A/N: Sorry for not updating for a while, muse had been kicking my ass lately. Not sure when the next update will be but hopefully soon! (Same goes for the other stories.) Also, thank you to everyone that reviewed, favorited and/or followed.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time nor its characters. However, I do own the idea behind this story and the characters that are unknown to the Once fandom, also, mistakes are mine too.
Chapter Three
"Regina!" Ruby cried out, dashing over toward her. "Are you crazy?" She hissed, pulling the scowling woman away from the men's table before things get the chance to worsen. "Gentlemen, I'm terribly sorry."
"That's an assault," one of them pointed out. "We're pressing charges." He threatened, narrowing his eyes at both women.
"Do it," Regina challenged.
"No, please don't!" Ruby pleaded.
"We won't press charges." Robin stated firmly, dismissing Ruby and her cracked out cousin with a polite smile and a single nod.
"Rob, are you crazy? She slapped you!" His friend reminded.
"Yes, I'm very well aware of that, Will." Robin replied calmly, gesturing toward his lightly bruised cheek.
"Then why not press any charges on her? You've got plenty of witnesses." Will argued, motioning his hand toward the rest of the diners.
"Because…" Robin interrupted himself with a light shake of a head and a chuckle, "Because I know her."
"You do?" The chubby man sitting across him asked, furrowing his brows.
"I do." Robin confirmed, one corner of his lips lifting upward.
"You know my mom?"
A small voice came from behind him, he turned around to find a little girl standing with her arms crossed infront of her, trying hard to arch one eyebrow but failing miserably, raising both instead. It was quite adorable.
"She's your mother?" Robin asked, pointing his thumb over toward the direction the crazy woman went from and in return, Juliette nodded. "R—Regina Miller?"
"Mills," the nine year old corrected. "How do you know her?" She nosed.
"I—I went to school with her," Robin explained. "We've been together since kindergarten till…2nd grade I believe and…"
"…and you ended up stealing her spot as the valedictorian." Another voice joined in. He looked up to find a blonde simpering down at him. "Robin Locksley, never thought I'd see you again."
Robin tilted his head slightly to the side, his brows knitted in confusion.
"Malinda," she introduced," Regina's best friend."
Robin's lips formed a perfect, small O before spreading into a gentle smile. "I don't believe we've met before."
"We haven't," Mal confirmed. "However, your reputation proceeds you."
"It does?" Robin asked with a light chuckle.
Mal hummed, "It does. None of the seniors the year you were chosen as the valedictorian were happy." She shrugged, resting both hands on her Goddaughter's shoulders.
"Yes, well, one of them just ensured I know that." Robin said.
"What do you mean?" Mal asked, a small frown resting over her features.
"Your best friend just slapped mine." Will glowered.
"Mom slapped you?" Juliette gaped at Robin before exclaiming with a giggle. "That's so cool! Can't believe I missed that — ouch!" She yelped, frowning as she rubbed the back of her head where Mal flicked.
"There's nothing cool about that, Julie." Mal muttered, shifting her gaze over to the Brit with an apologetic look on her face. "I thought she'd be over that by now."
"Apparently not," Robin chuckled. "I sense she still holds grudge against me."
"I guess so," Mal chuckled nervously, "and it's unlike her." She quickly added.
It's true. Regina was never the type to hold anger against someone for too long. The longest she'd gone being upset with someone was less than three months. Aside from her father, that is. Their relationship was never at its best terms. They'd go through long months without a decent conversation sometimes.
"I heard not many were happy with Mr. Michaels' decision anyways, teachers included so I can't very well blame her." Robin replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
Mal pursed her lips a little and nodded. "Well then, it was nice seeing you, Robin but we should get going."
"But I don't wanna go." Juliette whined.
"And I don't wanna die in the hands of your mother, pumpkin." Mal said, lightly nudging the girl toward the door.
"You're no fun," Juliette grumbled.
Mal gasped playfully, placing a hand over her heart, pretending as if her feelings were hurt by the youngster's words. "Oh I'm so much fun!" She argued, poking Juliette's side only to be treated with a badly stifled giggle from her.
"Are you outta your mind?" Ruby hissed as she paced back and forth across the kitchen. "Do you want bad reviews on your bistro? Do you want your name to be on the headline going CRAZY WOMAN SLAPS CUSTOMER OVER A PIECE OF STEAK!"
"It wasn't over a piece of steak." Regina argued through gritted teeth.
"Well then, you can't just go around slapping people because you're angry at those two rats for killing off your fictional boyfriend!"
"Don't you drag him into this," Regina warned. "It's bad enough he's dead — but it's not that."
"Then what?" Ruby complained," Because I'm completely lost now."
Regina huffed and leaned back against the counter. Sure, it was kind of stupid and childish to dig up something that happened so many years ago, it's even stupider to still be angry over it and maybe it's the stress she'd been going through lately that caused this to happen because for the last decade, this subject never crossed her mind. "Remember in high school when Emma and I mentioned that stupid boy that got to do the speech instead of one of us?"
