A/N: This chapter just made it among my favorites. If all of my readers, new and old, who have been enjoying every bit of this story think you have been biting your nails. You will with this one. This chapter definitely has a lot of unexpected twists and unexpected turns that will make everyone fall out of the edge of your seat, so place something soft underneath lol Lastly, to my reviewer who dubbed me the Queen of Angst and Slow Burns, I will proudly take that title after this chapter. Happy reading, and thank you all so much for the support! :) This chapter contains flashbacks.


Sidney entered the library, searching the bookshelves, his hand hovering over a particular book, blue just like Regina had told him. The only blue book in her entire collection. Reaching for it, he pulled it out and opened it to find a hollow space cut out between the pages where a yellow thick envelope sat, snuggled in. Sidney took that envelope, closed the book and placed it back in its place before racing toward his bedroom next, where he struggled but moved his dresser. From behind the dresser he pulled out a small white envelope and raced out of the door.

The tires to his car cried out as Sidney slammed on the brakes, stopping in front of a house and pounding on the door. "Victor!" He called out, pounding again. "Victor!" Another three pounds.

"Sidney?" Victor came out in his black robe, hair a mess, eyes startled. "Do you have any idea what time it is? It's almost midnight."

"I realize that, I'm sorry. But, this is important. Regina called me. She needs you, Victor."

Victor's face falls. "What's happened?" His eyes glance down at the yellow envelope that had been hidden inside Regina's blue book. "She asked me to give you that."

Victor takes the envelope quizzically, opens the flap and sees two stacks of a hundred dollar bills.

"That's all she has left. She told me to tell you that it's yours, if you come with me now."

"Sidney-" Victor shakes his head.

"Please, Victor! Emma's mother was just in a car accident, along with Belle. And they have no idea how they are or what's going to happen with them."

"What?" Victor's eyes are wide.

"I know Leopold did this. And Regina could be next or Emma. You know what kind of man he is."

Regina hissed as she felt a light tug from the thread that stitched up the cut on her hip, from being cut with Leopold's belt. Victor's eyes drinking in the sight of black and blue marks all over her back, filling up with anger.

"Regina, you have to get out of that house. If you keep going like this, he's going to do far worse to you." Said Victor, his voice low.

Regina stared out the window, the drops of rain tapping on the glass. "I can't leave." She replied, hearing the thunder clap outside of his office.

"You can live like this. It's inhumane what that monster is doing to you. If you keep going like this, I guarantee you'll end up dead."

"At least I'll be rid of him." Regina jerked, feeling something press against her back.

"It's just me. It's ice." Victor hovers the cold pack along Regina's back, pressing it against a spot on her back again before moving it to another. "Well, I'm not about to lose another friend. I already lost your father. I'm not about to lose you, too, because of Leopold White."

Regina's lip quivers. This time she startles Victor as she turns to face him. "I have to stay, Victor. For Audrey, I have to. She's still in High School, and I am not about to leave her alone with that monster."

"Regina, you will be no good to your daughter if by morning you are dead because of him!"

"Then, help me!" Regina cried, her jaw setting as she locked eyes with Victor's. "You promised my father that you would look after me if anything ever happened to him. I really need you to never say anything of what you see on my body."

"Your father wouldn't take this as looking out for you, Regina." Said Victor.

"You're mending me. As long as you're always there to do that, I say my father would be thankful enough."

Victor's lip quivered, his eyes falling on the white envelope that Sidney placed before him now. "What's this?" He took it, shaking it in his hand while placing his palm out and seeing a clear empty liquid bottle fall into it. Xylazine. A horse tranquilizer. His eyes meet Sidney's quizzically.

"Put it away." Sidney looks around for anyone suspicious. "Leopold has kept tabs on Regina. We don't have a lot of time, now come on. You can't be seen with that."

"Sidney, I need time to change. Now come inside with me and explain. I need to know what the hell is going on here." Victor marches back inside his house with Sidney in tow.

