A/N: This is a little different than what I normally do for this pairing, but once I listened to "Better" by Banks, this idea just took hold. Kudos to by friend and beta Chokingthecherry (on tumblr) for pointing out the story idea would be perfect for Red Queen.
She sighs as she stares out the window. It's a beautiful day, really. The sun is bright and there's a light crispness to the air that keeps it from being too warm outside. It's a shame she's stuck inside working on a friend's accounts.
She crosses her arms, fingers tapping and red and black flannel as she considers her schedule for the day. Absently she notes that the townhouse across the way has the curtains open again, and she can see a dark haired woman moving around.
"I can spare an hour or two," she reasons out loud to herself. Decision made, she gathers her brown hair into a long tail, using the elastic hairband always around her wrist to secure its position. She hesitates when she remembers the music. It's only a mild risk, and she's tired of being inside. It's her day off. She deserves some time in the sun.
She adjusts the belt at her waist and grabs her house keys and wallet, tucking the latter two into her pockets. Her phone is left behind. She hates dragging the thing around everywhere, especially since she doesn't particularly care to hear from the few people most likely to call.
The moment she's out and the locked door is behind her, she knows she's made the right decision. There's a rejuvenative quality to the fresh coolness of the day despite the music sailing through the air, and Ruby's smiling as she begins walking with her hands tucked into the pockets of her jeans. Her throat tickles with the urge to sing, but she ignores it.
She nods at the people she passes. Storybrooke has had a population boom since the last time she'd visited as a child, but she doesn't mind. The town is still friendly, only a little more anonymous. It's a great combination for her since she enjoys seeing other people while being able to maintain a semblance of distance.
Her feet guide her down a familiar path, and her smile widens when she sees the sign for T&J's Fresh Produce. The name is unimaginative, but she doesn't mind. The people that run the place are an old adorable couple that have been together since dinosaurs roamed the earth. They're also half-deaf and incredibly friendly. Ruby loves them.
"Hey Theresa," she projects loudly as she steps around a display of apples.
The tiny old woman that's rearranging some artichokes pauses and grins. "Ruby!"
Ruby is fascinated by the deep wrinkles on the much older woman's sun-darkened face, and she thinks of all the adventures Theresa has described in the last six months since she moved back to Storybrooke.
"Beautiful day, don't you think?" The music is louder here, and Ruby has to focus very hard on Theresa to ignore it.
"Oh, yes. They picked a great day for the spring festival." Theresa begins to hum as she finishes.
The smile on Ruby's face becomes brittle. She looks around and sees that there's hardly anyone around and relaxes. If she slips, things should be alright. "What's good today?"
"What isn't?" Theresa says with a twinkle in her eyes. "Although - Ruby, honey, could you do me a favor?"
"What do you need?" Ruby wouldn't blindly agree for just anyone, but Theresa isn't just anyone.
"My Jamal is helping your grandmother at her food booth, but he forgot to take these avocados for her. Would you be a dear and take them along? I'll make you a nice basket of fresh fruits and veggies for later." Theresa is already wheeling out a small wagon that's loaded with avocados as she speaks. She has no doubt Ruby will acquiesce.
"That won't be a problem," Ruby replies. She hasn't seen her grandmother for a few days anyway, and if she's lucky she'll be able to get away with a plate of goodies. She hums lowly to herself as she begins tugging the wagon away, only stopping when she's closer to the festival and she realizes what she's doing.
Her good mood threatens to evaporate, but she tells herself in all the hubbub of the festival no one would be able to hear her anyway. The avocados are deposited at her grandmother's stall with little fanfare and she's pushed away gruffly after a hug.
"Take these chicken dumplings and potatoes," Granny says in a brusque voice. "Goodness knows you could use a little more meat on your bones."
She doesn't notice Jamal's amused snicker and blatantly ignores Ruby's affectionate grin.
When Ruby was younger she hadn't recognized her grandmother's affection for what it was, but she's glad she made the decision to move back. They'll never be the sort of family to tell each other everything, but Ruby knows she can count on her grandmother for unconditional love. It's refreshing after so many years with her dad.
Just the barest thought of him conjures memories of stale cigarettes and disappointed looks, the hangdog look on his face when she tells him again that she's happy being an accountant.
"But you have a gift, Ruby," he'd always say with a haunted look on his face.
Ruby had long ago stopped trying to tell him that what he referred to as a gift always felt more like a curse.
She's so lost in thought that she doesn't realize she's made it back to T&J's - or that there's someone standing near the apples.
"Oh gosh I'm so sorry," she blurts after solidly knocking into the poor woman whose apples are now half scattered over the ground. She balances her plate on a wooden crate and crouches to help collect the apples.
There's a long sigh followed by a warm chuckle. "It's alright, there's only a few bruises."
Alarmed, Ruby looks up and sees that the woman is in fact referring to some of the apples she's already collected. Ruby blushes and offers the brunette a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I'll pay for them."
The woman smiles back, and for a moment Ruby forgets everything. The woman's dark hair is almost black and cut to just above her shoulders, but it's her face that Ruby is unable to look away from. The smile is all full crimson lips and white teeth, and the dark brown eyes that crinkle at the sides let Ruby know this woman is no stranger to laughter.
"Does that mean you'll be keeping them?" The woman asks in an amused voice after a moment.
Ruby blinks and realizes that she's still cradling half a dozen apples to her stomach. "No, sorry. I, uh, haven't eaten yet today so," she says in a nervous rush. She forces herself to stop speaking and deposits her collected apples back into the woman's waiting basket. Her face is on fire as they both stand. She idly notes she's several inches taller than the woman.
"Well you could have one since you're paying for them," the woman says as she holds out an apple. Her fingers are slender and feminine, with crimson nails that make Ruby just think of her lips again.
Ruby coughs into a raised fist and shakes her head. "No, uh, thank you. I have some food." She realizes her hands are empty and looks around, retrieving her plate and holding it up. It's covered in foil, but she hopes her point comes across anyway.
"Well if you're done harassing my customers now, Ruby," Theresa declares in a teasing voice, "I have your basket ready as well."
Ruby clears her throat, glad that she has someone else to focus on. "I'll be paying for her apples."
"That's alright," the woman says, "I was just kidding earlier. I can pay for them."
"I insist." Ruby chances a look back at the brunette and has to suck in a quick breath. The woman is smiling that smile again and Ruby isn't sure if she wants the moment to end or to continue forever.
"Just let her do it, Regina. We could be here all day otherwise." Theresa's lips twitch as she looks at Ruby.
Regina, Ruby thinks before she can stop herself. She follows Theresa back toward the register, doing her best not to look at Regina. She pays without making a greater fool of herself, and her equilibrium is restored as the bill is settled.
"Well, thanks for the apples," Regina says with her lips slightly upturned.
Ruby's world tilts out of balance again. She shrugs and swallows. "It was the least I could do."
Regina's lips purse in amusement as she raises a hand and offers a mock two fingered salute. "I'll see you around," she says.
