They took her to Snow's apartment. She managed to remain calm the whole time thanks to Robin. Gold arrived with the potion he made at his shop. "Are you sure this is going to work?" Emma asked him and he nodded. "Yes, I am very certain", he answered. He then went to Regina who is waiting for him. "You may not remember me but you and I know each other for a very long time, dearie", he said to her. She didn't say anything because she truly doesn't remember him. He gave her the vial. "Drink this and you'll have your memories back", he said. She looked at Snow and Robin, the two people in the town that she trusted. They both nodded. Regina drinks the potion and put the vial down. It took ten seconds before the potion take effect. Then she opened her eyes and looked at everyone. "Why are you all looking at me like that?" she asked in her own way of asking. Everyone sighed in relief. "She's definitely back", David muttered.
Gold did one last round of check up on her before he left. According to him, she's fully recovered. Emma sat down with David while watching Regina with Henry at the kitchen. "What are you thinking?" he asked her. "Earlier, she remembered what Mom did to her. The memory was fresh like it happened yesterday and yet she trusted her again. She didn't hurt her. She didn't go after her heart. She gave her trust to her and it just makes me wonder, how in the world did Regina become so evil after that event in her life?" Emma answered. David sighed. "According to your mother, it didn't happen overnight. They all lived together in the palace after she married the king until your mother grew up. She even said she's a good stepmother to her. It's just after her father died, that's when she started hunting her for her heart", David explained. They both looked at her. "Gold…it was Gold who molded her to become the Evil Queen", Emma suddenly muttered. David looked at her then back to Regina. "He needed her to be drowning with vengeance so she would cast his curse so he can find his son", David realized.
"Yeah…no matter how justified his intention, he just corrupted someone's heart and soul to get what he wanted. Today, I saw Regina before she became the Evil Queen and it pained me to realize how far she got dragged into darkness. She was pure. She was good", she said.
"She's trying to stay on that path right now, Emma. Let's just hope that she can maintain that", he said.
"What if she can't? I brought back Marian and it ruined her chance of having the happiness she always wanted. What if she reverts to being her old self?" Emma asked.
"If that comes to that, then we're going to have a hard day ahead of us but let's hope against that", he answered and they both resumed at looking at her.
Regina and Henry are browsing through his comic books. "How did you learn to ride a horse like that?" he asked her. She frowned at him. "Oh, I was there when Grandpa showed us the memory you got stuck on. You're very good at riding", he explained. Regina smiled. "Well, I had help. My father, your grandfather, was good at it too. He taught me when I was little then I had a great teacher too, Daniel", she answered while being slightly sad. Henry held her hand. "It's alright, Mom. You still got me. You still got all of us", he said and it made her smile again. Regina closed the comic books. "Alright, let's get you to bed, shall we? It's getting late", she said. Henry frowned. "But it's not school night…we haven't read the others yet", he protested and his mother made a face. "Alright…fine. But at least can you tell me that story of the prince again?" he asked with his cute puppy eyes. "Deal. Now go upstairs and I'll tuck you in", she said.
Henry ran upstairs excitedly while Regina was left in the kitchen fixing the scattered comic books on the table. She finished arranging them and about to follow Henry when she suddenly felt dizzy. She dropped the comic books on the floor as she grabbed for something to hold on to. Emma and David got up right away. "Are you okay?" Emma asked. She didn't answer. She closed her eyes trying to regain her balance. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got a little dizzy, that's all", Regina finally answered. She opened her eyes and gave them a little smile. "Are you sure?" David asked and she nodded. Emma picked up the comic books on the floor. "I'm fine, really. You don't have to worry about me anymore but thank you", she answered then took the comic books from Emma and went upstairs to Henry. "Do you think she's really okay?" David asked Emma as they watch her go upstairs. "I sure hope so", she answered.
Everyone is already asleep. Emma and Hook took the couch at the living room. Snow and David slept at the bed downstairs while Regina and Henry used the one upstairs. It's the middle of the night when Regina suddenly woke up. She got out of bed quietly without waking her son. Then she went downstairs and got out of Snow's apartment without making any sound. She walked alone through the streets of Storybrooke all the way to the forest near the town line. She didn't even have her coat on despite the freezing temperature. She goes deep in the woods seemingly looking for something. Then she stopped. A smile appeared on her face that indicates she already found what she's looking for. A roar was heard throughout the woods. Regina just stood there waiting when most people would run for their lives by the sound of that. Regina is certainly not most people.
Then the thing she's waiting for finally found her. It's the Shadow of Zion. It's been lurking in the woods after Gold banished it away from her. She turned around to face it and it stopped right in front of her. Its eyes glowing in blood red looking directly to her. "I know what you're thinking. She must die. I understand it completely. It's your job. But the thing is, I can't let you kill me and I hope you understand that too", she said to the shadow. It growled on her which just made her smile. "You're not going to stay in these woods for long. That much is sure. You're going to come back to town to find me again and finished the job. Well, I am making it easier for you. Here I am", she added with a smile. The shadow positioned itself ready to attack her. Then her eyes glowed purple as she raised her right hand. It too is being surrounded by purple rays of light. The shadow growled not by anger but by pain. Then the shadow slowly dissolved into thin air until there's nothing left of it. Regina is left alone once again in the middle of the woods with her cold purple eyes and then her laughter filled the silence around her.