CHAPTER TWO

"Why didn't you end up with the huntsman?"

"He wasn't my type. I mean I was thinking of asking him to hide with me; I knew that I would have a better chance at surviving out in the woods better with him; then alone. Just – when it was time to ask him to join me – I looked into his eyes..."

"He wasn't the one for you."

"No. But; I knew that the moment I first set eyes on him in the castle. No; I just knew he didn't belong in the woods with me."

"But you could have saved him. His heart."

"I didn't know Emma, I'm so sorry darling; I didn't know what Regina was going too do to Graham."

– Snow White and Emma in the enchanted forest as they try to fall asleep.

THE TROUBLE WITH HENRY'S BOOK

MARY MARGARET'S APARTMENT

"It's like I have this huge hole in my heart. A hole that I never even realized that I had until just a few weeks ago." Mary Margaret stared into the open, and compassionate eyes of the taller brunette that was sitting close to her on the couch. Matter of fact Mary couldn't tell whom hips were whose that was how close the two were sitting. She didn't mind it not one bit. Which was weird because she had always been uncomfortable with anyone getting too close to her. But; she didn't know why. She loved the closeness of Ruby's body to hers. She loved when Emma allowed her to be close to her. She tried to pin point at what point in her life that she started to be uncomfortable with human closeness. It just didn't figure true. "From the moment I slid my eyes over to look at Emma standing in against the cabinets of my classroom. Emma was scared stiff;" She smiled thin; "Who wouldn't be when Regina Mills was on a war path. The poor child." She sighed.

Ruby gently ran soft circles on the back of Mary's hand.

"At the sight of Emma Swan and I realized how truly empty my heart truly was. That no matter how much I love my kids; and how much I volunteer; that I would never ever be able to heal the heart." Mary frowned. "But; that isn't true. My heart is beginning to heal; now that Emma is living with me." She looked into Ruby's brown eyes; "Doesn't that sound very sick? That a total stranger; one that I had never met before in my life; can insistently fill a part; no; a major part of my broken heart?"

"What if your soul has known Emma's soul in a past life?" Ruby right eye brow rose. "I mean that's what it feels like too me. I felt like Emma filled a hole in my heart also when I first set eyes on her; when she rented a room from Granny. She is someone important to me. I haven't figured it out. But; I fully know that Emma is someone important to me. Even through I have never met her before."

"I don't believe in past lives." Mary shook her head. "What if Henry's theory is right."

"That we are characters in his book?" Ruby asked.

"Whom has he told you that you are?" Mary asked.

"Red Riding Hood." Ruby said.

Mary blinked. "Snow White's best friend." She whispered. She swallowed after a sudden thickness entered her throat. "That's why you are here." She got off form the couch. She wrapped her arms tightly across her chest as she backed away. "You are here because Henry told you that you were Red; and that I am Snow White." She barked in harsh laughter; "What did Henry send you here? Hmm … was he worried about poor and meek Mary Margaret Blanchard that he has to take upon himself to fill her life with his chosen friends?"

"Mary it's not like that at all." Ruby's eyes widen.

"Did he or did he not inform you that I was Snow White?" Mary seethed.

"Yes he did." Ruby sighed. "But; that's not why I came over here." She wanted too stand up, and go to the older but shorter woman; but she could tell that if she moved then Mary would lock herself up tighter then well … Emma.

Mary snorted. "I can't believe this." Her green eyes leaped fire. "I can make friends on my own thank you very much. I don't need a mere child … granted a very special child …. to make me friends. I have a very full filling life thank you very much." Her chest tightened for the lack of air. "If I didn't know better; I think he stole my credit card to find Emma; his birth mother; to bring her here to be my friend." She shook her head with a ragged laugh; "But; I can't believe that of the sweet lonely boy."

"Can you calm yourself down and just breathe?" Ruby asked in a calm voice. "You are turning red, and also white. I don't want you fainting on me." She saw that the shorter brunette wasn't listening to her one bit. She bit her bottom lip as she jumped to her feet. She quickly found herself with her arms wrapped tightly around the hyperventilating woman. "If I have to breathe for you, Mary, then I damn will for sure." She said as she felt the woman began to fight against her. "I'm not letting go. You are just going to pass out that much quicker if you keep fighting me. Stop it." She hissed as an elbow smashed into her solo complex. Damn! I need to get her to stop twisting on me. She'll pass out if she keeps fighting me. Hell; I'm amazed Mary Margaret isn't out cold right now. Forget this fighting business – she hasn't taken one good breathe in three minutes. How the hell is she still conscious and still so strong?

Mary stopped moving suddenly, and wrapped her arms tightly around Ruby's back. She fought to control her breathing; because she damn well didn't want to pass out. She wouldn't mind Ruby breathing for her; but it would be damn awkward knowing that herself had caused for the situation to happen. It would be totally different if Ruby breathed for her due to life and death situation; but Mary Margaret knew that working herself into obviation wasn't one. "I'm sorry." She meekly said into Ruby's warm neck.

"Don't be." Ruby said as she rubbed small circles around, and around the shorter brunette's back.

"How can you say that? I just had a massive panic attack in your arms. You have come here to be my friend – and instead of accepting you as I should – I mistrust you and push you away." Mary's green eyes stare at the couch; where moments ago she had been sitting peacefully next to Ruby.

