Chapter 2: One of Those Days

"Good morning, Tink," Robin said, handing her a coffee cup. "Thought I would pick this up for you."

She let out a soft groan as she took it. "Thank you. You're a lifesaver. My place was too crowded and I just didn't have the time to wait on that line."

"You're very welcome," he said, grinning. "Anything to report while I'm here?"

"Sure. Have a seat," she replied after swallowing a good gulp of her coffee. She motioned to the nearest chair as she placed her cup down. "There's no changes from yesterday. It's still a light day for Her Majesty because of her annual physical this afternoon."

He nodded, sitting down. A thought then hit him and he frowned. "Do I have to go to the appointment with her?"

"No," Tink told him. "Only Graham will go with her for security purposes but Regina prefers to go by herself to appointments."

"Okay," he replied, surprised that Tink used the queen's first name so casually in the conversation as if she were just any other boss and not the sovereign ruler of their country. It also seemed like she had a deeper connection to the Queen than he thought.

Robin filed that tidbit away as Tink continued. "We're going to have the party for Ashley's birthday today. Once the Queen leaves, can you go to the main conference room and help with set up?"

"Sure," he replied, knowing they were in for a good afternoon. Good food, cake and a lot of fun conversation – and free of the Queen. It sounded like heaven to him.

"Great," Tink said, taking another sip of her coffee. "I'll leave you to get everything ready for the Queen and do whatever she needs you to do before her appointment. I'll see you later."

Robin nodded, standing. "Enjoy the coffee."

She raised her cup. "I will. Thank you."

He chuckled as he walked to his office, sipping his coffee. Robin let himself in and set his things down as the lights automatically turned on in his office. Plopping down in his office chair, he booted up his computer so he could get the Queen's morning packet ready for her.

First, though, he needed to read the newspaper so he knew which stories to highlight for Her Majesty. Robin unfolded his copy while hers sat untouched, waiting for the Queen to read it while he looked through his. Every so often, he would jot down a page number before resuming his task until he believed he had good and thorough list.

Setting aside the paper, he then opened the internet and went through his bookmarked news sites to print out any other articles the Queen would likely like to read. Once he had those gathered, he printed out her agenda for the day and put everything together in a packet for her. He took another sip of coffee before picking it up and heading to her office to get it ready.

Unlike his office, the lights in the Queen's were not activated by a sensor so he had to manually flip them on. They illuminated the black and white office that always sent a shudder down his spine. It was devoid of warmth, just like the Queen.

He walked toward her desk and placed the packet on it. Robin's eyes swept the desk, which held her computer and a file organizer. There were no other knick-knacks or pictures, making it all feel very impersonal. It was almost as if the Queen had no life outside of the palace, though he was certain that wasn't the case.

After all, he always heard reports of her jetting off to exotic destinations and leaving the governing to her advisors.

Not that she had done so yet while Robin had been working there, he noted. But it was only a month and the summer had barely started. He imagined he would start to see her be absent more and more as it got hotter and hotter. They would all be working and the Queen would be playing.

He put those thoughts out of his mind as he opened the curtains behind her desk, looking out over the beautiful gardens on the palace property. Flowers were starting to bloom and the gardens grew greener each passing day. They had also turned the fountain back on and he watched as the water rose up before arcing back down to the serene pool below. It was beautiful and he wondered if the Queen appreciated the view she got each day.

Robin moved away from the window and headed over to the small kitchen between his office and hers to prepare her coffee just the way she liked it. Tink had taught him his first day and he had picked it up quickly – she liked it brewed strong with a dash of cream and a spoonful of sugar for taste. It was probably the simplest thing about her.

As he set her coffee down, he doublechecked her desk and saw that everything was in order. He started to walk away from her desk when he heard her voice echoing from the hallway Tink told him connected her living quarters with the office. Robin froze, unsure if he should stay for their morning briefing or leave and wait for her to summon him.

"No, this is entirely unacceptable," Queen Regina said, entering the office with her cell phone pressed to her ear and a frown already on her face.

It was going to be one of those days.

Robin started to inch toward the door but the Queen caught sight of him. She motioned for him to stay and so he did, standing by the door with his hands clasped behind his back as she moved toward her desk. Whoever she was talking to clearly was doing most of the talking and judging by the Queen's scowl, she didn't like what she was hearing.

