This story starts a few years after the finale...Snow is gone, because I just can't ever see Snow and Charming parting any other way. Everything else is as they left it in the finale and my own imagining of life since then.
"What do you want now?" David barked with a frown when he opened up his chamber door. He'd already known who it was thanks to the familiar knock he'd come to know all too well for his liking within the past year. He swung the thick wooden door open wider with a huff to find the soft and smiling face of the Queen. She seemed unaffected by his greeting as she stood tall, holding a dinner tray complete with what looked to be three courses and vase with a flower in it.
"You're spending too much time alone, David," Regina's pleasant expression grew serious when she took in his state and her tone was firmer, like the one she'd use to scold Henry when she wanted him to know she was doing so because she loved him. He took a moment to sweep her own appearance as she had his, finding her in a classic periwinkle gown with scooped neck and shoulders, the jewels in her perfectly placed crown accenting the outfit pleasingly. "You didn't come to the dining hall this evening. We missed you."
"I wasn't hungry," He let out a breath looking off to the side as he put a hand against the door frame, keeping her from coming into his chamber, "Can't I have an evening to myself?"
"Sure, but you're having them more often than not," Regina looked up at him, empathy shining in her eyes. Within the past year he'd gained a better understanding of her struggle. He was starting to understand the enormous fight it took for her to evolve back from the dark and broken woman she was into the soft-hearted and sympathetic nurturer who stood before him. He was struggling with a darkness he couldn't seem to pull himself out of and he had a new respect for the Queen who had been able to overcome her own. Even if he refused to show it.
"I just didn't feel like speaking to everyone," David rolled his eyes and let his hand slide from the doorway with a sigh. He turned then to go back into his bed chamber and left the door open, knowing even if he had shut it she'd most likely come in anyways. Nag.
"Do you really think I always feel like speaking to people? Or constantly dealing with their problems everyday? It's always something, big or small. And speaking of small, if another one of those dwarves approach me about the height requirement for the amusement park rides at Oz, I'm going to pinch their head off," she rattled on behind him, coming in to set the tray down on the side table. "But I deal with it, because we're leaders and that's what we have to do."
"Yeah, well, maybe I don't feel like being a leader anymore," David plopped down in his lounge chair with a thud, slouching into it as he watched her. "Snow was always the heart of it. I was just the backbone. We worked as a team to lead. What have I got to offer now?" he shrugged lazily and let his head tilt to the side.
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, David," Regina rolled her eyes as she turned around from setting out his dinner, "I know it hurts, but you can't just give up. You have children who need you and family who love you and a kingdom that needs your guidance. I maybe I need you, too."
"You do?" his brows raised in curiosity, watching her tilt her chin up in defiance as if to counteract the vulnerability of what she admitted.
"You ran the kingdom alongside Snow for years. You're the only one here who knows as much about it as I do. Not to mention that this isn't just a kingdom, it's multiple realms. Different cultures and groups of people and a plethora of problems. I need someone I can bounce ideas off of and discuss issues with," she explained casually, picking up a discarded shirt from the back of his chair and giving him a disapproving look when she began to fold it, "You spending your life in this bed chamber is no help to me."
David rolled his eyes once she'd explained herself, finding that it irked him for some reason. He knew deep down that she was trying to give him purpose again, but the darkness inside of him prompted him to ignore that and turn it into something different entirely. "Oh, so this is about what you need. I see you're still as self-serving as ever."
He instantly regretted his snarky comment when he saw the flicker of hurt cross her features before she stoned her expression. He wasn't sure why he was lashing out at her for simply trying to help him, but he just wanted to be left alone. Regina was tough, anyways. Half of their history was them throwing barbs at each other and he knew she could take it. It wasn't a good excuse for his behavior, but it was how he justified it.
"That was uncalled for," Regina replied calmly after a moment and placed the folded shirt in his wardrobe before facing him with crossed arms, "When Snow fell ill I promised her that I'd look after you and I intend to do so. You can mope around and insult me all you want, but that won't make me break my promise to her. So, I suggest that you readjust your attitude and start spending time with your family again. Snow wouldn't want it this way."
