9 days 6 hours and 27 minutes…
Regina gazed up at the clock with haunted eyes confirming how long Her lover had been missing. The sullen sovereign lay in a fetal position on a fur blanket stroking its soft surface. But the thick pelt brought no comfort. It was a pale comparison to the feathery fur of the wolf that She longed for. Once more, magic ran rampant over the lives of those in Storybrooke. And again the wounded sorceress felt the weight of its cost. It had been two weeks since an evil warlock threatened the town. Ten days since its minions attacked Henry. Though Regina raced to defend Her child it was Ruby that covered the boy's body with her own protectively.
The once feared queen hurled magic like a wild west gunslinger knocking minions from the pale beauty left and right. Emma and the rest of the heroes rushed in just in time to be little help beyond whisking the boy away from Her loving arms. Grateful for the young woman's aid Regina claimed responsibility of Ruby. As She aided the young woman towards Her car they were attacked once more. This time caught unawares Regina was knocked unconscious. Unluckily for them, that was when the moon came out. Ruby shifted and snapped at the creatures driving them away before carrying Regina home on a powerful furry back.
The now broken-hearted sovereign stroked the substitute fur remembering the much more pleasant fur She found beneath Her hands when a gentle tongue awoke Her lapping at a slight head wound. Even in her wolf form Ruby's kind, giving nature shone through making predatory golden eyes seem gentle somehow. The sorceress had summoned that famous red hood to call the woman back that She so wished to thank. These memories tormented the mourning monarch twisting the knife of Her own treachery in betraying not just Her lover, but Her own heart as well.
Over a week….
It had been over a week since a portal swallowed Ruby, Snow, and Emma dragging them to this cursed land. The shewolf paced like a caged animal. With a frustrated growl, wide palms struck out at the walls where they had made camp. Snow and Emma watched the normally friendly woman's disgruntled behavior with anxious curiosity. While they wanted to soothe her neither woman knew where to start. Ruby couldn't stand this prison of a reality one moment longer. If they didn't find and vanquish this warlock soon and retrieve the key to their return home she would go mad.
Each day without Regina was torture. The pain of longing was worse than the cruel conflict that ripped at the wolf before their unwilling departure. Saving Henry had never been a choice. It was a natural instinct. And now the agonized shewolf wondered if even that selfless act was in question. Ruby couldn't stand the not knowing a minute longer. That night when she brought Regina home they tended each other's wounds with such tenderness. It was a gentle side to her former enemy that the wild beauty had not thought the seductive woman capable of. That night she thought she had seen the real Regina, a loving, passionate, gentle woman. Sleeping with Her had been like a revelation. What Ruby felt that night on every level of her being was beyond anything she had ever known.
But the following morning Regina wasn't just distant, She was non-existent. The shewolf had awoken alone in the mayor's own bed. From the instant, her eyes opened she wondered what she could have said or done wrong to alienate the wondrous beauty. For a moment she had worried that something terrible had happened to Her, but when she rejoined her friends to organize the struggle against the warlock Regina was there. The stunned shewolf held her tongue in shock, certain by the other woman's presence that she had done something to drive her away, but what?
In their makeshift headquarters in another realm, Emma eyed her friend with worry. "What's wrong, Ruby," a caring voice inquired. The shewolf growled in impotent rage. She knew that her conflict was worn on her sleeve, but how could she possibly explain it. "I need… I need…." The frustrated primal creature grappled for the words before growling, "I just need to go home!"
9 days 14 hours and 13 minutes….
That's how long it had been since Regina made a complete fool of Herself, even if no one was aware of it save the only one who mattered. That night had been beyond amazing. Ruby's touch had stirred not just Her passions but a sense of wonder and hope She hadn't felt since losing Daniel. However, hope is a terribly tenuous fragile thing. When the sun rose terror flooded the jaded monarch. She knew full well She was feeling too much too soon. Even if that didn't frighten Ruby off, with this new threat Regina was certain that if She dared to care too deeply for anyone or anything they would just be taken from Her like all the others.
It was that fear that drove Her from Her own bed abandoning the sweetly slumbering shewolf. As soon as the reserved monarch rejoined the aggravating do-gooders She cursed Her own cowardice recognizing it for what it was. When Ruby finally arrived the very sight of her was as refreshing as cold lemonade on a hot summer day. But the wounded look in those gentle eyes struck the silent sovereign like a dagger in the heart. Immediately Regina regretted Her actions. Throughout the day She had tried to offer soft smiles of encouragement and gentle looks longing for the opportunity to be alone with the wild beauty once more and a chance to explain Her actions. But that was not to be. That afternoon the ground opened up and swallowed Her hope alive leaving an agonizing hole in the queen's heart.
For days Regina had stumbled numbly around town like a ghost, a shadow of Her former self. At least people understood why David and Hook seemed so forlorn. No one bothered them or asked them why. It was understood. Most people were too frightened of the volatile queen's temper to pester Her for details. Most of the accusation rest in their judgmental eyes. How dare She be so upset? After all, Henry was still here. True to form She snapped randomly at people. However, now all it seemed to take was staring too long. When Her sweet child asked what was wrong She had no answer simply bursting into tears. This may have been more upsetting to the others than any rage they feared Her releasing.
