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Thanks to everyone for reading this, the final part of the flashback is here; all the astute readers asking if the fan had something to do with it, read on, there's a payoff here. Still battling the obnoxious FF layout problem but you do what you can. I'm HOPING to make song titles from here on out vs lyrics. Thank you for the positive reviews, the goading and the support, it's been hell trying to keep up now.
Incubus- Make a Move.
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"So she thinks you did the deed?" Lacey asked, eyes wide with shock.
"No idea." Emma downed her cup of whiskey, pursing her lips tightly as the liquid burned down her throat. "I always figured she did, but, I don't know. Either way, she's been pretty bitter about it ever since."
"Wow." Lacey shook her head. "Did you do it?"
"No! I had no idea he was going to be there. I was really trying to just get another gig before I started full time cooking at some French restaurant."
"You've never told me that story before." Ruby said with a shake of her head, reaching for the bottle of Maker's Mark and pouring some out for herself and Lacey. "She came home with this…face…like a mix between murder and sadness."
"Ennui." Lacey offered helpfully, taking the cup from Ruby.
"Was that it?" Ruby asked, wrinkling her nose at Lacey. "Ennui?"
Emma shrugged. She'd put herself as far away from that feeling as she could. "I was just really pissed that I couldn't figure out what she put in the apple turnover."
"It was a little more than that." Ruby replied. "The hell with it. She's gonna have to suck it up now that you're both running that restaurant that has no name and you, my friend, are going to kick so much ass at that taste test." She held out her glass toward Emma for a toast.
"You're right. Her move."
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Regina pulled into an available parking space two blocks away from the address Emma had provided her with. Henry was in the passenger seat, staring at his phone and shrugging. "Says we're two blocks away."
Regina arched a suspicious eyebrow, pulling her emergency break and shutting off the car. "That app barely got us here in time, I highly doubt it can calculate streets properly." she replied with a chuckle.
Henry laughed and pocketed his phone. "Well, shouldn't be too hard to find a diner that says DINER in huge neon letters."
Regina made a face as she opened her door and stepped out into the warm early summer evening. It was Saturday and the city was alive with early summer foot traffic, families, couples and groups roaming around the streets of Brooklyn as though they were exploring their surroundings for the first time. She had was nervous about bringing Henry along with her for the evening but she didn't want to leave him home alone and he'd made an excellent argument for being her sous chef; he didn't want her going into something completely alone.
She opened the rear passenger door and grabbed her bag, Henry unloading from the passenger side, tucking his cell phone into his pocket, eyes on the street signs around them. "It's not that far mom." he said, a hint of optimism in his tone. "We can make it in no time. I remember the cross streets."
"How is that even possible?" Regina asked, closing the door and hitting the security lock twice, the rear and forward lights blinking in agreement. "This is the first time you come out here."
He pat his pocket, a mischievous grin on his face. "Memorized the directions." He grinned as he rounded the front of the car to stand on the sidewalk with his mother.
Regina nodded. "Remind me to put the parental controls back on your phone."
"Aw c'mon mom…" Henry whined, taking the bag from his mother's grip. "I'm practically an adult."
"You most certainly are not." She replied, pressing the car alarm, lights flicking indicating the security system was armed. She ruffled his hair. "Lead the way Magellan."
Regina didn't want to admit she was nervous; she'd been through worse things than this but to think that everything, her dignity and pride, rested entirely on a taste test made her uneasy.
Ruby quadruple checked the inventory as per Regina's instructions as Emma loaded the final box of vegetables into a bin. "How is this suppose to work again?" she asked, watching Ruby as she scrutinized the list, brow furrowed with concentration.
"Well, both of you asked for specific things, you have them."
"I meant the rules." Emma said, exasperation creeping into her tone.
"Oh. Well Mary Margaret, who's awesome by the way, and I agreed that you should both have colors to represent each course. So you'll have the same amount of time to prep everything, present it, serve it and get on with the next course."
"This spiraled out of control so fast…" Emma replied, eyeing the ceiling.
