Warning: Discussion of Regina's rape and how it made her feel.
Chapter 24: Leopold
Regina had been at the hospital more times than she ever wanted in just one week. Most of those times had been to see Dr. Espenson and once was Henry's checkup. Now, though, she was sitting in the office of her OBGYN, waiting for her own checkup. Robin sat beside her, holding her hand while checking his email with his other one.
"Regina?" a nurse called from the door. She smiled at the couple. "You can follow me to the examination room."
Standing, Regina took Robin's hand and followed the nurse, who handed Regina an examination gown. "According to this, you're here for your first semester screening, is that correct?" she asked Regina.
"Yes," she replied, sitting on the examination table. "Dr. Ludgate also mentioned something about being able to hear the baby's heartbeat as well."
The nurse nodded. "An ultrasound is usually part of the screening. But first she's going to check your vitals as well as measure your abdomen."
Regina smoothed down the loose t-shirt she wore. She had been so caught up with her legal woes, she hadn't noticed how much weight she had started to gain until she had been standing in the middle of her old room in tears with all her clothes surrounding her. Robin had found her and had cupped her small bump, gently chiding their baby for making things difficult for her. She had chuckled, batting him away before finding a decent outfit that fit.
The nurse handed her an examination gown. "You'll need to change into this. Dr. Ludgate will be in shortly."
"Do you need me to step out?" Robin asked once the nurse had left.
Regina chuckled as she headed for a curtained off area. "It's nothing you haven't already seen, Robin. I'm fine having you in the room."
"Well, let me know if you need any help," he replied and she glimpsed him settling back against the chair.
Once she was in the flimsy examination gown, she hopped back onto the table. She rubbed her bump. "I feel like I'm neglecting Bean," she whispered.
"Nonsense," Robin told her. "You're doing everything you're supposed to—eating healthy, avoiding everything they advise you to avoid, taking your prenatal vitamins, keeping your appointments and the list goes on."
She nodded. "I know. But I feel like I should've noticed that I was gaining weight or that I was starting to show sooner. I feel like I'm more preoccupied with myself than with Bean."
"I think it's a bit understandable right now," he argued. "Once we get all of this sorted out, then we can all focus on Bean."
The door opened and Dr. Mary Ludgate entered, smiling. She was younger than Regina, but had been highly recommended by Dr. Espenson when she realized Regina had stopped going to the gynecologist. Regina had confessed it was because he reminded her too much of Leopold and so Dr. Espenson had found Dr. Ludgate. She was a soft-spoken woman who had become an expert in her field despite her youth. Dr. Ludgate was also very compassionate and had worked with Regina after finding out about her traumatic past.
Dr. Ludgate smiled as she put her blonde hair back up with a clip. "Hello, Regina. And hello, Robin."
"Hullo, Doctor," he replied. "Dr. Jekyll giving you any more problems?"
Her smile froze and it looked like fear flickered in her eyes. "He's being handled. Thank you for asking."
Regina frowned, not sure that was the truth. Dr. Jekyll had been Dr. Ludgate's partner in the practice. He had developed feelings for her which were not reciprocated and he hadn't handled the rejection well. Dr. Ludgate wouldn't give them specific details but she had informed them at their last visit that Dr. Jekyll was no longer with the practice and there was a restraining order out against him.
"Well, if he does, let us know. I know people who can help you," Robin offered.
Dr. Ludgate thanked him before turning to Regina, her smile growing sincere again. "How are you feeling? Are you still getting sick easily throughout the day?"
"Yes," Regina replied. "It seems like anything will set me off. When will it be over?"
"Soon. Morning sickness usually diminishes once you hit your second trimester," Dr. Ludgate said.
Relief swept through Regina. "I'm glad to hear that."
"In the meantime, though, I could suggest some natural remedies that can help alleviate the sickness." Dr. Ludgate smiled as she wrapped the blood pressure cuff around Regina' arm. "Let's see how your blood pressure is."
"Probably high. Things are still stressful," Regina admitted, having been honest about her legal problems at the first pre-natal visit.
The doctor nodded as she monitored her blood pressure. "Understandable. But from what I'm seeing, you're in a healthy range. I know it might still be difficult, but keep trying to keep yourself calm and out of stressful situations. Okay?"
"Okay," Regina said, worried about the stressful situation she was about to walk into with Leopold Blanchard as the doctor measured her abdomen.
Dr. Ludgate went over the bloodwork Regina had gotten done earlier, smiling. "So far, so good. Now we just have to do the ultrasound. I'll have the nurse set you up."
"Thank you," Robin said, holding out his hand to help Regina down off the examination table. He laced his fingers with hers as they followed the nurse down the hall.
Once Regina was set up with her stomach bared, the nurse smiled again. "Dr. Ludgate will be here shortly. Just relax."
Regina nodded as Robin took a seat next to her. He took her hand again, kissing it. "I can't wait to hear our child's heartbeat," he said.
"Me too," she confessed. "It's like it's going to be real. That there really is a baby inside me and I haven't been so sick for another reason."
He kissed her forehead as Dr. Ludgate entered. She took her seat and pulled out the gel. "This is going to feel cold and weird, okay?" she advised Regina.
"Wonderful," she replied, leaning back. Robin chuckled, kissing her hand again as Dr. Ludgate applied the gel.
Minutes later, the screen flickered to life as she pressed the wand to Regina's abdomen. She moved it around until finding the little blob that was their baby. Tears pricked Regina's eyes as she whispered: "Hello, Bean."
