A/N: Hello all! I know it been a while. I'm still here. Happy New Year! I hope I haven't lost any of you all in the process. A lot happens in this chapter. It might be the last chapter for a while, so I made sure to make it long. Disclaimer: Also, I really wanted to get this out to you all so I haven't scrubbed through this like I usually do. Please don't mind the typeos. I promise I'll go back through and fix them and any inconsistencies.
Songs featured in chapter: "We Never Die" acustic -Juke Ross
"I lost a Friend" -FINNEAS
Enjoy!
Chapter 23
15 hours until video release
5:30am is no good for Robin. For Regina it would already be 8:30 by the time it was time for him board the plane. Zelena will likely post the videos two hours later. Everything will change. Robin doesn't want a life changing event to occur while he's stuck in the air. There has to be another way. Robin dials the number to his parents assistant, Gwendolyn, as he races toward his house. He has never worked with her personally. She is his parents assistant, not his. However, seeing that his parents are his acting managers most of the work she does is for him anyway.
"Robin? What's going on? Where are you?" Gwen begins speaking the moment she picks up the phone. She's near his parents if the muffled voice s in the background are anything to go by. "We saw what happened with you and Marion at the restaurant. It's all over the internet."
Robin sighs. Damn it. He'd hoped he had a little more time before he had to deal with the Marion drama. He really doesn't have time for this.
"Gwen." Robin interrupts her interrogation. "Do we still have that private jet on standby? You know, the one the band uses for special interviews across country and what-not?"
Gwen hesitates unsure where his line of questioning will lead. "Yes, we do."
"Can it be in the air in about an hour or so?
"Robin what is this about? What's going on?" She asks instead.
He doesn't have time for this. "Just answer the question." Robin snaps.
"Y-yes. Yes, it can."
"Good. Book a flight to Bar Harbor or any runways near Storybrooke, Maine. Category: URGENT. I need to be in the air in an hour." Robin explains. "Can you make that happen?"
She sighs. "I could, however your parents will not approve of this. They want you preparing for your tour and the movie. Besides, it isn't good for your image to be chasing some crazy fan."
"Make it happen Gwen." Robin snaps. "You may work for my parents, but they work for me. You're on my payroll. So just do as you're told." He hates waving his status over other people. He doesn't want to be that person. Seeing how no one seems to be helping him make things right, desperate times calls for desperate measures. Gwen grumbles a response and confirms the flight.
Robin ends the call without a goodbye when he knows the flight has been booked. In the spur of moment Robin takes a hard right in a direction that moving moves him away from his home. He remembers being sent a copy of Gold's schedule in a effort to make Robin aware of times to best contact him. According to that schedule Gold is filming a couple scenes from his movie on location for the next couple of days. And Robin only remembered because the set site is a couple blocks from his house. He wasn't positive where Gold would be exactly, so he followed the little yellow signs placed at the corner of streets to base camp. Once Robin was on the lot it was surprisingly easy to locate Gold. It found it strange how welcoming everyone seemed to be toward him. The obviously recognize him and know who he is. They guide him to their director without him having to ask. The crew might not be welcoming once he says what he has to say to Gold. Heavens. This is a bad idea. No matter how upset Robin is with Gold's ultimatum he still deserves to hear it from him in person.
Robin spots Gold sitting in his director's chair in front of multiple monitors displaying what is being filmed. They are a shooting some kind of dramatic rain scene. It's fascinating to watch seeing that they're all outside and there's not a cloud in the sky. The crew has built this gigantic rig makes the appearance of rain across the medium sized set. Honestly all of Robert Gold's sets are amazing. It's apart of what makes him such a great film maker. He has vision. That's assisted him in making blockbuster films time and time again. Anyone would be lucky to see, let alone work on one of Gold's sets. It is truly impressive.
When he is close enough he can make what Gold is saying to his crew and actors. "And cut! That was great. I think we've got it, but let's go again to be sure." Gold whirls around where he stands. When catching sight of Robin, he smiles. "Robin! Dearie, great news." Gold walks over to him with a charming smile. "You're in. Rehearsals Start Monday. And don't worry about all the stuff with Marian, it won't affect anything. Sorry, that was an awful thing to have happened to you." Gold puts his hand on his shoulder.
Robin coughs out a thanks. "Actually, I'm not available."
"Not a problem. We'll change the date."
He sighs and frustration. He has to choose his words carefully. Robin says with more confidence. "No. I came to say, thank you for the offer, but if I have to lie to being your little club, I'll pass."
Gold is taken aback. Robin can't tell for sure, but he looks about ready to have him physically thrown off his set.
"You asked me to find Robin Locksley. Well, I found him and he doesn't do things like lie about who his friends are to further his career. Thank you again for the opportunity." Robin walks away before Gold can get a word in. He would rather not see the disappointment in Gold's face and watch everything he and his friends worked so hard for go into the drain. It's worth it. It really is. Still, he doesn't want to see it implode.
