Chapter 5

Regina knew she should've gone anywhere else. Anywhere else than here. But she didn't know another place to go. If she went home, she would have to answer to her parents. If she went to Granny's, Ruby would barricade her with questions. If she went to Emma's, she would also be interrogated. Robin's place was definitely out of the question. Now, here she was, in her tree house. Well, it's really theirs.

Is there even a theirs anymore? Obviously Robin didn't care about her, announced it in front of all of their friends too. It was so embarrassing, yet so heartbreaking at the same time. Regina knew falling in love with her best friend was the worst idea possible. She should have learned to never listen to her overbearing heart.

Regina sat in her tree house, holding her legs to her face, her face resting on her knees. She was sobbing. Uncontrollably. She just couldn't stop. Robin's words kept repeating in her head over and over again, and they wouldn't leave. Robin never cared about her, and never will. What kind of life was this? Why was fate so cruel?

Then, Regina should have saw it coming. She should have never came here, but she didn't have anywhere else to go. First, she heard Robin's hurried footsteps up the ladder, then the creaking of the wooden door, then she saw him standing in the entrance way, looking at her with guilt in his eyes. Why was he guilty? He finally admitted his real feelings for her.

"Regina, I'm so sorry! I swear-" But Robin didn't get to finish his pleading. Regina got up as fast as lightning, pushed past Robin before he could do anything, and made her way down the ladder. Right now, Regina never wanted to see Robin again.

"Regina!" Sadly, Robin caught up to Regina and reached for her arm, barely touching her, but still making her stop. Regina glared at her former best friend with red, puffy eyes.

"Robin, leave me alone," Regina gritted through bared teeth, but Robin was never one to listen to her. He only shook his head. When did things get so messed up?

"We need to talk," Regina pulled her arm back and started walking away again. No, they didn't need to talk. Not at all. She understood everything. Someone like him would never love her.

"Trust me, I heard everything I needed to," Regina said, still walking away. She wasn't facing him, but Regina could tell that Robin was hot on her tracks.

"Regina, none of it-"

"Was lies, Robin! You never cared about me, never will! I already heard it, we don't need to talk about it!" Regina screamed. She was sure that if they weren't the only ones outside others would hear them, but they were by themselves.

"Yes we do! You have to understand-"

"Understand what, Robin?! We spent our whole childhood together to figure out that you never cared about any of it?! I was just some distraction you would go to when you had nothing else going on," Regina was still crying, and she realized it. She tried to wipe away the tears on the back of her hand, but they kept falling like a continuous waterfall ever going.

"It's not like that. I swear, if you would just listen…." Robin trailed off, and he wanted to smack himself in the head. He made it sound like he was the victim. What the hell.

"I don't want to listen anymore Robin!" Robin and Regina just stood there for a moment, swarmed by unwanted silence. Robin knew there was almost nothing he could say to change Regina's mind, and that was true. All of Regina's trust for Robin was lost. And it would never come back.

"I think it's best if stop being friends….." Regina muttered under her breath, looking down at the pavement they were standing on. Currently, they were standing on the side of Regina's house, on the sidewalk.

"What?!" Robin exclaimed, his mouth dropping and eyes going wide. The whole reason he kept his true feelings at bay was because he was afraid of losing her. Now he was doing the same thing? He brought this on.

"It's not fair to either of us if we have a friendship that doesn't mean anything," Regina explained, finally looking up off the ground.

"No! Regina, please! Our friendship-"

"No longer exists." Regina finished strongly. Robin just stood there, looking like an idiot with his mouth hanging open.

"Don't do this," Robin grabbed Regina's hand, and she let it slide. Because it would be the last time he ever held her hand. It would kill both of them.

"I have to…." Regina sighed, never wanting to leave Robin's side. But what was the use when Robin didn't care about her? Then, more sad memories of the day came flooding through, and Regina took her hand back. Robin didn't deserve her. But she wanted him. Life just wasn't fair.

Regina left Robin as she walked to her front porch, only a few steps away. For some reason, Regina felt as though she was witnessing her first break up. It wasn't. Because Robin was never hers to begin with. To her, this was a painful goodbye, and to him, this was happy freedom. If Robin was happy, then she could at least deal with the pain her heart was going through.

Regina was just about to turn the knob on her front door when Robin's words made her froze. The ones she only heard him say in her wildest dreams.

"I love you!" This was Robin's last attempt to get her back, give her a reason to not walk through that door, but Regina cried more tears, and frowned. With a sniffle, she sighed.

"Don't say things you don't mean Robin." Regina walked through the door, the door that would separate them forever. The one where Regina doesn't know, but she took Robin's heart with her.

