Chapter Text
Ruby yawned, stretching in bed. She was warm from the golden light on her skin, filtering in through translucent curtain. Turning, she caught sight of a Blondie poster hanging besides David Bowie’s ripped-at-the-corner poster. Oh, she remembered with a jolt.
Sitting up, she pushed the blankets off, feeling a buzz rush over her. She was home. After ages of travelling through realms, after months of Oz, she was finally home.
Her feet padded quietly, reaching in her dusty knapsack to pull out her toothbrush. On her way down the hall, she paused by the linen closest and grabbed a spare, white towel before continuing her path.
She assumed that Granny was already awake, in her office doing last minute organising downstairs, as she usually had before Ruby had left, but with all the noise of Storybrooke, it was difficult to work out what belonged to whom.
But if Granny did hear her tip-toeing around, she’d probably assume that one of the guests was up early, making themselves at home in the shared bathroom. No one knew she was coming back for a visit. Not even Ruby knew until last night, when her situation had become unbearable.
Slipping into the shower, she washed her hair with a gracious amount of shampoo and conditioner, taking her time under the hot water. Finally, as her skin began to turn as bright as her namesake, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower into the steam. Drawing in a deep breath, she brought in the smell of the diner and felt ease wash over her.
She’d been away for too long.
Wrapping a towel around herself, she made her way back to her bedroom and opened up her wardrobe, opting to dress in her old Ruby gear. Her underwear was still neatly packed away, with her assortment of matching and lone bras in the drawer below.
And god, didn’t it just feel nice to be in soft cotton again? She breathed out a sigh as she stretched in the red shirt and tight jeans, feeling her back arch. A part of her, the Ruby part more-so than the Red, missed wearing jeans. They didn’t have anything like these ones, even if they had denim overalls in Dorothy’s home world.
Which, FYI, was not the same.
She had also missed the feeling of a bra instead of a corset, of high-rise underwear and elastic bands in her hair, tying it up into a neat, tight ponytail.
Pulling on her old doc martins, she slapped her legs and stared at herself in the mirror, just to make sure she looked as presentable as she felt.
She looked good, she looked like a different part of herself again. Being in Oz had been incredible for a time. Mulan and Dorothy both had been wonderful and even though she had missed her eyeliner and lipstick (there wasn’t an easier alternative in Oz. Unless you liked staining berries and stealing charcoal from the fire), it had been amazing to have had that change.
But things hadn’t been quite right over the last couple of months, and inevitably, the other ruby slipper dropped and…
Dorothy, she remembered with a pang.
Pushing that aside, she listened to the steps of Granny downstairs. There. Ruby headed to where the diner connected with the b&b and posed, awaiting Granny’s surprise as she came from the backroom, heading towards the diner to open up.
“Good to see you, girlie,” she received instead, as her grandmother breezed past her. She hadn’t been surprised in the least. Ruby’s lips parted, her eyes going wide as she stared at Granny. “Bacon and eggs, as usual?”
Ruby pouted.
Stopping then, her grandmother turned and smiled brightly, coming over to pull her into a tight hug. “I heard you sneak in last night. Couldn’t be bothered waking your granny up for a hello?”
Clinging to the hug, Ruby closed her eyes and breathed in. There was still an ache in her chest, left over from the homesickness. She hadn’t realised just how much she’d missed her. “Sorry,” she said. “I thought three in the morning was a bit late.”
“It was early.”
Ruby winced. “Time differences, right?”
Granny pulled away, placing her hands on Ruby’s cheek. “Just remember, you’re always welcome to wake me up for a hello. Anytime, you hear?” Her grandmother offered a small scowl, before smiling again. “Anytime,” she said, making a point with her infliction of the word.
“I’ll remember that.”
Chuckling, Granny dropped her hands away and looked around. “Didn’t hear you bring any company with you,” she said, her eyes meeting Ruby’s again. “Everything okay?”
Ruby smiled, “No, not in the least,” she said. Pausing, she closed her mouth, feeling the familiar frustration burn in her. She had hoped that the spell wouldn’t carry over to Storybrooke. “I need to speak with…Gold.” Good, there was truth in that, at least. “Soon.”
“Gold?”
“I-I’ll explain it later,” she smiled then.
Granny stared at her, lips pressed in a thin line. Still, Eugene Lucas knew her granddaughter well enough to know that if Ruby wanted to tell her, she would eventually. “All right, let’s get you some breakfast, first.”
Pleased that she wasn’t being pressed, Ruby allowed herself to be lead into the diner where she made them both a coffee as Granny opened up the diner to allow the morning staff came in. As they began setting up, Granny went out back to where the kitchen staff had already began prep to cook Ruby a greasy breakfast.
A few offered surprised hellos to Ruby, but there were a few vague faces that Ruby couldn’t place a name to.
“Eat up,” Granny said, when she had set down the plate of food. And then, as Ruby took her first bite, “Wanna speak about that curse you’ve got?”
“Not yet,” the curse answered for her, using her mouth as a prop. Ruby scowled, hating the feeling of her jaw and voice becoming a puppet to the magic. “Soon,” she said, lifting her eyes to meet Granny’s. “I wanna talk to Gold about it first.”
Granny nodded. “Are you going to go see the others?”
“Yes,” she answered. Then, coughing, “after I fix this problem. I mean, it’s not a horrific curse, it’s just a small mishap that I think needs like a counter-curse before I…say anything bad.”
Granny’s frown was deepening, further unconvinced. “If you say so,” she said, turning to serve the first of the morning customers. The early-risers who got up at 6.00 on the dot, and usually were here when they opened by 7.30.
“Ruby?”
“Yes,” the spell answered, despite the bacon still in her mouth. Coughing, Ruby turned and froze, struck by the sight of Regina, whom of course, always arrived at 7.30 on every morning (except on a Thursday) before heading to her office.
She hadn’t even considered running into her, and she should have. It should have been central in her mind –– and if the curse had worked on her thoughts, as it did with her voice, she would had known that a part of her had known that fact.
Ruby found herself dumbstruck to see the mayor. She looked good. Really good, actually Her hair had been cut since she last saw her, back to the more stylish cut rather than the awkward not-long-enough-but-growing-it-out length. She was dressed in her usual mayoral attire, with a blue shirt to break up against her black skirt and jacket combo.
And she wore stockings. Not pantyhose, but stockings and Ruby knew this because she knew what all six garter belts looked like in intimate detail. She also knew what it felt like to snap ––
No, she didn’t know for sure if that was true. She thinks she knows what it feels like to snap the belt, but there was every possibility that none of those thoughts were actually memories.
Ruby realised that she had to leave, like, immediately. She’d been staring far too long and Regina was going ask a question soon.
“Hey,” Ruby said instead. “How are you?” Smooth, Lucas. Real smooth.
“Good,” Regina answered, more than a little awkward. It was almost…cute? No, not cute, that was not the word. Regina wasn’t cute she was… “I didn’t realise that you were back from…Oz, was it?”
