Chapter Three: Domestic

Within fifteen minutes Ruby pushed through Archie's door, his arm over her shoulders and his keys dangled from her other hand. She threw the supplies and pills that the paramedics gave her on the table to the side of his couch before turning to close the door behind them. Pongo bounded up to the two of them and barked in greeting. Archie smiled at his faithful companion and patted him on the head as Ruby led him toward the hallway and his room.

"Good boy, Pongo," Archie whispered and pointed to the side as he turned back to Ruby, "First door on the right."

"Gotcha," she nodded and shoved the door open as she pulled him after her.

She chuckled a little at the sparse room- as calm and ordinary as they came. A small, oak dresser sat against the wall with a small mirror above it. Across from that there was a full bed with natural green and brown bedding. It looked like Pongo had been using it in his master's absence. A small, yet tasteful rug decorated the area in front of the bed and the overhead light seemed like it hadn't been updated since the small apartment was built.

"What's the punch line?" Archie asked with a smirk, still resting some of his weight on her shoulder.

"Sorry," Ruby shook her head and then swept her free arm out to gesture to the room, "It's just so... you."

He nodded and walked slowly to the bed with an awkward touch to her shoulder to tell her he could at least do that, "Don't need much if all I do is sleep and change in this room."

"I guess that's true," she nodded and smiled as Pongo pushed the door a little and entered the room. He took a look to his owner and then gave full attention to Ruby. Pongo pushed off the floor and put his front paws up on Ruby's stomach.

"Pongo! Manners!" Archie frowned at the dalmatian.

"No, it's okay," Ruby shook her head and looked down at the dog. She rubbed behind his ears and then rubbed noses with him, "He's a good boy. He just wants to say hello and thank me for bringing you home safe. Don't you, boy?"

"He needs to be fed," Archie said absently and tried to get up again.

"Oh no! You stay in bed," Ruby turned to him and Pongo immediately leapt from her and put his paws over his master's shoes. The dalmatian looked up at Archie and huffed as if telling him no. Ruby chuckled a little and nodded her head, "Good boy, Pongo. You keep him here and I will get your food while the ice pack freezes."

Pongo seemed to nod and kept his eyes on Archie's face.

Archie looked up at her with narrowed eyes, "How do you do that?"

"It's a canine thing," she smiled and pointed at him, "Now, sit back. You need to rest."

"What about you?" he asked and scooted back on the bed, Pongo leery of his movements, "You've had a full night."

"I'll be fine," she waved her hand at his concern.

Archie smiled at her retreating shadow down the hall and then turned to his dog, which had jumped on the bed to keep a tighter watch on him. Archie chuckled a little and then patted his dog on the head, "Traitor."

Pongo whistled a wine and licked at Archie's hand.

"It's okay, I forgive you. It's hard to say no to her," he placated his dog and then leaned back into the pillows. It was so good to be home and off of that horrid chair. He is buying a whole new office set up when he can reopen his practice. After a few minutes Ruby brought in Pongo's bowl in one hand and a glass of water with pain relievers in the other.

"We will have to wait a little longer for the ice pack, but at least I got your drugs," she smiled happily and put Pongo's dish on the ground. She looked at the dog and nodded to the bowl, "I got it from here. Go ahead and chow down."

Pongo immediately leapt from the bed and over to his bowl; his tail wagging the entire time.

"You're good with him," Archie smiled and took the pills and glass of water.

"Of course, he and I have some things in common," she smiled fondly and watched him take a sip of the water, "He knows that I care about you, just like he does. I think that's the strongest bond between us. You know- other than the whole wolf thing."

Archie immediately began to cough on his water and then leaned forward to try and release the pain that had erupted in his sides. Red frowned and grabbed the glass from him before the rest of the water went over his clothes and bed. She rubbed his back a little and he stopped his coughing.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked and lifted a brow as she watched him carefully.

"I'm okay," he held up a hand and leaned back. He looked at Ruby and knew that she saw how red his face was. He only hoped that she thought it was from the coughing fit.

Ruby sighed and reached over his legs.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a semi-panic.

"Taking off your shoes and socks," she said simply and pulled a foot into her lap as she settled toward the end of the bed. She looked back up at him and smiled smugly, "You won't be able to bend that well with your sides sore like they are. I thought that this would help and you can actually get some sleep."

