A/N: Today's theme is magic. I went with a looser interpretation of the word than, ya know, what Regina kicks ass with on the show.

Tip 7: Taking Chances

"Sometimes taking a chance isn't just about taking that first leap, but about recognizing when it's your turn to break someone's fall."

-Ruby Lucas

The following morning was gray and bleak, and Ruby sullenly admitted that it suited her mood perfectly. She'd waited in front of the house on Mifflin street for an hour before giving up on Regina ever joining her.

Despite the fact that the older woman hadn't shown up, she opted to continue her run as normally as possible. Her teeth were gritted and her eyes ripe with tears, but she was resolute on finishing her morning routine without breaking down.

It had been hard not to text or call Regina the night before, but she wanted to respect the older woman's wishes. Perhaps something had come up and missing the run was just bad luck. She sighed and shook her head. She'd always been rather bad at lying to herself.

Her steps faltered and her vision grew blurry. She picked up her pace, her long legs stretching nearly painfully as the scenery bled past in a harsh blur of muted color. A few people tried to wave at her, and she scowled as she cut through to the forest early.

Following the path didn't matter. Regina wouldn't suddenly show up with her beautiful morning smile and an apologetic look. Ruby had been rejected enough times to recognize that it had happened. Why had Regina even made a point to invite her? Had this been her plan all along - her subtle way of letting Ruby down gently?

She bit her cheek, the sharp sting and the taste of blood making her feel better about the lingering moisture in her eyes. She didn't pay attention to where she was going or how far she'd gone, she just knew that her legs and lungs weren't hurting nearly enough for her to stop.

If she punished her body enough, maybe she could keep herself from thinking. Maybe she could exorcise a little bit of Regina from her body and mind. Her pace grew desperate, and she was unsure how she was keeping her footing on the uneven terrain of the forest floor.

Finally, she stumbled and landed with a crash, the skin of her knees and hands scraping painfully against the coarse earth and a few dead branches. She rolled and landed on her back, wincing as she felt a large rock pressing into it. There would be bruises to accompany the scrapes, she was sure.

As she looked up at the canopy of trees she felt suddenly exhausted, the tears she'd fought against poured incessantly as she sobbed freely into the privacy of the forest. After some time her sobs slowed into hiccups, and her mind and body felt numb. She shifted a little, glad she'd worn a hoodie today as her eyes slowly drifted shut.

The harsh run in conjunction with a nearly sleepless night made the slumber on the bed of fallen leaves and undergrowth surprisingly easy.

When steel-blue eyes opened some time later, much of the day had already passed. She winced as she observed the sun high in the sky, still concealed by a bank of brooding clouds. Her head ached from the combination of crying and the awkward sleep.

She sighed and remained unmoving for some time. There was no hurry to go or be anywhere; no driving purpose or need that demanded she leave this small patch of nature where she allowed all her old hurts the freedom she couldn't afford anywhere else.

For now, she was cleansed of tears. She let her mind wander in ways she didn't normally allow. She thought of her childhood and how much she'd loved Granny and hated her mother; and in later years how much the reverse had been true. She thought of her long friendship with Mary Margaret that lasted despite the odds according to time and the physical distance that had separated them.

And of course, she thought of Regina.

Things had become a bit of a mess. Sure, she could blame Mary Margaret for overreacting, or Regina for being scared. However, she could honestly understand both of their reactions.

If she had been in Mary Margaret's place, she would have probably yelled. It's not every day you walk into your kitchen to find your best friend and former step-mother in a highly compromising position. She winced at the thought. At least Mary Margaret hadn't come a few moments earlier when Regina had been decidedly much more vulnerable.

A heavy sigh escaped Ruby.

She had known that things with Regina were nearly impossible. If she'd have thought twice after Regina's admission, she probably wouldn't have kissed the woman.

No, that wasn't accurate. In no universe would Ruby ever not take a chance like that with a woman like Regina. She'd known the chances were one-in-a-billion, but even that slightest, tiniest bit of hope had been enough. Regina was worth the risk.

She felt saddened at that thought. It was a shame that she, herself, wasn't worth that kind of risk. What could she really offer Regina? All the woman had wanted was her friendship – she'd sorely been in need of a friend. It didn't matter that she'd admitted to Ruby was that she'd been jealous. Friends got jealous. Sure, it was an ugly side that no one really talked about, but she'd seen it in many intense female friendships.

