They all stepped back as soon as they saw me. Then I remembered I am no longer wearing those light colored dresses they have provided me. I am back to my usual palette: black. "Mom, please don't do this. We are not your enemy. I understand why you did what you did with King Thomas but this is not it", Henry pleaded. Oh, he has just no idea about what's going on around him. "Perhaps you should say that to the queen behind you. She is plotting to kill me", I said. That shocked them all. They all looked at her. "Is that true? You want to kill my mother?" Henry asked her. There's no point in denying it now. "It's true. You have to understand. She's becoming like Facilier even worse than him. I am just looking out for my people. Look at what she's done now", Queen Tiana answered. Zelena took a step towards her but Robin stopped her. "She's doing this now because of you. You provoked her!" she exclaimed. Tiana frowned. "Aunt Regina can see through everything and everyone by using mirrors", Robin explained to her.
I am glad that part they understand. Now I can do what I came here to do. I attacked her with a fireball but Zelena managed to deflect it. "What are you doing?" I asked her. She sighed. "This is not you. I know it. Yes, you hate the fact that she wanted to kill you but you don't want to kill her", she answered with the semi hope speech. Since when did she learn to do that? I left her in Storybrooke for a couple of months and this is what she becomes. "I don't want to fight you, sis, but if you're going to stand in my way, I will", I warned her. I can see her tensed up. The first time we fought, didn't go well with me but that was a different time. That was a different me. That was a weak version of me who's trying to be the hero. I am not trying anymore. I am just me. It's their problem if they don't like it. "Mom, listen to me…" Henry started but he's too late to add more hope speech to the debate. I unleashed my power towards Zelena who's still protecting Tiana. She did the same thing as well. Purple and green lights clashed in mid air. I know she's powerful. After all, she's Rumple student as well.
I can feel the magic in me burning. I yearn for this feeling. I smiled and let it all out. Zelena is struggling to hold everything I am giving her. She may be powerful but she's changed. She is now the weaker version of herself…what a shame. "Her eyes", I heard Robin muttered somewhere. I guess something happened with my eyes, change in color maybe? I wouldn't know. I don't have mirrors available around here. Then Zelena fell on the ground back first. "Mom!" Robin yelled. My magic is coming out of my hands on its own, and it just feels so damn good. A fireball shoots towards the forest and it burns instantly. I just opened my arms and let it all out. "This is it, isn't it? She's losing control", I heard Hook asked someone I don't know who. "What is your fondest memory with your mother, Henry?" I heard Rumple asked my son. I didn't know he's here too. I was too focused on Tiana. "Really? We're doing this now?" Henry asked him back. "Just think, Henry", he said.
Everything went silent after that. I opened my eyes and all I can see is a slow motion of everything around me. I smiled and then things went back to normal. I shoot a fireball on Tiana then in an unexpected turn of events, my son jumped in front of her. My reflexes kicked in and I managed to turn the fireball an inch away from him. That was a close call. I looked at him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed, Henry Daniel Mills?!" I exclaimed like an extremely angry mother. I only used his full name when he's really pissing me off. "Sorry Mom, but I can't let you do something you'll regret afterwards", he apologized. I need to kill that queen behind him. "Henry, get out of the way", I said but he didn't move. "No. You're not going to kill anyone because that's not who you are anymore. You're not the Evil Queen anymore", he said. I admire his determination. "Henry, I have always been the Evil Queen. I was never a hero. All I did was hide my true self from the world so you can be happy. This is who I am. This is who I have always been. This is who I will always be", I said.
That hurts him. I am breaking his spirit now but it's better for him to face the reality than continue living in fantasy land. "Remember that day you bought me my first bike?" he asked out of nowhere. That is a random subject. "You didn't want to but I was insisting that you teach me how to drive a car so you said 'let me get you your own bat mobile' and so you bought me a bike painted like a bat mobile. You taught me how to ride it and I kept on falling down. I forgot how many stitches I got from that and then I said I don't want to do it anymore. I am done riding and you said 'the only way to conquer fear is to get back on it as soon as possible'. The next day I followed what you said and did it on my own. I was able to ride it without falling afterwards. Do you remember it, Mom?" he explained then asked. I just nodded as I recalled that time. It was a good memory. "That is my mom. That is the same woman who saved Snow White. That is who you are", he said.
Just like a cold splash of water on my face, I snapped out of whatever has been going on with me. The magic stopped coming out of hands. I calmed down. "Her eyes returned to normal", Alice muttered. I looked at Henry and then smiled. "I always think about that time when you're riding your motorcycle now", I said to him and he laughed. He went to me and hugged me tight. I did the same. I am just so happy to be back. I pulled back. "How did you know it's going to work?" I asked him. He shrugged. "I hoped and also I know you don't just have dark magic in you. You also have light which means you have always been Regina and not the Evil Queen", he answered. I am deeply moved by how much faith he has on me. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" I muttered as I stared onto his face. He smiled. Then I remembered something. All the things I did come rushing back to me. "Oh god…I killed all those people. I killed the king", I muttered and Henry held my hands. "It's not you. It's not you, Mom", he said trying to make me feel better.
I don't know if I will ever feel better from that but I also know that I did all of those to protect him. I am not big on regrets so I don't feel that towards what I did. I smiled back at my son. Then…a dark magic was shot from behind me and hit Tiana. She flew backwards and fell unconscious on the ground. I looked behind me and saw Facilier standing over there. He got his usual smile on his face. "It's alright, my queen. It's always my pleasure to finish the job for you", he said.