“Yes.” Ruby swallowed. “Just arrived this morning. After the staff here, you’re the first to know, actually.” She forced out a laugh, then stopped it, swallowing back the sound as her hand closing tightly around the stainless steel fork and knife. She needed to say something good, before making her way out to see Gold. No, what she needed to do was not say anything stupid. “Well, ah, you look good.” Dammit.
“As do you.” Regina nodded, smiling at her, then, and god, it sent warmth cascading through Ruby’s body. “It’s good to have you back, dear.”
“Good to be back,” she said as hope spilled in her chest, before constricting suddenly. She could feel the curse swim inside of her, wanting to say it. Clamping her mouth shut, Ruby nodded and pushed her half-filled plate away. She needed to see Gold. “Well, I’m off to run an errand,” she said. “I’ll see you around?”
Regina blinked, startled by her sudden reply. “Of course,” Regina said. “Perhaps we could organise a welcome home party. With Snow and everyone, of course.”
Ruby almost snorted at the idea of Snow White and Regina Mills planning her welcome home party. Regina had come along way since she left.
“Oh, no thank you,” she said quickly, hoping that she had stifled her amused smile before Regina could see it. “No, something always happens when we have a party, I think I’ll just keep it on the down-low.”
Regina quirked her head, before nodding. “If that’s what you want.”
“Thank you. See you,” she said, giving a short wave –– why the hell did she wave –– before quickly darting out of the diner as her cheeks began to heat. Shit, she needed to get to Gold’s and sort this out before running into anyone else. The last thing she needed to do was embarrass herself in front of anyone else.
At least, the truth curse hadn’t said anything bad around Regina. That would have been horrible, in her current state. She could just imagine the disaster: Oh hello Ruby, how have you been?
Not good, actually. Regina.
What’s wrong, dear?
Oh, I left my girlfriend because I got cursed with a truth spell by some witch and accidentally admitted that I think about you a lot. Mostly about you in bed. By the way, did we used to sleep with each other?
No, nope. It was probably best if she just avoided Regina until the damned curse was gone and broken.
She had a simple, easy-to-follow plan: see Gold, get curse broken, go see Snow and everyone else. Avoid Regina.
Except, when she arrived at her destination, the Pawn Shop had a ‘closed until further notice’ sign taped to the window.
Ruby stared at the shop window, willing for the sign to cease existence. Not that that would take away from the fact that there was a reason it had been put up in the first place.
“Shit.” Taking the brass handle, she rattled the door, before knocking loudly. Nothing moved inside of the shop. It was as if the sign was speaking as truthfully as she was.
Great, now all she had to do was dodge anyone who might ask a question as she tried to get to a phone. Or, maybe she could go back to Granny’s. No, no, that was a bad idea, she might run into Regina who was probably still ordering a coffee, or on her way out.
She could sneak around the back, maybe.
“Ruby?” Dammit.
“Yes,” she answered. Damn this curse. Turning on her heel, she smiled at David. “Hey, haven’t seen you since you were not-dead. How are you?”
“When did you get back?”
“This morning, around three.” Double-damn this curse.
“Early,” he noted, his expression turning puzzled. “Is ––“
“How’s Mary-Margaret?” Ruby cut in.
“Good… I think?”
“Yes.” For fuck’s sake, she glared at herself, that question hadn’t even been directed to her.
“Everything ––?”
“Are you off to the diner?”
“Okay?” Charming continued, stopping suddenly to step back and placed his hands on his waist in his ‘Okay, what’s going on here’ pose.
“:No,” the curse answered for her and Ruby clenched her hand. Charming’s ever-perceptive eyes looked down to it just as Ruby tried to unclench and offer him a smile.
“No…?” he said, meeting her eyes again.
“I’ve been cursed,” she said, then scowled. “I need to go find…someone,” Ruby nodded, pleased the curse allowed that much before she pressed her mouth shut. David turned, looking at Gold’s window.
“You know, you could try Regina first. She’s good now.”
“I know,” she said, her voice coming out like a tired whine. “I just…would prefer Gold first. He’s had more experience with this stuff, you know?”
“Right.” David looked at her oddly, as if she’d grown a second mouth. There was no way she could get away with heading back to the diner and using Granny’s phone to call Gold. She should just…leave.
Again.
“Did you say you were ––“
“Well, I better go,” she said before David could finish his sentence. Stepping around him, she waved –– what was it with her waving!? –– and jogged off down the street, the opposite way to where David was heading, and towards one of the quieter roads.
God. Dammit.
“Ruby?” she heard, calling behind her. “What do you mean cursed?”
“I mean I’m cursed to tell the truth,” she found herself saying back, long out of earshot from David. Small mercies in the world.
It wasn’t long before she finally found the one phone booth in all of Storybrooke. She’d run into a few people, but no one who bothered to muster up anything further than a “didn’t know you were back!” No questions, just hellos and statements, thank the gods.
She’d quickly jammed in a few coins she’d found in the pocket of jeans –– again, small mercies –– and had been connected to the operator who was diligent enough. “Hold please while I connect your call.”
The plastic phone receiver was cold in her hands as she bounced on the rubber soles of her docs. Please, please pick up. There were more people starting to wake-up and open up their shops or begin doing their early morning errands. Come on, Gold. I need this fixed.
“Yes?” Gold’s voice came, through the receiver.
“Finally,” she said, breathing out a sigh of relief. “Gold, I need your help.”
There was a pause, before an amused, low laugh, “Miss Lucas, I wasn’t aware of your return.”
“I arrived this morning.”
“I see.”
“I have a curse. I need you to break it because it’s really messing up my life.”
“And why have you come to me and not Ms Mills?”
“Too worried about what might happen if I talk to her.” She sealed her lips shut, coughing her throat as if there was something stuck there.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Gold paused, before then saying, “Then, perhaps Miss Swan? She does have a knack for breaking curses, after all.”
“No.” Ruby glared, staring at the phone as her jaw clenched. “I’m embarrassed about what I’ll say if she asks questions that I don’t want to answer.”
A silence followed. Ruby panicked, wondering if he’d hung up. “I see,” he said, sounding as if he had concluded to what her predicament just was. “Unfortunately, I know exactly what particular curse vexes you currently. It’s not something I can fix at this moment.”
“Liar,” Ruby hissed.
“As true as that may be,” he said. “I am, however, detained in important business and unable to come back for some unknown time. Though, I’m sure that the Ms Mills will be…pleased to help you.”
“Come on!”
“Sorry, dearie. Enjoy your curse. I look forward to seeing what unravels by my return.”
Ruby hung up the phone, biting back at her frustration. She took a breath and sighed. She had no other choice, she was going to have to ask Regina. Or maybe Emma. Emma could be good. Emma was the saviour and she needed…saving. If she spoke quickly, maybe Emma would not ask questions and she wouldn’t have to worry about Regina being around and being…
Ruby sighed, looking back, to the direction of the diner. Would Emma be having breakfast or at the Sheriff’s station, now? Or was she at home after finishing her shift?
