There it was again – that sweet and earnest voice. It had pulled Regina out of a deep well of darkness, drawing her up into a waking world of a continuous, but fading agony. It made the faint light bouncing off Koltira's hair an outline to a shape – a moving shape, looming over her. If it were something to fear, she had no sense to; it didn't match the kindnesses pressed to her ears and her mind. All about Martin.

Slowly, her face contorted into one ready to burst into tears, but she had none. She could feel the pull of her mouth in that grimace, realizing it was hers to move. Freedom, her brother...It was a lot of information to take in, to piece together coherently, and keep the horrible echoes of the Nightcap's whole being out of them, muddling them up.

Aside from small fidgets and whimpers, Regina was still and silent, listening and wondering. Was any of it real? She could almost believe the voice was Danielle's, and perhaps the armor her knuckles twitched against was something of home. Everything in her head was steering her that way already.

"Hh–ss..." He's safe, then? Was that real?

She breathed out one more time, and the strain in her features left with it.