The Gentleman

By Shahrezad1

Disclaimer: I don't anything OUAT-related. Although I do possess a few fairytale revamps of my own. :3

Summary: Ruby finally breaks down and asks her grandmother for advice regarding a certain foreign member of the opposite gender. Ruby/Granny conversation, followed by RedXCricket. Some Emma, MM, and other character involvement further on.

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Chapter 10: Lady in Red/Save the Last Dance (Part 1)

The bar was always crowded this time of night. Which usually Ruby appreciated, but not this time.

No, tonight was different. For Ruby was, in a word, miserable.

And it wasn't even because she was partaking of legal alchoholic depressants, she mused, fingering her tall glass of water. No, tonight her mind was self-indulgently on something—on someone—else.

A certain someone with red hair and twinkling eyes, his form straight and honest and solid; a man that wouldn't get caught dead in here, making it her one place of solace. A location in which she could honestly organize her thoughts without being reminded of him.

Well, it had been her one place of solace. For some reason the usual thrill of excitement and giddy joy wasn't washing over her. Instead the town's half-baked attempt at a club (resembling more of a restaurant-bar, with a tiny dance floor) was filling her with discomfort, as though she'd been away too long and when she had come back someone had rearranged all the furniture.

Or maybe it was just her. Maybe she was the one that was changing.

The Sleeping Giant had always felt like home, before. Especially when Granny's B&B had stopped offering that kind of comfort. Of course, the Giant had always been the rebellious sort of dive that her grandmother was always warning her about, full of shady characters and men who wanted to take advantage of her. She'd neatly sidestepped that peril by being the one taking advantage, flirting with heaven knew how many men in her time.

But she didn't feel like flirting now. Now the place chafed on her senses, like meat gone rancid.

The atmosphere, the looks, the dim lighting. Now it all seemed garish, like a puppet show of humans only acting out their merry little parts. Playing the same game again and again, a scripted rotation of successive meaningless introductions. The neon lights were offset by darkened corners, allowing for anonymity. But even that was only an illusion—nothing stayed secret for long in this town.

In moments like these she almost wanted to believe in Henry's theory. It would be a welcome alternative to the repetitious finality of their monotonous lives.

It was time to act. To give herself a different ending. Maybe even…a happy one? And couldn't she honestly say that Archie deserved one as well, after a lifetime like his. Dealing with swindling parents and patients that tried his patience.

She'd chosen the beverage that she had in order to think, to ponder, to regroup. Sure, wallowing in self pity had seemed like a good idea at first. But with her head clear she was more likely to come up with a plan B in her Courting the Gentleman situation. Weeell, plan C. Sort of.

Ruby shifted in her chair, trying to disguise her discomfort and failing. The young woman had selected the quarter-sleeved sheath dress in ruby red (it seemed fitting) from her Grandmother's things. It had been a deliberate effort at looking classy, pearls strung around her neck and her trademark hoop earrings to match. But it just made her stand out—and not in a good way. Like a painting in a sculpture exhibit. Not necessarily bad just…not matching.

She didn't fit anymore, it was plain to see. And she couldn't tell if the change was a loss or a gain. Ruby was hoping for the latter.

But then again, the feeling wasn't completely unfamiliar. She'd always felt a bit like a wolf among sheep; surrounded by individuals that just followed the crowd and went the same direction everyone else was going. Like lemmings. She'd always used this "difference" to her advantage, garnering attention to her herself. Heck, she'd practically lured followers and 'friends' in that way. Which amounted to what, exactly? A long memory of temporary flings and nothing of concrete value. Nothing with a foundation, that she could set store in as she got older and hopefully wiser.

She had no future.

Not without him.

Archie was her anchor—always had been, in one capacity or another. But she was determined that things would change for both of them by making their relationship permanent. By golly, she was going to make him see even if she had to tie him down and kiss him until he was senseless.

Not a bad idea, actually, she thought with a smirk. It was at least straightforward and honest, which he couldn't fault her for. Sure, it would come as a bit of a surprise, but she was certain that he would eventually come around to the idea. If not, she could always continue to persuade him.

Until he finally realized that she was in love with him.

Ruby had being leading up to it for a long time, the accumulation of experiences coming together like a math equation. 'What do you get when you add kindness to humor and throw in a dash of unconditional love? Minus out anger issues, lecherous conduct, bad behavior and what do you get?'

Husband material, her mind joked, better attach the ball and chain real quick.