After that Regina had taken to Her bed conjuring a fur blanket to keep Her company as She desperately awaited Her lover's return. The widow Lucas seemed the most perceptive of the bunch. Recognizing the signs of a wild thing missing its mate the grey-haired spinster showed up on the former queen's doorstep with a care package of clothing. Ruby's running attire, unwashed, still held the girl's scent the strongest. Granny explained this and expressed her hopes that it would provide some comfort until Ruby returned. They embraced without words neither woman requiring them.
Too many days….
It had been too many days since the shewolf had seen the confusing woman that haunted her every waking thought. While the others celebrated their victory Ruby growled prowling through the vanquished warlock's trophy room trying to find that damn bean. With the relief fading, Emma turned to her mother as she eyed the aggravated werewolf curiously, "Was she always this….." The Savior didn't want to judge the manner with which their comrade had dispatched the warlock's minions and half of the warlock himself, but it was a daunting sight that might give her nightmares. "… vicious," Snow completed her daughter's sentence. "No, never," the princess replied stunned by her longtime friend's surly demeanor of late. Sharing a knowing look mother and daughter agreed in unison, "We better get her home." With that, they turned to help search for the magic bean that would help.
This torment was more than Ruby could stand. Though their time together had been brief it was more potent than anything she had known. The wild young woman had had plenty of brief torrid encounters before, but nothing like this. When she had been with Regina she could feel on an instinctive level that her wolf had accepted the sweet sovereign as her mate. And she longed to reconnect despite the tension and uncertainty. She ached for it down to her bones.
9 days 6 hours 45 minutes….
That's how long Ruby had been gone, how long Regina had felt like a fool screaming inside. The mournful, regret-filled regent yearned for the sweet young woman's return so much it spread the ache in Her heart through Her entire being down into Her bones. Clutching the sweat-stained clothes to Her cheek dark eyes shut tight drawing in the scent as She stroked the lackluster pelt beneath Her.
Uncertain of her fate and uncaring of the consequences Ruby charged into Regina's room immediately upon her return. The sight that greeted her there froze the shewolf in her tracks. Breath stolen and heart hammering she drank in the sweet sight. If there had been a single doubt after that that Regina missed her there was none left when the surprised sovereign sailed through the air shamelessly flying into her arms. Ruby caught the ecstatic bundle with a beaming smile. Before she could speak a word those mind-blowing lips claimed her own once more in a dizzyingly tender savoring kiss.
Regina poured every bit of gratitude and relief She felt at Her lover's return into that embrace. Unwilling to wait another second or let another opportunity go by the deliriously delighted queen confessed, "Ruby, I love you!" Breath abandoned the overjoyed shewolf once more at the startling revelation that made her heart sing. Bright eyes sparkled with unrestrained joy as Ruby replied, "I love you, too." Graceful hands stroked porcelain features worshipfully as once terrifying words fell freely bravely from wine-colored lips, "I need you, not just in my bed, but in my life, in my heart. I need you, Ruby."
A broad contagious smile spread over crimson lips in abject wonder as the shewolf replied, "I need you, too-only you." Ruby needed to make it clear that Regina was the only one for her, her whole world. A soft chuckle leaked from the voluptuous queen at the seemingly obvious implication, even if it wasn't specifically stated. Regina couldn't resist lightly teasing Her lover with a coy roll of dark eyes taunting playfully, "Well… I don't know about all that." The saucy sovereign punctuated the statement with a mischievous smile to make it clear that She was only joking.
Delight sparkled through easy laughter at the gentle ribbing. Ruby met the impish jest with a sharp swat of a deliciously round derriere warning in a jocular tone, "Don't you get sassy with me." A soft, feminine exclamation accompanied a slight jump at the thrillingly sharp affection. Joy danced in dark eyes as Regina floated closer purring, "I love getting sassy with you." White teeth grazed lightly, teasingly over a plush red bottom lip accenting Her words deliciously. Bright eyes sparkled adoringly as the shewolf worshipfully confessed, "I love your sass."
Their lips met in a sweetly sensual dance as Ruby carried them deeper into the room. When their lips parted to gaze at each other in wide wonder Ruby's hands slid down to firmly grip and gently knead a tempting backside as she added saucily, "And I love your s…ass." Regina laughed more freely than She had in years as Her energetic lover lowered Her gently onto the bed. Charmed by the sweet spunky words the enamored regent wrapped welcoming arms around Her beloved drawing her closer. As the moment turned from playful to tender Ruby sighed sweetly into the embrace with a gentle confession obvious to them both, "I missed your sass." A broad delighted grin spread over wine colored lips as Regina replied fearlessly, "I missed your sass, too." As they floated into one another's gravity once more falling into each other's kiss lips and hearts finally came home to one another, at last.