A/N: This chapter is a bit different from the previous ones, as you may or may not guess it after its title. Not much will happen here, it will basically be a lot of flashbacks. I've been told Will, Neal and Belle showed up a bit out of nowhere, and that is true, so I'm trying to make up for this mistake. This chapter won't bring anything to the plot other than to give a glimpse of Regina's past with them three in different moments of her life, before the verdict falls in the next chapter, and she hopefully can put the bad that's happened to her behind her and close that chapter of her life.
Those of you who have read the OS I've written for an OQ prompt week years ago might recognize some of the flashbacks, and indeed, one was posted then, the other was posted too, but from Henry's POV, and not Regina.
Enjoy! Next chapter will come soon!
Her memories
"Will, stop cheating, will you! We all saw the bill you hid in your sleeve." Daniel accuses the man, smirking and leaning back in his chair.
Will playfully fakes innocence as he widens his eyes in shock. "My! Me, cheating! Com'on Daniel, you know me better than that!"
Will smiles and winks at Regina, who laughs at his reply, shaking her head. Will's the biggest cheat she's met, he never knows how to play a game by the rules. But at least, he's also a good player, and accepts losing almost without a protest.
It's been a long time since she's spent time surrounded by so many people from her past: Daniel, Will, Neal and Belle. It's been a long time since she's been reminded of the happy moments that she'd lived then.
For as long as she can remember, they've always been in her life. She started horseback riding when she was barely 5 years old, and up until he married Alice and left, Will's always been her teacher. He's a playful man, always has a joke on the tip of his tongue, making fun of everything, except her safety when she was riding. She made huge progress in a short amount of time thanks to him, became comfortable and bonded with Rocinante in no time. The moments she spent with Will, Rocinante and Daddy were amongst the happiest she remembers, her breath of fresh air in the middle of her complicated relationship with her mother.
One of these moments was when Daddy and Will told her that Rocinante was hers...
xxx
"Regina, are you ready?"
She grabs her backpack with one hand, her black leather gloves and riding helmet with the other, and rushes out of her room, climbing down the stairs at a fast speed. She spots her father in front of the entrance, and she comes to a halt right in front of him, holding herself straight, catching her breath and giving him a toothy grin.
"Yes, Daddy." She opens her arms to show him she really was ready. She's wearing light beige riding pants with a long sleeved white shirt and black chaps, and her long hair is braided tightly. "All set!"
Henry chuckles, cups her chin and caresses it softly, Regina leaning into his hand. "Perfect, my beautiful princess. Shall we go?"
Regina is about to nod, but she's interrupted by the firm click-clacking of high heels on the floor, a sound that she recognizes very well and is always a harbinger of bad omen. Her assumption is confirmed when Mother appears in the doorway, staring at them with pursed lips and a frown on her face.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to run in the house, Regina? That's not the proper way for a lady to behave."
Regina straightens her back immediately, her smile fading as she looks down apologetically. She should have known better than to forget about one of her mother's rules. "I'm sorry, Mother."
She feels Daddy pull her to him as he retorts, "She didn't do anything wrong, Cora."
"Nothing wrong?" Regina startles at her mother's harsh tone. "Our daughter is not a peasant, Henry. So she shouldn't behave like one."
"And she's not," Daddy replies. "She's only ten, yet Regina has more good manners than all of the other kids her age." Regina looks up, glancing at Daddy sheepishly, while his eyes remain set on her mother. "It's the weekend, we're going to the stables and I am not going to scold her for being excited about it. And you shouldn't either."
When her mother takes a few threatening steps their way, glaring at Regina, she presses herself even closer into her father's embrace, leaning her head against his side, seeking his protection.
"She's my daughter, Henry. I get to scold her when I believe it's necessary."
Regina feels her father slowly leading her to the door, and she lets him guide her, protect her as he always does, shielding her from her mother's thunder.
"And I'm her father. To me, there's nothing to scold her for." His thumb is against her temple, soothing, so Regina looks up at him and finds his comforting smile and warm brown eyes staring at her. "Let's go, Princess."
She shyly replies with her own smile, not wanting to show her mother any sign of rebellious tendencies, still too afraid of her. When she dares to glance at her mother, she can see that she's fuming, angrily glaring at them. She hates conflicts with Mother; she'd like to have the same relationship with her as she has with her father, but no matter how hard she tries to please her, she always seems to mess it all up somehow. Right now, she wants nothing more than to run to her mother, and hug her tightly. But Mother doesn't like hugs, and anyway, another tug by her father on her shoulder makes her fully face the door, and they make their way out of the house in perfect silence.
xxx
She still can't grasp the reason why Mother is never satisfied with her, doesn't understand how she can be better to finally make her happy. All she wants is her love. Maybe Daddy will give her a way to get there.
