Author's Notes: A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

Chapter 22: What Happened to Frederick?

David and Kathryn are eating dinner at home.

"Chicken's delicious." David says.

Kathryn sighs, "David, there's something we need to discuss."

David nods, "Okay."

"I applied to law school." Kathryn says.

David smiles, "That's amazing! Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I don't know. Maybe cause I didn't think I could actually do it, but I did. I got this today – I got in." Kathryn says as she hands him a piece of paper.

"It… It's in Boston." David says.

Kathryn nods, "I know things have been hard between us, but maybe a fresh start is what we need. Maybe we've been fighting too hard to recapture old memories, when we should've been making new ones instead."

Later Mary Margaret gets out of her car and meets David on the main street. "What did you tell her?"

"That I needed to take a walk. Clear my head. Think about it." David says.

"I'm guessing you didn't tell her that the walk was with me." Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "No. No, of course not."

"Why is that our default? Lying?" Mary Margaret says.

"Because I don't-" David says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "We're not being honest. I know it's hard, but we have to tell her the truth about everything – about us."

"I don't know if I can." David says.

"You have to. If we can't be honest with other people, how can we be honest with each other?" Mary Margaret says.

David sighs, "Is it really the best plan?"

"What's your plan? Moving to Boston?" Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "No."

"The only way no one gets hurt here, is if we don't want to be together. Is that what you want?" Mary Margaret says.

"No." David says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "Well, then we have to stop hiding and do something. It's better she hears it from you than from someone else. You have to make a choice."

"I choose you." David says.

"Then, it's time to tell Kathryn." Mary Margaret says.

Across town August's motorcycle is parked out of Granny's Diner. Buffy arrives at the same time that August is leaving.

"I've been meaning to bump into you. Matter of fact, I was hoping we might grab that drink you and Emma promised." August says.

"Is that you asking me out?" Buffy asks.

"Well, if putting a label on it makes you more comfortable, sure. Let's call it a date." August says.

"I thought you came here to write – find inspiration." Buffy says.

"I'm optimistic about our date." August says.

"See, I have a policy – I won't go out with guys who won't tell me their names." Buffy says. "I find it weeds out the ones who like to keep secrets, like they're already married or they store body parts in their freezer. It was nice talking to you."

Buffy walks past him to enter the diner.

"It's August. August W. Booth." August says.

"Really? With the middle initial?" Buffy asks.

August nods, "W's for Wayne. So, there goes your reason for not meeting me here after work."

Buffy enters the diner alone. Emma and Mary Margaret is already there waiting.

"Who was that?" Mary Margaret asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know yet."

"Yet? So, you're going to find out?" Mary Margaret asks.

Buffy sighs, "It's nothing."

"Nothing with you means something. Because if it were nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it." Mary Margaret says.

"I'm sorry – I thought you called me and Emma here to talk about you?" Buffy says.

Mary Margaret nods, "Yeah, but talking about you is easier right now."

"What is it? What's going on?" Emma asks.

They lower their voices to a whisper.

"Remember when you told me to stay away from David and I agreed?" Mary Margaret asks looking at Emma.

Emma nods, "Yes."

"I didn't." Mary Margaret says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, we know."

"You do? How?" Mary Margaret says.

Emma smiles, "Because I'm Sheriff, and Buffy's my Deputy, and you are a lovesick school teacher. Covering your tracks is not exactly your strong suit."

Buffy shakes her head. She knows it goes beyond that. She is sure that buried deep in the back of Mary Margaret's mind is her sister Snow White. And Snow is probably whispering to Mary Margaret telling her that David is her Prince Charming."

"Well, I've been discre- Discrete." Mary Margaret says.

Emma nods, "Two teacups in the sink, new perfume, late nights, plunging necklines. It was not hard to connect the dots."

"Plunging?" Mary Margaret asks.

"When I met you, you were a top button kind of girl." Emma says.

"Huh. Why didn't you say anything?" Mary Margaret says.

Emma smiles, "I'm not your mother."

"No. Well, according to Henry, I'm yours." Mary Margaret says.

Buffy sighs, "Well if you believe what is in Henry's book? I'm your sister, Mary Margaret and Emma's aunt."

Emma looks to Buffy and rolls her eyes before looking back at Mary Margaret, "I just figured that you would let me know when it was time. I'm assuming it's time."

Mary Margaret nods, "He's telling Kathryn."

"Everything?" Emma asks.

Mary Margaret nods, "Everything."

Kathryn is on the computer, when she hears David return home. "David? David, come take a look. I found a whole bunch of great apartment options. I have no idea which neighborhood to look at, but… Have you ever been to Boston?"

David shakes his head, "No. No, I've never been."

"Maybe we should ask the Sheriff, Emma. She's from there. She could probably help-" Kathryn says.

"Kathryn. I can't go to Boston with you." David says.

"Can't? Or won't?" Kathryn asks.

David sighs, "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. I… I don't know what to say."

"Try the truth. David, is there something going on that I don't know about?" Kathryn says.

"No. No, something happened. I don't know what it is, but there is something that's preventing me from connecting. And it's not fair to you to let that screw up your life. You're right – you need a fresh start. It's just not with me." David says.

In his room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast, August has Henry's book. He has taken it apart and is treating each of the pages. Around the room, he has several of the pages hanging on a clothes line to dry. On the table, part of the book has already been rebound. August takes a dried page off of the line and adds it to the stack. He starts to rebind it with string.

