This is being reposted before the release of the new chapter as I somehow forgot to add the last scene to the chapter and it wouldn't make sense being at the beginning of the latest chapter.

The holidays paraded into Regina's peace without invitation and without warning. Before she knew it, Thanksgiving was upon them. Surely, she remembered taking Henry to the store yesterday and having to ask him to put everything down that he picked up but at the same time she recalled nothing of the last few days. The day snuck up on her still even though she was already prepared to have actual guests over for dinner.

Emma was excited.

Henry was excited.

Regina was terrified.

She woke up to bright sunlight and anxiety the morning of Thanksgiving. There was food to prepare and toys to pick up off the floor of every room in the house. And just the thought of other people coming over to judge her home and whisper about her made her even more worried. And then there was the 'Josh' problem that just added to her exhaustion.

Before she could let her thoughts stew the door to her room swung open, startling her. Henry barged in with a toothy grin, struggling to get up on the bed alone. Regina's thoughts vanished in the moment as she grabbed his arms to help him up.

"Good morning, my prince," Regina said, kissing his messy hair. He giggled and wriggled away from her hands as she tried to smooth down his hair. "Where's Emma? Did you lose her?"

"No. She is making a fire."

"A fire?" Regina asked.

"Big fire," Henry said, nodding vigorously. He stretched his arms out wide. "This big."

"That's not good."

"Not good," Henry repeated.

Considering Emma was insistent on making breakfast and proving she wasn't a complete mess in the kitchen, she was certain everything was fine. The fire alarm would've gone off by now…and the air would taste like charred pancakes. But just to be sure she was going to go down in a moment because she needed her coffee.

"Mommy, it's turkey day," Henry said after a short silence.

"It is turkey day. Are you excited?"

"Yes."

He nodded being usual restless self, stretching and moving around. Regina smoothed out the wrinkles in her spread as he moved, taking a moment to just enjoy his company. It was hard to ignore the fact that he was becoming less reserved since Emma came into his life.

She knew at some point she really had to listen to Emma and organize more playdates for him. He needed the interaction and experience for when he would be going off to preschool in the morning instead of staying securely in the house under Johanna's watchful eye.

"Why don't we go help Emma make breakfast?" Regina got up from the bed and pulled on her robe. Henry lowered himself off the bed with practiced concentration, dangling only for a moment before dropping to his feet.

"I wanna make pancakes."

"No fires, young man," Regina called after him as he rushed out of the door.

"Fires are bad."

"Let's go tell Emma that."

"Are you sure I can't help?" Emma asked, really close to Regina's ear. The other woman tensed at her question and her closeness but Emma didn't catch it.

She was hovering, looking over her shoulder to see what the older woman was up to. Regina had been waving her off all day but she was determined to be helpful in some way.

"Everything is fine," Regina said.

"Are you sure?" Emma pouted, shoulders slumping in disappointment. "I could…chop stuff…or mix?"

Regina turned around from the counter, smacking Emma's hand away from the cutting board. She grabbed Emma's face and kissed her nose, hoping her frown would go away. Thoughts about the man Emma was talking to was bothering her even more, especially when Emma seemed to be so happy to be around her all the time. Sometimes her reservations felt silly.

"I can handle it. Cooking is relaxing for me."

"But I want to be helpful. I don't feel very helpful. I'm just sitting around arguing with Henry about the best pizza and you're doing all the work."

"You're arguing with an almost three-year-old about pizza?" Regina asked. The conversation alone was going to make her forget her doubts. It was easy to sense.

"It was on Cyberchase," Emma said with a shrug.

And there it was.

"You know these child shows by name…"

"It's better than trying to describe them using what animal or color the main characters are. Henry knows the name of the show not what color Ord is."

"Ord?" Regina frowned.

"Dragon Tales," she said like it was meant to be obvious to her. "It's like you don't get us at all."

"I understand you both very well. I'm just wondering if I should be concerned that you, a 21-year-old woman, watches cartoons habitually. Why not Friends? Or…The Sopranos?"

"You're the only one who watches the Sopranos, Regina." Emma wrinkled her nose but she knew that was something Regina was into. "You're also the only one under 50 who watches Days of Our Lives. Plus, I'll have you know the Simpsons and Family Guy is for adults."

"Whatever you say, dear," Regina said, checking the oven as she roamed around the kitchen.

"Anyway…you distracted me-"

"You are easily distracted."

"No one asked you. As I was saying, I want to help. I don't like doing nothing when you're doing everything. I feel bad."