"I always like your designs and you do amazing work. That is why I've chosen you for this," she told them. "But if you cannot deliver as promised, I am going to have to find some place who will make the dress instead. I would rather not do that but if you don't fix this, I will have no choice."

She ended the call and let her phone fall onto her desk with a groan. Robin's heart pounded in his chest as he wondered what poor fashion designer's assistant had just gotten berated by the Queen for what was likely a ridiculously expensive gown for some silly event. The Queen probably had several in her closet that she had never worn and could likely wear one of those rather than ruin someone's career over her own vanity.

The Queen looked up and motioned for him to come forward. "Sorry about that. Are you ready for our briefing?" she asked.

"Not really," he replied, wincing as he admitted that. The last thing he needed was for her ire to be directed toward him. "I don't have my notebook with me. I can quickly run and get it though."

She opened a drawer and took a pad of paper on it. The Queen threw it down and placed a pen on top of it. "You can use that," she said. "This will be brief."

Nodding, Robin picked up the pad and pen. He sat down and waited for the Queen to do the same. She rubbed her temples as she groaned, glancing at the coffee he left her but not picking it up. "I need you to reschedule my morning meetings for another day. You can tell them that it's one of those days. They'll understand," she said.

"Okay," he replied, writing that down as he tried not to cringe. He doubted four assistants were going to understand that the Queen was in a mood and therefore had to reschedule their bosses' meetings with her. And Robin was going to have to bear the brunt of their displeasure.

Just great.

"Anything else, Your Majesty?" he asked her, afraid of what the answer would be.

"That should be all," she replied. "Can you just bring me some tea and shut the lights on your way out please?"

He nodded, standing. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Robin walked away, wondering why the Queen would want to sit in the dark. As he paused by the light switch, flipping them off, he saw her stand and close the curtains behind her. He frowned, upset that she would deny herself such a beautiful view. If it were him, he would try to move his desk out into those gardens – especially with the weather being so warm now.

"Everything okay?" Tink asked as he stepped out of the Queen's office, closing the door behind him.

"The Queen is in a mood," he said, explaining her requests and how she was plunging her office into darkness.

Tink frowned. "It sounds like one of those days."

"That's what she told me to tell the assistants when rescheduling her meetings," he said, checking what he had written down. "She said they would understand."

"They will," Tink assured him. "Everyone knows what that means."

He tilted his head. "That's what she said. What does it mean?"

Tink paused, clearly thinking over her answer before speaking. "It means she's not feeling well and she needs to be left alone in a dark and quiet room. You should also hold all her calls as well. Just take messages and she'll get back them, probably either later today or tomorrow, depending on how long this lasts."

"Alright," he said, nodding. "Let me get her some tea and then I'll go do that."

"I can do that," Tink said, stepping forward. "I was on my way in there anyway. You can go start canceling those meetings for her."

She entered the Queen's office and Robin sighed, heading to his own. He sat down at his desk and pulled up the Queen's schedule for the day. Picking up his phone, he started to call each assistant and let them know the Queen needed to reschedule because it was "one of those days." Each assistant understood and thanked him after he promised to get a new date and time to them soon. None seemed annoyed and he wondered how often "those days" happened. While no one had said it out loud, he was confident he knew what "one of those days" meant after taking in all her symptoms.

The Queen was hungover.

Annoyance flooded him with each call he made, knowing that no one would be so understanding if he came in hungover. But since she was the Queen, she got special consideration as everyone bowed down to her. It just wasn't fair.

Eleven more months, he told himself. Just stick it out eleven more months and you can have your pick of assignments. You can do this.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?" Someone shook her and she tried to swat whoever it was away as she tried to find refuge in sleep again. It was the only place where her head didn't feel like it was being split open by a tiny construction crew.

The shaking stopped just as she heard whoever it was sigh. "Regina, if you don't wake up, I'm going to have to carry you into the palace. I know you don't really like that so it's up to you. You either walk or I carry you. Either way, you can't stay in the car."

Groaning, Regina opened her eyes to find Graham leaning into the car. He smiled at her. "There we go. Are you walking or not?"

"Walking," she said, though her head spun when she started to move toward the car door. She paused, closing her eyes as she swallowed down the feeling of nausea. "Hopefully. If not, I'm killing Whale for whatever he gave me."