Robin makes it home in record time. He is practically out of his car the moment he pulls into his driveway. From the looks of it, his parents are here. Yet another obstacle to overcome. He doesn't want to do damage control right now. Honestly, it will be best to wait until tomorrow morning anyway. That's when the real stuff goes down. Right now however, all Robin wants to do is get to Regina as quickly as he can and apologize. He just hopes he can run inside and grab some clothes and things without his parents causing too much of a hassle.
"Okay. He's got two weeks between Oslo and London. We could make him available for the movie then." Robin hears his mother's voice echoing from where his parents must be in the living room. He considers just walking past them and up the stairs to pack.
"That's tight." His father responds. You know he needs some down time."
His mum tisks. "Okay. Oh, oh! Alright. How about after Tokyo, but before Melbourne?"
Robin sighs. He can't let this go on any further. "What's going on?" He has a feeling he knows what's going on, but he really hates to have his parents put in all this work only to discover its not happening.
"Hi sweetie." "Hey son." His smile briefly at him before gluing their eyes back to their laptops. "We're working on fitting your movie into your tour schedule." His mum explains.
Robin walks toward them and gently closes their laptops. They look to him curiously for an explanation. And he knows he ought to give them one before the bite his hand off for interrupting their work. "I don't want to do the movie anymore." Well that's not entirely true. Does want to do a movie, just not with Gold, not like this, not at the expense of Regina. He will not be doing the movie anymore. Not after his little speech to Gold and everything that will come out tomorrow. Robin can't really gauge his parents reaction through their sunglasses. Who wear sunglasses indoors?
His mum waves him off. "Oh sweetie, don't be silly of course you do." She says as if it is absolute.
"We're about to make the deal, bud." His father says as if he's talking to a child. It's as if Robin wouldn't be able to possibly make or understand a decision like this.
"Well its too late. I've already passed."
That got his parents attention. This his mother gas runs she snatches off her sunglasses. "Honey that's not your decision to make." She looks to him with a genuine concern and frustration.
Robin looks at her equally frustrated. "Yes it is." He counters. How could this possibly not be his decision? All this began with his decision making. It was his decision that led to all of this mess in the first place. It led to all the tension with his mates and with Regina in the hospital. This was definitely this was definitely his decision and he is the one who needs who needed to fix it. At least they understood this was his mess to fix.. Robin can own his mistakes. How had he never noticed it before? Robin never realized just how much his parents managed his life. All his decisions in the past have never really been his have the? They controlled every it controlled every little thing. It wasn't until he met Regina that he really began to really listen to what his mates were telling him all along. He was letting others rule his life and decisions. Well, no more. It's time to let the true Robin Locksley shine and he can't do that while he hides in the shadows of his parent's decision making. "I'm 17 years old. I just want to have fun and make music. I want to be able to express myself how I want to. And be friends with whom ever I want to."
"We hear you Robin. We do." He senses a 'but' coming. "But you haven't been making the wisest o for decisions lately. Giving up the movie, your career? Marion? I think it best we handle this like always." His mother smiles sweetly at him before she's typing on her laptop again.
Robin gapes at her. She cannot be serious. How dare she bring up Marion as if that's his fault. She tried to trapped him in a loveless marriage by faking a pregnancy. Instead she got caught in her own lie and everything backfired. Why would he say we with her? Why wound his parents want him to? Breaking up with Marion wasn't even a choice. It was a given.
"Need I remind you, you were the ones who told me dating Marion would be good for my image. Look how that turned out." He points out. "She was a complete nightmare to be around. She was the reason everything blew up in my face. And I'm trying to right my clouded decision now."
His mother laughs in a mocking manner. "Oh is that what you call bossing our assistant around? Did you really think she wouldn't have told us about your little plan to fly out to Storybrooke, Maine? What has gotten into you Robin?"
"You don't listen. You never have." Robin mumbles. "I am leaving tonight with or without your permission. I need to do this in order to fix things. Pass the message on to my parents whenever they finally come back from Mars."
Robin's mother is gearing up for the argument of the century. Her face is set in frustration and confusion. She's got that look on her face that says she will win if challenged. She opens her mouth to say something, but his father holds his hand out before she can speak.
"Okay. Okay." His father says in an attempt to defuse the situation. "Hey, no worries. No worries. We'll handle it." He stands and puts a hand on Robin Shoulder in an atta boy kind of way. This was not some sort of tantrum! He was trying to connect with them and the refuse to listen.
"No." Robin shakes his father off. He doesn't want them to handle it. That's the point. "No. It's time that I started managing my own life. So…" Robin takes a breath. Is this truly what he wants, what he truly needs? Yes. Yes, it is. He looks to both of his parents. "You're fired."
His parents are stunned still. His mother manages to whisper a 'what'. They look to each other for some kind of explanation. He's already given like, twenty. Robin gives them another one. "I'd really like for you to just be my parents from now on." He's had to make some tough decisions recently and he'd really like to have some advice from apparent and not a manager. He could really use a parent. Some to help him walk through his decisions. Robin doesn't want to, nor does he have the time to argue. He leaves his parents to digest everything. He will fill them in on everything that's going on later. Right now he simply needs to get to Regina.
