Archive of Our Own ^beta

Because this is not something that Regina wants to explain, it is not something she knows how to explain. How can she tell these people, her sworn enemies, with their fairies and blessed swords and golden thrones, what it was like to hear Daniel’s body fall to the ground and know deep in her bones that the best parts of her were left on that stable floor with him? How can she describe the way that Rumple’s arms felt around her as she sobbed, mourning for all those good, pure parts of herself that she’d lost over the years, how he had held her and loved her and never asked for anything in return, never expected even one kind word for it? How can she get them to picture that soft, wide-eyed look he gets when she grabs his hand as they read together on his settee, when Belle kisses the back of his neck as she passes behind him, when Evie and Addie call for their papa to come see, come see, when Henry begs him to play just one more game of chess before he goes, please please please? How can she explain how this pain she always carries with her found its match in Rumple’s chest and for that, she is his daughter, even as he is not and never has been her father?