Unique Love

A Friend

Emma's eyes scanned the faces of those leaving the meeting. "Ruby, come here."

Ruby, who walked outside with Granny, reluctantly stepped toward the mayor and sheriff. "What's up?"

Emma answered, "Ruby, we need to ask for a favor. Can you track down Elsa for us before Leroy and his buddies send an angry mob after her?"

Ruby rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, um..."

"The girl didn't hurt Marian," Regina explained. "She isn't dangerous."

The sheriff looked at Ruby, confused. Ruby often jumped at the chance to help Emma. "Please, Ruby. She's scared and unable to control her ice powers. If we bring her to the station, we can protect her."

Ruby stared at the ground. "I believe you. It's just that...it's only a few hours before dusk."

"Why should that make a difference?" Asked Regina.

"Tonight's a full moon."

Emma swore loudly, "Shit! I'm sorry."

Regina spoke, "I thought you could control your transformations now."

"Well, I don't go crazy and attack the first living thing I see, but I still turn into a wolf. I haven't found my red cape since the last curse."

Emma sighed heavily, and Regina stomped her foot.

"Well, maybe if I'm quick, I can find her before nightfall."

Emma looked at her. "You don't have to do that. We can find another way."

"If Elsa really needs us, I want to make sure she's safe."

"That would be extremely helpful," Regina told her.

Ruby smiled. "Do you have anything of hers for me to track the scent?"

The mayor looked to the sheriff who checked her pockets. Emma came up empty-handed. "Sorry. I don't have anything. Maybe this wasn't such a good id—"

Ruby grabbed Emma's wrist, leaned in close to her, and sniffed the sheriff's neck. "You smell nice. Different." She sniffed the collar of Emma's white coat. "Like vanilla cake frosting and mint sniff and a hint of cold, ocean waves." The wolf girl sniffed every inch of Emma's jacket. "It's all over you. Sniff It's like a blend of frostiness and fear."

"That sounds like Elsa alright," Emma told her. "Can you track her?"

Ruby nodded. "This way." She bolted down the street.

Emma took a step to follow her, but Regina tugged the sheriff's jacket. "Let's just have the werewolf find her."

The sheriff looked at her girlfriend. "What! Why?"

"I think you've spent enough time with Elsa."

Emma glanced down at the jacket around her body that Ruby just examined. "Regina, we hugged. That's it."

Regina raised her eyebrows. "According to Ruby, she was 'all over you'."

"You know it wasn't like that, Regina."

"That's not why you shouldn't look for her. You've been with her for days, and neither the snow nor the ice wall has thawed. Don't you think that you may be the problem?"

"How am I the problem? I've been doing nothing but help her."

"Haven't you noticed that she's more nervous around you than anyone else in town? Her hands shake more. She can't look you in the eye because she's afraid it'll make her blush. The more time you spend with her, the harder she falls for you, and knowing she can't have you makes her want you even more."