This was written before episode 5x09 aired. In this universe, Zelena and Ruby didn't meet in Camelot, or anywhere else for that matter.
Also, I was just writing and writing what I had on my mind and it got very long so I just cut it into more chapters. I'm sorry for the end of this one... No, actually, I'm not :P
I'm also sorry it took me so long, I was dealing with some personal stuff that didn't allow me to write, especially this.
Please, let me know what you think and if you like it!
Thank you for sticking with me!
They were driving to Regina's vault, mostly in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Ruby threw a quick look at Zelena and smiled. Focusing on the road in front of her again, she let her mind wander to the time the redhead woman appeared.
She didn't actually really interact with her back then. She was sick of all the magical disasters, people being killed, supposedly dead people appearing again and dying soon after, her memories getting erased and constantly having to figure out what the hell happened and who caused that.
She just wanted some time away from everything. She needed time to focus on herself and connecting to the wolf in her. Being a wolf in Storybrooke wasn't easy. Not because people would be afraid of her and organized wolf hunts but because the space was limited. Yes, there is a forest but unfortunately, not unlimited. There's still the town line and with every new villain paying them a vengeful visit, the consequences of crossing it were changing.
A wolf is not a couch pet that can sleep the whole day at your door, going for a walk twice a day. It's a wild animal that needs to go for a run. And once she started, she couldn't stop. She loved running in the woods, spending hours in the wolf form, not having to care about anything and anyone.
Not that she would abandon all her family and friends, she was still there for them and she would come if they needed her. But she never felt so free.
That's why she didn't really care about Zelena and all this mess around. Until she heard that Regina was holding her captive in a cell and restraining her magic with the cuff. Her first reaction was that Regina probably knew what she was doing, after all, Zelena had proven to be dangerous before and everyone was just cautious. But then there was the baby. Ruby tried to understand why would Regina, of all people, take the baby away from its mother.
Luckily for Zelena, after the whole Camelot debacle and Emma finally becoming good again, Regina left Robin. Ruby didn't know what exactly happened, just that her feelings for Emma had something to do with the whole curse breaking. Which also led to letting Zelena go. Of course she was being watched and she had the cuff. They took turns in checking on her and once she proved that she's trying to be good and after long discussions, they agreed that she doesn't have to wear the cuff anymore.
Ruby was watching all this from distance, putting all the pieces together. The more information about Zelena she got, the more she sympathized with her.
The redhead woman didn't have many friends, more like none and the only people she talked to where the ones constantly checking on her and controlling her. Ruby often found Zelena sitting at the diner alone, reading a book or staring out of the window. And so the brunette took it as her responsibility to really care about her. She always took her time to make sure Zelena was doing okay, she added some extra treats to her orders and gave her her brightest smiles.
Zelena always looked at her suspiciously but never said anything. Ruby was putting all the pieces together and finding out more and more information about her. She tried to talk to her a couple times but Zelena didn't like when she was asking questions about her.
And look at them now. Driving in a car together, meeting Regina in her vault. Zelena was fidgeting with her sleeves, not really sure what to do. In fact she had no idea how to behave. She didn't remember when the last time she dated someone was, if ever. But she was pretty sure that meeting your sister because of some magical emergencies wasn't on the first dates lists.
"Relax, it's gonna be okay." Ruby grinned at her.
"You say that like you don't know my dear sister at all," Zelena grimaced.
"Maybe I know her more than you think," the brunette said and stopped the car by the forest path leading to the vault.
"Great, my potential girlfriend fucked my sister," Zelena rolled her eyes and got out of the car.
"That's not what I meant. I never slept with her."
"And why would I believe you that? You keep saying how well you know her, how she came to meet you, for some reason she let you handle me…"
"You should believe me that because it's the truth. If you don't, fine. That's not the most important thing now. Come on." Ruby stretched out her hand and waited. Zelena hesitated for a moment but then interweaved her fingers with the brunette's.
Soon they came to the vault. The door was open. Regina and Emma were already waiting for them.
"Finally. I was wondering if you'd show up." Regina turned around from lighting up the candles and smiled politely at them.
All three women just rolled their eyes.
"I was also wondering if you would come here or just poof yourself here."
"If it was a test then I think we passed," Ruby smiled and made herself comfortable in the nearest chair and gestured for Zelena to do the same. She just shook her head and looked at her sister expectantly.
"So what do I have to do to earn your trust, sis?" The red head woman asked hesitantly.
"When you asked like this…" Regina was obviously enjoying this whole thing a way too much.
"We… were thinking that you would perform some spells, starting with the easy ones, going to the more difficult," Emma jumped in quickly, trying to stop the surely coming disaster.
"Oh so now you're a magic expert," Zelena raised her eyebrow.
"No. I'm just saying what the plan is." She walked to Ruby and sat next to her. "Gosh, how do you willingly deal with this?"
"And how do you deal with that?" Ruby laughed and looked at Regina. Both sisters were just standing opposite each other, staring.
"True. They are a lot alike, right?" Emma hissed silently, afraid that either of them might hear her.
"More than they would ever admit. Maybe you should magic us some popcorn?"
"And sign us a death sentence? No, thanks." Emma pulled a face and focused on the two women.
"Shall we begin?" Zelena crossed her arms, "I don't have a whole night for this."
"Would you rather run around with the wolf? I'm sorry if this cut your date short." Regina snickered and turned to the shelves for some things.
"Regina…" Ruby's tone was warning, she sat up straight, ready to shoot out of her chair.
"For God's sake, Regina, just get it over with so that we can all go do something better." Emma didn't move, just rolled her eyes.
"Oh you mean my sister?" Zelena grinned knowingly.
Regina turned around sharply and formed a fireball in her hand. Zelena didn't stay behind and formed a green fireball in her own hand.
"Okay, guys, no fighting please!" Ruby jumped on her feet and ran in front of the red haired woman.
"Regina, put the fire down, you could burn all the books and the whole place!" Emma stood up as well, standing next to her girlfriend in a second.
The sisters were still standing with their fires in their hands, staring at each other.
"Ruby, I don't want to hurt you, you should go somewhere else."
"I'm counting on it. If Regina throws the fireball, you're gonna stop her. You won't let her hurt me." Ruby's voice was firm, she was looking Regina deep in her eyes, not moving an inch.
"Ruby, I think you should listen to your girlfriend. We don't want to hurt you, this is between us."
"No. This is between all of us. I don't know what you had planned but if you throw it and she stops it, then we're done here."
"And if she doesn't stop it?" Emma tried carefully.
"Then we're gonna talk about it later."
"Ruby…" Zelena whispered and slowly put her hand on her side. The brunette smiled and quickly squeezed the other woman's hand and pushed it away.
"I may not have magic but I'm a wolf. Regina?" She nodded at the older woman and spread her legs a little to have more balance.
Emma was watching it in horror, looking from one to another, not really sure what to do and ready to jump in to save her friend, or girlfriend, if needed.
Regina watched the couple for a moment, the red head basically hidden behind the brunette and then she finally threw the fireball.