A/N: There was a choice for today's theme, and I chose BrOTP.
Tip 5: Friendship
"Sometimes, no matter what your initial thoughts are, she might need a friend more than a lover. It's up to you to decide if you can be that friend."
-Ruby Lucas
The next day brought another change to Ruby's morning routine.
"Why are we going this way?" Ruby sounded confused as Regina led them back toward the center of town instead of back to the house toward the end of their run.
Regina tossed her a bright smile over her shoulder, warm umber eyes shining with a secret. "Surely you can guess, Miss Lucas?"
As the shorter woman guided them into yet another turn, realization dawned on Ruby. "Breakfast at Granny's?"
"Your powers of deduction are as impressive as always," the older woman said with only a bare hint of sarcasm.
Ruby bit her lip to resist temptation, but her will proved too weak. "I have many skills."
Regina snapped around to face her, onyx brows raised in an incredulous expression. She looked like she could burst into laughter at any moment.
"Hey, don't laugh. I'm serious." Her eyes narrowed and she glanced at their surroundings. "Look, check this out."
She picked up her pace into a near sprint, headed for a building that was situated catty-cornered to a high red brick wall. A grin grew on her face as she pushed off the ground, using a series of rapid alternating bracing steps to climb the side of the building and wall, until she balanced proudly on top of the ten-foot high ledge at the top of the red stones.
She glanced down at Regina to give her a triumphant grin.
Regina removed a hand from over her mouth and laughed a little nervously. "You're insane. I thought you were going to hurt yourself."
Ruby snorted. "Just proving a point." Without preamble she pushed off against the building in a reverse maneuver so she could get a little lower before dropping down.
"You have many skills," Regina conceded with a nod as they fell into step again. She gave Ruby a sideways look. "Do try to remember I'm not a frat boy and you don't need to prove yourself to me with such dangerous antics."
"Trust me; I've definitely noticed you're not a frat boy. Maybe a frat boy's dream," a playful wink accompanied her words.
A snort escaped Regina at her friend's statement. "I think those tend to involve younger, blonder, and more gullible women."
"I think you'd be surprised by how many college students are attracted to mature women," Ruby looked away with a small smirk on her face.
Regina noticed the look and made a mental note. "I'll have to ask you about that expression at some point, but for now we've arrived at Granny's."
Ruby blinked in surprise, only just noticing they were on the sidewalk right in front of the diner. "Oh, cool. I'm having pancakes."
They were greeted warmly by Granny and the ever present Belle, and selected a booth after putting their breakfast orders in.
"Do you have plans to speak with your grandmother again?" Regina inquired as she glanced at the energetic Eugenia. She'd never seen the elderly woman quite so cheerful in the morning.
"Nothing formal. I just figured I'd pop in to the diner more often for now." She played with an empty sugar packet a little anxiously. "I mean, we cleared the air, but we spent a long time apart with a lot of bad feelings there. It'll take me some time to really adjust."
Regina leaned forward to gently tug the empty sugar packet away, one hand giving Ruby's a quick squeeze. "That sounds completely reasonable. In any case, I'm glad that you've begun to repair your relationship."
"Yeah, me too." Ruby's smile was shy, and Regina couldn't help but smile back at the endearing expression.
"Pancakes," Belle smiled cheerily as she set the plate in front of Ruby "and french toast." A second plate was deposited in front of Regina. The waitress added a small tray that had a variety of syrups and jams to the space in between the two seated women. "Is there anything else?"
"No," Regina offered a polite smile as she arranged her silverware and reached for syrup from the middle of the table.
Ruby smiled brightly at the waitress. "Actually, I should thank you for yesterday. I know the menus aren't kept in the back."
Belle laughed softly, one of her hands brushing the congenial Ruby's shoulder. "No need to thank me, I didn't really do anything." She shared a warm look with Ruby. "I'm just glad you got things sorted."
They smiled at each other for another moment before Belle was called away to another table.
Regina shifted a little in her seat as she fidgeted with her cutlery. She cleared her throat and tried to sound casual, "What's the story behind that?"
