For the purposes of this story, "Lacey" never happened. Belle had amnesia and was cured without ever being given false memories.
Ruby got out of the car and walked towards the neon orange paint that designated the town line. The dwarves had made the discovery hours before, Grumpy bursting into Granny's to announce that Dopey had tripped over the line and kept his memories. Ruby was already out the door when Granny yelled at her to come back and finish her shift.
She stood with toes just inches from the line, looking out into the darkness of the road in front of her. This was all she'd wanted since the moment they turned up in Storybrooke—to get out. And even though the curse had lifted, even though she was now more the battle-weary Red than the desperately bored Ruby, there was still enough of Ruby in her to make her want out.
"Are you going to cross?" Ruby didn't have to look up to know that it was Belle, but she did anyway, wondering how long she'd been standing alone in the dark before the librarian found her.
"Are you?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder at Belle.
"Forgive me if I'm still a little skittish," Belle replied.
Ruby took a deep breath and stepped forward, crossing the border. She turned to look at Belle, smiling as she realized that she remembered everything.
"Who are you?" Belle asked tentatively.
"Ruby. Red. Werewolf, waitress, girl who chained you up in the library." She couldn't help blushing at that last one, glad for the cover of darkness. Belle didn't need to know how often she revisited that memory. Instead, she held out her hand, surprised that Belle took it and stepped easily over the line.
They were silent for a moment, and then Belle threw her head back and laughed. "I've been trapped in different cages my whole life," she said, still holding Ruby's hand tightly. "I'm actually free."
"We're free," Ruby corrected, and despite the dark she saw Belle's brilliant smile and her stomach turned in a way that was becoming more and more familiar.
"Yes." Belle was suddenly hurrying back into Storybrooke, dropping Ruby's hand so she could go around to the passenger seat of Ruby's car. "Come on. We've got an adventure to plan."
They drove back to town and Belle led the way into the library and back to the dusty shelf of travel books. Not one had been checked out in the history of the library, she'd discovered a while back while doing inventory. They were out of date, but neither girl cared, enthralled by the long line of names of places they'd thought they'd never see.
Ruby ran a finger along the spines, working her way through the nearest cities—Boston, Providence, New York. Belle headed to the other end, looking at the more exotic locations.
"We can go anywhere," Ruby breathed, pulling out New York City and brushing the dust off the cover.
"Or everywhere," Belle replied. She began taking books from the shelves, almost half of them, and Ruby followed suit. They carried them to Belle's little apartment above, spreading them on the table.
Ruby was startled to wake up in a bed that was not her own. There was a time when she'd been accustomed to doing so, but since the curse broke she hadn't so much as kissed anyone. Not that she hadn't thought about it. When she rolled over and saw that it was Belle beside her, she thought about it again. The other girl was fully dressed and still asleep, a book about Ireland lying open across her stomach. Ruby sat up and collected that book and a few others that were down by their feet, closing them all and stacking them neatly beside the bed.
The part of her mind that was her cursed personality egged her on, telling her not to be such a wimp and just kiss the girl already. Red won out, opting to just smooth a strand of hair out of Belle's face and getting up to leave when the librarian didn't stir. She left a note on the stack of books before slipping out.
Going home to pack for our adventure. –R
She slipped into the diner to find Granny setting up the register for breakfast. "I thought your walk of shame days were behind you," the older woman teased.
"I was at Belle's." Ruby came around the counter and poured herself a coffee. "We're going to leave town and travel." She waited for the rejection, for Granny to tell her that she had responsibilities at home, but none of that came.
"I guess after 28 years you've accumulated some vacation time," Granny said, closing the register and smiling at her granddaughter. "Where are you going?"
"It doesn't matter," Ruby replied, silently finishing her sentence. As long as it's with her. She downed the rest of her coffee before heading upstairs to change, unable to keep from grinning.
A/N: More to come! I'm having trouble deciding where to send them, so if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. Put them in a review or PM me. Thanks!