A/N: thanks for sticking with this story! That slowburn is going to heat up soon

Emma was having a hard time paying attention to the conversations happening around her. She was faintly aware that Walsh was making awkward conversation with her father about his furniture business and Henry was telling an all-too interested Snow White about his school, his friends, and his soccer team back in New York. Instead, her attention had been focused on the raven-haired woman seated at the head of the table and the man seated at her right. The two had spoken to only each other, all dinner long, heads bent towards each other, conspiratorially.

"Right, Mom?"

Emma turned her attention in the direction of the voice trying to cull her attention. "Huh?"

Henry stared at her in earnest. "I said Regina's a good cook. Maybe she'd give you the recipe."

"Uh huh. Sure, kid," Emma said as she continued to be distracted and unfocused.

The food was delicious, but Emma could only manage to push her meal around on her plate instead of actually eating it. Her stomach was far too agitated to actually enjoy the food or the company that surrounded her.

The unconventional dinner guests were all seated around a long dining room table in Regina's formal dining room. Emma had never been in the room before, not that she'd ever had reason to be. She'd really only been allowed in the front study and the kitchen.

Emma's leg jerked when she felt a solid hand come to rest on her knee. Her upper thigh knocked into the dining room table, causing her place setting to rock and shudder.

Walsh looked at her with a wounded look in her eyes. Emma smiled apologetically. She knew she'd been behaving poorly and keeping her boyfriend at a distance since they'd arrived in Storybrooke-but even before then. If she let herself think on it, things had been tense between her and the furniture-maker since she'd happened upon Regina in New York. Something had to give. She had to re-commit to Walsh or cut him free.

She met Regina's stare across the table. She expected to be censured for nearly breaking Regina's dishes, but was met only with a curious look from the other woman before she returned to her private conversation with Robin Hood.

Emma scowled and shoveled more of her dinner into her mouth.

After plates had been cleared and wine glasses and coffee cups had been refilled, Emma found herself cornered by the one person she'd hoped to avoid that night: her mother.

Snow had never been one to pull punches: "Have you been avoiding me?"

Emma made a face. "Is it that obvious?"

"You mean how you run in the opposite direction when you see me?"

"I'm sorry. I haven't had a lot of time for anyone since being back. Not only are we dealing with a new curse, but I'm trying to get to the bottom of it without alarming Henry."

"And your boyfriend," Snow added.

Emma grimaced. "And him, too." She scanned the room to find Walsh among the figures. David had occupied his attention all evening. "Is this was paternal concern looks like?"

"Your father is only doing his due diligence. We've never had to go through this vetting process with a boyfriend before," she unnecessarily reminded Emma.

"Looks like you'll be going through a whole new set of firsts soon." She hadn't meant for it to happen, but a noticeable chill draped over her words

Snow looked momentarily confused until her hand came to rest on her swollen abdomen. "Emma, sweetheart-."

"I should go check on Henry," Emma interrupted her mother. "Besides Walsh, he really doesn't know anybody here."

Snow worried her bottom lip. "Okay. We'll talk later."

Emma slipped away from the party as unobtrusively as possible and escaped to the quiet of Regina's study. She let out a long sigh as she closed the office door behind her.

"Something wrong, dear?"

Emma stiffened and turned. She had thought herself alone. She hadn't expected Regina to be in the den.

The Storybrooke mayor sat on one of the couches, one leg crossed over the other. In her right hand she held a rocks glass that contained a small amount of an amber liquid.

"Sorry," Emma abruptly apologized. "I didn't know anyone was in here. I just needed to get away for a second." She put her hand on the door handle. "I can go though."

"It's fine, Miss Swan." Regina rose smoothly from the couch and strode over to a small wooden cart that contained several glasses and bottles of hard liquor. "Would you like a drink?"

Not waiting for an answer, Regina filled a second rocks glass with two-fingers worth of the same amber liquid that was in her glass. She pressed the glass into Emma's waiting hand.

"Thanks," Emma said thickly. "What are you doing in here?"

"I needed a moment to myself," Regina revealed. "I find being a proper hostess to be draining. All that fake smiling takes its toll."

