I hope you are still enjoying this story. TW for the flashback at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 13: Anniversary

April 9th 2014

"Morning." Grumpy grumbled as he entered the Sheriff's station, ready to relieve Red. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the man behind bar. "New tenant?" He took a bite of the egg sandwich he had just gotten from Granny's.

"Yeah." Red replied, sounded exhausted. "Started a fight with his neighbor. Apparently, it's not the first time they've had an altercation over the past few weeks but this time he threw the first punch." Red pointed toward the sleeping form of the man. "Although the neighbor is also accusing him of killing his dog. This is how the argument started."

"Any grounds to that accusation?" Grumpy asked, studying the man's features. He had seen him before but he couldn't remember where.

"The judge didn't grant a warrant for us to search the home. No probable cause. So unless the neighbor is pressing charges, he'll be free to go by noon."

"Who is he?"

"In Storybrooke, his name is Bryan Trent." She pointed at the screen, motioning for Grumpy to look at the record. "This is Regina's personal database: a list of the people brought from the Enchanted Forest and their Storybrooke persona if she knew the relationship. She made it available to George when… when he forced her out of her office." She didn't know all the details of what had transpired that night at City Hall but she remembered seeing the mayor with David and Henry two days after. Despite the carefully applied make-up, Regina had not been able to hide all her bruises. To Red's astonishment, she had carried herself normally despite the pain she must have been in.

"His Enchanted Forest name is unknown." Grumpy pointed at the screen. "Either Regina didn't know him or she didn't want George to know who he was."

"The former." Red assured. "I looked for the names of people I was sure Regina wouldn't want to divulge. They're all in here."

"Ok. So why not ask him directly?"

"I tried. He was less than forthcoming." Red turned toward Grumpy, smiling. "But look who is listed as his employer."

"Jacob." The dwarf read.

"Time to visit the stables." She announced as she stood up from the desk. "I'll be back with lunch!"

"Tell Granny I look forward to the tuna melt!" Grumpy shouted as Red excited the station. He sat down in her place and stared at the screen, unable to shake the feeling that he had seen this man before. Grumpy had never been to the stables here in Storybrooke, which would leave the Enchanted Forest. The dwarf closed his eyes, searching his memory in vain.

ECECEC

April 23rd 2014

"It smells delicious!" David smiled, leaning heavily against the dining room wall. Regina had wanted to spend the evening with him, on a date. However, although she had made tremendous progress over the past two weeks, she was still uncomfortable in public. Being away from Storybrooke certainly helped but the former Evil Queen couldn't shake the feelings that everyone was judging her. Archie had assured David that it was a perfectly normal reaction and had asked the Prince to give Regina some time. As a compromise, they had settled on a date night at the beach house while Emma and Henry were at the movies.

"I still can't believe this is your favorite dish!" She exclaimed as she placed the lasagna on the bar to cool.

David blushed slightly. "What can I say? I just love your lasagna." He pushed himself off the wall, walking toward Regina. He encircled her slender waist and pulled her to him, pressing his lips against her forehead.

Regina instinctively leaned into David. "I also made the chocolate-apple cake for dessert." She had perfected the recipe since David's birthday.

David chuckled. "Thank you, sweetheart." He sat down on one of the barstools, essentially bringing him to eye level with her.

Regina pecked his lips. "We never quite finished our date last time."

David gave her a soft smile. "We never did." He leaned down and lovingly kissed her. "And what do you have in mind?"

Regina smiled against his lips and pecked them one more time before answering him. "I was thinking we could have dinner and take a romantic walk down the beach. Just you and I."

"You have a date!" David deepened the kiss, which Regina returned hungrily, their love flowing freely through their hearts.

EC

The dinner had been delicious - not that David had expected any different. They had kept the conversation on safe subjects: Henry, his drawings, the recipes she wanted to try. As they were walking hand-in-hand on the beach, the couple had almost forgotten the reason the family came here in the first place. And David wouldn't have it any other way. Regina spent most of the days dealing with her past and she deserved some time to enjoy the present, to enjoy what she was fighting so hard for.

