It felt like days later when Ruby and Granny finally returned home to their little apartment on the top floor of the B&B. Ruby flopped on the sofa and kicked off her shoes, not even bothering to head to her bed before she closed her eyes, lost in thought.
That afternoon had seen Archie help David and Snow stop the angry mob that was calling for Regina's blood on her front stoop. The crowd was led by—surprise, surprise—Doctor Whale. Come to think of it, she didn't recognize him like she did most of the people of Storybrooke. Who was he?
She and Granny somehow ended up near the front of the mob, as they had followed Archie and the Charmings to the mayor's mansion. The crowd grew with seething anger, ebbing with an energy all its own, and Ruby ended up pressed against Archie and his reliable jacket and sweater-vest, and she gripped his arm for support. While everyone around them fed their frustrations, becoming one beast instead of a group of level-headed diner customers, Archie was willing them to believe David's and Mary Margaret's words of reason as he nodded in time with their speech, fists clenched. The crowd finally agreed to have Regina locked up in the sheriff's office cell before begrudgingly returning to their homes.
On the one hand, it was easy to see why people were so upset. Over twenty-eight years of imprisonment, as well as the years of her abuse before the curse, was a lot to handle all at once. But to see how quickly everyone turned into a bloodthirsty mob? They were missing the pitchforks, sure, but Ruby shivered to think what else might cause them to channel their anger so quickly, to be so intently focused on eliminating another being whom you'd passed on the street the day before.
Okay, so no one had really exchanged pleasantries with Regina in their cursed state. It actually explained a lot to know their mayor was actually the Evil Queen. Like why she was so possessive of her apple tree.
Or why Mary Margaret always avoided the apple pie special at the diner.
Ruby shifted her position on the couch, bringing her arm up behind her head, eyes still closed. Funny how it was the thoughts of the past few hours, and not her previous life back in the Enchanted Forest, that flew threw her mind.
She was grateful that there were people who would resist such a mob. Archie was the first to stand up for doing the right thing, Ruby remembered with a smirk as she thought of the little cricket who could be a bit of a goody-two-shoes. Today he refused to let anyone think that Regina should be killed. After how much Madame Mayor bullied Archie during the curse, she sure didn't deserve his protection, but that was proof of what a great guy he was.
He wasn't as dramatically persuasive as Snow or Charming, but he was definitely the instigator of the rescue today. There were so few that cared enough to actively protect Regina, even if they didn't wish her dead.
Ruby's concerns then flitted to Henry. Poor Henry. How on earth did he end up with family on both sides of this epic struggle? All things considered, he was a pretty well-adjusted kid. He took it all in stride when Ruby brought him to the diner for some ice cream while his mom and grandparents dealt with Rumplestiltskin. (Now that was a funny sentence!) In truth, Henry was riding the adrenaline of the last twelve hours of being proven right all along. Who would've thought that a ten-year-old kid would have had enough faith to save an entire town? He wasn't so much concerned about being right, however, as he was reveling in his newfound family.
Ruby and Henry spent the afternoon poring over his book as he talked a mile-a-minute about everybody's story, and he only paused for breath when he couldn't figure out who someone was and needed Ruby's opinion. Ruby had heard bits and pieces of his theories—it was almost impossible to escape them in the small town—but now she saw these tales with fresh eyes. Storybrooke wasn't a perfect parallel for his book, so there were still a few unanswered identities. What was it that the book said about her, again? What about Leroy and the dwarves? Or Whale? Or Archie—that is, Jiminy. As a cricket. Even though Enchanted Forest Red should know better, Storybrooke Ruby didn't fail to see the humour of their resident psychiatrist as an insect. She thought she preferred the man.
"Red!" Granny called down the hall. "You'd best get to bed. There's going to be a lot to do to sort this town out tomorrow."
Ruby turned over to her side, eyes still closed, feet hanging off the far arm as she stretched her lean frame along the cushions. "Mmmhmm…" she moaned in response. It was harder to open her eyes than she'd thought.
She finally fought her body and willed herself down the hallway to her bedroom before ending up in a heap on top of her patchwork quilt. Her foggy last thought was how she didn't realize how divine twenty-first century mattresses really were before she drifted off to sleep.
"Ruby! Red!" a distant voice got louder and louder as Ruby felt the firm grip and a gentle shake bring her back to her spindle bed, with Granny's concerned expression looming over her. Ruby blinked back tears and sat up, shivering from the cold sweat her dreams had caused. Her hands were icy as Granny clasped them in her own, the older woman's touch warm and soft. Ruby searched Granny's eyes as fear gripped her heart, struggling to make sense of what had taken hold of her.
"Peter," Ruby breathed. "It was Peter. I killed him. I—"
"Shhhhhh," Granny soothed, moving one hand up to Ruby's face to brush her tousled hair away from her eyes, smoothing her brow before tucking the strands behind her ear. "It was only a dream."
Ruby brought a hand to her mouth, still feeling the warm blood that stuck to her fur and fangs. It was just a dream. But it wasn't just a dream.
"Oh, Granny," Ruby implored, begging her grandmother to contradict her memories of the past, to tell her it wasn't true. But it was. And it felt so much more real than it had in a long time.
Ruby collapsed into her grandmother's embrace as the familiar hands comforted—one hugging her tightly while the other stroked the girl's dark brown locks streaked with red. With her eyes shut, Ruby could almost pretend they were back in the cabin beside a cozy fire and Granny was helping her forget her childhood nightmares. She choked back sobs and silently let her tears fall, streaking her cheeks and soaking the older woman's flannel-clad shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, love," Granny soothed. "It's okay. It's okay." The words fell in time to the strokes that drove the fears away with each beat. Ruby's hands clasped the arm wrapped around her and squeezed in appreciation.
They hadn't occurred to her during the daylight, the dark secrets of her past. She knew she couldn't blame herself—Granny had told her that, over and over, back in the Enchanted Forest. But it was hard to believe in the still, suffocating darkness of the night when the memories assaulted her in fresh waves while her defenses were down in sleep.
When Ruby's breathing became even, Granny asked, "Would you like a cup of cocoa, love?" Ruby smiled at the offering of her childhood treat, a happiness warming her at her grandmother's attempt to comfort, rather than Ruby's desire for anything sweet.
She sat back and replied, "No, Granny, I'm fine. I will be fine," she added at her grandmother's raised eyebrows. "You should go back to bed. We're both exhausted."
Granny didn't move for a moment, but slowly raised herself off the bed, and then stood in the doorframe, hesitant to leave. "Really!" Ruby raised her voice to feign confidence. Her poor grandmother shouldn't have to baby a grown woman from ridiculous nightmares. Even though Ruby loved her for it. "Thank you."
"I'm just in the other room, girly. Get as good a night's sleep as you can." Granny came back to the bed and kissed Ruby's forehead before turning around and slipping out the door.
"You too," Ruby whispered and closed her eyes, determined to keep any ghoulish thoughts away.
Author's note: I've become a little obsessed with Archie and Ruby on my re-watch of season 2 of "Once Upon a Time" and I couldn't help but create my own headcanon for what happens with them behind the scenes (and sometimes not-so-behind-the-scenes!) I didn't want to share anything until I was pretty sure I was going to finish, but now I'm pretty close to ending with over fifteen chapters and 30,000+ words. So I hope to regularly publish a chapter a week!
Also: I read only a couple of Red Cricket fics and then stopped once I started writing my own. So if any of this sounds like something you've written, please know it is a coincidence!
Annnd the title is from the Sara Bareilles song "Send Me the Moon." Because I might also have a playlist in the works...
Thanks for reading :)