A/N: I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I absolutely loved the Frank Baum books when I was a kid, and I have equally loved the books Wicked and Son of Wicked. I have studied every different story, myth, legend, crazy divergence, etc that has to do with Oz and I've blended them. I hope that doesn't make me a terrible person, but I love Elphaba's character so much I just couldn't NOT have her in my story. Btw, I totally didn't know they were introducing Oz on OUAT when I began writing this so now I feel extra qualified to be a writer for the show. Sending in my resume now :P PS. Traffic sucks. I live ten minutes from work and it took me over right at an hour to get home. I feel free to bitch right here because I don't believe these are ever read anyway! Yeah! Falcons drafted Jake Matthews- this has been a pretty good night.
I'm over it.
You see I'm falling in a vast abyss
Clouded by memories of the past
At last I see
-Forsaken (Korn/Disturbed)
Emma sat quietly at the large banquet table. She hadn't wanted to have dinner with these people but Snow and even Regina had looked shocked when she had begun to decline. Good grief. Snow had mumbled something about etiquette while Regina had accepted the offer. She chanced a look at the mayor who sat across from her, the look on her face unreadable. Emma sighed. Regina could be wading through pig shit and she would still look regal and perfectly put together. Emma looked over the rest of the company.
Ozma sat at the end of the table, back straight and hands steepled under her chin as the servers quietly poured wine. To Ozma's left was Regina and beside her sat Glinda followed by Gold. Snow sat to Ozma's right, followed by Emma, followed by Ruby. Emma looked at Glinda curiously. The good witch didn't appear to be bothered in the slightest that she was seated between the dark one and the evil queen. Emma didn't know where her comfort level would be if she were in the woman's position, and she admired the woman's warm smile.
Emma didn't pay much attention as conversation swirled around her. She picked halfheartedly at her food and was surprised that the strange cuisine was surprisingly good. However, she had learned long ago to avoid eating any meats until she knew exactly what she was eating; so, since there wasn't a polite way to bring it up in conversation, she wasn't able to eat much of her food at all.
Emma knew she should be listening to the conversation taking place around her, but she had never really been much of a small talker. As such, she found her gaze repeatedly returning to Regina. Emma's watched with abject fascination every time Regina's lips would close over whatever utensil was lucky enough to grace her mouth. Regina ate methodically, taking tiny bits and placing her utensils on her plate as she chewed slowly. Each bite was followed by a quick dab with her napkin- although the one time Regina's lips had glistened with a cream sauce, Emma nearly groaned when a small pink tongue darted out to cleanse the sauce from a lush bottom lip.
Regina's eyes lifted and caught Emma's, the brunette lifting one eyebrow as a small smile played around the corners of her lips. Emma realized she was practically laying on the table as she watched Regina eat causing her to blush and mumble something she hoped was appropriate to the conversation. Ruby was alternately giving Emma odd looks and eying the meat left on Emma's plate longingly. Emma slid her plate closer to the shifter and each was disappointed as a server seemingly swooped out of nowhere and claimed the abandoned dish. Ruby sighed and leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs as she drank deeply from her wine.
Emma thought back over her visit to Elphaba and the witch's promise to see her soon. She didn't understand why Elphaba wanted to help her or what it was exactly that linked the two of them, but she couldn't deny that she looked forward to seeing her again. She had asked Elphaba to show Snow, Regina, Gold, and Ruby what Elphaba had shown her but the witch had blushed and seemed almost shy at the request. Emma had stared bewildered at the blush that had darkened the green of the witch's skin causing Elphaba to mumble something about 'maybe later'. Emma knew it would help if each one could see into the others as she had been able to.
