A/N: Another one for you guys enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own diddly etc etc.

Chapter 9

********Enchanted Forest************

"Rumpelstiltskin?" Red asked incredulously.

"I do believe that's what I just said dearie. Now what type of trouble have you gotten yourself in this time?" He asked with that strange high-pitched giggle.

Red closed her eyes. Trying to erase the man before her away. "You're not here, you're not here." She kept muttering under her breathe.

Then she felt two hands grab her shoulders and was forced into a standing position.

"Oh, I'm here," she felt his breath on her face. "Just as I was before," he then let go of his hold, but she was still standing. "Now what seems to be the trouble this time?" He cooed to her. She could hear him pacing around her as she kept her eyes closed. She could feel him touching her hair, then he whispered. "You were always one for trouble weren't you."

Suddenly she felt like when those men, her fear was replaced by disgust. Pulling out her dagger she moved to place it threateningly when he caught her arm.

Clicking his tongue he held her arm at a painful angle. "Now, now dearie, is that anyway to treat your rescuer, two times."

She looked into his face. Her eyes boring into his. "I am in debt to you, for that one rescue. I will not make the same mistake twice."

"Then how will you escape them, dearie?" He let go of her arm. "If someone wasn't in need of my services I wouldn't be here, yet here I am."

"I am not a child, I can take care of myself." It was then that her heart rate slowed, and the pain occurred. She fell over from the pain. Her ankle was flaring with pain, instantly everything became foggy and her wounds became noticeable. Next came the blood. It dripped into her eyes, lifting her hand she felt a wound on her head, touching it made it hurt worse.

Rumpelstiltskin crouched next to her. "What? Did you really think you left that battle unscathed?" Again with a giggle. "True you may be able to take most of them out. That is, if it weren't for your injuries. I'd say you have about ten minutes before that wolf of a man get's scent of your blood."

He stood up, obviously having the upper hand, till he noticed she wasn't moving, nudging her with his boot he crouched down again. "Are you dead?" his voice held a sense of delight.

"No." Red answered, groaning in pain.

Standing back up Rumpelstiltskin materialized a scroll and a quill. "Well dearie you have a choice. Make another deal and live, or die here. How you die remains to be seen. You could bleed out, or I could just so happen to heal the wound, but the wolf would still have the scent, your choice."

"You bastard," Red screeched as she tried to get up, but falling back down. "I was just a child. You bastard." Everything she had held inside bursted out at once. She tried throwing her dagger, but he easily deflected it.

"Listen to yourself, now I'm sure people in the nearest kingdom could hear you, so that means they aren't far behind." He held out the quill to her. "So dearie, do we have another deal?"

Red had to think clearly, at least, while she was still conscious. She heard a little voice chirping in her ear.

'There is always a price.'

It was the voice of little Jiminey Cricket. Red recalled this, no matter how much pain she was in, or how angry she was towards this, thing, she needed to be level headed.

Trying to seem less vulnerable, she attempted to stand, only to get pain from everywhere, so she leaned upon the tree for support. "What is it this time?"

Even in the night she could see the glint of glee upon her 'savior's' eyes. "So glad you asked. Alright, you sign this and I'll be sure to be rid of those men."

Red glance at his small stature, surely he couldn't fight off all those men at once. "You'll get rid of them?"

"Oh, heavens no. I don't like getting my hands dirty unless I get something out of it. You see there is a traveler on their way, I might persuade a certain traveller to come this way and they might be able to deal with these men more efficiently."

The pain was excruciating, Red knew she wouldn't live long. If she didn't sign she was dead either way. Her mind was getting foggier and foggier she kept trying to think of Jiminy, but everything was so muddy. She looked up at her last chance at life.

"What is it you want?" And with that he gave another giggle.

**********Storybrooke************

Archie sat on the couch across from Ruby. "So, what is it you need? You haven't been to see me in awhile."

Ruby looked uneasy. It was true, she hadn't been here in awhile. "I just need someone to talk to."

He nodded, he understood how delicate the situation was with her. But as he gave her a glance over he smiled inwardly, she was different, changing. He decided to bring the outfit back up. "I see you decided a change of clothing." He didn't sound menacing or sarcastic, just observant.

Ruby grinned, looking down she realized, she really liked looking like this, it made her feel pretty, without looking like 'that word people thought she was'. "Yeah, I swore I lost these pants, and the shirt matched, so," she held up her hands. "Here I am."

Archie leaned forward slightly. "Ruby, what happened? You do look happy, which is good, but there has to be a reason you came to me. What is it?"

A tear fell, Ruby cursed that tear for all it was worth, she didn't like crying. "I came because," her voice was beginning to shake. "You're my only friend." She looked deeply into his eyes. "My only true friend. And I can't talk to anyone but you, no one knows me but you. And I can't talk to you in person because-" she left the rest of the sentence hang in the air.

He understood, Ruby was sensitive when it came to her appearance, and the appearance of others. Where some people saw a waitress who may have a certain side people would think disgusting, he saw a young woman, who was lost. It was true, as far as anyone knew Ruby had no friends, she was friendly to everyone, but could never open up and talk to someone like she could with him. Her only friend had been Ashley, and he knew Ruby wouldn't talk to her, feeling as if she would be a burden to her and the baby. Everyone knew her and was kind to her, but no one understood her.

"Ruby why don't you tell me what you did today. Did yo do anything... differently?"

Ruby nodded. "Well, first I talked to August, the stranger. Then I..."

