Ruby was on her usual morning jogging walk along the beach when she saw Zelena sitting alone on the ground. She was looking in the distance, probably lost in her own thoughts, letting the waves calm her. The sun that was just coming up was making her hair shine somewhere between red and gold.

Ruby stopped a few meters away and watched her for a while. She seemed…lost? She didn't look like someone who wants to be alone. She looked lonely.

Zelena was trying to change. Trying was the right term because no change happens overnight. There were people who didn't believe she could change at all, they thought she was pure wickedness, just like they thought Regina was pure evil. Then there were people who pretended to be okay but as soon as she was out of sight, they started gossiping about her.

And then there were people who believed in her. Just a few of them. They tried to support her but it wasn't easy, for no one. Sometimes, when Zelena got mad or upset, she snapped and her magic got out of control, resulting in making the electricity go crazy and things falling out of shelves. Not that she wouldn't be able to control her magic, but she was supposed to not to use it. And so it was bubbling under her skin, tickling and springing out as soon as she lost control over her emotions even just for a second.

Ruby sighed and walked slowly towards the other woman.

"Hey, Zelena, what are you doing here?"

"Just sitting," she shrugged and didn't even look at the brunette.

"May I join you?" Ruby didn't want to invade her space and force her company on the other woman but she also didn't like the idea of letting her be there alone.

There was no answer from the red head woman but she didn't say she didn't want her there either.

"Why are you here alone?"

"And who should I be here with? Like someone would like my company anyway." She scoffed, shaking her head.

"Zelena, that's not true. There are people who like having you around." The brunette touched her arm slightly. Zelena tensed a little bit but didn't say anything.

"Yeah? Like who? Everyone is keeping their distance away from me." She sounded upset but also hurt, like her voice was about to break.

"Hey, you know they're not. There are people who believe in you. Your sister, Emma, Henry…"

"Oh please, Regina is desperate because she doesn't know what to do about my magic. She puts her mayoral face on and smiles but I know she doesn't really believe in me. Henry is just a naïve kid. And Emma is… suspicious."

"But they still stand by your side."

"It doesn't feel like it's enough, you know…" Zelena sighed.

"How about me?" Ruby whispered, turning to face her.

"What about you?" Zelena looked at her confused.

"I believe in you." She smiled at her and squeezed her hand in an assuring gesture.

Zelena's eyes widened and she opened her mouth but no words come out at first.

"What? Why?"

"Because I believe people can change. You did bad things but that doesn't mean you can't change. Look at Regina, look at me. I was basically born to kill. But that doesn't mean I have to act that way. Being a wolf is scary and sometimes hard to control but I don't have to give up who I am. I just learned how to control it and I get to decide when to use my power. And so can you, Zelena. You don't have to stop using your magic in order to be good. You don't have to change yourself, you only have to change what you use your powers for." Ruby smiled again, still holding the other woman's hand.

"I… don't understand…" Zelena's voice was just above the breaking point, her eyes were a little bit wet. Did someone really believe in her?

"What do you not understand?"

"Why are you so good to me?" It was a whisper now, barely audible over the waves that were suddenly getting stronger.

"Because I can see it in your eyes, how much you're trying."

A single tear escaped the blue eyes. At the same moment the waves got higher, wind started to blow and rushed the sand above the ground. Zelena blinked and stood up franticly.

"Please go away. I don't want to hurt you!"

"No, I'm not going anywhere." Ruby was standing up now as well, determined not to go anywhere.

"Don't you see what's happening?! This is all me, I am doing it and I can't stop it!" She threw her hands desperately in the air, looking around at all the angry waves and sand running down the beach in the strong wind. She was crying now, not caring about the tears running down her face.

"It's just your emotions. You have to calm down." Ruby stayed calm and made a few steps towards the other woman.

"No! Stop! Please…" The last word got almost lost in the strong wind. Zelena stretched out her hands in a gesture that should show Ruby to stay away. But instead, the wind was directed at the brunette. It picked her up and pushed to the ground and she landed in the sand a few feet away.

"No…" Zelena fell to the ground, tears running down her face.

Ruby got up quickly and rushed to the red head woman. The wind was still chasing the sand around the beach and the waves were still high.

She rushed to her and hugged her from behind, holding her tight.

"Shhh, it's okay."

"No! Let me go!" Zelena was trying to get out of the hold.

"It's okay, I've got you, shhh." Ruby was whispering in her ear, swinging her in her arms. The wind started to calm down after a while, there was no sand storm anymore but it still wasn't windless.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Zelena was repeating it like a mantra. She was still crying but she stopped fighting and let Ruby hold her and rock her back and forth.

"It's okay, Zelena. Just breathe. In and out, in and out." Red hair was tickling her on her face that was buried in it. She felt Zelena's body to ease, her chest heaving up and down under her arms wrapped around the thin body.

Soon the wind disappeared and the whispering of the sea went back to normal.

"I'm so sorry…" Zelena sighed again. She was lying in Ruby's arms, her body almost lifeless, exhausted with all the magic and emotions.

"It's okay now, I got you." Ruby whispered and placed kisses in red hair, tugging the other woman closer to herself.