A/N: Hey here's a little drabble I wrote. It's a college AU winter meet-cute. I hope you enjoy!

Robin saw her nearly all the time. Caught glimpses of her all across the campus. His neighbor from across the hall.

Her didn't know her name – had probably heard it once and long forgotten it – but he did know her hair. Dark, short and feathered. Her eyes – deep, chocolate and always looking straight ahead. But most recognizable was her walk. His across-the-hall neighbor didn't stroll or amble. She marched and stalked. In all the short glimpses of he'd had of her she always seemed to move as if she knew exactly where she was headed and was eager to get there.

So of course, at the first sight of her walk he knew that something was wrong.

It was a week after the end of finals and the dorm was barren. All the students had fled home for Christmas break, eager to back to their families and friends in time for eggnog and presents. Robin, himself had opted to stay behind this year. He had been sure the entire building was empty until he saw her coming down the hall.

His sheer shock at the sight of another living soul in the building quickly turned to concern when he saw the state she was in. She was bundled up in jackets and scarves and her skin was unnaturally pale. On a normal day her skin was olive-toned but on this day all of the color seemed drained out of her cheeks leaving her with a sickly pallor. In fact, the only spot of color on her face seemed pinpointed on her nose, which was bright red. But more noticeable than all of this was her walk. She was shuffling. Walking slow and calculating each step before she took it. He could hear her heavy breathing from down the hall.

It was clear she was sick.

He mumbled a soft, "Hey" in her direction. Her eyes widened when she noticed him. Clearly she didn't think anyone else was in the building either.

She didn't answer him. Just shook her head and continued shuffling to her own door. He tried not to take that personally. For a moment he considered being more direct with her but thought better of it. In the state she was in she probably didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

He turned his back to her and locked the door to his room, the whole time listening to the sound of her feet shuffling against the hallway carpet. He heard her reach the door across the hall and dig through her purse for her keys. Good for her she made it to the room. He started to head toward the elevator but no sooner had he taken one step then he heard a thud from behind his back.

He whipped around to see her laid out on the ground keys still in hand.

There's no scarier feeling than waking up in place where you know you didn't fall asleep. It's only surpassed by the sickening feeling you get in your gut when you realized that you could've just died.

Regina Mills was feeling both of these feelings.

She woke up on her back in a room that distinctly wasn't hers. Sure it had the same layout, the same dim lighting and ceiling fan but it was not hers. The biggest tipoff to that was, of course, the fact that he was there.

She'd been catching glimpses of him all year. In the quad, in the halls. Just here and there. Her across-the-hall neighbor.

His name was Robin, not that he'd told her that. She'd heard it from others around the campus and common room as they yelled to catch his attention. Robin appeared to be the popular sort. Always smiling, never seen alone, usually surrounded by a rotating group of friends. Unlike her.

He was currently standing over his desk ripping open a small packet that contained god knows what. Wrinkling her nose she could smell the scent of chamomile tea fill the room. She groaned trying to sit up in the bed and his head whipped over in her direction.

He eyed her cautiously. "Hey."

"Why am I in your bedroom?" she groggily whispered, without preamble. Running her eyes down her bodies she let out a soft breath of relief when she realized that save one scarf she was still fully clothed.

"Because you fainted and didn't make it into yours," he answered, matter-of-factly.

Her mind flashed back to the hallway. She remembered shuffling down the hall feeling like death's ugly cousin, reaching for her keys and… nothing. Oh god she had actually fainted.

He picked up a red mug from the edge of his desk and filled it with something she couldn't see. She forced herself to sit up straight as he walked over to the bed and held the mug out to her.

"Here drink this," he said.

She snorted and sent him an incredulous look. "No way."

"You just fainted. You need to put something in your stomach," he pointed out.

"Doesn't mean it has to be that drink," she said, shaking her head.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What's wrong with this drink?"

"You made it."

"Yeah? And?"

"I didn't see you make it," she elaborated.

He curiously cocked his head to the side. "And you think I'm going to poison you?" he drawled.

"Statistically speaking it's pretty likely," she mumbled.

"Even so don't you think my actions have proven me to be trustworthy?"

"You mean how, in the absence of witnesses, you dragged my unconscious body into your room and bed? Is that what you meant?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

Robin open and shut his mouth trying to come up with a response to her accusation. In the end he settled on, "Well… when you put it like that it just sounds bad."

