Hi there! Here's the next chapter! Hope you like it :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or the characters.
Cora cleared her throat uncomfortably. The emotional speech to prove her intent to help wasn't coming out of her mouth quite as smoothly as she had hoped. Too much practice being evil, she supposed. "Alright, so I know that this whole, um, breakdown, that we just witnessed was technically my fault-"
A snort of derision escaped Emma, "Technically, my ass!"
"Yes, alright, it was my fault. My point is, I have reevaluated my position. I no longer wish for my daughter to suffer the effects of the potion." Cora bit out, her face becoming flushed as embarrassment reared its ugly head. She hated having to ask for help. She hated to admit she was wrong. In fact, she hated this whole situation and she wished she could go back in time to stop herself from entering it. Hmm, wait a minute, that thought had some merit.
"Just like that?" Snow asked, her face filled with suspicion. Not that Cora hasn't given the girl reason. The last time she'd had an emotional revelation about her daughter in front of Snow, it had been a ruse. A trick to get the child to admit what she knew about Regina and Daniel. Cora would have her work cut out for her in proving her good will.
"My plan worked perfectly, Snow White. If I got rid of you two, my daughter would be putty in my hands. Do you understand? Instead, I am asking for your assistance in reversing this. Unless of course, you'd like Regina to go on like this for weeks on end? I'm sure young Henry would love to see his mother like this?"
Once Henry's name was mentioned, Snow and Emma shared a quick worried glance. He still deeply loved his mother, after all. He'd begged Emma to protect her once everyone regained their memories and he cared for her no matter how entrenched he was in the idea of good versus evil.
"I should mention that Regina will relive the worst memories of her life anytime she sees a face other than mine. Even Henry's will provoke terror." Cora informed, watching as the mother-daughter duo silently communicated something. She and Regina had never achieved that level of closeness, and that was Cora's fault. She had pushed her daughter away to keep her emotions grounded. Emotions were reckless and got you in trouble. Like when she fell for a palace gardener because she thought he was a prince. Or when she began to care for Rumplestiltskin and had to rip out her own heart to betray him and marry Henry Sr.
Love may not be Regina's weakness, per say, but it certainly was Cora's.
They must have decided to trust her, albeit at an arm's length. Emma's stony eyes met Cora's. "So how do we reverse it?"
"I suggest you get her to a place where she can't see anyone, first. That way we spare her any more visions."
"The interrogation room at the station could work. Two way glass, so we can see her but she can't see us. Plus, we've got the speaker system set up in there. Will she get a vision if she hears us? Or does she specifically have to see someone?" Emma asked.
"She must see your face. And she won't recognize your voice, her mind is only 19 after all."
"Okay then, to the station it is. Think she'll sleep through a car ride? Or maybe we should blindfol-" Emma started before she was covered in a purple mist and suddenly smacked into her desk at the precinct. "Ohh…" She groaned, cradling her knee before looking up at Cora with a glare. "Thanks." She snarked before turning to lead them down the hall. Cora carried Regina's prone form with a cloud of magic and followed the blonde to the interrogation room.
She gently laid her daughter on the table, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead before exiting the room swiftly. She did not want Regina to wake up with others in the room. Once Emma and Snow had closed the door, Cora watched as the sheriff turned on the cameras, speaker system, and lights. "Okay, so, when she wakes up, we'll just tell her what's going on and that we're planning on solving it. Hopefully that'll keep her relaxed. I mean, this Regina doesn't exactly seem argumentative, anyway." Emma rambled, clearly grasping for straws. "Hey, what are we going to do to fix this anyway? Go to Gold?"
"No." Cora shot down quickly. She was not interested in seeing the imp. Plus, there was nothing he could do to help anyway. This was a potion of her invention that he had no clue about. "He can't help us. I invented this potion and I never shared it with anyone, even him. We're on our own for this one."
"Great!" Emma announced sarcastically. "I don't suppose there's some kind of magical pill or laxative that can just undo this easily?"
"Obviously not, dear, otherwise I wouldn't be here. I never needed an antidote for this potion, so I never created one. It will take some research and experimentation. Most importantly, it will take time. I need you to watch over her while I come up with a solution. Keep people away from her and ensure that she stays in there at all costs."
"Oh really? We babysit while you're off on your own doing who knows what? I don't think so. I'm coming with you." Emma declared, receiving a shocked "What?" and "Excuse me?" respectively. "I have magic, I can help. More importantly, I can make sure you're not going back on your word."
"Very well, little Snow can watch over step-mummy then. Think you can handle it, dear? If I come back with a perfect reversal potion only to find she's gone missing on your watch, Charming and Emma might encounter some nightmares of their own. Understand?"
"Yes, of course." Snow agreed reluctantly. Truth be told, she didn't know if she could handle it. It was like torture watching Regina react to her visions. Each one spoke of entrapment and despair. They forced her to confront the very grim reality that Regina was pressured and pushed into the evil deeds she'd done. The line between good and bad was becoming uncomfortably blurry for Snow's tastes. But she was not a child anymore. She could be trusted to protect Regina this time.
"We best be off then. I want this taken care of as soon as possible. Being around you hero types gives me indigestion." Cora ordered, motioning for Emma to get closer.
"We'll be back as soon as we can. Here's the key to the room. Press this button to talk over the speakers." Emma instructed, squeezing her mother's hand before walking over to Cora and disappearing with a haze of violet.