"He did warn you that it might make you dizzy," Graham reminded her. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry you in?"

She shook her head before regretting that decision. Regina closed her eyes and tried to steady herself as she said: "I don't want it getting back to the press. I can just imagine the field day they would have. I will walk in myself."

"Can you even walk in a straight line?" Graham asked, looking concerned. "Imagine the field day they would have with that as well."

Regina groaned, knowing he had a point. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place, all thanks to the fact the media was always ready to pounce if she showed even the slightest hint she wasn't perfect. Or even if she didn't. There was no winning with the press but she still tried, hoping to prove them all wrong.

"You'll have to keep me straight," she told him, deciding it was their only option. "It's not uncommon for you to have your hand on my back for protection."

"Not usually when we go into the palace," he replied. "But I guess I can always use a vague claim of a threat to explain it away."

Relief flooded through Regina. "Thank you, Graham. I appreciate it."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her steady as they walked into the palace. A guard gave her a concerned look as he saluted her but Graham assured him that the Queen was fine. They continued onto a waiting elevator and Graham pressed the button for the floor with her private quarters. "You okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she lied as the elevator span around her. "I just want to go lie down."

"Do you want me to carry you now?" he asked her. "We're inside the palace. You should be safe."

She sighed, knowing he was right. And she knew that if she tried to walk to her room, it would likely feel like an eternity and she would be close to being sick by the time she got there. Regina nodded. "Thank you, Graham."

He scooped her into the bridal carry as the elevator doors opened and carried her down the hallway. Tink was waiting for them and she frowned. "What happened?"

"Whale gave her something for her migraine," Graham said. "Unfortunately, one of the side effects is dizziness."

"Oh boy," Tink said. "We should get her into bed."

They started walking again and Regina's head continued to swim. Her stomach now also churned and she let out a soft groan. "Just dump me in the bathroom," she said.

"Do you want me to have the kitchens send you up something?" Tink asked. "Broth and tea? Some ginger ale?"

"Ginger ale and broth, please," Regina said, fighting the urge to be sick. "Maybe I'll be able to keep them down."

Tink nodded as someone peeked out of another room. Regina blinked a few times before he came into focus and she recognized Robin, no doubt leaning out of his office from the back door. He frowned as he took her in. "What's going on?"

"Please ask the kitchen to send up some broth and a glass of ginger ale to the Queen's bedroom," Tink said, her tone all business. "I'll be there to receive it. Thank you, Robin."

"You're welcome," he said, glancing at Regina again. "Is there anything else I can do?"

Part of Regina wanted Robin to stay with her, just like Ivy used to do as her assistant. But the other part knew that she was likely to spend the rest of the evening hunched over her toilet and she definitely didn't want him to see her like that. Not just because of how cool he still was toward her but also because no one wanted their crush to see them in such an unflattering light, no matter how unlikely it was for a romance to blossom between them. So she just shook her head as she closed her eyes, resting her head on Graham's shoulder as she decided it was best to just send him home. Regina murmured something she hoped sounded like "No, thank you. Good night" but the pain in her head blocked it out.

She heard Tink say something before Graham started to move again. Regina groaned as her conversation with Dr. Whale played over and over in her mind. He had sworn that what he had given her would alleviate her migraine and symptoms but all it had done was make them worse. If she wasn't so incapacitated, she would call to give him a piece of her mind. All she could do now, though, was mutter under her breath. "I am going to kill him."

"What did she say?" Tink asked.

"I think she's cursing out Whale," Graham said, stopping again. "This certainly doesn't look like she's getting better."

He could've said that again.

"No, it doesn't," Tink agreed. "Why don't you set her on the couch for now?"

Regina felt Graham move forward again before she was slowly lowered onto a soft surface. She opened her eyes to look around her sitting room and eyed the bathroom, wondering if she could make it on her own. Maybe she should ask Graham to just leave her in there and have Tink set up some blankets and pillows for her. She could just sleep in the bathroom for now.

"Here," Tink said, placing a cool and damp facecloth over Regina's eyes. "This should help."

"Thanks," Regina replied, moaning. She pressed a hand to her stomach, willing it to settle. "I think I can handle it from here. You two can go home. Thank you."

"You can barely stand, Regina," Graham argued. "You shouldn't be left alone right now."