Bright glaucous eyes glanced up from a still steaming stack of pancakes. "Hm? Oh, Belle? Nothing, really." Her attention was drawn back to her morning fare.
As Regina cut her french toast into neat squares, she tried to ignore the niggling sense of unease she felt at the avoidance to her question.
The new additions to her routine had the days flying past far more quickly than Ruby liked, but she wouldn't give up the new relationships she'd been developing up for anything.
Once again Storybrooke was beginning to feel like home. Her relationship with Granny was growing by leaps and bounds as the days passed. A lovely side benefit grew from her frequent trips to the diner; she had become fast friends with Belle.
Mary Margaret had taken to teasing her about the easy friendship that had bloomed without almost any effort, but Ruby would just roll her eyes.
"Jeez M&M, just because I'm friends with a girl, it doesn't mean I want to date her."
Behind the verbally sparring duo, Regina tried to ignore the small sense of relief she felt at the words. She scrubbed vigorously at the counter in an effort to focus on the task at hand.
"Man, the summer is just flying by. We'll have to head back to campus soon." Mary Margaret's voice was wistful.
Ruby bumped their shoulders together, "Hey we still have a couple weeks. Let's just enjoy them. Besides, I think we've had a pretty amazing summer. I'm glad you talked me into coming." Unbidden, her eyes flicked over to observe Regina.
Mary Margaret laughed and slapped playfully at her arm when she saw where her best friend's eyes had settled. "I'm glad you came too. We should do something different this weekend." She tugged at her bottom lip with one hand. "How about we go have a few drinks at The Rabbit Hole?"
"Ha, man, Storybrooke really needs another bar. That place seriously needs an update or something." Ruby's face scrunched up as she considered the rundown building she'd seen more than once during her morning runs.
"Actually, they recently did some redesigning in the interior. I promise you it looks way worse on the outside than it really is. Say you'll come, please? We can invite Belle, too." Mary Margaret pleaded with a hopeful look on her face.
Ruby frowned. "I dunno..." She glanced over to a still-cleaning Regina and smirked. "Actually, I'll come if Regina comes."
Regina stiffened at her spot at the counter, slowly turning to face two expectant sets of eyes. "What?"
"Come on Regina, we're friends aren't we? We haven't really gone out for drinks or anything, and I'd like to do that before M&M and I have to go back to campus." Ruby put on her most charming smile.
The older woman fumbled with the cleaning cloth she'd been using to wipe the counters. "I'm not certain that's a good idea."
Mary Margaret eyed her step-mom carefully. "I don't think it'll be too weird or anything. We're friends too, aren't we?"
A weight began to settle heavily over Regina, an old trapped feeling beginning to overwhelm her.
"Hey," Ruby's voice was soft. "You don't really have to come if it makes you too uncomfortable. I just thought it would be nice."
Though she and Regina hadn't really talked about the years Regina had spent married to Mary Margaret's father, they'd talked enough about other things that had definitely helped Ruby start to fill in the blanks. The palpable relief on the older woman's face now let her know that she'd read the situation correctly.
The pressure in Regina's chest eased at the sincerity in Ruby's words. She set down the cleaning cloth carefully and ran a hand through her loose hair. "I suppose I could try it out, just this once."
Her response was met with loud cheers, and a smile crept onto her face at the duo's abundant enthusiasm. "So who will be the designated driver?" she inquired pointedly.
"James!" Mary Margaret readily volunteered his services, knowing her easygoing boyfriend would be more than happy to do so. "His SUV will be better anyway since there will be five of us."
Ruby laughed at her friend's confidence. "You haven't even asked Belle yet."
"I know she'll say yes. She told me she had a good time with you when you went last time." She gave Ruby a sly look as she related the comment.
"Don't look at me like that, it was perfectly innocent!"
Mary Margaret scoffed, "You said the same thing about Professor Mitchell, and then I caught you sneaking out of her office with your underwear in your pocket!"
Heat suffused Ruby's cheeks and she refused to look in Regina's direction. A strangled noise sounded from her throat. "Okay, but that was different! I...I'm just going to shut up now."
