Title: Souls Day
Summary: With everyone back at Storybrooke, All Souls Day brings spirits to walk the streets and resolve the past. StableQueen and hints of FairyQueen.
Warnings/Notes: You'll see dead people. Also: some StableQueen, mentions of a whole armada of Regina ships, and FairyQueen if you squint.
Disclaimer: If OUAT were mine... Heh heh heh...
A/N: My Halloween/All Soul's Day contribution. Kinda late, but hey, I wrote something!
"Regina." The voice was soft, filled with a warmth and care that was both half-familiar and foreign to the brunette.
Still mostly asleep, she didn't open her eyes and muttered with all the childlike innocence of a time long lost, "Daddy?"
"Yes, it's me... Open your eyes, Regina."
Sleepily, she slowly cracked open her eyelids but when she saw the shimmering figure standing beside her bed, awareness crashed down on her like a bucket of ice water. She sat up, almost giving herself whiplash from the sudden movement and sending a pillow flying onto the floor. "Wh-what-?"
"Regina, it's okay," Henry Sr. said softly and this time, his voice held conviction rather than the empty promises he always gave after Cora had her way. Still stiff, Regina allowed her shoulders to slump slightly.
"Daddy?" She asked again, this time in confusion and just a little bit of wonder.
"It's Halloween," he explained, answering her unasked question. He reached out and Regina could almost swear she felt his hand passing through her hair and combing out tangles. Like always, he was attempting to comfort her but like always with too little. "And I suppose I was allowed to visit you."
There was a brief silence as Regina struggled to find something to say. "I—why—I don't—"
"I came because you're my daughter," Henry Sr. said, his ghostly figure moving as if he were sitting down at the foot of the bed but he just floated above the messy sheets rather than sink into them. "I want you to be happy."
A sour lump formed in Regina's throat at those words and she bit at her lip for a few seconds, struggling to keep control of the liquid starting to sting her eyes. When the feeling receded she let out a strangled breath. "I'm so sorry Daddy. I'm not happy." Her words were simple and lost, reaching out towards her insubstantial father for some comfort, some reassurance that things would be all right.
Henry Sr. looked on helplessly at his daughter, only able to pass on the gentlest of warm touches when he tried to reach out to her.
"I'm sorry I took your heart," at that, her voice broke but she pushed on, staring straight at the figure that glowed ever-so-slightly in the dark gloom of the time barely past midnight. "I'm sorry I tried to be happy and it didn't work."
"Regina," her father said suddenly. He looked like he was gripping at her arm as tightly as he could, but Regina could only feel a faint pressure at the spot. "Regina, I need to apologize." He let go and moved off the bed only to nudge her to turn around and face him as he knelt on the floor. He grasped her hands as well as he could as he looked at her.
"I am sorry for not taking you away from Cora," he whispered fervently. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to stop her." He leaned forward and hugged her, and this time she could feel him completely and solidly there, holding her steady as she took in deep, shuddering breaths. "I'm sorry you aren't happy and that you believe you don't have love."
Apologies couldn't solve what had happened to her in the past, but at the same time, Regina felt a knot of bitterness to her father that she never knew she had before loosen. She hesitantly reached out and accepted the hug completely. "I... forgive you daddy."
She could feel him smile. "Thank you, Regina," he murmured.
They were silent again and as much as Regina wanted to stay there in the comfort of the little bubble they had formed, she couldn't help but bring the moment to a close. After all, the other foot would always drop down and she wanted to know what it was. "Why are you here, daddy?" she asked.
She felt his grip loosen, or rather, she realized, he was becoming more transparent again. "I'm here—actually, many of us are here to tie up loose ends." As he faded, Regina felt a sense of finality. She knew, just knew that he would soon vanish completely this time. His voice became just the slightest bit urgent. "Remember, that you can be happy. You have..." at this, he smiled widely, "Henry. He loves you—I know it. And Regina, there are other people who love you too. You just have to believe in them." Regina would have scoffed, but by then, Henry Sr. was almost gone and even his voice was fading away.
"Daddy, I love you," the former mayor whispered, reaching out to touch his fading arm but then letting the air trickle through her fingers instead of gripping tight. Her father then faded away entirely, but not before he whispered I love you too as he faded away.
Regina was left staring blankly into the space he had somewhat occupied before she covered her face in her hands.
She had sat there, alone in the dark again when another familiar voice rang through the room, this one causing her to automatically stiffen and sit up straight.
"You would've been enough."
"You would've been enough." The familiar phrase hung in the air long after it had been spoken, just as it had the first time Regina had ever heard it.