Regina and Henry are sitting on the couch in Regina's office. Faith who Regina gave a job is sitting at her own desk working on paperwork. Henry has a box with a bow on his lap.

"Oh, go on. Open it." Regina says.

"What's the occasion?" Henry asks.

Regina smiles, "The occasion is I love you. Go on." Henry opens the box and pulls out a video game. "Now, I know you miss your book, but with this, you can do the heroics. You can save the princesses, you can be the hero. Henry, you have to believe me. When I tore down the playground, I did it for your safety. Please, don't be upset with me. I really didn't mean to destroy your book."

"It's not just the book." Henry says, looking at Faith.

"Okay, then what is it?" Regina asks.

"It's Emma – I want to see her." Henry says.

Kathryn opens the door of Regina's office. "Regina, have you got a min- I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Henry, why don't you get home and start your homework? I'll be there in a bit and we can have dinner." Regina says.

Henry leaves. Kathryn starts to cry and Regina walks over to her. Faith puts aside her own work and looks at Kathryn.

"Oh, Kathryn, what is it?" Regina asks.

"It's David. He's leaving me." Kathryn says.

"That little home wrecker." Regina says.

Faith frowns, "What?"

"Excuse me?" Kathryn asks.

"She just couldn't stay away, could she?" Regina says.

Kathryn shakes her head, "What are you talking about?"

"Why, Mary Margaret, of course." Regina says.

Kathryn shakes her head, "What's Mary Margaret got to do with this? What's Mary Margaret got to do with any of this? Regina, do you know something?"

Regina sighs, "They've been having an affair."

Faith's eyes go wide. Who is she working for?

"How do you know this? How? Did you see something?" Kathryn asks.

"I would like to know that too, M." Faith said.

"I saw pictures. Sidney was always looking for scandal – it sells papers. He showed me. I buried them, of course." Regina says looking between Kathryn and Faith.

"Show me." Kathryn says.

Regina shakes her head, "Kathryn-"

"Show me!" Kathryn says.

Regina sighs, "Faith in the top drawer of my desk. Please?"

Faith sighs and nods. She goes over to the desk and pulls out a folder and takes it over to Regina handing it to her.

Regina hand Kathryn the folder and she opens it, and takes out several pictures showing David and Mary Margaret together.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kathryn asks.

"Because I thought you two were working it out. I wanted you to work it out. Believe me, I want you two together." Regina says.

"Why? Why do you care about any of this?" Kathryn asks.

"Because I'm your friend." Regina says.

Faith looks at the pictures and sighs. If Regina was telling the truth she was a good person to be such a good friend to Kathryn. She couldn't understand why her own son thought she was the Evil Queen.

"No, you're not. A friend wouldn't do this. A friend wouldn't lie. Everyone's lying to me." Kathryn says.

"I believe she is a good friend," Faith says. "A good friend would want to protect you from getting hurt just as M was doing."

At the school, Mary Margaret and Dawn are walking through the halls when David calls her on her cell phone. "Hey. Did, uh… Did you do it?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Yeah. It's bad." David says.

"I'm sorry." Mary Margaret says.

"He told her?" Dawn asks as Mary Margaret nods.

"No, it was, um… It was really bad." David says.

"But you told the truth. So, now, we can pick up the pieces. We can start over from a real place." Mary Margaret says.

"Hey, I want to see you. Can I come by when you get done at school?" David asks as Mary Margaret mouths to Dawn that he wants to pick her up.

Dawn smiles and nods. "Don't worry I'll catch a ride home."

"Of course! I'll see you then. And, David – you did the right thing." Mary Margaret says before she hangs up.

Kathryn enters the hallway and heads towards Mary Margaret and Dawn. She bumps into the gym teacher in the process.

"Oh, hey! Watch where you're going." Gym teacher says.

"Kathryn. I'm… I'm sorry." Mary Margaret says.

Kathryn slaps Mary Margaret. "Screw you, you're sorry."

"I understand you're upset. You have every right to be." Mary Margaret says.

"Thank you for that insight." Kathryn says.

"Uhm maybe we should talk somewhere private?" Dawn asks.

"Private?" Kathryn asks. "Why should she get any consideration at all?" She looks to Mary Margaret. "You have shown none for me – either of you. All you did was lie."

"We should have talked to you sooner, but we've been completely honest. We didn't lie." Mary Margaret says.

"You didn't lie? You snuck around. You had him break up my marriage with a pack of lies. With some crap about not being able to connect? He didn't have any trouble connecting with you." Kathryn says.

Mary Margaret frowns, "David didn't tell you about us?"

Kathryn shakes her head, "No, of course not. That would have been the honorable thing to do."

"But, he said he would tell you." Mary Margaret said looking at Dawn who shrugged.

"Well, then he lied to you, too. Good luck making it work. You two deserve each other." Kathryn says.

August pulls up to Granny's Diner on his motorcycle. Buffy comes out to meet him, while Granny watches off to the side. "You going to come in? I thought you wanted that drink."

"I do, but I didn't say here. Hop on." August says.

"You want me to get on the back of that bike?" Buffy asks.

August nods, "That's what 'hop on' means."

"How about if we go somewhere, I drive?" Buffy asks.

"How about you stop having to control everything and take a leap of faith? You owe me a drink. Hop on. I know a good watering hole." August says.

"If you don't, I will." Granny says.

Buffy rolls her eyes as August hands her a helmet and the two ride off.