Chapter Ten

Red Handed

A/AN: Wow I'm amazed at the response that the last chapter has gotten! You guys are awesome and for all you "Ruby Fans" out there, here's a chapter to answer your questions. I hope everyone had a great weekend! :D

Belle gazed forlornly at the dark expanse of village outside of her bedroom window. The moon was just a small sliver of light tonight, hiding behind dark rain clouds. The wind had significantly picked up since the sun had set. Belle was troubled. She hadn't seen Ruby since the night she'd killed the wolf, and four days had passed since then. Granny was in a frenzy but refused to send out a search party. Belle surmised it probably had something to do with her Lycan abilities.

She watched the clouds roll away from the moon slightly illuminating the village and that's when she noticed a slender figure dart behind a tree adjacent to the tavern. Ruby was back. Belle grabbed a pair of breeches she'd "borrowed" from Rumplestiltskin and pulled them on under her nightgown. They were a bit lose, but she didn't have time to "fix up". She grabbed her satchel and bounded down the stairs, heading for the back entrance.

Belle made her way toward the trees, praying the mysterious figure was Ruby. She placed her hand over her chest from fright when she almost ran right into the Lycan girl. Ruby stared at Belle, a frantic look in her eyes. Belle grabbed the young woman's shoulders to stabilize her.

"Ruby it's me, and you're going to be okay…Come back up to my room with me, and we'll talk." Belle said soothingly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Ruby nodded slowly, allowing Belle to lead them back to her room.

Belle shut the door behind her bolting it in the process. Ruby sat on her bed, a beeswax candle flickering in the window.

"Tell me what happened." Belle respired taking the nervous girl's hands in her own, brushing her fingers over her bruised knuckles to try and calm her.

Ruby took a slow breath before speaking, "I watched you shoot the wolf with your arrow, but I had no idea you would miss it. I felt the moon calling to me enticing me to come out of the hollow, but I was frightened of turning. Granny really gave me the cloak to enable me from transforming because she knows what I am. She discouraged me from embracing that part of myself, but I knew I had to give into my lupine desires to save your life. That Lycan was a lot bigger than me, but I was able to defeat it because you had weakened it. I was in turmoil from killing my own kind, so I stayed in the woods a few days to cool off. I truly relished being able to run free from the bondages of society these past few days. I was tempted to never return, but I knew I had to come back for Granny." Ruby admitted bursting into tears.

Belle gathered the young woman in her arms, shocked by her revelation. "Ruby you're not a monster. You're a good person, and you saved everyone."

Ruby pulled away from the girl that distraught look returning to her eyes, "What about the other wolf? They have to know someone else did that."

Belle placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry. The town council believes I cut the wolf's throat out with Rumple's dagger. Rumple doesn't seem to remember you either. He still thinks I killed the wolf." she affirmed, giving her a reassuring smile.

"You must never tell anyone my secret or what you saw that night!" Ruby threatened waving a finger in her face making Belle giggle.

"Don't worry Ruby…How about a secret for a secret? I know your secret, so I might as well tell you one of mine." Belle supplied, before curving a smile.

"What's your secret?" Ruby inquired, etching closer with something curious bouncing around in her eyes.

"If I tell you then you can't dispel my secret to anyone and if I tell yours then you can tell mine." Belle retorted with a darkened gaze.

"Deal." Ruby smirked now just inches from her face like a wolf ready to pounce.

"Rumplestiltskin asked me to marry him." Belle admitted, a huge grin plastered over her entire face.

"You're marrying the king!?" Ruby stammered, completely taken aback. Belle chuckled at her friend's response, "Yes as soon as he's all better, we'll be tying the knot." she added with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"That's amazing but I don't really understand why you would marry him? You're young and beautiful! You could practically have any man you wanted. The king isn't exactly on my list of probable handsome bachelors." Ruby remarked, with a quizzical glance.

