Regina drove away from the hospital after another late night trip to the psych ward. Her brief entanglement with Rumplestiltskin that afternoon had left her on edge. She paced the pale blue lit and navy shaded rooms of her home long after Henry had gone to bed. Unable to settle herself, the mayor eventually dipped into the night and descended into the bowels of the hospital to check in on her bargaining chip. After seeing Mr. Gold's reaction to his pilfered teacup, she knew that the girl locked in one of the padded cells still held a large part of his shriveled black heart; a weakness she was keen to take advantage of.

Belle, his once-upon-a-time true love, had looked at her through a wave of auburn hair hanging in her face, her eyes glassy and unfocused from the drugs they kept her sedated with. The curse hadn't been kind to her as she had violent fits of throwing herself into walls or biting orderlies. Her visit with the classic now deranged beauty wasn't long. The girl had no idea who she was cursed or not so she didn't make for a great conversationalist. Then Graham had been in a restless sleep and her heart wasn't really in it to goad him tonight.

She departed from the superfluous errand disappointed and with no more peace of mind than before. Her sleek Mercedes rounded a corner and pulled onto the main road. Regina noticed the lights still glowing from Granny's diner as she came upon building, which was odd considering the hour. With prickling curiosity she plied the breaks so she could look into the tall front windows that gave her a clear view of the eatery; the scene inside sent ice fracturing her veins.

Half the chairs were flipped upside down on the tables and a bucket and rag sat abandoned at the end of the breakfast counter as if someone had stopped cleaning the restaurant half way through. A slender woman with yellow curls spilling down her back that she would recognize anywhere sat at the counter with Ruby standing across from her. From the waitress's animated smile it appeared they were laughing like over-excited schoolgirls over something. Ruby playfully pushed Emma's shoulder and Regina was now blatantly stopped in the road with her lips pinched in disgust at what she was seeing. The women's postures where inclined toward each other as if sharing a secret though there was no one around to over hear. Spirals of cold envy frostily coated around her insides, her resolve and distain hardening like a frozen lake in the dead of winter.

The lanky brunette came from behind the counter and plopped heavily down next to Emma who turned to face her. Now Regina could see the sheriff's face, her cheeks pleasantly pink and grin whiskey-sly, and she noticed the unmarked bottle of liquor between them. Emma laughed harder and leaned in to rest her head on Ruby's shoulder in her fit of hysterics. The mayor's grip on the steering wheel was painfully tight to stop herself from charging into the diner, to yank Ruby's hand away from where it rested against golden hair. Eventually their enthusiastic conversation became more subdued though dragging on longer than Regina cared for. Finally the waitress began cleaning again and Emma started to help with finishing to put the chairs up for the night. Without much thought, the mayor parked her car along the street then crossing it to a nearby alley she knew Emma would have to pass on her way home.

She didn't have to wait much longer for Emma and Ruby to tumble out onto the sidewalk, a tangle of long limbs and girlish giggles. Still too far away to hear properly, she watched them murmur their goodbyes. Ruby concluded the evening with an exuberant kiss to her friend's cheek and then skipping off to the back of the building where she and Granny lived. The brunette hiding in the shadows glowered.

Emma waved and wandered away with a firm grin still in place, watching her boots shuffling clumsily on the concrete below them. Regina stepped out of the alley, striding towards the other woman before she noticed her. Her voice as cold as the air as she spoke, "Ms. Swan."

Green eyes shot up in surprise, "Jesus Regina, what the hell?"

"You're out late." Regina ignored her incredulousness and glared at the faint smear of red lipstick Ruby left on her cheek.

"So are you Madam Mayor." Emma pointed out, her tongue a little thick and slow with drink. "Where's Henry?"

"My son is none of your concern." She said viciously. "Especially when your extracurricular activities involve getting drunk with the town harlot."

"Stalk much Regina? And Ruby isn't the town harlot."

"Oh? Would that be you now?"

Emma furrowed her brow and she could see the anger brewing in her chest. She inhaled deeply and the Evil Queen gleefully prepared for a battle. But suddenly Emma deflated and gaze becoming more inquisitive, "Are you jealous?"

"Don't be ridiculous." She scoffed, but even as she denied it her words felt false, too forced, and she knew Emma would see through it with her uncanny ability to know the truth.

The blonde smiled deviously. "Because it seems like you're jealous of Ruby."

"Why would I be jealous of that second rate waitress?"

"You tell me Regina. You're the one that told me I'm a nice lay with pretty blonde curls. Surely you're not the only one who would think so." Emma dared to say, the alcohol emboldening her words. Regina clenched her jaw unable to speak in her rage. The images of the blonde and her companion draped over each other in the restaurant gave way to her imagination conjuring inappropriate scenes of them in a much more intimate embrace. The icy feeling in her stomach turned to boiling ire.

She realized suddenly that the younger woman had been hedging closer to her and now was enticingly within arms reach. Her vibrant eyes trailed over Regina with the drowsy lust of someone who was intoxicated. She continued, her voice dripped like sweet honey, "You don't need to be jealous. I'm right here."

Her hands twitched at the thought of touching Emma once again, the desire burning deep. She could shove the other woman into the alley and touch where Ruby had moments ago, reclaiming the territory as her own. But Emma wouldn't be propositioning her if not for the liquor swimming in her blood and Regina couldn't afford any more moments of weakness, feeling as though she was even less capable of making informed decisions than Ms. Swan.

So she jammed her hands into her coat pockets and with as much conviction as she could summon said, "I don't care."

With that she side stepped the woman and trudged back towards her car without a backward glance; internally vowing to find a way to spread her misery.