Cathry pairing. What if whilst looking for the contract that handed Scotland over to France if Mary died without an heir, Henry walked in on Catherine?

Rated T for violence and language.

Disclaimer: Sadly my name is not Laura McCarthy, therefore I don't own Reign.

After being told by a certain Scot that lord Mackenzie had been having a private session with Queen Mary, Catherine had panicked. Immediately after changing into a red and black dress she'd rushed to Henry's chambers in search of the contract. She hadn't even bothered to do her hair back into a bun, instead in flowed down her back like a copper waterfall. Once reaching the king's chambers she wasn't surprised to hear that he was else where, however once she made to open the doors a guard stopped her. "You are not to be let in under any circumstances."

"I am the Queen of France I can do as I please!" She growled.

"Yes but the King he said…"

"Forget what the King said and let me in before I have you beheaded at the dawn!" She hissed, she was not in the mood.

"Yes your Majesty." He bowed and opened the door for her.

She waltzed passed him, into the room, instantly she rushed to the chest that he kept all his important paperwork in and threw the lid open. She began to rummage in the papers, searching for the contract but alas it was gone, slamming the chest closed she growled, "Mary knows."

She'd been so wrapped up in her fury at the Scottish Queen and her sneaky friends that's she hadn't heard the door open. Only when two hands landed on her shoulders did she recognize her husband's presence. She stayed stony still, waiting for something to happen…anything to happen.

"Catherine." He said, turning her to face him.

"Henry." She nodded.

"What are doing?" He asked, referring to her presence in his chambers.

"I had to speak to you about something." She lied smoothly.

"Oh?"

"Yes, it's rather urgent actually, it's about our Scottish visitors."

"Go on."

"We can't let them leave the castle."

"Why is it that darling wife?"

This comment startled her and she was rendered speechless for a moment or two before snapping back as if nothing had happened, "They aren't going to make the business deal for the wool because Mary turned them against us."

"That doesn't matter, let them go they're missing out on the best wool in France." He touched her cheek, extracting a gasp from her.

"Henry they can't leave…I'll stop them if you won't." She went to side step him but he grabbed her wrist.

"I know why you're really here."

"You do?" She squeaked, would he be angered, if he was there weren't many people who could or would help her.

"Yes, your clothes, your hair, I can tell you're trying to impress someone and it's working. You looked at least twenty years younger, you should dress like this more often." He pulled her to him, so they were mere inches apart.

"Henry!" She gasped, "I am not here for any other reason then to tell you of the Scottish…" A small sigh left her as he ran his hand up her neck, "Scottish visitors and the wool and if we let them leave…yes…" She let out another whimper as he traced a finger over her lips. "If we let them leave they'll follow the Scottish Queen and her…mmm…her…" Catherine's eyes fluttered, she didn't realize who much she'd missed his touch, "Scottish Queen…" She murmured loosing train of any thought as Henry traced his finger up behind her ear, "Scottish Queen and her men…and her…her…" She let out the smallest of moans as she gave way to his touch and forgot anything else.

"Queen Penelope you Majesty's." The page called.

Catherine snapped out of her trance and broke away from her husband, startled and very much flustered. 'Queen' Penelope was gaping at the both of them like a large mouthed bass, "What is the meaning of this?!" She shrieked.

"Oh don't get your stockings in a twist I was just going." Catherine snapped, her cheeks flushed from what she hoped looked like anger.

"Henry! It's time we put a stop to her menacing!" Penelope insisted.

"Menacing?" Catherine raised an eyebrow.

"To keep the King's mind from wandering to sad old habits." Penelope sneered.

Now Catherine was really on the offense, had the kitchen maid just called her old? "Enough of this foolishness I have business to attend to."

"As Queen I demand you take my place as a servant!"

This left both Catherine and Henry stunned, "You're kidding." Catherine said giving her a deadpan expression, "You can't just make the Queen of France a servant."

"Ah, but you're not the Queen of France anymore, are you?" Penelope smirked.

"Haha very funny, I don't have time for this." Catherine rolled her eyes and made to march from the room, but Penelope spoke once again.

"I am Henry's Queen, isn't that right Henry?" She asked looking up at the Queen.

"Penelope…" Henry started, but she cut him off.

"You have no more use here, go make yourself useful in the kitchens." Penelope snarled.

"Bye, bye." Catherine mock waved and went to leave once again but then it was Henry's voice whom spoke.

"Catherine, do as she says."

"WHAT?!" Catherine nearly screamed.

"Penelope is right, I have other uses for you she is Queen so…you can be my personal attendant."

"No." Catherine answered simply.

"I command you as King!"

"Henry! You're not well, I've told you this before and…and.." She waved her hands around aimlessly. "You can't just do that!"

"I can and I have, you can either alert the whole palace of it or keep it our little secret, now go get your things." He told her.

"No! NO that's not what we want! If she's your personal attendant she'll be with you at all times, IN your chambers!" Penelope shrieked.

"Plenty of time to let the King's mind wander back to sad old habits?" Catherine mocked unable to help herself.

"No, no, no! I will not stand for it!"

"Get your things Catherine."

"Henry you can't do this!" Both women exclaimed.

"I am king and you will obey me! Catherine return immediately after fetching a few things or I will send for you." Henry pointed to the door.

Catherine nodded and scurried from the room in search of her son, the Scottish men were no longer on her mind. She searched first the throne room, then the ballroom, even the map room but alas he was not to be found. Then a thought struck her, what if he was with Mary? She dashed to their chambers but before she could so much as knock on the door a guard grabbed her from behind. "Let go of me!" She screeched.

