True story: I know little to nothing about running a restaurant except for whatever Chef Ramsay yells about or marathoning Food Network at 4am. Any errors are my fault. Any accuracies are totally my fault too.

Also a true story: I really liked the idea of these two being absolute rivals.

It's a little AU-esque. There's no magic…unless you've seen Simply Irresistable...in which case maybe.

Let me know what you think.

The wine was working wonders on her as she carefully sipped, half listening to Rupert Gold as he spoke rather arrogantly about how he had acquired the once struggling eatery after the original owner played a particularly poor hand of poker one night. He smugly raised his wine glass, toasting Regina. "In anycase dear, I believe you'd be an excellent successor to my vast empire." Their glasses clinked and she nodded, taking another generous mouthful of the red wine.

"I certainly hope I'm up to the task."

"Believe me, I wouldn't have asked you here if I didn't think you weren't up to it."

The early dinner rush made Emma's head spin.

The ranges were on full force, meats of various cuts and types searing away on grills, in pans, in sauces, broiled in the ovens. Seafood expertly prepared in a separate station, prepared for sushi, broils, ovens, the riot of scents overwhelming her nostrils as she washed her hands and made her way over to one of the prep stations. She found herself taking tickets and filling the orders herself, much to the chagrin of the Executive Chef. Nothing insulted him more than seeing her, a pastry chef, preparing his plates better than he did.

She finished plating and wiped her hands on her apron, catching his eye and smirking. He nodded and turned back to his station, chuckling to himself as she headed to her station to work on the desert menu.

"Psst."

Emma looked up and into a pair of mischievous green eyes. "Ruby…" she warned as her she watched Ruby popping a strawberry into her mouth. "You know you're not supposed to be back here…"

"And yet…" she stole another piece of fruit and braced herself on her elbows, watching as Emma prepped a tray of Crème Brule, expertly toasting the top.

"What do you need?"

"To get laid mostly. Would you believe that Lacey hasn't called me? Like, what the hell is that about?"

Emma's brow furrowed as she finished the last crème brule. "Probably trying to process her feelings. You do that to people you know."

"Do what?"

"Make them think they're insane for being around you."

"Ouch."

Emma smirked and picked up the tray, heading towards the relay station to start plating. She felt Ruby following close behind. "Don't let Gold see you back here. You look like a puppy dog."

"Takes one to know one. Have you see…the Queen…?" Ruby palmed another batch of berries, munching on them as she watched Emma set up each plate, decorating the plate with chocolate sauce and berries.

"The who?"

"Don't play dumb. You know who." She watched Ruby out of the corner of her eye. "Hell in heels. The Brunette Bombshell. Lady Voldemort."

Emma shrugged, her eyes narrowed as she designed leafing on plate after plate. She loved Ruby, she did, but when she was in a gossipy mood, it made her nuts. "You know when the Captain is on duty, I don't go beyond those swinging doors."

"God, you're being so stubborn. Regina Mills."

"Regina? She's here?" she almost squeezed out the contents of the piping across the whole of the prep station. Few things made her more anxious than knowing the woman who's sole mission was to crush her career was lurking around the very restaurant she'd been able to feel like she was safe in. "What is she here for?"

Ruby smirked. "No idea. Gold was with her earlier. She was in the special seats, you know, where they sit and watch your every move to make sure you're not sneezing in the salads or sticking your fingers in the steaks…"

"Explains why he smirked at me." Emma retorted, shaking out her shoulders and finishing out her plates.

"God, do you think he'd bring her here? That'd be so messed up."

"I wouldn't put it past him. Remember what he did to your grandmother…"

"Granny is fine. She's kicking ass in Park Slope, screw Gold."

"Terrible to hear that Miss Lucas. I'd grown so fond of you."

Ruby's eyes went wide as she slowly turned on her heel and towards the famed restaurateur. "I…"

"I do hope the next thing you say is, 'I was just on my way out with these delicious deserts as prepared by my talented pâtissier' " he smirked, head cocked to the side.