Emma took a small, experimental sip of her beverage. She had expected it to be Regina's cider but was surprised to discover bourbon instead.

"And what are you escaping from?" Regina asked. "Or rather, who?"

"Snow." Emma gulped down the rest of her drink. The bourbon burned down her throat. "I know she means well, but it's all so overwhelming."

"You mean the fact that you'll soon be a big sister?"

Emma nodded. "I don't want to feel this way. I shouldn't be upset like this."

"I used to feel that way when I saw you with Henry," Regina admitted. "Even though I'd been there for the first decade of his life, I couldn't help feeling like I'd been replaced and betrayed."

"I'm doing my best, you know? But every time I think things are going back to how they'd been before I left Storybrooke, I get an eyeful of my mom's pregnant stomach."

"It is rather obscene," Regina remarked. "She looked just as wretched when she was pregnant with you."

Emma's brow furrowed. "Damn, that's really weird to think about. If you hadn't cast the curse, you would have seen me grow up. You'd be like, old by now."

"Watch it, dear," Regina huffed.

"Don't worry. You look pretty good for being what...seventy? Eighty?"

Regina looked horrified. "Just how old do you think I was when I enacted the curse?"

"Math's never been my best subject," Emma shrugged. "Not that it matters," she couldn't help adding. "Robin Hood seems to enjoy the way you look just the way you are."

"Robin?" Regina furrowed her brow. "What does he have to do with any of this?"

"I thought this was supposed to be a family dinner," Emma noted, her voice bordering on accusatory.

"No, I told you I would invite other people so you wouldn't feel like Snow and David were smothering you and your boyfriend. You did notice Hook and Ursula, right?"

"Yeah, but why invite Robin? You could have asked Ruby or Belle, or hell, even Leroy to come."

Regina swirled around the liquid in the bottom of her rocks glass. "I enjoy his company."

"Is this a date?" Emma practically gaped.

Regina stiffened and stood to her full height. "Don't be ridiculous. I have no romantic leanings for the woodsman."

"He's not my type, but if you really like him, I say go for it," Emma frowned. "What have you got to lose?"

"Miss Swan, as hard as this may be to imagine, I wasn't waiting for your blessing. There's nothing between Robin and me." She took a sip of the alcohol and let it burn down her throat. "Besides, I've already had my chance at love."

"Regina—."

"We should be getting back to the party," Regina cut Emma off. "I'm being negligent in my hostess responsibilities."

Regina exited her den in a near-blind rage. Her frustration only continued to build when she nearly ran into the one-handed pirate in the hallway.

"Why couldn't you leave them alone?" Regina demanded.

Hook looked baffled and taken aback by the former Evil Queen's outburst. "Them?"

"Emma and Henry," Regina snapped. "Why couldn't you leave them be in New York?"

"She's the Savior," Hook said in explanation. "She had to come back."

"Hasn't she done enough saving for one lifetime? And let's drop this whole noble act. You only wanted her back for your own selfish reasons."

"Which is why I don't understand why you're not on board with me, Your Majesty. If Emma stays, so does Henry."

"Without his memories," she snapped. "He has no idea who I am."

"Look I-" Hook cut himself off when he heard another voice.

"Where have you been all night?" It was Walsh.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Hook muttered under his breath.

"For what-"

Hook grabbed onto Regina's wrist and swiftly pulled her into the hallway closet with him.

"What are you doing, pirate?" she hissed.

Hook held his hook up to his lips in a silent signal that she should be quiet as well.

Two figures turned the corner: Walsh and Emma.

"Where did you disappear to?" Walsh asked.

"I didn't disappear," Emma rejected. "It's just a big house."

"I've been wanting to talk to you about something, but the timing never seems to be right."

"I know," Emma acknowledged, apologetically. "Things have been a little chaotic lately, but it won't always be this way."

Regina and Hook peered through the slats in the closet door. Regina felt guilty for spying on Emma in what was clearly an intimate, private moment between her and her flying monkey, but it wasn't as if she had a choice. She could always magic herself to another part of the house, but she didn't know where Henry currently was and she couldn't risk it.

