A/N: My apologies again for the slight delay. I hope this lives up to your expectations!

Emma had lost track of time all together.

After that initial hesitance, Regina had overcome entirely whatever had been holding her back, and she was basically owning Emma on the floor. Ruby had even popped in to dance with them a few times, and Regina hadn't pulled back at all. She was drunk on the adrenaline, Emma guessed, and face flushed and looking freer than she had ever seen, Emma had to say she was all for it.

But Emma was also flagging. Between the dancing and the growing number of people in the room, she was starting to sweat like a rough day at practice.

Regina, despite looking just as warm, didn't waver at all, even dancing through the songs she noticeably wasn't as fond of. It seemed like she didn't want to break the spell. Maybe it would be too hard for her to get back into it, to get over her insecurities again if they left, and she never wanted it to stop. That's what Emma wanted, too. But she knew she would need to rehydrate to keep up. So, the next time Ruby came by, she took her opportunity.

"I'm going to go get us some water." She leant in, raising her voice over the music. "Be right back?"

She waited to get Regina's confirmation in the form of a smile and nod before turning to Ruby.

"Don't leave."

Emma wasn't sure the words would work to convey the message she wanted to get across, but she thought them more subtle than "don't you dare let anyone fuck with her."

Ruby did appear to understand what Emma meant as she nodded to confirm all while raising her eyebrows at her friend's protective nature.

Emma ignored the inherent question, instead hurrying away before she could convince herself that something terrible would happen while she wasn't there to look out for Regina. It was just a party, and settled in at that—there hadn't been any new arrivals she was aware of, and friends had mostly paired off, just like at school. The kitchen was just a hallway away.

It would be fine.

As she made her way around the room, however, passing the windows in the hopes of catching a breeze, she failed to notice who had entered and caught sight of them from the other side of the room.

Emma leaving had made her a little uncomfortable.

She had grown more accustomed to Ruby's company than she had ever thought she would, and certainly not this quickly, but she found the girl's raw energy a little exhilarating—perfect for this kind of party. Still, despite what she had avowed at the beginning of the evening, she was having a much better time with Emma as her designated guide, and she wondered if she ought to have gone with her. Especially when Ruby's attention turned back to the boy she had been dirty dancing with earlier. She hadn't physically left the general area as per Emma's command, which Regina had caught (despite the feeling it wasn't meant for her), but Ruby's focus was entirely elsewhere, and Regina couldn't blame her. She shouldn't have to babysit her friend's friend. And Billy, she thought his name was, if not that bright, was certainly attractive.

Regina decided she'd just leave her to it, getting her attention and pointing in the direction that Emma had left. She may not have felt capable of dancing alone, but she could certainly track Emma down. Besides, she was in need of a break herself, as much as she didn't want to admit it. Ruby tilted her head in an unexpected demand of confirmation and only nodded in agreement and turned back to Billy after Regina had nodded herself.

Without Emma, the room somehow seemed darker and more crowded, and Regina had to push through a good deal of people to get to the threshold. She had almost made it to the hall when she ran directly into a large solid form.

"Excuse me," she tried, pivoting to move around what she now determined was a him, but not looking up to catch his face, just praying it wasn't someone she knew.

"Not so fast, Regina, it's been way too long."

Regina recognized the voice instantly, but she was desperately hoping she was wrong when she looked up to confirm.

Nope.

It was Neal Gold, all right. Purposely blocking her exit and maybe more than a little drunk.

"Never expected a nerd like you to be at a party like this," he joked, ineptly. "Any party really. Your mom let you out of your cage?"

"Clever, Neal. I never expected a 21-year-old to be at a party like this either. I guess the night is full of surprises."

The words flew readily and as his alcohol-delayed reactions registered some sort of surprise at her retort, the different kind of girl she would have to be from the last time he saw her, Regina realized it probably wasn't in her best interest to engage him. She had to get to Emma.

"Now, if you would excuse me."

She moved to the side, but he just moved with her, his motor skills apparently faring better than his brain.

"No. No way. You're going to go find Emma. What the hell is she doing with you anyway?"

Even though Regina didn't know the specifics of Neal's relationship with Emma, she knew it wasn't a good thing that she was now involved. Especially with Neal leaning in even more, the cheap vodka and beer readily apparent on his breath.

"What it is," she replied, "is none of your business. She doesn't want to see you, and I don't either."

