Chapter Text
"Marcus De'Bron, aged 32, found dead outside a bar at half six this morning." Agent Swan said as she placed his picture on the board. The Agents working the case stood across the room and listened.
"De'Bron, from the Italian mob?" Agent Jones asked.
"The very same. So, as you can imagine, the suspect pool is quite large." Swan told them, "Agent August Booth, who works this case with Major Crimes and Narcotics is here to lead the case." Swan nods towards the man, and he heads up.
"De'Bron was second man to Giovani Costa, who goes by Gio C," August plants his picture on the board. "He is known as the leader of this mob. So, either this was an inside job or someone from outside the cartel wanted revenge." Booth explains. "Along with him being De'Bron's second man, he was also one of our informants after we busted him less than five months ago. He cut the deal which means if Costa or one of Costa's men found out, they got rid of him."
"That doesn't explain the plain in sight body." Agent Nolan said, "I mean, if they were killing one of their own knowing he's an informant, wouldn't they want the body buried?"
"Not if they were trying to send a message." FBI profiler, Archie Hopper told them, "If they had one informant, they would be suspicious they'd have more. Placing the body in plain sight sends a message that if they are found, they will be killed." He tells everyone.
"Agent Lucas is in with Regina Mills now, who was the last person seen talking to Marcus before his body was found. She's also the owner of the bar where the body was found, which happens to be the hangout of the cartel. She's involved in this, but that's as much as we have on her." Agent Swan says.
"Regina Mills?" Agent Locksley says as he walks into the FBI Major Crimes floor.
"This is Agent Locksley." August Booth says, "He worked alongside me and a few others in the Clark cases when it was active. He also spent almost two years in deep cover within this gang. If you have any questions they are best directed to Agent Locksley unless told otherwise." Agent Booth tells them.
"Did you say Regina Mills?" Robin asks his co worker again, who just looks at him.
"Did you know her?" Agent Scarrett, asks him.
"You could say that.." He says, but before anyone could say any different, Regina Mills is being walked out by two agents, and she sees him.
"Ricco?" She says, and everyone's head turns. Regina pulls her arms from the hold Agent Lucas had her in and walks towards him.
"Regina." Robin says, she stares at him. Before he can react her palm meets his cheek harshly, forcing his head sideways.
"You bastard!" She shouts.
Agent Booth grabs her arms and pulls her back.
"You can't hit an FBI agent!" Agent Booth says, and Regina looks at him again.
"You're a cop?" She asks, before slapping him again.
Agents Nolan and Jones grab Regina and pull her back, dragging her to the holding cells.
"You lying son of a bitch!" She screams, "How could you!" She shouts as she meets his eyes, before she is pulled down the corridor.
"I can explain." Robin says to his co-workers.
"I'm guessing you had fun while being Ricco Moretti?" Agent Scarlett says with a smirk, and Robin just sighs.
"How is Regina involved?" Robin asks, as he looks at the murder board.
"She knows our victim, she called him the day he was killed, she was also the last known person to have been seen with him.. and she's connected to Gio, the leader, but, she won't talk." Agent Lucas tells them.
"Maybe she'll talk to me." Robin says, and gets the nod of Commander Gold, Chief of Major Crimes, and he heads to the holding cells.
He stands in front of Regina, and she looks right back at him.
"So, I'm guessing it's not Ricco Moretti?" Regina says in a tone that tells him she is not one for a game.
"No." He says, "It's Robin." He tells her, "Robin Locksley. My mother's maiden name was De-Luca, Bianca De-Luca."
"Well, at least you're somewhat Italian, you didn't lie about that." She sasses, and tilts her head to the side.
"I didn't lie about a lot of things." He tells her, and Regina looks at him, before raising an eyebrow.
"They said you went into hiding." Regina tells him, "Five years.. Without a word." She spits at him, staring at him.
"I know." He says with a sigh.
"You do not know." She raises her voice, and stands, marching towards him in the cell.
"Believe me I didn't wanna go." He tells her.
"Spare me." She tells him viciously, "You didn't even have the guts to tell me to my face. Just a note on the dresser." She says.
"Regina, I know you're angry." He says, and she looks at him. "But if you're in trouble, if you know something about Gio C killing his guy then tell me. Let me help you." Robin says to her, and she looks at him.
"You can go straight to hell, cop." She says, and turns her back to him, before sitting back on the bench and staring at him. He nods, before turning and walking away himself.
"Did you get anything?" Agent Swan asks.
"No." Robin tells them and sighs.
"Were you and Regina, you know.." Agent Scarlett says, but Robin stares at him and he drops it.
"I'll take that as a yes, shall I, Agent Locksley?" Gold says as he walks into the room. "Can I have a word please, you too, Booth." He says, and the two men stand and head into his office.
"How come I was never made aware that before you moved to Major Crimes, you spent two years undercover with Narcotics?" Commander Gold asks them.
"I was under clear instructions to keep those two years to myself sir, for the safety of myself and the case." Robin tells him.
"Because of Agent Locksley efforts we managed to put away twelve of the main fifteen in that mob, but something went wrong on the inside and we were unable to grab the one thing we needed, the one thing he went in for."
"The bible. The book with their contacts and deals." Gold says, "Yes, I'm well aware of what is needed to bring down this cartel."
"Since Marcus was your informant, I'm guessing he was going to be the one to grab the bible?"
"Yes, sir." Booth tells them.
"And without him, you're back to square one." Robin says to his former boss, Booth.
"Pretty much, although we still have Regina." Booth says.
"I'm sorry I don't understand?" Gold says.
"She's the other informant, we had two." Booth says.
"What?" Robin says, "Regina wouldn't snitch."
"Maybe not the old Regina." Booth tells him, "But once you left, she fell into hard times, the ties with a missing upper crew member, Gio C owns her." Booth explains, "They drink at her bar, they trust her. He even made an office in her basement, so when she wanted out we made her an offer.".
"For what, witness protection?"
"Yeah, for bringing down the crew. Helping us get the bible that was going to be the ticket." Booth says, "Well, that was until Gino found out Marcus was a rat, and had him killed."
"So that's why she called Marcus? To warn him?" Gold asks.