"What do you mean? I gained fifty pounds eating everything you made, this will not be a lost cause." Ruby protested, posting the list on the fridge.
"I didn't say it was a lost cause it's just…what do I really know about running a restaurant? I've covered for people but that's way different from having to actually do it from day to day, deal with people not liking what you're making and the lousy reviews…" Emma rambled.
"Hey, whoa. Stop. You're talking yourself out of this and I can't have that right now because Lacey invited all the people who are into this kind of thing and they're waiting for whatever it is you're going to feed them."
Emma cut Ruby a cold look.
"Okay it's not about Lacey it's about you but you can't psych yourself out so early. Regina may have the pedigree but you've got the heart. It comes from here." Ruby jabbed Emma in the chest for emphasis. "So that's what's going to make all the difference."
"Wish you could be my sous chef." Emma replied with a tight-lipped grin.
"I suck at cooking, eating is more my thing." said Ruby with a mischievous smirk.
The diner had been closed for two three hours with much of the energy spent on making sure they could properly prepare the space for the arriving guests Lacey had arranged to serve as part of the impartial jury. Ruby and Emma busied themselves with setting the kitchen while Beverly ensured they weren't using the good plates for this.
"I'm willing to take a hit and use plastic." She said, opening up a box and setting up tables with various utensils and Styrofoam plates. "Your friend Max said he'd take care of the 're-greening' of the diner afterwards."
Ruby rolled her eyes as she placed fresh fruits and vegetables into the communal bin in the center of the fairly modern kitchen. "Max is such a weirdo."
Emma snickered. "Be nice." She turned on the sink, washing her hands before drying them on a nearby towel she tucked back into the belt loop of her jeans. "How's she been with Lacey?"
"Fine. Loves her. They talk about me and how I should be doing more with my life, great pair of gossips the two of them." Ruby replied, taping the supply list to both doors of the fridge.
"Well. Are they wrong?"
"Not you too…" Ruby whined, stomping an all red Van clad foot on the floor like child. "Emma, you're supposed to be my friend…"
"I am. Have you spoken to Mertrand since the last time?"
Ruby shook her head, shoving her hands into the pockets of her black skinny jeans, rolling her eyes. "No I haven't."
"Call him. I'm sure he'll make room for you come September."
"Do you really think I want to teach art to a bunch of spoiled rich kids?"
"Spoiled rich kids in a rich kids school with rich parents…" Emma replied, swatting at Ruby's arm. "And you do. They listen to you. I think it's because you make weird voices when you're talking about colors. You love it."
Ruby pouted. "But I'm really enjoying this whole bohemian lifestyle…"
"We live on top of each other in an apartment on Clinton Street in Chinatown that we got because your grandmother knew how to work the system."
"We don't live on top of each other. Two bedroom in that neighborhood is a godsend."
"Just. Think about it. Lacey is fine with you being a mere waitress but just think about how much more she'll be into you once you turn on that creative brain of yours…" Emma replied. "I want to see you do more."
"Fine…" Ruby acquiesced, rolling her head back on her shoulders. "Now let's go out there and wait for your competition."
Regina wasn't sure what to expect when she walked into the diner. Part of her was disappointed it wasn't some run down dump while the other part of her was charmed by the way the vintage chrome and linoleum gave the place an old school feel in a very fast paced world. It even had a chalkboard with soup of the day and various specials.
Lacey approached Regina and Henry with a big smile on her face. "You must be Regina." She said by way of greeting, her right hand extended for a handshake.
"Yes." Regina simply replied, shaking Lacey's hand firmly. "This is my son, Henry."
"Hi Henry." Lacey said, shaking Henry's hand. "I'm Lacey, I'm part of the welcoming committee as it were…"
"Pleasure to meet you." Regina replied with a toothy grin.
"Hey…" Emma greeted as she emerged from the swinging double doors. "You made it." She approached, a lopsided grin on her face.
"Well, I'm hardly one to back down from a challenge." Regina replied, squaring her shoulders, her right eyebrow arched with authority.
"Who is this?" Emma asked, turning her grin from Regina toward Henry, who wore a smirk of his own.
