A/N: This chapter includes one of my favorite moments between Emma and Ruby. There are some changes compared to how it's interpreted in the book and movie, because (again) I want to keep Ruby likable and not turn her into a hated character like Jacob becomes as the books/films progress. I felt every bit of Emma and Ruby's truce in this chapter, and I hope you all do, too. Of course, that doesn't mean Ruby won't ultimately be crushed by a certain wedding from happening once I begin writing Breaking Dawn. Happy reading, all! Thank you for the love.

If I am surprised with reviews after getting home from work tomorrow, I shall write out and post the last two (or last one) chapter(s) to this story.

Regina woke up that morning and the first thing that captured her attention was the ring that sparkled along her matrimonial finger. Marriage! Her and Emma would be married, and as much as it frightened her to be married at such a young age, it also made her smile a little because when said forever, she really meant forever.

Shuffling out of bed, Regina brushed her teeth and headed downstairs, where she could hear Lily and Emma talking.

"I packed some jackets for Regina. I know the cold does nothing to us, Emma, but I would wear a jacket up in the mountains. There's going to be a storm, it'll be cold." Lily warns.

"Got it." Emma turns to the sight of Regina and smiles.

"I'll give you two a minute," Lily said, walking out of the family room without even looking at Regina.

"Hey," Regina smiled, wrapping her arms around Emma's form as she walked up to her. Her lips press along Emma's icy ones in a kiss.

Emma brings Regina's left hand up to her lips, kissing the finger that is weighed by her ring. Her eyes never leave Regina's, "We still have time, you know… I could carry you to Vegas and we could get married in one of those drive-thru chapels and be back before the fight has even begun."

Regina chuckled, "Don't tempt me."

Emma shared her chuckle, showing off a teeth bearing green.

As much as Regina didn't want to ruin this moment, she looked down at her ring and immediately noticed the frown on Emma's lips as soon as she removed the ring from her finger. "I was thinking, maybe you could hold onto it for me. Keep it safe," she holds up the ring to Emma. "Just until the battle is over."

Emma takes the ring, her eyes seeking an answer behind Regina's.

"I don't want to risk losing it." Regina quickly explained.

"Or risk Ruby seeing it." Said Emma.

"This is not about me having second thoughts, Emma," Regina assured. "I just don't want to spring this news on her until after the battle. I want her to have a clear head."

"We're all set to go." Lily comes prancing back into the family room. "Gina, I need to talk to you."

Emma tucks the ring safely within the breast pocket of her jacket before she walks out of the room, giving Regina and Lily some privacy.

"What's going on?" Regina asked Lily.

"Gina…" Lily looks to the door, seeing Emma nowhere in sight before turning back to Regina. "Do you love me?"

Regina's brow furrows. "Of course I do, Lily. Why would you ask such a thing?"

"Then, would you mind explaining to me, why did I see you and Emma eloping to Vegas and getting married in an awful drive-thru chapel?" Lily cringes, "Worse, without inviting me!"

Regina's cheeks turn slightly pink.

"Gina, I see you like a sister. Please tell me you aren't going to go through with that awful idea."

"It was just a thought…" Said Regina. "Emma and I don't want to make a big deal about it. That's all."

"But it's your wedding!" Lily beams. "How could you not want to make it into a big deal?"

Suddenly Regina saw it in Lily's eyes, the thrill of another party. She shook her head, "No, Lily, please-"

"Please, Gina! Pretty please, can I arrange your wedding for you?" Lily asked, grinning happily at the idea. "It will be small. I promise."

Regina groaned, "Nothing is ever small with you."

"True, but I swear- scouts honor-" Lily holds up a hand. "That I won't invite the entire town this time."

Regina chuckled, "I don't know, Lily-"

"Where's your ring?" Lily frowned, reaching for Regina's left hand. "Didn't Emma give you one? I saw her give it to you."

Regina frowned as she turned toward the door. "Emma, get out here, I know you're listening!"

Emma steps into the room, "She's worried about the werewolf seeing it." She chuckled.

Regina glares in Emma's direction.

"She's going to find out sooner or later, Gina." Said Lily, turning to Emma. "I was trying to convince her to allow me to do your wedding."

"Lily-" Emma shakes her head.

"Come on! If you really love me, you'll let me do this for you." Lily pleaded with Regina. "Please? Please, please, please…"

Kill me. Regina shrugged, exchanging a glance with Emma. "Okay."

"Really?" Lily's eyes brighten.

Regina nods, "Yeah, you can help us with the wedding." She grunts as Lily pulls her into a tight hug.

"Lily, easy." Emma warns.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Lily backs away, grinning happily. "I'm just so happy for you two! All the more reason to win this battle tomorrow."

Regina smiles as Emma pulls her into her side, "Speaking of, shouldn't we get going?"

