"Now, that is quite a trip!" Granny smiled to the two women and collected their plates. They were all still seated at the very back of the diner while the rest of the clientele looked on. Ruby and Dorothy both tried to grab them but the elder shooed their hands away. They settled back down, uncertain.

"You've obviously had a large adventure. You two just relax, keep talking and bonding. Even if you are one another's true love, you still have to get to know each other." The older woman winked jauntily.

The remaining girls blushed, fidgeting in place. The dog at their feet lifted his head, curious, but settled back down when neither moved. It was a few minutes longer, after they both had taken the time to build up some form of courage, that one of them broke the silence.

Ruby rubbed her hands together with a nervous smile to her true love. "Sorry Kansas, I… I haven't been on a date in a long time. Not a… not a proper one at least."

Dorothy raised a single brow at the statement. She reached out hesitantly, grabbing the thin leather gloves and breaking into the knot they had made. She stared at the contact for a while before looking up to the curious and molten green orbs. "I… I've never really been on one."

"What?" The wolf woman tilted her head slightly as her brows furrowed. "No way. You're beautiful and wonderful and-and amazing. Why wouldn't anyone want to be with you?"

The ex-farmer deadpanned the other. Ruby winced, drawing back slightly. "Sorry."

Dorothy stopped the retreat by pulling the warm grip closer to her chest. "Don't be. It happens."

"No. No it doesn't." The more lithe woman leaned closer, her face growing fierce. The strength of it caused the blue-wearing lady to jerk back slightly. "And I won't let anyone do something like that to you again."

"... Thanks Wolfie…" The stoic fighter smiled watery, leaning into the other's shoulder.

Ruby exhaled happily, resting her head on top of the other's. Taking a moment to look around her, the ex-Storybrooke native noticed the bemused and pleased gazes of the other patrons. Her granny was also watching, smirk firmly in place. The brunette sighed, wrapping her arm around the broad shoulders and giving them a loving shake.

"Hey Kansas? Why don't we go to my old room until my granny gets a break and we talk a bit more together?" The wolf lass leaned closer to the slightly tanned ear, grinning at the sharper interest everyone had at the action. "Or we could go back to Oz now, find a more private place to talk."

Dorothy's gaze also swept the diner, dispassionate at the other customers' curiosity of a private conversation. She checked on the dog at their feet and found he choose that moment to sigh, bored. She laughed softly. The steady brown gaze floated up to the ceiling.

"We can go to your room in this world. I know we just got here." The Ozian smirked, trying to act confident. "You probably missed it."

The wolf woman tilted her head, sensing something more under the steady gaze. She smiled however, willing to continue the act while in public, and tugging the other into following her. The dog perked up and trotted along.

Together, they went towards the back section of the diner, along the left side. The hallway went from the white tile to a wood decor. A little further along showed that the right side was actually a stairwell, while there was an old desk in a little opening on the left side. When they got to the end of the hallway, the right side of the house opened up to a small living room with the staircase cutting through the middle of the room. Most of the furniture was still covered in a thick layer of dust and spider webs. The stoic woman raised a single eyebrow to the other who smiled sheepishly back.

"We didn't get too many customers for a long time." Ruby swung their connected hands happily. "I'd have thought she managed to get some cleaning by now."

Dorothy shrugged, eying the surroundings. She felt another tug on her hand, and looked pleasantly to the wolf lady who was encouraging the lady to keep going. They went through the living room to find two bedrooms on the other side. Ruby went for the one on the right, pausing only when she found it was locked. She flashed another grin to her lady as she dug in a pocket for the key.

Opening the door, she revealed the small bedroom beyond. Most of the color scheme in the room was red, dark red and pastel reds. Mixed in were a few browns and dark browns features. Wolf figurines dominated the room.

"Got a thing for wolves Wolfie…?" Dorothy couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping. She reached over and combed a hand through the dark brown locks. "So this curse that removed everyone's memories, it made you forget that you were part wolf? You didn't change at all during that time?"

"Nope. Neither me or my grandma knew." Ruby pulled the taller woman to her queen sized bed and sat right next to her. The dog curled up at their feet. "But I just had this feeling that wolves were my lucky charm." She looked about her room fondly. As she faced away from her true love, she commented gently on the attempt at bravo. "So what was that in the diner Kansas…? Should… Should we try to visit Kansas and see your other family members? Did you leave behind something…? Anything I can do…? I won't let them hurt you."

Dorothy stiffened. Even as her stomach churned thinking of the past, her heart swelled larger knowing her rescuer was still trying to save her in any way possible. Swallowing shallowly, she shook her head. "No… I… When I left, I had packed things I would miss the most. Pictures of my Aunt Em, things from my parents, a couple sets of clothes."

"And brought them to Oz?" Ruby focused back on the other woman. She moved her arm from around the shoulder to around the waist instead. The limb heated up at the contact, especially when she felt the woman under her grasp heat up as well.