Of course, it had been stupid of her to go in for the kiss right away. Yet, even now after so much bad had come from it, she still couldn't entirely regret that first kiss and all that had come after. Those hours she'd spent together with Regina getting to know and discover another side of the woman she was already completely entranced by...they'd been worth the heartache she'd been exposed to. There would be more to come, and she hoped she would come out of this experience at least a little wiser, if nothing else.

She couldn't completely regret what had happened – it just wasn't her. She was used to making mistakes; she mourned and she moved on. It was how she survived. She would treasure every memory Regina had given her, probably more than would be considered healthy in the following months.

The only problem she had was that she was fairly sure she was in love with Regina. But what could she do? Regina had made her choice and Ruby would respect it. Her only hope was that they could salvage something of their friendship. A life entirely without Regina was possible, but not one Ruby really wanted.

A breeze tickled over her skin, and she exhaled a last heavy breath. The expulsion of tears had helped. She felt cleansed, as if her tears were a baptism to her own new beginning. The anguish was still there, but so was resignation. She'd mourned, and now it was time to pretend to move on until it stuck.

In a few months, she'd be back to normal.

She got up slowly, wincing a time or two as she shifted and discovered a few bruises. Her eyes flitted around her, and she easily regained her bearings. She was grateful for the camping trips her mother had taken her on, and she wondered if Granny had started the tradition.

Her head shook as she focused on the terrain around her, not wanting to fall or lose her footing again on the long way back. The pain and adrenaline that had brought her this far had been potent, and it would probably take her an hour or longer to get back to town at a brisk walk.

By the time civilization became visible again, she was more than a little dizzy. Judging by the position of the sun it was probably some time after noon. The lack of good sleep compounded with the expenditure of calories she hadn't replenished had her feeling a little sick.

She scoffed at the thought. At least now her physical condition suited her emotional state. She hesitated when she drew close to the diner and B&B. All she really wanted to do was crawl into her room and draw all the curtains to hide in blissful darkness for a while, but the state of her body was a clear warning that she needed sustenance. Her hands flexed, and she winced. Maybe a little first aid wouldn't hurt either.

Her hand found its way to the small pocket in her workout pants to ensure she hadn't lost the small amount of money she carried with her. Plastic crinkled, and she smiled. It was a sign to go enjoy a nice stack of pancakes topped with some fresh fruit, and she intended to do just that.

The bell jangled at her in greeting when she entered the diner. She didn't hesitate in the least, instead immediately finding a seat at the long counter. She smiled when Belle came to stand in front of her.

Her mouth opened to express a greeting, but Belle beat her to the punch.

"What in heavens happened to you?" Belle's eyebrows were hiked as she took in Ruby's disheveled appearance.

Ruby blinked. "Uh, I fell? Is it really that bad?"

Belle clucked her tongue. "Go look at yourself in the mirror. Pancakes again today?"

"Yeah, pick out the freshest looking fruit you've got back there okay? I don't care what it is, as long as it looks good," she requested with a hopeful look.

The auburn haired woman chuckled, nodding a little. "You've got it Rubes."

She shuffled her way to the bathroom, and was surprised to find some leaves and twigs tangled into her hair, as well as a small scratch on her right temple. She sighed and began working the various detritus out of her mahogany locks. It took some time, and she was certain that her pancakes would be ready by the time she finished.

She took the time to wash her hands, and moistened a paper towel to clean her knees. There were two small tears near each kneecap that she hadn't noticed before. A knock sounded on the door, and she frowned. Who knocked at an open public bathroom? All three stalls were empty, and the door wasn't locked.

The door opened slowly, revealing a tentative looking Regina.

Ruby straightened and threw her paper towel away, tugging her pant legs back down a moment later. She refused to look at the older woman's face, instead moving to shift around her and get back to the dining area.

"All the stalls are open," she muttered as her hand landed on the door handle.

"Ruby, what happened to you?" There was deep concern lacing the voice, and Ruby had to bite her cheek to keep her emotions in check.

She shrugged, still not looking at Regina. "I fell."

Regina scoffed at the response. "You fell? You never fall."

