Prison isn't exactly where she expected to be this afternoon.
There is a stale coldness to the walls, a bleached, sterile smell that clings in the air. Everything is so quiet, eerily so as she walks behind Royce and Sidney down a pale blue painted hallway, and for the third time since they arrived, Regina can't kick the feeling that it feels as though all hell is about to break loose within these confines.
A ticking time bomb.
She doesn't know what Sidney said to Royce yesterday, only that this morning the pair had intruded into her office with matching disdain for her apparent presence. With every ounce of vile irritation a person could possibly muster, Royce had cocked a brow at her, a grit in his voice as he glared at her, saying that they were going to see David Shepherd today on account that she apparently thinks they have had some grand oversight on his guilt. Spitting icily that clearly she thinks she is smarter than he and Sidney, so why not put that theory to the test.
Before Regina could muster the courage to form a single sentence, she found herself stuffed into the back seat of Royce's Mercedes, speeding down to the county jail all the while trying to quell the urge to throw up the banana she ate at breakfast all over the leather seats.
A guard huffs something at her, and Regina startles at the pointed look Sidney throws her way before he rolls his eyes and reaches for the badge around her neck, jerking it roughly to show the guard who jots down her name and waves them off. She winces as Sidney trods off ahead, rubbing a hand softly over her neck.
That will probably leave a mark, though she has others to worry about right now. Her blazer barely hides the dark purple bruises on her wrists, the cotton blouse graciously soft against the bite marks on her breast and collarbones.
She'd tried to cover them up with foundation, but the liquid barely concealed the red inflammation of tender skin. Thankfully she's been able to keep her jacket on the entire day, a second layer to keep away prying eyes.
Slowly, they take turn after turn, Regina's gaze flicking around the concrete compound as they pass the cafeteria and into F block's common space. She can't help but stare at the bars and solid steel doors surrounding the room, housing Oregon's criminals within. She can hear them now, through the thick glass, flagrantly cursing, banging their hands against the metal locked doors, a few tattooed forearms hanging between the bars, hands swaying without a care in the world.
A buzzer sounds and Regina feels Sidney's hand press against her lower back as he guides her into the common area, and the whistles immediately follow as she steps inside. It echoes around the cement walls, hollering at her, banging their fists against the doors, cat calling as she strides behind Sidney, Gold and the two officers who lead them.
"Disgusting creatures." Sidney sneers as they continue, "Waste of breath if you ask me."
Behind him Regina scowls, silently griping to herself that he is one to talk. What she would give to see him in a cell just like this. A fantasy she can muse to herself as he continues to glare at the prisoners.
A handful of some white, clumpy substance collides with the shoulder of Sidney, a round of curses following as he spins on the spot, screeching at the officers to do something as another round is fired his way. Regina freezes, finding herself not so much scared of what's happening but rather amused by it. One of the guards grabs his baton and beats it against the cage of the man within, demanding he stop or else it's solitary confinement for a week.
Just to his right, Regina's eyes find a pair of hazel green ones and her heart stops. He stares back at her with a curious smirk. She is stunned as he leans through the bars, tipping his head with a cock of his brow towards her.
There was many a night the two of them shared a bonfire underneath the Burnside Bridge. He was young, too young to have been thrown from his home by parents who didn't love him. Once he had told his story to her as they shared half a stale sandwich. At fifteen he'd come out gay to his family, before his sixteenth birthday he was living on the streets. Her heart ached for him, for the way he tried to hold his chin up as the tears glistened in his eyes. They'd become friends in a strange way. As the months passed, Regina saw less and less of him, but he always made a point to bring her some food every now and then.
She'd asked one night, as he came back from talking to a large group of men in an alley. He'd simply shrugged and reached into his pocket, pulling out a few small baggies of cocaine. It seems Peter had found a rather dangerous way of earning some money. A drug lord who he'd never met had sent a few cronies out to gather new recruits, and for a sixteen year old boy without anything, Peter had accepted their protection in return for becoming a drug mule.
To say Regina was disheartened would be an understatement, and she'd begged him to stop, it would only lead to consequences for him, and being at the bottom of the totem pole, Peter was dispensable. Apparently she was right, Peter's days of selling narcotics on the streets finally caught up with him.
A guard's hand falls to her shoulder and Regina jolts, breaking the eye contact with the young man. At least he is somewhat safe here she thinks, though how safe prison can be, she isn't entirely sure.
She smiles small at Peter who returns it gesture before she turns to follow Royce and Sidney, who is still complaining about the state of his suit. It's ugly anyway - a tardy brown tweed thing that would serve better in the trash. Grinning to herself at his clear disgruntlement, she follows behind into a sequestered room, a single round table in the middle with five chairs around it.
Quickly she takes a seat far away from Sidney, paying no mind to his glare fired her way as she pulls out David's file. They wait, and Regina tries to not pay attention to the way Royce huffs in Sidney's ear that this is all a waste of time. She feels it in her gut that this is exactly where they need to be. She just hopes that David will be able to answer the questions she has.
The jarring of a door on the other side draws her eyes away from his mug shot and up to the man in the flesh. He shuffles quietly, though the chains around his ankles and wrists shriek into the silent room. His head is hung low as he saddles into the chair opposite them, an officer lacing his cuffs through a metal ring on the table, securing David to the spot.