Archie held onto her every word as she told him what she had done that day. About her argument with her granny, talking to Henry, helping with the bake sell, he frowned when he heard about Regina, but smiled when she explained why she had changed her clothing choice.

He nodded to her. "I understand Ruby, what the mayor said clicked something inside of you. You wanted to show her that she's wrong, that you're not what everyone thinks you are. And I must say, I like this Ruby, she seems confident, and independent." He smiled to her as he handed her a tissue, for tears were still falling silently.

Ruby gave a small smile at the compliment. "I just felt so trapped this morning, then Henry came out of nowhere and then things changed. I was on cloud nine with that kid, that is, till Regina came in. And now I'm just confused, I don't know who I am. I mean I've been like working as a waitress forever, isn't there something else I'm good at?"

"Well, true you are good as a waitress, but that's not all of who you are." Hopper reached out and touched her hand. "Ruby, you're a great girl, you may not think it but you are a wonderful person to know," he then became deep in thought at her question. Then he came up with the reasonable answer. "Ruby, you could have any job you wanted, be anyone you want to be."

"But?" Ruby asked, she knew there would be a but, there was always a 'but'.

"But," Archie's eyes became serious and thoughtful. "That won't make you happy. At heart you are a people person, that's why you've worked at your grandmother's diner for so long, you enjoy the social atmosphere. You see people everyday, talk to people everyday, in fact where would some of these people be without you? Think about it. You explain to Clark everyday that the meal you give him won't effect his allergies. He feels reassured by you. And Ms. Ginger, whenever she orders something to be delivered, you're always the one do it, and how do you think she'll be without your hour talks after the delivery."

Ruby had a confused look, was Hopper off his rocker? There was no way she was that important to the town, or to anyone. "Uh, thanks for the motivational speech Arch, but I think you've got your wires crossed. I don't mean that much to anyone, to most I'm just a piece of meat, especially Dr. Whale."

Dr. Hopper frowned at the girl, she had no idea what she meant to people. "Alright, how about this one, your granny."

"What about her?"

"Where would her business be without you there? Whenever she gets sick again, who opens the diner?"

"Me but that's not-"

"What? Not important? If you weren't there for her, what kind of state do you think she would be in?" He leaned toward Ruby. "Ruby, this town needs you, whether you think they do or not. It's not an observation, it's a fact."

Ruby started crying again, letting out a sob every now and again. "I can't, I can't be that important. No one takes me seriously, I'm just some pretty face, to everyone."

Hopper sighed, it had been too long since their last session. He then had an idea. "Ruby I don't see you as just a pretty face, true you are beautiful, but there is so much more to you than that. Look, how about this, I think we should continue our sessions." He waited for her reaction.

"What do you think there's something wrong with me again?"

Archie shook his head. "No, but I think you need someone. I just want to see you at least once every week, or every other week, depending how you're doing."

Ruby looked up at the only person she had ever opened up to and nodded. "Okay, sure." She sniffed and took a few more tissues, once she had cleaned up most of her face she gave an uneasy smile. Archie wanted to try something else.

"Ruby, if you're feeling alright, how about I but you some ice cream. You look like you could use some."

Ruby's smile faltered, she knew it, he did just saw her as a pretty face, he was just waiting to make his move, standing up she began to leave. "Uh, I don't think so, granny probably wants me back at work, so I should just be going."

He laughed involuntarily, Ruby gave him a scared hurt look. He stopped immediately. "Ruby, I didn't mean the invitation as a date. I simply meant it as some friends getting something to eat. I was not trying to lure you into anything. I apologize for making it sound like that."

Ruby gave a choked laugh, how could she have thought that? He would never do anything like that to her. So she nodded. "I'm the one who should apologize, I shouldn't have thought that. I feel so like stupid now. But yeah, ice cream sounds nice, but you're buying." She said teasingly.

This time he meant the laugh. "Of course, wouldn't think about it any other way."

As they walked out of the office building Ruby gave a pause. She looked at her only friend. "Archie," he turned to face her, seeing she had stopped.

"Yes?"

Ruby hung her head. "Are you sure you don't mind, being seen with me?"

"No Ruby, I think of it as an honor, you being with me instead of the many men you could be with." Ruby smiled at his personal joke.

"Okay, you sure?"

He looked into Ruby's eyes. "Have some faith Ruby."

And with that they both headed toward the ice cream shop in Storybrooke. It felt nice to be out with someone and just... talk. She like Archie's company, he was a good friend. They both got a cone, him chocolate her strawberry.

They talked for awhile, enjoying each others company. After eating the ice cream Archie stood. "Well Ruby, it was nice getting to talk to you, outside of my office."

Ruby smiled and stood, doing a goofy curtsy. "Oh the pleasure is all mine Archibald." She giggled at him cringing from her using his real name. "But this really was nice, thanks," she then hugged him.

Archie smiled at her. "Well, I'll see you the next time I'm at granny's."

Ruby laughed, "So tomorrow then?" Everyone came to granny's for something.

He nodded, "Well good night."

Ruby walked back to the diner, she knew she was late and granny would be furious, but she didn't care. She had a friend and she felt like she was walking on air. It was nice to actually hang out with someone, without expecting anything.

A/N: Yeah, the story going on great. Hope you like it. Okay now who noticed that Ruby and Archie are having the friendship they had in FairyTale Land.

BTW: I don't ship Archie/Ruby I just think of them as 'friends'. But if you are a Archie/Ruby shipper, I hoped you liked it. PLEASE R&R.