AN: This is part of a much larger work that is being posted on AO3 by Ellaworm11 and I. The story is called Fireworks, and we currently have chapter 1 up. These are snippets from chapter 3. Fireworks is a multi-crossover fic which combines Agents of Shield, Avengers, Once Upon a Time, Warehouse 13, Damages, and includes references to Firefly and How I met your mother. Good luck! These are bits and pieces of scenes used to set up the relationship between Maid Marian and Ruby Lucas. I've included my notes from the initial draft for the sake of clarity and humor.
Red Maid Set Up and Scenes
(To be interspersed between chapters occurring on days July 3-4)
NOTE: DUE TO THE EXTREME LENGTHINESS THAT BECAME OF THIS SIDESTORY, WE MAY NOW ASSUME THAT REDMAID IS AWESOME
Scene 1; Narrative: Maid Marian
Location: Woods, Storybrooke Outskirts
Robin Hood shoulders his black crossbow and strides from the main tent into the center of the campground. He approaches a tall brunette with dark skin, and kisses her tenderly.
"I hate to leave you again, Marian, but I must go into town today," He murmurs quietly into her ear.
She turns and palms his cheeks, "Are you sure you do not want me with you?"
She begins pulling idly at loose strands of wool and thread from his clothing. It is an easy thing to do, something she is accustomed to as he stares at her dark hands, haunted. For him it has been almost four years since he has seen Marian, and that tortured expression is ceaseless as she runs her fingers along the seams of such strange clothing.
"I will be fine. I thought you would want to spend time with Roland," he replies thickly.
Marian's brow furrows with concern, "But of course, he is my baby. It is you I worry for. The Queen runs the town."
"The Queen?" He gives a strangled laugh, "She wouldn't harm a hair on my head."
Marian is not convinced, and she pulls back from the man she wishes she understood. Robin takes her hands anew.
"She shall not harm us. I would never allow for it. Besides, she's different here. She's a kind soul," He justifies.
"A kind soul!" Marian cannot believe what she is hearing, "This is the woman who would have me dead!"
Robin leans forward, despite her protestations, "The woman who wanted you dead no longer exists, Marian."
She shakes with something hot and boiling. What it is yet, she knows not. She rips her hands from his.
"You have too much faith in the Queen. More so than you have in me, it seems," She responds icily.
She turns away and heads for their tent. She just wants to be alone, not to have to think about anything.
"Marian!" He calls after her, but she does not turn.
"Go, I shall see you upon your return," She addresses the tent, and Robin stares after her as she enters with a flourish.
Robin heaves a long, confused sigh before gathering a quiver of arrows into his strong arms and walking from camp.
Behind her, Marian hears the tent flaps open. She expects to see Will Scarlet, or Little John, and has a dismissal on the tip of her tongue when a small bundle tumbles into her stomach.
"Where's Daddy?" Roland asks her, his face scrunched up inquisitively.
Marian feels her heart warm immediately and a smile graces her features. She kneels before her son and touches his smooth, round face, "Daddy went into the town, my child. He has left."
Roland's lower lip protrudes impossibly far out as he whines, "Why didn't Daddy take me?"
"Your father wanted the two of us to spend some time together. Wouldn't you like that, Roland?"
He nods enthusiastically as Marian rises to her feet once again. She takes him by the hand and leads him to the campfire.
"I want to go into town, Mama!" He squeals, tugging at her shirt.
Marian sighs, deeply, because she has no interest in going into town. There were explosions going off every other day, the same three colors lining the streets, and the men were drunk. It is a strange place with strange people, and even stranger traditions.
"Roland, what could you need in town that you cannot find here in the forest?"
"Everything. Mama," He says, and Marian feels her heart breaking, "Please, won't you take me? Regina took me into town all the time!"
Maid Marian hears a thundering shatter and feels her world tip upside down.
"Regina?"
