In the wintery winds of December, most people were fast asleep by eleven o'clock. Snug in their beds, falling into a deep slumber and dreaming of Christmas to come. However, it was a Friday night and there were still people that were up and lively. Except Red. She was in her apartment, reading a good mystery novel. She was half way through the chapter, making slow progress because of what was on her mind, or rather, who.

Belle.

She knew that the feelings were mutual, she knew that there was something between them that her past interests lacked... a spark. A big spark. However, there were inhibitions because Belle was with someone else. Not Gold. A guy who's really good with a bow and arrow. She couldn't remember his name. They were having problems, Belle would tell her. She suspected he was cheating on her, but couldn't know for sure.

Belle tried so hard with Gold, trying to bring the good out in him. Trying to get him to stop practicing evil magic, but it seemed that being the Dark One had its temptations.

Red sighed, Belle was too good for her own good sometimes. She didn't want to break it off without trying to make it work first. The guy doesn't deserve her, Red thought, irritated. She met him once, at the diner. He was talking to some other girl on "business", some project or what other. She doubted it by the way he let the other woman touch his arm.

Red realized she just read the same paragraph three times now, and put the book down for a moment. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, taking a moment to try and clear her head.

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, came to the door in rapid repetition and odd beat.

Red turned her head and was furrowed her eyebrows, who would be at her door at this hour?

Knock, knock, knock-

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she growled, getting more irritated with the person. She opened and door and was surprised to be face to face with-

"Belle," she whispered.

"Red!" Belle squealed, a little too happily. There were three other girls behind the brunette and Belle immediately hugged her friend. Red knew the reason. She could smell the alcohol on her breath the moment she opened the door.

"What happened?" Red asked the girls behind her, supporting the drunk beauty.

"She wanted a good time, so we went out to the bar for a girls night out. She had a little much to drink and she kept insisting on dropping her off here. I'm sorry," said one of the girls, who really did sound sincere.

"It's fine, thank you, I got her from here," Red replied with a light smile, Belle was still clinging on to her.

"You sure?" the friend asked. Red nodded and thanked them again before closing the door.

"Red! I'm so happy to see you," Belle said, stepping back but almost losing her balance. Red quickly grabbed her before she fell.

"I'm okay. I'm alright," Belle insisted, lifting her hands up and grabbing Red's arms in return.

"Jesus, Belle, how much did you have to drink?" Red asked under her breath. Belle then held Red's face, looking into her eyes and smiled. Red didn't know what exactly to do so she just smiled and grabbed her hands, trying to guide her to the bedroom.

Belle leaned in, putting her forehead to hers, chuckling as she did so.

"You're so beautiful, Red," she whispered. Red smiled at the compliment and pulled away, "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"But I'm not tired," Belle complained, her hands wandering down to Red's hips. Red held Belle's wrists before they went any lower and guided her towards the bedroom. She managed to get her walking.

"Do you wanna know what happened?" Belle asked.

"Not exactly, but go ahead," Red replied, just to keep the other girl talking and distracted.

"Robin... Robin. I finally caught him with another woman today. At the bar!" Belle exclaimed and then laughing like it was a hilarious joke. Red frowned, now she understood why she was so drunk. That explains a lot, she thought to herself.

"I told you, you were too good for him," Red commented.

"Right you did," Belle replied. Red got her to sit on the bed and was about to leave to get some water, but Belle unexpectedly grabbed her hand and pulled her to her, so she was on her knees. The bed was low so they were almost the same height and their eyes met each other's. Then, Belle wrapped her legs around the other woman's hips, her hands on Red's and intertwining them.

"Where do you think you're going?" Belle asked, playfully. Red swallowed hard, this wasn't good.

"You need to sleep this off, I'll get you some water," Red replied, about to get up again but Belle's legs only held on tighter.

"I think..." Belle trailed off, leaning in closely to Red's neck and placing a kiss, "that you should stay right here," she whispered. Red closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. A strong part of her told her to pull away, that she couldn't take advantage of her. However, her desire was flaring.

"I can't, Belle," Red said gently, releasing her fingers and placing them on Belle's ankles behind her.

"Why not?" Belle whined, her hands wandering up Red's sides. Red quickly grabbed Belle's wrists again before they went up any further.

"You have to go to sleep," Red answered, still trying to get herself out of Belle's leg lock and trying to distract her.

