Chapter Text
It would have been nice to get back from hell and have a minute to relax. But that wasn’t the way life worked in Storybrooke. It was always one fight to the next. She didn’t have time to put her feet up, eat anything, or see what a mess Snow had made of the town in Regina’s absence. No, she had to go off looking for the evil that had preceded them.
Regina scanned the figures of the park, Robin a fidgeting mass of worried father at her side. She couldn’t blame him. If it had been Henry out there in the hands of a megalomaniacal god, she’d be just as frantic. She was worried enough as it was. Not only did Hades have the baby, but he had Zelena wrapped up in his web of lies, and Regina had only just managed to connect with her sister.
It was a step up from them trying to kill each other.
Robin clenched his fists and Regina grabbed a hold of them, trying to be a calming presence, even if that wasn’t her strong suit.
“They could have gone anywhere,” Robin said, his eyes still scanning the horizon.
“They wouldn’t have left Storybrooke.” He squeezed her hands, finally looking down at her. His eyes, always so kind and still, bore anxious movement instead, pleading with her for reassurance. “Don't worry. We'll find her. I promise,” she said.
He gave her a half-smile, seemingly forced through his confidence in her if nothing else. She swore she would do whatever it took to honor that.
Footsteps sounded from behind them and Regina sighed inwardly, hearing Zelena’s voice.
“Regina! You made it back.”
Zelena took Regina’s hand eagerly and, despite the urgency of the situation, Regina was gratified by the gesture and how obviously relieved Zelena was to see her. She doubted Zelena would be as happy once she learned what they had to say about Hades.
“Where the hell—” Robin began, but Regina put an arm back, blocking further words.
She knew he was upset, but this couldn’t be done by brute force. For once in her life, Regina was going to try tact.
“Wait.” Regina turned to her sister. “We need some answers.”
“Where the hell is my daughter?” Robin said, his tone remarkably constrained for the fear she knew he was feeling.
“With Hades,” Zelena said, her voice confused. “Look, I came to explain to everyone that he's changed.”
Robin scoffed beside her.
“I hate to be the one to break this to you, but, no, he hasn't!”
Zelena stiffened.
“What are you talking about? He helped you. He took your names off your graves.”
Regina wished she had better words than the simple truth to give to her.
“No, it was a trick so we'd trust him. He tried to trap us down there.”
“What? No, no, no. I was with him the whole time. We waited for you.”
There was disbelief warring with truth in Zelena’s voice. Regina could help her, she just had to do this carefully. With Robin actively pacing behind her, that was not an easy task.
“That was a show for your benefit. You cannot trust him with your daughter.”
Regina knew, despite everything, Zelena cared for her child.
“You're wrong. Hades is different now his heart is beating. Love has changed him. I've changed him.”
Zelena pressed her hands against her heart as if trying to make herself believe the words. And sometimes those words were true. Sometimes villains changed, both of them were evidence of that. But sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes the darkness was too far rooted.
“I know you want to believe that. Sometimes the truth really hurts. Why don't you just tell us where he is,” Regina said.
That had been the wrong thing to say. She felt it as soon as it came out of her mouth and Zelena moved back.
“And what are you planning to do when you find him?”
“Well, that depends on him,” Regina said forcefully, deciding it was better to be consistent than backtrack. So much for tact. “But we'll do whatever we have to, to protect this town.”
Robin stepped back to Regina’s side, a united force with her, but Regina wished it didn’t have to be against her sister. Her sister whose face was now completely closed off.
“You mean imprison him.”
“We'll do whatever we have to,” Regina repeated. “I know this is hard to hear, but he is not the man you think he is.”
“Actually, he's not a man at all. He's a god,” Zelena spat out. “And if you try to hurt him, you do so at your own peril.”
She disappeared in a cloud of green smoke, while Robin reached his hand out uselessly.
“We never should have trusted her!” Robin said, his shoulders tense.
“Look, we’re going to fix this,” Regina said. “We always do. Let’s just find the others and figure out our next steps.”
“We won’t be able to do anything so long as they have my daughter,” Robin said, his voice not inviting discussion.
He started walking back without waiting for her. Regina stared after him for a moment, stunned though she understood his anger. She ran to catch up with him and thought over several apologies in her mind. But she was terrible at apologies and she didn’t even know what she was apologizing for. This was a giant mess, but it wasn’t her fault and, in a way, she didn’t think it was Zelena’s either. She doubted Robin was ready to hear that so she kept silent as she poofed them back to the loft.
