Regina was the queen, sitting on her throne on a high-up balcony, looking down at the castle's court. And I was a peasant, among many other peasants, and we were all watching something. What were we watching? I turned around to find a dog chained to a post, cowering and whimpering. In a second I realized it wasn't a dog, it was a wolf, and one I knew.
"Ruby!" I called out, trying to run to her, but I couldn't make my way past the sea of people. I looked up at Regina, the Evil Queen, and saw the sinister smile on her face. A chill ran through my body, and I glanced at Ruby again. She was trying in vain to break free of the metal chains that bound her to the post. "Ruby!" I cried again, finally elbowing my way through the crowd. The wolf looked up at me hollowly, warily, it's bright yellow eyes trusting and knowing.
"Greetings villagers!" the Evil Queen chimed from her throne, and the crowd cheered. "It is a pleasure to see you all here, for the execution of this monster." She glared at Ruby for a second to add effect.
"No," I exclaimed under my breath.
"This inhuman creature has been terrorizing our village, killing our loved ones, harming our children." Worried mumbles arose from the crowd, and the Queen silenced them with a wave of her hand.
"No!" I took the opportunity and cried out, standing in front of the village. All eyes turned to me, shocked and confused. "Don't listen to her, she's lying!" I screeched. "This creature is also a person, like all of us! She's not a monster!"
"Guards, seize him!" the Evil Queen commanded, and I was captured, kicking and screaming. They held me off to the side.
"Don't! Don't do it!" My voice was scratched and it hurt to speak, but I kept shouting. "Her name is Ruby, and she has a real life, like all of you! She won't hurt anyone! She has control!" The guards' grip on my arms tightened, and I cringed. Their armor was digging into my skin.
"Kill her." The Queen spoke the words loud and clear, and they were dripping with hatred and power.
And it all went black.
Seconds later I was in my laboratory, the colors all gone like in my old world. Igor was fiddling with the machines that lined the walls. I looked down at my jacket, and I was wearing my familiar Frankenstein coat. I was Frankenstein. I am Frankenstein.
"We have a visitor," Igor pointed out, nodding to the doorway. I looked over at where a young woman was standing, her face down so I couldn't see it. Suddenly my eyes were blinded by something shining and bright; the woman's cloak. It was bright red, a color that didn't live in the world of Dr. Frankenstein. Again, I knew who it was.
"Ruby!" I called out. Her head whipped up to look at me, her eyes full of alarm. She turned the other way and ran, dropping the cape behind her as she fled. "Ruby!" I cried again, picking up her cloak from where it lay on the ground. But her slim body disappeared down the corridor and I was left standing with coat, the red glowing bright and pure.
"Victor! Victor!" Ruby shook the doctor hard, as his eyes fluttered open, to find a group of people standing around him. He sat up suddenly and looked around, to find himself in Granny's B&B, in a fairly uncomfortable bed. His brain was cloudy, foggy, and he couldn't think straight. Trying to come up with a reason he would be here, he drew a blank. His gaze wandered from Ruby, to Emma, to Mr. Gold, to Granny, then quickly back to Ruby because he never liked to make eye contact with that woman too long.
"What's going-"
"Just drink this first," Ruby interrupted, shoving a glass of blue liquid into his hand. At any other time, Dr. Whale would have questioned why his friend was ordering him to drink this unfamiliar fluid, but, as clouded as his judgement was, he gulped it down. In a flash all the memories came rushing back. The robbery of Ruby's cloak, going to Rumplestiltskin, breaking in at night, and then the quickly fleeting image of Ruby falling towards him. "Do you remember?" she asked, tearing him from his thoughts.
"Yes," he answered, nodding. He remembered everything, including the incredibly vivid dream, which he was not entirely sure the meaning of.
He's sort of oblivious, isn't he? I mean, she was in your flipping dream, twice! But it's ok, I'm sure he'll figure out his feelings soon enough. And be able to wreck the chance of them going anywhere just as quickly as he realized them...oh poor Victor, he has a lot more coming for him...