I can't apologize enough for the lengthy hiatus since my last chapter. One day I will have time to make FF my total priority! I do however have this one planned out so all that's left is to get the words on the page (if only it were that easy!) I hope you all had wonderful holidays and that whoever and wherever you are, 2015 is good to you. Lots of love, as always, my lovely readers. Ooncer

"Mom. Mom! Breakfast is ready!"

I squint up at a pyjama-clad Henry who rips the curtains back with such force, the clatter is almost deafening.

"C'mon, mom," he grins, holding out a hand to help me up, "we made pancakes."

As he pulls me upright I immediately regret my late-night decision to sleep on his floor but there's hardly enough time for me to rub my bruised hip bone before I'm being dragged down the stairs and into the kitchen. I have to admit, it smells good and the thought of fluffy pancakes drizzled in hot, sticky syrup is a welcome one.

Emma practically skips over and plants a quick kiss on my cheek. "Morning love! How are you feeling today?"

"All better," I smile, "well, a little stiff but no more headache."

"Good."

She slides golden discs onto three plates and sets them on the table one at a time. "Henry and I were hoping you might be up for a walk around the park today?"

"Ma said we could get ice-cream too!" Henry interjects, in between drowning his pancakes in syrup and pulling his chair in closer to the table. Emma sits next to him and pours a trickle of amber liquid over her own plate first, then reaches across the table and does the same to mine.

"That sounds perfect," I smile. "And I emailed Richard about a week off so I should hear from him today to confirm it." It's almost a throw-away statement and I take a breath to carry on until I see their faces, frozen mid-mouthful and eyes wide in what looks like shock. "What?"

"A week off? Like, no work? For a whole week?" Henry gabbles. Emma jabs him surreptitiously in the ribs with her elbow and clears her throat.

"Yes," I say, confused. "I thought it might be nice to spend some time together. You know… as a family." Their eyes narrow suspiciously but I honestly can't think of anything I'd rather do.

"Sounds awesome!" Emma chimes in, although her voice is a little shaky and I'm sure those are tears glistening in her sea-green orbs. Henry however, leaps out of his chair and throws his arms around my neck, gripping me so tightly I actually struggle for air.

"Hey!" I squeal, "What's this for?"

"I've just missed you, that's all."

"Missed me?" I can feel his head nodding up and down against my shoulder. "But I haven't been anywhere!"

"I know. It's just that… Well, since…" he trails off on account of the glare he is receiving from the opposite side of the table and Emma's voice interrupts his sentence.

"Right, go wash up and get dressed, kid. We'll leave in half an hour."

To his credit, he does what he's told immediately and rushes out of sight, a blur of blue linen and brown hair. Emma begins busying herself with their plates, even though neither have taken more than four bites of breakfast. I sit solidly, moving pieces of pancake around my plate and watching the blonde as she darts around the kitchen. Clearly I haven't been spending enough time with them. Maybe they resent me for it but I push all negative thoughts out of my mind, deciding that now I have a chance to make things right and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

"You coming to get dressed or are you still going with that?" She gestures towards the plate in front of me.

"No, I'll come up," I reply and take her outstretched hand. She gives my own a little squeeze before leading me back up to the bedroom.

Half an hour later, we've all pulled on our warmest sweaters and wound scarves around our necks in preparation. The day is sunny and clear but there's a biting chill to the breeze as we step out and down the steps to the sidewalk.

It really is a beautiful street. Tall brick houses line both sides and there are straight, bald trees separating them from the road. Children are riding their bikes and calling to each other as they wend through thin crowds of men in crisp suits and women pushing toddlers in strollers.

It's quiet here. Yes, there are the everyday sounds of people getting on with their lives but there are no giants. No sorcerers. No police sirens or mine shafts to cave in. People are living without fear of portals opening up beneath their feet or monsters destroying their homes. It seems… safe.

"Are you ok?"