"Daddy?" Regina asks shyly.
"Yes, Princess?"
She forces herself to keep her voice steady, but she can't help fidgeting with the seatbelt, uncomfortably squirming as she questions. "Am I a bad girl?"
"Why would you think that, Regina?"
She shrugs, tries to let her father believe that it doesn't matter to her, that it's not important. "I don't know. Whatever I do, mother never seems satisfied. And I try really hard, Daddy! I do, I swear! I don't know why it's never good enough."
She looks deep into his brown eyes, his love for her enveloping her and making her feel warm and safe, the way it always does. His hand closes over hers, and he squeezes tenderly, his eyes back on the road.
"Your mother is a scrupulous and meticulous person, Princess. She wants what's best for you, and that means that she'll always ask you to do your best." Regina opens her mouth to argue, but her father cuts her off. "She loves you very much, Regina. I don't want you to have any doubts about that. And I love you more than anything." Regina smiles at these words, her cheeks blushing. She knows that. She knows how much her father loves her, and she loves him just as much. "You are an extraordinary girl. Sweet, kind and respectful. My Princess, you are not a bad girl. To be honest, I couldn't have asked for a better daughter."
"Really, Daddy?" she asks sheepishly. Knowing that he loves her is one thing, but she never thought that she was more than ordinary. If she was, then why would her mother be so unsatisfied with her?
Henry hums quietly, releasing her hand to make a difficult turn, the wheels sliding on the ground, until he stabilizes the vehicle, puts the car in park and switches off the engine. He turns to face Regina for the first time since the conversation had begun, cups her chin, and smiles at her with all his love and tenderness, making her want to jump up to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tight.
"Really, my princess. Never question who you are. Never forget how loved you are. And if you ever do, come to me so I can remind you of how much you mean to me and how proud I am of you." He presses a soft kiss to her forehead, one of these warm and soft kisses that has Regina closing her eyes and exhaling softly. When he pulls back, he locks eyes with her, and says in his most sincere voice, so she knows how much he means this, "I love you, Regina."
Regina's eyes are bright and shining with unshed tears that gathered there during his touching words. She has to bite her lower lip to try to refrain from grinning, but she fails and laughs happily, giving in and wrapping her arms around him, burying her head in his neck, smiling when she feels him return the gesture.
"I love you, too, Daddy."
He rubs her back for a few seconds, then pulls back, announces enthusiastically. "Come on! Take your stuff and let's go see Rocinante."
Regina jumps out of the car, her bag thrown over her shoulder, and runs around the vehicle to grab her father's arm. She is now grinning happily, practically dragging him towards the stables in a burst of impatience, forcing him to quicken his pace. She loves horseback riding, so when Daddy suggested that they could go today, she agreed happily. She spots Will, the stable boy, who's walking towards them, and her smile widens. Will takes care of Rocinante, but also teaches her how to ride, and he's a funny guy whom she's grown very fond of, and she knows he cares about her very much.
"Hi, Will!"
"Hello, Miss Regina, Mr. Henry," the man says respectfully. "How are ya doin' today?"
"Very good, thank you, Will," Henry replies with a nod. "Is everything ready?"
Will smirks and winks at Regina. "Aye, sir. It is."
"Perfect. Shall we then?"
Will rubs his hands together, spins on his heels, and heads towards the stables. "Follow me!"
Regina follows suit, but doesn't let go of her father's sleeve, dragging him with her. When she enters the stable, her dear Rocinante is standing in the middle, waiting for her. Regina's eyes light up at the sight of the stallion, and she looks up at her father, silently asking for his permission, which he gives her with a smiling nod. She runs to Rocinante immediately then and lets him nudge her shoulder, her hands coming up to catch the tip of his nose, her fingers scratching his forehead, then moving to his neck affectionately. She pats his neck, and presses a kiss to his cheek. When Rocinante neighs and taps his hooves impatiently, as to tell her how much he wants to get out, Regina giggles, grabs the reins and starts leading the horse outside.
"Regina?"
The girl stops walking and looks up at her father expectantly.
"Yes, Daddy?"
