(A/N: Wow, I'm quite pleased with the feedback I've gotten so far! c: I'm glad you're all enjoying it. This will probably be the last chapter for a couple of weeks since I have to focus on finals. Anyway, enjoy!)

Her father. He was her father. Rumplestltskin was her father. Regina could hardly breathe. She realized she was still clutching the potion close and she brought her shaking hands down.

This didn't have to exist. She wouldn't let it exist. Eyes smouldering, Regina conjured a ball of flames and shot it into the fireplace. It would be so easy to just disintegrate the letter into ash and smash the potion against the wall. It would be like none of this happened. She could pretend it never did.

Nothing had to change, nothing had to be different. She wouldn't have to live the rest of her life in turmoil and uncertainty.

She gripped the letter and squeezed it, crumpling it. She hated him. He hated her. He ruined her life and she was content to watch him burn in the fiery pits of hell that he deserved. Enemies, that's all they were. Poison, that's all he was in her life. Yes...poison.

...So why couldn't she throw the accursed thing in the fire? Why couldn't she bring herself to smash the potion? Why did she claim to hate him so much and yet she was holding so desperately to the damn letter? It was right there. One throw, and it would all be over. Just one toss...

Her lips pursed together and trembled as she tried to hold it together. She shut her eyes, grunting as she threw the letter to the table in frustration. Just what did she think would happen if she showed him this? That he'd welcome her into his heart with open arms?

...Would he?

"ARGH!" She wasn't able to throw the potion so she went for the next best thing, the glass of wine. It shattered to the wall and left a red stain and she looked around desperately for something more to throw. Maybe she could just flip the table. Why did she care? Why did this all matter to her? Why did some needy part of her want to run to the man and scream to know why he was never there for her?

So many questions, so much pain.

Where were you? Where were you when she had me in her clutches? Why didn't you protect me? How different would her life had been? Would it have been better? Would he have protected her? What would life have been like with Rumplestiltskin as a father? Why did her mother go to such lengths to keep her from him? Why? Why, why, why did she have to find that DAMN letter?!

She gripped at her own hair, snarling. Tears built in her eyes and she furiously wiped them away. She was not going to cry. Not over him. Every time she cried he won. She wouldn't let him win this one.

What was she supposed to do now? What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't just...confront him about this. Oh wouldn't that be hysterical. Hi Dark One, it's me, the daughter you didn't know you had! There's a Father Daughter picnic coming up this weekend, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me!

If her aim was to make the man keel over, then maybe she could approach it that way. As it was right now, Regina wasn't sure if she could ever face him again. She wasn't sure what she'd say to him, but she'd probably punch him. She wanted to hurt him, but she also wanted to... to...

Hastily, Regina fumbled to get out her cellphone and dialled. "Emma?"

The voice that answered her was far from sober. "Heyyyy, Gigi! What's going on, Queenie?"

Oh, great. "Gigi? Emma, can I talk to you?"

A giggle sounded from the other line. "Oh sure, anything! Hey, your beau and mine are really getting along! And they both suck at darts drunk. I think Robie just lobbed a bottle cap thinking it's a dart!" Emma giggled.

Nope, this wasn't going to be any help, although her annoyance with the blonde certainly distracted her from her panic for a moment. "Never mind, you just keep hitting the shots there," she said bitterly and rolled her eyes. "Talk to me after you recover from your wicked hangover tomorrow morning." She'd never understand the appeal of drinking until you were completely plastered.

Hanging up, Regina played with her phone for a moment. She could call Robin, but...well, if he was actually mistaking bottle caps for darts then he probably wasn't very lucid at the moment. She didn't trust Hook either and this wasn't something she could just bomb her son with.

Gazing at the troubling letter to her phone again, Regina dialled once more. "Snow?" she barely managed, feeling more familiarity using her stepdaughter's old name. "Can I talk to you?"

"Rumplestiltksin is your what?" Snow repeated as she drained the rest of the tea into Regina's cup. The poor woman's hands were still trembling so much the tea sloshed over the sides. "How did this happen?"

Despite her current hysterics Regina gave her once-nemesis the most deadpan glare she could manage. "Really? Your father didn't go over the birds and the bees with you? Because you seem to be an expert-"

"I meant," Snow continued tersely. "...I don't know what I meant." She sat down in her own chair, tapping her teacup. "Why would your mother keep this from you all these years?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the older woman scoffed bitterly. "How could she ever use her little chess piece if the imp got a hold of it? She had fate set to make me queen before I was even born, she wouldn't let him ruin it. Even if it meant my life could have turned out significantly better."

Snow shook her head slowly and sipped her tea with Regina, trying to think of what to say next. "I guess this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. This family practically learns it's bigger then we thought every day," she joked. "So...what are you going to do?"

