Hey guys, sorry for the wait. Just the usual, all mistakes are mine - do forgive me - and thanks so much for reading. Please review if you please. I hope you like this one. No beta, and thanks to everyone who has read or reviewed these. Enjoy :)
The family eventually moved into the dining room. The space at the head of the table was empty, as was its right hand neighbour, as Regina and Emma were busy in the kitchen. From Emma, the order around the table went; Henry, Charming, Snow, Ruby and finally Belle. Ruby had cast a concerned look at Belle when she had reached out for the last remaining chair, but Belle just smiled and sat. Ruby shrugged slightly and sat next to her. Emma strode into the room, her blonde hair tied back as she balanced in her heels while carrying a bowl of potatoes and another full of vegetables. Placing both gently on the table, she took her seat and turned to see Regina, laden with a large roast turkey. Everyone expressed noises of appreciation as she set it down in the centre. Serving it up, everyone began chattering happily away to each other. Belle, having spent the last twenty eight years locked up with only herself for company, this was the most incredible experience. It reminded her of her time in the other world, but even then, she felt pressured by her father and everyone else. But here, with these people who actually cared, and especially Ruby, she felt a surge of happiness that nearly overwhelmed her.
"Belle?" asked Regina, a concerned look on her face, her smile faltering slightly. Belle snapped back to her senses to see Regina holding her plate with her serving of turkey on it to her. Plastering her face with a genuine smile, she apologised and took her plate. As Regina sat back down, she couldn't help but enquire about her well-being. "Are you alright, dear?" Ruby was chatting away with Snow, reaching for a spoonful of potatoes.
"Yes, I'm fine," replied Belle, looking at Regina. Emma was arguing about something with Charming, Henry interjecting in the middle. "This looks delicious," she commented.
"Oh please," smiled Regina, gracefully tucking into the meal. "You're too kind."
"Seriously, I wish I could make food this good," smiled Belle, a tad wistfully.
"It's actually relatively easy. I could give you some tips if you like," Regina said as she gave a genuinely warm smile to Belle. She was glad that the younger woman seemed to have forgiven her for imprisoning her. She was an outsider to the Charmings, really. She was only so close because Ruby was there, and it was nice to have someone who was a little different to the others.
"That would be lovely," replied Belle. She was still a little wary of the Queen, but still, she was like her, in a way. Not in with the Charmings, who were sharing stories of the war, which obviously Regina was on the other side, and felt a little uncomfortable. Belle could sense the awkwardness from Regina, and continued the conversation about food, which soon led into an in depth discussion about random topics.
Ruby laughed at a memory from the war, told by Snow with additions from David. Henry was completely captivated. Noticing that Belle had been quiet for quite a while, Ruby wondered if there was anything bothering her. Turning as she took a sip of champagne, she saw Belle laughing as Regina smirked. She caught Belle's eye and gave her a look that said 'Are you alright?' to which Belle gave a slight nod. A pleasant evening passed, and after a few hours, everyone had had a few drinks, Snow more than most. A few times, Emma had shot her a look for an inappropriate comment towards Regina's history. Regina, however, though the corners of her mouth had tightened, she let each one go. She had a feeling that Snow, in her inebriated state was deliberately trying to antagonise her, and she would not give her the satisfaction of succumbing and causing trouble for Emma. The others too had noticed Snow's behaviour and attempted to steer conversation away from anything she could twist to make Regina's fault.
"… And then you," slurred Snow, waving her glass in Regina's direction. Regina and Belle paused mid-sentence and turned to face Snow across the table. Ruby, Emma, David and Henry had all frozen, all of them looking worried. "You ruined our kingdom. Things could've been so different," she said, her gaze unfocused as if imagining something different. There was a silence while every head turned to Regina, who looked unfazed, but Emma could see a small twitch at the corner of her mouth that meant she was holding herself in check.
"I'll admit that I regret what I did, but it's not like I did it for no reason, Snow," she said calmly, but her look indicated she wanted to change the topic. Not to mention the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Everyone has their share of problems, not everyone goes to that length for revenge. And to think, we all could have been happy." Snow again tailed off, the alcohol really getting to her system.
"Ah, well, tonight's been great, thank you Regina," said David, getting to his feet and placing a hand on Snow's shoulder. "We should really be going." Regina closed her mouth, silencing her snappy retort. She breathed deeply, glad David was trying to help.
"Of course, David, I'm glad you had a good time," replied Regina graciously.
"But David, we were just talking," said Snow. She never usually drank that much and she was having trouble controlling her thoughts.