Her father takes a step towards her, brings his hand forward with the palm up, silently asking Rocinante's permission before caressing his nose.
"I have a surprise for you."
Regina's eyes grow wide with curiosity, her jaw falling open slightly. She loves her father's surprises, he usually knows exactly what she loves. Unlike her mother...
"I made a deal with Rocinante's owner."
Regina frowns. "With Alice?" She knows the woman a little, met her a few times when she first started her riding lessons. She's Will's girlfriend, from what she understood.
"Aye," Will steps in. "Ya see, as much as she loves riding Rocinante, work keeps her on the road constantly, so she doesn't have the time to come here anymore, let alone ride him. And I told her that you're fond of horseback riding, and are also an excellent rider. She also knows the depth of your relationship with Rocinante. He loves and trusts you."
Regina gazes at the horse and presses her forehead to his tenderly. She loves this horse, too, so much. "The feeling is mutual. We're partners," she replies when she looks up at her father and Will.
"Well, my princess," he starts, Regina's eyes traveling up to his. "I'm glad to hear that. Because you're going to spend a lot of time with him."
Regina's frown deepens, this time in confusion. "What do you mean, Daddy?"
Henry meets Will's amused grin, and smiles back at her. "What I mean, my darling, is that Rocinante is now yours. Alice has sold him to me, as a gift to you."
Regina doesn't react immediately, staring at him with large skeptical eyes, not sure that she understood him right. But his and Will's smiles are enough indication that this isn't a joke, it's true, Rocinante is hers. Her face lights up then, radiating with happiness as she squeals in excitement, jumping in her father's arms, embracing him tightly and breathing a million 'thank yous' in his ear.
She pulls back, beaming, looking at him with dancing stars in her eyes and a grin from ear to ear, because as always, he found the most perfect gift.
"Thank you, Daddy! This is the best gift ever!"
Regina turns to Will, meets his amused and satisfied gaze.
"Thank you, Will." Remembering that Will and her father weren't the only people involved in this, she adds. "Can I count on you to send my thanks to Alice?"
"Of course, Regina. I'm sure she'll be relieved to know that you've accepted to be Rocinante's new owner. There's no better master for him than you."
As if to tell them he agrees, the horse neighs, bumping his nose against Regina's shoulder, seeking her attention. Regina brings a hand to his neck, then to his forehead and scratching it tenderly.
"Are you happy, too, Rocinante?" Regina asks, unable to suppress her grin.
The horse neighs again, and Regina shushes him softly, reassuring him when she feels his impatience growing. "Yeah, handsome. Me too. Come on!" She gets in the saddle, and starts leading him towards the arena. "Let's ride for a bit."
She spends the entire session with a smile that reaches her eyes, happily laughing as she jumps a fence, glancing at her father to see nothing but pride in his eyes. As usual, Will gives her advice, tells her to correct her posture, to keep her chin high, encourages and congratulates her with each new progression.
She just jumped another fence when she hears Will's voice calling her name, so she slows down her horse and turns her head in his direction.
"That's enough for now. Go have lunch with your father."
"Alright." She pulls on the reins, leads Rocinante towards Will. "I'll remove his saddle and-"
But Will shakes his head. "Nah, I'll take care of it this time. You did great, you deserve your rest."
She gets down from the saddle, and he pats her shoulders, winking at her when he takes Rocinante's reins.
"Thank you, Will." Regina pets the horse's forehead. "Thank you for the ride, Rocinante. I'll clean up your box this afternoon."
xxx
Will always looked up after her, even when his marriage with Alice forced him to abandon his job as her teacher and Rocinante's keeper to travel the world. He always called and asked for news, even if she never let him catch even a glimpse of the hell she was living.
xxx
Daddy's gone.
Daniel's gone.
Will's gone.
She's alone now. It's her against the world, against her step father, his clients. But most of all, Regina stands alone against the very person who should have been protecting her.
Her mother.
Regina still can't grasp the reason why Mother does this to her. Why she can't seem to feel even an ounce of love towards her own daughter, her own flesh and blood.
What did she ever do to deserve this kind of treatment?
For as long as she can remember, Regina has always done her best to be a good girl, to fulfill each and every one of Mother's requests and to follow her orders. She stood up straight, kept her chin up and proud and politely welcomed their guests. She shook hands, smiled kindly to each and every one of the very wealthy strangers, but it didn't come natural to her, it was all just pretend. Her grades are excellent, her manners perfect. What more does Mother want, what more does she need to finally be satisfied? To put an end to her daughter's suffering?
