The Happy Couple (Tag: Alidia and Rahim) rated M

Ruby smiled as she motioned Caleb to sit. "Sit and eat."

"I'd be glad to." Caleb said as he sat.  He was happy to share breakfast with her.  And it seemed that she was a good cook because he started humming with delight as he began.

Ruby smiled as they ate. "I hope everything is good..."

"It is.  Yes, you made a good breakfast.  Thank you for this." Caleb said, gratefully.

"You're welcome my Caleb." She smiled. "And I have an epic dessert planned. Granny's apple pie. But I have to go out to get supplies..." She giggled. "And I have to get more milk."

"Do you mind if I help?  Baking is something I'm rather interested in these days.  And it's always nice to have an extra hand when shopping." Caleb suggested before eating a little more.

"Of course I don't mind at all." She giggled. "Like the saying goes; The more the merrier." She smiled as she began putting the food away that Caleb wasn't eating and begin doing dishes.

"Thank you for letting me come along, Ruby.  I really wanted to do this with you.  And it might be fun." Caleb said in a cheerful manner, giving her a wink.

She began to laugh and then as she began to laugh so hard she began to snort. She gasped and blushed as she hid in her hood. "I'm sorry..." She felt embarrassed.

"Why are you sorry?  Because you snorted when you laughed?" Caleb asked, a little confused.  He didn't see a reason to be embarrassed by that.

She let out a small nod. "Yes. Cause I've not laughed that hard in so long. And you show up and make it all better." Ruby ran to him and embrace him. "My one and only love..." Her green eyes locked into his.

"As you are mine.  Ruby, you helped me appreciate everyday things again.  We both helped each other overcome something." Caleb pointed out.

She smiled. "So true my dragon." She let the hood down as her hair flowed down. "Now let's go shopping." She giggled with delight.

"Sure.  I'll drive." Caleb offered as he picked up his car keys.  This was turning out to be a good day for them.

She smiled as they were at the market. She was weighing apples and getting eggs. And then Snow came of nowhere to talk to Caleb. Ruby loved how he loved his work. Then she heard a whisper calling her name as she drifted to the voice in the alleyway and it was Mary. Ruby gasped as she tried to go back but she was thrown in the car as they sped off.

As Caleb talked with Snow, he got the nagging sense that something was wrong.  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Ruby had wandered off.  After the incident with Thorin, he had become more cautious.
"Snow, did you see where Ruby went?" Caleb asked the secretary.
"She wandered out of the store.  I think I saw a car speeding away just after." Snow replied.  His blood ran cold.  Quickly, he asked Snow to pay for the things they were going to buy and rushed out.  He would not suffer this insult again.  He would get her back, and no one would stop him.

Ruby was so scared once more. "Caleb..." she whimpered. Then she saw that they were at an abandon cabin and she wasnt alone. Mary smiled as she saw that Ruby was scared. "Oh hello Deary... Wait until your love comes and he'll choose your life or his job?" Ruby began to shake as she saw Mary's gun on her temple. Then Mary changed her mind. She held out an apple. "Eat it!" she yelled. Ruby refused. Mary growled as she forced it in her mouth and Ruby groaned in pain as her head hung down. "Cal...." Then her last breath came.

As Caleb followed a trail of clues, he felt the dragon in him roaring with outrage.  Whoever had done this, he would make them pay.  He didn't care who it was.
When he found the cabin, he was not very encouraged to see Bloody Mary there.  Ruby was tied up and didn't seem conscious.  He made to go to her, but Mary leveled her pistol at him, at the left side of his chest.
"That's not how this is going to work." she said in that sickeningly sweet tone of voice that she'd used when she broke Bigby's arm.
"What do you want with her, you bleeding dog?" Caleb demanded to know.  It was his way of calling her a bad name.

"To make you suffer..." Mary chuckled. "Cause you know as well as I know besides in 'Beauty and the Beast' the beast never gets the girl... And she will never love you. That's why I have given her a posion filled apple. To make sure she'll never love again... Even though she plead that I won't harm you to get her instead..."

"If the Beast never gets the girl, then why are Beast and Beauty still together?  Sure, they have marriage problems, but they're still together after all this time.  And you should know how hard it is to slay a dragon, even for another Fable.  Give her to me, and I'll just leave you in peace." Caleb reasoned with her.

Mary walked to Ruby and untied her and gave her to Caleb. She was unresponsive and Mary drove off to wreak someone else's life. Ruby's skin was cold and she wasn't moving or anything. Her hair covered her eyes.

Caleb checked her over.  He was relieved that she had no obvious injuries.  He moved her hair out of her face and leaned closer to her.
"I love you, Ruby.  Only you.  You're my heart." Caleb whispered.  Then, he kissed her on the lips.

Ruby's fingers moved a bit as her green eyes fluttered opened slowly. The apple piece landed on the ground and vanished. She coughed. "...Caleb?" She whimpered.

"Yes, Ruby.  I'm right here for you.  I'm here." Caleb whispered, joyfully.

"I--I... I was so scared that she would've hurt you that is why I bit the apple." She snuggled close to his cheats listening to his heartbeat. "I love you my Caleb..."