Author's Notes:
Special Thanks to my illustrator and contributing author ale_nena who makes beautiful cover art and helped me write sections of this chapter.
Setting: Misthaven non-magical modern AU. The society and political system will be based on a combination of modern countries, with a probable bias toward the American system as I am an American. However, all characters are fictional and resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidence.
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Regina slammed the patio doors behind her as she hurried through the outer kitchen. To her relief it was empty. Her heels clicked across the marble floor as she stormed to the elevator.
She pushed the call button, trying to keep her breathing even.
"Regina!" she tense as her mother's voice echoed through the foyer.
"Regina, I want to talk to you-"
The elevator doors slid open as Regina whirled around, "About what?!"
Cora blinked, "Excuse me?"
"What do you want to talk about? My career, my lovelife...my ass?!" she demanded, "We've talked about it all before! I'm not moving to the political office, I'm not interested in James Spencer, and I seriously doubt my cellulite will make or break the election for you, Mother! So how about you just leave me alone for once?!"
Over the course of her rant her father had come out of his office with a concerned look on his face, but she couldn't handle being in this conversation any longer. Not meeting either of her parents' eyes, she turned around into the elevator and slammed down the button for her floor.
Cora stood dumbstruck, snapping out of it as the elevator doors closed. Shaking herself she fumed, "How...dare..she?"
"Wait!" Henry stopped her as she reached for the call button.
She looked up at him, "Excuse me? Wait?"
"Cora-"
"I would expect you'd take her side as always!" she yelled indignantly, "Well I will not be disrespected by my own daughter!"
"I understand why you're upset, but even if you follow her she isn't going to listen right now," Henry reasoned, "I'm not saying don't speak to her about this, just give her a moment to cool down so she'll actually hear you."
Cora studied her husband for a moment. She was torn between feeling completely enraged and the niggling voice at the back of her mind reminding her that she had appointments scheduled for the day.
"Alright, very well," she finally conceded, "Only because I have to get to the office. I will deal with this later, though!"
"I think that would be just fine," Henry agreed.
Letting out an exasperated breath, Cora turned on her heel to pick up her briefcase from the foyer and head out the front door where her assigned security was waiting.
As he watched his wife's retreating form, Henry sighed, thinking back over the conversation he'd just heard in the garden through his office window.
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After getting off the elevator, Regina hurried to her room and shut the door firmly behind her.
Leaning back against it, she tried to get her breathing under control but her chest felt like there was a weight on it.
Her mind was racing trying to figure out what just happened. When she texted Robin to meet her in the garden, she'd just wanted someone to vent to but then it took a turn she never expected.
Absently she walked to her bedroom and sat down on the end of the bed.
She'd woken up this morning feeling so hopeful and now...had she really gotten it wrong? Had she moved too fast?
Even so, Robin never seemed like the type of guy to freak out at an "I love you."
But that was the thing, though, wasn't it? It wasn't that he'd freaked out that she loved him, he'd freaked out because he didn't believe she knew what she was talking about when she said it.
Her throat clenched as she remembered the pitying look in his eyes when he reminded her about having said those words to Daniel months ago.
It was true, she had and she'd known at the time that he had to have heard, but she hadn't thought about it much since then. Evidently he had, though. How long had this been on his mind?
Suddenly, she was starting to see so much of their relationship in a new light. Yesterday with her birthday, getting her takeout late at night, barely complaining when she was stressed and cranky, going along with their sex life revolving around her texting him to sneak up to her room...dear Gods, even inviting her to Sherwood on Unity Day! The first time they'd been together...had all of it just been sympathy for a heartbroken, lonely rich girl? Is that how he saw her?
Feeling tears welling her eyes, she let herself lay down, curling her knees up into her chest. The scent of him that she'd revealed in that morning still clung faintly to the sheets, making her recall laying in his arms the previous night, feeling as if her heart would burst with love.
Now her heart hurt in an entirely different way.
Biting her lip, she finally gave in and let the tears that wanted to escape fall.
* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *
Robin's alarm clock woke him up the next morning with a jolt. With a groan he rolled over to turn it off.
Laying back into his pillow he let out a sigh. Already he felt a splitting headache coming on.
The previous day after his conversation with Regina in the garden had been hell. Spending all day in the camera room was boring on the best of days, but spending the entire time wondering if he'd just made a huge mistake…
When he finally managed to get away, he'd gone back to his room and fallen into a fitful sleep that was filled with visions of both twisted metal and flashing blue lights, and the stricken expression on Regina's beautiful face.
Taking a breath he forced himself to sit up and swing his legs out of bed. Sliding on his sandals, he made his way to the shower room.
"Morning Locksley!" Kronk bellowed from one of the sinks.
He grunted as he took one of the empty stalls. Setting down his shower caddy he shed his pajamas and started up the water.
"Oi!," Miguel said, pulling open the door and leaning against the frame, "Who pissed in your porridge this morning?"
Robin turned, "Miguel, fuck off!"
Miguel rolled his eyes, stepping out of the door frame to let it shut behind him.
It gave him about two minutes of peace before the door opened again. With a sigh, he shut off the water and turned. This time it was Drake standing in the doorway.
"Problem, Locksley?" the older man asked.
"No, Sir," he said through gritted teeth, "I just would prefer a little privacy while showering!"
"Fine," Drake grumbled, "But lose that attitude before you pick up Miss Mills!"
"What?" he turned back around, "I thought I was on camera duty again today?"
"You were, but Razoul is sick so I need you to take over," Drake grumbled.
With that he let the shower door close and walked away.
Robin stood under the spray, letting out a sigh. He was going to have to see Regina today. He hadn't been counting on that. He didn't know what he was going to say to her. He knew she was very upset by what he'd said the day before, and she had every right to be.
Taking a breath, he resigned himself to the fact that there really was nothing he could do about it other than approach the situation carefully. Picking up a bar of soap he hurried through showering and brushing his teeth so that he could get back to his room and dress.
In the breakroom he stiffly ate his way through a breakfast that he barely tasted until he couldn't put it off any longer. Setting his dishes in the discard tray, he made his way through the halls to the garage door. The keys to Regina's silver mini were on their usual hook.
He took them, got in the car, and drove it around to the front of the house.
They was no one outside when he arrived, so he shut off the engine and got out. It was even colder than the previous day.
He shivered, wrapping his coat around himself as the front door opened and Regina stepped out.
She looked as beautiful as ever in her light blue coat, but stood stiffly as she walked down the steps to the car.
He opened the passenger's side door to allow her to slide in and carefully closed it behind her.
When he got into the driver's side, she set her briefcase down and cleared her throat, "I didn't know you were my security today."
"Razoul's out sick," he explained.
"I see."
Starting up the engine, Robin asked, "Are we stopping anywhere special today or-"
"Just to the foundation," she answered, buckling her seatbelt.
The drive into the city was silent and uncomfortable. When they got to the Foundation headquarters he parked the car and turned to her, "Listen, Regina-"
"If you don't mind," she cut him off, "I have a meeting I need to get to."
"Sure," he agreed.
They were both silent as he followed her to her office. When they arrived, he realized he'd be facing a second uncomfortable meeting with her assistant Lily. He hadn't seen the woman since she caught them in her apartment.
She was sitting at her desk outside Regina's office, and looked up when they arrived, "Hey, you made it in today huh? Recovered from your big birthday bash?"
Regina stiffened, and simply asked, "Has the meeting started?"
"No," Lily shook her head.
"Good," she said, walking into her office to store her coat and briefcase, and then heading directly to the conference room.
Lily watched her the whole time with her eyebrows raised. Glancing over at Robin, the dark haired woman asked, "Everything okay?"
It was a loaded question that he didn't quite know how to answer. Particularly as speaking with Lily about him and Regina was not something he was used to. Seeing no other option, he simply nodded, "Yes."
Lily stared at him for a moment but was forced to accept the answer when her phone rang, demanding her attention elsewhere.