Sorrow bleeds through her as David sniffs and tries to smile a weak greeting at them. He certainly doesn't look like a man who just committed murder. That, or he is a phenomenal actor.
"Mr. Shepherd." Royce nods his direction. "How are you today?"
"As well as someone in my position can be." David sighs as his eyes drift over to Regina. "I apologize, I am not sure we've met."
She goes to extend a hand, recoiling quickly at the sight of his own bound to the table. Tucking her hair behind her ear instead, she smiles small at him, "I am Regina Mills. I am new to your defense team."
"It's nice to meet you Regina. I am sorry it has to be in this circumstance."
"As am I."
Sidney huffs impatiently, tearing David's eyes away from hers, and she wants to slap Sidney for making the man shrink back into his chair.
"Regina here has some questions for you." Royce waves a hand absently in her direction.
Her stomach knots as she glances down at the list in front of her. If this doesn't go well, she is relatively certain her job isn't going to be there when they leave the prison.
"Of course. I promise to answer honestly to everything." David's breath hitches, and Regina's heart aches for him.
Shuffling the papers, she runs a hand down her arm and over Daniel's watch on her wrist, praying it will give her some courage to get through this without buckling under the scrutiny of Royce and Sidney's equalled glares.
"Where did you and Kathryn meet?"
"Fourth of July. A barbeque our mutual friend was hosting." David smiles ruefully. "She was, is, an incredible woman. I stood no chance against her."
Regina laughs lightly, knowing the feeling of love at first sight first hand. She remembers seeing Daniel in a coffee shop and the world tilting on its axis when he glanced her way. It's cliché to say lightning hit her like a thunderbolt, but everything shifted in that moment and she simply knew he was the one.
"How long did you date before getting engaged?"
"I was ready to ask her after our third date to be honest." David shakes his head, "But she wanted to finish med school first."
Regina's brow creases as she thumbs through her files, pulling up Kathryn Midas'. "It says here that Kathryn is still in her residency."
"I guess I am a little impatient." David chuckles. "We decided that we could be engaged, but the wedding, we would wait on."
"I see." Regina nods, tucking away the file. "And her parents. When did you meet them?"
"Is this all really necessary?" Sidney grumbles, "We already know all the details."
Her heart burns as she glares down at the table. This was his plan, to try and get under her skin. She knows it was going to happen. "I find that hearing someone's story straight from them is much more honest that from a few lines on a piece of paper, Mr. Glass."
Everything inside her is telling her to apologize the second Sidney's eyes flare wide at her little rebellion, but she can feel the cool press of Daniel's gold watch around her wrist, an anchor that keeps her grounded. She can do this, Sidney's repugnance aside.
"I appreciate that, Ms. Mills," David chimes in with a smirk. "I met Archibald and Lucile about six months into dating Kathryn. They are the most wonderful people."
"Were." Sidney snarls. "You murdered Archibald in cold blood."
David flinches with a shake of his head. "I didn't do it. I swear to you."
"As you have said. Though DNA doesn't lie, Mr. Shepherd," Sidney snaps back.
Silence surrounds them as Regina swallows thickly against the knot in her chest. "David," - he glances her way, "I have read your statement and the police report. What I find not connecting is that Kathryn and Lucile both state that you were grossly intoxicated at the time of the murder, though your blood alcohol levels when the police arrested you barely registered. Can you explain that?"
He sighs, slumping back into his chair. "I had two beers at Paddy's on Yamhill, that was it."
"And yet both women say that you were slurring your words."
"So I've heard. New Years this year Kathryn decided she wanted to try and stop drinking. We made a pact to only drink on special occasions and the weekend, it was a rule in some health kick thing she'd signed up for."
"So you've been relatively sober for eight months?"
"Yeah, but two beers wouldn't get me drunk enough to want to murder my own father in law," he gripes.
"Did you and Archibald get along?" she questions curiously, watching carefully as David nods his head emphatically. "He was like a father to me. Mine lives back on the east coast and when I met Kathryn, both Archibald and Lucile welcomed me like a son." Tears begin to fill his eyes as he shifts uncomfortably in the metal chair.
"Did the two of you ever have any disagreements?"
"Only that the Patriots are clearly better than the Seahawks." David laughs listlessly before shaking his head, "But honestly, no. He offered a spot at his own company for me. I didn't want it, it felt wrong to be given something so freely with no merit of earning it."
Royce leans in at that moment, cocking a brow at David, "So you admit that Archibald wanted you to work for him and you rejected the offer?"
David nods uncertainly at the dark laced tone of Gold. "I like my job. It pays a good salary."
"But working at Midas Exports would have been more, am I right?"
David nods again, and Regina frowns at the direction Royce is going.
"Kathryn was Archibald's pride and joy. He would have wanted for her to be financially stable."
"We were, or at least we were getting there. I was supposed to be getting a promotion next year."
"But it still wouldn't have been as much," Royce deadpans. "You must realize that."
David shrinks into his chair with a shrug, "I was doing my best to provide for me and my soon to be wife."
"Did you argue about the job?"
"Not as your implying." David gruffs, "We had many conversations about it, but it never became angry."
"So you say. Unfortunately we don't have Archibald here to tell his own side now, do we?"
"I didn't kill him."
"You did."
