Ruby lay awake in bed, the room dark, save for the bright strip of moonlight that spilled in through a crack in the curtains. It was just enough for her to see the rough boards of the ceiling by, and she stared at them as she listened to Archie's steady breathing beside her. He was asleep on his stomach with his hand draped over her, and she stroked his arm as she enjoyed the pressure of its weight across her middle. Normally, her body would welcome the opportunity to fall back to sleep, lulled by the crickets' song outside and the hint of her son's snore coming from the next room.

Tonight, however, was different.

She turned to see Peter's crib against the wall beside them, and she smiled when she made out his little bum pressed against the slats. It was hard to believe he was a year and a half old, now, and she marveled at the fact that this was the only life he'd known—this little cabin, with his older brother just a few feet away to watch over him. Ruby knew it wouldn't be too long before Peter would be running after August trying to keep up, but for now, August loved coaxing his baby brother to race across the floorboards in his toddler waddle.

Ruby smiled and turned her head back to Archie. Her gaze lingered over his features, now relaxed in sleep, that she knew even better than her own: his brow, so deeply furrowed in empathy when they first met, as if he was long accustomed to holding on to the burdens of others to give them respite. His kind, clear eyes, now hidden behind delicate eyelids, that so often overflowed with understanding, that sparkled so brightly when he laughed, an effect only heighted by the lines that framed them. She ran her fingers along his arm, sliding down the soft fuzz of hair until she reached his hand, his fingers, roughened by years of farm work that, before that, had been trained in healing—his strong arms that could work a plough and provide the gentlest comfort in an embrace—his hands that played with their boys until they collapsed into fits of giggles and could also make her hum in pleasure…

Her pulse buzzed in her veins as butterflies fluttered in her chest, unwilling to listen to reason and postpone their activity until after dawn. Perhaps it was the moon calling to her with the same gravity that pulled back the tides, or maybe it was the secret she'd been keeping, protecting, polishing like a precious jewel that shone its silvery light through every crevice of her ribs, but suddenly—Ruby could no longer fight the impulse.

"Archie," she whispered, turning to face him completely. "Archie!"

She chuckled as his expression remained unmoved.

"Archie!" she finally hissed at the risk of waking up their toddler.

"Hmm?" he murmured as he raised his brows without opening his eyes.

"Archie, I need you to come with me," Ruby murmured, tracing his jaw lightly. She could hear her pulse in her ears and she licked her lips.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, his features suddenly creased in a frown as his eyes fluttered open. "What's wrong?"

"No, no—nothing's wrong," Ruby assured him, pressing a kiss to his lips that he instinctively returned. "I just need you to come with me."

"Darling, it's the middle of the night."

"I know, and I'm sorry, but…" Ruby trailed off before she broke into a grin. "It'll be worth it, I promise."

With a gentle shove, she was able to convince him to get out of bed, though not without a groan as he grabbed his glasses and pushed them up his nose. She bit her lip as she grabbed a couple of blankets before she led him outside, the two of them clad in nothing but their nightshirts as they stepped down into the soil from the front porch.

The moon shone bright, and Ruby's heart caught in her throat as it bathed the world in silver. Such a sight was rarely enjoyed, and Ruby gave Archie's hand a squeeze as she paused for a moment. He smiled at her, causing her heart to swell for an entirely different reason, and she turned to lead him to his spot that overlooked the valley.

The treetops, cloaked in their golden autumn colours, looked like they belonged to the world of fairies as the moon shone its ethereal light over them. It was enough to make Ruby forget the true reason she'd dragged her husband—her very hard-working and tired husband—from their cozy bed.

"It is beautiful," he murmured as if reading her mind, taking her in his arms as they sat on the log bench, draping one blanket over their legs, the other over their shoulders.

"Mmhmm," she agreed, her heart beginning to race as their breaths fogged before them in the chill of the October evening. She closed her eyes to hear the chirps of the crickets around them, a symphony of strings, and she let out a happy sigh. As if to agree, a lone wolf added its own voice to the chorus, and a shiver of delight ran through her.

"Are you cold?" Archie asked against her ear, his lips brushing her skin.