How can she just stand there and watch her dear husband use his walking stick, his feet and fists to punish her daughter for daring to refuse to work at the casino - to refuse Nottingham's request - on an evening she was supposed to be spending at home? How can she listen to her daughter's screams, her pleas and her cries and do absolutely nothing to make it stop?
Buzz.
Buzz.
Buzz.
Regina snaps her eyes open, moving from her curled up position on her bed, emerging from her foggy state. She wipes her face with one hand, the other searching for her phone, finding it still buzzing on her bedside table.
Will.
Her former teacher's name is blinking the screen, and it brings a small smile to her lips. Will always knew how to cheer her up. It's exactly what she needs right now. She grabs her phone, sniffles, takes a deep breath, exhales, and accepts the call.
"Hey, Will!" She greets with a cheerful voice bare of any remnants of her previous state of mind. Exactly like Mother taught her. Pretending. At least that's of some use to avoid raising questions.
"Hello, Regina! How's my favorite student?"
His question tugs at her heart, the memories of their classes together, of better and happier times hitting her hard.
"I'm good, Will. I do miss everyone, but I'm alright."
There's a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Now that Alice and I are married, I kinda have to be by her side during official meetings and parties. Ya know what I mean?"
Regina looks down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sheet.
"I do. It's just bad timing, I guess. First Daddy, then Daniel got fired and found a job on the other side of the world, and now you. But I know Alice needs you. She's your wife. I'll be okay." She lies with a perfectly neutral voice. Before he gets the chance to linger on the subject, she switches her tone into a happier one. "So what country are you in right now?"
"I'm not that far actually. We're in California. I wish I could visit, but we're only here for a couple of days and we're already on a tight schedule."
Regina is torn between relief and disappointment. Seeing Will would soothe her loneliness for a little while, but then she reminds herself that that would only be temporary, the feeling would come back stronger than before after he'd left. Anyway, she can't let him discover what's going on, and step in. Gold would probably destroy him in the blink of an eye. As much as she wishes for this hell to stop, Regina refuses to endanger anyone else's life.
"I understand. By the way, did you go back to your hometown?"
Will chuckles, and she pictures him smirking the way he often does.
"I had to, Alice insisted on finally meeting my parents."
"How did it turn out?" Regina asks cautiously. She knows Will's relationship with his parents has been tense ever since he left his wealthy family to fly to America right after high school. From what she can remember, he hadn't seen them since, they didn't even attend his wedding.
"Better than I anticipated. They love her, and the fact that she comes from a good family helps, ya know?"
Regina can only agree. Mother already tried to match her with several young men her age since Daddy passed. But Will's situation is different, and that's a really good thing! So she's sincere when she tells him, "That's great, Will! I'm happy for you. Rocinante and I miss you, but you and Alice are going to have an amazing life together, I'm sure of that!"
"Thank you, Regina. But I didn't call to talk about me. Tell me more about you! How's Rocinante? What about your new horseback riding teacher?"
Oh, that…
"Rocinante is fine, he's taken care of and I ride him regularly. As for my new teacher, he's…" Regina attempts to find the right word, settling on, "Not as good as you."
"What do you mean?"
Regina rolls her eyes and looks up to the ceiling. "My mother hired him. Luckily, he knows how to take care of horses, but when it comes to giving lessons… he's not really a rider, if you know what I mean."
"I see," Will replies slowly, processing the information. "That's a shame, really. I'm sure you could teach him a thing or two!"
Regina lets out a genuine deep laugh. Will always knew how to make her smile, even during the worst moments. She hasn't laughed like this in… well, forever.
"But what about you?"
Regina's breath hitches as if someone just punched her in the stomach. She's dying to tell him the truth, to tell anyone the truth, but there would be consequences. Consequences too severe for her to take any risk. Especially now that no one is here to protect her anymore. Also, despite the lack of proof, she's almost certain that Gold tracks every single one of her calls and emails. She doesn't want to put herself in danger, even less so the people she cares for. So she swallows down the bile rising in her throat, tries to forget her rumbling stomach as she was forbidden to have dinner, and her painful ribs caused by Gold's walking stick when she had dared to say no.
"I'm okay," she replies. It's not the complete truth, but it's not a total lie either. She is surviving. "Alone, though," she admits, because well, Gold kind of makes sure of that. "At school, my grades are good, but I don't have a lot of friends. Well, I haven't got any, actually."
