Chapter Three--The Wolf's Lover

~Storybrooke~

Ruby was working early, like every morning. Not that she minded; she loved working at her granny's restaurant. Especially since Granny was actually her granny. The bell dinged, signaling an entrance.

"Hey, Ruby," August greeted.

"Hello. Your usual, I'm assuming?"

August nodded. "Yup. Thanks."

Ruby made August his coffee and handed it to him.

"Thanks." As August walked out, both Mary Margaret and David walked in hand-in-hand. Ruby looked at the clock. 7:15, right on time.

"Hello," Ruby greeted.

"Hi."

"Hello. The usual, please."

"Coming right up." Ruby began to prepare the food.

Mary Margaret and David sat down. On Sundays, David didn't have to be at the sheriff's station as early, so he and Mary Margaret ate breakfast at Granny's.

Ruby set Mary Margaret and David's breakfast on their table. "Enjoy!"

~The Enchanted Forest~

"Put your cloak back on," Granny ordered ordered Red, "you know Wolfstime begins tonight."

"I know." The thirteen-year-old girl pulled the too-big cloak around her and sighed. That stupid cloak was how she had gotten her nickname, Red. She absolutely loved the color, and the nickname was fine, but it was annoying having to wear the cloak all the time.

When Granny wasn't looking, Red snuck outside. Her friend, Peter, was waiting for her.

"Hi," Peter grinned.

"Hello."

Peter knew Red wouldn't have much time. He had dealt with her granny's wrath before, and it was always worse around Wolfstime.

"It's getting dark," Peter pointed out. Red looked at the sunset. She could usually gaze at the pinks and oranges for hours, if a sunset would last that long. But during Wolfstime, she found it harder to appreciate the beauty.

"I know," Red said. "But I had to talk to you before Wolfstime."

"It'll be okay, Red," Peter promised. "It's only for a few days."

Red smiled, trying to absorb some if Peter's optimism. "Granny will notice I'm gone soon." Red gave Peter a quick hug. "See you after Wolfstime."

"See you then," Peter agreed.

Red ran back to her house, the red cloak billowing in the wind. Peter turned and hurried to his house; not wanting to face his own mother's wrath if he was out past dark during Wolfstime.

~Storybrooke~

"Papa, what are you doing?" Roland questioned. His storybook was opened to a page showing a picture of Tinker Bell and the Evil Queen. But the young boy was studying his father, who was combing through his hair.

"I told you, I'm getting ready for a date. Are you ready to stay at Granny's with Granny and Ruby?"

"Yes!"

"Well then, let's go." Robin picked up his son and the storybook, assuming he wanted to bring that along.

"Are you going on a date with Regina?" Roland asked.

"That I am. Remember, behave for Ruby and Granny, okay?"

"Okay. Do you think they'll read me a story? I like the pictures, but the stories are even better."

"Maybe if they're not too busy. But try not to bother them unless it's important, okay?"

"Okay, Papa."

~

Since the dinner rush was over, Granny agreed to let Ruby read Roland a story. "Which one?" She asked as Roland flipped through the pages.

"Here," he said, "Little Red Riding Hood."

Ruby laughed. "That one's always been a favorite of mine." Ruby began to read the story.

~The Enchanted Forest~

Fifteen-year-old Red's cloak was easy to spot against the white snow. Her cheeks were red and stinging from the cold when she knocked on the door of Peter's house.

"Hey, Red," Peter greeted after he opened the door.

"Follow me," Red said as she grabbed Peter's hand. Peter shut the door behind him, the winter wind not really bothering him as he followed Red.

"Where are we going?" Peter asked as Red entered the woods, swerving around trees. Red didn't answer, she just led Peter through more trees.

"Here," she said when she stopped. Peter shivered in the cold, but a huge smile appeared on his face.

"It's beautiful..."

The small clearing held a pond that was frozen over. The snow on the ground was empty of footprints except for some from a deer that Red had startled when she first stumbled upon the place. The calmness of it and the beauty of the snow sparkling in the sunlight were impossible to replicate.

"How did you find it?" Peter whispered. It seemed as if you spoke too loud, the clearing would vanish, leaving only trees in its place.

"I was just sort of wandering around," Red replied. She noticed Peter shivering and took her cloak off and set it on his shoulders.

Peter tried to refuse it. "No. Red, you'll get cold."

"I'm fine," Red lied. She actually was cold without the cloak on, but she wasn't going to tell Peter that.

Peter wrapped one side of the cloak around Red so they were both somewhat sheltered from the cold. Red leaned her head on Peter's shoulder.

The two stayed like that for awhile, neither daring to speak. Finally, Red lifted her head up. "I should probably be heading back soon. Granny will be mad if I'm gone too long."

Peter nodded in agreement. "You're right." He wrapped the cloak around Red. Before Red could stop herself, she planted a kiss on Peter's cheek. Both of their cheeks were so pink from the wind, it was hard to tell if either one was blushing.

"L-let's go," Red said, trying to cover the awkward moment.

"Wait." Peter knew Red did have to get back home, but he couldn't hold himself back. He pulled Red into a kiss.

~Storybrooke~

"You're serious?" Tink asked Mary Margaret and Emma. The three of them were at Granny's. Neal, David, Killian, and Henry had wanted a 'guy's night out' so they could watch episode after episode of Love it or List it and play Super Mario Brothers. Unfortunately, the 'guy's night out' was taking place at Emma, Henry, and Neal's house.

"Yes!" Mary Margaret said. "Regina said Robin asked her on a date last night. She told us after you left."

"I knew they were perfect for each other."

Emma nodded. "I guess you two were right."