"Are you ready to hear the heart?" the doctor asked. Robin and Regina nodded and soon, the sound of a rapidly beating heart filled the room.
Unable to hold back, Regina started to sob as joy coursed through her. She glanced over at Robin, expecting to see tears as well. Instead, he frowned and looked confused. "I know a baby's heart beats faster, but this seems even faster than I remember," he said.
Panic filled her and she gasped, looking at the doctor. "Is something wrong? Is it because I'm so stressed? Am I putting my baby in danger?"
"Calm down," Dr. Ludgate told her. "I have a theory, let me just move the wand a bit to see if I can confirm it."
Regina watched the screen, as the view moved from one blob to another. She clutched Robin's hand tighter. "What's that?"
"That would be baby number two," the doctor replied, smiling as her brown eyes lit up. "I must've had the wand in such a way that I was picking up both heartbeats."
It took a few seconds for Regina to process what she was saying and for her mind to make the connections. Two white blobs. Two heartbeats. Two babies. "I'm carrying twins?" she asked in a broken voice.
Dr. Ludgate nodded and Robin chuckled. "Will is going to kill us," he said.
"Probably," Regina agreed, staring at the two forms on the screen. She had stopped believing she would ever have a baby of her own. Now, she was having two.
"Everything looks good," Dr. Ludgate declared. "You're healthy, both babies are healthy…Multiples do present other possible complications, so I will be monitoring you for those. But otherwise, everything is fine. I'll see you next month and we'll discuss determining sex, if you want."
"We do," Regina said, wiping off the goo with the cloth Dr. Ludgate gave her. "Especially if we now have to plan for two."
Robin nodded. "We have a lot of planning to do. Everything is probably going to need to be doubled."
Hopping down from the examination table, Regina took his hand again. "Let's go get my clothes and then we can all go tell everyone the good news. I want a picture of Emma's face."
"I definitely don't want a picture of Will's face," Robin said, shuddering. "We should probably get some armor before we tell him."
"Is he really going to be that bad? I mean, he adores Roland, that much is clear. Why would he be angry that we're having twins?"
Robin sighed. "He does love Roland like his own. However, Marian and I may have relied on him a little too much when Roland was a baby. So he'll probably be concerned you and I will do the same, especially if we have twins."
She nodded, wondering how much they would end up relying on Will. "Well, I guess we can be careful about that. Or make Emma pull her weight."
He let out a snort of laughter, pulling Regina close to kiss her head. "How is Emma with babies?"
"Dunno," she admitted. "I guess we're going to find out, huh?"
This time, Robin let out a full laugh as he let her go. "Why don't you get your clothes on and then I'll take you out for some lunch? Especially now that we know you're really eating for three."
"That sounds perfect," she said, feeling giddy. "Can we also get some ice cream? These children are definitely Locksleys because I have a craving for Rocky Road."
"Then we are definitely stopping for some ice cream." Robin grinned at her before she disappeared behind the curtain to get dressed.
She took a moment to take a deep breath as she ran her hand over her bump. There were two Beans in there, both with their own little space and strong heartbeats. Regina bit her lip. She knew two babies at once was going to be a challenge but it was one she was gladly going to accept. "I can't wait to meet you two," she whispered to her children before pulling on her shirt so she could get something to eat.
The house was quiet as the night wrapped around Nottingham like a blanket. Everyone in the house was sound asleep, happily dreaming in their own beds. All except Robin, who stood in Roland's old nursery. He had turned on his son's old nightlight, which projected monkeys on the wall as it rotated.
Robin leaned against the crib, studying it. They were going to need another crib and that was going to make the space too cramped. He and Regina wouldn't have much room to move around, especially if they were going to need two of everything.
He had been concerned when he first heard the heartbeat but when Dr. Ludgate had shown them that there was another baby growing in Regina, his concern gave way to surprise and joy. In just seconds, Robin's dream of having a big family inched closer to reality. He was going to have three children by this time next year and he knew that while he was probably going to be very tired, he was also going to be very happy.
But then the levity of the situation had hit him before bed. He and Regina were welcoming two children at once, which changed all his planning. Price wasn't a worry for him nor space if he was honest. It was just going to be creating that space for two, especially before they knew their personalities.
Robin wondered about what his children will look like. He figured they would take after Regina, just like Roland had taken after Marian, and had consigned himself to being the only blond surrounded by a small army of brunettes. H did hope one of his children hit that one in four chance of inheriting his recessive traits and coming out with his blond hair and blue eyes as it was his son, not his daughter. Because his gut told him that there was one of each now growing inside her and he wanted their daughter to look like her mother.
He also wondered about their personalities. Would his children be outgoing or more reserved? Would they love to play outside and climb trees, just like he did? Or would they be more fascinated by numbers like their mother? Perhaps they would be more creative, leaning toward art and music. They could be whizzes at technology or fascinated by stories from the past.
They could be anything and deserved their own space during the crucial early development phase to discover who they were. He and Regina couldn't always treat them like a set. So while they would have to share a nursery to make things easy, he could make sure they both had enough room to grow.
His mind began spinning and he looked at the wall separating the nursery from his old room with Marian. If they knocked it down, they could expand the nursery to fit two babies and eventually, two toddlers. They would have to start doing it now so they were ready for the twins, especially as he knew multiples tended to come early. He wanted to be prepared.
It was time, he decided. He couldn't leave the room as a shrine to Marian forever. She wouldn't have wanted it. After all, she had given him the okay herself to move on. He had, allowing himself to love Regina and now build a family with her.
