A/N: thanks for the continued support! If you're a fan of my fan fiction, check out my original novels on Amazon - Eliza Lentzski

Regina stared in disbelief. She blinked once. Twice. The visual refused to go away.

"You said yes."

Emma looked down at her hand. "I'm just taking it for a test drive," she weakly explained.

After the dinner party at her house had broken up, Regina had driven over to Granny's diner to the rental units above the restaurant. She hadn't been sure Emma would have returned straight to her rented room, but she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep that night until she spoke with the Savior. She needed to tell Emma the truth about Walsh.

Emma had answered the door barefoot and wearing jeans and a tank top. The view of the blonde's highly sculpted arm muscles as they clutched the open door was distracting, but not so much that Regina didn't notice the sparkling rock on Emma's left ring finger.

"You can't marry that-that..." Regina didn't even know what to call Walsh. He certainly wasn't a man. "I forbid it."

Emma's nostrils flared. "You what?"

Emma flicked her eyes back into her room. Henry was sitting on the bed with his ear buds in and was playing a game on his phone, blissfully unaware of his surroundings. Emma stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind her to give them some privacy.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear you say you forbid me from making a decision about who I will or will not marry," Emma stated between clenched teeth, "and we are going to talk about this like adults."

Emma's words caused Regina to flinch. "How? When did this happen?" she demanded. They had barely been apart. Emma couldn't have left her home half an hour ago.

"He asked me on the car ride home."

"In a car? In front of Henry?" This was getting worse by the minute.

"I didn't say yes, Regina."

"You're wearing an engagement ring."

Emma found herself unable to meet Regina's smokey stare. "I told him I needed time."

"Where is he?" Regina demanded.

Emma nodded to the closed door across the hallway. "He said he'd give me until morning."

Regina spun on her heels and knocked hard-unrelenting-on the door to Walsh's rented room. The wooden door vibrated on its hinges.

Emma grabbed Regina's arm and wrenched her away, refusing to let her knock any more. "Have you lost your mind?"

Emma was close-too close. Regina could practically smell the other woman's light perfume. "Unhand me, Swan," she growled. She shook herself free from Emma's grasp and smoothed her hands down the front of her outfit to calm herself.

"Go home, Regina," Emma ordered. "I don't know what's gotten into you or why you're acting like this, but it's late and it's clear that this conversation is going nowhere."

"You can't-"

"I can," Emma cut off the former queen's complaint. "I have no idea what I'm going to say to Walsh in the morning, but what I do know is that this is my decision, and mine alone. Too much of my life has been decided for me, despite what I wanted. I'd have thought you of all people, Regina, could appreciate that."

Regina's shoulders slumped with the weight of guilt. "You're right," she said in a defeated tone. "I'm-I'm sorry, Emma. I never meant to be a hypocrite about this." She paused and licked her lips. "I know you probably won't believe it, but I only want what's best for you-I just want to see you happy. After all you've been through-most of it because of me-you deserve happiness."

Regina straightened her shoulders and pulled herself to her full height. "Have an nice evening, Miss Swan."

Emma remained in the hallway and watched Regina's retreat. She held her body erect and proud, high heels clicking on the floor, until she disappeared out of view.

Once Regina had gone, Emma reached for the door handle of her rented room. She paused when the unfamiliar sparkle on her ring finger caught her attention. With a final look at the diamond and band, Emma returned to her room and Henry.

It was going to be a long night.

"What are they saying?" Ursula whispered.

"I can't hear a bloody thing," Hook complained.

"Probably because you're talking, you idiots," Regina muttered. She stared down at the ceramic mug of coffee she held cupped in her hands. Wisps of steam curled in the space just above the murky, black liquid.

Regina reluctantly sat with her two unlikely accomplices at a booth at Granny's. At a table across the diner were Walsh and Emma. When she'd arrived that morning for breakfast and had seen the couple, she'd thought it best to sit as far away as possible. She didn't want to risk pushing Emma away anymore than she already had.

"Why are we trying to eavesdrop on them anyway? What happened to you telling Emma the truth?" Ursula pressed.

"I made a mistake last night. I came on too strong and Emma wouldn't hear it," Regina explained with a sigh.

Regina brought the cup up to her mouth and blew across the surface of the hot coffee. The previous night had been a disaster. She'd lost her cool and Emma had turned her away. Regina hadn't been able to find sleep all night thinking about the decision Emma had to make.

"That's quite the bobble on her finger," Hook observed.

"Jealous, Pirate?" Ursula grinned.

Hook snorted. "The bloke's a little quick with the trigger finger, don't you think? They haven't even known each other a year."

