A/N: Sorry this took so long to post here. For those that don't know I have an account at archive(of)(our)(own). The rules of FFN prevent me from posting anything sexually explicit meaning this story will be edited on FFN. Feel free to DM me if you need to know where to find this story unedited :)

The biggest sign that this is a mistake is how excited she is to see him again, and how she managed to miss him when it has only been few days since she last saw him?

She has to admit the timing on all of this was not the best. When she met Robin, she had been incredibly lonely and vulnerable. She had to keep Mal at a distance — not for the first time — for the best interest of her son. And so she hadn't let her come to the house, hadn't let her spend much time with them, hadn't told her about any of her personal problems.

So of course when the new client was kind, and caring, and for fuck's sake, a single father, of course she was going to fall all over him.

And it's more than that, she knows, there's something special about him, but fate brought him in at a very vulnerable time of her life. And now she's completely lost to him, and when he's no longer in her life it's going to crush her.

The worst is she's known she's done quite a good job at hiding how much she feels, really brilliantly. He's a nice guy, he probably wouldn't pull away from her entirely if he knew how much she cares for him. But he doesn't know, so after tonight, he's going to pull away. And then she will have to see him at every business meeting and pretend her heart isn't fluttering.

Or maybe he'll insist she be taken off the account. Then she'll be fired — he probably won't do that, he's not that cruel.

But something bad is going to happen, she knows that much.

And yet when she steps into her favorite tapas place and joins Robin in a corner table, that impending sense of doom leaves her.

She doesn't go to more casual places like this anymore, where there's people drinking beer from bottles and loud Spanish music carrying over from the bar. It makes her feel relaxed and takes her back to a time when she was younger, before all of this mess had happened.

Robin is waiting for her. It's not like their first date when he was in a suit. Now he's just in jeans and a graphic tee shirt.

Despite the casual venue, he still stands up and gets the little cheap, wicker chair out for her, pushing it in as she sits. She laughs. And then he takes a sip of his beer and looks over at her with a shared amusement.

"This is familiar." Robin smirks. "And yet very different at the same time."

"It's a nice venue change." She waves her hand around pointing at the ambiance. "Reminds me of a place I'd go to in college all the time. This place is slightly cleaner, though. And better food. But the place in college had deals on pitchers of sangria…" She lets herself revel in the nostalgia. "We were friends with the bartender, he'd go heavy on the liquor for us. I loved that bar. Made some choice decisions there. But I don't regret any of it."

Robin chuckles. "I think I've made my share of those types of decisions over the years. In college Will and John convinced me to take an impromptu trip to Mexico." He shakes his head. "A friend of ours had a house there, or rather, his rich uncle did. We ended up getting into a fight with some of the people there, well, Will ended up being caught with someone else's girl in one of the bedrooms, and he was threatened with a knife and told to get out. I was in the pool and was kicked out with the clothes on my back. Had to basically break back into the party to steal my clothes and passport back."

"Okay, you win." Regina laughs. "I never had that much of an adventure in college. I was a little too straight laced back then."

"Mm," Robin hums. "I'm a bit of a thrill seeker. Drove Marian crazy, actually." He frowns, as if he's unsure whether he said something wrong, then gives her a grateful smile. "You don't do the thing."

Regina cannot hide her utter surprise. "What thing?" she asks, wondering what she's supposed to be doing.

"The thing, the thing everyone does when I mention Marian. They tense and worry about me, making little sympathetic faces even if I'm bringing her up as part of a good memory. I'm always immediately regretting every time I bring her up, but with you…"

"I lost someone too," Regina says, leaning in, wrinkling her nose. "I know there's a way to bring them up without pain. Or at least, more happiness than pain." She grabs his hand, "Continue your story. Were you dating Marian at the time of this Mexican trip?"

Her question seems to make Robin happy, who throws his head back and laughs. "Yes, and it took me years to confess everything that happened during that trip because she would have killed me. And she already hated Will, had she found out his part in it back then, she might have punched the poor guy in the face."

They trade stories then about college friends, the wild ones, the stupid ones, the troublemakers. Regina had Emma, who was always acting first, thinking later, and it turns out she has her own similar story. Emma had gotten them into enormous trouble when she suggested they go skinny dipping at a private home. Fence climbing was involved. The owners were supposed to be on vacation - and they were, but their son had decided to pop in and spend the weekend there. And Emma, Elsa, and Regina's impromptu moonlight dip turned into a frantic chase as they narrowly avoided being caught breaking and entering.