"Robin?" Regina's sleepy voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to find her standing in the doorway, wearing a thin green t-shirt and green plaid pajamas pants he was certain were his. Her dark hair was tousled from sleep and she yawned. "Why are you still up?"
"Why are you up? You have a busy day tomorrow and need all the sleep you can get," he countered, stepping closer to her.
She gave him a pointed look. "The same is true for you too. We are a team in this, right?"
"Of course," he assured her, pulling her close against him. She laid her head on his shoulder as he rocked her. "I'll be right there with you the whole time."
"Good." She played with his shirt. "So, why haven't you come to bed?"
"I can't sleep. Been thinking about the Beans."
"Oh?" She lifted her head to look at him.
He nodded, stepping away so he could show her what he wanted to do. "I was thinking about knocking down this wall and turning both rooms into a giant nursery for them. We'll just be down the hall and there will be plenty of room for both…"
She didn't say anything and his stomach plummeted as if he was going downhill on a rollercoaster. "You hate the idea."
"No," she said, but she was still looking at him peculiarly. He figured she didn't want to hurt his feelings.
Robin sighed. "No, I get it. I'm making assumptions. I'm assuming you'll want to stay in my room instead of moving into one we can share together. And that you'll want to use the same nursery Marian and I used for Roland. Or that you'll be okay using the room I shared with Marian. I'm bringing Marian's ghost into this just as we're about to chase away Leopold's."
"Marian is not haunting us." Regina took his hands. "She is not a ghost. She is a part of your past, of Roland's life. Her memory should be preserved and honored. Though maybe not by sealing her bedroom and leaving it untouched."
He nodded, staring down at their joined hands. "So what do you think?"
"I think you're avoiding what's really bothering you," she replied. "I think you're scared about tomorrow. I know I am."
"Oh, sweetheart," he said, pulling her back into his arms. He held her close before sighing. "I am scared. There's just so many variables."
She nodded, fingers gripping his t-shirt. "I know. But I think we've tried our best to address as many as possible."
"I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
"We'll be fine," she insisted. "We need to stay positive."
He rested his head in the crook of her neck, nuzzling it. "I know but it's so hard. My mind just imagines all the way it can go wrong and then I have this paralyzing fear that I'm going to lose you."
"Leo isn't that tough or brave enough to pull a gun. Especially with Mary Margaret there. We're going to be fine."
Robin wished he shared her conviction. Nat Cole seemed to be a wild card, absolutely devoted to Leopold and willing to do anything to protect his friend. He wouldn't put murder past the man. But he didn't want to worry her and it was highly unlikely Nat Cole would be there, so he just held her tighter.
"Come to bed," she whispered. "We can hold each other and chase away the fears long enough to sleep."
He doubted he would ever get to sleep but he nodded. "I'd love to hold you."
"Good. Come on." She pulled away, gently tugging on his shirt. He followed her, turning off the nightlight. There would be plenty of time to discuss plans for the twins after they dealt with Leopold.
A doorman dressed in a burgundy pants and a matching jacket with gold on the shoulders opened the glass plated doors, letting a blast of air conditioning wash over them. Regina clutched Robin's arm tighter as they walked into the lobby of Storybrooke Plaza. Soft jazz music played from speakers hidden amongst the plants decorating the lobby. Guests lounged on beige couches as other visitors entered and exited the shops and restaurants in the hotel. Everything spoke to the classy atmosphere of Storybrooke Plaza.
Robin wore a blue suit despite the hot late July day, having selected a light blue tie to match her dress. Emma and Mary Margaret had gone shopping with her since she was fast outgrowing her wardrobe, helping her find the perfect outfit. She had chosen a knee-length dress with a light blue skirt and white top with a bateau neckline, making sure her breasts were covered. Little pearl buttons were sewn into the top, but they were just for decoration as the dress was one piece and zipped up in the back. Regina's ankles weren't swollen this morning so she had put on a pair of nude t-strap heels. With her hair blown out and framing her perfectly made up face just so, she felt ready to take on anything—even Leopold Blanchard. Catching sight of herself and Robin in the mirror panels along the wall, she thought they looked like a power couple. Almost like John and Jackie Kennedy had stepped out of the history books and came for a nice lunch in one of the best establishments in town.
Maybe one day, they would be a regular couple coming for a nice, romantic lunch. Just not today.
Mary Margaret and David met them at the entrance to the tea room. She wore a yellow tea length dress with a red floral pattern while he was dressed in a navy blue suit. When Regina him, she felt his shoulder holster under his jacket. "Thank you for coming," she said.
"I wasn't going to let you go in there unarmed," he said. "Leopold is relatively harmless but I don't trust Gold not to have a sword hidden in his cane. And I definitely know Nat Cole has permits for guns."
Regina's blood froze. "They're here?"
"Yes," Mary Margaret said. "Daddy insisted. I don't think they've left him alone since I got him settled here."
Robin took Regina's hand and squeezed it. "You don't think Nat Cole will try to hurt Regina, do you?"
"Mary Margaret thinks he won't risk making a public spectacle," David replied. "But if he thinks Leopold is being attacked, I have a feeling all bets are off."
"I'm not going to back out. I need to do this," Regina said, resolute.
"Of course," Robin replied, squeezing her hand again. "Why don't we get this over with so we can all breathe easier?"
They moved into the tea room as a string quartet played on. Several people sat at tables around the room, including Killian and Emma. After some heated debate, it was determined that Emma wasn't going to join them as they didn't want Leopold to feel cornered and run off. She had insisted on being there, though, and convinced Killian to join her as backup. They looked like a normal couple on date but Regina could see how tense they were as she gave them a little wave. Emma waved back while Killian nodded in acknowledgement.