"I know, but it's getting late," said David patiently, but with a hint of desperation. For Emma's sake – and Regina's, he supposed – he didn't want Snow to say something in her inebriated state. He knew why Snow had trouble trusting Regina, he did too. But he knew that Regina wouldn't do anything to Emma, for all their fights and sass fired at each other, they did truly love each other. "Let's go," he directed at his wife, who was getting to her feet.
"Goodnight," said Emma, also getting to her feet, embracing her unsteady mother with a smile. Ruby and Henry too were on their feet and gave Snow a hug next, while Regina and Belle, the 'outsiders' remained seated.
"It was lovely to see you," smiled Belle as Snow and David headed for the door. Snow paused as she passed Regina, who steeled herself, as if expecting confrontation. Snow had a constant urge to spark a fight with the Old Queen, and she opened her mouth, a perfect little snide comment on her lips. But then she caught Emma's worried expression, Henry's narrowed eyebrows and David's hand tightening slightly on her own. Maybe I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, for tonight at least," she thought.
"That meal was lovely," Snow finally decided on. Regina quirked an eyebrow, searching for the insult, but came up clean.
"Ah… thank you. Snow," she added the name at the end, for once not saying it with repressed malice. Snow smiled, a small smile, true, but it was there. Regina returned it as every other person in the room went back and forth from the poisonous pair. Then Snow turned and left, David waving after he hugged Emma and Henry, and a little awkwardly shook Regina's hand. Once the front door had closed, Emma returned from seeing her parents out, breathing properly again for the first time in over a minute. Back in the dining room, Henry and Ruby were laughing about something, while Regina and Belle discussed their opinions of Gold.
"Another champagne?" asked Regina when she noticed that both of their glasses were empty. Belle glanced to Ruby, who was talking now with Emma, both looking relieved. Belle nodded, she hadn't had that many. Regina waved her hand with a smug grin and the glasses were once again full.
"I always wished I had learned magic," lamented Belle.
"It's not hard, it just takes time and dedication," smiled Regina, chinking the glasses together and the pair sipped.
"… Oh please, your castle was dark and gloomy! I mean, it was lovely, but at least mine had light in it! And I'm pretty sure mine was bigger," said Belle with a laugh at Regina's feigned look of hurt.
"My castle was ancient and impressive! It was dark and gloomy to intimidate people! And it worked!" retorted Regina, chuckling as she drank more of her champagne. "And I wouldn't have had to become a slave to save my kingdom. I would've fought the ogres with my bare hands if I had to!"
"Without magic, you wouldn't be able to fight anything! You're like a… a…" Belle snapped her fingers as she concentrated, thinking of the appropriate word. Regina leaned her elbows on the table and watched with an amused smirk, head in hands as Belle searched for the perfect word. "An… evil panda!" she cried, pointing at Regina triumphantly. "A magic evil panda," she added, accidentally knocking over her glass. Regina didn't notice, she was in fits of laughter.
From the other side of the table, Emma and Ruby watched with mouths hanging open as a very drunk Regina and Belle had their weird conversation. Emma had taken Henry up to bed about ten minutes previously, and had returned to see Ruby looking at Belle and Regina curiously. She was seeing a version of Regina she hadn't ever seen before. Maybe she was finally learning to relax around people other than Emma and Henry.
"Did she just call her…" asked Emma, trying to wrap her head around this.
"… A panda," confirmed Ruby. They both weren't exactly sober, but not nearly as drunk as their other halves. She never expected Belle to argue over castle décor with the Evil Queen.
"How has Regina not fried her yet? She'd set my hair on fire for calling her that," said Emma, amazed.
"They seem to be getting on quite well," commented Ruby, shocked. She knew Regina wasn't bad, well, that bad anymore, and they had a lot in common, but she was ultimately close to Snow, and that formed a bit of a barrier, a wall of history between them. But Belle had nothing to do with that whole chapter of their life, and Ruby was glad Belle and Regina had finally found someone outside of their relationships to be friends with. She really hoped Belle wouldn't piss off the Queen though. Or vice versa. Belle could be scary.
"A panda?" chortled Regina. She was relaxed for the first time in ages. She was always on edge with people who knew her as the Evil Queen. But Belle seemed just as unwelcome as she was. While Belle had done nothing wrong other than be associated with Gold, nobody other than Ruby seemed to make her particularly welcome. Well, Grumpy did, and the Charmings welcomed her, but only because of Ruby. Not for Belle.