"Why's that? A beautiful and kind girl like you. Are the students blind?"
Will's strong accent and feigned shocked tone coaxes a chuckle out of her, but it doesn't erase her loneliness. Instead, it only adds to the feeling.
"I'm not really in the same state of mind. I don't live in the same world, I don't share the same interests. I'm just… different," she exhales with resignation.
"Perhaps," Will admits. "You are smarter, more mature probably." More broken, too, Regina thinks sadly, leaning against the wall. "Give them time, Regina," Will encourages. "I'm sure that someone will come along when you least expect it, and that person will see you for who you are, and be worthy of your friendship."
"I hope you're right," she sighs, grabbing the hem of her shirt and toying with it. "I really do."
"Damn sure I am!"
There's a silence then, followed by voices in the background, as if someone is talking to Will. Regina's suspicions are confirmed when he comes back to the phone.
"I'm sorry, Regina. I have to go."
"Of course! Thank you for calling, Will. I love talking with you."
"Anytime. You have my number, call or text whenever you want, alright?"
Regina smiles. "Alright. Goodnight, Will."
"Goodnight, Regina."
She looks away from her phone long after they hung up, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
She might be alone here, but somewhere in the world, there are people who still care for her.
And maybe, just maybe, Will is right.
Maybe, one day, someone will come, and that person will be everything for her. The missing part of her life.
Just maybe.
xxx
"Mom, can you give me the cookies please?"
Regina is pulled from her thoughts by Robin's demand, looks at him and smiles as he bends over the table to take the plate from his mother, placing it next to him and eagerly biting in a cookie, chewing quickly before taking another bite. She laughs softly, leans towards him and kisses his cheek unexpectedly, earning a questioning but nonetheless loving look from him.
"What?" he asks.
"Nothing." she replies, her smile widening, letting him focus back on the game, lingering a little in watching him. Will was right. Robin arrived when she'd lost hope to ever be saved. He was her salvation, her strength, her motivation to stand up to her mother and stepfather and get the life she wanted – no, deserved. She couldn't be more grateful for his presence and his love.
"Regina?" She startles, turns her head to face Neal watching her expectantly. "It's your turn."
"Oh, sorry!" She searches for the dice, then smirks as she rolls a 5 and a 7, the perfect combination to reach the exact spot where she wanted to be. "I'm buying it!" she exclaims, handing the bills to Daniel.
"Someone's happy." Tom says, amused.
"She's mainly following her plan to pluck us all to the last. She was barely eight years old and she was already ruining me to the last cent." Neal muses, laughing at Regina's shocked face.
"I am simply playing by the rules." she counteracts, shrugging and winking at Will in the process. "Can't do anything if I win everytime."
"You already own a third of the game and all the strategic places anyway." Belle points out. "There's not much chance for any of us to win this time, too."
Regina's grin matches Belle's. Memories of old times, when she was just a little girl and Neal and Daniel would play with her, come flooding in. They've always known each other, always spent a lot of time together. As they grew up, they were the only kids who didn't act as if they were next in line to become King. Despite her mother's prohibition of such behaviors, they didn't mind playing hide and seek, running in the hallways, in the gardens. Those were great times.
And then they grew up.
She remembers when Neal introduced Belle to their family. Gold was fuming, the only reason he didn't throw them out is because her father stepped in and was hosting the dinner, but the anger in his eyes was hard to miss.
xxx
"Hello, Regina!"
Regina wraps her arms around his neck, holding him tight and pulling back with a wide grin.
"How are you?" he asks cheerfully, her smile triggering his.
She bounces up and down on her heels, excited. "Good! You know I love it when we all have lunch together. Daddy told me you were bringing someone else with you. Who is she?"
Neal laughs softly, shaking his head as he steps to the side, looking behind him as a brown-haired woman steps forward. Regina's never seen her before, but she looks at her with a warmth and tenderness in her blue eyes that tells her that she must be a very quiet and calm person. Exactly Neal's opposite.
"May I introduce you to Belle?" Neal declares solemnly, taking the woman's hand and facing Regina as he announces, "She's my girlfriend."
Regina arches an eyebrow, staring at him. "Your girlfriend?" After Neal's nod, she adds, "That's the first time you introduce one of your girlfriends to me."
"That's because she's very special," Neal replies confidently.
Belle holds out her hand for Regina. "It's very nice to finally meet you, Regina. Neal told me a lot about you."