Regina had kept her word to Henry: while he was doing his lessons in the morning, she would talk to Archie either alone or with David. At the beginning, her father and Daniel, the only two persons who had truly loved her until Henry and then David entered her life, had been the only subjects of conversation. As she was growing more comfortable with the therapy sessions and the fact that she would have to share her most intimate feelings, Regina had finally opened up about some aspects of her dark past.

So far, Regina had only agreed to speak about her feelings toward Cora and Leopold. This in itself was progress: although she had talked about her past with them before, she had never felt comfortable to express her own feelings on the subject.

Regina had been ashamed to admit that despite everything her mother had done, she had loved her unconditionally. All the little girl had ever wanted was to gain her approval. Even though the adult Regina knew it would have been impossible to reach her heartless mother, the young girl inside her still suffered from the lack of maternal love.

Leopold had been a harder subject because he was so intimately linked to Snow and the Evil Queen. Regina had only shared bits and pieces of her personal history with the man: the feelings of rejection, the willingness to find love where none could grow, the violations he had inflicted on the young woman, and the darker thoughts slowly overtaking the light.

Although Archie had poked several times, Regina still refused to talk about the main reason they were all here: the Evil Queen. Every time the subject had been broached, all David had been able to feel was pain, shame, and an overwhelming fear. She would need to come to terms with the crimes the Queen had committed and Archie had to remind David several times that the only way he could help Regina was to provide her with love and a safe environment. Although he wanted his Regina back, David had never pushed her.

"Earth to David?" She chuckled.

Her words brought him back to the present. His eyes focused on her as she was walking backwards in front of him, laughing. "Sorry… I…"

"... were lost in your own thoughts? I know… and you were worrying." She stopped. "David, I'm ok."

"I know." He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I just wish you wouldn't have to go through this, for everything to be back to normal."

Regina gently pulled away from his embrace. She had been avoiding this particular conversation despite Archie's advice. "David," She began, taking a steadying breath. "We may not be able to go back to the way everything was before." His astonished expression confirmed her suspicions: David had never even considered this possibility.

With a soft smile, she took his hand and gently pulled him down with her as she sat down on the sand. "Do you remember what you told me about the Queen?" She didn't pause long enough to give the Prince a chance to answer the question. "That you loved both of us. Her included."

David nodded slowly.

"She was a part of me, David. Yes, she was the one angry all the time, mad, cruel, and selfish. She enjoyed inflicting pain and watched others suffer." Her eyes were rapidly filling with tears. "But she was the part of me that gave me my confidence, my ability to get past adversity, to confront my problems instead of running away from them." David opened his mouth to protest but Regina silenced him by placing her index finger on his lips. "I know these are qualities you love about me and without the Queen, they may be gone forever. I'm different. I feel different. I'm free from the madness… but I'm also scared, David. The Regina you're left with may not have the strength to confront her past… to confront the Queen."

David wrapped his hand around hers and pulled her finger away from his lips. "The Queen may have given you these qualities but so can love, Regina. You don't have to be angry to be confident. You don't have to be mad to be fierce. And you don't have to be cruel to confront your problems." He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "I love you. Let me help you."

Regina didn't doubt the truthfulness of his words. The fact that his heart was beating in her chest was proof enough but she also knew that she could never be the person he fell in love with and it was only a matter of time until David realized it too. She could only hope that he would love the woman she was slowly becoming. "You're helping." She cupped his face with both hands and kissed him passionately.

David wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down on top of him. Regina laughed as she laid on top of him, her right hand already exploring the skin underneath his sweater and t-shirt. She let her fingertips play over his taut abdomen. David returned the gesture immediately, caressing the spot in the small of her back that always made Regina moan.

Her lips found his again, pulling him into a deep, meaningful kiss. Their intimacy would always be theirs: the Queen had always been wary of men. Although she had used her undeniable sex appeal as a means to an end, the Queen had never been able to trust another enough for any kind of intimacy. This part of her relationship with David was Regina's doing. If anything, the Queen had been holding her back, a small voice in her head warning her of dire consequences if she let anyone touch her this way. Regina was more trusting and now more open to this side of her relationship with David without the Queen's incessant murmurs in her mind.

"Regina…" David started in-between pants. They needed to stop this now.

Regina silenced him with a kiss. "I want to." She assured him. "I want you to make love to me."