The glittering of white gold on her ring finger shocks Ruby back into reality. She can only nod as Regina turns and begins walking away, wondering why Regina is wearing a black pencil skirt and white button up blouse on a Saturday, but secretly grateful for the ensemble.
Married, Ruby scolds herself as she looks away - and right at a smirking Theresa.
"I'll, uh, be going now," Ruby blurts out as she grabs her basket and scurries away. She should have never left her apartment today.
Ruby frowns at the figures on her screen. She loves her work, the logic and neatness of it, but she really hates tax season. As with her last small firm, there's always a boom of business around this time of year. Everyone wants the best income tax returns, but most keep the worst records.
So it's with some shock that she greets her next client.
Shit. Ruby stands up and stretches out her hand over her desk. "Ruby Lucas."
"Ruby," Regina says in surprise as she cradles a stack of folders. She reaches out to accept Ruby's hand. "I'm Regina Mills."
Regina looks impeccable in a navy pencil skirt and blazer, a silk powder blue shirt peeking out from the under unbuttoned blazer.
"Nice to meet you," Ruby says as they both take their seats. Technically they haven't been introduced yet, she reasons as she tries smother her annoyance with the unexpected encounter.
Though Ruby has been living back in Storybrooke for nearly seven months now, she swears that before her random encounter with Regina at T&J's she'd never seen the woman around. That was the past, however. Now she's seen Regina what seems several times a week at the randomest parts of town since the spring festival.
It's just another unfair part of Ruby's life, being fascinated with this married woman she can't seem to escape. She sighs and fixes a smile on her face. "What can I help you with today, Mrs. Mills?"
"You can call me Regina. As for what brings me here today, well. Normally I do my own taxes, but I got married last year and I'm afraid my husband is...less than organized when it comes to his finances." Regina looks irritated as she speaks, though there's a hint of affection to her tone.
The corner of Ruby's mouth tilts upward. She can respect Regina's frustrations. "Let's have a look then, shall we?"
She extends her hand again, this time palm up and open. Regina quickly gives her the stack of folders.
It's there, right on the first page. The reason why Ruby can't seem to avoid this woman. She stares at the damning black ink, wondering why fate has decided this is her lot in life.
"Is something wrong?" Regina asks with a frown.
Ruby looks up with a resigned look and a smile. "No, I just realized that we're neighbors. My apologies. Okay, so I see here that I won't be having an issue with your side of things. After a cursory skim it seems your affairs are in order."
She stifles a large sigh when she opens the next folder. It's crammed full of crumpled papers, many of which are receipts. "I can see why you came to us. Rest assured that you've come to the right place, Regina."
When Regina smiles and Ruby's heart begins pounding furiously in her chest, Ruby's not surprised. Why should she be surprised after several accidental run-ins?
As she combs through the random details of Regina's finances, she tries to keep the information from settling deep into her mind. No pets, two children; one through marriage, one through adoption. Thirty-five, six years older than Ruby. Head of the Department of Community Affairs for Storybrooke, Maine. Respectable salary, with a great deal of her total income coming from wise investments.
Her husband Robin Wimple is less impressive. Ruby's somehow not surprised to see that Regina's kept her maiden name. Thirty-seven, one child from a previous marriage. Game Warden, salary less impressive but not the worst Ruby's seen. His handwriting is as atrocious as his record keeping. She wonders if everyone who works for the US Fish and Wildlife Service is as bad as he is at keeping his books, and maybe if they should be audited.
She keeps her thoughts to herself, asking Regina pointed questions to clarify some things. It would be easier if Regina's husband were here, but she's also glad that he isn't. After nearly an hour and a half of discussion, Ruby is able to finalize the forms for Regina's returns. It could have been worse, Ruby surmises, if Regina wasn't such an immaculate record keeper.
It's just another thing that's way too appealing about Regina, though Ruby admits to herself that maybe she's a bit of a nerd for thinking that. "Well I think we're about finished here," Ruby says as she stands.
Regina smiles and extends her hand. Ruby returns the files. Regina's smile widens as she tucks the files under her arm and keeps her hand extended.
Ruby clears her throat and accepts the handshake, wishing she could ignore the tingle that runs up her arm at the soft warm contact. Regina has a firm grip, but not so much that Ruby feels like she's being challenged. It's confident, just like her smile.
"You know, this is the first time in a long time I've let someone else handle this," Regina says as the handshake ends, "but I know I made the right decision. I just might come back again next year. You've made this much more painless than I thought it would be."
Ruby thinks about her co-workers, three older men and one younger that all really like the sound of their own voices. She doesn't hate them, but she doesn't really like them much either. They're the only accounting firm in town, so it's likely that this had been the place Regina had come to before.
"Happy to be of service," Ruby says.
Regina's eyes crinkle in delight. "Well, I know I'll see you around now that I know we're neighbors. Where is that you live again?"
Part of Ruby doesn't want to answer, but it's public knowledge anyway. "I'm in the building just across the street from you." She neglects to inform Regina that her apartment directly overlooks Regina's townhouse, or that Ruby's happened to see Regina wandering around her spacious place a time or two when she'd left the curtains open.
Ruby hadn't realized it at the time, but the haircut and style of dress had just clicked in her mind when she'd seen Regina's address.
"Oh, one of Mayor Gold's buildings. He just remodeled the one you're in last year, you have great timing." Regina reaches up to tuck some loose hair behind her ear.
"It's a great little apartment," Ruby agrees as she rounds her desk to open her door for Regina. "I hope you have a nice day."
"You too," Regina says a she tilts her head and exits Ruby's office. She glances back once as she leaves the building, catching Ruby watching. Ruby only smiles and shuts her door.
Her head thumps against the wood the moment she's hidden from view.
"Crap," she mumbles before she allows herself to hum a few lines to one of her favorite songs.
Ruby's meticulously examining a column of numbers when her grandmother's voice captures her attention.
"I am sorry, but as you can see we don't have any empty tables," Eugenia says as she gestures around at the full diner.
Normally, Ruby would go right back to work and forget the moment - it's really a miracle she's heard her grandmother to begin with in the busy chorus of clinking cutlery and dinner chatter - but there's something that catches Ruby's attention.
Regina is the one standing there looking disappointed, a teenaged boy at her side, and a much younger one in front of her. A tall man stands just behind all three, looking uncomfortable.
Ruby sighs and looks around at the large booth that has her laptop and several stacks of paper littering the table. She glances at her barely eaten sandwich and salad before collecting her papers and stacking them neatly on her laptop.
"Gran," she says loudly to be heard over the noise of the diner, "they can have my table."
Eugenia gives her a look of approval, but it's the way Regina's face lights up that distracts Ruby. She glances away in discomfort. "Just let me gather my things."
She's just tucked her laptop and files back into her bag when she feels a hand settle on her arm.
"You could stay with us, if you like," Regina says, "I can see you're not even finished with your dinner."
"Ah, you know, that's okay. I can eat back in the kitchen or something," Ruby says after checking and seeing that even the long counter that bisects the diner is full.