Regina lifted the facecloth to see both Graham and Tink standing over her, frowning. Tink nodded. "I agree. I can stay the night if you want."

"I don't need babysitters," Regina insisted, hating when people fawned over her – especially when she was sick. All she wanted was to be left alone so she could empty her stomach in peace before hopefully passing out in bed. Usually her migraines disappeared after a good night's rest.

"But you need help," Tink insisted while Graham nodded. "And there's no shame in that."

Regina frowned. "Do regular people have that chance? If I wasn't Queen and didn't have a staff, wouldn't I be on my own?"

"Not necessarily," Tink countered.

Graham nodded again. "Most people have family or friends who are willing to help them when they are sick. So if you were just our friend and not our boss, we'd probably be having this same argument in your considerably smaller flat."

She chuckled before her stomach turned and she swallowed down the nausea rising through her. Placing the facecloth back on her eyes, she said: "I don't want to inconvenience you."

"You're not," Graham insisted. "We want to do this."

"Exactly," Tink assured her. "You're not forcing us to do anything."

Regina groaned, pressing her hand to her forehead in a futile attempt to stop the pounding. "It feels like it though. I mean, I am still your boss and your queen. Even though I would never do it, I still feel like it's more of an obligation."

"It's not," Tink insisted.

"But I still feel that way," Regina replied. "Like I'm ordering you to stay."

Someone cleared their throat again and she heard Tink walk away, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. "You didn't have to bring this yourself," she told someone.

"I know," Robin said, sending Regina's heart sinking into her stomach. "I just wanted to help. Do you need me to do anything else?"

"You can go home, Robin," Tink said, sounding a bit exasperated. "Graham and I have it from here. Goodnight."

He wished them a goodnight before Regina heard the door closed. She hoped she didn't look as pathetic as she felt lying on the couch with a facecloth over her eyes. It definitely wasn't an image she wanted Robin to see until he had been working for her longer – and hopefully when she would no longer get butterflies whenever she heard his voice.

"Graham, can you help Regina sit up?" Tink asked. "I don't think she can make it to her table."

"Sure," he replied, shaking Regina a little. "You okay to sit up?"

She nodded, letting him help her into a sitting position. Regina took the facecloth off and set it aside. Looking at the bowl of broth, she took a deep breath before saying: "I hope I don't regret this."

"I think you'll feel better once you have something in your stomach," Tink said, sitting down next to you. "Did you eat lunch?"

"Not really," Regina admitted. "I just couldn't swallow anything but tea."

Tink frowned. "Did you tell Whale about that?"

Regina tried to think back through her physical but it was all a blur. So she turned to Graham, who had been standing with his back to her for privacy but close in case anything happened. "Did I?"

"No, you didn't," he replied. "But I don't think he asked."

Tink sighed, shaking her head. "That's probably why the medicine is making you feel so much worse. Let's see if getting some food into you changes that."

"I hope so," Regina said, picking up her spoon. Even though her stomach kept churning, she filled it with broth and placed it in her mouth, fighting to swallow it. She just wanted to stop feeling like shit and get back to her normal schedule.

Slowly, she emptied the bowl of the broth and sipped the glass of ginger ale. While it helped settle her stomach, it did little to help the pounding in her head. As Graham took the tray back to the kitchens, Tink helped Regina into her bedroom. Though it was barely seven o'clock, Regina changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed, still needing a stepstool to do so. She settled under her blankets as Tink refreshed the facecloth, placing it over her eyes. "I'll be in the guest room if you need me," Tink told her.

"Thanks, Tink," Regina said, knowing that Tink and Graham both had go-bags in their offices in case of emergencies like this. Graham would likely sleep on her couch while Tink would take her guest room, both staying close to Regina if she needed them during the night. She doubted she would and hoped she would feel better after a good night's sleep but felt comforted knowing they were there.

Even with the facecloth covering her eyes, Regina could tell when Tink turned off the lights in her room. Her head continued to pound but she felt the exhaustion in her body start to take over. She floated off to sleep, leaving the pain in her head behind.

Someone gently stroked her cheek and she sighed, enjoying the sensation. Regina took off the facecloth and blinked her eyes as she adjusted to the lighting in the room. Turning her head, Robin stood next to her bed with concern and warmth in his blue eyes. He sat down on the edge of her bed, taking her hand. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, no longer feeling the pounding in her head. "What are you doing here?"