"So what now?" Ursula asked. "We sit back and let Emma marry a monkey?"

"You live under the sea, the pirate is centuries old, and I'm-" Regina paused. "And we all know I'm not quite as advertised either. Emma's a grown woman. We let her make her own mistakes."

"Even if that means taking Henry back to New York with them?" Ursula asked.

"Something's happening," Regina observed out loud.

Walsh had practically leapt from his seat at the booth. From where they sat, she couldn't tell if it was frustration or jubilation that moved the man. She sincerely hoped it was the former.

Regina moved without thinking. She rose from her booth seat and silently followed where Walsh and Emma had disappeared to upstairs. Her high-heels struck noisily against the stairs up to the second floor, but the sound was muted compared to the yelling she heard coming from Walsh's bedroom.

"It's been practically a year, Emma, and you're still doing it-still keeping secrets from me."

"You know I have a hard time letting people in," she heard Emma's frustrated voice.

"I don't know why you won't come back to New York with me," Walsh's voice protested. "We were happy in New York."

"I told you-I have unfinished business here."

"Why'd you have to drink that memory potion," Walsh complained.

"Excuse me?"

Regina rushed into the room. Emma stood, dumbstruck while Walsh glared in contempt.

"Get away from her, primate," Regina demanded.

Walsh's eyes glowed a neon green upon seeing the mayor in his room. "You," he hissed. "If it hadn't been for your meddling and interfere-"

Regina had heard enough. She summoned a ball of fire and let it hover in her open palm.

"Regina, no!" Emma cried out.

Instead of cowering in fear or confusion, Walsh dove for Regina. She had only meant to use the magic as a toothless threat, but now that the despicable man had taken the offense, she aimed for Walsh and unleashed the magic fireball. It connected squarely in the man's chest, but instead of causing him to disintegrate, his human form exploded to reveal an oversized winged monkey.

"What the hell is that?" Emma bellowed.

"Your fiance, Miss Swan," Regina pronounced.

The dark winged figure raised its hands above its body and smashed its fists down, splintering the wooden floor.

Regina produced a second fireball and released it toward Walsh.

The monkey shrieked and vaulted in the air to avoid being struck again. Its hulking body crashed through the plaster ceiling and clear through the roof of Granny's diner. Regina and Emma stared through the hole in the roof as the monkey spread its powerful wings and flew away.

Emma sat down hard on the edge of the mattress. "What. Just. Happened."

Regina sat beside the befuddled blonde. "It would seem, my dear," she said gently, "that Walsh wasn't the man you thought he was."

"I don't understand. He owns a furniture shop in New York. He sells couches and area rugs." She shook her head. "He was supposed to be just a normal guy."

"Emma." Regina toyed with the quilted material of the comforter up in which they sat. "I have a confession to make. I knew about Walsh."

"What do you mean you knew?"

"I knew he was from my world-our world," she self-corrected. "That night after you brought me to the Broadway show..."

"And we were attacked in the alleyway," Emma gasped as she remembered the moment. "Why would he have done that?"

"To send me a message, I suppose. I told you how he warned me to stay away from you. When he threatened me at the hotel bar, I saw the green flash in his eyes. It was the same as what I'd seen in the monkey's eyes."

Emma clenched and unclenched her fists at her sides. "I knew all of this was too good to be true. No one could ever want to be with me unless it was a trap or a trick or a scheme to keep me in New York."

"Stop fishing for compliments, Miss Swan." Regina tensed. "You know that's not true."

"Right," Emma snorted. "Because people are busting down the door because I'm so desirable."

"Have you ever considered that maybe I want you?"

"What?"

"I certainly didn't stutter."

Regina summoned her courage around her like a fortress. She grabbed Emma by the front of her shirt and drew her in for a crushing kiss.

Emma jerked backwards in surprise. She touched her fingertips to her lips. "What ... You..."

Regina almost felt sorry for the other woman. First her boyfriend turned into a circus animal and now her arch nemesis had kissed her.

Regina stood from the bed. "I'm sorry Walsh didn't turn out to be the man you thought he was," she said stiffly." She turned as if to leave.

"No. You don't get to do that. You don't get to kiss me and then leave as if nothing happened."

"We have a monkey to find, Miss Swan."

Emma stood up and invaded Regina's personal space. "Fine. But don't for a second think I'm gonna let you forget that kiss."

Emma turned and stomped out of the rental room.

Regina pressed her own fingertips to her lips. "Don't worry, Emma," she murmured to herself. "You're in no danger of that happening."

TBC