But more than that, a man that could love fully without the desire to ever hurt his significant other. She'd been injured so many times in the past, it was almost like breathing fresh air for the first time knowing that he would never deliberately hurt her.

Plus heaven knew he was cute. 'Adorkable' in all the right ways, from his stutter when he was uncomfortable to his full-faced smiles. She could easily imagine a 'forever' for the two of them, and romancing one's own husband was never something to be frowned upon…

Now if only she could get them to that point.

She'd tried following Emma's advice with mixed results. Sure, Doctor Archibald Hopper had shown friendship, concern for her welfare, camaraderie, and even physical interest. But it hadn't been active interest. He'd been reacting instinctively as a man to a woman, not intentionally. And there was the rub. Because they'd been just seconds from…something when Mr. Gold had interrupted with his little rent posturing. Then Archie had hightailed it, like a fox with its end on fire. And now the man was back to his usual routine—stammering and blushing and all around treating her like a 'pal'

Maybe the shotgun wedding Granny had joked about over breakfast wasn't as farfetched as she'd thought…

Ruby took a heartening sip of her harmless beverage, half wishing it was something stronger and half grateful that it wasn't. Who knew how she'd act if it was—usually she was a giddy drunk, but in the mood she was in she might lean toward something like violence.

Scanning the crowd, the brunette let herself mull aimlessly when something arrested her attention. She wasn't quite sure what it was, it just felt…off.

Frowning, the waitress secured her clutch purse in one hand and her glass in the other, set on finding what it was that didn't fit. Like a blood hound on the scent, she neatly wove through the sea of townsfolk. She recognized a vast majority, able to tell those that had just come of age to enter from the rest of the throng. And then there were the desperate, the celebratory, the woeful and her Ex's. She sidestepped all until she swarm of people cleared when she neared the bar. Joshy McFadden, a former marine and current bartender nodded to her in greeting before flickering his dark blue eyes to her right.

Ah. There was her quarry.

Joshy had always had a way with words.

A single solemn female perched on the barstool like a bird released from a cage that suddenly realized that it didn't know how to fly. Her back was arched, her hair golden blonde, and frame as thin as a rake. The woman clutched a thin-stemmed glass of something blue colored hard enough that Ruby was surprised it hadn't shattered yet.

The former barfly swallowed once, hard, before deciding to act.

"Hey, it looks like you could use a friend," she'd thought that the waifish figure was Ashley Boyd, having fallen off the love bandwagon or something. But as the words popped from her mouth like stones in a lake, they sunk. Ruby hid her startlement behind a blink, smile never faltering although her eyebrows did jump slightly.

Of all people to find in The Sleeping Giant, she'd never expected to come face to face with Kathryn Nolan.

If anything the elegant, if woeful, lady seemed as startled at Ruby's approach as she was. But she took the welcome graciously, if with bemusement, nodding carefully.

"I suppose that's as true as it ever was," she remarked. Then continued honestly, if lowly, "I've never had many friends. And more so now than ever, it seems."

How to continue after an opening like that? Pasting a bright if false smile on her face, the waitress took it upon herself to try her hardest, "in that case, you won't mind me joining you?"

Kathryn blinked, "um, no. Of course not," she waved a hand at the empty barstool beside her, "feel free."

"Thanks," Ruby said in appreciation, settling down both drink and baggage. Both literal and figurative, "so!" she began, a bit too brightly as she laid hands flat on the counter's surface, "I hope you don't mind me asking this, but what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

The question seemed to unlid her emotional well as something appeared to crack behind solemn eyes. Still, Mrs. Nolan held it together pretty well. Ruby was impressed.

"This…this probably doesn't seem much like my kind of…'joint.' Does it?"

Ruby shrugged as though this said everything, a roll of casual indifference, as though it didn't really matter, "not really. My mind says…quilting bee," that got a choked laugh, so she continued, "helping the homeless. Working with nuns. That sort of thing."

"An honest place for an honest woman?" she asked wryly. Which made the waitress somewhat uneasy. She certainly hoped that it wouldn't take that sort of dedication to make an 'honest woman' out of her.

"…I guess I'll never be honest, then," she muttered.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just…talking to myself. About…stuff."

"Stuff?" one ash blonde eyebrow went up, "sounds interesting."

"Oh, very," her pseudo-seriousness fell to chuckles between the two of them, and just like that the ice was broken. Like they'd been best friends forever, the debutante and the maneater.