"No!" David slams his fists on the table, breathing heavily as he glares at Royce who sits back smugly in his chair. "Do you often get this angry, Mr. Shepherd, without provocation?"
Regina stills, her jaw dropping at Royce who simply stares at David across the table. His utter arrogance boils her blood. "If I may," Regina cuts in, "David, I understand your position, but we need to figure out why Kathryn and Lucile both have you with the gun in you hand."
"I've never even touched a gun. I'm a democrat. I have gone to rally's against the NRA for years." David glares down at his hands. "I would sooner have my arms cut off than own a weapon like that."
His sincerity jars Regina. That is something they are going to have to look into to see if it's true. "Do you have any siblings, David? A twin, perhaps?"
He shakes his head, "It was just me, Mom and Dad."
Dammit. She had hoped for a hail mary there. It would be so much easier to explain if David had a twin brother. "Have you spoken to your parents since your arrest?"
His blue eyes shoot up at her, "I don't want them to know about this. Please. It would utterly destroy them if they knew."
"They will eventually find out, David. You have to know that." Regina sighs woefully. She can't imagine getting that phone call, hearing that your son has been charged with third degree murder and is currently awaiting what will most likely be a life sentence in prison. "I can phone them, if you'd prefer." She offers, paying no mind to the sharp inhales from Royce and Sidney.
David fumbles in his cuffs, dropping his head low with a shake, and she can hear the heavy sniff he takes. "They are going to be so disappointed. It's going to ruin them."
"You'd be surprised what a parent can take on, David." Regina softens, wishing she could reach over and hold his hand, offer a little reassurance that while her companions may have already made up their minds, Regina is still on his side, fighting for his innocence.
Finally after a long moment, David nods, swallowing thickly as his eyes tilt up to the fluorescent lights. "Alright. But please be gentle when you tell them."
Regina nods, hoping she has enough courage to actually follow through on this promise.
"If we are done here, I have another meeting to attend to." Royce stands abruptly, "Mr. Shepherd, the trial starts in a week, I suggest you think long and hard about how you'd like to plead."
The guard comes across the room, unchaining David from the table as Sidney and Royce make way for the door. Regina, however, lingers for a moment, watching the way tears build relentlessly in David's blue eyes.
"It was nice to meet you, Ms. Mills." He smiles weakly.
"Please, call me Regina. I'll be back soon, okay?" She reaches to lay a palm on his forearm, squeezing gently before he is hauled off back towards his cell. The final thought fluttering through her mind is that this man is innocent and she is going to have one hell of a time trying to prove it.
"We don't have all day here, Regina," Sidney spits out as Regina gathers her files, taking an extra minute to make sure they are all neatly tucked away.
"You should take your coat to the dry cleaner. You don't want to be smelling like stale mashed potatoes all day, now do you?" She quips as she walks straight past him without a second glance.
He may know her secrets, but something is sitting differently today, something Sidney Glass can't take advantage of.
He is panicking.
Running around the kitchen like a complete fool, swearing to the high heavens, cursing himself for forgetting to grab tomatoes from the store today. What kind of burger doesn't have tomatoes? Maybe Regina doesn't even like tomatoes, or maybe they are her absolute favorite and he has complete buggered this entire dinner before it's even started.
Even Roland scowled at the thought of not having tomatoes, whining that it wasn't the same. But Robin doesn't have time to run to the grocer. God this is going terribly already. Glancing at the clock, Robin groans and runs out to the barbeque on the deck, praying in his befuddlement he hasn't burned the burgers as well.
Lifting the lid, he coughs as a plume of smoke blooms out, and bugger all to hell, they are charred, still edible, he thinks, as he flips them quickly, but definitely a little more well done than he would have liked to present. She's going to think him an utter buffoon not even being able to cook burgers.
Scowling down at the patties, Robin clicks the barbeque off with a huff, shaking his head as he walks back inside wondering if there is some way he can salvage this dinner. What he doesn't expect is to find Roland on his tippy-toes rummaging through the fridge. His boy is growing everyday, a notion that doesn't escape Robin as his son strains and reaches for something on the bottom shelf.
"Need some help, my boy?" Robin sets the burger plate down and grins at the deep concentration painted across Roland's face as he once again tries desperately to grab at something. "We have little ones, Papa, in the back." Roland teeters on his socked feet, eye drawn to a point.
Robin ducks down, a hand on Roland's shoulder as he peers at the lowest level of the fridge, smirking down at his son's absolute brilliance as a small container of grape tomatoes sits in the back. He's a genius, his boy.
Roland snags the pack out of Robin's hand the second it's close enough to his little fingers to wrap around, scurrying over to the counter and up onto a stool.
"Easy, Roland. I'll have to slice those for you." Robin shifts beside him, tossing a kitchen towel over his shoulder as he reaches for a cutting board and bowl. "But I will need help deciding which ones are the best to use." He grins down at Roland who immediately sets to his task, picking out each, sizing them up and giving each a gentle squish and once over.
Quickly, Robin slices up the small tomatoes, rolling his eyes at the dime sized units that begin to stack on the cutting board. It looks rather ridiculous, but perhaps he can play it off like he meant to use these and not Roma's like usual.
"You didn't forget mustard, right, Papa?"
"No, my lad, we have a fresh bottle ready to be drenched over our burgers."