"Mother!" Regina gasped, an automatic fear rising up from the pit of her stomach before she tamped it down. She died. She loved me. She can't hurt me-
"I won't hurt you, darling," Cora sighed as if Regina should have already known that. As if she should have expected that.
Regina felt a flare of pain and anger rise up in her chest. "And how should I know that, Mother?" she asked spitefully. "From all the times you 'didn't hurt me' before?"
Even in the dark, Regina could see Cora's eyes flash in anger at her impudence and she winced just slightly, expecting a lashing in response. Instead, Cora just stood still until Regina looked up again and they stared at each other.
"Is there anything you would like to tell me, dear?" Cora asked, smiling and showing her teeth. It was a mask, Regina noticed. She should know, having donned many herself through the years.
"Not really, Mother," Regina said, lying and putting on her own equally false smile.
A cool eyebrow raised. "Nothing at all?"
Regina raised her own eyebrow but soon the fight drained out of her and she looked just tired. "What else is there to say that I haven't already said before Mother?"
"Tell me," Cora suddenly said, switching gears so quickly Regina floundered for a bit. "Have you found anyone new to love?"
"Are you seriously asking about my love life?" Regina cried in disbelief.
"I believe taking away your love was one of my greatest failures with your happiness," Cora said firmly and Regina's voice died in her throat.
Cora continued, "You know I always wanted you to be happy but I was... wrong... in taking him away. Love isn't a weakness Regina, and I'm sorry I taught you that. Because you... you love and that is what makes you happiest."
Regina's mouth opened and closed for several moments. "I—I've done too many wrong things," she said faintly. "And I've already lost my true love." She had tried to kill Snow White and Charming, tried to poison Emma, lied to Henry, ruined lives, abandoned Tinker Bell... "I could be happy with just Henry's love but..."
Cora looked at her closely before shaking her head and smiling softly in an unfamiliar expression of love and adoration. "You know he already loves you and forgives you," she chided. "And you know as well that you can have a more chances at love. There are many who love you. You just have to believe in them and let you in." She lifted a finger to stop Regina from talking. "It's nearly my time to go," she said firmly, "so I just wanted to tell you this: I did many wrong things in my life and I never got the chance to right them. But you have proven yourself already. The only person who hasn't forgiven you is yourself."
Regina hesitantly nodded. "I... I will think about what you have said..."
"Believe, my daughter," Cora whispered.
Just before she vanished, Regina called out, "Mother, I forgave you long ago. You were enough."
The last thing she saw was her mother's answering smile.
In a city full of fairytales, ghosts shouldn't have been so shocking. However, when the transparent, flickering forms appeared during Halloween, it was the shock-hardened Emma ("Nothing will beat having Snow White and Prince Charming as parents. Or fighting a dragon. Or meeting Mulan. Or, well, everything I've gone through damnit.") and Henry ("I knew ghosts existed!") who didn't really bat an eye while the rest of the town wandered around shaken.
"I want to invite Mom to the Halloween party," Henry told his blonde mother as they walked along the street late that afternoon. He looked supremely excited and any time any ghostly figure came near, he eagerly stared at them as if devouring them with sight alone. "I think it'd be great. I wonder if she knows if ghosts existed in the Enchanted Forest or not?"
"Sure kid," Emma agreed readily, her mind a bit unfocused. Sure, she wasn't that surprised by the existence and appearance of ghosts, but that didn't mean she hadn't been freaked out when she had woken up to be greeted with Graham's glowy ghost face. After calming her down, Graham had spouted off some stuff about souls dropping by for the day and how he was glad Emma had found a family again before vanishing.
Snow had been happy enough that morning though. She had skipped around like a little girl, chattering to two ghosts who were apparently her parents. David on the other hand had been either awkwardly standing by her, dealing with Leopold's 'You are the one defiling my daughter? Die' looks or looking even worse as he met his twin brother for the first time.
Outside, Emma had already seen signs of other similar events. In the diner, Ruby had been in some strange conversation with both her mom and her old boyfriend Peter. Hook had strolled by on the street with Milah, looking both heartbroken and happy at his chance to really get a little bit of time with her.
She had yet to see either Gold or Regina, but she hadn't seen huge lines of ghosts out to get them so Emma was fairly certain not every single dead person was back. Thank goodness, she thought to herself in relief. She had enough on her plate than some vengeful spirits.
Just as she and Henry were about to turn into the street where Regina's mansion was, they saw her walking towards them. There were no ghosts around her, either. Emma entertained the thought that maybe there had been a mob of ghosts but Regina had just killed them all again. Maybe Regina could get rid of other annoying ghosts too? Henry just ran forward and hugged her with a bright "Hi Mom!" Then, in a coup de grace he hit her with big puppy dog eyes as he invited her to eat with them and the Charmings. Of course, Regina caved immediately.