"I've been sleeping a good portion of the night," he rubbed his head and brushed over the bandage over the hit on his head.

"You were knocked out," she reminded him, "There is a difference."

"It's still sleep," he shrugged slightly, "I don't think that I can get anymore sleep now that I'm awake."

"Well, that's just too bad, isn't it?" she shrugged back at him with a smug smile. She finished with one foot and motioned toward the other. She narrowed her eyes when he hesitated and he shifted his foot toward her. She smiled proudly and began to divest his foot.

"What are you going to do while I sleep?" he asked and looked her over, "From the sound of it, you haven't gotten any sleep."

"I told you, it is fine. Don't worry, I've gone longer without," she smiled and patted his shin, "All done. Now, I am going to ice those ribs of yours and then maybe stretch them out since you are insistent on not following my requests of sleep."

"Requests or demands?" he asked with a small smile.

She chuckled and got off the bed and walked toward the door, "Don't push your luck."

He chuckled back and they both fell back into the familiar camaraderie that they had before the curse. He had missed it greatly, even when he was just Archie and she was just Ruby. He would go to the diner often to see her and just talk to her in passing, offering the hand of friendship without quite knowing why he was so eager to do so. She never quite took it until the heart in the box debacle that made her question herself, but he managed to grab a few moments of her time every so often before then. He was surprised at first, but she felt secure enough to tell him in confidence outside of his office, he wasn't going to turn her away.

"Time for some ice," she announced her entrance with the large pack in her hands. She stood to his side with a wicked smirk on her face, "Shirt. Off. Now."

His face immediately went red with embarrassment as his eyes flicked quickly from the ice pack to her face.

"I am joking," she chuckled and handed him the ice pack, "Twenty minutes on the areas that hurt the most. No longer than that."

"Thank you," he nodded and took the ice pack; slightly tempted to put it to his face to calm his burning cheeks. He put it under his shirt and placed it on his right side. A sigh of relief came from him and he closed his eyes in pleasure.

"Finally got you relaxed a little," she nodded at the pack and sat back on the end of the bed.

"It feels uncomfortable, yet fantastic at the same time."

Ruby laughed out loud and lay back on the foot of the bed as she continued. Archie looked over his legs and bare feet to watch her peculiar actions. She shook her head as she laughed and finally pushed herself to her side and on one of her elbows.

"I'm sorry, just the way you said it and what was said…" she giggled behind a hand as she settled down and smirked, "It almost sounded like I popped your cherry."

"Red, really!" If he wasn't blushing before, he definitely was now. This only made her laugh even more.

Pongo felt that he was being left out and jumped up on the bed to lick at Ruby's face as she laughed. She patted him on the head and he settled on her other side and laid against her back. His head draped over the dip in her waist and her free hand settled over his head and ears. She settled back down to peer over at her friend, "I am sorry, Jiminy. It just popped into my head."

"Hm," he hummed and coughed into his hand to cover what was left of his blush.

"Did you blush this much as a cricket?" she asked curiously as they had fallen back into silence, "I know you did as Archie, but I never knew back home."

He paused a moment in thought and knew that there had been times that he would have in her presence if he had the ability, "I don't think I could even if I had reason."

"That's a shame," she said and he flicked his eyes to hers. She smiled softly, "It's very cute."

He huffed a little and shifted the ice pack under his shirt.

She patted his shin again, "Don't be like that, Jimin- er, do you prefer Archie?"

He looked back at her face and saw her genuine question. He smiled to bring hers back, "You can call me whichever you want. I answer to both."

"But what do you want to be called?" she urged and pushed at his leg before she laid completely on the bed.

He thought about it hard and then looked back at her, "I asked you a long time ago to call me Jiminy. I think we will stick with it."

"Then I must ask that you call me Red," she smiled from where her head laid on one of her arms.

"You remember," he chuckled and looked up at the ceiling of his bedroom.

"I wouldn't forget when we first met," she distracted herself and scratched at Pongo's head still nestled on her waist.

They both fell into a soft and comfortable quiet. After the twenty minutes were over, Archie turned his attention back to Ruby who looked like she had fallen asleep over the foot of his bed. He took a few moments and just watched her. She was still the same woman that he had known from back home, now with just a small splattering of red at the tips of her hair and over her lips. David was right when he said that they were both, but the more he looked at her, the more he sees the Red that had befriended him on the road when he was no more than an insect. His eyes lingered over her form and then rested on his dog's face. He has never been more envious of his own pet before.

