A/N Thanks to all who read and reviewed! I love that you all seem to be enjoying it.
Trigger warning for this chapter. Regina has some more memories.
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Regina and David walked together to get Henry off the bus. They had spent the rest of the day together after that mornings encounter with her mother.
The weather had warmed considerably as summer was finally starting to set in. This was Henry's last week of school before summer vacation and he was so excited to be about to have his freedom. David had a cousin named Sybil who was home from college that was going to keep Henry during the day time, except on Fridays when David had insisted that Henry spend the day at the shelter with him. He had so much fun working with the animals that David wanted to give him more opportunity to do so. Sybil was a sweet girl that was studying to be a teacher. Henry had met her and they got along well and he seemed excited about the new babysitter.
They arrived at the bus stop just before the bus did. Henry bounded off the bus and wrapped his arms around Regina's waist and gave a muffled "Hi Mom." as he spoke it into her stomach.
"Hello handsome." Regina took his face in her hands and kissed him.
He pulled back and grinned at her before turning to wrap his arms around David as well. "Hi David."
"Hey kid." David grinned at him. "You in the mood for some ice cream!"
Henry's eyes went wide as he turned to Regina, "Can we mom?!"
"Of course." She smiled when Henry turned to take David's hand and then took hers walking in between them. They listened as Henry excitedly told them about his day. When they walked into the ice cream shop Henry ran to the counter to look at all the flavors. Before long they were sitting at an outside table, David with a strawberry cone, Regina with a cup of Rocky Road, and Henry had a cone with a healthy scoop of Superman.
They listened as Henry told them all the things he wanted to do this summer as he finished his ice cream.
"I'm glad you guys picked me up together today." Henry smiled and looked like he wanted to say more but stopped for a second. "Um can I ask you something?"
David and Regina glanced at each other before looking back at Henry. "Of course sweetheart you can ask us anything." Regina answered.
"Well it's just that…there this camping trip this weekend to celebrate the end of school. Robert was telling me about it. He invited me to come except that it's kind of a father/son thing. He said I could come and stay with him and his dad, but…well a bunch of the guys from school and their dad's are going and I was just thinking…I don't know, maybe…" He looked up at David and took a deep breath. "I thought that maybe if you weren't busy you might want to take me." He finished quickly, his face turning red.
David couldn't help the wide smile that covered his face. Henry wanted him to take him on a father/son camping trip, he thought to himself. He looked over to Regina to see her nod her consent. She had tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. He looked back at Henry. "I would love that Henry." He reached out and ruffled his hair. "Thanks for inviting me!"
Henry looked up at him wide eyed. "Really? You will?"
"Yeah, it sounds like fun!" David nodded.
Henry's smile spread from ear to ear as he launched himself at David hugging him tight around the neck. "Thank you! This is gonna be so great!" He had been so nervous to ask. Henry knew that David liked being around him more then his own father ever had, but he was still pretty nervous about asking for a whole weekend. He hadn't been sure if David would want to go.
David held the boy tight as a surge of love rushed through him for this child. He wanted so much for him to be his. "It is definitely going to be great!"
"Do you have a tent and everything?" Henry asked as he pulled back to look at David. "We're going to need one." He said seriously.
"I do." David answered "Tell ya what, how about we all head over to my house and we'll go through the garage and see what supplies we have. Then we can make a list of stuff we need and you and I will go and pick it all up tomorrow." he looked up at Regina who was beaming at both of them. "We'll order pizza for supper."
"Really you'll let me come shopping with you for camping stuff?!" Henry's enthusiasm was entertaining.
"Well of course. I'm gonna need your help to get everything." David grinned at him.
Henry turned his smile on Regina. "Mom! Did you hear that? David's gonna take me on a camping trip."
"I did!" she continued to smile at him. "Sounds like it's going to be fun! I'm only sorry mommy's don't get to go."
Henry walked around the table to hug her and kiss her on the cheek. "Maybe next time mommy, but this is a guys weekend."
She kissed her son "Well I wouldn't want to interfere with a guys weekend."
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"Boys the pizza's here." Regina called into the garage.
"Good I'm starving!" She saw Henry's head pop up.
"Mom, we get to go fishing this weekend." Henry told her as they were all sitting down for pizza. "We're gonna have a camp fire, and David said we could roast marshmallows!"
Regina leaned in and kissed her son. "Sounds like you two are gonna be busy!" She kissed David as well as she rounded the table.
David and Henry continued to make plans for their weekend as they sat around the table. They were just finishing up when Emma walked in.
"What, I don't even get invited to dinner at my own house?" she commented.
"We saved you some." David shrugged.
"Emma guess what?!" Henry grinned at her from the table. "David's taking me on the father/son camping trip this weekend!"
Emma grinned at Henry's excitement. "Camping? I love camping! Can girls come?" she teased.