"That's our theory, yes. He tried to then talk his way out of it, which he couldn't, and he got himself killed.."
"So, what happens to Regina now?"
"She goes back in.." Booth says, his tone telling Robin all he needed to know.
"Wha-" Robin says, "She can't, not now. It's too dangerous."
"She's well aware of the risks." Booth says.
"Agent Booth, if we linked her to Marcus, then Gio C can too." Gold says, and Robin looks at him with a raised eyebrow at his concerned tone, but lets it go.
"Look, Regina is more than free to walk away." Booth says.
"Walk away? And go where? You don't just want away from Gio C everyone knows that. They're going to hunt her down." Robin says. "You have to put her in witness protection."
"For the bible, sure." Agent Booth says, "Look, Witness protection isn't just some entitlement program." Booth tells him, "Regina has to earn it." Booth says, "Excuse me, I need to meet with her now."August grabs the door handle before turning back, "She understands what the risks are, she knew what she was getting into when she decided to help us." And with that, he walks out.
"Those guys are hanging her out to dry." Robin scoffs, and Gold leans back on his chair, "When Gio finds out he'll kill her for sure."
Robin heads down to holding where he finds Regina speaking with his ex boss turned friend turned current enemy.
"Look, the main thing is to not arouse suspicion." August tells her, "Keep your head down and you should be fine."
"No." Robin says as he walks up behind them, and August turns. "You'll be dead." He deadpans.
"Look at you." Regina says, "Telling the truth." She stares at him and he just looks right back at her, "Cop is right." She laughs, placing her hands in her pockets, "I'm screwed six ways to Sunday here." She shakes her head.
"Where does Gio C keep the bible?" Robin asks.
"In his bedroom safe." August tells him.
"How was Marcus gonna get it?"
"Every Thursday Gio has the crew over to bet on pool, Marcus was supposed to do it then."
"What about the combination?" Robin asks.
" Gio changes it every Friday, but I know the system he uses." Regina sighs, "I was gonna slip Marcus the code."
"And Marcus was part of the crew so he has access to Gio C's house." Robin says as he catches up.
"And now we have no one inside." August tells them.
Everyone is silent for a few seconds.
"I'll go in." Robin says. Regina looks up and stares at him while August turns around with a confused expression. "I'll get the bible."
"Really?" August says with a raised eyebrow, "You? How?"
"You know how close I was to Gio back then, my Ricco Moretti cover, it's still good."
"That was five, almost six years ago, Agent, things have changed."
"As far as the crew knows, I bolted when the feds rolled in, you guys even filed indictments against Ricco Moretti right?"
"Yeah.." August says.
"How long has law enforcement been after that bible? Fifteen? Twenty years? These guys are drug dealing parasites, when are you gonna get another shot to wipe them all out?" Robin say's to him. "Look, you want the bible, we want Gio C for murder, Regina wants to keep breathing. Everybody wins." Robin tells them, Regina looks at him, and tilts her head. "I can do this." Robin says.
August looks at him, before tapping his phone in my hand.
"Let me run this by the bosses." He says, before leaving the room.
"What are you doin?" Regina asks him as she walks to him. "Are you out of your mind?"
"I was Ricco, I can be him again."
"Just, don't get yourself killed on my account." She scoffs.
"Okay yeah, you hate me. I get that. And I deserve it. But do you wanna get put in witness relocation or not?" He asks her. Regina looks at him with a stern look. "Yes or no?"
Regina closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and nods slowly.
"Agent Locksley." August says, "Were you serious about that offer?"
Robin takes one last look at Regina, who meets his eyes, before turning, and nodding his head.
"You've been out of it a long time Agent, there's a new hierarchy." August tells Robin as they head back into the building, Regina is walking beside him. "You're going to have to win them over. Fast."
"Five years since you were Ricco, that's a lifetime. It's not enough to act like him, you must become him. If you're not convincing, they will kill you."
"I've got this." He says to August as they reach the building.
"You too, Regina." August says. "You play the part, you stay alive."
"Yeah.." She says, she looks at Robin once again.
"You've got what?" Agent Scarlett asked them as they walked in. "Regina, you're still here? I thought you were released, your alibi checked out." Will said.
"Have to sign the papers." August said, holding them up, and Will nodded.
"So, what have you got?"
"Huh?" Robin asked.
"You walked in and you said you had it? You have what?"
"Oh.. yeah." Robin says, "I'm going back undercover as Ricco."
"What?" Will says, "Robin.. You can't." Will tells him, and Regina follows August to the next desk while listening to their conversation.
"I have to, Regina needs to get into witness protection. We need Gio C for the murder and they need the bible."
"Robin. You could get killed. This could end so badly." Will tells him. "What about your family?"
Regina looks up at the comment, but Will doesn't notice, and carries on.
"Robin.. You have a wife.. A-"
"You're married?" Regina asks him, and Robin looks at her as Will turns around.
"It's complicated." Robin says to her, and Will laughs.
"Complicated?" Regina asks him and he looks at her.
"I wasn't married when we met, Regina." He tells her, Will stops laughing then.
Regina just looks at him, a betrayed look in her eyes.
"Are you ready?" August asks her, and she nods.
"Yeah." Regina tells him.
"Robin. Be ready to go in an hour." August tells him, "There is no time frame. You're there for however long you're there. But it is Thursday in two days, maybe you'll be home by Friday."
"Yeah." Robin says, still looking at Regina, who turned away from him and followed August out of the office building.
"You're seriously doing this?" Will asks him, "What about Marian? Roland?"
"They will be fine, I have to do this. It's my fault she's in this mess anyway." Robin tells him.
"What the hell are you talking about? It's been five years.. Whatever she's in it can't be your fault."
"Does the name Regina Mills sound Italian to you?"
"..No.." Will says to him, "Dude, what the hell happened back then?"
"It's a long story. But, I got her into this, I gotta get her out."
"Okay."
"You'll look out for my family?"
"Of course."
Marian is standing in his living room, crossed arms and she scoffs.
"Tell me you're not actually doing this."
"Marian.." Robin says, "I have to."
"Why? Because five years ago you got mixed up with a girl who's found herself in a bad situation?"
"It's more than that, Marian. I got her involved in that life."