"Mentioned?" Ruby scoffed. "That's all the two of you spoke about since you were told there could be a chance of having a boy being picked instead."
Regina rolled her eyes, "That's not the point, Ruby." She murmured.
"Anyways, yeah. I remember him."
"That is him," Regina whispered.
"That hot stuff is him?" Ruby asked, her eyes widening in surprise. He was not what she expected. Everytime her cousins spoke about that mysterious boy they hated so much, she pictured him to be the nerdy type. The one with glasses bigger than his face, button-down shirt tucked under the pants he'd pulled up to his torso. In other words, goofy. But boy was she wrong. "Jesus, you're stupid, Regina."
"Excuse me!" Regina exclaimed defensively. "Why? I slapped him because he deserved it! I don't care how many years have passed, he had it coming eventually."
"And Granny says I'm the immature one in this family," Ruby murmured, rubbing her hands over her face. "This is why you're still single, you go all nuts and slap the crap out of hot guys or worm your way out of the dates they ask you on."
"I am single because I wanna be, and I'd rather wake up with my leftovers still where I left them the night before, thank you very much."
"You're nuts!" Ruby repeated with a huff.
"Hey, Gina."
Their bickering was interrupted by Aurora, walking in with a folded note between her forefinger and middle one.
"The gentleman at table three left you this." She said, holding out the piece of paper out to her boss.
"What does it say?" Ruby asked, mentally preparing herself incase it ends up being a threat to the charges one of them warned to press. She wouldn't blame them; her cousin went one step too far this time.
Dear Regina,
I'm sorry about that day.
Lots of love,
Robin.
"An…it's an apology," Regina stammered, her low voice filled with remorse. Perhaps she shouldn't have done that. No, she definitely shouldn't have done that.
"He left," Aurora told her as she took a hurried step toward the door. "Not long ago." She added.
Regina closed her eyes and heaved out a sigh, clutching tightly onto the note. All she could do was hope he'd walk into her bistro again one day but she highly doubted that. Not after the treatment he received from her. If only she could apologize.
She would.
"Mama?"
Regina heard, a faint murmur coming from the direction of her bedroom's doorway. She pushed herself up into a sitting position only to find her daughter standing there, arms wrapped tightly around Buttons, her stuffed teddy bear, holding it close to her.
"A nightmare?" Regina asked and Juliette silently shook her head. "Then what is it, baby?" She frowned, patting the empty side of the bed beside her and the little girl scurried over without second thoughts.
"I just can't sleep," Juliette complained, curling up against her mother.
"Yeah, me neither." Regina confessed, pressing her lips together. She laid on her side and smiled at her daughter, slipping one hand under her pillow. "You should try though, you have school tomorrow."
"I know," Juliette replied. Reverting to her old habit, she reached out and placed her small hand on her mother's cheek, leaving it there for a moment before patting on it.
It was something she'd always done, ever since she was an infant, and Regina didn't know why exactly she would do that, she never questioned it nor objected it either. She didn't mind it at all, infact, it made her happy.
Everything about Juliette, made her happy.
"Mom?"
Regina hummed, forcing one eye open. "Yeah?"
"Don't you get lonely sometimes?" Juliette asked innocently. "I mean, when I'm not around like, having a sleepover at Grace's or Ava's, don't you get bored and feel alone?"
Regina thought for a moment, and of course she did. Juliette was what made this apartment their home, what made it lively. She made life sweeter. Of course she felt bored and alone without her. "I do but then I remember you're only gone for a little while and I feel better because you'll be back."
Juliette smiled, and Regina took that as a sign of approval regarding her answer. As the silence fell upon them again, she closed her eyes in hope to catch at least a few hours of sleep before getting up early to start the day when her daughter spoke again, completely catching her off guard with her question this time.
"Why don't you want a boyfriend?"
"Julie…" Regina drawled.
"I just don't want you to be alone when I leave for good."
Her breath hitched.
Those words shouldn't come out of a nine year old's mouth, those thoughts and concerns shouldn't be on her young daughter's mind. Was that the reason she couldn't sleep? Was her being single effecting Juliette more than she thought? Regina frowned. "I won't be alone," she assured. "I'll have Mal with me, Ashely and Aurora too."
"But they won't be here with you, they'd be too busy with their own families." Juliette argued, her lower lip sticking out just a tad.
And she had a point.
Ashley was already married, Aurora was engaged and it was just a matter of time before Mal eventually finds a man and settles down with him too. She was never afraid of being alone, the thought never fazed her; until now. And it wasn't the thought of being on her own that settled heavily on her chest, it was the thought of her daughter growing into an independent woman and not needing her anymore. That scared her.
"Well, you still have about ten more years before you move out, missy." Regina chuckled in attempt to lighten the mood. "Who knows, maybe until then I'd meet someone to keep me company…or maybe I'll just adopt a dog, does that sound good enough?"
