A/N: Apologies about the delay in this chapter. I've been in bed sick for six days. Finally feeling up to looking at a computer screen again. I trust this is up to my usual standards... I hope to get a chapter out on Sunday as well.

Regina knew that having a glass office door meant that she could always see who was about to enter but she still expected visitors to do the courteous thing and knock. Kathryn, apparently, felt that simple gesture was beneath her.

"Who was that on Saturday night in the bar?" she asked on Wednesday morning, marching in unannounced and sitting down opposite Regina.

The brunette said nothing. Instead she turned her disgruntled attention back to her computer and finished writing the email she had been in the middle of when the quiet solitude of her office had been interrupted. Kathryn didn't seem offended. She just sipped her coffee and pushed the identical cup she had bought her best friend across the desk towards her.

"Good morning, Kat," Regina said after she had sent the email and reached for the steaming drink. "How are you?"

"Busy, and don't change the subject. Who was that blonde you stayed behind to talk to? And why haven't you been returning my calls?"

"I've been busy too," Regina offered by way of a reason for her lack of contact. She had been planning to call Kathryn that evening, in fact.

"Busy with the blonde?"

"No, with my son and with work," Regina said.

Kathryn huffed. "Are you going to make me ask you again?"

"Ask me what?" Regina smirked. She did rather enjoy winding her friend up.

"The blonde from the bar," Kathryn said, leaning forwards now. "Who was she?"

Regina relented. She was going to have to tell Kathryn sooner or later. "That was Emma Swan. She was the chef at the restaurant I took Mr Gold and the team to on Thursday last week."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And why did you stay to have a drink with her?"

"Because she invited me," Regina answered.

"Why?"

"I suppose you'd have to ask her that."

Kathryn frowned. "Why are you being so coy? Is something going on between you and this woman?"

"Not exactly," Regina replied. It was true. There was nothing going on between her and Emma. Not yet, anyway. And she didn't want to tell Kathryn anything to do with Henry's eating disorder nor Emma's role in the initial diagnosis.

"What does that mean? Regina, do you like this woman?"

There was a pause and then; "yes."

Kathryn squealed and clapped her hands. "Oh, I'm so happy for you, Regina. You deserve to meet someone new. So, spill the beans. What happened on Saturday night?"

"Nothing's happened yet," Regina said.

"But you're seeing her again?"

"Yes," Regina admitted.

"When?"

Regina glanced at her computer screen. "In about an hour."

"What?" Kathryn exclaimed. "Where?"

"At her restaurant." Kathryn opened her mouth to say something but then shut it, frowning. Regina elaborated. "We're meeting there for lunch."

"She's taking you to lunch in her own restaurant? Isn't that a bit … big-headed?"

"Emma's a very talented chef but that's not the reason," Regina replied. "She can't exactly get away from her work during normal 'dating' hours, as it were, so she suggested I come to her and she'd take a break."

"How romantic," Kathryn deadpanned.

"Well, to be fair, this isn't really a date. There are a few things we need to talk about first."

"What things?"

"Just things. Family stuff, you know?"

Kathryn nodded. "What have you told her about your marriage?"

"Nothing yet," Regina replied. She didn't feel it was necessary to expand and say that any context in which Mal was discussed that day would be in relation to Henry, not the two of them beginning to date.

"This is exciting, Regina," Kathryn grinned. "I'm so pleased to hear you're finally ready to move on. It's been a while now and I was starting to worry you'd never want to date again. Also, how do you go on one night out and meet someone you're interested in? How is that fair?"

"Maybe it's fate," Regina shrugged.

"You believe in fate?" Kathryn asked.

"I don't know."

If someone had asked her a week ago whether she believed in fate, Regina would probably have said no. But the moment Emma Swan entered her life, everything seemed to have been tipped on its head in the most unexpected but necessary way, she was now reconsidering. As far as she was concerned, however, Emma hadn't appeared in her life so she could start dating again. She was in her life for Henry. The fact that the two women were attracted to one another was a happy coincidence which Regina hoped very much would not get in the way of her son's treatment.

"When do you have to leave for this date?" Kathryn asked.

"In about fifteen minutes," Regina replied. "Why?"

"Cos I do actually have to talk to you about work. This wasn't merely a social call."

"Go ahead," Regina nodded. She and Kathryn worked together on a number of marketing campaigns. Her best friend's photography skills was one of her company's secret weapons. Their ability to offer clients the full package, including professional photography services was one of the biggest draws of the marketing firm.

Kathryn pulled out her laptop and opened it before jumping straight in to discuss her new campaign idea for a local bike rental store.

Hot oil spat from the pan as the scallops landed in it. She flicked the bowl with a practiced wrist as she used her other hand to stir the sauce the seafood was to be drizzled in. The kitchen was noisy, as it always became when the orders started to stack up, but Emma didn't mind. In fact, she could use the distraction.

