For OQ Prompt Party #65. Robin is a disgruntled former employee of Cora Mills who, in a moment of desperation, kidnaps Cora's daughter, Regina.

This is probably his worst idea ever. But he figured by now there was no going back. In for a penny, in for a pound—wasn't that how the saying goes? He should just pick up the phone, use the voice distorter and make the ransom demand.

Was one million dollars too cliché? Should he double it? Triple it? How much would he really need to replace his lost salary? Would it make up for the benefits he also lost?

And if he were caught…what would happen to Roland? Neither he nor Marian had much by the way of relatives. Would his son have to go into the foster care system? Would he grow to resent his father for doing something stupid and throwing both their lives away?

"You're a terrible kidnapper, you know that?" his victim said. She sat across from him, her silk-clad arms crossed. Her red lips scowled at him.

Robin scowled right back at her. "You get kidnapped often?"

"Once," she said. "They demanded one million dollars and released me after a couple hours after they got their money. I had bruises from the duct tape for a week."

He stared at her, blinking a few times. Besides thinking that he shouldn't then ask for a million dollars, he also felt guilty for forcing her to relive what was no doubt a traumatic experience. "I'm sorry."

"For what? That I was kidnapped or that you kidnapped me this time?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Both," he replied, grimacing. "I guess."

She rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Just like I said. Terrible kidnapper."

"I'm not a criminal," he protested before frowning. "Well, there were a few youthful misadventures…but nothing like this. I didn't really think this through. I was just acting on impulse."

"What impulse would lead you to kidnap me from my company's parking lot?" she asked, looking incredulous.

"Your mother fired me." He hated how he sounded—more like a petulant child having a tantrum rather than a grown man facing a crisis.

Her incredulous look grow as she stared at him, slack-jawed. "So you thought kidnapping me would get your job back?"

"No," he replied honestly. "I just wanted enough money to take care of my son, maybe move and start over in a place that hasn't heard of Cora Mills."

"Good luck with that," she muttered but he noticed she had softened when he mentioned his son. Her arms were uncrossed and the incredulous look was gone. She tilted her head. "What about your wife?"

He swallowed, feeling the phantom pain inside him yet again. "She…she died a few years ago, when Roland was still a baby."

To his surprise, she reached out and took his hand. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you," he said.

She pulled her hand away, biting her lip before squaring her shoulders. "I'm Regina."

"Robin," he replied, holding out his hand. She shook and he let out a soft chuckle. "I really am a terrible kidnapper, aren't I?"

"I believe that's been well established," she shot back, but there was no malice in her words. In fact, it sounded like she was now teasing him.

Did Stockholm Syndrome kick in so fast?

She leaned forward, resting her arms against the table. "I wouldn't bother calling my mother, though. She has a 'will not negotiate with terrorists' mentality when it comes to kidnappers."

He frowned, replaying something she had said earlier. "But I thought you said your last kidnapper got paid?"

"Because Daddy paid them," she replied, a sadness coming to her eyes that he recognized—grief. "Mother berated him for giving in, berated me for being stupid enough to get kidnapped. Daddy pushed back though, saying he wasn't going to leave my fourteen-years-old self to their whims."

"He sounds like a good man, a loving father."

She nodded and he heard her voice catch when she said: "He was."

Robin didn't press her, giving her time to recover from her moment of grief. When she cleared her throat, she continued: "Anyway, if Mother believed it was my fault I got kidnapped at fourteen, can you imagine her reaction to learning I got abducted when I'm twenty years older?"

"She's a right bitch," he said, frowning as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "And she runs a company that's supposed to help people."

"Only because she took it over from Daddy. I'm sure she schemes ways to make sure she earns more money at the expense of the people she's supposed to help," Regina said, disgusted.

He nodded. "That's…That's why she let me go. I worked as a case manager and I got into a very loud argument with her trying to get more resources for the family I was working with."

Regina's eyebrow went up. "And you walked away? Alive?"

"Alive but jobless," he said, sighing. "She also made sure that my termination reason made me ineligible for unemployment. And so I got the incredibly stupid idea to kidnap her daughter and try to get the ransom money. Which I bungled spectacularly."

"You haven't even tied me up," Regina pointed out, shaking her arms for emphasis.