“Ruby?” By the gods, what was with her luck this morning?
“Yes,” she answered, turning to see who had spoken. “Henry! Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“Summer holidays,” he said. Of course it is. “How come you’re at the payphone?”
“I just rang Gold,” she answered him. Her mouth opened to interject a question, but she fumbled, her jaw struggling to say anything. “Wow! You’ve grown!” she managed, then winced. That was definitely awkward.
“Right. Why are you calling Gold?”
“I’m cursed and I didn’t want to go to Regina for help, first.” She answered, then scowled again. “Where’s Emma, maybe she can help me?”
Henry tilted his head. “Ah, okay. But you should see Mum about it. She’s good now, you know.”
Ruby smiled, well, him and Regina had definitely come along way too. “I know. It’s not that I don’t think she’s good. I’m just…embarrassed.” She tried to add that’s all but had the uncomfortable feeling of being unable to open her jaw. Great. “Are you off to see your…mum, by any chance?”
“Emma, yeah.”
Right. Must have been Regina’s night then. Ruby nodded. “All right, cool. So…how about you tell me about school and we’ll walk over?”
Henry squinted at her. He was still a few inches shorter than her, but he’d definitely shot up since she last saw him. “It’s not as interesting as Oz,” he answered.
Ruby pulled on her puppy eyes, pouting at Henry. “Please,” she said. “I would like to hear about what I’ve missed here.”
Henry’s feet slowed, his eyes wide as he continued to stare at her, looking pained. “That’s unfair. Your promised you wouldn’t do that to me anymore.”
She smiled, “Sorry, I’ve been perfecting it. It’s way better, right?”
Henry laughed. “I bet you can get Mulan and Dorothy to side with anything you say.”
Ruby’s mouth parted, her words shut off as she thought about her two friends. About her once-girlfriend who still loved her. Whom she still loved. “Sometimes,” she answered. “They’re pretty immune for the most part.”
“What’s your curse?” he asked.
“Answering truthfully,” she said. Sighing, she looked at Henry. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
“No, I bet. That sounds kinda awful,” he said. “But it’s still cook.”
“I suppose it is kinda cool,” Ruby said. “If I hadn’t been under it..
“So…you can’t even say a little lie?”
“No. And I answer every question I’m asked, which can get you into a sh–, err, lot of trouble.”
Henry stated at her, wincing sympathetically. “That must suck.”
“Super sucks,” she said, before offering him a smile. “But I’m here, right? So it’s not the worst thing to exist ever.”
“I guess?” Henry said, with a frown pulling at his forehead.
“So how about that recap, hey?”
“You’re avoiding something,” he said.
She shrugged. It wasn’t a question and he didn’t press it. Instead, he looked at her inquisitively, before launching into a recap of what she missed as they walked down the streets to where the Sheriff’s Station was.
“You know,” Henry said as they rounded the corner where the station was. “She’s getting good, but… Mum probably won’t be able to help you.”
“I know,” she said, then sighed. It’d be nice if she could at least lie to herself. “Emma does has magic though, not to mention that curse-breaking is kinda what she’s known for. There’s at least a small chance she could fix this.”
“Why won’t you go to mum? My other mum, that is.”
Ruby clamped her jaw shut, fighting the words. “Scared,” she answered shortly, and then breathed out. That was close.
“Of ––“
“Dude,” Ruby broke in. “It’s complicated and maybe starts back around fifteen or so years ago. I know Regina is good and that she could probably wave her hand and fix this, but there’s the possibility of her asking something that I don’t want to answer.” She huffed, clenching her fist as Henry stared at her with surprise. She hadn’t meant to snap at him.
“You’re not lying,” Henry said. “But there’s more to it than that.”
“Yeah, there is,” she said, easing her muscles. She was scared. Not just if Regina asked an innocent question and she ended up asking about the last fifteen years. But Ruby had found herself pining over old maybe-memories. If they were real, she was definitely aching for…something.
Maybe she always had been. Dammit.
But there was still the possibility that her memory of that time wasn’t real. That the twenty-eight year curse had confused her daydreams with reality and everything she was pining over was just a fantasy.
She wasn’t sure which was worse.
“Is this about Dorothy?” Henry asked. Ruby turned and glared at him.
“Partially,” she said. Then squinted. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“Okay,” Henry nodded. “I’m sorry, about asking all the questions.”
Ruby frowned, reaching out a hand to touch his shoulder and awkwardly patting it. Henry turned to look at her hand, frowning at it. She couldn’t blame him, it was a weird pat.
“I’m not ready to talk about some stuff, okay?”
Henry nodded. “Right, so you think I’m being too pushy?”
“Yes,” Ruby said, then frowned at the hurt that flushed over his face. “Look, I know why you’re asking questions, but right now I want to keep a lot of things to myself. When I work them out, I might talk about some stuff.”
Henry paused, looking as if his thoughts were turning over something, before he nodded. “I think I understand,” he said. “It’s different when you’re made to say something.”
“Exactly,” she said. “Thanks for understanding.” She stepped away, ruffling his hair as she did. Henry scowled, fixing it back in place.
“Mean,” he said to her again, smiling.
“Oh, I know.”
They entered the Sheriff’s Station, to where Emma sat, crowded around boxes of junk and paper. Without looking up, Emma said: “I was thinking that for dinner we could do hamburgers. What do you think?”
“I’d like that,” Ruby answered.
Emma jumped, a smile pooling over her face as she realised who had spoken “I didn’t know you were back!”
“Yeah, I’ve been getting that a lot,” she said. “Next time I’ll try to send notice.”
Standing up, Emma came around and pulled her into a tight, brief hug. As she stepped back, her eyes glanced around, looking to see if anyone else had followed in with her and Henry. “Where’s Dorothy?”
Ruby’s smile fell. “Oz,” she answered, forcing a smile on her mouth again. “I ––“ she stopped, unable to say will explain it later. Dammit. “Left her with Mulan,” she finished, coughing to hide the choke of words.
“Oh, cool. Sure,” Emma nodded. “Are you just here to say hi, or is something wrong?”
“Something’s wrong,” Ruby winced, “I kinda got a problem and thought you might be able to help me.”
“She’s cursed,” Henry said. “Can only tell the truth.”
“The whole truth and nothing but the truth?” Emma said with a grin.
“Not the whole truth,” Ruby replied, turning to glare at the kid, “But, otherwise, yes. That’s the problem that I was trying to subtly get to.” She sighed, rubbing at the back of her neck. “It’s causing some problems for me. I tried going to Gold but he is apparently ‘detained’ somewhere.”
Emma frowned. “I didn’t know that.” Ruby shrugged, she didn’t know any more than that. “Well, to be honest, Regina’s probably better with this sort of thing. Do you want me to call her?”
“No. No, I…” Ruby said, drawing in a breath, “I just thought that you might-be-able-to-do-it-instead?” she rushed, ducked her eyes away.