Regina then spotted their table. Nat Cole and Edgar Gold were familiar sights now to her, so her eyes went to the man sitting between them—Leopold Blanchard. It had been ten years since security had escorted her from his office to her car so she could clean it out before being put in a cab to go home. The years hadn't been kind to him and he looked for older than he was. What little hair he had left was pure white and his brown eyes were sunken in. He looked like he had lost a lot of weight and she watched as his hand trembled as he took a sip of coffee. Everything reminded her of her father and she wondered if Leopold was sick. And if he was, she doubted Mary Margaret knew. It would be just like him to protect her from such a horrible truth.
Nat Cole saw her first. His smile twisted into a scowl and he rose from the table as his eyes darkened. "Your father said you were bringing friends, Mary Margaret."
"Regina and Robin are our friends," Mary Margaret replied, frowning.
"Well, I think it's best if your friends back out now before we have problems," Nat said, moving his jacket back to reveal a holster with a gun in it. Regina's blood ran cold and she felt Robin tense up beside her.
David held open his jacket to show off his own weapon as well as his badge. "Robin and Regina are going to join us and it won't be a problem. Understand?"
Nat let his jacket fall back into place, covering his gun again as he sat back down. "I don't appreciate this."
Regina stopped listening as her eyes finally met Leopold's. He glanced over her, no doubt taking her in. She grew self-conscious of the ways her pregnancy had changed her body, the changes that had made her feel beautiful just the day before when she was with Robin as well as Emma and Mary Margaret. Her face was fuller and she knew that though she was covered up, it was still clear the same was true of her breasts. She was almost a full cup-size bigger and while the dress hid her bump, it clung to her wider hips. Hunger filled Leo's eyes and she thought she was going to throw up—but not because of the Beans.
Gentle pressure on her shoulder brought her back and she realized Robin was encouraging her to sit. Her knees buckled and she sank into her chair. Robin pushed it in before taking his seat.
"Since I'm sure this is an ambush, why don't we dispense with the niceties?" Nat sneered in her direction.
Mary Margaret took her hand. "Regina has something to say and she deserves to be heard. Robin, David and I are here to make sure she is. Regina?"
Releasing Mary Margaret's hand, Regina reached into her bag and pulled out a folded-up piece of paper. She opened it up and laid it on the table. It was type written, the final product of hours spent talking it through with Dr. Espenson and Robin, and she cleared her throat as she began to read: "Leopold, you raped me ten years ago."
"You know I despise that word and it hurts me when you use it," Leopold interjected, a comment Regina had heard often ten year ago.
"Hush," Mary Margaret chided her father like an unruly child in a classroom. "Regina is speaking now. You listen."
Gratitude filled Regina and she met Leopold's eyes as she continued. "I don't care what you convinced yourself about us or what you call it. I was an unwilling participant who sometimes had to be dragged to your office by security. My choice was taken from me and my pleas ignored for you own sick enjoyment.
"I loved working at Blanchard Financials. I loved coming to work every day and left with a satisfied feeling. I admired you, Leopold, and felt like I was part of your family. I trusted you and you shattered all of that. And you kept hammering the pieces until my life was nothing but dust."
She paused to collect herself, tears spilling down her cheek unchecked. Mary Margaret pressed a tissue into her hand and she dabbed her eyes with it.
Leopold continued to watch her with an unreadable expression so she didn't know if she was getting through to him or not. He leaned forward. "I've never known you to be melodramatic, Regina. You're giving in to hysterics."
"She's been traumatized," Robin replied, clenching his fist. "By you, you arse."
Regina covered his fist with her hand. "Robin, please."
"I won't let him speak to you like you're a child having a tantrum." He glanced at Leopold but made no other motion toward him.
"But that's exactly what she's doing," Leopold replied.
Mary Margaret frowned. "Daddy! I told you that you're to listen. And you're really to listen, not tune her out. Trust me, I'll know."
He sighed and nodded. "Fine."
"Work became hell," Regina continued to read, finding her spot again. "I had no one to turn to because I was already isolated. No one wanted to associate with the Evil Queen, especially after my role in sending Michael Tillman to prison. And I couldn't quit because you refused my resignation letter. I also feared if I just stopped showing up, the police would bang down my door and throw me in a cell next to Michael.
"So I kept coming in but I was switched off. I felt nothing, cared about nothing. I showed up, did my work, answered when you called even though I knew what it meant, and then I went home. I retreated into myself all my relationships grew strained."
Mary Margaret laid her hand over Regina's, no doubt still guilty about her behavior during that time no matter how much Regina insisted she had nothing to be guilty for. She took a deep breath. "You took everything from me. My fiancé, the career I loved, my trust, my naivete, my belief that the world was inherently good…you took away my sense of self, leaving me adrift in a sea of uncertainty."
"Oh, please," Nat scoffed. "You were a whore. Your fiancé left you because of that. And since you were unable to trap Leo, you're now claiming rape. Just own up to being a slut, Regina, and leave us be."
"Nat," Leo barked, though his voice was scratchy. It still carried a warning in it.
Regina felt Robin tense up and she squeezed his knee under the table as she moved her even gaze to Nat. "You can believe whatever you want. It doesn't change the truth. I was raped by your friend, repeatedly."
"I see where this going," Nat said, shifting in his seat. "How much do you want, Regina?"