---
Robin watched Regina lift her hands as she stared at the town hall building. He bounced on the soles of his shoes as he waited. He appreciated the efforts of everyone helping him, but he would rather have a clear target and something to shoot at. Not that he even had his bow or quiver. Everything was spells and grunt work in Storybrooke. Life used to be simpler.
Granted—he glanced at Regina again—he’d gained things in this life as well. But nothing was easy. His palms felt sweaty at the thought of what Hades might be doing to his child. At least Roland was safe. Little John and the others were protecting him.
Since Robin didn’t have to worry about one child, he worried about the other. Once he and Regina had regrouped with the others, they’d discovered the news that Arthur was slain, surely by Hades’ hand. Now they knew that Gold would be no help and that Hades had taken refuge inside Regina’s office. Robin stared at the building, fretting over whatever harm might befall his daughter. He begrudgingly knew Zelena wouldn’t hurt her, but that didn’t mean she’d be able to stop Hades or even try until it was too late.
“My sister cast a protection spell on the building,” Regina said, lowering his hands.
“We can't just stand here and do nothing,” he snapped at her.
He knew he shouldn’t. She was trying. But right now, all other considerations were overridden by one thing: getting his daughter to safety.
“I wasn't planning on doing nothing,” Regina said, more gently than he deserved. “As a matter of fact, I know exactly what to do. There's a secret tunnel that goes right under the town hall. We don't know how to defeat Hades, but maybe we can get your daughter back and talk some sense into Zelena . . . if you're with me.”
“Of course I am,” he replied, the best apology he could give at the moment.
“Then I'm going too,” Emma put in.
“No offense, Emma, but you're too emotional.” Regina stuttered in her clear attempt to be kind. Hook was gone and Emma was floundering; Robin could understand why Regina would want Emma to stay back. “I-I understand. You had a loss. But you're not thinking straight.”
“Is that you—th . . . is that what you all think?”
“Emma,” David said soothingly, “we still don't know how to stop Hades.”
“So then we figure it out,” Emma lashed back.
“So, well, then do it quickly,” Regina said. “Because once we get that baby back, Hades will be coming for us.”
Emma nodded, and Robin wondered at her backing down so quickly. She must really be missing Hook. He couldn’t deny he was missing the pirate himself, but he couldn’t focus on loss right now.
He followed Regina into the tunnel. The colder temperature was palpable under the ground and the air misted across his face with smells he would rather not be accosted with. He hated being underground. It was the very antithesis of his domain, trees and dirt and sky and brook. Still, he’d gone worse places to find people.
Regina walked beside him—the silence palpable between them. He couldn’t bridge it.
“Look, I'm . . . I'm sorry I trusted Zelena with your daughter,” Regina finally said.
“Glad to finally hear it,” he said promptly.
Regina heaved a sigh and he didn’t look at her because he wasn’t sure he was ready to hear anything else.
“Just for once, I was trying to be optimistic and give her a second chance like you gave me.”
“You deserved it. She doesn't.”
“All she wants is what I have. I made her think love was possible.”
The words tempted him to give in to the mercy she still so clearly wanted to extend to Zelena, but he couldn’t sanction it. Not with what was happening.
“So you're . . . you're not actually apologizing. You're defending her again.”
“Robin, no.”
Visions of Marian melting into Zelena’s taunting face rose up before Robin’s eyes and his stomach lurched.
“No, forgive me if I don't care to listen. I have a daughter to save.”
He walked faster to indicate the conversation was over. He couldn’t continue it and not break down, which he didn’t have the luxury of doing at this moment.
All of the evil Zelena had committed might have been to get revenge on Regina, but it had been done to him. Against his will. It had brought him something beautiful, but he’d never even get a chance to know that redeeming mercy if Hades had his way. And all of the evil nightmares he’d had after coming back from New York. All the renewed grief over Marian dying. All the confusion and heartbreak of losing Regina. It was all compounded through Zelena’s actions. He was normally a big proponent of forgiveness and redemption, but now his child was at risk.