Henry shook his head. "This time it's just for guys but maybe you and mom can come next time."
"Ok, well I'm gonna hold you to that." she ruffled his hair as she walked past him to get a plate. "Regina, looks like you and I are gonna have to find something of our own to do this weekend."
"That would be nice, since my two guys are leaving me all alone." she sighed, but grinned at her son and David.
"Hey kid, I got something for you when I was out today. It's in the front seat of my cruiser." Emma told Henry. "Why don't you run out and get it."
"Really?" Henry asked wide eyed.
Emma nodded as Henry ran out the door. She was starting on her second piece when Henry came back in.
"Is this it?" Henry asked in awe holding up the baseball glove.
"Yep, you were so good when we were just throwing the ball around the other day I thought you might like your own glove so you can practice more." Emma stated.
Henry walked to Emma and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you! Do you think we could practice some now?"
Touched by the show of affection Emma nodded and gestured to her plate. "Sure let me finish up my pizza and I'll come outside with you."
Regina and David cleaned up together as Emma went outside with Henry. As soon as they were both out the door Regina turned to David and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you so much."
He smiled as he put his arms around her. "I love you too."
She smiled up at him. "Thank you for taking Henry on the trip this weekend. I think you just made his year." she leaned up and kissed him. "I know you've already made mine."
"Hmm, and the year isn't even half way over yet." He kissed her on the forehead. "This trip is gonna be a blast, and I gotta tell you, I'm pretty touched that he wants me to take him."
"He loves you." she kissed him again.
"I love him too." David told her with sincerity.
She laid her head against his chest and sighed. "Will you stay over tonight?"
He pulled back and looked at her. "With Henry there? Are you sure?" He knew she had been hesitant about pushing things on Henry to quickly.
She nodded. "I talked to him this morning about you staying over sometimes. He said he thinks it would be fun to have you around for breakfast." She leaned in a kissed him.
"And how about you? Do you like having me around for breakfast?" he grinned at her.
She smiled at him. "Very much." she reached her hands around to give a squeeze to his bottom, "But I like having you around for other things too."
He made a sound in the back of his throat as he leaned in to kiss her. "What kind of things?" He teased.
"Stay over tonight and you'll find out." she gave his butt a final squeeze before turning to finish up the dishes.
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It was difficult getting Henry into bed that night. The excitement of the coming camping trip mixed with his gift from Emma, and David staying overnight was almost to much for the boy to handle.
"Do you think I can bring my new glove with me on the trip and we can practice?" He asked David with a yawn.
"I don't see why not." David ruffled his hair as Henry climbed into bed.
Henry held up his arms to David before laying down. David leaned over and gave the boy a hug. "Good night David."
"Night Henry."
Henry laid down as his Regina stepped over to pull his covers around him. He held up his arms for her and she leaned over giving him a kiss. "I love you my sweet boy."
"I love you too Mommy." He said sleepily.
She stayed where she was smoothing Henry's hair back just watching him for a moment. "Goodnight baby." she whispered.
"Night." Henry murmured almost asleep already.
Regina stood and walked towards David placing a hand on his cheek. "You about ready for bed?"
He leaned in for a light kiss. "I am." he grinned.
They walked up the stairs hand in hand. This felt so perfectly normal, Regina thought to herself. Tucking in their son and then heading up to bed…their son…She liked thinking of him as Henry's father. She hoped he wanted to be.
He turned to her as soon as they got into the bedroom and drew her into a deep kiss. "I missed waking up with you this morning." he told her when the kiss parted.
She smiled. "Me too."
He brought his hands under her shirt and rubbed up and down her sides. He leaned in to her ear and whispered "I missed touching you last night."
She let her head fall back as he began trailing kisses along her neck. "Me too." she said on a breath.
She allowed him to undress her until she stood naked in front of him while he was still fully dressed. He stood back for a moment to admire her. "Regina, you are so beautiful."
She smiled at him as she reached for his shirt pulling it over his head. She ran her hands over his bare chest. "You are the one who's beautiful." she told him as she reached for his belt.
He blushed a little. "Men aren't supposed to be beautiful." He told her as she pulled his jeans down over his hips.
"You are." she smiled that he still looked embarrassed. "Would sexy be a better word?" She reached out and stroked his length with her hand.
He let out a strangled laugh. "You can call me whatever you want if you keep doing that."
She grinned as he brought his mouth down to hers. "I love you." she breathed out.
He turned and pressed her into the wall and lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him passionately. When the kiss broke he brought his head down to place kisses along her chest and neck. "I love you Regina" he whispered as he filled her where they stood. He braced her against the wall as he moved bringing them both to the edge.
She called his name as she came and he felt her muscles tighten around him as he spilled into her.
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"MOMMY!" she heard her son crying for her even as Leo landed another blow against her face. He can't see this she thought with panic. Henry can't watch him kill me!
