Chapter 26
Robin is at a loss for words. He cannot believe what he's done. Last night was almost a complete blur to him. He feels like he's betrayed Regina twice over. He did not buy her explanation for why they can't be together but still felt awful enough to go to a bar for a drink. He thought that he was confused before, now his head was spinning. He gazes into the blue eyes of Zelena; she smirks at him behind her cup of coffee.
She, on the other hand, felt amazing and very satisfied. She had set out to do damage and now there was no return. Robin did not deserve Regina, he should be pursuing someone a bit higher on the scale of eligibility. She'd destroyed her sister's happiness and it felt so great.
"W-What happened?" he finally manages to ask.
"What do you think happened?" she chuckles in a high-pitched giggle.
"I-I can't remember."
"Nothing a cup of coffee can't fix; can I make you one Robin?"
"N-No!" he says firmly.
The man starts to gather his bearings. He keeps the comforter around his waist and goes in search of his clothing. His undergarment is next to her closet, his pants hanging from the doorknob and his shirt under the bed. Zelena watches with much glee, enjoying his bumbling antics. He was trying to do damage control and leave with some dignity, but she could tell he had none left. He rushes past her into the bathroom to change.
It takes everything inside of her not to start dancing. She must bite her lip hard to stop herself from laughing. Zelena had finally achieved what she always wanted; to have what Regina was given. She had managed to break the two up and then made her move when he was most vulnerable. To have him for herself. He was very attractive and great in bed, obviously, her younger sister had chosen well. But none of that really mattered to the lawyer, all she wanted to do was get even with Regina and ruin her chances at happiness. She also wanted to watch the man who fired her and rejected her affections squirm and lose much of his pride. She knew there was no coming back from this, no hope for the two lovebirds to ever reunite, and this made the red-head so very happy.
"Do you want something to eat then?" she offers through the door.
"No thank you," is the response.
"Are you sure? A little toast might help that hangover."
"I'm fine!" he insists.
On the other side of the door, Robin is struggling to get back into his clothes because his body is shaking. He feels ashamed and angry at himself. He let himself to be vulnerable and the wicked woman took advantage of that. He let his hurt feelings blind him to what Zelena wanted. Obviously, she got what she wanted and left him a hollow shell. A shell who had slept with his girlfriend's sister. He fights back tears as he thinks of Regina. She'd never want him back now and his heart was slowly breaking. The pain in his chest was worse than the time he'd broken up with Marian. He leans against the door and looks at himself in the mirror.
"You've botched it up this time lad," he whispers to himself.
He emerges from the bathroom, avoiding Zelena's gaze and goes towards the door. He stumbles a little bit and begins searching for his socks and shoes. Both were in very unusual places. Zelena follows him, waiting for Robin to say something.
"Do you want to talk about last night?" she asks.
Robin finally looks at her. "N-No… No thank you. I give you my sincerest apologies. I was very drunk last night and wasn't thinking clearly. I'm sorry to have to tell you this but it shouldn't have happened. I don't want to mislead you in any way, but my heart belongs to another…"
"Not anymore," she murmurs.
Robin stops and looks at her. "What did you say?"
Zelena stops smiling and swallows, realizing her mistake.
"How did you know that Regina had separated from me?" No one knew at this point, absolutely no one unless…
The lawyer doesn't respond. She takes another sip of coffee and looks away from him.
Something clicks in Robin's mind and glares at the woman, understanding something crucial. He now knew why Regina did not give a valid reason for their separation.
"Did you have something to do with her breaking up with me?"
She still doesn't respond.
"You, manipulative bitch!" he barks. "What did you say to her?! What did you do?!"
"Nothing, it's something between sisters."
"I don't buy that bullshit! You're the reason she left the café crying. Did you blackmail her to force her to break up with me?! You threaten violence? So help me God if you…" He's so angry, he can hardly speak anymore. "Then you preyed on me like a shark! Well, take this as our last face to face meeting. You come near me or Regina again, I'm calling the police!"
He then slams the door, leaving her stunned. She didn't expect him to figure it all out so quickly or for him to react so threateningly. She thought he was a gentle soul, who could easily be manipulated. She underestimated him.