"Totally was." She quickly grabbed a serving tray, three plates and the order slips, immediately disappearing from the kitchen. She was beet red as she snuck out, praying that Gold wouldn't fire her once she returned.

"Ms. Swan, how are you this evening?"

Emma swallowed hard, preparing around round of desert: a molten chocolate cake with various treats to dip into the warm chocolate center. "Doing well, Monsieur Gold. How's the dinner rush?"

He smiled at her pleasantry. "Handled adequately, although, a certain someone isn't particularly pleased with your taking over some of the stations."

Emma shrugged. "Well, it was backing up and I know how cranky people get when they're paying through the nose so."

He nodded, watching as she finished the cake and placed it on the relay station. "Ever the savior." He mused as he eyed her. "I'm sure the kitchen won't burn to the ground if you take a moment." He gestured towards the back office, his manner still pleasant for someone Zagat called cold, calculating and ingenious in his approach to the New York dinner scene.

Emma was aware of his gaze on her as she wiped down the counter silently praying anyone else but Ruby would pick it up for the…VIP table. She followed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket, hoping she wasn't about to be chewed out for indulging in Ruby's gossip. Regina Mills didn't intimidate Emma, not by a long shot. She'd spent most of her life working harder than most to make her dreams come true. She'd read every culinary book she could find, practiced with every piece of equipment she could find, applied for every grant and apprentice position she was eligible for in order to move up in the strangely competitive world of cooking. She just didn't appreciate Regina's frequent attempts to torpedo her blossoming culinary career because she felt threatened. As she settled into the chair opposite Mr. Gold she hoped that the conversation wasn't about Ruby or Regina; she couldn't stomach either topic.

"Well Ms. Swan, it seems you've made quite the impact on the success of this restaurant." He smiled, his hands folding on top of his desk as he leaned on his elbows. "People are absolutely mad about your deserts and wine pairings as well as the overall operation of the cook staff here."

"Pretty sure the chosen one isn't pleased."

He chuckled. "Killian will be fine. This is a completely different animal from what he's used to."

"Comparing this place to Long John Silver is a huge jump."

"He calls you the Chocolate Bitch." Gold chuckled. "I can see why you're at odds with one another, which is why I think this is the perfect time to discuss a change in venue."

Emma's heart dropped. "Are you firing me? Because I told Ruby…Miss Lucas not to…"

"Quite the contrary. I'm offering you a promotion."

Emma's cheeks pinked. She tried her best to not swallow her tongue. "Promotion."

"Yes. You see dear, I've acquired another restaurant that is in serious need of an overhaul and rather than hire those gaudy groups of vultures that sweep in under the cover of night to make a place work, I've decided to hire up from within." He opened up a nearby folder, sliding the paperwork over towards Emma, the corners of his mouth quirked into a satisfied smile. "Miss Swan, I'd like to offer you the head position for my latest restaurant." He watched as Emma reached across the desk, taking the paperwork gingerly in her hands, reading through the contract, her green eyes wide with surprise. Asides from occasionally stepping in when Killian was too busy trying to charm some of the female wait staff, she had never truly operated a restaurant before. Her career up until this point revolved around laying low, learning new tricks and continuing to perfect her craft. She toyed with the idea of opening up a small shop somewhere in Brooklyn, flirted with the idea of disaster with a food truck but something always kept her from jumping into those waters. She knew that she couldn't risk everything on a whim nor could she see herself being happy barely scraping by. She'd spent most of her life living that way, she wasn't willing to go back down that road, not after everything she'd learned so far. The idea of operating something as big as this, especially when it was Gold's next big idea wasn't part of the plan and she felt her heart pick up with anxiety.

"Mr. Gold I…" she looked up from the paperwork, her eyes glossy with tears. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"Miss Swan. You've been here for what, three years?" Emma nodded, her eyes darting between the sheet in her hand and her employer. "In that time you've shown yourself to be quite capable of running a kitchen, leading a rotating staff and keeping up with the standards that I've created here. I know your story. You've carried yourself by your own bootstraps and made a name for yourself. What I'm offering here is the opportunity to take the ball and run with it."