I start at the sound of Emma's voice but instantly relax back into a smile. "Fine," I assure her and we begin to follow Henry who is hopping over the cracks in the sidewalk about fifty yards ahead.

At the end of the road, the noise is louder. Car horns honk like a cacophony of angry geese and I'm glad when we turn back up a different road similar to the one we just walked up. The tips of Henry's ears are turning pink with the cold but the smile on his face when he turns to check we're still with him almost melts my heart. He doubles back, slipping his hands into ours so he's in between. Connecting us. Breath escapes from his lips as wisps of white and he's practically dragging us towards the green railings of the park.

As soon as we're within the fence, he's off. Running as fast as he can, kicking up leaves and watching as they flutter back down, spinning like helicopters. I glance across at Emma, her face more content than I've ever seen it. Then, she loops her arm around mine, holding onto it firmly but not uncomfortably. Henry has clambered up to the top of a small hill and is waving both arms madly and calling something that the wind carries away. Emma laughs quietly but with so much joy it sounds like music. She rests her head on my shoulder.

"I've missed this," she sighs happily.

I need to find out why it's been so long. Comments like these, the shock on their faces when I mentioned taking some time off work, Henry grabbing me this morning all because I agreed to come today. It doesn't make any sense. This was supposed to be a happily ever after. So why do I feel like they haven't been? I'm just about to probe carefully when Emma speaks again.

"Oh, I know what he wants," she grins. "I'll be back," and before I know it, she's broken into a run and is racing towards the hill, leaving a trail of leaves in her wake. Henry is jumping up and down with his arms in the air and when Emma finally reaches the top, she grabs him under the arms and spins his lanky body round and round until they almost fall over. As I draw nearer, their gleeful shrieks can be heard over the swish of evergreen trees and the wind in my ears.

A few moments later, they both drop to the grass and roll. Over and over and over until they're hurtling down the hill at an impressive speed, bouncing off the ground and unable to control their flailing limbs. When they reach the bottom, they lie quite still and I hurry over in case one or both are injured, only to be greeted by laughter so silent and overpowering that neither can speak. As their faces become redder and redder, I can't help but join in. The sheer joy evident on their beautiful faces is almost too much to bear and within a minute there are unchecked tears streaming down my cheeks because this, this right here is everything I've ever wanted for my son.

Later on, as Henry crouches over by the pond to look for fish and feed the ducks, Emma and I sit on a bench with cups of steaming coffee. It's slightly damp, and I can feel the moisture soaking through my jeans but I don't care. We don't speak for a while. We just watch the last leaves of the season fall. Together.

In an odd way, this place reminds me of a part of the Enchanted Forest. I think back to that clearing by the small lake where I used to ride to get away from my overbearing mother and the stifling restrictions of life under her glare. It seems a million miles away. I suppose it is, and yet when I close my eyes and hear the faint rustling of birds and soft splashing of ducks, I could be right back there.

The cold air stings my nose as I take a deep breath and let it out again.

"You seem happier." She's matter of fact but not accusing.

"I like it here."

"I know. It's been a long time." She places her empty coffee cup beside her.

I look up at her. "It has?"

She's fiddling with the fingertips of her gloves, concentrating. Staring at them as though they might burst into flames. "Mm."

Then she turns and brings her hands up to cup my tingling cheeks, slowly beginning to close the gap between us. There are vast oceans behind those beautiful eyes and, from their corners, drops are beginning to leak. "Thank you for coming back to us," she whispers, before our mouths connect perfectly like they've always belonged together. She runs her tongue along my lips and, opening them just slightly, I let her in. At first I'm conscious of what we're doing and where we are but within seconds I don't care. She's intoxicating, our tongues dancing an apparently well-practised tango until it's all I can do to remember how to breathe.

We pull away at the same time, gasping, wanting more. I have no idea where it is I'm supposed to have come back from, but this is the most electrifying welcome I've ever known.