"Ruby?"
Looking back over her shoulder, Ruby smiled and stood up from her crouched position on the floor of her cell.
"Dorothy. Hi." Ruby smiled.
"You weren't outside so I came searching for you."
Walking in, Dorothy looked down at the bag and then back up to Ruby, arching her brow.
"Are you making a break for it?" Dorothy joked.
"Not at all." Ruby chuckled. "Just might be gone for a few days. We're helping Merida and her dad out. Leave tomorrow morning."
"Oh." Dorothy said, almost disappointingly.
"I wouldn't have left without saying anything though." Ruby quickly reassured her.
"That man...he was in pretty rough shape when you all brought them back...Why would he want to back to this place?" Dorothy asked.
Ruby sighed and pulled the chair up next to the bunk bed, motioning for Dorothy to take a seat in it as she sat on the mattress in front of her. Going about explaining everything so far to the other brunette, Ruby explained the plan and her confidence in what would take place.
"But Regina'll be there so I'm not too anxious about going into it." Ruby admitted.
"And how long do you think you'll be gone?" Dorothy looked at her.
Ruby's Hazel green eyes locked with Dorothy's beautiful grayish blue ones and she felt her heart pound in her chest, looking at the woman sitting in front of her.
"Um." Ruby shook her head. "Just a couple days. I honestly don't know...hopefully not too long though."
Dorothy nodded accepting the answer, looking down at her fingers in her lap. Ruby didn't know what else to say, a comfortable enough silence settling over the two of them.
"I guess you'll have a couple days worth of afternoon walks to make up for then." She looked up and smirked.
A grin spread across Ruby's lips as she looked at the other brunette, chuckling and nodding her head.
"Of course!" Ruby smiled.
For the last few weeks, she and Dorothy had become good friends. Dorothy would help out where she could, even helping Emma out in the greenhouse some days. Ruby would catch her around different areas of the prison, watching her walk with some of the older kids that'd come with her from the church. One afternoon, Dorothy asked her if she wanted to join her and from there they had somehow managed to make it a daily activity.
On their walks, in no particular destination, Dorothy told her about her life on her uncle's farm, growing up how she did, living in Kansas. In turn Ruby told her about her Canadian townie life, how she escaped and moved to the city, moving around at night and working in the day.
"Gods, no. No horror movies for me." Dorothy shook her head as they walked along the halls.
"What? Not even one?" Ruby asked amused.
"Not one. Like seriously they were your favorite?" Dorothy scrunched her nose. "Why?!"
"Oh yeah! I could watch them all day, every day." Ruby chuckled at the face Dorothy pulled. "Don't worry Kansas, if we ever get the chance to see one on screen again I'll hold your hand."
"Well I will hold you to that, Wolfie. I wouldn't even make it through the entire movie, just getting me to watch a few minutes of one would seriously mean something." Dorothy smiled as they continued to stroll.
"-Of course! I'll definitely make up for them when I come back." Ruby smiled and Dorothy held out her pinkie finger.
"Promise?"
Holding her hand between them, Dorothy grinned shyly, not voicing the hidden question she wanted to ask nor revealing the overwhelming feeling of sadness at the thought of Ruby being gone for only lord knows how long.
Bringing her hand up and pinkie out, Ruby locked her finger around Dorothy's and tugged tight.
"Promise!"
Dorothy smiled and a bit of relief washed over her, having the woman's skin on her own. Neither of them made any motions to move, she just stared down at their hands while Ruby was staring...well at her. Dorothy's hair was down, her silky brown waves falling over her exposed shoulders. Wearing a black tank top and some dark blue jeans, Ruby was almost thankful for the heat because it meant Dorothy showed her impressive toned arms off.
Tracing the outline of her face with her gaze, Ruby admired her strong jaw and pink lips.
With their fingers still locked, Dorothy looked up and caught her gaze again, the tip of her thumb gliding lightly over Ruby's wrist as she now too studied the other woman. Slowly inching forward, Dorothy's eyes kept switching from her eyes to her lips.
Ruby felt a slight blush form and creep up her neck, slowly leaning forward too and taking a low breath. Dorothy's other hand lightly touched her knee and she closed her eyes, her head going right and Ruby's head going right as their lips met in a gentle kiss.
