"Yum, thank you," Emma said, diving into the cheeseburger Ruby placed in front of her.

"Isn't your big date tonight?" Ruby asked, leaning on the counter.

Emma nodded. "Yup. I still can't believe I'm actually going on a date. It's been…forever."

"How do you know her again?"

"Tina? I met her in Boston on location. She's a movie exec, and we've kept in touch here and there over the years. She and her partner split up, and she's up in Portland for some screening." Emma traipsed her fries through ketchup, giving her hair a toss. "She's super nice."

Ruby nodded, smiling. "Does this mean you're finally over our friend the Queen?"

Emma shrugged. "I can't wait forever, Ruby. I've made it clear that I was interested in her, oh about a hundred times. At least. She's never reciprocated, so I have to just move on. Henry's not happy about it. He swears Regina's my 'true love.' I don't know what else I can do. If she doesn't want me, I certainly can't make her." Emma smiled sadly.

"It's a good thing, Em. You need to get out there. You've been pining away for way too long now. Who knows, maybe you and Tina will really hit it off and you can sneak me into movie sets." Ruby grinned widely.

Standing in the bathroom hallway, Regina stood unseen. She was seething. She pulled out her phone, and quickly declined every meeting she had for the rest of the afternoon. She had a much more important rendezvous to attend in Portland.

000

Bette Porter was no one's second choice. The fact that Tina was actually going on a date filled her with the fury and burning rage of a thousand suns. She had thought they were in a good place. Working on their issues, dancing around feelings, giving each other space - but ultimately, Bette's goal was to reunite her family. It wasn't uncommon for her to accompany Tina on her business trips; their five-year-old daughter Angelica hated to be away from Tina, so Bette used the trips as a way to spend time with both of them.

The conversation had been ugly.

"You're what?" Bette asked, incredulous.

"It's not a big deal, Bette. It's just a date. You went out with that girl from the gallery last month, I didn't freak out," Tina sighed, packing business suits into an overnight bag.

Bette scoffed, running a hand through her dark curls. "That was a business thing, you know that. I wanted to land her show, and I knew she was attracted to me. And now whose art is hanging in my gallery?" Bette gloated, crossing her arms across her silk blouse.

Tina rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Bette. We're not exclusive. You can see you want, and I'll see who I want."

Bette could feel her patience slipping, but berating Tina would do nothing but drive the wedge deeper. "Who is she?"

Rather than argue, Tina submitted. "Her name is Emma Swan. She was a bounty hunter in Boston, but I think she's the Sherriff of some small town in Maine now."

"Is she pretty?" Bette bit back a sneer at herself, really?

"Yes." Tina answered, not meeting her eyes. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. "I have to take this, sorry. Tina Kennard," she answered professionally, leaving the room.

Bette stood there, angry and hurt and bitter and scheming. This Goose woman was not going to destroy her happy ending, her family that she had worked so hard and so long for. Making sure Tina was completely out of the room, Bette flipped through Tina's appointment book to see exactly where she would be making her appearance in Portland, Maine.