"Whatever she got up to when you left is not on you, Robin. You don't owe her anything."
"I owe her this." Robin tells her, "And you know I'm right."
"What about Roland? What do I tell him?" Marian asks him.
"You tell him I've had to go away for work, and that I'll be back soon."
"And will you? Be back?"
"Yes." He tells her.
An hour and a half later and he's being dropped off at Staten Island.
"I don't like this, Robin." August tells him, "This could go wrong and get you both killed."
"It will be fine." Robin says, and steps out of the cab. He pulls the jacket over his shoulder and places the toothpick in his mouth and becomes his old alter ego. Ricco Moretti.
He walks into the bar and smirks at the stares.
"What's a man gotta do to get a drink round here, huh?" Robin says to the crowd.
"Ricco?" Regina says as she steps out of the bar.
"Hey beautiful, it's been awhile." He says to her.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me." A woman yells from across the room. "Who the hell let you live?"
"Zelena." Robin says, and sighs, "Always a pleasure."
Zelena walks right up to him, before slapping him across the face.
"How dare you walk back into here after everything you've done."
"No hug?" He asks, and she goes to hit him again but he grabs her wrist. "Ah ah, one hits all you get, Red."
"You don't get to call me that anymore. Not after what you did to my sister."
Robin looks at Regina then.
"You drag her into this whole thing and vanish? And now you think you can come running back?"
"Last time I checked, Red, you were the one engaged to someone in Gio's crew, I just happened to be a part of that crew."
"Zelena." Gio says from the back of the bar, "Who's our guest?"
Zelena moves to the side and towards Regina.
"Well, if it isn't my fallen right hand man." Gio says, walking towards him.
"Gio, how's it goin?"
"I wondered when you'd pop up again." Gio told him, "Where did you run to?"
"Chicago. Got myself a few favors, some shipment deals. We can talk about moving some stuff around.."
"Five years is a long time for radio silence, Ric." Gio tells him, "And I've had an issue recently with rats.." He tells him, "How do I know you're not a nark?"
"You know me, Gio. I did what I had to do to survive."
"And left your girl to do so, that's what I don't understand." Gio say's, and Regina looks at Gio and then Robin.
"You get your girlfriend into this whole ordeal, and then we get busted by the feds, not only do you disappear with no warning, you disappear without her." Gio says, and stands in front of him, "Explain that." Gio asks, "Sounds to me like you got caught, and now you're a fed's nark."
"I'm not a nark." Robin tells him.
"So you up and leave without your girl because.. You what?"
"I had to get out, distractions cause mistakes, you told me that." Robin says. Gio whistles with a laugh and turns to Regina, who's leaned against the bar staring at him.
"I think you were right little miss, you got played.." Gio tells her, "My brother here, should be an example for you all." Gio shouts, "If we are ever busted, we scatter, no attachments." He says to everyone in the bar.
"You have contacts in Chicago?"
"And there ready to move." Robin says, and Gio places his hand out.
"Welcome back, Ricco." He says, and Robin shakes his hand.
Regina is sitting in her apartment when Robin arrives.
"Hey." He says as he shuts the door.
"Hey." She replies.
"It worked."
"I told you it would."
"Zelena.. I see she still has that temper."
Regina laughs, "Yeah. Her and Hades got married a few years ago."
"Really?" He asks her. Regina nods, and looks at him.
"I'm sorry." Robin tells her, "For leaving the way I did after everything we went through, for never telling you the truth."
"It's fine. It was five years ago."
"I got you into this mess and then I bailed."
"Zelena was getting married to one of Gio's guys.. She owned the bar. I think it was inevitable."
"You were never supposed to be a part of this." Robin tells her, "You were twenty one years old, Regina."
"Yeah.. I know." She smiles sadly at him, and he looks at her.
"I should never have gotten you involved back then. I should have listened to my boss and left you alone."
"You think I would have let you? As much to blame as you think you are, I hold the same."
"Maybe, but still, I should have known.."
"Known what? That Gio would hold onto me because I was the closest thing he had to you? Robin, no one saw that coming. No one thought he'd trust me like that after you dipped."
"I should have known that. It was my job to know that."
"You can't predict the unpredictable."
Robin places a hand on Regina's cheek and she closes her eyes.
"What are you doing?" She asks him, opening her eyes and meetings his.
"I-"
"Was any of it real?" She asks him, and he smiles.
"What we had, everything between us, was real. I never ever lied to you about how I felt."
Robin's eyes go from her eyes to her lips and back again.
"You're married." She tells him, and moves from his touch and walks away from him, towards the table at the end of the room, "That Agent said you had a family. You got kids?" Regina asked him, turning to face him after she picked up her glass of whiskey.
"Yeah." He tells her, "A son." He smiles, and she nods.
"That's great." She smiles. "How old is he?"
"He's two." Robin tells her, and her smile falters and she looks at him.
"Two?" Regina says, "Jesus, Robin. What the hell are you doing here when you have a baby at home? I can look after myself here, I've done a good job of it so far." She tells him as she places her glass down.
"I'm here because I owe it to you to make sure you don't get killed."
"I am not your problem anymore."
"You were never a problem."
Regina scoffs at that, and shakes her head.
"Me and you know full well why the fed's bust up went wrong on the day you ran, don't act like you don't." Regina tells him, "I should have known something was up with you that day, the fact that you knew they were coming should have been a big red flag." Regina laughs.
"I needed you to be safe. Warning you was the only way. I wasn't going to let you go down for it, Regina. It wasn't anything to do with you."
"By running that day, you made it all about me. You know that right?" She snapped, and he nodded.
"Why do you think I came back?"
Regina just looked at him, "I don't want your guilt and I sure as hell don't want your pity." Regina tells him, "You made your choice that night, you lef-"
"I told you, it wasn't my choice to leave that way."
"You're telling me after two years of being Ricco you couldn't spare an extra ten minutes to tell me the truth? To warn me that you were in far too deep over your head?"
"Regina-"
"Do you know what happened after you left?" She yelled, and she looked to the ground, "Did you even bother to look into it? Into me?" Regina asks him, "Or did you not want to know what damage you caused by having half of them sent down before vanishing?"
