Author's note :

Pardon my bad english. It's not my first language. I try to do my best. :)

I also do my best so that my OC character is not Mary Sue. Let me know if that's ain't the case.

"Hey David." said Emma while sitting next to her friend Mary, at the dinner.

"Hey." he answered, disappointed that he couldn't continue talking to Mary since Emma was now there.

"Mary-Margaret. So... How's your day going?" Emma asked.

Emma knew too well that she was interrupting something. Even if it was maybe a bit rude, it was in her friend's best interest. She needed to prevent her from making a big mistake, which could eventually hurt more than one person.

"... Henry's fine." Mary gave a comforting smile.

Emma returned the smile, happy to have a friend who cared. "That's not what I asked you." she retorted, even if she did wanted to know.

Mary responded with a knowing smile and added "He's his normal self. Regina won't keep you separated forever." she reassured her friend. "If people are supposed to be together..." she glanced at the table beside them where David sat. "...they'll find a way."

A smile crept onto David's lips, his eyes still riveted in his book.

"So. He's his normal self, he's fine... and happy?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes!"

Emma pouted.

"...N-no!" Mary corrected herself, understanding to what conclusions her friend came.

"He misses you! A lot! Trust me. I'm with him like, six hours a day." added Mary.

Ashley who just entered the dinner, intervened : "Six hours? You take newborns? 'Cause I'd looove six hours off!"

"Ashley! I didn't even recognize you!" said a surprised Mary.

"Oh? Baby on the outside?" she joked, grabbing a chair to join the girls, thus hiding Mary's view to David.

"How's it going?" asked a concerned Emma. She felt protective of her, has she could see what her life might have been if she would have made different choices.

"It's a... It's a..." Ashley was lost for words. "I mean, the baby's great, but, uh, we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing, so... that's been rough - and Sean's been working double shifts at the cannery."

"Well, he has to work." Mary stated the obvious.

"On Valentine's day? Y-yeah." snorted Ashley. "He couldn't get out of it..."

"I'm sorry... That's sucks." sympathized Emma, who realized that even if she was now a mom, she was still a teenager who would put a lot of importance on things that weren't really.

"It doesn't have to!" intervened frantically Ruby who just brought coffee to Ashley. "Come out with me! Let's have a girls' night!" she invited, always ready to party and have fun. "We can all go! Mary-Margaret and Emma too! ... If you leave the badge at home." she warned. "Oh! And we could also invite Aurelia. What do you say? I know she's been really busy lately and that she wouldn't mind for a night off."

"Aurelia?" asked Emma who haven't had yet the chance to meet personally everyone in Storybrooke.

"She works at the print shop."

"Oh yeah! I remember her. I just didn't know her name." she saw her once when she picked some flyers for the Sheriff election. "She seemed nice! ... Buut, either way, I'm not really in the party mood, but you guys can all go and have fun!" she politely declined.

Mary-Margaret snarled at her. Emma glanced aside, escaping her accusing look.

Emma's phone vibrated.

"What's that?" asked Mary.

"It's the station." simply answered Emma. "Something's up." she rose quickly from her chair and left the dinner.

David left the dinner with one thing on his mind. He had to find a way to have a boy's night and go to The Rabbit Hole too. That way, with chances, he might have some time alone with Mary.

First, he needed bros. But who was he gonna asked?

Everyone was really friendly to him, since the day he woke up from his coma, but he felt a bit friendless anyway.

Only one guy came through his mind : his therapist. Even if he couldn't help but feel that it was kind of strange to ask him to hang out one day and then, the other, let him dissects his thoughts during therapy sessions, he also felt that he was his only viable choice.

Archie was preparing some tea when he heard a knock on his door.

He pat Pongo's head on his way to the door and opened it to reveal an (anxious?) David.

"Hi!" nervously said David.

"David? I wasn't expecting you. Is something wrong?" he asked with his caring and professional tone.

"N-no. Everything's fine. I assure you. I - just wanted to ask you something."

"Well then, come on in." he kindly invited David, gesturing him towards the therapy couch.

"No! It's not... that kind of... You know. In fact, I won't take a lot of your time."

"Oh. Go on then." said Archie, curious.

"I-I really don't want to bother. But - you know - you're kind of the closest - thing - to what I can call a friend... And I really feel that I can trust you. You know?"

Archie smiled, touched.

