A/N: Written for Red Queen Week 2015. This is sort of an explanation for Ruby being absent for all of season 4, incorporating a prompt from evandre15 on tumblr. Takes place post season 4, with the long sections in italics occurring right after season 3. Hopefully it isn't too confusing.

The sun was sinking low in the sky, giving the normally crimson car an orange burnish. Ruby fiddled with her radio restlessly as the car moved resolutely to its destination. She was getting closer to Storybrooke.

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. It had been a while since her last stop, but there wasn't much located in the area around the town few people knew existed. Part of her idly wondered if it was still there; it certainly had a tumultuous existence to date.

Her eyes flicked over to her seldom-used cell phone. She'd kept the device off for the most part, only powering it on to check in occasionally with her grandmother.

"Don't you worry about things here, you stay away as long as you need to."

She shook her head, a small smile on her face. It was odd to have such unwavering support from Granny, but in a way it also wasn't. They'd fought hellishly over the years, but Granny had always been someone she could depend on when it counted.

Part of her worried that things had gotten really bad in Storybrooke and that's why her grandmother was so quick to tell her to stay away - surely Granny would tell her if things were really bad. Wouldn't she?

The wind from her open window tugged indiscriminately at Ruby's long, loose tresses. Soon enough she would know the answer for herself. She turned the radio off as she took the last turn toward Storybrooke.

A few moments later she swallowed hard, her hands clenching at her steering wheel. The road to Storybrooke just...ended. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, and she fumbled to retrieve her cell phone.

She pressed the number that should connect her with the diner, her breathing shallow and her palms clammy.

"Granny's Diner," a gruff voice greeted.

Ruby sucked in a greedy breath, immediately at ease. "Hey Granny, you mind telling me why the road to Storybrooke leads to nowhere?"

There was a pause, and Ruby soaked in the familiar clamor of the diner in the background. "You're here?"

"Yep. Do you mind answering my question? I was hoping to kind of slip back in quietly, but yeah…"

Granny huffed over the line, making Ruby smile. "We'd be here all night if I tried to explain all that nonsense. Let me call Regina so she can let you in. I'll see you soon."

The call ended abruptly, Ruby's lips parted in surprise. She felt jittery again. Did Regina really have to be the one to let her back into town?

The phone she'd still been holding began to ring abruptly, and she answered it out of reflex.

"I'll be there in a few minutes. Once I pass you the scroll, you'll be able to drive back across the town line." The voice was brusque and familiar, and goosebumps prickled up over Ruby's limbs despite the warm confines of her coat and jeans.

Many questions threatened to bubble and burst from her lips.

"Okay, thanks," she said quickly. There was the briefest pause before the line went dead.

Ruby nibbled at the inside of her cheek as she tucked her phone into her pocket. She paced nervously for a few steps before forcing herself to stop. The last thing she wanted was to show Regina how uncomfortable she was.

Ruby's blood pumped furiously as she stormed her way to City Hall. She should have known better - Mary Margaret had been getting complacent when it came to Regina. It had been difficult for Mary Margaret to remain objective, that old love for her once step-mother surfacing in the face of how much Regina had seemed to change.

Truthfully, even Ruby had been moved with Regina's sacrifice for Emma and Henry. It had all been a farce, of course. Their presence back in the world without magic, once again with tampered memories, was proof enough.

Ruby growled, her chest seeming to vibrate with the intensity of her anger. The final door was before her, and she shoved it open without preamble.

"Regina!" she spat out as the door crashed open. The glass in the frame rattled dangerously.

The figure behind the desk stiffened, the dark head that had been lowered slowly rising.

Even as Regina's shoulders straightened and a hand discreetly swiped at moist cheeks, Ruby's fury faltered.

That was not the face of a triumphant villain. The low light might have hidden the red tinge to Regina's eyes and nose from other people, but not from Ruby.

"Miss Lucas if you're looking for your bone, you've come to the wrong place." Despite the words, the usual bite that would have accompanied such a quip was absent.

Ruby shifted her weight from foot to foot, swallowing uncertainly. "I, uh, thought that-"

"Thought? And I was under the assumption that those following the Royal Idiots were incapable of such a feat." Some of Regina's usual vigor had returned. Ruby couldn't decide if she was relieved or annoyed.