"Red," Belle said, her voice low and husky but sounding like a warning, releasing her own wrists and placing them on top of Red's hands. Which she then placed them on her thighs and guiding them up, "I think it's time we stop fooling ourselves," she finished. She smiled and held Red's face, leaning in to kiss her. Their lips were centimeters away, almost touching and their breaths mingling, Red summoning all the will power to deny herself this. But she didn't move when Belle closed the distance. Belle suckling on Red's bottom lip and Red couldn't help but take in Belle's top lip. Belle tried to deepen the kiss but Red turned away.

"We can't do this," Red whispered, their cheeks brushing. Fuck this is hard,' Red thought to herself, her will power waning.

"You're always in control of yourself, Red. Sometimes, it's good to let go," Belle breathed, placing an open-mouthed kiss on her neck. Red bit her lip as her eyes rolled back, this is not happening, she thought to herself. All her nerve endings were extremely sensitive and she felt a huge wave of arousal wash through her.

"I know how much you've wanted this, Red," her voice low and husky, "because I've wanted this too."

Belle's hands began to wander again, going under Red's shirt. Red held Belle's wrists again and held them so they wouldn't go anywhere. Careful as not to grip too hard.

She sighed, she couldn't get out of this herself. She cautiously pulled her phone of her pocket and speed dialed Emma. The ringing seemed to take longer than usual and Red cursed under her breath.

"Hello?" said the voice on the other line.

"Emma, hey, sorry to call you so late," Red replied, feeling bad but knowing that it was very necessary.

"It's okay, I was already up anyway. What's up?"

"I'm... in a little bit of a-" she stopped abruptly, Belle's hands were wandering again, but instead of up, they were going down. While she was still planting kisses on her neck. It was hard for Red to think straight but she was determined, gripping the phone has hard as she dared to without breaking it.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Who are you calling?" Belle breathed into Red's other ear. Fuck, that's a sensitive spot, Red thought.

"I need your help," Red managed out, "It's Belle. I'm having a little trouble-" Red was cut off by her own gasp. A huge wave of arousal washed through her as she realized what Belle just did.

She bit her. Belle bit her neck.

That set something off in Red, she growled and pinned Belle on the bed, kneeling on top of her and still between her legs in two seconds flat. She could hear Belle gasp at the sudden movement and that only motivated her more.

But Red regained control of herself and put the phone back to her ear, "Can you just be here as soon as you can?" she growled out.

"Okay, I'll be there in ten," Emma said, before they both hung up. Red threw the phone across the bed and growled, "Belle."

Belle kissed the spot where she bit, smiling at the sound of her name and the teeth marks she left.

"Red," Belle replied playfully. Red still couldn't get out of Belle's leg lock. Fuck, you've got strong legs, Red thought to herself. And that only sent inappropriate but such arousing images to her mind which only made another wave of arousal wash through her.

Belle started to arch up against her, "Red... I know you can give me what I need," she said, her voice husky with desire. Red groaned, it was getting that much harder not to just rip her clothes off.

"Red," Belle mewled out again, "I'm asking you to take me," she continued. Red sighed and unpinned Belle's hands and moved back a little, trying to put some distance between their heated bodies. Every impulse in her told her to do the opposite and Red was fighting it. She knew it was a losing battle however.

Belle abruptly sat up and used her weight to push Red back to the bed, switching their positions and Belle pinned Red's hands. Red was still stunned by the sudden movement, Where the fuck did she learn that? she asked herself. And then she realized who had control now.

"Belle," Red said in a warning tone, "We shouldn't be- oh, fuck," Red moaned. Belle licked the shell of Red's ear, suckling on as much of her ear that she could take in her position. Fuck, this girl knows how to turn a person on.

"That's exactly what we should be doing, darling," Belle whispered, and then proceeded to place open-mouthed kisses along the column of Red's neck.

If she wants this so badly, then just take her, the primal wolf inside Red was going crazy at this point. No, Red protested. Small, electrifying jolts of pleasure were being sent down her spine, originating from wherever Belle's lips happened to be.

Belle pressed a light kiss on Red's chin before looking into her eyes with a drunken smile. She slowly descended down, knowing she had her trapped and Red wasn't struggling very hard. How could she when her body was flaming with desire? And the girl of her dreams was seducing her?

Red closed her eyes, a pang of guilt flooding her and then faded away as she tasted more of Belle. She didn't respond at first, knowing this was wrong but it didn't take long before her lips moved in time with Belle's, their tongues teasing each other. She could definitely taste of alcohol but, somehow, it only made her more alluring. Soon, all thoughts left her mind and she reveled in the kiss.