Robin races to him room. He grabs his backpack and stuffs as much clothes as he can fit. He honestly doesn't know how long he will be gone, it doesn't much matter to him. He will stay for however long it takes to have one last conversation with Regina face to face. He needs to apologize. She has to know he doesn't mean any of those awful things he and others have said about her. He needs nothing more than to take back every horrible thing he said to her on that beach. She is the best thing to ever happen to him. She's changed his life. She's changing him, all for the better. She has to know that.
He has to see her smile again. When Robin closes his eyes he sees flashes of her laid out in his back seat, the look she gave him that night on his porch, and the empty gaze she gave the camera in the video Will showed him. She is a ghost of herself. All of the images haunt him, playing on a loop, ready for him to see every time he blinks. It's torture knowing that he is the reason she looks the way she does in those flashes.
Robin wipes at his face to relieve himself of the tears clouding his vision. He's cried more in the past couple days than, he thinks, his entire life. It's been a rocky few days, but missing his flight because he was crying in his room isn't going to fix anything. Robin grabs the rest on his things, including his acoustic guitar. You never know when it'll come in handy and be quite honest, he doesn't trust his parents around his things at the moment. It not that he thinks they will destroy his stuff, but they have a tendency to revoke his things when he doesn't agree with a decision they make or as a method to getting him to comply either whatever they have planned for him. For a while he just went with what wanted without question. He was tired of his being taken. It was their way of parenting without pausing their job as managers. Robin doesn't hate them for it. It doesn't like them for it either. He of course still loves them, they're his parents. Right now he's had enough them thinking he is something to be puppeted. He walks past them and to the garage without so much as word to either of them.
Robin doesn't pay attention to which set of keys he grabs by they door. He doesn't much care either. As long as he gets to the airport on time. He throws his bags in the trunk and peals down just driveway. He's just about to exit the driveway when his car lets out an alert and automatically applies the breaks.
"Bloody ell Rob! You nearly made me into a flapjack!" A voice shouts from behind his car. John is one of the last people he expects to walk from behind his car. Will, Tuck, and Mulan follow close behind him.
"John?" Robin steps on of the vehicle with it still running. "What the hell are you guys doing here?"
"Well, you didn't think we'd let you leave without us did you?" Mulan supplies as she pulls herself and her duffel bag into the back seat of his car. The follow closely behind. John take the passenger seat, Rob notes.
He doesn't waste time questioning them. They're in a race against time, he reminds himself. Robin climbs into the car and is down the street, barely missing a beat. He's really glad he chose the GLC coupé. Its one of the only vehicles he one that can fit them all comfortably. There was no way he would have switched for a larger car or waited for them to pick one and follow. That's the universe working he guesses. Robin is sure he's breaking all kind of traffic laws in order to get to the runway. None of the speak the entre ride. Everyone is tense and they all look ready to burst in to speech, but none of them do. For that Robin is grateful. He doesn't think he'd be able to handle that and driving at the same time. It would be counterproductive seeing how they all want to get to Regina.
It wasn't until the were all seated on the plane and in the air before anyone dared to speak. The silence is loud. Robin is grateful John is the one to break it.
"Look Robin I get it. It wasn't fair of me to make you choose like that. You said you were doing things we did understand and you were right." John bows his head and scratches his neck. "I should have listened. I was hurting. I'm sorry."
Robin sighs. He wants to be upset with John and the rest of them for making the situation worse than it already was, but he can't find it in himself to be angry or disappointed. If he is completely honest with himself, he doesn't think he was ever angry with them. He knew exactly where they were coming from and how the situation must have looked to them. He made a ton of questionable choices recently that, of course made if difficult to trust he was handling the situation. Marion didn't make any of it easy. Robin involuntarily shivers. He doesn't want to think about her. He tries to push thoughts of her far from his mind. Instead he says: "There's nothing to forgive or be sorry for, John." He places a hand on his mates and gives it a squeeze. "I know how that looked. I know what you all must have been feeling. I get it. Truly I do." He addresses all of them. "I'm just really glad it's over."
Robin can't stop the sob that erupts from him during his last sentence. John squeezes his hand. Mulan slides into the little booth next to him and wraps her arms around him. She buries her head in his shoulder. Soon after he feels hot tears seeping into his shirt. She was crying. He can take a wild guess and assume John and the others were as well. This, sitting here with his self-made family is the biggest relief. Knowing that they, not only don't hate him, but they still love and care for him as much as he does them. They are a family and no matter what is thrown their way, nothing is going to ever change that.
10 Hours and 5mins until video release
They have a long flight ahead of them. Zelena hates that she hasn't taken the time to update her sister on all that as happened in the past 20 hours or so. She and Ruby have been so busy packing everyone's things for the trip home, she has barely had time to check her messages, let alone respond to them. Now they were in the sky, growing in distance from everyone they met in the past two weeks. Zelena isn't sure how they expected to return to their normal lives. There is nothing normal about their lives now. Her sister is now known worldwide. Damn! How had so much changed in such a short period of time?
Zelena leans over her mother's seat in front of her and taps her shoulder. Mother is quick to face her. Her parents have been tightly wound up since Regina's hospitalization. She's never liked to see them this way. They look as if they've aged 10 years.