"Regina-"

"I know what you thought," Regina interrupted again, "but I'm afraid you'll have to seek answers elsewhere. I don't know why we're here either."

Ruby paused, uncertain about the truth. She cleared her throat lowly. "Is Henry here?"

Regina inhaled sharply, her fingertips going white as she pressed her hands forcefully against the top of her desk. "No."

There was a naked longing in that single syllable, a torment that Ruby at once didn't know but could instinctively relate to. She wasn't wholly certain, but for the moment she believed Regina hadn't cursed them back to this realm.

She struggled to find some appropriate words to fill the awkward silence.

"Shouldn't you be out chasing a car or something? If you're finished disrupting my privacy, I suggest you move along. If I'd wanted a pet, I'm sure I could have found something better suited to my tastes at the pound."

All traces of vulnerability were gone from Regina, and Ruby's lips pressed together in a grim line.

For a moment she'd thought that perhaps she and Regina might have had something in common after all; even if that were so, it was clear Regina cared nothing for such a link.

She turned and left without another word.

The scenery seemed to fly by as Regina drove toward the outskirts of Storybrooke. She hadn't been out this way much - the last time had been when a relieved Emma had agreed to a small vacation from Storybrooke.

The time away was good for Emma, the unnatural pull of darkness a daily struggle that Regina was all too familiar with.

It bought her time to figure out what to do now that Emma was The Dark One. As a benefit, it also got Killian out from underfoot as well.

The town line came into view, and Regina focused on the task at hand. She was unable to explain the ball of anxiety that had suddenly taken residence in the pit of her stomach. Ruby wasn't anything to her. She hadn't even realized Ruby was gone until a week of not seeing her at the diner.

The car slowed as she approached the line, the gear shifting into park smoothly under her hand. She stared across the line and drank in the sight of the long-legged brunette that she would never admit she might have missed. A little. Maybe.

Her hands clenched in the pockets of her dark Burberry coat, the cold wood of the park bench grounding her. She knew what the townspeople thought. It didn't bother her, not really.

Ironically, the only people that seemed to understand why she couldn't possibly have been responsible for their latest predicament were her once sworn enemies.

Mary Margaret's sympathetic gaze was at times comforting and aggravating, but still just a small blip on her radar. The gaping wound that was Henry's absence was at the forefront of her attention. She'd been ready to face the other world without him, but being back in the same realm as before was the greatest torture.

The town line was open and free; all she had to do was pack her bags and leave. She had the resources and time to track down Emma and Henry.

Still, she struggled. They wouldn't know her. In a world without magic, she wasn't certain she could ever help them remember.

Part of her also couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't all for the best. Emma and Henry both deserved to be happy, innocent of the history that had led Regina to cast the first curse. She only wanted the best for her son, and Emma had more than earned her role as his parent.

Regina's new life would serve to be the ultimate penance. That didn't mean that her battle with her own self control wouldn't continue.

"You're kind of thinking really loudly. Some of us are trying to actually enjoy the peace of the park."

Irritation swept through Regina, her lips pressing together in attempt to hide a frown. "You realize thinking is a silent pursuit, correct? Oh, excuse me. I forget how unfamiliar you are with the activity."

Ruby grinned over at her before dropping to sit on a part of the ground cushioned by thick grass.

A muscle near Regina's eye twitched, the frown she'd been trying to withhold peeking out. "That wasn't an invitation."

The grin on Ruby's face widened impossibly. Regina's eyes narrowed.

"It's a public park, Regina. If I'm really bothering you, all you have to do is leave." Ruby leaned back on her hands as she spoke, her grin morphing into a pleased smirk.

Regina's right hand withdrew from her pocket, her leather glove squeaking in an attempt to control her temper. It would be simple to conjure a fireball and send the furball scurrying along her way.

She sighed and averted her gaze, brightening when she spotted a sizeable twig. Her hand beckoned the stick over until it floated gracefully into her open palm, lips twitching in delight. "Here Ruby; go fetch."

Her arm extended as she haphazardly threw the branch, garnering an aggravated look from the lounging wolf. She smiled to herself.

"Yeah, 'cause that never gets old." Ruby rolled her eyes but remained seated.