Though Robin clenched his fist, she was calm. Regina had expected that question as these were men who were used to throwing money at a problem to make it disappear. "I don't want money."
"Then what do you want?" Gold asked, speaking for the first time.
"I want freedom," she replied. Seeing Nat shift in his seat again, she held up her hand. "I'm not asking you to turn yourself in or to talk to the DA. I just wanted you to know the utter devastation you caused to my life. The Regina Mills you knew is dead, Leopold. You killed her."
Leopold jumped up. "I did no such thing. And I won't sit here any longer to listen to this."
"You don't have to," Nat replied, standing up as well.
Robin also stood, leaning over the table. "You two will sit back down and finish listening to her or I will sit you down myself."
"Is that a threat?" Nat once again pushed his jacket back, his hand closing around his gun handle. Regina's heart stopped and she looked up at Robin, willing him to sit down as her voice failed her.
David stood at this point as well and Regina saw Killian rise, surveying their table with narrowed eyes. Like he had done earlier, David pushed his jacket back to reveal his own gun. "Don't make me have to arrest you, Nat."
"I have a permit for this," Nat replied.
"Not to conceal. And remember that Mayor Spencer and the city council are cracking down on violators," David reminded him.
Nat let his jacket fall back into place as he sat down. Leopold and Robin continued to glare at each other though. "Are you her knight in shining armor?" the older man asked, almost sneering.
Robin shook his head. "Regina doesn't need one. I'm here to give her moral support and make sure she gets heard."
Leopold softened. "Why are we arguing? We both are alike. We're successful men who know how special Regina is. We both love her."
She bristled at that comment and Robin placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're nothing alike. I know how special Regina is and I love her. You don't know what love is. You just used her like a toy."
"Robin…" Leo started again.
Mary Margaret stood now. "Daddy, sit down. Regina isn't done yet."
At first, Regina didn't think he would sit down but after several antagonizing seconds, he finally did. The others—including Killian over at his table—all sat down as well. Regina nodded, finding her spot on her paper again.
"I also wanted you to see the Regina Mills who rose from the ashes. To see the woman who taped herself back together and moved on, thanks to a father who recognized she was in distress and got her to someone who she could trust to help her. I stopped my spiral into depression, I went back to school and got a new degree. I found a new career I loved and through the children I took care of, especially Grace and Roland, I remembered that the world is inherently good."
She took a deep breath, lifting the hand she had tucked in Robin's onto the table for Leopold to see. "I found love with someone who, along with my father, reminded me what a real man is. Robin may not be perfect but I feel safe with him. He gave me the courage and strength to tell my story, and has done nothing but love me as I struggle through this.
"And I have been fortunate to have such amazing friends who have done the same." Regina turned to take Mary Margaret's hand again, giving her and David a grateful smile. "I wouldn't be here without them."
"That's lovely, dearie, but what does that have to do with your freedom?" Gold asked, rolling the "r" in the last word.
"Because I have built this life mostly over the last year. Until now, I wasn't really living. I was going through the motions. Something was holding me back. And it was the fear that you or Leopold could come and yank everything from out under my feet if I made even the slightest wrong move. I couldn't even tell the man I loved the whole truth and had a lawyer look over your NDA to see what I could tell him.
"That NDA, by the way, can't be enforced," she said. "Whoever wrote it didn't have much legal knowledge. I've also turned over a lot of evidence from back then. So you can't hurt me anymore. I am telling you that you have no power over my life and me. Now that I've finally gotten to tell you what you did and how you made me feel, I can walk out of here and stop looking over my shoulder. I can finally live my life."
Nat chuckled. "I'm sure you convinced yourself that the NDA is worthless, but I doubt Leo or Gold here would've put themselves in such a situation."
Leopold stopped meeting her eyes and shifted in his seat. Nat's smug look fell away and his eyes grew wider. "Leo? You did make sure the NDA was sound, right?"
"There wasn't much time to have the lawyers look it over," Leopold admitted. "I took a template they once sent me and then I added everything I didn't want Regina doing. Then Gold and I made her sign it before we would let her leave. One of my lawyers nearly had a heart attack when I told him about it and he said we needed to pray Regina never challenged it."
"Leopold," Gold hissed. "I never knew that. Do you think I would've gone into this if I knew we could easily be defeated?"
Leopold turned his head, fixing his dull eyes on Gold. "Why did you get into this, Gold? Everything was fine as long as Regina didn't know the NDA wasn't binding and so kept her mouth shut. We were free and we had the money."
"My reasons are my own," Gold huffed, looking away from the other man. "Still, I wish you had told me that."
Regina bit back a laugh that had bubbled up as she watched the three men sitting across from her. For years they had loomed as larger-than-life figures and now they seemed like the Three Stooges. They were silly old men and she had nothing to fear from them anymore.
The revelation made it feel like a weight was taken off her shoulders and she relaxed, leaning toward Robin. It allowed him to press a light kiss to her head as she smiled, relishing her freedom.
"Is that what you wanted?" Nat snapped. "You wanted to hear that the NDA was useless? That Leopold screwed up? Are you taping this?"
David shifted in his seat. "That sounds pretty paranoid, Nat. Have you spoken to someone about that?"
"What do you know? You're just a public servant," Nat spat.
"Such disrespect for the police," Robin chided. "You should be ashamed."
Leopold leaned closer to Regina, reaching for her hands. She pulled them away, placing them on her lap. He sighed, clasping his hands instead. "Regina, I think we need to talk…"
"No," she said. "I said what I needed to say. You can think whatever you need to in order to sleep at night, but I have told you my truth and shown you what you did to my life. There is nothing more to say."
