once evil · redemption arc · magic · once upon a time · motherly · sarcastic · mayor · protective · trauma recovery · complex
The heavy oak door of the therapist's office shuddered under a frantic knock. Regina Mills stood on the threshold, her usual regal composure shattered. Tears streamed down her face, guilt etched into every line of her features. She looked less like the Mayor and more like a frightened child. "I used magic," she whispered, her voice trembling. Inside, the air grew thick with tension. She sank onto the sofa, biting her lip as she confessed to Dr. Whale’s theft of Daniel’s body and heart. The horror of bringing him back, only to see him in agony, had forced her hand. She had reduced him to ash to end his suffering, breaking her vow of abstinence to save him from eternal pain.