…

Regina couldn't stop the tears. She tried everything, but it all failed. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry until she felt again okay. But if she was being honest with herself, she would never feel okay again without Robin's arms being wrapped around her.

Regina was laying on the couch with a blanket, all curled up, when Cora came through the door, her high heels louder than the tv itself. Cora stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her daughter, puffy eyed and saddened, curled up in a ball. Cora still had her purse on her, but she dropped it and went straight over to Regina. She looked sick as a dog.

"Oh my god, honey, what's wrong?" Cora asked hurriedly, sitting down next to Regina. But she just sniffled away, not answering her stressed mother. What could have possibly gone wrong? Cora thought about what happened before she left work, then she remembered something. More like someone. Who came by this morning.

"Today is the worst day of my life," Regina whispered, her voice hoarse from crying so much. Cora frowned and engulfed her daughter in a hug. Do you know that feeling when you're trying to keep everything in and then someone you care about hugs you and you totally break? Well that's what was happening with Regina. All the tears were coming on so fast Cora didn't know what to expect.

"What happened, Dear?" Cora tried to sooth, but Regina cried into her mother's shoulder. It felt too good to talk to someone about this, and she wasn't about to stop.

"R-R-Robin," Regina cried. Cora was starting to really hate Robin now. For many years he was always sweet and caring, but he's start hurting Regina. That was definitely not okay. Not at all.

"H-He asked m-me to the da-ance," Regina didn't lift her head from her mother, still wrapped in the hug. Cora ran her hand along her back, trying anything to calm her hysteric daughter down.

"Well, that's great honey! Why are you crying?"

"Robin only asked me b-because h-he felt bad about l-last night," Cora rolled her eyes. Of course he had. Robin was turning into a serious idiot.

"Sit up, honey." Cora urged, and Regina sat up, still crying, but less this time. Regina put her hands over her face to wipe off all the tears, and tried to talk to her mother rationally.

"Mom, it was horrible! After he came here, he asked me to the dance. Of course I said yes, and I was so excited! Then I go down to the docks to hear Robin yelling at Killian and David, saying that we would never be a couple. He said he never cared about me and never would," Regina cried, her mascara running. But in Cora's eyes, she couldn't look any more beautiful.

"Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry…."

"And then he ran after me and we had this fight. Right before I came in here, he said something. Something that hurt more than anything else…." Regina looked down, not daring to repeat the words, worrying they might not be real if she said them aloud again.

"What did he say, Regina?" But the young brunette just shook her head, she would not repeat the words. It hurt too much.

"It doesn't matter. We're not friends anymore…." Cora frowned. She knew that Robin meant everything to Regina. It must be heartbreaking losing her best friend like that. Why did this have to happen?

"Regina, I'm so sorry. I know how hard this must be. But trust me, there will be other guys," What Cora didn't know was that Regina didn't want any other guy. She wanted Robin. The person she loves. But she couldn't. Robin didn't love her back.

…

Robin couldn't believe it. He had actually done it. He lost Regina. The one thing he was trying not to do. What was he supposed to do now? He knew Regina was hurting, hell if he heard Regina talking about him like that he would be heartbroken too. Robin swore he could hear cries from outside her front door, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He walked straight ahead to his porch, sat on the swing, and put his head in his hands.

Robin's mom, Helen Locksley, saw Robin and Regina's fight from the window sill. She didn't understand what was going on. Robin and Regina never fought. Ever. What changed now? And why was Regina crying?

Helen walked out front and found his son sitting on the porch swing. She silently sat down next to him, not wanting to push anything on him.

Robin knew his mother was sitting next to him, but he didn't bother looking up. He hurt Regina. Something he promised both of them he wouldn't do. What was he to do now? Man, Henry and Cora were going to ate him. His parents were going to hate him. His friends were going to hate him. Regina was going to hate him.

"You're awfully quiet," Helen broke the ice. Robin sighed, but didn't lift his head.

"Are you okay?" Helen asked, scooting a little closer to her son. Robin looked up at his mother, and Helen was surprised. There was guilt and sadness in his eyes. Oh god, what happened?

"I promised both of us I would never hurt her…." Robin sighed, looking straight ahead to Regina's house. He was too scared to look at his mother.

"Robin, what are you talking about?" Helen questioned, facing her teenage son. Robin looked down. He was never one to cry. He's only cried a few times in his whole lifetime, but now was one of the moments.

"I hurt Regina," Robin sniffled, still not looking at his mother. Helen's mouth dropped. What?!

"What?" Helen hoped her son hadn't. That would be horrible. But then again, that would explain what she saw out the front window of their living room. Robin sighed and wiped a single tear off his face.

