Belle was four glasses in to what Ruby assumed was another mid-day iced tea bender. She had spent the last three days in the same booth at Granny's, always from twelve to two and never intending to let on that something was bothering her despite Ruby's multiple inquiries. Instead she would look nervous, shift her glass around a bit on the table and reassure her that there was nothing wrong. Ruby had taken to refreshing the pitcher of iced tea every hour and keeping it right beside her behind the counter, she even made sure Belle's booth was stocked with sugar packets every morning before she came in and the entire effort made her feel ridiculous.

"Ruby?"

"What? Oh, sorry, what can I get you?"

Emma had been standing at the bar for several seconds observing Ruby's fascination with the ice to liquid ratio in Belle's latest drink.

"Sorry, were you about to…?"

Emma pointed behind her towards the booths, eyebrow raised.

"No, no, just thought she needed a refill."

"Right, be careful, you'll singe your eyebrows trying to lie that much."

With a smirk Emma sidled her way onto one of the stools, "I've got a crazy idea, why don't you go over and talk to her?"

"I have, she won't tell me what's wrong."

"Sounds to me like you're asking the wrong question. Go ahead, I'll watch the bar."

"What should I say? I know I already asked four times but why are you here?"

"Try 'how are you?'"

Ruby pulled the tie on her apron and whipped it onto the counter trying to convey thanks without exposing her enthusiasm. At the sight of her on her way over Belle straightened up and readjusted her half-full cup on its napkin, the condensation on the glass had long since left a soggy footprint. She set the ice tea down on the edge of the table, "Hi."

Belle smiled up at her, hands fidgeting in her lap, "Hey."

"Are you sure I can't get you anything?"

"Oh," She looked suddenly terrified; "I'm taking up a booth without ordering anything aren't I? I'm sorry, I can go."

Her hand went beside her to grab her coat but before she could stand up Ruby slid into the booth across from her.

"No, that's not what I meant. Stay….How are you?"

"I don't know, fine."

She looked as if she expected something unsavory to burst through the door at any moment and kept glimpsing between her glass, the door and Ruby.

"You sure?"

The flickering stopped and Belle focused instead, entirely on her. It was, for all their friendship and familiarity, singularly unnerving.

"I wanted to ask you about a date."

The tension of the mounting unknown dissipated into a smile, whatever overblown terror Ruby was concocting now seemed silly. Of course, Belle would be the girl who would spend three days chugging ice teas because of dating advice. She thought better of chuckling, as Belle seemed legitimately frightened.

"I don't know that I'm the best person to ask about that."

"Oh."

She looked confused.

"I mean, not that I wouldn't love to help but I don't have the best track record, in fact I have more of a body count."

Belle looked a bit like she was hearing a different language from the one she'd expected and the bewilderment was beginning to convince Ruby she'd misunderstood the question.

"Sorry, I guess that's not really what you want to hear."

"No, it's fine, but that's ridiculous. I'm sure you can date."

"Seeing that every guy who's even looked at me has ended up maimed or dead I don't really want to see what damage a date would do."

Belle returned focus to her ice tea looking like she was somewhere else, "Well, situations haven't really been suitable for romance lately. I'm sure once things calm down, once we get back to our world maybe…"

That was hopeful and it suited Belle well enough but Ruby knew how it'd been before and how it would be again. The curse had complicated the problem; she had so many people in her head adding anyone else didn't seem like a great idea.

"I don't think so, I'm pretty much cursed."

Meaning it in jest did not remove its bite of truth that was for her two-fold. Belle looked like she'd been electrocuted, "Ruby, you're not cursed….well, at least not cursed like that. I don't think they even make curses like that."

Ruby smiled, "I'll believe that when my next boyfriend isn't torn in half."

"Okay," Belle spoke nearly before Ruby had finished her sentence.

"What?"

"I'll go on a date with you, if I live you're not cursed."

Ruby didn't realize how far she'd leaned over the table or her own incredulousness, Belle meanwhile looked like a highschooler more determined than afraid.

"You're serious?"

"Yeah, now you should answer. I know you don't think so but even asking you out in a fun 'you're not cursed' can be very intimidating."

"Uh, sure."

Belle's whole face nearly cracked with the instantaneous brightness of her smile, "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, well I am not going to take you here obviously, so, let me think something up?"

Ruby's responsive vocabulary had been limited to nodding and confirmations as she comprehended exactly what she was agreeing to. She'd never actually been on a date, not a proper 'pick you up at seven' date that was typical of this world and the only thing she might classify as a date in her world had ended in her eating somebody. Her own continued agreement was beginning to frighten her; nothing good had ever come of dating. She was so busy considering the logistics that she couldn't spare a thought to consider what dating might imply.

"I'll call you."

Once again Ruby nodded and was surprised to see Belle grabbing her jacket again to leave, she was snapped out of her automation.

"Oh, what advice did you need about dating?"

Belle smiled, "Maybe a crash-course will help me figure it out."

Then she watched her walk out, to her surprise actually watched her walk out, paid attention to the whole thing: the way she had a bit of trouble tugging on her coat, how she walked in her heels, and the exact measurement of the angle at which she turned her hips. Only when the door jingled closed behind her did she get up to return to the bar.

Emma appeared to be in suspense, "So? How'd it go? I mean, she left."

Ruby wasn't looking at her, she was still considering what she might have agreed to with a furrowed brow, "We're going on a date."

"Oh."

Emma spent a second looking confused before repeating herself, "Oh! Wow, that's great, I had no idea that you guys were…but that's great."

That was about when she started considering the implications of dating.

"Oh, no, not like that. Just like a fun, girls night kind of date."

"Right, of course," Emma didn't look convinced, "But still a date."

"Yeah, I mean, I was talking about how I can't go on dates and she….you don't think she?"

"Iiiii, uh, I don't know. Do you?"

Emma pointed between the booth and Ruby as some form of question.

Did she? The outline of Belle leaving was now blazing vividly in her imagination, had she been staring? Had anyone noticed? She'd been right that conditions hadn't exactly tended towards romance since they'd all had their memories returned. Ruby had never had any reservations towards gender, when you share your mind with something that doesn't subscribe to any sort of human social standard very little of your own emotions tended to shock you.

"I mean, she's gorgeous."

"Yes, she is that."

It was more the idea that she could like anyone, that she did like anyone.

"I mean, I guess, if I had to say so then yeah, sure."

"Well then I'm happy for you and I have to go pick up my son. I hope you have a nice time on your date."

Suddenly Ruby was very afraid, how was she expected to go on a date? Much less with a pretty girl whose intentions were now vague and threatening. The panic must have read plainly.

"You'll do great."

"Right."