Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Showtime and history take all the credit. I'm simply borrowing

Chapter 13

A/N: Thank you loyal readers and reviewers. I love knowing other people are happy with how I'm writing the story and suggesting what could help it.

MiaGleek: I love the last line too. Thank you for reviewing!

cruelangel101: Anne is pushing the rules now. She has no real intention to become Queen but she enjoys knowing she can get away with it. I'm kinda glad your torn between Anne and Jane because, I think, it means that the characters are complex enough so that situations they're in aren't black and white but shades of grey. By the way your right I messed up with the pregnancy months/dates, but I'm gonna keep them and just pretend. I have like a rough outline of what's gonna happen and it can get kinda confusing since its not too organized.

January 12, 1539

Henry sighed as he walked through the halls. He saw the people bowing to him but he ignored them. He had gotten in another fight with Anne. She had asked him if he intended to take a mistress. It had only been a few weeks since the doctor had said Anne could no longer act as his mistress physically and she was already worrying. He knew what he should have said. He knew what he had planned to say but she had asked him with anger in her eyes and a calm voice. He had gotten defensive and yelled. Telling her it was his right and that she had no say for she couldn't offer herself. He couldn't help but wonder how it had gotten to the point that she was worried about his faithfulness barely three weeks since she was not available. There was a time when he had, more or less, happily waited 7 years for her. Not once had he strayed before their marriage and now she assumed he would stray in three weeks. He felt slight guilt knowing her doubts were justified. He had given her every reason to doubt him and none to trust him when it came to fidelity.

Anne took calming breathes as she watched Henry storm out. She wouldn't upset the child she was carrying. Henry was right. He had every right to take a mistress while his wife was with child, the only problem with that logic was she wasn't his wife but his mistress. She knew that how she had asked had set Henry off. She had taunted him and he rose to the bait. She knew he would but she had hoped that this once he would reassure she was the only one and it would stay that way. Anne knew it was too much to ask though. Henry would give her anything and he would let her get away with just as much but not when it came to his pride.

Anne rose her hand from her stomach to her neck. She grazed the necklace lightly, feeling for the lines of the rose. She sighed wishing she could take a walk in the gardens to clear her head, but she knew it would never be allowed while she was with child and it was so cold.

Anne watched in the mirror as Nan brushed out her hair. She had yet to resolve things with Henry and she was afraid he had gone off with some wench, or worse Jane. When they fought one of them would at least try to reason with the other soon after but Anne hadn't seen nor heard from him since this morning. Sighing she closed her eyes focused on the soothingness of having her hair brushed.

Anne almost dozed off as she waited. She had been getting more tired lately. The doctor assured both Henry and herself that it was perfectly normal and to be expected. Anne had expected as such but Henry had insisted they call the doctor.

Suddenly Nan's motions stopped and Anne opened her eyes but when she looked in the mirror she saw that Nan was looking to the entryway.

"Your Majesty." Henry nodded to Lady Nan and excused her. Anne had yet to turn around. He could only guess she was still upset with him.

Anne continued to look in the mirror, refusing to give Henry the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence. Anne watched as Henry's image appeared in the mirror. She held her breathe as she waited for him to say something. He made no move to speak though.

Henry reached for the comb that Lady Nan had set down when he breathing a word he continued where Nan had left off. Henry met Anne's eyes in the mirror. She looked confused by his actions.

Anne didn't say anything as Henry continued to brush her hair. It wasn't the first he had done so but it was typically in the morning after he had spent the night in her bed. Anne just watched him curiously.

Henry ignored Anne's inquisitive eyes as he ran the comb through her silky raven locks. He had always loved her hair, while he loved everything about her, her hair was one of his favorite things. When she left it flowing down her back he always thought it could never looking more ravishing. He wasn't sure what her ladies did to it but it always smelled like roses. It was an addicting smell on her.

He knew he had to explain himself at the very least. He also knew that he should apologize but humbling himself to another didn't come easily to a King. He hadn't planned what to say nor had he ever. Anne's personality made it impossible to envision a conversation in one's head or plan what to say. Anne was a passionate person and she was often quick-tempered, aggressive, and volatile especially when distressed. One could never foretell her reaction and Henry had long ago learned to go with the flow and react in the moment. This often caused many of their fights but he also knew the spontaneous aspect of it contributed to their passion.

"Finished." Henry murmured softly placing the comb down. Anne turned slowly so she was facing him. Henry knelt down so that he was even with Anne.

"Thank you." Anne whispered. Henry nodded without saying anything.

"I was a fool." Anne didn't say anything. That was nothing new to her. "I'm sorry."

"They're words, Henry." Anne had listened to Henry apologize many times since they had fallen in love and she had learned quickly that what he said were purely words and couldn't be taken too seriously.