"Were you dating Daniel at the time?" Robin asks. It's only then she realizes that she's grateful for the way he brings him up, casually, without pity or sympathy. She doesn't have anyone to talk to about Daniel except for her eight year old son and Mallory (who is bored to death by now). God, how she craves talking about the person she loves so much.

"We were dating, yes," Regina admits, and then smiles slyly. "But Daniel was proud of me. I never did anything like that, I was a bit stiff when I went to college, years of prep school, I think. They really helped me loosen up, my friends. Or old friends, I mean."

He gives her a look of sympathy, and a bit of curiosity, but doesn't ask where they went, why they aren't in her life at all. Instead he asks, "That woman I saw you with back when you had that migraine, was she an old college friend?"

Regina laughs and shakes her head, and oh fuck it, she's trusting him with her whole story, right?

"Mal is… well she works the same job I do," Regina explains. "The same secondjob."

"Ah," Robin sounds, as if it were not a surprise, as if she were telling him they were coworkers at a firm together. And she finds that reaction makes her more desperate to tell him more.

"I owe her a lot. She's the one who taught me all of this," Regina explains. Robin frowns, and Regina rushes to defend her. "Not without my begging her, though. She's my friend, not a… recruiter or anything. And she knew how badly I needed the money." She takes a deep breath in and tilts her head, grasping at his hand and trying not to look as terrified as she is. "Which reminds me. I need to tell you something."

Robin scowls almost comically and asks, "Is it something that will make you upset to talk about?"

She's almost crying already over how much he cares for her. "Yes," she admits. "And you'll probably not love hearing it, but—"

"Then I think I'm going to make a request that we not talk about it now," Robin says with an adorable smile.

Regina is shocked. Of all the times he would pull the client card, she didn't expect him to use it now.

"It's just that we were having so much fun before," he explains, squeezing her hands. "You were laughing, you seemed to be enjoying yourself, and I love every moment I get to see you like this. And something tells me you don't get to do it often. So, if what you're telling me can wait, I'd love if we could press pause on this conversation for awhile."

Regina frowns, contemplating. He is the client, and lord knows she doesn't want to tell him she's leaving and end this all. She wants to pretend this is an actual date, drink whatever she wants and talk about a time when her life wasn't a disaster. She wants to ignore everything that causes her anxiety and stress for awhile, but she keeps doing this with Robin, using him to escape the harsh realities of her fate, and it's really not fair to him.

"It's about why I, um, need my second job," she explains. "I just think after everything, if we are going to do this? You deserve to know what your money is being used for."

That seems to give Robin pause, and she prepares herself to launch into a speech she's rehearsed a thousand times in her heard.

"I won't lie and say I haven't been curious, and the fact you want to tell me means quite a bit." But then he's shaking his head. "I have a feeling I'd rather you tell me when we have a bit longer together," he muses, scratching his stubble with his free hand thoughtfully. "You need to get back to Henry soon, and I'd rather you do it with a smile on your face. And I need to get back to Roland. So let's just have fun, for today, and save that conversation for… well, whenever we have more time."

"Soon," Regina says, more of a promise to herself than to Robin.

"Is it something you wantto talk about?" he asks, biting his lip. "Because if it's on your mind and you can't—"

"I don't want to talk about it," Regina admits softly. "I just want to keep doing this." She grabs his hand and squeezes it for effect, paying just a moment to revel in how he squeezes her hand back and brushes his thumb against hers. But she adds, "I don't think it's fair to keep you in the dark, though."

"Don't worry about me." Robin assures. "I don't think there's anything you could tell me that would change the way I feel about you, or this."

He imitates her earlier action, his hand pulsing quickly around hers, and the action makes her feel warm and safe yet threatened at the same time.

Because he's talking about the arrangement, this payment for time, but the way he looksat her, god how he touches her with this intimacy, it doesn't feel like a business transaction at all.

It's not, and that's the whole problem.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Regina sighs. "When you hear the story, I'm fairly certain you won't want to continue this."

"Nah, I think I will anyway," Robin replies quickly. "And I'll prove it, when we have more time. Now let's just have a relaxed time and talk about nonsense, yeah?"

This is probably a bad idea.

She has too many feelings for him, enjoys her time with him too much, wants him too badly.

Romance has been the last thing on her mind for years and there's a twinge of guilt as they talk. She really shouldn't be indulging in this, she should be more worried about her son and sorting through her own messy life instead of entertaining sexual fantasies and Pretty Woman-esque fairy tales. But she lets that guilt go away the second Robin asks what is wrong. He can sense the mood change, and he's the client, so truly, she has to put it behind her and just let herself feel.

