"What are you doing in my bedroom?" Monica asked defensively, as she stepped away from the Waithe. "I figured Ric would have told everyone to leave me alone." She added. Ruby scratched the back of her head before she admitted, "He did, but I didn't listen."

Monica rolled her eyes before she turned around and walked back to her bed. "You've been cooped up in your dorm for five days... have you even fed?" Ruby asked. Monica kept her back to Ruby as she huffed, "You should have listened and stayed out of my dorm."

"What kind of friend would I be if I left you here to wallow in sadness." Ruby spoke, as the Montgomery frowned. "Friends? Is that what we are?" Ruby couldn't lie, that stung her a bit. "I would like to be, if you would let me in." She admitted, regretting the harshness in her voice as soon as the words left her lips.

Monica finally faced Ruby, only to shoot her a a glare before turning away. Ruby walked over and sat herself beside the vampire. "Mon.. I'm really sorry about your Mum." She said, genuinely. "I don't know my Mum, and I can't even begin to imagine how you're feeling right now... but I want to be there for you, in anyway that I can." Ruby continued, with a small smile.

"You want to know how I'm feeling?" Monica asked, as she cupped Ruby's cheeks with her hand, and began to show her flashes... visions of her childhood.

The day Rue showed her how to ride a bicycle.

The night Monica had a nightmare and Rue comforted her and stayed with her until she fell asleep.

Rue Montgomery was there for all of Monica's first milestones and memories, but even heartbreaks.

Not to mention the day Monica, then Maxwell, came out to Rue as transgender, and Rue promised she would love Monica forever, no matter what.

Memories flashed of the abuse she received from Titus, her father, who refused to accept her as his daughter, and Rue who would always stick up for Monica.

The divorce, the day Monica was finally away from Titus.

Then it got darker.

Rue admitted her daughter to hospital after finding her unconscious, with self inflicted injuries. The mother never left her daughters side.

She did everything she could to be there for Monica.

Flashes of Monica's more recent memories with Rue were shown, of their reunion and then their fated goodbye.

Monica then removed her hand from Ruby's face, as the pinkette looked at the Montgomery in surprise, as a lot had just flashed before her eyes.

Monica braced herself for some sort of transphobic comment, as Ruby was one of the very few people to now know the truth about her. Instead Ruby moved forward and hugged her, taking her by complete surprise.

Monica blinked in surprise, as she reluctantly hugged Ruby back. "Mon, you are officially the strongest person I know." The werewolf insisted, as tears formed in the vampire's eyes. She then hugged Ruby tightly.

Once they separated, Ruby looked at the blonde, as a tear rolled down the vampire's cheeks. "Do you understand now? I lost the only person in the world that loves me." She confessed, her voice shaking with emotion. Ruby shook her head, "You're wrong. I love you." The Waithe declared.

Monica let the tears fall from her eyes, before she broke down, crying in Ruby's arms as the pinkette embraced her. Ruby felt an incredible amount of empathy for the girl, who was now her new friend. That's right, they were friends. Monica had finally let Ruby in.

❤︎

Monica and Ruby sat at a table at the front of the Grill, watching the cars drive by. The Montgomery had been quiet, as Ruby was recommending a heap of different meals to Monica. "You do realise I don't need mortal food, right?" Monica asked, sipping blood from a pink reusable plastic cup usually used for cold drinks such as juice or milkshakes... not in Monica's case though. "Oh but the milkshakes! They're incredible! You have to at least try one." Ruby smiled as Monica shrugged, "Fine."

The waitress came over and took their order, before heading back inside. "So uh... before I left with Landon you said you mentioned something going on with you and Lizzie? Any updates?" Ruby ask with a grin, speaking as if she and Monica had always been the best of friends. Monica seemed nonchalant, "I told you I had slept with her." She stated, though she thought back to before the Saltzmans left for Europe.

"She has kind of just been a friend with benefits if anything... though she um..." The blonde trailed off, before clearing her throat. "Before I locked myself away in my room, Lizzie was really nice to me. She was really comforting and caring." Monica confesses as the pinkette smiled in response. "Maybe I tolerate her more than I admit."

Not enjoying this vulnerable feeling, Monica changed the subject to focus on Ruby. "What about you and Hope? I may have overheard that you kissed." Monica smirked as Ruby blushed in response. "How do you know?" She quickly asked in surprise. "I overheard Hope telling Josie... the Saltzman seemed a little upset but I think she has gone back to pining over Penelope." Monica explained to the Waithe.

The waitress returned with two milkshakes, a strawberry for Monica and double chocolate for Ruby. "Thank you!" Ruby smiled as the waitress smiled back before leaving.

"I like Hope... I really do. But as of yesterday she is dating Landon." Ruby admitted as Monica laughed humourlessly for a moment, "She is dating that mophead?" She asked as Ruby frowned at the blonde. "I may be mad at him, but he is still my foster brother... so I won't tolerate that." She huffed defensively. "Yeah but... she chose him over you? Is Hope Mikealson blind or really dumb?? Or both??"

Ruby couldn't help but to laugh before she smirked at the Montgomery, "Wait.. are you saying you think I'm attractive?" She teased. Monica snorted in amusement, "Obviously. But you're also so kind and loving... I'm sure you'd make an amazing girlfriend. Mikealson really messed up." Ruby shrugged now, "Oh well... She made her choice." She tried to seem casual about it, though it was evident she was still hurting.

The girls sip on their milkshakes, before Ruby spoke up. "I uh... Learnt a big secret of yours today... and even though it definitely isn't the same, I want to tell you one of mine." She decides. Monica looked at the Waithe, intrigued.

"Well.. Rafael and I, we were supposed to be triplets." Ruby explained as Monica looked a bit surprised, "Three Waithes? That would have been a real handful." She stated. "We had a sister named Rosa, and she was stillborn." The pinkette said.

"That must be hard to grow up knowing there's supposed to be three of you." The vampire remarked as Ruby nodded, "Honestly I think about her a lot...,and about how different life could be. It really feels like Rafael and I were supposed to have a sister." She confessed. Monica looked at Ruby empathetically, "I'm sorry."

"This might sound weird but.. I feel like I'm living for the both of us, because she didn't get the chance. Every choice I make, every action I pursue... I think, what would Rosa have done, given the chance?" She rambled on. "That's not weird... actually it sounds very sweet." Monica replied to the Waithe.

"Anyway." Ruby chuckled nervously, "I didn't mean to make this about me, sorry. We should probably go in and order lunch, I think the waitress forgot about our table." She added. Monica snorted in amusement, "Yeah it seems that way... we got our drinks thirty minutes ago."

The two girls got up and headed inside to order their lunch.