"I mean them."

"You always mean them, but it doesn't mean they are always true."

"Anne, I'm sorry. I should not have have gotten angry."

"No and I suppose you expect an apology from me?"

Henry sighed looking at the floor. An apology would have been satisfying to his pride but did he expect one from Anne? "No."

"Then we're done here." Even though moments before she had been wishing Henry would come to her, now that he was here and still refusing to promise to be faithful she wanted him gone.

"Your upset still." Henry sighed and looked into her eyes. "Why do you not forgive me?"

"Should I forgive someone who continues to break my heart?"

Henry sighed, "I love you."

"Words." Anne spat. Standing up she walked over to the windows on the other side of the rooms. Why couldn't he just love her, want her, have her? Why did he need anyone else if he loved her? "If you loved me you wouldn't do such things."

"I have proven to you how much I love you. I tore my country apart! I saved your life! I put our daughters in the line of succession! I raised your brother to one of the highest rankings at Court! I banished your father!"

Anne turned to glare at him. "You did those things for you! You wanted to marry me! You felt guilty! You were trying to make it up to me! You like people knowing how high I am in your favor! You didn't like that someone other than you had control over me!" Anne took a deep breathe. "All I ask is that you be faithful."

"I have a wife. I'm expected to share her bed. To conceive sons."

"A wife!" Anne scoffed. "You don't acknowledge her as such. You deny her as your Queen and wife when we are alone."

"When we're alone! I know how much it hurts you."

"That's not why you do it, Henry. Don't treat me like a fool. I am not stupid and I know how your mind works."

"No, you're intelligent. Smart as any man I know, so tell me why I do it?" Henry challenged.

"Because," Anne drawled, "Your not in love with her anymore and you doubt that she is rightful Queen for there was no true basis for our annulment."

Henry looked at her. "Why haven't you acknowledged it before?" Anne didn't say anything. "It's been months since I've been calling her Mistress Seymour. Why haven't you said anything?"

"What was I suppose to say, Henry? That I want to be Queen? That you should set her aside?"

"Do you?"

"Do I what?" Anne sighed.

"Want to be Queen." Anne met his eyes. She thought about what he was offering. He was giving her a chance to be Queen, again. To be restored to her rightful place along with their daughters. Anne remembered what she had said to Brandon years ago.

"When you marry your mistress, you leave the position unfulfilled."

"No." Anne saw shock in Henry's eyes. "Our marriage fell apart. I can barely imagine myself as a docile wife, I could never be a docile Queen."

"No, I suppose not." Henry knew she was right. Anne's sharp-tongue and intelligence would not be acceptable if she was his wife and it would be disrespectful as his Queen.

"Besides if you are not faithful to me when I am your mistress how can I ever hope you'll be faithful to me when I'm your wife?"

"I have a right to take lovers."

"You waited seven years for me." Anne said softly, her anger gone for the moment.

"I know." Henry had been thinking the same thing she was earlier that day.

"What changed?" Anne whispered.

"I had you." Henry said simply. Even though he had loved Anne, at first, when they were married after he had her she was no longer his sole desire. Others had caught his eye, but never his heart. That was until he had met Jane.

"Should I forgive someone who continues to break my heart?" Anne asked again. How could he expect her to forgive him every time he strayed for the rest of her life? She didn't think she could.

"I love you, Anne. I'm in love with you and only you."

"But you desire others. I'm not enough."

"You are." Henry insisted. She was no longer angry but he still feared what she was saying. If he were honest with himself it almost sounded like she was talking herself into leaving him. He wouldn't let her leave. She couldn't leave him.

"Than why do you do such things?"

Henry thought about what she was asking. "You aren't available." He remembered how often he had missed her company when she had been pregnant in the past. His eye would start to wonder when he was trying to distract himself from the loneliness. The only other times he had taken a mistress when she was with child was when he had been displeased with her.

"It's temporary. Can you not wait for me? Its only a few months."

"Five months, Anne."

"Its by far shorter a wait than seven years."

Henry thought about her request. She was right, he had waited longer for her. If she truly got so upset over his other mistress' than maybe he needn't take one, for her sake. Could he commit himself to only her? No. He had an obligation to Jane to give her the chance to bare sons. "Jane…"

"Only while I'm with child." Anne knew that she couldn't ask him to stay away from Jane's bed forever. She told him she didn't wish to be Queen and that meant dealing with Jane.

"I'll wait for you." Henry watched Anne's reaction closely. She looked at him warily but in seconds her face broke out in a smile and her eyes sparkled with joy. He crossed the few feet between them and took her in his arms. He kissed her breathless.

Eventually Henry settled Anne in to bed promising he would return after he readied himself for bed. He kissed her forehead and bid her goodnight.