"And keshup?"
"Ket-chup. And yes. I have that too. I think we are almost ready."
Roland's button brown eyes flick up to Robin's, a slight trepidation in them that has Robin frowning. "What is it, son?"
His little fingers roll an absent tomato about the island, his curls bouncing down into his eyes as he leans on his chubby hand with a heavy sigh. "Do you think Regina likes me?"
Of all the things Robin was prepared to answer, that was not a question he had even thought his son was pondering. Granted, over the past five days Roland has done nothing but talk about the pretty lady who made perfectly round pancakes and went with them for ice cream. Oddly enough, when Robin has spoken to Roland about Regina, his son doesn't bring up the cemetery much, only comments that he liked meeting Henry. So to think that perhaps his son has reservations about whether Regina likes him or not, well it has Robin's heart clenching tightly in his chest.
He knows his son lacks a mothering touch, all children need it and he has to wade carefully into this friendship with Regina, not wanting to hurt her or his son if anything goes awry, clearly Roland has already found himself somewhat attached, like his father.
Setting his knife down, Robin moves the little tomato slices into a bowl and picks his boy up before settling down on the stool. "What makes you think she doesn't?" He combs a hand through Roland's curls as his boy shrugs noncommittally, a muffled, "I dunno," whispered out. Robin sighs, pressing a kiss to Roland's forehead, "I spoke to Regina yesterday, you know?" He glances down as Roland shifts to look up, "I think she is more excited to see you than me, I'll have you know." He smiles as Roland's cheeks tinge a dark pink, "Really, Papa?"
"Scouts honour." Robin raises a hand in salute.
"Cross your heart?" Roland's brow pinches, but his toothy grin deepens as Robin draws a finger over his chest in an X, "Cross my heart." He nods dutifully.
It seems to placate Roland, and the shrill squeak he gives out when the doorbell rings has Robin wincing out a smile as Roland clambers off his thighs and races to the door. He follows quietly, beaming as Roland reaches for the doorknob and twists it with both hands.
"Regina!"
He bounces on the spot giddily, and Robin's heart does a double flop over itself as he sees her bend down, arms wide open, ready to catch Roland's immediate hug. She sways a touch, anchoring herself with a free hand as she wraps the other around his son's back, "Hello sweetheart." She nuzzles into his hair, standing gently with him wrapped around her hips, "How are you?"
Roland giggles a far too happy thing as he utterly beams at Regina, "We made burgers. But Papa forgot the big tomatoes so we had to use little ones."
Her brow arches curiously, and Robin groans to himself, so much for his plan of playing it cool. Hanging his head bashfully ashamed, he slips over to the pair, trying to hide his ever growing smile as Regina listens ever so intently to Roland's babbling. Her eyes lift to his, her smile creeping a touch wider as he makes his appearance known. It has his heart doing that silly little flip flop all over again.
"Hi," he stammers rather nervously, hoping she can't see the heat in his cheeks.
Shifting Roland to one side, she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, "Hi."
Their gaze holds longer than Roland's patience as he stares between the two adults, a quizzical brow drawn. "Papa, why are your cheeks pink?"
Well there goes Robin's cover, completely blown that a simple smile from Regina has him blushing like a sodding fool. He laughs, moves to ruffle his son's curls as Regina too chuckles lightly. She sets Roland down, shaking her head happily as the little tyke runs off into the kitchen.
He should probably take her coat, or at least say something instead of simply staring at her, but his tongue sticks thickly as her eyes glance around the foyer. She is bloody beautiful. In a black blazer, a deep purple silk blouse and jeans, the same ones she wore the first night she knocked on his door. He remembers those jeans, the way the fit and hugged her curves.
"Smells good," she muses quietly, tugging at her sleeves. "I hope it wasn't too much work."
It spurs Robin, the thought that making her dinner would be some hardship. He'd make her a thousand dinners if she'd accept. He grins, shrugging his shoulders, "It was no trouble at all, M'lady. You look lovely, by the way."
Her cheeks flush as she smiles bashfully up at him. "Thank you."
He takes her coat, hangs it in the closet before guiding her gently into the kitchen.
Robin chews his lip anxiously as Regina rounds the counter and takes up a spot beside Roland who is already waiting with his empty bun. "I uh, I have to apologize. The burgers cooked a little longer than I intended." He winces at the charred pucks of meat.
Regina glances down at the plate, a small grin tugging at her perfect lips, "I haven't had a burger in quite some time, I am sure they are delicious." Her fingers glide through her hair as she tips her head graciously. And for the second time tonight, in less than five minutes, Robin is caught off guard with just how damn pretty she is.
"Earth to, Papa?" Roland's little hand waves in the air, "Can we eat now?"
Robin laughs, biting back his smile at his son's impatient streak. "Can I pour you some wine, Regina? I have red and white."
"Red would be great." Regina smiles. "Thank you again, Robin. Truly."
"Anytime, M'lady. And you can stop thanking me, it is mine and Roland's absolute pleasure to have you here." He grins, turns to reach into the cupboard to grab two wine glasses, listening to his son prattle away about his day at pre-school, his teacher, Ms. Fa, and how they are learning about zoo animals, a topic which Roland is nothing but an expert on.