"Your comment about college students liking mature women suddenly makes more sense." Regina's own cheeks were a little flushed as she regarded the younger woman, who still refused to look her way.
A loud thud sounded in the room as Ruby dropped her face down to the table. "Kill me now," came her muffled voice.
"No, that would be far too easy on you," Mary Margaret informed her gleefully.
Ruby groaned and vowed to keep her face down until everyone had left the kitchen.
The next few days flew by, and by the time Saturday rolled around, Regina was resigned to the fact that she would probably be a fifth wheel on the evening excursion. She'd already come up with many viable excuses in her mind, even planning ahead to wear far lower heels than normal so she could just walk home.
So it was with some surprise that she found herself having a grand time at Storybrooke's sole bar. She'd disliked Belle without any specific reason, but as the young women merrily deposited another drink in front of her, she gave her a large smile.
"You're an incredible amount of fun Belle!" her voice was louder than she anticipated, but luckily the bar had enough background noise that it didn't really sound out of place.
Belle gave her a cheerful grin, "Thanks Regina, I'm glad to see you loosened up. You're a riot!" The waitress had found that Regina filtered her thoughts much less after a few drinks, and she'd had the group howling with laughter all night with her sharp one-liners.
The auburn haired woman tilted her head as she considered the keen-witted brunette. "What is it that you do anyway? I've never thought to ask."
Regina swallowed the mouthful of the fruity concoction Belle had picked. "Mm, I'm an urban planner. I do a lot of consulting for the mayor."
"Mayor Gold?" an odd note came into Belle's voice.
"Storybrooke only has one mayor, so yes." Regina replied dryly, one brow raised at Belle in question.
Ruby squeezed between them as she came back from the dance floor, a panting Mary Margaret and James taking up their seats on the other side of the table.
"What are you guys talking about?" The lanky woman inquired brightly, the alcohol and adrenaline from dancing putting her in a vibrant mood.
"Mayor Gold," the older woman spoke evenly, her eyes glued to Belle's face.
"Oh my god, Belle has the hugest crush on him! She always turns bright red when he smiles at her at the diner!" Ruby emphatically related.
"Ruby!" Belle squealed, before leaning over to give her friend a firm pinch on the arm.
The group laughed at the exchange, and Regina felt even more at ease than she had before.
Belle pursed her lips and stood. "M&M, how about a James sandwich? I can't bear to sit at the table next to that woman any longer!" She pointed dramatically at Ruby.
James shifted awkwardly in his chair, but his girlfriend responded with the eagerness assisted by a few appletinis. "Sure!"
Mary Margaret stood again, tugging on her reluctant boyfriend's hand.
Ruby leaned forward so her elbows rested on the table, pouting as she watched the trio leave. "She's so mean."
"Well, you did just blurt out something that she probably would not want shared with the general public," Regina admonished lightly.
A snort escaped the younger woman. "What general public? We're all friends here."
The sentiment warmed Regina, and she started to play with Ruby's hair absentmindedly. She'd wanted to do so all night since the younger woman rarely wore her hair down and completely loose.
"I'm very happy we're friends Ruby. I haven't had one of those in a long time."
Ruby had closed her eyes at the wonderful sensation of her hair being played with, but she forced them open so she could look Regina in the eye. "I'm happy we're friends too, though I don't know why you don't have more."
"The aftereffects of my marriage to Leo, I'm afraid. I probably should have just stayed out of this town like he did." Regina sounded pained as she relayed her thoughts.
"Regina," Ruby licked her lips as she gathered her courage. "What happened? You haven't really told me."
"I..." the older woman swallowed hard. "Not now dear. Not here. I've been having a good time, and I'd like to keep it that way."
A pang of regret hit Ruby. "Sorry." She focused on her beer, intent on peeling the label off.
A warm hand settled on her forearm, and Regina leaned in close so she could be easily heard in the low din of the bar without speaking loudly.
"It's fine Ruby. It's been a lot better this summer with you and Mary Margaret around. You've both helped me, but especially you. I didn't realize how much I needed and wanted a close friend again. I will tell you soon." She looked away for a moment. "I think I need to tell someone other than my therapist." Her smile was rueful.