Scene 2; Narrative: Maid Marian
Location: Seaside Prairie with Benches
Roland jumps up on a park bench, his arms are open wide like he is embracing the fresh air, and there is a bright smile of delight spread across his face. Marian chuckles at the curious antics.
"Roland, what are you up to?" She inquires.
"Mama, I'm an airplane!" He jumps up and down, laughing, his mop of hair flopping up and down.
"Darling, I know not what that is."
Roland raises and flaps his arms as he explains, "They're big and fly in the sky –zoom zoom!"
She gazes at her child sadly. It is her child, but it is not. This Roland is more of this land than hers. Her Roland still cries every night until nestled to her breast. Her Roland has a beautiful smile when he hears her sing at night. Her Roland is a baby.
"Catch me mama!"
She grasps him beneath the armpits and swings him in the air.
There are some things of this world she does not mind. For example: pants. She finds she does enjoy the freedom and versatility of denim. And asprin. So, the things of this world cannot be so bad, can they?
"I do, my sweet little airplane!" She swings him around and around until he shrieks for her to stop because he is dizzy.
She hears heavy panting behind her and whirls around to find a redheaded boy with his hands on his knees.
"Roland! Roland!" The boy says with great enthusiasm.
"August?" Roland jogs over in his small, uncoordinated way.
"Roland's mom? Can Roland please come over to play? My Papa is home to supervise," The other boy says innocently.
Marian is unsure and crosses her arms, "Who is your Papa, child, have I met him?"
"His name is Gepetto. And my old name was Pinocchio," He says, and she remembers him as the puppet boy from the village she was taken from to be executed by the Evil Queen.
"Please mama, can I go?" Roland's eyes become like a puppies, and his lower lip protrudes again.
She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out, so instead he simply nods her head and places a hand on his shoulder as he slips away.
Scene 3; Narrative: Maid Marian and Ruby Lucas
Location: Beachfront
Marian stands, arms crossed against the bracing wind, watching the sea tide and listening to its rhythmic symphony. Back in her land, it was the sea in constant motion which always seemed to ease her thoughts. It was reflective and so too were her thoughts.
Here though, it has the opposite effect. Water is in constant motion, serving to remind her that no two moments are alike. What was once her future is now the absolute past; and there is no going back to that time. Ever. Watching the water is an agitant, crawling beneath her skin, running the length of her fingers and toes to make her restless.
She tests a rock's weight in her hands and hurls it as hard as she can into the water. She does this just to hear its low toned splash and to find the satisfaction of seeing the ripples it makes within the waves. With that the wind changes, and suddenly she is aware of the sound of a woman's crying.
With equal concern and curiosity, she makes her way down to the beach to discover a dark haired woman with a heart shaped face sitting on the orange sand sobbing uncontrollably.
"Miss, are you alright?" She inquires, approaching quickly.
The woman throws her hands down shakily and nearly shouts in a trembling voice, "No I am not okay!"
Worry tugs at Marian's heart. She places a hand on the other woman's shoulder.
"There, there. You are not injured, are you? What ails you?"
The other woman laughs mirthlessly through a hiccup, "I don't even know…" She says.
Marian helps the woman to her feet, fixes her red streaked hair, and gently wipes tears from her pale face.
"Thank you," The woman smiles.
Marian feels warmth flood through her system. It was oddly rewarding to be of service to someone else.
"You know, you are very pretty when you smile," Marian comments.
She has to think back to all of the things Robin has told her about this place. Would this be an acceptable time to grasp hands?
She gives it a go, "Marian Fitzwalter."
Judging by the ever-widening smile beaming back at her, she guessed correctly. The other woman takes her hand in a warm handshake.
"Ruby Lucas"
Scene 7; Narrative: Robin Hood
Location: Eastern Bluff Overlooking the Sea
(What the Hell did I just write? Maybe I'll rework after , Robin's moral ambiguity comes from the fact that I want him as a pawn in HYDRA's plans, is that okay?)
