Danielle Locksley's sixteenth birthday brings some good and bad revelations about her family's past.

Danielle Locksley flickered her eyes open when she saw the sun peaking through her window. She rolled over and noticed it was nearing seven in the morning so she snapped her fingers to turn the lights on before getting out of bed. She smiled to herself when she noticed the date on the calendar; December 25, which not only meant it was Christmas, but also her birthday and her sixteenth birthday at that. This Christmas would be a little strange. For the first time, it would be just her, her mother, and her father since Henry was spending Christmas with his wife and daughter in Washington and Roland was on some sort of college trip. Danielle made her way downstairs where Regina was making breakfast in the kitchen, "Morning Mom," she said.

Regina turned around and smiled at her daughter, "Happy birthday sweetheart," she said kissing her on the cheek.

"Where's Dad?" asked Danielle.

"He's out exchanging gifts with the Merry Men. He'll be home soon," said Regina, "Help yourself to some sticky buns."

Danielle smiled and took a sticky bun with buttercream icing. It had been a longstanding tradition to have sticky buns on Christmas morning as it was to host the town Christmas party. Though she spent most of the party chatting with Neal Nolan, Gideon Gold, and Caleb and Liam Jones, she always did enjoy being able to see the residents of Storybrooke. In a way, it became a town wide birthday party. And she always loved agitating Caleb and Liam by creating fire balls. It used to terrify them when they were young and it still did to this day.

"Gina! I'm home!" shouted Robin entering the house. Robin appeared a few moments later, "Happy birthday my little Princess," said Robin kissing Danielle's temple.

"Dad, I'm not little anymore," said Danielle.

"I don't care how old you are, you'll always be my little Princess, right love?" he asked kissing Regina.

"Absolutely correct," she smirked kissing him back.

Danielle rolled her eyes playfully at her parent's mushiness, though they weren't nearly as bad as Snow and Charming or Emma and Killian. She really didn't like the fact that she was still called little Princess but then again, Henry and Roland were thirty-two and twenty-two and they were still both their little Prince and their little man, "So…" Danielle began. She knew that Robin and Regina were disappointed that Henry and Roland decided not to come to Storybrooke for Christmas. She knew how much her mother loved doting on Lucy, their four year old granddaughter and Danielle's niece, "So, what's the plan for today since it's, you know, just the three of us?" asked Danielle hesitantly.

Robin and Regina glanced at each other and Robin squeezed Regina's hand, "Well, we'll all exchange gifts as we always do but later today, Aunt Zelena will be joining us for dinner and the two of us are going to take you somewhere special for your birthday present."

"Sounds good," said Danielle, helping herself to another sticky bun. She smirked and said, "Please don't tell me Dad and Aunt Zelena are going to make me listen about the story of my birth for the umpteenth time?" Robin smiled and laughed, receiving a glare from his wife, "Come on Mom, only you would continue to host a party instead of admitting you were in labor." Danielle had been born just after midnight and Regina had refused to admit she was in labor until her water had broken during the mayoral Christmas party so she had been born in her parent's bedroom while there was a Christmas party occurring in their house.

"How about we open presents?" asked Regina trying to change the conversation. Danielle smiled at her mother before the three of them took a seat in the living room by the tree. Danielle let her parents exchange gifts first, "Robin, it's beautiful," Regina gushed as she opened a necklace with heart-shaped pendant. The heart had an arrow running through it.

"Only the best for my beautiful Queen," he smiled. She moved her hair out of the way and he helped put it on her and kissed her temple.

Danielle smiled at the moment before she excitedly handed her gift to Regina, "Open my present next Mom! I think it'll be the best gift you ever receive."

Regina looked at her daughter skeptically, "No matter what this is, you'll always be my favorite Christmas gift," Regina smiled patting Danielle's knee.

"Fair enough. But I think you'll like this too," she showed off her cute dimple and looked at Regina with a twinkle in her blue eyes, both aspects she had inherited from Robin. Regina opened a book; it looked like Henry's story book only it had pictures of the Locksley family over the years along with the Charmings, the Joneses, and the Golds, "Danielle, how long have you been working on this?" asked Regina in surprise.