"This is my son, Henry."
Emma's eyes darted back towards Regina in surprise. She vaguely recalled Regina's cell phone screen; her face squashed cheek to cheek with a mop haired boy. He was much taller than she thought. "Hey kid." Emma said by way of greeting, sticking out her hand for a quick handshake. "Nice to meet you."
"Henry, this is Emma…"
"I figured ma." Henry replied rolling his eyes. "Nice to meet you too."
Regina swatted Henry's shoulder. "I'm sorry, he's usually better behaved than this."
"It's fine. Let me show you where we're setting up and give you a quick tour of the kitchen." Emma replied with a wink toward Henry.
Mary Margaret beamed as she presided over the mini ceremony she and Lacey put together. They had assembled about six people, not counting themselves, into the diner, people milling around, drinking and chatting. Regina and Emma were stationed behind the counter, Emma leaning on her elbows while Regina stood with her hands on her hips, eyes skyward with incredulousness.
"Is this your doing?" she muttered, watching as Mary Margaret handed out two different color poker chips; one red and one white to each person.
"What? This? Not at all. I just knew that they'd made up some rules I didn't think we were walking into an episode of Chopped. You were sitting there when we made the rules." Emma replied with a smirk. "I didn't hear any protesting."
"It's overkill." Regina grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. "And I didn't think you watched TV."
Emma's eyebrows knotted with confusion. "You think about me?" she asked smugly, canting her head to look up at Regina. "I watch it on Netflix."
Regina rolled her eyes.
"Oh c'mon, let them have their fun." Emma added with a snicker, enjoying the pinking on Regina's cheeks. "We're going to be in the kitchen trying to not burn the place down anyway. You'll forget they're even out here, playing poker."
Regina scoffed, glancing at Emma with an arched eyebrow. "This is their idea of fun?"
"Well, you've gotta admit, it's kinda ingenious…"
"Isn't this how that new pastry chef opened his restaurant? Reality show?" Regina shot back as Mary Margaret turned to face them.
"We already have a restaurant so we'll be fine." Emma said with a lopsided grin.
"Alright you two. Here are the rules. Everyone here has chips they'll drop into the bins back on that table," Mary Margaret said, pointing toward the far wall where Lacey stood, doing her best Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune impression. "They'll drop them in after each tasting and we'll tally the votes at the end of each round. Most chips win."
"Who gets what color?" Regina asked suspiciously eyeing Mary Margaret.
"Oh, Emma is the white chip and you're the red." Mary Margaret replied helpfully. "And your lovely assistants will bring the food out to their respective trays." Regina noticed the farthest end of the counter had color-coded trays, unlit sterno candles underneath.
"You thought of everything." Regina deadpanned, tucking a lock of hair behind her left ear.
"First up, appetizers." Mary Margaret replied, deliberately ignoring Regina's snarky reply. "You have 30 minutes."
"This is timed?" Regina exclaimed. "I don't remember agreeing to it being timed."
"Well, you've got to consider the serve time…" Mary Margaret replied.
"She's stalling, let's go." Emma replied, grabbing Regina by the right elbow and dragging her back into the kitchen.
Despite the time that had passed since they'd split a kitchen together, Emma and Regina moved around each other in a perfect dance of culinary synchronicity. Emma held down one area of the range while Regina held down the other end, they were moving around one another effortlessly, lost in their world focusing on the task at hand. Emma caught Regina peering over at her as she dumped cracked eggs into a large bowl, whisking away, before opening flour, pouring that into another large bowl with pepper, garlic salt, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes.
"Hey, eyes on your own paper…" Emma teased.
"As if." Regina retorted, her hand hovering over the range. She had sliced through fresh Italian bread, buttering the tops and lined it slices of cheese. She turned towards the oven, checking on the rows of bacon she'd placed.
"Did you just as if me?" Emma asked with a chuckle as she whisked. She leaned against the counter, watching Regina with narrowed eyes, curiosity crinkling the corners.
She looked up, spying Emma watching her with interest. "Eyes on your own paper, Ms. Swan."
