Hello, Everyone. A guest left a review that I felt needed addressed for everyone who may have the same questions. As to where this story is headed, I intend only to go as far as the end of season two. It may feel like "déjà vu" or circular in terms of plot because I am simply taking major events from the actual show and putting my own spin on them. I've listed events from each episode and picked from them what I felt would advance the story and mapped each chapter accordingly. Not all events follow the same order as the canon depicts, but I've incorporated them as I needed them. My preparation is one of the reasons I am able to write, edit and post so quickly. I don't need to think about what I've already planned, just the emotion and dialogue.
As for the disruptions in relationships, I needed Emma down at first so that Regina would learn how to stand on her own and earn the respect of the town without wondering if it was her or Emma's influence. Now that she has that, expect more from SwanQueen. As for the other disruptions in relationship building, I'm only taking major events and reworking them to suit my original ideas and subplots. Fairy tales are all about the journey after all! I've considered writing a separate but similar story for season 1 and 3 as well, obviously a continuance and prequel to this one, but they will each have their own resolution and can be read as stand-alones. For now, I want to focus solely on this, though because it is my favorite season. ;) I hope this answers your question!
And on that note, enjoy my lovelies!
Songs: Shatter Me by Lzzy Hale and Lindsey Stirling, Slow Goodbye by Leslie Roy (Ruby and Belle's official theme song until further notice)
After a misstep to the wrong room, Snow stopped at the door of Emma's new room and took a deep breath. It had been a long night of unfortunate occurrences and catastrophes, not least of which was Regina's recovery of a very much alive Ruby Lucas. She straightened her spine and reminded herself that this wasn't about her or Regina or the former queen's relationship with Emma. Ruby had taken a beating, mentally and physically, and the night's events delivered another blow.
Her heart swelled and clenched at the same time at the scene she uncovered when she pushed the heavy door open. She might have been a part of this had she not been so incredibly rash.
Henry slept on the cot, his hand thrown over Emma's shin protectively. Granny slumped over Ruby's thigh, snoring lightly. The young waitress clung tightly onto her grandmother's hand and seemed to be at least resting if not sleeping. Her damaged face made discerning her state nearly impossible. Emma and Regina sat side by side on her bed. Emma's head drooped onto Regina's shoulder, blonde hair spreading over her face and onto the other woman's chest.
Regina leaned her cheek against Emma's head and clasped her hand tightly. Her eyes, however, were wide open. She kept vigil on her family, forgoing a probably much-needed night of sleep in exchange for ensured protection for those dearest to her. She raised a thin eyebrow at Snow's sudden appearance but said nothing.
"Regina," Snow whispered and then stepped hesitantly into the room. She bit her lip and then made a decision. Both of Regina's eyebrows raised when her arch nemesis moved silently to the chair she'd been in earlier and sat next to her.
"Regina, something's happened. I know you hate me right now, and I'm sure Emma and Ruby do as well. This is about Belle," Snow babbled hurriedly.
"She was at the town line with Gold. We're not sure why. She…" Snow cleared her throat and glanced over at Ruby. Dread slipped into Regina's heart, chilling her from the inside out.
"She fell over the line," Snow continued. "We aren't completely sure about the details yet. Hook was there, but Gold had beaten him pretty badly by the time we arrived. A man broke them up when he drove into Storybrooke. Greg Mendell. He's not from here; he's from Pennsylvania," Snow finished and took a deep breath.
"Belle's memories?" Snow shook her head, and Regina's face tightened as her eyes slipped shut.
"Regina?" The former queen raised an eyebrow, irritated that Snow hadn't disappeared when she opened her eyes.
"If I apologized, would you let me?" Snow's voice quieted further with emotion, shame.
"You just did. Good Night, Miss Blanchard," Regina snipped, referring to her identity as a grade school teacher, stripping her of all titles even her married one.
Snow nodded sadly and then exited without another word. Regina huffed and settled into the upright bed. Emma stiffened, disentangled her hand from Regina's, and wrapped it around her hips. Regina drew a sharp breath and forced herself to relax at the abrupt, more intimate touch. It wasn't sexual, but it spoke of intimacy.
"She's trying, you know?" Emma mumbled into her shoulder.
"So was I," Regina countered, anger building in her stomach.
