Untitled

by Erin Griffin

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Pairing: Snowing, slight mention of unrequited Red Snow

Summary: Red knows that she should hate Queen Regina for what she did, but the truth was, she was happier in Storybrooke than she was in the fairytale world.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Ruby- Red that is, looked around her little town. She was happy there, despite her lot there. she wasn't rich or powerful like the mayor or Mr. Gold, but she had her friends, the faces she saw in the diner every night, some who would play darts with her. She didn't have to worry about the divsion of equality between men and women, even the class divide didnt seem that large because rich or not, everyone still went to the same town meetings and had to vote on the same things. There was no good or evil, just the friendly faces versus the grumpy ones. No one had ever gotten sick or died, not even the decrepid woman in the woods who the kids called Chicken Granny.

Red liked where she was, and she liked not remembering. She didn't like who she was- or rather, what she was. She didn't like what she had become. She loved her Granny, and that would never change, but she felt she had to thank Regina for the new life in Storybrooke. That was why she ran to the front of the mob of people who tried their way into the hospital where Regina- The Evil Queen was now. Her eyes flashed gold, which already was different. It wasn't a full moon, but still the magic was affecting her in this way already. Still, the move caused a majority of th crowd to back away. "You'll not harm her," Red nearly growled out.

Mary Margaret- Snow stepped forward. "Red-"

"Especially you," Red snapped as she felt the memories flood her brain, the many ways Red loved the woman before her even though she always knew that love would never be returned.

"We're friends, Red. You helped me against her there. Why are you doing this now?"

"because in both worlds you got your happily ever after. She stopped me from being a monster for 28 years, and I owe her for at least that. She could have divided our families in this new place, made our lives Hell here, but she didn't. I wasn't the Happily Ever After from home, but no one here can claim that they were completely miserable."

"I can," Leroy- Grumpy called out.

"Can you?" Red asked softly, looking at the man. He couldn't keep her eye, but his loyaly to Snow even now was strong. Still, he knew that he wasn't as grumpy as his name really suggested in the land of Storybrooke. Even as he drank himself stupid every night, he had a friend or six to help him home.

"What do you suggest we do then, Red?"

"We have our memories back, and some of our old magic back, but we are not home. This is still the home she created for us, and we still have to live in it. I say we lock her with the Sheriff at the station. No doubt with her in jail and Emma watching Henry, that will be torture enough for her. But no one, and I mean no one will hurt her otherwise," Red warned.

Snow looked at the other brunette before her. Then she nodded. "Alright. We can agree to do it your way, but if she escapes or if any of her henchmen try to break her out, then we find… another way." Snow's voice was clipped, but she was comforted by Charming's hand, and Red looked away slightly before she forced her head up again long enough to stare down someone who dared shift from one foot to another.

"Alright then. This is where you part," she said, looking into Snow's eyes. There was something different in her tone, something that told Snow that not only were there more to her statement but that all of it was true. The queen's eyes were sad, but she nodded before she allowed for Charming to lead her away. Red swallowed as she wondered what was to happen to her now. She remained on guard in front of the hospita doors as she mentally went through ways she could prepare herself against the next full moon, the first step being to find her cloak.

End.