Grasping her wrist to center herself, Ruby came back down to earth and got her brain to cooperate with her body, Ruby smiled and pulled her closer. Parting her lips and kissing the woman back, Dorothy sighed again her lips and gripped her knee.
Soft sighs and light smacks of their lips, echoed in their ears until Ruby took a much needed breath. Moving back only a inch, with her eyes still closed she couldn't wipe the smile off of her lips.
Pushing their foreheads together, Dorothy watched her and brought her hand up to sweep Ruby's brown curls behind her ear.
"You better come back, Wolfie." She said lowly and grinned when she saw green eyes. "If you don't I'll be very upset about waiting so long to kiss you."
"...Nothing is going to keep me away from you, Kansas. I promise."
/
"Wait? Seriously?!"
"August...calm down."
Emma sighed as she sat with her back against the wall, a napping Henry sat in her lap as she rocked and nursed him.
"You seriously cannot be ok with this?"
August gaped turning to Regina who was sat in front of them, kneeling on the mattress folding and sorting through their clothes. He was sat in the steel chair near the desk.
"I'm not entirely ok with it, but I was out voted so..." Regina playfully glared at the blonde only a few feet away her.
"And do I get a vote?" August frowned.
"Nope!" Emma smiled. "Even if you did it still wouldn't matter. Ruby, Graham, Kris, and I voted yes. Even Merida chimed in so that's 5 against 3." Emma states rolling her eyes.
Because of course Mulan wanted her to stay put.
"Really? You're allowing this?" August huffed.
"You wanna go instead?" Emma sassed. "You haven't been more than a few steps outside that fence in weeks."
"That's because I don't want to. I actually like being here, you know where we're safe." August shrugged.
"Ok, and I want to go. Why is that so hard to understand?"
"It's not. I just think you shouldn't be allowed to do every single little thing you want." August stated.
"Oh just me specifically right?" Emma glared. "Because Emma is such deadweight and unable to help out. I'm only good for racking through dirt and picking vegetables everyday?"
"Emma I didn't say that-"
"You implied it!"
"I did not! You're just spoiled!"
Emma gasped completely taken aback.
"I am not! Why would you even say that?!"
"Uh because you are!"
"Yeah? Well you-"
"Alright!" Regina interjects and snapped her fingers in between them. "Enough."
Motioning to the sleeping toddler in the room, Regina reminded them to keep their voices leveled. Emma glared at August but sighed, rubbing her palm up and down Henry's back.
"You're not going." August shook his head.
"Oh I am most definitely going."
"So what about Henry?"
"We're coming back, Aug." Emma sighed.
"And I'm just supposed to stay here and watch him, while you run off to play knight's in shining armor for days?" August scowled.
"Well Jeez, not when you say it like that! I will ask someone else to since it's obviously too much trouble for you. Don't worry." Emma mumbled.
"My father will take him if it's not what you want to be doing August, I understand. I know this is sudden and you have your own routine and life to focus on." Regina looked at Emma pointedly.
"Oh. Right, because we still spend our days working 9-5's. He has such a busy schedule to keep up with."
Emma sassed and rolled her eyes, placing her cheek on top of Henry's head, watching as Regina folded a pair of cargo pants. There was a pile set aside for what they'd be taking with them on the trip.
"You fainted earlier this week! She fainted! Or did you forget?" August huffed.
"I didn't forget. And I've been cleared. We figured out what was wrong, I know what to do to make sure it doesn't happen again." Emma stated.
"Oh yeah? And how are you going to keep it from happening again? Hmm?"
"I don't know August! But I will have better control over myself. I know what I can do to make sure I don't get so easily triggered and worked up. And if anything I'll have Regina there! I. Will. Be. Fine." Emma sat up straighter pushing away from the wall as she spoke.
August sighed and sat back in the chair, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"You are unbelievable you know what?" August shook his head.
"It's so hard to believe and understand that I just want to do more?" Emma glared.
Looking at his sister, studying her closely, August could tell something was going on with her. He just couldn't tell what it actually was. They had agreed to talk more about things that were truly plaguing their thoughts. He knew that, just like him, his sister held a truck load of guilt over her shoulders over what happened to their family. He knew she just wanted to be useful and saving these kids really hit close to home for the young blonde. He just didn't want the woman losing her life because she was out trying to be a hero.
