Outlaw Queen Shorts

Modern AU / Part 3

"Come on Regina, you never go out anymore." Emma huffed down the phone and Regina could picture her worried eyes as she spoke.

"I just don't feel like it." She picked at the hem of her blouse where a loose thread hung down onto her jeans.

"It's been six months." Emma's voice was pitying and Regina hated it. The words lingered in the virtual space between them like a leaf that had landed on stagnant water.

"I know."

"Okay, intervention." Regina heard the distant clink of keys against wood. "If you don't want to go out, I'm coming to you."

"Emma, really, I'm--" the phone went dead. "Fine." Regina lifted the phone from her ear and threw it on the sofa next to her. The last thing she needed was a pep talk. She sighed and let her head fall back, dragging her index finger across her brow. Regina peered around at her apartment, examining the mess and wondering how much she'd be able to clear up before Emma arrived.

She stood up and began to de-clutter the coffee table, collecting her work papers and separating them from the week old newspapers strewn over the wooden surface. If Emma coming round had one benefit, it was giving Regina a reason to clean the place up.

The doorbell rang and Regina walked over to open it. She couldn't help the smile that crept across her face as Emma stood in the doorway holding up a tub of ice cream.

"It's your favourite," she said trying to win her over. "Rocky road."

"That's your favourite." Regina's smile grew and she stepped back to let Emma bound in. She set the tub down on the counter and opened the drawer to pick out two spoons. She handed one to Regina and they both tucked in, shovelling up the ice cream in large mouthfuls.

"So," Emma leaned over the counter when they'd finished the tub and smiled quizzically.

"So." Regina matched her gaze and arched a brow. She didn't know where to start. Emma sensed her apprehension and reached for her hand, squeezing gently to encourage her to speak.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine." She looked at Regina and sighed. "But I think it'll do you good."

"Okay," Regina paused, spinning the spoon round in her hands. "Maybe we should order take out first."

"Sure. Chinese?"

"Sounds good."

---
The luggage slowly made it's way round the conveyer belt and a mass of people stood waiting, eagerly watching for their bags. Robin had walked to the other side away from everyone else. He could wait thirty seconds longer if it meant being away from a crowd.

His black case flowed round and he pulled it off, placing it down next to his feet. He picked up his satchel and slung it across his back before extending the handle on his case and beginning to drag it behind him. The automatic doors of the airport opened and he strode to the curb, hailing a taxi.

---
"I know it's stupid," Regina sighed heavily as she joined Emma on the sofa. "But I can't stop thinking about him."

"I get it, and I hate to be the one to say this, but he's not coming back." Emma's eyes were wide and sad as she looked at her friend. The doorbell rang, pulling Regina from her thoughts.

"Foods here," Emma jumped to her feet and sped over, flipping the latch and pulling the door open. "Oh my god."

"What?" Regina stood up and peered round the corner. She she saw Emma stood frozen, looking at her with a confused expression, her lips parted into an 'o' shape. Only then did her eyes travel to the door, and who was behind it.

Her breath caught in her throat, she stood unable to string a sentence together. Words wouldn't form on her tongue. She just stared unfalteringly at him.

"Robin," she managed to croak out his name despite the tears threatening to pour down her cheeks at any moment.

"Hi." He smiled at her, dimples indenting his cheeks in a way that melted her insides.

"I think I'd better go," Emma pulled her coat off the hook and grasped her car keys, sliding out past Robin. "We can catch up later." She said to no one in particular; both of them probably.

"May I come in?" His lilting accent sent shivers up her spine. The space between them seemed larger than a single step but she also felt like she was being squashed into an impossibly small space, all the air knocked out of her lungs.

Regina nodded, hot streams pouring down her cheeks as she crossed over to him. She pulled the lapels of his jacket brining him into the room, desperation a bruising force behind her lips as she crashed them into his. The salty taste of her tears mingled with the mint on his breath danced over her tongue, nostalgia and relief building in the pit of her stomach.

He broke away first, cradling her head in his hands and gazing down into her watery brown eyes. She could still feel the pressure of his mouth on hers when he moved slightly back to fully look at her. Her eyes were wide, frantic, pleading with him to sweep her up into his embrace. She wouldn't let go of him, grasping a handful of his coat in her fingers for fear of him not being real. He bent down so his forehead touched hers.

"I've never missed anyone like I missed you." His voice was barely a whisper, strained from holding back the tears threatening to pour down his own cheeks.

"I missed you too," she broke his gaze and stepped into his arms, the space between them unbearable. The words hovered in the air as he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her shoulders, kissing the top of her head.

They stood together for an eternity before Robin leaned back to take in the face he'd been dreaming about for weeks. She lifted her head up and he pressed his palm to her cheek, brushing over the soft skin leading to her ear. He traced the outline of her jaw with his index finger and moved up, sliding the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip.

"How are you here?" Her voice was soft and even, despite her insides doing cartwheels.

"Because nothing is worth losing you." His gaze was intense and she got lost in the blue, drowning in the perfect orbs looking at her. "You are my every thought, I can't live without you." He spoke with a gruff, low tone, moving his lips closer to hers and slinking his arms around her waist.

"Robin, the last six months..."

"Don't matter." He cut her off, shaking his head lightly and flashing one of his lop-sided smiles. "I should never have left, all that matters is I'm here now."

A single tear fell from her eye as she closed them and he caught it on her cheek before planting a kiss lightly on her lips. She gazed at him, oblivious to the whole world apart from Robin.

"Please, say you can forgive me, Regina?" His own eyes were closed, his forehead touching hers and his thumb absently running along the apple of her cheek.

"After you left, I couldn't even bring myself to phone you because hearing your voice without you being here was too hard." She bit her lip and placed her hands over his on her hips. "But if you're truly back, then of course I forgive you." Her voice cracked and she smiled at him, her watery eyes blazing against the dim light. "I love you."

Robin let out a sound that sounded in between a laugh and a sob as he pulled her back to him and kissed her hard, making up for the past six months without her.

"I love you too." He held her in his arms, one hand carding through the dark locks of her hair, which she'd grown out he noticed, and the other placed on the small of her back. "I'll never leave your side again."

Regina let out a laugh and roped her arms around the back of his neck. "That's what I like to hear." She smiled, brushing her lips against his, knowing that she could do it every day for the rest of their lives.

(**Authors Note:
Thank you for reading/voting! Comment what you thought if you wouldn't mind, I always like to read what you think about the stories ☺️**)