Emma blinked, her mouth parting at the rush of words. “She’s good now, Rubes. She wouldn’t ––“
“I know,” Ruby said. “Look, there’s just some messy history between us and I don’t really want to talk to her when everything coming out of my mouth is the unavoidable truth.”
Emma frowned and nodded, coming to whatever conclusion she had from that. Probably that she and Regina might get into a verbal fighting match. Or an actual fighting match as she pissed off Regina and Regina pissed her off.
It was a possibility, and to be honest, she wasn’t against it. Arguing with Regina was a ––
Thought she would not allow while standing next to Emma and Henry. “So,” she said, looking at Emma. “Think you could help me?”
“I’ll see what I can do,” she said. “But I don’t really know how to break a, err, truth curse?”
“Yes,” Ruby answered.
Emma nodded. “I’ll read some…books and see what I can find out. Maybe I’ll ask Regina.” Ruby winced. “Don’t worry, I’ll try to keep you out of it.”
Still, she’d rather keep the whole situation on the down-low for as long as possible, even if in the first two hours, almost everyone she came in contact with seemed to be in on what she had hoped to keep between herself and whomever fixed her. “So…I might head back to Granny’s then?” Ruby said.
“No, stay,” Emma said. “I’m just doing paperwork, you can catch me up with what you’ve been up to.”
Henry grinned at her, trying to use his own version of her puppy eyes. Ruby stared between the big, hopeful eyes of Emma and Henry’s plead. Dammit, that just wasn’t fair. “Okay,” she said. “But no questions allowed until this curse situation is fixed, got it?”
“Sure, I get it.”
Henry nodded as well.
“Good,” Ruby said.
Emma smiled and then paused. “How’s everyone in Oz?”
“For the most part, good,” Ruby answered with a pointed stare.
“Sorry, it’s…actually a lot harder than I expected.”
“Yeah, that’s what everyone says. Anyway, I met Glinda.”
“Was she…um, pink?” Emma asked, wincing at herself. “Sorry.”
“Yes. Her dress was not as fwoofy as I had expected.”
Emma’s lips twisted, looking disappointed with the answer. “Big, crazy hair?”
“Nope. And what part about no questions are you not getting?”
“Sorry.” She smiled at Ruby, looking up at her guiltily. “Okay, how about you just tell me some stories and I’ll sit here and only make comments.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Henry agreed.
“Fine,” Ruby said, sitting down on the side of a perpendicular desk to Emma. “But I’m trusting you.”
They spoke lightly for the next hour, only a few questions accidentally asked, as they talked about Oz and then about Storybrooke and Belle was pregnant and staying as far away from Gold as possible, what the hell? Before Henry mentioned he was doing an early-lunch with Regina and would see them later. Emma and Ruby both gave their goodbyes to Henry, just as Charming and Snow White walked in with baby Neal.
Ruby blinked, looking at the hurt expression on her friend’s face as she stood defensively, her lips pursed. She probably should have rang Snow and told her she was back, at least.
“Hey,” she said, the word sounding loaded. “How are you?”
“Does everyone but me know you’re here?” Snow asked, clipping her words.
Ruby walked over, wrapping her arms around her friend and pulled her into a much-wanted hug. Quickly, Snow returned it, placing her head on top of her shoulder. “Sorry,” Ruby explained, muffled by the yellow jumper. “I’ve just been dealing with a situation.”
“I assumed as much,” Snow said, before pulling away. “I spoke with Regina first, who was curious as to why you were acting strange, then David told me that he ran into you, and then I’m doing my shopping with Neal and I hear from the grocer that he saw you, only to come here and see that you’re with Henry and Emma!”
Henry looked between them all, muttered about how he should really go, and ducked out of the room. Snow huffed, staring at Ruby. “Well?” she asked.
Ruby’s mouth opened, “I was trying to avoid as many people as I could but everyone seems to be up and walking around before nine.”
Snow raised her eyebrows. “And why were you avoiding me?”
“Because I was scared to answer questions,” Ruby said, then glared, hissing under her breath. “Uh!” she said quickly, holding up her hand just as Snow was about to ask her next question. “Before you ask anything, know that I may be cursed and prone to answering every question at the moment so I would –– prefer –– less questions and more statements.” She said, before quickly adding, “Please,”
Snow nodded. “I see. So you were…concerned that I would ask questions…and you would be forced to answer them. Is that right?”
“Yes,” Ruby said, then narrowed her eyes. “No questions.”
Snow opened her mouth and then closed it. Turning to Charming.
“Who cursed you?” David asked.
“A witch,” Ruby asked. “You guys are all so bad this. Look, I don’t know her name, I just…happened to accidentally piss her off. There was a mix-up and we thought she was the one causing people to fall asleep in the poppy field. She didn’t take too well to being falsely accused by me.”
“Seems a bit extreme,” Emma said.
Ruby turned, smiling awkwardly, “I may…have declared her guilt in front of the village and lost her some business. She decided that it was a fitting punishment.”
“So you came to Emma to see if she could break the curse.” Snow said.
“Yes,” Ruby said.
“Why didn’t you go to Regina, first?”
“Because I’m scared,” the curse said quickly, hurting her mouth. “Ow,” she muttered, stretching her jaw. “Look, just…statements, remember?” Ruby said, nodding at everyone, “Alright? It’s an unpleasant curse.”
“Sorry,” Snow said, reaching out to press a hand on her shoulder. “So, what can we do?”
“Just keep it to yourselves for now,” the curse answered. In fairness, Snow looked apologetic at that one. “Emma will fix this, and if she can’t I will…” she swallowed, “go to Regina and ask for her help.”
“She’s good now, you know?”
“Yes, I know!” Ruby said. Breathing out a sigh, she shook her head at the stunned expressions on everyone’s face. “Sorry, everyone keeps telling me that. It’s…annoying,” she said, stretching her jaw. “Anyway, I might go back to Granny’s and ––“
“You can have lunch with us.” Snow interjected. “We’ll be on our best behaviour and we haven’t seen you for so long.”
The whole family was giving her that hopeful look again. Looking around, she swallowed awkwardly and laughed. “Alright, fine. But no questions,” she said. As if to speak to her, baby Neal reached up and cooed at her. “Well you can ask a question,” she said, leaning down to coo back at him. “Because I don’t understand you, so it doesn’t matter. Does it?”
“So if someone asks in another language?” Emma asked.
“Nothing.” Turning away from Neal, Ruby said. “But the curse doesn’t understand rhetorical questions, unfortunately.” She wiggled her fingers at the baby, smiling as Neal showed off his gums. “Look how beautiful he is,” she said.
“He’s standing,” Snow said proudly. “He stood the other day against the coffee table, didn’t he?”
“Yep, fast learner,” Charming grinned. “Like his father.”
“Won’t be long until you’re walking mister,” Ruby said, then smiled at Snow. She had really missed being in Storybrooke. She also missed holding her godson. “So, where did you want to eat?”
“You could come back to ours?” Snow offered. “Limit the amount of people you’d see.”
