Disclaimer: I solemnly disclaim every right to every character and location in the story. I even disclaim the right to some of the lines later on as I took them directly out of the show. This disclaimer counts for the entire story.
Summary: What if Jefferson released Belle from the asylum earlier? And what if Belle didn't go directly to Mr. Gold, but instead meets Ruby? Who is Belle now? Red Beauty.
A/N: It's the same universe and the same story line as the show, only because of this minor change things are just slightly different. I've rated it M because of some dark topics.
A/N: I would appreciate it like you wouldn't believe, if you would let me know what you think as you go along. Everything will help me become better. The story is essentially done and I will post chapters as I finish second drafts. Now let's get to it.
Chapter 1: Lacey
I run out, slamming the door behind me. Granny's words all echo in the back of my head as I run down the street, my only thought getting the hell out of there. Grow up Ruby, stop flirting with the customers and do your job, stop dressing like a drag queen at work, do the damn count girl how many times do I have to tell you?
It's my damn life! I shouted at her, when she took my credit card.
You'll get it back when you start acting like you're responsible enough to possess it.
Like I wasn't responsible. I took care of the diner most of the time didn't I? Nothing is just ever good enough for Granny.
I end up at the dock, looking out at the sea and wonder if I can make it to another land if I swim away now. I have thought of leaving so many times. Move to Boston. Anywhere has got to be better than this.
I've always felt like something was missing. I guess in a town as small as Storybrooke you're apt to never find what you're looking for.
I stare at the moonlight's reflection in the surface of the dark water. The rage in the pit of my stomach has subsided and become a knot of sadness instead. I wish I could talk to Granny about this, but it's always about the diner and the inn. Apparently that's all life is about.
"Hello?" A foreign voice calls from a distance. "Is-is someone there?"
It's a female voice and she has a foreign accent. British or Australian, I'm not sure. I've got good ears, but I was never one of the smart ones.
"Over here", I say and turn to see her approaching slowly. She looks tired and a little scared. Honestly, she looks like someone who has escaped from someone's basement. Her clothes are dirty and slightly torn, her dark hair is a mess and she's not wearing shoes. "Are you okay?" I ask and get up, suddenly afraid she's gonna fall down.
"Yes, I think so", she says. "I don't know where I am." She's a bit shorter than me and she looks up at me with an expression of utter confusion.
"You're in Storybrooke", I tell her. "My name is Ruby. What's your name?"
She looks a bit around hesitantly then her eyes find mine again. They're a bright blue color with dark lashes surrounding them.
"I don't know."
"O-okay. Why don't you come sit down, you look tired." She sits down on the bench I just rose from and runs a hand through her hair. I sit down beside her. "Do you know what happened to you?"
She shakes her head. "No. I was just released from… somewhere. This man told me to find a Mr. Gold. Tell him that someone named Regina locked me up. And I don't know of any Storybrooke."
Regina did this? I knew the mayor had some dark secrets, but what on earth had she done to this girl? What could she possibly have against her?
"Well, Mr. Gold's shop is down the main street. I can show you if you want?"
"I'm just so nackered. And tired of walkin'. My feet hurt and…" She trails of as she pushed her hair out of her face and the hand gets stuck in the knots.
"Here, let me take care of that", I say and pull the lace out of my one pigtail. "Can I?"
She nods. "Sure."
I pull her hair back as well as I can manage the thick entangled curls and tie the lace around it. I pull the other lace out of my second pigtail and tie it into a bow on her right arm.
"There", I say and smile at her. She smiles vaguely back.
"I don't really know what to with myself. It's all so confusin'", she says.
"You can come home with me. My Granny own a bed and breakfast, I'll get you a room there. Is that okay?"
Her smile gets a little more genuine. "That would be great."
"Good. Now I just need something to call you."
She shrugs. "I don't know that I have a name... You give me one."
"Me? Um, okay…" I look at the strange girl and my eye is caught by my red lace in her hair. It shines because the streetlights catch the fabric.
"Lacey", I tell her.
"Lacey… I like it." She shivers and I remember that she has no shoes on.
"Oh my God, I forgot, you must be so cold. Come, let's get you to Granny's."
I hold out my hand and she takes it, entwining her cold fingers in mine. Her hand is small and soft. She must be around my age, not judging by her size, but the look on her face and her voice. It's not British after all.
I unlock the door to the diner and lead Lacey's shaking figure inside.
"Granny?" I call softly, remembering the fight we had before I left.
"If it isn't my grandchild crawling back. Did it get cold out ther-" She comes into the room, but stops talking when she sees Lacey standing slightly behind me. "Who is this?"
"Gran, this is Lacey. I met her outside just now. The mayor has had her locked up somewhere and she has no memory of who she is. I told her she could stay here, it so cold outside."