"I think if we clear the air…"
"No." Her voice was firm and she glared at him.
Leopold started to turn red. "You're being unreasonable, Regina. I would never hurt you."
"Except you did, over and over again. You ignored how uncomfortable I was with the embezzling scheme in the first place and threatened my loved ones to get me to go along. You ignored when I didn't want to frame Michael Tillman and then ignored how everyone else froze me out, ostracizing me more. You ripped up my resignation letter and then threw me on a couch, tearing off my clothes and raping me. And then you continued to rape me over and over. Maybe, maybe once upon a time you wouldn't have hurt me. But the last six months I spent at Blanchard Financials—and beyond—were filled with nothing but you hurting me." Regina glared at him, panting as she wished she could set him on fire with her eyes.
"Regina, that's not what happened," he said.
Robin scowled. "Are you calling her a liar?"
"I'm just saying that she may not be remembering what happened correctly," Leopold argued. "She may have a different perception now."
"You're trying to get her to see things your way."
"Yes!" Leopold looked relieved, as if thinking that Robin saw things from his perspective.
Robin nodded. "Because you the one who won't admit that you raped Regina."
"Will everyone stop using that awful word? I did not rape you, Regina. You never seemed unwilling," Leopold said through clenched teeth.
She scoffed, unable to believe he had the audacity to say that. "Really? My shouts for you to stop or the fact I kept trying to claw your face off weren't clues enough? The fact I cried every time just a coincidence?"
"You like it rough," he protested, weakly.
"No, I don't," she replied.
He chuckled. "That's what you're saying now…"
"That's what she's always been saying," Robin interjected. "You're just too stubborn and proud to admit the truth. You're believing the lies Nat is telling you—that you're a good person. You're not, Leopold. You're just a rapist who coerced a woman who trusted you into doing your dirty work so you could keep your hands clean."
Regina turned to marvel at Robin, listening to him stick up for her and to say things she doubted anyone had ever said to Leopold Blanchard's face before. She worried how he would react but more importantly, how Nat would try to protect Leo from the harsh reality of the situation.
"Robin, I would advise you to watch your words," Nat said, voice cold. "We're all still very powerful men on this side of the table."
"Correction. You once were powerful men. Now you're just aging relics of the past who refuse to bow out because you don't want the word to advance past the stage where you once controlled everything. You hate losing power," Robin responded. "And I understand it…"
"You understand nothing." Leopold glared at him.
Robin stood, leaning over the table. "I understand it very well, Leopold. Rape is more about dominance and control and power than sex…"
"STOP!" Leopold stood up, almost knocking heads with Robin. "I know it must boil your blood to think it, but I was with your girlfriend and had sex with her. Sex, despite her insistence, that she enjoyed. I gave her what she wanted. I doubt you could."
Regina pressed a hand to her stomach, not sure if her stomach was turning from butterflies or nausea. Leopold really convinced himself that they were in a relationship and that he was being romantic. She wasn't sure if she found it frightening or pitiful.
Fear gripped her as Robin gripped Leopold's shirt, yanking the man halfway over the table. "She didn't want what you gave her. So don't pretend this was some romantic thing, Leopold. It wasn't."
"You weren't there," Leopold shot back.
"And you should thank your lucky stars I wasn't," Robin growled, "or you would be six feet under."
Regina and Nat jumped up at the same time. She rested her hand on Robin's arm, applying pressure in hopes of getting him to let Leopold go. "Please. He's not worth jail."
"Listen to her, Locksley. For once, she's talking reasonably," Nat said.
Robin's jaw tensed up. "Shut up, Nat."
"Robin," Regina pleaded. "Please. For me. Let him go."
It seemed like an eternity but probably only a few seconds before Robin released Leopold's shirt. He allowed Regina to ease him back into a chair, though he was still glaring at the older man.
Leopold smoothed down the wrinkles. "And you say I'm the monster, Regina? I think this proves your judgement is certainly poor when it comes to discerning good men from bad."
"Daddy!" Mary Margaret admonished, as Regina glared at Leopold. Mary Margaret continued. "Sit down. You're being worse than a child."
Nat rounded on Mary Margaret. "Are you just here to stab your father in the back and insult him the entire time?"
"Nat," Leo chided softly, sitting back down. "Leave her alone."
"She's on Regina's side."
Leopold looked hurt. "I know. I'm not sure why…"
"I didn't want to believe the worst in you, Daddy, but the emotion in Regina's voice when she told that story…" Mary Margaret paused, collecting herself. "Then there was the fact you were using escorts at the same time, paying for sex…How obsessed you were with Regina, the fake relationship…It all made sense. That's why I flew down to confront you. Because I needed to know, not because I needed to keep you on some pedestal. You got knocked down off that a long time ago."
"Mary Margaret…" his voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "Sweetheart, I've apologized a thousand times for what I did to your mother."
She nodded but she was close to tears. "You've never apologized for what you did to Regina, though, even when I thought all you did was set her up to take the fall to cover up your use of escorts. Hearing you now, I don't think you care about what you did to her at all. You're trying to convince her that you were in the right and ignoring her feelings. What would Mom say if she could see you now? Because I think she would be as disappointed in you as I am."
The light left Leo's eyes and he seemed to sag, aging even more before Regina's eyes. He shrank back in his chair as Nat leaned forward. "Haven't you done enough damage now?"