Emma wasn't usually one to get nervous before a date but her stomach fluttered that Wednesday afternoon as the clock moved closer to twelve thirty. She had already told August that she had a meeting and would be taking a break. It was right in the middle of their lunch service but mid week was never too busy and she was confident her staff could manage the workload.

It's not a date, she told herself as she tried to calm her nerves. Regina wanted to talk to her about how her session with Henry's psychologist had gone. Emma was there as a confidant, nothing more. But, her brain unhelpfully supplied, she had used the word 'date' in that last text.

Forcing her mind off their brief text conversation, Emma transferred the cooked scallops to their plates which were already prepped with the cauliflower puree, roasted parsnips and pomegranate seeds. The sauce was dripped artistically over it to finish the dish.

"Service," she called as she wiped her hands on a towel and started to prepare her next dish.

At least she didn't have to worry about what to wear when she met Regina. Chef whites were hardly sexy but it was better than having to plan an outfit. Plus, she knew Ruby would have never let her hear the end of it if she had changed at work for the meeting. Already her roommate had been a nightmare when it had been revealed that Emma was meeting the brunette. Ruby had gloated all morning when she had discovered that the two women had been in contact and that a date had been set.

"I told you your gaydar was broken," Ruby had grinned when Emma finally confessed why she had been wearing a goofy smile over her morning coffee.

"It's just a casual meet-up," Emma had insisted. Even with Regina's wording in the text, she was reluctant to label their rendezvous as a date.

And, she reminded herself as the seconds ticked away towards the time of the non date, this was about Henry.

"Em," Ruby shouted, poking her head around the kitchen door. "Your hot date is here."

"Shut up and tell her I'll be five minutes," Emma called back. "And serve her a glass of the chenin blanc if she's drinking."

"Sure thing," Ruby grinned before disappearing.

Emma turned her attention back to the now empty pan and poured the scallops she had put aside for her and Regina into it. Four minutes later, the dishes were ready and she was pulling off her chef hat.

"If you need me, just come over, ok?" Emma said to August as she picked up the perfectly garnished plates and left the kitchen.

Regina settled herself into the chair at the table Ruby had shown her. The tall brunette had smiled knowingly at her when she had arrived and welcomed her once again to Hook, Line and Sinker. Regina felt a desperate need to know what Emma had told her colleague and friend about their relationship.

The table she had been seated at offered a beautiful view over Storybrooke harbour. The last time she had been to the restaurant, she and her party had only been able to enjoy the twinkling lights of the docks at night. Now, however, she was able to see the boats themselves bobbing gently on the water, a few small vessels coming and going from the port. It was a beautiful location, she mused, just as Ruby appeared beside her with a glass of wine.

"Emma told me to give you this and say she'll be a few minutes," Ruby said, placing the drink in front of the woman.

"Emma told you to give me wine?"

"Yep," Ruby replied. "Well, she told me to serve you this particular wine if you said you were drinking with your lunch."

"A question you failed to ask me," Regina remarked.

"You looked nervous," Ruby shrugged. "I figured you could use a little Dutch courage. Don't worry, Emma's great. And she's crazy about you."

"She is?"

"Not mental crazy but crazy in a good way," Ruby blundered onwards. "Crazy in the way that she talks about you as if you're just a friend because she refuses to believe her gaydar is broken. I've been telling her you're into her since we saw you in the bar. And I think she knows it deep down. Whenever you come up in conversation, it's obvious she can see there's something going on. I mean, it's not like she talks about you much but when she does, she goes all squirmy and embarrassed and -"

"Ruby."

The front of house manager's cheeks reddened abruptly at the sound of her best friend's voice. Regina had to bite back a smile as she watched the guilty woman turn on the spot to face the blonde who had appeared behind her.

"I'm sorry, Ems. I didn't mean -"

"Can you get me a glass of the wine too and fetch us some water please?" Emma said, gaze hard, letting Ruby know her loose lipped behaviour would be addressed at a later date.

"Sure. Coming right up," Ruby nodded before she scurried away.

"Hi," Emma said, eyes falling on Regina for the first time.

"Hello," Regina smiled.

"Wow, you look amazing."

Even sat down, Emma could tell that the dress Regina was wearing fit her like a glove. Deep red, ending mid thigh and completed with a tailored jacket. Her hair and make up, as always, were perfect.

"Thank you," Regina blushed. "You look … like a chef."

Emma laughed and glanced down at her own chef whites and was reminded of the two dishes in her hands. She moved forwards and placed down their plates before taking the chair opposite Regina. Before she could say anything more, Ruby appeared with her own wine and their water but left without a word.