"Nothing's wrong," Regina says, relaxing as she breathes out a breath of air. "Just in my own head a bit. Sorry."

"How about a distraction?" Robin asks, a glimmer in his eyes, and yes please, anything would be welcome. So she nods excitedly and breathes out a grateful Please.

"Well behind you," he whispers, "is a family leaving the restaurant side of this place. See if you recognize anyone."

She turns around quickly, spots a smiling mother talking to an excited little boy that she recognizes instantly. But he looks so much happier now, so comfortable, thank god. She hated leaving him so upset the last time they met.

"Ben," she says, almost in shock that Robin remembers the boy they met so long ago at their first "date". The reason she had let herself get so close to Robin is smiling and gabbing with family members that love and care for him, and it's oddly relieving. It's a stark contrast to the crying, scared boy they had met, the rude father that reminded her so much of Leo.

God, Robin knows her story now, or most of it. He must realize what his actions meant to her, how caring for that child affected her, being the child's advocate, protector, if only for a small moment.

"Yeah," Robin smiles back at her warmly. "Small world. He looks happy."

"He does," Regina watches as mother and child are joined by two elderly people who appear to be Ben's grandparents. They leave together, looking like a perfect family.

She hadn't realized it until now, but she had worried about that little boy still, despite barely knowing him.

"A happy ending," Robin offers. "He seems entirely unphased and in good hands."

And he does, he really does, despite the mess of a father he has, the boy seemed to not have a serious care in the world.

"I can't thank you enough for everything you did that first night we met." Regina's cheeks heat at the way it sounds. Everything.

This is ridiculous, even if it does sound like she's thanking him for orgasms, she's an escort, she shouldn't be so shy.

"You did more for me than I did for you," Robin assures. "Trust me, it's true."

She can't help it, her mind is already there, so she teased him. "Well, I suppose so. Four years."

Robin nearly chokes on his beer laughing. "Hey. That's unfair. What happened that night stays in that night."

She raises his eyebrow at him pointedly. "Definitely," she smirks, before stealing a piece of manchego cheese off his plate and taking the smallest of bites.

"You look so beautiful when you're destroying my ego," he flirts back, and it is so hard to suppress a giggle that would no doubt satisfy the hell out of him.

She looks him up and down, from those twinkling eyes to that smug little half-smile, to the way his body is leaning toward her.

"You don't look like a man who has any problem with his ego at all."

"A clever disguise. I'm crushed to pieces inside." His hand cups at his heart tenderly in a dramatic way that earns a little chuckle from her, but then he sighs and everything shifts and his expression becomes sober. "Honestly, I am sure I was an absolute mess that night, and probably a bit, um, overeager, so to the extent that I made you feel—"

He's so cute when he's embarrassed, red streaks of heat color his face, and he has trouble meeting her eyes.

"You don't have to apologize for anything," she waves off. "You were fine."

"Yeah?" he asks, almost hopefully. And she knows what part of the night he's hinting at now. It wasn't what she meant, but now that he's mentioned it… well, maybe it's time she clear him up of some things he may be misremembering.

"I was honest when I said I was enjoying myself that night. It's why I slipped up and said my own name, it's why I tried to hard sell you on making another date…" she smiles shyly and reaches for one of his hands again, looking down, watching the two of them join there, thinking of all the other ways they have joined, how easy it felt. "But you already know this, I'm sure. I mean, I practically dragged you into bed for another round." Saying that stone cold sober is a brave admission, and it makes her nerves stand on end. It's a good feeling building inside her, though, not a dreadful wave of anxiety but a steady current of… anticipation, she assumes, as she slowly looks upward to catch his reaction.

He doesn't disappoint, his ears are a fiery red, grinning wide as he bites his lip, eyes twinkling at her.

"I did notalready know that," he admits. "I thought that was sort of, part of, um, well, the entire experience? For you to act, like…" He shrugs his shoulders as he trails off, but he doesn't have to finish, she knows what he means. He asked for the girlfriend experience. And in the minds of many men, what girlfriends do is get really, really enthusiastic about sex, have orgasms, initiate second rounds, cuddle.

Everything she did. Except….

"I'm not that good of an actress," she reveals.

"I think you are," he says easily, looking absolutely self satisfied when she shrugs in agreement. "I've seen you with a migraine that would probably have most on the ground reeling. And if I hadn't known the warning signs I wouldn't have been able to tell, at least at first. You acted quite pleasant. You're pretty brilliant."

She winces thinking of the pain of that day. It's nothing she'd like to experience anytime soon. "I'm pretty good, but not that good." And she's going to be bold and go there. "But speaking of hidden talents, if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have guessed it had been years since your last time."