"Oh, yes! Let's go, everything is ready!" Lily storms out of the room.

"Here," Emma reaches for her cellphone and hands it to Regina, "Why don't you call Ruby and let her know we're on our way. She knows where to meet us."

Regina was glad she had bundled up, the wind was becoming colder and colder as they arrived closer to their destination. "Do you have a pocket knife?" She asks Emma.

Emma searched inside her pockets, reaching for a pocket knife and handing it to Regina. "What are you doing?"

Regina snapped the blade and slid it across her finger, hissing in the progress. An instant red pearl formed along her finger and she rubbed it against a tree. "Jefferson said this was a way to help. I want to be thorough." She marked another tree.

Emma smiled, reaching for Regina's hand. "You're doing a great job. The newborns will be frantic. Jefferson will be impressed." She looks down at Regina's cut.

"I'm sorry," Regina pulls back her hand. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Emma shook her head, "You don't. It doesn't bother me anymore."

"Since when?"

"Since I spent twenty-four hours thinking you were dead," Emma chuckled as she reached for Regina's hand again. "I have a first-aid kit in my backpack. I'll patch that up."

Regina shook her head, "It's fine. It'll dry."

Emma pulled out the first aid-kit, "Gina, it's all dirty. Let me clean it up." She was quick to wipe the cut clean and place a band-aid over it, finishing with pressing her lips along the injured finger.

"I can't believe I let Lily talk me into allowing her to plan our wedding." Regina smiled, shaking her head.

"If you don't want a big wedding, then you don't have to have a big wedding," Emma smiled. "It's your day. You should decide how you want us to marry."

"Technically it's both our day."

"Still," said Emma, caressing Regina's cheek with her knuckles. "I want you to have whatever makes you happy."

"What about you?"

"Gina, you already agreed to marry me. I'm the happiest I've ever been in a hundred years." Emma grinned, pulling Regina close and pressing her lips onto her own.

"So, is Vegas still an option?" Regina grinned.

Emma chuckled, "If that's what you want."

"What does Regina want?" Ruby asks, walking up to them.

"To win this fight," Regina was quick on her feet.

"We got this, Gina. Don't worry." Ruby smiled, feeling it disappear as soon as her eyes were on Emma. "So? Where to now?"

Emma pulls out a map from her jacket pocket, "We're here," she points to it. "You'll need to carry Regina up the rest of the way, to the top of the mountain. Here," she points.

"Got it." Ruby nods.

"Do you need the map?" Emma offers the folded up map.

"No. I know my way around here."

Regina could tell just by looking at Ruby and Emma's glances that they were trying hard to get along with one another, which was more than she could ask for.

"I'll see you in a couple of hours." Emma said to Regina, pressing her lips along her forehead. "Here," she pulled out a beanie from her backpack and placed it on Regina's head, brushing back her hair in place. "It will get colder up there. This will keep you warm."

Regina smiled, placing a kiss along Emma's lips. "I'll see you soon."

Ruby's eyes rolled as she looked away and waited for Emma to finally disappear to smile at Regina. "What's up? You alright?" She asks.

"I'm fine, except for a bunch of vampires trying to kill me." Said Regina.

Ruby chuckled, "Same 'ol, same 'ol, huh?" She scoops up Regina, cradling her in her arms. "You ready?"

"Lead the way."

Ruby takes off in a jog with Regina in her arms, "So, are you going to ask me how I'm doing before the big battle?"

"You're fighting, too?" Regina asks.

"I have to. I'll be up there with you in the mountains tonight, but Seth is taking over for me tomorrow morning. He's sad about missing all the action, but Graham calls the shots," Ruby shrugs. "It is what it is, since I let him be Alpha."

Regina's brow lifts, "Since you let Graham be Alpha?"

Ruby grins, "I never wanted to be in a pack, let alone be its leader. But like I said before… this lifestyle isn't a choice."

"So, why Graham? Why not you?" Asks Regina.

Ruby shrugs, "Graham is older. He seemed like a good choice. Granny wasn't too happy about my stepping down from the title, but he was also the council's favorite, so she understood in the long run."

"Wow," Regina smiled. "Chief Ruby."

Ruby's grin disappears as she sees the bracelet along Regina's wrist that near her shoulder, "What's this? You got a new bracelet?"

"A gift from Emma. It's her family crest." Said Regina.

Ruby snorts, "I'll never understand your need to want to be one of them someday, Gina."

"Ruby."

"Just saying," Ruby shrugs, "You could stay human if you go for someone else. You wouldn't have to worry about hurting anyone around you. Or wanting to eat people."

"I'm not going to change my mind, Ruby," said Regina.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Ruby rolls her eyes. "The leech is the one."

"She is."