"And so... as friends, I was wondering if you would like to chill a bit and have a bros night?" he asked sheepishly, giving a awkward punch on Archie's shoulder.

"...Sure!" Archie was surprised, but answered without hesitation. He felt privileged that he could be part actively in his recovery.

"Perfect! I was thinking about going to The Rabbit Hole, would that be okay with you?" he asked hoping for a 'yes'.

"Sounds just fine. When do you wish to go there?"

"I...eee. Haven't thought about that." David was wondering when the girls might go out. "I guess... Erm. Ten o'clock?"

"Okay. Suits me. I'll meet you then. Have a good day David." he concluded with his dashing smile, not knowing he was only part of a plan.

"Pace yourself Ashley" motherly warned Mary, after they each took a sip of their drink (a mouthful for Ashley).

"I am! This is my first night out, since I've had the baby. I'm making out for lost times." she drank in one go her shooter.

Meanwhile, Ruby found some handsome preys chatting at the bar. She took a sip of her Cosmopolitan and licked her crimsoned lips with anticipation. "Girls! Check out those guuuys. We try to approach them?" she said tauntingly.

"Honey... I'm still with Shawn." even if flirting wasn't technically cheating, she felt uneasy doing so.

Aurelia and Mary glanced at the bar.

"Oh Ruby... I'm not really in the mood for flirting." lied Mary. She was indeed in the mood : but she had only one man in mind with whom she would want to.

Aurelia seconded. "The one with the polo is - okay - I guess. But... They're not really my type." she declined.

"Aw. Come on, you're no fun!" she retorted, disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm of her fellow companions. "Ashley, I guess that I can understand that you refuse, but Emma and Aurelia, you have no reason. at. all! ...Unless - you're hiding us something?" she said mischievously, knowing too well who were the object of their interests.

The two girls turned brightly red and Aurelia started nervously twirling the end of her side braid.

"Well, anyway... Unlike you I'm not waiting for mister prince charming. So... have fun moping!" she took her drink and headed to the bar.

"Prince charming-s?" asked curiously Ashley, eager to hear about crunchy stories. Her life was indeed pretty dull with a newborn to take care of and ANY story out of the ordinary was interesting. So two mysterious prince charming? That was some hell of an interesting story.

Aurelia let a small nervous laugh escaped her lips. Next to her, Mary's face was draining of all its colors. She couldn't talk about this, it was such a delicate situation and such a small town. Rumors could spread so quickly.

"There is no such thing as a 'prince charming' - for me. And even if there was, I wouldn't say anything before I've had a few more drinks." she laughed, rising a glass to her drinking buddies.

"Drink it is then! More shooters? Ashley stood up to fetch some more alcohol.

Mary was more than happy that she was forgotten in the excitement of getting more drinks.

A few minutes later, she returned, accompanied by Ruby, with twelve shooters on a plate.

"So? How'd it went?" asked Mary, nudging her head to the guys at the bar, making a diversion from where the conversation left.

"Oh, you know, the usual. They were all over me, but I chose the one I thought could best satisfy my needs. I will just fetch him later tonight, for some hot nasty sex." she winked and laughed at the dumbfounded look her friends gave her.

Ruby looked at the bar's front door, with a surprised expression, soon followed by a huge devilish grin. "Oh well well well, looks who's there. My gosh, now it's gonna get - so - interesting!"

The girls quickly turned to look in the same direction.

"I don't get it, it's just David and Archie?" asked Ashley, perplexed.

Ruby gave her THE look and made small nods towards Mary and Aurelia.

"OH!" her eyes grew wide when she understood what Ruby was implying. "Really? Who's who?" Ashley clapped her hands excitedly like a little girl.

"Nope. Not nearly drunk enough." Aurelia gulped a shooter.

Mary returned to being pale again.

"I-..." she stopped.

"Aw. Come on Mary. It's really no secret." Ruby stated.

Mary stayed silent. Were they that obvious? She thought they were being careful. Did everybody knew? She drank a shooter in one go, trying to find some courage.

"Okay - okay. I admit it. Lately, I've had... feelings... for David." she paused. "There. I said it." she exhaled.

"Oh my god, me too!" Aurelia gapped, her hands covering her mouth.

Mary looked at her aghast.

"Nah. I'm just fooling with you. You should have seen the look on your face though. It was - priceless." Aurelia giggled, visibly starting to feel tipsy.

