Authors Note: Okay so I was kind of struggling with whether I should make them sound like mob couple? I guess lol or keep truer to their voices in the show. I decided to make them more Mobish but if you don't feel I've changed their voices in a way that fits or you feel it changes the characters to a point where you can't recognise them let me know and I'll change it in the next chapter. Also warnings of violence and foul language. Please let me know what you think Xox
It was early when she arrived, long before the sun rose. Catherine's friend, Marie was in trouble with the wrong type of people as a result of her own husbands dealings and decided it was best she get away, at least for a little while till things settled down. Though running away was a little difficult when you had an 8 year old that needed to get to school and do what she could to have some semblance of a normal childhood, so she decided it was best that her young Mary stay put. Handing her over to the most powerful mob wife known this side of the country may not have seemed like the best plan to those looking in from the outside, but in their world it was the safest place there was. No one was going to touch her while she was living in the Medici-Valois house.
Though her mother did have her reservations about sending her there since technically the recent death of her husband was Henry's fault.
Jimmy was his brother in law until his little sister died of a rare kidney disease some years ago, but they had stayed close even after Jimmy remarried. They had always been good friends but only recently Henry suggested that they start doing business together. As head of the only Scottish faction in New York, Jimmy had access to explosives that Henry very much wanted to get his hands on. Though this new partnership was a great risk for Jim he agreed out of love for a man that he considered a brother, cutting off old ties with the Irish to make new ones with the Italians that the Valois King ruled over. Unfortunately though, the Irish weren't a people that took lightly to being screwed over, especially where money and weapons were involved and Jimmy ended up shot dead as a result.
Catherine put her thoughts at ease though. If she were honest their was no one else she'd trust with her little Queen then her blonde friend. She was fiercely protective of her own children and knew she would take Mary under that same umbrella. There were many things you could call Catherine Medici-Valois, but a bad mother was not one of them.
So, with a heart felt goodbye to her daughter, Marie Guise walked her up to the front door of her new home with a suitcase in each hand. Catherine had asked Henry be at the house to meet her when she came so they could give her the impression of a secure loving home, but of course he had let her down once again, not even offering an excuse for his absence. But she wouldn't let that ruin her plan to make a good impression on the girl that, despite their parents friendship, they had had very little contact with. Standing at the front door with Francis, Elizabeth and Claude in toe she greeted their new guest, sending her little man to bring Mary's bags inside for her. She reassured her old friend one last time that all would be well before standing with Mary as they watched her retreat into her car and drive off into the distance.
Francis put her bags down in Elizabeth's room, as his younger sister had kindly offered to share it with her earlier in the week. The two had only met a handful of times but they got along amazingly and she was overjoyed by the new living arrangement and by the fact that Mary was being transferred to her school. As they were the same age Catherine had insisted that the school put them in the same class as well which made it all the better. They could spend everyday together from dusk till dawn, they would be like twins!
Catherine had never seen her daughter so excited, it confirmed for her that she had made the right decision in offering to keep Mary. But she felt herself worrying for the little dear already, the young brunette seemed to share her daughters excitement to an extent but it was tainted by a deep sadness that no child should have to know, one that the older woman knew all too well from her own youth.
Mary, being the intuitive young thing she was also made sure to pay special attention to Claude as often as she could when playing. Knowing she often felt starved for such, despite being the youngest. Claude was a problem child, always throwing tantrums and screaming, often overwhelming her mother whom always had a lot on her plate as it was. Her six year old antics leaving Catherine with little energy to spend quality time with her, a fact she often felt guilty about. She appreciated Mary's efforts to include her throughout the day, a love for the young brunette developing even faster than she was expecting.
Francis and Mary seemed to get along quite well too. Their bashful glances over the dinner table causing an almost permanent smirk to cross Catherine's face as she imagined them growing up side by side as their budding romance turned into something more, dreaming of a possible wedding between the two one day and thinking about what a handsome groom her boy would make and what a lucky man he would be to love such a kind hearted girl. She shook her head with a light chuckle, knowing how ridiculous she was being but, a mother could dream.
After dinner she had Francis and Elizabeth help her clean up before putting them all to bed early as they had been awake far longer than they were used to and she wanted them well rested for school in the morning. She helped them all to brush their hair and and put on their pyjamas, all accept Francis of course, who insisted he was much to old for Mommy's help now. Though, not to old apparently to have her read him a bedtime story.
Finally, about an hour and four fairytales later, all of her little angels were sound asleep and it was Mommy's turn to hit the hay after a very, very long day. Though much deserved rest she had been longing for all day when she heard a stirring in the kitchen. Her brain to exhausted to think logically and guess that it may be her husband creating the racket, she panicked and grabbed the gun by the side of her bed before running down the stairs to confront the threat before it could reach the children.
Henry had come home some time after midnight smelling of booze and perfume as he stumbled through the door and headed straight towards the kitchen looking for his meal. His wife always made him up a plate on the off chance he decided to come home that night. Though usually he had the common sense to announce his presence or at least call ahead as a courtesy to high strung mother of three. But in his drunken state he had forgotten his manners and judging by her aim it had almost cost him an eye.
