Ever since Granny started selling those crazy wraps that shrink stomach fat, home-based businesses had been all the rage in Storybrooke. In the post-curse market, people were looking for ways to make extra cash and in the past month Mary Margaret had attended two Pampered Chef parties, a Mary Kay party, Lia Sophia jewelry party and an Uncorked wine party.

She was partied out.

She sighed as she realized she had committed to three more random parties in the next few weeks, one of which Ruby was hosting and Emma was currently helping her plan. She'd definitely have to buy something at that one. She wrinkled her nose, and made her way from the kitchen around the corner into the living room catching part of their conversation as she passed by, and wearily rolled her eyes. This was worse than when the Lost Boys sold popcorn to fundraise for their new camp ground.

"Yeah, we can totally have the party at the Town Hall. That would be perfect," Emma sipped her cocoa as Ruby scribbled notes. Catalogs and tiny sample packets were strewn all over Mary Margaret's coffee table.

"Are you sure Regina won't have a problem with us having it there?" Ruby asked leaning forward to read Emma's expression. It was the nature of the party Ruby was worried about: a sex toy party, or as her consultant hand book read, 'an intimate relationship helping party.'

"Nah, I'll invite her to come along. She loves being invited to parties, and if I didn't invite her and she found out about it she'd be pissed anyhow…" Emma looked off into the distance as if remembering something very unpleasant. She frowned a bit harder as her mind's eye pictured Regina at a sex toy party.

"Ok, as long as she isn't all dark and sulky, slinking around making all of our other guests feel nervous. Emma, you're in charge of her." Ruby lowered her head to meet Emma's eyes and catch her attention, which seemed to have drifted.

"How am I supposed to be in charge of Regina?" Emma snapped out of her daydream and scoffed. She glanced sideways at Ruby, distractedly brushing imaginary dirt off the sleeve of her shirt, but smirked slightly at the notion.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," her voice laced with innuendo, but when she realized Emma was still pouting, she quickly said, "You know, just make sure she has a good time, and above all else, make sure she's happy."

"As if, that'll be the day," Emma frowned again, shaking her head, and amended her statement feeling a bit guilty. "You know, she really has changed, and she isn't half bad to hang out with when she's not trying to control everyone. When I visit Henry, sometimes Regina and I actually have fun."

Ruby shrugged, laughing to herself at how oblivious Emma seemed to be about her feelings towards Regina, and refolded her legs. She leaned forward, resting her arms on her thighs, and changed the subject to spare her embarrassment, "Ok, now that we have the location settled, what should have for refreshments?"

She perked up, and immediately said, "Tacos!"

…

Emma had been dreading inviting Regina to the party for days. She had debated on just mailing her an invitation, or sending an email, but she ultimately decided she had better invite her in person. There was no reason to be this worried. It was just a party, but it was also a sex toy party. As professional as Ruby had promised she would be, and she had promised she wouldn't make any inappropriate comments about Emma and Regina wanting to get it on. She clenched and unclenched her gloved hands as she made her way up the path to the Mayor's home.

She knocked firmly, realizing just a little too late that her cheeks were already flushed from nervousness. After a minute, she heard footsteps and then the door opened up a bit, and Regina regarded her with a raised eyebrow before pulling the door open wider.

"Hey," Emma greeted her with a nervous exhale. Regina gave her the once over and smiled slightly.

"To what do I owe a pleasure of an unannounced visit?" Regina's voice was flat per usual, and she turned promptly on her heel making her way back inside, knowing that Emma would follow closely.

She did just that as they stood just inside the door at an awkward distance from one another. Emma looked around and furrowed her brow, "I wanted to invite you to a party. It's called a Surprise party."

"I'm familiar with the concept. Who are we surprising?" Regina asked, genuinely intrigued. She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head to the right and let her eyes scan over Emma's arms and down her torso. She was wearing her black leather jacket. Regina preferred it to the red one and she appraised her almost approvingly.

"No one… it's not that kind of surprise. It's…Ruby's hosting it, and we're having it at the town hall," Emma knew she sound flustered, and Regina's tolerance was being tested with every passing moment that she didn't get to the gist of it.

"I'm sure Henry will be delighted," Regina nodded patiently, still wondering what who exactly this party was in honor of.