Robin nearly spits out his drink. They danced around the subject, but he must not have expected her to go there.

"Now that we cleared the air, I believe you were telling me a story about John and Will?"

Robin nods, and launches back into a story of a vacation they took last year to Vegas where they believe John was unwillingly roofied. Either that or he had far too much to drink.

"I was sold on the trip as a way to get me to embrace single life, have a wild time with my best mates, but I ended up playing babysitter because it turns out neither of them can hold their liquor."

He delves into their antics to find women, gamble, and drink and eat their weight in buffet food, and it's actually quite amusing. He's a good storyteller. But she realizes he hasn't told much of his own story in this trip, just everyone else's.

So when he's talking about the women John and Will were after, she can't help but ask, "And what women were you after?"

Robin is caught off guard, purses his lips and the smiles softly. "No one caught my eye that trip."

Bullshit.

"No one? In Vegas?" Regina asks, her eyebrow deliberately arching toward the ceiling. "And here I thought we were going to be honest with one another."

He rolls his eyes in defeat. "Well this was about two years ago. It had been awhile, I was certainly lusting after several women, but I had absolutely no desire to flirt and make small talk with anyone. The prospect seemed absolutely exhausting, and a bit depressing."

And Regina knows exactly what he means. It makes sense. Though for some reason, imagining Robin all riled up and wanting is riling her up. What in the hell has gotten into her lately?

"You just wanted the sex, not the conversation," she says wryly, trying to ignore the seeds of lust trying to take root inside her.

And he shrugs. "Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a prick. But…" he takes a swig of beer, then sets it down. "Yes, I was desperately horny the entire trip with absolutely no desire to even try to be with a woman. That was a rather frustrating part of the trip. In a way I was glad for Will and John's antics. Kept me distracted."

"Mmm, so after that, did you—"

"Jerk off furiously? Yes."

Regina nearly chokes on her seltzer water, laughter erupting from her half filled mouth as she fights to swallow and clarify. Well, honest indeed.

"No," she manages to say between coughs and giggles, "not what I meant, but good to know. I meant is that when you looked into my industry?"

"Oh," Robin says as if he truly is surprised her question wasn't related to his masturbation habits. "Yeah, Will actually wanted to visit one of those brothels outside of Vegas, but I shot the whole thing down, as did John. But he made an impassioned argument, and then I looked into it when I got home and got really desperate."

Well this frank discussion isn't helping her hormones settle at all. She squeezes her thighs together for a bit of relief, but all it does is make her acutely aware she wants more. Damn it.

"Desperate," Regina repeats, tilting her head in understanding.

"I wished I could fast forward through the awkward beginning of a relationship, right to where you feel connected, and comfortable, and can just…"

"Watch netflix and have great sex?" Regina finishes for him, kicking him softly under the table. They are in dangerous territory now, and she should abort and talk about puppies or flowers or something not sexual, they really should.

"Yes. Though I'm going to reiterate: that wasn't what I meant when I said I wanted to watch Netflix with you, for the record."

Regina snorts in disbelief, then instantly regrets it, it sounded ugly enough; she can't imagine how unsexy it looked. Robin looks more enamoured than ever, though, so she fights through the embarrassment.

She tries to move on to safer subjects, but by the time they finish their meal and move on to coffee, the sexual tension is so strong it's nearly suffocating.

She excuses herself to the bathroom (she could use a moment to cool down, without his voice and his eyes and his cologne and his everythingpermeating her thoughts and clouding her judgment).

She takes her time redoing her makeup and taking deep breaths, reminding herself that she needs to get back to her son, so she better tone this down a bit.

But she really, really wants him.

But it really, really can't happen. No matter how good he looks and smells. Definitely not now that he doesn't know she's leaving soon. She doesn't get to make out with him again (definitely doesn't get to do the long list of other things).

She's almost able to get herself in the right headspace before closing the little bathroom door and nearly walking smack into Robin.

He's leaning against the wall, waiting for her, it seems, looking absolutely adorable and sexy at the same time.

"I paid and they were fast with the check," he explains. He's smiling, just a bit, but his eyes wander down and settle on her lips in a way that makes her so nervous. She tells herself it's the loud music that has her leaning in closer. Just to hear him better. God, he smells good, she can smell his aftershave over all the spices and cooking food in the air. She watches him swallow before continuing, his voice raspy and deep. "Figured I'd wait for you, I didn't want you to come back looking for me and think— mm!"

