Part Two

Broken.

The curse had been broken. Regina paced the floors in her house endlessly as a thousand things plagued her mind. She'd almost destroyed her own son. Almost losing Henry to a sleeping curse forever had left her shaken and afraid. Everything had been spiraling out of control and now all she wanted was to desperately cling to something steady. The first thing to pop into her mind was Ruby. Ruby… That was one thing she was certain was no longer an option anymore. She'd lost everything. Sinking down, she held herself and fought to breathe. The only two people she wanted in her life probably hated her at this very moment and she couldn't take it. The pounding on her front door grabbed her attention. She heard the mob of people roaring outside her house. They had come for her. They had come to kill her. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she felt revitalized. There was no time to be weak. It was time to be the queen again. In that moment, she was relieved. No longer would she have to hide or pretend. All that mattered was the fight; the fight to get her son back.

"Can I help you?"

"That smirk isn't gonna last forever, Regina. You took everything from us, and now-"

"What? Now you're going to kill me," she challenged with that predatory look of hers.

"Eventually," Whale responded, unfazed. "But first, you need to suffer."

"Listening to you has been suffering enough for all of us," she said as she shoved him back away from her threshold. "That's right. You wanted to see your queen?" The fire inside her burned at the sight of them slowly backing away from her as she felt her confidence build. "Well my dears…here she is!"

When no magic cast forth from her will, she was stunned. Still trying to sort out why her magic wasn't working, she couldn't fully process the fact that she was at the mercy of the angry mob in front of her. Whale pushed her hard against the pillar of her front porch and she stared back at him defiantly. In the next instant, she heard none other than Emma Swan demanding her release. As the Charmings negotiated with the crowd, demanding she remain unharmed, she couldn't help but smirk. Of course there was no way those pathetic idiots could stomach an execution. She still had time. What comforted her more while making her heart ache at the same time was finding Ruby and her son close together in the crowd. She'd stayed with him at least. If there was anyone in that whole town she would choose to be with her son, it was Ruby.

….

Ruby was overwhelmed with joy at truly seeing Granny and Snow for the first time knowing who they were. It was the strangest sensation having someone you love right in front of you, but miles away at the same time. It wasn't until Archie came running for help that Ruby had fully registered all that had happened between her and Regina, and who her mayor really was. As the group ran to rescue Regina, her mind was in a whirl. All at once, she wanted to rip her to shreds and protect her at the same time. All she knew was that she needed to see her. Ruby so desperately wanted to be the one to take Whale's grubby hands off of her, but she knew it was Emma's job. She pushed frantically through the crowd trying to stay as close to Henry as possible, dodging heads to get a clear view of the woman she'd been falling in love with. Seeing her standing there as the Evil Queen, she didn't know what to feel. Her heart saw behind the mask she was wearing. She knew Regina was afraid. All that time Regina has spent opening up to her, she understood now. Emma wasn't just a threat to Henry, she was a threat to the curse and Regina's revenge. How much was true? Had Ruby been completely blinded by love and a curse this entire time? Before the curse, Ruby would have told herself that Regina was using her as a pawn for nothing but her own sick pleasure. But how far would the queen have gone to keep that ruse? Surely, all of that vulnerability hadn't been an act. Something had to be real!

Her heart and head screamed at war with each other. She wished so badly she could summon up her wolf and run far away from there. But she couldn't tear herself away from it. Instead, Ruby stood by David and Snow. They were her friends, her family. They were the ones she knew she could trust even before the curse. Regina was the one who had killed thousands. Not knowing what was real between them and what wasn't was too much for her. She had to focus on what was certain. Her certainties were that she loved and cared about Henry and she could trust Snow and David without hesitation. At least, in some way, with Henry as their family now she'd have something left of what they had. When Emma needed someone to take care of Henry while they sorted through how to handle Regina and Gold, Ruby all but begged for the chance to take care of him. She was glad when Emma didn't hesitate to let him go with her. Ruby knew better than anyone what Henry's life with Regina had been like. She wanted to be there for him.