"Can you put it in a way that doesn't?" she challenged.

"I was taking in a sickly neighbor when no one else was here to help," he smoothly answered.

"Huh," she huffed, nodding her head appreciatively. "Well, I guess perspective really is everything."

He hummed in agreement before smirking at her. "But I'm guessing it's not my perspective that matters in this moment, is it?

"No, not at all," she replies, with a smirk of her own.

He groaned before striding over to his bathroom sink. Pouring the tea down the sink he said "You seem stubborn. Smart… but stubborn." Turning back to her he added. "What are you, pre-law?"

She scoffed at him. "No," she said, swinging her feet down to the floor, a move that made her head start to swirl.

Robin snuck another look at her from over his shoulder. She still looked sick and out of sorts but at least she could speak in full sentences. Her voice sounded unnaturally husky though. Most likely the result of a stuffed nose. He saw her attempt to take a step and held up his hand to stop her.

"You shouldn't get up until you've eaten something," said Robin. He headed back over to his desk, opened up a bag of mini Oreos and held them out to her. She sent him an annoyed look and he chuckled at her. "Come on you saw me open them and you have to admit it is damn hard to poison an oreo."

She took the bag from his hand and popped a small Oreo in her mouth. She had to admit that the sudden rush of sugar helped. "You're so concerned with my health. What are you, pre-med?"

"Not in my wildest dreams," he replied, leaning against his desk. He paused for a moment before saying, "I'm Robin by the way. Robin Locksely."

Regina swallowed another cookie before chuckling. "Oh is it time for introductions now?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well as you so kindly pointed out I've already dragged your unconscious form into my bed so I figure we're a bit behind schedule when it comes to the name game."

She smiled at that. A wry smile with more than a little sarcasm in its making but a smile all the same. "I'm Regina. Regina Mills."

"Pleasure to meet you Regina," he said, sending her a smile of his own. She had to admit it was a very charming sight. For a moment, she couldn't tell if that weak in knees feeling was the result of his smile or the fact that she just fainted.

"No offense but what are you doing here?" she asked. "It's winter break. Shouldn't you be home for Christmas, Hannukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever like everyone else?"

Robin shook his head. "Nope."

Regina waited for him to elaborate but he offered no further explanation. Instead he replied, "So what's your reason for staying behind?"

"Why should I tell you mine if you didn't tell me yours?" she immediately replied.

Robin chuckled. "All these arguments. Are you sure you're not pre-law?"

"Criminal justice as a matter of fact," she smugly responded.

"Oh," breathed Robin. "So just law-adjacent?"

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Well I suppose the reason you're here doesn't exactly matter, does it?" She averted her gaze before speaking again. "Thank you for peeling me off the floor."

"Don't worry about it," replied Robin. "At least now I have one good story to tell once the break is over."

"So glad I could help," she said wryly. Taking a deep breath, she stood from the bed pleasantly surprised when she didn't fall over and nodded at him. "I'm gonna head back to my room now."

She walked to the door her steps still a bit shaky. Robin eyed her with caution before asking, "Is there medicine in that room?"

She turned back to give him a quizzical look. "Excuse me?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just asking."

"I don't need medicine."

"You just fainted in the hallway."

"I just have a little cold and it'll pass."

"It'll pass quicker if you take medicine."

"So concerned with my medications. Are you sure you're not pre-med?" she replied, in a snarky tone.

"Economics as a matter of fact," he said, mockingly.

"How nice for you," she said. She rolled her eyes and tried to send him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I don't need medicine. All I need is to go across the hall, climb into my own bed and sleep it off. I'll be better by tomorrow."

"Well… as long you're sure," he mumbled dejectedly.

She hesitated before adding, "Your concern is… appreciated. Thank you." She twisted the knob and opened the door. "I'll see you around Robin."

She left his room then. He held open the door and watched as she shuffled back across the hall and into her own room. She gave him one last look before shutting the door and he let out a wistful sigh before shutting his own. Turning around he immediately spied her black yarn scarf laying forgotten on his bed. Gathering it up in his hands the thought entered his mind that his break has suddenly become leagues more interesting than he expected.

I'll probably continue this if I have the time. I hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review!