"Nonsense, the booth is far more comfortable," the tall man that Ruby's ignored up until now says. He's attractive in a scruffy sort of way, Ruby admits to herself.
Both boys are giving her interested looks, and Ruby finds herself caving even though she knows she'll be uncomfortable eating around these veritable strangers. She can't help that a part of her is curious to know what their life is like.
They do some shuffling, and then Ruby's seated at the edge of one side of the booth with the teenaged boy to her right. Regina and her husband Robin are just opposite, with the smaller boy that Ruby remembers has just turned five from the paperwork she'd examined not too long ago for tax season squeezed between them.
"I'm Henry," the boy to her right says in a surprisingly deep voice. She accepts his handshake with a smile. She knows he's adopted, but she's unable to deny that he still manages to look a lot like Regina when he smiles. There's a certain kind of open friendliness in his face that makes Ruby immediately glad that she's ended up seated next to him.
Ruby's grandmother takes their orders shortly thereafter, and Ruby's left in the awkward position of being the only one with food. Hopefully her gran notices her discomfort and puts a rush on her tablemates' orders. She ignores her plate as Regina makes introductions.
"Oh, you're the poor soul that did our taxes," Robin says with a grin. "I apologize for that mess, but I don't really have a head for numbers."
There's a light accent to his words that distracts Ruby. Okay, so maybe Regina's husband is kind of nice or whatever, but Ruby still doesn't like him. Mostly.
"Daddy is bad at math," Roland announces solemnly.
Ruby smiles, thinking that Robin's son is just about the most adorable thing she's ever seen with his wild curls and large eyes. "I would have to agree with you there."
"Hey!" Robin says plaintively, though he looks amused.
"No, they're right," Regina says matter-of-factly before taking a drink from her iced tea.
"Henry, help me out here." Robin sends Henry a pleading look.
"Sorry Robin, Mom says honesty is the best policy," Henry quips with a smirk.
"You wound me deeply," Robin declares as he brings a hand up to grasp dramatically at his chest.
Ruby laughs, suddenly at ease with her company. She crosses her legs under the table, still smiling when she accidentally bumps someone's leg under the table.
Henry is still looking at Robin, so Ruby offers Regina a sheepish smile. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Regina says in a light voice. Her smile is small, but she looks relaxed and utterly content.
The urge to sing hits Ruby hard, and she forces herself to focus on Roland. His smile is charming and the perfect distraction from his step-mom.
Time passes quickly with the Mills-Wimple family, and the evening slips away before Ruby realizes it. "Wow, okay," Ruby says as she catches sight of the time on her watch. "This has been great, but I still have some work to do."
"You're leaving?" Henry asks with such interest that Ruby wonders if she's been humming under her breath again without realizing it. She feels shaken at the thought.
"She's already been sitting with us for well over an hour, Henry," Robin explains in a steady voice.
He seems normal. Ruby allows herself to relax. She hasn't been singing or humming, and everything is still okay. It hits her then that maybe Regina's thoughtful son actually just likes her as a person, and she smiles. "Sorry, Henry. I meant to work through dinner, and I still have a few accounts to go through. It was nice having dinner with you." The last is directed to everyone at the table, with her gaze lingering only briefly on Regina.
"We'll have to do this again some time," Regina agrees.
The comment makes Ruby's heart to seem to leap in her chest, and she can't help but look back at Regina. "I'd like that," she finds herself saying.
They share a smile, and she blinks and gathers her things when she realizes that maybe she was staring again. "Later," she says with a wave as she stands.
The table sounds a rousing goodbye as she makes her way to the cash register to pay for her meal and flee as quickly as her admittedly long legs will allow her.
She bursts into song the moment she's home, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead as she allows the haunting music to part from her lips. She feels relieved almost immediately, though the longer she slumps against the cool wood of her front door, the more she realizes how much trouble she's truly in.
Her laptop bag slips down her arm and settles on the floor as she stares out at her apartment. Ruby's hands come up to cover her face when she realizes that crush she's struggled with for months has morphed into something even more troublesome. It's a painful thing, but at the same time she finds herself unable to entertain the thought of severing her loose ties with Regina.
Despite the trouble these feelings have already brought, Ruby just wants to get closer Regina and her adorable little family.
Across the street, a familiar townhouse's lights flicker on. The song comes tumbling from Ruby's lips automatically, and for the first time Ruby wonders if Regina isn't something like she is. The words are in a language she couldn't repeat if she weren't singing, but as she sings she understands every word. Her hands tremble.
Magic would explain the pull she feels to Regina, but somehow she knows that magic isn't the right answer for her need to be closer to her.
Regina's life is far too blessed for her to be suffering from the same curse. Ruby straightens, still singing and unable to stop as she wanders over to her window. It's been a long time since she's allowed herself to finish the entire thing, and she thinks maybe that's part of the problem.
She braces her hand alongside the window as the song comes to an aching, yearning end. For a moment she sees Regina's head turn her way and she wonders if by some horrible twist of fate her call has been heard, but then Regina turns away again.
Ruby breathes out in relief. For the briefest moment a part of her had desperately hoped that her call would work on Regina - it has never worked on women as far as Ruby's known - and had felt immediately guilty for the thought.
The cruelest irony of her heritage has always been that her call only works on men, though she admits that there's also a sort of comfort in knowing she couldn't force a woman to love her with a few sung words. Her sparse history with romance is a testament to her failure on the subject, and she's been content being alone for the last several years.
Her fingertips dance against the window, tracing the outline of Regina's house. She doesn't have a chance in hell with Regina. It's a thought that's equal parts painful and comforting. She won't pursue a friendship there, but if Regina does make an effort to establish a friendship Ruby knows she'll be helpless to resist.
There are worse fates, Ruby concludes.
Not three days later Ruby opens her door to find a smiling Regina. She looks comfortable in slacks and a dark scarlet blouse, ever present heels on her feet. Ruby tries not to feel self conscious in skinny jeans and a brown pullover.
"Regina, hello," Ruby says in a daze. She fidgets with the door before opening it wider. "Would you like to come in?"
"Oh, I'm just stopping by for a moment. I picked up some great veggies earlier from T&J's, and the boys and I were wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner later tonight." Regina gives her a steady, expectant look.
Ruby swallows down her negative response. She doesn't really have plans even though it's a Saturday, though she'd planned to order takeout from her favorite little Chinese place. "What time?"
"Is six-thirty alright?" Regina's head tilts as she waits for a response.
"Sure," Ruby says. "Do I need to bring anything?"
"Just your appetite," Regina says airily.
Ruby clears her throat. "How did you know I wouldn't have plans? It's kind of a last minute invitation."
Regina sucks on her lower lip, and it's apparent she's trying not to smile. "I frequent Granny's a fair amount for lunch. It didn't take long to figure out that you're the granddaughter she's always complaining about that never socializes."
It's all Ruby can do not to cover her face in mortification. "In my defense, I am still fairly new to town."
"I know. I remember what it's like to move to this town. Things got better for me after the first friend I made, so I thought I'd get the ball rolling for you."
