"Emma, are you going out? Seven is awfully late at night to be putting on mascara," Mary Margaret looked up from baby Neal in her lap.
"Oh God, it's seven?" Emma hopped around, trying to work her way into a pair of black skinny jeans.
Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows. "Let me guess: a party?"
"Casual get-together," Emma corrected. "A group of us are hanging out at Ruby's. We haven't really had the time recently," she said, smoothing down her periwinkle camisole.
Mary Margaret chuckled lightly. "I would tell you to not do anything I wouldn't do, but that ship has sailed."
Emma smiled.
"Say goodbye to Neal!" Mary Margaret said brightly.
Emma's posture shifted.
"Oh, sweetie, I meant your brother."
Emma collected herself.
"We all miss him," Mary Margaret made as if to rise.
"Mom – just not tonight, okay? Sit back down, I'll be okay. Bye, Brother," she leaned down to kiss baby Neal on the forehead. He smiled up at her with big green eyes. "Bye," she said to Mary Margaret as she grabbed a black leather coat and shut the door behind her.
The air was mild against Emma's toned arms. She carried only her keys and the jacket. No sense driving, it would take her longer to warm up the bug than it would to just walk to Ruby's.
Ruby had assured them all that Granny would be out of their shared cabin. Emma had always loved Ruby's home. It smelled like the woods and was nestled slightly inside the Storybrooke greenbelt, snugly next to the bed and breakfast.
There was only one car Emma didn't recognize in the dirt driveway. A black Mercedes.
She was still trying to figure out whose car that was when she overheard an Australian voice followed by a woman's laugher she hadn't heard before. Who is this mystery person?
Emma knocked on the wooden door and let herself in.
"Hey! Emma's here!" Belle exclaimed over the music before standing up from a wooden stool to hug her.
Emma surveyed the room. Small crowd.
There was Ruby standing in the corner chatting with Ariel while holding red wine, Wendy, lounging on the sofa talking animatedly with Tink and Nova. Ashley and Katheryn were rummaging around in a crimson-themed bathroom, and Mulan and Aurora were on the love seat, kissing each other passionately.
Emma's eyes glanced away from the lovers to where Belle was sitting, wanting to know who'd been laughing. A dark-haired woman wearing a grey satin button-down and tailored black pants was sitting on a wooden chair with her feet crossed at the ankles. Emma almost didn't recognize Regina because the woman she saw before her was smiling.
"Hey Ruby? Where's your nail polish?" Kathryn called out of the bathroom.
Ruby stood up from against the wall and strutted over to where the blondes were. There was scraping sound of a shelf falling, then a clatter of glass bottles as they hit the pine floor.
"Never mind, we found them," Ashley said in the silence that followed.
Emma set down her coat and keys on the couch and strode over to inspect the damage.
Kathryn was crouched down staring at the concoction of different shades of red on the wood. "I'm so sorry, Ruby! I promise I'll get you new nail polish!"
"Ahh, no need," Ruby said, waving her hand. "Most of them were almost out anyway," she leaned down and picked up a broken bottle gingerly. "Ick."
"Hey Ruby? Do you have a paper bag or something? We need to put this in something that won't rip," Nova called from the kitchen.
"Look under the sink," Ruby called back, setting the glass back onto the floor and wiping her fingers on some toilet paper.
They set the stinking grocery bag out on the back porch so the cabin wouldn't smell any worse. Regina scrubbed away at the floor with nail polish remover and passion. Her breasts jiggled with the movement. Emma purposefully turned away to go get some wine.
"Guys, you know what would be fun? Some old school party games!" Tink suggested a while later.
"Really? That sounds kind of lame," Mulan said, brushing strands of Aurora's hair behind her ear.
"Actually I have a really good one," volunteered Ruby, "It's would you rather, but you have to do whatever you choose!"
"That does sound fun!" Ashley commented.
"Can we have some ground rules? Like no nudity or kissing or stuff?" Nova said shyly.
"Oh come on Nov, we're all women here," Emma said.
"Well that doesn't stop them," Regina said, motioning to Mulan and Aurora.
"Yeah, what if I get asked if I'd rather swim in maggots or go down on this cutie pie here?" Aurora asked, pressing her body against Mulan's and into the ground.
"Whoa-kay no sexy stuff! Kissing is okay," Belle said resolutely.
"I could swear you guys want to start an orgy," Emma shook her head.
"I'm in!" Ruby raised her hand.
Mulan raised her eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure you've already slept with everyone in Storybrooke. Hell, you've probably slept with Regina!" The women laughed.
Regina looked embarrassed. "I've never even kissed a girl!" she said defensively.
"Noted," Belle said, nudging Ariel, who'd mostly been blushing and slowly scooting further away from the women partaking in the conversation.
"Oh, come on, Rel!" Emma badgered Ariel, "You've never even had fantasies about the wonders of the clitoris?"
Mulan laughed and nudged Aurora. "She said the word, 'clitoris!' We'll make a lesbian of you yet, Emma."
"You know I've taken my fair share of female lovers! Ruby can vouch!" Emma scoffed.
