A/N: Ok, so, there we go. The epilogue is here. I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of a story that has been on for so long, but I have to. Regina and Robin went through hell, they now deserve the best.
I want to thank every single person who contributed to betareading this fic. The ones who were supportive through the hate I received, or brainstormed with me. The ones who reviewed and took the time to share their thoughts, even made suggestions that I sometimes added to the plot. The ones who prompted me two years ago. The ones who kept reading no matter what.
I will now focus on finishing Chase, which is almost totally written, but still needs a lot of editing. I'm also working on a new fic, but I'd like to have as many chapters ready as possible so I won't drag it over 5 years. For those who are still interested in my fics, I'm not done writing. So, please keep reviewing, that's what keeps my motivation alive.
Long live Outlaw Queen.
"Mommy!"
Three tornadoes run towards the entrance door, colliding with Regina's legs and front before she has time to close the door.
Regina crouches, kisses her children's temple, her eight and two year-old sons Henry and Roland, and her five year-old daughter Melinda, hugging them tightly, scratching their heads or cupping their chins tenderly when she pulls back. "Hi, my sweethearts! Did you sleep well?"
The children all nod, and Melinda rushes to the couch, pointing at the tv and saying excitedly as she bounces up and down. "We were waiting for you to watch A Christmas Story!"
Regina chuckles when she realizes that the movie's on the screen, paused. She has no idea how Robin managed to make them wait until she came back from an unexpected visit at work before starting it, because watching it on December 24th is one of their most cherished Christmas traditions.
She walks to her daughter while Roland is clutching her leg and Henry is holding her hand. "Give me a minute, sweetie. Time to make us something to eat, and then we'll have lunch in front of A Christmas Story. How does that sound? Are you guys up for a picnic in the living room?"
The immediate and excited Yes! that resonates in the living room is enough of an answer, and Regina gives her children the extremely important task of organizing the perfect picnic space with blankets and cushions while she takes care of the food. She finds her husband waiting, smirking, arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the kitchen counter. She grins as she joins him, lets him wrap his arms around her waist, and she leans in his embrace, her lips closing over his as she moans softly.
"You know that they're going to take the blankets and pillows from their beds and not the closets, right?" he whispers, glancing in the direction of their children running around the house, Henry giving his siblings orders to vainly attempt to keep this mission organized, while Melinda and Roland mess around, laughing and screaming.
Regina shrugs a shoulder, shaking her head. "That's all right, I'll make their beds again tonight. I'm sorry for the early wake up," she apologizes, tucking her head under his chin, Robin tugging her closer. "Jefferson didn't want to call me, but he didn't have the access codes, and with Daniel only coming back from New York this afternoon, his only option was-"
"You," Robin cuts her off gently, kissing her forehead. "Don't worry, that's fine. You still managed to come back early enough so we'll have some time with the kids before you and my mother turn this house into a giant kitchen."
Regina chuckles against his chest, shifting in his arms so her back is against his front, and they can watch their children finally work as a team to set up the picnic space in front of the couch.
"Daniel told me he'll handle all the emergencies from the moment he's back in town, so I don't have to go back to the company until my holidays are over. I'm going to enjoy every single second of these four days with you guys," she whispers as she grips Robin's arms and snuggles in his embrace. "Work has been crazy lately, I've missed you."
"We've missed you, too," he replies, planting a kiss to the top of her head.
Since she's become the head of her company two years ago, after six years working with Daniel and studying to get her PhD at the same time, she has given herself fully to her job, even more than she used to. She loves her job, she loves being able to keep her father's legacy flourishing, to work in this place where she grew up and where she's respected, so Robin understands, and compromises. She tries her best to be here for everyone, their children, her employees, him, and more than once she's forgotten her own well-being in the process.
Regina's work steals her away from their home far too often for his taste, but he knows that she suffers from this as much as, if not more than, he does. He knows time away from him and their children, missing bedtimes sometimes several times a week, is taking a toll on her. That's why he discussed it with Daniel and Jefferson, who became her most faithful man at the company after Daniel, and they teamed up to talk her into taking a few days off during the Christmas holidays.
So, even if they're hosting Christmas this year, and Regina's to-do list for this afternoon is a good twenty miles long, he's planned nothing but relaxing things during the following days.
"Are you hungry?" she whispers, pressing herself against him and humming softly.
He nuzzles her hair tenderly. "A little. Need a hand?"
Regina turns in his arms, smirks at him, teasing, because in their fifteen years together, she's never managed to turn him into a decent cook. "As long as you don't cut yourself with a knife."