Emma's eyes fell once more on Regina and immediately she felt her heart begin to race as Regina licked the wine from her lips. Emma remembered very distinctly what those lips and that tongue had felt like brushing feathery kisses down her body. Her eyes fell to Regina's hand which rubbed an imprint on her goblet as she conversed with Ozma. Emma felt a tug low in her body as she remembered the feel of Regina's fingers inside of her, stroking and curling into that special spot that drove Emma crazy. She imagined herself crawling across the table to Regina's place setting and leaning back, her body on display and ready for the queen to feast. Emma would arch into Regina's mouth and hands not holding anything back as-
"Emma?" Emma started as Ruby elbowed her hard in the ribs. She tore her eyes away from Regina's hand and locked eyes with the mayor who was watching her with a look Emma recognized from their nights of passion. She knew exactly what Emma had been thinking.
"Wh-what?" Emma asked turning to Snow. Her mother and Ozma were looking at her expectantly. Emma spared a glance around the table and saw everyone was looking at her with the same look. Gold rolled his eyes and shook his head as he tossed his napkin onto the table.
"Ozmaaskedwhatyouthoughtoftheenchantedforest," Ruby said quickly under her breath to Emma, pretending to turn and signal the server to refill her glass.
"A lot of it was surprising," Emma answered honestly. "I definitely wasn't prepared for Ogres. Or zombies."
"Surely you had heard the stories?" Glinda asked with a smile and Emma knew she wasn't asking the question antagonistically.
"Well, sure, but hearing stories and seeing for yourself are very different things. I mean, I have heard a lot of fairytales, some of them directly from the people they are about, but each person to me is different from their story." Everyone was watching her in genuine curiousity and Emma felt uncomfortable with so much attention focused on her.
"Surely some people live up to their legend such as the evil queen," Ozma said, her eyes quickly falling to Regina before looking back to Emma.
"Yes and no," Emma said slowly. "I've read so many stories about Regina and everyone has an evil queen tale- honestly sometimes it feels like the entire town of Storybrook is some sort of evil queen rehab."
"Regina did terrible things, Emma, some of them even to you!" Snow said, her voice betraying her surprise at Emma's words. Emma could see Regina's brow furrow and her eyes darken in anger and acceptance.
"She's also done some pretty good things," Emma said. "I mean, I know I wasn't the only one there when Regina chose to absorb that trigger's magic and die for everyone. It's easy for all of you to dismiss the good she does because you're too close, too hurt by what you've been through and seen."
"I can't understand this," Snow said, leaning back in her chair and throwing her napkin angrily onto the table. "I'm trying, you know I am. I don't know how you can be so forgiving when you are the one who suffered the most for her treachery!"
"You definitely know about treachery, don't you, Snow?" Regina asked with a sneer. Snow shifted forward, her anger evident in her eyes. As she opened her mouth to retort Emma held up her hand and brought it down on the table.
"Regina didn't do anything to me," Emma said quietly. "What's happened to me and in my life, honestly, and I don't mean to hurt your feelings when I saw this, is my personal business. I didn't share that aspect of me with you and I'd appreciate it if it wasn't used as a weapon in your vendetta. What happened to me happened because there are evil people in every world. I happened to be sent to a world that is so corrupt and violent that children being raped and hurt is accepted as something that happens. You can't honestly tell me that any of you knew there was a place like the world we now live in and that you anticipated any of what happened to me. The war between you two tore an entire world apart, that's what I saw in the Enchanted Forest."
"Because of the curse," Snow said, her eyes angrily flashing across the table to Regina.
"No, because of the war between you two!" Emma said, raising her voice as she crashed her fist onto the table to regain Snow's attention. "I want you, all of you, to truly listen to what I am about to say. I know I'm not the smartest, or most educated, or in any way qualified to talk about these things, but please- don't just hear me, actually listen to me." Emma stopped speaking, her eyes shining with emotion. She tried to rein in her emotions as Ruby squeezed her knee in support.
"Please continue," Ozma said, her voice, while still commanding, sounded genuinely interested and encouraging. "I wish to hear what you have to say."