She's the one who kisses him, hooking one hand behind his neck before pressing herself against him, but he's the one who acts fast, walking her backward until she's back in the little bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it blindly without ever breaking the kiss.

"Thank god," he moans, "Wanted to kiss you so bad all night."

"Me too," she whispers, then she's kissing him again, letting him grope her ass greedily as she lets her mind spin out, only thinking of the lustful moment, of what she wants to take, and what she wants to give, and how nice it will feel…

"Thank fuck. I thought it was just me," he mutters.

She can't help but laugh as he dips back down to kiss her neck. "Definitely not."

And then she's back to kissing him, sliding a hand under his shirt to feel up his torso, his appreciative groan spurring her on.

He picks her up, has her hiking up her skirt and wrapping her legs around him as he presses her back against the wall.

She's lined up perfectly with the bulge in his pants, and she's not really able to resist grinding into it as they kiss and touch.

"Fuck," Robin moans, "I've wanted you for so long."

She loves that he wants her so much, she wants him too, wishes she could just live a normal life and be with him forever, god damn it.

She feels herself being pulled down to Earth, thinking of the fact that they can't have this, and he doesn't even know the reason they can't.

Fuck, this is unfair.

"We, um…"

She starts to say that they can't do this, but Robin is kissing down her neck and she loses all ability to think.

"God that feels good," she moans. "But we should—"

Something beeps, and Robin's eyes grow wide. He moves away from her, practically drops her to the ground doing so.

"Shit," he says, "Fuck, Regina I am so, so sorry. I told you I would never ask this of you, and you were trying to get me to stop, now I'm just, fuck I completely forgot this was, you know, my time. I got caught up and- fuck!"

She sees him fumbling for the phone, and then she recalls the fact he's paid for this time.

"Robin, it's alright." She reaches for him, cupping his cheek, but he won't look at her, he's facing the floor, looking very much like an ashamed puppy. "Robin, I kissed you. I wanted to."

"Doesn't matter," he argues, looking up at her with a remorse that touches her. "I said I wouldn't, and—"

There are probably better ways to shake him out of this guilt, but they don't have much time and she's still a bit needy for him. So she crashes her lips into his in a frustrated kiss, just to shut him up, just to make it clear to him that's not the problem.

It takes a few split seconds before he kisses her back, as if he's deciding whether it's more polite to resist or be welcoming.

But he makes the right decision, kissing her back passionately until they are both breathless.

She pulls back from him gently.

"It's not that I don't want to do this. I'm telling you that we need to stop because I'm being unfair to you."

Robin chuckles and leans close to her. "Trust me, you are not being unfair, and even if you are, I don't care very much at the moment." He tries to kiss her again, but she turns her head.

"I can't," she whispers, and he gives her space immediately — too much space, actually, enough to where she's reaching for both of his hands and taking them in each of hers. She amends. "No matter how much I like it — which is a lot, for the record. I can't keep doing this, because…"

She swallows hard and looks into his eyes.

"I'm leaving, Robin."

She watches his face, the way his brow dips and furrows, then pops up in almost… worry.

Or confusion, because then he asks, "What?"

She takes a deep breath in. God it's not something she wants to be sharing when she has to go pick up her son in half an hour, but…

"The custody agreement Leo arranged forced me to stay within a ten mile radius of the city. I can't just move away, he will always have a hold on me in this city."

"I figured," Robin says, stroking up and down her arms with his hands. "That can't be easy. But you're going to try to do it anyhow? Change the custody agreement and move away?"

"No, I've given up on that." Regina sighs. "I'm working on a chance to start over. Completely. New name. New identities. A place to go where Leo can't follow. But I have to sever ties with everyone, Robin."

She waits for him to catch up, to understand what she's saying. And that's a stab to the heart, as prepared as she is to see it, the guilt she feels is almost overwhelming.

"I don't think this is the best place to talk about this," he says after an achingly long pause. "Come on."

He kisses her on the cheek, tenderly, and then opens the bathroom door, peering out before he leads her out into the empty hallway.

Each step feels like a walk to her execution, there's this weightless feeling, like she's falling into a pit of dread. He's going to yell at her, tell her she's awful for breaking his heart. Or maybe he will be sweet and tell her thank you being honest, but he really can't do this anymore. Or tell her how stupid she's being, or…

He is leading her out of the restaurant entirely, and it occurs to her that he probably doesn't want to cause a scene with what he's going to say.

She hates how scared she is as she steps outside.

And then he surprises her entirely when they get a few steps away from the restaurant door by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.

It's welcome, and needed. He feels so damn warm and loving like this, the way he runs his fingers through her hair, the way he presses her against him, gentle, yet firm, somehow.