Juliette nodded with a giggle, "Fine, promise?"
"I promise."
…
And I shouldn't have, because I know, it's a promise I can't keep.
True. One never knows what might happen ten years from now but I know me, I know I'd never settle with a man; I can't. I'm too complicated for relationships. I don't trust easily, I don't know how to open up and let people in, I've built my guards up so high, sometimes even I can't get past them.
I guess it's because all the people I've been around took love for granted, and it's scaring me.
I'm scared because I care too much, more than I should sometimes and not everyone cares as much. Most, care less.
I just, don't wanna get hurt anymore.
…
"Didn't get much sleep last night?" Aurora asked, refilling her boss's mug with coffee for the third time.
It wasn't hard to tell that she'd been tossing and turning all night. The dark circles under her eyes and the way she yawned every five minutes or so pretty much gave it away. And she would slump against anything she could, whenever she could.
"Juliette couldn't sleep so we ended up watching Mulan, and when she did, she moved clockwise and kicked me repeatedly." Regina explained, "Joys of motherhood." She added with a laugh.
"The place won't be packed anytime soon, I think Ashely and Tink can handle a few customers on there own for a while." Aurora suggested but Regina clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"I'm okay, I promise I won't end up falling face-first into the soup of the day." She teased, earning a laugh from the waitress in return.
Four and a half cups of coffee and two cookies in, Regina was a little more energetic. Not completely though, she would still fall asleep if she lingers in one place for too long. It's the walking around back and forth in the kitchen that kept her going. Kept her awake.
And this was only the start of the many exhausting days to come.
She had so much in her plate for the upcoming months. From helping out her mother with the Halloween party and Thanksgiving gathering, to planning Juliette's birthday on the 5th of December and Christmas too not long after it.
It's going to be hectic. Just like every other year.
"Regina," Ruby beckoned, a wide, teasing grin plastered over her face. "Come here real quick."
"I'm busy," Regina argued.
"Trust me, you wouldn't wanna miss this." Ruby promised.
With a huff, Regina set the knife down on the cutting board, wiped her hands clean and walked over toward her cousin. She poked her head around the door and peeked outside. "What am I looking at exactly?" She mumbled.
"Table three." Ruby replied in a low voice.
And she looked, turning her attention to the infamous table three and there he was. Robin Locksley, sitting with a menu in hand and a glimpse of his boyish smile visible from her angle, looking as delicious as he looked the night before — wait, what?
"You have got to be kidding me…" Regina whispered in disbelief.
After slapping him the last night, seeing him the day after it was something she didn't expect, let alone seeing him in her bistro. Again.
"You should go and apologize," Ruby suggested.
"I will," Regina whispered, her eyes fixed over the man's back.
Well, there goes nothing.
She composed herself and walked straight over to his table, stopping right behind him. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat, preventing her from uttering a single word and sighed. Maybe this wasn't a great idea, maybe she should just forget about it, turn back and return to her safe haven; her kitchen.
For all she knows, he might not accept her apology.
So she did. She turned on her heels and took a step away and—
"Regina?"
Goddammit. Regina sighed, closing her eyes momentarily. "Hi…" She croaked. Pathetic. She couldn't even speak without being overwhelmed with shame.
"Hi," Robin greeted back, his smile growing as she spun to face him. "How are you?" He asked, as if yesterday never happened, her slap didn't mark his right cheek and linger. It only made her feel worse about the whole situation.
"I'm good — listen, Robin, about last night—"
"Don't worry about it." He waved it off without hesitation, lightly shaking his head.
"But I—"
"Don't worry about it," Robin repeated. "Each person expresses their anger differently, some did by not attending the graduation and then there's you." He explained and quickly added. "Which is fine, it's fine." He assured.
But she was still not convinced by his words. So she attempt to argue furthermore when he interrupted her.
"I skipped breakfast so I'm quite famished, what do you recommend?" He asked.
Change of subject, Regina mused. What a smooth way of shutting her up. "Well, the diners seem to really enjoy the Seafood platter, the New York steak with optional sides and Grilled cheese for a light choice or—"
"What do you recommend?" Robin cut her off, "I wanna know what you like."
Regina stared at him quietly for a moment, thinking about his odd question before answering with a sigh, "Lasagna, I like the lasagna."
"Lasagna it is then!" He declared, flashing her a bright smile as she scribbled down his order on the ticket, "And some water, if that's alright."
"Of course," she whispered. "What else? Any dessert for later?"
"Your favorite?" He asked again, grinning sheepishly up at her.
Damn him and his dimpled smile; they make her knees go weak.
"Apple turnovers," Regina replied, "should I write that down too?" She asked and he nodded.
"That'll be all, thank you."
"You're welcome."
Well. That was not what she expected to come out of her attempt to apologize.
A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please don't forget to review, I'd love to hear your thoughts.