The cavalry sat down inside Snow's apartment to contemplate on what they just did. Emma and Snow are particularly guilty of saying cruel things to Regina back at the park. Henry, on the other hand, has fallen asleep after several minutes of crying. David made them hot drinks to make them feel better.
"I don't feel good at all", Emma muttered.
"It was necessary. You saved her life", Cora said to her and smiled.
"I know we did what's right but it doesn't mean it has to feel good. I can't erase the look on her face when we're saying those things to her. Her heart is breaking right in front of us and I couldn't even do anything", Snow exclaimed.
All of their thoughts were interrupted when Rumple suddenly magic Snow's mirrors away.
"What are you doing?" David asked.
"If the plan worked and Regina did become the Evil Queen again, she can see us through the mirrors. It's one of her thing she developed on her own", he answered.
They all knew that except for Emma who hasn't really been that familiar with Regina's magic. She knows she's powerful and she can do a lot but she never saw her in action until the time she stripped the Blue Fairy off her magic.
"So how are we going to know if the plan works?" Emma asked.
"I guess if she comes in through that door for my heart", Snow answered.
"No need to worry about that. I put a protection spell around this apartment so no one is going to rip your heart out as long as you stay in here", Cora said.
Snow smiled at her. They lived together in the castle when she was young. She's always been nice to her and motherly. It's just too bad things go sideways because of her ambition.
The door went suddenly opened and they all readied themselves to fight. Hook came in catching his breath.
"Calm down, lads. It's just me", he said and they all lowered their weapons.
"What are you doing here?" Emma asked.
"I was just in my ship minding my own business when I heard a loud crash in the woods. I thought it was you guys doing some magic stuff so I went to check it. You know who I found? Her Majesty", he answered.
Regina did what Snow told her. She run and run as far as she can. She could've just went to her vault but it's too late for that thought because she was too far from there. Then, she thought about poofing herself but her feet won't stop running. She wanted to go away. She wanted to escape. The thought of crossing the town line and letting her memories be erased has been more appealing to her than ever. At least, she won't remember all the hurtful things they said to her. She will not remember all the painful things that has happened in the past. She will have a clean slate.
Then she halted when she saw that she's running towards the cliff. She immediately grabbed the tree next to her to prevent herself from falling. Regina looked down the cliff and saw how high she got just by running. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to breathe. Tears started falling from her eyes. Henry's voice telling her that she can't be with him keeps running in her head on loop.
As she opens her eyes, she saw the whole view of the town she built out of a curse. It looked so peaceful from up there and that is because it is peaceful now that she's not there anymore. Pain strikes in her heart harder followed by extreme anger. All her life, all she ever wanted was to be happy. The thing with life is that it always gets in the way. Then she remembered why she never gets her happy ending in the first place. She remembered Snow betraying her. She remembered Emma showing up in her doorsteps telling her she's Henry's mother. She remembered the people of the town looking at her like she's a monster.
Her hands begins to shake rapidly. Her breathing becomes heavy. The anger in her is building and building until she couldn't feel anything else but anger. She couldn't hold it anymore. She feels like she's going to explode. In that moment, there's nothing else she can do but to let go. Regina screamed and a wave of dark magic came out of her and shoots directly up in the sky.
Then, she dropped on her knees. Her hands are shaking no more. She grabbed the tree to help herself get back on her feet and then opened her now purple eyes to look at the town she now hates more than ever.
"It's time to have some fun", she muttered and smiled.
The meeting inside the Charmings' apartment was interrupted by a loud thunder outside.
"There is no storm in Storybrooke. There has never been a storm here", David muttered.
"Regina", Cora said.
They all went outside and saw the dark clouds covering the whole town. The wind is blowing harshly though it is not raining. The rest of the town came out on the street to see the weird weather phenomenon.
"What is happening?" Emma asked.
"I don't know. This never happened here before", Snow answered.
Rumple used his magic to feel what's happening.
"Is it her?" Cora asked him.
"Yes. It's definitely her but ten times stronger. I think our plan worked", he answered.
"Well, now that it worked. Do you have another plan to stop the queen before she murders everyone in this town?" Hook asked them both.
"We are still working on it", Cora answered.