Mary put her hand to her chest, recovering from the fright she just had. "Oh my god, it was so mean." she laughed between sharp breaths. "You really had me there."

"Sorry - It was too tempting. But - if I may - it make you forget about your uneasiness of this whole situation, ain't it?"

"... I guess... You're right!" she pondered.

Ashley was now fidgeting on her bar stool, wanting to know everything about the love life on her friends. She continued her investigation.

"So, if it's not David you're into... then... you have a thing for the therapist?" Ashley added, mouth open from bewilderment.

"Oh my god. She's SO into him." intervened Ruby.

"RUBY!" exclaimed Aurelia, outraged.

"What? You're as much obvious as these two lovebirds!" she retorted pointing Mary and David who was now sitting in a booth not too far from them. "He's just too fool to notice anything."

Mary blushed at the mention of 'lovebirds' and looked fixedly the table.

"I'm not that obvious..." mumbled Aurelia, twirling again her blond braid between her fingers.

"Oh really? Tell me. Since when do you jog in the morning? It's strange that's it's in the exact time Archie walks his dog, isn't it? Because, if I recall, you were more of an afternoon jogger, weren't you? Oh! And talking about his dog. Weren't you a cat type? But then again, you always stop to pet Pongo. I never saw you stop to pet ANY dog before. We could also talk about your jogging outfit. Didn't you used to wear a lousy t-shirt and jogging pants? Now, tell me Aurelia, what do you wear?" she asked.

"Oh-my-god. Have you nothing else to do? How could you notice all this?" she gapped.

"You didn't answer my question." she raised an eyebrow.

"Ok fine, I bought a Lululemon outfit... Happy?" she answered, exposed.

"Yup! And let's not forget the super skinny-fit yoga pants that makes your butt go BAM. Don't tell me it's not all planned in your head? When you stop petting Pongo's head, you chat with Archie and you stretch so he could look at your ass! Sweetie, you're SO obvious." she added mischievously. "And that dearie, is only what I can say about your jogging sessions. I could continue on and on and on about all the other stuff you do."

"... Did he ever - you know -?" she wondered how to ask her question.

"Look? He's a man, sweetie. Of course he did."

Aurelia felt her face burning. She glanced in her neckline and saw many red blotches. 'Oh god.' She took another shooter.

"Oh my! I never would have dream of such a interesting night!" Ashley squealed. "Well... I would have prefer to be with my boyfriend for Valentine's day, but that's an amazing consolation prize!"

Ashley then frowned, when she remembered about the mine incident.

"You must have felt so bad when you learned he had almost die in these mines! Didn't that made you ponder? That you could have lost him forever and that you would have had never the chance to tell him how you felt?" she gasped.

"Almost -? Wait, what?"

Ruby brought a hand to her face in discouragement.

"First, sweetie, you really need to go out more. Second, you haven't talked about this during you're little every morning chit-chat?"

"No... We always talked about... basic things... like weather, erm... and... weather and - you know - ... weather." she smiled pitifully.

"OH-MY-GOD. I didn't know you needed my help so badly! It's your lucky day missy, let me be your fairy godmother."

"No-no-no. Please, don't. I can take care of this myself."

"Yeah sure. You've proven you could take care of this yourself. You been onto him for what, half a year now?" she gave her a skeptical look. "Tell me, what was your next move in this big plan of yours?"

Aurelia stayed silent, ashamed.

Mary intervened. "Come on Ruby, not everyone have your guts. It's not as easy for us, as it is for you..."

Ruby took a deep breath.

"I know that. It's just that - that little mascarade goes on leading to nothing for long enough. Aurelia Summers, you can't swoon like this forever. You've got to do something! Like Ashley said he could have died! One morning you would have gone to your jogging and you wouldn't have seen him. Then you would have come to me, asking really not subtile question to know where he was and - I - would have been the one to tell you the bad news. And I don't want to make you unhappy." she paused. "... So, let me help you to win his heart. What do you say? And if I get to have some fun at your expanse doing so. It's really a win-win situation." she gave her a dashing smile.

"Please Mr. Gold, get out of this body." she snorted.

"Do we have a deal?" she extended her hand.

"I don't know..." she hesitated. "You promise you won't make me do things I don't want to?"

"Can't promise that. Buut - I can promise you that I won't make you anything that won't serve the great purpose. So deal?"

Aurelia examined longly the hand of her friend, as if it was a possible threat. She sighed and shook it.

