A/N - I own nothing... this is because of a still from episode 1x03 Snow Falls of Snow and Charming together in the woods. It is the cover of the story :D Enjoy! Reviews are like candy and help my muse out with writing more.

"Look I get it, you don't trust me. But if I wanted to turn you over the guards don't you think I would have brought my men with me?" Charming sighed as he paced. "Or better yet, not have saved you from them in the first place?" He had just saved her from the Queen's guards, again. Probably not one of the best ways to start his life as a prince, pissing off another kingdom, but when she had told him the posters were lies she was being honest with him. He didn't know how he knew that, but he was sure she was being truthful. He turned and faced her again; she was sitting on a rock looking up at him and watching him carefully. "Would it kill you to believe that maybe, just maybe I was honest when I told you that if you ever needed anything I'd find you?"

Snow had to bite the inside of her cheek not to smile when he spoke to her. It had been a long time since someone had seemed to care about her this much. But she couldn't let him get close to her; if he did he'd only end up hurt. Everyone who got close to her she lost, so it was better to push people away and pretend not to care if it kept others safe. She was already constantly worried about Red; she didn't need to add to her list of people she'd endangered.

"You aren't supposed to help me. You are supposed to just be another royal who believes Regina's lies. Someone who doesn't care about the sad little girl who's lost everything! You aren't supposed to care." Snow told him shaking her head, using all her willpower to keep her voice from breaking.

"Would it be so bad if I did?" Charming asked her, his expression baffled - which made him look even more adorable to her. She shook her head to get rid of those thoughts.

"I don't know," she admitted with a defeated sigh. She finally looked away from him and glanced down at their boots and the ground instead. She could hear him sigh as he paced away from her again. The attack from the Queen had caught her off guard. She had thought that maybe after Regina had run off she'd have a bit of a reprieve from her. So she wasn't nearly as careful as she should have been when she found herself crossing between the kingdoms.

"You don't know?" he grumbled as he kicked a few rocks as he continued pacing, before turning sharply, walking up pointing his finger at her, looking a bit frustrated. His sudden presence in front of her again caused Snow to look up from into his eyes, which were brighter than she'd ever seen them. "Well you better know, because you don't get to decide if I care for you or not. That's not how this works."

"How what works?" Snow asked as she stood up ignoring the fact he's near a full head taller than her and glared at him. "You don't know me. So we saved each other's lives a couple times and keep somehow running into each other. But that doesn't mean anything! It can't." Snow told him, as her voice shook with restrained anger or tears, Charming couldn't tell. "I told you before: there's no such thing as love at first sight or kiss or true love. None of that is real, it's all stories to try and make us feel better."

Charming shook his head.

"You know as well as I do that us, finding each other like this can't just be coincidence; but even if it is - so what. All I know is when I'm in that castle, in that life it feels like I'm missing something. But when I'm with you it feels right." Charming said. Yet while his tone didn't invite any argument, he knew that he was talking to Snow and she'd most certainly have something to say.

"Even if it feels right doesn't mean it's the right thing to do." She told him shaking her head.

"And who gets to decide what's right for us? King George? The Queen?" Charming asked her shaking his head. Snow actually laughed a little at his words.

"Happy endings only happen in stories Charming." Snow said in a low voice. Charming looked down at her, his expression softening. He thought back to the ring that led him to find her in the first place and the words his mother said.

"Happy endings happen for anyone who is willing to fight for theirs" he insisted. Snow smiled up at him - just a small little smile that made his heart beat a little bit faster.

"Charming," Snow started with a soft voice that broke Charming's self-control. He dropped the bow without a thought and quickly cupped Snow's face pulling her in for a kiss. Snow was startled but let her eyes fall closed at how perfect his lips felt against hers; but that moment was short lived when she realized he was kissing her. She quickly pressed her hands against his chest and gave him a firm shove.

"What the hell was that?" Snow growled as she blinked over at the now equally startled man. Charming quickly held both his hands up in a placating gesture.

"I'm sorry, I just," Charming stammered quickly running his hands through his hair. "I haven't been able to get you out of my head. And it seemed like a great idea in the moment. But I am sorry, I shouldn't have done that. That wasn't very gentlemanly of me." He let out a frustrated sigh and looked up to see Snow biting her lip. Snow was trying very hard to hang on to her anger at him but was having trouble not finding it endearingly adorable that he seemed so embarrassed by his actions. She released her lip and crossed her arms across her chest raising an eyebrow at him as she stared him down. She couldn't let him know she found it adorable or she'd never win an argument again, not that she understood why that thought even crossed her mind.

"No it wasn't." Snow calmly told him. "Charming, you're getting married!"

"I know," Charming said dejectedly. The thought alone caused a sharp pain in his chest. Snow shook her head, she wished she could get him out of her head and now it was going to be even harder.

"You need to go back to the castle Charming, live your life and be safe. The Queen won't hesitate to hurt you to get to me if she thinks you care. So please, for me, go back and be safe. Forget about me," Snow told him as she gave him a sad smile.

"You say that like it is going to be easy," he said a sad smile flitting across his lips.

"It won't be, but we have to try. Otherwise we will both be miserable." Snow told him sadly as she took a step back away from him.

"Will I ever see you again?" he asked her, his face set in a tight expression trying to figure out how he could have fallen so fast for someone.

"You can't," Snow responded, her face solemn and eyes filled with unshed tears. She hadn't wanted to care or love him, but somehow he had found his way into her heart.

"What are you going to do?" he asked as he watched her take a few more steps backwards.

"Same thing I've been doing. Live in the woods and keep myself safe." Snow said as a small smile flitted across her features.

"On your own?" Charming asked to which she just nodded at him. "No one should be alone Snow."

"It's safer."

"Safer isn't always the best option." he told her as he picked up the discarded bow and started to walk back towards his new home. Being a shepherd had taught him many things, and one of those was patience. She was so much like a scared lamb at the moment, he'd have to bide his time. If she wanted space maybe he'd have to just give it to her for now.

"I made a promise to you when we parted last time, and I meant it," Charming continued, "If you need anything, I will find you Snow, always." Snow smiled at him before she turned and walked farther into the forest. He stood there and watched her until she disappeared from his sight.