Gray-blue eyes tracked to meet brown with a laser-like intensity. "I've fallen plenty of times." She rolled her tongue around in her mouth for a moment as she tried to keep her composure. "If you'll excuse me, I'm really hungry and I'm sure my food is ready."

"Ruby," Regina scolded and implored her all at once with her tone. "Will you please talk with me after you've finished?"

Ruby was tempted to say no, but she knew she'd only be delaying the inevitable. Her shoulders slumped. "Fine."

Regina didn't try to stop her as she stalked out that time.

The lanky young woman spared a smile for her concerned friend as she re-took her seat. Belle deposited her stack of pancakes with a flourish, and Ruby's eyes widened at the variety of berries and bits of banana piled on top.

"You are spectacular, you know that?" her eyes were glued to the plate as she began zealously cutting into the hotcakes with gusto, not bothering with any syrup. She hummed as she devoured the much needed food.

As she finished the last bite, she sighed in contentment. She felt a little better now, and though she wasn't really ready for what Regina would have to say, she at least felt like she wouldn't shatter at the merest hint of refusal.

Regina's head shot up every time she heard the jingle of the door opening. When she finally spotted Ruby, she stood from the outdoor table she'd been seated at with a tentative smile.

Today she'd had a meeting with the mayor and was attired in a soft blue shell with a black blazer over it and matching slacks, her usual dark pumps completing the outfit. She nervously tucked her hands into her blazer pockets as Ruby approached.

"Ruby, would you please talk with me somewhere in private?" she kept her tone even, but her eyes drank in everything about the younger woman.

Ruby didn't respond verbally, instead nodding and walking right past Regina to lead them both to the B&B and her room there.

The short journey was silent, and by the time they made it through the door of Ruby's room Regina had sufficiently braced herself for what she needed to say. Ruby still hadn't really looked at her, instead gesturing to one of the chairs in the room and walking over to one of her suitcases that lay open on the dresser top.

Regina eyed her nervously, perched on the edge of her chair as she waited for Ruby's attention. Her breath caught when Ruby tugged off her clothes, completely uncaring that she had an audience. She stood without permission as Ruby stepped into some rather short shorts, and she was behind the younger woman a moment later.

Her hand brushed softly against a large, discolored patch of skin. "Ruby, what happened here?"

Ruby stiffened at the touch, frozen with the red halter top only halfway up her arms. Her pulse accelerated, and she ignored it and the warmth at her back. She finished pulling the shirt on and turned to face Regina, her expression closed off.

"I told you, I fell."

Regina's lips parted. "On your run? How? The path isn't that difficult."

A grimace flashed over Ruby's features. "Does it really matter? Can we just get this over with?"

"I'm sorry Ruby," her dark eyes implored the younger woman for forgiveness.

Ruby visibly slumped and sat on the bed, still keeping her eyes from traveling to Regina's face.

Hesitantly Regina sat next to her, her knee barely touching Ruby's. "Will you please look at me?"

Gray-blue eyes remained stubbornly aimed downward, but Ruby finally forced herself to turn and look at Regina.

Regina straightened, at once relieved that the young woman could finally look at her, and stressed at what she had to relay. "I wanted to go on the run with you this morning, but I wasn't quite ready. I spoke with Mary Margaret for a long time last night, and I had a lot to think about."

She licked her lips, "Ruby, I don't regret that we were together yesterday, but I don't think it would be fair to you if we...continued that aspect of our relationship."

Ruby gritted her jaw. She'd been prepared for the pain of rejection, but it was still sharp and penetrating.

Regina reached over to squeeze her hand, only to pause just before she touched the smooth skin. She pulled her hand back a moment later, and fidgeted. "Things were different when I thought you had experience with casual relationships." When Ruby gave her a sharp look she was quick to add, "No, I'm not saying I thought you were a slut. I really do mean more experienced with casual relationships."

She waved a dismissive hand and disdain laced her words, "Slut is a made up word people use to shame women, meanwhile men who sleep with many women are simply showing off their prowess."

A small smile played around Ruby's lips at Regina's feminist moment, and the older woman felt more at ease. The next time she reached out for Ruby's hand, she didn't hesitate. Instead she enveloped the warm appendage with both of her own hands and traced soft patterns on the back of Ruby's hand.

