Meg's life was looking just as worry free. Since she had opened up to Sinbad, things were never better. She was enjoying life again. She wasn't constantly thinking about how she ruined things with Hercules. And for the first time in a long time, her photo shoot today was going to be a breeze and not something she dreaded. The Charming campaign hired her to photograph the event. She was all smiles when she opened the Mount Olympus Photo Studio to get all her gear together for the event this afternoon.

Swish. The front door of the studio opened. She turned around in a huff. She wasn't expecting anyone.

"Really, darling, you should be much more careful. I could've been an armed robber, Megara!"

The shrill voice of the only person who called her that sent her cheery mood into a downward spiral.

Her mother.

Cruella DeVille.

"Mom. What are you doing here?"

"Well, darling, Esmeralda and Angelica will be wearing my clothing today and I just wanted to make sure that you knew to capture every inch of their fabric, you understand?"

"I will photograph everything, Mom."

"You do understand I want these photos for my collection?"

"Mom, these are for the campaign. If you want the photos you will have to talk to the Charmings."

"The Charmings? The Charmings? You think the Charmings will just GIVE me the photos? Really, Megara, use your head."

"Mom, I can't just steal photos. They are paying me for this. The photos will belong to them."

"No, darling. They belong to you, meaning they belong to me, meaning they belong to DeVille Fashions. If you cared at all about your legacy, you'd do this one thing for me. After all the money I spent putting you through design school only to have you – "

"'Waste it on a meaningless career in photography.' Yes, Mom. We've had this argument a million times. Are you through?"

"How dare you speak to me that way, young lady! I am your mother! And as your mother I expect you to do this for me. This is about the only thing you are good far, Megara. So please tell me you'll do this for me."

Cruella's final words cut Meg like a dozen stab wounds to the heart. The only time Meg ever heard from her mother was when she wanted something for personal gain. She used that time to spew insults at her daughter until she got what she wanted from her. Cruella knew how to cut her daughter deep enough to the point she could never say no.

"Fine. I'll do it. Now can I get on with my job? Or do you have anything more to say that could ruin my day."

"The photos will be all, darling. I must go get ready now for the festivities. I expect those photos edited and framed by Monday morning. No exceptions, Meg."

"Done," Meg replied holding back tears.

"Good. And don't send me any blurred shots! Those are just as worthless as you are to my company! Ta-ta, darling!" Cruella said before she exited the studio.

Meg's eyes welled up with hurt tears. She ran to the door and locked it tightly so her mother couldn't come back and see her crying. Meg knew her mother would never see any talent in her that was useful to DeVille Fashions but her words still cut to the core. She sunk to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest and just sobbed.

"Meg, are you okay?"

It was the last voice she expected to hear to break the sound of her tears. It was a familiar deep voice that used to make her spine tingle and her toes curl.

Hercules.

She looked up and saw his silhouette emerging from the stock room. She always forgot he had a key and made deliveries for his mother. How much had he seen? What had he heard? Quickly, she wiped the tears from her eyes and shot up from her seated position. She wouldn't let him see her like this any longer than necessary.

"Hercules! What? Yeah I'm fine. I'm totally fine. Allergies, you know."

As he came closer to her, she could see the concerned look on his face. Meg knew that he'd seen and heard everything – the darkest part of her soul had been revealed to the person she used to trust the most in this world.

"No you're not. How could you be?"

Meg tried to play it off.

"What? Oh. It's nothing. Just mother/daughter stuff. You know how that can go."

"Meg, stop it. Stop trying to act as if that didn't just happen. I know what I heard."

Meg was out of excuses.

"Okay. So what? Now you know I'm a failure in the eyes of my mother and her biggest disappointment. So what? It's nothing, really."

She made a motion to walk past him toward her desk where she kept some of the equipment she'd need for today. He grabbed her arm. Even in a quick fluid motion, his touch sent her reeling. She tried to maintain composure.

"Don't worry about it, Herc. It's fine."

"No it's not fine, Meg. I've just seen a side of you I never knew existed and now…"

"Now what? You see me differently now? Well guess what, Hercules, I don't need your damn pity okay? I'm a big tough girl and I've been dealing with Cruella for a long time now, so I don't need your help."

"Meg, why didn't you tell me? We told each other everything."

"It's not really something I like to talk about okay? My mother and I have a very complicated relationship and you only saw the surface. Believe me, consider yourself lucky this isn't your problem to worry about anymore."

"Cut it out, Meg!"

"Listen, I have to get ready for this launch party, alright? And as you know, my mother in addition to Charles Charming, expect the very best and I need to -."

He didn't let her finish. He just enveloped her in his arms and held her tightly to him. Even though they were no longer romantically involved, Hercules felt this innate need to protect her and to be there for her. And Meg didn't know just how willing she was to let him this time. She reveled in his embrace and cried against his chest. All the anger and pain she'd felt from the interaction with her mother and the humiliation that he of all people had seen it all was lifted off her shoulders just because he hugged her.

She felt his lips kiss the top of her head.

"I'm sorry, Meg."

"For what?" she asked pulling back to look at him.

"I'm sorry I pushed you so hard. I had no idea what the real story was. I feel horrible for the things I said and for thinking you never cared and could never love me the way that I loved you."

Her violet eyes grew wide.

"What?"

"Meg, I loved you. And I still do. I love everything about you from your sarcasm, to your brilliant photography and everything in between."

"How come you never told me?"

Hercules shrugged.

"I guess I didn't think that you cared."

"Hercules, I cared! I cared a lot. What's more is I loved you too. You were the one good thing in my life and losing you almost broke me even worse than my mother ever has."

"Oh, Meg, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I've been such a tool to you."

"Yeah, well I didn't do you any favors by not opening up. Not many people know the way my mother is with me. And it makes me difficult to love, I get it."

He put her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"No it doesn't, Meg. Don't think for an instant that you're difficult to love."

He whispered those words against her lips before kissing her full on the mouth. At first it was just a touch but then the kiss deepened and intensified and all Meg could think about was being with Hercules again. She took his hands in hers and led him to her desk. She sat him down in her desk chair and positioned herself straddling him. She kissed him hard on the lips and pressed her body into his.

"Oh, gods, I've miss you, Meg. I've missed you so much."

They kissed again and then everything else got blurry. He'd tossed her top to the floor and she unbuttoned his jeans. Her fingers ran through his hair as his caressed her hips. He picked her up and positioned her on her desk before entering her. Meg had forgotten what it felt like to be with Hercules again and she had missed it. She missed him. She loved him. Now he had truly seen her at her most vulnerable and he didn't want to run away.