Ruby nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Well,” David said, stepping back. “I’ll stay here with Emma. We’re on duty, after-all.”
“We’ll pick you guys something up, won’t we?” Snow beamed, turning to Ruby. It felt normal, more importantly, it felt right just how easily everything seemed.
“Yes,” the spell answered for her. But it didn’t hurt her jaw. In fact, Ruby could almost believe that she said it of her own volition.
An hour later and Ruby found herself feeling less comfortable. Mary-Margaret’s old apartment wasn’t as she remembered. A lot of the embroidered throw pillows, the dollies and bright, cushy home touches had been removed. There were still flowers, still pictures of birds and knick-knacks covering available surfaces, but it was different to how she remembered it. It almost felt like a modern decor of the castle, before the curse had hit.
It belonged to Snow and David now. And baby Neal, of course. There was toys strewn about. A changing table, stuffed in the corner. It was more cluttered, even with the extra room since Emma moved out, but it felt…odd to her.
Ruby paused, looking around to the second level. Had Emma moved out? Perhaps she still carried all her items in three easy-to-pack boxes with spare underwear in the back of her car.Gods, Ruby hoped not.
Earlier, she had set out the plates of dips and cheeses as Snow made sandwiches and quickly ran four, glad-wrapped sandwiches to the Sheriff’s Station, with two bottles of soda. Ruby stayed with baby Neal, singing to him the same lullaby she had wanted to sing to Emma all those years go.
When Snow had returned from her lunch delivery, she’d made a pot of tea for the both of them, smiling as Ruby asked if she could have coffee instead. “Sucks not have espresso machines in Oz, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, dammit. You have no idea. I’m tempted to take some instant with me if I go back.”
“Oh, I remember when Emma and I were stuck in the Enchanted Forest.” Snow paused at her, tilting her head. “Did you just say if you go back?”
“Yes.” Ruby opened her mouth and stopped as Snow raised a brow at her. “I-I’m not sure yet,” she stuttered. “I love the adventure and I still haven’t found another wolf-pack but…” she swallowed hard at the cursed words rising. “I do miss you guys,” she said, smiling up at Snow and quickly looking away to cut a piece of brie for her cracker.
“Mmhmm, and is Dorothy okay with this?”
“I don’t know,” she said, honestly.
Snow took a breath, pulling up her lecture face. “You should probably discuss it with her first. She has her whole family too, doesn’t she?” Snow paused. “Does she?”
“Sort of. She has her Uncle and some of his old friends from the farm. But they’re in another land,” Ruby answered. “They’re retired now and I don’t think they like me that much, to be honest.”
“Well, I’m not surprised, they’re from a different…” Snow paused, “…culture?” she tried then, tilting her head.
“Yes,” came the spell, once again like a bad case of hiccups that won’t leave. “I don’t really know for sure,” Ruby shrugged. “But I don’t think it’s the bisexual thing, I think it’s more of a wolf thing.”
“And that’s a problem with you and Dorothy?” Snow asked.
Ruby shook her head. “No, she doesn’t really care about the wolf. I think after flying monkeys and witches, werewolves was relatively easy to understand.” Ruby breathed, out, rolling her shoulders. “So you and Charming going to say in this apartment with Neal?”
“No. We’re going to move,” Snow said, in a tone Ruby realised too late, was dismissive. She had no time to interrupt when Snow asked, “What’s going on with you and Dorothy?”
“We’re not happy together,” she managed to say before spell answered. Narrowing her eyes, she stared at Snow, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Ruby,” Snow said, “did this happen before the spell, or after?”
Ruby felt panic claw at her chest, “after,” she answered. “Snow, please. Just drop it.”
Her best friend frowned, lips pursing in a way that told Ruby she wasn’t about to just drop it. “Okay,” she said. “For now.” Ruby sighed, the panic easing inside of her.
“Thank you. I don’t really feel like talking while I’m like this. I can’t even refuse to answer or lie.” That, Ruby realised, had been the wrong thing to say. Snow’s eyes snapped to hers, back straightening as her head tilting in a frighteningly inquisitive way.
“Why would you need to lie to me?” she asked, sounding more like a mother in that tone, than she ever had before.
“Because I don’t want to admit the truth,” her voice said. Snapping her jaw shut, Ruby bared her teeth, stepping away from Snow. “Please, just leave it.”
“What truth?” Snow pursued.
“About why we broke up. Dammit Snow, please!” Ruby glared.
“You broke up?” Snow said with a small cry.
“Yes. Dammit, Snow. Drop it,” Ruby warned. “Or I will leave.”
Snow took a breath and dropped her shoulders, swallowing back whatever she wanted to say. “Fine, you can have your secrets for now, but I really think we should discuss this later.” Her face softened as she came over to take Ruby’s hands in hers. “I can hep. Even if I’m just a shoulder to cry on.”
Ruby didn’t want to cry. She’d done enough of it, already. “I’ll think about it,” Ruby said, breathing out the words heavily. “Now, can we move on from my life?”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Anything else,” came the reply. Then, hesitating, Ruby looked to baby Neal for support. “Have you got any play dates set up?”
“You don’t care about that,” Snow said.
“Aurora had her baby too, didn’t she?”
“Yes! A little girl. Briar Rose, after her mother,” Snow said, easily falling back into conversation. “She was born with a head of golden hair, you know?”
“No,” she answered. Snow covered her mouth in humoured-embarrassment. Ruby shrugged, it was an accident, she’d let it slide. “You were born with a crop of dark hair, as you proudly like to tell anyone.”
“Hey, it’s a big thing. While others babies were bald, naked little things, I had my hair. Made me cuter.”
Ruby smiled, “You’re offending your son, you realise?”
Snow shrugged, looking over to Neal. “He can’t understand me,” she said, then looking to Ruby. “Have you ––“ she cut herself off. “I mean…” pausing, she shook her head. “I don’t know how to make that a statement.”
“No,” Ruby said smiling. “I haven’t really thought about children. To be honest, I’ve always enjoyed being the aunt, I like that I can hand the child back when it’s crying, or needs to be changed.”
Snow began laughing at her. “Babies are not its, you realise?”
“Well, that’s arguable,” she said, surprised that the spell allowed that. “Anyway why don’t you tell me what you’re doing. Have you gone back to teaching?”
Snow shook her head. “No, that was Mary-Margaret’s thing. She had…infinitely more patience than me, you know?”
“Not really,” Ruby whispered. “Don’t you feel like Mary-Margaret is a part of you?”
“No. She was just a made-up personality in the curse. Don’t you feel that way about Ruby? I mean, you hardly dress like…that anymore.”
“No,” Ruby replied to the question. Her wardrobe change had begun before the curse broke, anyway. “They’re both are apart of me. Are equal parts of me.” She frowned, looking away. “How did you just shut that off?”
“She wasn’t me,” Snow said. “It wasn’t about ‘shutting’ anything off.”
“But all that knowledge of teaching, all that past that Mary-Margaret had…” Ruby urged. They had lives, they had these ideas of what they wanted, they had history of intwined relationships, memories dating from grade to high school.