"Fine." Emma grumbled, continuing the whisking before depositing the bowl onto the counter and turning towards the sink. She began rinsing the pieces of chicken before tossing them into the egg wash and then the seasoned flour. "As if." Emma repeated with a snicker as she began placing the pieces in the basket for the deep fryer.
"Those might be juicer if you baked them, rather than fried them…" Regina offered, busying herself with her side of the kitchen.
"What's the fun in that?" Emma replied, sinking the basket into the oil with a satisfying hiss.
"You're right," she opened the oven, pulling out the two trays loaded with bacon. Emma's nostril flared with the scent of bacon. "You should clog the arteries of the people silently judging us from beyond that door."
"That's evil." Emma chuckled as she checked on the first batch of wings. "I didn't think you had a sense of humor."
"I must if I continue to entertain you while I'm working." Regina replied with an arched eyebrow, a smirk on her face as she drizzled olive oil onto the loaves, tucking bacon between the slices of cheese and then pressing the whole thing down with a satisfying hiss. "And you have no idea what I'm capable of."
"You know, you had no problem with me in the kitchen before…" Emma replied, plating the first batch of chicken and adding another round to the fry basket. A hearty greasy applause came from the basin as the chicken cooked.
"That was before I knew you."
Emma scoffed as she began working on her hot sauce. "You still don't really know me though."
Regina weighed her response as she removed her grilled cheese super sandwich from the range, adding another loaf and pressing it down. She began slicing the bread into small pieces, plating them. She did want to know Emma but she wasn't sure if she wanted to be friends. She imaged that the more time they spent together she worried Emma would misconstrue it into a friendship. This was business; they were only supposed to tolerate each other because it benefited their now mutual cause. She wasn't sure she was expected to even like the time they were going to spend together but she had to admit to herself there was something magnetic about Emma. Regina was a solitary person, despite Katherine's presence in her life; she'd gotten used to being on her own. She watched Emma through her periphery, a little disappointed that she wasn't staring at her with mild amusement. Maybe it wouldn't be such a terrible thing if they got along. Maybe. "You don't know me either."
"Seeing as we are now stuck together," Emma plucked out the chicken, adding the last batch and dropping it into the fryer. "It wouldn't be such a bad thing."
"You think we're going to be friends." Regina deadpanned, removing the bread from the range and slicing away. She set aside four small pieces, two for her and two for Emma. She had no idea why she was doing it but she couldn't help it; she wanted to brag and rub it in Emma's face that she was chef while Emma was just a short order cook.
"Kinda thought it was happening…" Emma replied, drenching the wings in hot sauce, folding the pieces into the sauce bowl before plating the saucy mess.
"Why? Because we had a few drinks? We have a mutual interest in the restaurant?"
"Well, I don't bring apple donuts to just anybody." Emma offered, a twinge of optimism in her tone. "And I'm pretty sure you just don't bring that apple turnover for just anyone."
"You think pastries are a form of friendship." Regina scoffed. She was tempted to hide the grilled cheese bites she'd set to the side somewhere. "I thought you were interested in cultivating an air of mystery." She said slicing through another loaf, adding bacon and cheese, drizzling the olive oil and pressing it to the range. "I bet you were popular in school."
"When I went, yeah." Emma replied, glancing at her watch. "Ten minutes left your majesty, might wanna hurry up with that." She rang her bell and Ruby's head appeared at the service window. Ruby mouthed, 'bout time' and flashed a toothy grin.
"Shut up." Regina muttered, hastily removing the grilled cheese loaf and slicing them. Regina couldn't help but notice how defensive or dismissive Emma became when conversation veered toward her past. Against her better judgment, she wanted to find out why; which meant that she was going to actually get to know Emma. She rang her own bell and Henry joined Ruby's curious face by the door. She felt a pang in her chest; he was tall enough to see inside without having to tip toe. Both pushed their way in, giggling as they grabbed the trays for the first round.
"Hi mom!" Henry greeted, not even waiting for a response as he eagerly followed Ruby back out into the diner. "Bye mom!"