"I hurt her Mom," Helen wanted answers. A lot of them. Why would her son ever hurt Regina? Didn't he care too much about her than to let that happen?

"Physically?" Helen cringed asked. But she cringed even more when Robin answered her, looking her dead in the eyes.

"Worse. I lied to her, to everyone….." Helen felt like she could breathe again. A lie could be fixed. Trust may be lost, but that could be restored. The only thing was, what did Robin lie about to make Regina cry?

"Oh, Robin. That's easy to fix! Just tell her the truth." Robin sighed, looking back in front of him. This was so damn difficult.

"I already did. She doesn't believe me though. I wouldn't if i was her either," Robin sighed, knowing he just threw away everything he cherished. He lost Regina's trust, and that wasn't something easily given. He would be lucky if she ever spoke to him again.

"Well, what did you say?" There. That part. The one where Robin was too ashamed to repeat. If he told his mother what he told David and Killian, well, he didn't want to know what she would say.

"It's okay Robin. We all make mistakes. You can tell me," Helen urged as moments of silence passed them. Robin took a deep breath and ran his right hand through his hair. Here goes nothing….

"The whole story?" Robin asked, and Helen nodded. Robin nodded and put everything in order in his mind to say what had gone wrong.

"Well, there's a dance coming up soon. Everyone wanted me to ask Regina. Even you guys. I was just so tired of it, so I decided I would ask someone else….. Last night, while we were hanging out, I told the group. Regina freaked out," Robin took a deep breath before continuing the story.

"She was upset last night, so this morning I went over and we talked, just trying to make her feel better. I knew that one thing would make her smile, so I just did it. I asked Regina to the dance," Helen gasped and smiled.

"This is amazing Robin!" Helen knew that Regina and Robin were meant to be. Everyone did. But, based on Robin's sad eyes falling, she knew that their dance was called off.

"I just asked her as a friend. But Regina, she thought I actually asked her on a date. I went down to the docks to tell David and Killian so they would finally shut up about it, but then they pointed it out to me that Regina thought it was a date. I didn't want it to be a date,"

"But Regina did," Helen finished his son's sentence, and Robin nodded sadly. Time to face reality.

"I told David and Killian that I never cared about Regina, never will, and it turns out she was behind me during my speech." You know, the one where you lied the whole time. The one where Regina will always think you hate her because you are too afraid to admit you love her, Robin thought.

"I'm guessing that didn't go over well?" Helen guessed, and Robin laughed darkly. It was just like he was riding on a damn rainbow. Sure, losing his best friend was the moment he's been waiting for forever!

"She doesn't want to be friends anymore, Mom. What am I supposed to do without her?" Robin honestly didn't know what to do. Without Regina? He's never had to deal with anything without her before. Now, he would have to start.

"Give it time, Robin. You said you told her the truth though, right?"

"I told her I loved her, and she doesn't believe me," Helen sighed. After everything, this was where Robin and Regina went wrong? It just didn't seem right. At all.

"Well, do you love her?" Helen asked. Robin's heart stopped. Did he love Regina? Or was he just lying? No, that meant too much. He would never lie about something like that.

"I-" But Robin was caught off guards when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A beautiful brunette sneaking out her window. Regina.

What was she doing? Why was she sneaking out? Didn't her mother just get home? What was going on.

Robin watched as Regina carefully climbed down her house, onto the big apple tree right outside her room. When she got down, she wiped away some more tears, Robin's fault, he noted, and saw Regina walk away. No, he wouldn't let this happen. He couldn't let Regina go out all alone.

"Robin, what are you-"

But Robin got up and started running towards Regina before her mother could finish her sentence. He needed to talk to Regina.

Regina could sense someone behind her, but she just thought it was imagination. Well, apparently not, because someone grabbed her hand. But it wasn't just anyone. It was Robin.

"What are you doing?" Robin asked, and Regina rolled her eyes, red and puffy after all the crying.

"Leave me alone,"

"Please, can we talk?"

"There's no need to. Get out of my way!"

"Regina, stop,"

"Move!"

"No!"

"Why?!"

"BECAUSE I NEED YOU!"

"NO YOU DON'T!"

"YES I DO!"

"I DON'T CARE!"

"WE BOTH DO!"

"ROBIN, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Regina pulled her hand back and walked away leaving Robin there, speechless. He finally lost her. Regina wanted nothing to do with him. They were over.

The dance passed, as well as time. Regina and Robin never spoke again after their previous encounter, and both of them knew they were missing something. They were missing each other. But little did Robin know, Regina still loved him. She would love him forever. Because she didn't go back on her promises. He did.