The three watched as Ruby read Roland the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Tink had asked why Roland was without his dad, which led to a lecture about how perfect Regina and Robin were for each other from Mary Margaret.

~

Regina and Robin couldn't stay out too late because Roland had to go to bed. They parted ways in front of Granny's after spending the walk there hand-in-hand.

"Are you sure you don't want Roland and I to walk you home, Milady?" Robin asked.

Regina blushed when he said 'Milady'. "There's no need, really."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Of course," Regina replied

Robin smiled and bid Regina goodbye. He entered Granny's to pick up Roland and Regina continued on her way home.

~

Mary Margaret wanted nothing more than to bombard Robin with questions. But Emma forced her to sit back and stay silent. Although Tink would have liked to ask questions as well, she agreed with Emma's opinion that Robin deserved privacy.

"You ready to go?" Robin asked Roland. The little boy nodded. He closed the storybook and handed it to his dad before excitedly recounting all of the storied Ruby had read to him. Robin laughed at Roland's rushed talking and took Roland's hand in his own. Robin thanked Ruby for watching and reading to him before making his own way home for the night.

"Did he look happy?" Mary Margaret asked Ruby the instant Robin and Roland were out the door.

"Who?" Roland?" Ruby asked.

"No, Robin."

"Yeah," Ruby said thinking back to when Robin had spoke to her moments earlier. "Yeah, I think he did. Why?"

Tink answered Ruby's question in a hushed voice, "Because he and Regina went on a date. If he's happy that means it went well!"

"Really?" Ruby asked. "How'd you manage to finally convince them they should be together?"

"All we did was make Regina go talk to him," Mary Margaret replied. "The rest happened by itself."

"Well it's about time..." Ruby muttered before going to take Leroy's order.

~The Enchanted Forest~

Red rested her head on Peter's shoulder. A cool fall breeze blew through the clearing in the woods, but Red's cloak protected the two of them. They had been together for nearly nine months now, ever since the winter before.

Red and Peter had taken food for a lunch picnic to the clearing where they shared their first kiss. The lunch was gone now, and the only evidence that showed it was there was the woven basket sitting a few feet away from the couple.

"Do you ever wonder what life would be like without Wolfstime?" Red asked.

Peter shrugged. "Sometimes. But it's always been there, so it seems a little weird to think about, you know?"

"Yeah."

The two sat there in silence for a few more minutes, just happy to have each other for the moment.

Peter's sister, Thea, ran into the clearing. "Peter, hurry!"

"What is it?" Peter asked, suddenly nervous.

"It's mom! She's worse!"

Peter's mom had been sick for the pas few days, but the doctor had said it shouldn't be fatal. Both Peter and Red stood up. Red grabbed the basket and the three ran to Peter's house.

~Storybrooke~

When Regina saw that it was Mary Margaret calling her, she was tempted to not answer. She had just gotten home five minutes ago, and didn't feel like retelling her entire night. But just before the last ring, Regina decided to answer. Mary Margaret would probably just keep calling her until she picked up anyways.

"Hello," Regina sighed.

"Regina! How was the date?"

"Fine."

"Just 'fine'?" Mary Margaret didn't seem satisfied with Regina's answer.

"It was good."

"Regina, you just went on your first date with your true love! Try to be a little more enthusiastic."

"First of all, you don't know for sure that Robin is my true love," Regina started. "And second, why would I spill my innermost feelings out to you?"

"Because we're friends."

Regina groaned. "You're impossible. Fine. Yes, the date was amazing. Yes, I am in love with Robin. And before you ask, yes, we are going on another date."

"Did you two kiss?"

"It was the first date!"

"Just checking."

Regina ended the call and continued to remove the bobby pins from her hair. Truth be told, she and Robin had come pretty close to kissing, but it hadn't happened, and that was all Mary Margaret needed to know.

~The Enchanted Forest~

Peter kneeled beside his mother's bed. "...Mom?"

"Peter..." Her hand came up and brushed his cheek. Peter wrapped his hand around hers and held it there.

"Don't leave," Peter choked out.

"I'm sorry..."

"No! Mom, you have to see dad again!" Thea exclaimed. Their dad was scheduled to be home with medicine in a couple days.

"I can't hold on much longer." Peter's mom took Thea's hand in her other hand. "I love you both.

Red felt like she was intruding until Peter's mom weakly called for her to come over. She kneeled beside Peter and felt tears well up in her eyes. Red's own parents had died when she was young. Granny had taken care of Red, but so had Peter's mom when Granny couldn't.

Thea, Peter, and Red stayed like that until Peter's mom took her final breath.

~Five years later~

Red was walking through the woods near her and Granny's house. Wolfstime began in a few hours, but since Red could control herself while being a wolf, it didn't bother her. But tonight, she almost wanted to forget about her time as a wolf. To be fair, she wanted to forget about everything.

Red hadn't meant to walk to the clearing where she and Peter had first kissed, but her feet took her there anyways. That kiss was six years ago today. Red sat down in the snow and felt a lone tear trickle from her eye.

Peter...

Why had she insisted on investigating the wolf? Why did she have to be a Child of the Moon? Why couldn't she just be normal?

"Yes," Red whispered out loud. "Yes, Peter. I do wonder what life would be like without Wolfstime. I wonder if maybe I'd still be with you..." Another tear fell.

"I love you."
~
I'm sorry that the flashbacks in this chapter were sad. To be honest, I wasn't going to put the part about Peter's mom in at first, but it just sort of happened...
And while we're talking about feelsy flashbacks, I'm thinking of adding in some StableQueen flashbacks...
~
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