"The busty one has taken a shining to Henry." Regina groused, passing Emma and opening the fridge, scanning the contents.
She had a few options to work with but she had a feeling that grilled cheese with bacon wasn't enough to topple the power of hot sticky wings. She glanced toward Emma's station and was touched to see that she'd stashed a few pieces of her own onto a plate tucked on a hot plate. Still a pastry chef and a short order cook. Regina thought to herself. She had a second course already in mind but felt like she needed to change it, completely betraying the sense of organization she'd cultivated. Emma was rattling her with how nonchalantly she was treating the whole affair. Not that she was taking it all that seriously. It was a stupid bet, meant to make both of them feel a sense of power and control; Regina knew she would win in the end. She looked around the pantry, pleased to find a few boxes of lasagna noodles. Normally she'd make everything by hand but time seemed to be of the essence. She grabbed the boxes and the ground beef and set to work.
"She'd thank you for calling her the busty one."
Regina couldn't help the chuckle. "She'd better not corrupt him."
"I'm pretty sure he's safe, her, not so much." Emma replied as she worked on a hunk of beef, grabbing the butcher knife and jabbing into it as far as she could. She began preparing a dry rub in a large bowl, adding seasoning to taste. She'd already started a deep pot with onion soup simmering and had a few potatoes and carrots out on the cutting board. Regina watched Emma work, quickly and efficiently as she worked the dry rub onto the meat, paying close attention to the holes she'd made.
"Are you sure you'll have time for all that..?" Regina asked, feigning concern as she salted her water and topping it hoping to get it boil faster.
"Eyes on your own paper…" Emma teased, a playful quirk to her lips. "You're doing way more than I am." She raised her eyebrows indicating the water, ground beef, noodles and cheese. "I didn't think you'd follow up with more cheese."
Regina rolled her eyes, watching the pot with concern as she seasoned the ground beef, dumping the entire thing into a warmed pot, working it with a wooden spoon. "There is no such thing as too much cheese."
"You're gonna put them to sleep with that." Emma replied.
"How so?"
"Lasagna? That and turkey are the two things that easily knock anyone flat out on their asses."
"Is it? Didn't know." Regina replied, a hint of disinterest in her voice. "Concerned they'll be too tired to have any of that." She pointed at Emma's pot roast with her chin. It smelled delicious. She watched as Emma squared freshly washed potatoes, keeping the skins on and tossing them into the pot.
Emma shrugged. "Not really. Just hope the follow up isn't cheese puffs or something for dessert."
"Your cubing still needs work." Regina grumbled with dissatisfaction. "Did you learn anything while in my kitchen?"
"I learned a lot actually." Emma replied, throwing in handfuls of baby carrots, covering the pot and working on another batch of potatoes, cubing them pointedly and tossing them into a bowl prepping for mashed potatoes. "But, cubing wasn't the thing I really took away from that summer."
Regina bristled, annoyed that she'd even started down this path. She focused on browning the beef, returning to the pantry and grabbing a few cans of tomato sauce. The silence hung in the air, just under the fragrant smells as both women zeroed in on their tasks.
Beverly's head appeared in the service window, neither of them looked up. She turned on her heel and gave Lacey a shrug. "They're both in their own world."
"They're still alive so, that's a win." Ruby joked, taking a bite of Regina's grilled cheese sandwich, her eyes rolling back with delight. "This is really good. Don't tell Emma I voted against her on this one." She whispered to Lacey, who lips were smeared with sauce.
"That's fine, I voted for her, so it evens out."
The chips clinked against each other as they landed into the plastic jars Lacey and Mary Margaret had set up. David hadn't said a word as he ate, watching the foodies Lacey contacted as they dissected each plate, brows knit as they ate. From what he could tell, they were enjoying the selection and he found himself amused as they almost seemed to move like one organism, each dropping in their poker chips with satisfying plastic plops.
Emma held the lead but Regina was quickly gaining ground.
You can't underestimate the power of bacon.
