Leopold agreed to meet them back at the loft once his work was done and as the garbage truck rolled away Snow watched stunned.
"That's not how I pictured a king." Emma ventured
"It's ... not how I pictured my father." Snow said quietly. "He was ... neglectful of Regina. But I'm not sure what he ever did that would be keeping him here."
"I think that might be between him and her," Emma said glancing at Henry.
When they went back to the loft they found a note from Regina that she'd gone off on a recognizance trip with David and they didn't have much time to talk to her when she got back before there was a knock on the door. Everyone except Snow and Emma lay hands on a weapon. Well everyone except them and Regina who closed one fist tightly, Emma suspected to keep from instinctively lighting a fireball. "Who is that?"
"My father said he'd come by after work."
"The King? Is coming here?" Regina asked trying to cover her alarm.
"He said that his unfinished business was with you." Emma supplied.
"Well I did have him assassinated." Regina said flatly.
"I don't think that's it." Emma said as Snow went to the door. Leopold gave her a tight hug in the doorway, he was still dressed for work, with heavy boots and a beaten up jacket with high visibility stripes on it.
Everyone in the room was watching him except Henry who was watching his mother. After a moment Snow took hold of his hand and brought him over to David, "Daddy this is my husband... we also have a son but he's back home." The king shook David's hand but Regina remained stock still where she was.
Emma moved next to her and asked under her breath, "Are you okay?"
"No." She answered back simply.
But Snow, more oblivious than normal turned to them, and Leopold looked right at her, "You look well Regina."
"You do too. For a dead man."
Snow raised an eyebrow, but he buried his hands in his pockets. "It's hard to look worse once you're dead unless you annoy Hades. I'm not a big enough piece on the chess board for that."
"Finally figured out that the king wasn't the powerful piece on the board."
Snow frowned but Leopold chuckled, "Your mother's daughter."
"You finally noticed."
"I knew all along." He sighed, "I owe you ... apologies beyond my ability to deliver them. I... loved your mother deeply and she broke my heart. I ... punished you because I hated what she'd done to me. I thought you were just like her and she wanted power and for people to respect her so I made sure that you had none and that no one ... well that no one thought you were important."
Snow was staring at her father now and Emma was raising an eyebrow.
"What happened, happened a long time ago." Regina managed.
"You were my wife and I should have loved and honored you. I earned every bit of hate you had and may still have for me."
"You need her forgiveness to move on," Henry said aloud what every adult in the room knew.
Leopold nodded.
"Why didn't you come here when we first arrived in town if you've known that?" Emma asked.
He smiled a little, "I was an arrogant man in life, Emma, and I lived in a narrow world. This long down here, I've had a lot of time to understand my faults as a man, as a father, and as a husband. I would very much like to move on. To be with my first wife again. But I don't have the right to ask that of Regina. Whatever she may have done to others... this I did to her."
"She killed you." Snow said, confused and hurt.
He chuckled and shrugged, "When you are dead things become relative, my daughter."
"We'll help you." Snow announced, and looked over at Regina with a hopeful look Emma had seen the two women share before. The one she knew Regina couldn't resist.
"Of course we will." Regina said but there was an emptiness in her voice.
But Snow smiled and touched her father's face. "See, I told you we could save you."
But there was something haunting the back of Leopold's eyes. Something also haunting the back of Regina's. Still she raised her hand and the group transported to the fire caverns in a puff of purple smoke, Leopold standing on the bridge.
But the light did not form. He stood there and Snow grew confused.
"I don't understand, I thought you said you needed her forgiveness."
Leopold smiled and touched Snow's face, "I'm glad to know that she is again the woman who would do anything for you."
"... But she can't forgive him for you." Henry said. "That's not how the magic works."
Snow turned and looked at Henry surprised. Regina had been silent. "You... You took him from me. You killed all those people. And you ... can't find it in you to forgive him?! Your holding a grudge?!"
Regina opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"So many people have forgiven you. You forgave me... "
"Snow it's ... I'd love to forgive him."
Leopold approached them both, but she shook her head, and stormed off leaving the four of them staring at each other.
