Let down your dark hair

45.

Rapunzel didn't know what to say as her father hugged her tightly to his chest and she heard his steady heartbeat. Whenever she had hugged Cora there was nothing. For the first time in her life she felt really loved and cherished. Of course she felt like this with William but it was different. Robin was her father, her daddy.

Then she looked at her sister. She looked so much like her but their hair was different.

"I missed you, Sis. " the brunette smiled and hugged her sister close to her. Every jealousy she had felt because of William was gone now. She knew she couldn't be angry at her sister.

"I missed you too. "

As they pulled apart Rapunzel looked at Roland. The boy looked like a perfect mix of their parents, her father's blue eyes and her mother's dark curls.

"Hey, Roland, I guess I'm your sister." She smiled at the young boy who gave her a toothy grin and hugged her tightly. She had a family.

"Rapunzel? Here is the rest of the family. This is your grandfather Leopold and your grandfather Rumple. Then we have your aunt Snow and your uncle David and your cousins Emma and Reginald. Then we have Henry. He is technically your great cousin but also your uncle. " Regina smiled at her little brother while Rapunzel was a little confused.

"This is your uncle Neal. He is married to Emma and Henry is their son. And here we have your aunt Zelena. I know this family is very confusing but I will explain later where they are all coming from. Do you want to see your room now? " Regina asked smiling brightly at her daughter. She just wanted to hug her and never let go but she didn't want to overwhelm her.

"I have a room?" Rapunzel asked stunned.

"Of course, it's right next to Destiny's room. We decorated a long time ago so I hope you like it. If you don't like it we can change it though. " Regina really tried to get her comfortable but of course it would take time to adjust to the outside world. She knew how difficult it could be, especially if the one person you trusted your whole life wasn't there anymore.

------

As they reached the room Rapunzel carefully opened the door and walked in slowly. The room was large, almost as large as her whole tower. The walls were painted a soft pastel purple, her favourite colour and she had a large bed with white courtains around it. It was beautiful, she even had a vanity mirror.

The young girl sat down and looked at herself as Regina went up to her and picked up the hair brush laying on the table.

"You have so beautiful hair. I'm glad I came just in time to stop Cora from cutting it. " Regina said slightly distracted. The blonde smiled proudly. She had always wanted for her mother to brush her hair. Her hair was something she had in common with her mother and she was really proud of it.

"I'm so glad you are back. It must all be so confusing for you."

"I knew that she kidnapped me. I had visions and dreams of you. I knew what she did. I saw everything. Your blood was everywhere and I heard dad scream. Cora was laughing and I knew in that moment that she had lied, that she kidnapped me and that you had to be alive. " Rapunzel explained and this brought new tears to Regina's eyes. Her daughter shouldn't know about this. Regina herself had tried to get the images out of her head for years but she couldn't.

"You shouldn't be bothered with this. I just want you to be happy." Regina sobbed and turned away so her daughter wouldn't see her cry.

"Mama, it's okay. I'm here now and I'm happy. I have a family now and I have William. " Rapunzel grabbed Regina's hand and gave it a comforting sqeeze as her mother wiped her tears away.

"I just don't want to lose you again."

"You won't. No one will take me away again. " She stood up from her seat and went to hug her mother close to her. Regina cried into her daughter's shoulder and took in her scent. This was her daughter. It was really her.

------

Dinner that day was quite weird. Rapunzel, or Hope as she had learned was her real name, sat between her mother and father while Destiny sat between Regina and William. Rapunzel had learned that they were close friends and she was happy that her family liked William so much.

Still she was confused about her family tree. She knew by now that Zelena was her mother's halfsister from Cora's side and Neal was her half brother from Rumple's side. Leopold was her stepfather and Snow was his daughter so Emma and Neal weren't related like she had thought at first.

Her family was very nice although they looked weird at her. Maybe it was just because they were happy to have her back but Rapunzel felt tense. She somehow missed her grandmother even if the older woman had been horrible to her.

"Everything alright, sweetheart? " Robin asked, sensing that his daughter felt uneasy.

"It's just, I don't know. ...I guess I miss Cora. I mean she was horrible but she raised me and now she has her heart. She can be good if we give her a chance. " She admitted and lowered her head in shame. She must sound so ungrateful now.

"Oh, sweetheart, we are giving her a chance but as long as she hasn't proved she really wants to change we need to keep her locked up. I just want you to be save. She tricked us into thinking she wants to change before and then she kidnapped me and cut you out of me. Rapunzel, I know you don't want to be protected after years of living in the tower, I didn't either, but you need it right now. She still has her magic and as long as she does, she is dangerous. " Regina explained, taking her hand. Rapunzel looked at her mother and saw the same sad spark in her eyes she saw everytime she looked into a mirror. All abused children had this look.