"I want to cook Emma. It's the only thing that will keep me calm. I don't interact often, and I never host. When the guests arrive it'll be up to you to keep it from falling apart."

"Promise you're not mad at me for not knowing how to cook?"

"You made breakfast."

"It was just eggs and toast." Emma shrugged.

"This is being helpful, I promise."

Emma nodded, not looking very convinced but turned to leave. Regina caught her arm and kissed her cheek. She couldn't get a full smile, but she did get a blush which would have to do.

Emma knew something was going on. It'd started a while ago and it was slowly becoming noticeable. Regina wasn't as happy as she had been before. Sure, she was always a little odd and avoided people other than her and Henry but that was her normal. A normal Emma was used to and a little in love with – but she wasn't going to tell that to anybody.

She had a few ideas about what was wrong, but nothing ever really sat well with her. Maybe it was the progression of their relationship. Only a while ago they were just friends. It made sense but Regina never seemed uncomfortable. It was nervousness.

Though her theories never got too much traction, she still was certain whatever it was had to do with her.

Especially, since when Johanna showed up early to offer some help in the kitchen, Regina accepted only after insisting it wasn't necessary. Emma watched the whole interaction from the hallway, hoping to maybe hear Regina say what was going on to Johanna. Nothing but conversation about Henry followed and then Henry pulled her back into the living room to play. If Henry had anything to do with it, Emma would be entertaining him until dinner – or at least until guests acquired his interest.

And that fact gave Regina an unneeded opportunity to break away from the kitchen. At first, she was looking for one of them to be a taste tester, but then upon discovering Emma and Henry weren't around Regina found herself drawn to Emma's laptop on the coffee table. There was a message there on the screen that Emma hadn't had a chance to read. It was recent, too, maybe an hour old. From Josh.

She read the words 'Happy Thanksgiving' before she turned away, feeling guilty. After what happened with Graham she couldn't start snooping through Emma's messages. Everything Graham had been saying to her was right. If she looked and read all of Emma's messages it meant she didn't trust her. She trusted Emma, but she didn't trust anyone else. Regina knew it shouldn't have pained her to walk away.

Although even if she had no restraint, there wouldn't have been much time for her to go looking around anyway.

The doorbell rung, and she froze. Her eyes flitted over to the door and she watched Johanna rush from the kitchen to get it. She stopped at the doorway, seeing Regina standing there.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked. "You've lost a little color."

"I'm not used to hosting often…ever."

"Of course. Everything will go just fine," Johanna said. She glanced at the door as the sound of Emma and Henry coming down the stairs laughing filled the first floor. "Should I get the door?"

"Yes. Thank you, Johanna."

Just as she left to answer the door, Emma came walking in with a smile still on her face from her sword fight with Henry. In the distance, they both could Henry stomping around – no doubt snooping around in the kitchen to get a peek at any food.

Emma noticed the way Regina's shoulders tightened when her hand grazed her back and she retracted it quickly with a small frown. There was no time to address it as everyone was starting to file into the house, in awe of the interior.

"I promise they're really nice," Emma said, hoping her tone would make Regina feel a little better. Regina followed behind her when Emma walked into the hallway.

"I'm sure they are."

Ruby was the first to hug her, followed by Mary Margaret. Their smiles made Regina frown a bit, feeling something tighten in her chest. It couldn't possibly be her heart. That would be ridiculous.

"Emma, wow. Where can I find a rich best friend?" Ruby playfully asked, earning a raised eyebrow from Granny and a shove from Emma. "I'm serious. I'd live with them forever, too."

"I'm not going to live here forever. Regina is definitely going to get tired of having to restock the refrigerator every day. Speaking of…" Emma turned to Regina, her eyes softening at how uncomfortable the other woman seemed. Unfamiliar with having anyone around – other than herself. She stepped back from her friends and stood closer to Regina carefully placing a hand on her back again, relieved she didn't pull away at the contact.

"Everyone you know Regina, the host."

Regina searched their face almost expecting scowls to be directed at her but instead was met with smiles, a few tentative. She pulled a small smile of her own, any bigger and it would look forced, and cleared her throat.

"I'm honored to host you all. Thank you for joining us," she said.

"Thanks for the invite," Ruby said, "I thought I was going to be stuck with Granny another year."

Granny smacked her in the back of the head as Mary Margaret ignored her completely. "Thank you for having us. Your home is lovely."

"Thank you, Miss Blanchard."

"Well, I hope you didn't do all of the cooking," Granny said, leveling Emma with a look. She lifted an elegantly carved crystal cake plate with an amazing looking cake settled in the center under the glass dome. "And if you did, I brought some dessert to ease your workload."