"Yes, a panda!" confirmed Belle, laughing still. She then noticed the champagne glass on its side on the table. "Oh God, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed a little loudly, grabbing a napkin and dabbing at the pristine white table cloth.
"Wait a second!" said Regina. Belle paused, looking at her curiously, brushing a lock of curls from her face. Regina paused for a moment, as if considering what she was going to do. "I have an idea."
"Pray tell," smiled Belle, scrunching up the damp napkin and tossing it away over her shoulder.
"Okay, try this. I want you to point your hand at the stain, like this." She demonstrated with her right hand, the palm facing the stain. Belle mirrored. "And imagine, see in your head the wine evaporating into the air." Belle cast her a suspicious look. "You said you wished you'd learned to use magic."
"Regina, this won't work-"
"Trust me," said Regina, smiling. Belle sighed and did as she was bid, concentrating for a moment. Nothing happened.
"Told you," said Belle.
"You have to take an emotion, a powerful emotion and use it to fuel your intent. Now, we are rather drunk, so it might not work as well, but I can teach you to do magic," said Regina, slurring slightly. Emma, who had been half-paying attention to the conversation had never heard Regina drunk enough to slur.
"Would you?" asked Belle, excitedly.
"If you wish," said Regina. Belle nodded. "Right, try it now!" she exclaimed happily, hoping she could have a new pupil. She never gave Belle much thought, she was always just a thing to torture Gold with. But now she had spent nearly the whole evening talking to her, she was finding she quite liked her. Maybe she'd eventually consider her to be a… friend?
Belle stretched out her palm and focused on the stain evaporating. She considered Regina's words in her slightly dizzy brain. A powerful emotion. She thought back over her life. There were a lot of happy moments. Constant irritation from her father. That was quite powerful. Anger at Gold, but that was counteracted by pity. Her eyes habitually flicked to Ruby, who was sitting sideways in her seat across the table, chatting with Emma. Belle found herself transfixed for a moment. She heard Ruby laugh, the most precious sound in the world to her. Ruby. Her love for Ruby. Cliché, much? She thought to herself, but it was true. Then Ruby turned her head slightly, as if sensing Belle looking at her. Ruby's eyes immediately met hers and an unintentional smile played across her beautiful pale face. Belle smiled back and soon enough the moment was gone as Ruby returned to the conversation. The moment only lasted a second or less, but it was enough to give Belle the power she needed. Using her emotions, her love for Ruby, she wrapped it around her thoughts and closed her eyes. She felt her fingertips heating up.
"OH MY GOD!" yelled Emma suddenly. Belle's eyes snapped open. She was met with a column of flames pouring out of her hand towards the table, setting fire to the tablecloth.
"Belle!" yelled Ruby, panicking as she stood up so quickly her chair catapulted into the wall. All the while Regina was laughing happily. Belle stared at her hand, unable to believe she was actually performing magic.
"REGINA, WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?" demanded Emma as she watched her girlfriend sitting inches from the flaming hole in the table. Her gaze flicked between Belle, who from this angle, seemed to be on fire, and Ruby, who was close to diving across the table. Emma noted that Regina wasn't bothered about it, so either her girlfriend had snapped and gone insane, or there wasn't any danger. Emma put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, yanking her off of the table as she tried to clamber over to help Belle.
"She's good!" Regina exclaimed, clapping her hands. "She's a natural!"
"WAS THIS REALLY A GOOD IDEA?" The fire was spreading, and Ruby stood in awe as she watched Belle marvelling at her own hand, flames still flowing out. Belle couldn't' feel her hand burning. She closed her fist and the flames stopped. The tablecloth, however, was still burning.
"REGINA, FIX THE DAMN TABLE!" yelled Emma. Regina, still laughing happily, waved her hand and the flames disappeared, the scorching on the table and the cloth now fixed. Ruby darted around the table as Emma willed her heart to calm down, her breathing to return to normal.
"Belle, are you okay?" asked Ruby, diving to her side. She could smell burning material, but no flesh.
"Fine," replied Belle, placing a calming hand on Ruby's shaking ones.
"That was impressive," said Regina.
"Really?" asked Belle, astonished. Ruby examined Belle, determining that she was alright.
"I have an idea!" shouted Regina suddenly, slamming her fists on the table. Everyone jumped, startled. Belle turned excitedly. Ruby and Emma glanced at each other uneasily. Looking to Belle, she grinned wickedly. "We could go out the back and shoot cans off of the wall with fire!"
"Yes!" relied Belle.
"NO!" yelled Ruby and Emma simultaneously.