The former queen adopted a faux innocent look. "You looked bored. I was only trying to help, dear."

"Sure," Ruby replied flatly, amusement making her lips curl ever so slightly.

Silence descended, and for a moment Regina almost felt content.

Ruby stared out across to where she knew the road to Storybrooke should be. Her eyes strained as she tried to pinpoint where the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign should have been.

She raised a hand to comb her fingers through her hair, restless and wondering just how long Regina would keep her waiting. Nothing had moved on the other side of the town line, the lush forest vegetation revealing nothing to her.

Just as she considered crossing on foot to see if anything would happen, something clattered out onto the gravel of the road. Her sharp eyes spotted the small scroll immediately, and she hastily retrieved the partially unrolled parchment.

Did she have to read from it? She bit at the inside of her cheek and shrugged. Regina hadn't said anything about that, so she made her way back to her Camaro. She settled into the familiar seat and took a breath before turning the key to the ignition.

The car inched forward to the invisible barrier, an odd sensation tingling through her body as she pulled up on the other side. It was an anticlimactic moment, nothing seeming out of the ordinary on the old road to Storybrooke.

Regina was there to the left, arms crossed as her fingers tapped impatiently at her bicep. Her hair was longer than Ruby remembered, the dark locks a several inches past her shoulders. She looked snug in her herringbone trench coat and dark slacks, and not altogether pleased to see Ruby.

The moment was bittersweet for Ruby, but she was careful to keep her face clear of emotion as she turned off her car and exited her vehicle. "Hey."

Dark eyes flicked over her once dismissively. "Miss Lucas."

Ruby rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly. "Some things haven't changed."

There was no reaction from Regina. Ruby hunched her shoulders and turned her head to indicate the space behind her. "Well, that's new."

"More has changed than you know," Regina said enigmatically.

The words inspired Ruby's pulse to accelerate, but she calmed herself. Some things might have changed, but there were a few things that Ruby was certain of. Regina extended a hand in her direction, and Ruby tried not to react.

"The scroll, Miss Lucas." Regina offered her an annoyed look.

Ruby was glad she hadn't done anything embarrassing, scooting forward to drop the scroll into Regina's waiting grasp. "Well, see ya Regina."

She wasn't really running away, she told herself. It was clear, like always, that Regina wasn't interested in talking.

The effort it took not to look in the rear-view mirror as she drove away was almost painful.

"Fuck!" The word was a nearly unintelligible growl. She felt like tearing something apart.

"Are you following me, Miss Lucas?"

Ruby's head jerked in the direction of the voice, agitated that she'd been too lost in her own frustration to recognize Regina's presence. Normally it only took a whiff of Regina's unique scent or the rustle of expensive fabric to give the former queen's presence away.

"Not at all Madam Mayor," she bit out sharply. The nearly full moon provided an apt source of light, but she really hadn't expected anyone to be skulking around the shadowed side of the diner.

Regina looked as immaculate as always, her hair perfectly in place despite its increasing length. Her anthracite blazer was open, revealing the pressed slacks and a half-unbuttoned silk shirt that the former queen was prone to wearing.

"You look ready to bite someone's head off. I hope your shots are up to date."

The smug tone rubbed Ruby in exactly the wrong way. She knew Regina was simply trying to get a rise out of her, but she really didn't feel up to their usual odd banter. "I might be the wolf, but you can really be a bitch sometimes Regina."

Regina's chin rose, and Ruby could see a dangerous glint enter the dark eyes. "Careful dear," a fireball ignited in one hand, "and do remember who you're talking to."

Ruby's nostrils flared at the challenge. She heard a quick intake of breath, and knew that her eyes must have glowed in response to the former queen's words. Wolf's Time was near, and Regina was doing a marvelous job at saying all the wrong things.

"Like I could forget the woman that cursed us all here in the first place?" She stalked forward aggressively.

Regina didn't budge, her lip curling up in a sneer. "Oh I'm sorry - it must be horrible to have to put up with indoor plumbing, grocery stores, and over-the-counter medicine."

"You're right, Regina. I had a pretty good life here. You even kept me and Granny together." Ruby kept moving, stopping scant inches from Regina's face. "There's one thing I don't get."

"Only one? I find that hard to believe."

