#loudly!!!

Not just because it was a secluded area for private... affairs.

It was a place where the real Regina could come out, a place where she didn't need to sequester the magic that added to her charm.

Even if it was for malicious intent once upon a time, she'd begun to make the effort to change.

Although, when Regina was 'evil,' she was still immensely hot.

The werewolf shook away her thoughts as she pushed the marbled coffin aside to reveal the staircase to the crypt.

She swallowed as she began her descent.

What if Regina wasn't in the mood to talk?

What if she hated Ruby now?

What if she didn't want to listen to her?

Ruby rushed through the vast halls below ground, each bricked wall leading her into a maze that felt oh-so-much like their intimate games.

Winding and broiling lust and affection tied in a series of enchanting loops.

Each loop more confusing than the last.

Each loop harder to get through than the last.

She fought down a growl as she made it through another hall only to find no sorceress.

"Fuck!" She snapped, beginning to run at a speed that rivaled that of a wolf; she would've found the irony amusing if she wasn't so worried for her lover.

She searched through each hall of tomes, hearts, and runes until--

--flashes of purple.

Ruby skidded to a stop, bumping into the brick wall at the curve of the hallway to face it.

A tempest of violet energy.

It boiled its exotic flare against the brick of the crypt, ripping at it with a ferocious tenacity.

Regina had to be in the middle.

Ruby swallowed.

"Re--" she paused. "Gina! Gina, it's me!"

The purple waves only grew, as if responding in anger. Ruby sighed her dissent.

"Gina, Henry's okay! He's with Emma! It's just me now..." She stepped forward, reaching for a violet wisp and letting it brush her hand. "Just Ruby."

The wisps quivered, returning to the source and curling deeper into their center; closer and closer to their master.

Ruby stepped forward again.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" The werewolf kneeled before the great maelstrom of hues, trying to find the woman she loved.

'Get out'

Ruby flinched at the echoing whispers emanating from the magicks before her. "I can't do that until I know you're okay. I promised Henry. I promised your son."

'Leave'

The werewolf frowned, crawling forward until she was nearly being sucked into the sphere of swirling purple.

"Regina. I'm here... talk to me."

'Get'

'Out'

Ruby growled, having enough and instead surging forward to pull the woman out herself.

The magic surrounding her hissed and rejected her.

Who was this intruder?

Who was this being that sought their master?!

It pushed at her, shoving her farther and farther still. Ruby snapped her jaw at the wisps, catching nothing but a misty taste in her mouth.

"Regina! Enough!" She cried, finally grasping what felt like an arm. She yanked until the woman was nearly free, smiling in relief.

The face that met hers was caked in violet tears, swirls and cracks. The curse of a darkened heart was heavy, she'd heard Regina tell her once.

"Gina!" Ruby gasped, cupping her cheek only for the woman to flinch and cover her ears.

"Stop it! Stop torturing me! I know I'm a monster, just stop! Make her go away!" The older woman cried, those tears leaving her eyes in large drops of plum-color.

The magic reacted, shoving the wolf out and nearly throwing her down the hall. Ruby rolled back, falling on her backside with a huff.

The werewolf sat up with a hoarse groan, watching that lilac vortex swirl and swallow the sorceress again. Whilst Regina dissipated from her sight, all around she heard faint whispers.

'Monster'

'You're a monster'

'Hurt everyone around you'

'Twisted'

'Tainted'

'Pathetic girl'

Ruby blinked in realization, a memory from long ago blinding her memory for a moment--

"Magic gave me power. I loved power, even at the expense of my own sanity, my own heart. I chose to darken it and thought it would stop the pain. Turns out even my own magic likes to kick my legs out from under me."

"So... why keep doing magic?" Ruby had asked, pulling the smaller woman closer into her.

Regina smiled weakly from where she sat in the wolf's lap.

"Because, I made it part of me. Whether or not I want to be a better person for you, for Henry, for myself... I tied it to my very soul when I began learning under Rumple. I'm going to rot and desecrate myself until the end of time because I can't stop using it. Because, I'm weak and pathetic like that."

--Ruby surged up, staring at this storm of lavender and periwinkle nightmares.

"... oh, Gina." The wolf murmured.

She made her way to the purple void, pushing herself through with renewed vigor and a sense of finality. Her strong arms pulled the shaking woman forward and into her embrace.

Regina quaked, shuddering sobs muffled in to her shirt.

Ruby kissed her brow, rocking them from where they sat on the floor.

All that pain, that anguish, that anger--

"I'm here." Ruby whispered.

--her magic, the thing she'd used to gain power and to make herself untouchable--

"Ru-Ruby..." Came the weak reply.

--was working against her all this time. With each act of betrayal, with each attrocity, with each horror she'd witnessed, felt, committed--

The werewolf felt the woman shift closer, clutching her shirt with white-knuckled fists.

--it made sure she never forgot. It made sure she remembered what she had to experience, what she'd done, what she'd been through.

"I'm not leaving you, okay?" Ruby mumbled gently against the woman's forehead.

The story of the Evil Queen--

"...okay." Regina whispered back.

--wasn't anything like she'd read.