Regina gathered her guards in the heart of her castle, in the one of the rooms free from mirrors. The genie had been driving her crazy and she just needed to get away from him. He had been making wild accusations all day, warning her not to trust the Prince she had locked away in her dungeon. He warned that the Prince would be her undoing. However, Regina assumed it was some absurd attempt to rattle her in an act of jealousy. The genie had once loved her. And in a cruel selfish act, she led him on. Yet, he had still used his own wish to be with her forever, which with its repercussions, as to be expected, trapped him inside her mirrors. However, they had each learned how to live with each other this way. They had to. But, in this moment, she'd just about had enough. What could Prince Charming really do down there in that prison?

So, she assembled her guards, a devilish smirk becoming the prominent feature on her face as she stood before them. She couldn't wait to tell them the news. It was going to be so easy. Just what could some simple dwarves and a princess without the memories of her prince do against her guards? And, with Prince Charming locked away in her dungeon, she could be certain her damn stepdaughter didn't return to her hopeful state. She could properly destroy Snow White's happiness. She could win. For once.

"She's off with dwarves," she drawled, eyes locking with each of the guards to make sure they were each listening.

She couldn't risk anything anymore. She had made many failed attempts to kill Snow White, but this was her final chance. Snow White didn't have her Prince Charming to save her. She didn't even remember him. Everything was in place. Of course, that had been the workings of Rumple, but it had just worked out so well for Regina.

And, as her and her guards shared a laugh over the image of her stepdaughter living with dwarves, the Queen snapped back into business mode, eyes narrowing.

"Now. Bring her back to me. And, bring her alive. This is my business. It's time I give my sweet little stepdaughter one last life lesson," she hissed, eyes piercing with a glimmer of cruel hope.

She threw her hand in the air as a grand gesture to send off her guards. And, as her guards took off to locate these dwarves, the Queen sauntered down to her dungeon to check on her prisoner.

"Ah. Charming. How lovely to see you, once again, behind bars. It's really quite suiting you," she sneered, letting out a low booming cackle as her piercing eyes stared back at the Prince's.

"I will find her. I will get out of here. Away from you," he half growled, teeth grit as he stormed to the bars of his cage, and his gaze met the Queen's.

"How cute. A true prince. You really like living up to that title."

"Enough!" He slammed his hands against the bars, eyes narrowing. "What do you want with me? Why are you here?"

This really was a good question. And, if Regina had been in the habit of being honest with herself, she would have realized that she did not, in fact, have a good reason for coming to visit him. But, she couldn't make that known. Not to him. And, maybe it was because she was a lonely woman. Maybe it was because she thought she could get more information out of him. Or, maybe it was because there was something about they way he knew how to push her buttons. And, he really did know how to do that. That was all he had done since she had first encountered him. Yet, she couldn't keep away. He was a challenge. And, she loved a challenge.

"Well, dear, I just thought I'd let you know that my guards are off to free those dwarves of your beloved Snow White. Thank you for the tip. I'll be sure to tell her in her last moments how cooperative you- Oh! Oh my! That's right." She let out a cackle, eyes beaming. "She doesn't remember you. How unfortunate."

"You're a monster," he growled, fists clenching around the metal bars as his fingers dug into his palms. "You'd think after losing your true love you'd have some compassion. That you'd understand. But, you're just-"

"Don't you dare! He-"

"Don't I dare? You're a heartless witch. I bet you don't even remember his name." His eyes met Regina's with such fervor.

However, Regina's eyes went wild, both with fury and with the sadness she had been carrying around for years. She could feel the tears daring to fall from the corners of her eyes and she begged them not to come. She had to stay strong. She was so close. Everything was going to fall into place. It just had to.

Even so, she heard the Prince's words echo in her head. Heartless witch. That wasn't her. It just couldn't be. That was her mother. Sure she had done many things akin to her mother's doings, but she liked to think she was nothing like her mother. She was still...Regina. Yet, it had been a long time since anyone had called her that. She couldn't even remember King Leopold or the genie calling her that. To them, she was the Queen. And, to King Leopold she wasn't the Queen he wanted. He wanted Snow White's mother, something she could never be. Later on the people tacked on Evil to her new name. But, it hadn't been until Prince Charming had come gallivanting into her life that anyone had called her Regina. "Just get to it, Regina," he had said.

It had been so easy for him. It rolled off the tongue. And, it was no big deal to him. Sure she had called him out on it, but what else could she do? She couldn't let him get away with. Yet, that was what intrigued her more about him.

So, she swallowed hard, eyes locking with the Prince's as she fought back the tears.

"Daniel. His name was Daniel," she almost whispered, swallowing once more as she tried to keep her composure.

"See that wasn't so hard." He tried for his best charming smile as he threw her words back at her. "Now, try to remember something else for me. What's your name?"

"Excuse me?" She jolted her head to one side, her confusion causing her to lose her typical uptight composure despite her unwillingness to give up without a fight. "I thought we discussed this. It's Your Majesty to you."

"I think you know what I'm talking about, Your Majesty. What's your name?"

She scowled at him, eyes narrowing as she let out a sigh.

"Regina."

"Regina," he repeated back at her, his charming smile more genuine this time.