"To me, the Enchanted Forest is about shades of grey. You guys talk about Regina in absolutes- shes evil, she's this, she's no good, blah blah blah. However, you all go to her for help and she helps you. You work together when you have to because you know sometimes it's better to put your differences aside or you will rip yourselves apart from the inside out and something will destroy all of you. You can't tell me, Snow, that deep down you don't trust Regina." Snow's mouth worked open and closed but she said nothing.
"There are times we have had no choice but it isn't trust," Gold said evenly and Emma sighed.
"What I'm saying is that there are no absolutes in your world even though you are the "good" queen and Regina is the "evil" queen. Both of you had stepped across the line and neither of you allow yourself to be pigeonholed as one thing only."
"I'm sorry, Emma, but I don't really get what you're saying either," Ruby said apologetically. Emma sighed and pushed her chair back as she stood. She went behind her chair and stood with her hands on the back holding it tightly.
"God, I'm so not good at this."
"You are speaking from the heart and you can never go wrong when you do that," Glinda said with a warm, understanding smile.
"In the world I grew up in, everything exists in absolutes. This country is bad. That religion is good. These people are worthless. Those people deserve death. It was an entire world built off of war! I've heard you talk about things Regina has done such as slaughter an entire village of people because they helped you. I know you must think I'm callous because I don't react, but what you don't realize is that every day of my life atrocities far worse than what Regina could think of on her worst day happened. People slaughter each other, murders run free, and people don't care because we all know that the world is going to end soon anyway. It won't be long before someone world leader thinks it's a good idea to nuke someone and then the sky will burn. I grew up in a world that wasn't so much concerned about the why but the when."
"Regina did do some pretty horrific things," Snow began, her eyes filled with another emotion besides anger. Emma looked at her mother for long moments before placing the new emotion- betrayal.
"Yeah, she did, but from her perspective, so did you. When I think about Regina and her curse I don't see what you do. I see a woman who was weary of war, tired of having to be the bad guy." Emma's eyes searched Regina's for long moments and she was surprised to see the shine of tears in the brunette's. "When we went to the Enchanted Forest, I saw a world ravaged by war and it reminded me of home. You guys were so close to the point of no return, and honestly, it's always the 'good guys' that push things to that point."
"We didn't want war! She could never leave us alone!"
"Would you have left her alone if David had been murdered right in front of you and you blamed her?" Snow quietened and looked down at her hands. "If you all don't learn to let this go, your world will end up exactly like mine. Do you understand? This vendetta will continue to pass through the generations and it will rip away everything good from you, from your land, from your people."
"How do you do that?" Snow asked softly, her eyes coming up and locking with Regina's.
"You two are leaders. Whatever you decide will be followed even beyond what you wished. Politicians, law enforcement, churches- these are the things that should represent good but they've come to represent everything wrong in the world. Abuse of power, apathy, war, greed... their crimes are paid for by innocent people. Don't do that. You two come from a place where you used to love one another. You cared. You wouldn't hate so passionately and intently if you didn't love just as much."
Emma reached forward and grabbed her wine, downing it in one long drink.
"She will make a wonderful queen," Ozma said approvingly, lifting her glass to Emma who spluttered on her wine, her eyes going wide.
"What?" she gasped once she was able to.
"You are your parents successor. Your lover is also a queen in her own right. You, Emma, were born to rule."
"I'm the saviour," Emma said sardonically. "By definition I was born to die."
"Don't ever say that!" Regina burst out. Her eyes widened at her own outburst as every eye turned to look at her. Emma locked eyes with the brunette unsure what to say next. She felt as if she had done nothing but talk in circles for the last half hour except for the last sentence which seemed to ring with the finality of truth.
"Thank you all for the lovely and wonderful dinner, but I suggest we retire for the evening. We can talk business tomorrow morning. I will send a servant to fetch each of you shortly after breakfast. Rooms have been prepared for all of you. Please know that you are safe within these walls; I give you my sworn word as queen." Glinda, Gold, and Ruby bowed as she left while Snow and Regina inclined their heads courteously as Ozma quickly departed. Glinda followed shortly thereafter as servants gathered the guests and led them towards a set of spiral green crystal stairs that led higher into the spacious palace.