She goes towards the kitchen to refill her coffee. A smile slowly begins to form on her face again as she pours some more hot liquid in her mug. He also underestimated her. She knew that this would not be their last meeting, not by a long shot. After all, there had been no protection in her bathroom cabinet.
…
Regina is sitting on the couch with a bowl of ice cream in her lap. She's watching Nicholas Sparks marathon on TV and was in the middle of The Notebook, at the scene where Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams are kissing passionately in the rain.
Sure, any guy can make up a love story that ends so happily, but it's all bullshit. Nowhere close to real life.
She wipes her eyes with a few tissues and goes for more ice cream. Normally she should be working, helping Emma and Killian close the deal on their house, but she was too depressed and too hurt to even think about work. She wasn't ready to face them. After all, they were the reason she had to break up with Robin in the first place. They were also very happy with a baby on the way and happier future. She was alone again like she'd always been.
She was in sweats and t-shirt, keeping the blinds closed and her phone off. She needed to be by herself. She couldn't face the world today, or any other day it felt like. Why did the world hate her? Was she destined to be alone forever? It had taken her months to recover from both divorces and during that time, she stayed in a little cocoon with sugary treats, comfort clothes, sad movies, and lots of tissues. Although this wasn't the healthiest ways to cope, Regina felt that comfort and time alone was the best way to mend any broken heart. She didn't need anybody telling her that it would "be okay" or "somewhere out there is a man waiting for you" or "there are plenty of fish in the sea." It just made her sick. No one knew how she felt and none of their statements could comfort her. She knew they meant well, but the deep hurt could not be healed by words.
As she reaches into the freezer for more ice cream, there's frantic knocking at her door. Scared and slightly unsure of what to do, she hesitates before the knocking gets louder and harder to the point of pounding. Thinking it might be someone in trouble, she goes to the door. Her jaw drops when she opens the door.
There stands Robin, in his clothes from yesterday. He looks disheveled and very tired, his eyes bloodshot from crying and he pants anxiously.
"R-Regina…"
Once he can see her face again, he lunges into the room and pulls her into a deep kiss.
Regina wants to protest, but the way that Robin holds and kisses her is unlike anything she's ever felt before. His lips seem to cling to hers and press harder and harder with each passing moment as if he might devour her entire mouth. He holds her against his body, never wanting to let go again. His breath becomes heavy in the passion of the moment and he embraces her scent. Regina wants to stop this, but she's helpless against her feelings for him. He was her Prince Charming, the man she wanted to be with and no one, especially her bitch of a sister, could stop that.
The two presses against the wall of the apartment, hands running all over one another, holding tightly. Neither wants to break the embrace.
Eventually, Regina comes up to breathe and pushes him back.
"R-Robin…" she pants.
"I know what happened. I figured it out. Your sister forced you to break it off with me, but I realized, almost too late that you wouldn't do that. You love me too much as I love you."
Regina's dark eyes go wide. "Y-You love me?"
"With all my heart," Robin answers.
She smiles happily and lets out a great laugh of relief. "I love you too."
The two tear up and hold one another's faces, memorizing their features and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes.
"Just tell me what she did to make you hurt…" he says.
"She was threatening to buy the house that Emma and Killian were going to buy. She offered way more money to the seller and she'd only withdraw if I broke up with you."
"And you listened to her."
"I love you Robin, but I love Emma and Henry too. I couldn't let them lose their happiness. I felt trapped and just did what she wanted so she'd leave them out of this."
The man looks at her in wonder and awe.
"You are the most loving woman I've ever met. You've done the most unselfish thing imaginable. You sacrificed your happiness for others."
Regina gives a soft smile, tears filling her eyes. Robin wipes them away with some kisses.
"They helped me in my darkest times, and I was helping them. I'm sorry if I hurt you."
"It is I who should be sorry. I should've never believed a word of what you said."
"Good thing I'm a lousy liar," she grins.
The two go back to kissing, they get so into it that they flop onto the couch, changing the channel on the TV and throwing a box of Kleenex to the floor.
Once more, Regina breaks the kiss up.
"She'll want to go after the house again, now that you know…"
"Then you'll just have to work your magic and get them the house first," Robin says with a grin. He begins kissing her neck and running his hands along her legs.
Regina gasps in the heat of the moment, wanting this man so badly. That night on Valentine's Day is damned now…
She would help Emma and Killian close the deal… just not right now...