Regina was already on her second layer of sauce and ground beef as Emma stared impatiently at her pot roast, pulling another piece from a corner, making a face; it wasn't tender enough. She wanted to tease her about it, after all, she was well out of her element but as she watched her work on the potatoes, she was instantly reminded of the night Henry helped her in the kitchen. She was still learning and if this was going to work, she had to be willing to make concessions. "You may have to put the fire up and add a little bit of beef broth to it so it doesn't dry out." She offered delicately placing a noodle across the sauce and meat for her lasagna. She knew she had this one in the bag but wanted to give Emma a sporting chance. "And, quit beating the potatoes like they owe you money."
Emma stopped working on the potatoes to glance up at Regina, who was finished with her lasagna and wiping her hands on a dishrag. There was something Emma could've sworn was compassion in her eyes. She silently reached over, raising the fire a bit and before heading into the pantry for the box of beef broth. She removed the lid, careful of the steam and poured in some of the broth, aware that Regina was watching her carefully. "Thanks." She muttered, covering the pot roast, listening to the liquids bubbling. "And I wasn't beating them like they owed me money."
"Sure." Regina replied with a smile. Emma blushed and returned to the potatoes, piling them into a dish.
"You're going to just put that out there with no gravy?" Regina asked, carefully cutting a piece of lasagna and placing it immaculately on a plate. "That seems counterintuitive."
"That pot roast is sitting in it's own juices, it's really good on the potatoes…" Emma replied with a little edge in her voice. "It'll be fine."
"What? Can't take a little help?"
"It's not that…" Emma replied, doing her best to not seem like she was being dissected under Regina's intense gaze. "I'm just trying to figure out what your problem is."
"My problem?" Regina asked, head cocked with curiosity, watching Emma as she plated the large hunk of beef. She had already finished with the lasagna and was trying to figure out how to go in for the kill with dessert.
"Well, yeah…You're nice to me one second, hate me the next, help me out then criticize me two seconds later." Emma said, scraping the pot for all the gravy and dumping it onto the beef. "It's intense."
"That's what you came away with? Nothing else?" Regina asked pointedly, squaring her jaw, cramming her hands into the pockets of her black chef's coat. Emma had done her best not to notice that she'd worn dark blue jeans and a pair of all black Nike running sneakers; it was the most casual she'd seen her and yet she still exuded power and control.
Emma let out a sigh, moving her plates to the service window, debating if she wanted to ring the bell to avoid furthering the conversation or just suck it up and settle things. She had opened the proverbial door so she was going to hold it open for Regina to step through too. "You're a bit of a control freak."
"That's all." Regina deadpanned with a shake of her head. "You're far more sensitive that I thought."
Emma huffed and rang both bells, Ruby and Henry's faces appearing in the service window. "That was quick." said Ruby, her eyes growing big at the sight of the trays. "You gonna give me a hand kid?" Henry nodded, helping Ruby as they brought down the tray to fanfare and applause. Ruby took the large bowl of potatoes, trying to see where Regina was in the tiny kitchen. "Did you butcher her?"
"No." Emma drawled. "She's still here."
"Oh good. Not sure how my gran would take to you butchering someone in her kitchen…The wings were amazing by the way."
"Thanks…"
"She's in the lead though."
Emma shrugged. "Not a surprising."
Ruby peeked underneath the tinfoil lid. "OH my God…lasagna…." She glanced up at Emma, suddenly feeling like she'd betrayed her best friend. "I'm sorry Em…"
"Bye Ruby…" Emma sing songed, turning on her heel and returning to her station, wiping the counter down, blowing out a gust of air. She could her Regina chopping away at something in her station and didn't turn around until she heard a very disgruntled "crap" muttered from the corner, where Regina had succeeded in knicking her palm with the tip of the blade she was using.
"You alright?" Emma asked, immediately bringing a towel over and reaching for Regina's hand, pressing the power towel to the wound, completely forgetting that they had been in the midst of an awkward conversation.
"I guess I just…" Regina began, forgetting whatever she was saying as Emma gingerly pressed the towel to the cut, watching how focused she was on her hand. "I slipped."
