Chapter 4

They descended on her apartment, a swarm of paparazzi barking their ridiculous questions at her. "Are you and Prince David back together?" A blonde, reporter shoved a microphone in her view and the persistent, obnoxious flash of cameras behind and in-front of her ticked her off.

Mary-Margaret ignored her and them, pressing on with her walk to work but, the flashes continued- as did the invasion of her privacy. Mary Margaret! Mary-Margaret! She hears over and over- Yay! They haven't forgotten how to shout her name at over five hundred decibels more than she could tolerate. At this point she'd take a class of kindergartners who've missed their nap time over this. Yes, they were back together, they'd been back together for weeks now (Not that it was any of their business). Secret dinner dates at The Aria Hotel, under her mother's maiden name and a trip away helping them find each other again.

She'd sworn Ruby to secrecy, her ecstatic shriek when she finally prized the details out of her could have woken someone from a Sleeping Curse.

"HOLY MARE!" Ruby looked like a child in a candy store. "How did you? What did you? How is he?" she had gasped out all at once when Mary-Margaret had invited her over two weeks ago.

"He is wonderful." Mary-Margaret had beamed as they sat. "Absolutely." she sighed like a school girl. "Wonderful."

The waitress had listened intently, as her best friend told her everything. The ball, their dates. The weekend they had spent in a beautiful log fire cabin by the lake on the outskirts of Everan Forest.

"He definitely hasn't lost his touch has he?" Ruby had chuckled.

"No." "Definitely not."

It was inevitable really, that some stranger would dig through her trash, or bribe a receptionist. Perhaps they tapped her phone? It couldn't have been any worse than before.

Any worse than seeing pictures of herself blissfully kissing David in the middle of a parking lot three months into their relationship.

"What is this?" The tears had stung in her eyes, as had stood in his dorm room brandishing a magazine with Who's That Girl? the main headline.

"David, what is this?"

"Mary-Margaret- I can explain." He had pleaded desperately, trying to close the distance between them but, she pushed herself further away.

"Explain what?" she had gasped almost sarcastically. "That you are a prince? Or that you're a liar. Because right now it looks like you are both."

"I never lied to you." He breathed but, that only made her resolve harden. "No. What you did was worse."

Having taken a painful breath out she continued. "You didn't trust me."

David's eyes were desolate "I trust you. God, Mary-Margaret, I wanted to tell you the moment we met. The only reason I didn't was to protect you."

"We've been dating for three months. I let you in. I let myself fall in love with a man who was never mine. "

"I'm yours." He had sworn, confidently closing the distance and pressing his forehead softly against hers, wiping her tears away with his hot thumb. "Baby I will always be yours."

"It's just words."

"No." "It's love. Mary-Margaret." And then before she could say another word he kissed her softly, then deeply, only stopping for short gasps of air, feeling relief when she kissed back just as heatedly. "I'm still angry."

"I know." He breathed against her kissing her swollen lips steadily the magazine having fallen from her grasp with the force of his kisses.

"No more secrets Charming."

"No more secrets. God, I love you."

"I love you." she sniffed. "I hate Paparazzi." Burying herself in his chest she hears him say. "Me too. My darling. Me too."

She still does, even as her colleagues shut them out. They've invaded her work, her home. Would they ever leave them alone?

"Belle, can you take my class for a few minutes?" Mary-Margaret is shaking, she can't teach not like this not until she hears his voice.

"Of course." The younger woman beams. "Whatever you need."

Her cell phone rings almost instinctively the moment she is alone in the school bathroom.

"Hey handsome." she sniffs, finding herself smiling despite her rubbish morning. "How are you?"

"They followed you to work." He sounds so bereft. "Snow, I'm so sorry."

"How do you know about that?"

"You're all over the news "

"I figured I would be. What are they saying?" she says curiously.

"Who cares what they're saying. Honey are you alright?" she can hear in his voice he's trying to keep his emotions in check but, he needn't be so worried. "Come on Charming. It'll cheer me up." When he stays silent she makes her case.

"I'm hiding in a toilet babe. The only way is up." she chuckles, when he naturally says no.

He laughs; that joyous sound she loves so much. "They are combing through our entire childhoods, schools. Why we're perfect for each other, when we'll have kids."

"Ooh. Were there baby pictures?" she giggles.

"A ton. Apparently, my boyish charm will be passed onto our son."

"We're having a boy? Huh, I always pictured us having a girl first. Tell me more Obi-Wan."

"I thought I was Han Solo." He almost sounds hurt.

"Come on I wanna know." she says getting up and unlocking the door so that it slides to vacant.

"Don't you have a class to teach?" Mary-Margaret can feel his smirk through the phone. "Not fair!" she pouts.

"Hey, I don't want to be responsible for your kids not acing their tests."

"Okay." she sighs, happily. "Call me in my lunch break?"

"You got it. Hey, I love you." He adds warmly.

"I love you. Now go before your mother overhears something she shouldn't."

David chuckles. "Alright. I'll call you later."

"I look forward to it- Han."

I hope you enjoyed please feel free to review. X