Minutes later, Sidney filled Victor in on a long and unexpected kept secret as he stood in the middle of his bedroom.

"Wait a minute, Sidney." Victor comes out of his walk-in closet with his tie hanging loosely from the back of his neck, holding the small crystal bottle of Xylazine out before him. "You're telling me that Henry Mills was murdered by this?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Sidney nods.

Victor ruffles his uncombed hair, shaking his head. "Sidney, Regina's father, had a heart attack on the operating table. An operation I performed on him myself and failed!"

"That's because Leopold and Cora Mills wanted you to fail, Victor!" Sidney shouts. "Now, I don't have time to explain ethics to you, Regina needs us right now and we owe it to her! You owe it to Henry! He was more than a friend to you- he was your father, for Christ sake!"

Victor's face grows pale. It had been years since Henry Mills had been referred to as his father. Adoptive father. Henry was married to his mother for a good year or two and he was raised by him with all the love and devotion any little boy could be raised with. He was always thankful to him for that, for staying in his life and helping him through medical school. Without the knowledge of Cora or Regina.

"How did you know?" Victor asked, standing paralyzed to the ground.

Sidney raises his head. "Mr. White has kept a lot of secrets throughout the years. When he met Cora and Regina… Your half sister… He ran a background check on every single one. Henry included. That's the kind of man he is, Victor. He likes to know people's vulnerability so when the time comes, he knows where and when to attack."

Victor huffed out a breath as he collapsed at the end of his bed, his hands ruffling his hair.

"He became interested in Regina, of course, liking young girls. He tried to buy Henry off, offering him more money than he knew what to do with." He paused. "As any good father would, Henry refused. Regina was just sixteen years old, with her whole life ahead of her. Leopold wasn't happy to be denied what he wanted. And he has always been a man to get what he wants, by any means necessary." Sidney takes another moment to breathe.

"Does Regina know this?" Victor asked, tears streaming down his eyes.

"Of course not. Leopold made sure to keep it his deepest and darkest secret. Only him and Cora knew. And me." His jaw clenches hard. "It's not something I'm proud of keeping from Regina, and I will never forgive myself for that."

"Cora knew?" Victor stood slowly and walked a few steps toward Sidney. "Regina's mother knew about Henry's murder and she did nothing to stop it?"

"Because Cora… She was the one who did it." Sidney's jaw clenched, seeing Victor's face fall and draw a bank. "She would inject the substance of that bottle that you hold in your hand. And that's just one of them. Leopold acquired it from his henchman, and he gave it to Cora to get the job done."

"And you never told Regina?!" Victor pushed Sidney back, anger building up in his face.

"It wouldn't have mattered!" Sidney hissed.

"It would have mattered a great deal to Regina! She had a fucking right to know what kind of animal her mother was!" Victor shouted, the vein beside his temple popping out as his eyes glared toward Sidney.

"She was sixteen years old, Victor! What could she do?! Cora Mills was just as manipulative as Leopold White, put those two in a room together and there was nothing that couldn't be accomplished!"

"She still deserved to know." Victor looked at Sidney with hatred in his eyes, hatred he never imagined feeling as his eyes pooled again.

"You knew Regina was your sister and you never told her the truth, even after your many encounters. Why?" Sidney tilts his head. "Don't you think she deserved to know that?"

"It's not the same thing as killing the only man who loved her in her life and keeping quiet about it!" Victor bit back, wiping away a fallen tear with the back of his hand. "At least I've stood by Regina's side. I've had to bite my tongue time and time again, keep myself from killing that- that… Human garbage for what he's done to her."

"I've helped Regina, too, Victor. We both have. If not I wouldn't be here sticking my neck out for Leopold to chop off my head with a single swing, if he finds out I've told you this." He pauses and watches Victor examine the bottle in his hand. He heard him murmur something that he couldn't make out. "Now, you're a doctor. Tell me. How does a horse tranquilizer kill a human being?"