"Mom. Do you mind switching seats with me for a moment? I want to talk to Gina." Zelena gestures to their seats. She can see the uncertainty of Regina leaving her sight for even a moment "Mom, we will be right here. And" She hesitates. "I think I can help." She nods to her sister's nonresponsive state.
Mother looks to Regina and sighs. She gives Zelena a slight nod before switching seats. "I'm right here if you need me."
Her sister doesn't look at her when she sits. Zelena doesn't even think Regina recognized the switch. She really is out of it. She doesn't seen to be looking at anything in particular. There's a distance to her gaze. Zelena can't remember her ever being this far gone before. What happened? She was doing so well. She'd finally broke free of her funk. What brought it back?
"Regina." Zelena puts her hand on her sister's arm and gives it a little shake. "I've got a lot to catch you up on. Robin sent his video. I think you should really watch it."
Her sister doesn't respond. She doesn't even appear to have heard her at all. That doesn't stop Zelena. She pull the video up on her phone and holds it in front of Gina's face.
Regina blinks at the sound of Robin's voice.
Zelena let's out a small sigh of relief. She's watching the video. The volume is low enough that the two of them can hear with disturbing the other passengers, but more importantly so that their parents can not overhear. They are not the biggest fans of Robin at the moment. Which is to expected. None of them are.
Watching Robin cry on camera for a good minute and a half makes Lena wish she had watched the video beforehand. She would have skipped the crying for Regina's sake. She hasn't had time look though everything everyone has been sending her. She been distracted and rightfully so.
"Zelena, could please cut all that out. No one needs to see my sorry arse crying and making a mess of my car. This supposed to be about Regina." The video addresses Zelena.
She has no plans on cutting or editing the video in anyway like Robin asked. This not the time to shy away from true emotions. The two of them get through the rest if the video. Zelena quickly wipes away her tears before addressing her sister. Gina is also crying. She makes no attempt to wipe them away. She shifts in her seat and lets out a pained, deep breath that morphs into a whimper.
"Are you okay?" Lena asks her sister, putting her as close to her without actually touching her. This was a physically pain. She isn't sure what's bother her and doesn't want to cause her any further injury. Regina quickly grabs Zelena's hand and squeezes. The sheer strength of it startles her. Zelena meets her sister's eyes. It's the first time done that with anyone since they left the hospital. Regina looks at her with such an intense gaze, Lena nearly breaks eye contact. There is so much pain there. They are both left speechless. Her sister looks as if there is something she wants to say, but can't get the words to form. Whatever she nearly managed to get out is interrupted by a sob. She's in pain. Regina frantically grabs at various places on her own torso with weak hands as if she is attempting to remove something off of her, unforeseen by anyone else.
Zelena notices the shift in her sister's breathing immediately. This was over her head. She isn't a doctor. She has no idea what is going on or how to help. A feeling of uselessness falls upon her shoulders. "Mom!" Zelena calls frantically. She doesn't break eye contact with her sister, too afraid that if she looks away that she will disappear. Her mother's presence is beside her in an instant.
"Regina, Mija tell me what's bothering you?" Their mother's soothing voice catches Regina's attention only for a second. Her eyes are back on Zelena as quickly as they left her. "Is it your Rib? Querida breathe."
It isn't until mother tells Regina to breathe that Zelena realizes her sister can't seem to catch her breath. She'll faint if she can't control her breathing. Zelena turns to her mother for guidance. She doesn't know a thing about health or medicine, but her mom does. She shouldn't have asked to switch seats.
"She's panicking. She isn't getting enough air. We need to calm her down, now." Mother states.
They've gotten the attention of the flight attendants and many of nearby previously sleeping passengers. None of them were helping. The whispers grow louder as word spreads. And her sister notices. Their father does his best to divert attention and put the flight attendants concerns at ease. Mother is also pulled into the conversation with the flight crew. Passengers peek between their chairs to catch a glimpse on the commotion. Some even have their phones out. It sickens her. Curiosity does kill. She isn't sick to her stomach because of the nosy passengers curious with their phones, but that she has often been the nosy onlooker hoping to catch the action to retell the story to anyone who would listen. In any other situation she'd love the attention being directed toward her. But the attention isn't really on her is it? It on Regina. She's having an attack. Zelena has only seen it happen once, years ago. It was the defining incident that led discovering her sister's heart condition.
How had they calmed her down back then?
She doesn't think they did. Not really anyway. Regina worked herself up to exhaustion. Looking at her sister now, she is close to doing it again. She's pale like a ghost and her lips blue from the lack of oxygen.
Zelena takes two deep breaths to calm her own nerves. Regina unconsciously does the same. Lena notices. Her sister is too distracted by all the commotion she's caused around them, she's is doing very little to regulate her breathing on her own. Zelena takes two more deep breaths in hopes that her sister will follow suit. She does.
"Gina," Zelena shakes her sister's arm, grabbing her attention. She continues to take deep breaths. "focus on me. Don't worry about them. Just focus on me." She offers her sister a small smile.