By the time the food is ready, the kids are impatiently bouncing around. Regina scoops Roland in her arms, the toddler leaning his head against her cheek immediately while she trails her fingers into his brown curls. She sits on the blankets spread on the floor in front of the couch with him on her lap, Melinda between her and Robin, and Henry against her other side. She's so grateful for them, for her family, Robin and their children.
Years ago, when the urge to have a child first rose in them, and that they were in the capacity to have one, Regina's past caught up with them for the first time since that trip to New York before they started college. Memories of her first pregnancy, of the brutal and traumatic loss of her first child, made it impossible for her to accept the possibility of being pregnant again. She would spend entire nights staring at the ceiling, trembling at the idea of a new miscarriage, or having nightmares about delivering a stillborn child. Robin stopped their attempts immediately, refusing to let her past come back to destroy their present, and during the following months, their lives went back to normal.
Until an opportunity presented itself to them. Robin, now a psychologist working in social services, had been trying to help a seventeen year old orphan girl who kept running away from all the foster families she was sent to, when she discovered her pregnancy. After she accidentally met Regina as she was visiting her husband at work, the girl had soon offered what would end up to be the answer to Regina's turmoil and sorrow: Let Regina and Robin adopt her child. It took them weeks of discussion to overcome Regina's skepticism, several visits by Regina to the young girl, the assurance that she wouldn't take back her words, before they had accepted. The girl had agreed on a closed adoption immediately, especially after she was sentenced to eleven months in prison for theft, her ex-boyfriend having ratted her out before running away.
That's how a newborn entered their home, a little boy with dark hair and brown eyes whom they fell in love with instantly. The choice to name him after Regina's late father had been the easiest decision. With time, Henry took his mother's remnants of fear away, leading her and Robin to have not one more kid, but two, which led to a house always filled with happy screams and children's cheerfulness.
Ding!
Edith and Tom's arrival coincides with the end of the movie and Roland's nap-time, the little boy already dozing off in his mother's arms. Regina goes upstairs to put her younger son to bed while Henry and Melinda throw themselves at their grandparents' necks, overly thrilled to see them, as always.
"So," Robin begins once Regina climbs down the stairs. "How do we do this?"
Regina exchanges a conniving look with Edith. "There's no need to discuss who's taking care of the food if we don't want to be forced to order last minute on Christmas' Eve," she teases, Robin rolling his eyes at her implications.
"That's wiser indeed," Tom agrees, adjusting Melinda on his hip, the little girl clutching at his neck.
"That's settled then. Regina and I will take care of the food; you and our son will clean up the house and ready the table."
"Can I help Mom and Grandma?"
"I'm with Daddy and Grandpa!"
The adults look between Henry and Melinda, grinning. "That was easily settled," Robin points out. "Come on, let's get to work!"
Regina pulls her apron from a drawer, ties it around her waist while she watches Henry unfold his. She feels a pinch of her heart at the sight, because this is her old apron, the one she used when she and Robin were teenagers living with his parents. Now, her and Edith's love for cooking has passed to, surprisingly, Henry, Melinda being more inclined to mess around, and play with her father. Probably because he almost never resists her puppy eyes when he tries –and often fails- to scold her.
"Let me help you, Henry." Edith intervenes when he struggles with the tie in his back. "There you go."
"Thank you, Grandma."
"You know the rule, sweetie," Regina reminds him. "Before cooking, always-"
"-wash your hands!" Henry repeats immediately.
Regina and Edith are pulling everything out when he stands before them, grinning.
"Do you feel up to making the dough for the pumpkin pie?"
Her son's eyes widening in surprise warm her heart. "Do you think I'm big enough?"
She shuffles his hair, laughing softly. "Of course, you are! Last time you almost made the apple pie all alone, all I did was guide you." She frowns as she hears her cellphone's ring, grabbing it and exhaling in relief when she reads the name on the screen. "Edith, can you...?" she trails off, her mother-in-law nodding her agreement as Regina walks away, phone against her ear.
"Hey, you! I was waiting to hear the latest news. What did the doctor say?"
She hears an annoyed sigh on the other side of the line, before Zelena's high-pitched voice answers. "The contractions haven't stopped, so he advised me to stay in bed for the next two months, until the delivery. Alan spent an hour on the phone to cancel our plane tickets this morning, John and Tuck have barely managed to change theirs because of course it's Christmas and all the flights are full! It's a mess! This baby is gonna be the end of me! I'm done after this one, no matter what Alan tells me!"
