Cora's Storybrooke, Chapter Four: The Mirror Strikes Again

Author's Note: I apologize for my obnoxiously long absence from the story. It has been test season, and I decided to prioritize a bit, which proved to be successful for the tests. In the time that I've been away, "Bleeding Through" happened. I wasn't necessarily pleased with the episode. Rose McGowan was great, as always, but I felt like making her seem helpless was a slap in the face to Cora. I feel like "Bleeding Through" greatly diminished the power of "The Miller's Daughter," where we learned that Cora hated Eva (1) because of her bratty prank and (2) because of the uncaring and haughty behavior of the nobles of the time. Now, we have added a formulaic backstory involving Cora, Leopold and Eva. True, it strengthens Zelena (who I adore) to the mythos, but I feel that it was done at the expense of one of Once's greatest villains. That's enough of my soap box for this chapter. After all, this is not a television review website.

Characters:

Cora Mills

Belle

Mother Superior

Sidney Glass

Dr. Whale

Leroy

Archibald Hopper

Day. he thought.

It felt as though years had passed. He had no one to talk to and felt as though he had thought about everything he could possibly run through in his mind. Now, he only marked the passage of time.

Then, he heard someone scraping the rusty latch out of its closed position.

Sidney Glass turned his faded eyes towards the sound.

"Mr. Glass?" came a vaguely familiar voice.

"Yes?" he responded, his voice cracking, as he had become used to being silent.

The door swung open to reveal Mother Superior.

"The Blue Fairy?" Glass asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Helping you," she responded, moving to sit next to him on the floor.

"I doubt that," he scoffed. "I'm not one of your goody-goodies. You don't help men like me."

"I will if you help me."

Sidney laughed, his voice still cracking. "You're the Blue Fairy. There's nothing I can do that you can't."

"I wasn't personally abused by Regina," Mother Superior noted.

Regina's name still made his heart leap. "Regina? Where is she?"

"Not in Storybrooke. As you know, the curse has broken. However, magic has also come thanks to the Dark One."

"Gold? What about him?"

"Also not in Storybrooke. No, I'm facing another large threat."

"What?"

"Cora."

That name stirred something in Sidney's memory. He thought back to his time as the Magic Mirror and remembered several moments. Rumplestiltskin had mentioned Cora. Regina's father, Henry had referred to her once or twice. And most notably, a pirate missing a hand had brought Regina a corpse that she had referred to as Cora.

"Regina's mother? She's dead, Blue. I saw the body."

"Believe me, she's quite alive. Regina made her the Mayor of Storybrooke in her absence."

"So you want to get rid of her?" Sidney chuckled knowingly.

The Blue Fairy paused. "No, not get rid of her. I don't want the people latching onto her though. They can't love her."

"They certainly didn't love Regina. Everyone has always hated her."

"Not necessarily. Thanks to Henry and Emma, people were beginning to give Regina a second chance, and it seems to be working. Belle is giving Cora the same second chance."

"So you don't believe in people crossing over the line, then?" Glass asked. "You don't want Regina and her mother to befriend everyone?"

"It's for their own good," Mother Superior responded. "Regina and Cora are both very powerful. They are very much a danger to the residents of Storybrooke. I can't see anyone get hurt by either of them ever again."

"Even so, why should I help you?"

"Because if you don't, you'll stay where Regina put you."

Sidney shrugged, attempting to look uncaring, but his spirits soared. If this is the price to get me out, I'll pay it. He nodded and followed Mother Superior from the cell.

Belle had determined that Cora had mastered the office and was taking her on a more detailed tour of the town.

"And this is the hospital?" Cora inquired, pointing towards the hospital.

"Yes, it is. Would you like to go in?"

"Of course!"

Though she could use her magic to cure her physical ailments, Cora was fascinated with the medical techniques of this world. True, it seemed barbaric to cut people open to fix bones and internal organs, but Cora was highly used to ripping out hearts. She felt hypocritical making such an accusation.

Belle walked her up to the main desk where a severe nurse was typing rapidly on her computer. "Hello, is Dr. Whale in?"

"Oh, hello, Belle," the nurse replied, looking up from the screen. "He's in his office. You can go back if you'd like."

"Thanks."

Cora and Belle walked down the sterile corridor and entered the last door on the left, where Dr. Whale was looking over patient files.

"Hello, Belle," he said, his eyes traveling between his two visitors. "Who is this good-looking lady?"

"Whale, this is Cora, our acting mayor in Regina's absence."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cora," Whale said suavely, kissing Cora's hand.

"Likewise, Dr. Whale," Cora smiled. "I take it you know my daughter?"

"You do know that she's Regina's mom, right?" Belle added.

Whale's eyes went wide for a brief moment, but he quickly recovered his composure. "Oh, yes! Believe it or not, I'm familiar with some of your work in the Enchanted Forest."

"Oh?" Cora asked.

"Yes, Regina showed me your vault after she sent you… umm….." The womanizing doctor realized he was digging an even deeper hole. "I'm a huge admirer," he finished lamely.

Cora chuckled and patted Whale on the arm. "You have nothing to fear from me, Dr. Whale. In fact, I'm very interested in your work here at the hospital. I have very little medical knowledge myself."

"I'd be happy to take you through the levels of care here at SGH," Whale said, much more professionally.

"SGH?"

"It stands for Storybrooke General Hospital," Belle explained.

"By all means, Dr. Whale," Cora instructed.

Dr. Whale smiled and offered his arm.

Leroy and Archie were enjoying a drink together at Granny's Diner.

"Cora's been Mayor for a whole day and we're still alive," Leroy noted after a shot of whiskey.

"And that surprises you?" Archie chuckled, sipping his apple juice.

"She's Regina's mom," the dwarf scoffed.

"I know, Leroy. I believe Regina can change her ways. And I think that Cora has just as much potential for good."

"Let me guess… People change?"

"You did, Leroy. Your broken heart made you Grumpy. You weren't always that way."

Leroy shook his head, smiling sarcastically. "I wasn't always that way, but I am now. And I know that I won't change again."

"You'll always be the grouchiest person I know," Archie began, "but you're a grouchy person that I and all of us here have come to love."

Leroy smiled, slugged Archie in the arm, and finished his drink.

It shouldn't be so long before the next update. Please review!