Guess who's coming to dinner

Part 1

Ruby grabbed the plate and headed to one of the tables of the diner with an unusual slowness that couldn't simply be justified by the heavy load of food caused by Belle's suspected hunger. A slight fear had in fact emerged inside the waitress at a simple look that she gave to her friend's partner during the orders: if Mr Gold was appearing so worried so early in the morning, that day mustn't have been promising for him nor for anyone that was the reason of that emotional state. Ruby glanced at him again and then, after leaving a double portion of pancakes in front of the girl and a black coffee in front of the man, headed back to the counter with a suddenly quicker pace.

"I'm really hungry this morning" Belle commented not loosing time to grab fork and knife, trying at the same time to bring the conversation back to lighter tones.

But Rumpelstiltskin, with the hand still on his cane and an undeciphrable expression on his face, didn't seem willing to change subject so easily.

"Tonight I will finally meet my son's new girlfriend and he has explicitly said that I know her" he said fpr the third time since they had arrived there, as if simply repeating that could give him a sudden idea "Who could be?"

The girl looked up to him and didn't even try to mask the smile that was forming on her lips. She had already an idea about it.

"You… You know something, dearie!" Goild exclaimed in front of that well-known expression.

"Oh, I know nothing" she hurried to deny, dusting the pancakes with maple syrup "It's just an intuition…"

"Well?" he pressed with vibrant curiosity.

But Belle limited herself to widen the smile and shake her head amusingly.

"It's impolite to speak while eating"

And, while in front of her an annoyed Rumpelstiltskin begun to drink his bitter coffee, she finally began her craved breakfast.

Neal put the coffee cup on the bedside table and, sitting on the bed, tried to awake for the unteempth time his girlfriend, while an amused smile appeared on his lips: she wasn't used to wake up after ten, he wasn't used to do it before.

"Com'on love, I've prepared the waffles!" he tried to convince her, starting to kiss her still half asleep face.

"Oh Neal, please!" the woman exclaimed, opening finally her eyes and moving him aside faking bother "I'm allowed to sleep more today" she said without looking at him, letting reveal in that simple sentence all her uncertainty for the meeting of the evening.

The man smiled now sweetly and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Henry will be happy, you'll see" he assured her with conviction "He's okay with Emma's new relationship with Hook… I don't see why he souldn't be happy for us"

"In fact, it's not Henry the one that worries me" she interrupted him, sitting and leaning her back on the headboard of the big bed "It's about your father" she explained hinting a smile and kissing him back.

Neal chuckled and stood up, heading to the door, but while he was about to leave the room, the voice – now clearly awake – of his woman, stopped him.

"Will you prepare a coffee?"

The man smiled and looked up to the sky.

"Long and bitter… It's on the table"

"No, actually, with a spoon of sugar"

The unexpected addition made him turn back and looked out into the bedroom.

"I believed that you'd only drink it bitter"

"Yes" she nodded raising her head from the pillow where she had sunk again "But today I will need sugar, a lot of sugar"

"So: me, you, Emma, Harry, Hook" May Margaret started beginning to count on her fingers the guests of that family dinner "And then Gold, Belle, Regina…" she continued moving to the other hand.

"Neal and his new mysterious girlfriend!" David finished for her.

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed "It could be Ruby…" added then thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry honey, but you are bound to loose" her husband replied with a curios smile "It's impossible not to notice the friendship born between Neal and Mulan in the Enchanted Forest"

"Yes, friendship" Snow interrupted him with a light kiss.

Henry raised his eyebrows entering the room right in that moment and then sat in front of them with an amused expression.

"Henry!" she exclaimed, becoming suddenly red, noticing only then his presence "What are you doing here? You should be with Emma and Hook…" she added then, moving from embarrassment to confusion.

"Yes, she is on the phone" he simply answered "So, we are ten, then?"

The door suddenly opened and Emma appeared on the doorstep just in time to listen to her son's question.

"Actually, we are eleven" she murmured looking surprised, raising her hand to show the phone "Regina has just called me, it seems that she wants to bring someone too"

A look ran immediately between Mary Margaret and David at that news. It was time for another bet.

Regina put the phone on the table and heavingly sighed, starting to drum nervously her fingers on it. It seemed like she wasn't able not to move that day.

"So?" her new flame asked cautiously, appearing behind her back.

"I called Emma" she simply said, turning to him.

"Well! It will be a surprise for everyone… You just have to keep calm" he commented taking her face in his hands, making their eyes meet.

"Of course! But I am… anxious" it was her simple answer, united to the attempt to struggle out of his grip.

He just smiled and captured her lips into a passionate kiss, until she actually calmed down.

"I'll see you directly in front of the Charmings' house" he said, letting her go but without moving yet.

"And what should I do alone for five hours?" Regina asked, glancing casually to the clock on the wall.

"The thing you do best when you are nervous…"

"Really? And how can I do that if you're gone?" she asked suddenly mischievously.

He returned that expression and attracted her to him, kissing her deeply again. Then he approached her ear and with an amused whisper ended that pleasant game.

"I meant cooking"

Hey oncers! I've written this story at the beginning of S3 but only now I've decided to translate it and publish it here :) Tomorrow the exams for the ened of high school will start and to calm down I've found translating perfect to calm down LoL

For everyone who already knows me, I assure you that I'm not gave up SF or HQ and this is probably the only case I will write about CS even as a side couple... But in the story there is a reason for it :) Hope you have enojoyed this first chapter and... Well, try to guess the two "mysterious" chacters ! (Even if I think I've made it pretty obvious it! LoL)