"Ruby, you are an amazing young woman, and you terrify me. You're the kind of person I could easily fall in love with, but I'm just not ready for that. You deserve someone without so much baggage – someone free and easygoing like you. I'd feel like a dead weight tethering you to the ground. If things didn't work out, I would be shattered and without the closest friend I've had in a long time."

It was Regina's turn to keep her eyes from meeting Ruby's, her brown gaze intent on the back of the younger woman's hand.

In a way Ruby felt freer at finally hearing the words she'd known were coming, and the odd juxtaposition of comfort and pain lingered in her chest. She was pleased to acknowledge that she did know Regina well, but she was also disheartened at the missed opportunity. She knew that they could have built something wonderful together.

"I understand," she breathed out with a sigh. She licked her pale lips, and looked at Regina until the older woman brought her umber eyes up to meet her own steel-blue. Her smile was bittersweet. "You reserve the right to say no, but I would like just one thing."

Regina nodded and waited, her eyes intent.

"Just one more kiss?" It was perhaps a foolish thing to ask for, but Ruby wanted one last memory that would just be her and Regina's – a last goodbye to what might have been if things were different and they were both a little stronger.

Regina's breathing hitched at the words and the desolate look on Ruby's face. A self deprecating smile played at the younger woman's lips. They both knew the request was a terrible idea that would harm more than help, but Regina still found herself leaning in anyway.

Their breathing was gentle as their heads drew closer, eyes seemingly fused in a long, heavy look laden with untold emotion.

Regina trembled as her top lip lightly touched Ruby's, her eyes sliding closed at the heady feeling the contact sent swarming through her mind and body. Her lips just barely parted, her mouth desperate for a taste of the woman before her. She fit the pliant flesh between her own, softly and lightly brushing her tongue just so over the flesh.

Her desire was keen, but so was her fear. She felt too much, and the first tear passed from her eyes without her even realizing.

Ruby tasted the salt of Regina's despair, and the small droplets of her own spilled forth a moment later. They cried, but still their lips didn't part as they silently mourned together.

When they finally pulled apart, they kept their faces together for some time. The warm air of their breaths mingled as their lips quivered and the last of their sorrow was released.

Pale hands cupped at Regina's face, thumbs tenderly brushing against the tracks of her tears. Ruby leaned up and pressed a kiss to her brow, and she stayed close after. "I already love you Regina, but I'll never stop being your friend."

Regina's hands clenched in her lap, her nails digging in to the soft flesh of her palms. She felt cold as Ruby pulled away, and her eyes opened when she felt the bed shift. She watched as Ruby quietly made her way to the bathroom, and the older woman knew it was time for her to go.

Ruby groaned as she arrived back at her tiny apartment, listening carefully as she locked up. "You here M&M?"

"Yep!" A muffled voice called out from back toward her best friend's room.

The lanky woman smiled in relief. Things had been a little rough after they'd returned to the city and their college life, but whatever Regina had told Mary Margaret had helped. They'd slowly mended things over the last couple of months and had just gotten to a point where things felt just like before.

She tilted her head. Perhaps even better, since she now knew and understood more of her best friend's history. She tugged the strap of her bag down and tossed the heavy backpack on the couch as she passed it.

She halted as Mary Margaret stepped out of her room, and Ruby's brows hiked up high on her forehead.

"A poodle skirt, really?"

Mary Margaret blushed and adjusted her bright pink skirt. A matching pink scarf was tied around her neck, a simple white polo shirt and saddle shoes completing her sock hop look. "Is it too much?" She spared her friend a timid smile.

Ruby chuckled and shook her head. "Nah, it actually suits you. What's James going as then?"

Mary's green eyes danced, "A greaser. He looks amazing in his black leather jacket!" She clapped excitedly, and yet again Ruby had to wonder if her friend was born in the right era. Verdant eyes shifted to her best friend. "You never did tell me what you're going as."

The taller woman shrugged, not really interested in going out to the Halloween party. "You know I haven't really felt like going out."

The pixie haired woman sighed and walked over to Ruby, her hands coming up to squeeze at her friend's shoulders. "It's your birthday, you can't stay home." Her tone gentled, "Have you talked to Regina today?"