Regina had thought taking a strong stand might be enough to get him to back off, remembering his supposed easy-going nature from years ago, but apparently drunk Neal didn't operate on the same level as sober Neal.

"What, you're talking for her now?" He growled. "Please. Like you know Emma."

Regina took in her surroundings in her peripherals, not breaking eye contact. The people around them had not only started to notice the confrontation, but had stopped what they were doing to observe. This was exactly what she hadn't wanted. She would not be made some freak show.

"And you do? You think she's into drunk oafs making scenes?"

"She's definitely not into weird-ass, scary lesbos, but it doesn't explain why's she hanging out with you. At least you look half-way hot for once."

He gave her a not at all subtle lookover, all the while holding her back from just making a break for it. Regina was regretting leaving Ruby, but at the same time, she didn't know whether Ruby would protect her from this. Whether anyone would.

This was going nowhere good fast.

Emma gulped down her second glass, reveling in the open window above the sink. She knew she had to get back to Regina (with the one still closed water bottle she had discovered and guarded fiercely with her in mind), but it was difficult tearing herself away from the fresh air. Maybe she could convince Regina to take a walk with her before they got back to dancing.

"Emma!"

A rather frantic looking and sounding Tink hurried into the kitchen, flitting past the other people milling around to go straight to Emma. "I couldn't find you anywhere!"

Emma put her glass down. Tink could be a little over-enthusiastic from time to time, but this seemed real. "Well, I'm here?"

"So is Neal."

Of all the things Emma had been expecting, that was not one of them.

"Wait, what?"

"Neal showed up about ten minutes ago, I think. He's at least tipsy and he's definitely looking for you," Tink elaborated breathlessly.

"Ten minutes? Shit," Emma cursed. Ten minutes meant that escape would be near impossible. He was probably close to finding her, or had maybe seen her already—if he had seen her already— "Oh shit, Regina!"

Emma bolted out the door and shoved her way through the hallway, not caring if Tink was following behind.

There was no way this ended well.

That feeling doubled when she saw the wall of people right around the entrance to the room where she had left Regina. She didn't care about who she was elbowing to get through, particularly when she saw her not particularly tall ex-boyfriend still looming over Regina, who despite having all of her personal space taken away was not backing down, not even a little. Not even when Neal was clearly making some inappropriate comment.

"Neal, what the fuck!" She burst into the circle. "Leave Regina alone."

"Your girlfriend's fine, Emma," Neal spat. Normally he was so easygoing. Emma didn't recognize him like this at all, and she wondered whether it was just the booze that had gotten him so riled up. "I should've known you're a dyke. Why else would you break up with me?"

Emma gaped. He was practically raging, and of Neal Cassidy's many faults, she wouldn't have listed a temper among them. And maybe he wasn't always the most sensitive or correct, but hate? She was even more relieved she left him.

"I broke up with you because you're a tool, Neal. And because you're a community college reject who thinks it's okay to show up drunk at a high school party. Honestly what the hell are you doing here?"

Something she said must've gotten through because he was back to his typical, pouting self.

"I wanted to talk to you, Emma. I miss you. I love you."

Emma signed. "C'mon, Neal, let's go talk." She was clearly humoring him, trying to get him out of the party, because honestly, even though she knew the crowd knew Neal used to be cool (which was hopefully why they hadn't stepped in to tell him to back off—other than some half-hearted "c'mon, dudes" from some of the guys who knew him from sports), she was embarrassed out of her mind. Nothing good had come out of her relationship with Neal.

"No!" Neal protested, shaking away from Emma's guidance. "No way. You don't want me anymore," he sort of moaned, sneaking a hit from a previously unnoticed flask. "You're totally fine, shaking your ass with the ice bitch. Does nobody cool want to hang with you? Where's that Ruby girl? She's hot."

"Wow, Neal, excellent job of trying to get me back." Emma didn't know how the situation was devolving this quickly or thoroughly but she knew that it was. Not that she thought it possible, but Neal was just getting worse. "Now that you've failed miserably, get out. Stop embarrassing yourself."

"You first, Swan." Neal was being downright petulant, making a face at Regina, who had been incredibly quiet this whole time.

Seeing her, standing there amidst all these people she didn't trust, just waiting for the next terrible thing to happen—It was no longer about her own humiliation. Emma was fucking angry.

"Regina is so ridiculously high above you on your best day, Gold."

"Em—" Neal started to break in, his extra hurt apparent because he hated being identified by his dad's name, having gone by Cassidy ever since he left for college. But Emma was not finished.