"Okay, just you and me, Regina." Snow spoke aloud, attempting to calm her nerves. She watched Regina's sleeping form through the glass. Looking at her like this, you almost wouldn't know something was wrong. Of course, the Mayor of Storybrooke wouldn't be laying sprawled out on a table like this any other day, but still. Her face was calm, and her eyes were closed peacefully. Her eyes were perhaps the most disturbing part of this whole experience. Regina normally had incredible control of her facial features. As a child, Snow had never suspected her step-mother was anything other than loving. In Storybrooke during the curse, Mary Margaret was always impressed by the Mayor's ability to keep a perfect poker face no matter the circumstance. But now? Now anytime Regina was awake, her eyes were bouncing between every negative emotion known to mankind at breakneck speed.
Those eyes were, for once, totally and 100% honest. Instead of feeling relieved, Snow felt sick. She had never realized how much Regina hid from the world. How much pain she's endured. It makes her want to apologize over and over again.
Instead, she lets a few well-deserved tears fall and waits for Regina to wake up. When she finally does, Snow's tears are long gone. In fact, she exhausted herself so much that she'd fallen right asleep. With her head draped over the desk and her elbow barely pushing the speaker button, Snow gave a gentle snore that woke Regina with a start.
Bracing herself on the table, Regina examined the room around her, wondering if maybe the King had locked her in a strange new dungeon. Suddenly, another snore rang through the room. Whipping her head around to look for the source, she called out with a wavering voice "Snow?"
She regrets it immediately as a loud screech fills the room, causing her to slam her hands to her ears, before a crackly voice answers back. "Regina? You recognize me?"
Perplexed, Regina responds, "Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I? You do sound a bit different. Are you sick?"
"No, no. Nothing like that," Snow responds, unsure of how to explain. Luckily, Regina moves on to something else.
"Where are you? I don't see you?"
"Oh, I'm on the other side of the glass. You're not supposed to see my face. Or anyone's face really." Snow supplied, trying to be helpful.
"I see." Regina choked out, figuring that this was some clever new punishment cooked up by Leopold. Really, it was entirely in character of him, especially letting Snow see her like this. He could never deny his darling daughter, what would he care that his wife was mortified to be seen this way? Broken and powerless. Nevertheless, she tried to get Snow to help her.
"Snow, dear, is there any way you can convince your father to let me out? I really - I really don't like this room." She practically begged, rising and walking to the mirror. Pressing a hand up against it, she imagined her young step-daughter on the other side. Conjuring up a loving smile, she aimed her eyes where she assumed Snow would be.
"I would appreciate it dearly. We could go and pick some flowers in the garden, if you'd like?" Regina offered, sweetening up the deal. Lately, she did anything she could to get away from the princess. Pretending to be busy with court or her Queenly duties.
On the other side of the glass, tears had returned to Snow's eyes. She watched Regina smile through the glass, looking around Snow's stomach instead of her face.
She thinks I'm eleven, Snow realized. She thinks I'm eleven and that father locked her up.
She had to correct her, but she found it incredibly difficult. "I'd love that." Escaped her mouth before she could stop it.
Regina latched onto her words and increased her bribe. "I'll take you down to the stables. We can see if Buttercup and Rocinante are up for a race? I'll warn you, Ro won't go easy on Buttercup just because she's a royal horse." Regina teased warmly. In her heart, though, she felt cold. This was all just a part of life. Building a relationship with a girl who she'd rather see dead than giggling on a horse. Unfortunately, more often than not, Snow was a lifeline in the castle. When Snow was around, Leopold was jovial and more forgiving. He groped his wife less and left her alone more often. A crucial point to maintaining her sanity involved staying glued to Snow's side as often as possible.
Snow's heart tore as she watched her step-mother attempt to bribe her. If she really had been eleven, this would have caught her hook, line, and sinker. There was nothing that she wanted more than a mother at that age. So much so that she was willfully blind to Regina's unhappiness. How could she have missed the dead look in the woman's eyes for so long?
"I'm really sorry, Regina. You have to stay in there a bit longer. My father doesn't know you're here though. You're safe." Snow informed her, attempting to comfort Regina with the knowledge that Leopold wasn't around.
If anything, that confused Regina all the more. "What does that mean, Snow? Why am I here, then? Has the castle been seized?" She asked in a rapid fire.
Snow attempted to backtrack. "No, no. Umm, you're safe. We're all safe. Well, sort of. What I mean is: you can't see my face for your safety. You drank a potion that makes people look terrifying to you." There, that was a pretty apt explanation, right?
"I'm confused. Why would I take a potion like that?" Regina asked, her brow scrunched up in thought. "How do I know you're really Snow if I can't see your face?" She brought up, suddenly suspicious of Snow's identity. "Show me yourself, and I'll decide if you're really so terrifying." She ordered.
"Regina, no, that's a bad idea. Last time you saw me, you did not react well. Just relax, we're working on a solution. Just sit tight."
"What the hell does that mean, Snow? You're eleven! Who are you working on a solution with? You said your father wasn't behind this."
"Your mother is helping us. Don't worry, she really wants to help you this time!" Snow confessed.
The breath was knocked out of Regina's lungs as she realized that meant Cora had somehow messed with her head with a potion and was planning on doing so again. Not only that, Snow was an integral cog in her mother's machine again.
She refused to go along with this madness. She was getting out of this cell with or without Snow's help. "Rumplestiltskin?!" She called, pushing her energy and willpower into the words.
"Wait! Regina, no!" Snow shouted uselessly.
"Rumplestiltskin!"
A true smile crossed Regina's face as she felt a rush of magic behind her. Puffs of black smoke engulfed the room, obscuring the mirror's clarity.
"Hello, dearie. I charge extra for house calls." a chipper voice said behind the smiling queen.