Regina laughed incredulously. "What am I supposed to do? I...I have no idea."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say," Regina muttered, twirling her spoon in the liquid. "I don't know what to tell him. Would it even make a difference?"

Snow bit her lip. "...I think it might."

"Besides," Regina continued and her voice rose with hate by the moment. "All I want is to see that leech on my life dead. I don't care what happens to him."

Snow looked completely unconvinced and frowned gently at the other woman. "Really?" she said, a knowing look on her face. "Why haven't you destroyed the letter then?"

Damn that palace brat, always able to see right through her... "...I don't know."

"I think you care more then you think."

Regina wanted to snap back that the other had no idea what she was feeling, but the words died on her tongue, so she just sent the younger a dark glare.

"I think you need to re-evaluate the situation," Snow suggested. "You're keeping the letter for some reason, and you haven't smashed the potion. I know you, and if you had no second thoughts about this then that letter would be ash right now. You know this is affecting you."

"Of course it's affecting me!" Regina cried. The look on her face was more pained now then anything. "He...he's my father! All of my life, Snow...I never felt real love from a family." She swallowed, her eyes glossing over. "My mother destroyed my life, moulded me into what she wanted because that's all she'd ever accept...and my father didn't love me enough to stop her. He never even tried. And then..."

She gave a choked laugh. "I find out I have a sister left and all she wants is to...ruin me! She wants nothing to do with me." She banged her fist and it trembled. "And that imp! That damned...twisted little creature..." She shut her eyes. "...Is all I have left of my blood line."

She wiped her eyes when she felt Snow put her hand gently on hers. "And I know I have family now. I have my son, I have Robin, I have..." She looked at the younger woman and her face flushed slightly, not comfortable saying it yet. "I have family...but as for any...biological relations... Rumplestiltskin is all I have left."

Snow squeezed her hand and smiled. "Then that's your answer."

"Maybe so." Regina slid her hand away, took a final sip of tea. "But I'm not ready yet."

"And no one said you had to be right away. Take your time on this. You know you have us there if you need us."

Regina gave her an almost timid smile. Sometimes it was hard to believe how far they had come. "I know..." She looked up when she heard crying from the other side of the room. "Sounds like the baby is awake."

"He is," Snow agreed, standing up from the table. "I have to get him. Can you check the oven for me? I have a roast in it for tomorrow."

"Oh really?" Regina scoffed. "I didn't come here to do your domestic duties."

"Well you can either change a diaper or check the oven."

"...Oven it is."

Grass tickled underneath her baby feet as she toddled about on chubby little legs and squeaked eagerly as she spotted a butterfly, racing after the bug like all curious toddlers were apt to do.

The bug fluttered above her tiny fingers as she flopped down on her backside. She squeaked as her weight sent her toppling onto her back and her legs kicked in the grass, trying to upright herself.

A soft, gentle chuckle sounded from the air around her and warm hands slipped into her armpits, gently pulling her to her feet. The baby looked around, but she couldn't see anyone.

"You have to be gentle if you want to hold a butterfly," the voice said gently. "And patient, little one. You can't run to them. They'll frighten easily."

She wiped off her frilly white dress and started to slowly make her way towards the flower the butterfly had landed on. She listened to the man's advice, and her baby toes barely inched forward in the grass, silent as could be. She reached out to the insect and it flew off the flower, this time landing delicately on the tip of her tiny nose.

The voice around her laughed and she grinned. When she turned around this time a man stood there. His skin glittered in the sunlight and his golden eyes looked down at her. His hair was scraggly and his appearance was quite frightening...but despite everything, Regina felt no fear, only giving a gurgling grin up at his smiling form. "Baa..."

"Come to Daddy, Regina." He bent down to her and held out his arms. The toddler squealed excitedly and started toddling as fast as she could, arms out towards him. "Daddy!"

Suddenly, the sweet reality was shattered as the skies seemed to darken and wind picked up. Regina found herself unable to move, glued to the spot. She looked around, confused and frightened. She whimpered and reached to her father, but he wasn't able to pick her up.

Hands slipped under her arms again, but these ones were colder, more firm, and definitely not as loving. "We're going home, Regina," an icy voice spoke. Regina cried out as she felt herself be tugged away from the man and she reached out desperately.

"Nah! Daddy!" she whined. He was calling to her, but she couldn't hear him anymore; his voice was drowned by the wind. She cried out when she felt dark binds surround her with magic, dragging her away like they were chains. "Daddy!"

His form faded from sight and all she could hear was her own agonizing wail.

Regina jolted awake and her pillow was wet with tears and sweat. She sat upright, panicking. All she could see was his face and all she could hear was her own desperate little voice screaming.

She reached for her cellphone and hastily dialled. He picked up on the third ring. "R...Rumplestiltskin?"