It hadn't taken long for Henry to find out his mother was in danger. Once he knew something was wrong, he was hysterical. Ruby held him off as long as she could, but soon realized he'd run away from her if she didn't take him to check on them. She'd reasoned that it would be better to take him and protect him herself than have him run off alone and end up hurt. They made their way to where Emma had told her they were going to banish the wraith. Once most of the commotion had died down, Ruby decided it seemed safe enough to go in and see what was going on. When she walked in to see Regina holding David hostage rather violently with her magic, she was frozen. She felt her stomach turn and the world go dim. It wasn't until Henry spoke and distracted Regina that she was able to focus again. While she wanted to say anything to Regina, she couldn't. Instead, she knew she needed to check on David. David and Henry were her priority. As she listened to Regina she felt her body go numb at the change in her tone and the confirmation that this…this wasn't her Regina. This was the Evil Queen. The woman she loved was a lie. When Regina asked Henry where he would go, she prayed he would come to her, but David spoke up. Ruby took a deep breath and calmed herself. Of course he should go with David. David is his grandfather. Ruby was…nothing. As she watched David and Henry walk out of the room, she went to follow them. She couldn't help but look at the woman before her, her eyes filled with contempt. For a moment, she thought she caught a glimpse of that sad woman who needed her love. But it was only a moment. Ruby turned and continued to walk away.

…..

Henry left her. Not only had he left her, rejected her, but seeing the look of hatred in Ruby's eyes was too much. She couldn't handle seeing the only two people in the world she loved turn away from her in disgust. She was losing everything…again. Pain turned to desperation. Desperation turned to anger. Anger turned to determination. She needed to get her magic back. It was the only way to try to save a single shred of her life. If she could get Henry back, she might just be able to win Red back too.

It took a lot, but once Regina's magic was back, she was ready to get her son. Stalking into the town hall, she oozed confidence. This was her chance. But seeing her display was too much for Ruby. When the woman stood in front of the crowd demanding to know what she wanted, Regina couldn't help but smile.

"That's my girl," she thought. "Always full of fire. You're the one I want," but she said Henry stepped forward and left with her, it was enough. She just hoped Ruby would follow.

Ruby wanted nothing more than to follow the two of them, but she didn't. Instead, she went to David. While she knew Regina, would never hurt Henry and that he was never in any real danger with her, she knew it wasn't right. If she was honest, it was also because she couldn't lose both Henry and Regina. If Regina got Henry now, they really would be lost to her forever. And if Regina, her Regina, was never coming back, she wasn't about to lose Henry too. David took him back. So many things happened in the efforts to bring Snow and Emma back. At some point, she just couldn't take it anymore. Wolf's time was soon approaching and suddenly everything was closing in on her. Ruby took a risk she never had before the curse was broken. Suddenly, she could care less what happened. She needed answers. Without hesitation, she pounded on Regina's front door.

Regina looked up from her reading and sighed. What was she in trouble for now? When she opened the door and saw Ruby standing there, she was stunned. "Ruby?"

"It's Red."

Regina took a deep breath. "Right, of course. What…what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you," she said as she shoved past her and walked into the foyer.

Regina closed her eyes a swallowed the knot building up in her throat before she followed her in and closed the door. "What can I do for you?"

"Cut the shit, Regina. We've been through too much."

"Have we?" The wounded look and anger in Ruby's eyes instantly made Regina regret her coolness.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?"

"I…"

"What was I? I need to know. I need to know how much of it was a lie. You used me. I was nothing more to you than a sick fuck toy…and you knew the whole time! What was it, Regina? Did you just want to sweeten the revenge by fucking Snow's best friend? Was that the sick, kinky pleasure you got out of it?"

Regina took a step back to absorb the blow Ruby's words had on her. "What does it matter now anyway!? Tell me, Wolf Girl, if I said that it was exactly what it seemed to be then would you really want to go riding off into the sunset with the Evil Queen? I know you and your type. You're a coward and you're weak. You'll never leave Snow's side. Those precious Charmings are always going to have the final say in what you do because you're their pet. You wolves are all alike. Soft."

