Author's note: Hey guys! So, what's up? Can't wait for new OUAT episode! So, just for you guys to know, this chapter is Ruby-centred and I hope you'll like it :)

Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own anything, characters are the property of those two guys named Edward and Adam…

Chapter 5: A Nice Encounter

Going shopping on a rainy day, she had done that hundred times. But shopping under the snow was something else. Of course she had done it, but London was not Boston and she still had to get accustomed to the cars being drive on the left side. It was only early November, but Ruby wanted to get Christmas presents done as fast as possible. She was wandering into the streets, looking for gifts ideas. Probably was she going to buy Mary-Margaret a dress? Again. She wondered how it was possible she didn't have two dresses alike. Then came David, she had promised him once she'll buy him a watch, so maybe now was the time. Henry's was going to be easy to find: he loved pirates and he loved Johnny Depp (must had been his mother's influence). He was also fond of fairy tales, so she was probably going to buy him a book in addition. And there was just Emma left. Ruby knew her best friend by heart, but finding her a gift was nearly impossible. Every year was the same. If she could buy her an eternity of free hot cocoa and cinnamon it would be awesome, but it was not possible. So, let's see. Dresses were out, Ruby cared for her life, same with heels. Suddenly it struck her. She always wanted to have a pet, and so did she and so did Henry! Happy she finally found something, Ruby decided to go to Starbucks, for a well-deserved reward. Just as she was to go inside, a man bumped into her, spilling his coffee over her shirt.

"Oh my God! I'm sorry, I wasn't looking" the man apologized right away.

"It's… It's nothing" she said. "You just ruined my shirt but I'll be fine"

"Can I buy you your coffee at least?" he asked apologetically.

"Hmm… Yeah, yeah sure" she smiled.

They entered Starbucks and the mysterious went to order their coffees while she went to sit at one of the tables. Ruby was watching the guy who spilled his coffee on her more closely. He was quite good looking. Messy brown hair that matched his chocolate eyes, his was slim but not too much. He was quite tall and man! That guy knew how to dress well! That changed from David and his permanent jeans, his casual look. She stopped staring when he came back with two cups.

"Sorry again" he said.

"It's nothing" she shrugged "Thanks for the coffee by the way"

"That was the least I could do. The name's Jefferson"

"Ruby" she told him.

"That's a nice name. Is your favourite red?" he inquired and she laughed. "Many people ask you that, don't they?" he chuckled sipping his drink.

"Indeed they do" Ruby answered imitating his previous action.

"And what do you tell them?"

"To find another joke, because this one is getting old" she grinned and he laughed.

"Good answer, so what's your favourite colour then?"

"Oh, it's actually red, nothing to do with my name though" she said "It's quite funny, the fact the first you ask is my favourite colour. Usually guys ask me if I'm single" she sighed.

"You minded my question?" Jefferson questioned, slightly confused.

"Oh, no! On the contrary, change is good" she hurried to reassure him and he sighed in relief.

"So tell Ruby" he started "are you single?" he joked and she couldn't help but bark out a laugh.

"I'll answer that, but only because it's because it's you. So, yes, I am"

"Good" he said, staring at her dreamily.

"Good?" she wondered, raising an eyebrow, getting him out of his reverie.

"I mean, if you had a husband or a lover, he might have been in the want to punch me."

She laughed again and they talked about their lives a bit, like they had been long-time friends that met again. They did the twenty questions game where one ask a question the other answer then ask a question and vice-versa. Like that, Ruby learnt that his girlfriend left not long after she gave birth, leaving him alone with his daughter and that reminded her of Emma. She admired them both. They could've left their child, abandon them, but they fought. Minutes turned in hours and taking a look at his phone, Jefferson chocked. He excused himself, telling her he had to go to work because he was going to be late. She told him there was no problem that she had to complete her Christmas gifts. Ruby watched him leave and finished her now second coffee before leaving too.

