For those keeping score cards, this is DEFINITELY AU! And we have one chapter left on this one. Thank you for all the kind words.

OUAT is property of ABC Studios. This is for fun...and to make a point.

Ruby Red could think in human while still a wolf. She heard the screams from the pond. She could revert, but that would take minutes and she only had seconds. As Polly Nix was going under, possibly for the last time, Ruby sprang into action, all four mighty legs running to the pond. Once in the water, she bit into Polly's dress, and then dragged the young woman out of the water and onto the dry grass nearby. The wolf then spread herself on Polly's body to give her warmth until either help arrived or she could transform. She howled, hoping someone would hear and come to the rescue.

Miraculously, moments later, help did come in the form or Snow White and Granny Lucas. They could tell the the silver-tipped arrow was not needed, only Ruby's crimson hoodie. Snow ran and pulled the wolf off the body of Polly who was still breathing. Granny took her dress coat off, but not before pulling out her cell and calling Emma to see if she had any blankets, and calling 911 as well.

Snow wrapped Ruby in her red coat and soon she could feel her friend transform from powerful wolf to human. The transformation took about a minute. Ruby, weak from it all, opened her eyes, still crystalline from everything, and looked into Snow's deep blues. "Is she alright?" was all Ruby asked. Snow smiled and nodded her head, as approaching sirens confirmed that fact. Then the Princess brought Ruby's head to her, kissed her lips, and held her to her chest and Ruby finally went to sleep.

Three days later. The Inn.

It was supposed to be a gag. A stunt. Something that would get a bunch of bigots but good. It did, and it was funny for a moment, but the stunt almost cost a life.

The mob did have enough sense to retrieve their kids. They camped out at the edge of town before the whole mess started, so Granny didn't have to worry about unpaid hotel bills.

The previous night, things did work as planned. Nix was on that conspiracy guys show telling how he and the flock were trapped in a town of satanic witches (well, not satanic...devilish, maybe...), the floating corpse, the werewolf, the whole damned deal. The guy would usually keep almost anyone on, but Nix's ranting and raving sent the host to cut him off, called Nix a lunatic, and swore he'd never have in on the show again.

Now this afternoon Grans was watching the all-news channel. Nix and crew were at a soldier's funeral...they had the signs but they were rather reserved. No yelling. No raving. They all looked shell-shocked for some reason. And when the reporters asked the preacher about his daughter who was conspicuous by her absence, he spat "I have no daughter!" and stalked off.

The old innkeeper wasn't laughing. It's not fun for anyone to be disowned on live television.

It was a rather downcast group, carrying various loads of guilt on their backs, that walked into the Inn's diner. Regina, Emma, Snow, James all at the table. Red was still at the hospital so Red's girlfriend Rose came by to take the order. She was blond, the epitome of perky, and she was much busty as Red was leggy. The young woman took their order...four hot cocoas with cinnamon, then asked about Red.

"She's back at the hospital with Polly. She'll be discharged tomorrow," Snow responded. "Then Archie wants to talk with her a bit."

"Did you see the TV reports?" The question was delivered by James with great deadpan.

"I did." Granny overheard the conversation, walked up to their table and joined them. "and I saw what her dad said. It was horrible! I hope she didn't see it."

Regina Mills usually is not so quiet, but this afternoon, she was almost somber in her answer "She did."

It was silent around that table for a long time.

After Polly left the hospital

The homely young brunette remained quiet and by herself. The hurt of her dad's rejection of her because of one drunken indiscretion (and it wasn't even that...it was just a sloppy kiss) was more that the girl could bear. She managed to get her money out of the bank account that Daddy set up; to keep it safe, Kathryn Nolan help set up an account at her dad's bank in town. It was a substantial amount, but she didn't seem interested in spending any of it. She extended her stay at the Inn. She offered to pay, but Granny would have none of it. She was free to stay at the Inn for as long as she needed to.

Regina knew what losing parents meant. And what having parents that did not love you or care about you meant. Or anyone for that matter, remember the day the curse started to break. Emma felt the same way too, based on her years in foster care. Snow and James also had similar experiences. In fact they realized that all of Storybrooke was, to and extent, broken; each of them misfits in their original realm. In this small town they had a chance to heal and realized that they were not really misfits, but special in a homogenized world. Red more than anyone felt that way. Maybe that, and maybe that fumbling attempt at a kiss, was why she became closest to Polly.

Polly never did try to kiss Ruby again, in fact it became a source of great humor. She also became close to Ruby's girlfriend Rose, as well and Mary Margaret and David, as she knew Snow and James. Polly could not understand or comprehend the relationship the tall goth had with the other three, but as she grew to know them...and everyone else in Storybrooke, the less judgmental she became.

Through it all, he faith stayed steady. The Mother Superior helped with that. She insisted that Polly call her Blue, and when asked why, the nun replied because no one can spell my real name!" Polly still believed some things were against her moral code, but she also found to her surprise that everyone respected her feelings, even the ones who were fervently against her in the first place like the mayor, who (if you ask anyone in town they would say uncharacteristically) repeatedly apologized to her for the stunt that brought her to Storybrooke in the first place.

Two month's after, Polly started doing little jobs to help pay her way. Though she still had lots of money, she did not want to feel like a mooch. Some days when Ruby was doing deputy work, she helped out at the cafe. One day a week she did filing for Gold and Belle. She volunteered at animal rescue with David. Mary Margaret found Polly was a whiz in math and allowed the young woman to tutor some of her more fractions-challenged students.

And on certain nights, when Ruby afforded herself the accommodations at the local jail so she would not eat up any flora, fauna, or humans, thick, raw cuts of steak were waiting for her in her appointed cell. Hand-written thank you noted were left in the morning for Polly as the werewolf was sleeping the night off.

As such, Polly Nix knew that Storybrooke was a unique place, and one night, over Dr. Peppers and non-fermented apple cider, Polly was told he whole story...David, Regina's mom, David's death, Regina's anger against Mary Margaret, the curse...everything. Then everyone told Polly their real identities. They all expected the young woman to think they had all lost their minds, but Polly stated, "I grew up believing in miracles. I think this qualifies."

And in the middle of the chuckles and the hugs and the high-fives and the occasional busses one the cheek, Polly Nix knew that, for the first time in her life, she felt unconditionally accepted. Liked. Maybe even loved. She knew that this felt like...was...home.

And it came to pass, on Saturday not long after that, Polly, Emma, Regina, Snow, and Red were briskly walking, plastic at the ready, to the new H&M shop that suddenly appeared at a formerly vacant storefront (actually Regina zapped it there to see if she can give her wife some fashion sense beyond Wrangler jeans and red jackets...though she would rather use the term conjure...zapping is for bad TV sitcoms about witches, anyway). They had no problem with their youngest member calling the group "Polly's Posse." A beautiful day...at least until Polly stopped in her tracks.

The young woman's face was drained of almost all its color as the tall man with grey hair and a wide-brimmed Stetson stood in their path. Everyone stopped, and Polly..fear in her voice...acknowledged the man in their presence.

"Hello, Daddy..."

TBC