“Mary Margaret is just…someone else,” Snow shrugged. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel that way. I guess everyone reacted differently about the curse.”
“Yeah,” Ruby said, looking back to the table of food. Mary-Margaret would have had coasters out and a knitted cosy over the pot. “Everyone’s different.”
She looked to her half-eaten sandwich, unable to pick it up and take another bite. Instead, she took the red mug of coffee in hand, sipping it as she asked Snow polite questions about her life as her mind drifted over the possibility of Ruby versus Red.
Was it possible that she couldn’t love Dorothy because she had taken Ruby on. That to Red, Dorothy was her true love, but Ruby hadn’t let go of a pivotal relationship?
“What do you think?” Snow asked. Ruby froze, blinking as she tried to remember what they had been talking about.
“Sorry, can you repeat the question?” She tried to pay more attention, and as she did, the conversation moved from being about David to Neal, Emma and then Henry. And with the conversation of Henry, they came to Regina.
“She’s using less magic,” Snow said, pointedly over her tea. “She’s good.”
“I know,” Ruby said, for what must have been the fifth time that day. Because of this, she made a bitter jab of, “She had actually been pretty nice to me during the curse.”
“Really?”
Regina, even before had Henry came along, used to politely order coffee from the diner. She never huffed, like Grumpy would in the lunch rush. Never expected anything else but a courteous “thank you”. More than anything, whenever Ruby asked in full waitress mode: “how are you today?” she’d always offered back a polite, though dismissive, “good thank you, and yourself?”
That wasn’t to say that Regina hadn’t been an asshole to her, because she had. Ruby had witnessed and been the target of Madam Mayor’s cruelties, knowing them in the form of sardonic comments and explicit exertions of power. They had petty fights, huffed sarcastic comments and wars over the diner counter, but despite all of that, Regina had been nice at times.
If her memories of their relationship were true –– and she couldn’t be sure, not with how muddled they felt in her mind –– Regina had sometimes been very good to her, as well. But true or not, whatever polite relationship they had attained, it all had become dispersed when the curse broke. The Evil Queen, in some sense, had returned, and with her, Red had been brought front and centre in defence with Snow White.
Perhaps that was partially why she had never asked if it was real.
“Ruby?”
“Hmm?” Ruby said. “Sorry, lost in thought. What were you saying?”
“Nothing much. I was just saying that I think you should see her if Emma can’t solve this.”
Ruby nodded. “I will. I promise.” She should ask. She could be tactful and say that she remembered something from years ago and was it true because it was confusing her mind.
But maybe, she’d wait until the curse was broken.
“So…how’s Mulan?” Snow asked, giving her a welcome distraction.
“Good, she’s planning on returning home to family, soon. There’s a festival coming up that’s important.” She swallowed, then added, “Maybe I’ll go with her.”
Snow nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. You should take Dorothy, too.”
Ruby gave a pointed look, seeing through the innocent expression Snow had as she poured herself more tea from the blue and white teapot.
“We broke up. Distance will be good.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Time together on some grand adventure is what you need.”
“Mm. So, what have you been doing in Storybrooke when you’re not running off to Hades?”
When four o’clock came and Emma opened the door, she offered a wince to Ruby. “Sorry, she just kinda pushed and I couldn’t lie,” she offered in explanation. Before Ruby could ask why Emma was apologising or what she meant, the answer became apparent as Regina entered into the room with hands on her hips.
She looked every inch the Madam Mayor that Ruby remembered.
“Miss Lucas,” she said cooly. Ruby swallowed. Oh no, she thought, before glancing to Emma and then back to Regina.
“Regina,” she said shakily. “I see that Emma,” she threw a look to the embarrassed sheriff, “explained you of my predicament?”
“Quite,” she clipped. “Emma somehow thought she could receive the answer of your predicament without delving into details. For some reason, she believed that vague, coded questions would be perfectly adequate for breaking a curse,” Ruby winced. She could imagine the lecture Emma got from that. “But because I had previously ran into you acting strangely, it became apparent as to whom had suddenly developed a new curse in this town.”
Ruby ducked her eyes down, catching Emma’s amused smile. “Shut up,” she hissed.
“I didn’t say anything,” Emma said, still smirking at her.
“Your face did.”
“What? You look like a kid going to the principle’s office. It was funny.”
“Emma,” Regina warned, and Emma gave the same look that Ruby was sure was on her own face. She could feel Snow snickering behind her. “Now, since we’re all in agreement in how ridiculous it was to go to Emma before me, we can move on.”
Ruby opened her mouth to defend herself, then stopped, thinking better of it. The last thing she wanted was Regina to become even more infuriated with her.
“Yes, Miss Lucas?”
To which the spell was able to answer with, “I was scared of answering questions in front of you.” Ruby flinched, unaware that it could even answer questions like that. She felt dizzy from that bout.
“I see,” Regina said, her face appearing less confident after witnessing the spell in action. “This is far worse than I had anticipated.”
“I pissed her off pretty badly.”
“The witch who cursed you, I take it?” Regina asked.
“Yes,” she answered. “It was…an understandable response into what I did.”
Regina didn’t answer. Instead, she came to circle around Ruby in a way that made her feel uneasy. Like she had become the prey being stalked. “Well,” she said, “firstly, I’ll need to work out what kind of spell you’re under before I try anything.”
“Which means asking questions, doesn’t it?” Ruby asked.
“It would be the most efficient way to conduct my research, yes.”
Ruby frowned, catching sight of an interested Emma and Snow. “Do we need to have an audience?” Ruby asked.
“No,” Regina said. “Miss Swan, I believe you were going to pick our son up from the Sheriff’s Station and take him to dinner. Why don’t you take your mother, with you?”
“Yes,” Ruby answered. Regina gave her a concerned look.
“I just put Neal down,” Snow replied. “And it’s only four o’clock.”
“I assure you,” Regina said. “That Miss Lucas and myself can look after your sleeping son while you go to do something with Henry.”
Snow opened her mouth and then pressed it shut. Crossing her arms, she looked to the woman defensively. “Will you be doing any magic?” she asked.
As insensitive as the question was, it was fair with everything that had happened, Ruby thought. However, it seemed redundant. How could you break a spell without conducting magic? Unless Regina had Dorothy tucked away somewhere to make true love’s kiss happen.
Now there was a cross between a nightmare and her best daydream.
“There will be no magic this evening. At least, not while you’re out.” Regina said.
“No magic?” Ruby asked.
“No,” Regina repeated. “I will be merely conducting an interrogation to see what type of ‘truth curse’ this may be. However, Snow, if you prefer, we can adjourn to somewhere else?”
“I’m not against it,” Ruby answered, then scowled as everyone turned to face her. Shit. Damn. Hell. If this damned curse was anthropomorphised, she would strangle it.
“It shouldn’t take long,” Regina said.
Snow sighed. “As long as there’s no magic happening, I don’t see why you should leave. Maybe a couple of hours out will be good for us.” She turned, smiling to Emma who appeared unconcerned either way.