Ruby waited, enjoying Regina's mildly triumphant look. "Is there a reason you cursed me to wear such skimpy clothes all the time? It's interesting, especially since you spent so much time in the diner."

She took pleasure in the brief anger that flitted over Regina's face; it was gratifying to know that she could get under Regina's skin just as the former queen did her own.

"There's nothing to wonder about, dear. There was just something so invigorating about seeing the pure Snow White's best friend become the town harlot." Regina's breathing had increased with her anger, her chest brushing dangerously close to Ruby's.

"You seemed to take great pleasure in watching me; I wonder, how much did you watch?" Courtesy of Emma, it was no secret to those closest to the royal family that Regina had an extensive set of skeleton keys.

Silence reigned, the air thick with tension. Anticipation made Ruby's skin prick and adrenaline pulse through her body.

Regina's tongue flicked out to moisten her bottom lip, and a moment later they lunged toward each other. Their mouths met in a furious kiss, teeth nipping and biting as their hands clawed at each other's clothes.

Ruby's head ducked as she worked at Regina's exposed neck, inhaling sharply when a rough hand pulled her back by her hair.

"Leave a mark on me, and you'll regret it," Regina hissed.

The words made Ruby bare her teeth in a fierce grin. "I hope so."

Regina smiled over at Roland as he happily munched on a fry, his large brown eyes sparkling with joy. Henry was seated next to him, occasionally checking to make sure the much younger boy didn't make too much of a mess.

Her heart warmed to see the way they interacted, pleased that she'd raised a boy so accepting and responsible. It had been difficult for Henry with Emma away, but video chats had gone a long way into making the distance more tolerable.

Noting that the boys were fine, her eyes drifted to the long counter that wrapped around Granny's Diner.

Mary Margaret, David, and Ruby were huddled together in a group on a few of the high stools. By the serious looks on their faces, Ruby was being caught up on the happenings of Storybrooke over the last few months since she'd been gone.

There was a frown on Ruby's face, her brows furrowed as she slowly nodded in acceptance of whatever Mary Margaret was saying. Ruby unexpectedly straightened in her seat, her head turning toward where Regina was sitting.

Regina forced her attention back to the boys so Ruby's grey-green eyes wouldn't catch her staring, her heart pounding at the near miss.

"Everything alright Regina?" Robin inquired, his arm dropping from the back of their booth to rest on her shoulder.

The weight on her shoulder felt heavy, but Regina didn't comment. "Everything's fine."

She forced a smile on her face to reassure him further, her eyes only flicking over his face briefly.

Regina's fingertips traced softly over her neck, absently following the marks that lingered over the delicate flesh. She could have made them disappear with just a wave of her hand, but with her life in the current state it was, the memory of the previous night served as a pleasant diversion.

She sighed and refilled her wine glass, the rich color of the Merlot making her think of the bruise she'd left on Ruby's hip. After another fruitless day of trying to figure out what had happened over the last year and why they were once again in this world with altered memories, the distraction was welcome.

Her arm extended to retrieve her glass, another sigh passing her lips as she turned to move to the den. A hand rose to comb through her hair as she took her first step, her gaze idly wandering past the open windows of her kitchen.

She froze when she realized there was something out on her lawn. Her pulse accelerated as she set her wine back down, hurrying outside a moment later.

A massive black wolf was sitting in the middle of her lawn, its golden eyes watching her every movement. Her breathing became erratic. Energy pulsed through her body, her senses on high alert as she waited.

She swallowed once. "Ruby," she said lowly.

The wolf's ears flicked in her direction, but the animal remained still. Scarcely a second after that the wolf burst into motion, headed directly for Regina.

Regina raised her chin and stood her ground. She gasped when suddenly Ruby was before her, long strong arms reaching for her and lifting her like she weighed little more than a feather.

Her legs moved to automatically wrap around narrow hips, Ruby's hands helpfully hiking the skirt of her dress up to make the movement easier.

The air between them was feverish as they tried to control their breathing. Her hands combed and tangled through Ruby's wild locks, unable to look away from the primal need she saw in the woman before her.

Ruby's eyes shifted from their normal green to gold and back, and her lips parted as if to speak.

Regina lowered her head quickly and nipped at Ruby's plump lower lip, not wanting to ruin the moment with words or thinking. This was just about need; her need and Ruby's, nothing more.

