Coffee is definitely amongst her favourite things about this world compared with the old one. There's definitely some magic that takes place between the grinding of those beans and the production of the wonderfully dark elixir. She's standing by the coffee machine, waiting for her first cup, considering the possibility of this when the back door opens. Without even turning to look, she stretches up and grabs another mug.

"How was your night?" she asks, glancing over her shoulder, surprised that Ruby isn't already wrapped around her. It's kind of a thing. Ruby's affectionate at the best of times, but after a night running through the woods full of wolf adrenaline, she's always particularly tactile. But not this morning it would appear. She's still hovering by the door. Regina turns fully and immediately her eyes go to Ruby's abdomen, which is much fuller than it was when she left last night. And it's moving. Regina brings her eyes up to meet Ruby's.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

Just as Ruby opens her mouth to respond, a high pitched yipping sound comes from the squirming mass inside her top.

"Did your stomach just bark?" Regina asks, the eyebrow climbing even higher. "I'm used to it growling, but this is new."

"It's..." Ruby begins, before biting her lip. And then a small, grey, scruffy head pops out of her jacket.

"Is that..."

"It's a dog, not a wolf," Ruby is quick to reassure her. "I found him last night in the woods. He was shivering so I...I warmed him up and he kinda stuck with me. And now..."

"And now he thinks you're his mother," Regina finishes, her mouth settling into a firm line.

"I...guess," Ruby says with a shrug, stretching her neck so that the puppy will stop licking her chin.

"And what do you suggest we do with him?" Regina asks. "We can't have a pet. It's bad enough that you shed all over the couch three nights a month."

Ruby frowns. "I do not," she protests. "And...I didn't really think about what we'd do with him. I just couldn't leave him outside in the cold."

"Well, there's a perfectly good animal shelter that will take him," Regina says, finally pouring two cups of coffee. "I'll drop him off there on my way to work."

She picks up the mugs and turns, but stops when she is confronted by Ruby's large, watery eyes. The pup appears to be picking up on her mood, as it's whining and rubbing its head against Ruby's chin.

"No, Ruby, don't even start" Regina says, shaking her head. "We both work. We don't have the time for a pet."

"A pet?" Henry's voice breaks into the conversation. Regina sighs as her son's eyes light up when they land on the bundle of fluff in Ruby's arms. "Oh my God he's awesome!" Henry darts across the room and takes the puppy from Ruby, holding him close and laughing when he gets excited and starts licking anything in reach.

"Henry," Regina tries to interject, but she's being completely ignored.

"What's his name?" Henry asks Ruby.

"I didn't give him one," Ruby says, glancing at Regina. "Yet."

"We'll call him Tramp," Henry decides, placing the pup on the floor and letting him sniff out his new surroundings. "He looks like a Tramp."

"We're not keeping him, dear," Regina tries again. "Pets are a lot of responsibility and I ca-"

"I'll look after him!" Henry pipes up, turning pleading eyes on his mother. "Please, mom! I promise. I'll train him and feed him and walk him..."

"Henry," Regina begins. Henry scoops the dog up again and holds him up in front of Regina.

"Look at him, Mom. He's adorable."

Ruby slinks closer, looking at Regina through her lashes. "I'd help Henry with him," she says, quietly. "We'd make sure he was well-behaved. You'd hardly know he was here.

"I fail to see how you're going to make sure the dog is well-behaved when the two of you most certainly are not," Regina says, but when confronted with three sets of puppy eyes, her resolve crumbles. She sighs and directs her attention to Henry. "You will take responsibility for him. You will feed him, clean up after him, you will take him for w-"

"I promise!" Henry almost yells with excitement.

Regina nods, before shifting her attention to Ruby. "And you will ensure that he keeps that promise."

Before she knows what's happening, her feet leave the floor and she's being spun around in a circle. She catches flashes of Henry doing the same to the puppy and she does her best to hide her smile at their exuberance. Before long, she's placed back on her feet and her lips are occupied by a very enthusiastic Ruby. She kisses back for a while before placing a hand on Ruby's cheek and pushing her back, gently. She meets dancing green eyes and raises an eyebrow.