"If I agree to come join you all tomorrow will you leave me alone tonight?" David asked tightly, rubbing his hand over a couple days worth of stubble in frustration and making a mental note to shave before then.
"I suppose..." she replied with a sigh, but he could tell she was holding back a smile of accomplishment. It reminded him again of how different she was with the people she cared for and how far she'd come. She used to burn people to crisps for looking at her the wrong way, but here he was being an asshole for sport and she was simply letting it roll off her back. "Goodnight, Charming. And the back of your chair is not a clothes hanger, by the way," she added with a raised brow before finding her way out of his chamber as quickly as she came.
"Well well well, look who decided to show his face," Zelena nudged Regina from their seats on the castle veranda.
She'd made a family-friendly home out of her old Evil Queen castle once she'd managed to bring all of the realms together. It took some renovations and redecorating to make the place reflect her newfound peace, but she'd managed to turn it into the perfect combination of her past and present. She had a much larger family and too many people under her charge to fit into her Mifflin Street home, but she still kept it and spent quiet weekends there every so often.
"David," Regina's mouth gaped slightly when she looked up from her paperwork to see broad shoulders donning a bright red royal jacket. "I didn't think he'd actually keep his word."
"I don't know why you're so bothered with Charming," her sister rolled her eyes from behind the spell-book she read, "He acts like the only person who has ever experienced a loss."
"Don't be crass, Zelena," Regina threw her a disapproving look despite knowing what she meant. David had been an ass since Snow's passing and god knows she'd gotten the brunt of it. Still, she had experienced that kind of loss multiple times and knew all too well the darkness it could bring. "He lost his one true love."
"You don't really believe that do you? I mean, if we only have one true love then that's not great for either of us," the redhead scoffed as they both watched David cross the courtyard and meet up with older Henry, younger Henry and Neal where they practiced their swordsmanship.
Regina frowned and looked back to the file on her lap as she contemplated Zelena's question. She'd loved and lost more than once and thought she was content with being on her own now, but the thought still bothered her. What if she had indeed said goodbye to her last true love? What if she never experienced it again?
She hated to admit to herself that she had grown lonely. During the day she was surrounded by people, but come evening she was walking to the dining hall on her own and retreating to bed alone. She saw the companionship around her and it had made her begin to ache for it again. She'd been lonely before, but the taking on of the realms had been enough to keep her distracted from it for a while. Now that she had become more efficient at ruling, she started to feel the absence of a partner in her life once more.
Emma had Hook. Henry had Ella. Even young Henry had a girlfriend. Killian was single, but he used the time to catch up on lost time with Alice and teaching her all about life at sea. Regina wasn't entirely sure, but she thought even Zelena might be seeing someone, though she was being cryptic about it.
She missed having someone of her own to talk to and be intimate with. The aching for love and affection was something she desperately tried to stifle. It made her feel vulnerable and weak and she'd never admit just how much she wanted it. After everything she had been through, she didn't need a partner to make her life complete. She ran realms for god sake, she didn't need romance.
"Sis?" Zelena's voice brought her from her thoughts and she shook her head quickly, glancing over at her.
"I just mean that Snow was the person he planned to spend the rest of his life with," Regina sighed exasperatedly, "Not that it's not possible to have multiple loves. By the way, who have you been spending so much time with lately?"
"No one," her sister frowned quickly, giving herself away. Regina could read her like a book and there were clearly some pages her sister did not want her to know about.
"Well you've constantly been escaping to the Enchanted Forest, or wherever your excuse is," Regina raised a skeptically eyebrow at her, "No one needs that many herbs for any spell in that book. I would know, it's my book after all."
"I'm not just scavenging for herbs. Killian asked me to help make some renovations with my magic to his ship. That's where Alice and Robin wish to be married and I won't have it smelling like rum for god sake," she snapped and avoided Regina's gaze as she looked back down to her spell-book.
"Oh my god," Regina grinned, "You and Nook are so doing it."