Ruby's breath caught at the pensive look on Regina's face. She knew this woman was beautiful, but there was something that drew her in at that look. She wanted to help her. She wanted to help her so much it felt more like a necessity.
She cleared her throat and settled her hand over Regina's. "Any time you want. I'm always willing to listen." Ruby straightened so the space between them wasn't quite as intimate. "Now, you said you wanted to have fun, so I think it's time to dance!"
Regina gave her a delighted look, a low chuckle escaping her at Ruby's seemingly endless enthusiasm. "It's been a long time since I've danced in public."
"You have a natural grace, I'm sure you'll be fantastic! As long as you have fun, that's what's important." the younger woman added as she stood with a hand out in invitation.
"Oh, I'm not worried about performance. I was merely stating a fact. Let's go see what you've got, Miss Lucas." Regina smirked as she accepted the hand and stood, leading Ruby to the dance floor without looking back.
A stupid grin grew on Ruby's face at Regina's confidence, and she willingly followed without question. She knew without a doubt that she was about to enjoy herself immensely.
The small dance floor was crowded, and Ruby wasn't sure whether she should feel happy or upset about that.
As they squeezed in to a spot a third of the way into the crowd and Regina turned to face her, she decided to not think about anything and just enjoy the moment.
Regina released her hand to move freely, but as Ruby watched her hips roll and sway perfectly to the beat, she found she didn't mind in the least. She admired Regina in her dark blue skintight jeans, low heeled boots and pristine white off-the shoulder blouse for a few moments before letting herself be lost in the music.
They were completely absorbed in the thrumming sounds, moving bodies, and occasionally, each other's eyes as one song bled into another.
Ruby didn't have to ask if Regina was having a good time; she could see her own exuberance reflected back at her in the warm mocha gaze that would meet her own more and more as the night wore on.
"Oh my god," Ruby groaned as she and Regina stumbled into house number 108 on Mifflin street. "I'm pretty sure my feet are gonna fall off. Remind me not to wear such high heels when I go out with you. I love dancing, and it's just worse with you since you love it just as much."
Warm laughter was her response, and she glanced down at the woman she was leaning heavily against. She glared playfully. "Don't laugh at my pain, woman! At least get me a drink – preferably alcoholic." A pout accompanied her words.
Regina laughed again, and at this point of the night Ruby was completely certain she was addicted to the sound. "If you want a drink, we should go sit in the den." She glanced down at Ruby's feet in their incredibly high, red stilettos. "You should take off your boots first, though."
They hobbled over to the highest step in the foyer, where Ruby sat delicately and unzipped her knee high boots. She moaned softly as her sore feet were freed. "I'm just gonna leave these here for now. The thought of walking upstairs right now seems cruel."
"That's fine," Regina hesitated for a moment before removing her own ankle-length boots. A soft sigh escaped her as her feet settled against the cool wood.
She leaned forward to collect her boots, sparing a quick glance at Ruby before collecting hers as well. She stood and moved over to the side of the foyer, neatly arranging both pairs of boots.
A few steps brought her back to Ruby, and she extended both hands helpfully when it seemed Ruby lacked the energy to stand.
The lanky young woman flashed her an appreciative grin and accepted the assistance up with another groan. "To the den. I think someone mentioned a drink."
Regina squeezed her hands before releasing them, easily leading the way to her warmly appointed den. She immediately stepped over to the small bar she rarely used. "What would you like to drink?"
Ruby hummed a little to herself as she sat on the surprisingly comfortable sofa. "I'm too tired to think. Just pour me whatever you're having." She relaxed and glanced at the clock on the mantle.
It was just barely after one. They'd been at the bar since nine, and the evening was cut a little short when Mary Margaret had indulged in one too many appletinis. She and Belle had barely managed to get her into the bathroom on time. James had called a halt to the evening immediately after, and everyone had understood. He'd opted to drop everyone off and then take his girlfriend back to the B&B so he could comfortably take care of her.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Regina extended her a glass full of an amber colored liquid. She sniffed delicately and chuckled. "Cider? I'm never going to forget tonight with all these apple themed things."
