We're running with the shadows of the night
So baby take my hand, it'll be all right
Surrender all your dreams to me tonight
They'll come true in the end
(Shadows of the Night by Pat Benatar)
Robin's world, it seemed, had come crashing down on him.
Even since it began to come apart, everything had changed. All that had been beautiful in life had begun to fade. A way of life that had once been full of excitement and charm had passed away these last few years. One of the reasons he felt his world coming apart was because of the woman he was in love with.
Regina Mills.
Regina's brother Will and Robin had been the closest of friends in school. She had followed them both around when she was younger, as a child, she had adored Robin. As a woman, she had loved him. And when the world had changed, she had found that she hated him, fiercely, desperately, as passionately as she had loved him.
It had started two days ago, when after waking up in bed together about to go for round one for the day, a knock had sounded on the door of his apartment. Robin had thrown some clothes on and went to answer the door, it was the Captain of his brigade. He had orders to go undercover in Nazi occupied Germany. He was to leave this very afternoon and report to General Adams back at the base. He assured his Captain he would be there within the hour. He shut the door and turned back around to face a steamed Regina.
"Regina-" Robin began.
"Save it, Robin," Regina warned him. She went over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup.
Robin knew this wasn't going to be easy. Hell, he didn't want to go off and leave her, but he had a duty and he would see it through. He went over to stand behind her and placed his hands on the sides of her waist, he didn't miss the flinch she directed at him. He knew it was because of her anger and a mixture of fear for his safety that was making her act like this.
He had promised her that after his last mission, that would be it. As far as taking these undercover missions went. They had met as adults, six months ago when he had just gotten back from an undercover mission, and she had been leaving a bar to get away from a creepy guy a friend had set her up on. When they had bumped into one another he had apologized, and recognized her immediately.
"I'm sorry, Regina," Robin had said as he put his hands on her arms to steady her. He took one look at her and saw how incredibly beautiful she had become. He couldn't help himself, but he glanced down at her left hand, her third finger and felt a wave of relief that there wasn't a gold band there. But that alone didn't mean that she wasn't married, or engaged or even seeing someone.
"It's alright, I wasn't watching where I was going-" Regina stopped as she saw Keith, her date for the evening coming out of the bar. She had to do something and she had to do it fast!
She grabbed his coat and pulled him in for a kiss. As soon as their lips met a bomb went off in Robin's head. He stood there frozen for a few seconds as her lips had met his, his lips finally started to move and just when he wanted the kiss to keep going, she pulled away. He looked down into her eyes, eyes that were in wonder as much as he knew his would be.
He moved and brought his lips crashing down onto hers. Melding their lips together, sparks flew all around them. It was as if they were the only two people in the world, when in reality they were standing in the middle of the sidewalk, outside a bar. He drew her ballerina like body close to him, his body responding with a fierce rush of blood to his groin. Her small, but ample, breasts were pressed against his chest, her slim hips against his, her hands gripping the front of his jacket as if she couldn't stand upright without his support. Hell, he was having trouble keeping himself upright, apart from one part of his anatomy.
It's time to stop. You should stop. You need to stop. The chanting of his brain was attempting to drown out the frantic panting of his body. Yes. Yes. Yes. Clearly it had been too long between drinks. His self-control was usually spot on. But he didn't want the kiss to end. He felt as though he might die if it did. Lust pounded through his body, rampaging, roaring lust that made every cell in his system shudder with need. Intense need. Need that made him think of sweating, straining bodies and tangled sheets and blissful release. His hands found their way into her hair, one hand going to the back of her head to keep her there so he could deepen their kiss.
She gave a little mewling sound when he shifted position, her mouth flowering open to the hungry glide of his tongue. He explored her sweet interior, his pulse rate going off the scale when her tongue came into play with his. Her tongue was hesitant at first, but then she made another whimpering sound and grew more and more confident, flirting with his tongue, darting away and coming back for the sensual heat of his strokes. He put his hands on her hips, holding her to the throbbing ache of his body.
She felt so damn good, like she was made for his exact proportions. Had he ever felt so aroused so quickly? It was like he was a hormone driven teenager all over again. He seriously had to get his life balance sorted out. How long had it been since he'd slept with a woman? Too long, if his trigger was being tripped by just a kiss.
But what a kiss!
A car tooting on its way past was the only thing that got through to him. Robin pulled back from Regina, holding her by the hands so as to help keep her balanced. When Regina opened her eyes, she was completely dazed and looked to see Keith walking away. Not surprising given she'd lost track of time during that kiss.
Regina blinked as if trying to reorient herself. Her tongue did a quick circuit of her lips and his groin groaned and growled with need. He could almost imagine how it would feel to have that little tongue move over his body. He couldn't remember a kiss so...consuming. He had darned near forgotten who he was.
"That was some...kiss," Robin finally said.