"It looks wonderful. We'll set it with everything else," Regina said gesturing toward the kitchen. Granny started in that direction. Regina took the chance to get away from everyone and let Emma take over being a social hostess.

Graham and Archie got lost when Emma turned her back after showing them around. She purposely had a sports channel on because Graham looked like the type of guy and Archie – although not necessarily appearing to enjoy many sports – did like to watch football to her surprise. And that left her with Ruby and Mary Margaret in Regina's study while Henry used his charms on everyone in the kitchen to get pre-dinner tastings.

"You never mentioned, Regina was loaded," Ruby said, twirling a bottle of the beer Graham brought around. "This house is bigger on the inside."

"It is not," Emma said, shaking her head. She'd never cared for it before but, now, sitting in Regina's chair behind her desk felt really empowering. She could sit there in a shirt and no pants with a sandwich and a cup of juice and still feel like a badass in charge.

"It is a very nice house, Emma," Mary Margaret said.

"Or she's good at interior decorating."

"Or she's in the mob and can afford a great interior decorator," Ruby said, "But either way, you were holding out. This is why you never invite us over."

"I'm sure that's not why," Mary Margaret said.

Emma nodded. "I just never think about it. Plus, Regina's still on the fence about letting Henry meet new people…and get some sunlight," she joked. "I wasn't hiding anything."

"We believe you. Ruby is just…Ruby."

"I'm just going to assume that was a compliment," Ruby grumbled.

"Anyway, I noticed things seemed a little tense. Is everything alright?"

Emma slumped in her chair a little. She could really say too much because they didn't know she and Regina had become more than just friends. But Ruby had been giving them looks lately maybe they were a little obvious. Regina's lack of hostility is suspicious by itself…

"Yeah. Is she ready to give you the boot or something? What's up?" Ruby chimed in. She came over and was careful when she sat on the edge of the desk.

"It's nothing." She lied. "Regina's not used to having people around. Especially in her house. It makes her anxious."

"I can imagine. She never really did more than stop into the diner and go to work," Mary Margaret said. "Before Henry, the holidays must have been so lonely."

"Yeah. She's said as much. I'm sure it'll be fine once we have dinner."

"You mean once we-" Ruby pointed to herself and Emma. "-get some alcohol into her."

"That's so inappropriate." Mary Margaret sighed.

"She needs to loosen up a little. Plus, you're the one who brought wine. That means we're getting her tipsy after dinner."

Dinner went better than Emma and Regina were expecting. Henry, though not the most grammatically correct, dominated conversation once he got comfortable with everyone. To Emma dismay, Ruby might now be his new favorite person, which was probably not the greatest idea considering she was very much a wild child herself – just happens to be old enough to drink, too. And when Henry wasn't charming everyone and making Regina proud with his wonderful table manners, Archie was master of light conversation that luckily didn't have Regina on edge and uncomfortable.

Although, Emma noticed she was still a bit prickly…with her. She'd warmed up to everyone except Mary Margaret but that wasn't a bridge Emma wanted to travel over anytime soon. Regina was civil and that was good enough. But Emma seemed to be adversary across the dinner table even though they were seated close to each other at the table. Her attempts of catching Regina's attention with gentle nudges against her leg were brushed off with a stern look.

Despite that, having dinner with everyone seemed to keep her in good spirits until dessert rolled around.

"I'm definitely in the mood for some of that cake I saw get escorted in on a glass chariot," Graham said.

Emma found her opening.

"I am, too," she said, "I should go get that." She stood from the table as the conversation broke off into little groups. Regina was wiping cranberry sauce from Henry's face, making him squirm and complain as he was in serious conversation with Graham about racecars and pirates.

"Regina? Help me in the kitchen," Emma said as she expertly collected all the plates in one round.

"Of course," Regina said with a smile that appeared easy.

Emma left the dining room, trying to ignore the suspicious looks she was getting from Ruby and Mary Margaret. She sat the dishes down in the sink and the moment Regina was through the doorway she turned around with a look Regina was used to seeing on her face. It made her stop her movement toward the cake at the center of the island.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Are you kidding?" Emma asked. She tried to keep her voice low but it was possible it was heard from the dining room.

"I'm not understanding."

"You are the last person who can play fucking confused."

"Excuse me?" Regina sounded offended at the expletive and Emma resisted slamming a fist into something to let out her frustration. "I don't know what's happened all of a sudden, but I think you need to watch your language."