It takes only a minute before Regina's breathing regulates. The moment it does she breaks down into a sob. She pulls her sister into a tight hug and speaks into her shoulder. "I'm sorry." She says. "I'm so sorry."
Zelena is stunned into a rare moment of silence. Her sister holds her in a way that has her practically on top of her. Lena is mindful not to put too much pressure on her injured sister as she returns the hug. Regina holds on tight, repeating her apologies as she does so.
"It ok." Zelena has no idea what she is apologizing for, but she knows for certain that she isn't the one who should be apologizing. Regina hasn't done anything wrong. Especially nothing to warrant an apology. If anything she should be the one apologizing. "Gina, it's ok. You're ok."
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one that's sorry. I'm sorry for upsetting you with the video. Poor timing."
Regina pushes Zelena enough away from her to look at her. "What? You didn't upset me." Her sister frowns. "I'm a wreck. I'm sorry for putting you all through this again. I promise I'm not dying on purpose. How are you?"
How am I? Zelena repeats in her head. Who cares how I am. I'm not the one who had a panic attack. Why would she… oh. Her stomach turns at the memory. She fought with Regina for hiding Robin from her and lying. In the moment it felt right, but listening to her sister ask about her wellbeing while she herself has barely recovered from an episode feel wrong. And she only doing it because Zelena made a big deal about not having enough attention while she was dying. She's had so much time to just think in the past hours and has come to the understanding that it was never Gina who put a riff between their relationship. It was her. Zelena couldn't handle watching her sister die so she put her at arms length in hopes of lessening the pain should the unimaginable happen. Now here her sister is apologizing for the pain she's putting her through. The genuine concern and remove behind Regina's question nearly breaks her. She isn't doing because Zelena yelled at her. She truly wants to know. Her sister is too sweet for this world, truly. How am I? Zelena repeats in her head. Who cares how I am. I'm not the one who had a panic attack. Why would she… oh. Her stomach turns at the thought.
6 Hours 30mins until video release
"Everything will change tomorrow." Tuck begins. "We don't know which way the wind will blow, but we do know that it'll blow. No matter where the wind takes us, we will have each other."
The band of friends sit crowded around a small built-in plane table. Mulan's been on the verge of tears since the took off. She leans on John, looking past him to see out of the window. Robin runs his fingers between the strings but doesn't play. He wants so bad for Zelena to expose to the world the truth behind Roni and their last tow weeks together already, yet the very thought of it terrifies him. By the strained expressions on his mates faces, he isn't the only one feeling this way.
"There's a chance we lose Regina forever tomorrow." Mulan sniffs. She rubs her face leaving her makeup smudges in its wake. "I feel like we've only just met her, the real her. And at the same time I feel like I've known her for years. I worry that we've already lost her."
"I can't help but feel the same way." Robin admits. He spares Mulan a glance. She looks back with such an intensity that encourages him to continue. "What if she doesn't want to see me? What if she never knows how I truly feel about her? Our last conversation was horrible. I was horrible."
Tuck put a hand on his shoulder. The band doesn't say anything for a minute. The silence is deafening. They are all worried his actions may have jeopardized any relationship they had with Regina. It honestly feels as if they are on their way to a funeral. The pit in Robin's stomach grows. The guilt spreads across him like a wave. He plucks at his guitar. He doesn't know what else to do. Another apology isn't what his friends need right now. Apologizing to them once again or a million times more will not bring Regina back. It's a waiting game now.
When daylight ends
Gonna hold you close and breathe you in
Baby let the sunset blind our eyes
'Cause I don't wanna see you say goodbye
We should keep this moment stuck on ice
Frozen in our memories
Robin sings. It one of many songs he's written about his experience with Regina and the past weeks. This one though, he wrote after he found out about her CHD during their hike to see the sunrise. That was the day everything shifted for him. It changed how he saw Regina and the world created around him. It began the change in how he sees himself. She helped him do that. She's so much stronger than she is often given credit for. It haunts him to know that there could have been a chance that she may never
We won't let the stars burn down the sky
Keep me in your pocket like a knife
We can make this moment last for life
Frozen in our memories
It takes Robin a moment to realize that Tucker is on a live, broadcasting their melancholy trip. He doesn't stop playing the song. No one knows the song will hopefully be on their upcoming album. They already have a knew band name: Sherwood. The decided on it months ago. It's a reminder of home and represents them as a whole instead of singling one out. No more Robin and the Merry Men. That's the crap management pulls that tears bands apart. No more. They won't have it. It time they make their own decisions and if that ruins their careers then so be it. They will continue to make music because that's who they are.
Where we never die, die
Where we never die, die
Where we never die, die
Where we never die, die
Robin sing a couple more song, covers. All following the same theme. One of them is quite literally called "I lost a Friend". The others join in. Mulan takes a verse of two. She changes the words to fit their situation a bit more, but not much. They don't converse, they just sing. Tuck ends the live without ever having said anything or giving it a title. There is no context to the live. Robin isn't sure he even saves it when it's over and that is perfectly fine with him. It's all about the moment and whom ever was there to experience it with them.
Robin tucks away his guitar. They all return to their proper airplane seats. They'll be landing there in about an hour.