Regina's delivery is so pragmatic that Ruby doesn't feel further embarrassed. It helps that she knows a little of Regina now, having heard a few things about her over the last few months that she'd been paying attention. "I appreciate it," she says warmly.
They smile at each other, and then Regina half turns away. "I'll see you later."
"Later," Ruby confirms with a raised hand. There's a fluttering in her stomach when she closes the door. She doesn't fight the urge to sing, knowing her door is shut and that it should be safe.
The song is buoyant and she finds herself dancing along to the happy tune. She has a couple of hours before dinner, and she plans to do a little cleaning beforehand. She turns on a seldom used stereo, cranking the volume up to drown out further sounds of singing as she tends to her home.
The evening ends up going splendidly, with Ruby having a great time with the small but happy family. It ends up being the first of many dinner invitations.
She learns a lot about Regina and her family over the ensuing months, much more than the cold facts she'd absorbed while preparing their tax returns. She feels comfortable around them, and she feels further pleased with her decision to move back from New York.
Her firm had been larger there and the money had been better, but her father had been closer as well. She hasn't spoken to him much since she's left, and she finds she's happier this way.
With their contact limited, Ruby finds herself brooding less and less over darker memories of his demands and disappointments. Still, once in a while something triggers a bleak path of memory. Today it had been running into an old alcoholic that sometimes ended up passed out outside of her grandmother's diner after dinner. The glazed look in his eyes, unkempt beard, and the smell of stale cigarettes had been enough.
"Sing for me Ruby," Dad says nearly the moment she's through the door.
Ruby squeezes her eyes shut and grits her teeth. "You told me you just wanted to see me, Dad."
"I do, I do." His mustache droops as he pauses, and there's an almost frantic look in his eyes. "But can't you just sing one little tune for your old man? Your mother used to sing for me all the time, you know. I just miss her."
The guilt works even though she knows exactly what he's doing. He's her father, and despite everything he's put her through over the years, she loves him. He'd given up his former life in a somewhat successful band to come back and raise her after her mother had gotten sick.
It was only after her mother had died that things had gotten progressively worse. In the beginning he'd insisted she remain in choir even though she had mixed feelings about it. After a school performance in the seventh grade had led to a rather terrifying moment with the male choir teacher, her father had been furious when she'd quit. It was only through blind luck that another girl's mother had opened the wrong door at exactly the right time.
Her father hadn't cared that something horrendous had nearly happened, though he'd put on a good show when the police had come to inform him that they'd arrested the teacher.
Even after quitting choir he'd made her practice at home obsessively. It wasn't until her junior year of high school that she'd rebelled and told him she wasn't going to sing for him anymore. She'd chosen her career, and it had absolutely nothing to do with singing.
She often wonders if her years of saying yes had contributed to his maddening compulsion to listen to her sing. Though he'd never been one to indulge in recreational drugs, she'd often felt like her voice had been his heroin after her mother had died.
"Just one song," she says. The words feel like the worst kind of surrender, and she ignores the sick feeling curling in the pit of her stomach.
Her phone interrupts the memory, and she's never been so happy to pick up the device. She's taken to carrying the cursed thing around with her, having regretted missing texts from Regina in the past.
She smiles as she begins reading the text. 'Wanna grab a few drinks with me tonight? The boys are visiting their respective other mothers and Robin is out camping with a few buddies. I could use some big girl time.'
The words have an implication that Regina surely doesn't mean, but Ruby's heart skips a beat all the same. She's gotten used to feeling giddy around Regina, so she pushes the feeling aside.
'What time and where?' she types out.
Her answer comes seconds later, a grinning emoticon the only thing in the text.
They go to a restaurant with an impressive bar Ruby isn't familiar with, and she's relieved to not be at the Rabbit Hole. The one time she'd wandered into that place she'd wandered right back out, not liking the 'meat market' feel to the place.
Emerald City is full of modern decor that just manages to not feel pretentious, though from the name Ruby is surprised to not find more green around the interior. Regina confidently leads them to the bar area, picking a high table with equally high chairs off in one corner.
"Do you need a boost?" Ruby jokes as they approach the table.
Regina rolls her eyes and manages to expertly maneuver herself into the chair. "I can handle myself, thank you."
"Well, now I get why you wear heels everywhere. It's almost like you're a real adult with them on." Ruby grins. She's in a good mood now that she knows she doesn't have to worry about music playing in the background; she might even let herself have more than one drink since there's less of a chance of her breaking into song without it.
"I'm plenty adult, thank you. We can't all have legs as long as yours," Regina replies smartly. There's a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips that lets Ruby know she's not really upset.
Ruby silently agrees with the first part as she catches glimpses of Regina's bare skin out of the periphery of her vision.
Regina is wearing a little black dress that clings to every dip and curve like a desperate lover. Ruby wholeheartedly approves of it, though she's more sedate in a flowing black skirt that stops just above her knees and a slinky red off the shoulder shirt she hasn't worn since before her move. She'd elected to wear flats, not sharing her friend's love for heels - especially not the killer stilettos that have brought Regina's height that much closer to Ruby's.
"Katherine and Margaret couldn't make it tonight?" she asks once a waiter has taken their drink orders.
"I didn't ask them," Regina says flippantly as she examines a small menu of finger foods.
Ruby is surprised - the handful of times they'd gone out together without Regina's family before had been with both of Regina's other friends. Ruby likes them, having hit it off with both other women. "Why not?"
"They're both married, and maybe I wanted to complain a little bit tonight without having their ever-present wisdom spat my way." Regina's voice is alarmingly flat.
The waiter brings their drinks around. Ruby ignores hers as she looks at Regina. "What's wrong?" She's concerned. Some complaints were normal from each of the married women, and it's disconcerting for Ruby to consider that there's something Regina doesn't want to discuss around her closer friends.
Their eyes meet, and then Regina downs her entire tumbler of scotch. Ruby's concern rises.
"Robin recently discovered he fathered another child," Regina says the moment she's put the glass down.
Ruby is about to speak when Regina continues. "With my half sister."
The words die on Ruby's tongue. "When did it happen?"
"Before we were married," Regina concedes as she stares down at her empty glass. Her hand pushes it around, turning it in circles as she continues to avoid Ruby's gaze. "While we were dating."
"Shit," Ruby says. Truthfully she doesn't know what else to say.
"Quite," Regina says as she waves down their waiter and asks for a refill.
Ruby is suddenly thirsty, and she helps herself to a long pull from her jack and coke. "What does he have to say about that?"
Regina rubs at her face with her right hand. "He says he didn't have a clue. He was really drunk apparently, and didn't even realize Zelena and I are related. We'd only been dating for a few weeks at the time."
"That kind of doesn't excuse it at all? Well, maybe for the sister part, but," Ruby makes a face, wondering how anyone would ever want to cheat on Regina. She's seen a few photos of Zelena even though she and Regina are almost always on bad terms, and Ruby can admit that at first and second looks she wouldn't think they're related. Still, she can't imagine what Regina's feeling.