She groaned with delight as Ruby's ravenous mouth found the sensitive flesh of her neck. They sank to the ground a moment later.

Long legs worked solidly as Ruby took her normal course through and around Storybrooke. She'd kept up with her running as she'd traveled - not always an easy feat, but one she'd persevered in.

Even though she'd already covered more than half of her usual path, her heartbeat remained slow and steady. The air was crisp and cool, the town peaceful at this early hour.

She was glad to have the time to herself, Mary Margaret and baby Neal having consumed most of her time back so far. She'd managed a small chat with Belle as her friend stopped by to pick up an order from Granny's, but other than that her time had been spent being caught up by her best friend.

There was a lot to take in, a lot that she'd missed. It had been a struggle to hear about all the difficulties her friends had to contend with while she was away.

If she'd still been in Storybrooke, so much could have been prevented. Though she was at her strongest during Wolf's Time, her senses and strength far surpassed that of any normal human for the remainder of the time. She could have been a great asset in the town's struggle against the Ice Queen, the Queens of Darkness, and a determined Rumpelstiltskin.

Despite Mary Margaret's assurances not to beat herself up about her absence, that was easier said than done. So many people had been hurt in the months she'd been away, not to mention the fact that Emma was now the Dark One. It was almost too much to come to terms with.

Her mind turned to Regina, and all the troubles the reformed Evil Queen had been forced to endure. Ruby's step faltered.

Part of the reason she'd been able to leave - she'd been forced to leave - was how happy Regina had finally seemed to be. Though she was torn about Robin Hood and his role as Regina's soul mate, she would never wish such upheaval on the woman she cared so much about.

Still, things seemed to have worked out for Regina even without Ruby's presence. Though Regina's sister-slash-nemesis was carrying Robin's child, that didn't seem to have disrupted the predestined couple's happiness much.

She swallowed past the lump in the throat as she recalled the cozy scene she'd glimpsed the previous day. There they'd all been: Regina, Robin, Roland, and Henry. There'd been plenty of smiles and laughter, and though Ruby had felt a sharp yearning for what the moment had represented, she couldn't deny how content Regina had looked.

The memory was pushed away forcefully as Ruby continued on her way. She was determined to continue with her life as if nothing had changed. Stolen moments with Regina were best forgotten.

Ruby hummed to herself as she collected the food Regina had ordered. She'd tried reminding the queen that delivery wasn't really a thing most diners did, but as usual she'd been ignored.

Excitement curled through her as she considered why Regina might have been so insistent that she deliver the food. Things had been tense in the town as they'd all worked to discover where Zelena could be hiding and what she was up to, and Ruby had come to rely on her secret couplings with Regina more than she knew was wise.

The doorbell had barely sounded its first chime when the door was unceremoniously opened and Ruby was forcefully yanked inside. The paper bag in her hand was forgotten as Regina slammed the door shut and began nipping at her neck. Hands tugged impatiently at her clothes, and it took Ruby a moment to reacquire her sense of equilibrium.

She pushed Regina away carefully, her chest heaving as she tried to gain control of her breathing. "Not that I mind, but what's going on?"

The fierce look on Regina's face shifted into irritation. "What do you mean?"

Ruby frowned, her eyes carefully observing the tiny crinkles that marred her lover's face. "We never meet like this during the day, especially not when someone could stop by at any moment. What's up?"

She licked her lips nervously. Was Regina becoming as addicted to their liaisons as she, herself was? Was this, whatever it was, becoming something that might actually mean something? Ruby didn't know, but she wanted to find out.

Regina made a small sound of frustration in her throat, her eyes rolling. "Does it matter? I just wanted a little distraction."

A sour taste grew in Ruby's mouth. Regina always did something like this when she tried to actually talk about what was happening - the way their bodies seemed drawn to one another when they were alone.

The petite woman began to pace, and worry began to curl in Ruby's gut. She was hardly Regina's confidante, but something was going on.

"A distraction from what?"

Regina flung her hands up in the air, her movements frantic as she continued pacing. "Fate," she said bitterly.

Her eyes were hard when she turned back to face Ruby, softening nearly imperceptibly as she approached her tall lover.

