Everything was going to be ruined. All because Emma was too nosy for her own good. Regina swept into the crypt, noticing the tell-tale signs of an intruder and opened the mirror.

"What did you say to Emma?" She demanded of her mother.

Cora's face smiled back at her. "Regina. It's good to see you again. Are you ready to listen to me?"

"I know Emma was here. I'm sure you did something or said something to her and I want to know what it was or…"

"Or what dear?"

"Or… or I'll do something…" Regina wracked her brain for the perfect bribe to make Cora finally co-operate. "I'll hand myself over to Rumplestiltskin to remove my powers, then let Snow White lock me up so that I'll never have the chance to be Queen again."

"How will that help you get Henry back?"

"Actually that's something Henry would approve of."

"You always were melodramatic, even as a child."

Regina just waited.

"Very well. I knew Emma was the one opening the mirror so told her what she expected to hear."

"Which was?"

"Our ideas for revenge, how much we hate her mother…. Of course they weren't the best ideas, just good enough to make her believe them."

Regina unconsciously summoned a fireball into her hand in anger. "You've just made everything worse."

"Did you really believe Emma would fall for your act? You've cursed the entire town, again, and she's supposed to think you've suddenly become her friend?"

Regina couldn't speak. The truth in her mother's words was too strong. The fireball disappeared as tears appeared in her eyes.

"You know I'm the only person who cares about you. Look how quickly everyone turns away when they think you've done something wrong."

"I just wanted…"

"I know, but that's not the life you're meant to have Regina. I've been trying to tell you that all along. Let me help you."

"I…"

"It's going to be okay, I promise."

Regina walked over to the sofa and sat down. She closed her eyes and took a moment to think. Why did she always let her mother get inside her head?

"I want to end this curse. I can't rule if everyone is asleep." She told Cora.

"Of course, but you need to make some preparations before you wake them."

"I'm listening."

Emma curled up on the sofa, wishing her parents would just wake up and tell her what to do. They knew Regina, they would understand what was going on. She wished there was a way to access her magic and break the curse.

The walkietalkie crackled and Emma heard the sound of several items falling to the floor. Then she heard Regina's voice. She was arguing with someone. As she listened, Emma recognised Cora's voice. She heard Regina say that she was just a mirror and that she had to tell her how to break the curse.

"I've waited long enough. You keep saying you want to help me, but you're only telling me to hurt everyone. The only way I'm going to be happy again is if you let me live my life the way I want to. I want to be good, for Henry. Just tell me how to undo the curse. Please."

"The girl will never trust you."

"What did you tell her?"

"The truth. I let her see the Evil Queen. It's who you are Regina."

"No. You're ruining my life again. Now tell me how to break the curse or I'll…"

"You'll what? My power is stronger than yours."

"You're just a mirror."

"I'm your mother and I care about you."

"Then prove it and tell me how to wake everyone up."

There was the sound of Regina picking up whatever had fallen earlier and the walkietalkie connection cut out.

Emma stared at it for a long while. She wanted to believe what she had just heard. It sort of made sense; the mirror was something Cora had made to keep Regina doing what she wanted in case she wasn't around. Regina had been talking to the mirror to get the spell to wake everyone up. She wasn't evil anymore.