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Regina's meeting lasted a good three hours and, though he tired to concentrate on his book, he kept glancing over through the glass conference room doors. He could see Regina where she was sitting, watching as her expression became pinched and frustrated.
She was getting stressed.
Putting away his book, he excuse himself. Telling Lily that he was just going down to the lobby. She looked at him suspiciously, but nodded.
He took the elevator down to the lobby and walked over to the small coffee shop where he ordered a latte for himself and a mocha.
When he got back up to Regina's office, the meeting was just getting out.
"Hey, how did things go?" Lily asked her as Regina came out.
She shrugged, "Slow road to, hopefully, somewhere."
The other woman chuckled, "Well do you mind if I take lunch now?"
"No, no," Regina waved, "Go ahead."
"Thanks," Lily gathered up her purse and hurried toward the elevator.
Robin smirked at her hasty exit. Noticing Regina was looking at him expectantly, he said, "I thought you could use a coffee."
She stared at the cup in his hand and asked, "What?"
"Well I know your meeting was really long and-"
"Robin!" she interrupted, shaking her head at him incredulously.
He sighed, "Look about what happened the other day. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just…"
Licking her lips, she said, "You made yourself pretty clear. I just don't understand what it is you're doing now."
"Regina, I do care about you."
"Care about me?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Yes."
"Well you know what? I don't need you to care about me! I don't need your friendship! I don't need your pity fucks! And I don't need your coffee!" she snatched the cup out of his hand and tossed it in the trashcan near Lily's desk, "I don't need anything from you."
"Regina," he sighed.
"Whatever it was we had…" she shook her head, "...whatever...I don't need anything from you. You're my security. That's your job...and only that!"
"Regina-"
"Do your job and, outside of that, leave me alone!" she said, turning away from him. She closed her office door firmly behind her and snapped the blinds shut.
Letting out a disappointed breath, he stared at the cup of coffee in his hands and found that he'd lost his appetite for it.
It joined Regina's in the trash.
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The rest of the day passed agonizingly slowly. When Regina was finally ready to leave, Robin drove her home in silence. At the front entrance, she got out of the car without a word and began climbing the steps.
Drove her car around to the garage and parked it in its usual space. After hanging the keys back up, he went to his room and settled tiredly down in the chair at his desk where he rested his head in his hands.
His moment of peace didn't last long, though, as his cell phone started buzzing in his pocket.
Groaning, he dug it out, "Hello?"
"Hey, where have you been, mate? Haven't heard for you in a while."
He remembered that he hadn't spoken with Killian in a while. Usually the texted a few times a week, but he'd been distracted.
"Oh just...busy with work."
"You alright?"
"Fine."
"Right," Killian said skeptically, "What is it? Row with the lovely Regina?"
Robin pinched the bridge of his nose, "KIllian...there's nothing between me and Regina."
He laughed, "I thought we covered this before, mate?"
"No," Robin insisted, "I mean...there's nothing between me and Regina...anymore."
"Shite," Killian said.
"Yeah."
"Listen um...I'm sorry."
"It's fine," he said, "You were right, it was always going to have an expiration date anyway."
Killian was quite for a moment before he said, "You know...there's no reason you have to stay there."
"What?"
"The Roger's doing really good these days, there's plenty of room for you," he said, "And you must have made quite a lot in the time you've been there? You could come back here until you find something better."
Robin rubbed the back of his neck.
"Look just think it over, okay?" Killian urged, "I get that the pay is good, but we both know you've been staying for other reasons for a long time now. Those people...they aren't the center of the world, even if they act like they are, yeah?"
"Yeah," he nodded, dropping his hand, "Yeah, I get what you're saying but...I'm gonna have to think it over some."
"Alright," Killian said, "Take care of yourself."
"You as well," he said as he hung up the phone.
Tossing it aside, he shoved himself away from the desk and over to the wardrobe to change out of his suit. Thinking it over he changed into a pair of sweatpants and his running shoes.