It took a few hesitant moments but eventually Dorothy returned the gesture with a heavy blush. "Yeah. When I arrived back in Oz, I was in the Good Witches meeting place. Except they weren't there. So I went to the Munchkins instead, and stayed there for a while."

Ruby stared back, openly curious. Dorothy rolled her eyes playfully. "Alright, alright... I'll keep talking." The werewolf fist-pumped teasingly, causing the other to laugh. "What was that?"

"It's a fist pump. Kind of a modern thing." Ruby rested her chin on the blue-clad right shoulder. "Means success. Or being grateful of that success."

"Ok, if you say so. Well, Zelena eventually realized I was staying there, learning my way about Oz. So I had to leave and build my own place, hidden away."

"Nothing is hidden from me!" Ruby noticed the dour aura of her love and gave the stout waist a loving shake. Dorothy merely smiled and leaned up against the wolf lass. "Is… Is your little cabin in the woods big enough for two..?"

Dorothy flushed. Her eyes flickered about the room. "You'd… You'd really want to stay with me…?"

"Well, yes, if you want. I'd… I'd like to."

"Al-alright." The black haired woman nodded. She reached out with her left hand and cupped the slightly pale face, bringing it closer for a passionate kiss.

As they shifted closer, both women pushed back their cloaks, freeing more of their arms to enwrap the other. Their kiss grew as their cores burned brightly, feeling their bodies against one another even if there were multiple layers between them. The dog on the ground rolled his eyes and scooted away to the side of the room. The two women felt their breath shorten, leaving them panting through their noses, unwilling to break apart.

Dorothy put both hands on the wolf girl's face, slowing down slightly. In one of the moments of being apart, she murmured huskily to the wolf of her heart. "You wouldn't miss anything from here…? You'd really want to come with me to Oz?"

Ruby leaned back, exhaling steam from her nose, and opened her eyes to stare fiercely into the slightly dazed brown. She also put both her hands on the other's cheeks, keeping the uncertain fighter steady. "I won't leave you behind. I will NOT hurt you like your family did. Every girl needs a bit of adventure in her life, and life in Oz seems pretty lively." The pale woman caved slightly, letting some of her own fear ink into her features. "Unless you change your mind and… don't want me to come with you."

The ex-farm girl shook her head, wincing as her chest constricted painfully at the thought of the wolf girl leaving her. She skimmed her hands down the trim sides with both eyes closed. They twitched uncertainly, clenching and unclenching as she felt two different thoughts warred in her mind. One didn't want to invite pain by accepting and depending on someone coming along. The other was tired of being alone. She sank down, resting her head on the left shoulder of the other woman as they faced one another directly.

"I… Wolfie, I'm… so tired of being alone… I don't want to be alone anymore."

"I don't plan on leaving you alone." The red-cloaked woman put both arms back around the other, drawing her back. "And I'll prove it every single day." She finished closing the distance, starting another kiss. Tracing her gloved fingers along the firm jawline, she paused when it came across a single wet track. She pressed deeper into the kiss, rubbing away the tear softly, and slowly pressed her tongue against the closed lips of the Ozian.

Dorothy's gaze shot open at the unfamiliar touch. Timidly, cautiously, she opened her mouth, allowing entrance. Feeling the much deeper embrace light up her body in ways she didn't think about before, she closed her eyes once more, hesitantly returning the motion.

Ruby hummed lustfully. All of her senses shrank to the woman in her arms while her mind went blissfully white. She continued to shimmy her hands along the muscles she found on the other. When she felt Dorothy also move her own hands along the lithe back and spine, she shivered pleasantly.

A cough by the doorway startled the couple apart. They resurfaced, letting their arms drop to hold on to the other's elbows, as they turned to face the now open door. Standing there, leaning against frame, was Granny looking bemused at their actions. Her arms were crossed with a single brow raised.

"Sorry to interrupt your moment. I just figured that since you went back here instead of immediately leaving for Oz, you would want to talk a little more." The older werewolf stood up properly, her playfully fierceness dimming to actual sincerity. "If not, that's fine. I know meeting the love of your life is rather a large event in your lives. I hope you both enjoy each other's company." She tilted her head teasingly. "Though it seems like you both already do enjoy one another greatly. I may never get to be a great-grandmother, but your happiness counts more in my books."

"GRANNY!" Ruby shot up, cheeks stained heavily red while Dorothy jerked her head back at the implication. The younger wolf waved sharply as she spoke. "We-we haven't even talked about the future yet aside from me living in Oz with Dorothy! There's still ways for us to have children if we want, honestly!"

Dorothy stared curiously to the red-cloaked lass. Her mind was torn between loving the idea of creating a family with her true love and being incredibly embarrassed.