There was a knock on the door that caused Red to snap back to reality and break the kiss, "Oh thank god," Red said under her breath.

"It's open!" she called behind her. The door open and then closed and Red called, "In here!"

"What's going on, it sounded urgent-oh..." Emma stopped at the doorway.

"It's not what it looks like. I'm trapped," Red explained.

"I see that," Emma replied, still a little stunned.

"Can you please just help me, Emma?" Red asked.

"Emma!" Belle said, still happy, "What are you doing here?" she asked, still on Red. Red gave Emma a look that looked half pleading and half lustful.

"Neighbors were complaining about noise," Emma lied, looking at Red. Belle blushed and Red sat up, thankfully, Belle moved for her.

"Let's get you to bed, Belle," Emma offered, as Red got off the bed and walked out of the room to get water.

"Is there something wrong with me, Emma?" Belle asked as Emma helped her into the blankets like a child. Emma was a little taken off guard by the question, "No, of course not, why would you think that?"

"Look at me," she whispered, "I'm a mess. Rumpelstiltskin, Robin, now Red. What if there's something wrong with me," Belle said. Emma gave her a sympathetic smile, "It's not that Red doesn't want you, Belle," Emma replied, because she really does, she thought to herself. Belle didn't reply, still looking up at the ceiling.

Red went into the kitchen, grasping the edge of the counter, composing herself. She was in need of a cold shower, but that would have to wait. God, she was so close to just-

It's good that you didn't, she thought to herself, it's better this way. She sighed, and grabbed a glass and filled with water. A part of her was relieved that Emma came when she did, but the other part was frustrated. She knew that if they did go through with it, it would probably ruin their relationship and things wouldn't be the same. She knew Belle, the librarian couldn't just forget about it. And neither could she.

An image flashed through her mind, Belle arching her back, her hand on the headboard and moaning Red's name as Red brought her to the brink-

She growled and gripped the glass to hard, making it explode all over the sink. She clenched her teeth and sighed, reaching for another glass. She quickly got the water and walked towards the room. She slowed her pace, catching what Belle was saying, despite the distance.

Her sadness was evident as she heard Belle. "Look at me. I'm a mess," she heard Belle say. Red wished she could console her. Soothe her and tell her that wasn't it. But she knew that Belle probably won't remember in the morning. She recomposed herself and quickly walked into the room, before walking out again without another word.

Emma looked after her friend as she walked away. Pity was evident in her gaze and she turned to Belle, about to give her the water, but found that she was already fast asleep. Emma sighed and put the water on the bedside table. She walked out of the room and turned the light off on the way out. When she walked into the living room, she didn't find her there, and walked to the dining room. Red had a glass of red wine next to her. Emma took the seat next to her, but didn't talk right away.

"You okay?" Emma asked after a few moments. Red turned to her and looked at her with a tired smile, "Yeah," she replied. Emma gave her an unconvinced look.

"Thank you for coming," Red said and Emma nodded her welcome. "You know I'm always here," the sheriff replied. Emma kept looking at Red, the other woman avoiding her gaze. After a few long moments of uncomfortable silence, Red knew why Emma was still here.

"What else do you want me to say, Emma?" Red asked, frustrated. "How hard it was not to go through with it? How much I did want her? How much I still do?"

"I want you to tell her," Emma answered.

"I can't," was Red's immediate answer, standing up and walking in circles.

"Or you won't," Emma countered. "You two have been dancing around each other for months now, Ruby. She's waiting for you."

"I can't do that to her, Emma. I can't do that to our relationship. What if things don't work out? What if she finds another man she thinks is broken and tries to fix them?" Red continued. Emma fell silent, thinking of what to say.

"Well, if she does remember this, you're going have to talk to her at some point," Emma pointed out.

"She probably won't," Red replied.

"Do you even plan on telling her?" Emma asked but her question was answered when she saw the expression on Red's face.

"Ruby-"

"She doesn't have to know," Red cut her off and finished the rest of her wine.

"Thank you again, Emma, but I have it from here," Red said, basically telling Emma to leave. Emma, taken aback, nodded and stood up.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Ruby," Emma said, before walking out to the door. Red sighed and tried to relax herself. She went to her room and leaned on the doorway, watching Belle sleep. She really hoped that the beauty wouldn't remember what happened this night. Things just wouldn't be the same. For better or for worse, Red still didn't want to risk it.