Will the Chains Hold?
Summary: When Belle decided to stay, she hadn't anticipated how wrenching it would be to watch Ruby shift into a wolf in Storybrooke for the first time.
Notes and Rambles: Aaand here's the last part. Thanks for reading :D
The night wore on with Ruby sometimes howling, sometimes whimpering. Belle watched from behind Emma's desk, torn between maintaining distance to give Ruby some space and running in there to comfort her.
A text from David came at some point in the evening, informing Belle that the riot had been minor and people had gone back to their homes. King George –Spencer—left, too. David went on to also say that he hoped that would be end of it, but expressed doubt that it wouldn't be. Belle didn't know what else to say other than to thank David for his efforts.
There was no word from Granny yet.
Belle sighed and went back to watching Ruby.
She wasn't even trying to escape. That there were people who were angry with her for something beyond her control infuriated Belle. They were wrong to even suggest that Ruby was a beast with nothing but blood and murder in mind.
If they could only see Ruby right now, they would know and understand. They should know and understand.
They were complete strangers when they first met. Their lives in Storybrooke hadn't crossed paths until that day in the diner while their lives in the Enchanted Forest had been worlds apart. Belle was just a customer at the diner ordering iced tea, but Ruby had still taken the time to talk to her and get to know her. She offered Belle a place to stay.
It took an especially good person to just offer that to someone they'd never met before.
The loved ones she trusted, her father and Rumple, went on and treated her like an incompetent child, forcing her into decisions and situations without her consent, hiding their motivations from her, depriving her of any choice in any matter.
Amidst all that, Ruby always asked Belle what she wanted to do.
How could anyone like that be a monster?
The high, piercing pitch of pained whines shot through Belle's ears. She bolted upright, realizing she'd dozed off without meaning to. Through a window, Belle saw purple streaking through the sky, hinting at the early stages of dawn.
From her spot in the corner, Ruby was trembling, tail between her legs, ears pushed back. Several more whimpers pushed through her gritted teeth. It was a brief spell, concluding with Ruby pacing the width of her cell, panting and carrying a tired expression.
Belle recognized the early stages of Ruby transforming back and stood up, all trace of the previous grogginess gone. Fully awake now, Belle felt her stomach churn with uneasiness. If shifting back was going to be just as bad as last night, this was going to be another long several hours.
The second bout had Ruby collapsing onto her side, whimpering and crying out as her back arched into unnatural positions. All four limbs were stretched out, being pulled from their sockets by an unseen force.
Pained by the very sight, Belle went straight to the cell and grasped the bars. She was just about to open the door when Ruby scrambled to her feet and let out another rumbling bark of a warning.
"But-"
Ruby pounced forward and stopped just in front of Belle. The remaining chains were pulled taut and the few bars still intact protested with a metallic clang. A long, drawn out snarl involving bared teeth and flashing eyes told Belle she was better off staying outside of the cell.
It didn't stop her from wishing she were in there instead though. Belle slid down to sit on the floor and watch with helplessness and frustration bubbling through her.
The next bout jerked Ruby's body to the side with the same sickening crunches that still made Belle's skin crawl. It was excruciating to watch the transformation happen all over again, each bout more severe than the last, with the rest periods in between growing shorter and shorter, the sounds of breaking bone getting louder and louder. Another bar broke in the middle of a particularly strong episode, when Ruby thrashed on the floor and pulled at the chains, screaming out sounds that were somewhere between wolf and human.
Clutching the bars in a grip so tight her knuckles turned white and her palms grew numb, Belle wished she could turn her head away from the sight but her eyes remained fixed on the writhing wolf she knew was Ruby.
The passing hours could well have been passing days with the way they dragged on at such an agonizing pace. By the time it was over, sunlight was already filtering through the window, casting light on the destroyed bars and chains, and on Ruby's trembling, naked form.
Once it looked like the transformation was over, Belle fumbled with the cell door in her haste to get it open. She grabbed a blanket from the nearest bed and rushed to Ruby's side, putting it over her body.
Besides sweat, dust and some lose strands of fur shed by the wolf, Belle saw several bruises coloring Ruby's skin. There were several along her back and shoulders, but the worst damage was the red, worn out skin around her wrists, ankles and neck. The manacles had cut into her at some parts, causing portions that were bleeding as much as bruising.
There was no use in asking Ruby if she was alright because she clearly wasn't. Belle worked on removing the manacles first, freeing the irritated skin from their restraints.
"Sorry," Ruby's voice was low and raspy, rough against a dry throat.
Belle removed the last manacle from Ruby's ankle before turning to stare at her. The sight of those eyes—recognizable again in that cool, calming shade of green—should've given Belle the cheery, fluttery feeling they usually produced. Instead, the heavy guilt and sadness made Belle pause. "What are you talking about?"