Victor ruffles his hair for the third time again, yanking it for a moment, trying to process everything he's heard at the strike of midnight. His breathing is quickened as he murmurs, "You… If you inject this into the medium cubical vein, right here," He points to the spot of the vein in his arm. "Small doses. Day by day, eventually who you've injected it with will suffer heart failure. Almost like a stroke." He breathes, his jaw clenching as he could hear the beeping monitors inside that operating room with Henry, echoing inside of his head. "Do an autopsy on the body and no trace of it will be found. It'll be ruled as it appeared. A heart attack."

Sidney holds Victor's shoulder, gaining his attention. "You are the only one who can help prove that, Victor. There has to be traces somewhere, on a computer of someone purchasing this."

Victor shook his head, "You're talking about years of searching."

"Then look. We owe it to Regina." Sidney tears up. "I don't care if I have to give my own life to protect her from Leopold, but this," he points to the bottle in his hand. "Has to help for something."

"Where is Regina now?" Victor stands.


Regina sat by Emma the entire time, her arm draped along her back, soothing it with caresses as Emma sat with her elbows set up against her thighs in worry.

"Hey!" August ran in, inhaling sharply for breath with worry set in his eyes.

"Where the hell have you been?" Emma stood, glaring at August, feeling Regina's grip tighten around her arm. "I've been calling and calling you!"

"Emma," Regina said softly, seeing the receptionist glaring their way and warning them to keep it down.

"Blame my old man, he had me delivering parts all the way up the devil's ass!"

"Sir!" The receptionist stood up, glaring at August.

"I'm so- I'm sorry. Look, we're all tense here, okay?" He gave the receptionist an apologetic look before turning back to Emma. "What in the hell happened? I come back to the shop and my mom pop tells me they've brought your mom's station wagon in. Is she alright? Where's Belle?" He looks around in a panic.

"August," Regina says softly, standing between him and Emma. "We don't know anything yet. But Belle was in the car with her when they crashed."

"What?" August breathes. "But… Are they okay?"

Emma plops back in her seat, and Regina lays a hand on his shoulder.

"Regina, please, tell me they're okay." August's eyes tear up.

"We don't know that yet." Regina shakes her head.

"How could you not know?" He asked.

"The doctors are understaffed and they aren't the only patients that need tending to." David said, walking back into the hospital.

"David," Emma stands. "Did you find out anything about mom's car?" He sees him grow quiet. "What? What is it?"

David sighed, his chest deflating. "It would appear that the brake lines were cut."

"What?" Emma's eyes grow wide.

"By who?" August asked.

"That's what I'm trying to find out." Said David.

Regina pulled herself away and leaned against the wall, hearing David's voice like an echo.

"I don't understand. Who would want to hurt someone sweet like Mrs. Nolan? Or Belle?" August asked.

"It was Leopold." Said Regina, all eyes on her as she turns to face them. Mainly David. "Wasn't it?"

David shook his head, "There were no fingerprints to match Leopold White's on any of those photographs. Just yours, and Emma's."

"But it was him. I know it." Said Regina.

"I have his cell phone number. I've been trying to contact him, but so far we've had no luck. I will get a hold of his assistant's phone number and everyone associated with him." He turns to Emma. "Do we have any news?"

"Nothing." Emma shakes her head.

"Well," David held back his tears. "Let me know if anything changes. I have to get back out there, get to the bottom of this." He turns to walk away.

"David." Emma calls out, catching up with him. "When I looked out the window, I saw Audrey driving away." She saw his face turn to stone. "I tried catching up to her but she was too fast. But it was her. I know her car. She has pictures that can prove Leopold took them. Pictures of Regina and I."

"Alright, well," David breathes. "You stay here. It's the safest place for you and Regina to be in right now. Don't leave from here without informing me."

"You got it." Emma nods. "What about Audrey?"

"You let me deal with Audrey. If she knows something, she sure as hell is going to have to tell me." David leaves, and as the sliding doors open, Sidney and Victor enter.

"There they are." Sidney points to Regina.

"Gina," Emma calls the brunette, gaining her attention as she rushes over to Sidney and Victor.

