14th February 2011

Why was she sitting here again, listening to her date rambling on and on about how incredibly lucky they were about the deal they'd pulled in together from the Count? It was all her date-slash-colleague, Samdi Facilier, (whom she'd met at the company's Christmas party last year) had been talking about for the past hour, since he'd picked her up at her apartment, during the cab ride down here and the moment they sat down at the table. Yes, they'd closed the deal; they'd be given a promotion. He'd be transferred to the London branch of the company, which was all he'd ever wanted.

Why had he asked her out again on Valentine's Day of all days? They weren't even involved in a romantic kind of way. Regina had had hopes, perhaps, but to her it was clear his eyes were set on the Union Jack and not a relationship with her. So they'd had fun… but there was the little voice inside her head, the voice that had been nagging her about the handsome stranger - Robin, Robin was his name - all year long. Why had she not been able to shut it up? It was a fantasy, nothing more. He wouldn't show up tonight. Would he?

Get it together, Regina. She scolded herself while her eyes flew to the delicate golden watch on her wrist. If she wanted to make it to Battery Park in time to meet him - if he came, if he was even there, which was stupid to think that he was. But still, if… She had to leave now. Quite frankly, the prospect of going home with Samdi, who'd not even cared to ask her whether she preferred the red or white wine, who had not even taken a moment to compliment her outfit, was less acceptable by the minute.

Going to Battery Park was crazy. She was ninety-nine point nine percent sure Robin would not show up. Why would he? He was handsome, funny, he seemed caring and gentle… The thought of him not having found a nice woman to date throughout the past year was ridiculous. She should have asked for his number when she'd had the chance, damn it. All year long, she'd been on the lookout for him, had hoped for a chance meeting somewhere in the City. But the city was big and fate was cruel.

"… and of course you will have to visit me in London," he smiled before he put the menu down.

Regina looked at him, really looked at him. She was not a person for a long-distance relationship. Hell, what they had wasn't even a relationship; it was something very casual, very clean, without much emotion. And this something wasn't what she wanted. It only took a moment for her to realize she was at the wrong place with the wrong guy.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I need to go." Her hand grabbed her purse and she left, leaving a dumbfounded man behind, who looked at her, sighed and took a sip of his glass of wine before waving at the waiter, signaling him he was ready to order. With or without a date.

The second she stepped outside into the pouring rain, she wondered if she was stupid or crazy or simply hopelessly romantic. Sighing, she considered she was probably all three of these things. Two minutes in the rain trying to hail a cab and she was already soaked. She really, really ought to have taken an umbrella, but when they'd left her place, Samdi had offered his and despite everything, she hadn't thought about grabbing one for herself. At least this time, she was not freezing… yet.

Finally one of the cabs stopped and she got inside a little breathlessly, asking the driver to take her to Battery Park and to make it quick. She hoped he was there, hoped he was still there, hoped for once she wasn't on the wrong side of a spontaneous action. Oh well, who was she kidding? His jacket hung inside her closet, right where she could see it every day. It'd smelled of him for a long few months - not that she'd checked, she wasn't that desperate. Well fine, she had, but nobody needed to know, did they?

Regina wondered for a moment if she should have brought the jacket to give it back to him. But on the other hand… if she still hung on to it and tonight went well - depending on whether he showed up of course - maybe, maybe she could give it back to him at one point in the near future. A smile ghosted across her lips.

When the cab stopped close to the northern edge of Battery Park, she quickly got out and made her way down to the bench through the darkness and the rain. She was soaked right down to her core, almost freezing. Next time, she should really think this through. If there was going to be a next time, that was.

As the bench came into view, her heart started to speed up. A dark figure was waiting in front of it, tightly hunched under a giant dark green umbrella. He was looking the other way but she knew, she just knew it was him there waiting. He was here. He came. Thank God.

"Robin?" Regina asked hesitantly, hands wrapping around her soaked coat.

She could see his body go full alert before he turned around, a magnificent dimpled smile on his face as he took her in.

"You came," he answered more than a little surprised.

"You did, too."