Regina places the turkey on the counter, pours milk into a bowl, and lets the bread soak before starting to chop the shallots.
"So everyone is coming over?"
"They better! If I let Alan cook one more time, I'm gonna die of food poisoning. Tuck, John, and Amelia better bring their asses here and cook something decent or I swear I'll kill my husband!"
"Aren't the boys disappointed?"
"You bet they are. They were so looking forward to seeing Henry. Good thing we saw each other around Thanksgiving, or they'd have driven me nuts."
"It's hard for them, too, Zelena."
"I know. Since I'm confined to my bed with the strict order not to get up aside to pee or get a shower, I can't even spend all the time I want with them. This situation is killing me."
"We'll visit as soon as we can. I wish I had more time available, but I admit that I do need these few days to rest and enjoy my family."
"You do! You work way too much, I keep telling you this and I know Robin feels the same. You deserved this break. Get some rest, we can wait. The boys will play with their cousins, and our parents will visit as soon as they'll be back from their trip. We won't be alone."
"Take care of you, keep your little one safely inside. Tell everyone hi and that we love them."
"I will. Love you, too. Enjoy the good food! Have fun!"
"Merry Christmas, Zelena."
"Merry Christmas, too, Regina."
Regina wipes her hands on her apron before putting her phone back into her back pocket.
"So?" Edith asks. "What's the doctor's verdict?"
Regina adds the sausage meat to the melted shallots melted in butter. "Bedrest until the delivery."
Edith winces. "Is Alan still alive?"
"He is, but she must be driving him nuts. I love Zelena, but she can be hard on him. She's lucky he's completely crazy about her. Not every man would stand what she puts him through. Her behavior almost cost her their marriage two years ago." She leans towards Henry, kisses his head. "You can start spreading the batter, sweetheart."
"I heard that John and Tuck are flying over to them."
"Yes. I'll miss them, but Zelena and Alan need their brothers right now."
"Lucas and Oliver won't be here, Mommy?" Henry questions sadly as he looks up at her.
Regina smiles affectionately, brushing his cheek with the back of her free and clean hand. "No, Henry. But we'll see them when Zelena feels better."
"When?"
In front of his pout, his obvious deception at not being able to see Alan's and Zelena's sons, she cleans her hands on a towel, crouches in front of her boy, cupping his chin and softly smiling at him.
"Soon, sweetheart. I promise you, if they can't come, we'll find a way to go see them, alright?"
Henry's face brightens at that, and he nods, apparently satisfied. Her smile widens at his small "Okay," unable to resist kissing his forehead tenderly, urging him to go back to prepping the pie.
"Is it finally a girl?" Edith asks, putting the potatoes in the saucepan.
"To Zelena's despair, no," Regina shakes her head. "Spread it a little bit more, sweetie," she tells Henry when he asks if the butter is thin enough, then looks back at Edith. "A boy again. She said she's had enough. Given her tone, I'm pretty sure they'll really stop trying to have a daughter now."
"And how is she doing?"
"She seems annoyed, mostly. Maybe a bit depressed. Putting Zelena on forced rest is like asking a child to walk into a candy store and not buy them anything. It's torture. She wouldn't be in this situation if she had slowed down instead of wanting to do everything at the same time while being seven months pregnant though."
"She curiously reminds me of someone," Edith teases, nudging Regina in the ribs gently.
"I am not pregnant!" Regina replies, falsely shocked, because she knows very well that Edith is talking about her own crazy hours at work.
"But your husband, your cousin, and one of your coworkers almost had to beg you to take it easy at work and stop exhausting yourself," Edith replies nonchalantly.
Regina shrugs, but doesn't argue, because Edith is right and she'd be a hypocrite if she pretended otherwise.
Whining comes through the baby monitor, and Regina reacts instantly, places the bowl full of stuffing next to the turkey, disappearing upstairs before Robin gets to drop the plates in his hands on the table. She finds her younger son standing in his crib, rubbing his eyes as he wakes up, and she can't help but smile, reminded of the reason why she took those days off. Her family is worth every sacrifice.
"Hey, baby," she coos as she walks closer, the child holding out his hands for her. She lifts him in her arms, cuddles him softly, rocking him and kissing his head. "Did you have a good sleep?" Roland tucks his head in the crook of her neck, and she exhales slowly, closing her eyes as she enjoys a cuddling moment with her baby boy. "Are you ready to come back downstairs, sweetie?" She rubs his back gently, pulls back to look at him, nuzzling his forehead while he rubs his eyes sleepily. "Come on."