Emma grunted and then raised Regina's arm enough to slip underneath. She pressed the button on the bed, lowering them to an almost flat position and then nuzzled into the crook of Regina's shoulder. The dark hair woman looked down at her, amused. She lay flat on her back, head on Regina's chest and shoulder, one hand trailing up and down her forearm, the other flung carelessly on her stomach. Her fist rested between Regina's breasts.
"What are we going to tell Ruby?" Emma asked seriously. She may have been comfortable, but Snow's revelation left her wide awake and anxious. Regina propped her free arm behind her head and sighed.
"I'm going to tell her the truth. She's not a child, Emma," Regina scolded her… whatever in the hell Emma was.
"She's just gone through so much. Maybe we could wait a few days. Granny said that with wolf strength she healed twice as fast. I'd like to have some of that," Emma babbled, unaware of Regina's eyes slipping shut at the soft cadence of her voice. She'd sat up alone in a quiet hospital room for several hours now, and Emma's warmth against her body and her heart tugged her down until she was capable of nothing else except giving in to the call of sleep.
Emma glanced up when she received no response, twisting her neck uncomfortably. "Regina? Are you asleep?" She asked stupidly.
"I will be if you stop yapping," Regina sniped and readjusted her head. Emma settled back against her again, silently this time. Emma wiggled gently, finding her comfy spot again. She followed Regina's arm to where it rest on her shoulder and played with her fingers, not ready for the woman to fall asleep yet.
"Regina?" She asked again without looking towards Regina's face. She slid her fingers between Regina's smaller ones, loving the way her smooth, pampered skin felt against her rough calluses.
"What is it now, Miss Swan?" Regina cracked an eye and huffed, preparing one of her regal hissy fits as Ruby called them.
"I love you, too," she replied in a small voice, and Regina nearly asked her to repeat the words just to ensure she'd heard correctly.
Instead, she craned her neck and pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head. She captured Emma's fingers between hers and brought both of them to Emma's shoulder. Her heart flipped in her chest, and she fought the urge to pull it out and study it. Perhaps, maybe it wasn't so hard and dark anymore.
"Sleep, Miss Swan," Regina encouraged lightly and lay her head back onto her arm. Her eyes slipped shut.
"Regina?" Emma caught her attention a third time. Regina huffed and gritted her teeth, almost wishing Emma still needed morphine injections every couple of hours. She continued when Regina refused an answer.
"Why do you keep changing your ring tone to songs about strippers?" Emma asked honestly, clearly confused by Ruby's prank, thinking Regina had done it.
"Ruby," Regina said simply as if it explained everything. It did. Emma smiled and finally closed her eyes, safe and secure in the only arms she ever wanted to hold her again. Regina hadn't left her, not once, and if Emma had a say in the matter, she'd never give her reason to again.
Morning brought with it a harsh light that immediately irritated the two cuddling women. Regina groaned and wondered why her arms were numb. Emma whined and flung her hand at the window as if trying to shut the curtains magically.
"Close the curtains," Regina grumbled, and the light disappeared. She cracked her eyes and discovered the culprit to be her son. "Henry, how long have you been up?" Her voice softened, but eyes slipped shut as her head fell back against the bed.
"Almost an hour. Granny's been up longer. She made me promise to watch over Ruby while she got us all breakfast. I thought she'd like the sun," the boy explained quickly, unused to seeing his mother grumpy in the morning.
"Let's wait until she wakes up and let her decide, hmm?" Regina suggested, hoping her son bought the line.
"Okay, Mom," he conceded and then turned his nose back to his book.
"Won't you come give me a good morning hug?" Regina asked, forcing her eyes open again.
"I can't," he answered gravely, and Regina's eyebrows pulled together.
"Why is that?" Regina grilled her son, slightly irritated at being rejected without good cause.
"I promised Granny that I wouldn't leave Ruby's side, like right here in this chair. She said she'd teach me how to be a better hero if I kept my promise," Henry's words gathered speed as his excitement took over.
"She told me that sometimes being a hero meant holding someone's hand and sometimes it meant staying up all night and keeping watch. She said that it's not very exciting being a hero, not like in my book. Apparently, it's really hard work and the job is never done, according to Granny. And sometimes, she says being a hero means letting someone we love be happy even if it isn't what we want for them because heroes make the right choice even if it's the harder choice," he glanced awkwardly between his two mothers and then hid his face in his book.
