"I didn't know they could close, aren't they like the only restaurant in town."

"Of course not."

Emma didn't believe that, she couldn't remember going to any other ones, she and Mary-Margaret had been surprised to find Granny's closed for what the hand-drawn sign said was 'two days' drastically changing her lunch plans. Mary-Margaret had been peeking through the windows but the inside of the door was apocalypse ready and lined with newspaper.

"Wait…what's today?"

Before Emma could come up with an answer the door swung open with a jingling that in the context sounded strangely sinister. Ruby was in the doorway, "Sorry guys, closed until after the festival."

"Festival?"

Luckily Mary-Margaret understood, "Right, I completely forgot."

"Festival? Like the Miner's Day thing?"

"Sort of it's more of-"

"Sorry, but I have to get back to Granny."

Ruby turned and closed the door; apparently the festival had something to do with preparing for the end of the world. Storybrooke had weird traditions.

"More of a food festival, we open up booths on Main Street for restaurants or competitive recipes."

"Which doesn't explain that," Emma pointed at the Diner's door, "And shouldn't you all be like, talking to animals and fighting dragons. A food festival seems a little…I don't know."

"Everyone's just trying to keep things normal, and in this world that means street festivals."

Mary-Margaret turned away from the Diner, as if a street festival was a normal reason to close an eating establishment for several days.

"Wait, so are wolves allergic to street festivals?"

"What? Oh, no. That's the pie contest."

"They're allergic to a pie contest?"

"Opposite, every year there are maybe a dozen entries to the pie contest but it's always won by one of two people. Granny or Regina."

Emma had started following Mary-Margaret towards what she hoped was another eatery; she had really been counting on lunch.

"Wait, Regina?"

"Apple pie."

"People feel safe eating that?"

"Up until you showed up we didn't know we should be asking for the antidote.."

"Is it any good?"

Mary-Margaret's mouth went a little sideways, "Honestly? The woman makes a good pie and this is coming from someone she cursed with an apple."

"Damn."

"Yeah. Anyway, this year is kind of a tie-breaker and trash-talking ensued."

"Pie contest trash talk?"

Mary-Margaret continued as if Emma hadn't made a sly criticism of her town traditions.

"So whoever wins this year, their pie gets put on Granny's menu. Which if its Granny, no big deal, but if its Regina..."

And so she understood the preparations, she still thought it was a bit ridiculous to stall your livelihood over a pie contest but Granny gave a strong impression of being a woman who hated losing and even more so hated losing and being reminded of it every day by her own menu.

Mary-Margaret had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk looking around like a lost but determined child.

"Okay, you're right, I can't think of anywhere else that's open to eat. Let's go home."

Inside the Diner Ruby sat amid nearly twenty half-eaten pies feeling rather sick. In previous years they had guinea-pigged recipes on friends and customers but Granny's paranoia over the possibility of losing had caused her to close up shop and left Ruby as lone taste-tester. She never wanted to taste a piecrust for the rest of her life but there was no way out of it because this whole ordeal was her fault. In a moment of ridiculous bravado she'd raised the stakes, as she now knew, was Regina's intention. A week or so ago she'd come by under the guise of a cocoa date with Henry and ended up ordering some apple pie off the menu just so she could make snide expressions and leave half of it uneaten. Never before had a pie contest involved so much mental warfare. Paying her bill on the way out she'd finally decided to comment.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you at the festival, looks to be another good year."

Granny had not been there to stop her, "Good for who exaclty?"

"I'm sure it will prove interesting for both of us."

"We could always make it more interesting."

Now Granny had to deal with a mistake she made in a moment of pride.

"Okay, try the chocolate crème."

"I don't think I can."

The idea of chocolate made her nauseous, especially as the last pie she'd tried was Key Lime and the combination didn't sound, to her, particularly appetizing.

"Come on Ruby it's only four, we have at least another three hours."

The thought of it made her want to throw up, Granny could tell and sighed. It wouldn't do anyone any good if she burnt out her taste-tester.

"Fine, go take a break. Maybe I can call Archie or David, there should be room in either of them for pie."

Ruby felt as if she'd been liberated from a doomed contract.

"But don't think you're off the hook, go take a walk to try and digest then come right back here. I'll be damned if I'm putting that woman's recipe on my menu."

Right, okay so, still doomed but she'd settle for pardoned.