By the time she walks downstairs, she hears an "Uncle Daniel!" resonate in the house, the happy footsteps of her older children rushing towards her cousin and his wife Donna, and Regina pauses at the bottom of the stairs, smiling at the sight.
"Uncle Robin! Aunt Regina!"
Regina beams when Daniel's seven and nine year-old daughters, Amy and Jenna, run to her, and she hugs the girls tightly with her free arm, letting Edith relieve her of Roland so she can greet everyone properly.
It's not long before Neal, Belle, and their children, Sophia and Nolan, arrive, closely followed by Will, Alice, and their teenage son, Tony.
Since the trial, all those years ago, they've all kept in touch, tried to see each other regularly, even if this is only the fourth time in fifteen years that they've managed to all be reunited at the same time, and Regina couldn't be happier or more grateful, despite the absence of Zelena, Alan, John, and Tuck.
"Drop that phone and say hi!" Will scolds his son, holding out his hands, the boy sighing with clear annoyance, but relenting when his mother glares at him and calls his name in a warning, backing her husband.
The evening is made of a wonderful meal and cheerful discussions, of telling about the news in each other's lives, about Belle's future job as a nurse in a new clinic in France, of Alice and Will's return to Storybrooke after almost 20 years abroad, about Regina's new horse, Lacey, that she's recently bought, two years after her dear Rocinante passed away. They ask if Tuck came back from his latest deployment, and ask news about his daughter, Anna, who doesn't handle her father's absence and parents' divorce very well. Regina proudly announces that John and his wife Amelia have welcomed their first child two months earlier, a strong little boy named Connor, after four years of assisted reproduction and a significant number of miscarriages, everyone marveling at the pictures Regina and Robin show them.
Daniel's phone ringing and him frowning at the screen and walking away to take the call doesn't go unnoticed by Regina, but Robin immediately stops his wife from following her cousin, reminding her discreetly that Daniel is handling everything, and she's supposed to be on holidays, so should stop thinking about work for a few days. When Daniel comes back, he nods at her firmly, making her understand that everything is under control, and Regina relaxes in Robin's embrace, focusing back on the discussion and dinner.
xxx
Robin wakes up on the 25th with a migraine pounding behind his closed eyelids. Blaming the whisky Neal put in his eggnog, and the far too numerous glasses of wine and champagne he and the men had, he sighs as he wraps his arm around his wife's waist, pressing his front to her back, burying his nose in her hair, feeling her awakening as her hand finds him and holds him close.
"Merry Christmas, beautiful," he whispers in her hair, his voice raspy.
Regina moans in answer, turning in his arms and snuggling against his chest, her face inches from his.
"Merry Christmas to you, too, my love," she answers in a hushed voice. "Feeling okay?"
"With you, always," he whispers, picturing very well the smirk that must be growing on her lips.
"I was talking about your hangover, Robin," she teases, nuzzling his nose.
Wincing and scrunching his nose, Robin shrugs. "I wouldn't say no to some coffee and Excedrin."
"I bet. Imagine if Alan, John, and Tuck had been here, too, as initially planned."
Robin half groans, half chuckles, pressing his face to the pillow between them. That would have been worse, that's for sure.
The door bursts open then, startling them, his eyes popping open suddenly and his heart missing a beat when their three children storm into their room screaming, jumping onto their bed.
"Mommy! Daddy!"
"He came!"
"Merry Christmas!"
"Santa come!"
"Can we go open our presents?"
"There's so much of them!"
"Can we?"
Regina and Robin blink the remnants of sleep away immediately, the violent wake up more effective than a cold shower, and they sit up to welcome Henry, Melinda, and Roland into their arms, the children all looking forward to some cuddles. However, their excitement quickly overcomes the need for hugs, because Melinda and Henry are bouncing on the bed.
"Can we go?"
"You come with us?"
"Alright, alright!" Robin gives in, wiping his face and sighing, sharing a chuckle with his wife. So much for a gentle wake up. "We're coming." Before he gets out of bed, his two older children are already screaming in the hallway and rushing down the stairs, Roland hurrying behind his siblings. "I hope no one was planning on sleeping in. Because that's for sure not happening with those three."
Regina laughs as she removes the covers, grabbing her robe and tying it around her waist. "Do you think your dad had time to pick him up?"
Robin walks to the window, pushes the curtains open, and smiles as he looks into the yard. "Yes, he did. I can't wait to see their heads when they'll realize what their gift is."