Silence engulfed them, only disturbed by the pitter-patter of the rain and the dampened noises of the city behind them. Regina really, really should have thought this through. She should say something, anything, because the fact he was here, they were here, it had to mean something. Instead, she found herself at a loss for words, nervously fidgeting with the button of her coat. Thankfully Robin was the one to take initiative and stepped closer to her so she was now standing under his dark green umbrella, which made the rain stop from pouring down on her. It was quite the relief actually, even though right now she felt the cold creep into her bones even further.

"I'm so glad you're here. Frankly, I… I didn't think you'd come," he whispered.

"I almost didn't. I was… I was out on a date with someone and then I realized I shouldn't be there, but here. With you." She took a deep breath and stepped closer to him, feeling his warmth radiating off him as he grinned and offered her his arm.

"Lucky me," Robin grinned but it sounded sincere and not sarcastic at all. "We should really get you out of the rain. You're soaked. Have you eaten?"

"No… But I would not be opposed to a snack right now."

"I know a pub not far away from here. They have Guinness on tap and burgers to die for."

"You know the way to a woman's heart," Regina shot back, grinning.

They took a cab a few streets up to the Merry Men, an old little thing hidden in an alley next to a few office buildings. She'd been down here many a time but she'd never seen or heard of this pub. Robin though, opened the door for her and was greeted loudly by the giant behind the bar. He waved but didn't go over. Instead, he lead her to a little secluded table in the corner of the room, shielded from the curious looks of the other guests of the pub. He took Regina's coat and hung it onto a hook on the side of the wall to dry before he slipped back into the chair.

She must look like a mess with her wet dress and her hair starting to curl. Luckily he'd picked the most secluded spot in the establishment. Nevertheless, Robin smiled at her as if he was the happiest man in the world right now.

"So. Beer and burgers?"

"Sure. With bacon and cheese if they have that," Regina agreed, ready to have something warm and greasy to help her get rid of the chill in her bones. "Oh - and some fries please."

His eyes sparkled. "Your wish is my command, Milady."

He made his way over to the bar where the giant met him with a pat on the shoulder and a questioning look in her direction. She could see Robin shrug and chuckle, the warm feeling in her stomach increasing by the second. Being here with him felt just so... right. None of the guys she'd dated before had ever taken her out to something simple as this. They always thought to impress her and while, yes, she loved to indulge in the fancy, she lived for the simple. Especially if that included burgers, fries and beer. For some reason, Robin saw her. The real her. He didn't feel the need to impress her with flowers or chocolate or fancy dinner.

Regina watched him say something to the bar tender before he turned around and headed back to the table. He set a glass with a gold-brown liquid down in front of her, slightly rolling his eyes when he explained: "Courtesy of the owner. John won't let you have your burger before you taste this."

Her hand reached for the glass and she curiously eyed the liquid inside: "And what is this magical liquid, if I may ask?"

"Oh, it can act as all sort of things. Let me see…" Robin smirked and tapped his finger against the side of the glass. "It's a liquid that can conjure courage, give strength… or even act as a love potion sometimes."

"So you brought me here to bewitch me with a love potion. On Valentine's Day? Isn't that a little… cliché?" Regina laughed, not meaning any of it seriously.

"It's whiskey," Robin simply stated. "And I don't like clichés."

"Ergo the pub and beer and fries and burgers?"

"Busted."

They laughed and clicked their glasses, taking a sip from the whiskey. It was good - smoky with a hint of honey, which warmed her insides immediately. While they waited for their food, Robin explained his relationship with the place to her, how the owner was an old friend of his whose parents immigrated from Ireland fifty years ago. They'd put all the little money they had into this place and had made it one of the best-kept secrets in all of New York City.

"… of course I'm biased there. But John does have the best whiskey selection in town… and his burgers are to die for."

As if on cue, the bartender - John - himself approached them with two plates that held their food. Regina had to admit the burgers looked amazing.

"Thought I'd come over here myself, so you can introduce me to your lovely lady over here."

Robin faked an annoyed sigh. "John, this is Regina… Regina, this is John, the owner of the Merry Men."

"It's an honor to meet you, Regina. I've heard so much about you over the past year. Robin wasn't sure you'd show up tonight - but it seems you did."

"John!" Robin scolded his friend and Regina could see a faint blush creep up his cheeks. "Don't you have stuff to do? Like counting your whiskey barrels or something?"

