasting to Regina and all beautiful women in the world. The two of them actually turned out to be quite nice. If he had to pick friends among the guys here, it'd certainly be the two of them.
Robin learned Killian was originally from Ireland and owner of a charter in Miami. David had grown up on a farm in Iowa and now worked on Wall Street making big money every day. They continued to talk, giving Robin an excuse to avoid Regina for the rest of the evening.
A while later, they were all called into the living room of the mansion, ready for the first rose ceremony. A woman instructed them to line up while the make-up artists powdered their faces for the umpteenth time tonight. Robin was actually nervous. He knew he would not get a rose tonight, he was certain.
The tension increased on the men. Everyone wanted a rose; no one wanted the shame of having to go home on the first night.
When Regina entered the room, she looked pleased. "So... this is the first rose ceremony. God, I'm nervous." She chuckled and some of the men chuckled too, to lighten up the mood. "I've met so many interesting and different characters tonight and I really had fun. Please know it was a pleasure for me to get to know you all even though tonight I have to decide who is allowed to stick around..." She took a deep breath. "Okay... are you guys ready?"
"Ready when you are," someone said and made her grin.
"Well then," Regina grinned picking up the first rose. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was holding their breath, everyone hoping to be relieved of the stress by hearing their name being called.
"My first rose goes to... Graham." A man in the very front let out a relieved huff of breath before he walked toward Regina who asked him if he accepted the rose. He said yes, kissed her on the cheek and hugged her tight.
Robin watched the rose ceremony continue. It felt like an out of body experience, seeing the men Regina had picked for the next round. They were all completely different types. Along the way he was happy to notice Killian and David had gotten a rose, too. He felt protective of her, couldn't quite shake the feeling off. If she had to hook up with one of these guy he'd be glad it would be decent ones like Killian or David whose intentions seemed very true and honest, not like some of the others such as Victor, Jefferson, Keith or Graham. The only thing these four had been able to talk about was what they would do with Regina once the fantasy-suite dates would start, something which had made Robin's stomach twist. He had had to restrain himself from punching them in the face.
Then there was Sidney, who already seemed to have developed some kind of obsession with Regina. August seemed nice but a little rough around the edges. Lancelot and Arthur were nice guys from what he'd seen. The choice of Phillip, Eric and Hans surprised Robin however. They looked out of place next to Regina.
Carefully, the Bachelorette took the last rose from the silver plate. The emotion in the room were mixed. Those fourteen who'd been lucky enough to receive a rose were relieved; the others knew only one of them would get into the next round.
Robin had made peace with the fact Regina must have decided to let him leave. Maybe it was for the best; maybe this was the closure he needed. She was doing fine without him, had gotten her life back together, was not married to Leopold anymore. She was successful and beautiful, ready to fall in love and get married. One of her potential husbands was right here in this room. One of them would propose to her at the end of the show, stick an overly expensive diamond ring on her finger and kiss her senseless. He should be happy for her, should wish her good luck once he said goodbye...
"Robin." He should make sure to call John or Will to pick him up at the airport in Boston tomorrow. Roland would be happy to have his father back so soon. What was he thinking going away and leaving his son with his best friends anyways?
"Robin?"
David nudged Robin in the side. "I think she means you."
His head shot up, meeting Regina's eyes, which looked insecurely up at him. She seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for him to step forward. It was Killian who gave him a push, making him almost stumble down the two steps.
Regina's hands were shaking, her breath coming out in short breaths. "Robin... Do you accept this rose?"
He looked to the rose she was holding out to him, then back into her pleading eyes. Was she tearing up or was it the light of the floodlights? This was his chance, his chance to back off, to be done with her once and for all. But just like back in the pub, his mind was telling him things his heart didn't care about. "Yes," he breathed.
Regina let out the breath she was holding, fastening the rose on his breast pocket. He was about to bid her formally goodbye, when she threw her arms around his neck, breathing a very emotional "thank you" into his ear.