Danielle sat down closer to Regina and said, "For almost a year. I had Roland help me find pictures from when I was little and I had Aunt Emma, Snow, and Belle help me find pictures of their families."

"Well, it's clear you put a lot of work into it Princess," said Robin kissing her on the cheek.

Regina smiled and picked up a square present wrapped in red wrapping paper with a green bow, "This right here is your birthday present. Later today, Aunt Zelena and I are going to take you to your Christmas present."

"Take me?" questioned Danielle confusingly.

"It's not here; it's something Mum and Aunt Zelena have been waiting to show you. And tell you," said Robin.

Danielle nodded and quickly unwrapped the gift, only to find a small book with a heart in the center, "What is it?" asked Danielle flipping through the pages.

Regina grabbed Danielle's hand and said, "It was originally created by Rumple, then it belonged to your grandmother, then me, and now you."

"But…but, you've taught me everything I know," stuttered Danielle.

"I've taught you everything you know, but I haven't taught you everything I know," said Regina with a twinkle in her eye, "It's just that some of the spells in that book are very powerful and very dangerous. And they've caused people a lot of pain."

"What do you mean?" asked Danielle.

Regina sighed and took a deep breath. Danielle could tell her mother was struggling to hold back tears. She squeezed Danielle's hand and said, "That's what the second half of your gift is going to explain."

Danielle nodded and stood when Regina stood. Robin hugged Danielle, as he already knew what Regina was going to tell their daughter, "I love you Princess."

"I love you too Daddy," she smiled.

Robin went to hug Regina, "It'll be okay love," he said embracing her. He kissed Regina and said, "I love you Gina."

"I love you too," she smiled back.

Danielle stood at the door waiting for her parents to finish. Clearly, whatever her mother was about to reveal to her is something that caused her a great deal of stress and emotion. Robin gazed into Regina's eyes and squeezed her shoulders before Regina walked over to her daughter, "You ready sweetheart."

Danielle nodded and followed her mother outside. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, but not enough to warrant snow boots. Regina went to transport the pair when Danielle interrupted her, "Mom, can I do it?"

Regina smiled and nodded, taking her daughter's hand, "Of course. Transport us to the graveyard."

Danielle scowled a little but promptly obeyed and soon the mother and daughter were in the Storybrooke graveyard. Regina began to walk in a certain direction and Danielle followed her, "Remember the first time I tried to do that and we ended up in Chicago?"

Regina chuckled and nodded at the memory, "You were quite a handful, but you've come a long way baby." They stopped in front of the Mill's Mausoleum and Regina sighed, "We both have."

Zelena was waiting for the two of them out front. She smiled when she saw her sister and niece, "Happy birthday darling," she said hugging Danielle and kissing her on the cheek.

"Hi Aunt Zelena," answered Danielle and then looking over her shoulder, "Isn't this where Grandma and Grandpa are buried."

Regina nodded her affirmation and put her arm around Danielle's shoulder, "Yes, but there's more," she said. She stepped forward and touched the door the mausoleum. It instantly opened and Danielle followed Regina inside with encouragement from Zelena.

"Mom, where are we going?" asked Danielle more confused than ever. Danielle stopped behind her mother and noticed there were a few different pathways.

"Where should we start sis?" asked Zelena coming up behind them.

"Probably in here," said Regina turning left, taking Danielle's hand. The room was filled with chests, trunks, and a mirror.

"Mom, what is all of this stuff?" asked Danielle, looking around and gawking at the amount of items in one room.

Regina swallowed and said, "Some magical items and other books, not nearly as important as that one, but important," she said, "And the mirror is from my palace in the Enchanted Forest. Where I was the Evil Queen."

Danielle's head quickly shot up upon hearing those words. She knew about the Enchanted Forest and that her mother had been queen at one point, but not the Evil Queen, "As in…?" asked Danielle hesitantly, "As in that Evil Queen?"