"Sidney, thank God." Regina hugs him, followed by Victor. "Thank you for coming, Victor."

Victor's eyes close and he blinks as he breaks their hug. "I'm always here when you need me. You know that." Regina's smiles, whether full ones or sad ones, always filled his heart. But this one in particular captured the protective brother in him.

Regina squeezes Victor's arm in gratitude and smiles, her eyes tearing up. "I'm sorry, I know you're risking a lot, but with your practice-"

"Regina. I'm here." Victor said, turning to Emma next. "Ms. Swan. Always a pleasure, despite the circumstances."

Emma shakes the man's hand with a firm grip. "Th- thank you for coming, doc. It means a lot."

"It's my duty." Victor looks over to Regina who rewards him with another smile, before he turns back to Emma once again. "Sidney filled me in on your mother and Belle's accident. I'll go see what I can find out and I'll be back out here shortly with news. Good news." He nods, giving Emma a positive smile before he marches forward.

Emma turns to August who nudges her with his arm and nods for them to sit in private for a moment.

"Hey, you really think this Leopold guy is responsible?" August asked, sitting by Emma.

"I have no doubts." Emma turns to August. "There were pictures, Aug. Pictures of my mother mounting her car hours before her accident, and one recent one of Regina and I while we were… On the bed."

"Shit." August's jaw sets.

"Look, I don't know what will happen from here on out. Maybe Leopold's goal wasn't exactly to kill my mom or Belle, and it was simply to scare us, but potato, potatoh… Just watch your back, huh?" She holds out her fist, which August is quick to bump with his.

"Don't you worry about me. My eyes are like a hawk's. If this Leopold guy dares to come near Belle again or your mom, you or Regina, I'm going to be right there." August nods.

"Did you give Victor what I instructed you?" Regina asked, seeing Sidney pull out the yellow envelope and hand it back to her.

"He doesn't want your money. He's here and willing to help, like he's always been." Said Sidney.

Regina takes the envelope and stuffs it inside of her back pocket. "I appreciate you coming all this way, bringing Victor. You are the only one Leopold hasn't kept an eye on, and let us hope it stays that way."

"You and I both know it won't be long before he realizes something, ma'am. That's if he hasn't already." Sidney watched her face fall and he drew in a breath. 'She still deserved to know,' Victor's words, his angered gaze filled with hatred played in the back of Sidney's mind as he swallowed. "Regina," he saw Regina turn to the sound of her name. "If I may… I'd like to have a word with you. Privately."

Regina's brow creases but she nods and walks toward where Sidney is motioning. It wasn't until they were both inside the cafeteria of the hospital, Sidney placing down two cups of hot coffee by the nearest table as he joined Regina, sitting before her.

"Thank you." Said Regina, cradling the coffee along her fingers. "Not just for the coffee, but for everything. For everything that you've ever done for me. I've always known I could count on you. Trust you, no matter how dark my days became."

Sidney's frown deepened, and he could feel Regina's eyes observing every movement the muscles in his face took.

Just like Emma- and given the years he has worked for Leopold- Regina came to know him well.

"Sidney." She called upon him, seeing his eyes meet with hers. She could see guilt built up in them. "There's something else… Isn't there?" He says nothing. "I could sense tension between you and Victor even when you both walked into the hospital." She waits.

Sidney takes a sip of his coffee in silence, swallowing it down in a gulp that ached at his throat. "There is… Something." He nods, daring to look Regina in the eyes. Instantly regretting it. "I…" There was no easy way to say this. Come clean after so many years. But it was now or never, and this wasn't a secret he wanted to take to his grave if he died tomorrow. "Regina, I've kept something from you, something I- I shouldn't have. And it may be something of grave importance."

Regina's head tilts quizzically. "What is it?"

Sidney takes another sip, swallowing faster this time, hoping that the hot liquid would burn his throat shut.

"Sidney." Regina's hand reaches for Sidney's, taking him off guard. Her eyes are so pleading looking into his that Sidney doesn't deem it fair to hold back any longer.