"Emma, these past few days have made me realize something."

Regina watched Walsh reach into his back pocket. A feeling of sudden realization struck her: he was reaching for the engagement ring. Walsh was going to propose to Emma, and Regina was going to be forced to watch it happen.

Walsh licked his lips. "Emma, I-"

Regina pressed her palms against the back of the closet door. She had to stop this from happening.

Walsh's eyes left Emma's face and focused on something just beyond her shoulder. His voice pitched up and grew in volume.

"The bloody mirror," Hook whispered. "He sees himself."

Regina had nearly forgotten that the pirate was standing beside her. She held her breath. Walsh and Emma were so close to the enchanted mirror. A few more steps in one direction and they would both have a view of their reflections.

"Come on." Walsh abruptly grabbed Emma and turned her so her back faced the mirror. "We should get back to the party."

With one fleeting glance towards his true reflection, Walsh ushered Emma back in the direction of the party.

Regina released the breath she'd been holding. "That was terribly close," she muttered. In more ways than one. "We should probably get back to the party as well."

"You know, Regina. We don't have to go back to the party immediately." Hook's tone dropped suggestively.

"Touch me and you'll lose the other hand," Regina threatened.

Regina left the hallway closet, but quickly shut the door behind her, barring Hook's own exit when she spotted Robin turning the corner.

"Regina," Robin grinned, "I'm glad I found you. Thank you for the invitation and for a lovely evening, but I should be taking my leave now."

Regina subconsciously flicked a lock of hair away from her forehead, too embarrassed that Robin might have seen her come out of a closet to really focus on the words coming out of his mouth.

"Roland is with the Merry Men and as much as I trust them," Robin continued, "I get anxious being away from him for too long."

Regina's gaze traveled over Robin's shoulder where she spotted Henry, who stood talking with David. The smile on his face simultaneously warmed her and broke her heart. "I understand completely. It looks like the party is starting to break up early anyway."

The majority of the dinner party was filtering into the front hallway.

"I'm sorry to cut the night short, Regina," Snow apologized as David helped her with her jacket. "We should be getting home, too."

"Yes, we've got to get our mom-to-be off her feet," Zelena chirped.

David shook hands with Walsh. "It was nice to meet you, Walsh. I hope to see you before you head out of town, but if not, safe travels."

Henry looked perplexed by this news. "You're leaving?"

Walsh looked uncomfortable by all the attention now focused on him. "I've got to get back to the city and my store. I can't be on vacation forever." He shot a meaningful glance in Emma's direction.

"Oh, how clumsy of me!" a startled voice called out.

There was a flurry of movement and suddenly both David and Walsh were tripping over each other and falling-in the direction of the enchanted mirror.

David fell against Walsh, whose shoulder struck against the closest wall. The wall prevented the men from completely falling over, but the impact caused the wall to brace and shudder, knocking the enchanted mirror from its hooks.

Regina had been having a hard time keeping up with all the conversations and movement going on in her front foyer as her dinner guests had begun putting on their jackets to leave. She had no idea how David and Walsh had gotten so tangled up. All she knew was that the mirror that had once hung on the wall in the front hallway was now on the floor, irreparably shattered.

"Nobody move!" Emma jumped into action. "I'll get a broom."

"Don't bother, Miss Swan," Regina sighed. "I can clean this all up once everybody leaves."

"Oh, uh, right," Emma bobbed her head in understanding.

"Pity about that mirror," Zelena clucked. "I suppose someone's in for seven years of bad luck."

When the last of the dinner party guests had left, Regina stood in the front foyer, flanked by her unlikely posse of Hook and Ursula.

"Well that was a bust," Ursula sourly complained.

"And now Walsh knows we're on to him," Hook added.

"The mirror was too passive," Regina thought out loud. "If we're going to rid Emma of that monkey, I'll have to do what I should have done a very long time ago."

"Take his heart?" Hook guessed.

"No," Regina shook her head. "Something even worse."

The pirate and the former sea queen eagerly leaned forward.

Regina wet her lips and sighed. "I'm going to have to tell the truth."

TBC