"Deal."

Ashley squealed.

Without second thought, Ruby stood up and headed to the booth where the guys were. She had just enough time to hear Aurelia telling her "N-no wait! Dammit!"

David who had been non-subtile, gazing at Mary, looked abruptly at Archie who was talking to him.

Ruby leaned over their table.

"Oh! Hi Ruby!" David looked up at her, faking a surprised look.

"Hi guys! The girls -" she pointed the gang. "- and I just noticed you were there." she lied. "You wouldn't mind us joining you, would you?" she added fluttering her eyelashes.

"I wouldn't see any problem in that. David?" answered Archie with his calm and posed voice.

"N-no. Of course, I wouldn't mind."

"Yeah, of course you wouldn't." she repeated, implying his interest in Mary.

She turned and waved to her friends to come along. Ashley stood up immediately, while Mary Margaret and Aurelia exchanged a frightened look.

They eventually stood up, not without some help from Ashley, and started walking - slowly - towards the guys table.

Ruby who was still standing, waiting for them, assigned subtly each one places. She softly stopped Ashley from sitting next to David, so that Mary could, and then she let her sit next to Mary. She pushed in the back of Aurelia who stood frozen beside her, to sit next to Archie and, finally, she sat next to her. Ruby took the most space she could, so that Aurelia would have no choice than to press her body against his.

Aurelia had a hard time breathing It was the first time she was this close to him. She glanced a few times at him, trying to capture the moment in her head. He was wearing jeans (how unusual, she thought) and his usual long-sleeved blue shirt, but more relaxed : his sleeves were rolled to the middle of his forearms and a few top buttons were untucked, revealing some red chest hair. She groaned in envy. God, he smelled SO good. She just wanted to snuggle against his neck. Oh - what the hell - she wanted to take him right there, and right now. She wanted him to hear him panting her name, begging for more.

"Earth's calling Aurelia. Hello?" Ruby waved her hand in front of her friend.

Aurelia jumped, startled. When she realized how far she was in her reverie, the red blotches scattered on her chest and face turned to a unified surface of redness. She gulped her last shooter.

In fact, the two couples looked a bit awkward and red. Archie was fidgeting on his drink. David and Mary laughed nervously whenever one of them said anything.

It was perfect. Oh, how Ruby was loving this.

Meanwhile, as if anything could go more perfectly to set the right mood, Shawn arrived like a knight in a shining armor, offering his fiance a bouquet of flowers and asking her to marry him.

Everyone in the bar clapped and cheered when she said "yes" repeatedly and when they exchanged a long loving kiss.

Ashley then gave a hug to each of her friends and to the guys.

While hugging Mary, she murmured : "Don't let him be with Kathryn. He's clearly unhappy with her, and happy with you."

"Well, I can't choose for him."

"He won't choose if he doesn't know he has a choice, does he?" she smiled.

Mary was shocked by this sudden wisdom. Was it the alcohol or the proposal that had such effect on her?

When she hugged Aurelia, she said out loud : "Tonight's the night." she grinned, getting a puzzled look from Archie who was standing behind her.

Ashley waved her friends goodbye, with a smile stretched from ears to ears on her face, leaving behind her a blushing Aurelia and a pensive Mary. She then left the bar with her husband-to-be to conclude her Valentine's day beautifully.

"Well, at least one of us gonna have fun tonight." insinuated Ruby.

Mary Margaret turned to David. "David, can we... talk outside for a moment?"

"S-sure." David stood and left with Mary. He was torn between the happiness to have finally some time alone with her and the worry of having a serious discussion.

"Well, it's time for me to go fetch my prize!" Ruby excused herself, ignoring the glares her friend shoot her.

'Now to make sure they won't talk about weather...'

She leaned to grab her purse and whispered something in her Aurelia's ear.

Aurelia silently mouthed an outraged 'no' with her lips to what Ruby only answered with an inaudible, yet fierce 'yes' before leaving.

Aurelia knew that, from the bar, Ruby was watching her and that she would make up an even more crazy idea if she didn't do what was asked. So she proceeded.

"...So. How's Pongo?"

"Oh! He's fine... Thank you for asking." he smiled shyly. Turning his glass with his fingers.

They both fell silent.

"Nice warm day we had today, isn't it?" she cursed at herself for bringing up the weather again.

"Yes, indeed... How - how was you training?"

"Gooood - good."