He groaned, realizing there was nothing keeping her here. Robin had taken her to an abandoned warehouse with no locks, so she could easily just make a run for it. While he would probably give chase, there was no guarantee he'd catch her or win in a fight. Regina Mills looked like a lightweight but now he believed she was a probably a petite powerhouse. Freedom, then, was completely in her grasp. That only left one question.

"Why are you still here then?" he asked.

She didn't answer right away, as if pondering the question herself. He watched as she turned her head toward the door only feet from the table they were sitting at. Robin held his breath, expecting her to bolt.

He wouldn't stop her, he decided.

Regina turned back to him and shrugged. "I guess I was curious to see how this played out and now I'm invested."

"Invested. How?" he asked, surprised.

"I'm sure you can tell that I don't particularly care for my mother," she said. He nodded as it had been evident in her words and tones.

Regina then continued: "I believe in helping others too. Daddy taught me that and Mother showed me how not to do it. So I went to law school and became an advocate for those who need. Didn't you notice where you abducted me from?"

He had been more focused on getting her into his car than his surroundings but he dimly recalled it was a parking lot for some law firm. Her name was even in it…Something, Mills and Someone.

"Draco, Mills and Swan," she filled in, as if reading his mind. "I'm sure you've heard of us if you're in social services."

Robin had heard of them. They were a prestigious firm that he and the other case managers would sometimes recommend to their clients—behind Cora Mills' back, knowing full well they could face her wrath if caught—to help with particularly difficult cases. He also knew they lobbied the city and state for better and more resources.

"I see the spark of recognition there," she said, pointing her finger and wiggling it.

He nodded. "But aren't all social service organizations connected to your mother? Because I tried to interview at a few places but she shut me down. Another reason why I turned to kidnapping."

"A lot of organizations are connected to her, but Mother's grip on the sector isn't as tight as it once was," Regina replied. "She's made a lot of enemies and infuriated a few people. I can assure you has no friends at City Hall, for example."

"Really?" he asked, surprised. Cora Mills always seemed so powerful and appeared to constantly be meeting with the movers and shakers in their area.

Regina nodded. "She backed the wrong house in several elections and the real winners were no fans of how she helped people in need. The fact you were fired by her is going to work in your favor. Trust me."

"Is the city hiring?"

"Yes," she said. "It would mean a salary substantially lower than what you were making at my mother's but their benefits are amazing. And I know a few smaller non-profits that might have part-time opportunities for you if you want to supplement your salary."

He gaped at her, amazed that she was willing to help him after he had abducted her and held her in the warehouse. Robin shook his head. "You are too good, Regina Mills."

"No one really says that. But thank you," she said.

Robin's spirits crashed though as he rubbed his face. "Too bad it's all for naught. Who wants to hire a kidnapper?"

"Who did you kidnap?" she asked, tilting her head.

He narrowed his eyes, not sure what she was playing at. "What do you mean? I kidnapped you."

"I wasn't kidnapped. I agreed to help someone in the field I specialize in who was down on his luck, meeting up with him for a late lunch or an early dinner, however you want to look at it," she replied.

"But…I mean…how?" he gasped out.

She chuckled. "No one really saw you kidnap me. You brandished no weapon and didn't exactly shove me into your car. So it wouldn't look too suspicious on our cameras. And I'm not going to press charges. In fact, there's a restaurant around the corner that's pretty good. We can go there, talk some more and then you can drop me off at my car. Everything will look above the board."

"You'd really do that?" he asked, touched.

"I don't want your life ruined any more, not after everything Mother did to you." She reached out, taking his hand as she gave him a little smile. "So, are you free for that dinner? Or do you need to get your son?"

He shook his head. "My friend agreed to watch him until six. We should be good then."

"Great. Let's get out of here before we breath in something toxic and we can talk a bit more." Regina stood up, brushing off her pants.

Robin stood as well. "I appreciate this, Regina. Thank you."

"No, thank you," she said, still surprising him. "You made my afternoon a bit more entertaining. I was just going to go home and probably do some more work."

He tsked her. "All work and no play, Regina."

Regina rolled her eyes. "You sound just like my partner, Emma. She's the 'Swan' in our name."

"Tell me more," he said, taking a chance and placing his hand on her back. When she didn't step away, he relaxed and the two headed out of the warehouse together.

He was really glad he kidnapped Regina Mills.