"I did what I had to do. What I was told to do." Robin tells her, and she laughs and shakes her head. "What happened? After I left? How did you end up in Gio's pocket?"
"Because Gio knew I knew everything, and he wouldn't risk losing me like he lost you. He values loyalty above all, Robin. You know that. You were his best friend." Regina tells him.
"That doesn't explain to me how you ended up being the person he trusts with the codes. You barely knew him."
"Things changed."
"Please tell me you didn't end up-"
"No!" Regina says, "No. He just knew how I felt, we became friends and I ended up in trouble with some guys who came looking for you, he got them off my back. I owned him after that, and he never let me forget it."
"Who? Who came looking?"
"The gang from uptown from months before when you and Gio took the crew for a shipment at the valley. They thought I'd know where you were."
"I'm sorry. Everything that you've been through.. It's because of me."
"I guess it is." She nods, "Shame you never cared enough to check back on the damage you caused." She tells him.
"I couldn't.." Robin tells her in a soft tone.
"I know." She tells him, "I just don't care." And with that, she downs the last of her whiskey.
"Regina-"
"No." She tells him, "I have to go."
Regina walks past him and leaves the apartment, slamming the door behind her.
Robin walked into the bar that night, and took a deep breath before heading towards Gio and his new right hand man, Hades. Who he knew from back then.
"Ricco!" Gio says as he spots his old friend heading his way. "Get my brother a drink, Red." He nods to Zelena.
"Bitter?" She asks Robin with a more than displeased tone.
"You know me so well, Zelena." He winks, and the Red headed woman rolls her eyes.
"Where's Regina tonight?" Robin asks as Zelena passes him the drink.
"I imagine she's with Daniel." Gio says casually, "Why the sudden interest in the ex you abandoned?" Gio smirks.
"Just wondering.. Five years is a long time for her to have stuck around when she wasn't part of this in the first place." Robin says, "Guess I'm just curious as to how much chaos she's managed to make herself."
"Well," Gio says, "I trust her for a reason." He tells her with a nod, "She's a smart girl, I can tell why you were so fond of her."
"Careful, that's my sister in law you're talking about." Hades tells him as he pats her shoulder, "Lets not forget how young she is." Hades says with a smirk, and Gio laughs.
"Twenty six isnt young, when I was twenty six I was a in this whole lot deeper than she is."
"Gio." Zelena says, "Leave her out of it." She says with a raised eyebrow,
"Or what?" He challenges, and leans over the bar, but Hades pulls him back and squeezes the back of his neck.
"Or I'll make it so you never have another deal with the valley again." He says sharply, and Gio pushes the man off him.
"Don't forget who you work for, Mr Hades."
"Don't forget who saved your ass from the feds five years ago." Hades tells him.
Gio raises a glass and smirks, "I guess I do have my reasons for protecting the Mill's clan."
"Protecting?" Robin says, "You don't protect anyone." He laughs, and Gio laughs along.
"Not normally. But you see, Regina is a very valued asset in this operation. Not everyone knows what she does." Gio tells Robin, and turns to Hades, "Even you." He tells his second hand man, who just rolls his eyes and smiles towards his wife as she passes him a bitter.
"Why Regina?" The undercover cop asks.
"Still hung up on the pretty little thing are we?" Gio teases, "I'm sure you'll catch up soon. That's if she ever speaks to you again."
"Why don't you just tell me now, save me the trouble of getting it out of her?" Robin asks, his whole body tense and worried.
"Lets just say.. She was there when you weren't, and that counts for a lot in my books."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"She got caught up in your mess, Ricco." Zelena tells him, "Gio is the only reason she's still alive."
"What happened?"
"The valley, you upset them." Gio says "I got them off her back, she owed me, we bonded, and now I see her as my most trusted confidant, apart from Hades of course." Gio says, "She earned it. Well, that and she's dating my brother."
Robin's heart stops.
"She's dating Daniel?"
"Here she is." Hades say's as Regina appears at Robin's side.
"Gio, can I speak to you?" Regina says her eyes darting across the room, it's obvious she's been crying.
"Of course. Is everything okay?"
Regina looks around the room, and steps closer into the group, her sister jumps across the bar and is at her side instantly, and Gio looks at her. "Regina, What happened?" Gio asks.
"They killed him." She whispers, and Gio stands, and grabs her shoulder. "Follow me." He says, and they all do.
They get into his office and Regina paces the room. That's when Robin notices the blood on her hands.
"What the hell happened?" Gio shouts, and she shakes her head.
"I got there and he was just laying there, bleeding. He told me they found him and shot him, then he just died…" Regina gets out quickly, shaken up.
"Did they see you?" Zelena asks, Regina shakes her head.
"Who's they?" Robin asks them, and everyone looks at him.
"Sit down." Gio tells him, "You've been gone a long time, Brother. Things have changed."
"Just, tell me." Robin says.
"No." Regina says quickly, and Robin looks at her.
"You don't trust him?" Gio asks her, and she looks at Robin, whose eyes are wide.
"Why should I? Last time I checked, I was just a distraction." She spat.
"He needs to know, Princess." Hades tells her, and places a hand on her shoulder.
"Do you trust him?" Gio asks Regina, "I trust you, your gut instincts have saved me numerous times." Gio tells her, "Feelings aside, can we trust him? Can we let him in?"
Regina looks at Robin, who stares at her, and she takes a deep breath.
"Yes." She lies, and Gio nods.
"They.. are the Irish mob." He tells them, "Daniel got caught up with them a few years ago due to his father being Irish.. They found out he was a mole for one of the mobs, us, but they didn't know who and he ran. He's been hiding here since last March." Gio say's, "They found him."
"You're sure they didn't see you?"
"I'm sure. I went through the back entrance."
"This is bad." Gio say's. "If they've linked Daniel to us it won't be long until there's a turf war."
"Gio, it's not bad, it's... god, we're all gonna die." Zelena says, "They'll kill all of us without batting an eye."
"No." Gio say's, "We carry on as normal."
"Are you crazy?" Zelena shouts.
"This doesn't leave the room. We keep it to ourselves. Regina, I'll feel better if you stay with Hades and Zelena for now, Ricco you're with me while I catch you up. The pool bets will go on as normal, and on Friday, we meet back here and we sort a plan." Gio says, "We tell no one until we know what we're dealing with."