She turned to look at her friend at the bar, begging for help with her eyes, which she only answered with a 'just do it!' gesture.

Aurelia took a deep breath, paused and turned abruptly to face Archie, knocking "accidentally" the remaining content of his drink on his lap.

He gasped.

'I did it!' she squealed happily in her head, but instantly regretted doing it afterward.

"Oh! I-I'm soo sorry. I'm so clumsy. Here let me help you." she took some napkins scattered on the table and started to rub the stain on his pants. 'Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. I hate you Ruby.'

He instantly froze and small cry escaped his mouth.

"Aaaaah - eeee - erm!" he cleared his throat. "Thank you, miss Summers, I'll - hum - let it dry by itself." he gently and shakily took her hands to remove them from this very sensitive spot.

"Oh sure! I'm sorry, it was very inappropriate of me. I haven't thought..."

"No harm done." he assured her, but she couldn't help but notice his now red ears.

'Well, I guess the bold methods of Ruby does show some results...'

"So, anyway. What brought you here tonight, Mr. Hopper?" she asked trying to change the subject. "I didn't know you were the outgoing type?"

"Well, I'm not really, actually. I was merely accompanying a friend who needed to clear his mind."

"You're truly a kind man." she smiled.

"Well, I try to do my best." he answered humbly.

"What do you of spare time, then?"

"Reading, mostly. Taking walks with Pongo, but you knew that already -" he laughed nervously. "aaand... cooking."

"You cook? I wouldn't have thought!"

"Really? I'm hurt. I'll let you know that I'm a pretty good cook." he faked being offended. "I'll invite you sometime, you'll see for yourself." he blurted out.

Did he just, somehow, asked me out? She chided silently.

"Sounds great." she grinned.

Archie smiled back and looked at his watch. "Well, it really has been a pleasure, but it's beginning to get late. I think I should go now. I hope you won't mind?"

Aurelia did mind, she was just beginning to get to know the man.

He continued. "I guess - you're feeling tired too? If you want, I can escort you to your home."

Her sadness soon faded at this invitation. "I would appreciate that, it's very considerate of you. And yes, now that you mention it, I do feel a bit tired."

They stood and left the bar together.

Aurelia glanced long enough at the bar to see her friend Ruby gesturing a phone call with her hand. She mouthed 'call me' and winked.

Outside, it was pouring rain.

"Luckily, I've got my umbrella." Archie patted the object that mostly always follow him.

He opened it and motioned Aurelia to come nearer. "There's enough space for two under it." he indicated.

She obliged, still intimidated by such proximity, but yet, felt comfortable.

They walked slowly to her home. It was quiet outside. They could hear clearly each splashing sound they made while walking.

"... I've heard you had almost died in the mines incident...?" she remembered the talk she had with her friends earlier that night.

He stopped walking and gaze through her. She blushed. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

"Well. I just want to say that - I -" would have been devastated? would have cried my heart out each day on your grave thinking about how life could have been with you? Despising myself for being such a coward and never telling you how I felt about you? " - that... it would have been a great loss for the city." she cursed at herself.

He smiled.

"Well, thankfully, this very same umbrella that now protects us from the rain. saved my life that day."

She frowned. "Really? How?"

"I was trap in an elevator shaft with Henry. Emma came down attached by a harness to pick up her son. The plan was to come back to fetch me after, but the elevator fell. Luckily, I was able to hook my umbrella onto her harness. Otherwise, it would have been quite a long fall... and a hard landing."

"Oh... So you did really almost died..." realization struck her.

"Indeed."

They continued their walk silently, enjoying the presence of the other. The soon arrived in front of her home.

"Well, this it it... That's home." she turned to face him, still under the umbrella.

They were really close, and, since he was taller than her, she had to look up.

"I... enjoyed spending time with you tonight, Mr. Hopper." she found the courage to say.

"I felt the same way." he whispered hoarsely, blushing.

She tried to capture in her mind one last time this perfect moment in her head. His beautiful blue eyes on her. Their proximity. His blushing. His tangled red hair. His crooked smile. The sound of the rain falling around them. Their little warm and loving cocoon under the lucky umbrella.

"Happy valentine's day, Mr. Hopper." she pecked him on the cheek and quickly climbed the few stairs to her apartment front door.

"Happy valentine's day, Mrs. Summers." he whispered to himself, his heart pounding.

Archie walked back to his home alone, but serene.