She doesn't want to break away from him any time soon.

"I don't really know what's going on," he says in a broken whisper that almost sounds like a laugh. "I have a million questions, more than you could answer before you have to leave to pick up Henry, many I'm sure you won't want to answer."

"I will answer everything," she promises, breaking out of the hug. "I have," she glances at her phone. Shit. "Twenty minutes before I have to go to Henry. Do you want to go for, um, a walk?"

He bites his lip, then leans against the side of the restaurant. "I was thinking a short drive?" When Regina hesitates, he adds, "I just want to talk to you about this with some privacy and without worrying someone is going to knock on a bathroom door and interrupt us."

God she wishes she had just waited to tell him until they had a moment alone and all night to talk. At his house or hers, where she could explain, and he could scream at her if he wanted, she could cry if she wanted, but it's public and they are both so reserved in public settings.

A car is as private as they have, so she squeezes his hand and says, "Let's go."

They continue holding hands as they walk, silently for a few beats, until Robin clears his throat.

"Does Henry know you two are leaving?"

"No," she shakes her head. "He has to keep enough secrets in his life. I can't add another and expect him to act normal."

"Right," Robin breathes. "So the money you get from, uh, dates, that's all going towards buying your freedom."

"Yeah, new identity, new place to live, new backstory…" He's squeezing her hand tightly, then fumbling in his pocket for his keys. "Like a privately funded witness protection program. Without the testifying part or the… possibility it ever ends."

They walk up to his car, he's leading her to passenger side gently, and she has a rush of affection for him. Still being a gentleman and opening the car door for her, still treating her way better than she deserves.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner, before we became… like this."

He shakes his head, a sad smile spreading on his face as he admits, "It's not exactly an easy thing to share. I understand you not telling me right away. And I don't regret a single thing, including being like this with you."

He opens the door for her and then kisses her on the forehead again before walking to the driver's side. She wonders if that is all it will be. He's all platonic touches now, she realizes. Maybe he pities her, or worse, think she's being reckless and stupid, and has shifted into the role of concerned parent.

When he opens the door to sit in himself, she already has a retort prepared.

"I thought of this from every angle, you know," she says almost accusingly. "As long as I stay here, he runs our lives. He controls everything. My daily life is dodging bullets aimed in my direction. Leo is just waiting for a weak moment to pin something on me. And sooner or later something is going to stick. And I'm going to lose him."

"I'm not judging you, Regina." Robin assures, starting the engine, the air conditioning, but not driving, just stalling in the parking lot. "I'm curious, I'm worried, and I'm a little…" he shrugs, takes in a deep breath. "I am really going to miss you. Terribly. I don't like the idea of never seeing you again, at all."

"I don't like it either," Regina admits, softening a bit. He doesn't sound like he thinks she's crazy, at least. "I didn't mean to get so close. I'm going to miss you too."

"Don't apologize for getting too close. Don't everapologize for that." Robin says, grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently. "As for everything else… I'm not going to pretend I can find a solution that doesn't take such a drastic action on your part. I know you're brilliant. I know you didn't make this decision lightly. I just want to hear the story. So I can understand."

She takes a deep breath and launches into it. "It's too long to tell right now. But I did try other solutions. With other parents, when money is an issue they allow you to move for new jobs, to better your child's standard of living. So I searched for a great out-of-state job for months. I found one about three years ago and tried to amend the custody order to allow me to move and keep everything else the same. David is the best, and we had the best conditions available, a good Judge, a good job, a good record… and it just didn't work. If I moved we would have to readjust the entire agreement, retry everything all over again. And Leo would be able to say if Henry stayed with him he could be in the same environment, schools, friends…" she sighs, because reliving that isn't easy, especially considering that he's trying hard to take her baby away from her again, and she knows how terrible it could go.

"And then David told me that even if I moved, all custody battles will be tried here. So I'd be stuck fighting Leo forever in a city where he's abeloved man from a beloved family. I'd lose eventually. So we dropped it. I turned down the job offer and agreed to remain here. Every day was a struggle, and Leo was so threatening and so abusive, his whole family had it out for me. And I could take it if it were all directed at me. But it was Henry he was after, and I know he's not safe."

"You shouldn't have to take it from anyone, even if it was just directed against you," Robin argues, and Regina isn't sure whether to laugh or cry. He's so similar to her other friend, sometimes, it's almost too much.

"Mal said the same thing. She was very adamant that I fight back, but I didn't know how, really. But she knew someone she thought could help. So I contacted him. I am fairly certain Mal figured I would hire him to kill Leo," Regina laughs dryly.