"What's the catch?" Emma asked suspiciously.

Gold chuckled, leaning back in his chair, his fingers steepled together like an old James Bond villain. "Well. You're essentially building from the ground up. I've hired a contractor, David Nolan and his wife Mary Margaret who'll work on interior design. They're very amiable and willing to work within the budget I've set forth, plus adjustments based on things you may notice in your preliminary visit to the site."

"Preliminary…"

"Yes, you see, the site is just a store front if you will. Barebones, there's nothing there. I've only just recently acquired it so it's the first of its kind to be truly made from nothing, something I thought you of all people could appreciate. I see the way you work in this kitchen Emma. You're an artist. You create experiences and moments for people; people you may never meet and the pride you take in that, well, that's not something you find often in our world. To be frank, you're wasting your talents here. Anyone can make the desert I just watched you assemble, but to truly make something with the skills you possess. You can see why I thought you would be someone worthy of such a challenge. Of course, all of this is bearing entirely on whether you'll accept the offer."

"And if I pass?"

He eyed her intently, his fingers flexing in their steeple. "I have other options." He replied simply, "but I assure you Miss Swan, this is a chance you do not want to pass on." He leaned forward suddenly. "Take a night to think about it. See me in the morning."

"He did what? You're kidding me." Ruby growled as the whiskey burned down her throat. "He offered you a big time job?!"

Emma shrugged, toying with her own tumbler of whiskey on the rocks. They'd closed out the restaurant at 11 and by midnight found themselves in their usual bar, The Rabbit Hole way down on Bleeker Street. Emma propped her feet up on Ruby's side of the booth, her boots nudging Ruby playfully. "I mean, I don't know if I'll take it but…"

"Emma. You'd be the biggest idiot I've ever met if you don't. Gold doesn't trust anyone and he's just…handing you a…a…what is he handing you?"

She shrugged. "Whatever I want. If I say yes, he'll sign me on, we'll do the paperwork and I'd meet the guy working the site on Wednesday."

"My God. You'd think the guy was your fairy godfather or something." Ruby groaned, waving the server over with her empty glass, the ice tinkling for emphasis. The bar was packed for a Tuesday, loud roars from the nearby beer pong tables causing both women to jump every so often. "So. Are you going to do it?"

"I don't know. I mean…" Emma stared down at her drink, the ice bobbling around in the deep amber liquid. "It'd a huge step, not even the baby steps I was considering with the bakery. I'd be responsible for everything, hiring, the design, the menu…it's…a lot."

"You basically run the kitchen now, what'd be so different?"

"If it burns to the ground it's totally my fault." Emma offered, taking a pull from her drink with a grimace.

"Listen. If you're only doing the menu, you're golden. I told you, Gran loves your pies and the little cookie things you do with the cookie inside…if you're going to make some hipster hot spot, those two things along will melt their faces."

"I don't know what Gold expects."

A fresh tumbler of whiskey appeared in front of Ruby who thanked the server with a seductive grin. "He expects to run New York by means of food and he wants you to be on his side. Suck it up and be his henchwoman."

Her head throbbed as she rolled over in bed, groaning at the sound of Ruby lumbering around the living room chatting animatedly with someone she kept calling "her moon." She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling, straining to hear her roommate, her voice coming closer as she hip checked the door, peering in with a smirk. She mouthed Guess I'm on the phone with while handing over a small plate baring a freshly toasted bagel with a healthy dollop of cream cheese.

Lacey?

Ruby's face lit up as she nodded emphatically, flashed thumbs up and closed the door again. Chuckling to herself, Emma propped the plate on her stomach and pulled the bagel apart to try to evenly distribute the cream cheese. She was a bit envious of her roommate the torrid love affair she was in with the enigmatic bookworm Lacey Seville. They'd met while Emma and Ruby were trolling around Union Square's Strand Bookstore where Lacey accidentally dropped a book right on Ruby's head as they perused the shelves. Ruby's sailor mouth brought Lacey down from her perch, babbling a million apologies before both stopped and stared at each other. Emma almost threw up with how romantic the entire thirty second encounter was. Excusing herself, she let the two talk while she busied herself with cookbooks and Moleskines, occasionally spying on them as they spoke in the tall stacks of books, completely oblivious to the world around them.

