Hook's Daughter

Ruby's Rage

Disclaimer: rights to ABC and Odette Beane.

This chapter goes on during the episode "Red-Handed" and it's one of my favorites! Red is one of my favorite characters! So this'll be fun to write. xx

Ruby and Granny had been fighting and bickering for weeks. It was no secret that the two women were having trouble. And it was no surprise when, after an argument about a Saturday night shift, Ruby up and quit the diner, leaving Granny to fend for herself in a full house.
"Long time coming," people murmured.
"Can't believe it didn't happen sooner."
At the end of it, Ruby stormed out and screamed that she was leaving town and heading to Boston. Granny didn't respond, and when Ruby was gone, she acted like she didn't care one way or another.

When I walked out of Granny's with my coffee, I saw Ruby at the bus stop with a small suitcase.
"You do know buses never come, right? Where are you going?" I asked.
"Away," Ruby replied.
"I overheard the fight. Well, I guess about everyone did."
"Yeah, well that just means you overheard the truth. I'm sick of her and I'm sick of that diner. And I'm sick of Storybrooke. I'm going to Boston."
Emma and Mary Margaret walked up as Ruby was finishing her sentence.
"Hate to say it," Mary Margaret said, "but nothing's going to happen tonight. You're worked up, it's freezing. Why don't you stay with Emma and I tonight and than figure out what to do tomorrow."
Ruby looked at her, "Okay. One night."

Henry was in the sheriff's department with Ruby and I, ticking down a litany of job openings in Storybrooke, hoping to help Ruby find new employment. Emma was at her desk, trying to piece together all the pieces of Kathryn's disappearance. She had a long list of possible things that could have happened to her, and slowly crossing them out as she wrote down the reasons they couldn't have. Henry suggested sales to Ruby: she said wasn't interested. Henry said something about being a bike messenger: she said she was a klutz.
"That's the problem, really," Ruby said, "there's nothing I can do."
"There's got to be something you like doing and are good at," I said.
"All I've ever done is work at the diner. There's got to be more to life."
The phone rang and Ruby picked it up. After listening for a moment, Ruby assured the caller, Ms. Ginger, that the "footsteps" she was hearing were Archie's dog, Pongo, and not a prowler. Ms. Ginger thanked her and she hung up.
"I wish I had skills," Ruby said, "anyways."
Emma smiled and looked at me. I nodded.
"Seems like you have some."
Henry and Ruby looked at Emma over a shoulder. Emma shrugged,
"Look, you need work, and we need an office manager. I have it in the budget. Why don't you work here?"
"Oh, no," Ruby said, "I can't do police work."
"She just means answer the phone and help out," I said, "that kind of thing. You won't have to shoot anyone."
"Oh," Ruby said.
"Whaddya say?" Emma asked.
Ruby thought about it for a moment, than smiled and nodded.
"I say okay," she said. "Thanks. Thanks for giving me a chance at something."
"My pleasure," Emma said, "and you're first job can be getting us lunch at Granny's."
"Okay," Ruby said, getting up and grabbing her purse. She smiled. "I'll be back."
On her way out of the door, Mary Margaret pushed past, looking frazzled.
"I just saw David," she said, "in the woods. He's looking for Kathryn."
Emma and I shared an uncomfortable glance.
"She's not out there," I said, shaking my head.
"Something is wrong with him," Mary Margaret said, "he's... confused. And disoriented."

When Ruby got back with the sandwiches, Emma looked at her and said,
"Leave those wrapped up. Mary Margaret had to go. We're looking for David in the woods."
Ruby looked surprised, and Henry glanced up at Emma and gave her one of his coy, knowing grins.
After Emma had calmed Mary Margaret down and sent her home, Henry had opened up his book and shown us the story of Red, and said,
"She's always struggling with feeling worthless, see? Look. You actually have to let her do things. She can track, even. See?"
"There's a real investigation going on here," Emma replied, "someone is missing and actually in trouble. I don't want you getting too caught up in the curse stuff right now."
"But all I'm saying is that Ruby can help," he said, "I know her."
"Okay," Emma said, "fine."
And so Emma asked Ruby to come along with us.