6 hours until video release
That was the worst flight of her life. Regina regret not more than turning down the blank. She can remember the exact moment it completely off. It had happened somewhere in between the video of Robin Zelena showed her. It became so hard to concentrate. She thinks she might have missed quite a bit of what he said. She can't recall a single word he said in the video. She'll have to watch it again once she was on painkillers again. The pain in chest had not waned in the slightest since it began. She hates that she caused such a ruckus on the plane. They'd given her some pain pills, but none of it wasn't strong enough to lessen it on any way. And her mother did not want her to take anything other than an Aspirin. She didn't know how any of the other medications would react with the heart medications she was on.
She told her mother that Aspirin was helping, but her mother saw right through her lie. It's hard to keep appearances when her clothes and hair stick to her because of how much she's sweating. The pain has spread to her back and shoulders. Regina assumes it is because of the hard airplane chairs they had to sit in for 8 hours. It didn't help that they were flying against the wind currents. Any of circumstance it would not have bothered Regina, but with her injuries it was difficult not to feel every little bump the plane made. It really was the worst flight ever.
An ambulance was waiting for them at the terminal. The transition was fairly easy. They were the first to get off the plane, but their seats were not the closest to the exit. Regina did not enjoy having to through the narrow isle pass the other passengers. Many passengers busy themselves with cleaning up their area and getting their getting their things, but the ones who didn't stared. She tried her hard not to stare back, but she could feel their eyes on her. Some of them she made the mistake of making eye contact with either gave her a look of pity and curiosity or an unreadable expression she assumes is understanding washing over them that she is the person who interrupted their flight.
The ride to the hospital was much better than the plane ride. They'd hooked her up to an IV and given her a stronger dose of pain medication. It didn't relieve her pain completely, but it did help reduce it greatly.
What they had not expected was a small crowd of paparazzi waiting with their cameras at the entrance to the hospital. Why are they here? How on earth had they found her? What could they possibly want with her now?
A nurse brings a wheelchair to the ambulance to escort to the hospital. She knows its only formality. She honestly doesn't need it. She feels well enough to walk. That may be the pain killers talking, but either way she is grateful. Her father and the other nurse do their best to block Regina from the snapping cameras and questions being yelled at her. He was right. Once they caught sight of you, they'd never let you go. Robin was trying to protect her from all of this. He was trying to protect himself from it too.
"Excuse us. It's ok. It's ok." Her dad says as they pass.
Regina covers her face in her hands as they the noisy news reporter and paparazzi. After an 8 hour flight and the crazy pain she was in, she knows for a fact that she looks terrible. She likely didn't look too great leaving the hospital in the first place. She would rather not see that all over the covers of gossip magazines and newspapers. Regina peaked through her hands and recognized a few of the paparazzi from Robin's door back in California. Wait was that Cruella De Vil? Even under the hospital's bright florescent lights she manages to took flawless as ever. What's the price of her beauty? The lives of everyone she comes across? Very likely.
Many of the paparazzi followed them from outside the hospital to join the few that are already inside. This hospital's security isn't as strong as Orange Valley. It wasn't created for celebrities and those who live near by them. This is the hospital many small towns use when their smaller ones cannot treat the more serious illnesses or injuries. Never have they ever had to deal with an infestation of the press. Do these people not sleep? It's extremely late or early depending on how you look at it. It's 4am in the morning, can't these people go home and let the doctors and nurses do their job?
This is the life a celebrity. This what happens when you make the top 100 multiple times. Everyone wants to know you. But Regina isn't a celebrity. She hasn't done anything to warrant the stalking of paparazzi. This isn't her job or livelihood. Robin and everyone else may have to deal with this, but she doesn't.
Just before they can make it to the elevators Regina drops her feet to the floor, forcing the wheelchair to stop. Ouch! She had not accounted for the chair slamming into the backs of her calves and ankles. It hurt more than she anticipated, but the pain is mild and leaves her quickly. Her family and nurses give her curious looks as she stands.
"Regina." Her mother protest.
Regina ignores her. The room has quieted a bit in anticipation of what she'll do next. People reach out to help her when she begins walking around the wheelchair to face unwanted crowd, but she shakes them off. She can walk on her own. Everyone is completely silent now that she faces them. Microphones point at her from all different directions ready to catch everything she says.
"Go away." Regina says in a low voice, but loud enough most can hear.
Cruella is right at the front of the crowd with a wicked smile on her face, her camera man right beside her. "Regina, Regina. Tell us about your time with Robin Hood in California. We only want the truth."
"You don't want the truth. You want a story. You take a good normal person and turn him into your own little reality show." She frowns, fighting off her tears that are aching to erupt. "You built him up into a big celebrity just so you can tear him down in public. Just so you can sell magazines and TV shows? That's sick. You people are really sick. And Robin Locksley is just one example of many insanely talented human beings you screw over. He's successful and smart. He has all the stuff a lot of kids dream of having.
"But Thanks to you, he's had to give up some of the best things in life. Freedom. Privacy. Honesty.
