It wasn't until at least a month later before Emma found Regina in Storybrooke again. She and Zelena were shopping at the grocery store. She gave Zelena a list and the witch wheeled away the cart while Regina turned back to the shelf of seed packets and began picking some off.
"Hey Regina." She said.
"Hello Miss Swan." The brunette said with a kind smile.
"I see that you really did move."
"Did you think I was lying?" Regina tilted her head.
"No. I just didn't expect you to take the entire house with you." Emma said.
Regina chuckled. "I needed it."
"You planting a garden?"
"Yep." Regina smirked. "Have you seen Lily around?"
"Um, no. She stays at an apartment near the docks though. Why?"
"We're going to play a game in a couple days and we wanted some more players." Regina answered. She turned her head as Zelena returned. "Zelena, every fucking thing in this cart is green."
"I know that." Zelena grinned as Regina placed the packets in the cart. "But green is the best color anyway."
"Zelena, I swear. Is that all the stuff?"
"Everything you wrote." She wiggled her fingers at Emma in greeting before strutting off with the cart again towards the checkout line.
"So, where'd you guys move?" Emma asked, following the brunette as she walked after her sister.
"I told you. West."
"You're not gonna tell me, huh?"
"Well, you don't actually need to know, Miss Swan. It's away from your precious little town so I can't 'endanger' anyone else. And please tell your parents to stop calling me. I'm not about to go back to being their puppy and I don't want to waste my time or my magic trying to kill them."
"I'll talk to them." Emma said. "Have you had any more seizures?" She asked with genuine concern.
"Surprisingly, no." Regina looked around, spotting Belle walking towards her with her arms laden with gardening equipment, which she tossed into the cart as well.
"That's everything. Ruby's getting a horse and cart to carry everything back." She said.
"Horse and cart? Are you guys moving back to the stone ages or something. We have cars in this land." Emma looked between the three of them.
"There aren't enough trails that go that deep into the forest. Some horses pulling a cart could get us there easily."
"That's easier than poofing everything there?" Emma asked.
"Sometimes magic isn't the only solution to everything, Miss Swan." Regina smirked, turning to help her sister put everything on the conveyer belt.
Emma looked at Belle as she checked things off a list. "What game are you playing?"
"I have no idea. Something Ruby and Zelena decided. Certainly wasn't my idea, but I'm sure it'll be entertaining. I forgot Ruby's pottery tools. Be right back." The woman rushed off and Emma left the store, tilting her head confusingly, pondering all that she'd just heard.
"Hey Emma." Her dad pulled up in the cruiser and gestured to the store. "Is Regina inside?"
"Yeah, but look, bothering her constantly isn't going to make her do anything she doesn't want to do, Dad."
Charming simply went to go park and returned just as Regina exited the store. Belle hopped on the front of the shopping cart as Zelena jumped on the back and rode the cart like children down to Regina's mercedes. Regina shook her head with a smile. "Hey Regina!" Charming yelled. Emma rolled her eyes as the former queen walked over.
"Can I help you, David?"
"Yeah. You can tell us where you're going with all this supplies. Where's your house?"
"Why are you so interested in what I do?" Regina asked.
"Because when the Evil Queen disappears for an extended period of time, it usually means she's plotting something. Some townspeople are getting worried."
"Let me get this straight." Regina chuckled. "I have been in this town for the last half a year doing absolutely nothing but rotting in my own home and all your 'townspeople' wanted was for me to leave. So when I finally do leave, you want me to come back so you can keep an eye on me?"
"We all know that you have a tendency to relapse." Charming said.
"Relapse?" Regina said slowly. "Right."
"Not to mention Ruby is the new Dark One and Zelena has been flying around Storybrooke on her broomstick. This is causing people to worry. They think you're aligning and corrupting us." He gestured to Belle.
"Wolf."
"What?"
"Dark Wolf. She gets annoyed when you say Dark One." Regina said. "As for flying, is there a law against it? Is there a law against minding my own damn business? You should take a hint, Charming, don't piss me off."