"So," Ruby started again, expression deliberately bland as she steepled her long fingers together, "I want to ask how you're doing—but I won't. You've probably heard it from everyone and their dog by now," she thought fondly of Pongo and his owner for a moment as Kathryn nodded, relieved. At which point the brunette released her trap, "which leads to my second question, which is really my first. I mean, I don't mean to be rude or anything but what are you doing here?"

Admiration at Ruby's little trick impressed itself upon the waitress as Kathryn smirked, "very sneaky. Not subtle, but sneaky."

She waved a hand in the air, knowing that she looked good doing it, "it's a talent. After all, Joshy over there," she waggled her fingers at the bartender, who nodded conversationally back, "isn't the only one accustomed to serving drinks and hearing woes. Lay it on me, sister."

The other woman's voice was a bit subdued as she said, "you sound like that one man. From the hospital?"

Ruby bobbed a nod, "Leroy? Yeah, he's a good guy. Really deep down inside. Somewhere. Once you get to know him."

"He sometimes stopped by…" Kathryn continued softly, "especially when the nuns where helping out."

"Um, yeah. About that…"

"Everyone has a secret?" her voice was wry as she toasted her glass to an invisible force. But Kathryn didn't seem angry, which was a start. Or too sad. Only a little bit, compared to previously.

"…you were explaining how you got here?"

"Was I?" Mrs. Nolan smirked before relenting, head tilted to the side, "I guess you could say that I was seeing how the other half lives," she awarded Ruby with a half smile, and the young woman wasn't sure how to react, "the hospital released me with a clean bill of health and I…decided that I didn't want to go home. And I realized…that I've never done anything or met anyone in this town, outside of my family's social circle. So…I came here," hands that were held open entreatingly shook slightly from the strain. She ignored this, trying to elaborate, "that is…it was the only place open. And the woods-."

"You don't need to explain," Ruby assured, shivering, "they creep everyone out, even me."

Her companion scanned her intuitively before asking, lips pursed, "you're the one that found me…aren't you?"

The waitress choked as she took a sip of water, leaving her coughing slightly. Only when this cleared did she attempt a response, "um, yep. I guess you could say that."

The blonde's brows arced, "there's more to it than you're saying, isn't there? What else did you find?"

Ruby shifted on her barstool, toying with both her response and her glass, "can we not talk about it…please?"

A little moue of understanding came to the other woman's lips and Kathryn nodded, dropping the subject, "well, to answer the question that you didn't ask—thank you for that, by the way. But I'm, well…I'm fine. Not good or bad but different. Better than fine, though. I filed for divorce today."

"What?" that was definitely news to her.

"Yes," she nodded, "my father works at the bank and he had his lawyer draw up the papers a few days ago. Today they went through. David should be receiving his soon."

"Wow, Kathryn," Ruby blinked a few times, processing, "I don't know whether to congratulate you or say that I'm sorry."

"Neither is fine," one shoulder lifted in a half-hearted expression at nonchalance, "it was just…time. Truthfully, it was 'time' a long time ago. Before everything…happened."

"What made you do it?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Just…David's expression, that's all," she bit her bottom lip, free hand running across her face to tangle in her hair. The waves looked natural and unmanaged, as though in symbolism of the things that she was starting to let go of, "he visited me at the hospital, after. Looking like a kicked dog that had been kicked just one more time. And I just…couldn't hurt him anymore. And couldn't let him hurt himself anymore, out of some act of repentance or a semblance of chivalry, I don't know. He needs to be with the one he loves."

"Mary Margaret won't see him," Ruby commented, then jerked back at her own words. Where had those come from?

But Kathryn appeared just as startled, "what? What are you talking about?"

"Well," Ruby wrung her hands awkwardly, feeling like she was telling a secret that wasn't hers, "after the, you know, the fallout. She told him she couldn't trust him. And then when she was accused of murdering you he thought she might have done it-."

"What?"

The waitress pulled back at the vehemence of Kathryn's response, eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline. But Mrs. Nolan was only staring into the crowd, mouth agape as she attempted to process what she'd just heard. One hand was pressed to where her heart would be and Ruby could tell that she was feeling flustered, as though the world had suddenly started turning in the opposite direction.

"…I'm guessing that no one told you…"

"Mary Margaret was accused of murdering me?" it seemed that even the so-called victim couldn't grasp the idea, "but…she couldn't hurt a fly, much less kill someone! She raises bluebirds, for heaven's sake!

"That's what we thought. I mean, it is Mary Margaret we're talking about here, "she said sympathetically, tapping one finger against her chin in thought, "but she and David did have the most motive, especially when he kept wandering off. And then when I discovered that heart in her jewelry box-."