Still. Robin risked a glance at Regina, her downcast face shrouded to him. Once people would have said the same things about the woman he loved. Once her heart had been filled with such evil that it became her name. It had taken time, but she’d changed. He’d been able to see that even when others still looked at her with suspicion. He held her heart—literally at one point—and it had never betrayed him. Surely he should be able to trust it now.
“Welcome to town hall,” Regina said quietly, gesturing ahead.
“Secret passage indeed. Thank you, Regina,” he said as sincerely as he could.
“You're welcome. And I know you can't accept this right now, but I do feel horrible for what I did. I'm sorry Zelena has your daughter, and I'm really trying to make up for it.”
He had to smile. She really had nothing to make up for. It was not her he was angry with. It was Zelena. And perhaps himself for not knowing better.
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said. “I was wrong to be short with you.”
“Really?” Regina asked, her face lighting up.
He nodded. She was quite dazzling when she was vulnerable and sincere. He made a mental note to tell her so later.
“You're right,” he said. “We do owe Zelena another chance.”
“Oh, don't just say that to appease me,” she said, her face tightening again.
“No, I'm not. If being with you has taught me anything, it's that we all have the capability to change.” He stepped closer to her. “And the future's not written by our past. Regina . . . you are my future.”
He reached for her and she went willingly into his kiss. He wished they had more time to indulge in a pastime they never seemed to get enough privacy for. He meant his words. He wanted his future to be spent kissing her, loving her, and making a life with her. He wasn’t willing to let anything else separate them any longer.
“Okay, thief,” she said, breaking the kiss. “Tell me what the plan is.”
He was forced into this by urgency and it meant he had nothing to give her.
“Well, I always follow one rule: don't go into a job without a good plan to get out. But with my daughter on the line, I have broken my own rule. I-I have no plan. So, if you want to turn back . . .”
“I'm with you.” She clutched his hands. “Always.”
He hadn’t expected her to leave, but hearing her words bolstered the courage he was trying to corral inside.
“Good. Well, then let's go save my daughter.”
He followed her lead to face the god.
---
Regina’s back ached from pressing stiffly against the wall outside her office. She dared not move a muscle for fear it would attract Hades’ attention. Robin’s form was equally quiet and still by her side, but he made it seem more natural. She supposed it must come from hours of target practice or hours spent surveying something he was trying to steal. She envied the ability as they watched Hades exit the room, presumably to see what was happening outside.
“Who needs a plan when you have blind luck on your side?” Robin said. They hurried into her office where a bassinet lay on the table. Robin’s worry lines etched into a smile as he picked up his daughter. Regina watched him and felt her own face soften. “Your father's here, and everything's gonna be all right.”
“I wouldn't be so sure.”
Regina turned quickly to find Hades behind them, posed against the mantle, pointing a long, crystal staff at them. She could feel foreign magic crackling off it from where she stood. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to get any closer.
“You stay away from my daughter,” Robin warned.
“Believe me. She's not the one who's in danger,” Hades said, taking measured, threatening steps toward them.
Robin cautiously put the baby down, staying between her and Hades. But Hades appeared to be concentrated on Regina for the moment.
“Hades, stop,” Regina said desperately. “This isn't worth it. If you kill me, you will lose Zelena forever.”
She hoped that were true. Her heart told her it was, but a lot of things had changed recently.
“Shh,” Hades said, holding a finger up his lips. “Only if she knows about it.” He continued to move closer. “And this isn't going to kill you, it's going to end you. No Underworld, no moving on. One minute, you exist, and the next . . . you don't. That's what you get for trying to turn Zelena against me.”
Regina’s skin prickled in fear. She had no doubt he was telling the truth. It felt like the end. It felt inevitable. She watched Hades’ arm and she didn’t know whether to run or flee or fight. Her magic wasn’t going to help here. She and Robin were defenseless before a god. No one was coming to save them.
“This was my idea to break in here,” Robin inserted, putting an arm out in front of Regina. “Just use that on me. You let her go.”
Regina stiffened, not liking where this was heading.
“No,” Hades said, sadistic pleasure scored across his face. “Oh, sorry. Ladies first.”
He pointed the crystal at Regina and she faced her doom square in the eyes, only sorry that Robin had to watch her die.
But then.