"So congratulations! You've created a celebrity. But you've wrecked the human being inside. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
None of them look ashamed or even remotely they were mostly remorseful. They just snapped their cameras. She even hears one of them ask: "Did you get it all that?" Seriously. Did they not listen to a word she said?
"Regina!" Someone calls from behind Cruella and her camera man. "Tell us. Are you Veronica Sanchez?"
Virginia's throat tightens. How could she answer that? Can she answer that? She glances at her sister. Her expression isn't readable, but she doesn't tell her no. They'd be posting the videos in a few anyway. They wanted to wait to give Robin a chance to speak up before the truth comes out elsewhere and he lose all credibility. At this point, she doesn't much care how this all ends. She would really enjoy for it to end. No one will believe her anyway. That's why she's in this mess to begin with. "Verónica Sanchez may be me, but I could never be Roni." They can understand it however they like, but she said what she said. Roni is someone Regina wishes she could be. Roni is everything she isn't. Like Robin said, she's just normal girl. There's nothing special about being normal.
"Regina, last question." Cruella begins. She has an evil blink in her eye that sends a chill down Regina spine. "In your opinion, who is Robin hood, really?"
Regina frowns. "Hood?" She replies dumbly. "Who is he?" God, how would she know. What she does know is that the young teen she met tried everything he could to not be that same pop star. The boy she met had dreams. He was kind. The boy that broke her heart on his porch and the one who tried to push her away at the beach is a boy she's never met. Robin Hood, she assumes. This is the person they are referring to. "I wouldn't know. "The Robin hood you're also obsessed with.." She can't help a glance at her sister. Zelena doesn't keep eye contact. "I promise you, I've never met him. And I wouldn't want to."
"Regina what was all that down there? Mija talk to us." Her father asks once they all get settled into her room and the nurses were sure she wouldn't peal over in the middle of the night. The room is much smaller than her room in Orange Valley General. There is a small window that looks over the highway way and city. As opposed to the glass sliding door and floor to ceiling windows exposing either the outside world or the hallway. Regina finds the room much cozier that her previous hospital. Possibly because it is less crowded?
Regina sinks further into the bed, but doesn't say a word. They'd already lowered horrible florescent lights in her room. The hallway lights are constantly in full effect, but that doesn't mean she has to endure it.
"Well." Her mother snaps from her chair beside the bed. "Are you going to answer you father or not?"
Regina sighs loudly. "Or not. It's super early, I am going to sleep. We can talk in the morning. Good night." Regina punctuates the discussion by wrapping herself in the blankets and closing her eyes. Sleep does not come to her as easily as she had hoped. Despite how exhausted she is, she does not succumb to Mr. Sandman. Regina stays still in hopes that maybe she'll eventually fall asleep.
"Cora let her rest. We need to see about the billing situation and then we can all rest until the doctor it ready to see her. Today will be a big day." You have no idea Daddy. Regina listens has her parents make their way out of the room. The conversation becomes harder to follow as the move away from the room. She hates that she's put her family through this all over again. They don't have the money or the insurance to cover another hospital bill. They don't have the money to pay off the old hospital bills. The Orange Valley General Hospital covered all of her transfers fees, but was the extent of their generosity. Either way she and her family are grateful for it. A ride in an ambulance is expensive. Too bad the balance of the other hospital visits and ambulance rides outweigh the small mercies. This is going to kill her parents.
Regina is snapped out of her thoughts by a shove in the calf. She looks up to see her older sister hovering. She rolls her eyes. There is no reason her family should be as awake and alert as they are.
"Gina. I think we should post the video now. I've merged the two together so that it is easier to view." Zelena angles her phone towards me so I can see her messages a large group text. Regina isn't able to see everyone in the group text, but she is surprised to see Keith Nottingham on the list. Had he made a video too? "I've sent the merged video to everyone. It's almost 13 minutes long. I hope people stop to watch it. You know how people are. Short attention spans."
Regina sits up in her bed a bit seeing her sister does not plan on allowing her to get any sleep tonight. "Why post it now? It's like 5am. Everyone who would watch it is still asleep." Like se should be, went unsaid.
"Regina we're on the east coast. It's 8:15am."
Regina looks to the drawn window. Sure enough there is light peaking through the curtains. How is it that late already? It was dark when they came in. Maybe it wasn't. There were so many damn cameras in her face she wouldn't know the difference.
"Fine." Zelena relents without much of a fight. "We can post it later. But I am posting at 10:30am Eastern standard time."
"Ok, fine. Whatever." Gina agrees easily. She can't care less about the stupid video. She just wants her sister to shut up about it long enough for her to get some decent sleep. Honestly, she is not looking forward to people seeing the video of her. She didn't look good in the slightest. She was literally at her lowest. Robin, John, Nottingham, and the other maybe used to putting their most intimate moments on display for the world to see, but she isn't sure she wants the world to see her. They can be so cruel. The have been so cruel. She doesn't know if she'd be able to handle it. More importantly, she doesn't want Zelena, Robin, Mulan, and the others to have to handle it. It's a lot.
Regina realizes that given the current time and her sister's constant talking, the best she'll get is a nap before doctors come to sweep her away for test.