"He needed to hear the truth." Mary Margaret leaned forward as well. "And there's something you need to hear. I reached out to some of the other shareholders and we're all very concerned that pursuing embezzlement charges against Regina isn't in the company's best interest, especially with us losing clients over it. There's going to be an emergency shareholder meeting to discuss our faith in the board and senior leadership. I think there are going to be some changes coming."
Nat smirked. "You think so? May I remind you that I'm the principal shareholder, Mary Margaret."
"But not the only one," she said, pulling out a piece of paper from her purse. "Regina helped me do some research and it turns out that between the stocks my father has gifted me over the years as well as the ones I inherited from my mother, I'm also a principal shareholder. In fact, I own more shares than you. You own the third most, after another principal shareholder—Neal Cassidy."
Regina frowned. She had discovered that Mary Margaret was a principal shareholder for Blanchard Financials but hadn't looked any further. The name Neal Cassidy was a familiar one to her but she told herself that there could be several people who share the same name as Emma's former boyfriend.
It had to be coincidence.
"Who is Neal Cassidy?" Nat asked.
"My son," Gold replied softly. "He took his mother's name when he turned eighteen. I haven't had much contact with him though I gave him some shares on his eighteenth, twenty-first and twenty-fifth birthdays. If Milah is no longer with us…well, then he has my ex-wife's shares too."
A Neal Cassidy with a mother named Milah…it was no coincidence. Emma had dated Gold's estranged son on and off for almost a decade. It really is a small world after all, Regina thought.
Nat rubbed his face with his hand as Mary Margaret continued: "I think it's time for a change of direction for the organization, starting with the board of directors and the senior leadership. I'm sure there will be other shareholders who agree."
"That will happen over my dead body," Nat hissed. "I'm the only one who is keeping your father's best interest in mind since you've aligned yourself with this lying slut!"
"Nat! Enough," Leopold scolded, frowning.
Nat scowled. "No! I'm going to clean up this mess you've created, Leo, and then we will never speak of it again. God, I always thought you had more common sense than to try to reason with a scorned mistress!"
As Leopold sputtered, Nat turned back to Regina. "Seriously, how much do you want? For your so-called pain and suffering?"
"Not a damn cent," she repeated. "I came and told him what his actions did to me, how they affected my life. And now I'm going to forgive you, Leopold. Not to absolve you from what you did. No, you've damned himself. And not so I can forget because I will never forget. Because it will help me finally release the anger I've been carrying around. Only then will I truly be free of you and can finally live my life again."
She stood and Robin followed her, raising his hand. "Can you give me one moment?"
"Of course," she said, nodding.
He turned to the three men and leaned against the table, glaring at them. "If any of you try to contact Regina or hurt her in anyway, you will have to answer to me. I'm generally not a violent man, but I will not let anyone hurt my family. Am I clear?"
"You heard him, officer," Nat said to David. "He just threatened us."
David looked nonchalant. "Did he? I must not have been listening."
Nat stood, coming nose-to-nose with Robin. "It's not wise to threaten me, Locksley. Despite what you think, I do have powerful connections."
"So do I," Robin replied. "I also a very good security service ready to keep my family safe. I will know if you try anything. And I will take you down in any way possible."
Regina watched his hand as it inched toward one of the knives on the table. He had always had a protective streak and she knew he had ordered her mother and Zelena to stay away from her, but she had never seen him get violent. It wasn't who he was and she needed to end this ugliness before it consumed him as much as it had consumed her.
She lay her hand over his. "They aren't worth the energy you're expending."
"They're not," he said, "but you are."
He turned to look at her and she gave him a soft smile. "Let's just go home. I've said everything I needed to say and got the peace I was looking for."
"Okay." Robin took her hand, leading her away from the table. She clutched his hand tightly, still feeling the anger radiating from him. But with every step, tension seemed to seep from his body.
Nat's voice, though, echoed behind them: "Remember my warning, Locksley. You're choosing ruin."
"No," Robin said, stopping their progress to the front door. He glanced over his shoulder. "I'm choosing love."
Nat's scoff seemed to echo around them. "If that's so, Regina, you should probably ask yourself why he's still wearing his wedding ring."
The tension returned to Robin's body and she saw him grinding his teeth. Afraid that another confrontation would just end in disaster, she tugged on his hand. "Don't pay him any mind. Let's just go to the car, okay?"
They didn't say anything until they were out of the hotel, waiting for Marco to come around with the car. She took his hands, purposefully rubbing his gold wedding band with her thumb. "Nat Cole is an asshole. Don't let him get to you. I have never minded that you wear Marian's ring and I won't force you to take it off. You do that when you feel ready, okay?"
"How did this go from me supporting you to you comforting me?" he asked, trying to smile. Anger and something else lurked behind his eyes and Regina wanted to kiss them away.
She rose on her tiptoes to kiss him. He leaned into it and she squeezed his hands as Marco pulled up. "Feeling better?" she asked.
"Are you?" he countered.
Taking a deep breath of the fresh summer air, Regina nodded and smiled. "I do. For the first time in a long time, I do."
"Then I do as well," he replied, relaxing as he opened the door for her. He nodded. "Milady?"
She climbed in and he followed, closing the door behind him. As Marco drove off, she cuddled closer to him and he wrapped his arm around her. She felt safe, content and free.
Emma got home not long after Robin and Regina. While Regina had already changed out of her dress, Emma stayed in hers as they curled up on the couch with Henry to watch a movie together. The two women were soon sound asleep using Henry's shoulders as pillows. It was clear he didn't mind and as Robin approached, he carefully raised a finger to his lips. "I love it when my girls fall asleep on me. Don't worry about them."