"Is that a threat?" He asked.
"It's a warning." Zelena appeared next to her sister, one palm already glowing with green fire.
"So now you're playing the role of protective sister?" Charming hissed.
Zelena smirked. "Better late than never."
"This is why we forbid you to use your magic. For the protection of the citizens."
Regina rolled her eyes. "Kiss my ass, Farmer. Ladies, let's roll. We have more important things to do."
Zelena scowled at Charming and extinguished the flame in her hand. "As you wish. But if this comes down to a battle, Farm Boy's ass is mine."
"All yours." Regina smirked as they got into her car, magically taking their groceries with them as they drove off.
"Well that was wonderful, Dad." Emma sighed. "Maybe if you actually tried to talk to them without trying to make them follow rules, they'll listen. This isn't the Enchanted Forest. You can't just make a decree and expect it to be followed through."
"Since when did you get so sympathetic towards the villains? Excluding Belle of course, but she's probably under some kind of spell."
"Do you hear yourself right now? I admit what they're doing is a little weird, but we should just...leave them alone." She sighed, leaning against the car.
"You've been acting weird since you had the darkness taken out of you. Regina gave Henry back to you, why are you still upset?"
Emma sighed. Because she was still in love with Regina. Everything felt like it was falling apart. All she wanted was the stubborn brunette queen, but she was taken now. And she was not going back to Neal. None of this was what she wanted.
"Emma." Her father said, looking at her with concern.
"It's nothing. I'm go finish my patrol. See you at home later."
Xxxxxxxx
Ruby leaned against the railing of the porch of the small apartment, dressed in barely more than jean shorts and a black tank top. Clothes were so constricting. As much as she wanted to be naked in bed with Regina right now, their den was hardly complete. As was their pack. She liked Lily, she was a nice girl. A little quiet due to being alone for most of her life because of the extra darkness in her, but Ruby knew she was a dragon dying to shed its human skin and become what she was always meant to be. Lily peeked out the door and smiled at seeing the werewolf on her doorstep.
"Hey Rubes."
"Hey Lil."
"What are you up to?"
"I'm working on a little project and I need some extra animal power. Got any plans?"
Lily shook her head. "Isn't exactly much a lone dragon can do in Storybrooke."
"Where's your mom?" Ruby asked, crossing her arms.
"Hibernating or something. She won't be up for another couple months. 28 years of being trapped underground apparently has taken its toll on her magic. Hibernating helps her jump start it or something." Lily sighed. "I don't know how to induce it or I would join her...just be with someone who isn't afraid of my darkness."
"You're not the only one who knows about darkness." She conjured the Dark One's dagger in her hand and showed the young dragoness her name clearly etched into the side. "I know what it feels like to be alone too. So, how would you like to join my wolf pack?"
Lily chuckled. "A dragon in a wolf pack?"
"Well, it's currently inhabited by a witch, a bookworm, a werewolf and a queen. I don't think a dragon is gonna make much of a difference." She smiled. "We're building a den, away from town. Away from the heroes and their stupid rules. You won't have to be alone anymore. We'll be with you, and we'll have your back."
Lily turned around, thinking over the offer. "What do I have to do?"
"Help me pick up some wood from Geppetto and some spare parts from the junkyard. The place is beautiful. You could have your own room, decorate it how you like. Rent...free."
Lily turned back around with a grin, one hand going unconsciously to caress the piece of dragon egg hanging from her neck. "Alright then. Let's do it."
"Excellent." Ruby grinned as well and lead her down to where her giant pickup truck was parked. Merida was standing on the back of it, impatiently tapping her fingers.
"Aye, let's go. You people are slow as hell."
"I brought some more hands." Ruby said.
Mulan slammed her hand on the horn half a dozen times.
Ruby had invited both of them knowing that they were alone in Storybrooke as well. What with Mulan's unrequited love and Merida being separated from her family, she knew they'd be perfect members of her pack. They were loyal and brave and although they weren't villains, they jumped at the chance to get away from Storybrooke as well. Everything was falling into place for her and her newly formed pack. She hardly felt the ache of loneliness anymore. Her hand went to touch the necklace Regina had given her and she even felt the darkness recede a little bit.