He rode the elevator up to the first floor and went out through the kitchen. Almost immediately he wished he hadn't though, as he found himself standing in the exact spot where the day before…
Shaking off the thought he broke into a jog. He ran past the front of the house toward the drive out. It didn't take him long to make it to the front gate. Punching in the code, he jogged past the gate and out onto the road.
As he ran along he focused on his feet pounding against the pavement and the trees bobbing past. He ran until his legs started to burn, focusing on the pain to chase away thoughts he didn't want to dwell on.
He kept running as if to get away from his own mind.
Finally, he was forced to stop. Resting his hands on his knees, he drew deep breaths.
Standing back up, he stretched his back out.
The sun was just setting over the horizon, and he could feel the temperature dropping rapidly. Even after a long run, he cold reached right to his skin.
He hadn't been paying much attention to where he was going on the way out, so he looked around to get his bearings. He'd gone about four miles from the edge of the estate.
Letting out a breath, he turned to start on his way back. After a few steps, though he reconsidered it.
He recalled that just a little ways down the road there was a shopping center that happened to have a bar.
"Why not?" he muttered to himself, turning back around and jogging the rest of the way to the center.
The bar's 'open' sign was flashing green and pink, and music blared from behind the door.
Shoving it open, he walked inside and over to the bar. Sliding onto a stool, he sat catching his breath.
"What can I get you?"
He looked up into the face of the middle aged bartender with a big beard.
"Whiskey, neat," he ordered.
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Ruby threw her car into park and grabbed her purse from the passenger's seat.
Tossing her keys inside, walked across the parking lot to
Letting the door swing closed, she glanced around and decided to take a seat near the jukebox.
"Hey, Ruby!" the bartender called.
"Hey, Max," she waved.
"Bloody Mary?"
"You know it!" she grinned.
"Coming right up," he said, tossing his towel over his shoulder.
She zoned out until she heard a recognizable Southern Provinces accent, "Another!"
"Just a minute, buddy,"
Ruby leaned back in her seat, trying to see through the crowd. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Max grab a bottle of whiskey and refill Robin Locksley's glass.
Her eyebrows shot up. She'd never see him at this bar before.
Picking up the glass, he knocked it back, wincing as he swallowed.
Max frowned, "Maybe you should slow down a little."
Robin laughed bitterly, "Why's that? What's the fucking point?"
Picking up her bag, Ruby walked over to him, "Robin?"
Squinting at her, he grinned, "Ruby."
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Drinking," he chuckled.
"I see that…"
"You know this guy?"
"Yeah, we work together," she nodded, "What made you come here tonight?"
He laughed again, "Well, I screwed up the best thing in my life so I figured, why not?"
She didn't know what to say to that. As she stood he motioned for another drink, which Max reluctantly filled.
"So um...are you okay?"
His head lolled clumsily, "No I...I should have known better! She's amazing and sexy and...amazing."
"You already said amazing," she pointed out.
He didn't seem to hear though as he went on, "I told myself I could handle it but who the fuck wouldn't love her?"
With that he flung the glass across the bar, drawing protests from the people a few seats down.
"Aright, he's cut off!" Max barked.
"Sorry!" Ruby, winced, "Sorry. Listen Robin um...you need to calm down...I know it sucks but we've all been there…"
He looked up at her, "Yeah...the women you can't resist are the ones who rip your heart out. Sorry Ruby. Who was she?"
Her jaw dropped, "What?!"
He rested his head on one hand, "Who was she?"
"I…" she stuttered, "...why would you...who told you?!"
"Who told me what?"
"That I'm...how did you know?"
He blinked, "...thought everyone knew."
"Well they don't!" she cried, "And you'd better not tell my Granny!"
"Oh," he slurred, "Sorry...promise I won't say anything…"
With that his head lulled and he sunk down resting it on one hand.
"Robin?" she shook him, swearing when she realized he'd passed out.
"You gonna be okay to get him home?" Max asked.
"Yeah," she answered, "I'll just call...someone."
He accepted the answer, but deciding who to call was the tricky part. Granny and Drake wouldn't approve at all, and, though she wasn't happy with what he'd just revealed about her, she was no snitch.
