A/N: I want to thank all who read and loved chapter 1, now onto chapter 2! And just a friendly reminder that this story isn't a sequel to my first Christmas one. This something entirely different. Happy reading! :)

"Regina; Emma," Zelena smirked, whispering her introduction near her sister's ear before her eyes looked over to the blonde. "Emma, meet my foot-in-her-mouth sister, Regina."

Regina glared at her sister, throwing daggers out of her eyes before turning back to the grinning blonde.

"So, you are Regina, then?" Emma asked, her green eyes sparkling.

"The one and only," Regina forced a smile, her cheeks still burning. "Emma," she reached out to shake the woman's hand.

"Wow," Emma breathed, shaking the brunette's hand. "I have to say, I've only seen one picture of you since I arrived here, and that's of you and Zel here horseback riding when you were kids. You've sure grown up." Her eyes raked over the brunette.

"Thank you," Regina quickly took her hand back.

Zelena handed Emma a plate to which the blonde helped herself freely to a slice of apple pie. Regina couldn't help but wish that the ground would swallow her right up about now.

"Mm," Emma's eyes closed, savoring the thick crust, and juiciness of the apple slices along with the rich jam lingering on her tongue. "Cora, your apple pie is simply the best."

"Thank you, dear," Cora smiled, giving the blonde's arm a gentle squeeze. "And you are always my best food critic."

"It's beyond me how she is able to eat so much and still keep that figure hiding underneath that jacket of hers." Zelena said out loud, looking over at her quiet sister.

Emma chuckled, "Well Cora's cooking is just that magical. It keeps me fit." She slapped her stomach playfully.

Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes as her mother and her sister joined in in laughter. She wasn't sure why this woman annoyed her now.

"So, Regina," Emma's eyes fell on the clearly annoyed brunette.

"Emma?" Regina nodded, forcing a smile.

"Do you get annoyed by everyone you meet or is it just me?" She asked flat out, causing Zelena to smirk and Regina's cheeks to turn pink once again.

"I-" the brunette scoffed, feeling her voice get caught in her throat. What was up with this woman and making it her mission to call her out on every little thing? She came back for this?

"Oh, don't mind her, Em," Zelena gave the blonde's arm a squeeze as she stood behind her. "My dear sister has forgotten her manners. Living in the city will do that to you."

"Don't I know it," Emma murmured, taking her last bite of her pie.

"Oh, so you're from the city?" Regina's brow raised.

"No," the blonde shook her head. "Truth be told, I've never been fond of it."

"Oh?" Regina's arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah, it's not as freeing as living out here. And," Emma smirked, draping her arm around Zelena's shoulder. "I made a family here."

"Aw, and we love having you here!" Zelena grinned, placing a kiss to the blonde's cheek.

Once again, the display of affection between Emma and her sister made Regina want to roll her eyes, but she resisted this time. Instead, she could feel her stomach turn.

As Zelena took the empty plate from Emma's hands, Emma quickly headed toward the front door, bringing in a box filled with jars of peach jam.

"Peach jam!" Cora beamed, jumping up from her seat and reaching for the box of jars. "Thank you, Emma. How did you know?"

"I didn't, you can thank Robert for that. He made sure that I would tell you how he spent every waking hour making sure that jam was just right before sending it off to you." Emma smiled.

"It is absolutely perfect," Cora held up a jar, observing the texture of the jam, which was perfect.

"He also said to be sure to thank him."

"Well, I'll have to send him over a sliver of this apple pie. I know he loves it."

"Or loves the owner and maker of this apple pie," Zelena teased, while Emma smirked. Regina looking utterly clueless.

"Oh, stop it you two!" Cora shook her head, sniffing the peach jam once again simply to hide her blush.

"Wait a minute, mother… You and Robert?" Regina locked eyes with her mother.

"It's nothing! Enough of this conversation, all of you!" Cora stood up from her chair, carrying the box of jams.

"I'll take those for you," Emma rushed over past Regina, taking the box from the older woman.

"Thank you, dear." The woman smiled, heading into the laundry room where she opened another pantry door. That's where she kept her extra food, and with her and Robert exchanging goods almost daily, she was grateful to have the extra space.

Zelena nudged her sister playfully, gaining her attention from staring at Emma.

"Well, you made a hell of a first impression." Zelena smirked.

Regina rolled her eyes, finding her sister's smirk quite annoying to even look at anymore.

