The heroes are on their way to Regina when they saw people running on the streets. "What is going on?" Snow asked. Emma raised her hand and saw that the barrier is gone. "It got in", she muttered. They saw Robin and his men escaping the woods. "Robin, what happened?" David asked him. "Some sort of shadow, it appeared in the woods and we are forced to flee our camp", he answered. David looked at Emma. "It's not an ordinary shadow. That one is after Regina or Gold but most likely Regina", Emma said. That alarmed Robin. Marian carried her son as they followed the Merry Men. Then the shadow finally arrived. "Here it is!" Grumpy yelled. Emma got in the middle of the street and tried to hold it off with her magic.
Back in the house of Regina, she walked back and forth with her glass of wine. She can feel the presence of the shadow now that the barrier is gone. She's certain that it can feel hers too. She's not as good as Gold who can hide himself if he wishes to. She decided to watch what's happening through her mirror. She saw Emma battling the shadow on her own. "I thought she did the research. She can't stop it like that", she muttered. The others tried to help her but sword and arrows aren't really match for it. Then Emma fell down and hit her head pretty hard. "Emma!" Snow called and rushed to her daughter's side. The shadow went passed them but Henry stepped on its way. "Henry, get out of the way!" Emma called but he didn't listen. "I will not let you hurt my mom. She's not evil anymore. She's good so leave her alone", Henry said to the shadow with all might. "Henry, what are you doing?" Regina muttered but he can't hear her through the mirror.
The shadow is about to attack Henry when Regina suddenly appeared and pushed him out of the way. "Regina!" Robin called but it's too late. The shadow finally got her. It surrounded her and by the looks of it, it's like it's suffocating her. "Mom!" Henry called. Emma got on her feet right away and tried to free Regina from the shadow but she's not strong enough to defeat it. Meanwhile, Regina losing her strength more and more saw the shadow's eyes. It's blood red and it stared directly into her soul. Emma continued to try but nothing is working until Gold arrived and used his magic to save Regina. The shadow let her go and she fell unconscious on the ground. The shadow flees the streets of Storybrooke and seek hideout in the forest. Henry went to his mother's side. "Mom…Mom…wake up. Come on, open your eyes. Mom", he said as tears fell from his eyes. Emma checked on her pulse. "She's alive", she muttered. "Then why isn't she waking up?" Henry asked while crying. "I don't know kid", Emma answered. "Take her to my shop", Gold said. Emma looked at him. "Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" she asked. "Unless you know a magical doctor there I suggest not", he answered.
The brought her to Gold's shop and set her on the small bed at the back. Gold works on his table filled with ingredients for potions. "What kind of magic you're making?" Robin asked him. "Something that might help her wake up. It's not a promise. We don't know what exactly that shadow did to her", Gold answered. Snow looked at them. "We saw what it did. It tried to kill her", she said. Gold continued to mix the ingredients. "No, it didn't. If it wanted her dead, she'll be dead by now. It did something else and that's what I want to know", he said. Robin went to her side and held her hand. "Do you have any theory?" Emma asked Gold. "Right now, none. I have to do some tests first", he answered. Belle checked the book Gold was working on and decided to help. "Just out of curiosity, why are you helping her? You two have been trying to kill each other for years", David asked. Gold smiled. "That is true but despite our twisted history, Regina is like a daughter to me. I watched her grow. I watched her evolve into being the Evil Queen and to being a hero that she is now. She has a special place in my heart", he answered.
The potion has finally finished and Gold used it to Regina. It didn't wake her but it allowed her to move her fingers a little bit. Belle volunteered to do more research in the library. Hook and the Charmings agreed to help her. Robin decided to stay with Emma and Gold. "She looks like she's just sleeping", Robin muttered as he observed her. "That is because she is. I don't know how but it's like she's put in a sleeping curse by the shadow", he said. "If it is a curse, it can be broken by true love's kiss", Henry suggested. Gold smiled at his grandson. "That is a lovely idea Henry but I don't think it will work right now because we're not even sure it's a curse", he said. Then Regina started moaning. "What is happening?" Emma asked. Gold checked up on her. "I think she's dreaming", he said. Henry put some towel on her forehead. "What's that for, kid?" Emma asked him. "She's hot. I think she got fever", Henry answered. Emma feels her forehead and he's right.
Gold stepped back and think for a moment on his next move. "Mother…please…no…" Regina muttered while she's sleeping. Everyone went quiet. "Everyone stepped back", Gold said. He took out his dagger and put it on top of her. It glowed and then he waved it towards the mirror. "What is that?" Emma asked him. "That is what's going on inside Regina's head right now. We'll be able to see what she's seeing", Gold answered. The mirror got clearer and they all saw a young Regina riding a horse while her father was watching her proudly. "That's my mom. Look!" Henry said excitedly. Emma looked surprised too. They all watched it. "She looks…happy", Emma muttered and Gold nodded. "Yes, she was. That was the period when life was still simple for her Regina. She was pure and got no trace of darkness in her heart", he said. Then they saw Cora came and tied Regina and made her suspend in mid air. "Mother! I don't like it when you use magic", Regina exclaimed. It bothered them to watch Cora abused her daughter with magic.
Robin continued to hold her hand. "So does this mean she's stuck in the past in her mind?" he asked. He is filled with worry for the love of his life. "Something like that but there's something missing here. I just need to know what that is", Gold answered as he continued to watch her dreams. Then Snow appeared in it when she was young. Regina rushed to save Snow from her horse. "You're safe now", Regina said to young Snow. "You saved me", Snow muttered and it made Regina smiled. "What is your name, dear?" she asked her. "Snow…my name is Snow White", she answered. Emma frowned. "Mom?" she muttered. Regina smiled at her. "I'm Regina", she said. Gold sighed. "I think you better call them all back here. I know what's going on now", he said.