Regina had gone missing and Emma was beginning to worry. While she and Regina had not been on speaking terms since Cora's arrival, she couldn't erase her feelings for the brunette. They had reunited briefly, but Regina broke it off without an explanation. Emma, Snow, David, and Neal went out to search for the missing mayor. They found her at the Cannery. Snow looked at an unconscious Regina on the table. She had been electrocuted. "David, forget them. We have to help her or she'll die."
David gently lifted Regina and carried her out of the Cannery. Once they had arrived at their apartment, David carried Regina to bed. They called the Blue Fairy to help. She removed the cuff and left. Snow tended to Regina. Once Regina woke up, she realized that she had to come clean to Snow and David.
"We have now saved your life twice now and you were going to kill us?" David was furious.
"I created the trigger when the curse was cast. I wasn't going to use it, but I had to figure out how to destroy it without activating it."
Emma walked in and all three saw the shocked look on her face, "what's wrong?" Snow asked as she and David rushed to their daughter.
"Neal, he, he's gone. He was lost while fighting Tamara."
"I'm so sorry," Snow pulled her daughter into a hug and David hugged them both.
Emma noticed Regina was awake and the two locked eyes. "We'll give you two a moment," David said. He and Snow walked to the kitchen.
Emma took a seat on the edge of the bed. She noticed where the pads had been on Regina's head from the burns. "Are you alright?"
"I'm getting there. Listen, I'm sorry about Neal."
"Thank you," she said. "I should go get Henry. I just wanted to check on you before I left."
"Emma, for what it's worth, I'm truly sorry for everything."
"We can talk more when this is over."
Emma, David, and Snow left Regina to rest. The woman was contemplating what to do about the trigger. She knew how to destroy it, but it came with a cost. One that Gold wouldn't be able to save her from.
Emma couldn't believe that Regina was going to sacrifice herself for the town. She turned to try and stop her, but it was too late. Emma ran to Granny's to get everyone out.
"What about mom?" Henry asked.
"She can stop the device, but...she won't survive." The look on Henry's face broke Emma's heart, "I promised her I'd get you out of here."
While discussing Regina, Snow came up with a possible solution. Surprisingly everyone agreed to try and save Regina. Emma, David, Snow, and Henry rushed to the mine. They explained everything to Regina only to find that Hook had taken the last bean.
"I'm not letting you die," Emma said as she walked up to the diamond and added her strength. "We're going to have our chance."
It wasn't long before both women were thrown in opposite directions. It had worked and the trigger had been destroyed. David and Snow helped Emma up and hugged her. "Are you alright?" Snow asked.
"Yeah, I think so," Emma answered. She heard a moan and saw Regina on the ground, rolling onto her back. "Regina, are you okay?"
"I don't know." Emma and David helped Regina to her feet, "well, my back is sore but I think I'm fine everywhere else."
"We did it," Emma smiled.
Regina smiled back, "we certainly did."
"Hey kid," Emma turned to talk to Henry but he was nowhere to be found. Their happiness was cut short by Henry's disappearance. They ran to find Henry and saw Greg and Tamara take him through a portal. It closed before they could reach it.
Emma and Regina had threatened Hook into taking them to Henry. Snow and David joined them. Regina kept her distance from Emma on board the Jolly Roger. The blonde found her in the cabin below. "Is there a reason you're hiding from me?" Emma asked.
Regina turned towards the voice, "I just wanted to be alone. I'm not hiding from you."
"Maybe not right now." When Regina turned away, Emma went to leave.
"I'm not good enough for you," Regina blurted out.
Emma turned back, "what?"
"I'm the Evil Queen and you were right. I am just like my mother."
"You were the Evil Queen and you were becoming your mother. I told you at Gold's shop that I knew you had changed. What you did was because your mother really didn't give you a choice."
"After everything she had done to me, I was still ready to kill your mother as payback."
"You told me after that Cora had basically become the mother you had always hoped for in her dying moment. That's why you were angry. You felt that you missed out on something because of my mother."
"Why do you want to be with me?"
"Because I love you."
"Why?"
"Because you're you."
Regina rolled her eyes and smiled, "maybe we can get things right this time."
"We will," Emma said with a great deal of confidence.
Pan had enacted the curse and left Regina with no other choice. She had to save everyone in Storybrooke even if it meant sacrificing her happiness. Gold sacrificed himself to get rid of Pan and now she was about to sacrifice everything herself.
"I can't leave you," Emma told Regina.
"You have to," both women had tears in their eyes. "Our son needs you to."
Everyone in the town was crying at the sight. "I wish there was another way."
"So do I. So do I," Regina took Emma into her arms. "Take good care of him," she choked out.
"I promise," Emma said through tears. Henry hugged Regina and then ran to the car. He looked back to see his moms kiss one another one last time. Once they had crossed the town line, Emma had to pull over. She was crying too hard, "I'm sorry, kid." Once she awoke the next day, Emma and Henry would have no memory of Storybrooke.