"Regina!" Zelena's mouth dropped open and her face flushed, "I'm not-we're just-"
"Save it," Regina chuckled a little before smiling warmly, "I like Hook 2.0 much more than the original. As much as I hate to admit it, I've even seen the appeal before - but I was also in the depths of evil and despair when I went there, so-" she joked before seeing Zelena's expression, "Oh come on I'm just kidding. Why are you keeping it so quiet?"
"Oh please, your snarky comments don't bother me," she gave in and rolled her eyes, "It's just I'm not sure what we are. When we're together it's very fun and playful, but we haven't discussed if it's anything deeper."
"Do you have feelings for him?" she nodded understandingly.
"I think I'm beginning to. He's very focused on Alice though and making up for lost time. So, I'm probably just fun on the side for him," her sister sighed and looked back out across the courtyard, "Men are usually so straightforward. If they want to be with you, you know it, but he's a mystery."
"If you want more, you just need to say something," she watched Zelena, heart warming that her sister was even considering letting herself fall again. It was hard after loss and her sister had already lost Hades and her ex-fiancé whom she parted ways with when she left California.
"I suppose so, but keep this to yourself for now. I don't need the whole kingdom knowing. Not to mention our daughters will most likely lose their minds at the mere thought of it," the redhead huffed, "And please, can we stop calling him Nook?!"
"You started it, Sis."
The realms were buzzing, especially Regina's kingdom grounds, as David made his way back from his walk to Snow's resting place. Lucy was taking her horseback riding lessons at the stables just out from the castle with older Henry nearby to supervise. Younger Henry and Neal were practicing their sword-fighting in the courtyard. The dwarves milled about with their tools in hand, their newest job site not far from here. Everyone seemed to be out and about, enjoying the fair weather and old but new environment.
He and Snow had decided back when Regina combined the realms that they would stay at the castle to be close to their grandsons and raise their son Neal in the lifestyle they were most comfortable in. The modern day lifestyle of Storybrooke was fine, but they were simply from a different time, as was Regina. Henry and Ella decided to make the castle home as well, for Regina and Lucy were incredibly close and no one could bare to keep the two apart. Younger Henry decided after a few college visits that he would rather spend his time practicing for knighthood and exploring the realms now that it was easier.
Emma and Hook stayed in their home in Storybrooke to maintain a presence in that community. Considering they were both working for the sheriffs office it only made the sense. Emma was more accustomed to modern day life and Hook spent most of his life on a ship so he didn't have a preference over neighborhoods. New Hook (or Killian as they decided to call him to keep the Hooks straight), lived primarily on his ship which he could easily pull into the port of any realm as they were all connected by land and intertwining waterways. Zelena lived part time in her castle at Oz and at Regina's palace. Robin and Alice spent their time traveling throughout the realms, taking in different cultures and simply being young and in love.
Things has been damn near perfect since the day they crowned Regina and she gave the speech about love, loss and hope. David had been around long enough to know that things change; enemies become friends, families lose loved ones, new lives are brought into the cycle and life continues. He knew it, but it hadn't made things any easier when Snow fell ill. No amount of spells or magic Regina and Emma tried could counteract the cancer, which was one of the harsh realities of combining this world and the fairytale realms. Sometimes this worlds problems bled through and magic couldn't fix them. This realization had shaken him more than he cared to admit and luckily everyone left him well enough alone to deal with it. Except for Regina, she had her nose in everything.
Speaking of the devil, she emerged then as if summoned from his thoughts through the large castle doors, wearing tight tan riding pants, tall black boots and a white button up blouse that billowed slightly around the arms. She'd let her hair grow out to shoulder length again and the top half was pinned back. She looked so much younger an carefree now despite the fact she was running the realms and was busier than ever. He felt somewhat envious of her lighthearted nature these days and it only made him more irritable with her.
"Charming," She called out, walking towards him when she clocked him. He couldn't help but notice how much shorter she was when she wasn't wearing her intimidating Madam Mayor heels or even those boots he saw her in briefly during that whole Roni ordeal.