Regina is still up by the cliff watching the brewing storm surrounds the whole town. suddenly, Facilier appeared behind her and gently put his hands over her shoulders. Regina smiled and then grabbed him and pinned him to the tree.
"It's just me, my queen", he said trying to hide the shock on his face when he saw the color of her eyes.
"What do you want with me, Facilier?" she asked in cold tone.
Facilier chuckled.
"You know me. You always have. I only wanted to serve my queen", he answered.
Regina released him. She knows he's telling the truth. Even at her worst, he's always been there for her. He doesn't judge. He accepts her for who she is.
"Tell me something. Why do you love me, Facilier? Everyone else don't", she asked plainly.
"It's a long list of answer if you're asking for characteristics. I love your fire. I love your heart even at its darkness. I love how you always find another way when no one else can't see it. I love how you never give up, never surrender. You fight. That's what you do. That's what you are. Most of all, you love unconditionally. You love with all your heart, with all your soul", he answered.
Regina looked at him for a second then back to the town.
"Then we have a problem", she muttered.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I don't feel anything. I don't feel love. I don't feel sadness. I don't even feel the rage. My heart is nothing but dark now and I have no soul anymore. All the things you love about me is gone. I just can't feel anything anymore", she answered.
Facilier was stunned by what she said but he kept it very well. He can see the emptiness in her eyes. The fire is gone.
"I still love you, my queen, no matter what and I am here to serve", he said.
She didn't answer.
"What do you want to do next?" he asked trying to find out her next move.
"At first I thought what about resuming my mission back in the day, to get Snow White's heart, but then I realized I don't hate her anymore. I thought about killing Emma but I don't hate her either. I don't feel anything about anyone. All I know is I don't like this town. It's full of happy people and it annoys me because I can't feel that…their happy songs and smiles and happy endings. It is making me sick to my stomach", she answered.
He observed her every word until he finally got it.
"You want to destroy Storybrooke", he muttered.
Regina looked at him with her cold purple eyes.
"No, I don't want to destroy Storybrooke. I want to erase its existence and everyone living in it", she corrected.
Snow and David held an emergency meeting at the town hall about the coming storm. They instructed the people to gather the things they needed and to seek shelter at the fairies' house temporarily. After that was settled, the people left to follow David's instructions.
Cora turned to Rumple and handed him a bottle of potion.
"What is this?" he asked.
"My promise…that should be strong enough to bring back her memories although I don't think it's a good time to do that but if you feel like it you can just mix it in her drinks and you will get your Belle back", she answered.
He looked at her with teary eyes. The two of them had a long history and a for a moment, the feeling of the past returned. He loved her once.
"Can I ask you something?" Rumple started. "That time when I found you, were it all just a show to manipulate me into teaching you magic? Was it all fake?" he asked.
Cora smiled.
"Why do you think I ripped my own heart out?" she asked him back and it made him stop. "I wanted power more than anything else. I wanted it so badly that I want to be indestructible. I don't want to have any weakness. Love is weakness, Rumple. So I ripped my own heart out so I will be free of my weakness which is you", she answered.
They all looked at each other and smiled. Cora pulled him into his arms and hugged him tight.
"Even the Dark One deserves to have happiness in his life, so I suggest you give that to Belle. Don't waste any more time", she whispered in his ears before pulling away.
Rumple nodded. He was about to leave when Facilier appeared in the middle of the room.
"Good, I thought I might still find you here", he said to all of them.
"Why?" Emma asked.
"I found Her Majesty and she's fine. Her life is not in danger anymore", he said.
Cora sighed in relief.
"Now, the entire town is in danger", he said and that put them all in alarm.
"What are you talking about?" Snow asked.
"The ritual has been completed. The darkness has won in her. I tried to find out her next plan hoping I can warn you all first before it happens. She doesn't want to kill you, Snow White or you, Savior. She's after the town", he answered.
"How can we know you're telling the truth? This is what you wanted all along", David asked in suspicion.
"All I wanted is to save her life. You have no reason to trust me but right now, I am the only person in the world she wouldn't kill when comes near her and I am telling you, you should ready yourselves, gather every magic spells you know, or at least spend your last moments with your loved ones because the queen is going to erase this whole town from the map and everyone who is in here", Facilier answered.