Emma tried not to gawk as they were led to their rooms but she had never seen anything like the palace of Oz. The open stairway looked out over the open courtyard which was still filled with people all dressed in various shades of green. As they reached the landing of their floor, the view disappeared under a floor made up of golden and green swirls. Emma felt dizzy and had to look anywhere but at the floor as they walked down the hall. The walls were unadorned and the crystal pulsated with intricate displays of light that reflected off the buried facets.
Gold was dropped off at the first room closest to the stairs and Ruby took the room opposite his. Emma and Regina were next and Snow was given a room at the end of the hall. As the others went inside their rooms Emma lingered at her door, her eyes watching as Regina opened the door of her own. Their eyes met for long moments before Regina stepped back and held her door open. Emma practically leaped across the hall and into the brunette's room. Regina shut the door behind them with a soft click, her hand still on the handle as they she were debating changing her mind.
"I'm sorry," Regina said, her voice soft and thick. Emma took the woman's arm and turned her, surprised to see unshed tears filling her eyes.
"Why?" Emma said, using her fingertips to gently wipe away Regina's tears as they fell.
"I didn't know... I didn't mean... I'm so sorry, Emma." Regina's words came in hitches as she broke down in Emma's arms, sobbing out Emma's name as she collapsed against the blonde. Emma pulled her closer and buried her head in Regina's neck as she felt the other woman do the same.
"I know," Emma said, her hands tightening on Regina as she fisted the other woman's shirt.
"Knowing, now, makes you so much more wonderful," Regina said brokenly as she fought her tears. "I've always thought how strong you are and how genuinely nice but now I can understand the true strength that lies in you and how incredible you are that your sweetness, kindness, and goodness survived. You're such an amazing woman."
"I can say the exact same thing about you," Emma said softly, placing her finger beneath Regina's chin and lifted the brunette's eyes to hers. When Regina shook her head, Emma gently took Regina's hand and led her to the bed that sat at the other side of the room on a small dais. She lay down and pulled Regina down beside her so they were facing one another. "I heard your song." Regina smiled at the words.
"Apparently everyone did when we kissed which was somewhat embarrassing for me," Regina admitted softly.
"Elphaba showed me your song before I met you," Emma said. A shadow crossed Regina's face before she expertly hid it.
"Was it horrible?" she asked and Emma shook her head.
"It was hauntingly beautiful. And sad and lonely. I can sing it to you if you'd like." Regina looked at her with a raised eyebrow and Emma grinned. "I know my singing voice leaves a lot to be desired."
"That depends on whether one wants to hear the lovely sounds of two hyenas mating."
"Hey! Wow, not nice!" Emma said with a laugh. The sight of Regina's smile lifted her heart. Neither she nor Regina were people who dealt well with intense emotions and Emma was glad to find safer ground.
Regina leaned forward and kissed Emma tenderly before catching the blonde's bottom lip between her teeth and tugging lightly. All thought quickly fled Emma's mind as Regina's tongue quickly slid across her lip soothing the bite. Emma sighed as she twined her fingers in Regina's hair, pulling her deeper into their kiss.
"Emma," Regina whispered against Emma's skin as she trailed kisses across Emma's cheek to her neck. The open mouthed kisses were slow and sensual, and Emma could feel her body reacting instantly. She groaned and arched up into Regina as the mayor nipped and licked her way down the expanse of chest revealed by Emma's button down shirt. Regina moved to straddle Emma, her lips once more finding the blonde's as her hands slowly slid each button free from its eyelet. Emma gasped as Regina spread her hands across her skin and slid the shirt open.