David cupped her face with his free hand and rubbed his finger against her skin, looking for any kind of doubt in her chocolate brown eyes. All he could see was lust, desire, love, and trust. "I'll stop if you want me to. You know that, right?"

Regina nodded, getting wetter with each stroke of his fingers against her sensitive skin. "I know." She kissed him more hungrily. "How about we try that jacuzzi?"

David chuckled against her lips. "As her majesty wishes." He suddenly stood, lifting her up in his arms, and walked back toward the house.

EC

As soon as David put Regina on her feet, her hands flew toward his belt buckle. They sent their clothes flying all over the room as their shared need for each other grew. David hit the hot tub button with his foot as he was devouring Regina's neck. Her hands were dancing over his skin, her fingernails digging into his tender flesh with each new sensation shooting up her spine.

They were hungry for each other and impatient, fingers soon replaced by tongue and teeth, sure to leave blemishes in the morning. They were fighting each other for access to the other's body.

By the time they stepped into the hot water, they were both panting hard, needing more of each other. Their hearts were beating widely in unison, their insatiable appetite being barely fulfilled by the caresses and kisses. "I need you." Regina whispered in David's ear before nipping at his lobe.

Regina nearly screamed when David's thumb found her clit and he began rubbing her, keeping his rhythm until the mayor was shaking against him. Lost in lust, Regina barely felt David's hand of her hip, beckoning her to lift herself up over his hard member. She moaned as he pushed slowly inside her, her walls stretching to accommodate his length. Regina moved her hips down to increase the friction where she needed it the most. The couple soon found a rhythm that satisfied the both of them. With only a few thrusts, Regina clenched down on David's member hard, screaming his name in release. David followed her over the edge immediately, impervious to the sound of the front door opening.

"MOM!" The couple jumped at the voice. Before they had time to fully process the situation, Henry charged into their bedroom, soon followed by Emma. "Mom!"

"Henry! Wait!" Regina managed to pull herself off David's softening member as Henry entered the bathroom.

The kid stopped in his tracks, blushing. "Mom?"

EC

"Is Henry finally satisfied that you're not hurt?" David asked Regina as she entered their bedroom after her long conversation with her son. He put the book he had been reading aside, giving Regina his full attention.

"Let's just say this was not a conversation I had planned to have for another five years." Regina sighed, removing her bathrobe.

David chuckled. Henry would be thirteen at the end of the summer; Regina wouldn't have had five years anyway. Perhaps one at the most, if she was lucky. "I can talk to him if you'd like."

Regina shook her head. "I think he's satisfied that I'm not hurt. The conversation about the birds and the bees can wait for a few more years." She replied as she climbed into bed, lying by David's side. She placed her head on his bare chest, her fingertips tracing patterns around his muscles.

David kissed the crown of her head. "I hate to break it to you but I don't think you have that much time before 'the talk'. I think he's passed the stage of the birds and the bees."

Regina groaned. "Remember what Archie said about not confronting me on sensitive issues?" She smirked.

David laughed wholeheartedly. "For some reason, I don't think that's what he meant."

"Well, it applies nonetheless." She kissed his chest before reaching for her journal laying on the bedside table on the other side of David. Archie had encouraged her to start a journal filled with happy memories. Although Regina had doubted the effectiveness of the method, she had agreed to give it a try.

It had become somewhat of a ritual for the couple. Each night, Regina would diligently write in her journal about anything that had made her happy that day: baking a pie for her family, a long walk on the beach, building a sandcastle with Henry, some time alone with David, remembering an anecdote from her childhood often involving her father or Daniel. Although she would never admit to it, especially to Archie, the daily activity helped ease her mind before bedtime.

Regina looked up toward David. "Want to write with me?"

When she had been married to Leopold, she had poured all her pain, anger, and frustration into the writing. She had also written down her dreams for a better life, an alternate life where she would have had her happy ending with Daniel. She had hidden the journals but the King had eventually found them, invading her most private thoughts. To Regina, this act had been a greater violation than the one the King had inflicted on her body every night.

However, Regina wanted to share her life with David. She didn't want to hide from him: she didn't need to. She also knew that the Prince would respect her need for privacy if she would ever ask him to.

