It was late and Ruby was holding down the fort at the dinner by herself. There was only one customer and Emma wondered if she'd be shoo'd out the door soon so that Ruby could close early.

"Should I get you a room in the B&B, you don't look like you are in shape to drive home."

"I've been drinking hot chocolate?" Emma said incredulously.

"I know, but I make a mean hot chocolate." She gave a wolfish smile.

Emma gave her a dirty look.

"Need an ear?"

"No... yes... maybe."

"Well that's always a sign. Your mother or his?"

"Hmmm?"

"Snow or Regina. Regina nearly killed Grumpy last week and Snow let her out. That is a good marker for them beginning one of their weird phases."

"I'm not sure I'd call it weird so much as it's that Regina is a complete ..."

"Big ball of crazy?"

"Something like that."

"Is this breakfast? Waking up to her every morning in your place must be strange."

"It's only school mornings, and actually she's not bad at breakfast. Kind of sweet actually, with Henry."

"And you."

"I'm there but it's not like it's breakfast with me. I mostly try and stay out of their way."

"So what is it."

"She called me princess."

Ruby smiled, "Technically I think that's true." Emma gave her another look and the waitress held up her hands, "Don't look at me I'm just pointing out facts."

"She went on this ... imperious rant about being a Queen and not taking shit from anyone. How I wanted to get in her head and make her small and weak."

Ruby chuckled.

"What?"

"Emma, you know I'm not one to judge."

"What?"

"I told you, she's not unattractive, and I ate my boyfriend once, and slept with Whale..."

"You slept with Whale?"

"I'd say we were cursed, but actually we weren't. I thought better of it in the morning."

"Okkkay." Emma said slowly.

"Like I said, I'm not one to judge you sleeping with her but do you really want to get back on that crazy train?"

Emma blinked, "Regina and I have been over longer than I knew she was the Evil Queen."

"You do spend a lot of time thinking about her."

"And she spent how many years obsessed with my mother? I'm starting to think that's normal in the Enchanted Forest."

"Well, we do all aspire to true love, and have you actually met your parents to know what that's like?"

"She never noticed?" It was a seemingly random question without context.

Except it had all the context in the world. Ruby smiled. "Your mother is a beautiful person. We let her think she's got a lot of empathy and ability to read others. Because who wants to break Snow White."

"Regina?"

"We are back to the ball of crazy."

"I just don't understand. We were finding something good with Henry. And then she had to go all Evil Queen on main street..."

"... to be fair, and I can't believe I'm being fair to her, she is the Evil Queen."

"And she isn't even sorry about that. And she wanted me to know she wasn't sorry about it. She rubbed my face in her complete lack of sorry."

"Again... she is the Evil Queen."

"But Ruby, I don't think she is. Well she is, but I don't think that's all she is. There were these moments, after the sex and before the 'I loath you's that she was actually nice. Even funny. And I just want to know that woman."

"When you are a monster it's sometimes hard to believe anyone could love you, even the parts of you that aren't."

"You aren't a monster Ruby..."

"I may not like Regina, but I admire her ability to admit that about herself."

"You did hear me when I just said you aren't a monster."

"Emma, you've never seen wolfstime. And you've never seen the Evil Queen."

"I think I got a pretty good view of her the other day, and when she was with her mother."

Ruby shook her head. "... and you've never seen what goes on in her head. Sometimes it's easier to make people go away rather than risk hurting them."

"You think she was pushing me away?"

"You know her better than I do."

"I don't know her at all."

"I'd wager that other than Henry and Snow you might know her better than anyone alive. Oh... and Mr. Gold. But him knowing you as well as he knows her can't mean good things."

"She told me to be careful of him."

"Always good advice."

Emma was quiet for a time, "Rubs... why would you push someone away who was trying to understand you?"

Ruby smiled sadly, "I can't speak for her, but I've done it myself when I was worried that I might hurt them."

Emma shook her head and chuckled.

"What?"

"I fell for it."

Emma handed her the cup of coffee, on the side was scrawled Regina, "Your Holiness," she greeted as she sat down on the bench in their afternoon ritual of politely stalking Henry while he played after school.

Regina turned her head slowly with an icy glare. "I am not the pope, Emma."

"Well, I'm not used to dealing with a self important queen, so forgive me while I get used to the right etiquette."

"A queen can't be self important. She is important by virtue of the fact that she's a queen."

"Hey, doesn't your name mean queen already?"

"My mother was determined."

"Queen Queen?"

"I can light you on fire Emma."

"You never did tell me how you don't set your clothes on fire when you do that."

"I don't set my clothes on fire because I know what I'm doing."

"Professionalism in magic. Right."

"It's not something you dabble in, Emma. And you are going to have to deal with yours sooner or later."

"Later or later is more like it."

Regina shook her head and turned to stare at her, "Why are you so determined to waste your ability?"

"Henry was right. Magic makes good people do bad things."

"And bad people as you pointed out."

Emma shook her head, "I was a gigantic ass for saying that to you."

"In front of my son."

"I've got a talent for putting my foot in my mouth sometimes. Just like you've a talent for self sabotage."

Regina didn't give a snippy reply, instead she turned her head back to watching Henry.

"No argument?"

"I try not to argue with people who I agree with."

Emma wanted to push, but instead she just stared at her. Sometimes Regina said things that just made you want to slap her, and sometimes she said things that just made you want to kiss her, but usually it was things that made you just want to tilt your head and ask, 'what are you thinking?'

"I'm not going away."

"I think I figured that out last year. A little late."

"You can't just push me away."

"Can't I now?"

Regina stood up, buttoning her coat. The armor is back on, Emma thought sadly.

"It wouldn't hurt so much to let me help."

"Your help is the last thing I desire, Miss. Swan."

Regina turned around imperiously and walked back towards City Hall.

Emma shook her head, whispering, "Beautiful crazy bitch."