After going their separate ways from the Mills family crypt, both women thought it best to go home and have some time to themselves to clear their head, and freshen up, then meet back up afterwards to start their search for answers. They had hoped during that time that perhaps one of them would have some memory open up about last night and they could start putting pieces together.
"Maybe you got a little too rough with the foreplay last night," Emma teased with a playful smirk as they walked down the sidewalk towards Granny's, however Regina didn't find it amusing in the least.
"Would you please stop that. This isn't funny, you're hurt and neither of us remember a damn thing." That had been the fifth time Emma had tried to joke about their situation and Regina was not cracking, but that didn't stop the blonde from continuing to try..
"Actually if you think about it, it's pretty hilarious." Emma turned and muffled back a laugh before continuing, "And I'm fine. It's only a few bruises. I've had worse." Regina stopped walking and turned to look at her with a concerned quirk of her brow. "What? You kind of get banged up sometimes in my line of work." Emma saw the brunette physically relax and sigh. Confused a moment, she went to ask her what she thought she meant until it dawned on her. "Ooooh… You thought I… and my past… my relationships. No, no, no." Emma brought her hands out in front of her and waved them back and forth, shaking her head. "That's so not what I meant."
A light blush tinted Regina's cheek at her own misunderstanding as she gave a quick, short nod and turned to begin walking again, awkwardly shoving her hands in her coat pockets. Emma looked around briefly to see if anyone was around before looping her arm through Regina's. "In case you were wondering, you're completely adorable when you blush." Emma could have swore she heard a growl from the other woman after her 'adorable' remark while she leaned in to place a tender kiss to the brunette's cheek.
"I am by no means adorable, Miss Swan." Regina said, with slight irritation, more with herself than anything. She went to jerk away from the blonde and ended up elbowing her once again around her ribs and Emma immediately slipped her arm away and wrapped it around herself as she hissed a little in pain.
"Keep that up and they will think you did it." Emma choked out a small laugh as she bent over a little, continuing to hold herself till the pain settled. Realizing she hadn't heard any sharp, snarky comeback from the other woman, Emma rubbed lightly at the spot as she stood straight again and caught the hurt filled expression on Regina's face. She instantly kicked herself mentally for saying something like that. "Hey, hey. It's fine, I promise. That was a really bad taste in jokes. I'm sorry." She cocked her head to the side and gave a small crooked smile.
Regina just continued to stare at the spot where she hit. "Do you think I gave you those?" She questioned softly.
"No, I don't." Emma dipped her head a little to catch the brunette's gaze and coax her to look at her. "I'm sure I am most likely to blame for my current physical situation. I'm not the most graceful person on a good day. Add alcohol and all bets are off.." She gave an innocent shrug of her shoulders which made the other woman crack the tiniest of smiles. "Besides, of all people, I don't think you would ever actually hurt me. Kill me, maybe, but not hurt."
Regina rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot. It was a sleeping curse, I wasn't going to kill you," she commented, as they approached the door to the diner.
"Was that so you could wake me with true love's kiss?" Emma asked with mirth, holding the knob of the door as she stepped into Regina's personal space. "You realize you could have just asked me for one." She glanced down at the brunette's lips as she flicked her tongue out to lick her own.
"You wish," Regina scoffed. Emma just chuckled and opened the door for her. "And you're incorrigible," Regina added as she stepped over the threshold to the diner, the blonde in tow right behind her.
"So, all I did manage to remember while I was back at my house was that we were at a party Ruby was throwing last night. I figured if anyone would know a possible explanation, she would." Emma stated while looking around for the younger woman in question.
"Well then, I think it's time we go on a little wolf hunt."
"Sounds like a date to me, but can we get some breakfast while we're here? I'm starving." Emma questioned as she smelled fresh bacon frying and her stomach rumbled. When she looked to Regina to await her answer she noticed the green tint to the woman's face and thought better of it. "Uh, or we can get two tall cups of coffee to go and you can wait outside while I get them and find out if Ruby's here or not."
"That might be the better option," Regina mumbled before turning to exit.
"Emma, what can I get you this morning?" The elder woman behind the counter asked as the blonde approached.
"Two tall cups of coffee and two muffins to go, please." Emma answered as she leaned against the counter and looked around the diner for her friend they had come to find.
Granny nodded and walked off to grab the to-go cups and pour the coffee. "I'm surprised you're up and about so early after the party last night." She finished off the second cup and snapped the lid on.