"Yes," Regina confirmed sadly.

Hearing those words took Danielle by surprise. Sure she had read about the Evil Queen in Henry's book, but she didn't think that they were 100% true, "Does that mean the stuff about Aunt Zelena being the Wicked Witch…?"

"Yes," Zelena confirmed.

"And the stuff about Grandpa, and Grandma, and the curse?" asked Danielle.

"All of it's true sweetheart," said Regina touching her daughter's shoulders. She took her daughter by the hand once again and lead her into the heart vault, "This is the heart vault where I kept everyone's hearts when I was controlling them," said Regina. They went to another room and stopped in front of a white door, "And behind this door is one of the reasons I became the Evil Queen."

Danielle couldn't believe it. Her mother, her good, caring, kind hearted, loving mother, was the Evil Queen. Her aunt, the one that used to push her on the swings for hours at a time, was the Wicked Witch of the West, "Is there anything else I don't know about that you haven't told me?" asked Danielle bitterly, turning around to face her mother and her aunt.

"Honey, come here," said Regina trying to reach out to her daughter.

"Don't 'honey' me!" shouted Danielle furiously.

Regina choked back a few tears. She knew Danielle wasn't going to be happy but she didn't realize shed be this angry, "Danielle please let me explain."

"Don't talk to me! I don't even want to look at you right now!" shouted Danielle as she transported out of the vault.

Now that Danielle was gone, Regina finally broke down and Zelena wrapped her arms around her sister, "It's okay sis. Everything is okay."

"No, it's not! My daughter now hates me," Regina sobbed.

"She doesn't hate you," said Zelena, "She just needs time to process this."

Soon, Danielle found herself in the spare room at Killian and Emma's house, which used to be Henry's room, but they converted it to a guest room once Henry moved to Washington. She heard someone coming up the stairs, "Caleb Adrian and Liam Nathan Jones, you guys better not be practicing for wrestling in your room!" she heard Emma shout.

"It's not us Mom," said Caleb.

"The noise came from the guest room," said Liam.

Emma quietly opened the door to find her Goddaughter pacing around the room, visibly upset, "Danielle what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I couldn't stay, my mother has been lying to me about who she is and who we are this entire time," yelled Danielle as she paced the room.

Emma sighed. Danielle looked so much like Regina when she was angry, with her pacing and yelling, "I take it Regina and Zelena told you," said Emma.

Danielle turned around and eyed Emma incredulously, "WHAT!? You know too?" shouted Danielle quickly making a spike appear and throwing it at Emma.

Emma caught it, much to Danielle's dismay, "You forget there are other women besides women in the Mills bloodline that have magic," said Emma, "And your mother threw quite a few things at me back in the day."

"Yeah, I'll bet," said Danielle angrily sitting down on the bed and crossing her arms over her chest, "All this time I thought I knew my mother. Why did she keep it a secret? Why didn't she tell me who she really is!" asked Danielle going back to pacing the room

"Because that's not who she is anymore Dani!" said Emma emphatically. Danielle stopped at the sound of her nickname; only Emma, not even her parents or brothers, was allowed to call her Dani, "Dani, I'm not going to lie, your mother has done some terrible, and I mean terrible things. But if you let her explain it all to you, you'll see what I mean." Danielle started to cry and ran towards Emma, wrapping her arms around her, "It's okay Dani. Now how about I take you home?"

Danielle wrinkled her nose, "I can get home myself Aunt Emma."

"I know, but if I drive you, I know you've actually gone home," said Emma escorting her downstairs.

"Fine," Danielle sighed.

The two women went downstairs and Emma shouted, "Honey, I'm taking Danielle back home!"

Killian entered the living surprised but smiled when he saw Danielle, "Happy birthday Danielle," he said.

"Thank you Uncle Killian," she smiled wiping the tears from her eyes, "Hey Caleb, Liam," she shouted. The two boys appeared, "Just remember…" she trailed off, creating a fireball.