Regina looked amused and sat on the other end of the sofa, sipping from her own glass. They were silent as they decompressed from the enjoyable, but noisy night.
"I had a lot of fun. Thank you for inviting me to go with you Ruby." She gave her younger companion a small, authentic smile.
Ruby beamed back, "I'm glad you came. I had a blast! You're an incredible dance partner. We'll have to go again some time." Her smile dimmed a little as she was reminded of the fact that her summer was almost over.
"What's wrong?" the question was soft.
Her head shook, a wry expression on her face. "Nothing, really. I guess it just keeps hitting me that the summer is almost over. I've been having so much fun, but I guess nothing lasts forever."
"Mm," Regina neutrally sounded. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips as she glanced quickly to the right, taking in Ruby's slumped posture. "You know, you're always welcome to visit. I've enjoyed having you here."
White, even teeth were displayed in a large grin at the considerate statement. "I usually stay on campus for breaks, but now that everything's cool here...I really appreciate the offer Regina, and I'll probably take you up on that. I love Granny, but I'm not really comfortable staying with her just yet."
They shared a warm smile.
Regina finished her drink and set her glass carefully on the end table, and then turned to face Ruby. She brought her legs up to rest on the middle cushion, scooting back so that her toes were just shy of brushing the other woman. "Is this alright?" her hand gestured at her legs.
Ruby swallowed the last of her own cider and mirrored Regina's actions. She had to be a little more careful as she maneuvered in her mini skirt, and carefully brought her feet to rest alongside Regina's bottom. She gave her friend a cheeky grin. "As long as this is alright."
Regina's chest shook with a soundless chuckle, one hand coming up to push the loose strands of hair back from her face. "It's fine."
Silence descended again, but their friendship was long past the point of such moments of quiet being uncomfortable. After seeing each other daily for two and a half months, they felt like old friends.
"Did I ever tell you that I found out my mom didn't have insurance?" Ruby was first to break the silence.
"No. How were you able to pay off everything then?" Regina gave her an interested look.
"Granny," she replied softly. "She set it up through a lawyer. She tried calling me first, but...I kinda went off on her. She made it seem like an official thing because she was worried I wouldn't take money from her."
Her smile was watery when she looked at Regina. "She really does love me."
Regina nudged her thigh gently with a foot. "Of course she does."
"It's such a wonderful feeling. Ever since my mom died, I've just had Mary Margaret. I mean, I have friends at school, but it's not the same. Mary Margaret is my oldest friend, and we've helped each other through so much. People are cool at school, but there's a kind of – a sense of the superficial to it all, you know? Like, we all know that we're only there for a short time and then we'll all just drift away," her voice trailed off, the tone a little melancholy.
"But, then M&M talked me in to coming here. I have Granny, Belle, and...you." The smile she gave Regina was startling, and the older woman felt her breath catch at the joy and affection in the warm blue eyes.
An olive toned hand settled over a pale shin. "Yes, you do." Regina absentmindedly began to trace small circles on the soft skin. "It's sort of odd, our friendship." She held up her free hand entreatingly at Ruby's offended look. "No, I just mean the circumstances. I adore being your friend. You're so different than me, but in a lot of ways we're kindred spirits. You make my days lighter. You make me remember how happy I used to be before everything changed."
Her head shook from side to side as she stared down at her lap. "It's just hard for me sometimes when I remember you came in to my life through Mary Margaret."
Ruby's lips burned with the question she'd waited all summer to hear the answer to, but she withheld the urge to ask. She wasn't going to force this issue, especially not when Regina was finally, carefully revealing more important tidbits about herself.
Instead, she brought her own hand to rest against the soft skin of Regina's lower leg. She squeezed lightly once to get the other woman's attention and gave her a supportive smile.
Regina let out a heavy breath and relaxed her shoulders. When she started to speak, her voice was low and weary. "When I was twenty, I was madly in love with a boy I'd known for years. I met him in high school. We were both on the cross country team, and things just developed naturally. Things were harder for him when we went away to different colleges because my mother didn't approve – my family is independently wealthy through my father – and she thought Daniel was beneath me."