"It's about your father." Said Sidney, unable to turn back time now.

A crease forms in between Regina's brow. "My father?"

Sidney nods, looking away from the brunette's gaze as he says. "Regina…" His eyes focus on the steam before him. "Your father… I don't think he died of a heart failure. In fact, I'm- I'm certain he didn't."

"What are you talking about, Sidney?" Regina's frown deepens. "You- you were there the day he had his heart attack inside our home, you- you saw him being taken to the hospital."

"Yes, but he didn't die of heart failure." Sidney stood his ground. "That's just what they wanted you to believe."

"They?"

Sidney's jaw clenched. "Leopold and… Your mother." He dares to meet Regina's eyes, seeing their shocked state.

"What?" Regina's 'what,' is very faint being breathed out, she almost doubts Sidney heard it. "What- what do you mean, my mother? What does my mother have to do with all-?"

"Because her and Leopold plotted his murder." Sidney blurred out, his eyes tearing up along with Regina's as he heard a gasp escape her. He couldn't dare himself to look up as he continued, "Your father was never keen on Leopold wanting you at such a young age. I was inside your father's office with him and Mr. Mills when Leopold tried buying you from him…"

"Absolutely not!" Henry slammed his palm straight on top of his desk, watching Leopold keep his composure, not even flinching at the snap.

"Henry, think about it-" Leopold said, going ignored.

"I have nothing to think about because it is not happening."

"You are done, Henry. Done. You have no cent to your name, and you have no food on your table."

"I still have savings!" Henry shouted, his eyes glaring daggers at Leopold. "I don't need you waving your money around just because you want to marry my sixteen year old daughter! Do you have any idea how sick and twisted that is, Mr. White? What gives you the right-?"

"The right?" Leopold, years younger, wears a sinister smirk on his face. "Henry. Everything is negotiable in life."

"Not my daughter!" Henry turns red in the face. "She's a child for the love of God! What could you possibly want with a sixteen year old girl?! Are you insane?! Do you have any idea how that makes you look?"

Leopold stands, towering over the desk, both of his hands slamming down harder on the desk, so much it startles Sidney as he stands by the door and Henry, who sits back in his chair. "I'm the man who can either save what you have left of your pitiful life… Or the man who can destroy it." He snaps his fingers. "Just like that. Now, I'm not asking for much. I haven't been married in such a long while, my other daughter… I can never see her. My ex wife had her from another previous marriage, so she isn't really mine. I only provide for her financially. Same financial help I am willing to give you, in exchange for Regina's hand." His head tilts. "Now, I know Regina could give me everything my other wife could never. She's young, vibrant, and untouched-"

"Now, you listen to me!" Henry snapped, standing from his desk, so fast his chair flew back.

"No, you listen to me!" Leopold shouted louder, his eyes dark. "I am here on good terms, willing to negotiate a deal for Regina. Listen to your wife for once Henry, be smart about this and all of your financial problems will be gone. You can keep that Orchard of yours still standing. Give your daughter a good life, where she will have everything her heart desires." Leopold's head tilts over to Sidney. "Sidney here will take good care of her."

Henry's lip curls. "Over my dead body. You hear me? My daughter is not a piece of property you can buy like all your other properties. Now, you get out of my sight before I call the police and believe me I will."

"Is that your final word?" Leopold asked.

"That's my final word!" Henry shouted, beads of sweat coating his forehead. "And if you ever come near my daughter, I will kill you and don't you think I won't."

Leopold released a light chuckle, "Henry…" His hand reached for the collar of Henry's shirt, pulling him an inch closer, his voice low as he said, "If you try anything against me, you better believe you'll be six feet under ground before Regina has time to mourn you. Mark my words-" he shoves Henry so far back he falls in his seat. "Money gets you far in life, it gets things done. And I am a man who accomplishes everything I desire." He nods to Sidney who holds open the door. "You have until tomorrow morning to make your final decision."

