A/N: Thanks for reading so far! This is going a little more slowly than usual, but I'm pressing on.

Ruby sat cross-legged on the couch, running a hand absent-mindedly over Pongo's head as the Dalmatian rested his head on her thigh and dozed off. "It's a terrible idea, right?"

Archie just looked at her for a moment, and Ruby flicked her eyes back down to the dog to avoid him. "Why would you say that?"

"Because if she rejects me when we're off who knows where… I don't think I could take it." She sighed, stilling her hand against Pongo's neck. "I'm not strong enough."

"That is absolutely not true." Ruby allowed herself to look up again to see that Archie had put down his notebook and was focusing solely on her. "Think of all of the things you did back in the Enchanted Forest. You put yourself in danger countless times to protect those you loved. Rejection always hurts, Ruby, but if anyone is strong enough to face it it's certainly you."

Ruby shrugged. "Yeah, but what about—"

"I know you're not proud of the things you did during the curse," Archie cut in. "But it's okay to be that girl sometimes. Use her confidence." He picked up Ruby's folder and flicked through it, pulling out a sheet of paper. "Do you remember what you said the first time you came in here, when I asked you what you were looking for in life?"

Ruby paused for a moment. "I do."

He rose to his feet and took the folder back to his desk, tucking it away. "Then forgive yourself for your past," he said, turning back to offer her a smile. "And go get your future."

Ruby returned to the diner to find Belle sitting at the counter beside Emma, bent over a piece of paper and their respective mugs of tea and cocoa. Belle smiled brightly when Ruby came over to them, and the waitress noticed the suitcase sitting beneath her stool. "Good morning, Ruby."

Emma glanced up, smiling warmly if not quite as affectionately. "Hey there. We're consulting about your trip."

"Yeah?" Ruby made her way around the counter so she could face the two.

"No matter where you're going, you're probably going to have to go through Boston first," Emma explained, and Ruby glanced down to see that the paper they were looking at was the list of must-see places they'd decided on the night before. "You can fly out of there to get anywhere else."

"Fly?" Ruby met Belle's eyes, feeling a slight surge of panic. Driving she could handle, but planes… She'd never even seen one, never mind getting on one.

Belle just smiled reassuringly and put her hand over Ruby's. "I've read books about it. It's very safe."

"Not a big deal at all," Emma added, scanning down the list. "And you're going to need to if you're going to all of these places."

"We'll have each other," Belle said softly, and Ruby went pink. Belle didn't notice, but Emma certainly did from the way she winked when Ruby looked in her direction again.

"Let me get my stuff," Ruby said, each word slow and measured so as not to betray the way her heart was pounding. She reluctantly took her hand from Belle's and headed up the stairs to the apartments above the guest rooms. The footsteps behind her were heavy enough that she knew the sheriff was the one following her.

"So," Emma said as they reached Ruby's room and the brunette went in to get her bag. "Someone has a thing for the little librarian?"

Ruby turned, eyes pleading with the blonde. "You aren't going to tell her, are you?"

"Of course not." Emma picked up the suitcase as a gesture of goodwill. "Your secret's safe. But I think she has a thing for you, too."

"Really?" Ruby grabbed her purse and keys, following Emma back out into the hallway.

"Well, she did tell me she was sorry she couldn't invite me along but it's just the two of you." Emma shrugged. "Sounds like a good sign to me."

Ruby smiled to herself, the blush rising in her cheeks again, not even caring that Emma could see. "I hope you're right."

"I'm always right," Emma replied, and Ruby couldn't help laugh at that. "Come on, don't keep her waiting."

"You listen to strange music."

Ruby glanced over to the passenger seat. Belle had been curled up against the window with a book in her lap for most of the hour they'd been driving, and Ruby had turned her music up just slightly, singing along under her breath. It was comfortable, being with Belle, and Ruby didn't mind the lack of conversation. It was enough to simply have Belle near, to be able to glance at her out of the corner of her eye every few minutes as if to make sure she was still there.

But Ruby jumped at the chance to talk. "Yeah, that's Lady Gaga for you," she said with a smile. "She's a strange one."

"At least it's not rap," Belle added, and Ruby couldn't help laughing. Most of the time Belle was such a remnant of a past life, so far removed from everything Ruby had known for the past 28 years, and she always surprised Ruby when she suddenly caught up with her.

If she was the one who'd been hidden from the modern world from so long, Ruby couldn't help thinking, she'd probably be curled up in bed somewhere, not venturing out in a fast, bizarre carriage as if she didn't care.

"Here." Ruby scrolled through the playlist on her iPod, selecting another song. "You'll like this one better."

Belle looked skeptical as the opening sounds of "You and I" came on, but settled back to listen once the vocals began. Ruby fell into singing softly again, and when she glanced over at Belle again the librarian was smiling at her. "Still strange," she said. "I wish you'd sing louder."

Ruby blushed, bringing her eyes back to the road. "I don't really sing."

Belle's hand closed on hers over the iPod and it was all Ruby could do to keep the car moving straight. "What are you afraid of?"

"Everything," Ruby admitted, withdrawing her hand and bringing it back to the wheel.

"Even me?"

"Especially you."

Belle went silent, and when Ruby glanced in her direction again she could see the questions rising in the other girl's expression. "You can trust me, you know."

"I do." Ruby tightened her grip on the wheel, forcing herself to look straight ahead. And while Belle didn't say anything more on the drive to Boston, she also didn't return to her book.