Regina had been a touchy subject for both women up until a few weeks previous. They'd both gotten drunk and Ruby had admitted she was in love with the older woman. Mary Margaret had gained a new understanding of what had happened, and though she was still vaguely uncomfortable on the subject, her best friend's hurt took priority.

Ruby and the older woman had stayed in contact however, for obvious reasons, the contact was limited. Though Ruby wanted to be there for Regina, the distance was good for her. It was hard to get over someone you saw and interacted with every day, but the texts had been safest for her. Calls were rare, because the sound of the older woman's voice still made her ache. Getting over Regina was taking a lot longer than she would like.

"No," Ruby finally admitted. "It's okay though, I don't think I ever told her when my birthday was."

"Well, that doesn't matter. You're putting on your costume, whatever it is, and you're coming to Ari's party with me and James. I don't want to hear about anything else. No sulking today!" Mary Margaret's hands were on her hips, and Ruby couldn't help but chuckle at the rare show of determination.

"Alright, you win. I can't wait to see you and James dancing in costume," a small grin was affixed to her face at the thought. "I'll be out in about twenty, alright?"

"You better! I'll be knocking on your door to make sure you're not chickening out!" The enthusiastic smile on Mary Margaret's face had Ruby believing her words. She was warmed to know her friend cared so much.

She picked up her bag again before heading to her room. She'd cobbled together the costume mostly from what she'd already had, and had found some fairly cheap holsters to go along with it. Although she wasn't particularly excited about the annual party, she was pretty stoked about her costume.

The clothes were the easiest part of her preparation, and she had the halter top and shorts on in no time. She had to dig around for the socks she'd recently bought to go with the boots she'd already thankfully owned. After tugging them on and settling them in to place she checked herself in the mirror and smiled.

"Almost there."

Next she pulled the holsters into place on her thighs, her tongue sticking out in concentration. She'd put them on a few times to get familiar with the fitting, and after a few minutes she looked to the mirror again. She was almost ready, and she retrieved her brush to work on her hair.

By the time Mary Margaret knocked, she had just finished tying off her braid at the end. She moved quickly to the door, her mood bolstered by the costume she'd picked.

She pulled the door open swiftly and gave Mary Margaret an expectant look.

The look she received was blank. "Uh, who are you supposed to be?"

She frowned and leaned forward to smack her best friend. "Really? How do you not know! I mean, I know the red water guns look nothing like the real deal, but there was no way I was going to be out on Halloween with real-looking guns in these very real holsters."

Mary Margaret looked contrite. "Sorry," she brightened after a moment. "Are you from a video game? You do look a little familiar."

"Yes! You're close M&M. I'm not going to tell you though, I want to test James when he gets here. When is he coming?" She pulled her bedroom door closed behind her as they stepped back out to the living area.

"He should be here any minute." Mary beamed at her best friend, excited to finally have talked the other woman into finally going out. Ruby had been subdued since their return from Storybrooke, and the lack of even the smallest bit of her flirtatious nature had made Mary Margaret very concerned.

They spoke quietly until a firm knock sounded, and Ruby scurried to the door before Mary Margaret could reach it. She unlocked and opened the door, and smiled when she observed James standing proudly in his costume.

He wore jeans rolled at the hem, sneakers, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. She smiled at his perfectly greased and styled hair. "Lookin' good James-y."

The tall man gave her a large grin. "You're looking pretty sharp yourself Lara."

Ruby crowed in triumph, turning her head to call back to her best friend. "Have you proposed to him yet? This dude is perfect!" She held up her hand, and James gamely gave her a high five.

Mary Margaret joined them at the door, pink tingeing her cheeks at Ruby's words. "Do you have everything you need Ruby? I think we should head out."

The tall brunette snickered at her friend's avoidance of the joke. "Let me just grab my coat, or I'll be hella cold tonight."

By the time they arrived at the party, it was already large and boisterous. Even though Ruby had been in a funk for some time, the mood of the party started to penetrate to her maudlin core. A smile started to peek out and her toe started tapping as they lingered in the doorway to remove their coats and find a place for them in the mountain of outerwear.

"Ruby!" A familiar voice cried out.

The smile grew on Ruby's face as she observed the red-headed woman make her way over, green eyes sparkling. "Happy Birthday Rube-a-licious!"