Robin dove in front of her and the blast of electric blue light hit him full in the chest. His body shook with the impact and she watched, her entire soul frozen, as his body slumped to the floor. A blue outlined shape hovered where his body had stood. A tear slid down her cheek without her permission. The form smiled at her, the facsimile of Robin, or perhaps this truly was Robin. This was the essence of the man she loved, the man who had chosen her, the man who had returned to her beyond hope. The man who had died for her.
She tried to give a watery smile in return, some gift for him to take into oblivion with him. They hadn’t had a farewell, any time to make plans or assurances. How could he truly know how he made her feel? She had centuries of thoughts and feelings and words to express to him and now she had a split second with a ghost.
“No,” the moan escaped her lips.
The blue shape that was somehow Robin, brilliant as his soul must be, dissipated in glittering, fairy lights and he was gone.
But his body remained there, bereft of the man himself. Regina fell to her knees beside him, clutching at the warmth that would soon vanish as well.
“Don’t worry,” Hades gloated. Regina’s dark heart beat strongly and she glared up at Hades. “You won't be apart long.”
For a second, she’d rather he just do it, just send her into oblivion so the newly pounding pain didn’t overwhelm her. But she couldn’t maintain that dull desire under the flood of anger and the thought of Henry losing another parent.
Heels echoed on the tile floor and Zelena appeared in the room, something white clutched in her hands.
“Regina. What happened?” Zelena asked, her tone only curious, not nearly horrified enough for the atrocity that Regina held in her arms.
“Hades did this.”
“He said he was going to kill you, Zelena. I had to protect you,” Hades said quickly.
“That's a lie,” Regina spat.
“Is it? Because I've just found Emma, and these.” Zelena brandished pages from the book in her hands. “You wanted to kill him!”
Regina didn’t know what Emma had found, but she gathered it had something to do with the crystal rod still held in Hades’ hand. It didn’t matter, because whatever anyone else knew or didn’t know, Regina knew two things. Hades was evil, and Zelena was her sister. That was all that mattered.
“I was trying to protect you, Zelena. He's been lying to you since the minute his heart started beating.”
“Is it true what they said?” Zelena turned to Hades. “Did you trap them in the Underworld?”
“I did it for you so we wouldn't have to hurt anybody,” he lied smoothly. “But now they're here, and the only way to be safe is to use this power to create a new kingdom. Our kingdom.”
Regina slowly got to her feet, hands held in front of her. She had to do something and she didn’t have a lot of options.
“Can't we just be happy together? I mean, why do we need a kingdom?” Zelena said, her tone and face torn.
“This is about getting back at the families who never believed in us. Remember what I told you,” Hades urged. “There's no better revenge . . .”
“Than having it all,” Zelena finished.
Regina surged forward in the wake of Zelena’s words and pushed Hades as hard as she could. The crystal clattered to the ground and Regina fell back from rebounding off of Hades. He stumbled back into the mantle. Regina’s eyes tracked the crystal and she lunged for it.
Zelena’s hand grasped it first.
Regina slowly backed up, her situation feeling more dangerous than ever. She held her hands up softly and stared at Zelena, who looked at the crystal in terror.
“It's okay,” Hades said, his voice seductive. “Use it. End her.”
Regina glanced quickly at Hades and then turned her attention to Zelena, to the sister she had never known she had. To the sister who had tried to kill her multiple times. To the sister she had only just realized she wanted.
“Zelena. I do believe in you. I defended you when no one else did. I wanted so badly for you to find love. But sometimes love blinds us.” Regina’s voice broke just thinking about love and then she mastered it with her will. “Hades tried to kill me already.”
“No, she's lying.”
Zelena’s hand shook and Regina kept her eyes on her sister even as she pointed to the man on the floor that she couldn’t bear to believe was gone.
“Robin died to protect me. That's what true love is. It's sacrifice. It's giving up everything for the person you love.” Regina took a deep breath and her voice hardened in intent. “But Hades won't give up a single thing for you. Like he said, he wants it all.”
Hades edged closer to Zelena, his voice oily and smooth. In another world he might be a con man or a salesman. Here, he was both, with all the powers of a god beside. Regina had never hated anyone more, and that included Snow White at the height of the Evil Queen’s reign.
“Listen to her. She doesn't think you deserve to be happy. Look at this office. Look at this town. This all belonged to her when you had nothing, remember?”