"Did he?" Regina asks, glancing and smiling at Neal.
"Yes. If I'm not mistaken, he told me that he saw you grow up from a skinny crying baby into a kind and beautiful girl. And that you're like the sister he's never had."
Regina blushes, tilts her head to the side as she bites her lower lip.
"I still remember when Daniel and I would take turns to push you on the swing," Neal comments with a thoughtful smile.
"Or when we played hide and seek in the mansion," Regina adds, laughing heartily.
"When you won your first horseback riding competition!"
"The only one," Regina corrects. "Mother never wanted me to go back after she saw a girl fall from her horse during a jump."
"You would've won them all, I'm sure!" Neal says, a hand covering her shoulder.
"I guess we'll never know," Regina says, shrugging and focusing back on Belle. "So, how did you two met?"
Neal and Belle exchange a smile.
"I spilled my entire coffee on her." Neal admits sheepishly, Regina's jaw falling while Belle chuckles.
"Typical Neal!" A voice resonates behind them, Regina grinning when she spots her father and Daniel walking their way, Daniel smirking at Neal as he says, "You're lucky she still wanted you after that."
They walk closer, starting to shake hands and introducing themselves as Regina moves against her father's side, his hand instinctively keeping her close.
"He had to make a lot of efforts to get me to accept a date with him," Belle admits.
"But in the end, I did, and you loved every second of it!"
"I wouldn't say every second, but... I admit that you more than made it up to me since," Belle says, kissing Neal's cheek.
"It's a pleasure to have you with us today," Henry says, absentmindedly rubbing his twelve-years-old daughter's shoulder. "Shall we? The weather is clear, so we've planned to have lunch outside."
They follow obediently, Belle marveling about how beautiful the mansion is, how tastefully it's decorated, Neal, Daniel, Henry, and Regina answering her questions as they walk. They learn that she and Neal have been dating for almost six months now, that they're happy, in love, and that the reason why no one had heard about their relationship before is because Neal wanted to make sure that she was the one, and also, because he and Belle both dreaded his father's reaction.
"Why's th-?
"What are you doing here?" A strong and furious voice cuts Daniel off, the cheerful mood dying immediately.
The entire group freezes as they enter the patio, and face Rupert Gold, who just got up, rigid, with an angry frown baring his forehead.
Henry steps forward, calmly reminding with a slight confusion. "Neal was invited since the beginning, Rupert. You knew it."
But the man doesn't look away from the young couple, who's staring back at him, Neal with hard eyes, Belle with embarrassed ones.
"He's not talking about Neal," Belle declares, not looking away from Gold. "He's talking about me."
Everyone looks back and forth between the couple and Neal's father, interrogation in their eyes. It's Cora who asks the question that's on everyone's mind. "And why's that, dear?"
"Because..." Belle's voice falters as she admits. "I'm one of his employees. I work at the casino."
Realization washes over everyone's face but Neal. Regina begins to understand where the problem might lie, although she knows for certain that her father would've never reacted the same way if she or Daniel would ever date one of his employees. But Rupert Gold is Rupert Gold, and no one messes with him, even she, at barely twelve, knows that.
"She's also the woman I love, Dad," Neal counteracts. "And she's not going anywhere."
"Among all the women you had access to, you chose to date one of my employees? You have no right to date her, you hear me!" Gold thunders, stepping closer, a finger pointed at his son. "She belongs to me!"
Regina cuddles closer to her father, shivering at Gold's tone, fearing his outbursts of anger like the plague, but Henry quietly releases her to Daniel, her cousin enveloping her in his arms when her father takes another step at Gold's words.
"She belongs to no one! She's not yours to own, or anyone!" Neal argues, an arm in front of Belle, as if it could shield her from his father. "She's allowed to make her own choices."
"I forbid you to date her!"
"I'm twenty, you have no right over me!"
"I'm your father. I have every right!"
"What will you do if I don't listen? Send one of your men after me? Get rid of me, like you so easily do with anyone who doesn't please you?"
"Don't you dare-"
"Gentlemen!" Henry steps in, arms held between the two men, his tone authoritative enough to put an end to the argument. "No one will hurt anyone." He meets Gold's eyes. "Rupert, Neal and Belle are young people who are in love. It won't stop Belle from doing her job properly. And Neal's your only son. Surely, you don't want to ruin your relationship with him over this."