"You don't know? You're confused? I'm the one who's been trying all day to make sure you're not uncomfortable…that Ruby isn't being her normally intrusive self around you. But what do I get all day for trying to help you? Hm?"

Regina stayed silent at the all the questions knowing that with the look on Emma's face – one she'd never seen before – it wasn't wise to be a smartass with her.

"I get brushed off. Ignored. Was it just wake up and fuck Emma day for you?"

"Keep your voice down," Regina hissed, "Since you insist on foul language."

"Screw that. I've been dealing with your foul mood all week. I've played everything off think you were nervous about this dinner. And it's not just this week something has been going on for weeks with you. It was subtle at first but none of that has compared to you shrugging me off today. What's the big secret?"

"Secret? How dare you?" There was that offended tone that made Emma's fingers curl around the edge of the counter. "You're the one spending hours on that computer. Everyday. What's the secret Emma Swan? Who the hell is this Josh?"

Emma tilted her head slightly, all anger nearly draining from her face. Now it really made all the sense in the world. Regina eyeing her laptop like it was the devil. Regina eyeing her like she was suspicious. And really, she should be pissed that, she was like this because of Josh but it was just more of a relief than what she was expecting when she planned to explode on Regina when they could slip away. And although she never said much of anything about him to anyone, it was still quite ridiculous. The look in her eyes made sense. The anxiety. She hadn't been lying about how the holidays stressed her out but most of her behavior has been out of jealousy.

She snorted, unable to contain her amusement. She knew it wouldn't help with Regina's feelings if she'd been worrying over this for so long but she couldn't help at least a small laugh. Of course, that green-eyed monster was in some punishment, but Emma was too relieved to too angry at her.

"Well, I'm glad you find this so amusing, Miss Swan," Regina said with enough frustration on her face but plenty of worry in her eyes. She folded her arms over her chest and Emma quieted her laugh.

"Gina," Emma said, coming up to her. Regina looked as if she wanted to move away but she let Emma settle her hands on her arms. "Have you been jealous?"

"No. What do I have to be jealous about?"

"I honestly don't know. Josh is a coworker from a job I had before. I'm not interested in him. All we do is talk about the things he remembers, that I forgot. He tells me funny stories about weird stuff that happened." The older woman's cheeks turned a little pink at her words. "I'm sorry that I didn't just say that but you don't have anything to worry about. Josh is the guy who plays dungeons and dragons all day and lives in his mom's basement."

"Dungeons and Dragons?" Regina questioned.

"Yeah. I like a closeted nerd, like you, but he's not my type. I like the mysterious, bad girl type."

"I'm not-"

"You are. I'm not completely convinced you're not in the mob or something." Regina rolled her eyes and the mood lightened almost instantly. "Do you feel better now?"

"Sure," Regina said and Emma frowned. "I'm embarrassed by my behavior. I'm sorry."

"I feel honored. You never apologize to anyone."

"I don't. I like you."

"I like you, too. A lot," Emma said, "Which is why your green monster has earned you some punishment."

"Punishment?"

"I'm still thinking of a few things but maybe we can start with you not being rewarded for not strangling Mary Margaret today."

"Sexual punishment…"

"You're slow sometimes."

"As much as I'm enjoying how close you are and your clever hand placement." Emma's hands shifted up to the middle of her back again. "We have guests waiting for cake."

"Oh, shit. Right." Emma pulled away, not before placing a short kiss on Regina's lips and hurried to get the cake off the counter. She nearly sprinted out of the room and Regina let her go deciding to get the saucers and forks herself.

The tension Ruby and Mary Margaret had been suspecting all throughout the evening faded the moment they returned from the kitchen. And it all noticeably made conversation much easier for everyone at the table. Emma was happy to find Ruby's crass charm was just as addictive as Henry's and Regina may have made a new friend – it was still too early to be sure.

Granny's cake ended the night on a sweet note in more ways than one.

Henry was the to break up the party. He yawned, and the tiredness was contagious throughout the room. Regina volunteered herself to get him into bed and Emma didn't protest because Regina needed the time away from everyone to keep her good mood. Henry forcefully walked around the room giving hugs and firm handshakes to everyone before letting himself be carried away over Regina's shoulder.

Those last minutes in Regina's absence were mostly that of everyone except Graham and Johanna getting curious about Regina. Granny admitted to liking Regina's silent intensity, but Mary Margaret was happy to be in the company of a less intimidating side to her.

"She's not scary…just, I don't know…Regina," Emma said. She didn't know how to describe it.