That garnered a laugh from the taller woman, and she greeted her friend with a warm hug. "Thanks Ari! The party is jumping like always." She admired the emerald bikini, tiara, and sash proclaiming Ari to be 'Miss Awesome USA.'

"You look totally hot in your costume," she added as they pulled apart.

Ari grinned and gave her a wink. "I'll tell Eric you said so. He still gets so jealous when we hang out."

Ruby chuckled again, more than familiar with the man's green-eyed antics. "He still doesn't believe me about that weekend in Florida."

"I even tried to tell him, but he didn't believe me either," Mary Margaret added with a smile.

"I'll never understand why guys get so jealous of you Ruby...I mean if you can't trust your girlfriend to hang out with friends, why are you together?" James piped up.

All three women shot him a warm smile, and he looked at them in confusion. He honestly didn't understand Eric and Ari's relationship.

"Well, in his defense, we did accidentally kiss at that one party," Ari's face scrunched up. "It was just bad timing on Eric's part."

James brows rose. "You kissed?"

"Not on purpose!" Mary Margaret defended. "They were messing around, but they'd both been drinking and Ari actually did fall into Ruby. Eric thought Ari had made up the fact that they needed ice for the party so she could have time with Ruby."

A burst of laughter erupted from James, and his eyes swept from woman to woman. "Things are always so complicated with you guys."

Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed, and he held his hands up in surrender. "I'm not complaining, just making an observation."

"You have him well trained," Ari gave Mary Margaret a thoughtful look. "You and I shall have to discuss your teaching methods in private later."

Mary tilted her head, a pleased smile on her face. "More than willing to share my tricks of the trade."

They shared in laughter, and their evening commenced in good spirit.

Ruby found herself smiling more and more, and eventually made her way to the crowded dance floor to cut loose. She bumped into a lot of friends and familiar faces from classes as time passed and the music pumped.

After nearly an hour of non-stop dancing and socializing, she was desperately in need of a drink. She wandered over in the direction of the kitchen. There was plenty of beer and spiked punch, but she was hoping for just some refreshing water. She was a little afraid that if she started drinking she'd end up at that kind of sad drunk stage where every song would make her think of Regina and the urge to cry would be overwhelming.

She pushed the door to the kitchen open, surprised to hear raised voices. Her brows arched after a few moments. Not just raised voices, but raised voices she was familiar with.

Her feet carried her around her the tall wooden cabinets in view of the kitchen area just in time to see Eric land a heavy slap to Ari's face. She saw red immediately, not even caring what they were arguing about.

Long legs had her next to her friend in a moment, and she didn't let Eric speak. She immediately grabbed his hand from the crying woman's shoulder, applying a painfully forceful touch to sensitive pressure points and twisting as she inserted her body between the two.

Eric was thrown off-balance, and it was obvious the young man had been probably been drinking heavily.

Ruby's teeth were bared and her chest heaved with adrenaline and anger. "Big fucking tough guy picking on little Ari, huh?"

The man sneered right back, "What would you know about guys, dyke?"

A snort escaped Ruby in disbelief. "Your imagination is lacking. I've heard worse insults from fourth graders."

Eric opened his mouth to retort, but Ruby didn't let him. "Don't bother," she growled.

A sniffle from behind distracted her for a moment, and she saw the dark headed man move out of the corner of her eye.

She moved just in time to not take the full force of his punch to her jaw, but he did still manage to more than graze her cheekbone. She tasted blood in her mouth, and was certain the inside of her cheek had been cut on her teeth.

The force from his hit made her stumble, but she used the movement to do a full turn and bring an elbow forcefully into his solar plexus.

He dropped to his knees, gasping at the sudden force. Ruby stepped a few paces back and eyed him warily.

Ari had run from the kitchen when she saw Eric moving to hit Ruby the first time, and returned with a concerned Mary Margaret and James in tow a few moments later.

Eric sneered at the added company. "You screwing my girlfriend too James?"

James scowled darkly at him, but didn't say anything. He took a step toward the kneeling man, but Mary Margaret halted him with a hand.

Mary Margaret's lips were pressed into a thin line, and when she stepped toward Eric, the man was confused. Mary Margaret's meek demeanor had always made her come off as bland, and he'd never paid much attention to her.