Regina's mouth hung open. Her son had rendered her speechless with his unexpected rant about heroes. Clearly, he'd spoken to Granny about her relationship with Emma while they'd been awake and alone in the early morning together. She glanced down at Emma and found wide, green eyes fully awake and staring at the boy, reflecting the surprise in the brown ones above her head.
"That Granny's a smart lady," Emma responded with a smile.
"Damn straight," Granny puffed as she entered the room. She fixed the boy with an over-the-glasses look. "You stay put like you said?" Henry nodded enthusiastically.
"That's my little hero," Granny praised and sat the bags and cardboard cup holder on the tray beside Emma's bed. "Pancakes, bacon, and hot chocolate is your reward," she said proudly and handed him the items.
Regina and Emma shared a slow glance at each other, mouths open, and then turned their eyes back to the interaction before them. What the hell had that woman done to their son?
"You going to suck air or eat your omelet?" She looked pointedly at Regina, propping a fist on her hip and waggling the foam food box at her. When Regina failed to respond quickly enough, she tossed the box on the bed at their feet. "Eat when you're done being a fish, then," she grumbled.
"They giving you real food yet?" She tossed over her shoulder at Emma.
"Uh, soft," she cleared her throat when her voice cracked. "Soft foods."
"Figured. Made some fried potatoes and white gravy for you and Ruby. I don't trust the food in this place," she grumbled and tossed another box on the bed along with two sets of silverware in individually wrapped baggies. She shoved a coffee into each of their hands, and Emma silently thanked some unseen being that she hadn't thrown that at them, too.
Henry grinned up at the elder Lucas, syrup smeared on his chin. Regina watched them for a moment and then urged Emma forward gently. She acted like Emma, but she still had massive damage inside her body. Luckily, Ruby had suffered no such fate. Her wrist was fractured, but that was the extent of internal injuries. Granny explained last night that wolves are tough, hard to kill and injure, which only made Regina feel sick. If Ruby healed quickly and sustained injuries beyond a normal human, how much tortured had it taken to weaken her to this point?
As if reading her mind, Ruby groaned to life. She touched her face and then winced. Granny had been right about her healing quickly, though. The swelling in her face had reduced exponentially, like it'd only been a bee sting. She finally looked like Ruby, bruised and cut, but Ruby nonetheless. Her eyes widened and she shot upright, regretting the quick motion immediately. Her ribs and head exploded with pain, and she grabbed her temples. After a moment, her eyes raised slowly in the direction of her food.
"You made fried potatoes," she breathed, clearly pleased with Granny's choice of breakfast.
Granny smirked and handed her a foam box and a plastic fork. The wolf ripped the lid off the box in her haste to remove anything separating her from the greasy food. She shoved a gigantic amount in her mouth and hummed when the salty flavor hit her tongue.
"Her favorite," Granny said in a loud, breathy whisper as she leaned slightly towards Emma and Regina like it was a secret.
"Huh. I'd have guessed road kill and grub worms," Regina deadpanned. Emma snorted coffee through her nose. Henry chortled. Ruby grinned over at her, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk in a nut shop.
"Slow down before you choke your stupid self," Granny chastised, and Ruby swallowed audibly, wincing as the massive amount of food slid down her throat.
"Yes, Granny," Ruby replied, appropriately rebuked for her behavior, but her eyes twinkled with the fantastic start of her morning.
Regina's heart sank. Ruby was so resilient, so very strong for her age, and she hated the fact that in a few minutes when she asked where Belle was, they were forced to break her heart all over again. Everyone felt the energy sober in the room, and Ruby glanced around her family, wondering what she'd done.
"Yeesh, who died?" Ruby blurted, not quite realizing yet that she'd been resurrected only yesterday. She knew nothing of Cora's sick joke of faking her death. When no one said anything, she sobered, eyes widening "Oh god, who died?"
"No one died, Ruby," Granny huffed. "Eat your breakfast," she ordered and then followed her own instruction with one watchful eye on her granddaughter.
"We're just glad to see you up and talking. You scared us," Regina's voice dropped with her second sentence, and her eyes fell to her half-eaten omelet. She wanted nothing to do with it but shoved a piece in her mouth anyway. Ruby deserved a few moments of contentment before being shattered again.