Ruby shakes her head, "You only say that because you don't give yourself a chance with me, Regina." She stops walking for a moment to lock her eyes with Regina's. "I know you feel something for me, too. I can sense how I make you feel. I make you nervous," the corner of her lip tilts. "And you can love more than one person at a time, you know? I've seen it with Graham, Emily and Leah." She continues walking.

Regina scoffs, "Ruby, I'm not like you- I can't imprint."

"It has nothing to do with imprinting, Gina."

"Well, I don't think it's right. Loving two people at a time, in a romantic sort of way, anyway. Emma won't want to share me, you won't want to share me. Both of you want to rip each other's head's off enough as it is already."

Ruby grinned, "Maybe you would change your mind if I kissed you a little better than last time."

Regina's cheeks flush, "Ruby…"

"Don't worry, Gina… that won't happen again. Not unless you ask me to kiss you." Ruby promised.

"Don't hold your breath," Regina muttered.

The wind whistled as they reached the top of the snow covered mountain, where Emma waited for Regina, embracing her in her arms once Regina ran up to her.

Ruby watched as they embraced with a frown to her. "Will that tent hold?"

Emma nods, keeping her arm around Regina's waist. "It will. I made sure of it myself."

"Well, you may want to get her inside. The storm will be here any minute."

"Let's get you inside," Emma whispers to Regina. She looks over her shoulder at Ruby. "Thank you, Ruby."

Ruby nods, "I'll be out there, keeping watch."

Hours later as the darkness filled the sky, the whistling around them became louder, the wind causing the tent to rattle, matching the rattle coming from Regina's teeth as she shivered despite being wrapped up in a sleeping bag and two jackets, Emma's included.

"I'm sorry, Gina, I should have picked a spot a little lower." Emma stood hopeless, wishing for the first time in her life that she wasn't cold.

Regina shook her head, "N-no. It's… fine."

"What can I do, Gina?" Emma asks, wanting so badly to warm her up.

Ruby unzips the flap of the tent, helping herself to enter. "Wind is picking up," she announces. "It's hard to sleep with all the teeth chattering going on in here." She turns to Regina, watching her shiver.

"No way, Ruby." Said Emma, her eyes watching her closely.

Ruby throws a glare in Emma's direction. "It would warm her up."

"Forget it."

"Fine," Ruby shrugs, "If she loses all of her toes due to frostbite, that's on you."

Regina grunts, her jaw clenching and aching due to the cold. It's more than Ruby can stand.

"This is stupid," Ruby mutters, moving forward. "Scoot over, Gina."

Emma's hand reaches for Ruby's shoulder, her eyes glaring menacingly, lip curling along the corner.

"Take your hand off of me," Ruby snarls, menacingly.

"Keep your hands off of her." Emma growls.

"D-don't f-fight. P-please." Regina mutters under her trembling breath.

After glaring at each other for another long moment, Ruby finally says, "If she gets sick it's on you."

Emma's jaw tightens as she looks at Regina and how badly she's shivering. "Just remember, I'll be watching your every movement around her." She warned Ruby, releasing her shoulder.

Ruby's glare softens as soon as she moves closer to Regina, unzipping the sleeping bag and settling her own body behind her, her arm is quick to pull her close toward her body. "You're freezing, Gina…" she mutters. "Don't worry. You'll warm up soon. Faster if you took your clothes off," she smirked, her eyes on Emma as she said it.

"R-Ruby," Regina warned.

"It's just a fact. Survival one-oh-one." Ruby pulls Regina a little closer, burying her nose along Regina's hair.

Emma towers over them, her lip snarling in anger as she releases a low growl from the inside of her throat.

A while went by before Regina's shivering completely stopped. Ruby was so warm, she didn't want to move. Instead she fell right to sleep. And the inside of the tent was so quiet, that only the whistling of the wind and tapping snow could be heard.

Emma sat nearby, glaring at Ruby the entire time as she held Regina. "Could you at least attempt to control your thoughts?" She muttered.

"No one said you had to listen in," Ruby shrugged.

"I wish I didn't have to, but your little fantasies around Regina are always so loud, it's like you're shouting them at me."

Ruby chuckled softly, "Tell me something… honestly… I really get under that ice cold skin of yours, don't I?"

Emma remains quiet, looking away from Ruby and sitting as still as a statue.

"I get it," said Ruby, "So picking through my brain is okay, but letting me into yours, forget it." She waits, getting no answer. "Would it help if you knew that she wished this was you holding her?"

Emma's eyes find Ruby's again, "I know she wishes it was me. Because I wish for it, too."

Ruby nods, snuggling Regina a little closer as she shifts in her sleep.

"Yes," Emma mutters, the audio of her voice so soft. "I'm jealous of that, too."

"It must really suck, huh?" Ruby smirks a little, "Not being able to touch her like I could. I could do a lot of things with her that you never could. At least not without killing her."