Ruby frowned, unsure of how she felt about it. Being alone with Regina was concerning, but necessary. An audience was not necessary. However, she had preferred working with Emma before, and yet…she wanted to work with Regina alone, now.
What did that say?
Oh right, big gay crush on Regina.
“Well that’s settled then,” Regina said. “You can enjoy some time with Emma and Henry, and I will work out what particular curse is affecting Miss Lucas.” Ruby shivered at her name. Damn Regina and her passive aggressive ways.
“Excellent,” Emma said. “Sounds like a plan.”
Ruby watched as they left, offering a small finger wave to both Snow and Emma as they offered her twin sympathetic looks before giving Regina a much less pitying goodbye. “If he cries, just pick him up and sing twinkle-twinkle little star. It’s his favourite at the moment.”
“Of course,” Regina said. Emma’s face lit up, staring at the former queen as if she was trying to imagine what that would look like.
Ruby didn’t have to imagine, she knew exactly what it looked and sounded like. Sometimes Ruby wasn’t sure if Emma remembered that Regina raised Henry.
“Oh and help yourself to anything in the fridge. Goodbye!” Snow said a final time, before pulling the apartment door shut. Ruby breathed out a sigh. As dearly as she loved Snow, she felt more at ease with only one person talking.
“Care to explain why you avoided coming to me?” Regina said, once the footsteps faded away.
Ruby was caught off guard by the question. Unfortunately, the spell was not, “I was scared,” she answered.
“Of me?”
“Sort of. More like, scared of your questions.” Ruby winced, unsure if she wanted Regina to think the worst of her, or the truth. Maybe the truth was the worst of her.
“I see,” Regina looked at her, though her hands were by her sides, appearing far more casual than when she had first stepped into the room. “Well, dear, I have no desire to humiliate you by forcing all sorts of truths to be expelled.”
“Good,” she said, nodding her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to you sooner. I was going to, but I thought Gold ––”
“You went to Gold, before me?” Regina said, sounding insulted.
“And then to Emma…” she added weakly. “I’m sorry, really, but I saw you this morning, and I panicked and I thought Gold would fix this and everything would be fine and ––“
“You were willing to make a deal to avoid me?” When she said it like that, Ruby felt kind of ridiculous for what she did.
“Yes. I was scared,” she said again, looking up at Regina.
“You understand my point is this, right?” Regina said. “You could have made a deal with Gold. A very open, very dangerous deal that could have you doing who knows what.””
“Yes, I realise that now,” Ruby sulked. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t require an apology, dear. You’re the one who almost made a deal with Rumple, in case you forgot.”
Feeling very small, regardless of the fact that she was half a foot taller than Regina on flats, Ruby stared at her, sticking out her bottom lip.
“Ah,” said Regina then, her expression turning amused, “I see Henry stole that look from you.”
“I taught him,” Ruby shrugged. What could she say, she felt sorry for the kid. The look was just to help him when he got in trouble. Not to manipulate people into joining his super secret operations, but, well, the kid was cunning. He got that from Regina.
“If it helps, I actually thought you would be the most competent person to come to first? I just…panicked when I saw you.”
At that, Regina smiled. It warm and playful, easing her mouth to one side of her face. “Well, as I know that’s not just flattery, I’ll take it as the compliment,” she said to her. Ruby swallowed, feeling her heart race.
“Good,” she said. “I’m glad…that you…take that as a…compliment. That is.”
Thankfully, Regina ignored that replied and instead magicked a book into her hand.
“I thought you said no magic?”
To that, Regina smiled. “Oh, nothing worth mentioning anyway,” she said. “Now, let’s see what type of truths you can say.” Regina looked at her, tilting her head as she gave her a once-over.
Oh no, Ruby thought, wondering exactly what Regina might ask her. She could ask anything, anything to mildly embarrass her to massively. Ruby felt a blush hit her cheeks, her heart racing inside of her chest. “Okay,” she managed to say.
“On what day were you born in Storybrooke?”
“I wasn’t born in Storybrooke,” Ruby answered, easing at the first question.
“Was the day you were born in the Enchanted Forest, the equivalent of a Tuesday here?”
“I don’t know,” Ruby answered. “How could I know that?”
“I assumed that you could not have, but some powerful truth spells can know any answer that could reasonably be found. As the Enchanted Forest runs on a similar three-hundred and sixty-five, so-on, rotation around the sun, you could feasibly work out the answer to what day you were born.”
“Right,” Ruby said. “Well, I can’t.”
“Obviously,” Regina said, though she still smiled at her. “Now, can you answer any question that’s asked around you?”
“No,” Ruby said. “I need to hear the question, as well as understand the language.”
“If you really don’t want to answer, can you avoid the question?” Regina asked.
“For a little bit, but it eventually comes out.”
Regina looked down at her book, flicking through the different marked pages she had, “I know this is obvious, but have you tried true love’s kiss to break it?”
“No.”
Regina stopped, looking at her oddly. “I would have thought that would have been your first line of defence.”
“I…it’s just not something I want to do,” Ruby explained.
“I see…care to explain why this is?”
“No,” Ruby answered. Then, as Regina arched her eyebrow, “She won’t kiss me after ––“ she cut herself off, swallowing back the words. “A-after I upset her.”
“Interesting.” Ruby flushed at the words. “Not about that,” she snapped, and Ruby was sure she could see Regina’s cheek flush red. “I mean that it’s interesting that you can hold back some of the truth. But, in saying that, I honestly think you should explain to her that if she kisses you, it will possibly break the curse and all it will be done with.”
Ruby bit her lip. She wasn’t sure Dorothy really wanted that, not after how they had left things. “Look, I…I don’t think kissing will work.”
“True Love always wins, remember?”
“I do,” Ruby said, before rolling her eyes. “I still don’t think it’ll work.”
“She’s your…true love,” Regina said, rolling her eyes at the term, “so it shouldn’t matter that a fight broke out because of this curse. She just has to want the spell to break in a moment of all encompassing love, and then it will.” Regina had a look of discomfort as she spoke, before she pulled her shoulders back and smiled. “True love always finds a way. Isn’t that what Snow is always preaching?”
“Do both people have to be in all encompassing love to have it work?” Ruby asked.
“Well I assume so. It’s not exactly…” Regina paused then, looking to Ruby. Her face shifted as understanding dawned over her, “I see.”
Ruby began chewing on her lip, staring at the rug on the floor. “Can you fix this?” she whispered.
“I’m not sure,” Regina admitted. “How long have you been cursed?”
“Over a montho.”
“It could ware off, with time,” Regina said. “However, it seems like a strong curse improperly placed on you. You shouldn’t be able to withhold any truths.” Regina nodded to herself, lost in thought, “But, that could also be because you’re a magical creature, rather than a human being, as the curse was made for.”
“I am human,” Ruby defended.