He ended his tirade shouting and Zelena responded in like kind, her voice the desperate wail of a forgotten child.
“Of course I do!”
“All you have to do is kill her, and you can have everything you ever wanted. Do it. If you won't, I will.”
Zelena’s eyes looked at neither of them, her hand spasming against its hold over the crystal. Tears streamed down her face and Regina hoped they were not pre-emptive tears for the death of a sister.
“All I ever wanted was love,” Zelena cried, her pain pouring out of her with the tears. “You told me that was enough for you, but . . . now I realize . . .” Regina flinched as the crystal glowed brightly, sensing a kill. “Nothing ever will be!”
Regina ducked automatically.
Zelena slammed the crystal home in Hades’ chest. He gasped out her name and his arms flailed as the blue flames consumed him. Robin had been a smooth fading of a soul peaceful from sacrifice. Hades was a violent conflagration of greed and treachery finally destroyed.
Zelena’s sobs echoed in the silent room while Regina slowly straightened. She felt the adrenaline ebb out of her, allowing loss to take its place. She hurried to Robin’s body, gathering it in her arms, unable to feel anything of the man who had given everything for her. She felt her own tears burst their way out of her, rasping through her chest and making it hard to breathe.
His face was peaceful as she bent over it, but that was no comfort. She wanted him. She wanted his clear eyes and his polished voice and his quiet humor and his patient strength. She wanted him and now she would never have him again.
A hand touched her shoulder and Regina turned, knowing Zelena’s feeble attempts at consolation for what they were, despite the way her weeping eyes and clutching hands needed their own comfort. The two sisters held on to each other, bound by the grief and rage they shared. Regina had no strength for anything else. The blame would come later. For now, she couldn’t afford to throw away more love.
The baby made sleepy, contented noises behind them. Noises she remembered Henry making during the long, sweet nights when he was her whole world. The child had no idea of the heartbreak it was witnessing and, for some reason, that hurt more than anything else.
---
Regina’s footsteps were slow and stilted, mirroring her feelings. She had no desire to do what she was about to do.
Her shoes snapped branches and crunched through the leaves. The sounds were distracting, little bolts of disorder, at odds with the numb world she had resided in for the last few hours.
Emma had found Regina and Zelena slumped on the floor over Robin’s body. Her eyes shone with understood pain and Regina had never hated identifying with Emma more.
But Emma had gotten her up, had Snow and David meet them, and then given Regina a long hug.
Regina didn’t watch them carry Robin out. They were already making plans for a funeral and she hated the idea. Everyone would look at her with such pity in their eyes.
Zelena had left with the baby and Regina knew they would have to have a conversation soon. It was something else she wasn’t looking forward to.
Emma had told Regina that she’d tell Henry and, for once, Regina was glad not to be in charge. She didn’t want to see the look in Henry’s eyes when he realized someone else had been lost.
But she did have to tell Roland.
She here she was, marching through the forest, a monster headed toward the execution of an innocent’s childhood. Roland had already lost his mother. How could Regina admit she’d gotten his father killed?
The camp was just ahead of her and she braced herself against a tree, breathing deeply. Courage was failing her and she cursed its fragility in the face of such a task.
“Regina?” called a voice.
She opened her eyes to see Little John approaching her and his steps were hesitant, as if he already knew he didn’t want to hear what she had to say.
“Where is Roland?” she asked, forcing the words out.
“No,” Little John breathed, understanding immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she said, meeting his eyes.
“He’s, he’s over here,” Little John mumbled, his words automatic, and he gestured toward the other side of the camp.
Regina followed him silently, their faces announcing the news to all of Robin’s men as they passed. Footsteps fell in behind them and Regina found herself the leader of a death parade.
Roland was playing with a toy amidst the roots of an old oak tree. He looked happy. Regina wondered if this would forever be branded in his mind as his last happy childhood memory.
When he looked up and saw her, he smiled, like he thought they were going for ice cream. He’d never seen her as the Evil Queen or been frightened of her. He’d never seemed to resent her. She would almost rather that.
She knelt down beside him and he looked at her inquisitively.
“Where’s Papa?” he asked.
And why wouldn’t he? He expected his father to come home to him.
“Roland,” Regina said, trying to keep her seemingly endless supply of tears at bay. “Your papa isn’t coming back. I’m afraid there’s been an accident.”