The boys' eyes widened and Emma pushed Danielle out the door, "Alright Dani, let's get you home," said Emma escorting her to her bug, "You might not want to hear this right now, but sometimes you are like your mother."

Five minutes later, Emma pulled out front of the Locksley house. She approached the door and knocked. Regina answered the door and Regina breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Danielle, "Danielle there you are, your father and I were worried sick about you. Robin, she's home!" shouted Regina.

Robin quickly ran into the living room and embraced his daughter, "Don't you ever do that again young lady."

"She was at my house," said Emma, "That's where she usually comes when she's upset."

The couple sighed and invited Emma into the house, "Danielle Marian-Robin, what were you thinking?" asked Regina perturbed.

"I panicked," said Danielle, "And now, I'm going to give you a chance to explain yourself."

Regina sighed and nodded. Danielle sat down in between Emma and Zelena on the couch and Regina sat down next to Robin on the love seat across from them. Regina took a deep breath and said, "Well, you know you come from a long line of relatives with magical abilities," she stated and Danielle nodded, "Well, your grandmother grew up without a lot and she wanted better for me. But I didn't want to marry the king. I wanted to marry Daniel, whose body is behind the white door I showed you in the vault."

"Wait, is this the same Daniel I'm named after along with Henry?" asked Danielle.

Regina nodded, "Yes," she said quietly. Robin rubbed Regina's hand soothingly and Regina continued, "Anyway, I had told Snow White that I didn't want to marry the king, that I wanted to marry Daniel and she spilled the secret to my mother. And doing what she thought was best for me; she killed Daniel and forced me to marry the king. Gosh, I was so bitter with her. So I used that spell book to banish her to another realm." Danielle glanced down at the spell book she had been given that morning, "I wanted a realm where the only happy ending would be mine, so I enacted a curse to keep Snow and Charming from getting their happy ending, and I did so by using your grandfather's heart."

"Henry…" whispered Danielle softly. It was all coming together.

"And I created Storybrooke. For twenty-eight years, nobody knew…"

"Until your brother tracked me down and I woke him up with true love's kiss, breaking the curse," Emma interrupted.

Regina nodded, "Everyone knew who they were then, and believe me, everyone hated me, I'm lucky I'm still alive," chuckled Regina lightly.

"Well what made you change?" asked Danielle.

Robin went to rubbing Regina's back comfortingly as she continued to make her confession, "I almost lost your brother. So I wanted to change for him. And then," she smiled and took Robin's hand from her back and placed it in her hand. She smiled adoringly into his eyes and she said, "And then I met your father."

Danielle smiled happily, "Was it love at first sight?"

"I wouldn't go that far," smirked Robin.

"But Tinker Bell told me it was possible to love again. She took me to a tavern and showed me him. I never saw his face, but I saw his tattoo," smiled Regina.

Danielle smiled and took Robin's arm with her hand, "Dad's lion tattoo," she said.

"Yes," smiled Regina.

"Is that how you and Dad met?" asked Danielle looking between her parents.

"No," said Emma a little too quickly.

"That's a story for a different time," said Zelena.

Danielle chuckled lightly, "Regardless, I think that's the sweetest story I ever heard."

Regina took Danielle's hand, "Danielle, the reason I didn't tell you for so many years is I wanted you to be old enough to understand."

"And be old enough to know not the same mistakes your Mum and I made," said Zelena.

"How did you change Aunt Zelena?"

"Well, I was jealous of Mum treating Regina better than me, but one day I realized family was more important than revenge," said Zelena.

"Well, I'm glad you did," she said embracing her aunt and then her mother, "I love you Mom. I love you Aunt Zelena."

"I love you too Danielle. So much," said Regina kissing her daughter's temple.

"Hey don't I get one too?" asked Robin with mock jealousy.

"Of course Daddy," she giggled embracing him.

"Well, I have to get back to my family," said Emma, "Merry Christmas everyone and happy birthday Danielle."