"It happens." Emma replied with a shrug, pressing down on the cut while looking around for the first aid box she'd stashed somewhere in the kitchen. She tugged Regina along by the wrist, keeping the injured hand elevated while opening up the box she found on a nearby shelf with one hand and finding a decent sized band-aid.
"This is unnecessary Emma…I won't need major surgery" Regina replied, watching as Emma released her hand to open the bottle of hydrogen peroxide, generously soaking a fresh piece of gauze before pressing it onto Regina's cut, earning an angry hiss from the unsuspecting brunette.
"Sorry…" Emma said, her eyes wide with concern as Regina grimaced with the sting. "Just wanted to make sure you keep the hand."
"Why would I even lose it…" Regina groaned, rolling her eyes.
"Infection…" Emma offered with a sly grin. "The whole hand could be contaminated with who knows what…" She bandaged Regina's palm, careful to not put too much tape on it. "You could be patient zero the cause of the zombie apocalypse…or have a hook for a hand." The grin never left Emma's face as she watch Regina pull her hand back, testing the bandage with interest.
"Shut up…" Regina chuckled, her hand tingling from the ointment and Emma's touch. She flexed her hand, impressed with how neatly Emma had cleaned the wound and bandaged it. "Clearly you spend more time watching Netflix than working on your craft."
"Normal people say thank you." Emma replied, returning the first aid kit to the shelf and turning on the tap to wash her hands. "But I forgot who I was talking to."
"Thank you." Regina muttered, her head low as she examined the patch job, the jab in Emma's voice stinging a bit. "Weren't we supposed to prepare similar meals? I mean, using similar ingredients?"
"Watching too much Food Network again?" Emma asked, reaching for some pears and a few apples.
"She's your friend, I assumed you'd been paying attention to the rules." Regina replied, squaring her shoulders as she watched Emma wash the fruits in the sink.
"Figured you wouldn't care anyway since you think this is such a stupid idea." She said over the rush of water into the sink. "In any case, I have a feeling we're going to end up either at a stalemate, a landslide victory or at the very least with fat friends."
Regina rolled her eyes. "Henry knows to limit himself."
Emma turned from her station, watching Regina's back as she worked. "Y'know, David and Mary are on your side, you're the one who thinks there's some kind of conspiracy against you. We all have something to gain from this."
"Yes, well, they've clearly taken a shine to you, Ms. Swan."
"There it is again." Emma retorted, her blade digging particularly hard into the apple she was slicing.
"What?" Regina asked, glancing over her shoulder.
Emma turned from her station, fingers sticky from the fruits she was cutting. "You call me Ms. Swan when you're pissed."
Regina shook her head and scoffed. "I call you Ms. Swan when you're being ridiculous." She returned to her work, paying close attention to blade in proximity to her gloved hand. "Which is often."
"Wow."
Regina's shoulders slumped and she put down her knife, turning to stare at Emma. "What now? No biting comeback?"
"What can I say? You're obviously determined to wreck everything."
"I can assure you, I am not."
"Then what's with all this?" Emma waved her hands around in exasperation. "Why are you even doing this if you think it's going to fail?"
The muscles in Regina's jaw tightened, her cheeks puffing out as she pulled the prep gloves off at the wrist, tossing them into the nearby trash. She folded her arms across her chest, staring down Emma with narrowed eyes. "Because you snuck in and stole this from me. You, who are impetuous, hard headed, naïve and arrogant, you came in that summer and spoke to Gold to get to where you are now and where you are is in my way. You don't know the first thing about running a restaurant, you don't even have the basic skill set down to even operate a station the fact that you are standing in this tiny kitchen being so optimistic about our odds of success when you don't know the first thing that goes into something like this is quite possibly the most irritating part of all of this entire undertaking."
"First of all, I had no idea who Gold was and if you got your head out of your ass, you'd know that. I don't know what Katherine said to you or whatever version of me you've built in your head since that summer but I was there, for you, no one else. You wanna talk about unprepared for things? You have the social skills of a drunken rhino; you barrel through things and get angry when they fall apart or don't go your way. You can't even be bothered to be polite to the people who very well hold the keys to your success. We both want this to work; we need this to work because it means you're out of Gold's shadow for good and I can just do what I love. You don't want this to fail, you want me to fail."
