***Author's Notes: So sorry that this update took me so long. I took a trip back to the Midwest last weekend and it's thrown me off quite a bit. In this chapter, Ruby is finally visiting and and I think that it's going to be a fun visit. I actually have Chapter 16 finished already as well, and it's a Halloween chapter. Unless convinced otherwise, I will probably wait to post it next weekend. As always, thanks for reading and for your support. It means the world to me.***

Regina is knocking on Emma's door as soon as she is dressed for work to get her straightening iron and she makes it perfectly clear that she absolutely will not be giving in to her ransom demands. "Emma, you're being so ridiculous. Just give it back to me."

Emma flashes her a toothy smile. "But your hair looks really good today."

"Emma, I mean it." Regina states but without very much anger in her tone.

"You are going to have to go into work au naturel today if you don't just pay up soon. You have about forty-five minutes." Emma says as she glances down at her phone screen for the time.

Regina glares. "You're so infuriating." She tries to change Emma's mind for another ten minutes, but eventually lets it go. She has to convince herself that it is only because it is getting closer and closer to the time that she has to be at the bar and that she should ultimately accept that Emma will not give in. So, she reluctantly writes out an I.O.U. with exactly what Emma dictates, signing it at the bottom for authenticity. "There, are you happy?" She says as she hands Emma the piece of paper.

"Actually, I'm very happy." Emma smiles.

"Now, I need to use your bathroom so I can fix this mess." Regina says as she pulls at a few stray curls.

Emma sighs. "Go ahead but I still think that you should leave it."

Regina completely disregards Emma's comment and pushes past her and into the bathroom. Within minutes, she is exiting the bathroom again with her hair straight and silky just as it always is. Then she says a quick goodbye and is out the door before Emma can even manage to get in a word.

Emma is smiling as she lays down on her bed with the I.O.U in her hands. She looks at the handwritten note and beams proudly as she reads it. "I, Regina Mills, promise to spend one full day with Emma Swan without straightening my curly hair and she may use this voucher whenever she pleases." Emma is already picturing that day when she hears her phone ringing, so she puts her daydreaming on hold and reaches for it. She answers right away when she sees who it is. "Hey Rubes."

"Emma? Are you still alive? Is everything alright?!" Ruby says, worried and exasperated.

"What? Yes, of course. What are you talking about?" Emma answers, confused.

"You called me! Why the hell would you leave me a voicemail telling me that you were in trouble? I was freaking out!"

Emma laughs. "Oh, shit. Rubes, I'm sorry. I guess it must have sounded more urgent than I meant it to."

Ruby sighs. "Well, thank goodness, I guess. So, do you want to tell me what they hell is wrong? What's going on?"

Emma takes a deep breath. She gets up and puts her note from Regina away in her wallet that is sitting on her dresser before falling back onto her bed. "You know, it's really just the same old stuff that always gets me in trouble."

Ruby laughs and is all of a sudden even more excited for her visit than she already was. "Oh my god, Emma. It's Killian isn't it? I totally called it. Start talking, babe."

"What? Killian? Ruby, no. This has nothing to do with Killian."

"What? It doesn't? Wait. I'm confused."

"I mean, it is probably what you're thinking but it's not Killian that you will need to worry about." Emma rephrases so that Ruby knows that she is somewhat on the right track.

"Who else could it be? You haven't talked about anyone else that you've met in Seattle. All you ever talk about is Killian and Regina. Have you been holding out on me, Swan?"

Emma sighs. "So, something happened last week that I probably need to tell you about first..."

"Okay. That doesn't sound cryptic at all."

And so Emma takes a deep breath and tells Ruby everything. She starts with the part about Danielle and when she comes into the bar. She tells Ruby about Killian's reaction and then how upset Regina got that night. Ruby is equally as surprised as she was when she learns that Regina was once engaged to a woman and that Killian was married.

