"Sometimes I sit and think, and sometimes I just sit." – Winnie the Pooh
Ruby's POV
Staring into my coffee mug lost in thought as everyone celebrated the breaking of the curse. Celebrating their happily ever after, even Regina was amongst the once hostile crowd. It seem Emma and Regina finally got passed there hostility and admitted there feelings for each other. I told Regina it would all work out. And it did creating there strange little family, but Henry seemed more than happy with both of his mom's getting along more than great.
And strange enough Maleficent and Aurora are here and together. Now that was a shocker, but like Regina, Maleficent was enraged by Aurora's parents not Aurora herself and when she met Aurora on her 18th birthday Maleficent fell hard for the beautiful Aurora. And Aurora herself seemed to feel the same way for the equally beautiful Maleficent. Luckily enough Phillip didn't wish to marry Aurora. He was and will always be Aurora's best friend and he seemed to have taken a liking to Lesley, Aurora and Phillip's childhood friend. Everyone's happily ever after was coming true. Even Rumplestiltskin or Mr. Gold seemed much happier after finally being united with his son. And his son, Henry's father seemed joyous to be a part of Henry's life even if it Emma wasn't part of his life in a romantic way.
Everyone except me seemed to have their happily ever after. I am so tired of this life, so seemingly caged into a life I've never wanted. Regina unknowingly gave me an escape with the curse. I mean sure I never got to explore the world as I wanted to being stuck in Storybrooke, but I was happy… carefree. As Red I was forced to change every time the moon showed up. Now that the curse is broken I can travel, but never get too close. Not without risking other's safety. No both Ruby and Red were trapped.
Knocking over the mug in front of me in my rush to stand up I paused watching it's downward decent and the shattering impact it made as it hit the ground. The sound being drowned out by the over joyous crowd. I don't think Granny even realizes what day it is. All she knows and cares about is that the curse is broken and she's in her mate's arms. Today has never been a good day and I doubt it ever will be. How can you celebrate the day you killed your own mother?
Tears clouding my sight I gracefully push through the happy crowd eager to get away from the suffocating atmosphere and the less than gentle groping fingers, running to the Kitchen and grabbing a bottle of southern comfort on my passage out through the back door. Continuing my fast pace into the woods ignoring the branches that cut and scrap my face and cling onto my clothes before bursting through to the hidden clearing revealing my secret lake. Slumping on a nearby bolder at the water front. The dam weakly blocking the salty rivers from escaping my eyes crumbling releasing the tears down my cheeks. Blindly uncorking the almost forgotten bottle before taking mouthfuls of the fowl liquid barely taking any notice to the it's burning on it's journey downward. Finally stopping when there are only a few drops left while carelessly dropping the bottle in the sand. Standing upon wobbly legs I stumble into my little cabin in the woods. Throwing the door and collapsing onto my medium sized bed curling around one of many pillows willing sleep to come with little to no success before rolling over and staring blankly at the picture of a wolf on my wall tears rapidly falling.
Regina's POV
Glancing around the room at everyone's happy faces only a few glaring my way or somewhat unsettled by my presence here I snuggle safely into Emma's side a smile tugging at my lips as I watch Henry ramble happily to his grandparents and parents. Continuing my scan around the room before spotting my best friend Maleficent with her arms securely wrapped around Aurora who's practically glowing with happiness talking rapidly with Phillip and Lesley. Whispering my promise of return to Emma I slip from her embrace and glide over to Maleficent who seems happy enough holding Aurora even though she's not part of the conversation in front of her if not slightly bored.
"Maleficent, my friend, how are you?" whispering into her ear smiling slightly to Aurora who briefly glanced my way before continuing with her conversation.
"Aurora's happy so I can't complain her smile makes everything okay." She whispers glancing fondly at the beautiful woman in her arms.
"Besides," She says glancing around, "everyone's so happy I mean a few disgruntled drunk people here and there, but everyone's happy." Following her gaze around the room smiling before stopping on a petit figure sitting alone, frowning slightly.
"It seems not everyone." I whisper, Maleficent looks at me questioningly before following my gaze to the figure in the corner her smiling falling somewhat. "Who is that?" she question somewhat upset. "I have no-" I stop as the figure stands unknowing facing our direction knocking over a mug and simply looking at it as it falls to the floor and shatters with no one, but the three of us noticing. Maleficent flinches slightly as her sensitive ears pick up the sound"-Ruby." I speak softly. Glaring at the slobbery drunk grabbing at her in what seems to be painful less than desired fashion as she glides away on the verge of tears before disappearing from our sight into the kitchen. Maleficent releasing Aurora to go follow Ruby through the kitchen, smiling reassuringly back at Aurora who looks confusedly at Maleficent figure as she disappears to the back of the kitchen. Swiftly catching up with Maleficent who's almost reached the woods.
"Can you follow her scent?" closing her eyes momentarily before her nostrils flare and her eyes snap open quickly moving through the woods only pausing to move branches or logs that are in the way. After a few minutes of running we reach a thick tree line before gasping as we come to a beautiful clearing with a crystal clear lake mirroring the sky. Quickly spotting a bottle near the lake we follow the foot prints to the edge of the woods where there's a small cabin slightly hidden behind tree branches. Approaching it we peer into the open door spotting Ruby's tiny figure curled into a ball clutching onto a pillow as if her life depended on it. A large gash bled on her cheek along with a small cut on her bottom lip easily visible along with her hazel blue eyes misted with tears digging rivers down her cheeks.
"Oh Ruby." I whisper gently. Turning to face Maleficent I softly ask, "Maleficent will you go back to Granny's and get Emma along with a first aid kit?" she nods her eye's still focused on Ruby's prone form. Quickly she snaps her eyes away and begins moving towards the woods. Watching as Maleficent disappears into the trees before focusing on the woman in front of me. Walking quietly inside, "Ruby?" her eye's flicker to me before attempting to sit up "Madam Ma- Regina? What are you doing here?" she asks her voice cracking moving to sit beside Ruby placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her movement. Smiling gently at her before asking, "Are you alright?" she opens her mouth before her face scrunches up and she releasing a sob while turning and burying her face in her hands. Gently pulling her sobbing form in me and whispering words of comfort. Her slim fingers grasping onto my shirt and her face pressed into the crook of my neck seemingly afraid I'll disappear. After several minutes her breathing evens out, but tears still fall from her eyes in her sleep. Humming softly running my fingers gently through her hair removing leaves and twigs she picked up on her rush here. Wrapping my arms around this fragile creature before closing my eyes and waiting for Maleficent to get back.