Gold hesitates, his eyes flickering between Neal, Belle, and Henry, anger dancing in them. Regina's not certain if her father's words were enough, tension is still filling the room, and even if she's not concerned by this fight, she's so uncomfortable that she's completely pressed against Daniel, her hands clutching to his vest, face half buried in his chest as he keeps her close.
The silence is broken by Cora, who places a hand over Gold's shoulder, his face relaxing at the touch. "My dear, Henry is right. Come and sit, this is not the time to deal with this."
Regina sighs in relief as Gold listens, and people start to move again. Mother might have her flaws, but at least she's the only one who can appease Gold's outbursts.
xxx
Regina remembers the tension left during this lunch, the looks, the discomfort. Belle had taken her place between Neal and Regina, and Regina had tried her best to get to know the young woman and distract her from Gold's presence. She had discovered a kind, soft and very smart person, with whom she really bonded and found common ground with in their passion for books. They exchanged entire lists of novels to read, and discussed them every time they saw each other. Regina found in Belle a big sister of some sort, a woman who gave her a lot.
However, after Neal and Belle left the country, they lost contact. Once her father died, Gold took total control over her life. His conflict with his son made him forbid Regina to join Neal, and unfortunately, Neal was so busy with his new life that he failed to keep in touch.
She doesn't blame him, or Belle. After the last exchange Neal had with his father, after the words that were said, she understood that he wanted to put Storybrooke behind him.
xxx
Knock knock knock...
"Come in."
Regina looks up from her homework and swivels on her seat, facing Neal and Belle, both smiling at her as they enter her bedroom. She smiles back, gets up from her seat and walks towards them, burying her face in Neal's embrace, taking comfort in his presence and his arms that instinctively close around her shoulders. Daniel and Daddy have been absent for work for a week now, and since, she has felt nothing but lonely, her mother more focused on taking care of the house rather than keeping her daughter company. Neal must sense it, because he tilts her chin up when he pulls back, his thumb brushing her cheek.
"Are you okay?" he asks softly, frowning, trying to decipher something in her behavior that would give away a problem he should know about, but there was nothing other than a young girl missing her father and waiting for him to come back home.
"I miss Daddy and Daniel," she admits, accepting Neal's hug when he takes her in his arms again, rubbing her back soothingly, planting a kiss to the top of her head. "They've never been away for so long."
"I know, Regina. And the prospect of this exhausting and boring Sunday ball isn't helping you one bit, huh?"
It's more of a statement than a question, and when Regina looks up at him, she stays silent, her sad face a wordless agreement, because if Mother ever heard her criticize one of her famous balls, she'd be mad. Lately, the situation deteriorated between her parents, and her mother is more on edge than usual, colder, which only deepens the gap between her and Regina.
Neal cups her cheek, smiling at her reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll keep you company." His words bring her comfort, and Regina manages a small smile, a shy one, as he looks behind him and Belle steps forward. The warmth and tenderness in her blue eyes and the softness of her smile mend her loneliness a little, and she willingly goes into her arms, resting her head on her shoulder for a moment, taking from her the comfort her mother refuses her.
"Are you ready?" Belle asks when she pulls back. "People are starting to arrive, your mother would like you to join her to welcome them."
Regina suppresses a sigh. Mother most likely ordered them to have her downstairs, but Belle is too kind to use her exact words.
"I guess I am."
Neal and Belle's presence did her a lot of good, they helped her survive through the succession of dances, stayed by her side to deter any young man of good family who would see in her his future housewife, or anyone her mother sent actually. She's felt her mother's disapproving look on her all afternoon, but she really didn't do anything wrong, chatted with the boys or anyone who would talk to her. She just didn't let them take her to somewhere more private, where she knows they would've tried to talk her into starting to see each other. Some might even have tried to steal a kiss from her and well, let's say that she will choose the first boy that she'll kiss. She will be the one to do the first move. She doesn't have much free will left in that world totally controlled by her mother, but that, at least, no one will take that from her.
Thankfully, people are starting to leave, the room emptying slowly, until, finally, there's only Neal, Belle, Mother, Gold, and her.
"That was a beautiful party, my dear," Gold compliments Cora in a way that makes Regina want to roll her eyes.
"Thank you. I believe I've outdone myself."
"You surely did."
"Dad?"
The couple turn towards Neal at his call. "Yes?"
"Now that it's only us, Belle and I have something we'd like to discuss with you."
Gold fully turns to face them. "I'm listening."