Robin nodded before heading upstairs. He found Roland in his room, happily playing with his many toys. Leaning against the door, Robin just watched his son at play for a bit before deciding to go workout for a while. It would help him clear his head, he figured, and give him something to do.
Something to chase away Nat Cole's words.
They echoed in his head as he opened the door to the room he had shared with Marian, fiddling with his wedding right as he surveyed the room. Marian's dress was still draped over her favorite armchair. On the table next to it was the book she had meant to take with her to California. He remembered how upset she had been when she realized she had forgotten it. Robin had teasingly offered to overnight to her and he could hear her eyeroll over the phone.
Robin turned his head and spotted the makeup she hadn't taken with her all still lined up on her vanity. Pictures of their family were tucked into the mirror, smiling faces frozen in time. Her wooden jewelry box sat on a shelf right below the one where the Teddy bear Robin had won for Marian on one of their early dates sat. The only things that were really missing were his own items, which he moved back to his old bedroom, and one of Marian's pillows, the one he had slept with for months after her death. He had finally allowed it to be washed after he had started dating Regina.
While he had moved on with Regina, Robin hadn't truly let Marian go. Not while he allowed this room to stand preserved as a shrine to her. She wouldn't have wanted that—she would've wanted him and Roland to remember her fondly and cherish the memories in their lives, not frozen like his beloved Star Wars collection.
"Robin? Mate, is something wrong?" Will came up behind him, gently laying a hand on Robin's shoulder.
Robin shook his head. "Everything's fine. Do you think you can get boxes next time you're in town?"
Will paused, surprised. "Of course. If you're ready…"
"I am," Robin confirmed, his mind already planning ahead. He would save things he knew Marian would've wanted Roland to have and then he'd let Paul and Vivienne come get anything they wanted. The rest he would box up and donate to charity, just like Marian would've wanted.
His friend nodded. "Then I'll get the boxes. What are you going to do with the room?"
"I have to talk it over with Regina, but I'm thinking of expanding the nursery. We are expecting twins you know." Robin turned to him, grinning.
"Oh, I know," Will groaned before checking his watch. "I'm going to start dinner. You sure you're okay?"
Robin glanced around the room before nodding with a smile. "Yeah, I really am."
"Good. I'll see you downstairs then when dinner is ready." Will clapped Robin on the shoulder before heading out of the room.
Robin took one deep breath before closing the door, heading down to his bedroom. If he was truly letting Marian go, there was one more thing he needed to do—and not because he was caving to Nat Cole. Regina told him to wait until he was ready.
He was ready.
Standing in front of his vanity, he pulled out his small jewelry box. He lifted the lid and then slid off the gold band that had become like a second skin to him. Robin raised it to his lips, kissing the metal. "Goodbye, Marian," he whispered before dropped it into the box and closing the lid.
Regina wandered into the bedroom from the bathroom, yawning as she tossed her clothes into the hamper. "I feel like I just want to climb into bed and sleep for days."
"So you wouldn't be up for one dance?" Robin asked, shaking the little remote to the sound system as he stood next to the bed. She noticed he had lit candles placed on the nightstands and his vanity.
She crossed her arms. "What's the occasion?"
"Well, I think the first day of the rest of our lives is a pretty good occasion, don't you?" He held out his hand to her.
Regina reached out to take it when she paused, realizing it was his left hand. And that it was now missing something very important. "Your ring."
"I took it off," he replied.
"I told you not to let Nat Cole get to you," she said, frowning. "I meant it when I said I didn't care."
He nodded, taking her hand. "I know. But it was time. Marian was my past. You're my future, Regina."
Tears sprang to her eyes and she cursed her hormones as she leaned against him. "You're my future too."
"Then dance with me," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist as he held up the remote again. "Please."
She nodded. "Does this count toward the dances I owe you?"
"Yes, it does." He pressed the play button and the soft strains of Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" filled the room as he took her hand in his.
Regina chuckled. "Really?"
"I'm a sucker for this song," he admitted. "I absolutely love it. Will teases me to kingdom come over it."
"What about the movie?" she asked, swaying in time with him.
"I guess the movie's okay," he replied. "Why?"
"Because I just got this image of you and Will going down to the beach and recreating the volleyball scene every summer." Regina rested her chin on his shoulder, hiding her grin from him.
He tensed up for a moment before relaxing again. "Not every summer. Only once, maybe twice."
"Uh huh." She made a mental note to ask Will if he had any pictures, imagining he would be willing to offer them up.
They lapsed into silence, just listening to the music as they slowly spun in circles next to their bed. Regina closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of being in Robin's arms and his body pressed against hers. Nothing sexual but still intimate at the same time.
She turned her head and nuzzled his neck, inhaling his forest scent. It made her feel like they were dancing outdoors, under the stars. Maybe they could do that one day.
The future was theirs and brighter than ever.
A/N: Regina confronted Leopold and is now ready to move on with her life. It looks like a bit of Wish!Robin came out in Robin in this chapter, but he's already proven himself to be very protective of his family—especially Regina.
I know a lot of us are disappointed with the direction it appears Robin's return arc is taking and trust me, I'm one of you. I advise lots and lots of fanfiction.
In the next chapter, we'll have some lighthearted family moments and some more romantic OQ movements as our favorite couple tries to get its groove back now that Leo's been excised from their lives. Though not completely, I must add. The embezzlement arc is not yet over. What will become of the shareholders' meeting? Will Emma find out her ex is in town? And will Leopold ever tell the truth?
Stay tuned!
-Mac