((Allo! Welcome to all the new people, and thank you for all your follows, favorites, and reviews! They are awesome and help the muse! So smut is going to take kind of a backseat to plot now for a bit. Characters and the story must be developed. I promise it won't completely go away, and there will be more later. Anyways, hope y'all enjoy the this chapter!))

Emma stared out the window of the diner.

It had been a week since she had dinner with Regina. A week since she had seen her, but Emma wasn't worried. They hadn't talked, that evening, about anything serious, Regina had figured it would be best not to push Emma, even though she still did want answers, instead Regina was content to regale her with stories about Henry as a small child.

All parents liked to talk about their kids.

Her brows furrowed as she thought about Snow and David. She really needed to find her own place.

"So you wanna?" A voice cut through Emma's thoughts. She looked at the She-wolf across from her.

Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Have you heard anything I said?"

"Um, I heard you were out of Granny's blueberry pie," Emma said weakly.

" .god. Seriously Emma! That was like ten minutes ago! What has got you so distracted?" Red said leaning her head to the side. She was worried about Emma, not as much as she had been a week ago, but something still seemed off.

"Just...stuff," Emma mumbled and to discourage further conversation she took a massive bite out of her triple bacon cheeseburger with extra bacon.

Ruby had cornered her on Monday and demanded to know what was up. Sensing genuine concern Emma opened up about the strange turn her relationship had taken with Regina, she omitted a lot of the personal fears and instead, talked to her about the force of the attraction she felt to be not just submissive, but Regina's submissive. Ruby had taken it all remarkably well in Emma's opinion.

"Really Ms. Swan," She heard the voice that she had been longing to here all week,"If you are going to do things like that, do it away from the children. It frightens them,"

As a hint of pink crept up her cheeks; Emma cursed her pale skin. Ruby caught everything,

Casually she leaned over and said,"Why Emma, what a big mouth you have?"

Emma turned a brilliant red and glared at the waitress. Regina rolled her eyes, and felt her face grow warm.

"Don't you have something to do?" She snapped shooting a murderous glaze at Red.

Red ducked her head and scooted back over to the counter and made a big production of wiping it down.

"I'm sorry she said that," Emma said frantically worried that Regina would take offense.

The former queen made a small noise and turned back to Emma causally putting on her gloves.

"Well for all her, brashness, she is right about you," She said.

Emma opened her mouth to say something snarky back but before she could Regina spoke again her tone mock curiosity.

"I wonder if the rest of that little line is true?" She said gazing down at Emma, her eyes running over the blond's lips full lips. Unconsciously Emma licked them, Regina let out a small satisfied growl, and turned and walked away.

Emma felt herself grow slick at the noise. She longed to trail after her, perhaps on a delicate silver leash. Emma jerked her head back her eyes wide.

"Where the hell did that thought come from?" She mumbled to herself,"You are loosing it Swan."

She looked down at the burger. She wasn't even going to be able to finish it now.

"Hey wolf, get me a damn to go box," She growled.

"Coming right up Princess," Ruby chirped.

Emma sneered at the title. While it technically was true, she hated to hear it. It was just another weight to add to her shoulders. However, Ruby only used it in jest, knowing it irritated Emma.

"So," Ruby said plopping down and handing the box to Emma,"You're coming out with me tonight. It's gonna be fun!"

"Ruby-"

"Not buts, no excuses, unless you have a hot date; you are mine for the evening!"

Emma rolled her eyes, she couldn't deny her friend when she was in this type of mood.

"Alright Pup, what time?"

"Say around nine, and wear something sexy."

Emma rolled her eyes. She was really wanting to spend a quiet evening at home perusing though the classifieds for an apartment. Now she was going to have to be subjected to whatever Ruby had up her sleeve. Still, maybe it would be nice to get out, maybe she would forget what was going on for awhile.

Emma had spent most of the evening getting ready for the night out. The more she thought about it the more she decided this was just the thing she needed. She stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, wearing her red dress, pinning up her long tresses try to achieve a sexy "I-just-had-really-good-sex-with-someone" look, and, at this point, Emma was about ready to go find someone to have even mediocre sex with and say fuck it. Hair should not be this much trouble.

"Oh wow, you look...nice," Snow said coming into the bathroom, staring at her daughter in the revealing outfit.