Emma quirked her brow in interest as the elder woman came over and set the cup holder in front of her and secured the two coffees. "Why? Were you there?" Maybe this would be quicker than she thought. She really didn't want to spend her whole day trying to find out what happened; just get the embarrassment over with.
"Heavens no. I'm too old for that nonsense." Granny grabbed two fresh muffins and plopped them into a bag, folding the top, then secured it between the two cups. "But I know how wild my granddaughter can get with those parties of hers. She's usually not alive herself till well after noon."
So much for short and sweet on finding out anything. "So by that, I take it Ruby isn't here then?"
"Afraid not. She never came home last night. Figured she stayed with you or Belle." Granny slid the holder across the counter to Emma. "Why? What'd she do now?"
"She didn't stay with me, because I apparently didn't make it home myself. And she's done nothing. Regina and I just needed to ask her about something."
The older woman raised her brows at the young sheriff with the mention of the mayor. "You and the mayor need to talk to my Ruby? Are you certain she did nothing wrong?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Regina and I just woke up in..." Emma went to start but thought better of it for fear Regina would kill her for opening her mouth and divulging information of their predicament. "Uh, yeah no she's good um…"
Granny just chuckled at the blonde's floundering with what to say. "You young people and your lack of a good backup story if you get caught in something you don't want others knowing about." She shook her head and turned away from her a moment while grabbing some cream and sugar for the coffees. "Not that I wouldn't see through it anyway," she added when she turned back around and plopped them into one of the empty slots in the cup holder.
Emma's brows rose up toward her hairline in surprise at the older woman's candor. "Uh, anyway… Regina and I were hoping she could kind of sort something out for us. So you said she might be at Belle's then?" Trying to get back on track and not dig herself a deeper hole that she'd have to dig herself out of with Regina.
"It's a good possibility. Her and Belle have gotten pretty close lately."
Emma nodded and handed the woman the money she owed for her order then picked up the holder and turned to walk away. "Thanks!"
"So you had a late night after party with the mayor and can't remember?" Granny questioned the retreating blonde, a touch of amusement flavoring her words as she grabbed menus to straighten and wipe down.
"I didn't say that!" Emma called out, thankful there was no one else in the diner at the time, especially Regina. She'd be dead for sure. Her face was on fire as she walked out the door.
Regina was standing out by the small fence outside in front of the diner, taking in the crisp air of the day when she heard the blonde's voice coming from the entrance to the establishment. "Any luck?" She inquired as she turned around to look at her and noticed her colored cheeks. "Is something wrong?"
"Wha? Oh um, nope. Nothing wrong here." Emma rattled off in a flustered manner as she came to a stop in front of her girlfriend.
Regina's brow immediately arched, knowing Emma was hiding something. "What happened?"
"Who said anything happened?" The blonde mumbled as she took one of the cups and handed it over to the other woman. "Ruby's not here. Granny said we could check with Belle."
"Why Belle?" Regina wondered aloud as she gratefully took the offered cup and brought it to her lips, humming in delight as she took a sip.
"Apparently they've been hanging out a lot lately. Wonder if Mary Margaret knows she's being replaced as best friend," Emma joked before placing the folded top of the bag with the muffins between her teeth, then took her own cup. "Got us muffins in case you got hungry," she mumbled around the bag in her mouth as she tossed the cup holder into the outside garbage then grabbed the bag again with her freed hand.
"So I assume our new plan is to find Belle, in hopes of finding Ruby?" Regina inquired, as they began walking back to the car.
"It's another place to start, thought it worth a shot."
Emma knocked on the door of Belle's home then waited patiently as Regina stood there close behind. They were both hoping to finally get answers to last night's fiasco. "You know, I remember the world spinning." Emma randomly commented as she stood there, shoving her hands in her back pockets.
"What?" Regina scrunched her brow in confusion at the blonde's odd statement.
Emma turned around to face her as she repeated, "I remember the world spinning, last night. It's fuzzy but almost like I was being thrown around or something." Regina opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted as Belle opened the door and Emma whirled back around.
"Emma, this is a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting company." Belle smiled at her guests and moved to the side to let them in. "Regina," she acknowledged as the two women entered.
"Yeah, sorry to come over without calling. We went to the diner, looking for Ruby, but she wasn't there and Granny said we might find her here," Emma offered her reasons for stopping by.