Regina liked elephants if he remembers correctly from the weekend. Something about them being smart, gentle and kind creatures. Qualities she also possess clearly as he listens to the way she helps Roland name out every animal under the sun.
He pours two glasses half full, sets one down beside Regina and ends up coincidentally having to take the empty stool beside her, not that he is complaining.
"Papa, what about my grape juice?" Roland whines indignantly. Robin snorts, "I am sorry, my boy, we can't cheers if you don't have a cup as well. A moment." Quickly Robin rounds the counter once more, grabbing Roland's sippy cup and filling it with juice. He hands it to his son's awaiting hands, taking up his residence once more beside Regina.
"What are we cheersing to?" She quips a brow at him, raising her glass.
"To burgers!" Roland chimes out with a bubbled bout of laughter as Regina tips her glass to his before turning to Robin.
"To new friends," he supplies with a smile, watching the rouge in her cheeks darken as she nods and clinks to glass to his as well, "To new friends."
Well there goes his heart again, tapping and swirling about in a ridiculous racket as he sips his wine. He is going to have to reign that in lest Regina know just how much her mere smile sends him melting into a puddle of goo.
Clearing his throat, he reaches for a burger, sliding it on to Roland's plate, another onto Regina's and a last to his own.
It appears Regina doesn't much mind the dime sized tomatoes as she carefully lines them up into a perfect circle on her burger, a swirl of mustard and ketchup neatly following before two slices of pickles finish on top side by side. Roland stares down at the masterpiece, gaping wide at Robin, "Papa! Look at Regina's burger!"
He feels her stiffen curiously as she eyes down her dinner.
"What do you mean, my boy?"
"It's not messy!" Roland shrieks, "Ours is always messy."
For a moment Robin isn't exactly sure what to do. He's a touch offended that his son doesn't think he can create a perfectly dressed burger, granted Roland has only the experience of wildly messy ones in the past, but still.
In the same second Robin debates his sons allegiance, Regina chews her lip timidly for a moment before reaching for a butter knife and glancing down at Roland with an arched brow. "Is it better messier?" she questions with wide playful eyes down at the boy, who nods his head emphatically.
Regina sighs dramatically, "If you say so. I trust you on this."
She locks eyes with Roland, waits a drawn out moment and then proceeds to utterly ruin the perfect condiment swirls, smushing the pickles deep before squashing the top bun down on top.
A squeal of sheer delight burst out of Roland as he watches Regina lift the burger up, eyeing up the way ketchup drips down onto the plate below. "You're sure about this, Roland?"
He nods bright and toothy, "Cross my heart."
The moment Regina bites into her dinner Roland bursts out at the seams, scrambling for his own and effectively smearing his entire face with mustard in one bite. Regina hums, licks a sauced finger and smiles down at Roland, "I think you are absolutely right, messy is definitely better."
Roland beams, and Robin is doomed.
He is completely ruined by this entire interaction. He knows he is staring, as Regina steals Roland's burger from his tiny hands, cutting it into smaller bite sized pieces for him to easily swallow lest he choke, dolloping a puddle of ketchup for extra dipping on the side.
A natural mom, it's the only thing Robin can think as she folds a napkin over Roland's lap.
The second his eyes connect with hers, she stiffens, biting down on her lip nervously, "Sorry, I didn't mean to overstep."
Befuddled, Robin cocks a brow at her sudden shift in demeanor. All she did was help his son with supper. She looks anxious, dropping her eyes from his own and back down to her plate. He smooths a hand over her forearm, dipping his head down, "You need not apologize, Regina."
She glances up at him apprehensively but Robin smiles, "Now the question is, am I fortunate enough to garner the same treatment as my boy?"
Thankfully, it works and her smile quickly returns as she rolls her eyes at him, reaching for the mustard with an arched brow. He smirks, pushing his plate a fraction towards her, beaming inside as the condiment oozes sporadically from it's bottle, followed by the same treatment of ketchup and five pickles haphazardly arranged before she squishes his bun down and slides it back.
"There, it's perfect."
He holds her gaze, "Sure is." And he wonders if she knows he isn't exactly talking about the food, though the tint in her cheeks would suggest she does.
It has to be one of the best days she can remember in recent history. The warmth both Robin and Roland exude so easily bleeds into every corner of their conversation, and for the first time in a long time, Regina could almost say she feels at ease.
Almost.
The looming dark cloud of work and her living situation are ever present in her mind as she swallows the last of her second glass of wine, hoping she won't have a hangover tomorrow. That's all she needs, to have a foggy head and face Sidney and Royce.
For what it's worth though she has barely paid a second thought to it, Robin's laugh alongside Roland's dimpled cheeks are enough to temporarily thwart the darkness away. It didn't hurt that she was absolutely starving and while Robin may have huffed about the cook of the burgers, Regina could barely swallow a bite without aching for another immediately.
When the last time she actually ate a real meal was, she can't honestly remember. The food at the women's shelter was usually just vegetables and soup. They couldn't afford much more, already being stretched to their limits as it was.
She just hoped Robin didn't take notice of her ravenous appetite, and even if he did, he didn't say anything. She would have been completely mortified if he had.
Afterward, Robin insisted that she not lift a finger in helping he and Roland clean and clear the dishes, afterall she was their guest.
