Robin tells himself that opening only one eye will prevent last night's diner to make its journey back to the surface again. Even the thought of bacon and eggs served for breakfast at the local cafeteria is enough to make him burry his nose deeper in the sheets.

A different kind of sensation greets him instead; it is cold for a summer day even colder than winter should be in "heaven." But the smell of cinnamon and apple, mixed with vanilla and… coffee? arouses his other senses one by one. First, he feels equally cold sheets beneath him, his body a stranger to this mattress; followed by a distinct noise coming from behind him (like someone rummaging through their stuff, in a panicked way) but it seems far far away as if dulled by his ever growing nausea. Talking about nausea, he tried to speak but was greeted by a dry throat, and an after taste of alcohol.

Alcohol… Vodka… Whiskey… Shots… Regina!

Robin opened his eyes so fast he was worried they might fall down. He wasn't in his bed, his sleepy mind gathered this much; however, he is completely taken aback when he notices his surroundings look more like the the demons' residence, more specifically Regina's, than his own. How did he end up here? Surely not after a mind blowing night with the woman filling his thoughts.

"Regina?" Robin's voice is hoarse; he is too tired to lift his head so he tries his best to make his presence known amidst the –now louder– sound filling the room.

"Regina?" he tries again, and this time the clatter stops leaving room for an awkward silence followed by light steps coming his way. Robin wants to turn his head, greet her, thank her for not letting him rot inside this bar, but any prospect of movement sounds like a deadly chore at this moment. Thus, he only groans when her arms touch his biceps to help him sit down against the bed's headboard, shoulders and head propped up by comfortable pillows.

"Hey." she softly says, he must be dreaming for her fingers lightly caress his skin while her other hand tames the short hair falling on his forehead. He needs to touch her, tries to move his arm in order to card his digits along her silky sleep-tousled hair. Sensing his next action, Regina entwine their fingers and chastises Robin in a tender way "Don't try to move, the pain will probably end you, believe me I've been there."

He misses her warmth immediately once she puts a respectable distance between their bodies. She is still next to him but she feels like miles away now that he can't sense her skin on his. "And may I ask milady how the hell are you ok while I feel like every bone in my body is breaking?"

She chuckles and replies with one of her witty answers "I told you I could hold my liquor, plus you shouldn't drink at your age Robin." and he smirks at this, at her, at his name rolling off her lips in a way that tug at his heart's strings.

Her eyes harden after this, Regina slips her armor back on, and is all business as soon as she firmly voices her worries "Listen Locksley" and she must have noticed his silly grin when she called him by his first name, to trigger this sudden change of attitude "you must leave now, if the dark lord or my mother or anyone for the record knows that I sneaked an angel in this pit, they will torture me. I couldn't leave you in this bar, and as much as this little escapade was fun after hearing you sing you really need to leave before anyone finds an angel in my room."

Robin could feel heat flushing his neck and continuing its way up to his cheeks, whether it was from his embarrassment following Regina's confession of his singing activity, or from hearing her refer to her room as if they were teenagers trying to lose their virginity without getting caught; he would never know.

"Thank you for… For bringing me back here and not leaving me swimming in a pool of my own vomit like a lot of demon would do in this case. I am sorry I might have caused you trouble, but I'd be out of your way as soon as I am sure my magic will not fail me."

:.

Regina shook her head slightly, accepting this solution since she knows Mal wouldn't be back for quite a while, and Robin's home was far too nice to bound him to this place unlike what her mother did to her.

She drifted away, replaying last night's memories, more like letting them flash in front of her eyes for what felt like the 10th time in the last hour. Robin's arm around her shoulders, their bodies swaying together along with the rhythm of alcohol pumping in their veins, Robin's soothing voice. She was less drunk, years of drowning her sorrows with liquor would do that to any "dead" soul, so she tried to help him (why? Even she wouldn't be able to answer this question). Her options were very narrow: she can't use magic, her mother would know, she can't pay heaven a short visit, her mother would know, which left her with one solution only: carrying him to her room, with a hand effectively shutting his mouth to prevent the thief from singing a –very loud, and very joyful– song.

She couldn't sleep with him being so close to her, so she let Robin rest on her bed making sure to hydrate him before his eyes closed for a deep slumber. She chose to drink coffee, worried to leave him disoriented come morning or be at the receiving end of Mal's furious gaze alone. And she couldn't remember the last time she actually worried about someone, the last one on her non existent list would be angel! But, as always, her first reaction is sarcasm, just another way of running away, as she told him "No problem princess, drink some coffee I am tired of your snores."

Regina could swear his chuckle filled her entire being with warmth and safety and things she never felt at the hands of her own mother. But she didn't dwell on it, choosing to ignore every sign that Robin could be a good friend, to let them fade away with the steam coming off the coffee she just handed him.

:.

