They all placed Regina on the bed on the second floor of Snow's apartment with Henry looking after his mother while the others settled at the living room to discuss what's happening with the town's mayor.
Snow made coffee for everyone as Cora and Rumple took turns to lay the story of what Regina did in the past.
"So you're saying Regina performed a forbidden ritual to gain more power?" David asked.
"That's one point to it", Cora answered.
"There is a catch to it, isn't it? Regina said that there's always a consequence with magic. There is always a price", Emma said.
"I see my daughter has been teaching you well. That's right. My daughter has so much power inside her and she doesn't need to gain more", Cora said.
Snow sat down to join the others after having cleaned the kitchen.
"But the ritual was supposed to do that, right?" Snow asked.
"True but it didn't work in Regina's case otherwise you wouldn't be here right now", Rumple said and it scared Snow remembering how much Regina wanted her dead back in the day. "The ritual simply removed the inhibitions that are blocking her from truly accessing everything she got within. The ritual sort of sets her free", he answered.
It took the Charmings a couple of minutes to process that answer while Cora and Rumple enjoy their coffee.
"The ritual removed her emotions, her ability to feel things, her conscience", Emma muttered.
Cora put down the cup and nodded to Emma.
"I thought it would take half an hour for any of you to get it", she muttered. "It hasn't done that yet. That's what we're trying to stop. After I stopped her from completing it, she forgot about the goddamn ritual and proceeded to casting the curse which she succeeded on doing", she explained.
"I don't understand why the effect took this long to happen", David said.
"…because we're in the land without magic, dearie. There was no magic in this place for 28 years until the Savior broke the curse therefore bringing the magic in here. Now Regina has her magic back only that she doesn't remember anything about the ritual. Now, it is taking effect", Rumple explained.
Snow looked at him carefully like she wanted to say something but she's trying to hold herself. Then she saw the gesture of him that always annoys her.
"It's all your fault, both of you, but you most of all", she muttered.
They all looked at her.
"She was good. She was good when I met her. Regina saved my life. Simply because you wanted her to be queen so badly, you killed the love of her life and forced her to marry my father", she said to Cora and then turned to Rumple, "…and you took advantage of it all. You feed on her suffering and used it to manipulate her. You introduced her to dark magic and filled her with so much hatred. You let her drown in darkness and gave her no choice other than to cast your curse. You can say that it was her free will to cast it but we both that's not true. You know one way or another she will get my heart so you put me and David under a protection spell so Regina can do it. It was all you", she added.
Rumple acknowledges that part of his doing like a pro. He doesn't regret it at all.
"That is true. I need her to cast it so I can get here into this world", he said.
"Why?" David asked.
"…to find my son Baelfire. I lost him in a portal a long time ago and I learned that he was sent to a land without magic and even though I am the Dark One I can't get to him. The Dark Curse was the only way so yes, I turned Regina's heart dark. I did it for my son and I will do it all over again if I have to", he answered.
David understood that as a father. He will do anything for Emma and his family. After all, he put his daughter in a tree and shipped her to another world to save her.
"It doesn't matter now whose fault it is. The only thing that matters now is to help my daughter or future will be the hardest thing you will ever know", Cora said.
Upstairs, Henry is reading his comic books to Regina while she's sleeping. Few moments later, she finally opened her eyes and saw Henry next to her. It put a smile on her face.
"You're awake. I'm going to tell the others", Henry said as soon as he saw her eyes opened.
"No, wait. Can you stay here with me a little bit longer?" she stopped her son from getting out of the bed.
Henry obeyed like a good boy and cuddled up next to his mother like the way they used to before he discovered Emma. Regina cherished every second of it. It's been quite some time since they've done that. She doesn't want to let him go.
"Are you going to be alright?" he asked.
"I'm always alright, Henry", Regina said while still holding on to him.
"I heard them downstairs talk about you and what happened in the Enchanted Forest", he suddenly said. It made her held her breath. "What will the ritual do to you, Mom?" he asked.
She closed her eyes. She doesn't want him to know that part where she was so desperate enough to kill his grandmother that she performed a forbidden ritual.
"It's a little hard to explain and I don't think it's right to discuss it with you. The Charmings are not going to like it", she tried her best to avoid his question but she knows better. She raised him to be smart and dedicated.
"Come on, Mom. It's me. You can tell me. I want to know. Is your life in danger?" he insisted.