She stood in front of him, a frown marring her features and her arms crossed. A flash of anger showed on her face a moment before she brought her leg back and kicked him between his legs with as much force as she could muster.

A high-pitched whine sounded as Eric fainted from shock.

No one moved for several moments, completely stunned.

Mary Margaret turned to face everyone with a satisfied look and shrugged. "What? He hit two of my friends."

A round of laughter sounded, though it was a little manic and tears shone brightly in Ari's eyes.

"I don't know what's up with him. He's never hit me before. I don't know what happened...he used to be so sweet and romantic. Maybe he's been drinking too much lately," Ari sounded a little dazed, and both Mary Margaret and Ruby eyed her in concern.

James grunted as he lifted Eric's dead weight over his shoulder in a fireman carry. "I'm just going to go deposit him in a room where he can sleep this off. I'm planning on having a long talk with him about his behavior when he wakes up." His face and tone were grim, and once again Ruby was grateful Mary Margaret had found such a good guy.

"Thanks James," she murmured. He gave her a quick smile before wandering out of the room. She and her best friend moved to either side of Ari, murmuring lowly as they tried to console the woman.

She winced at the dark bruise forming on her friend's face, and she moved to put some ice in a baggy. Her eyes roamed the kitchen a moment and spotted a hand towel, which she used to wrap the ice in. Timidly she approached the duo.

Mary Margaret was hugging a crying Ari, the auburn haired woman's head tucked under her chin.

Ari offered Ruby a watery smile and accepted the ice. "Thank you Ruby." Their eyes held, and both women understood she wasn't talking about the ice.

Ruby didn't respond verbally, instead quirking a small smile at her friend to let her know it was okay. She was tired as the adrenaline fled her body, and she wanted some time to herself to get her head on straight after the confrontation.

"I'm just gonna get some air," she said softly, her eyes on Mary Margaret to see if her best friend wanted her to stay. Instead the petite brunette gave her a nod and made a shooing motion with one hand.

Ruby spared her a grateful smile, and wandered out to the front hallway to dig up her coat.

The air outside was nearly painfully cold compared to inside the large house and the body heat from so many people. She shivered as she stepped out of the front door. The din of voices and music was muffled by the closed door, and she felt relieved at the realization.

After the unexpected scuffle, relative quiet was wholly welcome.

She decided a small walk was in order, and her boots sounded loud against the concrete sidewalk. Her tongue carefully inspected the inside of her cheek, and she only winced a little. She still tasted blood, but the wound didn't seem too bad.

Her mind was blissfully blank as she made a circle around the block. She hesitated in front of Ari's house as she made her first full circle and decided another round or two wouldn't hurt. It wasn't running, but it would do for now.

The incident had made her mind flash back to something she'd never spoken to anyone but her mom about. After she'd gone to live with Anita things had been pretty great. Her mom had dated off and on, but never anything serious.

Once when Ruby was thirteen, one of her mom's boyfriends had shown up at their house drunk. Since Anita was an alcoholic she'd never allowed any of the stuff near the house; she was completely startled to find the kind man she'd been dating was completely different after a few drinks.

She shuddered as she recalled how angry he'd been with her mom when she'd refused to let him in. Anita had instructed Ruby to call 911 while she kept the volatile man distracted.

As they waited for the authorities to arrive, he'd broken through a window and had hit Anita a few times before he'd stumbled and knocked himself out against a heavy end table. Ruby had cried at how battered her mother had looked, but Anita had only smiled and told her not to worry as they waited for the police to arrive.

Ruby had vowed to never let herself feel that powerless again.

She took a shuddering breath as she pulled her mind away from the difficult memory, her eyes roaming along the brightly lit street. Her step faltered when she spotted a familiar Mercedes.

The tall young woman remained still for a moment, her heartbeat doing an amazing impression of a drum solo. Her shoulders slumped after a moment when she realized there was no way that car belonged to whom she wanted it to belong to.

She resumed her walk, upset that her mind had turned to Regina after all the other emotional issues of her night. Her hands clenched in the pockets of her coat as she finished her last circle of the block, head down as she headed up the walkway to her friend's house.

The door was pulled shut as someone stepped out of the building, and Ruby's head pulled up automatically to see who it was.