“What?” he asked, his body freezing.
“You know how your mama is gone, right?” The little boy nodded. “Well, it’s like that with Robin. Your papa was a big hero and he saved my life, but he, he died, Roland.”
“No,” Roland cried out, and then leaned back against the tree. His small body crumbled in on itself and tears flooded down his face. He reached out and Regina gathered him in her arms.
“I’m sorry,” she said over and over again.
It shouldn’t surprise her that a child would cling to someone for comfort, even the someone who had brought them such terrible news. She would give anything not to be that someone. His tiny body shuddered against hers and she felt her tears staining the back of his shirt.
They rocked there a long time. Most of the men left, giving them some privacy, but Little John stayed a respectful distance nearby.
During the seemingly endless cycle of Roland crying and Regina whispering assurances, her mind whirled with memories of Robin and viewed the future stretched out as a void without love, now he was gone.
Gradually, Roland fell asleep, and Regina stood up and deposited him into the willing arms of Little John.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, and carried Roland off into one of the tents.
He returned a few moments later and stood in front of Regina while she gave him the full story. When she was finished, she shifted uncomfortably. This had to be the longest they had ever spoken.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Little John said finally.
“It was your loss too,” she offered.
“Exactly,” he said, and his mouth twitched hesitantly before he spoke up. He almost looked afraid. “And that’s why, pardon me, but we need to take charge of Roland. Robin would want it that way.”
Ah, so he was afraid she was here to take him. Well, as much as she might like to care for Roland, she knew that wasn’t the right course of action.
“I believe you’re right,” she answered, trying to smile but failing. “I’m not Roland’s . . . anything. You’re his family. But I will be here to help care for him with anything you need. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Little John said.
She waved aside the formality and managed a better smile.
“Please tell him goodbye for me and that I’ll see him soon, all right?”
“Of course.”
Regina turned to go—the leaving almost as painful as the coming. The dreadful deed was done, but she had nothing left to accomplish. Grief in all its fullness loomed ahead, waiting for her to walk into its open embrace.
For the first time she wished for some kind of villain to attack or magic to affect the town. Then she would have something to focus on. Instead, there was nothing to do but put Robin in the ground, mourn him and Killian, and go on with their lives.
She found over the next couple of days that people did expect her to do things. They wanted her to have opinions on the funeral and the reception at Granny’s, they wanted her to pick out what she was going to wear. They wanted her to tell them the story and tell them her pain. Snow’s constant hovering over her and Emma was suffocating.
It was almost easier with Zelena. At least there Regina had something to accomplish, such as providing a place for Zelena and the baby to stay. She offered, as a formality, but was surprised when Zelena took her up on the offer. The other woman seemed almost desperate to be close to Regina, to feel comfort from her younger sister. In a way, taking care of Zelena’s needs mitigated her own. It did nothing to smother the coals of resentment she could feel kindling.
The funeral itself was a blur to Regina’s senses. She still felt numb, trapped in a world where Robin didn’t exist anymore. If she knew a way out of it, she’d take it, but there was no way. This was forever.
Arrows bound with flowers were laid on the coffin. Rain pounded on umbrellas, the dismal mood reflecting that of the mourners. For once wearing black was appropriate. Regina didn’t hear any of the words Archie said, but she supposed they must have been beautiful.
She stood, staring down at the coffin, watching Roland leave in the care of Robin’s men. She wished his face didn’t look so pale.
Beside her, Zelena stood with the baby, who cried pitiful baby tears. Perhaps her plaintive wails were because of the cold and the rain, but Regina imagined they were tears for her never-known father.
“Shh, shh, shh. There, there,” Zelena whispered to the baby.
“He never even got to name his daughter,” Regina said dully.
It was an idle thought, but it was somehow the only thing that made sense right then.
“There's only one name I can think of that's fitting,” Zelena said. Regina turned to stare at her. “Robin.”
Regina kept staring for a moment, then managed a small smile.
“Robin. Of course.”
It was an honor, and perhaps a small way to undo some of the horrors Zelena had committed against Robin. It might even acknowledge the bond that Zelena had, prior to now, refused to admit was there between Robin and his daughter.
His legacy would go on in the world and Regina would make sure her niece knew how much her father had loved her and how much he had risked for her safety. It was the only thing she could promise her dead lover.