"Please," Emma whispered, her voice filled with an almost desperate need. And she realized that she was desperate- desperate for Regina to replace the images in her head. Desperate for Regina to prove that what had happened to Emma didn't make her undesirable and unworthy. Regina sat back and tugged Emma into a sitting position. She rubbed as much of Emma's skin as she could reach as she slid the shirt from her shoulders and down her arms.
"You're so beautiful," Regina breathed, her voice husky and sincere. Emma closed her eyes tightly as tears threatened. "You're breathtaking." Regina's words reached into Emma's soul and loosened the knots of despair and horror. "You are amazing. Wonderful. Beautiful. Sexy. Incredible." Regina punctuated each word with a kiss across the revealed mounds of Emma's breasts. The brunette quickly released Emma's bra and trailed it slowly down Emma's arms. As Emma's nipples came into view Regina bit her lip and looked up into Emma's eyes through a fall of thick dark lashes. The look of desire swirling in the chocolate depths was almost enough to cause Emma to come undone right then. Her breath hitched and Regina, sensing the change of Emma's mood, pushed the blonde back onto the bed.
Their kisses were hot and needy, their tongues equally giving and taking as their bodies arched into one another. Emma tore her mouth away from Regina's to tear the other woman's shirt over her head. Regina shrugged out of her bra and leaned back into their kiss causing their breasts to mesh together. Emma gasped at the contact and moaned deeply into the kiss. Regina gasped as she leaned backwards, her eyes closing as she rolled her hips down into Emma's.
"I can't get enough of you," she gasped, leaning down and claiming Emma's lips once more for her own. She nibbled and licked, her tongue dancing softly over Emma's before claiming her mouth completely. Emma's hands slid down Regina's back to cup her lover's ass. She loved feeling the delicious roundness tighten as Regina thrust against her.
Regina pushed her hands between them and quickly released the buttons of Emma's pants. She growled at the button fly before taking her hands and ripping them from their fastenings. Her fingers spread across Emma's lower abdomen, stroking and teasing the revealed flesh at the hem of Emma's panties.
"You could just magic them away," Emma said breathlessly but Regina shook her head.
"Some things are more fun done by hand," Regina said, her words sensual and full of meaning, her breath hot and wet against Emma's ear as she punctuated her sentence with a small lick.
"God, yes," Emma groaned, arching up as Regina pulled away to tug Emma's pants down her legs. Regina groaned out loud at the sight of the tiny pink thong Emma wore. Emma felt a rush of wetness bathe her sex as she watched a topless Regina kneeling between her legs in nothing but a pair of tailored black slacks. Regina gave Emma the sexiest smile she'd ever seen as she lowered herself between Emma's legs and breathed hot against the gusset of Emma's thong.
As Regina's mouth covered her sex through the pink material, Emma threw her head back and cried out. She was desperate to feel Regina's mouth on her and began to grind against the queen's tongue and lips. Regina moaned against her sex as Emma threaded her fingers through silken brunette strands and pressed Regina harder against her.
"Please," Emma said in a strangled whispered as Regina's tongue lapped at the growing wetness on her thong. Regina responded to the plea by drawing the material down Emma's legs. She looked up into Emma's eyes as she pushed her tongue inside the blonde who tried to bite back a cry of pleasure. Emma's head was spinning, her heart pounding, and it felt as though every nerve ending in her body began and ended where Regina's tongue was thrusting inside of her.
"You taste so fucking good," Regina growled, her hands catching Emma behind the knees before pushing the blonde's legs apart and backwards, opening Emma completely to her greedy gaze. Emma's hands gripped the bedspread tightly as Regina ran long licks up and down her length, her tongue venturing down to swipe at her forbidden flower before her lips closed around Emma's clit.
Emma didn't know if she was even speaking English as words and pleas fell from her lips as Regina alternated sucking her clit and tongue fucking her. With no warning, Regina leaned back and flipped Emma onto her stomach. With a press of her hands she urged Emma onto her knees before pushing Emma's head down as her fingers trailed Emma's soaked slit. Her fingertips began to tease Emma's entrance and Emma whimpered as she thrust back against them trying to deepen the contact.