"Oh sure, she's here. She came home with me last night and crashed on my couch. She's in the living room." Belle lead them into the other room where the young brunette was lounging with a large mug of coffee. "I'll just go make a fresh pot of coffee and some tea for everyone," Belle commented as she slipped off into the kitchen.
"Wow, you're actually walking this morning?" Ruby questioned rhetorically when she looked up as their two guests walked in. "And normal, I might add."
"Huh?" Emma furrowed her brow in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Ruby leaned forward to place her mug on the coffee table before sitting up. "It's just… man, you rode her hard last night. And not just once. I'm just surprised you're actually up right."
Emma's eyes bugged out as she stood there staring at the young brunette in a bit of shock. "Wh… what do you mean? I rode… wh…" She continued to stammer as she felt the heat rising in her cheeks, completely mortified. Oh my god, what did I do? She dared look to Regina, who was ghost white while still fixing her with a death glare.
From the blonde's reaction to her comment, and the non-verbal exchanges taking place between the two women, Ruby soon realized they didn't have a clue what she was talking about. Oh, this should be fun, she thought to herself as the corner of her mouth slowly turned up into a smirk.
Regina narrowed her eyes before turning her attentions to the younger woman. "What exactly happened, Miss Lucas?" She questioned with calculated emphasis and intent. With Regina's threat no longer upon her, Emma really wished she could take the opportunity to find the nearest hole to crawl into.
Ruby chuckled and gave a knowing smirk. "You know as well as I, Your Majesty, that your threatening tone has quite the opposite affect on me than you wish."
Emma furrowed her brow in confusion at the exchange, looking back and forth between her friend and her girlfriend, before her eyes grew wide and settled on Regina. "Why are we getting more questions than answers right now? You and Ruby?! What the hell…"
Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes. "It was beyond many moons ago, and we're getting off track from the purpose we came here for."
"What happens in the Enchanted Forest, stays in the Enchanted Forest," Ruby added as she shrugged at her friend.
"Wh… I thought you hated her?" Emma took a step toward the young brunette while flinging her arm back to point at Regina for emphasis.
"You and I both know… there's that fine line between hate and well… the wolf in me has it's own opinion. I'll just leave it at that," Ruby gave a toothy grin.
Regina closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, in hopes of controlling herself from knocking the young brunette out. "Miss Lucas, would you kindly get back to the subject at hand and elaborate on what you meant, prior to your indiscretion?"
"Fine. If you insist. You and Emma made a bet of sorts, and Emma here wanted to make sure you made good on your promise." Ruby turned to her friend and winked, unable to resist continuing to mess with the two women.
Regina tightened her jaw, while trying to hold back not throwing a fireball at the furball. Emma noticed the brunette clenching her fists and quickly reached out to place her hands over her girlfriend's to try and calm her. "Would you care to explain a little more than that? That didn't really answer anything, Ruby," Emma spoke up to relieve Regina of speaking until she calmed.
"Answer what?" Belle questioned as she came back with cups of coffee and tea. Noticing the slight tension in the room, she wondered what she had missed.
Ruby couldn't hold it in any longer and busted out laughing. "You really don't remember anything, do you?" She held her stomach as she continued to laugh.
"If we did, do you think we'd be standing here wasting our time trying to get information, that we're clearly not getting, from you?" Regina snapped as she slipped her hand out of Emma's and folded her arms in front of herself.
"Ruby, stop being so cruel," Belle interjected, lightly scolding her friend for having fun at the expense of the others.
"Okay, okay." The young brunette held her hands up in surrender. "I'm done."
"So? Are you going to tell us what happened?" Emma inquired, knowing Regina's patience was wearing thin, too thin.
"I'll give you your first hint… it starts with the beginning of everything," Ruby paused as she reached to take a fresh mug of coffee. "Mary Margaret," she finished as she plopped in two sugar cubes into her drink.
Regina closed her eyes, bringing her hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she sighed, "Of course it does."
xxxxxxxxxx
After seeing the two women to the door and sending them on their way, Belle returned to the living room and stood there with her hands on her hips, looking to her friend accusingly. She knew Ruby was up to something.
"What?" Ruby asked as she shifted to lay back down on the couch.
"I'm pretty sure Mary Margaret wasn't at the party last night," Belle commented.
"Oh?" Ruby feigned a moment of innocence before a big toothy grin spread across her face. "Well, they don't know that."