"Hello, Your Majesty," David managed a genuine smile at her before bracing himself for whatever annoying lecture was coming next. "Going riding?"
"That's Regina to you," She raised an eyebrow playfully with a smile, "...and yes and no, I have to run into the Storybrooke Town Hall for some paperwork, but I thought I'd take an old fashioned ride there. Want to join me? We can catch lunch at Granny's."
David shook his head slightly at how different she was now. Five years ago she wouldn't rather eaten nails than willingly have lunch with a Charming, but here she was suggesting it with a smile on her face. She still had a temper and a smart mouth, he'd observed that much, but it usually only surfaced when her family was threatened or when she was tired and overworked. Even then her barbs stung less and were delivered with a bit less malice. Typically she was much more relaxed now, maybe even borderline cheerful. Though he'd never say that to her face.
"-Before you say no," She sighed and rolled her eyes at his hesitation, "Id really like to hear your opinion on some of the projects I have planned. I'll pay for your lunch. What do you say?"
"I guess," David gave in as he felt guilty for having left all of the realm responsibility on her shoulders for a year now, "But I don't want to be gone all afternoon, Okay?" He frowned.
"Of course I wouldn't want to keep you from your moping schedule," Regina's eyes widened in mock seriousness and she nodded, earning a deeper frown from him.
"Are you going to be a smart ass all day?" He huffed, seeing a grin spread across her even features at his own annoyance.
"Only if you plan to be an asshole all day," She replied, swatting his arm playfully with her riding gloves as she breezed by him, "C'mon Charming."
Regina let out a loud laugh and gave her mare another nudge in the side, hunkering down for better speed as they thundered down Main Street, "See you when you get there," She yelled when she looked over to see Charming galloping just a few paces behind on his own horse.
He'd grumbled and complained the entire time they were dressing and saddling the horses, but as time went on he'd eventually seemed to be enjoying himself. They were both excellent riders and she knew it was something he'd missed about the old world, as they'd discussed it casually in the past. Though he wasn't beaming by any means, she could tell he'd gotten into the ride and was taking the race seriously, noting the subtle determined smirk on his face as he let out an "aha" to encourage his horse.
She smirked to herself when his stallion gained some speed on her, seeing him throw a triumphant grin over his shoulder, brief but still there. He'd stripped off his formal jacket in the stables before they'd left, leaving him in black fitted pants and boots as a plain white button up that he'd loosened the neck on. She found her gaze traveling down from his broad shoulders to his toned back and then his impressive - jesus, what was she doing? She shook her head at her thoughts of Charming's nicely shaped ass hovering just over his saddle and returned her focus to the race.
People on the sidewalks gaped at the horses and their riders as they stormed the streets of the quaint little town. Some of them shocked, some of them laughing and happy for the bit of entertainment by the formal Evil Queen and Prince Charming. It was refreshing that the masses of people who used to fear and curse her presence now cheered her on and treated her with respect.
Regina smiled widely when she heard a "get him 'Gina!" called out from the sidewalk as she glanced over just in time to see the mop of Roland's brown curls, blurry from her speed. With renewed determination she kicked her mare into high gear, gaining inches on Charming with each passing second. Soon she was right beside of him again, giving him a challenging grin that he playfully scowled at.
Neither one of them seemed to be able to get ahead of one another but Regina saw Granny's coming up quickly and leaned into her mare. The two horses reached the sidewalk of the diner in a thunderous halt and she let out a victory yell as she was sure her mare reached it just a half second sooner.
"Nice try, Charming," She smirked proudly from atop her horse, reaching up to smooth her hair down.
"You're kidding? I clearly was ahead of you," David looked at her skeptically, his own hair messy from the ride and falling across his forehead. He'd let it grow out on the top, only getting it trimmed on the sides like he had in the past and she found it quite appealing.
"No YOU'RE kidding, I so beat you!" Regina's mouth fell open with a half laugh, trying to determine if he was really serious or not. She'd clearly won and he was out of his mind if he thought anything different.