"I wouldn't blame you." Robin says the words so easily, so earnestly, Regina's mouth nearly falls open in shock. His face screws in surprise at her reaction. "What?"

"You're so… straight-laced. And moral. I didn't expect a man as good as you to be okay with any of this, definitely not with murder."

He chuckles. "I'm not so good. And I've not always been so straight-laced. You're in a terrible situation, and I might not condone murder, but I certainly would understand why a woman in your situation would consider it. It's more like… an odd case of self-defense." He strokes her cheek softly, and she leans into his hand, lets him give her the touch she craves.

It doesn't feel so paternal or platonic, not right now.

"Honestly you could tell me you had murdered someone and it wouldn't change how I see you, or what I think of you. I… I can't explain it. I know you. I know your heart."

Regina has had a string of bad luck in her life, so bad that she will never be able to believe she had the good fortune to stumble upon someone like Robin. Someone she can admit to plotting murder to and just have him shrug and say he understands.

So she kisses him. Just a light peck, but hopefully he can feel the emotion in it. The hand that isn't holding his wraps around his neck, cupping it gently. When she pulls away he pulls her back for another.

She has to leave soon, so she sighs and tells him, "I couldn't do it. Not that I didn't want to, I did. I still do, just so you know. But if I was ever caught, and my son found out what I did? Henry is only eight, but he's so good, he'd be so upset to learn what I did — just the thought terrifies me."

"So you looked into a new identity," Robin finishes for her. "And this man can give it to you?"

Regina nods. "It's a lot of money. You need new information, forged records from the past - all of Henry's school records will be brand new and completely made up. And for me, for Henry, I can't just put him up in a little hotel for months. So I need to set up a new apartment, or house, I need all that as soon as possible. So I need a lot of cash. My bank account is tracked, because Leo pays child support and he's constantly challenging what I spend. It needs to be all under the table. So…"

"So this job is the most lucrative way to earn extra cash without there being any trail to the money." She sees the understanding in his face, thank god, she won't have to explain much more.

"Yes." She nods her head, and lets out a breath slowly. "Aren't you going to… I don't know, yell at me? Tell me this is crazy?"

"Your situation is crazy, under those circumstances this isn't too absurd at all."

"You must have a thousand questions."

Robin nods his head vigorously. "But you don't have time to answer them now. I just really want to ask you one for now." He brushes back a stubborn strand of hair, tucking it behind her ear gently. "When? When will you be leaving?"

She bites her lip. "At this pace, I'm on track to be able to pay for everything by the end of the next school year. It has to be then. I don't want to pull him out mid year. It will complicate things. And I don't think I can wait another year."

Robin nods. "So I have a good ten months with you before that happens."

Regina balks at that, unable to stop the sound of disbelief from coming out of her mouth. "Will you even want to see me anymore?"

"Of course," Robin says softly. "And I'll keep the dates, same as we agreed."

"Why?" she chokes. "We know this is… something. And we're getting too..." Damn it. Why are words so hard all of the sudden? "There are feelings, and one day I'm just going to leave without even saying goodbye. The more time we spend together, the worse the end is going to be."

He is silent for a moment, and she nearly curses herself, because she's done it, she's convinced him to leave. And then he surprises her yet again.

"I don't think I'll be any more hurt this way. I, err, I want to talk about this more. Not here, you have to leave soon. Just…" His hands are in her hair again, always in her hair, it seems. It feels natural and soothing. A kind of touch she doesn't know she needs until the moment he gives it to her. "If you can spare a whole night, it's asking a lot, but—"

"Of course," she interrupts, because that is the absolute least she can do. "Next weekend, Saturday night— I've got the time."

She doesn't, really. She will have to cancel another appointment, and it's really dumb to cancel an overnight but she doesn't really care at this point. It's Robin,and they need the time.

"You're sure?" Robin asks, looking absolutely relieved. "I don't want to keep you, I know you're very busy. I can wait until our next four hour appointment."

"No." Regina says firmly. "I want to do this outside of any appointments. And yes, I have the time."

"Alright," Robin says, "'Til then."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Regina asks. "We have no future. I can't even be a friend to you down the road."

"I can handle it," he murmurs in a way she isn't quite sure she believes. "Besides, it's ten months away. Anything could happen by then."

Her eyes widen, and she's quick to correct him.

"No, you can't just hope something will magically happen and I won't have to leave! You have to, I don't know, make peace with it. I'm telling you there's no future."

"I know," Robin says soothingly. "Doesn't mean I'm going to stop hoping for Leo to get caught for tax evasion. Or suffer a massive heart attack."