Instead of lending a hand, Regina sat and sipped her wine, smiling through an ache in her heart as she watched Robin lift Roland onto the countertop, draping a rag over his sons' lap and proceeding to hand him a few of the dishes to dry, the plastic ones Regina notices, but Roland is not anything but attentive to his task.
She was supposed to have this with Daniel and Henry.
For a moment it becomes overwhelming, watching father and son together, and Regina has to excuse herself to the restroom for a breather. Their relationship is paralyzingly beautiful. So much so that by the time Regina closes the bathroom door, the tears are in full force, burning against her lashes.
Sinking against the vanity, she tries to calm her breath, a hand over her thundering heart. Inhaling to a count of seven, holding for four and exhaling long as slowly over and over again until the shake in her palms finally recedes.
She gulps down water from the tap, wiping her forehead with a nearby cloth. Her fingers grip the sink, her eyes fluttering closed as she continues to attempt to right her trembling breath. It's not their fault for being so effortlessly happy. It's what a family is supposed to be. She had that once upon a time, and can remember the beautiful, easy days with Daniel and Henry before her husband got on that damn plane.
What she would give to take it all back, to beg him not to go. She would have this. A home her son could grow up in, a dinner table that hopefully would have been filled with more children; Daniel always wanted a big family, and the thought of having three or four swelled Regina's heart.
But he got on that stupid plane, and Regina was left alone to care for a sick child, and then completely alone when he too died.
"Regina? Are you alright?" A knock at the door startles her. She hadn't realized she'd been gone for so long, and the concern in Robin's voice only makes her wince at her weakness.
Swallowing thickly, she stands upright, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be out in a moment." She hopes it comes across light and easy, even if her heart burns torturously. Waiting a minute, she takes a last glance in the mirror, brushing a hand through her hair and wiping away the last remnant tears before clicking the bathroom door open.
She finds them in the living room, Roland on all fours attempting to decide on a Disney movie for them to watch. Quietly, Robin smiles up at her from the sofa, and she returns the gesture quickly before taking up residence on the other side.
She misses this. Henry loved these movies. By the time he was five she could nearly recite all of Peter Pan and Robin Hood by heart. But that was a long time ago, and thankfully, Roland decides on The Lion King. She isn't sure her heart could take another journey to Neverland or Sherwood Forest.
As the opening scene starts, Robin settles down the bowl of popcorn at the same time Roland clambers up the sofa to take up residence beside Regina. He is so little, tiny socked feet bouncing at the end of the couch, the bowl Robin tucks into his lap taking up his entire thighs. She remembers Henry at this age so well, granted they spent most of their time cuddled up on a hospital bed compared to a soft suede couch, but still, she loved those moments.
It doesn't escape her the way Robin is constantly flicking his gaze her direction, a soft hand here or there, an easy smile directed her way. It's different to be spoken to like a real person after so long, to have someone who actually wants to talk to her. Granted she has kept her cards close to the chest, not really ready to open up too deep. It's nicer this way. To have good, simple conversation that doesn't revolve around her work or living situation.
For what it's worth, she really hasn't said much, preferring to listen to Robin and Roland instead. Their lives are so much easier than her own, and if she has to spend the entire night talking to Roland about different animals in the zoo, well truthfully, she'd have it no other way.
Regina spies Robin's lips silently mumbling along to the opening song, apparently she isn't the only parent who has seen these movies a hundred times. She tries to focus on the movie, but her attention is drawn down to the soft munching of popcorn in Roland's chubby cheeks, the slight weight of his body nestled into her side. He reminds her so much of Henry it hurts.
By the time I just can't wait to be King sings out, Regina finds herself utterly enthralled and clapping along to Roland who dances and wiggles in front of the television, hopping up and down, his curls flying about. No child should be allowed to be this adorable, she thinks. Robin, for his part, is equally amused by his son's entertainment, his knee bouncing along to the music.
Roland returns to his spot beside her, curling tightly into her side as the wildebeest stampede after the small lion. She feels Roland's little fingers curl tightly into the blanket as the roar of hooves thunders. Glancing down, she whimpers to herself at the sight of Roland's face tucked into her side, shielding himself from the movie. A quick glance up at Robin has her heart aching even more.
"We don't like this part," Robin supplies, running a hand over Roland's back. "Usually we fast forward through it." He grimaces, waiting for the scene to be over. Regina tucks an arm around Roland's shoulders. "I don't like this part either," she whispers into the crown of his head, lightly drumming her fingers through his curls.
They occupy Roland with easy mindless chatter about other things as Mufasa falls to his death, the scene following silently as Robin mutes the TV just to ensure his boy can't hear the pain and sadness that echoes through the movie.
Thankfully it seems to appease Roland, and his attention is rapt once more as another happy song starts out with Timone and Pumba. They watch quietly, Roland's weight beginning to sag into Regina's side before Simba returns to Pride Rock.
"He never quite makes it through the entire thing." Robin chuckles lowly, "I am not even sure he knows what happens in the end."
"So as far as he knows, Simba lives in the jungle forever?" Regina smiles gently, sighing into the weight of a child in her arms. Robin grins, shifts the popcorn off the couch and to the table, "It would be a rather quaint life, don't you think?"
Her brow arches, "Eating bugs for the rest of ones' life? I think I'll pass."