Regina thought her ghostly spirit-visits were over after her parents that morning but when she followed Henry into Snow White's apartment and saw the ghostly man there, she froze up before letting out a breath. Of course she had to deal with even more problems before the day would end. Well, if she couldn't ignore it first.
But Regina couldn't very well ignore Leopold especially when throughout the dinner he attempted to talk to her.
"Regina-" "Please pass the salad," Regina said loudly.
"Can we tal-" "So, Miss Blanchard, how is Henry doing in school?"
"I wanted to say, Re-" "I believe Henry should learn how to ride, what do you think, Miss Swan?"
Finally, at the end of the supremely awkward lunch, Leopold cornered Regina.
"I thought ghosts should be insubstantial," Regina hissed as she tried to push past him but encountered a weird shifting sensation not unlike jelly and flinched back.
Leopold heaved a great sigh. "I know you don't want to listen to me, but I need to say one thing to you. Allow me to have my say and I won't bother you again," he requested.
Regina frowned but nodded, wrapping her arms around herself defensively.
"I wasn't the best husband and I knew you were unhappy," he prefaced gravely, but with that kind air he had portrayed to all his subjects, always the king. "I couldn't be the person Eva saw in me for you. Just know I am sorry that I ignored you and couldn't let you go even when you wanted to."
"Was that all?" Regina asked, shifting and trying not to notice the curious eyes peering at them from the other room.
"One more person wants to talk to you. Your stable boy," Leopold said, causing her to freeze. "Just remember when you talk to him to listen to him and what your heart says. I never listened to mine when it came to you, and I've regretted it."
Without a word, Regina strode off, barely missing Leopold who stepped to the side hastily. The door slammed shut behind her and the rest of the family rushed into the room as if finally allowed in. "What happened?" Emma demanded. "What did you say to her? Should I get her?"
"No," Leopold ordered, holding out a hand. "There's just another person she needs to meet. Alone. Allow her to go to him." Emma looked confused and worried but Snow understood her father's meaning and put a gentle hand to hold the Sherriff back. With a few muttered words, she was convinced to let Regina be.
It took another hour and the end of sunset before Regina finally forced herself to stop pacing around the house. Instead, she settled outside with a glass of wine in her hand and stared fixedly at the darkening sky, wondering what the conversation would go like.
Finally, thought Regina, as she sat outside on her porch and gazed at the shimmering figure who had appeared right in front of her. There he was. Daniel. The glass in her hand shook slightly and she quickly put it down out of the way.
"I'm here," he said with a dorky little smile as he opened his arms wide.
Regina couldn't hold back a laugh but quickly calmed down as she stood up and walked up to him. "You're here," she said.
"The day is nearly over," he said. "Will you walk with me?" There was no need to run anymore after all.
The streets were empty, but lights blazed from many houses and the faint sound of voices drifted in the air as they strolled along. They weren't hand-in-hand, but they were close enough the feel each other's presence.
"You told me to find love again," Regina said, eyes fixed ahead as they walked. "But how am I supposed to do that? I loved—I still love—you."
"You don't have to forget me," Daniel told her earnestly. "But you don't have to spend your life with only my memory... You don't have to forget me to love them."
"Sometimes it feels that way," Regina muttered, hunching her shoulders and burying herself into her coat.
"No, Regina," Daniel said firmly. "You have all the time in this world to decide if you want to be with someone and who you want it to be with. But I want you to be happy, and you aren't happy or even truly living if you keep thinking about me and revenge."
"I feel like that's all I have left," Regina said as they came to a stop by the pier. Daniel sat down by the edge and let his feet sink down into the water. Regina bent down beside him but didn't bother taking off her shoes to stick her feet into the water—it was cold. "And only you could make me do this," she huffed, bending her legs to the side and settling into a more comfortable position.
Daniel laughed. When he finally calmed to the soothing sound of the waves, he smiled at her. "That'll change if you let it," he said off-handedly. "But for now, I think all I can do for you is to have us enjoy the rest of the night together as a final goodbye. Is that okay?"
Regina swallowed, not really liking the idea of a 'final' goodbye, but she knew Daniel was probably right. "Let us have one more happy time together," she said thickly.
"We can start with, well," Daniel looked hesitant now. "Can you introduce me to your son?"
Regina felt her heart clench and then she nodded, smiling through watery eyes. "Of course. I—we might be kind of late, but he did invite me to their Halloween party. It should be at the diner." She stood up and brushed herself off before taking Daniel's hand and pulling him along.
When they entered the diner, the room was vibrant with color and decorations as well as a few scattered ghosts. Regina scanned the room and immediately saw Henry hovering by the counter and staring fixedly at the pie there. There had been so many times Regina had wished she could share Daniel with him, and this time, she would be able to... in a way.