Climbing downstairs, they find Edith in the kitchen, Tom sat on the ground with Roland on his lap, pointing at him the several gifts piled up under the tree.
"Someone had a rough wake up," Edith teases, glancing at her son, Robin yawning and wiping his face tiredly as he sleepily walks his way to his mother and kisses her cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Mom." He grateful accepts the mug of coffee she puts in his hand, smiles at her in answer. "Has someone else awoken yet?"
"Been dragged out of their bed would be a better fit," a rough and sleepy voice comes from behind them.
Daniel joins them, scratching the back of his head and sighing heavily, Donna close behind, their children rushing past them in direction of the pile of gifts.
"Did you sleep well?" Regina asks, at the same time trying to tamper down Melinda and Henry's excitement, so they'll wait for everyone before opening their presents.
"Until the girls woke us up the hard way, we did," Donna confirms.
"Coffee?" Edith offers sympathetically, holding out the coffee pot.
Daniel breathes in relief. "Gladly! Thank you, Edith."
In less than fifteen minutes, everyone is downstairs, overly excited children, and sleepy parents alike. Tom gives the signal for the gift opening rush, and from then it's a blur. The kids scream as they "Wow!" and "Yes!" and "So cool!" with every gift.
"Look, Grandpa!" Melinda exclaims as she holds out her new doll. "I gonna name her Tinkerbell!"
"That's a beautiful doll you have here, sweetie," Tom agrees, putting a lot of care in examining his granddaughter's gift.
"Yes! And Santa bring me the one I ask. It's exactly that one I wanted! She's perfect!"
Edith and Robin are helping Roland unwrap the package containing a wooden train, when Henry rushes to them.
"Mom! Dad!"
He almost collides with his mother's leg, but she catches him and crouches to be at eye-level with him, smiling, Robin joining them.
"Yes, son?" Robin asks, ruffling his son's dark hair.
"Look at the book Uncle Daniel offered me!" He shows them the thick storybook with a green color, opens and flips a few pages to show a glimpse of the several stories held inside.
"That's a beautiful book, Henry. Did you thank your uncle?"
"He did," Daniel informs as he comes behind him, a hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad you like it, Henry. You'll tell me what you think of it."
"I will, I promise!"
"This also has your name on it." Robin hands his son a package, smirking knowingly as Henry thanks him and almost rips it from him, unwrapping it quickly.
"A new baseball glove!" He exclaims happily, immediately hugging his parents and looking up when he pulls back at his parents. "Can I go try it with Nolan and Tony?"
"Of course," Robin agrees. "But not inside."
"Nolan, Tony! Come on!" Henry calls immediately, not paying attention to his parents anymore, rushing towards the backdoor that gives onto the yard.
Regina bites her lower lip, feeling her stomach knots with anticipation, because she knows what's waiting for her son outside, and she knows he will love it.
"OH MY GOD!"
The entire room has turned silent at Henry's excited scream, his siblings curiously looking at him, Melinda dropping her doll on the floor.
"He's seen him." Robin mutters, glancing down, then up as he bites the inside of his cheek to contain his smile.
"OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!"
"Jackets and shoes on!" Regina reminds him before Henry opens the door leading to the yard.
"You too, boys!" Belle and Alice remind their respective sons.
The group walks to the window, everyone finally spotting what got Henry so excited, and Roland becomes agitated in Edith's arms, asking to be put down and follow his brother and sister.
"That's so awesome!" Henry exclaims as he rushes outside, his sister on his heels.
"He's so cute!" Melinda adds excitedly, jumping up and down.
They stop in front of a golden retriever puppy tied to a brand-new kennel, happily leaping in the garden, barking and trying to jump in the kids' arms when they open them for him.
By the time Regina and Robin join their children, all the kids have gathered around the dog, claiming how beautiful he is, that they are so lucky, offering names to call him, petting him.
"Thank you for keeping him at home yesterday and going back and forth this morning to bring him before the kids awoke," Regina thanks her in-laws. "I hope he didn't give you too much trouble."
"He peed and pooped inside during the night, but he had the courtesy to avoid the couch and the carpets, so it was okay," Edith answers, rubbing Regina's back. "That was worth these three's excitement."
"He's one bundle of energy though," Tom adds. "You didn't choose the calmest."
"Regina couldn't resist his face. We didn't plan to take a puppy when we went to the shelter, but when she saw him, there was nothing more I could do."