"You know Ruby I think you should be able to understand why I love him. You're a beautiful woman on the outside, but you're also a wolf. Many people would call you a ravenous beast, but you and I both know that isn't accurate especially after how you saved us. Rumplestiltskin may appear undesirable to many, but they can't see his heart which is the true essence of all of him. I love him because his heart is true, and beauty is only skin deep. People who marry only for appearances are in for true heartache in the end because beauty is fleeting and doesn't last forever." Belle stated wisely causing Ruby to hang her head shamefully.

"You're right Belle…I'm sorry for berating him." Ruby said sincerely apologizing.

"It's all right Ruby…I don't expect anyone to understand my affections for Rumplestiltskin, but I don't owe anyone an explanation." she told the lycan girl who was now laying on the opposite side of her.

"Do whatever makes you happy Belle." Ruby returned with a loud yawn befitting of a lazed dog taking an afternoon nap.

"I plan on it." the beauty grinned before blowing out the candle, dreaming of a June wedding with Rumplestiltskin. She would have to ask him what he thought about having a June wedding.

~X~

The following morning Belle and Ruby parted ways. She quietly returned to her grandmother who surprisingly didn't lash out at her. She was a little ticked about losing her quiver of enchanted arrows, but Belle was sure she could compensate them somehow. The old woman threw her arms around her neck pulling her close, crying into her cloak. Belle had quietly explained everything to Granny who made her swear an oath to never tell. Belle promised by the loyalties of Albannach that she would protect them.

Belle made her way to Rumplestiltskin's chamber with fresh bandages and a clean basin of water. She presumed he was still asleep. She smiled to herself, settling on the edge of his bed. She brushed strands of silvery brown hair from his eyes, watching the lines of his face twitch into a serene smile.

He opened his eye slowly, smiling broader when he seen her face. "Have I died and went to heaven?" he inquired, gazing dreamily at her.

"Why would you say that?" she wrinkled her nose at his comment, trying to hide a smile.

"Because when I woke up I seen your face, and I thought you were an angel." he remarked in his velvety brogue sending chills up her spine.

"I think you're trying awfully hard to woo me Mr. Stiltskin." she purred etching closer to his face causing his heartbeat to increase.

"Is it working?" he respired heavily at her close proximity.

"Very much so." she whispered sensually before closing the gap between them. He grabbed the back of her neck pulling her closer to his body, allowing his fingers to run down her back. She poured every feeling she had into the kiss, tracing the outer edges of his lip with her tongue causing him to groan in response.

"Can I please ask you two a favor?" a voice reverberated from the hallway causing them to pull away quickly. Belle stood up noticing Baelfire standing in the doorway with a disgusted look on his face. Rumplestiltskin was so startled that he almost fell off the bed.

"Yes?" Belle answered first, a ruddy blush coloring her cheeks.

"Please put a sign on the door or something if you're going to be doing that. I don't want to walk in on anything I'm not supposed to see." Bae gagged grabbing a brown satchel off his bed before prancing back out the door.

"Well that was awkward." Belle muttered embarrassingly wringing her hands on her skirts.

"I'm a bit concerned at what he meant by that." Rumplestiltskin replied with fatherly concern.

"I'm almost afraid to ask. Maybe he's been hanging around with Graham too much." Belle supplied becoming a bit uncomfortable with the apparent topic they may be unknowingly discussing.

"I really hope it isn't that, but I'm sure I'm going to have to ask eventually." he sighed placing his head in his hands.

"Well that isn't something I'm ready to discuss with you yet Rumple. I plan to wear white on my wedding day." she chided lightly making him to quirk his brow at her.

"You mean we can't talk about "French" kisses?" he feigned ignorance resulting in a pillow wallop to the head. His Belle sure was a feisty one.

A/AN: I hope you guys liked this chapter and are satisfied with the Ruby outcome. The next chapter will be reverting back to Regina. It's going to be pretty important. I'm also going to be doing some flashback chapters soon like how Maurice was killed and how Cora came to Avonlea. I've gave hints in a few chapters, but I think you guys deserve a thorough explanation. Keep those reviews coming! I love you all! It looks like this story is about to reach a hundred reviews real soon! Wahoo! :D