Her hands fidgeted in her lap. "It didn't matter to me, I loved him. I knew he had potential for so many things. The year I turned twenty, I came back to Storybrooke to spend time with my mother, who still lived here at that point. Daniel was supposed to come, but he ended up needing to work through the summer so he could afford his books the following semester. Being apart from him was hard, and Mother suggested I tutor the young daughter of a friend of hers. I didn't know what else to do with my time, so I agreed."
Ruby rubbed Regina's leg tenderly, seeing the older woman struggling to get the words out.
Regina cleared her throat and continued. "That girl was Mary Margaret. She was only twelve, and we became fast friends. She felt like a cute little sister to me. She looked up to me so much." A sigh escaped her. "I didn't know that her dad had become enamored of me as well until some time later. I went back to school the following fall. I'd taken a lot of AP classes in school, and with some shuffling I was set to graduate at the end of the spring term. Daniel had become distant, but I didn't think much of it. We were both so busy. He came to visit for my birthday," her voice quivered and here eyes were full of tears.
"We had a huge argument. It turned out that my mother had taken some photos of Leo and I – completely out of context, mind you – and Daniel had known about them for months before saying anything to me. He blew up, saying how I was just like my mother and how gross it was for me to have an affair with a man that much older just because he was wealthy. He didn't believe me when I said nothing had happened. I slapped him, and he left. He completely cut off contact with me. I went to see him after graduation, and he was with another woman."
Then Regina's voice broke, the tears streaming down her face. She let them fall for a while, not caring that her weakness was on display in front of her closest friend. She took a shaky breath as the tears slowed.
"I'm afraid after that I made some rather poor decisions. I was confused and hurt, and when Mary Margaret's father started to make his intentions known I just sort of went along with it. Mother was very supportive, far more than she'd ever been about anything in my life. I craved her affection so, and within three months, Leo and I were married with her blessing." Her voice sounded hollow, and her eyes were haunted as she relayed the events.
"Things were, kind of, alright at first. I didn't really love Leo, but I did love Mary Margaret. He was patient with me. After a while though, his patience ran out. He started being verbally abusive and for a while I let it go. I finally got fed up one day and spoke up to him...that was the first night he forced himself on me. It was horrible. I didn't know what to do. I called the sheriff. He laughed at me. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Leo was mayor then and Sheriff Humbert hadn't been elected yet. I wanted to leave Leo, so I called up my mother. She didn't believe me."
Ruby thought there would be more tears with these words, but Regina seemed oddly detached. She didn't understand how Regina could be so calm. She felt an outpouring of emotions at these words, and the kindly picture she'd had of Leo in her memory as a child shattered. She wished she knew where he lived. Fury and disgust warred in her gut, and she had to force her breathing to even as Regina continued to speak.
"I was stuck. Leo had insisted we merge everything when we were married, and I couldn't withdraw twenty dollars without him questioning me. My mother wouldn't help me, and at the time the closest women's shelter was hours away and I was terrified I would be caught before I could get anywhere. So I stayed." Shame colored Regina's face and voice, and she curled into herself protectively. She pulled her legs up so her knees were tightly pressed against her chest, arms wound firmly around her legs to keep herself together. She wouldn't meet Ruby's eyes.
"One night, when Mary Margaret was about sixteen or so, she caught me crying in the bathroom. I guess by the way I looked it was fairly clear what had happened. I'd hated her so much at that point. It wasn't her fault, but I hated everyone and everything that had any attachment to Leo...especially myself." Her hands clenched on her legs, the knuckles white at the force.
"But Mary..." her voice was soft again, "she surprised me. She cried. She held me. She said she was sorry it had happened to me. I was so shocked. She asked me how long it had been going on, but I couldn't answer her. As much as I had hated her, she was still a child and I didn't want her to know too much."
Ruby was unable to stay so far from Regina any longer. She scooted to the center cushion so she could rest one hand on Regina's arm in support; not so close that the other woman felt trapped, but close enough that she might hopefully feel comforted.
Regina gave her a small smile and nod in acknowledgment.
