Blood Red (2)

Chapter 14

I was at the hospital at 12:30, a lick of anger still lighting the fire inside me. Dr. Whale was leaning against the side of the hospital, arms crossed and his eyebrow was raised. His eyes wandered to the man walking quietly behind me. "Hey Ruby," he greeted.

"I'm glad you agreed to meet with me."

"You don't have to talk so...formal." His gaze remained on Peter. "I see you've brought him."

I took a quick glance at Peter who was staring at a car. His head was tilted slightly. I turned back to Whale. "How is this possible?" I hissed. "Where did you find him?"

"The grave. Regina transported some of the people who died in the old life."

"But why Peter?"

He sighed. "How about you ask Regina."

"Shouldn't he be skin and bone?"

Victor rolled his eyes. "That's where it got complicated, but it was nothing major and skin grafting couldn't fix."

"So Regina knows?"

"No kidding!" He yelled.

Peter stepped forward, fist clenched. "Don't talk to her like that," he roared.

Whale yielded, backing away from him. "I-I made you."

"I don't care."

I placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "It's alright," I mumbled. Then to Whale I added, "I'm just trying to figure this all out."

"Just go home Ruby," Whale said. "What's done is done, and he doesn't seem to be causing trouble."

"Alright." I narrowed my eyes, knowing it was a lie.

I turned away, and Peter was still staring at me. "I could of told you all that," he stated. I took his hand and towed his back to the apartments without saying a word. "Why did he call you Ruby?"

"That's my other name," I replied.

"What do you mean?" He forced me to stop. "Red what's going on? Where are we?"

"A town called StoryBrooke. Let's just say...you're in the future."

On the way to my apartment, I explained to him about what had happened with Regina, and how she cursed everyone here. While bringing him to my house, I made sure to stay away from Granny, Snow White, Henry, Emma, or anyone else who knew about him...especially not Killian.

We got there and Killian was still away doing...whatever it is he does. I gave him food, and an hour later I said what I had been needed to get off my chest. "Peter, you're going to have to go somewhere else for awhile."

"Why's that?" He asked, stuffing his face with cookies.

"People would be scared of you."

He stopped mid chew and frowned. "They would?"

I nodded. "I'll take you somewhere safe, but you might have to stay there for awhile.

I took him to the deck, telling him to stay in the little cabin no one uses. He obeyed, even though he wasn't sure why he was hiding. I rushed back to the apartment just in time to greet Killian.

He smiled at me as he watched me trample through the hallways. Good thing I didn't have my heels on. "Hello love."

"Hi Killian," I said and opened the door for him.

"Now that's not a proper welcome," he stated slyly. He grabbed me at the waist and kissed me hard. I was surprised at the pressure of it at first, but my body soon softened against his. My fingers raked through his hair and down his neck.

Killian began walking, taking me with him. We fell on our bed, him on top. His hand raced down my upper body, stopping to flatten against my back. His left "hand" stayed on my face. Killian picked up one of my legs, and wrapped it around his own back. This lasted for awhile. That's when I felt a great deal of air forming around my ribs.

I moved away and looked him straight in the eyes, close to smirking. "Was that better?"

He beamed and nibbled on my ear. "Much better." He climbed off of me and helped me up. I threw his shirt at him.

"Do you remember that day," I started, flushed and out of breath.

"Which one?"

"That day I said all I do is sleep and cry. Do you remember?"

Killian nodded. "Why love?" He pondered.

"Well now this is a third thing I do a lot," I mumbled, looking away from him. "but it's okay since I like doing that." My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to see what it said.

Granny:

Are you aware that you've missed over 4 hours of work!? Did you get sick or something this morning!?

"Crap!" I yelled. "Killian I just missed almost a whole day of work!"

"Wedding preparations." Was all he said.

"What?"

He took my phone and began to type in something. I read it over his shoulder.

No I'm not sick. I've been doing wedding preparations with Killian. I forgot to call in. I'm sorry.

"Oh," I said. "Good thinking."

-------------------------------------------

Day had ended. People were in their homes, turning off their main lights and turning on their night lights. The sky was dark, and few stars were burning tonight.

Killian was flipping through the pages of an old video game magazine. His eyebrows were furrowed in a means of trying to understand what Rupees or Koopas were. I just rolled my eyes.

Regina was there too, not saying much, only answering Killian's questions that were asked every once in a while. She had out her stupid clipboard again. "Color?" She questioned.

I peered over at her, no doubt with a confused expression. "Huh?"

"The bridesmaid color," she grumbled, her forehead rested atop her fingertips.

I thought for a second, my eyes wondering over to the window again. "Blue."

"Good choice," she stated, scribbling it down.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, watching Emma's yellow Volkswagen drive by, bringing light across the road. I could see her and Henry laughing and dancing, and I could hear the soft thumps of music. My fingers combed through my hair, and I gave a small sigh. I couldn't take my sight off the lonely cabin hiding on the docks. I ended up telling Peter he'd have to stay there tonight since I was "having guests over". I couldn't keep lying to him though. It felt like every lie was the stab of a double ended knife that I was killing both of us with...then again...Killian is being stabbed with a sword...or a meat knife. He was most likely getting it the worst.

"Look Regina," I said with a yawn. "It's getting late. I think you should head home."

Regina gulped, a sad look in her eyes. "I'm sorry Ruby. The truth is...I just wanted...to not be alone...in my big house...you know?"

Killian gazed over his magazine, first at her, then me. The silent look that meant a thousand things. "You can stay here Regina," he replied gruffly. "I know what it's like to be in a crowd and still feel alone though."

The pads of my fingers traced the window, hitting the thin scratches painted on the glass. So do I, I thought.