Lacey had a boyfriend who'd made her a little skittish about relationships, which in turn caused Ruby, who avoided relationships like the plague skittish because she didn't know how to even approach a woman like Lacey without scaring her off. Emma and Ruby spent some of their shared shifts working on ways to bring Lacey out of her shell while at the same time teach Ruby to not be so blunt. It was slow going and after two months, they'd gone on their first official date, (which Emma catered) leading to five consecutive dates (no catering) and then a dry spell that'd driven Ruby mad. As the days rolled on, Emma watched as Ruby wrote letter after letter, leaving them at the store for her before finally giving up and hiding the letters in a drawer in her bedroom.

As she licked the cream cheese from her fingers, she could hear Ruby making her way back to her bedroom door. She hoped her friend had good news.

"Good news." Ruby chimed, jumping onto Emma's bed, nearly knocking the plate from it's precarious perch on Emma's stomach. "She's not mad at me."

"Who said she was?"

Ruby smacked Emma's thigh. "I did. Remember because she hadn't been calling or returning any of my messages. You know that's universal for 'I'm mad at you.'"

"OR she was busy with work."

"She totally was."

Emma rolled her eyes as she bit into the bagel. "You're impossible."

"She got my letters though. Said she really liked them." Ruby pulled her long multihued red hair into a messy bun, her nose scrunched up as she tied it back. A long time ago, Emma had entertained a relationship with the woman wearing her old high school track shirt but after one drunken night resulting in the both of them holding each other's hair while they took turns vomiting in the toilet, they decided they were better matched as friends. "She said she was sorry for getting distant and that she was processing a lot of the things that I'd said to her both in person and in the letters…"

"You call her my moon. That's intense."

"We both read A Song of Ice and Fire. It's totally acceptable pet name…."

Emma shrugged. "Sure Khaleesi."

"Emma. I'm being serious. I really really really like her. She's so…"

"Completely opposite of you."

"YES!"

Emma chewed her bagel thoughtfully, watching Ruby's teeth clenched her lower lip. "Ruby, it's been a couple of months…I mean…it takes time. It's not going to happen overnight and the both of us know she likes you. It was love at first book related concussion."

"I just…I want something to finally work out you know?"

"What makes you think it won't?"

Ruby groaned and flopped dramatically on the mattress. "I'm not worth anything."

Emma nudged Ruby with her right foot. She waited until Ruby turned her head and looked up towards Emma. "Shut up. You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for and I won't let you kick yourself because this girl is trying to wrap her head around whatever it was you said to her. Just, be patient. She called you, she wants to talk, just, don't rush. Let it happen."

"You're so good to me." She crawled her way up the bed and pulled Emma into a hug. "You really think it was love at first book concussion?"

"I walked around the 18 miles of books twice before you noticed I was gone."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Did you come up with a decision about Gold's offer?"

Emma's shoulders slumped as she deposited the empty plate on the nightstand and scrubbed her face with her hands. "No. And my shift is in a few hours."

"Okay. So, take what you just told me about Lacey and apply it to your own life."

"Don't call women my moon after a few months of maybe dating?"

Ruby smacked Emma with the broadside of a pillow. "No. You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for." She smiled as Emma finger combed her long blonde hair. "Besides, Gran and I can show you anything you need to know about running a shop, taking care of the books, hiring whatever. It's not as hard as you think."

"Thanks Ruby." Emma nodded with a heavy sigh.

"Now come on, help me pick out my outfit for my date tonight."

"You're here early." Killian beamed as he slipped out of his biker boots and slid into his black Crocs, his executive jacket open to reveal a tight black t-shirt. He was slipping off a black cuff and tossing it into his gym bag, watching as Emma made her way towards her locker, earbuds dangling from the tops of her ears.

