Chapter Twenty

True

A/AN: Well this officially the last chapter not including the epilogue. I can't believe our journey is half over or is it? Some of my readers have expressed an interest in having more BB&T. I've decided to write a companion piece that will pick up after the epilogue. The catch is that you must make requests. You can start doing that in the reviews. Maybe you want to see more of Bae and Morraine or of Red. Perhaps you'd like more Snow and Regina moments? You can request those in the reviews. I'm going to write ten of them. They can be scenes that could've happened during the story or the aftermath. They will not progress in order and will be like uncut scenes from a movie. I also wanted to address the fact that Maleficent is NOT Rumple's mother. It was just a trick to try and get him to cave, but he didn't fall for it. Sorry for such a long A/AN. Onward to the chapter!

Belle rushed into the arms of her beloved as soon as he walked through the door. He held her close, running his fingers through her thick tresses, "You won…" she muttered into his shirt collar.

"Yes I won and now we can go get back your kingdom." Rumplestiltskin smiled triumphantly, adoration held in his eyes for her.

Belle shook her head lightly, "There won't be any need in taking it back. Cora's dead." she revealed. He gave her a sideways glance, pulling away from her.

"How is that possible?" he inquired skeptically to the beauty.

"Apparently she traded her heart with Maleficent for power. She wormed her way into my life and took everything I loved away from me but when you pierced Maleficent's heart, Cora's life was taken with it." Belle illuminated taking his hands in hers.

"Oh Belle I know I can't bring back your family, but we can start anew. I'll use the rest of my life making up for all your losses." he promised, touching the side of her face delicately.

"Rumple you are my family…" Belle replied, pressing her lips against his. He kissed her back fervently, pouring every emotion he possessed into that kiss. After he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers.

"You and Bae are my family Belle…I don't need anyone else." he confirmed kissing her again gently.

She pulled away flushed slightly by their contact, "Perhaps but Regina is also my family, and I want to help her find Daniel. She lost her mother today and even though Cora was a vile woman, she was still her mother. I want to help her find her true love." Belle supplied, and Rumplestiltskin nodded.

"I promise to help her anyway I can. We leave for Avonlea in the morning." he said, interlacing his fingers through hers as they walked down the hallway. They were surprised when an ethereal blue light halted them.

The blue fairy materialized right in front of them, floating in midair. "I wanted to personally thank you for defeating Maleficent. You truly are a hero and if there's anything I can ever do for you then just name it. I would like to help either of you any way I can." she praised, giving him a reverent bow.

"There's actually something you can do but not for me. Help Regina find her true love." Rumplestiltskin affirmed, grasping Belle's hand tightly.

"With pleasure." Blue smiled before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"That was very kind of you Rumple." Belle said with a smile of approval.

"Don't go telling everyone the ruthless Rumplestiltskin is a softy okay dearie?" he comeback playfully with a wink.

"I wouldn't dream of it." she grinned before kissing him again.

~X~

Regina wasn't sure how she felt about her mother's death. The woman hadn't shown an ounce of affection to her in years but it was because she didn't have her heart. Would she have been any different with it? These thoughts swarming through her mind made her head hurt. She didn't know if she would ever be able to forgive her, but she needed to move on. Cora's body had already been burned and her ashes placed in an urn. That was what she always wanted, but she wouldn't scatter them. She would place them back in her vault in Avonlea and seal it off, or maybe she would have the fairies dispose of it.

Regina ran her fingers timorously through her hair, lying in bed like the royal physician had ordered. She was surprised to see an ethereal blue light illuminating the room. She snarled her nose at the unwanted visitor. Couldn't she just have some time to herself without all these interruptions?

"I'm sorry to bother you Regina, but I have some important news to tell you." the fairy supplied with a serene smile on her face.

"You better hope it's good." Regina growled irritably at Blue's arrival.

"I'm going to help you find the love that you lost Regina…I'm going to help you find Daniel." Blue smiled, sending her heart into palpitations.

"And how are you going to do that?" she inquired, trying not to sound giddy.

"With a little magic of course." she smiled, taking out her wand, "You must believe in your true love Regina." the fairy instructed. Regina nodded, picturing Daniel's face within her mind, completely astounded when she opened them to see him standing right in front of her.

"Daniel…" she whispered his name like a prayer, throwing the covers back, rushing towards him. His face was awestruck as he pulled her into his arms.

"I must be dreaming…I can't really be here holding you like this can I?" he inquired to the raven haired princess in a daze.

"No it's very real…Let me show you." she said, tears streaming down her face, meeting his lips in a hungry kiss. He smelled of livestock and straw, but she didn't care. She kissed him with all her might, until her lips burned. He tangled his fingers through her hair, unwilling to let go of her ever again.

"I love you Regina." he revealed, pulling away from her. He wiped stray tears from her ruddy cheeks.

"And I love you Daniel." she replied. He pulled her flush against him, reveling in how immaculate she felt. Blue smiled to herself before disappearing in a puff of smoke. She'd witnessed two couples being reunited in one day and was still overwhelmed at how strong true love actually was. It was a mystery she would never unravel.