"Henry!" she cried out holding her face and feeling the hot blood on her hand. "Baby go in your room."
"Don't you think he should know what a bitch his mother is?!" Leo bellowed out. "How you betrayed me and the vows you made?"
He pulled her up by the arm. "HENRY! Go to you room now!" she said in a firm voice. Even as Leo jerked her by the arm causing her to fall to the floor again.
"Mommy. No! I wanna stay with you! Daddy please I want mommy to hold me now!" Henry cried, tears pouring down his sweet little face.
"HENRY I SAID NOW!" Regina yelled at him.
Hearing his mother yell Henry finally did as he was told and ran to his room shutting the door. Regina could hear his sobs from the other side even as the tears rolled down her own cheeks.
"You coddle that boy to much!" Leo snapped laying another blow. "Someone needs to teach him to be a man, and it's time for you to learn your place."
She let out a cry when he grabbed her hair and pulled her to her feet shoving her into the bedroom where he threw her on the bed.
"It's time you remember just who you belong to." he said approaching her.
"NO!" she tried to fight him but he pinned her arms to the mattress and pressed his weight into her. She could smell the whiskey on his breath as she continued to fight him.
"You're my wife Regina and this is my right." Even as he said it he tore her shirt down the middle.
"Regina!"
"REGINA!" someone said her name loudly.
"Regina! Wake up!" she shot up in bed when she heard her name called. Her entire body trembled as she stared blankly at first into David's eyes. He brought his hand to her face and she shrunk back from it, still trapped in the terror of her dream. "Regina, it's ok. You were dreaming." he said in a firmer tone hoping that would get through to her better.
She snapped out of it a bit as she looked into the vivid blue eyes. "David?" She breathed out.
"Yes baby it's me." He took her face in his hands. "Everything's alright now, you were dreaming."
Her body began to tremble again. She brought her hands up to his shoulders almost to test and see if he was really there as tears filled her eyes. She could stop them no longer. "David." his name came out on a sob. He pulled her against him as she cried stroking her hair and rocking her. When her body continued to shake he sat back against the headboard and pulled her on to his lap. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck.
Her sobs began to quiet as he rubbed her back and tried to offer her comfort.
Regina tired to gain control of herself again. She'd had this dream before. It always seemed to come when she finally felt herself starting to relax. Her mothers visit the day before probably had something to do with it as well. It was a cruel reminder that she may never be able to free herself from Leo completely. She took a deep breath as she rested her head against David's shoulder.
Her body had stopped shaking and her sobs had quieted. David was relieved. He couldn't stand to hear her desperate cries. He wished desperately that he could take all her pain away.
Regina was surprised at how quickly she had calmed. Most of the time when she relived this night in her dreams she couldn't calm herself for several hours. She supposed the difference this time was having David's arms around her. She shifted to look at him. "Thank you." she kissed him lightly.
"I didn't do anything." he said still rubbing her back.
"You were here." she ran her hands through his hair. She shifted off his lap and knelt on the bed for a moment. "Will you hold me tonight?"
He leaned up and took her face into his hands. "Of course I will." he gave her a light kiss before laying back and holding his arms open for her to lay down with him.
She let out a sigh as she settled herself against his chest.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gently.
She let out a breath. He never asked about her past. She knew that he didn't want to push her. He wanted her to tell him about it when she was ready.
"It's a recurring nightmare I have, but it isn't really a dream, but a memory." She told him of the dream, of Henry's cries, her pain, Leo's anger. "This was the night that got Leo sentenced to 2 years in prison. If the neighbor hadn't called the police he would have killed me. It took Henry a long time to move past it, sometimes I'm not completely sure that he has all the way. It was the only time he ever witnessed Leo beating me. He didn't see the worst of it because he had gone to his room, but I'm sure he heard…I tried my best to not cry out, but…" she let out a breath. "I didn't want him to be more afraid then he already was."
"Regina I'm so sorry." she looked up to find that he had tears rolling down his face. His heart had broken as she told him her story. The only thing he wanted to do was hold her and Henry tight forever.
She reached up and wiped at his tears. "Me too, but you didn't hear the good part of my story." She gave him a smile. "The good part begins the day Henry and I left for Storybrooke. That was the day we started making our way to you."
He kissed her on top of the head. "I love you and Henry so much Regina."
She smiled. "I know, I love you too" she brushed her hand along his cheek. "You are so kind and gentle. I'm so blessed to have you David." She settled her head back on his chest. "This is the fastest I have ever been able to calm down after having that dream. It seems you have the magic touch."
He pulled his arms tighter around her and kissed her hair. "Your safe now my love."
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A/N That scene was super hard to write, but I felt like Regina needed to tell David some of her past.
Other then the bastard Leo, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think and review!