"I'm sorry, it's just I was trying to get away from this loser a friend of mine set me up with," Regina apologized, still trying to get her wits about her.
"No need to apologize, Regina," Robin said as he leaned in to ask, "Did we accomplish your mission?" A part of him, a huge part of him hoped that they hadn't, not just yet.
Regina smiled as she answered, "He's long gone."
"Care for a drink, to celebrate our success?" Robin asked.
Regina couldn't help the smile that came across her face as she answered, "Alright then."
They had gone into that bar and had a few drinks, and had talked into the wee hours of the night. Neither ready to leave the other, from the outside it looked like possibly two friends catching up with the other. But for them both, something had started in that kiss, and neither was ready to see it end anytime soon.
Robin had asked Regina out for dinner the very next night, actually breakfast, because in just about three hours it would have been morning. She had accepted his invitation for dinner and again, they had spent time enjoying the other's company. Both aware of the amazing and instant chemistry forming between them.
Robin told her about his life in the Army, as much as he could. He did tell her that sometimes his job required him to be behind enemy lines and that he never knew when he would be recruited to do so.
Regina told him about her life back on the family's farm, how she had pretty much taken over the farm after her father had passed away two months ago. Robin had apologized saying how he was sorry he had not been able to attend as he had been in Europe at the time.
That night as Robin had walked Regina home to her friend's apartment that she was staying with for the weekend, he had kissed her again, pressing her up against the wall just outside the door. He had not wanted to leave her that night, but he also had not wanted to press them into a sexual relationship just yet. His life was unclear at the time, and she would be going back home in less than twenty four hours.
Oh, she had tempted him. Asking him if he wanted to come inside and continue what they had started just now. He had reluctantly declined, and when she had lowered her head with a simple, 'Oh', he had taken his forefinger and thumb and brought her chin up to meet his gaze. "I want to go in there, into your room, more than anything I've ever wanted. But, I don't want to rush this and destroy potentially what we might could have. Do you understand?"
Regina had nodded and he had smiled and kissed her lips once more. That night their relationship had begun with phone calls and letters. Robin was able to come back to her home when he could and she came back to New York to visit him as much as she could as well. Another month passed before their relationship took a turn, and they became lovers. Not long after that Robin had been sent back over to Europe for a dangerous mission and had barely been able to make it out. Regina had never been so scared in her life, and finally she received news that he was alive, she had felt overjoyed. He had promised her that there would be no more missions, once he had her back into his arms, and her tears were drowning them both.
That was then, this was now...
"Regina, I have to go. Please say you understand," Robin begged her to, he watched the way her eyes went from frustration to anger all in one second. "I'll be back, I promise."
"When? Next month? Next year?" Regina asked defiantly.
"I gave the army my word, when I signed up," Robin said.
"How can you ask me to wait?" Regina asked.
Robin just looked at her, not having an answer that would help this situation they were in.
"You're asking for too much, Robin," Regina said.
"What are you saying?" Robin asked.
"If you go..." Regina said, lifting her chin. "Don't expect to find me here when you come back."
"If you come back." Regina finished.
Robin let out a deep breath and walked over to her, he put his hands on the sides of her head and looked her deep into those oh so lovely dark eyes of her, eyes that he knew he was born to look into for the rest of his life.
"Regina, I will come back to you," Robin promised her, "have faith in me. Please."
Regina shook her head and put her hands on top of his and removed his hands from her, before stating, "I can't stay here and wait to hear if you're alive or dead. I can't stay here and just wait."
"You knew I was in the army when you met me. You knew it could be dangerous," Robin reminded her.
"I didn't know you would be going into Nazi Germany, Robin! I didn't know that if you were caught there they would torture and then kill you!" Regina defied as she moved to stand away from him. She couldn't face him right now, she needed a moment.
Robin knew that she had never reason to be afraid for him, and in a way he was touched that she was worried for him. But he also knew he had to do this, too much was on the line now. He went over to stand behind her and when he put his hands on her waist he felt her flinch, obviously from anger.
He moved his mouth close to her ear and whispered to her, "I love you, Regina. And I promise you I will come back for you. Have faith in me, in our love that nothing, not death itself can separate us."
Regina teared up as she thought that very well might separate them, "You are risking your life, Robin. Haven't you given them enough of yourself?"
"This is what I do, Regina. I can't stand here with my arms crossed, not when I know I can make a difference," Robin explained. "Wait for me."
Regina didn't say a word. Robin moved her to face him and brought one hand up to caress her cheek, she closed her eyes and leaned her head into the palm of his hand.
"Please," he pleaded with her.
"Just, be careful," Regina said as tears threatened to leave her eyes.
"I always will be, I have too much to come back home to," Robin said as he kissed her once more.
An hour later he was at the base, listening to the Captain explain his mission in detail to him. His body might be there in the command room, but his heart was back with Regina.