"I would take your hatred any day of the week. As long as you have feelings for me." Ruby softy said. "Just so you will have feelings for me."

Mary pulled away quickly, keeping her arms around Ruby's forearms. "I could never hate you." She looked deeply into Ruby's eyes. "I could never hate you." She firmly reinstated.

ENCHANTED FOREST

THE CABIN

Snow wrapped the blanket around her body as she watched the sheet covered Red kneeling in front of the fire place. "You should have taken the blanket."

"No." Red roughly replied. "You need the blanket more than I."

"Why do you do that?" Snow demanded.

Red placed a few more pieces of wood onto the small stack. "I'm not doing anything." She frowned as she realized that there wasn't enough air for the fire to take hold. She forcefully moved aside three pieces of logs and then grabbed the two rocks.

"Ever since you learned that I'm a Princess you have treated me like I'm better then you." Red slapped the rocks against one another and chose not to reply. Snow got off the bed and moved to kneel down next to the taller brunette. She placed her right hand over Red's moving ones. "I'm not better than you; Red. Matter of fact I'm lesser then you."

Red's head whipped around. "No!" She exclaimed. "Never ever say that about yourself ever again. It's not true. It will never be true."

"I don't know how to take care of myself. My entire life I always had servants to tend to my every whim. I never learned how to survive on my own." Snow shook her head. "Not like you. Even Regina could survive in the woods if she had too." Her lips thinned; "I think she and Daniel would have been happy living in the woods if they could have gone off together."

Snow sighed deeply; "You promised to teach me how to survive in the woods; Red; but how the hell can I do that when you won't let me do anything for myself?"

"Look it's been a rough couple of days for you. You have finally stopped running long enough to have everything catch up to you." Red sighed. "I'm keeping my promise to you Princess Snow White. I will teach you how to survive …."

"Snow." Snow frowned darkly.

Red blinked.

"Don't ever call me Princess Snow White ever again." Snow jaw tightened.

"You are a Princess – even though the Queen wants to dissonance you." Red shrugged.

"My name is Snow." Snow looked steadily into the hazel eyes of the younger brunette. "Just Snow."

Red read the truth in the forest green eyes twelve inches from her own. "Okay." She whispered.

"You also had a rough couple of days also Red. You deserve this blanket," Snow's hand was on the front part of the blanket. "just as much as I. More so in my book." Her right hand rose to touch Red's warm cheek. "I can comfort and protect you." Caressing the cheek; "Don't push me away Little Red Riding Hood."

Red pulled back. "It's not safe for you to be so close to me." Her eyes lowered downcast; "Come Wolfs time I can very well eat you."

"You turned into the wolf to protect me." Snow replied.

"I killed my mother by accident." Red shook her head. "I can kill you by accident also." Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Snow moved closer and cupped Red's chin in the palms of her hands; "I love you. I trust you with my life. You are my family." Leaning in she gently kissed the corner of Red's right eye.

"How can you love a monster like me?" Red whimpered in a near whisper. "I don't even love myself any longer. I can't stand whom I am. I'm a murder. I'm no better than the Queen."

"You aren't a murder." Snow firmly said. "You are nothing like the Evil Queen." She couldn't bring herself to say Regina name; because the Evil Queen wasn't Regina. Not the Regina she met when she was ten. No the Evil Queen was a twisted person of pure hate. "I'm never going to be separated from you ever, Little Red." She tearfully smiled. "You are quite stuck with me; weather you like it or not."

"I wish I could love that you are with me from now on; Snow; but I can't; because I know that I'll kill you just like I did with Peter." Red moved away from Snow; causing the smaller brunette's hands leave her skin. She scooted backwards on her butt because she knew her legs wouldn't be able support her" weight.

"Next full moon you'll realize that the Wolf would never harm me." Snow softly smiled; "Even that first time I heard you howling in the night; and I was terrified. That I just knew that if that wolf had tracked me; it wouldn't harm me. You will never harm me."

"You are right. I will never harm you ever again." Red firmly said. "Granny has been tracking me since the woods where I killed Peter. She knows that I know that she's around; she knows that I have to make the first move to fixing our relationship."

Snow's eyes thinned her chin jetted to the right; "Red; where are you going with this?"

"I'll get Granny to come and protect you. She'll teach you how to survive in the woods." Red looked up from her lap into compassionate emerald green eyes. "You can be an honorary granddaughter for her; to take my place." She lowered her eyes once more.

"Don't do this Red. Please don't run away from the people whom love you." Snow tearfully pleaded. She moved herself forward; so she could finally touch Red's skin once more.

"Granny can protect you better then I ever could." Red's hazel eyes snapped upward once more to meet Snow square in the eyes. "You will manage to stay alive; and away from the Queen's henchmen much longer than if I remain with you."

Snow desperately pushed forward; and wrapped her arms tightly around the shaking form of the taller brunette. "I'm never going to let you go." She firmly said in Red's right ear. "Even if we have to live the rest of our lives here in the cabin; in front of the fireplace; naked expect for these bed sheets covering us; I'm NOT letting you go."

Red wrapped her arms tightly around Snow's waist; and pulled herself even tighter against the shorter brunette. Resting her chin on Snow's bare shoulder; "Thank you." she whispered.

END CHAPTER TWO