"I can't stand to look at him right now," Regina says with a wry smile. "I knew my sister had a child, but it wasn't until we ran into her in Boston yesterday that Robin got to meet her - at least as my sister. He didn't even recognize her at first."
Zelena hadn't been invited to Regina's wedding, just like Regina hadn't been invited to Zelena's baby shower.
"Could Zelena be lying?" Ruby asks because Regina's shared some of the stories about her childhood and she knows that Zelena can be quite manipulative.
Regina's shoulders slump. "She could be, but she was quick to agree to a paternity test through a facility of my choosing. It feels like the truth."
Ruby takes a deep breath and lets it out, now wishing she knew what to say to Regina. "I think Katherine and Margaret would have understood this."
"They would have," Regina says with a nod, "but they would have also tried giving me advice. I just wanted to talk, just wanted to get this out."
She pauses and looks up. "You never try to force advice on me. You're a great listener, Ruby."
The admission warms something in Ruby. "Alright, so you picked me a for a reason. What would you like to do tonight, Regina?"
"Drink," Regina says emphatically as she hoists her refreshed drink up.
Ruby isn't a heavy drinker, but she supposes one night won't hurt her. She grabs her own glass and clinks it against Regina's. "Done."
They share a cab home some hours later, and Ruby giggles as they stumble out of the bright blue sedan.
"The world is spinning," she stage whispers - because to her it is as she and Regina lean against each other for support.
"You should stay at my house," Regina says without managing to slur her words.
Ruby is duly impressed, but she shakes her head. "My apartment is lit-rally across the street."
"Ruby, you almost fell just climbing into the cab. There's no way I'm letting you walk up two flights of stairs." Regina is giving her a stern look. Ruby thinks her stern look is adorable.
"Okay."
"Good," Regina says and it's then that Ruby realizes that they're already standing in front of the front door to Regina's townhouse.
"You're smooth, Regina. Bet you got a lot of action before you settled down." Ruby is downright cheerful as she stumbles into Regina's house, kicking off her shoes the moment she's inside.
Regina chuckles and nudges her shoes to the side before removing her own heels. "You have no idea."
Ruby walks a few steps further into the house, turning haphazardly and offering Regina a grin. "You're a beautiful woman, I think I have a little bit of an idea." Ruby holds up her thumb and index finger as she says the last part, squinting as she tries to push them as close together as she can without letting them touch.
"You're really drunk, aren't you?" Regina sounds incredibly amused.
Ruby really loves the smirk Regina makes when she's amused. "Yep!" she agrees brightly.
She trips when Regina takes her hand.
"Come on," Regina says as she pulls Ruby to the stairs that will take them to the second level of the house.
"I thought I wasn't allowed on stairs?" Ruby asks absently as she stares down at Regina's hand. She can just make it out in the dark house thanks to the nightlights dispersed throughout the house for the sake of the children.
"You're not allowed to climb the two sets of stairs at your apartment alone. There's no way I was going to make it back to my house after climbing those damn things. My bed is more comfortable than your couch." Regina begins guiding them both up the stairs, leaning heavily against the bannister as Ruby leans against her.
Ruby is struggling not to make a comment about wanting to find out exactly how comfortable Regina's bed is. The effort sobers her up a little.
She and Regina are friends, and despite the current predicament with Robin, Ruby respects her friend's relationship with her husband.
They're quiet, less a few grunts of effort, as they make it up to the second floor. Regina continues to lead the way, opening the door to what Ruby assumes is a guest room. Regina flicks on the light.
It's not a guest room.
Ruby clings to the doorjamb as Regina continues into the master bedroom and rifles through her dresser. She pulls out a long white shirt, followed by another. "Here," Regina says as she extends the slightly larger one in Ruby's direction. Ruby gingerly enters the room to accept the garment, trying to avoid noticing particular details about the large room. She recognizes the pale green and brown color scheme, but little else.
The moment Regina reaches around her back to reach her zipper, Ruby turns to hastily look away to stare out toward the dark hallway. She's self conscious as she tugs her own clothes off, glad that at least she's wearing nice underwear.
Warm fingertips brush the spot between her shoulderblades and she yelps in surprise.
"Sorry," Regina says with a smile, "I really like your tattoo."
Ruby turns to face Regina and shrugs, glad to note that Regina has already pulled on her sleepwear. "I kind of have a thing for wolves."
Regina's eyebrows rise. "Really? Do you have any more?"
Before Ruby can respond, Regina's eyes begin traveling down the landscape of Ruby's body.
"Uhm, yeah." Ruby clears her throat when her voice comes out a few octaves lower than normal, gesturing awkwardly with one hand to the silhouette of a howling wolf juxtaposed over a circle of the full moon on her right hipbone.
She bites the inside of her cheek when Regina traces over the design with an index finger. "Pretty."
"Yep," she says in a voice now a little higher than usual. She pulls the sleep shirt roughly over her head before Regina can find the pawprint up on the inner thigh of her left leg.
Regina laughs, a full throaty sound that makes Ruby shiver. "Are you embarrassed, Ruby Lucas?"
"Not really," Ruby says in a strangled voice, "just kinda drunk and pretty gay and so not in total control of myself right now."
Regina laughs again, and Ruby's glad that she came out to Regina long before this night. "Sorry," Regina says in a contrite voice, "I didn't think of it that way."
Ruby shrugs because if she opens her mouth she just might say something she regrets.
"This way to the guest room," Regina announces as she bumps her shoulder into Ruby's and exits into the hallway.
Ruby gathers her discarded clothes and follows her.
The guest room is all soft whites and beiges, and Ruby feels at ease looking around the space. She walks over to the queen sized bed and sits on it. It's comfortable. "Thanks."
Regina hesitates before flipping the light off. "You're welcome."
Ruby frowns as she lies down, staring upwards in the darkness. Regina had looked like she wanted to say something else before turning the light off. She sighs and closes her eyes. The alcohol has made her incredibly sleepy and the bed is practically decadent in its comfort.
She's asleep within minutes.
The door creaks nearly an hour later, and Ruby groggily looks toward the soft light of a night light trickling in. Regina's silhouette is unmistakable.
"Is everything alright?" Ruby mumbles sleepily.
"Ugh, I'm sorry I woke you," Regina says as she begins to close the door.
Ruby jolts up in bed, holding her hand out though she's not sure it can be seen. "No, wait! Just tell me what's wrong, Regina."
The door halts its progress only a few inches shy of closing. "I'm having trouble sleeping...in our bed."
And Ruby immediately understands. Though she's never been married, she has been cheated on before. "Come on," she says as she scoots over to make room for Regina.
Regina opens the door and slides back into the room, closing the door again behind her. "Are you sure this is okay?" she asks in a startlingly small voice.
"Yeah." Ruby is fully alert now, having never heard this level of insecurity in the normally exceedingly confident Regina.
There's rustling of fabric as Regina crawls into the bed and adjusts the covers. Ruby smiles when Regina settles on her side directly facing Ruby.