Wincing, the slightest of movements too much exertion on her exhausted body, Ruby lifted a hand to lightly touch Belle's scratched cheek before dropping it back to the floor. "Didn't mean to… I just… It just happened and- Belle, I never would have- I'm just- I-" Ruby swallowed dryly, her voice still rough against her throat. "I'm sorry." Her eyes were glossy and pained.
"Ssh," Belle pulled Ruby closer. The scratches were minor. If not for this reminder, Belle would have completely forgotten that they were even there. Aside from the light twinges of pain, they were nothing. "I know you didn't mean it."
"I just…" Ruby's voice shook as she pulled her arms close to her body and continued to shiver under the blanket. "I blacked out for a while and… and it was like flashing in and out of control and I just… Belle, I'm so sorry." She buried her face into the crook of Belle's arm.
Belle wanted to get up and get water for Ruby, or dig through this office until a first aid kit was found and could be immediately used to treat Ruby, or run to the diner for a drink and breakfast for her or go straight to Rumple and demand he work his magic on Ruby so this night would never happen again or physically pick Ruby up and carry her to her own bed so she could finally rest after going through an experience that couldn't possibly be described as anything other than hell.
But she also wanted to stay here and never leave Ruby's side and just soothe her and kiss her forehead and tell her it was okay now and she was safe and the pain was over.
Belle settled with asking, "How much do you remember?"
"I remember…" Ruby's head moved from Belle's arm to her lap. "I remember hurting you." The tone took a sharp turn towards bitter, resentful, soured by guilt and disgust.
"It's nothing." Something twisted in Belle's chest at the way Ruby continued to carry that same self-hate, that same conviction that she was far from being a good person. "Ruby, I've dealt with worse." A half-hearted attempt to use a light, playful tone just fell flat in Belle's mouth.
Too tired to contradict Belle or argue, Ruby sighed and closed her eyes. "I remember feeling scared and… feeling sad." The howls and whimpers through the night had been her way of expressing that.
Ruby's eyes snapped open again. "I remember wanting you to leave so I wouldn't hurt you anymore."
There was a tremble to her voice again as she swallowed and covered her face with the blanket. "I remember feeling so sad it was like my chest was going to explode again."
"You recognized me though." Was the first thing Belle could think of to try lifting Ruby's mood. "You stopped and you walked away from me. You did everything you could to avoid hurting me."
The only response was a sigh into the blanket.
"Ruby, that's the good in you." Belle continued. "That's who you are. It isn't in your nature to hurt people."
Keeping her face hidden in the blanket, Ruby brought her knees closer to her chest. The audible, unsteady sound of her breathing hinted that she was struggling to continue holding back tears.
"You're brave and strong for going through this," Belle's thumb traced circles around the cloth over Ruby's shoulder. "You're considerate for being as worried about me as you are." A long, shaky intake of breath came from under the blanket.
"That you're going through such worry over the safety of the town, so much so that you had this…" Belle gestured towards the entire cell even if Ruby might not see the movement from her position. "this whole set up, that's the good in you."
A sob and another shaky breath.
"Ruby," While still stroking Ruby's shoulder with one hand, Belle used the other to lift the blanket by an inch. At first, the cloth tensed as Ruby tightened her grip to keep her face covered. "Ruby, please…"
There was a sigh before the cloth relaxed, allowing Belle to pull it away from Ruby's face.
The sight gave Belle another jolt. Something constricted in her chest.
"What?" With one hand gripping the blanket across her chest, Ruby used the other to wipe at her face. A shiver ran through her body, and another sob escaped before she could control it.
Placing a hand on Ruby's cheek, Belle used her thumb to wipe a tear. "Ruby, listen to me." She tilted Ruby's head up to meet her eyes. They were still so sorrowful, Belle felt her chest tighten further. Without really thinking about it, without hesitating, she leaned forward and kissed Ruby's forehead. "You are not a monster."
Neither confirming nor denying it, Ruby just moved closer and pressed her face against Belle's shoulder.
This side to Ruby, exhausted and hurt and broken, it was so different from the cheerful woman Belle had met at the diner, bubbling with energy and quick to offer the widest grins ever to grace a person's face.
This Ruby was curled up and sobbing, her insecurities and faults and regrets and fears as exposed by the entire night as her body under the blanket.
"I-I'll talk to Rumple about finding a way to make the next night easier." Belle stroked Ruby's hair, which was wild and tangled after a night of thrashing and writhing. It wasn't like the soft waves she usually maintained throughout the day. "We'll figure this out."
"Belle?" Ruby's voice was muffled by Belle's shoulder.
She continued stroking Ruby's hair, careful to be as light and gentle as possible. After hours of that torture, the last thing she needed was more discomfort. "Yes?"
"Thanks for staying."
"I told you that you wouldn't be getting rid of me so easily, didn't I?
Belle wouldn't have left Ruby like that for anything.