Chapter 12: Surprise at dinner

Emma was happily surprised when she entered the loft Ruby and Graham had built above Granny's diner. It had a warm and friendly feeling, pastel colours were used for the Livingroom and the kitchen was built out of a soft light wood.

"Wow this is beautiful Ruby." Emma smiles looking around, even finding pictures of her and Ruby together.

"Graham and August had a lot of fun designing everything but it just needed a female's touch and that what I did." Ruby says walking with the bags of grocery to the open kitchen. They were still a few hours away from the actual dinner party and Ruby still had a lot to do.

"Do you need my help?" Emma asks eagerly.

"I don't know." Ruby says. "I don't recall you knowing how to cook." She says grinning.

"Hey I have you know I have been cooking more frequently and I don't burn things anymore." Emma says walking over and grabbing the potatoes out of the bag.

"Well I can at least peel the potatoes." Emma says grinning at Ruby who just rolls her eyes.

It was almost seven o'clock when the first guest knocked on the door. Graham who had already come home greeted Kathryn who handed him a bottle of fine wine. When Kathryn saw Emma she squeal and ran into the girl.

"O my god Emma! It has been so long!" The blonde yelled in her ear. "You know talking to you on skype isn't the same like seeing you in person. You look good girl." Kathryn says making Emma twirl around so she can watch her.

"You don't like bad yourself how's life treating you? How is your daughter?"

"Life is wonderful and Lea is with her daddy tonight. He hasn't called me yet so I guess things are going well."

They settle themselves in the living room and Graham pours the wine Kathryn brought and hands everyone a glass, except for Ruby who pretends her apple juice is wine. They had a lot to talk about and Emma was enjoying the familiar feeling of having her friends close to her. When August had arrived Emma had expected them to go and start having dinner but no one made any move to go to the kitchen where they could eat all together.

"So are we going to eat?" Emma asks her stomach already making noises that everyone could probably hear.

"In a minute, we're waiting for just one other." Ruby says sipping her apple juice and looking at the rest of the gang who all try to avoid Emma's stare.

"Who?" Emma asks curiously but before anyone could say anything this last person knocked on the door. Graham got up and moved to the door and opened it.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

Emma felt a shiver run down her spine at the familiar voice. A ten year older looking Regina stepped through the door and kissed Graham on the cheek. Regina stepped into the room but when her eyes fell on Emma she freezes. The room grew quiet while everyone looked at the two women.

"Regina…." Emma was the first one the break the silence with a whisper.

"Emma." Regina says hating herself for making it sound so soft. "I didn't know you were back." She says.

"Yes Emma is back and dinner is getting cold. So let's go into the kitchen and eat." Ruby says trying to lighten up the atmosphere in the room.

Everyone grabbed their glasses and followed Ruby into the kitchen. Emma looked away from Regina and followed. When she got in the kitchen she had the horrible feeling that her friends had planned this whole thing because there were only two seats left, next to one another. When Regina came in the room she glared at the only seat left next to Emma like it was going to burn her. She sat down and stared out in front of her.

Saying the whole dinner was an awkward situation was understatement. Food was passed and conversation was made sticking to safe subjects. But everyone knew that it would only take a little push for both women to explode.

"So Emma last time we spoke you told me you were working on special case." Kathryn asks.

"Yes, the little boy was indeed being abused and I was able to remove him from his home and place him with foster parents I personally know will help him and care for him."

Emma saw Regina stop eating for second. "You're a social worker." She asks Emma without looking at her.

"Yes."

Regina nods and places the food on her fork in her mouth. "Good for you." It was kill and cold and Emma was starting to feel frustrated. She didn't deserve this cold shoulder. Regina was the one who had lied to her that summer, yes she had left without saying a word to the brunette but she had deserved it. She had broken Emma's heart.

She puts down her cutlery and turns her upper body towards Regina.

"Do you have a problem with what I do? I know It's probably isn't fancy enough for Regina Mills." Emma bites at Regina.

"excuse me?" Regina snaps her head up at Emma.

"You heard me!" Emma says. The table had become quiet and everyone could feel the exploding tension.

"What is your problem?" Regina asks frustrated.

"You! You are my problem!"

Ruby puts a hand on Emma shoulder trying calm the blonde. "Emma please….." Emma shrugs the hand away and kept staring at Regina daring her to say something back.

"You! Have no right to be angry at me!" Regina cries out. "YOU LEFT! YOU JUST LEFT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING!"

Emma huffs. "YOU LIED! YOU PLAYED ME. I HOPE YOU HAD FUN PLAYING WITH MY FEELINGS LIKE THAT." Emma stand up so roughly making her chair fall to the ground. She strides to the living room but doesn't forget to grab her glass of wine. Regina puts down her cutlery with a bang and follows the blonde. The rest just watch everything unfold knowing that is was supposed to happen sooner or later.

"What the hell are you talking about!" Regina says taking a hold of Emma shoulder making the blonde turn around.

"Your tongue inside a guy's mouth. That's what I'm talking about." Emma says taking a big sip from her wine.

"I did no such thing!" Regina frowns.

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid! I saw you, in your bedroom the day of the festival. I was supposed to rescue you and when I climbed up and looked into the window what do I see? You and this guy kissing." Emma let herself fall on the sofa, she stares at Regina who's face turns from anger and frustration to hurt.

"That's why you left, you saw that?" Regina asks and for a minute Emma is taking aback by how Regina voice in trembling.

"Yes I did."

Regina turns around and walks to the door grabbing her coat and opening it but before she leaves, she looks back at Emma. The anger Emma is feeling fades away when she sees the tears on Regina's face.

"You're and idiot Emma Swan." With that the door closes.

Emma can't move. What just happened? Of all the scenario's she thought of over all those years this was not one of them. She wasn't supposed to feel guilty for being mad at Regina, right? What had happened that day that she didn't knew? Had she made to right decision to leave. Maybe she had reacted to strong.

"Emma? You okay?" Ruby voice interrupts her deep thoughts.

"I don't know." Emma admits. "Did something more happen to Regina then just me leaving that day?" Emma asks.

Ruby and Kathryn give her a sad smile, they sit down next her.

"The only thing we know is when you left with granny to the airport Regina came to find us on the festival. Her shirt was teared and she had been crying. When we asked her what happened she didn't want to tell us, she asked for you and when I told her you had left. She just turned around and left the festival." Ruby pours some more wine into Emma's glass.

"You have to understand Emma, seeing Regina like that and you who fled without any reason. Did you do something to her that day Emma?" Kathryn asks.

Emma shakes her head. "No I didn't."

It was quiet while Emma tries to rap her head around the information she had just gotten. She can feel her eyes getting wet.

"I'm such an idiot."