"Mary helped me leave him. We planned it out together. Before my father died, he had set up a trust for me but I couldn't access it until I was twenty-five. I was planning to leave then, but Mary Margaret wanted to help me get out of there as quickly as possible. She started asking her father for money so she could hang out with friends, but instead she started a small 'getaway fund' for me. The next time her—Leo did something, she took me to the hospital. Though the sheriff wouldn't do anything, Mary Margaret thought it was important that there would at least be documentation. She was...she helped me so much."
Ruby had never felt so proud of her best friend as she did in that moment. She promised to give Mary a huge hug next time they saw each other.
"A few weeks before my planned getaway, they elected Sheriff Humbert. For the first time in a long time, I felt hope. I quietly contacted the only attorney I knew in town that might help me – Mr. Gold. With Mary Margaret and the medical reports from the hospital, he readily agreed to help me press charges against Leo. I filed for divorce the day Mary helped me sneak out. I didn't go far, I really couldn't with the court proceedings, but even just going to Bangor helped me so much."
Her voice had grown lively as she got to this part in the story, and Ruby scooted just a little closer.
"It became a huge scandal, and Leo stepped down from his position as mayor. He got off with a slap on the wrist in court, but everyone knew what really happened, even if the judge was the remnant of an era long past. I wanted justice, but being free was just as good."
"I moved back to town when Gold decided to run for mayor and both Leo and my mother had gone. I wanted to come back and own Storybrooke. I wanted to take control of my life and prove to Leo, his friends, and even my mother that I might have been damaged, but I wasn't broken. I wouldn't let him keep me from the town I grew up in and had loved. It helped me feel strong again. After Gold was elected, he decided to put my degree to use and hired me." There was a warm smile on her face as she finished. It was small, but it was there.
As silence once again grew, the younger woman was overwhelmed with all the knowledge Regina had entrusted her with. Nothing she could say would be able to express the gamut of emotions she was feeling.
Regina was feeling exposed as the quiet lingered, her chin resting snugly between her knees. She knew that Ruby was one of the least judgmental people she'd ever met, but she was so ashamed about so many parts of this story that a kernel of her mind couldn't help but worry.
Ruby grew frustrated with herself and sighed. She looked over at the older woman. "Regina?"
Tired brown eyes warily looked up at her.
Ruby smiled tentatively and opened her arms wide in invitation.
Slowly, Regina uncurled her body, her lips parted in surprise. She fell into the open, warm embrace and her breath caught as she was enveloped in Ruby's long, consoling arms.
The hug eased them both. They pressed together tightly, Ruby sharing her warmth and affection, and Regina greedily accepting every ounce.
Ruby tilted her head down to brush a soft kiss into sable locks. "You're such an incredibly strong woman, and I'm glad I've had the privilege of getting to know you. Thank you for opening up to me – I will never betray the trust you've shown me," her words where a whisper, the breaths of them tickling against Regina's hair.
Regina felt calm with her head on the strong shoulder as she absorbed the words. Ruby ran a hand through her shoulder-length hair, and she grew even more relaxed. Time passed without either woman really recognizing it, both just lost in the tranquility of their entwined bodies.
Her head bounced softly as Ruby chuckled some time later. "Come on. It's late and you're about to fall asleep on me. While I wouldn't mind that, I'm pretty sure we'd both be hurting pretty bad in the morning on this sofa."
Regina smiled sleepily at the amusement in her friend's voice. "M'kay."
They slowly made their way upstairs, Ruby carefully watching the older woman to be sure she didn't stumble and fall in her exhausted state.
The shorter woman turned as they made it to the top of the stairs. "Ruby," she licked her lips nervously. "Would you, that is to say, I think I would rather like if I wasn't alone tonight."
Tenderness swept over Ruby at the hesitant words. "What are friends for?" she replied with a smile. "Just let me go wash my face and change, and I'll be with you in a few minutes."
The response made Regina feel infinitely better, and when there was a light tapping on her bedroom door a short time later, she greeted Ruby with a large smile.
That night they slept facing each other, their hands lightly touching in the middle of the bed.