"Better?" Ruby asks when Regina stops moving.
"A little," Regina admits.
The room descends into silence, and though Ruby had thought maybe Regina wanted to talk some more, the thought fades the longer the quiet lasts.
"Good night," Ruby says when her eyelids begin drooping again.
"Good night," Regina says in a voice thick with emotion.
Ruby's eyes immediately jerk open, and she frowns. She reaches out a careful hand, hearing a quiet gasp when her fingers make contact with a moist cheek.
Ruby immediately scoots over and pulls Regina to her, cuddling Regina close as she silently sobs into the fabric of Ruby's borrowed shirt.
Regina doesn't speak, doesn't make a sound as she continues shaking.
When the urge to sing rises in Ruby, she only hesitates briefly. There's no males in the house, and she wants nothing more than to comfort Regina.
The words start soft and low, again another song that Ruby wouldn't be able to understand once she's finished singing. It's a mournful sound that has Regina clutching at her shirt all the tighter.
It lasts several minutes, but by the end Regina has stopped shaking.
"What language is that?" Regina asks. It's obvious her nose is stuffy from crying.
"Some kind of Greek, I think," Ruby says.
"Oh. You have an incredibly beautiful voice, Ruby."
It's not something Ruby hasn't heard hundreds of times before, but it makes her smile all the same. "Thanks, Regina."
The air is still heavy with emotion - Ruby can almost feel Regina's hurt and confusion like a tangible fog in the air - but then Regina lets out a long sigh.
"Thank you, Ruby," Regina whispers.
Ruby smiles when Regina turns so she's again resting on her pillow. Her back remains in contact with Ruby's shoulder, and Ruby allows herself to relax when Regina's even breathing indicate she's asleep.
Ruby dreams of crashing waves, vibrant blues and aquas that are as vivid as if she's seeing them in person.
The next time Ruby wakes up there's sunlight filtering in through the cream colored curtains and she smells what is unmistakably breakfast.
She redresses in her clothes from the night before, glad that smoking is illegal in bars now so her clothes aren't soaked in the distinct odor. A quick stop in the bathroom with a dab of toothpaste on her finger relieves her mouth of the dreadful taste of a night after drinking, and she feels human as she wanders down the stairs.
Her breath catches when she finds her way to the kitchen and finds Regina still dressed in her sleep shirt.
"Good morning," Regina says in a pleasant voice. Her confidence is back in spades.
"Feeling better?" Ruby asks though the answer is obvious.
"A bit." Regina hums as she moves around the kitchen, a happy tune that makes Ruby think of her senior year of high school.
She takes a seat at the kitchen table as Regina continues with breakfast, not realizing she's singing along until Regina's hum turns into words.
Regina has a very pleasant voice, and it blends well with her own. It's distracting enough that she forgets to be self conscious about her singing.
Breakfast is served as the song ends, and Ruby smiles down at the eggs and toast. It's simple and perfect.
"Thanks," she says as she hefts a forkful of egg up from her plate.
Regina nods as she chews on her own first bite, swallowing before she speaks. "I thought I owed you a little something after you humored me last night."
"What are friends for?" Ruby says before taking a bite of her toast. "Although feel free to call me again next time you need to talk. I hate cooking, therefore I love when other people are willing to cook for me."
Ruby laughs when she has to duck a forkful of egg.
"You're cleaning that up," Regina says with narrowed eyes as she points her fork at Ruby.
Though Ruby could argue that Regina is an adult more than capable of cleaning up after herself, she just smiles.
After they finish eating breakfast she offers to help clean up.
"I was joking about that. I'll clean up." Regina is already collecting the dishes as she speaks.
"I'm helping, deal with it," Ruby says brightly as she stands up and makes her way over to the roll of paper towels hanging from the pantry door on a metal rod.
Regina releases an aggrieved sigh, but doesn't otherwise comment.
Ruby cleans up the egg and does a cursory wipe of the table, smiling when Regina hands her some antibacterial wipes for a more thorough job. She finishes the table and chair, and moves on to the counter while Regina rinses the dishes.
When Regina begins to hum again, Ruby doesn't bother trying not to sing. It's another song she knows, and she's happy when Regina doesn't hesitate to hand her the dishes to place in the dishwasher.
So lost is she in the happy moment that she fails to notice a third presence in the kitchen.
"Ruby," comes the familiar accented voice.
Ruby immediately stiffens, sending a horrified look in the direction of Robin's voice.
Her breakfast threatens to make its way back up her throat. She knows that look. She's seen it countless times since she was a child. Robin is not himself, his eyes out of focus as he stares at her with a slack jaw.
"Robin?" Regina asks in confusion as she looks back and forth between Robin and Ruby.
"I've got to go," Ruby blurts out as she makes a wide arc around Robin and nearly runs to her shoes in the front hallway.
"Ruby, wait," Robin says in a desperate voice, "don't go!"
"What the hell is going on?" Regina nearly shouts as she follows both of them.
Ruby barely has a chance to send her a remorseful look before Robin is almost upon her, and she slams the door shut in his face. She only does a cursory check of the street before jogging across to the safety of her apartment, though her heart beats fiercely in her chest long after the door is shut and locked.
Her eyes focus on the door to the townhouse, terrified that it'll open and that Robin will emerge. She doesn't know how long he was listening, and her only consolation is that the song wasn't one of the more powerful ancient songs. With some immediate distance, the odd fascination should fade.
Her heart leaps up into her throat when the door does open, but it settles back down again when she sees an angry Regina dressed in jeans and a snug v-neck t-shirt is headed her way.
"Shit," she says under her breath. It doesn't take long for the hard knock to come, and Ruby briefly considers not opening it. Sadly, that isn't an option.
She opens the door wordlessly, pulling the door wide so Regina can storm her way in.
"What the hell was that, Ruby?" Regina looks and sounds furious as she turns to face Ruby, who's still got her back pressed to the front door.
Ruby doesn't know what to say, doesn't know how to explain something most people wouldn't believe in a million years.
Regina's eyes shimmer as she takes a few steps closer. "H-have you and Robin been - ?" Regina swallows, the thought obviously too painful for her to complete.
"Oh god, no!" Ruby declares loudly with wide eyes and raised palms. "I would never do something like that to you! I mean, I'm not even really into guys to begin with."
Regina sighs and rubs at her face, though her eyes sharpen again. "Then what the hell just happened? Has Robin told you he's in love with you? Because that's just what he told me when I asked him what the hell that all was."
Shit, Ruby thinks as she closes her eyes. She sighs and slumps her shoulders. She was hoping Robin hadn't gone so far. "He doesn't love me, he doesn't know what he's saying."
"Really? 'Cause he sounded pretty convincing." Regina looks away and wraps her arms around her stomach.
And Ruby knows that this is it, their friendship has come to a head. She can feel the chasm gaping open between them as Regina pulls away, and Ruby can't blame her.
The true explanation defies all logic. Still, Ruby can't bear the thought of Regina hating her. She decides to try explaining.
