She could have called.
That was probably what pissed Ruby off the most as she sat, pouting in her room.
She could have called and said she couldn't make it. She would understand, and they could reschedule. It had happened before.
Being pretty much the only one working on the police force didn't really leave much room for a social life.
But she could have called. Not just stood her up. Sure they had been dating for two months. But it still felt like a slap to the face. It actually stung more than if she would have blown her off earlier in the relationship. It would have been easier to just shrug it off before they'd built the trust between them.
She could have called.
Sometime during Ruby's debate in her head about what the causes could be. She had gone form being upset, to scared something had happened, to pouty, back to scared, then hurt, then to angry.
So angry was were she was when she called. Emma answered with a relieved. "Ruby."
If Ruby hadn't been simmering for so long the way Emma answered. Grateful, loving, her longing to be with the brunette obvious in just her tone. Normally that would make Ruby melt and anger she felt just slip away.
But tonight was different. For one, she was the one calling, and she was more than just her usual irritated that could pass for angry.
"Why didn't you come to dinner?" Ruby was off her bed and pacing before she had comprehended her body moving.
"Regina had me do paperwork. A whole pile, I thought I could get done in time..." Emma replied. Already sounding sorry without saying the words. But it didn't barely worked it's way into Ruby's frustration with the blonde. Maybe if she could see her face, probably exhausted, with those big blue eyes.
"Why didn't you call?"
"I was going to. I was going to. I just got kind of absorbed I really wanted to make it. I swear I would have blown it off but.., Regina stayed. She said she needed the papers." As Emma spoke it got more and more difficult for Ruby to stay mad at her. But her ending not gave her something to go off on again.
"You and Regina! I mean you're supposed to see each other that's part of the job but.. she's always there. You're always around her." Ruby deflated against her bed. Her burning fury abiding for just a simmering upset-ness in the pit of her stomach.
"Rubes. I have to see her. I hate it, I hate her. But I have to, to make things better." Emma attempted to reassure.
"You stand to close." Ruby all but whispered into the phone.
"What?" Emma failed at muffling a chuckle.
"Don't laugh at me!" Ruby lashed out.
"I'm not, I'm not baby. I just." Emma took a deep composing breath. "It's just we.. stand to close?"
"Yes. You stand to close, and don't act like you hate each other. Emma sometimes you smell like her. I hate it. I hate that I don't know what's going on between you two." Ruby had stood and took back up pacing.
"I smell like her?" Emma asked indignantly. Knitting her brow together in confusion.
"Like... her... perfume. Dammit you're not even listening to me!" Ruby all but yelled, before throwing her phone to the side. Her anger and frustration building up into the tears in her eyes. She flung herself down onto her bed. Groaning into her pillow.
Emma on the other side of the phone after yelling for Ruby multiple times. Let out her own frustrated noise, and buried her face in her arms. She had screwed up.
–
The next morning after spending the night calling Ruby. To no answer. Emma after about a twenty second internal debate about whether she should go to find the brunette or go to work. Decided on the former. She needed to fix things between them.
She more than anything needed to makes sure Ruby was okay.
She knew that Ruby didn't work today. A reason that she had been planning on her coming over after their little date.
Emma found her in the woods.
Well not necessarily, but in a small clearing. Surrounded by the thick Maine woods. Emma shoved her hands in her pockets and balled them into fists, it had gotten colder out since she had set out looking for her, and she just wondered how cold she must be.
She should have checked the spot sooner. They had gone out to it on multiple occasions. Just wanting to get away from town, and be alone together. When she spotted her she rushed up behind her and the young brunette obviously heard her coming.
It used to freak her out a bit, Ruby's strangely 'heightened' senses. But she had soon gotten used to it.
"I don't want to talk to you." She stated when Emma dropped into a crouch next to her. Brushing a few brown locks away from her face out of habit. Ghosting around her cheekbone and down her jaw. She could feel the way she quivered against the touch. Fighting sinking into it.
"I'm sorry." It seemed the only thing that she could say. "We don't need to talk. I just had to make sure you were okay." Emma withdrew the hand from the brunette's cheek, and hugged her knees.
The silence between them grew, and expanded like a living thing. Emma after awhile turned her eyes towards the woods were Ruby was staring. Not necessarily looking, because she had that faraway, thinking look she got.
"Why didn't you call?" Ruby asked, not taking her eyes from the trees. Watching a fox closely that had frozen at the sight of them. "It would have been okay that you couldn't make it if you would have called."
"I'm sorry." Emma sighed. Resting her forehead against her knees.
"Then you don't even listen to me. Do you even care about me?" Ruby stood. The knot in her of so many tangled emotions from the night before growing, and sending a restlessness to her limbs.
"Of course I do." Emma stood with the brunette. "Ruby how could you think I didn't?" Emma asked. But continued without giving the brunette time to answer. "Of course I care about you. I love you!" While she was talking Emma had managed to close the space between her and Ruby. A difficult task as the brunette kept stepping back with everyone she took forward.
When she finished she was gripping Ruby's upper arms. A sincerity that couldn't be faked in her features. That slowly changed into shock. She had actually just said that.
"You... Love, me?" Ruby parroted disbelievingly.
"Yes, I do, and I'll do anything to keep you. Anything." Emma sighed, dropping her head, hands sliding down to Ruby's forearms. "I'll put standing farther away from Regina at the top of my list."