Digging out her phone, she scrolled through her contacts list before finally making a decision.
"Kronk? It's Ruby."
"Ruby," he said, "Hey, what's up?"
"I need your help," she sighed.
"What's wrong?" he asked, sounding alarmed.
Quickly she gave him a summary of the situation and told him where to meet her. Then for the next twenty minutes she sat at the bar next to Robin listening to him snore and looking wistfully at her untouched Bloody Mary.
Finally, her phone dinged with a text from Kronk saying he was in the parking lot.
Gathering up her bag, she nudged Robin, "Come on, we gotta go."
Seeing that he was making no attempt to move, she rolled her eyes, Grabbing his arm, she manhandled him off the stool and slung one arm over her shoulder.
"Come on, Robin, work with me here!" she grumbled as she struggled to drag him to the door.
When she finally got it open, she caught sight of Kronk climbing out of a car with a green Flyt sticker on the windshield.
He jogged over to her, helping support Robin's weight.
"You took a Flyt?!" she demanded.
"I don't have car!" he defended, "Yours is here, right?"
"Yeah, over there," she motioned.
Together they walked him over to the car and managed to shove him into the back seat.
Once Kronk hand climbed into the passenger's side and strapped in, Ruby started up the engine and turned back toward the estate.
"Thanks for coming," she said quietly.
"Hey, anytime. You can always call me."
She smiled at him before turning her attention back to the road. Kronk really was a sweet guy. She only hoped he'd given up on whatever interest he had in her, because the thought made her feel bad for not just being honest with him.
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Robin woke up the next morning in his bed, fully clothed, and his skull feeling like it would split open.
Rolling over he tumbled out of bed. He pushed himself to his knees and fumbled for his phone in his jacket pocket.
It was nearly 11AM and he had a moment of panic before remembering that it was his day off.
Dropping the phone, he let out a sigh of relief.
As he got his bearings back, though he winced in disgust at the horrid taste in his mouth and the smell of himself.
Using the bed for support, he pushed himself up and peeled off his clothes. After tossing them into the hamper, he wrapped his robe around himself and grabbed a fresh pair of sweats and his shower caddy.
He shuffled to the shower room like a zombie and spent a good amount of time just standing under the water.
Once he finally recovered enough energy, he scrubbed himself off, shut off the water, dried, and got dressed.
After a brief stop to dump his shower caddy in his room, he turned toward the break room, hoping that there was still some coffee left.
To his luck there was some stale coffee still in the pot, but it wasn't as lucky that Ruby and Mrs. Fa were there setting out the staff lunch.
Mrs. Fa smirked as soon as she caught sight of him, "Morning, Lover Boy!"
He groaned, sending Ruby an annoyed look.
"It wasn't me!" she defended, "I had to call Kronk to help drag you home, and the two of them are in that kitchen gossiping whenever he isn't on duty!"
Mrs. Fa laughed dishing up a plate of rice and dropping it in front of him, "Eat! It'll make you feel better."
"Thanks, Mrs. Fa," he said quietly, picking at the rice with a fork.
"Oh, don't think you're getting off that easy!" the older woman said as he continued to set out the lunch trays, "So who is she?"
Robin froze, mind racing as he tried to remember what all he'd said last night. He remembered seeing Ruby at the bar, but it was fuzzy…
As he looked at the small chef, though, she looked only curious. Not like she was hiding anything.
"It's not important," he answered, "Just a bad break up."
"What'd you do to screw it up?" Mrs. Fa demanded.
He quirked his lips warily, but didn't answer.
"Fine, keep your secrets!" she grumbled, "But if you want some free advice...find a way to fix it!"
"I don't…" he started, picking at the rice again, "...I don't think that'll happen."
"Not with that attitude!" she shot back.
He stared at the pile of rice on his plate for a good long moment before answering, "It was always going to happen."
She sniffed, but didn't push him further on it.
As the rest of the staff began filing in to eat lunch, he scooped up a bite of rice and, though he didn't have much appetite for it, began slowly chewing.