"In her Jewelry box?" the blonde was appalled and shocked, having thought that the situation couldn't get any worse.

"Plus Emma found a bloody knife in her room," Ruby continued quickly, wanting to get the story done and over with, "but then I stumbled upon you and it was all moot anyway. The case was dropped."

"But…" and here it was as though she couldn't quite believe the town that they lived in, frowning furiously, "someone framed Mary Margaret! Who could have done such a thing? And why isn't anyone investigating it?"

Ruby winced, "well, we have some ideas. But you're not going to like them."

The soon-to-be Ex-Mrs. Nolan focused on her younger companion, "what do you mean?"

"Weeeeell," better to spill it out now, she supposed, than hide the truth from her, "Mary Margaret said that one night in the jail cell," she ignored Kathryn as she mouthed the words 'jail cell', "she had a visitor. Regina came in and…said something like she deserved to be in there. And Henry and Emma found some skeleton keys that belong to the Mayor. They fit in the apartment door, so it's possible that she could have taken the box and…planted the evidence."

"But…why? Regina is my friend," her newfound friend was near tears and Ruby couldn't help but stretch out her hand to rest her fingers on Kathryn's, if only for a minute.

"We don't know. But Sydney apparently bugged Emma's office and then when she confronted him on it he confessed to doing it all. But he had no reason to."

"No," Kathryn murmured, thinking, "he has no reason to do it at all. Unless he was taking the blame."

They both knew the only person he would take the blame for, which essentially killed the conversation. Ruby cleared her throat in an effort to get back to the main subject.

"Anyway. Mary Margaret is mad at David since he didn't trust her, David betrayed you and then betrayed her, kind of."

"So my asking for a divorce to set him free is kind of pointless, then?" she smiled wryly. But Ruby was instantly shaking her head, curls flying back and forth.

"Of course not! Who knows, he might get a second chance. And if not then it means a new start, for you at least."

Her sharp bark of laughter was not amused, "right. What kind of man would be interested in a woman like me, especially in this small town? Someone whose own husband canoodled behind her back."

"He might," she took a sip of her water as she glanced in the direction of a man across the way. He had the long, lean length of an athlete that applied himself to sports because he enjoyed them, not because he wanted to win. His features were strong and angular, his hair shaggily cut like he forgot more often than not to go to the barber, with a gaze that was clear and firm.

And aimed at Kathryn Nolan.

She seemed startled at Ruby's declaration, then subtly tried to look over her shoulder. And discreet though she was, it was hard to avoid a look so direct causing her to color as the two of them made eye contact. Kathryn flipping back around so that her back was to the man.

"Who is he?" she hissed in question, shoulders hunched as the feeling of someone watching her soaked through layers of sweater and a colorful sky blue scarf.

"Relax, he can't hear you from all the way over there," the brunette remarked, nonchalantly meeting his look and passing him a friendly nod. He returned to his drink, "his name is Jim…something. He's the school Gym Teacher. I think he works with Mary Margaret."

"Oh, that's just grand."

Ruby frowned, "she wouldn't talk about you badly, you know. Not even to a coworker."

"Not that. I…" the other woman trailed off, "do you think that he might have heard me…when I exploded? Before, with Mary Margaret?"

"Probably," she crossed one long leg over the other, her mind temporarily wondering what Archie would think about what she was wearing tonight. From what she'd observed he seemed to like her legs… "I hate to say it, but a lot of people heard you. And then when the kids told their parents—."

"It spread like a wildfire," Kathryn swore, and Ruby's brows jumped. Wow. She didn't know that she had it in her. Not that she wasn't trying to cut back on that, too, thanks to Archie's influence. Granny's declaration that swearing made one sound unintelligent and coarse was a somewhat negative incentive. Another thought detracted from her mental tangent, however.

"Wait, you mean you're actually wondering what he thinks about you?"

"Of course," an unfocussed gesticulation followed, as though she couldn't quite explain why, "I care about what people think." But Ruby was already on to other things.

"You know…I seem to remember something about the guy finding your car being a teacher or something. Maybe it's him," her shoulders jumped at the theory, a slow up and down conjecture that reflected her open though process.

"Could be," Kathryn offered in a hushed pitch. In their silence she measured 'Jim' from across the room, and Ruby could see from her blush that she liked what she saw. Even if she felt slightly guilty about the feeling. That would pass with time and an official document of separation from her husband, the waitress mused.