"I've already made it." Said Henry, watching Leopold freeze by the door. "Regina is not going with you."

Leopold's stance straightens as he takes a breath and says, "I'll see you at your funeral."

Tears are streaming past Regina's cheeks, her whole body turns numb, her heart. It turns ice cold from the inside. Her coffee completely neglected as it remained cradled along her now trembling hands.

Sidney's lip quivers. "I will always regret never telling you. But, I couldn't. You have to understand, Regina, that I couldn't." He pauses. "How? How do you possibly tell a sixteen year old girl who's enslaved to the very monster that had her father killed by her own mother?"

Regina wanted to say a lot of things, but nothing at once. She wanted to scream, scream until her lungs no longer had air in them.

"I'm sorry." Sidney held onto Regina's hands a little tighter, feeling them tremble under his touch. "I should have told you. From the very beginning, I should have told you, but Mr. White- Leopold… Regina, you know the type of man he's always been."

"I know." Regina slowly withdrew her hands from Sidney's, the look in her eyes stone cold as she looks into the eyes of the man she thought she could trust. "Leopold always gets what he wants. Doesn't he?"

Sidney frowns and dips his head, he stands as she sees the brunette storm up from her seat and walk away. "Regina," he calls out, seeing her freeze with her back to him. "Please. I know I don't deserve it any longer, but I beg for your forgiveness. And I want you to know that no matter what, I'm here. I'll help you stop him if it's the last thing I do."

Regina holds her head up, her eyes dark as she slightly turns her head to look over her shoulder, catching sight of Sidney from the corner of her eye. "I forgive you. But it doesn't mean I want to see you right now." With that, she walks away, leaving Sidney to stand alone in the cafeteria.

Murdered. Her father murdered not only by Leopold, whom Regina hated now more than ever, but by her mother, too. Who unfortunately wasn't alive for her to strangle. Because that's exactly what she wanted to do right now, and she had every right to.

Regina leaned along a wall, kneeling on the ground with her back pressed along the very wall and her hands tangled in her hair, while she was entering another panic attack.

"Ma'am?" A nurse walking by stopped, gently touching Regina's shoulder. "Are you alright? Ma'am?"

The voices echoed inside Regina's head as she looked down at the floor. It must have been a while before she noticed two familiar converse step into her line of view, hearing a familiar voice. The only voice that brought her back into reality.

"Gina?" Emma called out, having tossed her coffee in the nearest trash as she noticed Regina kneeled on the ground.

"We need to get her onto a bed, miss." The nurse insisted.

"No," Emma held out her arm to prevent the nurse from coming near her. "I got her. She'll be fine." She nods, seeing the nurse walk away before Emma turns back to Regina, her voice soft as she calls out, "Gina? Gina?" She dips her head, carefully cradling Regina's face within her hands and lifting up her head, seeing her lost eyes come back.

"Emma?" Regina breathes in a state of shock.

"Yeah, it's me. It's Emma." Emma replies, keeping her voice low while she brushes back a strand of hair away from Regina's face. "What happened?"

"Emma," Regina cries and throws herself into the only arms that ever made her feel safe, breaking into tears and feeling Emma's body sink to the ground with her as she held her.

"Baby, what happened?" Emma breathed, holding onto Regina as if holding to dear life. Regina cried before, but never like this. This destroyed Emma just how whatever happened had destroyed Regina. "Baby, what happened?" She waited, nearly cradling Regina in her arms before Regina decided to part to where Emma quickly wiped away her tears. "Is it Audrey?"

"No," Regina shook her head and sniffed, wiping away a few of her own tears before meeting with Emma's gentle gaze. "I just never realized to what lengths Leopold would be willing to go to get what he wanted."

A crease formed in Emma's brow, "Okay, why don't we go somewhere and talk, yeah? Do you wanna do that?" She sees Regina nod, "Come on." Holding out her hand, she stands and helps Regina up to her feet. Her arm wrapping securely around Regina's waist as they walk to another part of the hospital.