The young wolf shrugged when she found her mouth too full to speak. She swallowed and said with another shrug, "Wolves heal fast."
Regina and Emma shared a knowing look. Ruby may have regained her bounce for the moment, but they feared the night her nightmares began. They would, but Ruby seemed to have slept peacefully through the night, which helped her healing, so they stayed quiet on the subject. They ate in silence. Ruby finished first, and even Henry grimaced when she tipped the bowl of plain white gravy and drank it like the last few swallows of milk at the end of a bowl of cereal.
"Has Snow found Belle yet?" Ruby asked and then wiped at her mouth gently, wincing when the salty gravy found its way into one of the cuts on her mouth.
"Ruby," Regina sighed and scratched her forehead. She really loathed what she was about to do to her friend. "Belle… Last night there was an incident at the town line. Belle was injured and…" Regina sprang from Emma's bed and sat beside Ruby on hers.
"Ruby, Belle fell over the line. She doesn't remem…"
"No," Ruby said simply, face devoid of emotion. "No," she repeated, her voice raising slightly as her denial lessened. Suddenly, Regina was reminded of that frightened woman who had clung to her and spoke in broken sentences last night. Granny and Henry also reacted visibly, having only heard the information for the first time, but thankfully stayed put in their chairs.
"Ruby, we'll find a way to get them back. I need to research the curse more thoroughly, but we'll…" Regina started again.
"I want to see her," Ruby interrupted again. "I want to see her now, take me to her," She pushed off the bed, and Regina followed prepared to catch or stop her should she have fallen or bolted.
"Okay, I will take you to see her. Just calm down before you rip out your IV. Okay?" Ruby calmed but didn't sit. Satisfied that she averted a full out crisis, Regina glanced over her shoulder at Emma.
"Emma, call the nurse, please, and ask her Miss French's location," Regina said calmly, slipping easily into Mayor Mills with her cordial requests and calm, unsettling voice.
"I need clothes," Ruby said suddenly as if she only realized her she'd flash her ass to the world if she visited Belle in this gown.
"What would you like?" Regina asked. When Ruby only stared in confusion, she waved her hand, materializing Ruby's favorite combat boots now clear of blood and dirt of course. The situation was tenuous enough without triggering some sort of flash back of her torture.
"I want my uniform," she answered immediately. "No, wait, a cop might scare her, right? Loose jeans and a t-shirt. Just comfortable and normal, I guess," Ruby sighed in frustration and pressed the heals of her hands into her temples to alleviate the pounding behind her eyes.
"Okay, I'm going to have to touch you for that. Is that okay, Ruby?" Regina said honestly. She had hoped to summon something she'd already seen, and without that visualization, she'd be forced to use Ruby's body as a guide. Ruby nodded and straightened her spine.
"Room 310," Emma said. Regina nodded over her shoulder but remained focused on Ruby.
She snapped her fingers and one of Emma's black t-shirts appeared beneath the robe. That was easy, but her pants wouldn't fit Ruby's long legs. Regina found Ruby's hips beneath the gown. She studied those chocolate colored eyes for a moment. They were frightened, and Regina understood. Her true love may have been ripped from her forever. Instead of death, however, Ruby may be forced to see her everyday, knowing what they had could never be again. Ruby nodded, and Regina squatted quickly and ran her hands down Ruby's legs.
She jerked the gown by the neck, strings snapping under the pressure, and then sat on the bed. Ruby leaned over and then hissed, grabbing her side. She was on the verge of another break down, and Regina figured that nothing would stop it.
"Emma, why don't you take Henry to the vending machines? I need some chocolate. Milky Way if they have it," Regina said suddenly, pleading with Emma using only her eyes. They all understood that Regina preserved Ruby's dignity with the request and stood silently.
"Yeah, it's time for my morning walk anyway," Emma conceded darkly, not comfortable leaving Regina alone with a grieving werewolf, not after the last time she and Ruby had a stand-off. Regina and Ruby connected on a level that even Emma couldn't understand, and she knew that she'd never have talked Regina out of it. So, she kissed Regina's cheek, took their son's hand and pulled her IV pole out the door.
"I think I'll go with you," Granny said sadly, knowing she'd be no help soothing her girl's torment. The door clicked shut, and they were alone.