"We going or what? I want to see this den." Merida said. "Do you have a shooting range?"
"Nope, but there's no reason why we can't make one." Ruby said, climbing into the driver's seat. Lily climbed onto the back with Merida, both of them standing up and grabbing into the steel bars on top of the truck.
Xxxxxxxx
When the Charmings walked into the Granny's for another family dinner, Ruby and her pack were on duty once again, stopping by frequently to converse with Merida, Mulan and Lily.
"Now they're trying to drag other people into their weird cult." Neal said.
"It's not a cult." Emma muttered, looking over the menu.
"It's weird."
"And none of our business." She peeked up as Regina walked by with not even a glance in their direction. She smiled brightly as Kathryn walked in and lead her to a seat, making pleasant conversation before going to get her order.
"They were lugging a whole bunch of stuff into a cart today. Looked like metal and stuff." Henry said. He suddenly grinned. "We should make it an operation to find out."
"You should call it Operation Shark." Ruby smirked as she walked up with a pad and pen. "Sharks are cool."
"He wasn't serious." Emma said.
"Oh I think he was." Ruby winked. "But it doesn't matter. Because Henry is going to be a good little boy and do what his mom says, right?" She looked at Henry, smiling and showing off her rows of pointed teeth. "He doesn't want to go wandering and find the big bad wolf's den, right?" Henry slowly shook his head. "Good." She grinned and turned back to the table. "What can I get you fine folks this evening?"
"Did you just threaten my son?" Neal asked.
Emma threw up her hands in defeat. No wonder Regina hated them. She hated Neal too but her parents and Henry were just as bad at trying to antagonize everything the woman did, along with anyone else who decided to give her a chance.
"No, dear, I did not. I simply warned your son not to stick his nose where it doesn't belong. If you were any kind of parental figure, we wouldn't be having this problem. Now, can I take your order?" The werewolf seemed amused by Neal's look of indignation, but he was intelligent enough to keep his mouth closed except to place his order. Ruby smirked and went to go give the orders to the kitchens.
Henry immediately got up to go sit with Lily, Merida and Mulan. "You guys know what's going on with Ruby and my mom- Regina, don't you?"
"Yeah, why?" Lily asked.
" Because I want to know."
"It doesn't concern you, lad." Merida said. "It ain't nothing illegal. They're building a giant metal flying machine."
"I don't believe that. What would you guys need with an airplane?"
"For flying of course." Lily answered, smirking.
"Come on. I want to know."
"It's none of your business, Henry. Focus on school and stuff." Lily said dismissively, turning back to Mulan. When the boy didn't move, she turned back to him and let her eyes glow with dragon fire. "I haven't had my dinner, Little Prince, and my mom told me all about eating people. Children are nice and soft and juicy."
"I'm not afraid of you." He said.
She grinned, teeth clicking down into fangs. "Are you?" The boy leaned away from her before quickly scurrying back to his family.
/
"The heroes are so damn nosy it makes me sick." Ruby growled, watching Regina start fixing a few plates. "And Henry's a nosy little brat. Starting an 'operation' to intrude on our plans."
"Indeed." Regina said. A lot had changed over the course of the last few months and she felt freer that she'd ever felt before, like she was finally on the right path again in life. But the heroes still couldn't leave them alone. It was starting to piss her off and she knew that she when she lost her temper, everyone usually suffered. And her former son was in the same hole. It didn't bother her as much as it did before. Henry's grip on her heart had loosened, and she could breathe easier without him. Besides, he was better off without her anyway. But the situation wasn't made any better by the Charmings actions.
"Why can't they just fuck off?" The she-wolf growled.
"Because they are completely bored with their lives." Regina smirked. She touched Ruby's cheek. The werewolf leaned into her touch and looked her in the eye. "Don't let them make you angry. We could destroy them all if we wanted. Just focus on our pack, on us. On me. Everything's going to be fine."
