Title: And We'll Run For Our Lives
Pairing: Snow/Red
Rating: G
Length: 3, 600
Spoilers: Red Handed
Summary: Snow knows that if she's going to keep running, Red's going to be at her side.
Notes: For comparisons. Well done on being born.

They run for miles and miles in the cold snow, "Mary" nearly dragging the lifeless Red behind her down a twisting maze of trees and rocks, until their lungs ached for breath and their cheeks were as crimson as the cloak the young shifter wore. When Snow finally feels far enough away from the mob she allows them to stop, her knees almost buckling as she slowed to a halt in front of a small stream. She finally lets go of Red's wrist as she falls to her knees and immediately the sound of retching is heard behind her.

She waits for Red to finish before she reaches for her again, dragging her trembling body to the fast-running stream, splashing her ashen face with the cool water in a vain hope that it will awaken the girl inside. Snow doesn't know what to say, what to do – except run. For Red's sake, for her own. They were kind of in it together now. But now Red needed Snow more than Mary needed Red.

"Red, we have to keep going, okay? At least until we can find somewhere to rest for the night, alright?" Red doesn't respond, just looks past Snow with the same horrified distraught expression she had when they began to run. She has to loop an arm around the girl, half-carrying her as they walked briskly along the stream, the snow getting more sparse and less heavy as they continued down the small slope of the hill. The bank they walk down widens until it's almost reaching up to the meet the receding lines of the trees. Countless more miles are put behind them, Snow running on pure adrenaline to keep her going – the fear of Red getting caught has overtaken her own – while Red just wordlessly keeps pace.

She can hear the sound of a waterfall far off in the distance, though even in the brightening haze of the morning she can't see it. But she can make out a shape, a small shack a dozen feet above the rushing river. It's worn down and small, without glass on the windows or even a proper door, save for a curtain hung over the threshold. But the aches in Snow's body have caught up with her and her eyes burn so badly that it looks like a mansion on the beachfront.

She drags the ragdoll-like Red past the curtain, squinting through the haze to make out the room. A small pot over a hearth in the corner, a tiny rectangular table near the entryway, a bed for one on the far wall. One of the windows has a similar crude curtain over it, like the door, but the other is bare and faces the ever-rising sun. Snow's sure she could almost reach each end of the shack if she stood in the middle and spread her arms, but for now it seems like the perfect place to collapse. Red immediately does when Snow sets her down, curling herself towards the wall with her cloak tight around her body. Sighing, Snow joins hers, squeezing next to her on the bed, running a gloved hand across the pale cheek of the other girl. Red's eyes snap shut in response, but her breathing eventually slows and evens out. Even wolves get tired.

Snow wakes before her, about midday if she can guess correctly. She's careful as she disentangles herself from the other girl, and waits until she steps outside before even daring to yawn. The sun gleams on the water, but the breeze coming off it is chilly despite the rays spreading all across the banks. Winter was slowly winding down in the mountains, but it wasn't spring quite yet if the air had anything to say about it. After washing her face and arms, Snow turned back around to take in their shelter. There was a small stack of wood leaning against the west side, in front of a chopping block. Across from that was a set-up with a line stretched between two sticks, off the ground. Snow assumes it's for hanging the catch to dry.

She dares to sneak a peak inside the shack. Red is still curled up in a ball, her back to the bright sun coming in from the uncovered window. It gives Snow a chance to take better inventory. There's a fishing line and ax barely visible underneath the bed – more than they could have hoped for. She's sure she'll figure out how to light a fire eventually, but she's unsure of her wood chopping abilities. Or fish catching abilities, for that matter. She wishes she could ask Red where to start – clever, knowledgeable Red who could surely set things straight for the poor little rich girl fresh from the castle.

But she leaves the girl alone, gives her space to grieve over what she couldn't control, over the loss of a normal future. Surely Snow could manage to at least scrounge together something to eat. But the traps she had just began to learn to ensnare rabbits and the like from Red were fuzzy in her mind. How to set them properly eluded her so she settled on gathering what she could as far as berries went, the spring bushes being far more forgiving than the sharp spring air.