"Henry," she called as they neared.
He turned and beamed at her. "Mom, you came!" His face scrunched up in confusion at the sight of Daniel. "Who're you?"
"Henry, this is Daniel, my—" what? What could Regina ever say to encompass who Daniel was to her?
"Hi Henry," Daniel said, stopping her from floundering. "I would've been your dad."
Henry and Daniel loved each other and Regina couldn't help but just sit back and watch them talk, or really, Henry talk and Daniel listen and insert his own thoughts. Regina admitted that she really would have liked to cry at that scene, but they were in the diner and so Regina just allowed herself to get a tiny bit teary-eyed as she indulged in a few glasses of wine and some of the food.
It was soon late though and Daniel let Henry get dragged away by the Charmings and he headed back to Regina. He lifted a hand to tenderly wipe away a tear and then tugged her to stand up. "Let's go," he told her. "There's just a bit more for us to talk about before I have to go. I hope you didn't drink too much...?" Regina just smiled at him and stood up, wobbling only slightly.
The air outside was very cold by then, but neither of them were cold and they took their time walking back along the path towards Regina's mansion.
"So, what did you want to ask me?" Daniel asked casually, staring up at the glittering stars.
"Of course you knew," Regina sighed, looking up as well. She stumbled for a bit and her mind drifted, pleasantly buzzed from the party. Regina wondered how Tinkerbell was, still stuck in Neverland as she remembered the quote from Peter Pan about the second star to the right and straight on till morning. "If... I were... to love someone again... who would really love me?"
"Everyone can love you Regina, if you take the leap," Daniel replied turning around and starting to walk backwards so he could look at her instead. Regina kept her gaze firmly painted at the sky though. "I'm serious Regina," Daniel continued. "If you believe in them, they can surprise you."
Regina let out a giggle. "Everyone?"
"Would you like me to explain all your connections with the people?" Daniel asked. "I've had way too much time to think about it."
Regina just laughed again as they turned up her driveway and she let them in. It was warmer inside and she shed her coat and sank down into couch as Daniel followed her.
"There's Hook," he began, and Regina just looked at him as he spoke, blinking slowly. "You and he both understand losing a loved one and loving people deeply. Or, there's Tink," at that name, Regina's haze cleared slightly and she raised an eyebrow but Daniel only grinned boyishly at her. "You shared everything with her and don't think I didn't see it when you just gave her your heart."
Regina yawned sleepily and fought to keep her eyes open. "That was'ta keep 'er good," she slurred. Daniel just smiled at her as he listed other names and reasons ranging from Emma to Neal. But the day had been long and even when he started getting more exaggerated and describing people Regina couldn't for the life of her recall, Regina couldn't respond except to give a small smile at him.
Just as Regina dropped off to sleep, she felt Daniel tenderly pushing back her hair. "Just remember Regina, when you wake up, trust me and believe in love again, okay?"
"Mmkay," she whispered, allowing her eyes to close...
And when she woke up the next morning, he was gone except for a lingering warmth and the feeling that the hole in her heart was shrinking. Believe in love again, okay? She remembered him saying.
She cleaned herself up, thinking about what he said and laughing to herself as she remembered some of his names. Finally, she stepped outside for a moment to settle by her apple tree to think. "Believe in love," she whispered. "I don't have to love again right now, but... I know that I can love again."
A flash of light in the sky caused her to look around and up where she saw glimmering green fly through the air. She gasped as she realized what, or rather, who, it was. The tiny figure hovered over her lawn and then in the next instant, changed into a normal-sized human figure, albeit with wings.
"Tinkerbell!" Regina exclaimed, eyes wide as she took in the gleaming green clothes, the golden hair, and the very fairy-like appearance. "Your wings—how?"
"It's—it's belief," Tinkerbell said, sounding awed and really rather excited as she spun around and enjoyed the feel of her renewed wings as well as taking in the sight of Storybrooke. "I just felt as if I was really, truly, believed and then..." She beamed and twirled once more before throwing herself at Regina in a tight hug. "What did you believe in, Regina?" she asked directly into the queen's ear.
Regina let her eyes flutter close as she hugged back tightly. "I... believed in love," she breathed. "I realized that I have a chance to be a better person and right past wrongs and that I could be loved..."
I believed I could choose. And my heart chose...
A/N: Because I can get into the OutlawQueen ship if there's some good chemistry, but what I really want is for Regina to be able to choose her love and how her life is going to go. So I chose Tink because before the fiasco with the Twu Wuv fairy dust, that's probably the happiest someone has made Regina without demanding that she change.