As John left their table laughing, Regina bit her lower lip to hide a smile. So it seems Robin had thought about her probably as much as she did over the past year. The fact he'd told his friend about her seemed to just confirm it.

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine. So… you thought about me during the past year?" She snatched a fry and dipped it into the little jar of ketchup.

"Every day," Robin admitted honestly.

Regina's heartbeat increased. He'd thought about her… perhaps as much as she'd thought about him.

"I still have your jacket." The smile he flashed at her was so genuine and giddy, she couldn't help but giggle. God, his dimples were going to kill her if he kept his game up like this.

"Maybe you can return it to me… sometime."

"Maybe you can come and pick it up yourself… sometime," she answered, hoping he could read between the lines.

"I'd really, really like that."

They ate their burgers and sipped their beer and just talked about everything and nothing. He grew up in England and moved to Columbia for his studies in engineering. He liked hiking and archery - the fact he'd won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 had left her quite impressed - and he'd gotten the US citizenship three years ago. There was an ex-wife somewhere in Australia and five siblings spread throughout the world.

The hours went on and when Regina looked around, she found they were the last two customers left.

"I really don't want tonight to end," he admitted finally and, thank god, she felt exactly the same. She was just about to suggest they order another beer when his phone started ringing. Robin looked at it, quite confused at the number that lit up the screen.

"Excuse me… I need to take this," he mumbled before he got up and went toward the bar. John directed him to a room behind the counter, a mildly worried expression on his face.

Regina bit her lower lip and sighed. Something was going on, something must have happened. The look on his face had been one of surprise, confusion and concern and just the simple fact someone called him at 11: 45 pm must mean it was serious. She busied herself with nibbling on a fry and checking her phone. There was one new message from her friend Mary Margaret asking how her date with Samdi went and she already dreaded the talk she'd have to have with her friend.

Still, the night was young, and most definitely looking up. If things with Robin worked out tonight, she really had a story to tell.

The moment Robin reentered the pub from the back office, her heart sank. He looked pale, almost sick. John was on him in a second, whispering questions and demanding answers, but Robin simply shook his head and made his way back over to their table.

"Are you alright?" Regina asked quietly, her heart in her throat. Stupid question, Regina. Clearly he was not.

"I… I don't even know how to explain this right now."

Damn it, he was shaking. She got up and squeezed in beside him, wrapping her arms around him. Whatever had happened, this was not good. Not good at all. He buried his face against her neck, breathed her in and stayed like this for a few moments until he seemed to have calmed down.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled against her neck before he loosened their embrace. "I'm so sorry, Regina."

"What happened?" She asked, her voice laced with worry.

"I really can't explain it right now, I… I need to figure some things out. Oh God. I'm so sorry."

"Whatever it is, I can help…" She offered but he shook his head.

"No, I… I can't right now. Fuck." He groaned, looked at her and suddenly pressed his lips against hers. Regina gasped in surprise before she returned the desperate kiss which was melting her on the inside. Damn, he was a good kisser. She opened up to him and moaned when his tongue slipped into her mouth, tasting, devouring.

It was only mere moments later when they broke apart breathlessly, gasping for air.

"Wow. Robin…"

"I'm sorry Regina. I really am. I like you… very, very much, but something happened, and… I need some time to figure things out."

Her heart sank and her eyebrows rose.

"I know I have no right to ask you this. I want to be with you. I want to explore whatever it is between the two of us but I need time. So would you… would you be willing to give me that time?"

"How much time are we talking about?" Regina whispered, her heart aching.

"I really don't know. A… a year?"

"You're asking me to wait another year?"

The pained look on his face told her he really didn't want to ask her to wait that long. Quite frankly, it was unfair of him to expect her to wait another year for him. She sighed.

"I can't promise you to wait a year for you."

"I understand," he sighed, his eyes focused on the table. "But… but I will promise you I will be there. Next year. At the bench in Battery Park, waiting for you to show up if… you still want me then. I'm really sorry, Regina."

"Me, too." She said before she grabbed her coat from the hook and put it on. "I should go."

As she exited the pub and climbed into the next best cab, she realized she forgot something at the table. Her heart.