A/N: Written for brideofrankenwolf on Tumblr because she told me not to. But it's ok, cuz it ended up being a happy ending. ;)

Over the months since the Mendell Event, as they had taken to calling it, Viktor and Ruby had grown closer. Closer, probably, than either had been to even Granny and Gerhardt. She was his confidante, his friend. His only other friend was Jefferson, and he had everything he needed in Grace and rarely interacted with anyone else.

Ruby had the Charmings, Emma, Henry, Granny…but Viktor was her best friend. She told him things even Snow didn't know.

They shared their insecurities, raised each other up.

If only they'd had more time together, they really could've made something with each other. "It could've been beautiful," Viktor thought to himself in the privacy of his condo. "We could've been beautiful."

The curse had been broken and everyone remembered who they were, but they were still stuck in Maine.

Until now.

The magic beans have grown and been harvested and the residents of Storybrooke were returning to the Enchanted Forest. The beans could not, however, return Viktor to his brother. However, Rumpelstiltskin had found a way to enchant another hat for Jefferson, which would carry them hence.

But the new hat had a restriction that the previous one did not. It could only carry two at most.

He could go to the Enchanted Forest with everyone else, of course.

But Viktor had to leave Ruby behind if he was to be reunited with his brother.

And so Viktor sat in his condo in Storybrooke, nursing a scotch, mourning the loss of his loved ones, for whichever option he chose, he would be leaving behind someone he loved dearly.

He hadn't told her, of course, but he had fallen deeply in love with Ruby.

A single tear slid down each cheek and landed in his scotch tumbler.

It was an impossible choice, but one that had to be made.

The next morning dawned and the first traveling party gathered outside city hall, where they would cross the barrier to the Enchanted Forest. Viktor spied Ruby grinning excitedly and motioning with her hands to a wary Emma. He strode up to her, nerves making him uncertain, but determined.

"Ruby," he said, stomach clenching. "May I speak with you?"

"Of course, Viktor," she smiled at him pleasantly, and told Emma that they could finish later. Emma looked surprisingly relieved, which made him wonder just what they were talking about.

Viktor just dove right in. "I need to know something before I make a certain decision and you are the only person who can confirm or deny it."

Ruby looked a little confused and said "Okay, I'll try my best." She had her suspicions about what he wanted to know, but was too afraid to hope.

That fear left her when his lips touched hers, his right hand in her hair.

She immediately responded, winding her arms around his neck and kissing him back with fervour. His free arm wrapped around her lower back and he lifted her off the ground.

When he set her back down and broke away, their breath was shallow and shared.

Foreheads and noses touching, Viktor said, "I love you, Ruby Lucas. And I need to know if you love me as well. If you do, I will follow you to the Enchanted Forest, but if you don't, tell me now so I can make arrangements with Jefferson and return to my home land." His voice was shaky and tears gathered at his closed eyes, but did not fall. His thumb gently caressed Ruby's cheek.

Next he knew, her arms were around his neck again and she was whispering into his ear rapidly. "Oh, Viktor, of course I love you, I was just so afraid that you didn't return the feeling that I never said anything!" Tears were pouring down her face, but her grin told him they were happy tears. His own fell with a sigh he hadn't known he'd been holding, and he embraced her again.

"I'll let Jefferson know I won't need his assistance, then."

He missed his brother, of course, but Gerhardt was likely killed a long time ago. Viktor would tell Ruby all about him and they could mourn him together.