"Did you phone about his body?" Hades says, Regina shakes her head.
"No i- I came straight here."
"Okay. Me and H will go and sort it. Zelena, head back to work, Ricco stays here with Regina," Gio says, Regina goes to say something, "I don't want to hear it. I trust him, if something is going to happen to you, he's the best person to be around."
"You'll protect her?" Zelena says, and Robin nods.
"Of course."
"I'll be back in an hour, and we can talk." Gio tells Robin, who nods, and soon, it's just Robin and
"Jesus Regina!" He says, "You kept a lot to yourself."
"What?" She asks him, obviously shaken up.
"The Irish mob? Dating Daniel? Your very strong connection to Gio?"
"What I do is nothing to do with you. You lied. You left and you lied. Throughout the whole two years, and you're telling me I left out bits?" Regina laughs.
"I'm talking about now. You're trying to bring him down, why?"
"I want out." Regina tells him, "After Daniel got caught up with the Irish mob I knew I had to get out. Do you know how easy it would be for them to link me to him? Robin, I'm doing this to survive."
"I know, I get that. But with how much Gio seems to like you, I'm sure he'd let you walk away."
"It's not that simple."
"Why?"
"I'm in deep here, Robin. Not just with Gio, but with Daniel and his links to the Irish. With you, with the people who are still looking for Ricco Moretti." Regina says, "I'm a target, everywhere."
"So, you're going into witness protection for protection from other mobs? Not this one."
"Yes." She nods.
"That would have been good to know before I got caught up in this."
"I never asked you to come. I actually remember telling you not to."
"You should have told me how much trouble you were in."
"Well, now you know."
"No, actually I don't." He tells her, "You are being very vague. Tell me, Regina, what the hell is going on here?"
"I-" Regina says, and she runs a hand through her hair.
"We can't help you if you don't tell me what you've done."
"Robin.." She says, "You made a mistake coming back here." She tells him.
"I'm starting to figure that out." He tells her, "Spill it."
"Three months after you vanished, I was walking home when I got stopped by three men from the valley, they thought I'd know where you were, that I was still working with you and Gio in the plan to bring them down. They would have killed me if Gio and Hades were not in the office. But they were, and they saw it on the cameras. They came out, killed them, and then Gio made sure I knew I owed him." Regina tells him, before taking a huge sip of her drink. "Two weeks later he calls me and asks me to meet him and Daniel in the office. Once I get there, they tell me about the plan to get the valley taken down once and for all." Regina tells him.
"How?" Robin asks her.
"Gio told me I had to go in, along with Hades and play them. Tell them I had information on where you were." Regina tells him, "And after he'd saved my life, saying no was not an option, you know that."
"I'm guessing it went well? The valley hasn't been active for years."
"It did. Kind of." She nods, "They went to the location I told them, and Gio and the crew, or at least, the four that were left, met them there, and I am not sure on exactly what happened, but I know Gio killed the ones that were there." Regina tells him, "We didn't hear anything from them after that, we guess they're hiding, but we do know they think it was the Fed's, which means they think I'm with the Fed's which is why I live in Gio's building and why Daniel was.. Anyway."
"What was Daniel?"
"He was ex military, Gio told him that nothing was allowed to happen to me. It doesn't matter. What happened with me and Daniel is irrelevant." Regina tells him, and Robin just stares at her before taking a gulp of his drink, she did the same.
"Then what?"
"Then, Gio started trusting me with key information such as their shipment deals, the names of their contacts and the codes for all the safes." She tells him, "Then two years ago, Daniel went into the Irish as a mole to try and grab some of their contracts for Gio, nine months in he got caught out as a mole and he ran. We didn't see him until three months later after he'd ran to France, trying to lose the trail. We thought he did, I mean, obviously we were careful and we always knew to watch our backs but.. They found him, maybe two hours ago and now he's dead."
"So when Daniel shows up again, you what? Call the feds?"
"No. I was close with Marcus, and he noticed how on edge I was when Daniel got back. And he told me there was a deal he could get me if I wanted out, and he told me."
"You took the deal."
"Yeah." Regina nods, "Now Marcus is dead, Gio is on the hunt for the rat, The Irish are back and have killed my boyfriend, they're going to dig into him, found out about me, learn i'm the one with the fake in-tell on Ricco that got half of the Valley crew killed and boom. I'm dead." Regina says. "If the Valley's are in the Irish's pockets like August thinks, the minute my name flashes up they're going to come for me."
"How come the Valley never came for you after half of them were killed?"
"I have no idea. I thought for sure they would but.. Nothing ever happened."
"So.. you need out, and fast."
"Now that they've found Daniel I needed out three hours ago." Regina tells him, "It won't take them long to figure out who I am. I don't have until Thursday night."
"It's tomorrow. It's one day. They can't figure out Daniel's life in a day." Robin tells them, "It took them three months to find him."
"Yeah. Because he ran to France and made a few deals down there, they've found him in Staten from France, Robin, They have eyes everywhere." Regina tells him, and he walks towards her.
"I won't let anything happen to you." He tells her, and places a hand on her cheek, and she looks at him. "You're going to be fine, you're getting out of here."
"I'm not too sure." Regina says, "Gio could figure out I'm the mole. There's so many things that can go wrong with this plan, never mind the whole Irish mob situation." She tells him.
"You've made quite the mess." He smirks, and she laughs.
The door slams upstairs and he backs up from her and she quickly wipes her tears.
"I'm going to get the blood of my hands." She tells him, and heads into the bathroom as Gio and Hades walk back in.
"Where is she?" Gio asks, looking around the room as he rubs his hands on a cloth.
"Bathroom." Robin tilts his head to the door, and Gio nods.
"She's okay?"
"As okay as she can be after watching her boyfriend die." He tells him.
"She's strong. She's gonna be fine." Hades says.
Regina walks back into the room and looks at Robin, who nods to her.
"I'm gonna take Princess home," He smirks to Regina about her nickname, who rolls her eyes with a small smile of her own. "You two talk, there's a lot to discuss."
Hades and Regina leave the room, and Gio sighs.