For Snow, Emma was no longer just her friend. She was her daughter. At least she tried to make Emma her daughter. It was confusing for Snow as to why Emma did not fall into that role easily. After all, Emma had always wanted a family, and now here they were. They had found one another. Snow didn't understand, and, as usual for Snow, any really unpleasant thing she tried to block out and not think about. This had become easier now that Neil had come along. He took up so much of her time that it was easy to focus all of her attention on him, and not worry about her seemingly strained relationship with her daughter. It would work itself out, these things always did.

Emma wanted to be annoyed, but the door was open and, to be fair, Snow almost always respected closed doors.

"Yeah, I'm going out with Ruby tonight," Emma said, finally finishing with her stubborn hair and starting on her make-up.

"Oh," Snow said. Her tone of voice made Emma slowly turn around.

"What?" She asked trying to keep her voice neutral.

"It's just that you've been spending so much time at home, well we figured you wouldn't mind watching Neil for a little bit while we went out. It was going to be out first outing since we had him, and we wouldn't have felt comfortable with anyone but you watching him." Snow said a little pout forming on her face.

Emma had to remind herself to breath. She was furious. She was not some sixteen year old girl with no life, they could pawn the kid off on while they went out. She took a deep breath understanding that it was difficult to be a new parents, and important for the two to find time,but also just pissed at the audacity of the request.

"How about you call Ashley? She has a baby, so she has experience. Or see if Granny will watch him," Emma said careful to keep her voice calm.

"No I think we will just have to cancel the reservations. We just don't feel comfortable. You have a nice night Emma," Snow said with a sigh of martyrdom, and left the bathroom.

Emma took a deep breath trying to fight the feelings of guilt, and the worry that she was pushing her family away. She had to get out.

She left the bathroom, hearing the indistinct mumbling of her parents, went to her room, and picked up her cellphone. She walked down the stairs and out the door dialing Ruby's number.

"Hey I know you said nine, but can we get this party started earlier," She asked when the she-wolf answered the phone.

"Yeah sure, meet me at the diner. Ok?"

"Not a problem," Emma said and jumped into her bug. Just as she was pulling off the curb, she received a text. Never been one to heed the no texting and driving laws Emma picked up her phone and looked at it. It was from her mother.

"Hope you have a nice night." Was all it said.

Emma rolled her eyes, and dropped the phone in the passenger seat.

Pulling up at the diner, she got out and looked up at Ruby her mouth dropped open in shock.

The young woman was clad in a black knee-length pleated leather skirt with red accents and a black leather corset that gave her cleavage porn stars would envy. To tie the whole outfit together she wore knee high black leather boots.

"My what big eyes you got there Emma," Ruby smirked as she opened the passenger door and slid in.

"I can't tell if I feel over or under dressed," Emma said starting the car up, trying not to look at the skirt riding up her friends thigh.

"Nah you're fine," Ruby said flipping though the radio stations.

"Ok where am I going?"

"Someplace fun," Ruby said,"Turn here."

Emma spared Ruby another glance. She was taking them towards the docks.

After a few moments the pulled into the parking lot of a rough looking tavern. It was constructed of crudely carved logs that had been weathered over time by the constant sea spray and salt in the air. A thick mist hung around the parking lot.

"Wait is this place seriously called, 'The Snuggly Duckling'." Emma asked looking at Ruby.

Ruby rolled her eyes,"Just shut up and come on."

She grabbed the blond's arm and drug her inside. Murmuring a few greetings Ruby made her way to the back and knocked discreetly on a door. The door opened and Emma gasped, there were several people she knew, and some she didn't, some where clad in leather some in nothing but a smile. They were talking, and milling about, and though they were in a bar, none had drinks save for water or the occasional glass of soda. What caught Emma's attention over all of this was the woman tied to a Saint Andrew's cross naked, her backside exposed with thin red welts across it.

"Belle," She whispered, watching the man behind her lashing the girl. He used a long thin whip with expert precision.

Emma shook her head and tried to back out of the door. Ruby furrowed her brow.

"Hey Emma, don't worry. It's all in good fun!" Ruby said trying to coax her into the room, her brows furrowed in concern as she looked at Emma.

Emma shook her head again. She turned away, breathing hard, and felt the world tilt beneath her.

She felt strong hands grab her arms.

"Emma, what the hell are you doing here?!" A familiar voice said.

Emma looked up wide terrified eyes, her lip trembling.

"Regina," She said, and passed out.