"No, Henry. My life is not in danger", she answered.
Henry looked at her.
"…but you're not sure about everyone else's", he concluded and she nodded.
Regina sighed and gently brushed his hair.
"I made a lot of bad choices back then, Henry. I was so blinded by hate and revenge that I can no longer tell the difference of things. I can no longer see the lines even for the sake of myself. I know one way or another those will bite me back I just didn't imagine it to be this way", she explained.
Her son listened closely trying to understand his mother to the best that he can.
"You are not that person anymore. I know that. When you were framed, you have every right to be angry to the people in this town. You could have used your magic but you didn't. You tried to tell everyone the truth even though you know they will not believe in you. You didn't give up on me when I lost my faith so I will do the same now. I will not give up on you, Mom. I will not lose my faith in you ever again. Whatever this ritual is, I know you can fight it. I know you can survive it", Henry said.
Regina looked at her son's eyes and saw nothing but love and hope for her.
"How can you be so sure?" she asked.
"…because you're my mom. I just know it in my heart", he answered with a smile.
"Oh Henry, what did I ever do to deserve you?" she muttered and hugged him tight.
Few days passed and things went back to normal for the people of Storybrooke. Archie is back at his office and the people are no longer living in fear. Regina went to Granny's with Henry to have their breakfast. They usually do that in their house but today, she wanted something different.
Nothing odd happened to her in the last couple of days which she's very thankful for at Rumple and her mother. His spell on her worked and she can no longer feel the effect of the ritual on her.
As soon as she entered the diner, the place went silent. They haven't seen her after the whole Archie thing and seeing her somewhat brought fear in their hearts. Regina noticed the silence but chose to ignore it for Henry. They sat down by the bar.
"What can I get you?" Granny asked them both.
"I'll have the breakfast B with black coffee", she answered then turned to Henry. "What do you want, Henry?" she asked.
"Pancakes and hot coco with cinnamon", he answered.
"Coming right up", Granny said and left.
Regina can feel the eyes staring at her back. She can almost hear the whispering around her which is making her anxious.
"Are you okay, Mom?" Henry asked her when he noticed her being uneasy.
"Yeah, I am fine. What do you say we takeout the food and eat it at the park?" she answered then suggested.
Henry smiled and nodded.
"I like that", he said.
Granny returned with their orders. Regina took the takeouts and together with Henry, headed out towards the door when someone said something that made her stop.
"You shouldn't be here, Your Majesty", a woman said.
Regina turned around and saw Blue standing in the middle of the crowd.
"…and why is that?" Regina asked politely.
"We know about the ritual. We know what you did", she answered.
She is slowly getting in her nerves. It doesn't help that she doesn't like her in the first place.
"Gold made sure that it's not going to be a problem anymore so you can calm down, fairy", Regina said in the best calm manner she knows.
"You are the Evil Queen. Do you think a simple spell by the Dark One will be enough to stop you from being evil again? It's in your nature. It's who you are", Blue said.
Normally, that would break Regina's meter and she would either snap her neck or rip her heart but she's very determined to be the best version of herself so she kept her instincts at bay.
"My mom is not evil. I know you're all mad about what happened with Archie but it wasn't her. He already said it. She is not the Evil Queen anymore", Henry tried to defend his mother.
Regina held his hand.
"It's not that worth it, Henry. Come on, let's have our breakfast elsewhere", she said and they went out the diner.
As Regina and Henry are heading towards the street, a ball of pixie dusts came their way and Regina dropped their food in order to get Henry out of the way. Henry was in shock when he realized he was almost hit by the ball. Regina turned around and saw Blue by the diner's door.
Henry suddenly groaned. Regina saw his cut on his knee after hitting the ground when she pushed him away. That broke the meter completely. She healed Henry and went towards Blue.
"What the hell is your problem? I am doing everything I can to redeem myself and you're trying to hit my with pixie dusts", she exclaimed.
"I will not fall into that pretense, Your Majesty. If the Savior can't keep this town safe, then I will", Blue said.
She drew out her wand and attacked Regina with magic. Stunned, she wasn't able to do anything but stood there. Then, the magic failed to hit her. Regina saw Facilier in front of her who turned out to be the one who deflected the attack of the fairy.
"Oh, you shouldn't have done that, fairy", he muttered then flashed his wicked smile.