Emma's eyes glare harder in Ruby's direction, "Cover her up and get out, Ruby. You're starting to get on my nerves."

"No," Ruby shook her head, shifting a little closer to Regina's body. "I don't think I will. I'm actually quite comfortable. Regina is just so… warm." She grins.

A low growl rumbles in the back of Emma's throat, her eyes wide with malice intentions.

"This jealousy of yours…" Ruby continues, "It has to be eating away at you. Answer me this…"

"You have a lot of questions tonight," Said Emma. "Which one do you want me to answer?"

"If she chose me," Ruby didn't get to finish her question before Emma jumped in.

"She won't."

"Humor me. If she did… would you try to kill me?" Ruby asks.

"That's an intriguing idea," The corner of Emma's lip lifts into a tiny smirk, "But, no. I could never hurt Regina like that. But keep tempting me with those fantasies running through your head… and I may break that arm that's wrapped around her right now."

Ruby chuckled, smirking. "And what if Regina told you that she was in love with me, too? Would you let her go?"

Emma's jaw clenched shut, "Yes," she mutters, forcing her answer through her teeth. "If you are what she would want. But you're not…" she smiles a little.

"No," Ruby frowns, her eyes observing Regina's sleeping body. She shakes her head, "But had you stayed away another six months… when you left… I could have made her happy. I could have had a chance." Her eyes look to Emma. "You have the advantage that you know she loves you."

"Maybe," Emma's voice is low. "You have advantages that I don't have with her, too. She could have fallen in love with you, you're right. But she didn't. She loves you, but not quite like you hoped."

"That could still change," Said Ruby.

"And if it did, I would let her go. I'd give her a chance at a human life, a normal life. That's all I ever wanted for her. I want Regina to be happy, always."

Ruby sighed, "Yeah… on that we can agree. It doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy ripping your head off with my bare teeth, though."

Emma grinned, "Likewise, mongrel."

Ruby chuckled quietly to not wake Regina.

"This might sound odd…" Said Emma, "But I'm actually glad you're here, Ruby. Thank you."

"Meaning, 'as much as I'd love to kill you, I'm glad she's warm,' right?"

"It's an uncomfortable truce, isn't it?" Said Emma, her expression more relaxed.

Ruby grinned, "I knew you had to be as crazy as jealous as I am. I guess we had to be alike in something."

Emma chuckled, "I don't wear my jealousy on my sleeve like you do, Ruby. It doesn't help your case, you know."

"You definitely have more patience than I do." Ruby admits.

"I should. I've had a hundred years to gain it. A hundred years of waiting for her." Emma looks to Regina with adoration shining bright in her eyes.

Ruby remains quiet for a moment, observing Emma closely, "When you thought you'd lost her… how did you cope?"

Emma shakes her head, "I don't like thinking about that. There are no words to describe it, Ruby. But the pain I felt… I wouldn't even wish it on you."

Ruby stays silent for a minute, "Still… you have to consider that I might be better for her than you are."

"I have considered it." Emma answers honestly. "In some ways, you would be better suited for her than another human. You are strong and could protect Regina from everything that conspires against her. You have done that already, and I'll owe you for that for as long as I live- forever- whichever comes first…" She sighed, "I even asked Lily to see if Regina would be better off with you. She couldn't, of course. It was so frustrating," she chuckled. "But I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake I made before, Ruby. I won't try to force her into anything ever again. As long as she wants me, I'll be at her side."

"Let's say she did… she chooses me," Ruby rolls her eyes. "Yes, I know it's a long shot, but let's just pretend."

"Then I'd leave, but you see, Ruby, I would always keep watch. Because you may leave her, like Graham left Leah for Emily when he imprinted. You wouldn't have a choice. And rest assured, that I'd be waiting in the wings, hoping for that to happen."

Ruby stays quiet, her jaw clenching.

"You know, Ruby…" Emma smirks, "Again, this might sound odd, coming from me, but if we weren't natural enemies, and you weren't trying to steal my reason for existence, I might actually like you."

Ruby snorts, "And maybe… if you weren't a disgusting vampire who was planning on sucking the life out of the girl I love… I might even… well, no, not even then."

Emma's grin grows. "Sleep well, Ruby. Enjoy the moment, because it won't ever happen again."

Ruby chuckles as she settles a little more behind Regina. "We'll see about that," she mutters, closing her eyes.

Emma leans her head back, her eyes closing for a short moment, "What did I say about your loud fantasies, Ruby?"

"Sorry. I'll try to keep them under wraps. But no promises."

Emma groaned, "Keep tempting me and you won't have to fight tomorrow."

Ruby's laughter rattles in the back of her throat, and the corner of Regina's lip lifts into a tiny smile after having heard their entire conversation.