His brow furrowed in confusion as he tilted his head. "Where else would I be?"

"I thought Tink sent you home," she told him.

"Not when my Queen isn't feeling well," he replied, taking her hand and kissing it. But she barely felt it and she knew then that she was dreaming.

Still, it was a good dream.

"Well, you must be taking very good care of me," she said. Dream or not, she was not going to pass up her chance to flirt with Robin.

He chuckled. "I'm trying. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

She shook her head. "Just stay with me, please?"

"Of course," he replied, now lying down next to her on the bed. "I'll stay as long you need me to."

"And what if I want you to stay forever?" she asked, curling against him as she closed her eyes.

He brushed some hair from her face as he whispered: "Then I'll stay forever."

She sensed him kiss her forehead but still didn't feel it, making her wish this wasn't just a dream. But as she lay there, curled up against Robin as she could see him stroking her hair, she also didn't want to wake from that moment and go back to reality where he was cold but civil to her. So she would just stay there until she woke up, hopefully with her migraine gone.

"I wouldn't take anything she says personally," John said, handing Robin a bowl of popcorn. "Especially if you're right and she was hungover. I've said some things to you that I didn't mean."

"Yeah, that's true," Robin said, thinking of all the times John threatened to castrate him for waking him up after a night of heavy drinking. "I'm just lucky you never kept anything sharp in your room."

John chuckled before shrugging. "Are you sure she was hungover though?"

"What else could she be?" Robin asked, browsing through the streaming service to find something for them to watch.

John shrugged. "But a hangover that lasts that long and after a doctor's visit? I doubt it."

"I don't know. Maybe she gets really drunk each night and everyone just covers it up so the news doesn't get word of it," he said, shrugging as well. "No one there really seems to like the news. I guess because they tell the truth about the Queen everyone else seems to ignore."

"Maybe you could write a tell all about working at the palace," John suggested. "You probably would never have to work again."

Robin snorted. "Yeah, because they would execute me. I don't think so. I just have to hang on a bit longer and then I can move on to another office."

John nodded. "Well, before that, can you pick something? We're going to need to pop another bag of popcorn at the rate you're going."

"Yeah, I'm not finding anything," Robin said, handing the remote to his friend. "Maybe you'll have better luck."

"Sweet," John said, taking the remote and quickly finding something for them to watch. He settled against the couch and eagerly at the popcorn while Robin let his mind wander, once again thinking of the Queen.

Was the Queen hungover after all? Or was John right and she was suffering from something else? If so, why didn't the staff say anything about it? Tink just brushed over it and didn't tell him anything. Was it because he was still too new? Did she not trust him with the truth about the Queen even though he was her assistant? Or was it just so normal that they forgot not everyone knew what was going on?

Thoughts of Tink reminded him of what he had heard when he delivered the Queen's dinner to her. He pulled out his phone and composed a text to Tink.

You okay? How's the Queen?

His message was delivered and then turned to read. Robin watched as three dots appeared on screen and he waited for her response.

She's resting. Hopefully she'll feel better in the morning. I'm spending the night just in case. See you in the morning.

Guilt filled Robin as he wondered if she was staying instead of him. After all, he was the Queen's assistant. He wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Queen expected her assistants to baby her whenever she was sick and Tink was trying to delay that for him as long as possible, probably to keep him from leaving. His stomach twisting in knots, he quickly typed back a response.

Do you want me to get you coffee again? Maybe breakfast too?

A few seconds later, her response popped up.

I'm good with breakfast but I never say no to coffee. Thanks, Robin. Have a good night.

You too, Tink.

He placed the phone back into his pocket. Robin would get her the biggest cup of coffee possible tomorrow to make up for the night she spent with the Queen. Grabbing the popcorn back from John, Robin turned his attention back to the TV and pushed the Queen and her dramatics from his mind until the morning.

A/N: I know a lot of people had a "Robin, no!" reaction to the first chapter and I'm sure you're having the same reaction now. His own biases are blinding him and making him misread situation after situation.

There will be a few more situations like that but I ask that you be patient as there will still be some a few good Outlaw Queen moments despite Robin's attitude toward Regina right now.

See you all next month!

-Mac