When the kiss came, Ruby was unable to resist. There was something different about this time; where their couplings were normally frantic and feverish, today was soft and slow.

It wasn't until later that Ruby understood that Regina had been saying goodbye. It had been hard to ignore Regina's conversation with Tinker Bell later at the diner, especially when the former queen was admitting to the fairy that she'd found her soul mate.

One single stupid tattoo identified that person as Robin Hood.

Regina forced a smile on her face as she and Robin made their way into the small hospital room.

Zelena smirked at her from her prone position, her shirt hiked up as the technician applied a clear gel to her bare stomach. "Hello dearest sister," the redhead quipped caustically.

"Zelena," Regina said evenly. Next to her Robin shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, still not certain how to act in the company of both sisters.

She mentally recited an elvish spell that would leave her sister with a rather embarrassing rash to keep calm. The next breath she expelled swept away her agitation, and she allowed something else to grow as the anxious looking technician began speaking.

The child in Zelena's womb was still quite small, and despite the circumstances that had led to the creation of the child, Regina felt excited.

Robin took a step closer to the small screen, wonder on his face. His hand rose to rest on Zelena's pale arm. "Look at him."

"Or her," Zelena corrected with raised brows.

"Or her," Robin conceded, his eyes glued to the small figure of his unborn child.

Despite the joy Regina felt at viewing the miracle of life before her, she couldn't help but feel like an outsider privy to what should have been a private moment between Robin and Zelena.

She shook her head to relieve herself of such thoughts. Robin was her soul mate. They were meant to be together. She repeated that thought to herself in hopes of recapturing the joy she'd felt just a few moments ago.

Zelena's bond with Robin was important, but nothing compared to the way fate had bound he and Regina together as soul mates.

That hadn't changed because Zelena had tricked Robin into getting her pregnant, or because Ruby had finally returned to Storybrooke.

The crystal decanter crashed against the wall of her home loudly, and Regina felt satisfied at its total destruction. Her happiness had been short lived, of course.

Emma Swan, the woman that had given her the greatest gift ever in Henry, had taken away her second chance with the soul mate she'd thought left behind in the land of fairy tales.

There was a certain symmetry to her current predicament, and Regina's shoulders sagged in defeat. She hadn't wanted to see anyone, not even Henry. She didn't want her son to see her like this.

Her life was a mess, and so was she. There was little she could do to rectify her situation, bound by her new determination to be good. She didn't have many friends here in town, and right now she couldn't stand the pity in Mary Margaret's gaze or the suffocating apology in Emma's.

She considered the mess of broken glass and spilled scotch with a sigh. A little magic would clear it away in a moment, but Regina moved to collect the appropriate broom, dust pan, and soft cloth to manually clean it up anyway.

As she was cleaning up the last of the debris, a thought made her bite her lip. Maybe this was exactly as things were supposed to be. It had been decades since a little fairy dust had identified the man with that tattoo as her soul mate, and a whole other world away.

Robin was nice, but rather boring. His kisses were pleasant, but she enjoyed them more for what they represented than what they actually made her feel.

A hand rose absently to brush at her lips. His kisses were nothing like the ones she'd shared with Ruby.

Ruby was fire; she seared Regina's flesh everywhere they touched. Long after their bodies had met again and again, Regina could still feel the heat of her in every movement. It was intoxicating and enthralling, and exactly what she'd needed for a long time.

It had been easy to get lost in Ruby's arms. They hadn't spoken since their last rendezvous, but Regina knew that Ruby had been well aware of Robin's new status in her life.

She hurriedly finished her clean up, restlessly making her way to the hallway mirror to check her appearance as soon as she finished. After a few adjustments, she raised her hands in a familiar gesture. Violet smoke whorled around her, and a moment later she was in Ruby's room at the B&B.

Ruby's very empty room.

There was a commotion outside the diner, and Ruby huffed out a breath in annoyance. She'd only been back a few days, but Storybrooke really hadn't changed all that much. Leroy's loud voice was distinctive amongst the din, and Ruby found herself heading out to see what was wrong.

The bell over the door clanged loudly as she stepped outside. Mary Margaret was in the middle of the small crowd, baby Neal in her arms as she ardently discussed something with David and the dwarves around her.

"Snow?" the old name slipped from Ruby's lips out of habit.