Emma, Ruby, and I arrived at the edge of town, where Kathryn's car had gone off the road, and we headed north, into the woods. There was no sign of David anywhere, and it was only a couple of hours until dark.
"Not good," I said, "if he's out here somewhere...and something's wrong with him..."
"What would be wrong though?" Ruby asked, looking out into the trees.
"I don't know," Emma replied, "a holdover from the coma? I don't get it, either. All I know is MAry Margaret seemed pretty shaken up."
"I shouldn't even be out here," Ruby said, "I'll just screw this up, too."
I liked Ruby, and wanted to ease her anxiety, but we did not have time for this, and regretted bring her out here. Ruby was picking her way through the rough terrain like someone who had never been in the woods, and even more distressing, she seemed more preoccupied with her own problems than with the task at hand.
"Wait."
Emma and I turned around and looked at Ruby.
"What?" I asked.
"I can hear him," Ruby said.
"Really?" Emma asked.
"Yes," Ruby said, "or something. I know where he is!"
She looked at me. I saw something in her eyes. Something completely different. Something... hungry.
"Don't you hear it?" Ruby asked.
Before we could answer, Ruby took off. She was running through the forest, hell-bent on something.
"Hey!" Emma cried, running after her, "wait! Where are you going?"
"He's over here, come on!" Ruby yelled, over her shoulder. We kept running, Emma and I falling more and more behind as Ruby expertly wove her way between trees and over limbs. I was out of breath and about to take a break when I finally saw Ruby, in the distance, come to a stop and fall to the ground.
"What?" I cried. "What is it?"
But Ruby didn't have to answer, because soon I saw for myself. David, unconscious, lay in a heap, curled up beside the trunk of a silver maple.

"He's brusied, scratched up, dehydrated, everything you'd expect," Dr. Whale said, "Cut on his head is superficial, that didn't cause this. He's dealing with a mental health problem."
We were at the hospital. Emma, Dr. Whale, and I stood outside of David's room. David was awake, but he was claiming to have no memory of going to the woods. I did not like it one bit, but for now, there wasn't much I could say. We went back into the room.
"We'll figure this out," Emma said to David, "hang in there."
"It's like none of it happened," David said, "I mean, I know it did, because you're telling me. But it sounds about as real as one of Henry's stories right now."
I turned to Dr. Whale, "How...functional could he be during one of these...episodes? I mean he talked to someone during this one."
"Anything's possible," said Dr. Whale. "People in similar states, say from sleep medication, do all kinds of things. Cook, talk, drive cars." He shrugged. "It's very hard to say."
"You want to know if I could have made that call," David said, looking at Emma, "or more. I get it. You think I kidnapped her. Maybe even killed her. And that I don't even know it."
"Take it easy, David," Dr. Whale said, "no one is saying that."
"We're just trying to figure it out," Emma said.
"That would explain it, though," he said, looking forlorn, "that would explain why I didn't seem like I was lying to you. Because I didn't know."
"Stop talking right now, David." I didn't need to turn--the loud and abrasive voice was one I knew all too well. Regina.
"Why are you here?" It continued, and Emma turned to look at Regina. "Why doesn't he have a lawyer present? Have you even read him his rights?"
"No," Emma said, "because he's not under arrest. We're just talking."
"Right."
"Why are you here?" I asked Regina.
"Because I'm still his emergency contact."
"Wouldn't that have been changed to Kathryn?" David asked, confused.
"Yes, but since she is currently missing, it reverted back to me." Regina went to the bed. "I'm here to offer support, and protection, if you need it." Regina looked at Emma, "Why don't you concentrate on finding her?"
"Maine is big," Emma said.
"This room is covered," Regina snapped back, "now get out there and find her."

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Thanks babes xx