"I hope you like scallops," Emma said. "I'm sorry I didn't wait until you arrived to offer you the chance to order but I wanted to cook for you and didn't want to leave you out here to entertain yourself while I did so."

"Thank you, Emma," Regina said, admiring the food in front of her. "Scallops are one of my favourites and this dish looks incredible."

"I chose the wine to match with it too," she explained.

Regina reached for her glass and raised it towards Emma. The blonde grinned and picked up her own. The sides chinked lightly together as their eyes met, gazes lingering for longer than could be considered normal but neither woman was willing to look away.

"To Henry," Emma offered just before they sipped their respective drinks.

"To Henry," Regina repeated.

Emma waited for Regina to take the first bite before starting on her own plate. The duo ate in silence for a few minutes before Emma began the conversation.

"So, how has your week been so far?"

"Busy and intense, both at work and home," Regina admitted. "What about you?"

"This meal has been the highlight in an otherwise uneventful few days," Emma smiled. "I'm glad you texted."

"I almost didn't."

"What made you hesitate?"

"My life is complicated enough right now. I don't need to add another element to it."

Emma cocked her head. "You think this lunch is complicated?"

"I think it could become complicated, yes," Regina replied.

"And what complications do you think might arise?"

Regina smirked. "What do you want me to say, Miss Swan?"

Biting back the groan at the use of such an address, Emma forced herself to continue. "I'm just curious about what could be complicated with two women getting together for lunch."

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it is something to do with the fact that we are meeting to discuss the eating habits my son, my first meeting with his psychologist and your experience of having an eating disorder. But at the same time, I took twenty minutes to choose this outfit before I left the house this morning, you've cooked us scallops and your flatmate told me that she's been telling you I was gay since last weekend but that you don't think I am because your gaydar is broken."

Emma rested her cutlery down and took a generous sip of her wine before answering. "Yeah, I suppose that could be considered complicated."

"Indeed," Regina nodded. "So you can see why I was hesitant to text you."

"What made you change your mind?"

There was another pause and Regina tried to decide how much to reveal. "I decided it was worth the risk."

"What risk?"

"The risk that you're the only person I can talk to about what is going on with Henry but at the same time you're the first person I've met in a long time who I'm actually interested in getting to know. The risk that I want you to be two people in my life. I want you to be someone I can confide in and lean on when it comes to Henry. But I also want you to be that special someone I can take out for dinner and go to movies with and go for moonlight strolls along the harbour front. I'd say it is pretty risky and complicated to look for one person to fill both roles."

Emma was stunned into silence at the honesty of Regina's reply. The brunette herself seemed a little taken aback at how upfront she had been but it was probably best to put everything out on the table to begin with. There was no denying it; the situation was complicated. The best thing to do was to make sure everyone involved was going in with their eyes wide open. Emma reached across the table and took hold of Regina's right hand, the fingertips of which were playing with the stem of her wineglass.

"I want to be both those people for you, Regina," Emma said. "And I know this is complicated and I think you may be right saying there is a risk here. But can I offer some reassurances?"

"Please," Regina nodded, her fingers curling lightly around Emma's hand.

"I haven't known you long," Emma began. "And I don't know you well yet. But I want to get to know you and I hope I get the opportunity to do so. But I need you to know that whatever happens between us, and believe me I want there to be some sort of 'us', I will always be there for you when it comes to Henry. I know what you're going to be facing with him and I know you're going to need support. So regardless of how we work out, please know I will always be someone you can talk to. I know we met less than a week ago and that seems like a crazy thing to say but I feel a connection with you, Regina. Whether that connection leads to us dating or just being friends, I need you to know you can confide in me."

"I don't want to be friends with you, Emma." The blonde's face faltered before the older woman continued. "I want to date you. But thank you for saying those things; it means a lot."

"You're welcome. And I want to date you too."

"Even though you think I'm straight?"

Emma glowered. "I am going to kill Ruby."

Regina laughed. Emma felt her heart rate quicken at the sound. "I think she was trying to put in a good word. She just did a terrible job of doing so."

"Did she scare you off?"

"Never," Regina replied. "I like you, Emma. I just hope I don't scare you off by putting too much on you talking about Henry's illness."

"I can take it," Emma said. "I told you, I want to be there for you."

"Since we're being honest, there's one more thing I need to say."

"Go ahead."

"I don't want you to be meeting Henry again too soon," Regina said. "I know you've already met him but if we were to start dating and then break up, I don't want him getting hurt. Before I reintroduce you two, I want to be sure there's something here."

"I understand entirely. But just for the record," Emma leaned forwards, "there's definitely something here."

Regina grinned. "Yeah, I think so too. We should probably start getting to know one another and prove we're both right though."

"Agreed. So, why don't you start by telling me what happened at this meeting yesterday?"

A/N: The date will continue in Sunday's chapter!