The diner owner laughed, throwing her head back much like her granddaughter. Loosely at her side swung the crossbow, folded up. She gave it a happy pat. "Whelp, I should probably put this away. Aside from chasing away scum from my diner, it certainly helps with some of the dangers with living here."

"I haven't seen one like that before. Where did you get it?" Dorothy managed to push past the uncomfortable lump in her throat to ask a less personal question.

Ruby groaned, tilting her head back and then tilting to the side closest to the lady on her bed. "Seriously? What is with you two and crossbows?!"

The remaining women merely continued to laugh. Granny walked further inside, taking a seat on the other side of Dorothy and showing off her weapon. Ruby sat down with a joking sigh, resting both hands on the right shoulder of her love with her chin resting on top of them. The group continued their chat for several more hours, learning more about one another and hearing more wacky stories from Storybrooke.

When it got closer to the dinner rush, one of the waitresses tracked down the owner, out of breath. Granny winced and stood up with a groan, hands on her knees to help the process.

"These old bones get more tired everyday." Spotting the anxious faces she was about to leave behind, the elder waved reassuringly. "Nothing you need to worry about. Why don't you take my crossbow? It should be stronger than the old wooden ones you'd have over there." She handed the weapon to the blue-clad women who looked back appreciatively.

"Thanks."

"Granny." Ruby grabbed her grandmother's arm lightly. "We are probably leaving in a moment or two. One last hug?"

The older werewolf beamed and went for the embrace. After patting her granddaughter on the back, she went to embrace the other woman who returned it stiffly. Granny didn't mind, and instead smiled once more to the both of them.

"Visit when you can, the both of you."

They nodded in turn, even the dog who had been sitting bored on the sidelines. Afterward the door shut, Ruby went for a soft suitcase and set it on the bed. She smirked at the woman who watched her every move as she packed a few pictures into protective packaging, along with a few undergarments and other necessaries she had to leave behind. The first time she had left, it was as a desperate act, going for light and fast travel. But a home and place to return to when they can meant that a few more personal items could come along this time.

Finished, Ruby bent over and gave the waiting Dorothy a loving smooch. "Kansas, would you want to pick up anything while we're here? Maybe some not so Munchkin sized clothes."

"They can make bigger sizes. They just need more time and to size it to your individual form measurements." Realizing how that may have sounded, she blushed heavily. "I didn't mean it like that."

The wolf licked her lips, scorching her target with heated eyes. "Maybe we should make it like that." Noticing how her flirting caused her true love to stiffen unsure with a heavy coat of red on her cheeks, Ruby giggled and gave a reassuring kiss. "Don't worry, only if and when you want to."

Dorothy, feeling challenged, stood up slowly. She enjoyed watching the green orbs dilate at her taller stature. Stepping closer, she smirked, holding up the wolf woman's chin. "I'll keep that in mind." She waited, happily noting her attempt worked rather well. Once she was sure the other had been teased enough, she leaned in, giving in to the desire to kiss the half-parted lips. "Why don't we go home, eh Wolfie?"

Ruby nodded, dazed by the touch, and wrapped both arms around the slightly taller woman. Toto, sensing they were about to leave, barked as he hopped into his owners arms. Dorothy smirked and reached out one hand to hold on to the dark green suitcase that was almost left behind in the red-wearing lass' distraction.

In a poof of silver smoke, the three left the land without magic, returning to the world of Oz. The Ozian took in the forest around them and nodded once.

"Good work. We're close." She let her pet jump to the ground and found smoldering green orbs waiting for hers.

"It was easy. I just thought of how I'm always home when I'm with you." Ruby beamed at the shock in the other's gaze and picked up her bag. "Lead the way, Kansas."

Dorothy gulped silently. She chewed on her own tongue, trying to match the warmth in the other's words. Finding she couldn't think of anything to say, she went for the simpler method. She grabbed the free hand and tugged the werewolf close, locking lips for a second before heading through the forest to the mildly hidden cottage. Ruby watched with a dopey grin in place as she kept an even pace with the stoic warrior.

There's no place like home.


Author's Notes: EEeeyup! The end is here! Decided to go for an early Christmas present to readers of RubyxDorothy stories and to myself, as a reward for finishing fast and whatnot. Yes, this is the longest chapter of the story. I couldn't help it! I kept trying to finish it early, but could sense there was just a feeeew more things I could write/finish off before they went back to Oz. And yeah, I only just started their relationship really, but that's how I got trapped in my previous stories, I let them grow way to large without an end in sight. So this time, I'm going to very focused points of what I wanted to write about and ended before it got to be a very very large story. Expect more to come for sure! More things hinted at here that I want to write about later on. So keep an eye out! Please leave a review of your thoughts and suggestions for potential story ideas or whatever you want. Favorite if you liked it (and so I can see if I did a good job). Or maybe a review of how you bookmarked it? In any case, thanks for reading and happy holidays! (this being posted/finished pretty much Christmas Eve)