Regina touched Ruby's hair lightly but moved no closer. After a pregnant pause, the younger woman grabbed Regina's shirt and jerked her forward. She pressed her face into Regina's chest as a hollow wail escaped her throat. Regina gritted her teeth, face tightening with her own tears. Ruby's anguished cries mirrored those she'd released in her bathroom the day she had saved the idiots from Gold's fairy vortex. She knew this pain, and her memory called it to the surface easily.
She held one hand around Ruby's head, the other rubbing circles on her back. Her lips fell naturally to the crown of Ruby's head. She waited. There was nothing to be said, nothing to be done. She hugged her, but she'd never have taken this anguish if her life depended on it. Ruby healed very quickly from physical wounds, but like Regina, she carried each slice and burn on her heart deeply in a place nearly no one ventured. Belle had gone there willingly, like Regina. She'd healed some of those wounds like Emma and Ruby had for her.
Eventually, the tears dried and Ruby pulled back, damaged but cleansed for the moment. Regina suspected that her tears weren't only about Belle but said nothing. She knelt and slipped socks and boots onto Ruby's feet. Ruby let her. She snagged the flimsy hair brush from the bag on Ruby's wheeled tray and untangled Ruby's dark mane. Dried blood and dirt flaked onto the white blanket beneath them, and Regina wrinkled her nose. Ruby needed a shower in the worst way. When she'd done all she could short of using magic, she stood in front of Ruby again, hands held out to the girl.
"Maybe she shouldn't see me like this," Ruby stalled, looking up at Regina with wide scared eyes. Without seeing Belle, her denial reigned for a little while longer. Regina nodded.
"I think that wise," she responded honestly. "You're still weak and dehydrated. You need to be strong if you are going to help her through this. She's safe. Take comfort in that and be a little selfish for once in your life. You can't be strong for everyone else if you're hurting as much as you are. I learned that the hard way. Let me guide you through it." Regina begged, hoping her words made sense to the young wolf.
"You're always strong for everyone," Ruby commented absently. She sank into her mind, but Regina touched her hand, brought her back to reality.
"I let everyone in Storybrooke down when I allowed my pain to grow into hatred and vengeance. I failed my kingdom, my people. I regret nothing because it gave me Henry and Emma in the end, but it still hurts when I see them struggle with this new life. It's easier to shut down, but life's worth living if you're surrounded by people who make it worth your while to get out of bed every morning." Regina explained gently as she sat next to the taller woman.
She scratched at the Velcro on Ruby's wrist brace and waited for her to fully consider what she'd said. Ruby huffed a sigh so similar to Granny's that it brought a smile to Regina's face. She'd be exactly like her grandmother when she grew older. Regina bumped her shoulder gently, pulling her back from the precipice of too many thoughts.
"If Belle never came back, who would you get out of bed for?" Regina asked, hoping to turn Ruby's thoughts to the positive aspects of her life.
"I'd get out of bed for you," she admitted quietly at first, voice growing with each admission. "And Granny. Henry and Emma. Hell, I'd even get out of bed for Snow. I know you hate her, but I don't think it's too late for her," Ruby remembered the old Snow and hoped she came back to them.
Regina clenched her jaws. Ruby still knew nothing of her failed execution, and Regina refused to tell her now that she'd calmed. Ruby deserved a moment of peace before she riled her anger again.
"Let's go see Belle," Ruby looked up suddenly. "I'm calm, I promise. I… I think I need to. I won't believe it until I do," she admitted quietly. Regina nodded and supported Ruby's elbow as she stood. Ruby grabbed her IV pole begrudgingly and then nodded to Regina.
She released the taller woman when they reached the door. Ruby needed to feel strong and holding her arm achieved the opposite. They said nothing as they deciphered their way to the third floor, but Ruby fidgeted the closer they came. Outside the door, they nodded to each other.
"I'll wait right there," Regina pointed towards the irritatingly sunny sitting room they'd passed.
Ruby straightened her clothes and patted her hair, stalling as long as possible under the guise of fixing her appearance. She knocked and a quiet voice bade her enter. She opened the door slowly, unsure of what she'd find. Belle or the woman who looked like Belle sat in the bed, covers bunched around her waist. She looked terrified, like the first day they'd met outside the diner. She carefully closed the door behind her and leaned against it heavily.
"Belle," she breathed, and the other woman rolled her eyes in frustration.