"I know that." Ruby sighed, putting an arm around her, only to receive a dish towel to the face.
"You gonna stand around yapping all day, or are you gonna get those orders out to the customers?" Granny asked.
Regina chuckled. "We're on it, Eugenia." She kissed Ruby's cheek and went back to work. Their shifts ended soon and Ruby let out a wild whoop of joy as she threw off her apron, leading everyone out the back. Regina laughed as her mate shifted and quickly followed suit. Belle followed her. Zelena came next, becoming a slender pale red wolf with four black paws. They used magic to turn the newest members of their pack. Lily became a dark wolf with a golden red undertone. Merida's fur was a very dark red, and Mulan's coat color was a light cinnamon brown with a white tail tip. Lily easily picked up moving with four legs, having already experienced times as a dragon. Merida and Mulan needed to be taught, but they were determined to learn. It didn't take them long and soon Ruby was leading them through the forest as the moon showered them from above with pale light. They came to a meadow, filled with fireflies. They paused to take in the beautiful sight, filling the air with wolf song before continuing on their way to the den. Splashing through the mangrove swamp, Regina let out a happy yip as she spotted her house, rammed into the cave above the falls, fitting snugly in its new place. It was a glorious sight, but their work was far from over.
The forest was filled that with the sounds of their minstrations, breaking down walls, smashing through floors, grinding and shifting stone, tunneling through dirt, splashing through water, felling trees. They worked long into the night. Morning held a new challenge, creating room for their orchard and garden, as well as Regina's tree. That would require even more work. All of the women worked though. None complained, each carried their weight. They were all exhausted, but abuzz with excitement at creating their perfect haven.
Regina chose a room, burrowed deep into the mountain, where only a few cracks of light could seep through and fall upon the coffins of her parents. She ran her fingers over each one, remembering every terrible and wonderful memory of each of them.
"No matter what anyone says…" Zelena stepped into the room, leaning against the doorway. "The pain of loss never goes away."
"Truer words have never been spoken." Regina replied, looking up.
"Ruby wanted you to take a break. Get some sleep."
"We've all been up all night." Regina pointed out, looking back down at her mother's coffin. There was so much darkness she acquainted with her mother, that she was surprised herself by actually finding some good in there too. "I miss her sometimes." She said softly.
"I never knew her." Zelena stepped forward. "But if she could create something as amazing as us, I suppose she can't be all bad."
Regina smirked. "I'm glad I have a sister."
"Me too. It's fun having someone to share terrible childhood stories." She grinned. "Ugh, they sucked."
"They did." Regina yawned.
"Come on baby sister, your alpha awaits." Zelena took her wrist and lead her out of the room, waving as they left to transform the simple oak door that Regina had put in place, into a grand set of double stone doors with intricate designs etched into the surface. They walked together up through the carved halls of stone and into the mansion. Zelena broke to go to her own room and Regina went upstairs to hers. Ruby was standing in front of the bed in nothing but black lingerie. She looked over her shoulder and smirked.
"You okay?"
"Exhausted, but I'm okay." She answered, shedding her own clothes and climbing into bed. Ruby climbed in with her, wrapping her in her arms and kissed her neck.
"We're going to have sex as soon we're rested."
"Sure." Regina smirked, sighing contently as Ruby lay down and pulled her close. "Whatever you want, Dark Wolf."
"Ugh, stop talking sexy like that. Regina. I'm tired."
"I just said Dark Wolf." Regina laughed. She really hadn't meant to be sexy in any way, but her voice was heavy and deep because she could barely keep her eyes open. "Everything turns you on."
"Everything you do, yes." Ruby replied.
"I know." She purposefully let a seductive lilt slip into her voice and immediately felt herself being rolled across the bed. Ruby was on top of her a second later, kissing her neck.
"You little tease." The she-wolf growled as Regina laughed, more than happy to just be in Ruby's arms, to finally have that one person that wanted her above all else.
"I love you, Ruby."
"I love you too, Regina."
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