Daughter of the Moon

Chapter 12

The next day, Ruby set up a meeting between Robin Hood and her Scottish lawyer friend, Christopher Reynolds; formerly known as  the 5 year old boy constantly attached to his teddy bear, Christopher Robin. Christopher and Ruby met in college and they instantly felt like family. They had been in touch ever since the first night as freshmen.

The Englishman and the Scotsman  exchanged pleasantries and they got down to talking about why Robin Hood needed a lawyer and how he could win the case.

Ruby had left Rowan with Graham and minutes into talking to Robin and Chris, her iPhone 5s covered by a red protective case vibrated in the pocket of her jeans. Her heart began to skip a beat as she received a selfie Graham had taken with Rowan. As she examined the photo of father and young daughter together side by side, she realized just how alike they looked. When she was first born, Ruby thought that Rowan mostly resembled her. But in truth, she was unmistakably a daddy's girl. Ruby could only hope that her daughter would grow up to be as strong and brave as her father.

Little did she know, beneath the smiling face of the proud father was a heart of great worry for his daughter's future.

As Graham played with Rowan and made wide eyed faces to try and make her smile, his fun came to a sudden halt as he began to worry about his daughter's safety and future. Even though he was trying to be strong for Ruby, he had to admit that deep down, he too was terrified.

As he looked at Rowan, he could vividly imagine a future so dangerous and troublesome. He pictured Rowan as a seventeen year old girl who was dating a young man  named Harley who had  far too many tattoos and piercings, drank illegally and influenced her to do the same. He could also imagine her wearing extremely revealing clothing pieces that were far more outrageous than anything Ruby had worn.

"Don't fret, my dear girl. You'll be safe. Daddy's here" Graham said as he held Rowan close and a tear fell from his face.

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Zelena and Robin Hood's court date took place the following week in the presence of the entire population of Storybrooke. Serving as the judge that morning was a man who had moved into town a year earlier named Gary Hopkins;  formerly known as Jacques Hopscotch from Cinderella's castle. Everyone in town was quick to learn that the best way for Gary to stay focused was not to have cheese anywhere near him.

Ruby looked down at the slumbering baby in her arms as she listened to Robin Hood and Zelena argue about how their son should be raised. They continued to argue for approximately 15 minutes before Gary  slammed his gavel on the ledge of his desk and said "it's settled. I declare that Zelena is no longer allowed to see her son without supervision. Is there anyone aside from Robin Hood who would be willing to keep an eye on her?"

Regina was quick to stand from her seat and say that she would keep an eye on her sister. After all, she was the only one in town powerful enough to do so.

"This makes no bloody sense! Why have a court date in the first place when we could have talked about this at home? Listen to me, forest pine. I want to know how you found a lawyer who was willing to argue your case. Tell me or I slit your throat and your sons grow to be fatherless" Zelena sneered as she grabbed Robin Hood by the shirt collar and looked at him with her menacing blue eyes.

Robin Hood looked at Ruby discreetly and in pain as he was held up by the witch's grasp. As Ruby met his fearful eyes, she mouthed "I'm so sorry", and Robin Hood responded by telling her that it was okay.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Zelena asked as she looked from Robin Hood to Ruby.

"Yes, I admit. I introduced Robin to Chris because I'm his friend and I wanted to help him. I see no shame in that. Come at me if you  will, Zelena. But just know that wolves bite" Ruby said as she returned Zelena's fierce glance.

As mad as Zelena was that Ruby was the reason Robin Hood won the case, she decided that confronting her right then and there would be too easy. So, she figured it was time to put the plan to work.

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Later that night, Zelena ventured out to Ruby and Graham's house in the form of a Dalmatian, using a transformation spell that she had taken from Cruella. Zelena's plan to get revenge on Ruby and take over Storybrooke involved numerous steps. The first one was framing Pongo for taking Rowan.

In dog form, Zelena looked from the bathroom to Ruby and Graham sleeping peacefully on their king sized mattress before she headed out with her captured good. As she left with the werewolf infant in tow, she failed to notice that the bedroom door had slammed on her way out; which woke Ruby and Graham with a start and alerted them to their missing daughter.

As Ruby shot out of bed and looked down with distress at the empty co-sleeper, she started to experience a mixture of anger and worry; which was commonly thought of as motherly instinct. As she looked out the window, she swore she could see Pongo running away with Rowan; which Ruby deemed to be out of character since she had come to known the spotted canine so well over the past few years.

Graham had been working so hard to keep the town safe and Ruby truly believed her husband deserved a break, so she decided not to wake him and find Rowan herself using her keen sense of smell. She grabbed her red cloak and Rowan's red baby blanket and proceeded outside to put an end to the mystery of her daughter's kidnapping.