Emma knows something is wrong as soon as she sees the lights. It's twenty past eleven on a Thursday night and yet there is still a gentle buzz of neon light emanating from the sign outside Granny's Diner. She pulls her car up to a gentle stop outside and peers through her window, peppered with rain drops. The lights are still on inside the diner as well but there isn't another soul to be seen inside or out, which isn't much of a surprise given the freak thunderstorm which started up abruptly, around an hour ago. Figuring as sheriff it's her duty to investigate, she shuts off the engine before sliding out of her car. Collar pulled up and shoulders hunched against the rain, now coming down even heavier, she makes a gentle jog to the diner door where she finds it closed but unlocked.
"Ruby? You in here?" Emma calls out, opening the door a fraction. Met by silence, she gently opens the door wider before slipping inside and pulling the door to behind her. "Hey is anyone in here? It's sheriff Swan."
"Emma?" A small voice answers from somewhere.
"Ruby? Is that you?" Emma asks, frowning. "Where are you?"
"I'm…I'm under here." Ruby sighs, stretching her head out from under one of the booth's.
Emma raises her eyebrows in bemusement at the sight of the waitress cooped up under the table. "That's some pretty thorough cleaning you've got going on there." She laughs.
Ruby smiles back sheepishly. "I'm not cleaning, I'm…hiding." She explains, cringing at the last word.
Emma's smile falters at that. "What? From who?" Her tone quickly becoming serious.
"The storm." Ruby admits begrudgingly, looking up at Emma, her features scrunched up with embarrassment.
Emma raises her eyebrows again at that. "You've been under here all this time? The storm's been on for over an hour." She says, incredulously.
"Yeah, I know!" Ruby replies, flippantly. "And really, Emma? You're going to mock me now, while I'm trembling under a table?"
Emma laughs softly at that. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realise anyone was scared of storms other than kids and dogs." She jokes, earning herself a narrow eyed scowl from Ruby. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She says, hands raised in defence as she walks over to Ruby's table. "Come on, scoot over."
Ruby frowns at her in confusion as she starts to kneel down next to her. "What? What are doing?" Ruby asks, eyeing Emma suspiciously.
"Well, if you're going to stay under here," She starts to explain, as she inches herself closer to Ruby under the table, "then I'm going to sit with you." She says, turning to Ruby with a genuine smile after she's crossed her legs into a comfortable position.
"You really don't have to stay with me you know." Ruby says, before wincing at a cruelly timed crack of lightening.
"Well I really can't just let you sit here on your own, can I?" Emma replies, grinning.
A small smile begins to tug at Ruby's lips at that. "Well, thank you." She says, gesturing her head towards Emma.
"No problem." Emma replies with a small nod. "So, thunderstorms, huh?"
"Yeah, thunderstorms," Ruby starts, with a sigh. "I don't know. Ever since I was a kid I just…hated them. They're just so loud and they've always just scared the crap out of me." She explains, sighing again. "You must really think I'm pathetic." She says despondently, picking at a loose strand of material on her jeans, avoiding Emma's gaze.
Emma frowns instantly at that. "What, no! Ruby, I don't think you're pathetic. Not at all."
Ruby scoffs at that. "Oh come on, Emma. I'm in my twenties and I'm hiding under a table from a thunderstorm. That's pretty pathetic."
Emma shakes her head, laughing. "No, it's not. Come on, everyone's scared of something."
Ruby finally looks at Emma at that. "Really? Cause you don't seem to be." She scoffs again. "I mean, you're sheriff of this whole town. You stand up to Major Mills and Mr. Gold, all the time."
Emma laughs, before regarding Ruby's words for a moment. "Yeah, well, I'd say that was usually out of pig headed stupidness not bravery."
"Well maybe," Ruby admits teasingly, with a laugh. "But you're still braver than I am."
"Are you kidding me? This coming from the woman who found a heart, in a box, in the middle of the woods?" Emma counters.
"Yeah, and freaked out and quit the next day." Ruby replies, laughing.
Emma laughs as well at that. "Well, yeah, OK but like I said you found a heart, in a box, in the middle of the woods. If you hadn't of been freaked out, I think I would have been a tad concerned." She says, grinning. "And, you're wrong, you know." Emma starts to say after a comfortable silence fell over them. "There is something I'm scared of." She admits, her gaze falling to her hands in her lap.
"What?" Ruby inquires softly, studying Emma's face earnestly as she continues to stare at her own hands.
Emma puffs out a heavy breath before finally looking at Ruby, her features soft and open, and her hazel eyes wide in anticipation. "You."
"Me?!" Ruby laughs out in response.
Emma laughs too, nervously. "I don't mean I'm scared of you. Just, of…how you make me feel." Emma explains, the last couple of words barely a whisper.
"Oh." Is all Ruby says in reply, despite the grin tugging at her lips now.
"I guess I probably shouldn't have told you that. At least, not under a table at Granny's anyway." She sighs, with another low nervous chuckle before wetting her lips.
"No!" Ruby replies quickly. "I mean, yes. You should have told me. I'm just shocked is all. Well, shocked it took you this long to tell me."
Emma frowns up at Ruby at that. "You knew?"
"Yeah, I knew." Ruby admits, a soft genuine smile replacing her wolfish grin.
"How?" Emma asks, incredulously.
"I guess Mary Margaret may have had something to do with it." Ruby admits.
Emma sighs, shaking her head. "I'm gonna kill her."
Ruby laughs at that. "Well, I'd rather if you didn't. She is a good friend of mine. And an excellent tipper." She replies, in a playful tone. "Besides, she only told me because she knew you would never say anything. And I never said anything because I figured if you liked me as much as she said you do, you'd tell me yourself. And you did. Four months later." Ruby adds, pulling a face at Emma.
"Four months! I didn't even know I liked you four months ago." Emma huffs out in surprise.
Ruby can't hold back a laugh at that, at Emma's face screwed up in confusion.
"Well, I guess Mary Margaret really does have an eye for true love." Ruby teases, raising her eyebrows. "And I guess I probably shouldn't have mentioned 'true love' before the first date." She adds, a soft blush creeping into her cheeks, which Emma can't help but feel is adorable on the younger girl.
"True love, huh?" Emma says, eyes narrowed at Ruby despite the smile etched across her face. "You really think so?"
Ruby's frown melts into a brilliant smile to match Emma's, her hazel eyes dancing with mischief as she leans in towards Emma. "Honestly?" Ruby asks teasingly, biting at her lip, inches away from Emma. "I really hope so." She breaths, before pulling Emma into a slow, languid kiss.