"Do you want this?" Regina asked, her voice husky with desire and concern. Emma felt her heart lurch at the care and sensitivity Regina was showing. Emma looked over her shoulder and make eye contact as she licked her lips.
"Please, Regina, make me feel you. Only you." Regina maintained the eye contact as she slid slowly inside of Emma with two fingers, the first thrust shallow and tender. Emma wanted to close her eyes as pleasure washed through her but she kept her eyes on the beautiful, warm chocolate ones that watched her, their depths filled with emotions in which Emma knew she could lose herself.
"You're so tight, Emma," Regina groaned as her fingers began to thrust harder and faster. Emma pushed her head into the pillow as Regina's fingers began to stroke the ache building deep inside of her. Emma couldn't stop the moans and gasps, and when Regina pulled her head back to kiss her over Emma's shoulder Emma felt her orgasm begin to build.
"Fuck me, yes, fuck me!" she panted, her words hitching around her gasping breaths. Regina was licking and gently biting down her back while her fingers twisted and pushed inside of Emma. As Emma came undone, she arched her back and pushed herself hard onto Regina's fingers. It seemed as though a sheet of white electricity buzzed across her vision and hearing before shattering around her in electrical currents that tingled directly from her core to her fingers and toes. Regina's fingers slowed but Emma continued to thrust hard against her as she began to roll into a second orgasm that ripped through her like white hot lightning.
"Regina! Fuck!" She felt Regina's smile against her skin as she began to come down from her high, her body collapsing forward and down into the bed. Regina's fingers were still buried deep inside of her, and every time she attempted to move them Emma would hiss as her body twitched. Finally Emma's muscles loosened enough for Regina to slide out in a gush of wetness.
She trailed her wet fingers up Emma's side before sliding around her back and pulling her close as she lay down beside her. Emma curled into the other woman, letting her head rest against Regina's as she panted for breath. Regina leaned forward and kissed Emma slowly.
Emma turned her body towards Regina and slid her hand down Regina's slacks to cup her core. Regina rolled on her stomach as she reached under her, her hand sliding down to join Emma's. She kissed Emma deeper as she moved her panties and guided two of Emma's fingers inside of her soaking sex. Emma kissed Regina's throat as the brunette threw her head back as she lifted enough to begin riding Emma's fingers. Emma watched wide eyed as Regina lifted and fell before rocking her hips, biting back her whimpers with the teeth that caught on her bottom lip.
"You feel so good inside of me," Regina whimpered before capturing Emma's lips in a wet, open mouthed kiss. Emma began to move her fingers in a fast come hither motion causing Regina to begin shaking against her. Emma sucked Regina's tongue gently into her mouth as she pulled her closer with her free hand. She was thrusting up into Regina as the mayor thrust down, their rhythm picking up speed and force as Regina neared her climax. Tearing her lips from Emma's, she threw her head back and cried out as Emma felt a rush of cum wash over her hand as Regina's muscles began clenching tightly around her fingers.
"Yes, Regina, cum for me over and over again," Emma encouraged as she continued pushing inside the brunette. Regina's arms were trembling where she was holding herself above Emma, her eyes closed tightly as she felt Emma bringing her quickly to the brink again.
"Emma, I'm cumming, yes, oh god, I'm cumming for you," the words trailed off into a loud moan stifled against Emma's lips as Regina began kissing her hard. Emma groaned as Regina's body tightened almost impossibly around her as her gspot swelled and slickened before releasing a gush of fluids that ran down Emma's hand and arm soaking Regina's pants.