Mary Margaret looked at her immediately, concern stamping her face with a furrowed brow and a frown. "Ruby."

"What's wrong?"

Ruby's worry deepened when Mary Margaret shared a look with David before turning back to regard her. "Regina's missing, and we don't know how to find her."

Panic stabbed through Ruby's chest and she had to force herself to appear calm. "Missing? When's the last time you guys talked to each other?"

"Yesterday. She's been researching ways to help Emma, and she told me she was going to try something out in the woods." Mary Margaret's throat worked nervously. "She said it was dangerous, and she didn't want anyone to get hurt in case things went wrong. She's not answering her phone, and she should have been back last night at the latest."

Ruby's hands moved behind her back, tugging furiously at the low apron that hung around her hips. "Do you know where she was headed? The forest around Storybrooke isn't exactly small."

Mary Margaret's head shook unhappily. "She wasn't specific."

"Maybe Robin knows? I'll stop by his camp first." Ruby felt a twinge of discomfort at the thought of interacting with the man, but Regina's well-being overruled any awkwardness she might experience.

"Oh good, I was going to ask if you could help us find her. I feel so much better knowing you will." A warm hand reached out to squeeze Ruby's shoulder. "I know you'll find her."

Mary Margaret's confidence settled her anxiety a bit, though Ruby still felt worried beyond measure. "I'll call you and let you know when I find her."

She shared a nod with David before slipping away, determined to find Regina.

The ground was cold and hard beneath her, a few large tree roots digging into her lower back rather uncomfortably. Regina would have rolled over if she'd had the energy.

As it was, blinking was proving to be taxing. Her head hurt, and her mouth felt dry and full of cotton. It was difficult to think. She tried to remember where she was and how she'd gotten here. She shifted slightly, crying out in surprise when an acute sense of agony rippled through her body.

Her hand moved carefully down her torso to try and find the source of pain. She shuddered when her fingers brushed over a jagged crystal jutting out of her abdomen.

Ah, yes, that.

A laugh bubbled up in her throat, and she didn't try to suppress it. Laughing brought pain, but it also brought its own sort of relief.

The intricate spell she'd been attempting required just the right ingredients, and she hadn't been sure the meager fragments of ensorcelled glass retrieved from Gold's shop would be sufficient for her task. It was hardly easy to create a living vessel that could serve as an anchor for the great darkness that Emma carried, so of course she'd failed.

Her hands tingled as she tried to use magic, but nothing happened. She blinked blearily and looked down toward the crystal embedded in her body. It seemed she'd partially succeeded.

The crystal was alive and attempting to consume her magic. She laughed again, not surprised when it broke off into a sob. No one was out here, and no one knew exactly where she'd been headed.

She hadn't wanted to risk revealing her precise location; even Robin could be an idiot when it came to heeding her warnings. Anyone she'd informed would have likely followed her. She'd survived the attempt solely because she'd been the person casting this spell. Any nearby living creature would have been consumed instantaneously if she'd failed - and she had, after a fashion.

"After decades of plots and countless enemies, I die by my own hand. How quaint," she mumbled as she stared up at the trees.

No. No. She didn't have to die, this was a different world. Where was her cell phone? She looked around, trying to locate the device.

Henry would be going crazy, and he would no doubt get his grandmother on the hunt. Her lips twitched in amusement when she considered Mary Margaret rallying the town to try and figure out what had happened.

She idly wondered if her True Love would be able to find her in that irritating way David always seemed to be able to home in on Mary Margaret.

"I will always find you," she mocked aloud, snorting at the thought of Robin using a similar phrase.

Robin was a great tracker, but his abilities were quite limited. She'd used magic to get to her current location, and it would probably take magic to find her.

Maleficent and Lily were unreachable, hidden away at a cabin Regina hadn't told anyone about. The two had needed the privacy to get to know each other better as mother and daughter, and Regina had been happy to assist since more than half of the town still demanded retribution for wrongs committed long ago.

The town was full of simpletons.

Her mind turned to more important tasks as she continued to feel around herself with one hand.

If there was one thing she'd learned from Snow White over the years, it was that the woman was nothing if not resourceful. Her hand landed on the familiar shape of her phone, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

The dark, shattered display did little to bolster her hope. She dropped her arm and stared back up at the trees.

