Mary Margaret tilted her head in confusion, furrowing her brows. "What do you mean you think you might like Regina? You either do or you don't!"
Emma let out a loud, exaggerated cough. "Are you trying to make me the laughing stock of Storybrooke," Emma lectured, lowering her voice to a whisper. They had already attracted some unwanted attention from the neighboring booths at Granny's. Emma didn't want to increase their number of eavesdroppers.
"I'm sorry," Mary Margaret apologized in a softer tone. "It's just that…"
"Yeah, I know. It's obvious that she hates my guts. Yada, yada, yada. I should just drop it," she finished for the pixie-haired woman, rolling her eyes at herself.
"It's not that," the woman interjected, correcting herself in the middle of her statement for talking too loudly. "It's just that she's also Henry's mother. Don't you think it would be a bit difficult for him if the two of you started dating?" Emma pursed her lips in contemplation, having never really thought of the 'what if' scenario of the brunette reciprocation her feelings before. "And what if the two of you broke up?" Another good point, thought the blonde.
Before Emma had a chance to think up a response, the diner door swung open, revealing the woman in question in all her mayoral glory. Emma gaped at the woman while Mary Margaret flashed her eyes between the two in amusement.
When Regina entered the diner, she had felt a familiar pair of hazel eyes on her. When she turned her head towards the direction of the booths, she could see a flash of blonde hair in her peripheral vision. She smiled victoriously to herself then proceeded to the counter to place her order, still feeling the blonde's eyes barring into her soul.
"What will it be today, Madame Mayor," came Ruby's cheerful greeting. Regina smiled to the woman and responded, "Just coffee. Thank you, Miss Lucas." Ruby nodded, making her way to fill the woman's order.
Regina took her usual seat by the window, the perfect spot for both her and the blonde to sneak looks at one another without drawing too much attention. Ruby placed her mug in front of her on the table and the made her way back to the kitchen.
"You should go talk to her," Mary Margaret suggested.
Emma was shaken from her stupor by the woman's voice. "What, no," she exclaimed loudly which drew many people's gazes to her, including Regina's. Their eyes met for a brief second then the pixie-haired woman spoke again.
"Why not? What do you have to lose?"
The blonde let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Everything," she replied simply. "Besides, she hatesme." The thought of her words being true caused a pang of hurt in her chest.
"Alright," Mary Margaret warned. "But I just want you to know that there's a fine line between love and hate." Emma let out a mirthless laugh, obviously not buying her statement.
Little did she know that across the diner, Regina was having the same internal conflict as she was.
'I should just go talk to her,'Regina reasoned to herself. 'No, wait! She's Henry's mother, not to mention she's the daughter of myworst enemy! I should not pine for her like I do. It's just not right.'
Ruby emerged from the kitchen, once again, and went to clear a table beside Regina's. While she was doing so, she overheard the woman mumble the words 'Emma' and 'Date' in the same sentence. Ruby internally squealed to herself, having already knew about the blonde's love for Regina. This just proves that Regina feels the same way. She hasto get them together! Otherwise, they'll be too stubborn to do it themselves.
Ruby quickly devised a plan to force them into communicating with one another.
During another lecture from Mary Margaret about how Emma should 'find love', Ruby made her way over to their table while bringing another hot chocolate over for the blonde. Before she had a chance to sit it down, she purposefully trips over her feet and covers the blonde's top with the heated liquid.
Instantly the blonde stands up and examines her clothes. She hollers out in pain and rushed towards the bathroom, hearing Ruby's apologies behind her. All the while Regina was watching from afar, nursing her cup of coffee. Minutes passed and the blonde stillhad not emerged from the bathroom. Ruby examined Regina's face and could see worry and concern written all over it.
Confirming her suspicions, Regina abruptly stood from her chair and made her way towards the bathroom.
Ruby smiled to herself and mentally patted herself on her back. She pulled out her phone and began a new text to Henry stating, "Operation Swan Queen: Step 1 has commenced."