“Yes and no. You’re partially human, so you are, as you say, human, but you’re not actually a human. Rather, you’re a hybrid of humanity and shapeshifting lunar magic.”
“So what? The two magics don’t mix very well?”
“Essentially.”
Dryly, Ruby responded, “Oh. I’m just so ––“ she choked, her jaw closing. Coughing, she turned and stared at Regina.
“Aren’t you just lucky?”
“No,” the spell said. Having enough, Ruby huffed, crossing her arms. “This is completely unfair!”
“Yes,” Regina agreed. Then, reaching out, she placed a hand onto Ruby’s arm in an effort to be sincere. “Look, your best bet is trying to reconnect with Dorothy and…kiss her.”
Ruby felt her face heat as she looked down at the hand on her arm. She cared for Dorothy, a part of her did love Dorothy, but not all of her did. Not all of her wanted Dorothy in the way that was expected. “What if…” Ruby whispered, and then stopped.
“Any question you have, I’ll do my best to answer,” Regina prompted.
She tried to dismiss it, tried to say nothing, but it wasn’t. She tried to say it doesn’t matter, but it did. She didn’t know what to say and Regina was so close, and smelt so nice and surely, surely fifteen years ago was real, that she’d kissed Regina Mills after months of helping her with baby Henry. That they had had something.
That Ruby had been infatuated with something real.
Maybe. Maybe it was all just a fantasy for Ruby, something she wanted to do and never did.
“What if I don’t want to be with someone because they’re my ‘true love’,” she asked her. “I mean, who decides who my soul mate is? Is it just some powers that be, to hook me up with whomever is available at the time?”
Regina opened her mouth and paused. “I don’t know,” she answered softly. “I wish I did.”
Pulling away, Ruby went to wander over to baby Neal, anywhere that wasn’t right near Regina where she so desperately wanted to admit to everything. It wasn’t fair on Regina, she decided. Even if they had been together. Even if Ruby had been in love with her. Who was she to expected Regina to reciprocate.
She looked down at the ikea crib, looking at the small child in the onesie patterned with dinosaurs and tried to remember a different time.
“Thank you,” Ruby said, “For helping me.”
“Of course,” Regina replied. “If I can fix this, you’ll be the first to know.”
Baby Neal remained asleep in his crib, as if nothing had happened around him. His eyes were shut, his hand curled around the stuffed toy of some kind of purple dinosaur. He almost looked as Henry had at that age.
At that, Ruby was struck with the image of Henry, dressed in more expensive baby clothes, curled up under nicer blankets, with a mobile hanging above resembling a large, plush solar system rather than wooden carved animals.
A young Henry with dark hair and wide eyes, whom often stared inquisitively when he wasn’t crying –– and he had often cried.
“Regina?”
“Yes, dear.” she said from where she stood, seemingly studying Snow’s choice in décor via a large ink print of blue birds, flying with daisy flowers around them.
“Did I…” Ruby asked, feeling the words hesitate in her throat. “Did I baby sit for you…with Henry?”
Regina turned on her heel, looking at Ruby with large eyes as if caught by the question. No, Ruby decided then, there was something else there. Fear, maybe?
“You don’t remember?” Regina asked.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “A lot of my memories are muddled together. I don’t know if I dreamt some of the things that happened, fantasied about some of the others, or am just confusing it with some show I watched.” She pushed the words, trying to hold back the blush and hoped that maybe Regina would snap out a “don’t tell me you forgot about all the sex we had, too?”
But she didn’t. Instead she said, “Yes, well, the human mind can only hold so much in terms of clear visual memories, I suppose.” That was true. There was no added ability as a werewolf either, and she was holding over fifty years of memories, mixed in with some synthetic curse ones. “But to answer your question: yes, you offered to look after him so that I, and I quote, ‘could have time to pull out that stick’.” Regina gave her a look that made Ruby feel like she was going to get in trouble all over again.
She didn’t remember saying that, but if she had, it most definitely would have been in jest to Madam Mayor. She wouldn’t risk the diner over saying that comment seriously. “Sorry?” she winced in offer of an apology.
“Well, as it was, I did need time by myself that wasn’t with a small child or catching up on much needed work. I don’t know if the…stick was moved, but all things considered, I think it turned out fine, don’t you?”
Ruby’s mouth parted, unsure if that was a hint, or a subtle flirtation. “Yes,” the spell answered for her, as her mind mulled over what she knew. She couldn’t remember what Regina had been doing,during her free time. Graham, maybe? If so, had she, for a time, just left Graham when they were together?
Maybe she just made cider and read classic literature.
“I don’t believe I ever properly thanked you for that time,” Regina said, snapping Ruby from her thoughts. “So thank you, Miss Lucas.”
“Ah, we’re back to Miss Lucas again,” she replied.
“Of course, it is your name, after-all.” Regina was playing with her. There was a small smile on her lips that lit up her eyes.
“You could call me Ruby, you know?”
The smile curved into a smirk. “No, I think you lost that privilege again. For now, at least. You can make it up to me later.”
If only, Ruby thought. “Of course, Madam Mayor,” she said instead.
Regina laughed. “Now that has been a while.”
“I used to call you that all the time,” Ruby said. “‘How would you like your eggs, Madam Mayor? What coffee are you after today, Madam Mayor?’”
“Even in the bedroom you used to say Madam Mayor with that indignant air about you.” Ruby paused. Regina too, froze as nothing was said in reply. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up ––“
“So that was real, too?” Ruby asked, her heart beating in her chest. “You and I?”
“Yes,” Regina said, her expression questioning. “I take it that you thought it wasn’t.”
“I thought maybe I-I had dreamt it, or something,” she could feel the blush crawling up her neck. “It was from over fifteen years ago and…Ruby was…”
“And here I had thought I’d be more memorable,” Regina joked, though the words sounded awkward, as if she didn’t know how to reply.
“You are,” Ruby said, and then stammered out after that admission. “I-I mean, that…not to say…it’s just that…” she stopped, and then swallowed. “I didn’t know if I just had an overactive –– that is to say… Shit.” She stopped, took a deep breath as she held her hands on her hips and stared at the floor. “Help?”
Regina was smirking at her, enjoying her flustered awkwardness for whatever reason. “I think we can leave the interrogation here,” Regina said. “I should have enough information to work out what curse you’re under.”
“Thank you,” Ruby whispered. “I…I might go and get a drink, or something.” With that, she headed out the door, pausing as she remembered that she was meant to be baby siting. “Neal,” she said, turning to face the child.
“It’s quite all right, Miss Lucas,” she said, still smirking at her. “I can handle one Charming child. I did raise their grandson.”
That was certainly true. However, Ruby didn’t like the idea of dropping all her responsibilities on Regina, just because she was embarrassed. “Maybe we can just watch tv?” she offered, instead. “And we’ll wait for Snow and the others.”
Regina paused, the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth before a grande smile pulled over her face, lighting it up. “That sounds like a good idea,” she offered in return. “Would you like a drink?”
“I’ll make it,” she offered. It would keep her busy until her hands stopped shaking.