At least the sun was out, she thought bitterly. Its rays warmed her face as she slipped into a light doze.

Robin had proved to be a waste of time, the man totally unaware of what Regina had planned. He'd already contacted Henry and Mary Margaret by the time Ruby had arrived at his camp. He'd seemed a little lost, but determined to find the woman he loved.

They'd formed a group with his Merry Men, spreading out and beginning a sweep of the forest. Ruby's patience had only lasted for the first half hour. Though the group was full of efficient trackers, they were loud and their heavy scents made it difficult for Ruby to try and discover the faint, light scent that was unique all to Regina.

She'd informed Robin that she worked better alone, and had run off before the befuddled man could protest. On her own she moved much faster, especially with the way she was currently pushing her body.

The trees around her revealed nothing, and it was only her wolf-self that allowed her to keep her footing around the uneven terrain. Before long her clothes were damp with sweat.

Her instincts were screaming at her that she needed to find Regina soon. It had been too long since anyone had seen the powerful woman.

If Regina was hurt so badly that she couldn't return home and magic wasn't an option, things were dire indeed.

Ruby crested a small hill in frustration, her head turning from side to side as she tried to pick up some hint of Regina's presence. Her body stilled after a moment, her head tilting toward the northwest. It wasn't Regina's scent, but the acrid smell of unnatural magic.

She cursed silently, wishing it were Wolf's Time so she could move even faster than her human form allowed. The smell grew stronger, and she felt a desperate hope growing in the pit of her stomach.

Soft and subtle, there was just a hint of Regina underneath the pungent smell of magic gone awry.

She crashed through a group of dense bushes and nearly stumbled over Regina's recumbent form. A dark eye slowly opened to regard her.

"Did no one ever housebreak you? You're loud enough to wake the dead."

Ruby grinned despite the fear she felt at seeing the large object jutting out of Regina's body. "Granny tried, it just didn't stick."

She knelt on the ground to get a closer look at Regina's injury, surprised when a cold hand gripped her own. It took her a few attempts to swallow around the lump in her throat. "You know anyone that might be willing to give it another shot?"

Regina was silent, her face betraying little emotion. Her hand tightened around Ruby's. "Maybe."

It wasn't much, but it was enough to make Ruby smile. She leaned back, attempting to pull her hand back so she could dig her phone out of her pocket.

"Stay," Regina said, the pulse in her neck showing her erratic heartbeat.

Ruby stopped trying to pull her hand away, instead leaning closer to the prone woman. Her free hand rose to tuck some loose strands behind Regina's ear. "I am staying, I just need to call for help. I don't think I should move you."

Regina nodded in acquiescence. Ruby decided that she could fish her phone out of her pocket with her free hand anyway. It was a little awkward squeezing her hand across to the opposite pocket into her tight jeans, but she managed.

The call was quick, and Ruby felt better knowing help was on the way. Regina shivered, and Ruby tugged off her coat and laid it over as much of Regina's body as she could.

The former queen offered her a half-smile in thanks. They looked at each other for a few beats before Ruby forced her gaze away. "David is coming with Dr. Whale," she paused as her mouth worked silently, "Robin's with them too."

The cool hand that had gripped hers was warmer now, and it shifted until their fingers were entwined. "Ruby, how did you find me?"

Regina looked befuddled and hesitant, her mouth curved down into a frown.

"Regina...I'm a wolf."

Ruby blinked in confusion when Regina began laughing hysterically, the hand not clasping her own moving to clutch around the crystal that was no doubt making the laughter quite painful.

"What's so funny?" she asked when Regina's mirth finally tapered down.

The rich brown eyes that looked her over affectionately seemed to twinkle. "Nothing."

Ruby frowned, certain that Regina's outburst had hardly been nothing.

A peaceful expression stole over Regina's face, her eyes slipping closed as she mumbled softly. "It's funny how things work out, don't you think?"

About to ask another question, Ruby closed her mouth when a weak hand tugged insistently at her shirt. She leaned forward in concern, only to be guided into a soft kiss.

A smile played at her lips as she pulled away, wondering if Regina would even remember this moment later. "Yeah."

evandre15's prompt: Regina is hurt somewhere in the woods and Ruby has to find her.