Neal and Belle exchange an uneasy glance, Neal taking her hand, swallowing down before looking up at his father and well, Regina has a feeling that this won't go very well.
Belle hands Gold an envelope, and he takes it with a frown, pulls out a folded letter, and his brow shoots up.
"What is this?" he growls, the tension building inside him perceptible in his voice and the darkening color of his eyes.
"Belle and I discussed the possibility for her to return to school, so she could follow her dream to become a nurse. She applied to different schools, and she was accepted in all of them," Neal announces proudly.
Regina beams at the news. That's great, Belle more than deserves this, and it's a great opportunity that will give her a better perspective in life.
"I want to focus on my studies, so I can't keep working at the casino at the same time," Belle resumes, her anxiety well-hidden but nonetheless present in her voice and demeanor.
"You can't quit your job, darling," Cora tries to reason, making Regina realize what's going on, and understanding better the dread and anticipation in Neal and Belle's eyes as they started this discussion. "That wouldn't be correct and professional to Rupert."
"I can," Belle answers firmly. "And I will. It was a good job, but I don't want to be a waitress all my life. I want to help people, and following these studies will allow me to do just that."
"I refuse your resignation," Gold thunders, his anger boiling under the surface, ready to explode.
"We don't give you a choice," Neal counteracts. "We'll leave in two weeks."
"I don't think so."
Neal sighs, exasperated. "Is it too much to ask for you to be happy for her? For us?"
Gold looks at him sternly. "What is there to be happy for?"
Neal and Belle's eyes widen, Neal's face turning red. Regina is shocked by Gold's answer, by the lack of consideration he has for his son and for Belle, but truth be told, she's not really surprised. Rupert Gold isn't known for his compassion and care about others. And with her father's absence, there's no one to stop him from spitting his thoughts without a filter.
"She'll leave a job as a waitress to study and become a nurse! Any sane person would congratulate her."
"How's that in my interest?"
Neal rolls his eyes. "Do you ever see other people's interest, or are you completely blind and selfish?"
"I didn't make you two break up, no matter how much I was –and still am- against your relationship," Gold answers in a perfectly detached voice, as if all of this meant nothing to him.
"Are you serious?" Neal answers, his voice raising with anger. "After more than a year, you're still on this? I'm your only son, and you can't even pretend to be happy that I found a woman with whom I want to spend my life with. You refuse Belle the freedom to have a better life. What's wrong with you?"
Gold takes a step towards his son, and Regina instinctively steps back, fear invading her at the scene happening in front of her.
"Listen to me, you little vermin!" he spits, a finger pointed at his son. "I am your father, and I'm Belle's boss. I get to decide what you do, where you go, what kind of food you eat, or what job you do."
"You're an old bitter fool!" Neal throws at him, shaking his head. "No wonder why Mom left you, you're unable to love anyone but yourself. Sometimes, I wished I wasn't your son. That's never been truer than today."
The slap that hits his cheek surprises everyone, has the room falling dead silent.
Neal slowly looks up at his father, the hand covering his cheek falling by his side and revealing a red mark on his skin.
"I've changed my mind," Neal announces. "We're leaving tomorrow."
xxx
Regina never saw Neal and Belle again after that, not until they came back a few weeks ago. They had left her mansion without a look behind, not for Gold and Cora, and not even for her. At first, they had been texting a little, Neal explaining that in front of his father's behavior, they didn't feel safe in the country, so they chose to leave for France, where Neal's mother lived with her boyfriend Killian. Last thing Regina had heard of them was a month after Daniel was forced to leave: They had found a way for Belle to pursue her studies as a nurse. During their last call, his excitement had made Neal miss the sadness in her voice, reflection of the void in her heart that would never be filled.
And after that, nothing. Neal's never been the best at staying in touch, and Regina never received any more news. It was over then, she had lost the last connection to her past, her beautiful life made of love and laughs, that was dying a little bit more every day since her father passed, and even more after her mother remarried with Gold.
It had broken her heart by then, destroyed her a little more, adding to the list of losses that had weakened her state of mind. That's when she had started to try to get closer to her mother, to improve their relationship, avoid anything that could have resembled the last exchange between Neal and his father. But Mother never let her. If so, she betrayed her in a worse way than Gold ever did to his son.
Luckily, taking in the cheerfulness surrounding her today, Regina knows that that life is behind her now. And if things turn out well, in a few days, she will definitely and forever close that chapter of her life.
Title of the next chapter: The verdict