"Yeah." Emma replied, opening her locker and tossing in her leather jacket. She tied her hair up into a ponytail before sweeping it all up into a bun.

"Did you hear?" he continued, a slow grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. He stretched his legs out in front of him, flexing his feet at the ankles. "Regina Mills is lurking about."

"I heard she was here yesterday."

"Ah, Miss Lucas spotted her I presume. She's quite…lovely isn't she?" he drawled, his English accent making him sound classier than the compliment.

"Who? Mills or Lucas?"

"Oh are we going to play who'd you rather, Swan? Didn't think you'd be game." He settled into his chair, a grin plastered onto his handsome features. "So. Lucas or Mills?"

Emma turned from her locker, bracing her right arm inside and cocking her head to the side. "Really?" she asked, exasperation in her voice as she tugged on her jacket.

"Oh c'mon love." He chuckled. "I won't tell."

"Honestly, Killian…you're acting like a five year old."

He chuckled to himself. "I'm far to dashing to be a five year old." He leaned forward on his elbows. "Seriously though, d'think she's here to take over?" the mischievous tone left and was replaced by something that sounded like genuine concern.

"Take over? What? The restaurant? Why? Doesn't she run the other half of New York that isn't part of Gold's empire?"

Killian shrugged. "I assumed so but…d'think they're working together? Like some King and Queen of foodie New York?"

"Like, she runs his restaurants and…"

Killian nodded. "I'd imagine they've got to have their eyes on some of the top places in this city. Would be quite the coupe if Gold left New York to take over someplace else wouldn't it? Leave her to watch the kingdom as it were…"

"You've been watching Game of Thrones again haven't you?"

"Boardwalk Empire actually." He smirked.

"Well. I guess we'll find out tonight won't we?" Emma replied with a sigh, pulling out her work pants and shuffling off to the changing room.

She studied her reflection, her conversation with Killian floating around in her mind. She shuttered. He was right. If Regina was floating around the restaurant, it was highly probably that she was going to take over and as much as she feared the idea of starting from scratch with his investment, she had to admit that that scared her much less than having to answer to Regina Mills day in and day out. She ran the faucet, pooled water in her hands and brought it to her face. She was going to speak to Gold before the dinner rush.

"Emma." Rupert greeted after her polite knock at his door. "Come in."

"Hope you don't mind my stopping by a little ahead of my shift."

"Not at all. I assume you've thought about my proposal?"

Emma gave a tight-lipped nod. "I'm in."

She thought she knew Lower Manhattan and as she doubled back onto the corner of Broome and Orchard Street, Emma was close to calling Gold and telling him the first thing he needed to do was not buy property so far downtown her phone was having trouble finding the address. She walked slowly along Broome Street checking the numbers for the storefront she hoped was under construction. She stopped alongside a couple seated in the payload part of an old Ford pick up, sharing a sandwich, their legs swinging as they giggled against each other, bumping shoulders. Her attention went back to her phone, the little blue dot stopping right alongside the large pushpin. She looked up at the building, a hollowed out first floor with exposed beams and dangling cables.

"Oh my God. You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, it's not much but trust me, it'll be something in no time." A polite voice offered. She turned and watched as the handsome guy from the back of the truck made his way over, offering his hand. "David Nolan. You must be Emma Swan."

Emma took his hand, impressed with the firmness of his shake. "Yeah…"

"Not what you were expecting?" a female voice offered, a bright smile across her face.

"Not in the least…" Emma stuck out her hand to the woman. "You're Mary Margret I'm assuming."

She gave a nod. "Guilty." She saddled up to David, who notched his arm around her shoulder with a smile. "Don't worry. It looks bad now but just wait, we'll make this place something special."

"God I hope so, I'm taking a huge risk with this."

"Ah, from what Rupert says about you, you're gonna be fine. It always looks like a nightmare the first time you start something new, but you just have to have hope that it's all going to work."

A black sedan pulled up to the curb, pulling the trio's attention away from storefront. The door opened and out stepped Emma's real nightmare.

Regina Mills.

"Of course."