Her body froze when she took in the sight of Regina in a dark wool trench coat, shoulder length hair perfectly styled as always. Regina looked equally startled.

"Ruby?" her voice was a rough, but hopeful.

Ruby swallowed hard. "What are you doing here?" Her question was accusatory.

Regina's lips pursed at the sharpness of her tone, but she responded evenly. "I came to see you."

Confusion flooded Ruby at the words, and she knew she was frowning. "Why? How?"

The shorter woman angled her head as she carefully observed the expressions flitting across Ruby's face. "It's your birthday and...magic?" The smile she offered Ruby was tremulous. When Ruby' didn't respond, she licked her lips. "Mary told me you would be here tonight, and I wanted to surprise you."

A pale hand rose to run through her hair, only for Ruby to remember she'd done it up in a braid at the last minute. Her head shook. "I don't understand."

Regina expelled a breath, her hands settling on her hips. "What's to understand? It's your birthday and I wanted to see you."

"Do you know how late it is? Why drive all this way? Why not just call or text or...whatever." Ruby's voice was brittle and her eyes began to sting. It wasn't fair for Regina to surprise her with visits, not when it was so very hard for her to keep her thoughts away from the woman in question. She'd just started to feel like maybe she could get over Regina.

The elegant woman's lips parted in surprise. She hadn't expected Ruby to be so upset to see her. Her hands moved from her hips to tuck into the pockets of her coat as she ducked her head down, her jaw working. "I'm sorry, I just missed you."

Ruby remained quiet, the words causing a mix of euphoria and agony to swarm her.

Regina's head remained tilted down, her hair sliding to cover most of her face from view. "I know you have every reason to be angry with me, and I know that it's really too late for...anything. But, I..." her breathing grew erratic. "I do believe that I've discovered quite too late that I love you Ruby."

Before the words had time to really penetrate Ruby's mind, Regina swiftly took off. Her head remained bowed and her walk brisk, and she was halfway to her car before Ruby even realized it.

Ruby bolted, all at once glad that Lara Croft thankfully wore sensible boots. "Regina!" she called breathlessly, but Regina only increased her pace.

With a growl she lengthened her strides, nearly sprinting to reach Regina.

The older woman fumbled with her keys at her car door, and Ruby arrived just in time to slam her hands down on the door. Her arms were on either side of a stiff Regina, who had yet to turn to face Ruby.

"Dammit Regina," she panted. "Why the hell would you say something like that and run away?"

Regina turned, obviously angry at her disrupted departure. "Well Miss Lucas it was obv—"

Her eyes widened a moment before Ruby stepped in to fuse their mouths together in a hungry kiss. She was immediately lost, forgetting her anger as the heady sensations she'd only briefly known, but keenly missed, swept over her once more.

Her hands worked their way around Ruby's waist, and she pulled the taller woman in tighter. No matter how close she pressed their bodies together, it never seemed like enough. She smiled into the kiss when she realized, if she had her way, they'd spend a very long time trying to see how close they could get.

Ruby pulled back, her lips glistening in the soft light. Her eyes narrowed at the satisfied expression on Regina's face, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "What are you smirking about?"

Warm umber eyes searched her face, and Regina's smirk grew into a large grin. "Happy Birthday, Ruby."

The taller woman tilted her head, "Happy Halloween, Regina."

Regina laughed softly, one hand coming up to cup at Ruby's face. When Ruby winced, she frowned and moved her hand under the strong jaw to have the younger woman tilt her head to the light. Her eyes widened in surprise. "What happened?"

Ruby shrugged, not really wanting to bring up the fight to ruin her current ecstatic mood. "I told you I do full-service damsel rescuing."

The older woman pursed her lips. "Is that how you pick up women?"

A wolfish grin grew on Ruby's face, "What if I said yes?"

Regina's nostrils flared and her eyes flashed dangerously at her companion. "I would say that I don't share."

"Good," Ruby murmured. "Neither do I." She leaned down to brush a series of soft kisses against the lips she'd ardently missed.

"I love you."

The lingering displeasure on Regina's face melted away, replaced with a look that made Ruby's heart stutter and breath catch in her throat.

As their lips met once more, Ruby knew that she would never feel alone again.