Robin crouches in the tall grasses of the prairie. He has the advantage of altitude, and the cross wind will not alert the target to his location via noise. The target moves slowly along the beach, alternating between milling about and staring out at the sea. The target is a female. Long, dark hair cascades over grey trench coat; she is of average height. She takes out a cell phone every once in awhile to send a text or answer a call.
Finally, she meanders into position. In a swift, clean motion he loads an arrow into the crossbow and aims. If the target were a turkey, or a deer, pulling the trigger would be easy, and he probably would already have meat and head as trophy. The issue a human target presents is a moral one. It would not be the first time he has shot a human to death before. Living as an outcast, the leader of thieves, at times necessitated a bit of bloodshed. The difference between the disputes in the forest and the dispute he has fallen into is dichotomous. In the forest, it was always a rival who was killed and it was done in a fair duel to the death. Here, though, Robin feels he is a pawn in caught up in the crossfire between warring gods, and the blood that will be on his hands will be shed unscrupulously.
But! If what that woman is to be believed, then the freedom of thousands of children could rest upon the death of this woman. It boils down to the exchange of sins to bear. Would it be the sin of omission not to take this shot? Would the fate of all those children be weighed upon his heart in turn? Or, should he take this shot, kill this woman, in exchange for the former?
He thinks of Roland, and he knows what he would do if his own child were in danger. Without a second thought he would pull the trigger, and send the vile woman straight to Hell.
However he knows he cannot think that way. He stills his finger as he envisages his options.
He knows he cannot take this shot. He knows he cannot because there is too much grey, and there is no way to know whose truth is the fallacy.
Before he can think about moving, he hears the ringing voice that haunts his dreams.
"What the Hell are you doing?" He whirls around and there is the mayor gliding towards him.
"That is a lawyer!" Regina looks like she wants to shake him, but she keeps her distance, "You kill her and some random family traveling in broken down RVs will be the least of the problems rolling into Storybrooke!"
She is infuriated with him, and his heart leaps in his chest with absurd joy. It has been almost a month since they have seen one another; spoken to one another; touched one another. He attempts to explain the situation. He was approached by a strange woman, he thought he knew what he was doing but he did not and he was not going to shoot because of it.
"Regina, I-"
"Save it, Robin," Her brow arches darkly, "Aim that bow at her, and you might as well be aiming at Henry."
"Henry?"
"She's working on a case- a case in which Henry will be taken from me should she not win."
Like a pinprick relieving pressure in a balloon, Robin feels his solicitude dissipate.
Perhaps it was her words voicing his deepest fears that his actions would have greater consequence than he could conceive.
"Very well then, I shall not shoot."
"Good." She nods and turns to leave.
"Wait, Regina," Robin reaches for her arm and grasps it steadfastly. He knows he cannot let her go.
She halts because she has missed his touch, his scent, the timbre of his voice. She feels like crying, but reprimands herself for such weakness unbefitting of a queen.
"Milady, with every passing day I yearn for you. You have not left my mind for an instant."
"Robin –"
But before she can get more than a word out, he leans forward and kisses her. As his lips move against hers she melts into him, because this is exactly where her heart wants to be, and despite all of her anger towards him, she knows she cannot live without her soul mate. It is both a terrible and wonderful thing to be utterly dependent upon another, but such is the nature and mystery of True Love.
She succumbs to his warmth willingly, because she is just so tired of fighting and losing. For once in her life, she wants something good to happen to her, something absolutely good. She wants it to happen not because of long, perilous journeys or near descents into darkness, but just because it can.
However, it would appear that such happiness was not in the cards for the Mayor of Storybrooke.
A strangled sob erupts behind them. Maid Marian stands, swaying, arms crossed, and glistening rivulets flow from her eyes. The startled couple leaps apart, but the damage has been done, and dread fills the hearts of all.
"Oh, God!" Marian sobs.
To Marian, everything seems to fall into place: the 'She's a kind soul' and the 'Regina lets me' and Robin's recent distance. It would be a lie to say she was without her suspicions. She dismissed them as mostly subconsciously garnered and as a result of being ripped from her own time. She fought against those fears and allowed thought and rationality to justify their existence. Never did she foresee these suspicions being confirmed.