Pongo met his eyes and whined a little and then pawed at Ruby's arm that was nearby.

"Pongo, don't," Archie whispered harshly to Pongo, "She needs her sleep too."

"Too late," Ruby woke up with a deep breath. She looked at the clock at the side of his room and then to him, "Time to turn in the ice pack."

"Really, Red, go get some sleep. I will take care of this," he nodded his head at his midsection.

"Nope, not happening," she shifted and stood up from his bed. She tugged at her shirt that had caught on itself and showed a bit of skin. She held out her hand toward him, "Ice pack."

He hesitantly handed it over and she walked out of the room toward the kitchen. He looked at Pongo who yawned and took up Ruby's warm spot on the bed. Archie shook his head and got up off the bed since the second sentry was falling asleep. He walked carefully down the short hall and found Ruby by his refrigerator putting his ice pack back in the freezer. She heard his foot shuffle against the wood flooring and she frowned.

Ruby put her hands on her hips as she turned toward him, "I thought I told you to stay in bed."

"I got bored, and you told me that we would need to stretch out my muscles," he shrugged gently.

"Sit down," she sighed in a playfully aggravating way and pointed to the couch, "If I knew that you were this stubborn…"

"You would have what?" he asked and smiled as he sat on the large couch in front of his small television.

"Don't test me, Jiminy," she warned with a grin, "You know I will win."

"I am just wondering what you would have done," he raised his eyebrows.

She paused before she reached the couch and looked him over before she sat on the opposite side from him. She tilted her head much like he has seen Pongo do when he tries to figure something out. She suddenly smirked and chuckled lightly to herself.

"Jiminy Cricket…" she paused again and looked up at him with her hands on her knees, facing fully toward him, "Are you… teasing me?"

"What?" he asked and sat up straighter, immediately regretting it. He took a deep breath and tried to stretch out the muscles that had just seized up on him. He looked over at her, "I would never impose anything on you, Red. I-"

"Don't worry, Jiminy," she shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder to push him back into his own seat. She then clapped her hands together, "Let's get some breathing stretches done."

An hour later, Ruby had her head on his shoulder as she had again fallen asleep while they watched some late night, old horror movies. Jiminy noticed that her breathing evened out and he looked down to find her asleep. He let out a long breath and tried his very best not to wake her as he maneuvered his way off the couch. He lowered her to the cushion and then covered her with the throw blanket he had over the back of the couch. He smiled as she let out a relaxed sigh.

He looked outside and saw the sun finally rising. Maybe he should get some sleep. He gave one last glance back at Ruby laid out on his couch and then turned toward his bedroom.


"Well, look who finally made an appearance," Belle said with a light song quality to her voice. Apparently, she was a morning person. Belle watched as Ruby, still wearing a now wrinkled version of her clothes from yesterday sat herself down heavily into the seat and looked at Belle with a downward curl of her lip. Belle smiled and sipped at the iced tea that she already had ordered, "Have a long night?"

"And morning…" Ruby groaned and looked at Belle's wrists. She looked up into her friend's eyes, "Sorry for chaining you to the pipes in the library. Glad to see that someone got you out."

"You did what you felt had to be done," she shrugged and looked at her with a secretive smile, "Besides, James sent Rumple to come and get me. He told me what happened, which is why I am so calm as of right now."

"So, he had you all to himself… chained up?" Ruby smirked.

"You are one to talk," Belle blushed slightly and then pointed to her clothes, "Same as yesterday, I see."

"Not what you think," she shrugged and leaned back, "I had something to take care of."

"Or someone," Belle chuckled into her glass.

"Did you get what you needed to do, done?" Granny asked and walked over with a large cup of coffee for her granddaughter.

"Somewhat," Ruby shrugged and hugged the cup between her two hands, "I found Archie tied up in his office last night. King George and couple of his cronies beat the crap out of him when he tried to talk some sense into the idiots that followed him."

"Oh my!" Granny reared back a little, "Is he okay?"

"Bruised ribs and a gash on his head," Ruby nodded and gritted her teeth, "If I ever get my fangs on that so called king…"

"Well, he's safe now, right?" Belle asked and put a hand over Ruby's.