A walk to clear her head of the smell of baking flour and cinnamon sounded like heaven, the wolf senses amplified the scent until it was unbearable. She undid the locks on the door and stepped out into fresh air colliding with Regina in the process.

There was no innocent way to hang around the establishment owned by your competition two days before going up against them Regina brushed herself off as if she was incapable of guilt.

"Excuse you."

"Excuse me? You're the one creeping around, actually would you like to come in? Because you could watch Granny making those pies and it wouldn't make a difference."

Regina had her lips pursed, her arms crossed, she was wearing one of her blazers.

"My thoughts exactly, which is why I'm not here to what, spy on your Grandmother? I'm here to talk to you."

That sounded almost worse than spying on her grandmother.

"Why?"

"Because you talked yourself into a situation that I'm willing to help you get out of."

Wasn't that just the perfect summation of Regina's operating procedures? Trap somebody with their own words and then offer them a "mutually beneficial" escape route. Ruby had a strict protocol when it came to dealings with anyone who employed magic and thus far it had left her as one of the last in her group of friends who hadn't been in some way exploited by Gold and at least in those exchanges whoever was being taken advantage of generally got something out of it. This was definitely not that.

None of this logic changed her sense of responsibility for the panic that now filled Granny's kitchen with pies.

"I'll bite, what do you want?"

"Who said I wanted anything?"

Ruby rolled her eyes; about sixty percent of this was her putting on a brave face.

"Don't bother Regina, I know what you are."

Regina seemed to have gotten closer to her without moving at all.

"And what exactly is that?"

Brave face faltering she managed to scrounge together a single word, "Evil."

"Perhaps."

Fresh air was a fond memory; all she could smell was the subtle clip of Regina's perfume, the mint of her toothpaste and a scent of apples.

"And wouldn't it be nice if that changed anything at all."

This time Regina had moved closer.

If she moved back at all she'd run into the door, what Regina wanted from her was as apparent as it was unsavory. Ruby swallowed, "I was cursed. You cursed me and you would have to curse me again for me to even consider…"

She had no desire to articulate further.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were trying to hurt my feelings and if I remember correctly you've never complained much before."

That would be because she was trying to forget about it, as much as Ruby Lucas had been her the lack of memories had led to complications. The fact that Regina had never been subject to memory loss raised other concerns but Ruby had figured following the breaking of the curse that she wouldn't have dared bother her again. Now she was losing that wager.

"It's not going to happen, now I'm going to go back inside and you're going to leave."

Ruby couldn't spend any longer making eye contact with her; she was wearing that expression of parted lips with her head tilted. It was one that she recognized and wanted to get away from. Closing the door behind her she was trapped again in the smell of baking, Granny looked at her from the counter, "That was quick."

"Yeah," She forced a smile, "I felt better, wanted to get back to help."

Granny didn't look like she bought it but didn't ask; instead she shifted her focus back to her piecrust.

"Well come on then, clocks ticking."

As payback for her comment about the town only having one restaurant Mary-Margaret was making a point to indentify all of the different food-tents as reassurance that she remembered and had been to all of them. Emma was actually finding it pretty amusing. The most impressive thing she'd learned so far was that Storybrooke had a pretty awesome Chinese place from whose tent she'd taken about as many of the samples as was deemed polite. She was halfway through a pilfered handful of chicken when they came across the contest booth. It had garnered the biggest crowd of the festival and people mulled around taking samples.

"Hey."

Belle bounced up as she tended too, she had a bit of chocolate at the side of her mouth.

"You got some-"

Emma talked through a full mouth and indicated the bit of food with one of her food-laden hands.

"Oh."

Belle lowered her head to wipe her mouth off on her sleeve. "Sorry, Granny was giving out chocolate chip cookies."

"Yeah? Where is they?"

Emme figured she had enough room in her hands at this point to fit a cookie or two.

"Over by Archie, but its not a they, just a her. In fact I was wondering if either of you had seen Ruby? I'm kind of looking for her."

Mary-Margaret was distracted by Emma's eating, so much so that her brow was furrowed, "Would you slow down? You're gonna make yourself sick."

Belle thought it was cute that even with all the negative effects of the curse Mary-Margaret found ample opportunity to be a mother.

"And no, we haven't seen her, but we'll let her know that you're looking if we do."