"Oh come on now you're just being a sore loser!" David said wide-eyed as he dismounted his horse, tying the reigns to the parking meter just off of the sidewalk.
"Me? You are," Regina's brows drew together irritatedly as she slipped over the side of her horse and stationed her the same way, "Have the months in that dim bed chamber ruined your eyesight? Because I clearly reached the sidewalk before you did."
"You did not!" His mouth gaped and she could tell he was growing just as frustrated as she was, "I won fair and square!"
She stepped up to him then, refusing to let him think she was intimidated or backing down in any way. Typical Charming thinking he could use his stature and stubbornness to deflect from his losing. "You've lost your mind! Is your ego really that fragile?!"
"Is YOUR ego that fragile?" David frowned down at her, their faces inches apart at this point and the frustrated tension pulsing in the air. Historically, their disagreements had always been intense with both of their tempers flaring faster than most, and this one was no different.
"Will you two fools quit shouting in front of my place of business and get inside?" Granny's scolding causes them both to look up towards the door of the diner where she stood with the broom, "It was clearly a tie."
"But-" Regina began to argue.
"Granny-" David frowned as if he'd been terribly betrayed.
"It was a tie," Granny repeated and looked at them firmly over her glasses, "Now get your hardheaded asses inside before you cause panic that the Charming's and Queen are enemies again."
David grumbled under his breath, causing Regina to frown deeply at him before pushing past him to stomp up the sidewalk. She heard him follow just a few steps behind as both of them earned a rather inquisitive look from Granny. "Go on, grab a seat I'll be in to take your orders in just a few moments."
Regina charged ahead and chose the booth, sitting down with a huff and looking up as David plopped down on the opposite side and returned the hard look she was giving him, "What?" She snapped slightly.
"Did I say anything?" He raised an eyebrow at her as he picked up the menu.
"Do you really need to read that? It's been the same since the '80s," Regina retorted and leaned back against the booth, crossing her arms.
"Have I told you how glad I am that I agreed to spend the afternoon with you?" David gave a fake smile over his menu at her, making her roll her own eyes at how childish he could be.
"Well excuse me for taking pity on you," She retorted, "Won't happen again. You can waist away in that godforsaken chamber for all I care."
"Yeah right you can't keep your nose out of other people's business long enough to do so," David gave his own eye roll then.
"I think you have me mistaken for a Charming," Regina snorted.
"Better than being an Evil Queen," He shot back before he could think about what he was saying, seeing the instant indignation in her eyes.
"I've rather lost my appetite," Regina schooled her features masterfully in a way he'd see her do many times before, "If you'll excuse me, I have better things to do," She said before beginning to get up.
"Regina, I'm sorry," He said quickly putting his hand over hers on the table to stop her, when she looked up at him with her jaw clenched he knew he'd pushed her too far, "I didn't mean that. You just rile me up in a way not many people can."
"Well then perhaps I should indeed leave you alone," She argued and shifted as if she were trying to get up again.
"No, it's a good thing," David said determinedly, "Everyone treats me as if I'm fragile now and it drives me crazy. It's why I hate coming to the dining hall or partaking in events. There's only so many sympathetic stares I can stand. But you don't take my shit and you don't treat me like glass. I need that."
He saw her resolve lessening as she relaxed back into her seat, her eyes flickering to his hand still covering hers on the table, "People treated me the same way after Robin. But it's only because they cared. You have to show them you're okay and then they'll stop treating you that way."
She saw him realize he was still holding her hand when she shifted her own to rub her thumb over his knuckles but he didn't pull away. His hand was big and warm and the tension from their argument made the skin to skin contact tingle with emotion. She could see the wheels turning in his mind as he processed her words with a slow nod.
"Thank you for not giving up on me Regina, I know I've been an ass," He said earnestly, swallowing his pride.
"I'm used to that," She raised an eyebrow somewhat jokingly to lighten the mood, "Oh and Charming?"
"Yes?"
"I still won. Lunch is on you."
"Oh for gods sakes, Regina..."