She jumps when something hard lands on her thigh. It's her phone. Regina looks to her sister curiously. "I thought it was time for you to have it back." Zelena answers her silent question. "Don't worry about trolls. I deleted all of the hateful comments, made all accounts private, and blocked as many as I could. Oh! And I already logged you into the Roni account."
She sits up straight at that. "The Roni account? But how?"
"Robin. He stole it back from Marion. I don't know how he did it, but he did."
Regina nods, but is now more focused on getting back into her phone. She's only just clicked open Instagram when Zelena holds her hand over her phone. She looks to her sister for an explanation. "There are some things you should know bed jumping back in."
"Like what? I thought you cleared off all the bad stuff?"
"I did, but there is only so much I can protect you from." Zelena sighs and takes a seat on her sister's bed. "It could all just be rumors, but last I checked, Robin is engaged to Marion. I know you like him and I really did not want you to hear it from some loser on the internet."
"I don't understand. Robin's engaged to Marion?" Regina let's her phone drop no longer interested in it. Robin? Engaged? And to Marion of all people. Why? None of it makes sense.
"I know. I don't understand it myself. But many people are saying it's only because she's pregnant."
"Pregnant?"
"Are you just going to repeat everything I say or can we have a conversation." Zelena rolls her eyes. "Yes, pregnant. They were spotted by multiple people shopping for engagement rings and at baby stores. Gina, I'm really sorry."
"Why? It wasn't like we were together." Regina says, but doesn't make eye contact. "He was with Marion. He chose her."
Her sister stands and begins pacing. The room is small, so there isn't much space for it. "That's just the thing. I don't think he did. You saw how he was in the video. I don't think they are together anymore."
Regina makes a quick movement to sit up. The movement causes the pain in her back to flair up. She quickly masks her reaction, luckily her sister doesn't notice. "Zelena! Are you seriously fangirl investing Robin with me right now?" She snaps at her sister.
"What-" Her sister isn't able to respond.
A doctor walks into the room closely followed by their parents. Regina could not be more grateful for the intrusion. He takes her and runs some fairly routine test and does a x-ray on back and ribs. It keeps her mid if Robin and Marion for the most part.
"You're out of alignment." He tells her. "Normally, doctors will suggest surgery, but I'd like for you to be seen by a chiropractor first. You may be able to avoid surgery all together and the relief you will feel will be tremendous."
0 hours and 10 minutes until video is posted
Zelena sends a message to everyone participating: Robin, Mulan, Tuck, Will, John, Nottingham, Regina, and even Ruby and Tina. All of them will post at 10:30am Eastern standard time. From then on it will be up to the world to decide how to react. She is aware for what everyone is risking being apart of this. The hate on her sister has to stop. They have to do what must be done.
Zelena wakes her sister from her nap. Regina could not stay awake much longer after the chiropractor visit. He seemed to bring her great relief. The doctor said that she is well enough to be released tomorrow morning. But before they can think of tomorrow, the two of them have something to do today.
"Hey get up for a moment." She shakes until her sister's grumpy eyes are looking at her. She hands Regina her phone once again. "It's up to you, but I think it would be best if you post the video from both of your accounts. You can say whatever you want about them or nothing at all, but I think you should at least post them."
Regina takes her phone.
They've only just checked in to a hotel near Bloomsdale Community Hospital. They want to be as close to Regina and her family as they can. Robin and the rest of his mates have been waiting around their phones for some kind of update on Regina from Zelena, but the only thing any of them received was a message saying the video will be posted in 10 minutes. She attached a single video in the message. They didn't even have time to watch the entire thing.
Robin guesses his time is up. It time the world knew the truth. It's time the world know how truly amazing Regina Mills is.
He watches as they all prepare post the video. He. Tuck, Will, John, and Mulan all sit gathered in a hotel room. It's a bit small for all of them to be in all at once, but Robin takes comfort in their closeness.
John, Mulan, and Tuck all write out beautiful captions to go along with their post. Will simply adds a heart and prayer hand emojis. Robin isn't sure what to type. He did his best in the video. There are no words. He leaves it as is. The video can speak for itself. Maybe in the coming days he can elaborate on the topic, but for now he'll let it stand on its own. There's no turning back.
0 hours and 0 minutes. Video is posted on all list accounts:
@my.regal.majesty
@Robin.of.locksley
@Zelena
@ginamills
@Tinker.bella
@theknave
@Littlejohn
@friar_tuck
@thebigbadwolf157
@Nottingham_official
@thefamulan
Duration of reel: 12 minutes and 53 seconds.
The video is also uploaded to YouTube and re-shared on Twitter. It's trending within an hour of its upload. Their goal was accomplished. They got the truth out. Only one question remains: how will it be received?
Oh my goodness! That was a lot. That you for making it this far. I know we've all been through a lot these past years. Please take care of yourselves! Let's make 2022 a great year. I believe in you.
Also let me knoe all of your thoughts on this chapter. I wanna hesr them. I promise Robin amd Regina will be reunited soon! so stay tuned. I hope you've enjoyed!
New Year!
S'D