Emma talks about how great Regina is and how she handled everything in a way that is unlike anyone that she has every met. She slyly leaves out the part about the sleepover they had just last night as well as when they slept together on the sofa in the bar earlier in the week, but she tells Ruby about the furniture shopping and how Regina helped her pick out almost all the furnishings that she has in the condo. When the Emma is done, she notices that the other end of the line is silent. "Rubes? Are you still there."

"Oh, yeah. I'm still here."

"Well? I mean, you haven't really said much. It's kinda scary."

Ruby sighs. "I'm just still trying to take it all in, that's all." There is a few more seconds of silence before she speaks up again. "So…"

"So?"

"You're in love... with Regina?" Ruby ask hesitantly.

"No, I'm not in love with her. I just...I don't know. She's my boss. And anyway, she's out of my league, right?" Emma asks her best friend hoping that she will get a truthful answer but continues to talk before Ruby can answer. "You should have seen that chick, Danielle. Regina's ex. She is...wow...I mean, she is really something. I don't think that I'm really Regina's type. She obviously-"

"Swan, stop babbling for a second." Ruby laughs again. "Back it up for just a moment. I think you're getting way ahead of me, and way ahead yourself right now... Okay, so, you aren't in love with her-"

"I said that I don't know, Ruby!" Emma argues.

Ruby lets out a frustrated growl. "Em, let me finish what I have to say, okay?" Emma nods to herself quietly and Ruby takes the silence as confirmation so she continues. "So, let me reword this, so you don't have a cow. You like her, right? Can we at least put that out on the table?"

Emma thinks for a moment before answering apprehensively, "Yes. I like her."

"Alright, that's a start." Ruby chuckles. "And judging from your word vomit just a minute ago, you don't think that she shares the same sentiments. Am I getting warmer?"

"Yes…" Emma replies softly.

"Okay, so here's the thing. And Em, I'm just gonna come out and say it. And don't you dare turn around and just brush off everything I'm saying. You have to hear me out, okay?"

"Okay, fine." Emma says, more irritated now than she is anxious.

"I don't know Regina but she doesn't sound like she's a dumb woman. You know that I think you are a catch and I am sure that she sees that, too. But, the problem we have here is that she's probably not over her ex and until she is, she's not going to even think about dating anyone else. You said that all of this went down in March?"

"Yes…"

"Well, that still seems like it wasn't very long ago. I'll be that it's all still really fresh. It sounds like she may really just need a good friend right now."

Emma frowns. "I know. And you're probably right."

"But, who knows. That can turn into something else later on, right?" Ruby adds so that Emma does not feel completely defeated.

"Yeah, maybe. Or maybe not." Emma mumbles more for herself than for Ruby.

Ruby shakes her head and rolls her eyes wishing that Emma could see her. "Man, apparently I really need to meet this lady. I can't even remember the last time you got this sappy and weird on me. She really has done a number on you."

Emma laughs for the first time during their conversation. "I did tell you that I thought I was in trouble. I really wasn't joking."

"Well, when I see you on Friday, I'll make sure that we smack that out of you. That's one thing that I'm still good for."

Emma shakes her head and smiles. "Speaking of that, I have to work Friday night but I'm gonna pick you up from the airport and just drop you off at my place. If you want to hang out at the bar, it's literally right up the street so you can just walk over. Is that cool?"

"Yeah, that sounds great. Haven't had the chance to watch you work behind the bar in a long time. That should be fun."

"It has been a long time, huh? And anyway, Regina's bar is really chill. I think that you'll like it."

"I'm just fucking excited to see my best friend. It's been a whole four months."

Emma smiles to herself. "I'm excited to see you, too."

"Alright, I gotta go, I have to make sure some things are taken care of around here before I leave for two weeks. And I have to start packing."

"You haven't packed? I hate that you always wait until the very last minute." Emma says.

Whatever. You know that I work very well under pressure." Ruby counters. "So, are you feeling any better? Is the crisis under wraps for now at least?"

"Yeah, I do feel better. Thanks for listening." Emma says.

"Always. Okay babe, call or text me tomorrow and we'll make plans for Friday."

"Yeah, I will. Text me your flight info again."

"Will do. Love you."

