The heroes just returned to Storybrooke with Neal, Henry, Hook, Tinkerbell, and Regina. They also brought with them the Lost Boys they rescued from Neverland including Wendy. The town's people rejoiced at the docks upon their return. Well, except Regina's apparently. She stood there at the side just waiting not for them to notice but for the enjoyment to pass so she can take her son home.
Rumple looked at his student staring at the ground. He knows how hard she worked to get Henry back. She's the one who was able to get Henry's heart from Pan's body and the box where he's trapped in. Their mission will not be a success without her.
The sound of people laughing and cheering is cutting Regina's heart slowly. She can't demand for their love not after everything she did to them. It's alright. She doesn't care about them anyway. All she cares about is Henry. She saw how happy he is with everyone. That saddened her even more. She bowed her head to avoid eye contact from everyone and quietly turned her back on them and walked away.
Rumple watches her walks away from them. Emma saw how disappointed Gold is and looked at the direction he's staring at and saw Regina leaving.
"Regina", she called.
She stopped walking. She can already feel their eyes on her back. She doesn't want to turn around and saw the hate on their faces.
"We're going to Granny's to celebrate. Will you come with us? After all, we owe everything to you. We will not be here right now if it wasn't for you", Snow asked with her hopeful smile.
Regina knows she meant well. She always does but she can't bear to be in the room where she's not really that welcome.
"I'll try to make it", she answered. "I'll see you at home, Henry", she added and then resumed walking.
Emma looked at Gold again and saw something is off. She started worrying.
"Is she going to be alright?" she asked.
"I'm sure she will be. I think she's just tired. Between all of us, I don't think she got that much sleep for more than a week", Snow answered.
"I hope so", Emma muttered still looking at Gold.
Exhaustion caught up with Regina and she crashed onto her bed. Snow was right. She didn't get much sleep while they're in Neverland. She was so worried about Henry that she completely forgot about herself. She felt asleep in an instant. While she sleeps, purple rays of magic quietly coming out of her hands but going nowhere. It's just there.
Meanwhile, everyone is celebrating at Granny's. Tinkerbell has been reunited with her fairy sisters. Emma watched everyone be reunited with everyone. She should be happy but she can't help but worry about Regina. It's not her fault Pan got their son. He's after him for so long. Even without Regina trying to destroy the town, he will get to him one way or another. She made it possible for them to get Henry back. She should be with them.
"Why aren't you with them?" Rumple asked her.
"I don't feel like it", she answered briefly.
"You're thinking the same thing I do…Regina", he said.
Emma turned to him.
"I am not sure we think the same about her. What are you thinking?" she asked.
"She's trying to change for Henry. He wanted her to change for these people. These people will never see that", he answered.
"You're wrong. They will. I've never seen anyone more forgiving than the people of Storybrooke. They will understand Regina", Emma said in their defense.
Rumple only chuckled.
"Oh, dearie…do you think Regina became the Evil Queen overnight? No, she didn't. She raised your mother for years without trying to rip her heart. She was falling and no one tries to grab her hand to lift her up. Tinkerbell did. Look what the Blue Fairy did to her. She stripped her off her magic and cut her wings. No matter how much good deeds she does, all these people in here will always see her as the Evil Queen and that is the truth", he said.
Henry chose to stay with Regina while the rest discovered that it wasn't really him but Peter Pan. When they got to Regina, it's too late. Pan already got the Dark Curse and plans to enact it the second time.
They managed to catch Pan and returned both of them to their own bodies and then Rumple put the bracelet on Pan's arm to prevent him from using magic.
Regina held the Dark Curse in her hand. She can feel it coming again. Her eyes wondered in each letters on the scroll.
"Having a déjà vu?" Rumple asked from behind her.
They are still in his shop. Everyone is at the back which gave them room to talk at the front.
"You can say that. The curse is coming. I can feel it already brewing", she answered.
"That's true. I know many things but I don't really know how this curse works. I don't know how it felt because I didn't cast it. Any ideas what this one's going to do and how to stop it?" he asked.
Emma was about to go out when she saw them talking together. She decided to hide so she can listen to their conversation.
"It will not take us elsewhere and erase our memories. The curse built this place. The curse can erase it as well", Regina answered.