"I will watch Henry." August sighed and nodded his head slowly.
"It's ok, I'll just ask-" Emma started.
"Emma. I will watch him." August reaffirms.
Staring up at him, Emma eyed him a bit hesitantly. Regina was right, he had his own self to focus on, and having Henry was already a job within itself.
'Now there's going to be two of him.'
"Only if you're sure?" Emma frowned.
"I'm sure." August nodded then pointed at her. "You just be sure you come back. Preferably in same way you left."
Emma grinned then and nodded her head in agreement.
"I will, Aug."
"But if you wanted to change up your look a bit while you're gone...I don't know cut your hair, shave off your eyebrows completely. I wouldn't be too opposed to that change." The man smirked. "Maybe a Mohawk? Mullet? Seems pretty badass to me when you think about it. Get the whole apocalypse thing going for you."
Chuckling Emma hid her smile in Henry's hair, rolling her eyes at the amusing suggestions her brother was making. August's own hair had grown out considerably since they arrived at the prison
"Oh that is definitely not happening." Regina scrunched her nose at just the thought of the blonde with a mullet.
/
"Alright. Alright. Let's get going people, the sooner we leave the sooner we get to come back." Ruby grinned as they were all getting into the trucks.
"And what's got you all giddy?" Regina questioned from her place near the bed of the truck, holding Henry and hugging Robyn.
Her family and August were getting in their hugs and promises to return from the couple. Robyn was being extra clingy, especially after finding out her aunt was leaving. Going as far as having a sleepover with the family of three, squeezed in between Regina and Emma, with Henry on Regina's chest the night before.
"Just happy I woke up this morning." Ruby shrugged and smirked, piling into the back seat.
Remembering she had said similar words to the other brunette months before, Regina smirked and shook her head.
"Mommy, kiss." Henry placed his little hands on either side of her face and turned her attention back to him, demanding her affection.
"Of course, my love." Regina kissed him on the cheek and then again and another until the toddler erupted in a fit of giggles.
Zelena hugged Emma and then Big Henry hugged her, touching her face and smiling at her warmly.
"And you are feeling better right?" The older man asked.
Quickly shaking her head and squeezing his wrist, Emma brought his hand down and hugged him again.
"I am much better yeah. I promise I've got it under control." Emma nodded and kissed his cheek. "To make up for the other day."
Big Henry grinned appreciatively at her and kissed her cheek back.
"You all watch out for each other out there, make sure my big headed little sister doesn't get hurt hmm?" Zelena said next to her and Emma chuckled.
Walking up next to Regina, Emma's heart swelled watching the two together even a blind man could see the mother and son were completely in love.
"Five sleeps ok, little prince?" Regina kissed his nose.
"Five sleeps then you come back." Henry held up his little hand.
"That's right. Five sleeps and then Mommy is all yours again." Regina smiled.
"Can I get in on some of this?" Emma got their attention.
"Mmmm I don't know. Henry, should we let her in?" Regina teased and then whispered in the boys ear.
"You be back in five sleeps, Mama?" Henry listened and repeated what she told him.
Regina and Henry both eyes her for her to respond. Emma smiled amused and nodded her head along.
"And you n'Mommy be safe?" He asked and Emma nodded.
"N'you gonna listen to everything Mommy says?" Henry giggled at the scrunched up face Emma made as she shook her head no. "Mama!"
"Ok. Ok. Yes. I will." Emma exasperated and playfully rolled her eyes.
"Then yes." Henry smiled and opened his arm for Emma to join them. "Mommy you too." He tapped Regina's arm.
Balancing him close to her, Regina chuckled and opened her arm as well, wrapping her other arm around the blonde's shoulder. Content with having her two loves in her arms again, Regina sighed and kissed both of their heads.
Emma melted against them both and laughed as Henry leaned over to kiss her forehead like Regina.
Regina held them tight, while also trying to keep her mind from venturing into a dark place. She knew they were doing this because they were good people but still a lot of times bad shit happened to good people...but there was no way in hell she was letting anyone keep her from returning to this.