"Love you, too."

Emma ends the call and lays back thinking about the conversation. She hates it when Ruby is right but there really is no way to argue her way out of this one. Regina is too important to her and she does not want to be the one to screw up what they are building.

Emma decides that she will have to suppress whatever it is that she is feeling until Regina is ready to move on. And to be honest, when that time comes, she has little hope that Regina would even be interested in her. That thought makes her heart tighten. As much as that hurts, she knows what she needs to do. She gets up and grabs her wallet pulling out the I.O.U that Regina has written her. She studies it one last time, smiling as she thinks about their interaction just earlier. Then she folds it back up and tucks it down into one of her dresser drawers. Out of sight, out of mind, she hopes.

Ruby walks into Regina's bar on Friday night to see that it is rather busy. She looks around for Emma and does not see her anywhere but when she walks up to the bar, she sees a handsome bartender who is speaking to a couple of ladies that are sitting across from him. He seems genuinely interested in what they have to say and as she gets closer, she can hear his Irish accent. He notices her and excuses himself from his current conversation.

"Hello there. What can I get you?" Killian asks.

Ruby smiles. "Hi, I'll take a beer. Um…" She leans over so that she can see all the taps. "How about a Blue Moon?"

"Absolutely. Would you like orange with that?"

"Eh, surprise me."Ruby says with a smile and a shrug of her shoulders.

"Alright, coming right up." Killian says before turning to fill a glass for Ruby.

Emma exits the bathroom and immediately spots the leggy brunette sitting at the bar. She walks over casually, making sure to take slow, quiet steps and wraps both arms around Ruby's waist before pulling her into an embrace. "HI!" The surprise causes Ruby to nearly fall out of the chair.

"EMMA! You just scared the shit out of me!" Ruby exclaims as she is flailing to stay on the barstool.

Killian is back with Ruby's beer and finds Emma laughing hysterically while the brunette woman is glaring at her. When he puts Ruby's drink down and she turns back towards him, he says, "Ah, I take it you're the infamous best friend? Welcome to the Emerald City." Then he extends his hand. "I'm-"

"Killian." Ruby smiles. "Emma speaks very highly of you."

He raises his eyebrow and smirks. "Likewise."

She takes his hand and shakes it. "It's very nice to finally meet you. Thank you for keeping my friend over here out of trouble."

Killian laughs. "She's the one that keeps me out of trouble, generally."

"Hey Killian, all of her drinks are on me tonight. Just keep a tab for me, will ya?" Emma says. Then she turns to Ruby. "I've got both the dining room and the bar tonight so I'll be running around. Don't feel like you have to stay the whole time, okay? I'll give you my key when you want it."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine. Go do your job, Swan."

Emma shakes her head at Ruby and walks away. She makes it a few steps before she turns back. "Hey, actually before it gets too much busier, there's someone else I want you to meet." They secretly share a look and Emma smiles at her friend again. Then she runs around the bar and into the back.

Ruby sighs quietly into her glass as she casually takes a drink of her beer. This is certainly going to be interesting, she thinks. Ruby is not exactly sure what she is expecting but she knows the type of people Emma usually falls for and she always seems to get herself into very disastrous situations when it comes to her romantic relationships. In Ruby's opinion, Emma has always been too giving and passive in her relationships which has lead to her being taken advantage of. So, she knows for a fact that if she sees any warning signs when she meets Regina that she will not stand for it. She made a promise to herself after everything that happened with Walsh, that she will do her best to prevent Emma from having to go through any of that again.

Emma comes back and sees that Ruby is patiently waiting. She smiles at her friend nervously trying to tell Ruby with her eyes to be nice, knowing very well that her best friend can come off as aggressive and overbearing.

Ruby returns the smile and winks at Emma hoping that will calm her nerves. This earns her a dramatic eye roll instead which makes her laugh. She is about to say something to Emma when Regina comes out from the doorway and into view. Ruby's very first thought is that the woman is extremely and unquestionably beautiful. Damn. Good job, Swan.

