News from the world of the living was hard to come by, but when it did come it was often the most joyous news one could hear. But not for Daniel. He had been down there for some time and slowly in the years following his own passing came what seemed like an endless flurry of the newly dead.
He thought at first it was another plague, God help the kingdom.
But through word of the mouth he began hearing the title 'Evil Queen'. The title was on everyone's tongue, being tossed around, and this cruel woman was regularly being discussed.
In his mind there was a vivid image of Cora Mills, her wicked smile burning into his mind. That awful false kind expression on her aging face, as she yanked his heart from his chest and sent him to this dismal Underworld.
He listened in more frequently and more intensely and his suspicions were confirmed. Most everyone of the newly dead were killed by a physical crushing of their heart. "Uniquely and horrifyingly breathtaking." An elderly gentleman described it as. He noted that he would have rather had a natural heart attack than what he got. Those who didn't have the luxury of getting their hearts ripped out, were faced with the Queen's guard.
"So she's finally done it then?" Dan asked one day. "Cora managed to steal the throne?"
The woman he had asked—a girl who'd come from a recently massacred town—looked puzzled. "Who is Cora?"
"The Evil Queen." He answered with his own befuddled expression.
"Her name is Regina."
Dan couldn't quite remember the excuse he made for having to leave in haste—it was probably ridiculous, what rush could the dead possibly have—but he couldn't seem to get a grip on what he had just heard.
It couldn't be his Regina. His Regina was gentle and innocent.
There were plenty of people named Regina out there.
It wasn't her.
It wasn't Regina Mills.
The dead kept coming in and fill him with little details of her clothing and her hair style. Of her facial expressions. Her harsh brown eyes and that twisted sneer. The resemblance to his lover was not lost on him. It was however completely denied.
One day there was mention of a peculiar detail—of a scar on her lip. He shed some tears that night, the truth was becoming more and more apparent. He couldn't fathom how his loving and kind Regina could do so many vile things.
He got his answer on the same day that Regina's deeds became completely undeniable. As he made his way down the hot cobblestone streets of the underworld he came across a lonely man stumbling towards him. In his years in the Underworld, Dan had seen an assortment of confused and bewildered faces. Everyone was surprised to die, especially the young ones. But this man, was absolutely taken over by shock. It was all over his familiar face.
Daniel became angry. How could the woman he once loved, do something so dark as to kill her own father? Another man who had such a gentle soul. The one who loved her so dearly. And now he was dead.
Dan was beside himself with rage. How could she have done that. Any of that? Henry Mills looked up and with sorrow in his eyes he said, "she misses you Daniel. She still loves you. And it destroys her."
Now all that's left in his mouth is a taste of sorrow.
Deep down he'd known it was true all along, why else would he still be stuck here?
He repeats it in his mind, "She still loves you. And it destroys her."