"No, not at all," she assured him. In truth, the late autumn air was unusually warm, adding to the fairytale-quality of the familiar landscape. Ruby wasn't entirely convinced that they hadn't stepped through some sort of portal like in August's books, transporting them to another world that only happened to resemble their own.

"Sometimes I forget how beautiful this place is," Archie said, echoing Ruby's own thoughts. "And then, to see it at night, with the moon—the stars—the magnificent carpet of the heavens."

Ruby chuckled. "That is poetic."

Archie hugged his arms more tightly around her and pressed a kiss to her hair, and the mirth that danced under her skin settled into something more sincere.

Ruby parted her lips and took a deep breath before she spoke. "I hope—I hope you know how much I love our life together," she said, shifting in Archie's arms to face him. She noticed the adoration in his eyes, along with the flicker of confusion as he sought to understand her motive.

"I… do…" he said with a slow nod, lowering his hands to take hers in his grip. "I love you so much," he added. He cupped her cheek, and Ruby had to fight the tears that welled up as his clear blue eyes shone in the moonlight with emotion.

"I love you, too," she replied, choking on the words as a lump rose in her throat. For a moment, she wanted to freeze time, commit the sight of him to memory, him bathed in the silvery light and looking at her like she was the moon. And then, she remembered herself, her heart beating against her chest as if her earthly body was no match to contain such emotions. "And I'm so grateful for everything you've given me."

Slowly, she brought his hands up to her mouth and pressed her lips to his fingers. When she looked up, she could see his features creased in sincerity as she lowered his hands and pressed them to her stomach. "Now, I have something to give you…"

Time itself really did stand still as she held her breath and studied every movement of his expression. Puzzlement melted into recognition before he lit up like the sun, and Ruby was certain this was one of the happiest moments of her life.

"Oh, Ruby," he breathed, glancing between their hands clasped over her stomach and her eyes. "I—is it—are you sure?"

Ruby laughed as tears welled up. "I think so," she assured him. In truth, she had always regretted how long she'd waited to confirm her first pregnancy, and this time around, she was far more confident in the changes she could already detect in her body. Besides, Percy's confirmation had also helped.

"Oh, Ruby," Archie said again, taking her in his arms, and she dug her fingers into his shoulders as she hugged him tightly. "We're going to have a baby!"

"We're going to have a baby," she agreed. As they finally pulled back, she felt as if her heart could float away in joy as she met Archie's gaze.

Slowly, reverently, he took her face in his hands and tilted his head, bringing her lips to his in a tender kiss filled with all the love and hope that flooded her own heart.

After a prayer of thanks, they sat together for a long while under the canopy of stars, basking in their own private paradise, wholly unconcerned for the pressing matters that would come with the dawn. Ruby let out a happy sigh and relaxed into Archie as she marvelled at the countless blessings that had been bestowed upon her—upon them. His arms around her, his hands clasped at her middle, he stroked her belly, and Ruby couldn't help but picture all that lay ahead—his arms around her when she would be as big as a house; Archie bouncing their baby boy or girl in his embrace in front of the fireplace as he'd sing; August and Peter watching out for their little baby brother or sister as they caught frogs or jumped into puddles or found some other such mischief.

How much had changed, when just over two years ago she had been a grieving widow, an expectant mother without a soul to claim as a friend, hunched over a rough wooden cross. She took a deep breath and clasped her hands over Archie's arms held snuggly around her, his warmth radiating through her. The rare moment of quiet reminded her of the beauty of the life they were weaving together, a tapestry of both vibrant colours of life's joys and dark shades of heartbreak, with loose strands tucked in to create something whole and wonderful.

They had found their happily ever after.

THE END.

Author's note: I can't believe this time has come! I've probably mentioned before how this has been a passion project of mine for over two years, and I'm so pleased I've actually finished. More than that, I've so loved exploring this story of Ruby's and Archie's, and I'm excited about what's next!

Thank you so, so, so much for reading! I can't express how grateful I am for your views and comments. I hope you'll enjoy what's to come for everyone in Storybrooke. :)