Rumple sighed. He didn't foresee this part of the future.
"This is the end then. At least I was able to see my son again and he forgave me. I can now go ahead and die with my father", he muttered with a smile.
"I already told you. You are not going to die at anyone's hand but my own so stop that foolish idea of dying with Pan. It will not stop the curse anyway. You are not dying. End of discussion", Regina snapped.
It amused him.
"You know there used to be a time when you wanted to see me dead so badly", he said.
"Yeah, that was a long time ago. Whether I like it or not, you're the closest friend I got in this town", she admitted.
He knows it is true. He wanted to kill Regina when he found out she locked up Belle for 28 years but instead of doing it himself, he got a wraith to do it because he can't.
"What are we going to do?" he asked his student.
"You'll do nothing", she answered. "I will take care of this", she added.
The people in the town are running back and forth in panic due to the coming curse. David gathered them in one place so he can speak with them.
"Go to the town line. That is the last place in Storybrooke the curse will hit. It will give us time to stop it. Go!" he instructed and they all obeyed.
It is the only think he can do for now. Then he saw Regina walking along the street heading the other direction. He ran towards her.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Oh great…I thought all of you Charmings are at Gold's Shop", she muttered upon seeing him.
"The curse is coming and it is going to come that way. What are you planning? Do you know how to stop it?" he asked again.
"Yes, I do but I need you to be out of here. Go to your family. Make sure Pan will not interrupt me and keep him away from my son", she answered.
David looked at the woman he once so despised for trying to kill the woman he loves. Now, he can see through her. He was never been able to do that before mainly because she hides her emotions very well.
"You're not planning on surviving this, are you?" he noticed.
Regina just smiled at him, a sincere smile.
"Tell my son I love him very much and that I am sorry for everything", she said and he nodded.
David ran away leaving Regina in the middle of the street waiting for the curse with the scroll in her hand.
Meanwhile, back in the shop, Pan is slowly waking up without them noticing. They are preoccupied by the fact that the curse is coming.
"You don't know where she went?" Snow asked Emma.
"No. She just said she'll take care of this", she answered.
"How in the bloody hell she'll do that? Her mother was a powerful witch and yet she can only froze us for 28 years and wait until the curse is broken", Hook intervened.
"She can do it. I believe in her. If she said that she will take care of this, she will. My mom will save us all", Henry said.
Pan suddenly broke the bracelet and used his magic and disappeared. It left everyone shocked. Rumple came in and saw that his father is no longer there.
"Where is Pan?" he asked.
"He just disappeared. He broke the bracelet and then disappeared", Neal answered.
There is a moment of silence while they contemplate how screwed they really are. It was only broken when David arrived at the shop.
"What? What's wrong?" he asked them all.
"Pan escaped", Snow answered.
"Great…Regina said to make sure Pan will never interrupt while she stops the curse", he muttered.
"How is she going to do it?" Emma asked.
He only looked at his daughter. He doesn't want to lie on her face but he can't say the word either especially with Henry in the room but she got it. It's one of her superpowers. She can always see the truth.
"She's not coming back", she muttered and it alarmed Henry. "Regina", she added.
Regina can almost see the curse coming to the town. It is the same curse cloud she saw back then when she casted the curse only it looked more violent. She looked at the scroll in her hand.
"It's you and me again", she said to it.
Regina then tore the scroll in pieces and let it fall onto the ground.
"You can't stop it. You will die trying", Peter Pan said behind her.
Regina closed her eyes. They didn't make a good a job guarding him.
"I don't care if I die. At least, I got to save them", she said without turning around.
"You missed the point of what I said. You cannot stop the curse. No one can", he said.
Regina finally turned to look at him.
"I am not planning on stopping the curse because I know I can't", she said.
"Then what are you doing here?" he asked curiously. He's never been able to read the queen.
"What I do best…play with the darkness", she answered and then raised her left hand towards the Dark Curse's clouds and her magic came out.
Pan, realizes what she's trying to do, tries to stop her.
"No!" he yelled and used his magic on her but she was quick. His magic and hers collided as she used her right hand to fight him off while using her magic to the curse.
The others arrived and saw what's going on which shocked them all. Emma stepped forward unsure of what she can do to help.
"Regina!" she yelled.