The town had quietened down and accepted the fact that they weren't going back to Fairytale land after Emma and Snow had returned. Everybody was happily celebrating this Christmas as the first since the curse had broken and smiles adorned the faces of all the towns folk. The smiles were all genuine too, atleast the ones that didn't belong to Red. Oh, she had a smile on her face, but it was a mask put up to hide her true feelings.
The guests in the diner all had the smarts to avoid drawing Red out. They exchanged a small word or a friendly touch when she delivered their food, but they all knew better than to try and draw her out of the shell she had sunken into.
The diner was covered in Christmas decorations with mistletoe hanging from the rafters and a festive bell that tinkled whenever the door opened. But just like the smile on Red's face, it was a façade, just hiding the symptoms behind pleasantries. Red had tried her hardest to make the diner look good, just like she had when the curse was still in effect, but there was something missing, something that had been there and now wasn't. Granny.
When she'd died, ownership of the inn and diner had fallen into Red's hands and the usually flamboyant and bubbly girl had withdrawn and become an automaton, going through the motions but not finding any meaning in them. She had given the inn back to Rumplestiltskin, it wasn't like they needed it. No one ever came to Storybrooke. People weren't sure where she was living, and many of them guessed that she lived in the diner. There was one highlight that kept Red going, one thing that stopped her from just giving up. Or more specifically, a person. A certain blonde haired sheriff.
Not long after the mother/daughter pair had returned from the remains of Fairytale land, Red had noticed her growing attraction to Emma. But before she could act on them, Granny had her heart attack. She didn't know what to do after that, especially since the blonde was the daughter of her best friend, Snow. The black haired woman had tried to make Red open up without success.
The last of the townsfolk had left and she was had started drinking, alcohol had become her only companion, when the bell sounded as the door opened. She sighed into the shotglass before turning around, "Sorry, we're…" Red cut her statement off as Emma walked through the door.
"Ruby, there you are." The blonde wandered over and sat next to her at the bar, "We were wondering where you were staying."
The brunette sighed, busted. "There's a small attic above the diner that I've been sleeping in. It's not much, but it's… well, not much." She laughed at herself, "I cant even fit a proper bed in there, I'm just using a mattress." Red dropped the shot down her throat and poured another one. "I'm used to it by now."
Emma heard the sorrow in her voice and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders.
"It's ok to be sad, Rubes. Granny raised you and I can understand how big a gap she left, but I'm here for you. Mary Margaret, Henry, Belle, and Ashley are all there for you." It sent a small tingle through the brunette to hear Emma call her Ruby, she was the only one who still did. She melted into the arm around her shoulder and before she knew it, Red was crying into Emma's. The blonde was taken aback by the sudden change in the brunette's demeanour, but quickly reacted by wrapping both arms around the crying girl and letting her cry on the shorter girl's shoulder. One of her hands rose, moving to stroke the brunette hair.
Emma wished this could continue, having a slight crush on the taller brunette. She felt the crying girl almost melt into her, their bodies fitting together so well.
Both girls felt disappointed when Red pulled away from the embrace. After wiping her eyes and giving a sniffle or two, she stood up, or tried to, in any case. Her foot caught on the edge of the bar stool, making her fall flat on her face.
Emma was by the fallen woman's side in an instant, only to find her laughing. "Did you see that?" her speech was broken up by giggling. "It was awesome." Pushing herself up onto her knees, Red caught her breath. Emma gave her a quick check up, noticing a slight bruise on the brunette's head. Without thinking, she gave the bruise a quick kiss. The blonde blushed when she realised what she'd just done, but Ruby didn't seem to notice.
"I'm not letting you stay alone tonight, Rubes. You're coming back with me." The blonde wrapped one of her arms around the brunettes waist and used the other to pull one of the waitress's arms over her shoulder.
"No, I'm staying here." Red sounded like a petulant child. She pulled away from Emma and stumbled. Several times actually. Emma guessed that she'd had more to drink than either of them realised. She sat down on the floor, crossing her arms, with what the blonde sheriff thought was an adorable pout on her face.
"I'm not letting you stay here, by yourself, Rubes. Either we're both sitting on this floor or I'm taking you home."
"Don't wanna." Why is she so adorable when she's drunk? Emma decided to ponder that another time. For now she just wanted to get Ruby to a safe place, somewhere where she wouldn't be alone.
"Well then, you leave me with no choice." Emma swooped in, placing one studio under her legs and the other around her shoulders, lifting her up. The brunette let out a little squeal and wrapped her own arms around the blonde sheriff. "You're coming with me."
Emma had no trouble carrying the drunken girl to her car, slightly worried at how light this girl was. Red put up a fuss, but she was secretly pleased that Emma cared enough to look after her. The alcohol running through her system lowered her inhibitions to the point where she didn't care if Emma found out about her crush.
The drive back to Emma's place was made in silence. Red was at the point where the alcohol made her bubbly and she was happy spending time with the blonde, breathing in her slightly flowerly scent. Emma was just as happy that Ruby wasn't throwing up and had stopped crying.
The brunette had given up fighting with the sheriff, so with very little urging followed her up the steps and into the house. The rooms were dark, Snow and Charming having already gone to bed. Red stumbled over the threshold, so Emma went and wrapped her arm around the girl to support her.
They eventually made it to Emma's room, not without stumbling and giggling on Red's behalf. The brunette collapsed onto the bed with a giggling fit. The blonde wasn't 100% sure what to do when the drunk girl started stripping off though. Thankfully, Ruby decided that she'd keep her underwear on, so Emma was spared an otherwise tempting offer of succulent flesh.
She quickly stripped off and changed into some nightclothes of her own. Half her bed had been claimed by Ruby, who already looked mostly asleep, so she slipped in beside her. The brunette immediately snuggled up to Emma, who was confused by this, before deciding that it was just the alcohol.
The downstairs clock chimed twelve and Emma gave a little smile. She kissed Ruby's head and whispered "Merry Christmas, Rubes."
Merry Christmas, everyone. Tell me if you want me to continue this story in the reviews. Oh and my triplets are being extremely cute, all cuddled up asleep next to Ella on the bed.