"Before today that wouldn't have made much sense, but I think we get it now," Ruby said. But Ruby didn't really have bad things say about her before this. Regina's intimidating demeanor did nothing to dissuade her from thinking it was attractive. Her true words, of course, got her another smack to the back of the head from Granny.

Regina came back down the stairs as everyone was beginning to head out. She thanked everyone for coming and thanked them for the small gifts that brought. Graham brought the beer, Archie brought a wine that went very well with dinner, Ruby claimed to have helped make the cake, and Mary Margaret actually personally handed Regina an impressive selection of wine to add to her collection Emma had mentioned.

"Thank you, Miss Blanchard," Regina said, sounding a little surprised.

"You're very welcome. Thank you for having us." She hugged Emma and just gave a polite smile to Regina. "I'll see you tomorrow, Emma."

Emma waved after her and let out a breath when the door clicked behind her. There was a moment of silence that followed, and Emma turned to Regina was brushing nonexistent lint from her dress, avoiding eye contact. Still feeling as bold as she had all day, Emma eased into her personal space, ghosting her fingers against Regina's waist.

"That was fun," she said. Regina raised an eyebrow. "Tiring but fun. Right?"

"I don't dislike social interaction as much. It was okay."

"Well, maybe Christmas will win you over. You don't enjoy eating until you're sleepy like the rest of us do."

"Do you think it's easy to look like this?" Regina asked, moving her hands to Emma's back.

"Yeah, you must work so hard to be a goddess." Emma smirked.

Regina leaned in first and Emma watched in surprise before her eyes slipped closed at the feel of the other woman impossibly close to her. Her lips were warm and soft, nothing new to Emma, but the taste of wine and chocolate was arousing. She smiled through the kiss at Regina's hum, finding the similar taste of chocolate and…beer.

Beer wasn't her thing but the light tones of coffee, maybe, seemed to be the best taste on Emma's tongue. Maybe it was only because Graham went with something not as heavy – although it was obvious Emma's birthday was not her first time having a drink.

Her back molded with the doorframe and an involuntary moan slipped from Emma's throat as Regina's left hand slowly edged passed the curve of her lower back. She squeezed lightly, pulling Emma even closer. Despite her initial dislike for them, Regina knew she liked those jeans. Watching Emma try to get in them was quite the show, especially if Emma ever noticed her watching.

"Mm, no," Emma mumbled as she pulled back. She shook her head with a small grin. "You're a goddess who's in a lot of trouble."

"What does that mean?"

"It means these hands…" Emma reached back and lifted Regina's hands out of her back pockets. "Can't have any of this."

"It's been a long day."

"Yeah, and the dishes aren't done so I think we should just skip this altogether."

"I don't…want that. And you don't either, Miss Swan," Regina said, pulling Emma back and replacing her hands on her ass. She leaned forward again and Emma pulled back but not face enough. Regina caught her bottom lip between her teeth and lured her into a kiss that surely annulled Emma's resistance.

"Hey, I left my-"

It was far too late to pull away so they both were stuck in a compromising spot as Ruby and Mary Margaret came back through the front door. They easily spotted them. Regina's hands. Emma's hands. Two pairs of bruised lips lightly smeared with Regina's red lipstick.

"Oh my god." Mary Margaret was red in the face, seconds away from slapping her hand over her eyes.

"I knew it. I fucking knew it. You owe me money MM," Ruby said, sounding almost overjoyed.

"Ruby," Mary Margaret hissed. She practically shrunk out of the door. "We're so sorry."

"She's sorry. I'm not," Ruby said. She walked in and grabbed her jacket from the couch and smirked as she walked by them. "I so called it. You two make a great couple."

Emma groaned and dropped her head against Regina's shoulder. "Ruby get out."

"Right…sorry. You two have some business to get to. I get it." Ruby walked fast but it was the longest few seconds ever. "Don't forget the Marvin Gaye…"

"I'm going to die." Emma mumbled.

Regina watched Mary Margaret snatch Ruby out of the house and closed the door behind them. Her attempts to make the scene any less scandalous didn't much work since her instinct was to hide her hands and the only hiding spot was up Emma's shirt – which wasn't any better.

Emma lifted her head and looked at Regina, "Are you still…?"

"No. God no." Regina gently pushed her away and straightened her dress, running her fingers through her hair like now was the time to be presentable. It was far too late for that. "The dishes…"

"We should hold hands now. Everybody will know before it's time for work tomorrow."

"You're washing."

Emma followed her to the kitchen, pouting.

She had every intention of strangling Ruby the next time she saw her.