Ruby looked around at the few guests scattered around the diner. It was almost closing time so only a sparse few remained. Granny sat opposite her newfound friend, Geppetto, laughing and smiling. Ruby had been seeing less and less of her Granny who had been spending most of her free time with the woodcarver. Emma and Henry went off on a trip to somewhere. Ruby's brain apparently didn't care enough to remember exactly where.

Snow and Charming were completely enthralled with each other, as always. A freaking zombie apocalypse could happen and they wouldn't notice until it threatened one of them-or their little family composed of themselves their grandchild, child and on-the-way second child.

Ruby left the diner unnoticed heading over to her room at the bed and breakfast. She pulled open the drawer of her bedside table and reached far into the back of it. Grabbing an old pistol that she may or may not have stolen. She grabbed her old bag from the closet throwing in the gun and a few other nondescript items. She flung it over her shoulder and headed out deep into the woods.

She sat with her back against an old oak tree. Looking up at the stars above wishing she could be as far away as they were. After several moments she opened the bag and pulled out the pistol, considering its weight in her hand. It was nicely heavy, but to Ruby it's weight was almost too much to bear. Yet, upon further thought it held an almost weightless freedom with it.

She pulled it back the slide and set the hammer. After drawing a shaky breath she clicked the safety off. Closing her eyes she brought it up to her forehead. Feeling the cool metal against her skin she inhaled deeply and held it.

'No more. No more. No more.' She thought.

Without a second thought she pulled the trigger unleashing the gun's potential.

*Click*

She heard the hammer hit and the firing pin click, but nothing happened. She moved the gun away from her head to examine it as she opened her eyes. Confusion was heavy on her face with a hint of disappointment if you looked carefully.

"You shouldn't play with guns, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin said as he opened his hand dropping the entire clip of bullets onto the ground in front of Ruby. She watched as they hit the ground one by one scattering across the forest floor.

See stared up at the man standing in front of her. "I wasn't playing."

"I can see that."

Surprisingly enough, he sat down beside Ruby leaning against the tree as well.

"Mind telling me why you were about shoot yourself, Miss Lucas?"

"What do you care?"

"Humor me."

"Everyone fits in here. Everyone has a place."

"And you don't believe that you do. Is that it?"

"Sorta. Yeah."

"I think your Granny would be rather devastated if you were to leave."

"Leave. That's a way of putting it." She scoffed. "Maybe for a bit, but I've seen how Geppetto looks at her. He would take care of her."

"And what about your less than charming friends? You don't think Snow would mind?"

"Snow was there for me when I needed her and I was there for her, but we're just... different. Besides, now she has David and Emma."

"So since you aren't 'needed' anymore you decided to kill yourself? That's hardly a good enough reason."

She turned from her place to look him in the eyes. Her back no longer pressing against the tree, her eyes spoke volumes.

"You don't understand! No one understands! I can't go on anymore! The only reason I was able to go on was by helping. I did good! I tried so hard to earn my penance, but now... I've come to realize that I don't fit in for a reason. I'm not like everyone else. I'm a murderer. A cold blooded monster." Her eyes glistened as she went to settle against the tree again.

He could feel the raw emotion pouring off of her in waves. Getting more than he bargained for originally.

He gently grabbed her forearm directing her attention back to him.

"It seems you're wrong, dearie."

Her contorted with confusion. "What?"

He released her arm. "You think you're a murderer and monster? Join the club."

He could see a spark in eyes, but it quickly died. Closing her eyes a silent tear rolled down her cheek. "You don't understand. There's a part of me... a part of me that liked it." Her voice shaking as she admitted it.

"I understand more than you could know."

She opened her eyes as she felt him place something in hand. She looked to him as she gripped the gun he handed her. He held up a bullet that he retrieved off of the ground. Neither of them having any problem seeing in the dark thanks to their abilities.

"The choice is yours."

She stared at the bullet long and hard.

To his surprise she grabbed it.

She threw it into the brush giving a slight smile as she listened to it give a splash as it hit some water. She took joy in the little things. That's all she really had.

She turned back to Rumpel. "Why do you care?"

"I suppose I was tired of it."

"Tired of what?"

"Being alone."

She sensed the sincerity in his voice and it didn't sit well with her.

He stood offering her his hand. She took it touched by his kindness.

She yawned loudly her eyelids getting extremely heavy. "You need to get some rest. Here, I can get us back in an instant."

"No. I don't want to go back. Not just yet. I need to get myself together before I go and try to act like nothing happened. There's a cave up ahead. I'll sleep there." She said as she reached down to pick up the gun and her bag.

She took a few steps and turned around. "Um, I know it's kinda awkward, but you can come too. If you want that is." 'Asking Rumpelstiltskin to accompany me to a cave has to be the most awkward thing I have ever done.'

He nodded in response to which Red was grateful unsure if she could handle yet another awkward conversation.

She handed him the gun. "Here, you should take it. It's yours anyway."

"I don't take well to thieves, Miss Lucas."

"I was just borrowing it."

He snorted. "Well I don't think it would have served you well."

She halted her footsteps and faced him. "Wait, if you knew it wouldn't kill me why intervene?"

"If you knew it wouldn't kill you why try?"

"Curiosity I suppose."

"Likewise."

They reached the cave and Red laid her bag down obviously about to use it as a pillow.

Rumpel waved his hand. A pillow appeared along with a blanket. Moving her bag to the side she laid on the pillow grateful for the softness. A fire burning beside her caught her attention, watching as he picked at it with a stick. Pulling the blanket over herself she smiled. "Thank you."

"Of course."

"Aren't you tired?"

"I don't sleep. Comes along with the deal."

"That's incredible. You have so much power. I have to say I'm a bit jealous." His heart stopped at her praise unsure of what he was feeling.

"Don't underestimate yourself. You have more power than you know."

"Are you going to stay here?"

"I can't leave a lady alone in the woods now can I?"

"I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt. But tonight you won't need to. Tonight you won't be alone."

"Neither will you."

He chuckled. "The big bad wolf and the dark one."

"We'd make one heck of a team." Red said half asleep as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

He wondered if she was coherent enough to know what she was saying. Resigning himself against the cave wall opposite her. He studied her as the firelight danced across her features.

For the moment he could watch her sleep. For the moment he could think about how beautiful she was. For the moment he wasn't alone.