A/N: So in this chapter I took a lot from Child of the moon. It was really fun to try and narrate what we've all seen on screen. Hope I've been true to it.
Chapter 15: The Monster Is Out
Before my eyes I see flashes of Peter's ravaged body. I can't believe I did it again. After so many years of being careful, after finally controlling my curse, I'm back in the hole of blood and bodies.
"It was the wolf! It was me!" I scream as Granny tries to pull me away. The worst part is I knew this would happen, I just didn't want to believe it.
David jumps up on the truck to confirm that it's Billy and his face twists in disgust as he takes a closer look at the mauled body. He might as well have directed that disgusted glance at me. I can only see the leg, but I've seen enough of my former victims to know what the rest looks like. I don't need to see any more.
There's a crowd gathering around us, probably because they heard me scream.
David walks over to me by the car that I've backed into in a subconscious urge to get as far away from Billy's body as possible.
"Ruby, you didn't do this. It has to be something else."
"No!" I scream at him. "I did this, we both know it!"
"A few months back everyone thought Mary Margaret was guilty of murder. She needed someone to believe in her. I didn't do that. I'm not gonna make the same mistake with you."
"Snow never killed anyone, I have!"
He grips me by the arm, gently. "I know who you really are Ruby, even if you've lost sight of it."
"That doesn't change the fact that I'm gonna turn again tonight and somebody else could get hurt."
"Maybe this isn't the place to have this discussion", Granny interrupts and eyes the crowd, which continues to grow in size. A man steps in front of it. It's Spencer. I recognize him because he used to complain about the outfits I used to wear at the diner.
"I told you you couldn't take care of the town David. Look what happened. You trusted a werewolf and now someone has died!" He yells while looking straight at David.
"Not now Spencer!" David yells back and takes no further notice of him. "I need someone to call for doctor Whale!" He then turns to me. "I'll protect you Ruby."
"No, lock me up! If the freezer couldn't hold me maybe a jail cell will." I sniffle and try to control the tears. "I don't need protection from other people, David, other people needs protection from me."
The people in the crowd keep yelling, making a mess of their voices. I take a look around at the angry, scared faces standing behind Spencer. Just like the mob that drove me away from my home after I killed Peter. History is repeating itself and once again it's out of my control.
I let David take me to the station.
The cell door closes behind me and I sit down on the bench in there. Being in here reminds me of David's argument for believing in me. They arrested Snow once, long before the curse was lifted, like he reminded me. When they thought she killed Kathryn, David's pretend-wife. It seems we always end up in places like this, her and I. The only difference is that Snow never hurt anyone and I am in fact a killer.
"You'll be safe here tonight", David says as he goes around the desk to check messages. I highly doubt that I or anyone for that matter will be safe, but I thank him anyway. "Thank me in the morning", he says. "By then I'll have found whoever really killed Billy."
Footsteps approaches and Spencer walks in. By now I know that this is King George, the man David was worried about yesterday.
"You already have", he says in a cold voice and looks at me. "That thing. That she-wolf." Every word he says is true, but it doesn't make it hurt any less.
"Get out", David says and walks to him. "Whatever issues you have with me doesn't involve her. There's no proof Ruby had anything to do with what happened."
Spencer turns his cold gaze to him. "It seems to me that you're allowing you emotions to cloud your judgment."
I've had enough. "Leave him alone!" I shout, desperate to direct my torn up emotions at someone. If the cell hadn't been in the way I might have attacked him just like I attacked Regina fruitlessly some days ago. For now I'm held back by the bars. Spencer barely spares me a glance.
"Protecting your friend at the peril of everyone else. I knew you'd slip up, shepherd. It was only a matter of time."
"What do you want?" David asks him. I can tell his patience is slipping up.
"Justice. Hand her over to me and let the town decide her fate."
"Never! I know exactly what kind of justice you have in mind."
There's a creepy smile forming on Spencer's old, wrinkled lips. "The town is bigger than you think. If I start telling people, that you're putting their lives at stake to protect your own interests, you'll have a mutiny on your hands."
"Yeah, we'll see. You want her, you have to go through me." In this moment I feel so many warm feelings towards David. He was never even my friend by choice, yet he's protecting me with everything he's got.
Spencer looks oddly pleased by his answer. "I look forward to that."
He finally turns around and leaves. David and I share a few looks, before he leaves too. Says he has to go look at the body and try to solve this thing. I nod, but say nothing. His confidence is heartwarming, but useless. I can't tell him that.
Once the station is quiet and deserted I bury my face in my hands and wish myself away. Anywhere but here. I find myself wishing that I had gone to help Snow and Emma with the wraith. Maybe it would have taken me down with it instead. David and the other's think that they might be back in the Enchanted Forest. According to Regina it might just still exist. At least there I would have some sort of comfort in the familiar scenery. Maybe I would have known what to do there.
