A/N: This post-ep is set after "The Snow Queen". Basically, there were too many Emma/Red similarities for me to ignore, and I miss Red a lot.

Mary Margaret stepped into one of the Diner's backrooms, the one that Ruby had turned into a little office.

Knowing Ruby would know it was her that approached, would've heard her coming from miles away, Mary Margaret didn't bother announcing herself. She got straight to business.

"We can't find Emma."

"I know," Ruby responded, her voice devoid of sympathy. Her eyes stayed on the financial documents in front of her. "Elsa told me what happened."

"Can you help us find her?" Mary Margaret asked hopefully.

Looking up at her best friend with a piercing gaze, Ruby said, "If Emma doesn't want to be found, that's up to her."

"Red, please."

Ruby sighed and got up from her chair. "You know I love you, but I'm doing this for her. Not you."

Mary Margaret nodded sadly. She'd already felt terrible for everything that had happened with Emma. That her best friend was giving her the cold shoulder made everything so much worse.

The werewolf paused at the door and turned back to say one last thing.

"I don't understand." Ruby noticed the pained look on Mary Margaret's face, but she was too worked up, too sensitive to these things, to not continue. Emma was afraid of herself, and after all those years spent with Red, Mary Margaret should've seen that. "After everything you did for me, how could you screw up with her?"

She left before Mary Margaret could even formulate an answer.

Emma was staring down at the town below when she was startled by a knock on her passenger door window.

Looking to her right, she saw Ruby standing outside her car. Emma briefly thought about sending the other woman away – she was too powerful and unstable, after all – but figured if anyone could survive her, it was the town werewolf.

She unlocked the door.

Ruby slipped inside and said gently, "Everyone's worried about you."

"They're afraid of me, you mean," Emma responded sadly. "If they're worrying, it's about what I'll destroy next."

"No, they're not," the brunette countered. "Not the people who matter, anyway."

"My mom…" Emma began before faltering. Before the curse broke, Mary Margaret had been her friend. Afterwards, she was her mother, her rock, her constant source of support. The look of fear on her face had hurt the most.

"Your mom is in uncharted waters. She's not afraid of you. She's afraid of herself," Ruby explained. Despite what she'd said to Mary Margaret, Ruby did understand the former princess. She was her best friend after all. Plus, the trek up had helped clear her mind. "I know it hurts to hear this, Emma, but Mary Margaret doesn't know how to be a mother. She's scared of failing you. She's worried about messing up with Neal. Parenting is hard enough, but add magical children into the mix… She's not sure where to place the boundary between trusting you and making sure Neal is safe."

Emma looked down at her hands, and Ruby continued, "Look, what I mean to say is, if she could accept me for being a werewolf after only knowing me for a few days, do you really think she wouldn't love you for who you are?"

"She was never afraid of you? Even when you couldn't control the wolf?" Emma asked, looking up at Ruby hopefully.

"Never," Ruby confirmed. "It was easier with me, I think. We only had each other back then, so if I was going to hurt anyone it was her, and she was never too concerned about that even if I was."

Emma felt the spark of hope grow only to be extinguished by another thought.

"It doesn't matter," the blonde sighed dejectedly. "I still can't control my powers. I could hurt someone."

"There are people that can help. Elsa—"

"—isn't the best at controlling her powers either."

"Then ask Regina," Ruby said with an air of finality. "Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't help."

"Says the werewolf who tried to hand herself over to a murderous mob," Emma retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Do as I say, not as I do," Ruby responded easily.

For the first time, Emma smiled.

"All right." Ruby tapped the armrest jutting out from the door. "I should probably go apologize to your mother now."

Emma looked at her with surprise. "You're not going to drag me back?"

"I could," Ruby acknowledged. With her super-speed and super-strength, it would be easy for her to grab Emma and zoom back into town. Still, pep talks could only go so far. If Emma wanted to move on, she'd have to make that decision for herself. "But I've been where you are, and you have every right to distance yourself if you think it will help. I'm not saying it will, but who am I to say you can't try?"

The blonde nodded gratefully then asked, "Why do you have to apologize to Mary Margaret?"

Ruby turned to look out the passenger door window. "I said something I shouldn't have, and I know it hurt her."

Curiosity piqued, Emma asked, "What'd you say?"

"I felt for you too much, and I lashed out."

Emma stared at her, slightly stunned. "You did that for me?"

"Yeah, kid." Ruby turned to face her. "So next time you want to run, maybe come to me first."

"Thanks." Emma stared down at the town for a moment, then looked back to Ruby. "I think I'm going to stay up here for a while."

The slightly concerned expression on her face gave her the appearance of a child seeking approval, and Ruby suppressed a smile.

"Okay. Just remember that when you're ready, you're welcome back in town."

Ruby opened the car door and stepped outside, but before she could close it, Emma said, "Can you tell Mary Margaret I'll see her soon?"

"Of course," Ruby smiled.

Emma was going to be all right.

fin

Thanks for reading!