It comes far to easy, this light banter with Robin.
Robin chuckles, shifts a bit closer, before dropping his gaze down to Roland who is entirely passed out against Regina's side. His tiny arm is wrapped around her waist, half curled against her belly as he snores softly. Regina, too, glances down, a smile gracing her lips as she smoothes a hand over the mop of toddler curls. "He's such a sweet kid."
Robin grins, "I appreciate that. I think his excitement over seeing you has finally taken its toll." He flicks his eyes up to Regina's who blushes furiously. His heart does that ridiculous flip flop at the pink tinge painting her cheeks. She is just so damn pretty. And if he is being completely honest with himself, the nervousness he had over cooking her dinner has given way to another feeling entirely.
Their conversation has been so easy. She is clearly incredibly smart, has a heart of absolute gold and a resilience Robin is certain he does not possess. He is enamoured by her. From the way her nose scrunches when she laughs, to the indignant scowl that crosses her eyes when that one lock of hair refuses to stay put behind her ear.
More than once he's found himself utterly besotted with her, a feeling he hadn't truly anticipated to grow quite so quickly. She is secretive, of that he has become aware. Her cards are held close to her chest and he noticed the apprehension in her voice when they spoke of her work this evening. It was tight lipped and brushed off with few words before Regina would direct the conversation elsewhere.
It makes him curious and a touch unsettled when her eyes flickered nervously when he'd asked about how her first day had gone. He wanted to question it, wanted to know why her jaw suddenly tightened around the subject. But aside from that, it truly has been such a wonderful night and he hadn't wanted to push her.
He needs time to gain her trust, he is well aware of that. She isn't going to simply bleed her soul to him after a few days of being friends. Hell, it took him years to let people back in after Marian died. He understands the reservations Regina has.
"How's the party planning going?" she whispers as Robin clicks the movie off. He sighs, runs a palm over his face and leans heavily against the couch cushion. "Honestly, I am in over my head I think."
Her brow raises with a small smile, "You'll be fine. Roland adores you. I am sure any party you throw is going to be incredible in his eyes."
"Thank you for that, though, I am still at a loss for how I am going to put it all together."
Regina chuckles lightly, and Robin stills when her hand lands on top of his own on his thigh, "They are kids Robin, it's not rocket science. Just get some balloons, a cake and a few games to play in the yard and they will be over the moon."
He wants to say something, but the warmth of her palm has his tongue glued to his teeth. Heat flushes through him as her thumb swipes across the back of his hand, a gentle squeeze to follow, and before he can link their fingers together, Regina's hand slides away and back into her lap. He blinks down, then up at her, and instead of a smile he'd hoped to see, her brow is grimaceds as she swallows thickly.
"Are you alright?" he asks quietly as she rubs a hand over her stomach tentatively.
"I'm fine." She nods, blowing out a low breath through her nose.
Robin doesn't think she looks fine."Are you certain?"
Regina sighs, running her fingers through her hair, "My stomach just isn't used to that much actual food in one sitting, I might have overdone it."
"You mean the burger was too much?" He frowns.
A beat of silence passes before Regina leans back against the sofa, her lashes fluttering closed as she breathes in a long, slow drawl. "Well it was a lot more than the banana and pretzels I usually eat in a day."
It takes Robin a moment to process her words for what they are, a moment of confusion before it hits him like a cold bucket of water. She hasn't eaten an actual meal in quite some time, and he'd watched her devour the burger. Guilt washes over him, his shoulders shrinking as he reaches for her hand, squeezing it gently, "Can I get you anything?"
Regina shakes her head, blinking those pretty brown eyes open with a light smile, "Just a water would be great."
He nods, and is up on his feet quickly, "Sparkling or Still? I have Ginger Ale too, and some antacids, if that would help?"
"Still water is just fine, thank you."
He leaves her on the sofa, kicking himself internally the entire way to the kitchen. They should have gone with a light salad and maybe some grilled chicken instead. He should have thought about it, should have clued into her situation. His heart hangs heavy as he fills two glasses with cold water, a few ice cubes, and heads back to Regina who graciously takes the cup with a quiet thank you as Robin takes up residence beside her once more.
"I'm sorry, I didn't intend for my cooking to make you ill," he grimaces, sipping his own water.
Regina shakes her head, "The burger was delicious; I just got carried away."
He nods, leans into the couch, turning his shoulders to square her body. "You were saying earlier that you were working on a murder case?"
Regina sighs, setting the water glass down half empty, "Do you know Archibald Midas?"
Robin nods.
"His future son in law is charged with his murder."
Something in the way she says it peaks Robin's interest. He knew of the Midas' fortune, had even read in the paper of the daughter's engagement to a young man. Once or twice he had actually dealt with Archibald in company trading, though he can't say he ever caught the vibe of the man having any real enemies. He was a kind person, did his business out in the open without any scandal as far as Robin knew.
"You have doubts about his guilt?"
Regina shrugs, running a hand through her hair, "I don't know, it's just a feeling. I read through David's file, and I know that both Lucile and Kathryn have David as the only suspect, something just doesn't add up to me."
Robin's brow knits together, "Would they have any reason to lie?"
Regina shakes her head, "Not that I am aware of. I went to meet David today at the prison, and he just seems so broken by the whole thing. In his file it said he was beligerently drunk at the time of the murder, but when the police picked him up, his blood alcohol barely registered anything four hours later."