She feels her rage boil over, and now she is acutely aware of the layers of emotions she feels. It is envy, but a mournful one. She feels it like a cutting knife, because she knows that just as the woman who once wanted her dead does not exist, neither exists the man she fell in love with.
No, this Robin is a different man, a man who has seen a ghost and fallen back in love with a memory of a woman he once loved but cannot remember, while also courting another woman to be his magical True Love. In this moment, Marian feels something akin to hatred towards the both of them.
She stalks forward with an angry intent.
"Marian!" Robin tries to call out to her.
She slaps him.
Hard.
He falls to the side and holds his reddening cheek in shock.
"I do not want to see you! Either of you!" Marian screams, her voice tearing through her throat. She can feel another tidal wave of salty tears gathering behind her eyes, so she makes to leave.
"Stop! Please," Robin kneels before her, "Marian, you know I cannot live without you!"
And then she understands. During their time together in Sherwood Forest, she and Robin did absolutely everything together. They outran voracious lords, stole untold riches from countless rulers – they were a team. A united front held together by mutual trust and equality. But now, after the years have tempered Robin the widower, he has lost sight of that bond. He cannot perceive her as an equal any longer, but a transmuted symbol of love, loss, and perfection. No, he has put Maid Marian upon a pedestal, and if there is one thing she cannot abide, it is that.
As he speaks, Marian watches the Queen's expression ripple from surprise, to mild disdain, into full blown betrayal.
"You know, Robin? I don't care anymore. You certainly do not care for me the way you ought to," She accuses.
Then she addresses the distraught Queen, "You two deserve each other!"
"Mama! Daddy! Regina!"
The three adults look up, or, rather, down, and watch as little Roland jogs up the hill toward them.
"-Roland…"
"-Roland?"
"-Roland!"
The three adults all say at once. There is a long pause, as the adults are at a complete loss for words. Roland recovers quickly and glances around between the three adults he has associated as his parents. He is too innocent to realize the dynamics around him, so he opens his mouth and begins to ramble in his childish way:
"I was just at August's and we played his new pokemon on his 3DS and he let me start a new game, but wouldn't let me save but it was okay and I had a lot of fun!"
Marian fails to stifle another sob before turning on heel and walking briskly away.
"Mama, where are you going?" Roland asks.
"Yes, Marian, where will you go?" Robin asks, still holding his cheek, numbly.
Marian takes a deep breath to steady herself. She turns and hollers the name of the first place that comes to mind:
"To Granny's Diner!"
With that said and done, she runs off. Robin stares after her until her form is lost in the trees. He turns to see Regina looking at him with a pained expression and he realizes his mistake too late.
"Please, Regina!" He attempts to amend.
"Don't!" She puts a hand to stop whatever stream of amorous excuses and whatnot about to come spewing from his mouth, "Just. Don't!"
He respects that, and he stays back. He watches her turn away, and she holds herself for just a moment, takes a deep breath to re-ground. Finally, after many recounts to three, she turns back around.
"I'm asking you for space, Robin," the calm in her voice belies the tempest in her eyes, " I do not want to see you, nor do I have any intention of talking to you in the foreseeable future.
"I know that you love me, Robin. That much is clear. But I am not the only woman your heart appears to yearn for. I willingly gave my whole heart to you, and I did so entrusting you to not crush it. I now offer you a choice: until you are willing to give me that same trust, to deliver your whole heart to this commitment and not just half of it, I do not want to see you."
She sniffs and wipes away stray tears that have run across her face, "Goodbye, Robin."
She disappears in a plume of smoke, not caring anymore who sees her, and Robin is left with a very confused Roland.
Robin kneels and gestures for his son.
"Roland, promise me you won't ever fall in love?" He asks, his throat tightening "It's all so complicated."
Roland just shrugs, "Whatever, Daddy."