Evening was setting in, leaving the night air cool and crisp. All the birds had taken rest in nearby trees, and grasshoppers orchestrated their special song. The outside world was dark, except for the light shining through the glass windows of the Sheriff's office. Emma Swan was working the night. Again. However, tonight was no ordinary night, no, it was Emma's twenty-ninth birthday. Emma's desk was littered with paperwork due by morning. She groaned. Just thinking about it was giving her the world's worst headache. A heavy and frustrated sigh exited Emma's lips. Sliding back her chair, Emma bent down to open her desk's cabinet and retrieve the bottle of Jack Daniels she stored there in case of an emergency. Like tonight. Unscrewing the lid, Emma took a big swig, wincing slightly as the precious liquid burned her throat. Setting the bottle down, Emma leaned all the way back on her chair, stretched out comfortably, and closed her eyes, waiting for the stress to drown in alcohol. It was quiet, and Emma could here shuffling, and then she remembered. Ruby was here. In the cell. On Emma's birthday. Emma opened her eyes, reached for the bottle, and chugged some more before swaying to her feet and marching over to Ruby's cell. Ruby's face was clouded in shadows, moonlight only illuminating her hunched up form. Emma stumbled in the room, mock-whispering,
"Rubbbbbbbbyyyyyyyyyyy? Are you alseeeeeeeeeeeeep? I've got alcoholllllllllll."
Emma's whisper turned into an excited slur. Ruby's eyelids flickered open, and turned her head to look at the obviously very happy Sheriff, but didn't respond, only eyeing the bottle of Jack. Emma gave a childish giggle at Ruby's confusion and said,
"C'monnn Rubs, let's celebrate."
"Celebrate what?" came Ruby's reply, muffled by a yawn as she sat up.
Emma grinned and stumbled up right against the bars, gripping them as she leaned forward, nose almost touching the bars, and looked from left to right, and then back at Ruby, whispering,
"Come closerrr."
Ruby, ever the curious cat, stretched forward, and leaned in toward the bars and replied,
"Yes?" now a hint of excitement in her tone.
"It's my birthday, Rubs," whispered Emma, suddenly giddy, and then shouted,
"LET'S CELEBRATE! Here!" Emma pushed the bottle through the bars and said, "Have some."
"You sure have a strange way of treating your prisoners, Emma Swan, but who's complaining? I should get arrested more often." Ruby chuckled and accepted the bottle, her handcuffs jingling as she held the bottle with both hands and gulped down some of its contents, and then sighed contentedly as the familiar burn caressed her throat. Emma watched as Ruby drank, grinned, and hopped off back into her office to turn the stereo on. P!nk's So What boomed through the speakers. Emma came back into the room, an even wider grin plastered on her face as she held something that jangled in her hands. Keys. Ruby's eyebrows shot up as Emma approached and struggled with the lock of her cell. Finally, Emma got the lock turned, and tossed the keys onto the nearest table. All the while singing along to the P!nk. Emma approached Ruby and held out her hand to Ruby's two cuffed ones and said,
"May I have this dance?"
Ruby smiled, tilting her head to the side and replied,
"You may," before taking Emma's outstretched hand.