For Day 6 of OQ Prompt Party

#28: OQ as exes, #84: AU based on Champagne Problems by Taylor Swift, #48: Regina makes Robin cry, #113: "give me a reason to stay" + #211: Robin says "I love you" to Regina and it makes her furious

Regina hates New Year's Eve. She never particularly saw the hype behind it. So much celebrating and drinking for 60 seconds. Cab fairs are always jacked up and there's so much traffic on the way home. Parties at bars cost hundreds. For years, she was content with treating it like any other night. Most times, she'd fall asleep before midnight and wake up in the New Year with nothing changing.

The last time she went to a party was a decade ago. Ever since, she's kept the same routine. Chinese, passing out around 10 and waking up a few hours later to a myriad of texts. This year is different. After months of quarantine and fighting off the pandemic, Mal says there's something to celebrate.

"There's no way 2021 can suck any more than 2020 did."

It's hard for Regina to argue that. So, she asks around. Of course, Mary Margaret and David are hosting something. Their mixed faith marriage celebrates every holiday and she looks for any reason to throw a party. 2020 was rough as she only managed to celebrate Valentine's Day before the world shut down. With there being less cases and a smaller guest list, Mary Margaret is thrilled to announce an intimate gathering at her apartment.

Regina agrees to be the designated driver. She'll have one glass of champagne with everyone else but that's it. Mal is already knocking back vodka shots that Keith offers. Regina will have to drag her away from him, keeping her from making another regretful holiday choice.

Frank Sinatra blasts over the blue tooth speaker while trays of spinach and artichoke zucchini bites are circulated. Regina muches on one, taking sips of her lemon seltzer intermittedly. Three hours to midnight and she is already bored out of her skull. She doesn't know many of Mary Margaret's friends from work, which is about what makes up the group. A tiny sigh escapes her lips as she turns to find David, he's always good for a joke or two.

A familiar, somehow accented laugh rings out across the room. One Regina hasn't heard in nearly a decade. She spins around to find him standing there. The years have aged them, just as she's sure they have her. His face has some lines but those addictive blue eyes have remained the same. His blonde hair darkened in time, gelled back. No longer in a torn green shirt and jeans, now he stands in a brown button down and slacks. Regina is frozen in place as he cracks up over one of David's dumb jokes. A tall, skinny blonde slips her arm through his, a dazzling smile on her face. She's not as amused by David, but is acting good natured.

He's with someone else. That shouldn't hurt. She was the one that dumped him. No, she humiliated him. 10 years ago to this very day, at a party not much different than this one.


They had gone to visit his family for the holidays. His parents long gone; he was raised by his grandmother alongside his cousin. Two strong willed women that would do anything for the lone boy of the family. Regina loved them, she could get drunk alongside Ruby and bake cookies with Granny. Even after years of avoiding New Years, she had been excited for the party at their diner. Tables pushed back for a dance floor, classic rock blasting over the jukebox. Amazing food, pleasant company. It made her think that maybe, just maybe the holiday had something special.

And then it was a minute to midnight. Ruby dispersed champagne and all of their attention was on the tiny TV crammed above the bar. Ryan Seacrest counted down. Regina saw it coming out of the corner of her eye. Robin dropping to one knee. Her mouth dropped open and all she could hear was her heart beating heavily in her chest.

"Regina…" he began, a hopeful smile on her face.

"No!"

Most kept their eyes on the TV but some turned to look at the scene. Robin tilted his head, confusion written across his face.

"Regina…" he starts again.

"No!"

The plastic champagne flute slipped from her hand as she stormed out of the diner. As the door slammed shut behind her, she could hear Ryan Seacrest announce the New Year. When it opens once again, the melodic first verses of "Auld Lang Syne" drifted out. Regina hugged her peacoat to her body, staring up into the night sky.

Robin's voice took over her thoughts. "What do you mean no?"

She refused to look at him, pursing her lips together. "It's too soon."

"We've been together 2 years."

"We're too damn young."

"22, about to graduate from college. We both plan to stay in Boston, what'd be so bad about that?"

She whipped around to face him. That stupid confused puppy dog look still etched on his face. "We never even talked about it! You just assumed that I'd want to get married?"

"It just seemed like the next natural step. I love you, Regina…"

"That doesn't mean we need to get married. I've seen what that does to a once loving couple."

The confusion slowly dripped away and a pitiful one took over. "Regina, just because we get married doesn't mean we'll start hating each other like your parents."

She shook her head, her hair waving wildly around. "I'm not going to take that chance." She let out an aggravated sigh. "Why can't we keep things as they are? Isn't what we have enough?"

"No." The admission sent a chill down her spine. It's Robin's turn to shake his head. "I love you, I can see our future so perfectly. Marriage, kids, everything we discussed."