Here I feel lost.
An hour or so tick away. Every minute I get closer to second round of wolf time, the restlessness increases. The wolf is getting ready to launch again. Lash out again. It has great many years to make up for. I'm having doubts about this cell, now that I'm sitting here. A giant metal box couldn't hold me. These bars look like I could break them even without wolf-powers. In wolf-form I suspect they might snap like toothpicks.
Footsteps. Lacey.
I look up to see Belle enter the room. She looks sad.
"Ruby, are you okay?"
I can't help exhale a breath that sounds close to laughter.
"Well, do I look okay?"
"No", she says. "My father and the whole town are sayin' you killed Billy, so I went to find you. David told me he took you in."
"I told him to. You shouldn't associate with murderers." The word draws a grimace on her face, like the sound of it hurts her.
"Don't say that. You couldn't possibly have done it, I know you."
I scoff. "Obviously you don't. You know Ruby, but you have no clue who Red is and what she is capable of. What I'm capable of. I did it."
She shakes her head. "I don't believe it."
"You can't just deny it Belle!"
"You can't just believe it when there's no evidence."
"Obviously you didn't see the body", I mumble and look away.
"Ruby…"
"What do you want, Belle?" She shuts her mouth again and takes a long look at me. The feel of it makes me want to claw my way out through the back wall to escape her glance. I know that look, there's longing in it. Just like when she looked at me in the library. How does she keep toying with me like this? Why? I don't ask her though. There's something else in it, sadness. I'm afraid to know what that's about.
"I broke up with Rumple", she finally says. This hurts far more than I expected it would. It hurts because it should make me happy, but with everything that has happened in the last twenty four hours there's no way I'll ever allow myself near her or anyone I love again. If I can get the wolf under control then maybe, but I don't see that happening. It feels so different here. I think the wolf realizes that my mind is split between two; Red, the one that the wolf is a part of and Ruby, the simple small-town rebel, who has nothing to do with mythological creates, let alone has any control over it.
"Please say somethin'", Belle says. I look up at her, reluctantly.
"Why did you?" I ask.
"He couldn't keep his promise. He sent the wraith after Regina-"
"Told you", I mumble under my breath, but I'm not sure she realizes.
"- after he promised me he wouldn't use magic. And he told Spencer that you're a werewolf."
"What?"
"Spencer didn't know. Because of Rumple, he and my own father and the rest of the town are after you. That's unforgivable."
I guess that evil bastard found a loop hole in his promise after all. It doesn't change anything though.
"What doesn't change? Us?" I realize I must have said the last thing out loud.
I sigh. "Yeah."
"Why not?"
There's a familiar anger building up in my gut. I get up and walk to the bars to face Belle properly.
"Well, first of all because you don't get to decide everything. You can't just expect me to stand ready for you when you get rid of your maniac boyfriend after having dumped me the way you did. Secondly, I told you I love you and you told me to stop calling you Lacey. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? And thirdly, because there is no way in hell I'm letting you be anywhere near me, now that the wolf is back. I'm a monster Belle, I will hurt you eventually. If I had known this back then I would never have allowed myself to be close to you."
"Don't say that", she whispers in a paper thin voice.
"Did your dear Rumple tell you what happened to Peter? My boyfriend back in the Enchanted Forest?" The fury is supporting my voice, making it out as sharp and icy. She quietly shakes her head. "Well I ate him. We thought he was the wolf back then, so he tied himself to a tree to prevent himself from hurting me, while I stayed with him." That same humorless laugh as before escapes my throat. "The moon came up and I turned into a wolf. And then I ate him alive. I had no control over it then. I was blacked out, so when Snow and Granny changed me back using my hood, I woke up to the sight of his wrecked, torn, blood spattered body." I hold up for a second, pained by the memory and continue in a much quieter voice. "I didn't know a person could be half eaten and still leave so much blood. And now I've done the same to Billy. I can't have the next person to be you. So please, leave while you still have a chance to get the hell away from me."
Belle is trembling and tears are running down her cheeks when I'm finished spitting every word at her. I realize of course that since no one can actually leave town, she can't exactly get away from me, but my point seems to sink in anyway.
"Ruby, I'm so sorry…" Is all she says.
"You're sorry? For what?"
"It must've been so horrible. But you said you couldn't control it then? That means you learned it afterwards?"
I can't believe this girl. How is she still alive, when every warning she ever gets so obviously flies right past her?
"Are you not hearing me? The same thing will happen to you if you don't stay away. So please do. Go away and stay away!" I turn around and sit back down on the bench.
"Ruby don't-"
"GO AWAY Belle!" I growl at her. The sudden animalistic quality to my voice startles her and she instantly backs a step away. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but I turn my head and stare at the back wall.
Finally I hear the sound of her turning on her heels and walking out. When she's out of sight I fall back down on the bench, bury my face in my hands again and give in to the tears.