She laughs a bit at that, because god, at least she's not the only one wishing death upon another. She never would have suspected it of Robin. But he looks so earnest now, as playful as he's made his revelation. He somehow makes a death wish seem innocent and sweet.

How in the hell does he manage that?

"Trust me, I am hoping for the same," she admits.

"You're going to be late," Robin says, his voice sounds just a bit off as he sighs and checks his watch. "You should go. I'll see you soon."

It's a bit awkward, hugging him in the car like this, but she pulls him as close as she can. He buries his head in her neck, planting a sweet kiss there.

"I'll walk you to your car," he offers.

"It's just across the parking lot," Regina points in the general direction of her car, somewhere behind them in the darkness. "I'll be fine."

"I'm not quite ready to say goodbye," Robin admits. He shuts off the engine (she then realizes how odd it is that they didn't actually drive anywhere) and opens the car door. He shoots her a cute little wink and says, "Come on, let me be chivalrous for a moment."

She lets him open her car door, leans into his touch when he throws a hand around her as they walk. And when she reaches her car, she lets herself kiss him goodbye.

He doesn't even seem surprised when she leans up to meet his lips, he just kisses her back sweetly, wrapping his arms around her.

It's not the excited, hot kisses they traded earlier in the night. It's a bit somber, the slow measured way they kiss one another. Maybe there's a reverence to it, but it feels different. As if they are saying goodbye ten months too soon. But it's comforting, grounding, solidifies the fact that they still have a connection. Things grow a bit more emotional, a bit more heated as she walks him back and leans against the side of her car door, kissing him a bit more desperately, and he catches on, deepens it, as they both attempt to replace the sadness of the night with something a bit more… pleasant.

They may be doomed from the start, but things are good right now. Pretty damn good.

She has to end it, because Henry will be waiting for her and she can't leave him at another child's home waiting, potentially wearing out his welcome.

So she breaks the kiss, puts a hand on his chest and strokes there shyly, catching her breath but not having the heart to say goodbye.

"Text me when you get home," Robin requests, "just so I know you got there alright."

She always gets a bit choked up at his concern, and this time is no different. But Henry is waiting, so she tries not to dwell on warm thoughts and tender feelings and forces herself to start her car and finish her day. Alone.

.::.

He wishes Regina were killing Leo instead.

He wishes she had just confessed to hiring a hitman, things would be so much easier if that was all it was.

It's a horrible thought, but Leopold Blanchard is a horrible man, and the world wouldn't miss him.

The world will miss Regina Mills.

He will miss her.

It's going to be sweet torture knowing she just won't exist one morning. That she will be reborn as someone new in a new town where he can never follow her, can never visit.

It just can't just end like that. It's not fair. He's already lost the woman he thought was the love of his life, he's already had to rebuild himself up from that, already decided he wasn't going to let his heart get broken again. And everyone pushed him to do it, including Marian. They told him he should open his heart again, and look, he's done as they asked. And how is fate so cruel as to let him fall in love with another wonderful woman who will leave him forever?

It's not fair.

He curses loudly in his car, where no one can hear him, screams, and pounds on the steering wheel, just for a moment, just to get out his frustration at how damn awful the world is.

He never did anything to deserve this.

He's mad at John, Mulan, Will, hell, he's even mad at Marian — because all of them pushed him to do this, to fall in love again. He is mad at fate and whatever higher power there is, but he is not mad at Regina.

She's in an impossible situation, after all. He can't imagine what her life has been like, being trapped in this city with a monster who sends attack dogs on her whenever he feels like it.

She wouldn't be leaving if she didn't have to leave.

He knows her, he knows how much she cares about him, about his friends. She's been on his side in every situation. He trusts her completely, and that's why he's able to trust her in this.

She didn't mean to do this, neither of them did.

His anger dissipates when he thinks of her, because it's no one's fault, truly. And he loves her. And he loves loving her. He wouldn't take this feeling back for all the pain in the world.

Everything he's felt since he's met her is so infinitely better than feeling nothing at all. Even the pain will feel better than the empty numbness of before.

And he can't tell her this tonight, but when they have more time, he will explain that there is no way on Earth he could willingly walk away from her.

For now, Robin decides, he isn't going to think of the end.

He will just think of the present, of the months he has with her, and he will privately let himself hope that their story won't end in less than a year.

And he won't tell her, because she'd never allow it, but he will secretly cling to a hope that they are one another's true second chance, that she's not going to leave him, that they will figure out another way around this.

For now, he's allowing himself to hope and dream.