"That was early on, a lot has changed."

"What? Like your parents' divorce?"

"Maybe it did throw me for a loop." Regina sighed, taking a step forward. "I love you, Robin. And like I said, I love what we have. Why can't that just be enough?"

"Because what if it isn't?" Robin gnawed on his lip. "I feel you slipping from me, Regina. With each passing day, you're more and more unhappy. I know it's partially your parents but I don't want to be another thing you grow to hate."

"If I'm so damn miserable," she snapped. "Why ask me to marry you?"

"Because I love you and I want to save us."

"Marriage isn't a band aid. I think I know that better than anyone." Regina shoved her hands into her pockets. "But if us just being happy is not enough for you, maybe I should just leave."

"Regina…"

"I'll grab my stuff from your grandmother's, I'll be gone by the time you get back from this party."

"It's midnight, the traffic will be terrible. I doubt you'll even be able to fetch a cab."

"I don't care."

Regina slipped into the night, ignoring the light snow that fell onto her head. She told herself several times not to look back and yet before she was entirely out of sight, she did just that. Robin stood there, fat tears falling down his face. A small velvet box in hand. Regina walks faster. She cannot see that ring.


Robin looks away from David and his eyes lock on hers. It's only then that Regina's feet come to life, forcing her to run once more away from him. She doesn't stop until she's in the tiny kitchen where Mary Margaret is working on yet another appetizer.

"Mary Margaret!" Her friend's head whips up. "What the hell is he doing here?"

Mary Margaret tilts her head. "Who?"

"That…that guy." When it still doesn't register, Regina sighs. "Robin."

It takes a few more moments for it to click. "Oh, Kathryn's date, right? I don't even know her very well. She works with David. He told her she could bring someone." She wipes her hands on her apron, walking closer. "Why? You're so pale, like you've seen a ghost."

"Nothing…it's…nothing."

Mal's voice travels from the doorway. "He's him, isn't he?" Regina turns to face her. She's got yet another drink in hand.

"Who?" Mary Margaret repeats, still oblivious.

"New Years guy. The reason she never comes to these things."

"That's not completely why," Regina mumbles as an imaginary lightbulb pops out of Mary Margaret's face.

"Oh! Him." She frowns. "The one you rejected."

"I didn't…I mean…what the hell is he doing here?"

"Like I said, Kathryn brought him. I've never seen him before."

When Regina left Maine that night, she had managed to avoid Robin. They were separate majors and while they ran in similar friend groups, she just didn't attend the senior parties. After graduation, Boston was big enough for them to never run into one another. It was supposed to stay that way. She should've never had to come face to face with him again.

"I need a drink," Regina announces, pushing past Mary Margaret to grab some of the vodka. Mal quips something about "so much for a designated driver" and Regina whips back around to face her. "I'll pay for the cab."

"Relax, darling," Mal says. "Just a joke."

Regina ignores her, doing a few shots. It's still not enough. She makes her way back into the living room and walks through the noisy crowd to the fire escape. Regina pulls her shawl closer over her black cocktail dress. It's too cold for this, but she can't stay inside tonight.

"Running away as usual, eh?"

Regina clamps her eyes shut. One of the things she fell for when it came to Robin was his accent. His family moved to the States when he was 10 and it remained through adulthood.

"What could you possibly want?" she asks, still staring out at the street below.

"I didn't know you were going to be here, you know? I met Kathryn and she suggested this for a first date spot. I don't know any of these people."

Regina scoffs. "Trust me. I don't think you'd purposefully choose to spend time with me again."

Robin moves closer, leaning against the fire escape. He still smells the same, a mix of pine and sandalwood, an intoxicating addictive blend. Regina glances up at him, taking in all of the changes. A few flecks of gray, more facial hair than college. Some of the muscle is gone, though he's clearly in great shape. Regina drags her finger against the cool metal.

"So," Robin says. "What have you been up to?"

She scoffs. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you care?"

"Believe it or not, Regina, I do care about you."

Regina purses her lips, dragging her heel against the concrete and cringing at the sound. "I work for a nonprofit."

Robin arches an eyebrow. "Thought you'd end up working at your mother's company."

"I did, for a few years, but I loathed it. Then my father passed and in lieu of flowers, he wanted everyone to donate to an organization that helps foster kids. He was in the system for a bit as a kid." Regina shrugs. "I started volunteering, then they needed someone to help with the books and I made the move."

"I can't exactly see you there."

She rolls her eyes. "Why? Because I'm a heartless witch?"

"No. You've always cared about others, Regina. I just didn't think you'd ever leave your mother's thumb."

"Yeah, well…" She didn't think she ever would either. It's been six years since she quit Cora's department chain and she hasn't looked back.