"Take a seat, Ric. There's a lot to tell."
Thursday morning, and Robin meets August in a cafe five miles away, and slides into the booth.
"You have to get her out. Now." Robin tells him, and August sighs.
"She has to give us something, Robin. You know the rules. I can't get her there without something on her end.
"August, there's more going on here than just her wanting out of Gio's Pocket. It's not even Gio. She and Gio get along." Robin says, and shakes his head.
"What are you talking about?
"She's in far too much, there's the Irish mob, the valley, then there's her just murdered boyfriend."
"I'm sorry?" August says, "Do you wanna go back to the start and explain to me what the hell you're talking about."
Robin takes a deep breath.
"Jesus." August says, "She's twenty six. How did she manage to get herself dragged into all of this in just five years."
"It all leads back to me, Booth." He tells his friend, "People came looking for Ricco a few months after I was gone, and Gio saved her. After that she was his."
"Jesus." August repeats, "Poor girls as good as dead, there's nothing I can do to stop it." He tells Robin, "It won't take the Irish long to link to her Daniel."
"You can put her in witness now."
"No, I can't. It's not protocol." August tells him, "You know this."
"So what then? I just stand around and watch her die?"
"No. You get the bible to me, and then she's out. We just need the bible."
"You know full way if the Irish have found her she's dead in the next ten minutes, and you're telling me our only option is something that's in ten hours?"
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah. Me too." Robin says, and gets out of the booth, leaving the cafe.
Regina stood behind the bar, watching as Robin, Gio and Hades talked among themselves.
"You okay?" Zelena asks her.
"I'm still alive. That has to count for something." Regina jokes.
"They won't find you, Regina. Daniel loved you. He protected you."
"Didn't they say that about Tony? His girlfriend was killed eight hours after he was, and we didn't even know they were dating."
"Regina-"
"They have eyes everywhere, Zelena." Regina tells her, "I've made my peace with it."
"Stop it."
"It's fine. It was gonna get me killed eventually."
Regina walks away when Robin tilts his head at her, and she follows him into the back.
"Do you have the code?"
"Yeah." She nods, and passes him a note with it on.
"I'm getting you out of here, tonight."
"Okay." She says, and goes to walk away from him, but he grabs her wrist and turns her around.
"You're going to be fine." He tells her, and she nods.
"Yeah." She says, "You should go."
"Do you trust me?"
She looks at him, and nods. "Yes."
"You're not dying, not now. Not here." He places his hand in hers and squeezes it. "I'm sorry about Daniel."
"Thanks." She smiles, "I need you to promise me something."
"Sure." He smiles, and she looks at him.
"If you don't end up getting the bible tonight.."
"Regina.."
"Just listen." She smirks and he nods, "If you don't get it.. The Irish will come for me, and when they do, you get out." She tells him, "You're only here because you think this is your fault, so, when.. You know.." She tells him, the last of the sentence not leaving her mouth. They both know what she means. "You go, you go back to your wife and your son and you never come back here." Regina tells him, and he closes his eyes, shaking his head and she places a hand on his cheek. "Promise me." She tells him, tears forming in her eyes, and he nods.
"I promise." He whispers, and she smiles sadly as she nods. "But I also promise to do everything I can to get you out of here."
"I know." She says, her sad smile punching him in the gut.
"I'm so sorry, about all of this."
"It's not your fault." She tells him, "Now go." She says, and he nods, and heads back into the bar.
Regina steps out a few moments later, wiping her cheeks and he watches as she heads towards her sister, who then stares daggers at Robin.
"Why is she crying?" Hades asks him, and Robin jumps at the man's sudden appearance.
"Jesus. Where the hell did you just come from?" Robin says, and the man looks at him.
"Why is she crying?"
"Tough day. She does think she's about to get killed." Robin says, and Hades nods, and watches as Robin walks off.
Robin is playing his round of pool when he notices Hades's whispering something at Gio, and they look at him. Gio nods, and Hades heads towards the front, Gio following behind him not long after, and Robin takes his chances.
"Be right back." He says, and heads out of the room and up the stairs. He heads towards the room and towards the safe. He pulls out the paper Regina handed him and punches in the code. He stays in high alert as he looks for the bible, he pushes the dirty money to the side and grabs the book. He hears Gio coming up the stairs then, he quickly slams and locks the safe, before placing the photo back on the wall. He rushes to hide behind his draw and holds his breath and Gio walks in.
"H! have you been Ric? He should be there for this." Gio says.
"No, he's down there somewhere though." Hades says, "I just can't believe it." He says.
"Trust me, you're not the only one." Gio says, and the two men leave the room. Robin realises a breath and thinks about the conversation he'd just heard. What the hell were they talking about?
Robin rushes from the room with the bible in his inside jacket pocket, and hurries to the kitchen just in time for Gio to spot him. Robin looks in his direction and follows the man at the tilt of his head. He meets them in the driveway.
"Hey." Robin says, and Gio nods.
"We have a problem." Gio tells him.
"Get in." Hades says, pointing to the car.
"What's going on?" Robin asks.
"Just, get in the car, Ric." Gio tells him, "I'll be there soon."
Robin looks at him, before opening the door and getting it. Hades gets on the other side and they drive off.
"What is it?" Robin asks.
"Trust me, you'll want to hear this from the horse's mouth." Hades says, and Robin tenses and looks out the rear-view mirror to spot Gio speeding off in a different direction.
"Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this?"
"Probably because you're not."
Robin and Hades arrive at the docks, and the two wait for five minutes before Gio is speeding in.
The man gets out of the car and slams the door shut.
"Ricco, dude. Do I have some news for you." Gio shouts, "Get her out."
Enzo, someone else from the crew opens the door of the car and pulls Regina out by her arm, before pushing her forward and placing her in front of Robin, maybe two feet away from him. Her hands bound together, her face covered in tears.
"Do you want to tell him, Regina? Or should I?" Gio says, grabbing his gun and pointing it at her.
"Wow, Gio, man." Robin says, "What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm sorry." She says to Robin, and he looks at her.
"What's going on?" Robin asks.
"Our trusted little angel here, is a nark!" Gio shouts, "I knew there was another one after Marcus, but.. God!" He screams, kicking the car, "I trusted you, Regina." He tells her.