Regina caught Emma's hand and with a whimper pulled Emma's fingers from inside of her. She collapsed against Emma breathing hard. With a wave of her hand, her pants disappeared leaving them lying against one another skin to skin. Emma stroked Regina's back loving the feel of Regina's sweat slick skin. She was surprised to feel Regina kiss her shoulder where she had collapsed and was even more surprised when Regina slid down Emma's body to rest between her legs. At the first stroke of Regina's tongue Emma knew she wouldn't last. She lifted her hips into her lover's mouth and cried out as Regina drew pleasure from her she never knew existed.
Ruby opened her door and crept out into the hallway as she heard a door click closed down the hall. She wasn't surprised to see Snow White standing in her door, her head leaning against it as an unreadable expression crossed her face. As Ruby's door gently closed behind her Snow looked up sharply. Her features softened at the sight of Ruby and she walked towards her best friend, her eyes carefully avoid Regina's room. Ruby slipped down the hall, her ears unfortunately hearing more than what echoed off the crystal walls and fell on Snow's ears.
"Tomorrow, please let Emma know to tell Regina that crystal does not block sound. It actually appears to amplify it." Ruby snickered and nodded as Snow made her way to Gold's door and banged on it loudly. The man appeared at his door and appeared about to snarl something before a heated moan drifted down the hall.
"Can you please cast a soundproof spell on their room?"
"That's not a particularly wise idea. When Regina feels magic hit her room she will react and I don't feel like being incinerated tonight." He moved to shut his door and Snow stepped into the doorway a pleading, almost desperate look on her face as Emma cried out Regina's name.
"Please. It's been over an hour. I've never wanted to hear anyone like this much less my own daughter." She banged her head against the frame as the gasps and sighs reached a frenzied pitch. Gold cocked his head then smiled at the sudden silence.
"See? All do-" He was interrupted by a loud groaned 'Emma' and Snow banged her head against the door frame again.
"Why don't you simply knock?"
"I don't want to be kindling nor disowned either," Snow sighed. Gold rolled his eyes and waved his hand.
"There, your room is soundproofed." Snow thanked him profusely before turning and nearly running to her room. Ruby could hear the sigh of relief leave the small brunette's lips before the door closed. She chuckled and turned back towards her room.
"You as well?" Gold asked, stopping her in her tracks. She turned and shook her head, a mischievous smile playing around her lips causing his to lift in response.
"So that's what Lacy liked so much about you," he said causing Ruby's eyes to widen. Gold held out his hands as though calming a startled animal. "It's okay; I don't blame you. There were a lot of circumstances at the time and a lot of people fell for Lacy."
"Please don't be such a decent guy about this," Ruby said with a sigh. "I knew she was Belle and I jumped at the excuse that she wasn't the same person when I knew she was."
"Actually, I've noticed Belle seemed a little sad lately and I've noticed the way she watches you. You know, I'm a very unconventional man who has learned a lot of life lessons about holding on too tightly to a woman." Ruby leaned against the wall, eyebrows furrowed as she regarded Gold.
"Elaborate?" she asked as he leaned against his door frame.
"I want Belle to be happy. I really don't care of that means she dates a man and a woman. I don't expect anything from that woman and I think that woman wouldn't expect anything from me except to get along and not be jealous of the woman we share. If that woman is you I feel that could work." Ruby's heart was pounding so hard in her chest she didn't think someone would have to be a wolf to hear it.
"As a wolf, I long for a pack. I only wish for one mate but I want the closeness of a pack. What you're saying is everything I could possibly desire, and I can't help but wonder if you knew that and there is a catch attached." Gold regarded her long moments.
"We can talk about this more with Belle when we return if you'd wish. I can be a powerful ally and I am offering you this because I care more about Belle than I do anything else in any realm."
"I'd like that," Ruby said, nodding her head towards Gold before opening her door and disappearing into her room. She lay back against the closed door and exhaled a long breath she felt she had been holding for months. Maybe there was a bright side to everything? As she heard Regina gasp out Emma's name Ruby thought that they were a perfect example of a relationship that could conquer the odds and exist.