In the dead of the night, Emma, Snow, James, and Henry returned to town while Regina, Bae, Chance, and the baby entered the secret passage that lead to the area under the library where Regina had stayed after the curse broke. It was a small underground room with one functioning light bulb. There were no windows, but there was a tv that could pick up the local news station.
Regina and Bae hadn't said much since leaving the forest. He was kneeling by the tv, fixing the antenna while Regina sat on the small couch across from it, looking at her sleeping child. "We should name her," Regina suggested to Bae who still had his backed turned. "Yes, what do you want to name her? I don't really have a preference." Regina was a little aggravated by the fact that he wouldn't look at her. "Serenity. Maybe she'll bring peace here." Bae stopped fiddling with the antenna and sighed. His mind had been racing.
"Okay, what's wrong?" Regina asked. Bae turned to look at her. "Do you really think you can change? In all honesty, I don't see it happening." Regina didn't know how to respond. She could tell it was troubling him, and he wasn't trying to be malicious. She wasn't quite sure what he was asking.
"I mean, you don't really have a shot at convincing the public that you've switched sides." Bae was now standing, looking a bit anxious. Regina stood up, with the baby in her arms and look Bae in the eyes. "I'll leave them alone if they leave me alone. Frankly, there is no clean cut line between the good guys and the bad guys. I will do anything to protect my family including James, Snow, and Emma because no matter what Henry is still my son." Regina paused as her eyes shifted to the television. "But if anyone hurts any of you, they are going down. That I can assure you."
Bae smiled and chuckled. He may not approve of her ways, but he knows she loves him, and that's all that matters. He put his arm around her as they sat on the couch and watched the madness unfold on the tv. Regina was so content that she fell asleep on his shoulder along with the baby who had been knocked out since they arrived. It was weird they could be so calm in the middle of chaos when they were together. Bae marveled at this tranquility. You would have never guessed there was a whole town demanding their execution.
Emma had been hounded by people all day. She kept saying, "No comment" but how long could she hold them off. It would've been so much easier if Regina had been guilty. Now, the people were trying to find someone to blame and let their frustration out on. They couldn't find Regina, so they turned on Emma. She didn't know how Regina put up with all of the stares and whispers and even the upfront confrontations.
Emma kept trying to think of a cure all solution, but it felt like she was too far in. She had crawled into a hole and it caved in. Even ordering coffee at Granny's was a challenge. After Granny reluctantly gave her the coffee without making eye contact, someone purposely bumped into her and made her spill it. Emma blinked a few times with her mouth open in disbelief. Did they forget that she was the savior? She was the reasons they go their memory back, and this is how they repaid her.
Emma's hands began to shake. She needed to get out of there. She ran to the one person bathroom and turned on the faucet. The sound soothed her as she tried to calm herself down. She didn't want to cry. She couldn't leave the bathroom with a red tear-stained face. Leaning against the wall, she put her hand to her forehead which was hot. She tried to take deep breaths as she slid down the wall into a crouching position and rocked herself back and forth until the tears were gone.