"Of course. Let me see you girl." I gently push Lacey forward and she takes a few steps towards Granny. "Where are your shoes, girl?"
"I-I don't have any."
"Ruby find the girl some warmer clothes, some of yours should fit, some of your old clothes, don't you dare put her in the things you display to the customers nowadays."
"Yes Granny", I say and can't prevent myself from rolling my eyes at her. The fight hasn't been forgotten yet I see.
I dig deep into the drawer for some clothes for Lacey and bring out the thick wool socks for her. When I come down again she's sitting in one of the booths drinking hot tea.
"I'll set up a guest room for you", Granny says when she sees me coming down the stairs again. We switch places.
"What was that look?" Lacey asks.
"What? Oh, Granny and I had a fight before I ran out and met you. She thinks I'm irresponsible and self-obsessed. And dress like a drag queen."
"I don't know what a drag queen is…"
I try to explain it to her.
"No, I wouldn't say that. You could lose some of the make-up I guess. You have a pretty face."
"Thank you", I say and she smiles, a little smile just teasing the corners of her mouth, before taking a sip of tea.
It's not long before Lacey's eyes starts to flutter and she starts yawning. Granny leads her to one of the guest rooms upstairs just down the hall from where the apartment Granny and I live in is. Lacey is quiet and polite, and smiles vaguely. If she's afraid it's hard to tell, mostly she just seems exhausted. I can't begin to imagine what it's like not knowing who you are, but I don't ask her. She thanks Granny for her kindness and closes the door.
Granny takes me down to the diner and haves me explain just how I met her. I tell her the short story.
"I always knew something was odd about that Regina Mills. It's good you were there. I'm not sure I want her going to Mr. Gold either, I don't particularly like that man."
"Well, he's kind of old and odd, but just because he threatened to close down the diner once-"
"I don't want her to go see him until we know that she's well. Maybe we should get her to the hospital to have her checked."
"She's not a stray dog, Granny!"
Granny waves her head at me. "Don't talk stupid, girl, of course she's not. But you don't know what she might have been exposed to."
"I'll ask her, okay? Give her a second to calm down", I say and mumble 'jeez' under my breath. Granny gives me a look, but says nothing.
"Just check on her before you start your shift tomorrow, will you?"
"Of course."
"Good. I'm gonna turn in. We'll see how she's feeling in the morning."
I go to bed too, having a hard time falling asleep with all the wandering thoughts in my head about the strange girl. Who is she? Where did she come from? I'm dying to ask those question, but who knows what kind of answers I'll get?
The next morning I go check on her the first thing, when I wake up. A thought that she might have run away has been bugging me ever since I opened my eyes.
"Lacey?" I knock gently on the door to her room. No answer. "Say something or I'm coming in." When nothing happens I open the door, again thinking that she might have just made a run for it. She just escaped Regina's basement or whatever. She still here though. She's sitting in the corner of the room with her arms folded around her knees.
"Are you okay?" I ask and hurry inside to check on her. She nods slowly.
"Yes I'm okay. Just couldn't sleep in all that dark."
"You didn't sleep at all?"
"Think I slept some, but it was just too much. I'm sorry." She looks up at me, apologetic. She has taken the lace out and her hair is just as messy as yesterday.
"No don't apologize, it's okay. You hungry?" She nods vaguely.
"Come on then, let's go down and get you some breakfast. The diner doesn't open before half an hour so you can eat in peace."
"Thank you." I reach out a hand to her and she takes it. We go downstairs and I make her pancakes and eggs, and put some fruit on the plate as well. God knows what she's been eating until now.
"Here you go, pancakes and egg. The syrup is for the pancakes, but I kinda like it when it gets on everything. Try."
She eats hesitantly like she's expecting a bad surprise. Then her face lights up.
"It's good", she says.
"Good morning girls", says Granny when she enters the diner.
"'Morning gran."
"Good morning Mrs. Lucas."
"You can call me Granny like the rest of the town. Now", she walks behind the counter and stands across from Lacey. "I've been turning this over last night. I would love to let you stay Lacey, but it has to match with the books-"
"Granny!" I object.
"Not now Ruby."
"I-I can work. Here. For board and lodgin'. Or I can just go-"
"No, we can work something out", Granny says.
"Gran, she hasn't slept all night-"
"Ruby, go put the sign out, we open in fifteen minutes. And please wear more than that" I stay with my arms crossed over my chest in protest. I can't believe she treats Lacey like business. "Ruby go", she says in a warning tone and turns to Lacey again. "Is that true?"
"I'm sorry I just had a hard time sleepin' in the dark and I woke up in the middle of the night." Granny shakes her head and she stops talking.
"Don't apologize, girl. Go up now and try to sleep while it's light out. And take a day to get better. You can start the day after tomorrow with a single shift."