"I'm going upstairs for a moment." She said walking out of the kitchen and turning to her cell phone as it rang.

"Yes, the big city calls." Zelena taunted, earning a hard glare from Regina as she continued her way up the stairs.

"Hello?" Regina answered, quickly making her way through the hallway of the second floor and into the room, which she came to know belonged to Emma.

"Regina! I'm so glad you picked up!" Victoria's voice shouted through the other end of the phone. "Have you arrived safely?"

"Yes. Thank you, Victoria." Regina smiled.

"Fantastic, darling- listen- I just got off the phone with Frederick McAllister."

"Frederick McAllister?" Regina's lips parted. "The Frederick McAllister of McAllister Oil?"

"The very same!" She could hear Victoria's grin through the call. "Turns out he has a lot of properties down in Colorado and it seems word travels fast about your father's ranch not doing so well. He wishes to contact you to offer you a deal on the property."

The brunette's brow furrowed, "A deal? You mean he's…?"

"That's right! He is interested in buying."

This brought a frown to Regina's lips. She knew how much this land meant to her father, of course, but she also knew her mother was getting older and there was no way Zelena would stick around to help her bring it back up to its former glory. It was impossible, especially after her mother had to sell most of her animals off for money to pay overdue bills.

"So, what do you think, Gina? Should I pass along your number?" Victoria asked, awaiting a reply.

She'd have to speak to her mother first, but what could it hurt to hear the man out on his deal? Someone like Frederick McAllister would pay enough money for this land. It was great land. And with what a man like him would pay for it, Regina's mother wouldn't have to worry about overdue bills anymore.

"Give him the number." She said without another thought.

"Excellent! I shall pass it along. Just don't lose your phone while you are over there, he will call you on any given day."

Regina smiled, "Don't worry about that. I give you my word, I will sleep with it under my pillow and glue it to my hand for safe keeping."

"Great! And Regina, remember… Make me proud with another successful sale!"

The brunette hung up the call, wondering how on earth she would talk to her mother about this. She knew she wouldn't want to sell. The idea of selling a property that has been in her family for generations pained Regina, too. But, what was her mother to do if she could never bring this land back to its natural state? Where would she live? She was already stubborn enough not to receive help from her in paying the bills.

"Emma! Dinner!" Cora shouted, giving her beef stew a last few stirs while Zelena reached for the bowls. "Where is your sister? I've been calling her to come down for dinner."

"You know Regina, mother, she's probably on one of her endless phone calls or in the shower." Zelena walked up to her mother, holding onto the bowls while Cora served portions of stew into them.

"Who's in the shower?" Emma entered through the back door of the kitchen, removing her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack by the back door.

"You have super hearing when it comes to women, don't you, Swan?" Zelena smirked as she sat two bowls on the dining table.

Emma blushed, grabbing a hold of her own bowl while Cora served her some stew.

"Zelena, stop it." The woman glared at her daughter in warning, smiling and winking over at Emma. The woman would take the blonde's secret to the tomb, something Emma was grateful for.

"Here, can you take these? Thanks." Zelena handed over a basket of bread to Emma, which the blonde happily sat on the table.

"Stew is going to get cold, Regina better hurry up," said Zelena, walking over to the dining table along with her mother, taking a seat next to her.

"Regina, come down now, please!" Cora shouted, taking her seat ahead of the table.

Heads turned to the brunette's sudden presence, wearing a pair of jeans, boots and a white sweater.

"Sorry," Regina's eyes glanced over at Emma before taking a seat next to her sister at the table. A smile stretched across her lips at the sight of her mother's famous beef stew. "I've sure missed your beef stew. I had some once in New York, but it's not the same."

Cora smiled, happily drowning her spoon in her stew to begin eating.

"Of course it's not the same." Zelena spoke, holding onto her spoon. "Nothing can ever compare to how great things are here. Isn't that right, mother?"

"I have to agree," Cora nodded.

"See. Maybe you should consider moving back out here, Gina." Zelena took a spoon full of stew into her mouth.

"Thank you, but I'm perfectly happy where I am." Regina smiled at her sister.

"Oh, what could you possibly miss over there that you don't have here? Except for Dani."

Emma's ears perked up, her eyes looking over to Regina who shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Leave it to Zelena to display her private life in front of a perfect stranger.

"Zelena," Cora shook her head.