"Two birds."
Emma reeled, her mouth agape in disgust. "You know what? The hell with you Regina." Emma tore off her gloves and threw them into the trash. She stormed out of the kitchen, the double doors swinging wildly in her wake. She parted through the guests in the dining room who tried to peer inside at a gobsmacked Regina, gazes alternating from the doors and Emma's retreating form.
Regina closed her eyes and growled. "Damnit." She followed Emma, brushing past a confused Lacey and Henry as they sat at a table, diving into the lasagna. Henry moved to follow but Ruby grabbed his wrist shaking her head no and tugging him back to the bench. Regina stopped in front of the dinner, eyes searching for a white chefs jacket in the night. She rounded the corner and found Emma sitting on the hood of her bug, jacket draped across her lap, head tucked down, arms wrapped around her knees. "Swan." Regina said, her tone more of a growl than apologetic.
"Go away." Emma replied, her reply bouncing off the dented hood.
Regina rolled her eyes. "Very mature response."
"Are you kidding me?" Emma looked up eyes watery with unshed tears. "Did you come out here to keep going with me?"
"Well, I had to get you away from the knives…" Regina retorted, shoving her hands into her chef pockets, the corners of her mouth tugging into a bitter smirk.
Emma let out a watery laugh. "Good point."
Regina slowly approached the car, watching Emma as she rubbed her face with her hands. "I don't want it to fail." Regina whispered when she was closer. "I just don't like feeling like the whole thing is a set up. We do all the work and Gold takes the credit…"
"Doesn't have to be that way."
"Oh but you don't know him the way I do."
Emma shrugged. "So? We signed the property deeds, the equipment, the leases…it's our name on everything, he just foot the bill. He can't take it away. He can keep his upper crusty eateries, those are a dime a dozen," she caught Regina's look of disapproval, "No offense. Places like this, where people just want to have a good time, those are rare, those are special, especially in a place like New York. The people who live here should feel like they've got a home away from home, a sense of community. Guys like Gold can have all the pomp and circumstance they like, but, I don't want to give him all that power, not when he gave us just a little bit."
Regina held Emma's gaze intently before letting hers drop to the concrete. "Exactly. Just a little bit of power."
Emma shook her head, carefully sliding down the hood, her boots landing softly in the gutter as she made room for Regina to perch next to her. "You know what I always admired about you? You don't care what people think about you."
"You just said that was the worst thing about me."
"I said you treat people like garbage, you don't let opinions affect you. Especially when people don't actually know you. They're scared of you."
"How is that admirable?"
"Makes you untouchable. Keeps you from being hurt."
Regina glanced at Emma, suddenly feeling small under her watchful eye. "I've been hurt."
"By Gold."
Regina barely nodded, her jaw working again, hating the sensation of vulnerability slipping over her shoulders like a cold blanket. She leaned against the hood of Emma's car, bringing her arms out over her chest, crossing her legs at the ankle. She stared ahead of her, eyes tracing a crack in the concrete along the sidewalk.
"What if I told you that between the two of us, that wouldn't happen? What if I told you that I will keep that from happening?"
Regina snorted. "What, like you're some kind of savior?"
"White knight all that. What if you didn't have to be so…abrasive? The only way this works is if you stop being such a…"
"Drunken rhino?"
"Yes. A drunken rhino and just accept the help that's offered. You're right. I know squat about kitchens, I can run them but the day to day is always something new. That's your expertise, that's your magic. I've never owned a restaurant, just a stolen delivery truck and a couple of baking partners along the way, that's my magic. Teach me that and I'll teach you what I know."
Regina pushed off the hood of the car, unfolding her arms and flexing her fingers. "Are we calling a truce?"
"For now."
"And as for the results of that little experiment inside?"
"I told you, we either end up in a stalemate or with fat friends."