"Do you want to stay for dinner Aunt Emma?" asked Danielle.

Emma turned around, "What are you having?"

"Lasagna and apple turnovers of course," she smirked jokingly.

Emma chuckled and said, "Maybe another time. See you guys."

After dinner Danielle returned to her room and continued to flip through the spell book her mother had given her when she heard a knock at the door, "Come in!" she called.

Regina stuck her head in the room and asked, "How're you doing sweetheart?"

"Okay," said Danielle, moving her legs so Regina could sit down on the bed.

Regina sat down on the bed and rubbed Danielle's leg soothingly, "Honey, I'm sorry I hid all this for so long, I just…I didn't want you to look at me differently."

Danielle grabbed Regina's hand and said, "I know I freaked earlier, but trust me, you're not a villain, you're my Mom." Regina choked back tears as she heard her daughter say the same words Henry had said so long ago, "And I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Regina smiled, "Honey," she said rubbing Danielle's cheek, "I wouldn't trade my life for all the evil spells and curses in the world. The day you were born was the happiest day of my life."

"Even better than they day you adopted Henry or the day you married Dad?" asked Danielle.

"Okay, maybe a tie for the happiest day of my life," admitted Regina and Danielle smiled, "The point is, you're one the greatest things that's ever happened to me. You, Henry, your Dad, you were all my second chance. And I'm so glad I changed, because I'm happier now than I ever was as the Evil Queen."

Danielle wiped away the tears running down her cheeks, "I love you Mom."

"I love you too," said Regina embracing her daughter, wiping away tears of her own, "Oh one more thing." Regina made an envelope appear amongst a cloud of purple smoke, "Happy birthday sweetheart."

Danielle opened the envelope and nearly screamed with excitement when she saw the tickets, "Backstreet Boys tickets! Really!" she said almost jumping up and down.

"Yes. You, me, Zelena, and Emma," said Regina excitedly. Gone were the days of Star Wars movie marathons, Monster Truck rallies, and super hero dress up sessions. They were replaced with Disney on Ice shows, Hilary Duff and Taylor Swift sing alongs, and boy band concerts. But Regina had enjoyed every minute of all of her children's lives.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you," said Danielle hugging Regina again.

Regina took the tickets back from Danielle, "I'll take these for safe keeping."

Danielle nodded and yawned, "Thanks for a great birthday Mom."

Regina smiled and tucked Danielle into bed; she hadn't done so since Danielle was about eight, but somehow it still came naturally. She kissed Danielle's forehead and said, "Happy birthday and Merry Christmas, my sweet, little Princess."

Regina went down the hall to her and Robin's room and began to change into her pajamas, "I take it she liked the tickets," asked Robin looking up from the book she was reading.

"Oh yes," laughed Regina crawling into bed next to her husband. He put his book on the nightstand and wrapped his arm around her. He kissed her temple and she said, "You know I loved my gift, but nothing will beat our Christmas gift from sixteen years ago," she said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Robin looked over at her in confusion, "Are you trying to hint you want another one?" he asked in astonishment.

"No, no," Regina chuckled, "I'm just saying…"

Robin rolled over onto his side, "Well I haven't given you my other present yet," he grinned suggestively.

"Robin," Regina laughed as he kissed her, "Our daughter is next door."

"We'll be quiet," he said kissing her neck.

Regina glared jokingly and then grinned, "You know I can't be quiet if you're doing a good job."

"Alright," said Robin rolling back over to his side of the bed.

"But you know," said Regina rubbing his chest, "Danielle is going out with the twins, Neal, and Gideon tomorrow. Which means we'll have the house to ourselves." He shifted a little and she could tell she was getting to him, "What do you think thief?"

"I think we better go to sleep milady," he said wrapping his arms around her. She smiled and snuggled closer to him, listening to the beat of his heart. She turned out the lights with a snap of her fingers and was just about to fall asleep when she heard him say, "Merry Christmas my beautiful Queen."

She leaned up and kissed him, "Merry Christmas my handsome outlaw."