Killian who is standing just at the end of the bar decides to listen in on their meeting having caught the odd looks between Emma and Ruby just a few seconds ago. He thinks that Emma has been acting strangely the last few days and he wonders if it has anything to do with her staying the night at Regina's earlier in the week. When Regina told him about it in casual conversation, she did not seem fazed by it. However, when he brought it up to Emma the next time he saw her, she looked uneasy and anxious. It was unusually out of character.

"Hello." Regina says with a brilliant smile on her face. "I'm Regina."

"Ruby." Ruby replies with an awkward wave and then extending her hand.

Regina gladly takes it. "Welcome to Seattle. Emma has been really looking forward to your visit. How are you liking it so far?"

"Well, it's only been a few hours, but I have noticed that it is very much different than back home. I can see why Emma decided to stay here."

"You are very lucky because right now it is still really nice out. I hope that it stays that way for the remainder of your trip. We usually have more wind and rain by this time of year. Emma arrived here in the summer so she hasn't really seen all the rain that Seattle has to offer either." Regina chuckles. "She may end up back in New York by Spring."

Ruby shrugs. "I don't know about that…" She trails off and looks over at Emma with a sly smile "Although, she's pretty unpredictable. I bet she'd somehow surprise both of us with what she decides to do."

Regina looks over at Emma as well. "I don't know her as well as you do, Ruby. But I'm willing to bet that you're right."

Emma looks between the two women and flushes. "Geez, guys. Why do I feel like a fish in a bowl all of a sudden? I'm gonna go get to work. I think table 4 needs some more drinks." Emma hurries off towards the dining area.

Regina laughs and turns back to Ruby. "I should probably get back to the kitchen as well. I have some more prep work to do before the dinner rush. If there is anything that you need or want, please just let Killian and Emma know. I'll probably see you a little bit later. And if not, I'm certain we'll see each other again during your stay here."

"Thank you." Ruby nods. "I'm gonna stick around for a little bit but I'll probably turn in early tonight. I've been up since five this morning traveling. But, it is very nice to meet you Regina. I'm very glad to finally put a face to a name that I'm always hearing."

"I feel the same. Emma really adores you and I'm really glad that you're here to see her. We'll chat again soon, I'm sure. Have a good night, Ruby." They exchange smiles and Regina walks back into the kitchen.

Ruby smiles into her beer as she takes another drink. When she looks up, she see Killian studying her. She smiles politely. "Penny for your thoughts, Mr. Bartender?"

Killian chuckles and shakes his head. "Nothing in particular, really. But, I overheard you talking to Regina about her name being one that you're always hearing and it just has me wondering, that's all."

Ruby raises her eyebrow inquisitively. She wonders if Killian knows about Emma's current predicament and decides that she should probably test the waters first rather than saying too much. "Well, Emma speaks about you quite a bit as well. I think that she considers herself pretty lucky to have stumbled onto this place and then not only finding work here, but being able to become friends with you and the boss-lady. She doesn't get close to very many people and she's always been kind of a loner that way, so it's nice for me to see that she has people here."

"Yes. I'd agree that it did take her a while to warm up to us. She seemed more comfortable around me than Regina for most of her time here. Or maybe that was just the feeling that I got. But, I can't help but notice that the two of them have been getting closer as of late." Killian smiles.

Ruby thinks about her answer before replying. "I wouldn't know anything about that," she lies. "For someone who calls herself my best friend, she actually doesn't talk to me nearly as much as I would like her to. I am guessing that her multiple, random jobs keep her pretty busy."

Killian nods. "She does like to keep herself busy, that one."

Emma walks up behind Killian and reaches around him so that she can grab a glass to fill with beer. "Is she giving you trouble? Just let me know and I'll throw her out." Emma says smiling.

"No, I think that I'm probably causing more trouble for her than the other way around." He grins at Ruby and then walks away, stopping to talk to the other two women that are still sitting at the bar.

Emma squints her eyes and glowers at Ruby wondering what Killian meant by his last comment.

Ruby just shrugs at her friend and finishes her beer.