~X~

Both parties had made their way back to Avonlea the following morning. Belle made a heroic speech about reclaiming her kingdom and of their secured alliances with Albannach and Astyn. Rumplestiltskin had made a few remarks about being "with them" or "not being with them". The first party would remain in Avonlea and those still loyal to Cora would be allowed to leave the city and settle elsewhere but the king assured them that if there were any attempts of an uprising, that all responsible would be hanged.

Regina had separated from the group, carrying the small urn of ashes in her hand. The urn felt like a deadweight in her grasp, but she had to do this. She took a deep breath, venturing into her mother's vault, closing the door behind her.

All of Cora's potions and poisons were still in the exact same places, the day she'd bested her mother by stealing the dreamshade antidote. She took a deep breath deciding to look around a bit. The vault felt just like a crypt. She shuddered at the thought of all the evil bidding her mother did in this place.

She avoided the poisons and rare concoctions, scanning the interior of the vault until she noticed an intricately carved wooden box. She picked up the box noticing it wasn't locked. She placed Cora's ashes where the box was, cradling it in her arms. She walked towards a table, sitting the box down.

Regina's curiosity had gotten the better of her, so she decided to open the box. She was surprised to find an emerald pendent along with a letter. She blinked, laying the pendent aside, taking the letter in her hands. She opened it gingerly, taking in the scrawled hand of her mother's writing.

Dear Rumplestiltskin,

You don't know me, but we share a past. Your father used my mother, and she became pregnant. We're half siblings. You don't know me, but you will one day. I will find what you love most and take her away from you. I will get the life I deserved by avenging my mother. Your father stole everything away from her, and I will have my revenge. If your reading this then it means I've won.

Your Dearest Sister,

Cora

Regina felt her heart stop as she reread her mother's calligraphy again and again. She couldn't believe it. She swallowed hard, clenching the letter in her hands. The reason why her mother had gone down this destructive path was because she was the illegitimate child of a king. She picked up the emerald pendent with the letter and placed them back in the box. She gathered the box in her arms and walked out of the vault, a heaviness settling in her heart.

~X~

"Are you all right my love?" Daniel inquired to the raven haired princess. They were all having dinner at the palace tonight after a successful day of heroics. Everyone was on cloud nine, except for Regina. She still didn't know how to address the matter at hand.

"No I'm not all right." Regina respired, clenching her jaw.

"What's wrong? We've been reunited and reclaimed Avonlea from the clutches of your mother's tyranny. You should be happy, especially since we'll be married within the week." Daniel whispered in the shell of her ear, brushing his calloused hand over her knuckles.

"I found a piece of my mother's past today I'm sure I was never supposed to see, and I believe it's the reason she started down this destructive road." Regina muttered, running her fingers through her hair agitatedly.

"Regina are you all right?" Belle inquired to the her stepsister, feeling concerned after noticing her frustrated hand gestures to her betrothed.

"No I'm not all right. I discovered something in my mother's vault after I placed her ashes inside. I found a box with an emerald necklace and this letter." Regina respired, thrusting the letter in her stepsister's hand, refusing to look at it.

Belle took the letter from Regina's hands cautiously. She opened it, scanning its contents, utterly mortified by the words she'd just read, "Rumple you should read this.". Rumplstiltskin blinked curiously, taking the letter from Belle's hands. He hadn't really been paying too much attention to their conversation because he had been too enthralled by Johanna's cooking who was just Avonlea's version of Mrs. Potts.

Rumplestiltskin took the letter, noticing that Regina was averting her gaze uncomfortably at the floor. He had a distinct feeling that it must be about him. He absorbed the words of a woman he was fortunate enough to never have met but who had put the lives of these two women through a living hell.

Rumplestiltskin couldn't say that the contents of this letter surprised him because his father was known for taking on multiple lovers, and he apparently had a past history with it as well. Belle's stepsister was his niece, and he wasn't about turn away family. He didn't have much of it left after all. He would've never embraced Cora wholeheartedly as his half sister, but Regina wasn't like her.

Rumplestilskin stood up from the table and walked towards Regina. She looked at him frighteningly. She was certain he would banish her after such a discovery based on her mother's history with his wife.

He offered her his hand, willing her to stand. She took it hesitantly, wondering what sort of lashing would ensue. Regina was certain half of Avonlea wouldn't be satisfied until her head rested on a platter because she was Cora's offspring.

"Regina, my beautiful niece you and your family will always have a place in my home. You're family now in more ways than one, and I will not judge you by your mother's sins just as my subjects have graciously chosen not to judge me by my father's. You and Daniel will always have a place in our kingdom." Rumplestilskin supplied, taking her hand and kissing it gently.

"I don't know what to say…" Regina said, clasping her hands over her mouth in consternation. Tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"A thank you should suffice dearie." he smiled astonished when she threw her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. He could do nothing but wrap her in his arms in that moment. They were alike in more ways than one but mostly because their parents were the same. Rumplestiltskin thanked God everyday that he didn't turn out like his father. His heart was true and that had won him the affections of the fairest of them all.

A/AN: Well that's the end of our last chapter. The epilogue will probably be posted sometime tomorrow. You guys can go ahead and be submitting your requests for the companion fic. I already have one in mind for Snow and Regina that will probably be the first one I post. Thank you to all who have stayed with me on this journey. I love you all, and you're the reason I haven't given up on this fic. Please review!