Ruby slapped her hard across the face and the sting was the most alive she'd felt in years. "You heartless bitch. Stay away from me and stay away from Henry."

"Oh, so now you're going to try to keep my son away from me too?"

"I'm looking out for him because I care about Henry and I don't want him to be just another pawn in your revenge against an 8 year old girl."

Regina grabbed her arms and slammed her hard back into the wall. "How dare you! He's my son! I love him more than anything in this world and I would never use him!"

"Like you've never used anyone you claimed to love before!? As if his name sake wasn't a giant clue as to how much you love him. You killed your own father, Regina. You're love is nothing but a curse."

Regina clenched her teeth and holding Ruby's throat in her hand. "Get out."

…

Regina was a nervous wreck preparing for Emma and Snow's welcome home party. She was surprised beyond belief Emma had invited her, but she took it as a sign of hope that perhaps she'd finally done something right. Perhaps she could redeem herself and win Henry back after all. She checked her hair and carefully wrapped the lasagna, trying to make everything perfect. Lasagna was Henry's favorite and she hoped he would appreciate the gesture. It had been so long since she'd been able to make it for him and just the act of cooking it alone was enough to lift her spirits and energize her. As she slipped into the diner, she actually felt normal for once. But Leroy's question of her presence was a quick reminder that she wasn't. In that instant, however, Henry was beside her and nothing else mattered. She was having dinner with her son and he was actually glad to see her. It didn't matter what anyone said to her tonight. As long as she was able to be with her son, it was worth it. Regina was pleased to see not a scrap of her lasagna was left in the dish. She'd always prided herself in her cooking. Henry had had two helpings and gushed over how much he'd missed it. It nearly brought tears to her eyes. Archie and Emma were also very complimentary. The polite conversation didn't last long, however. Soon, she found herself sitting alone watching everyone else visit happily together. She was still an outsider. She was still alone. Ruby had no more than asked her if she wanted a cup of coffee that night. When she walked by, Regina had looked up at her hopefully, but was soon defeated when she never even hesitated or looked her way. In the back of her mind, she'd hoped Ruby had taken note at the effort she'd been making as well, but it didn't seem to make a difference. It was time to leave.

…

When Ruby saw Regina arguing with Archie at the docks, she felt it best to step in and diffuse the situation.

"Private conversation. Go take yourself for a walk."

She wasn't surprised by Regina's dismissive insult, nor was she that upset by it. Lately, she was numb to anything that involved Regina. That's exactly how it needed to be. She tried hard not to keep up with the journey Regina was on. There had been too much back and forth and no real indication she could ever trust her. The simple fact was, Regina showed little interest in Ruby, so why should she care? But when they lost Archie…she felt her heart harden in a way she never thought possible. Damn Regina Mills for ever touching her heart to begin with.

Being interrogated by Emma Swan wasn't new for Regina, but she wasn't prepared for what she was about to be accused of. The real blow was hearing that Ruby had been the one to suggest she'd been responsible for Archie's death. She knew Ruby wanted nothing to do with her, but she'd truly underestimated her hatred and mistrust for her. Once Emma had been magically made to believe in her involvement and swore to turn Henry against her, she knew everything was hopeless. Hiding away in her vault, she sat in pure despair over the empty hopelessness she felt and her true aloneness. She tried half heartedly to find any kind of clue as to what magic could have been involved in her framing, but knowing Henry was lost to her for good after she'd made the slightest bit of progress with him was too much for her to get past. She considered giving up everything and ending it all. She thought long a hard about how everything had ended up in such a mess in the first place. Just as it had been for decades, all she could trace it back to was Snow White's betrayal. Regina had been in bad places before, but she'd never felt more lost in her life than she did hidden away in her vault. After Ruby's quick work to condemn her and Henry's absence, it was easy for Cora to make her way back into her life. When all else failed, her mother seemed to succeed so often in getting her own happy ending. Why not finally give Cora the chance to help get her the life she wanted for once? She'd lost everything already…