"You're one to talk! One cuddle with him and you were ready to bring him back home before Christmas!" his wife retorts with a quirked eyebrow.
Robin nudges Neal's elbow. "Given how your kids are looking at the dog, you're good to offer them one next Christmas."
"We already have a cat." Neal rolls his eyes in amusement. "And if I'm not the one feeding him and cleaning his litter, no one would, so no thanks. That's enough."
"I do help you!" Belle argues.
"Yeah, to cuddle him, not for the tedious tasks."
"Of course, I do!"
"Yeah, if you say so…" Neal concedes to put an end to the argument with his wife, focusing back on Regina and Robin. "Anyway, thank you for offering to welcome our kids in your home whenever they want to see your dog."
"Oh please, a dog or a cat are nothing! Tony asked for a horse!" Will counteracts.
"Considering your and Alice's love for horses, I'm not surprised."
"We told him to improve his grades first, and that we would discuss a horse later. He wants a lot of things, but doesn't stick to them for more than a few months before giving up at the first obstacle." Alice replies. "It's exhausting."
"Does he know how to ride?" Regina questions.
"He knows the basics, but not more."
"He can ride Lacey if he really wants to learn. She's got a good temper, so if he's nice with her, she'll let him ride her. You'll get to see if the passion sticks."
"Thank you for the offer, Regina. That's a good idea indeed."
"If he's patient enough to gain your horse' trust." Will rolls his eyes. "Cause that would already be a huge step."
They're interrupted by Henry running to them, tears of joy falling down his cheeks, almost knocking his parents down when he hits their legs, hugging them tight.
"Thank you! It's the best Christmas ever!"
Regina crouches in front of him, wiping his tears with her thumb tenderly, smiling at her son. "You know it comes with responsibilities, right?" At her son's nod, she adds, "You have to give him food, take him out, clean his poops, play with him, make sure he doesn't destroy everything."
"Yes! I promise!"
Melinda is the next one to run to them, grinning. "We can keep the dog?"
"Of course, sweetheart," Robin replies, gathering his daughter in his arms and tickling her belly gently. "But you have to help your brother take care of him, okay? He's part of our family now, so everyone has to do their part."
"Yes, Daddy!"
"Can he sleep with me?" Henry asks with pleading eyes.
Robin exchanges a glance with his wife, who raises an eyebrow.
"In your bedroom, but not on your bed."
The compromise seems to be satisfying, because Henry is beaming at her, and Regina kisses his forehead, before looking up at Jenna, who's helping Roland to pet the dog.
"You can unleash him, honey."
The second the girl does, the puppy begins to happily run all around them, asking cuddles from everyone, lapping the hands that are held out to him. Witnessing their children's happiness, hearing them laugh, Regina leans her head against her husband's shoulder, pressing herself against his side. All of their friends might not have been able to join them, but it really is the best Christmas ever.
An hour later, all the kids' attention is focused on the newly named Olaf, and the adults are gathered around the table, warm coffees in hands, recovering from the early and energetic wake-up.
The conversation is focused on a book: Regina's book. The one that she was asked to write by an editor years ago, but that she initially refused because she didn't want to reveal the details of her life to the world.
The one that she thought of again after she realized, through Robin's work, after Henry's adoption, how many people were scarred by abuse and bad treatment during their young -and even adult- years. When she remembered that when it had been her, she thought she was alone, that no one could understand her. When she realized that by writing her story, she could show to these people suffering in silence that they aren't alone, they aren't the only ones, and that there's light at the end of the tunnel. That recovery is within their reach. That the first step is to ask for help.
The trigger that made her start writing was a young teenage girl that Robin tried to help rebuild after she was abused by her brother-in-law. A girl that reminded them so much of her. It did something to him, to her, brought those memories they had all put aside for years, buried deep under a layer of happiness so thick sometimes they even forgot what she suffered, back to the surface. So, she wrote. Not to relive the pain she went through, but to give a message. To tell people that despite the pain, the suffering, the despair, despite the feeling of hitting dead ends after dead ends, happiness, love, recovery are possible. That there's always a chance to get better. That hope is everywhere, and we just need to find it.
Her book speaks of her life, her hell, her recovery. It mentions her struggles, her fears, her despair, but also her hope, her joys, her happiness.
She kept some details to herself, but instead of making it a pure autobiography, she decided to turn it into the quest of a young British boy who just arrived in town, and wants to discover more about a young girl he has a crush on at school.
And as every enigma starts with a question, and since it is, after all, about her, she simply named it "Who is Regina Mills?"
THE END