Red doesn't move for the rest of the day, doesn't respond to Snow's gentle proddings – just wraps her cloak tighter around herself. Snow is left to tidy up their new abode, slipping the bedding out from under Red's sleeping form and grabbing the threadbare rug that lay on the ground so she can take them to the river to wash off the layers of dust and dirt that had accumulated on them. The water is freezing and her hands are numb and red by the time she finishes, throwing the items on low hanging tree branches to dry.

She jumps at the sharp smack she hears, eyes scouring the woods as it happens again and again until she realizes the sound isn't coming from the forest, but the cabin. She immediately rushes down the bank to find Red at the chopping block, stripped of her cloak and gloves as she brings the ax up and slams it back down, cracking the log in half in one mighty swoop. Wordlessly she grabs another and another, her face blank as she splits the wood. Snow stares at her, at the rippling muscles in her arms as she works, at the empty look in her eyes. It goes on for near half an hour, the wood source by the cabin depleting rapidly and Snow's worry growing with each chop.

"Red, that's more than enough," she says in a soothing voice as she approaches. Her words seem to go unheard and as Red reaches for another piece of wood to take her anger out on, Snow notices her hands – red and raw from the handle of the ax and the continuous motion. She immediately grabs the other girl's arm, forcing her to stop her, turning her around until they're face-to-face. The blank look Red had adorned immediately crumbles and she falls into Snow who welcomes her with open arms as the ax drops to the ground.

She tends Red's hands the best she can, using plants and herbs that Regina had taught her about to soothe the welts. She's struck with a moment of nostalgia as she remembers her days in the palace library, the older woman leaning over her shoulder and pointing out the differences and benefits from every flower, plant, weed and herb documented in the old tomes. She shakes the feeling away at the sound of Red sniffling; her hazel eyes a bright green due to the red surrounding them.

She still hasn't spoken, not since she found out everything about herself that she never knew, but she's more pliable and alert than she had been just hours earlier. After her hands are tended to and bandaged up she even starts a fire under the kettle in the corner as the cool night air begins to settle in, the sun slowly fading behind the mountains in the west. Her hood is back around her and she seems to constantly check the knot holding it closed to ensure it was still tight. Snow does her best to distract her, talks of how they could fix their shack up in the morning, brings the freshly washed bedding in and busies herself with making sure Red eats something, even if it is just a few berries.

It's pitch black outside before Snow can blink and Red immediately situates herself on the bed, though tonight she faces outward instead of turning to the wall. Snow joins her after adding a few more pieces of wood to the fire, wrapping her arm around Red's waist as they come face-to-face.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Red. I promise." Her hand comes up to tuck a piece of chocolate colored hair behind Red's ear as the girl stares at her with her large, imploring eyes.

Her lips are cold, which is the first thing Snow notices, though she's sure it shouldn't be. Soft and cold as they press desperately to Snow's, her wide eyes now tightly shut. Snow's been kissed before, she's stolen a few despite her guarded public life – from visiting princes, from the nice stable boy who always made sure to brush her filly, but they were never like this – never so desperate, never so skilled. Snow hadn't even realized she was responding in turn until her hands find themselves tangled in Red's hair.

She shouldn't, maybe. In the back of her mind there's a part of her that's aware of everything wrong about giving in and responding to Red's moment of desperation, but she's so tired, so scared, so hungry for comfort. And Red feels like comfort, tastes like berries and tears, and kisses Snow like it's going to be the last thing she'll ever do.

Hands start to search, Red's sliding along her jaw and down along the back of her neck, while Snow untangles her hands to slip them around her back, pulling the other girl as close as she can, feeling the warmth of her body even through the layers of clothing and being ever careful not to disrupt the knot hovering over her clavicle. She wonders if she's a good kisser, she wonders if Red notices or cares. Snow's definitely sure that Red is, even with her limited experience on the matter.

The kissing dies down gradually; turning to just presses and pecks until they stop. When Snow opens her eyes Red's are there to meet hers, soft and almost scared. Snow's unsure of what to do, what to say but Red doesn't seem to be looking for answers and she finds herself feeling the same. She reaches behind her for the cloak that had fallen on the ground and brings it up to cover them. Red's arms wrap more tightly around her, her cold nose brushing against Snow's with every movement. It's a battle to see whose eyes droop first but Snow doesn't remember who wins, only that Red's eyes are open before her own when the sun creeps up, shining brightly through the uncovered window.