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" The accent and facial expressions sounded and looked like her lover, but the inflection was wrong, harder, colder somehow. Of course, the only memories available to her consisted of being locked in the asylum for 28 years.
"What should I call you?" Ruby asked sincerely. She'd fallen for her once, maybe she'd learn to love the person Belle was now.
"I… Lacey," she answered, clearly surprised by Ruby's question. Hadn't anyone asked her about her identity yet? Ruby seethed instantly, took a breath, tamped down her anger.
"Hi Lacey. I'm Ruby," the taller girl introduced herself and pushed away from the door.
"Were you in the accident last night?" Belle/Lacey asked and pointed at her face.
"I… no, I wasn't in your accident. I'm the sheriff's deputy," she said with a shrug and took a few steps forward. Perhaps stories of kidnap and torture were second visit material, so Ruby remained vague.
"Ouch," Lacey offered insincerely, and Ruby bristled.
"Should have seen the other guy," Ruby quipped without feeling the joviality behind her statement.
"So, are we friends?" Lacey asked hesitantly. Belle lurked in the statement, and Ruby's chest felt like it'd been hit with a baseball bat. This woman was as insecure as her lover, but she used bluster and harshness to cover it instead of hiding in books. Perhaps she could live with that, Ruby thought and then shook her head. She loved Belle, and this was not Belle. She knew it the first time Lacey spoke.
"We, uh, yeah. You used to come into my granny's diner a lot. We've, uhh, we spent a lot of time together," Ruby answered vaguely. She tried to parallel this woman with the one who had made passionate love to her in the back of Emma's cruiser, but reconciliation between the two was impossible.
"Then tell me the truth. Last night, I was hurt. A man was there, and he healed me, like magic. And then this other guy showed up, and the guy who healed me held a fireball in his hand. What the hell was that?" Lacey babbled, and tears stung the back of Ruby's throat. It was Belle's voice but her eloquent cadence and vocabulary disappeared with her memories.
"I don't know, Lacey," Ruby answered, hoping she took the words at face value.
"Oh, it was weird as hell, and everyone keeps telling me that I was hallucinating, and that creepy guy who healed me won't leave me alone. What's his name? Gold? He kissed me last night while I was sleeping and looked at me like I had offended him because I pushed him away. And this morning he brought a chipped tea cup and wanted me to hold it and look at it. I guess I chipped it. I mean, I'll pay for it if he wants," Lacey finally paused for a breath and then looked up at Ruby.
The deputy's horror at the reality of Belle's situation must have shown clearly on her bruised face because Lacey halted her tangent. Her big blue eyes studied the deputy curiously. She knew that Ruby was to be trusted but knew not why, and Ruby's face told her that the deputy cared about whoever she'd been before she lost her memories. She was a sheriff's deputy, and if she asked, perhaps Ruby's compassion for her would lead her to confront Gold about his behavior.
Ruby cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Lacey. I have to go, but can I visit you again? I made a promise… before… to look after you, and even if you never remember, I'd like to keep that promise," Ruby babbled and picked at the Velcro on her brace anxiously. She'd had enough for today. Belle wasn't here, but her body was. If she ever regained her memories, Ruby silently vowed that she'd create no new ones that might leave her ashamed or damaged.
"If you want," Lacey conceded nonchalantly. "You're the only person who doesn't look at me like I'm nuts anyway, so might as well." Lacey shrugged and picked at the blanket at her waist.
"Okay, tomorrow morning?" Ruby confirmed. Lacey shrugged and turned on the T.V.
"Okay," Ruby said quietly and dragged her IV pole towards the door.
Anger flared in her chest at Regina. If she'd never cast the stupid curse, Belle would never have suffered this fate. No, she'd still be locked in the tower being tortured every day by The Evil Queen. Ruby stopped just outside the day room and leaned against the wall, chest heaving with emotion. She wasn't actually angry with Regina. She was angry with the situation and blaming Regina was an easy outlet. Everyone else had done it, and Ruby swore that she'd not betray the sorceress like that. She caught her breath, collected her emotions, shoving them into the box in the back of her mind where she kept all of her dark thoughts and evil deeds, and continued to the day room.
One way or another, she swore she'd bring Belle home. She was in there, Ruby sensed it, and she wanted her back. The impossible task should have daunted her path, but it gave her a goal, a mission, a worthwhile reason to get out of bed every morning.