"Also, you should try the food from that Chinese place."

Belle chuckled, thanked them and then went off to continue her search. Emma was set on the cookies but before she could get to them there was apparently a conversation that had to take place. She could tell by how pleased he looked to see her.

"Emma, Mary-Margaret, how are you?"

"Great, you?"

She knew the answer was going to be more than a word long.

"Actually I was hoping you might help me with something."

"If it has something to do with taste-testing all of the booths at the fair I think she's beaten you to it."

He laughed, "No, but I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. I volunteered to do administration for the judging but the strangest thing has happened."

"Right, strange, because we have absolutely no idea what happened."

Granny had read Emma's mind and come to the conversation with cookies.

"What happened?"

"What happened is Regina intimidated a bunch of judges into dropping out of judging for the pie contest because she's afraid to lose."

Archie was far less accusing, "Now come on, we don't know that for sure, we just know that nobody wants to participate in that particular judging. Whether she intimidated them directly or they just didn't want to get between the two of you, we don't know, but the problem remains."

"So what, you want Emma to do it?"

"Whhht?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

"As sheriff she's a public figure, not to mention everyone knows she's not afraid of Regina."

Emma swallowed, "Yeah but do you really think Regina's gonna let this fly."

"It's a blind tasting, if you're not afraid of backlash then she can't touch you and she has no reason to complain."

"Fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah, free pie? Sign me up."

"There you are."

Ruby knew it was Belle without looking up; her accent was unmistakable, but she still bothered to look surprised. She'd been hiding out in the Diner. It was closed for the day's festivities and with all the food out on the street nobody would bother to wander in. Except for someone not looking for food.

"I've been looking for you."

Belle hopped up on the stool beside her, "What are you hiding in here for."

"Because if I see one more pie I think I might throw up?"

She smiled about it but couldn't sustain it long enough to convince Belle who took Ruby's hands in hers on the counter.

"Come on, what is it?"

Ruby hesitated, "I just don't want to see the contest, if Regina winning will ruin my day."

Belle was rubbing her thumb over Ruby's palm; she liked the way their hands looked together.

"It's just a pie contest."

Ruby smiled and rolled her eyes, "Maybe, but if Granny has to play nice with Regina I will never hear the end of it."

Belle wasn't really listening; she was watching Ruby with her head-cocked. Whatever was bothering her, and Belle was hesitant to believe it was something as simple as a pie contest, had her in something of a state. Ruby was never as skilled at hiding her emotions as she'd like to believe and she loathed seeing her in any sort of pain. She leaned in to kiss her; it was all she could think to do to make anything better.

They'd been doing this for a while, the kissing thing. There wasn't any real sense of order behind it. When Ruby had apologized for locking her up she'd been distraught and vehement in her apologies and Belle had kissed her. It seemed like the thing to do when she was upset, a belief reinforced by the way Ruby's shoulders relaxed and how she squeezed her hand on the counter. Belle had meant to have a conversation about it but whenever she even looked like she might make mention Ruby found a reason to be somewhere else. Ruby was afraid of naming it but if she had to Belle could work with that, it was worth it.

They stopped kissing and Ruby looked at their hands.

"If you do something you feel is wrong, but you don't regret it, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Are you really that worried about this pie thing?"

"Just humor me."

Belle bit her bottom lip; she did that when she was thinking.

"I don't know, maybe that means you have something to figure out."

It seemed like Ruby was looking at something far away.

"But don't go egging Regina on all the time if that's what you're talking about."

"Don't worry, not on my to-do list."

Belle didn't let go, "I was thinking maybe you could come over tonight and we could…talk? Maybe? About this."

Belle picked up their linked hands as indication.

Ruby's jaw had clenched, "Depends on if Granny needs me."

Their hands pulled a part.

"I think I'm going to have to go out and face the music."

"Everything will work out."

Ruby didn't think so.

At ten o'clock that night Regina opened her door. She hadn't been expecting anyone and seeing as she didn't often have friends over to visit any knock on the door after seven o'clock had 'angry mob' potential. She was pleased to see that wasn't the case, so pleased in fact that she opened her door with a smirk on her face. Ruby stood between the white pillars on her porch with her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket and her hood pulled over her head.

"Well, as far as I know I haven't cursed you again so would you like to explain what you're doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

"You can explain yourself."