"I am so hungry," Snow whispers and Red laughs in return, patting Snow's hip until the shorter girl relents and wiggles free from their warm haven to face the day. They wash quickly and keep their cloaks on in the chilly morning air and Red seems renewed, her face bright and smile warm. They head towards the forest after Red gets a moment to really take in their shack, its strengths and weaknesses. It's all Snow can do to get her to sit still as she redresses her hands.

"It's not perfect and it's barely big enough for the both of us to stand in, but..." Red doesn't need to finish her sentence, Snow knows. It could be theirs. Their own home away from the rest of the world. Once Red is ready, they head out into the forest and Red shares the secrets of hunters, though Snow's pretty sure a lot of it is probably common sense stuff.

"You're definitely not from a working household, are you?" Red asks somewhat amusedly as she helps Snow re-set a snare.

"No, I'm..." she doesn't know why she hesitates, doesn't know why she doesn't spill the secret that weigh on her with this girl who she trusts so completely. "I come from money, I guess you could say."

Red continues through the forest, stopping to collect a large bundle of a plant Snow vaguely recognizes as edible. "Not enough to pay the bounty on your head though?"

"What?" Snow asks distractedly.

"Well, I can't imagine another reason for someone from money to be on the run. Hiding in chicken coops," Red's smile is genuine as she hands Snow her plants and begins to break off some branches for kindling.

"Oh. My step-mother, she... she hates me. And when my father died, she..." Snow's mouth goes dry suddenly and her throat tightens.

"Gods, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, Mary." She wraps her free arm around Snow, pulling her close and immediately the guilt of the half-truth sets in. Snow shakes her head and pulls back, her best fake smile on her face.

"Why don't you take all of this stuff back to the shack. I'll get more of those berries, they're still a ways away." She hands what they've collected back to shapeshifter, who nods too enthusiastically for Snow to bear. She turns away before she can see Red disappear back down the hill and allows herself a moment to breathe.

The raven-haired girl gives herself more than an hour to scour the forest on her own, setting up more snares when she sees nibbled-on leaves, grabbing more of the herbs to grind down in hopes of soothing Red's hands, and raiding the bushes of every berry she can find. It's near noon before she makes her way back to their little home, her conscience too heavy and leaving her determined to tell Red the truth.

She stops for a moment when a flash of red catches her eyes. It wasn't spring yet, but the hellebores were already in full bloom. A memory rushes back to her so suddenly she's almost taken aback by how vivid it is. She was maybe sixteen, in another kingdom with Regina and her father. As a part of their arrival a celebration was thrown and a tourney was quickly put together. It was early in the year, the snow melting just in time for the grounds to be set. She sat next to Regina that day, her father off with the king, too busy to attend the tournament thrown in his own name, and making every man present happy at his absence. Regina was radiant in an ivory gown, catching the eye of every knight and commoner in attendance. Snow remembers feeling blessed to even be sitting next to a woman so beautiful, so regal. Her mother.

One knight, who had been steadily climbing the ranks until he was in the championship match was bold enough to approach her on his horse.

"Your Majesty, I would be remiss if I didn't ask the fairest woman in the land for her favor, in hopes that it will bring me the luck to beat my worthy opponent. I fear it may be the only advantage I can hope to have."

He was handsome and skillful, like the knights in the books Snow had read, and borderline foolish for openly flirting with the Queen, saved only by the King's absence. Regina smiled demurely and tilted her head, her voice taking a tender lilt as she responded.

"Brave knight, I am truly honored that you would ask such a thing of me. But surely you must know you're mistaken, for it is my step-daughter who is the fairest of them all."

Snow had felt the gaze of the kingdom fall on her for the first time and her cheeks immediately burned in turn.

"My lady, you are correct. If there is anyone more beautiful than you, it is indeed your lovely step-daughter." The knight bowed his head and held out his lance to Snow, a charming smile on his face. "Princess Snow, would you do me the great honor?"

