Ruby was never more grateful to see the inside of her own apartment than when she finally made it home from the hospital.
She shrugged out of her leather jacket and hung it up on the peg near the door, toed off her boots, and then shuffled tiredly into the living room where she collapsed unceremoniously onto the couch. She let herself sink down into the soft cushions, bringing her arm up and draping it across her eyes to block out the bright sunlight streaming in through the half-open blinds. Everything was still and quiet, the only sound being that of Ruby's own breathing and the ticking clock above the mantle, the gentle hum of the refrigerator running in the distance.
Ruby closed her eyes and sighed heavily, let her body relax even further into the pillows and felt herself drifting off to sleep. She'd only managed to drop off for about five minutes before her phone buzzed in her pocket. Ruby jumped and cursed, quickly reaching for the offending device. She brought her phone up and squinted against the brightness to get a look at the display screen. It was a message from Graham, more than likely to tease Ruby for wussing out and going home before visiting the station. She almost didn't even bother to view it, but something told her that she should. Just in case.
Hey-oh. Just wanted to let you know that the mayor stopped by. Again. She was asking about you. Emma told her you got released from the hospital today, but she still seemed kinda worried. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.
Ruby sighed again and ran a hand through her tangled hair. She slowly pushed herself upright and tossed her phone down onto the coffee table. She didn't know why Regina seemed so concerned about her, but she needed to find out, before the woman drove her co-workers crazy. With a groan, Ruby got to her feet, setting a clear destination up in her mind.
Sleep could wait.
She got about halfway to the door before she realized that a shower, however, could not.