Well, that is odd. Robin chews on the information, doesn't seem possible David could have sobered up that quickly. "Have you mentioned it to your team?"
Regina coughs out a dismal laugh, licking her lips as she sinks heavy into the sofa. "I don't think they particularly care for what I think."
Robin stills at the way her shoulders sag, his frown deepening. "Why do you say that?"
Her eyes flick up to his, a sadness hidden behind as she reaches for the water glass on the table, "One of the men I work with, Sidney Glass, he has already made his mind up about me, probably for good reason too. It's just making it difficult to prove that I know what I am doing with what he knows about me already."
Robin scowls, but Regina is quick to sit up a touch straighter, clearly not wanting to look weak in his eyes, not that she ever could. She smiles small with a heavy sigh, "He's just someone from my past. That's all."
"Your past? You mean you met him when you were homeless?" Robin asks gently, not wanting to overstep, but wading into the hopeful territory that she will let him in just a little more.
"In a manner of speaking. I just hadn't anticipated being a co-worker of his."
His heart slams against his chest at the heaviness in her voice, the shame that paints it's way across her gaze as she turns her eyes away from his own. Swallowing thickly, Robin tries to take a steadying breath as he tips his chin down to catch her eyes.
"Did he hurt you?"
A beat of silence passes as she keeps her sight deadlocked away from his own, a tension seeping into her body as she licks her lower lip apprehensively.
"It doesn't matter, Robin."
It kills him. Absolutely fractures his heart into a thousand broken pieces that land in her lap as she sniffs quietly into the silence. Unable to stop himself, Robin shifts closer, reaching for her hand, linking their fingers together lightly. "It does matter, Regina. You matter."
She sighs, blinking wetly up at him in a way that has Robin wishing he could put his fist through that man's face, repeatedly for ever making Regina feel like she is less that. "I appreciate that, Robin, but what happened is as much my own fault as it is his, and I have to live with the consequences."
Her fingers grip around his own, grasping around them gently.
"Regina, let me help."
She stills, her eyes lifting to find his own sadly, "And what exactly are you going to do? March into my office like a bodyguard and tell Sidney to play nice?" Her brow cocks high but her shameful eyes don't match the sharpness of the action.
"That, amongst other things," Robin huffs, drawing her other hand into his palms, deflating at the sound of her dismal disbelieving laugh.
"I can handle it. I'll be fine." She doesn't sound very certain about that, Robin hears it in the tremble in her voice. Taking a moment to gather himself, robin turns Regina's hands over, playing with her fingers, brushing up the hem of the blouse and he stiffens.
There are marks, dark purple patches on her perfect olive skin, and Robin sees red. "The bruises on your wrist, they aren't from him, are they?"
Regina freezes as his thumb smoothes over the bruises. She didn't want him to see these, doesn't want anyone to know about what she is dealing with. She mumbles a quiet but truthful, "No," before she can concoct a story to appease the growing anger in Robin's eyes.
"Someone else did this?" He breathes tightly, turning her other wrist over to see the same injuries plum purpled on her skin. "It's not really important. I am figuring it out." She slides her hands out of his grasp and back into her own lap, tugging the blouse sleeves down.
Robin frowns, "Do they hurt?"
"It doesn't matter," Regina sighs, and it burns Robin from the inside out.
"I'd disagree Regina."
She levels him with a depressing glance, and he knows she doesn't believe him when he says she is important, that she matters, her safety is meaningful, if not to herself, than to him.
He shifts himself a touch closer, his knee brushing against her own as he dips his chin down, reaching for her cheek, hoping to the high heavens she won't recoil away from his touch as he smiles sadly, "You can tell me, you know that, right?"
She doesn't move for a moment, and Robin fears he may have crossed a line by touching her rather intimately. And in the same second he is about to retract, he feels Regina's cheek lean into his palm. "Robin, we barely know one another. I am not about to burden you with my issues."
He shakes his head, "It's not a burden."
"You say that now." She huffs heavy through her nose.
Robin only smoothes a thumb over the apple of her cheek, "And I'd still say it afterwards." His eyes find hers, holding steady as he lets his words sink in and hopefully stay solid in her mind. He is in this with her, for her, in whatever capacity she needs him and even more after that.
Shrugging, Regina glances down, "I don't want to talk about it, okay?"
He won't push her, not when she isn't ready or understanding that as of this very moment, Robin is adamant that she will not be alone ever again. Nodding, he tucks that stray curl behind her ear, "If you are sure, but if you ever need help, please, just ask, okay?"
Regina nods, a tiny smile gracing her lips, "There you go trying to be my knight in shining armour again."
It breaks the heaviness of the moment, and Robin chuckles quietly. One day she will know just how important she is, and he will promise to be there every step of the way.
"If I know anything about you, Regina," He reaches for her other hand, and looks her directly in the eyes with as much sound resolution as he can, "it's that you don't need saving, you are the most resilient woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."
She bites back a grin, a tinted blush running into her cheeks, "You're far too kind to me, you know that?"
Robin shakes his head, lifting her palm to his lips, "You deserve it," and presses a gentle kiss to her knuckles, his heart igniting at the smile that finally reaches her eyes.
TBC.