Ruby nodded. "If you ever want to orgasm 20 times in an hour, come to this lady right here!" Ruby motioned to Emma.
"Okay guys, can we hold this conversation right here and play the game?" Ariel asked, uncomfortably shifting her sitting position.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Really no interest in women whatsoever Rel?"
"Game."
"So to play this properly," Ruby said, standing up from her chair, "we all have to sit on the rug in a circle.
"Ugh, my back is still having problems since I carried Allie," Ashley complained.
"The floor, really?" Regina chimed in.
"It's an important detail!" Belle said, scooting off her stool.
"Really, madam mayor. The floor." Emma teased.
"God, please don't call me Madam Mayor, Miss Swan. I'm Regina. Please."
"Okay, Regina." Emma scrunched up her nose, "Geez that's weird."
"Kathryn!" Ruby interrupted, "Would you rather sit on Regina's lap for the rest of the night, or run around the cabin three times?" Ruby challenged.
"What?" Regina was shocked. "Uh-uh. Nope."
"Really, Regina? You're making me do this? I thought we were friends!" Kathryn got up from her seat to find her heels.
"We are friends. That's why you're doing this to avoid sitting on my lap."
"We'll be watching from the porch. No cheating!" Ashley called.
The women padded barefoot onto the raw-cut wooden porch to supervise Kathryn's adventure.
"…three!" Kathryn came panting onto the porch.
"Whoa! That's over! Aurora!" Kathryn called.
"Yeah?" The reply came from slightly inside the living room.
"Would you rather get in the shower with your clothes on or do cartwheels across the room?"
"I haven't done cartwheels in such a long time! But Kathryn, I'm wearing a silk dress. Neither of those options suits my attire. Really?"
Kathryn nodded.
"Cartwheels it is." She took a stance on one side of the room they were in. Then she kicked up her heels over her head. "I'm pretty sure I just flashed you guys."
"Don't worry, Honey Pie, nothing I haven't seen before," Mulan said smoothly.
"Ew you guys sound like my parents when they flirt!" Emma protested. Laughter arose from Emma's comment and Aurora's pitiful attempts at cartwheels.
"Oh my god I'm so dizzy!" Aurora said, walking in zig-zags before giving up and sitting down in the middle of the floor.
"Too dizzy to continue the game?" Regina asked hopefully.
"No way! Belle! Erm… let me think," Aurora pondered while scooting closer to the circle and Mulan.
"Keep me hanging, why don't you?" Belle teased.
Aurora laughed maniacally. "Would you rather take off all your clothes, or describe in detail every sex toy you've ever used and how pleasurable it was?" Aurora asked with glee.
"God you are so gay," Emma teased.
"What? We're in the market for new fun-times!" Mulan defended her girlfriend.
"TMI and uh… does stripping to panties and a bra work?" Belle asked hopefully.
"Depends on what color they are!" Aurora responded.
"You are so perverted!" Ashley protested.
"Black and purple, I think" Belle responded.
"Do it!" Aurora demanded.
Belle turned her back to Ruby. "Will you do the honors?"
"Sure," Ruby said. With a slight tug, Belle's back was exposed except for a black band. With her back to her friends, she shrugged out of the cap sleeves and gently exposed more pale skin. She stepped out of the mint green skirt and turned around. She had on a matching set of underwear on: purple with black lace sewn over it. Her bra accentuated her cleavage considerably.
"Feast your eyes, lesbians!" Belle turned around in a circle, "Okay, I'm putting my dress back on now," she said stepping back into her dress.
Aurora and Mulan were nodding at each other.
"Well done! You have passed our inspection," Mulan said.
"I would hope so!" Belle said as Ruby zipped up the back. She smoothed down her navy skirt and sat back down. "I need a bit of thinking time for this next one. Converse."
"Sorry about the whole nail polish incident again," Kathryn apologized, "I can still smell it."
"No big deal, really guys, it's mostly gone, anyway."
"Okay, I got it," Belle said. "Regina, would you rather take an ice bath for two minutes or kiss Emma?"
"You can't be ridiculous, Belle," Regina said seriously.
Belle laughed. "Ah, but I can."
"If you choose the ice bath, I'm seriously going to take offense," Emma jested.
"We wouldn't want that, then. It may be the residual nail polish fumes but I'm going to kiss you." Regina carefully stood up in her tight pants. Then she walked to the other side of the circle and sat crossed-legged in front of Emma. "All right by you?"
"Completely."
She cupped Emma's chin gently with her fingertips and pulled her chin toward her lips to meet in the middle.
Emma was startled by how soft Regina's lips were and how gently they pressed against hers.
Regina pulled back. Emma looked into her eyes. Instead of a happy or even content expression, Regina's eyes radiated fear and her cheeks were fuchsia. Emma didn't dare look at the lips that had been gracing hers moments ago.
Regina stood up and walked out abruptly, stopping only to slip on her stilettos. The women all looked at Emma with a look similar to Regina's.
"Oh, god, I need to go after her," Emma said, running to the door, shoving her feet into her shoes, and grabbing her keys and coat off the couch. She let the door slam on the way out.