"You're not worthy of being in the same room as her, let alone the same house, so get the fuck out before I make you."

Emma's furious dismissal definitely shifted drunk Neal's tactics.

"Aw, c'mon, babe, look, I'm sorry, can't we just talk a little?" Neal went to reach for her, but before he could touch her, Killian stepped in between them, seemingly from out of nowhere.

"I believe the lady asked you to leave her alone," Killian stated in his particular brand of menacing calm. But despite Killian's even temper, Neal was instantly riled by the man standing in his space.

"Back off, limey, this has nothing to do with you."

Killian took a deep breath and turned to face the girls.

"My apologies, Emma, Regina."

Then, before anyone could know what was happening, he swung back around, cold cocking Neal in the jaw, knocking the already woozy boy out.

Killian nursed his hand as Neal tumbled to the ground and some of the guys who were once on the lacrosse team with him moved to carry him out, mumbling that they'd take care of him, and they were sorry they didn't step in earlier.

"Killian, you really didn't have to do that," Emma reproved, watching the scene in disbelief.

Killian made a face as he tried to shake out his hand but ended up hurting it more.

"He was besmirching my friends' honor," he declared. "Also, he was just being an arse."

"True," Emma agreed, softening. "I'm not going to say I didn't appreciate it."

"You're very welcome, Swan." He turned from her graciousness to face Regina, seemingly genuine in his repentance. "I am sorry I didn't step in sooner."

Regina couldn't handle acknowledging everything that had just happened in the moment, so she shied away from the admission to briefly observe Killian's hand.

"You ought to go to the hospital," she asserted. "It looks broken."

At that, Tink appeared from the crowd, nudging her way around the last line of spectators.

"I'll take care of him. Are you two all right?"

Emma looked to Regina and even though she couldn't begin to speak for how the girl was feeling at the moment, she knew the best course of action would be to get them out of this as soon as possible, so she replied for the both of them.

"Fine, Tink, thanks. Take care of your boy. …With the mean left hook." She smiled as she recognized the parallel, glad that something good could come out of this situation.

Killian was having none of it, particularly as he was still in pain from just having defended her. "I swear to god, Swan—"

"I'll make sure he gets a cast in grey," Tink cut him off, playing along as she escorted him through the crowd.

"Call tomorrow with an update?" Emma called after them.

Tink nodded and led a still murmuring Hook out of the house, leaving Regina and Emma in the middle of the spontaneous circle. The people around them will still staring, observing, many having glimpsed Regina earlier but now getting explanations, clues to the relationship they had been wondering at.

Emma didn't even have a chance to regroup before more spectacle broke in in the form of Ruby, having run to them from whatever corner she was in with Billy.

"God, Regina, I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

Emma had forgotten all about how she had thought she made it clear to Ruby that Regina wasn't to be left alone until the second she saw her friend.

"Ruby!"

"It's all right, Emma," Regina curbed her anger right away, calming in a way she hadn't expected. "I left her to come and find you."

Ruby still looked deeply apologetic, not allowing Regina to take all the blame.

"Sorry, Ems. And about Neal."

"Yeah, whatever," Emma dismissed her concern, mumbling. "Not the first stupid choice I've made."

"He wasn't always this terrible, Regina," Ruby explained, "Don't think Emma's a super huge idiot. She's only a little one."

Emma didn't know whether to be angry or laugh or just agree. Leave it to Ruby to diffuse her moods.

"Gee, thanks, Rubes. What happened to being apologetic?"

"Still soooo sorry," Ruby repeated, somehow sincere and playful at once.

"I know, Ruby," Regina responded thoughtfully to Ruby's earlier comment. "As much as he wants to separate himself from his father, he has many of his traits."

"You know Neal?" Ruby gasped. "And you didn't say anything at the bonfire?"

"You were talking about him at the bonfire?"

"Oops," Ruby did look relatively chastised at the return of Emma's anger, and decided her best option was to cut and run before things got worse. "Forget I said anything. You're both okay? Okay, good. I'm going to go now. Talk to you tomorrow, Ems."

As Ruby hurried away and left the two of them alone again in the middle of their growingly chatty observers, Emma sighed.

"Well, I was going to ask if you'd like to go for a walk outside."

Regina breathed in relief.

"I really, really would."

Emma was so glad to hear it that she gave a genuine smile and grabbed Regina's hand.

This time, the crowd parted to let them walk right out the front door without touching a soul.