Robin was able to pull enough magic to transport him somewhere far away. She wouldn't know to where, and wouldn't ask, just wished he made it there safely. She knows she shouldn't feel this way, but he made her feel good last night, made her laugh at and with him, was never taken aback or hurt by her harsh words or sarcasm, just a witty comment ready to entertain her. Regina knows she can't see him again, but she would do anything to feel the lightness she felt before he collapsed face first on the table. Maybe she will one day, in the near or far future or maybe never, but right now she has to focus on changing her bed's sheets before anyone could detect the smell of smoke or alcohol clinging everywhere.

She threw her clothes in the washing machine, sported some worn yoga pants and a t-shirt ready to sleep her fatigue away. Her mother had other plans apparently.

"Regina? Get out of bed right now honey." her sickening sweet voice filling every fiber of her being with coldness so different from the warmth Robin provided earlier.

"What is it mother? Do you need something from me?" replied Regina while getting up on tired feet, never the one to disobey someone as powerful as Cora Mills.

"Just the truth dear daughter. Since when do you need company at night? I might not be able to track you while you're on your hunt, but I can do it in other situations, and I felt a strange presence." dread filled Regina as soon as those words escaped her mother's red-tainted lips. Did she feel an angelic presence or just a simple presence? Does she know Robin took her out? That he almost kissed her? That she wanted him to? All those questions were flying through her mind at the same time, she felt her hands shaking, her breath coming out in rapid successions and nausea almost making her trip at her mother's feet. However, she couldn't let Cora see her distress, so she took deep breathes and said "A strange presence? In here? It was probably Mal."

Apparently this was a very wrong answer for her mother slapped her, leaving angry marks on Regina's left cheek "You foolish girl! Lying to your own mother, do you think I am dumb to not recognize the scent of your roommate?" Regina tried not to cry, to hold back her tears, to be strong enough "N-no mother, I apologize for being so stupid."

Cora took her daughter's chin between her fingers and sent her a terrifying glare "You listen carefully Regina… Gold, the dark lord, may have a preference for you, and may have restricted my magic regarding your behavior, but know this: I am your mother and mothers know best." She ended the sentence in a fake loving tone so different from the animalistic growl she used to continue her monologue with "I do not care if you have 'adventures' with demons all night long, but if you dare to forget who you are and what your mission is, I will make sure this hell you live in will be nothing compared to the one I am capable on inflicting upon you." Cora let her words take root deep within Regina's heart, dispersing the poison everywhere making sure it painted Regina with more anguish (and how can a mother hold so much cruelty towards someone she is supposed to adore?); and then she let a thick burgundy smoke take her back to her chambers.

Regina fell to her knees the second Cora disappeared from view, letting all her tears escape one by one until her body had enough. She crawled in bed, letting sleep claim her with only one thought in her head: Cora believed a demon was here, not an angel, not Robin, and for that she grateful despite how much all of this hurts.

:.

Robin arrived at the gates shortly before everyone was awake, with some chance he would be able to sneak in his room without getting caught. The halls were pleasantly calm, filled with the light only the sunrise can procure. He misses her already, but believes firmly that she will never let him this close again because of him, his own foolishness made Regina drag him back to a forbidden place, putting her and him at great risks.

The angel was lost in though for a sweet voice made him jump as soon as he entered the room "God Tink! You scared me", Robin placed a hand on his chest trying to calm its erratic beat.

"May I ask how was the sex?" his friend was always so direct, but this took him relatively by surprise as he replied with honesty "sex? Do you think I went on ONE date with Regina, hell she doesn't even think of it as a date, and all for sex?"

Tink faltered slightly at his reprimanding tone, he doesn't like being rude to anyone but he couldn't believe his own friend thought so low of him. "Listen Robin you know how I feel about this whole situation,plus you weren't home all night. Shouldn't this mean something?"

Robin closed his eyes, he shouted at his friend without taking the time to think for two seconds how disheveled he must look right now, hair blown by the wind, sleep-deprived, reeking of alcohol, shirt slightly open. "I am sorry for being so rude Tink, but no nothing happened. In fact, I got so drunk that Regina took me back to her bedchambers, breaking a lot of laws, and let me sleep until I felt better." His voice and eyes softened at the mention of his –what should be– nemesis.

"Take a shower, everything is already in the toilet, stop smiling like a damn fool, and throw your clothes before anyone learn about what happened yesterday. No trouble is necessary for one night of thrill Robin!"

"It isn't about thrilling experiences anymore, this amazing woman needs a friend and I want to give her that. Demon or not. I will go back to her, I just need to find a way" Robin closed the bathroom's door behind him, missing his companion's light smile contradicting her disapproving head shake.

A/N: I know this isn't the best chapter I have written thus far, but it has been a long time since the last update and I am having difficulties with ideas. Note that this chapter is un-betaed since I don't have one at this moment (my dear friend has her own stories right now ;)!)

So please leave some reviews (positive or constructive criticism or any idea you want to share), it makes me smile!

And people asked me to continue my teacher/student one shot (on 'Love Again') and I am working on it! Thanks for you support and all the favs/follows it means so much.