"You really do hear a lot," the banker's daughter stated ironically, scanning the waitress in speculation. Ruby just waved a hand.

"It's a small town."

"Unfortunately."

"Not like Boston," Ruby and Kathryn exchanged looks of commiseration and understanding. It seemed like both of them would be stuck here for longer than they would have liked.

"I just…let people talk. Kind of like what Archie does, but at less of an expense," cringing, she tried to subtly shy away from that topic of conversation, "anyway, it helps that I know all the parties involved, including the Sheriff," she crossed her arms under her chest and leaned back as far as the barstool would allow, "and Billy was the one that towed your car. I asked him about it when I was visiting the Marine Garage—my baby has off-and-on issues, so she needs a lot of care."

"Your…baby?" Ruby knew the look Kathryn was sporting. It said that she didn't think that the waitress was old enough or mature enough to be a mother yet. But somehow Ashley Boyd was pulling it off, and if her best friend was able to juggle the life changes then maybe she could too.

Especially if said motherhood involved curly-topped redheads with blue eyes. Or maybe blue-green ones, she mused, unfocussed as she thought about what their mixed genetics might come up with.

She could almost feel his arms wrapped around her from behind as she held their little one, like a cub in her arms as their heartbeats slowed to match in rhythm. And then he would kiss her ear or her hair, something like that, and speculate out loud what he or she might grow up to be. How they might turn out like him or her, or an entirely different person. As he rocked them both back and forth, safe and secure in his lightly freckled arms…

"Ruby?"

"Um, sorry. Just…thinking for a second."

"About 'stuff,' again?"

"Most definitely 'stuff,'" she coughed, feeling her cheeks blush brighter than the streaks in her hair, "Moving on. Um, my convertible. She's got…issues."

Kathryn took a sip of her fruity little drink, "sounds like we all do."

"Especially the people here," Ruby grinned, and if you'll just listen I can tell you about each and every one of them."

Ruby was smiling fully as she and Kathryn joked. It was good to feel, well, normal again. Lately she'd been so stressed with work and the future and, well, Archie that she hadn't had the time to stop and laugh a little. It did her good. It did them both good, and Kathryn Nolan was turning out to be possible 'good friend'-material. A lot of the uppity-ness she'd unconsciously credited to the woman could be attributed to some shyness; a feeling of disconnect that made her unable to bond with others due to a lack of similarities.

Luckily Ruby was feeling the same way, which made them an excellent match for friendly companionship.

But other than that there was a sense of unfailing honesty that came off of her in waves. In fact, other than Mary Margaret she'd never seen a more honest woman (excluding that whole 'being the Other Woman' thing). It really was too bad that things had turned out the way that they had—Ruby thought that they would have gotten along swimmingly.

"So," Kathryn said, interrupting her thoughts, "I have to ask—is there any particular reason that you're all gussied up in a bar, but essentially alone."

Ruby's face was instantly awash in color, "Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

The blonde smirked slightly and the waitress wondered if she could get away with awarding the woman with a nickname of some kind. Like Katie, or something. Maybe Kathy.

"You never know. I'm pretty good with stuff like that."

"Ha, ha," Ruby faked a laugh drolly, "very funny."

"C'mon, I told you why I was here. Why can't you tell me why you're here?"

"Because compared to…everything," she waved a hand over Kathryn in summary, "mine seems kind of petty."

Kathryn smiled and it was bittersweet, "it's about a guy, isn't it? Someone you're not supposed to be with?"

She felt as though her mountain of worry had just been turned into a molehill. To her it was this…oppressive storm cloud of anxiety and worry and this electric attraction between them. But when put like that…

"Yeah, it's a guy," her shoulders collapsed in on themselves.

Kathryn was immediately sympathetic, patting Ruby's hand in echo of the younger woman's earlier move, "So…what's wrong?"

The waitress' expression was nearly as heartbreakingly sad as Kathryn's had been a mere…half an hour ago? She double-checked the bar clock.

"He's about as thick as a brick when it comes to women."

"Ah," understanding made her eyebrows jump, "And you love him."

"I love him. And not to be an 'Ashley' in this situation but…I really, really, really love him. Want to marry him, make babies with him."

Kathryn coughed into her drink, but that could have been a laugh. Ruby wasn't quite sure.

"And what's worse is that I keep getting mixed suggestions. Granny said that gentleman like to start things off as friends, and then move toward something more-."