Emma had been dwelling on just how to invite her, but hadn't taken the time to think through exactly how to explain the type of party Ruby was hosting. She couldn't say the words "sex toys" to Regina. Even if she tried to spit it out, her mouth just wouldn't form the words.

"Well, it's for adults only, so Henry can't come," Emma cleared her throat when Regina's polite smile faded into puzzlement. "Sometimes it's called a Passion party."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, so anyhow … it's this Saturday, and it's at the town hall. All women coming," Emma mumbled out the logistics, and handed Regina the invitation that Ruby had printed up.

She regarded it curiously as there was a bright pair of pink lips stamped on each corner of the placard. There wasn't much in the way of details, just the time and place, and under 'what to bring' it said, 'an open mind.'

"I'm making tacos for it, and there will be punch," Emma smiled finally, feeling relived that the hard part seemed to be over.

"I'll see you there," Regina folded her arms across her chest again and rocked on her heels. A moment of silence passed between them.

"Is that all you came for, then?" She didn't mean to sound disappointed. She was happy to be invited, but she should have known better than that Emma would just stop over for a social call. She shouldn't have even wanted her to, but sometimes when they had plans involving Henry, they actually had nice talks. Regina usually enjoyed making people nervous and keeping them on edge, but Emma seemed off today.

"Oh, right, yeah. That's it. Just want you to come to the party. Should be fun," Emma laughed and smacked her lips before turning to head out the door.

When the front door clicked shut, Regina started up the stairs yelling, "Henry, I need you to use the Google and look something up."

….

"I think it's a sex thing…" Henry turned bright red as Regina stood over his shoulder in front of the computer.

"Sex thing?"

She leaned in to get a better look at the screen. First she saw a bunch of women smiling brightly, and then her jaw dropped when Henry clicked the 'shop' button and she saw the array of lingerie and phallic shaped items on the web page for "Passion parties."

"What the hell? Henry, turn it off. I've seen enough," Regina stammered. Her eyes briefly met his as he turned in his chair. He couldn't oblige fast enough, as he clicked the mouse over the X and the page closed.

They both exhaled in relief as Regina made a beeline for the door. She stopped in her tracks, her mind racing, "Henry, what do you know about sex, anyhow?"

"Uh, Mom, I know what sex is… Emma told me how everything works."

"Oh, um… good. Good," Regina's head bobbed clumsily and her hair fell in front of her face as she practically stumbled out of the room, making her first graceless exit ever.

…

In the relative safety of her study her mind raced. She went back and forth between relief and anger. Albeit, she did not want to be the one to inform Henry about sex, but she had planned to get him a book about it when he was at the right age. Though, she had no idea what age was the right one. In a way, she was grateful that Emma had stepped in and performed that parental duty, but she didn't exactly trust that she had done an adequate job.

Then there was the matter of this party…surprising passion… that was going to be hosted by the sex-popsicle herself, Ruby, and wholly attended by women. Regina knew that when the curse had ended and time was no longer frozen, the people of Storybrooke had advanced with modern society rather quickly, and become well integrated with pop culture. She shuddered as she remembered a particular Miley Cyrus performance she had seen when flipping through the channels one night.

Maybe she had better give Henry another sex talk, just to make sure Emma had covered all the bases. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and poured herself a tall glass of cider. Where to start? She couldn't exactly give Henry the same talk Cora had given her when she was teen:

"You don't have 'sex' dear, that is what lowly peasants do. You are a lady and you shall 'make lurve."

"Yes, with my true love!" Regina had beamed at the very idea.

"No, not necessarily. Love is weakness, but men, well, men expect you to show vulnerability in the bedroom. But you do it all the while keeping in mind that you are enabling yourself to get the thing that really matters."

"A baby?" Regina had asked, hopeful.

Cora had laughed wryly, "No, my foolish girl. Power. And yes, if a baby would help achieve that end, then that's what you should do."

For all her Evil Queen-ness, the truth was that Regina was relatively old fashioned when it came down to it. Being invited to some sort of lesbian orgy by Emma repulsed and intrigued her all at once. She debated whether or not to even attend, but she knew as the last drop of cider trickled down her throat she would be going to that party. And if for other reason than to speak to Emma about exactly what she had told her son about sex.