"I know." She tells him, looking at him, "I didn't do this to hurt you."
"You've been dating my brother for Christ sake! You could have been my sister in law and you betray me like this? After all I've done for you!"
"I did this because of all of that!" Regina tells him, "Either way, I'm dead."
"I don't understand." Gio says to her.
"When Daniel showed back up I knew there wasn't long until the Irish would find him, I knew the moment they found him, it would all link back to me. You know what happened at the Valley. How that links to me. The minute my name flashes up I'm dead. I did this to get out of here. I Never did this to hurt you." She explains.
"You could have talked to me, Regina."
"Would you have let me go?" She asks, and he turns around, shaking his head. "Exactly."
"So you what? Become a nark for the feds for protection? What do they want, huh?" Gio asks her, and she turns away from him, "Tell me what they are after and I'll kill you quickly."
"No one is killing anyone." Robin tells him, "Are you really going to allow him to kill your wife's sister?"
"Zelena wants nothing to do with her after this. Whatever she's dealt with the feds brings down us all, including her own sister." Hades says, spitting out the last sentence at Regina, who looks to the ground.
"I'm sorry." She says, and Gio laughs.
"Are you?" He asks her, and she looks up and stares at Robin.
"What the hell, Regina?" Robin plays along, and she closes her eyes.
"You weren't here, this whole goddamn thing is your fault in the first place." She tells him, and Robin feels like he's been stabbed, the look on her face is giving nothing away, and he can't tell if she means it, and that hurts him most of all.
"She's right." Gio says, "Which means it's only fair that you end it." Gio says, and passes the gun to Robin. "Kill her. Let's end this right now."
"What?" Robin says, and looks at the gun is his hand, at Gio, and then Regina.
"End what you started. Kill her and get it over with." Gio says, and Robin closes his eyes.
"Either shoot her, or I'll kill you both." Gio says, "There's either going to be one body here tonight, or two. It's up to you."
Robin looks at Regina with pained eyes. She takes a deep breath and holds her head eyes catch each other's, and she blinks slowly.
"It's okay." She tells him, "It's not your fault." She looks at him, "Just do it."
He cocks the gun and holds it up to her. She nods with a sad smile.
Robin looks at her and takes a deep breath.
"Gio, this isn't the way to do it." He says the gun still pointed at the woman he's pretty sure he never stopped loving.
"I can't have a nark walking around, Ricco." Gio tells him, "You either kill her, or I kill you both. I can't kill her and let you live, not when you're in love with her, you'll turn into the rat she is. But if you kill her, you wont risk going to jail for murder, not when you ran five years ago to avoid it."
"It's okay." She tells him again, "I'm dead by morning anyway, word is the Irish are here." She laughs, "I'd rather die by my terms than theirs."
"I-" Robin says, "I can't." He tells them, and she closes her eyes.
"So what? You're choosing to die rather than kill a rat that was going to put you away?"
"No. I'm choosing to end this." Robin tells him, "Just not by killing her." He says, and before anyone can move he'd fired two shots, one at Gio, hitting his shoulder, the other at the only other one with a gun, Hades, and hit him in the leg. He takes his chance while they're on the ground and grabs Regina's arms and runs with her. He pulls her behind the large shipment packages, and pulls them to the ground.
"That was so stupid!" She hisses, while he grabs her wrist and unties her.
"There's nowhere to go and now they're going to kill the both of us." Regina tells him, "Why didn't you just pull the trigger and run?"
"Because.." He says, but trails off. "I couldn't kill you." Robin tells her. Once her hands are untied, he looks at her to find her staring right back at him.
"You promised."
"No, I didn't promise that." He tells her, "And I have it." He says, and she leans her head back.
"We aren't going to get out of here alive, you know what right?" She tells him. "You have a two year old son to get home to, what the hell were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that I left you once, and it was the biggest mistake i ever made, and i will not be doing it again."
"What's the plan? The docks are big enough to hide forever, they're going to find us."
"Well, then i guess we hide like our lives depend on it." He tells her with a smirk.
"Come out come out wherever you are!" Gio sings, and the two freeze.
"Come on." Robin whispers, and wraps his hand around hers and pulls her towards the end of the docks and towards the cars.
"I know you're here somewhere." Gio shouts. "Come out now and i'll kill you fast."
"Go around. They can't be far." Gio says to Hades and Enzo.
"Were trapped. They're at every exit."
"They have my phone. What about you?" Robin asks, she shakes her head.
"Does it look like I had time to grab my phone?"
"Right." He nods, "Yeah." He says, and leans them against another package.
Robin pulls out his gun and holds it up before pulling Regina behind him gently as they walk.
There was no escape.
"Stop." Hades shouts, and the two freeze.
"Hands up." Enzo shouts, and Gio comes running in.
"Well, well, well." Gio says, "Ricco, now you start looking after your girl? She needed it more the last time." Gio tells him.
"A guy only makes that kind of mistake once." Robin tells him, his gun pointed at Hades, whose gun was pointed at him.
"Now." Gio says, and both Enzo and Hades shoot. Robin does the same, firing shots at all three of them, as he watches them fall to the ground he can't help but release a breath at how he's still standing. Unharmed.
"Come on. Gio will be standing soon." He says and turns to Regina who's hand is on her stomach. She removes it and his heart falls.
Blood.
Blood all over her hand.
All over her shirt.
"No." he says, and grabs her before she falls, holding her up, "Come on." He says, "Stay with me." He falls with her as her body gives out.
"Robin.." She winces, her voice hollow and sharp, and he knows she's in a lot of pain. "You need to go." She tells him. He shakes his head, holding her into him, pressing down his hands into wound.
"No." He tells her.
"You pro..promised me." She tells him, looking at him. A tear falls down her cheek, and he gently wipes it away, keeping his hand there while his other pressing down on her side.
"I didn't promise you this. Look. I have the bible. You just need to hold on a little longer."
"Well, well, well," Gio says as he stands, holding his shoulder where he was shot. "Looks like I got the two of you. It's a shame really. You really both were two of my favorite people." Gio says, and holds up his gun. But before he can fire, he's shot again, in the leg, and the man falls to the ground, dropping the fire arm. Robin looks over to find his co-workers and other members of the FBI.