"You won't believe me when I tell you," Ruby says in a low voice as she wanders over to the window that overlooks the street. The town is awake, and she can spot people walking past her building as they make their way to the central part of town.
She can feel the shift in the air as Regina comes to stand behind her. If she strains, she can imagine she feels the warmth of Regina's body just out of reach.
"I'm a siren," Ruby says flatly.
"Well that's an interesting way of referring to it," Regina says angrily.
Ruby clenches her teeth, sending a glare at Regina over her shoulder. "I don't mean metaphorically, and I don't mean homewrecker."
"Oh, right, so you're some magical creature that lures sailors to their death, yes, that makes sense." Regina sounds even angrier than before as she comes to stand alongside Ruby.
Though Ruby didn't really expect Regina to believe her, the disbelief hurts all the same. She takes a deep breath and opens her window. "Watch," she says bleakly.
She chooses a few words from a song she remembers from years ago, closing her eyes as she begins. She doesn't want to look and see the people reacting, can already imagine the stupefied looks the males will be sending to her little window.
Regina's sharp inhale has Ruby opening her eyes. There's a small group of males ranging from the ages of fifty to five lingering below her window on the sidewalk. Another group of befuddled people are standing further away, and Ruby curiously notes an androgynous person that could easily be male or female seems unaffected. She files the observation away for later.
The window closes with a squeak, and she gives Regina a grim look. "Do you understand now?"
"No," Regina says, but it's clear by the wild look in her eyes that she does know the truth. "I need to go."
Ruby doesn't bother chasing after her. She braces her hands on the lip of the window sill, not wanting to look back out.
She cries when the song rises forth this time, a long lost melody in a language that no one has spoken for centuries. The glass of the window is cool against her forehead.
This entire thing is her fault. She should have never let herself grow close to Regina, should have never let herself get so relaxed as to arrogantly think she could ever sing again around others without bringing about some form of pain.
She sings until it hurts, and then she sings some more. It's a relief when her voice gives out, and she slumps with her back against the wall. She hopes it never comes back, but she knows she could never be so lucky.
It should be difficult avoiding Regina given the close proximity of their homes, but it turns out to be easy. Ruby recognizes that's probably true because Regina is trying equally hard to avoid her.
She gets a handful of calls from Katherine and Margaret over the next few weeks, but those eventually stop. She tells herself she's relieved when they give up, but the aches that linger in her head and chest tell her otherwise.
Bile rises in her throat like guilt when word eventually spreads through town that Regina and Robin are getting a divorce. She knows that they've had their share of problems, but she still feels responsible - as if she was the tipping force that totally imbalanced a rather precarious situation.
Though Ruby isn't the kind of siren that lures sailors to their deaths, she's long recognized that she does have the ability to lure men to their ruin. She thinks of the seventh grade teacher that had shut her into a room with him, having been exposed too long to the repetition of her voice over the course of the school year.
She thinks of a few other faces over the years, of the lives she's ruined. She's always believed that it's sexist to claim that women invite the sort of horrible attention that she receives when she sings, but she knows her situation is unique. Magic is a horrible thing, and she wishes it didn't really exist. Her life would be so much easier without it.
She'd been young when her mother had gotten sick, but if she tries really hard she conjure faint memories of her face and voice, and on the rare occasion, her scent.
"You have to be careful with your voice, Ruby. We're different from other women. Our call is powerful and dangerous."
Ruby hadn't understood what her mother had meant until her father had insisted she joined choir when she was twelve. Her first public performance had been uncomfortable, and she'd finally looked up the word 'siren.' It hadn't just been for emergency vehicles, after all.
Another month passes, slow and painful and gone in the blink of an eye all at once. She's withdrawn again, and she knows her coworkers have surely come to the conclusion that she hates music with how quick she is to turn off the old boombox that rests in the tiny break room at the office.
Perhaps it's time for a change, she thinks. It won't look great on her resume that she's moved again so soon, but Ruby is past the point of caring. She just knows she's miserable.
She spends a week researching places to live, growing frustrated when she notices a pull to coastal cities and towns. Another compulsion she has to live with, but when she considers how beautiful the ocean is with the sun's rays dancing across the water she decides it's not the worst thing to be drawn to.
When the knock comes to her door she expects it to be a delivery man. It's not.
She can only stare at Regina at first, not comprehending that her former friend is really outside her door.
"May I come in?" Regina asks. She's dressed in a dark grey tailored suit, the slacks cut perfectly for her diminutive figure.
Ruby doesn't know what to say, so she simply steps back to allow Regina in. She's almost embarrassed at the state of her place, but doesn't allow the shame to settle. The living room is littered with pictures and maps, with books stacked haphazardly on her small dining table just off of the kitchen. She likes to do thorough research before committing to something life changing, she doesn't need to defend herself.
"Are you going somewhere?" Regina is staring at the collection of maps, flipping one over and frowning when she spots another.
Though Ruby has long thought of this moment, it isn't sadness or desperation that rises in her. Instead, she's just angry. "What does it matter? Is there something I can help you with, Regina?" she asks impatiently.
Regina turns and glares. "You didn't answer my question."
"Yeah, well, you didn't answer mine either," Ruby snaps out as she crosses the room to retrieve her glass of water.
She gulps down several mouthfuls, hoping the coolness will soothe the unexpected anger. Regina's jaw works before she speaks again.
"I came to apologize," Regina says with a grudging expression.
Ruby cocks a brow at her. "You're off to a great start."
Regina crosses her arms over her chest and looks away. "If you'll recall at the time of our...falling out, I was dealing with some rather delicate issues. It took me a while to think about what you told me, what you showed me. I didn't mean to wait so long to talk to you about this but I just...I - it's not something easy to believe, you understand?"
"It's not something easy to live with either," Ruby says lowly. Her anger fades and shifts into hurt.
She hears Regina suck in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Ruby."
Ruby closes her eyes and absorbs the moment. The hurt isn't gone, but it doesn't feel so incredibly overwhelming. "Okay."
There's a pause, and she can hear Regina flipping through some of the pictures and research she's collected. "Are you really moving?"
"I'm thinking about it," Ruby says honestly. She opens her eyes just in time to see a bleak look cross over Regina's face.
"Oh," is all Regina says. She nods and swallows, unable to look up from a thick book with only the word 'California' printed on it in bold letters.
"I think your grandmother would miss you," Regina says after several minutes of quiet have passed.
Ruby snorts. "She might," she says flippantly, waiting for Regina to say more. Regina remains silent, however. "Would it kill you to admit you might miss me too?" Ruby says as she rolls her eyes.
"What? I never said anything like that." Regina is scowling, but her eyes are crinkling the same way they do when she smiles.
Ruby has to bite her lip to hide her own smile, failing when Regina's face suddenly crumples and then they're grinning at each other.
"Friends?" Regina asks with a tentatively hopeful look.
"Friends," Ruby confirms.
"I might have missed you a little," Regina says with a haughty tilt of her chin.
Ruby laughs and shakes her head. "Will you help me clean these up?" she asks as she gestures around at the piles of papers and books.