"I mean it, Ruby," she says. "I don't have time for extra responsibilities."

"I know you don't," Ruby quickly agrees, stealing another kiss. "You won't even know he's here."


It's almost a week later and Regina is cleaning up the kitchen after a quick supper. Ruby is on the late shift at the diner and Henry is staying with Emma for the night. She's just about to switch the light off when a small whine catches her attention. Looking down, she sees the puppy - she refuses to call him Tramp - looking up at her with his little tail wagging and his tongue hanging out.

"Bed," she says, pointing in the direction of the basket Ruby and Henry set up for him. The puppy doesn't move, just continues to look up at her with eyes too large for its tiny head. "Bed," she commands again, using her most authoritative voice. The puppy yips in response, as if he thinks it's a game. Regina sighs. She switches the light off and closes the door, making sure not to look at him. Falling for Ruby's puppy eyes is bad enough, she's not going to let this little animal dictate her behaviour.

She heads through to the living room and sits down on the couch, picking up some papers she brought home to read. The glass of wine she had with supper sits almost untouched and she lifts it to her lips, taking a long sip. She's barely read a paragraph when it starts. High pitched whining. She grits her teeth and ignores it. But when it continues, she finds herself unable to ignore the clear distress in the sound. With a heavy sigh, she pushes to her feet and storms back to the kitchen.

Regina pushes the door open gently in case the little thing is directly behind it. Before it's even quarter of the way open, a furry body brushes by her ankles and makes a break for the living room. Regina sighs and follows. The pup is sniffing around the chair Henry usually sits in to watch TV, probably missing his master. Well, that's something Regina can relate to. She recalls many an evening, after the curse broke, that she spent in Henry's room, touching his things and hugging his pillow. "He's not here," she tells the dog. "He'll be back tomorrow. And Ruby will be home soon." Catching herself, she shakes her head. Why is she talking to the thing like it's going to understand her?

She takes her seat again and the movement draws the pup's attention and he bounds over to her, happy to have company. Regina lifts her document again and starts to read. The dog seems content to play at her feet for a while, but before long he starts rubbing his head against her calf and whining. She bends over a little. As soon as their eyes meet, his tail starts wagging and his mouth opens in a doggy smile that reminds Regina of Ruby's wolf. She rolls her eyes and scoops him up, placing him on her lap.

"Do not tell anyone about this," she warns him as he clumsily stands up and tries to lick her. A gentle hand on his back soon has him curling up and falling asleep, his little breaths coming in quick puffs. She keeps stroking his soft fur as she returns her attention to her reading. Every so often, he will let out a soft whine or yip, bringing a smile to Regina's face.

The hour grows late and the end of the report seems to be no nearer. Careful not to jostle the little dog, Regina turns, lifting her legs onto the couch and leaning back into the cushions. The pup adjusts himself, sprawling out over the now flat surface of Regina's abdomen. Before she can start reading again, a voice from behind her cuts in.

"And I thought I was the only mutt for you."

Regina's head whips up to find Ruby grinning down at her. She scowls.

"You are a majestic, powerful and beautiful creature," she says. "I won't have you referring to yourself as a mutt."

"You did," Ruby counters, leaning on the back of the couch. "Last month."

"You had just shaken mud and leaves all over the kitchen!" Regina whispers loudly, conscious of the sleeping dog.

"Well, yeah, but in a very powerful and majestic way!" Ruby protests.

Regina narrows her eyes, deciding to change the subject before Ruby brings up the fact that Regina also referred to her as a mutt the month before last when she left huge muddy pawprints all the way from the back door to their bedroom. "Your dog is very needy."

"Maybe he just likes you?" Ruby says, stretching over to join Regina in stroking the pup.

"Well, I do have a way with animals," Regina agrees, hiding a smile.

"You really do," Ruby says, her eyes growing darker. "How about we put him in his basket and you can come upstairs and have your way with me?"

"That may be your worst line to date, dear," Regina says, shaking her head.

"It's definitely up there." Ruby scrunches up her nose. "But did it work?"

Regina sighs. "Yes. Meet me upstairs. Without the dog."