Wordlessly Snow tied a handkerchief at the end of the knight's lance, her heart racing as she sat back down. She tried to catch Regina's gaze, but it remained stuck on the track in front of them. In an instant the two knights were galloping towards each other at full speed. There was a loud crack as Snow's knight's lance splintered upon contact with his opponent's shield, but the blow was enough to send the other falling off his horse, rendering him the loser.

The crowd immediately exploded in cheers, throwing flowers at the knight as he took a victory lap around the crowd. The late winter left few blooms to be garnered, but soon the tourney lands became littered with hellebores. The nameless knight caught one stem and stopped his horse in front of the royal podium, lifting his helm from his head as he leant forward to offer her the flowers.

"For the fairest of them all."

Snow had managed to blush even deeper than before as she sat back down with the hellebores. She found Regina's gaze had fallen on her though, her deep brown eyes warm and her smile, though small, lovely and beautiful. Then, in an instant, a flash crossed Regina's warm brown eyes and her lovely smile fell to a frown. She immediately turned from Snow and stood, readying to head back into the castle and prepare for the feast.

Snow snaps back to reality, her heart heavy at the remembrance of the Regina she thought she knew. All she can do now is think of her new life, her life with Red, and it sends her running down the hill, desperate to confess everything to her first real friend. But she stops dead in her tracks at the edge of the forest line as three men come into view at the edge of the river, clad in the black armor of the Queen's new army. They're talking to Red, who is standing knee deep in the rushing river, the fishing pole in one hand. She catches Snow's eyes as she looks past the guards, her other hand holding a piece of paper. The moment's gone and she's addressing the men again, her head shaking back and forth.

Snow ducks behind the tree as the men remount their horses and continue on down the bank, her heart beating rapidly inside her chest. It's more than fifteen minutes before she can move again and when she emerges from the forest, Red's form has disappeared from the river. As she approaches the shack she sees a few fish strung up and that the wood has been neatly stacked against the side of the wall. She takes a deep breath before she pushes past the curtain, dropping her collection on the table before turning to face Red, who is sitting on the bed and staring at the flyer in her hand.

"Red, I can expl-"

"'Wanted for crimes against the Queen. Murder, treason, treachery,'" she reads, her voice barely above a whisper. She doesn't look up until she takes a deep shuddering breath, her words barely stronger than before. "You're the princess?"

"Yes. Or, I was. Until my step-mother tried to have me killed."

Red's eyes are wide but she doesn't move, doesn't say anything. So Snow spills everything, from when she met Regina to when she last communicated with her, sending her letter along with the huntsman who spared her life. She ends with her arrival at Red's chicken coop, feeling as if a weight has been lifted from her chest as she does. Red listens intently, not interrupting and not saying anything for a long time after Snow finishes. The silence stretches on so long that Snow jumps at the sound of the other girl's voice when it comes.

"You could have told me. I wouldn't have judged you. You've... you've seen me turn into a monster and saved my life."

She sounds so hurt the Snow drops to the floor in front of her, her hands clasping Red's as she stares up imploringly. "I know. I was going to, this afternoon, I swear it. I didn't mean to deceive you, Red. You're the only friend I have in this world."

Red pulls her hands away and Snow feels as if her heart is being ripped from her chest as she does. But calloused hands are gripping her face, pulling her gaze back up to the blue-green ones above her. Red pulls her close and kisses her.

"No more secrets," she whispers against Snow's lips, her grip tightening on Snow's face. She kisses her again and again, sweet and warm. "None. Not between us."

"Never," Snow agrees, her hands floating over the ones on her cheeks. She reaches forward, hungry for more, but Red withholds.

"We can't stay here," she whispers. "If they came by once, then this place is on their map. We need…"

"A place of our own," Snow finishes. Red nods, her thumbs brushing back and forth, relenting when Snow leans up for more kisses, until her lips are numb, her hands wrapping around Red's neck. "But we can stay here. For another night or two. Our shack by the river."

Red nods again, a smile tugging at her lips. "You and me. No matter what."

"No matter what."