"She advised that you friend-zone him?" even Kathryn seemed appalled at the idea.

"Exactly," Ruby was so incredibly grateful that they were on the same page. She leaned up against the bar counter in relief, "And then when things started working out so that we were comfortable with one another…nothing happened."

"He didn't question your increased 'friendliness'?" the blonde queried, frowning.

"No. Sooo," she ran a hand over her face, careful to avoid smearing any makeup as she tangled her fingers minutely in her hair, "I talked to Emma, and Emma gave a green light to some flirtation. But that didn't work out. I mean there was something there, for a little while, but…"

"How close did you get to…something?" Kathryn's lips twitched at their use of code words, like schoolgirls at play. But the reigned in the humor for the sake of her newfound friend.

Ruby bit her lower lip, head bobbing thoughtfully, "pretty close. Until duty called and he headed for the hills like a wolf was nipping at his heels."

"Maybe in a way one was."

Ruby frowned, "what do you mean?"

"Ruby…" she paused, rubbing the side of her face in thought as she attempted to make sense of what to say, "I can't really advise much not knowing who he is. But from what I've heard…you sometimes come on a bit strong."

"That was weak for me."

"Yes, but if this guy is as much of a 'gentleman' as you say," she tossed her hands up in the air helplessly, nearly knocking the person beside her in the process. Congenial enough despite his appearance (hawk nose, lumpy skin, uneven shoulders and armor-like clothing), he took one look at the blonde and smiled. Then continued his conversation with his bald, mustached companion.

Ruby blinked, thinking that she had seen a…hook for second there? But the man only sported an amputee's false limb, molded to resemble his natural skin color. She tried to pay attention.

"Then maybe he's not accustomed to female attention…at all," her expression of wincing sympathy seemed to say that she wanted to continue but was hesitant to do so. The barfly waved her on, "you should probably just…be honest with him. Find a way to tell him and then give him some time to react."

"Instead of kissing the daylights out of him, you mean?" the younger woman asked tartly, smirk a wide slash of red as she pondered her options, thought on her companion's suggestion and found it sound.

Kathryn had the grace to laugh, albeit quietly, "preferably, yes. Just remember that men tend to be literal. I didn't learn much from being married, but what I do know is that inferring and assuming that he knows what you're trying to say nonverbally is just going to frustrate you more. Be upfront."

Ruby dipped her head thoughtfully, taking another swallow of her drink, "I think I can handle that." The only question was how.

Her smile dropped abruptly as the same gut feeling which had led her to Kathryn sounded again. Anger, tension, and animosity burned at her back and she felt a rush of fear shoot through her. She'd always trusted her senses in the past and right now they were telling her to run.

Reacting on instinct, she whirled around out of her seat, knocking a hand that was trying to grasp her shoulder in an about-face. The fist she had grasped around her glass swung outward, splashing her assailant with the dregs of water Ruby had yet to down. Still, it was enough to incite a bellow of rage.

Making sure that Kathryn was out of range in the corner of her eye, Ruby turned to face her assailant.

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AN: This was so long, it ended up being a two-parter. –facepalms- Forgive me. Part two will be up soon.

Kathryn wasn't intended for this chapter: Emma and Ashley were. And only as side commentary for the main event. But Kathryn said that it was her turn, thank you very much, and who am I to argue? Especially when she's willing to give out such good and practical advice. "Talk to the man." Who woulda thunk it? ^_^;;

I imagine that no one wanted to be the one to explain what happened while Kathryn was gone. ^^; One of those, "we don't really want to dwell on the past," situations. Especially with the circumstances being so fishy. Yes, I realize that we're starting to get preeeeetty close to the finale. I'm working on it, I promise. ;)

I actually don't drink one bit and I've only been in a bar twice (once for a piano duel, and once when my friend was performing with his guitar), so writing this chapter was kind of a new experience for me. Interesting and exploratory and new.

Joshy McFadden is entirely made up and not based off of any well-known character. After all, regular people got caught up in the mix as well. (He is, however, named after Josh Dallas and Matthew McFadden. The narrator voice from the new Pride and Prejudice just kept running through my head. –coughs out a laugh-)

Some of you might have noticed: I tend to use phrases that are from my mother's generation. Forgive me my idioms. ^^;

It's not the Snuggly Duckling but hey, every bar scene needs a few rogues. ;)

Lastly, I didn't expect for her 'attacker' to be so violent. Or for Ruby to throw water at him. But she said that she did, so I wrote it in. –shrugs- All will be revealed next time.