She was back home two hours later and hid what she bought in her room. Emma came back half an hour later, exhausted by her day, Killian following her. That annoyed her and ruby could see it, but he had to so they fake relation could become even more real. The brunette was glad her best friend did that to help Killian, because that came from a great intention. But she couldn't understand why, when it seemed to annoy her that much. Plus, it wasn't like her to fake anything or lie about anything to anyone since… Well since eleven years ago. They chatted a bit and Killian left and Emma sighed of relief when he closed the door. Ruby looked at her friend serving herself a glass of water and sighing again. She wanted to talk to her about her encounter, but she didn't know how to. This was something that rarely happened to her, because she was rather self-confident.

"Something wrong Ruby?" Emma pondered and she shot her head up.

"No, no, why do you say that?"

"Oh, just, you know, you were staring at me and then you started to tug at your shirt. So, I just wondered"

"Yeah… Too perceptive, aren't you?" she told Emma who shrugged with a smile. "There is indeed something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Spit it out"

"Well, I was out in town, shopping a bit and then I went to Starbucks and a guy ran into me. He insisted on paying me a coffee, so I said yes and we talked and we were getting along quite well and… He was good looking. But I really enjoyed talking with him, it was like talking to an old friend…" she stopped and looked back at Emma who was clearly thinking about what her friend told her.

"Just so you know, it's the first time you tell me something other than 'Oh my God! He was so hot even Hell looks cold beside him'" Emma told her frankly "That's a good change. D'you have his number?"

"No" she sighed sadly, letting herself fall onto the sofa, covering her face with a pillow. "I am so dumb I can't even… Argh" she said and her friends let out a small laugh.

"Go back to Starbucks one of these days. Maybe you'll see him again" Emma said.

"Yeah… Maybe you're right"

"Of course I am! I'm always right!" she said and the pillow arrived right in her face "Heyy!" she said "Alright, I'm going to pick up Henry at school" Ruby nodded and Emma left.

Ruby was comfortably installed in her bed, playing with her phone, picking random pictures to put on her friends' caller IDs. She was looking through her contact list to see who could use one of them when she noticed a name that surely wasn't there before Jefferson. She stayed still. When did she get his number? She couldn't recall giving him her phone. Unless he took it by himself, but when? She didn't remem… Oh right, she left a few minutes to order coffees. She clicked on his name and saw he wrote only two words. Call me. Breathe Ruby, breathe. Never before hadn't she been able to call a guy when he asked. But this felt so different. After ten minutes of hesitation, she told herself she only had one life to live. So she called.

"Jefferson here, who is it?" she heard him say after a few rings.

"Hmm… Hey, it's Ruby, from Starbucks" she simply said, choking on her words a bit.

"I thought you'd never call me" he said happily, it seemed.

"I… I just saw you put your number in my contact list" she told him, surprised he had waited for her call.

"It's alright, I'm glad you called. Are you free tomorrow?"

"Yes, I am, why?" Ruby pondered.

"Would you mind me paying you breakfast then?"

"No, on the contrary, I would love to!"

"And… Hmm…" he hesitated "Would you like to hmm… Accompany me to work?"

"Won't your boss mind?" Ruby inquired.

"I'm sure she won't… So, would you like to?"

"If it's ok with you, then yes!"

"Oh, you know, if I ask you, it's obviously because I'm not ok with it" Jefferson mocked her.

"Don't" she said chuckling.

"As you want. See you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow… eight at Starbucks?"

"Eight is fine. Goodnight dear Ruby"

"Goodnight to you too coffee spiller" she told him and heard him laugh before hanging up.

Ruby put her phone on her night stand and crumbled back on her pillow, a smile on her lips. 'Tomorrow' she thought 'Tomorrow is going to be a good day'. She fell asleep minutes later with a happiness no one could take away from her.

Author's note: Soooo? How did you like it? Hope you enjoyed the fact I wrote on Ruby :) Please leave a review xx

Happy Once Day !