Regina rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips. "Honestly, we've barely made up and you're already putting me to work? The things I put up with."
Her words ring false as she hurriedly collects several and tosses them directly into the trash. "What?" she says innocently. "You won't be needing them."
Ruby covers her face with her hand.
Another several months pass, and things return to normal. Well, as normal as they can be as Regina and Henry adjust to a life without Robin and Roland in it.
Regina has legally been a free woman for a month, and she quickly coaxes Ruby into joining her and a few other friends for a night out.
Ruby greets both Katherine and Margaret warmly as she takes her seat, pleased to be back at Emerald City. She leans over and gives Regina a quick hug. They're seated in the bar area at a booth, and Ruby plucks out a menu as soon as the hug ends.
"I'm so hungry," she says as she flips back and forth through the extensive menu. She's salivating at many of the dishes described, unable to decide what she wants.
"What can I get you ladies to drink?" A pleasant voice asks.
Ruby's companions answer immediately, and Ruby frowns as she ponders her options. "Just water for me," she says as she looks up from her menu.
She swallows at the interested look she's receiving, noting that their server's entrancing green eyes are somewhat distracting. "Uh, thank you, um," she glances down to look for a name tag, having missed the woman's introduction while searching for something to eat. To her great dismay the black polo reveals no such tag - and she appears to be staring at the woman's bosom.
"Dot," the auburn haired woman carefully supplies as she smiles down at Ruby.
"Dot," Ruby says in relief.
"Dot," Regina cuts in, "my starving friend would also like the appetizer sampler, if you don't mind."
"Not at all," Dot replies cheerfully. She angles her head to the side and gives Ruby a slight wink. "I'll have that right out for you. Can't let you starve."
"Ruby," Katherine says the moment Dot's walked away, "I'm pretty sure that's the woman that owns this place."
"Yeah, she never waits the tables," Margaret adds as they all look after her.
Ruby swallows and picks up her menu, deciding she should go back to trying to find something to eat. She half expects Regina to join in - the moment is too good for Regina to pass up on a good bout of teasing - but Regina remains wondrously silent.
The appetizers and drinks are brought out promptly, and Ruby automatically sends Dot a wide smile. Katherine snickers when Ruby blushes.
Regina clears her throat loudly and arches her eyebrows when Dot is again gone. "I do believe you have an admirer, Ruby."
Ruby responds by shoving an entire chicken strip into her mouth.
"Charming," Regina says dryly. "It's no wonder the lady has fallen prey to your irresistible charms."
The evening continues much in the same vein, with Ruby's entree being brought out the quickest she's ever experienced at any restaurant. Her companions take advantage of the excellent service by ordering a plethora of alcoholic beverages.
By the time their evening draws to a close, Ruby's more than a little tipsy, and she has Dot's phone number tucked into the tiny pocket of her skinny jeans.
Katherine and Margaret's respective husbands arrive before her and Regina's cab, and they all wave heartily at each other.
"Ruby," Regina says after another few minutes of waiting have passed, "does your singing voice work on women?"
Ruby rubs at her now warm face and looks away. "No, though I've kind of come to believe that if someone physically resembles a woman but emotionally feels like a man, they'd be suscpeti-suscebti...It might work on them."
"So that's a no?"
"That's a no," Ruby confirms as she frowns out at the night, wondering what's taking their damn cab so long.
"Good," Regina says.
There's something in her voice that makes Ruby turn to her, and she's about to ask when suddenly her head is being pulled down and then Regina's incredibly soft lips are pressed perfectly to her own.
Regina sighs into the kiss, tilting her head and turning one kiss into another.
Ruby feels dizzy as their mouths move together, lost in what most certainly be a dream - one that she definitely doesn't want to wake up from.
A horn honks some moments later, and she staggers when Regina takes her hand and leads her to the cab. "Oh," is all she can say when they're safely in the back of the cab and Regina's head is resting on her shoulder.
"I'd like it very much if you threw out that number," Regina says when they're almost home.
"What number?" Ruby asks numbly as she looks down at Regina.
"Mm, perfect," Regina purrs before she leans up and surprises Ruby with a chaste but lingering kiss.
Ruby is still stunned, and she remains quiet for the rest of the trip. They exit the cab and Regina pays as Ruby remains still, obviously still in a stupor.
Once they're standing outside of Regina's house, Regina's confidence is replaced by a moment of vulnerability. She looks down and takes a step back from Ruby. "I do believe I've surprised you."
"Yeah," Ruby says without thinking. She sees Regina's head jerk roughly, and Ruby reaches out before Regina can totally retreat. "But in a great way - the best of ways, really."
Regina smiles and takes her hand. "Stay at my place tonight?"
Ruby's eyes widen. "Uh, um, I mean," she stutters.
"The stairs, Ruby. I don't want you to get hurt," Regina says with a smirk.
"Alright," Ruby agrees.
The night is an odd echo of the first time they'd gone out to Emerald City alone together, and Ruby isn't surprised when Regina opts to join her in the guest room after they're both dressed comfortably for sleep.
She falls asleep spooning Regina, happier than she's been in months though she doesn't know what the morning will bring.
There's a low melodic sound repeating softly. Ruby frowns and tilts her head, opening her eyes slowly when she realizes the sound is coming from in front of her. Not only that, but she's holding a warm body.
Her breath catches when she remembers. She feels Regina tug her hand up and as she begins tracing the skin with soft fingertips.
The tune is one Ruby knows, and she swallows once before she tucks her head alongside Regina's and begins to sing.
Again Regina's voice blends with hers perfectly, and she sighs in contentment as the song ends. Regina presses a kiss to her cheek, and Ruby grins because she can feel Regina's smile.
"It wasn't a dream," Ruby whispers once she opens her eyes.
"Nope," Regina confirms with a hum. She's still playing with Ruby's hand, her nails tickling across the open palm. "I fully expect to see that number being thrown into my lit fireplace later."
Ruby laughs deep and full. "I wasn't going to call her anyway."
"Oh, really?" Regina says in a flat voice. "I saw the way you were looking at her."
"Really." Ruby takes a deep breath and tilts her head so that her lips brush the outer shell of Regina's ear. "I've kinda been crazy in love with you for a while now. I was embarrassed you were there, seeing that last night."
Regina goes still, and Ruby sighs internally. It was too soon to say such a thing, but it didn't make it any less true.
"Good," Regina says a moment before she turns to face Ruby. She traces Ruby's features with her eyes. "I don't share. Now, be a dear and kiss me."
"Regina, I've got morning breath."
Regina's eyebrows arch high on her forehead in challenge.
Ruby smiles slowly and leans in, pulling back with an accusing look after only brief contact. "Hey, you totally cheated! When did you get up to brush your teeth?"
"Ruby," Regina says in a soft voice. She's staring at Ruby's lips with a slightly pained expression.
All arguments are forgotten when their lips meet again.
Ruby's last coherent thought for a long while is that maybe the fact that women aren't affected by her voice - at least not magically - isn't one of life's cruelest tricks after all.