It was too easy to let her mother fight her battles for her. After all the years she herself had tried to rid the world of her mother, it was Snow White who had finally done it. At that point, Regina was ready to lay down and let life happen. Nothing she did ever made a difference. But Henry's kidnapping and the fight to win him back made it impossible for her to remain disconnected from everyone. For the first time, the Charmings and Regina had a common goal. While they were in Neverland, Regina was through with watching Snow and David fawn all over each other while Emma wandered mindlessly through her own love triangle. At night, she would lay awake and wish on every star that Ruby had been there with them. It had felt like forever since they spoke to one another and she found herself missing the way she'd been able to open up to her during the cursed years. She wished Ruby had been here to see how far she'd come and perhaps she too could find someone to help her navigate this life with. Wishes, however, seemed hopeless and all she needed was to get Henry back safely.

In Storybrooke, the absence of her friends weighed heavily on Ruby. She hated not being able to know what was going on or if they were safe. She drank herself to sleep some nights wondering how Regina fit into it all, wishing she had at least talked to her about being framed for Archie's death before she was whisked away through a portal. It had been easy to put off with the stranger lurking around town. Now that everyone was gone, she couldn't help but go over in her mind how mixed up it all had been. At the forefront of her thoughts aside from praying for Henry's safety was Regina's last real conversation with her. Regina hadn't completely denied feeling anything for her when she'd confronted her. The more she thought about the words she'd said the more it sounded like a defensive strike from a woman who was scared, hopeless…and possibly in love. That question ate away at her every day until they had all returned safely. Ruby was a ball of nerves as she watched everyone depart from the Jolly Roger. Seeing Henry filled her with relief and happiness. She hugged Snow joyfully, wrapped up in the celebration before her eyes caught a glimpse of Regina. As Regina stood alone watching everyone greet each other, Ruby gazed at her conflicted. When Snow made the declaration that Regina was largely responsible for their rescue, a part of her heart that had long been asleep awoke. That night at Granny's, Ruby mingled, always keeping an eye on Regina. After overhearing her efforts to get Tink her wings back, Ruby pulled Snow aside.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true? What's going on," Snow asked confused.

"Did Regina really help save everyone?"

"Yes, she did. Being in Neverland together…well we all had to work together for Henry, and it really showed just how much she's changed. I know it sounds hard to believe after all this time, but…I trust her, Ruby. She's different. She's good. She saved us all."

Ruby smiled at Snow and quickly moved to pour herself a drink. Snow shook her head and looked after her friend thoughtfully, hoping to hear about whatever was going inside of her soon. After summoning up some liquid courage, Ruby found Regina toward the back of the diner. She took a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm glad you're back."

Regina turned around suddenly, utterly surprised to see Ruby standing there. "You…you are?"

Ruby nodded. "I'm…glad everyone is ok and that Henry is safe. I was really worried about him."

"Thank you…" Regina's eyes misted over as she took deep breaths to hold herself together.

"Look, I know things haven't been good between us for a while now. I…I wanted to tell you I'm sorry."

"For what," Regina asked confused. Just having the woman speak to her again was enough to make her forget every hurt in the world.

"For blaming you for Archie. For saying some of the things I said to you. Things have been pretty messed up."

Regina looked down at the floor trying to hold back the tears. She looked back up at her shaking her head. "It's my fault, Ruby. I did terrible things and it only made sense that I had to pay for them. But, I am…I am trying. I've changed."

"I know. Snow told me. I can see it. You seem…more like…Gina," Ruby said with a sheepish smile. Regina's heart raced at the sound of the nickname only Ruby could ever call her. "Do you want to get a drink some time?"

Regina smiled brightly before letting herself test out their old games. "If I remember correctly, we make interesting drinking partners."

"I know," Ruby said with a wink. "But…I wouldn't mind having dinner with you first. If you want…"

"I would love that."