David smiled at her and sat up straighter on the bed, allowing Regina to slip in-between his thighs. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she settled comfortably against his chest. "Of course." David was glad she had decided to follow Archie's advice. Regina was definitely calmer after writing in her journal. Furthermore, he had taken to read it back to her when she woke up in the middle of the night from one of her nightmares.

Regina placed the journal on their raised knees as David settled his chin on her shoulder. She froze as she was about to write the date: April 23rd. Her eyes filled with tears. A year ago, she had been in the hospital waking up after her miscarriage. However, for the first time, she had not been alone. David had been with her. He had promised her to be with her if she wanted so. A year ago, Regina had taken a chance on love and had been rewarded ever since.

David tensed. He didn't have to be reminded about the significance of the day. A year ago, they had lost their child. "Do you want to talk about it?" They seldom did.

Regina shook her head. "No." She wrote the date quickly and started writing about the lunch on the beach with Henry.

ECECEC

Enchanted Forest, 16-year-old Regina

The young Queen marched toward her bedchambers with a slight spring in her steps. Today had been her first royal ball and although Leopold only had eyes for his daughter, Regina had enjoyed herself. She smiled at Sarah as soon as she entered the room. "Evening!"

"Good evening, Your Majesty." The maid replied with reverence. Regina hated to be treated this way but the maid could lose her job if she didn't use her title. "Would you like me to start you a bath?"

Regina smiled softly. "No, thank you. I'm tired. I just want to get straight to bed." She sat in front of her vanity, waiting for Sarah to help her remove her makeup.

"Did Her Majesty enjoy the ball?" Sarah asked kindly to fill the heavy silence.

Regina smiled excitedly. "Yes! The dance was lovely." She commented. The truth was she had not danced at all. Leopold had not even spared one dance for her and the court wouldn't go against protocol and asked the Queen for a dance before the King had done so.

Sarah knew that Regina was lying but kept her tongue: Regina's life was miserable and the maid was glad the child could still feel some happiness. Before she could remove any of the hair pins holding Regina's extravagant hairdo in place, the two women were interrupted by a knock at the door. "The King requires your presence." The guard announced, emotionless. Although he was aware of what happened at night behind closed doors, he had never shown Regina any pity. His eyes were expressionless behind his helmet.

Sarah felt the child tremble. She wished she could take Regina away from the court, away from the pain but she was powerless. King Leopold would find them and they would be hung for treason. Instead, Sarah caressed Regina's arms soothingly. "I'll have a bath ready when you get back."

Regina simply nodded, resigned to her fate. With one last imploring look in Sarah's direction, she followed the guard to the King's chambers. As soon as he closed the door behind her, Regina hugged herself tightly. Leopold had been drinking and she knew there was no escaping this. All she could hope for was for him to finish quickly.

"Regina, my dear, come." The King beckoned to her.

Regina walked slowly toward the drunken man. As soon as she was within arms' reach, he spun her around and started unlacing her ball gown. "Did you enjoy yourself tonight, my dear?" Leopold asked pleasantly.

Regina nodded quickly, biting her lower lip to prevent herself from crying. "Yes, my King!" She answered in a sob.

"What's wrong, Regina?" He turned her around gently, concerned for her well-being.

"I'm rather tired this evening." She felt a tinge of hope at the pit of her stomach which was quickly extinguished by the annoyed expression on the King's face.

"Regina, we've talked about this. I need a male heir to the Kingdom." He turned her around more forcefully this time and placed his palm in-between her shoulder blades, forcing her to bend over on the bed. He was growing frustrated with Regina's uncooperative behavior. She was the Queen now and had a duty to perform.

Leopold hiked her dress up around her waist and removed her smallclothes. Regina gripped the cover tightly, waiting for the pain that was about to come. However, nothing could have prepared her for the agony she was currently in. The King had sheathed himself deep inside her in one powerful thrust. The position he had forced her into allowed him to thrust deeper than he ever had before. She felt a warm liquid flowing down her thighs and she knew it was blood. Regina screamed for the eight minutes it took Leopold to reach his release.

Once the King let go of his young wife, Regina collapsed on the floor. Leopold averted his eyes, ashamed of what he had done. His guilt was quickly assuaged when he remembered his duty to the Kingdom and hers as his wife. "I'll send a maid for you." were the only comforting words he gave the frightened young girl.