"I'm sorry about your dad," Robin throws in. "I know how much he meant to you."

Regina nods. "It was hard. Mother certainly didn't help…" she trails off. "Anyway, what about you? I assume you stayed in Boston."

"I actually just moved here a couple of years ago. I was living in Billerica for a bit," Robin explains. "I managed a bar there. Then some buddies and I decided to open up something here."

"A bar?" Robin nods and Regina can't help but smile a bit. "Now that I can see you doing. But tonight's got to be your busiest night. Shouldn't you be there?"

"When Kathryn asked me out for tonight, John and Will convinced me they'd be fine for the night. We just hired some more people…so we'll see if it's still there in the morning." He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck.

"And Kathryn." Regina nods back to the apartment. "Serious?"

"No, not at all. Like I said, we only met recently."

"How?"

Heat rises to his cheeks. "A dating app."

It's Regina's turn to laugh. "I never took you as a Tinder guy."

"It was Bumble, thank you very much, and no, typically I'm not. But I had a pretty bad divorce last year and John's been trying to get me out there."

Divorce. He's been married. That shouldn't surprise her. Marriage was always so important to Robin. She learned that better than anyone.

"Divorce," she breathes, simply.

"Uh yeah. We were married for 5 years. Had a kid and everything. But I don't know if the love was ever there. I think we rushed into it because we felt it was the right thing."

"And we're back to things not surprising me." A hurt look takes over Robin's face and she clamps her eyes shut. "Jesus."

"Yeah, Marian said yes."

Regina's eyes flutter open. Hurt is replaced by anger in those beautiful blue eyes. "And clearly, maybe she shouldn't have."

"We're back to this now." He scoffs. "You know a big part of myself said to just ignore you. Pretend nothing ever happened. I don't know why I came out here."

"Then go back inside," Regina challenges. "You have a date, after all."

"Yeah, I do. And I hate that I can't focus on her because you're here."

"I'm sorry, Robin. I'm sorry I'm such a damn distraction. I'm sure you didn't think about me much over this past decade."

A sharp chuckle escapes his lips. "Is that some kind of joke? You think I haven't thought about you? Like this holiday doesn't bring me so much pain that I thought maybe a date would override that." He shakes his head. "You broke my heart!"

"Because I didn't say yes?"

"Because you just walked away!" He scoffs. "I mean, dammit, Regina. You stopped answering my calls or texts."

"You made it pretty clear that if I didn't want to marry you, then we couldn't be anything else."

"Did that surprise you? Did any of it really shock you? You acted like marrying me was the worst thing in the world!"

What she wouldn't give to take it all back. To let him flip open that velvet box and accept his mother's ring. The one he talked so much about for the months leading up to Christmas in Maine. The truth is, the proposal didn't shock her. Not as much as she originally thought. She was just so afraid. And if she knew that saying no meant losing him…maybe her answer would've been different.

It's taken expensive therapy for her to realize she doesn't have to be her mother. She can be a better wife, possibly even a mother someday. But all that realization came far too late. She's dated some in the past decade, even a 3-year relationship with a kind man that had sparkling brown eyes. Nothing's ever came to fruition. And she is happy now. A great job, cute townhouse. She even has a meeting with a social worker in January to potentially become a foster parent. After years of working alongside those kids, she's ready to open her hear to one.

Then she set her eyes on Robin Locksley and feels as lost as she did at 22.

"I have to go," she says. "Staying here was a mistake…" Mal will have to call a cab or she can spend the night here. Mary Margaret will be more than happy to make up the guest room."

"Regina, wait."

"No!" The word comes out just as harsh as it did 10 years prior.

"It's not even midnight, I'll leave."

"No, you're here with Kathryn. I don't even want to be here."

"Regina, come on."

She throws her hands in the air. "Give me a reason to stay."

"I love you!"

Her mouth drops open as his face softens. Tears pluck her eyes, bringing some much needed heat to her.

"Shut up," she whispers.

"God, I wish I could stop loving you. I tried so fucking hard. And yet no matter where I go or who I'm with…it's you."

A single tear leaks, running her mascara. "Stop."

"No, Regina. I should've chased after you that night. I really wish I had."

Regina blinks once, twice and by the third, she's running back inside. She grabs her purse off the hook by the door and books it down the hall. She cannot press that elevator button fast enough. Regina doesn't think of her friends or the scene she's just caused. She just needs to get out of here.

She steps inside and jams the lobby button enough times, but the door doesn't close until Robin is in there with her. Regina gazes up at him as he looks down at her. The tears are streaming down both of their faces, their bodies still not reacclimated to the heat.

He wraps her up in his arms, pressing a desperate kiss against her lips. Against her better judgement, she deepens it.