"What?" The redhead shrugged, not seeing no harm in speaking about someone who no longer was a part of the family. "If you ask me, Dani was never really serious about you-"

"Who's Dani?" Emma couldn't help but ask, noticing the brunette's discomfort.

"No one," Regina spat.

"Oh, come now, Gina, you can speak about it. Emma's family." She smiled over at the blonde, who remained silent, feeling the awkwardness build up around the table.

"You want to speak about private lives, why don't you speak about yours?" Asked Regina, wishing her sister would drop this conversation once and for all.

"Alright, both of you stop," Cora pleaded. "Zelena quit bugging your sister about her break-up, she just arrived. Regina settle down." Her eyes moved to Emma, who ate quietly. "I'm sorry, Emma."

Emma shook her head, "It's alright." Her attention turned on Regina. "So, you really wouldn't move back here?"

Regina looked over at Emma, too annoyed by her sister's meddling to answer her question to full detail. "No," she replied dryly.

"That's a shame if you ask me," Emma took a sip of her stew.

"And why is that a shame?" Regina had to ask, glaring at the blonde.

Emma shrugged, "Well, I've been to the city myself and I have to say I don't see the appeal."

The brunette scoffed, "And here you said you've never lived in the city."

"I said I've been, not that I lived in it. There's a difference."

Zelena smirked, taking a sip of her iced tea.

"Well I've met you and I must say, I don't see the appeal either."

"Regina," Cora gasped, giving Emma an apologetic look.

Emma chuckled, "Oh, don't trouble yourself, Cora. I learned a long time ago that city people tend to not have any manners."

Zelena slurped her drink, wiping away at her mouth with a napkin.

"Speaking of the city," Regina decided to ignore the obnoxious blonde sitting before her and give her attention to her mother. "Mother, I have some news."

"What news, dear?" Asked Cora.

"Well," She cleared her throat, "It would appear that my boss, Victoria Belfrey called me earlier with some news regarding our land."

Heads perked up in attention as everyone stopped eating.

"Freddrick McAllister, he owns his own oil company. Several, actually," Regina smiled. "And they have been very successful over the past couple of years. And according to my boss, he wishes to expand to Colorado."

"That's wonderful to hear, dear, but… What does this McAllister have to do with our land?" Cora asked.

The brunette took a spoon full of stew, wiping her mouth before answering, "Well, it seems he is already eyeing a piece of land that he could use to live in while he expands."

Zelena and Emma share knowing looks in silence and neither of them like what's to come.

"My boss gave me a heads up that he may contact me to offer a deal on our property."

"What?" Cora's fork drops hard against her plate as the room falls silent for a moment.

"Regina, you can't possibly be serious about selling our land." Zelena's eyes are wide with anger.

"It's not for sure yet-" Said Regina.

"I don't care! And what gives you the right to come back here after years of not showing your face and think you can decide who you sell this property to? Especially when you don't even know how things are runned around here."

"Zelena-"

"You know," Emma wiped at her mouth, clearing her throat and shifting in her seat. Her eyes on Regina. "I really hate to butt in but, I'm afraid I agree with Zelena."

Regina glared straight at Emma.

"You can't possibly consider selling this land, I mean, think of your father-"

"I have thought about him. Every day." Regina hissed, growing angry. "And excuse me, but just because my mother took you in that doesn't give you the right to feel apart of this family."

"Regina, that's enough!" Cora shouted, gaining everyone's attention. Especially when her or her husband ever shouted. Ever.

Zelena was as shocked as Emma, so much that she took the blonde by the hand in surprise. A gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Regina.

"Now, dear," their mother said in a more calm tone of voice. "I am very delighted that you are here, believe me, I am. I have wanted nothing more." Her eyes connect with the brunette's. "But, if your reason for coming here was to simply convince me to sell the land that your father broke his back for, and hoped that someday you and your sister would run together, I can tell you right now, my answer is no."

"Mother-" Regina blinked.

"This discussion is over. If you want to stay, I will hear no more about selling this property." She wiped at her mouth, standing up from her chair. "If you'll excuse me, I'm not feeling very well. I think I'll go lie down."

They watched as Cora left the dining room and headed up the stairs without another word spoken. It went without saying that it angered Zelena all the more.

"You see what you did?" Zelena scoffed at her sister, shaking her head before standing up from her chair and leaving the room. Emma gave the brunette an apologetic look before rising up herself and leaving the brunette to sit there all alone.

All Regina could do was sigh, kicking herself in the head for even bringing this up now.