This looked like it might be difficult for Ruby but honestly that was kind of the appeal.

"I want to come in."

That was more like it. Regina crossed her arms over her chest, it was cold outside and she was only wearing one of her tank tops, as working in her house didn't require her to wear one of her normal outfits.

"I'm sorry, what if I don't want you to come in? Need I remind you that your grandmother won so there's no reason for you to even be here?"

Regina wasn't happy about losing and regardless of what Archie assured her the fact that Emma had been the judge didn't sit right with her. This wasn't something Ruby wanted to be reminded of and her reaction was to take a step forward onto the threshold of Regina's house.

"I want to come in."

She stressed each word and Regina's smirked widened, "By all means."

Ruby took the last step in and as soon as Regina closed the door she had her by the front of tank top up against the back of the door. The wolf strength helped. Regina might have thought she was being assaulted if Ruby wasn't looking her so intently in the eye and so she looked back, if wolf-girl wanted a stare down that was what she was going to get and if she wanted to hang herself on her own impulses then Regina wasn't helping for a second. Ruby would tie her own noose through initiation but make no mistake that didn't amount to control.

Ruby kissed her hard, there was no shred of tenderness and when she pulled away to go after her neck Regina could already feel where soreness would come later. She was pulling off Ruby's jacket as she bit at her throat sometimes spilling down onto her shoulder and chest, Regina thought she might tear her shirt. The aggression was welcome but the force with which she was pinned against the door concerned her. Regina kissed her again, pushing against her so she had more room for herself, she slid her hands up under the bottom of Ruby's shirt feeling where hot skin was pulled over the muscles around her hipbones. She pressed her fingers down just beneath the waistband of Ruby's underwear feeling the V of muscle there shifting as Ruby moved back to her throat, he hands moving down from Regina's shoulders over her breasts and sides down to her ass. For a second she basked in Ruby's enthusiasm to destroy both of them before smiling into her hair, she moved her lips close to Ruby's ear and muttered, "Down girl."

Ruby wasn't discouraged; instead her hands slid further down to Regina's thighs before lifting her up. On reflex she wrapped her legs around Ruby's hips but couldn't help looking surprised, the times they'd fucked before Ruby didn't have the wolf, not to mention she'd been a tad more submissive. Holding her up seemed like nothing at all and between Ruby and the door against which she was still pinned her weight was almost fully supported.

This was not a foreplay situation; there was no romance novel pacing. As soon as she had Regina on her hips she reached back up her thighs to get her pants off, Regina had to push her shoulders up against the door to give Ruby enough room to her and even then she didn't bother to pull them any further than she needed to. Even taking off her underwear was too troublesome for her and so they were pushed aside as she started to fuck her.

Shit, wolf strength was something else.

Ruby's pace was not meant to tease, the intentions were clear, they were fucking and that was it. Under the circumstances it was difficult for Regina to keep her composure and in seconds she was muttering expletives into Ruby's hair.

"Fuck, oh fuck."

Her hand had slid from Ruby's shoulder up to the back of her head wear she had balled it into a fist, tugging on her hair as if it might produce the effects of a rein. No such luck, Red Riding Hood was actually fucking the dignity out of her against her own front door. It being such a delicious mix of self-destruction and control was only turning her on more. Regina slipped her free hand up the back of Ruby's hoodie and t-shirt to feel the muscles of her shoulders tense and working beneath the skin. Ruby shifted her angle and Regina scratched down her back so that Ruby arched, groaned and stopped for a second, breathing hard. Her head was pressed against the door beside Regina's, forehead against the cold wood. She wasn't allowed to rest for long; Regina used her hold on the back of her scalp to tug her head back so they were face to face.

"Did I tell you you could stop?"

Ruby kissed her to shut her up and started her rhythm again with added enthusiasm and the relapse in sensation picked up where it had left off. Regina threw her had back against the door hard enough to hurt herself and came with her jaw clenched, smiling. Her body was rigid against Ruby for a few moments and then relaxed, the pair of them slid down the door until Ruby was kneeling, her knees folded underneath her and Regina practically in her lap. She did not want to understand what it was she'd done or her reasons for doing it. Instead she watched Regina stand and in place of pulling her pants up she stepped out of them, she leaned down and placed a hand underneath Ruby's chin, a smile curling her red lips.

"I'm not done with you yet."