"I am to escort you to your chambers and then return you to the King." The man said indifferently.

"I swear you'll pay for this and all your family will pay and your friends and..." She went on and on as the guard dragged her to her rooms. She didn't struggle, for the whole Court was already watching her and she'd rather it be kept quiet that she had just been overthrown as Queen by a kitchen servant. Once they reached her rooms the guard stood outside as Catherine packed, if she planned to get rid of Penelope she supposed the best way would be through Henry. With that thought in mind she packed her most prized poisons and potions. She also packed two corsets, three dresses, three crowns and three pairs of shoes. She shoved her belongings at the guard, "Be careful with them!" She hissed, before they marched back to Henry's chambers.

When she walked in she was met with a most unpleasant surprise, the little kitchen witch and Henry were in quite a situation. Both the guard and Catherine covered their eyes, "Henry!" She exclaimed, cheeks flushed with embarrassment for catching them like this.

"Oh Catherine, you're back." Henry shrugged and stepped away from Penelope pulling up his trousers in the process then he looked at the guard, "Give Catherine her things and leave us."

The guard did as he was told, carefully handing Catherine her things, which she snatched from him holding them protectively as if her life depended on it. Then he retreated to stand outside the door, "What do you want with me?" She growled.

"You're going to be my personal attendant, tending to my every wish since you can't seem to do that as my wife." He said spitefully she only glared, "My dressing room will serve as your room for the time being." He said pointing at a small door.

"Your dressing room?!" She shouted, "I am a queen I will not sleep in your dressing room!"

"You're not the Queen and you will do as I say!" Henry shot back.

"I am not a puppet to be used for your entertainment!"

"Well then would you rather me sent you back to the tower? I'm sure you'd be more comfortable there!"

"How dare you?!" She took a step towards him.

"Or perhaps I'll send you down to the servant's hall?" He mocked.

"You son-of-a…"

"Or maybe exile will suit you better?"

"You…"

"Send you back on a ship to Florence?!"

That was it, she snapped, letting out a scream of rage she dropped her things and pounced on her husband like a flying chipmunk. Fury like none before flared in her eyes but if you looked close enough you could see the deep sadness. Yet, Henry did not have time to look close enough for at the moment she seemed to be trying to rip him in two. Even though she was at least a foot and a half shorter then him she'd gotten a head start and jumped onto him, knocking him off his feet. He fell onto his back and she fell flat on top of him. She had already taken one hit to his nose and even though her hands were considerably small, she packed a solid punch and managed to give him a bloody nose. Quickly enough however he was able to switch their positions so that she know lay on her back, him towering over her, "You just can't learn can you?" He grumbled, grabbing her arm and forcing her to her feet and turning away just to swing around and give her a slap on the cheek.

Shock registered on her face as she lifted two fingers to touch her cheek, which was now bright pink from where he'd hit her. It hadn't been hard but nonetheless it had slapped the spunk out of her…for the moment. She removed her hand from her cheek and looked up at him, he was tending to his bloody nose but staring at her as well. "Go to your room and don't ever hurt the King again or that's the least of it." He said, gesturing to her cheek.

She nodded silently and picked up her belongings before retreating into his dressing room. Luckily it had a mirror, bed, desk and closet space so it wasn't entirely useless. She set down her clothes on the bed and took her hairbrush over to the vanity, it was almost as if he'd planned her coming there. She shrugged the thought off and went to brush her hair only to find her cheek was now bright red, she once again touched her cheek gently. He'd never struck her before, never in their twenty-five-years of marriage had he laid a harmful hand upon her. She'd never given it much thought until now, unexpectedly her heart felt like breaking all over again. He had promised her once…

They were fourteen and it was the night before their wedding, Henry and herself sat out under the stars, on the bridge over the lake. Fireflies swarmed around them and Catherine was dangling her toes in the water, "Henry?" She asked, looking over at her fiancé.

"Yes?"

"What if I can't?"

"What if you can't what?" He asked turning his full attention to her.

"What if I can't please French Court? What if I can't learn to be a proper lady? What if your family decides to send me away? What if you find me dull? What if I can't have an heir? What if…?" Henry laying his hand atop hers ended her rambling.

"You will please French Court, you are the most proper lady I've ever met, and my family loves you trust me. Dull? Really? How could you out of all people be dull? An heir…well I'm not the dauphin so there's no rush, it'll all be okay. You are the loveliest, most intelligent, funny, brave girl I have ever met and it will be an honor to be wed to you. Yes, there will be challenges and people who say this marriage is below me and so on but it's what we want and that's all that matters. Yes this marriage was arranged and it wasn't our choice but now that I know you I can't imagine being with anyone else. I will let nobody come between us and I will let no one, I repeat no one hurt you."

Catherine snapped out of her memory to find tears brimming on her eyes, angrily she swiped them away. 'Stupid, stupid Henry.' She thought to herself, he'd let no one hurt her, ha ha. HE was the only one who had ever hurt her, he had broken her heart and taken her soul and she had remained loyal…well sort of. She noted thinking back to her previous episode of passion with the Scottish man, oh my God! She bolted from her seat.

The Scottish men! They were surely already gone by now! No, no, no this could not be happening! She ran to open the door only to find it locked, she pounded her fists on the door, "Let me out! HENRY! Let me out!" There was no answer.

A/N hey guys, so yes sorta weird I know I know but there it is, I'll update as soon as I can.