"Here!" Robin shouts, and throws August the bible. August catches it, and three cars speed away, off to make arrests they've waited ten years for. August runs at Gio and cuffs him, Will and Jones do the same to Enzo and Hades.
Robin looks back at Regina, "It's okay. You're okay. Stay with me." Robin tells her. "It's over. You're safe, just hang on for me okay."
Regina nods, and looks at him, she goes to speak when an ambulance pulls up, and it isn't long till she's taken from his arms and placed in the ambulance.
Robin walks through the door slowly, tapping his fingers against the glass. She looks over and smiles, before tying up her shoe.
"They're discharging you?"
"They have to." Regina tells him, "I have to be in Witness by tomorrow afternoon. They're running a story through the mob's that Gio killed me."
"Good." He says to her, and she nods. "Where are you staying tonight?" He asks her as she stands.
"Some hotel the FBI is paying for, I'm not sure on the details." She tells him. Regina walks over to him and grabs his hand into hers.
"Thank you, for.. Well, everything." She tells him with a smile.
"You don't have to thank me."
"You saved my life. Twice." She says, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He smiles.
"Have you seen your son?" Regina asks him.
"I am heading home now, just thought I'd see how you were before I did."
"I'm okay."
"Yeah.."Robin says softly, and looks at her. "Regina, I-"
"Don't." She whispers, "After you walk out that door we are never going to see each other again." Regina tells him, "So just.. Don't."
"Be safe, okay?" He tells her, squeezing her hands.
"You too." She smiles, and he looks at her one last time before turning and heading out to the room.
Regina releases a shaky breath as the door shut behind him.
Regina is sat on the bed in the hotel, scrolling through the TV channels while her brain runs a mile a minute about the last two days. About finding out the man she loved wasn't the man she loved at all. He was Robin. An FBI Agent, who she knows she will never see again. Her heart then aches for the loss of Daniel, the man who, yeah, she may not have loved as much as she'd once loved Ricc- Robin. But, that love only happens once in your life, and she'd made peace with that. Her and Daniel had so many plans. And now he was dead.
Regina sighed as she wiped away a tear that fell down her cheek.
The knock at the door made her freeze.
Nobody was supposed to know where she was, and the Agents told her they'd be in the lobby, but if they needed her, they'd call before they came up.
"Regina. It's me." Robin said, and she walked to the door, as she opened it, she took a breath.
"Robin?" She said with confusion as she frowned. "What are you doing here?"
"The thought of never seeing you again.. Without doing this.. It was something I knew I'd regret."
"Doing what?" She asked, even more confused than before.
She didn't even have a chance to think before his lips were on hands cupped her face. She responded quickly, placing her hands on his stomach, but she ended it just as quick.
"What are you doing?" She whispered, "Robin.. You're married." She says.
"Separated." He confirms.
"After tonight, we will never see each other again." She tells him, he shakes her head. She places her hands on his cheeks and he looks at her.
"You have a son. You have to think about-" She begins to say, but her words are cut off as a sharp pain hits her back. A warm sensation fills her body as she collapses to the ground.
Robin catches her instantly, holding her in his arms. He watches as blood pools from her chest from the bullet wound in her spine, and he knows, he knows, it's too late, that she doesn't have any time left, not enough time for help to get here.. But he finds himself wishing on it anyway.
"Stay with me." He tells her, cupping her face, she looks at him, gasping. "I know it hurts but hold on for m-"
"It doesn't hurt." She whispered, he wouldn't have even heard her if he wasn't on high alert. "It's okay." She says, a small smile on her face. He shakes his head. A tear rolls from his eyes as she bleeds out in his arms, he knows there nothing he can do.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this." He tells her, "You were supposed to go and live your life and be happy." Robin tells her.
"It's okay." She says again.
"It's my fault." He whispers, stroking her cheek with his left hand as his right arm supports her.
"No." She shakes her head. Her breathes are getting tighter, her voice is cracked. "This is not your fault."
Robin shakes his head and closes his eyes. "Please stay.. Just hold on for me. Please."
"I'm.. cold.. Tired." She tells him, and he opens his eyes and looks into hers. "At least.. At least I won't be dying alone." She says with a smile, and he laughs sady at that.
"I'm here." He tells her, I'm not going to leave you. You're never going to have to be on your own again. I promise."
She smiles, her body is becoming heavier in his arms as she fades away, but she hangs on. For him. For them.
"Regina." He says, "I- I love you." He tells her, "I always have, ever since you walked into the bar with Zelena five years ago."
"Yeah?" She whispers with a smile, he chuckles.
"Yeah." He nods, wiping her tears from her cheek. "I am so sorry for everything. For lying to you. For leaving. For never checking in."
"It's okay." She says to him.
She's going now, she can feel it. But he has to know this.
"I love you too." She tells him, and he smiles at her. "I always have."
Robin looks at her, he smiles.
"Always huh?" He jokes, she laughs, but that causes her breath to catch in her throat, and then she's fading away.
"Rob- Robin.." She wheezes, and he nods, strokes her cheek and smiles.
"I'm with you, Always." He tells her, and she lights up, her eyes shine into his.
But the light dulls out, and her smile falls, she goes limp in his arms and he watches the life drain of her body.
"I love you." He said, kissing her forehead, "I will always love you."
He stays with her for a few more moments, shocked, heartbroken, angry.
Regina Mills died in his arms at 9:04PM.
He calls her death into the FBI at 9.12PM.
She's taken from him forever at 9.21PM.
"Looks like someone from the Irish mob shot her from a sniper gun from the roof of the building across the road. I'm surprised she was conscious for as long as she was." Agent Jones tells Robin as he stands in the FBI building, staring at the closed murder. Staring at her face.
"Any idea who?"
"No. But Booth and Scarlett are working on it." He tells him. "Go home, Robin, see your son."
"Yeah." He nods, and takes a breath before leaving the building.
Everyone always said you have one great love, and Robin never believed that until he was stood at Regina's grave one week later.
"I miss you." He whispered, and placed down a rose. "My heart is yours, always." He says, before standing and backing up.
He can't help but smile at the white feather that falls on top of the rose.