"Yeah, he's good," she nodded with a calming breath, "He's finally sleeping. At least he was when I left his apartment not too long ago. Someone had to make sure that he wasn't going to get hurt on his own. Gotta call him and make sure he goes to the hospital later today."

Both Granny and Belle exchanged a look as Ruby took a long sip of the warm coffee. Belle cleared her throat and looked back at Ruby, "Why don't you just go and check on him. You know? Tell him in person?"

"I couch surfed at his place last night and made him take his meds and ice his wounds. I doubt he would want to see me again so soon," she chuckled a little into the cup.

"Well, I hope he goes," Granny sighed and wiped off the side of the table before she began to walk away, "That man can be quite difficult when it comes to his own well-being. Take care of everyone else in the world, but leave himself unchecked."

Ruby paused at the comment and looked into her coffee cup.

"Are you okay, Ruby?" Belle asked and waved a hand in front of her face.

"Yeah," she sighed heavily, "I guess I am making another trip to someone's apartment."

"I thought you were just going to give him a call," Belle smiled.

"You don't know him like Granny and I do," she ran a hand through her hair and looked at her watch. She looked up at her friend and frowned, "Sorry, I have to cut our lunch date short this week."

"I'm just glad you got here," Belle smiled and nodded to her.

"I am going to take a trip back to the bed and breakfast and get a change of clothes and a shower before I get going for the rest of the day," Ruby downed the rest of her coffee, "I will see you soon."

"Good luck," Belle winked at her, which Ruby brushed off. Belle smiled at her iced tea and thought about her friend and if she even noticed it.

"You saw it too, huh?" a voice came from behind her in the next booth over.

Belle turned her head and saw David now facing her from the other side of the booth, "Good afternoon, Sheriff."

"Hello, Belle," he smiled back in a teasing way, "I expect that Gold treated you like he should when he came to get you."

"Of course," she nodded. David rose from his seat and sat down in Ruby's recently vacated spot.

"Now back to the original question," he folded his hands in front of him on the table, "You saw it too, right?"

"I am afraid I have no idea what you are talking about," Belle said with a lift of one brow.

"Don't give me that, Belle," he laughed and leaned back in the booth, "She is taking care of him… she knows his habits… she's worried about him."

"Are you trying to say that Ruby likes Doctor Hopper?" Belle asked and leaned forward in a play whisper and narrowed eyes, "I might have noticed."

"Good, I am not the only one," David smiled brighter and tapped the table, "You see, she's denying it and I know Archie, he will deny his side of things until death… at least in public."

"He likes her too?" Belle's eyes widened, as did her smile, at the revelation.

"Of course," David shrugged, "Has since before the curse even began."

"Wasn't he a cricket before the curse?" Belle tilted her head and pointed to the table as if it was the time in question.

"And a man before that," David waved his hand as if to explain it all, "The thing is that as Archie he disclosed a few things to me one Valentine's Day evening before I met up with Mary Margaret. During a snooping session, we will say?"

"You spied on Ruby?" Belle asked in a dead tone.

"Me? No, I was spying on Mary Margaret from the corner table," David explained and then continued, "Which happened to be occupied by a flustered Doctor Hopper who was watching the same table… just a different object of affection."

"Ruby?" Belle gasped quietly and leaned toward him as if he was a conspirator, "Did she know?"

"Neither one of the ladies knew that we were there that night," David shook his head.

"Does she know of his affections?" Belle looked toward the door just in the slim chance that either of them was to walk in.

"Neither of those two kids know," Granny said suddenly at the side of the table making both Belle and David jump in surprise. Granny smiled and looked at the both of them with her arms crossed over her chest, "You two aren't going to try to play match maker with my granddaughter and the good doctor, are you?"

Belle and David looked at one another and then up at Granny.

"Not without your help, of course, Granny," David replied with a charming smile.

Granny smiled wider, "Good, because I am tired of them shooting puppy eyes at one another when the other isn't lookin'. Even before Emma came to town, I was waiting for Ruby to smart up and grab the only man who tried to grab her attention and not her backside."

"So… do we have a plan?" Belle asked and looked between her two conspirators.

"Not yet, but I know of a couple other who would gladly help in the endeavor," David shook his head and then spun it toward Belle, "I have to get back to Henry. He's been having nightmares lately and I want to make sure it doesn't bother him tonight. We will talk later."