When he stepped back from the fridge and turned around to stick his dinner in the microwave he saw her whip around the corner and aim straight at his face before she even realised who it was. Instantly he raised his hands in a motion of surrender and finally seeing him properly she dropped the gun with a frustrated sigh.
"Jesus Christ Henry! I almost took your God damn head off, what the hell are you trying to do to me showing up here this late unannounced?!" She berated angrily.
"Aye baby, relax, no harm done right?" He hushed in a way that he probably intended to be charming but in his intoxicated state just seemed down right pathetic as he made his way over to her and tried put his arm round her.
"Don't you try to fucking come here and call me baby, acting like you're some sort of decent human being, do you think I'm stupid, you asshole?! Do you think I can't smell her on you?! Get your disgusting paws away from me before cut them off and feed them to you" she spat, her fury rising by the second as she smelt that one sent that she would recognise anywhere, that one scent that was distinctly Diane that set her off more than any other stench she'd ever come across. Yet as angry as she was, she still found herself walking over to the table to grab his plate and stick it in the microwave for him before pouring him a drink and slamming it down in front of his designated seat.
"Jesus what's got your panties in a knot today?" Her husband mumbled as he walked over to his chair at the head of the table. She rolled her eyes, inwardly cursing him as she wondered how he could possibly be so thick. "I could make a list, but I'm going to go ahead and let you guess first." She said, handing him his cutlery.
Henry sat for a moment, his hazed mind trying to retrace his steps and figure out what his mistake was this time, coming up blank he had to assume that whatever he'd done it'd been done in time he'd been back home, which wasn't long he'd only been here twenty minutes and it was so late he thought- late. That was it. "..so I came home late, so what? It ain't the first time" he shrugged as she passed him his reheated food.
'Honestly, what did I ever see in this drunken imbecile' she thought to herself, looking at him august. There was a time she thought the slob before her walked on water, though over the years she had become oh so incredibly disillusioned. "You remember what I wanted from you today, the only thing I wanted from you?" She sighed exasperatedly.
After another long pause as her husband racked his brain, he finally figured it out "Shit, the girl. I forgot all about her." He confessed, as if that somehow made it alright. "Mhmm" came her unimpressed reply.
"I said I forgot, what do you want from me?" He whined, irritated that she hadn't just accepted his reason and forgiven him like he wanted. "I'm a busy man I don't have time for that sorta shit anyway. Kids are your thing" Henry huffed before returning his attention to inhaling his meal.
"You made me a promise that you'd be there Henry and not only did you not show up when I asked you were gone all day and night, you didn't even bother to come by to say hello to her." Catherine went on, her jaw clicking in annoyance at his eating habits. He was capable of eating like a human being and having some semblance of dignity about himself, just not after 16 rounds with Jack Daniels.
"Yeah well you're always saying my promises don't mean shit anyway" he retorted with an eye roll as he guzzled down the drink she'd set out for him. "And you prove me right at every chance you get" she said smiling, though there was no warmth in it. "I guess it's my fault for giving you a chance to show you actually give a damn about me or this family" she shot back, leaning her back against the counter top as she watched him from across the kitchen. To say she was fed up with his ways was quite the understatement.
"What the fuck is so special about this kid that you've gotta sit here and break my balls about her so hard for, huh?" Henry groaned, not the mood to have this conversation with his wife, who was putting a heavy damper on the buzz he'd had going when he walked in. "It's not like she's never gonna see me, I'm lettin her live in my house aren't I?"
Sometimes Catherine swore she despised this man she called her husband and comments like that were the reason. Of all the ignorant, arrogant, clueless sons of b- oh what the fuck was even the point? It didn't matter what she called him she didn't think she'd ever get through. There was only one way she knew how to really get Henry to pay attention and that was to use his guilt. "She's your best friends child, you'd think you could put in just a little bit of effort considering he's dead because of something that you pushed him into"
Henry stopped eating and looked up at her with daggers in his eyes. She was right and her taunting always stung more when that was the case. "Watch yourself, Cathy"
Catherine detested when he called her that, hated it with every fibre in her being. It got her blood boiling to the point where she wanted to take a knife and shove it through the top of his knee, but she knew if she was going to get to him she couldn't let it bother her. She couldn't let herself get worked up and react to him, she needed to stay calm and nonchalant for her words to have the desired impact. "You know what, don't even worry about it. I don't know what I was expecting from you, I mean hell, you can't even give your own children the time of day let alone someone else's"
"I SAID ENOUGH!" He boomed, not loud enough for the children to here but enough to show his was wearing thin, bashing his fist into the table as he rose from his seat. An action she was sure he intended to be intimidating. Fool.
Narrow her eyes challengingly her lips curled into an almost snarl as she threw the next of the emotional daggers she held in her arsenal against him."I guess it's true what they say, like father like son."
"You take that back" he demanded, flipping the table on its side in his anger as he took a few steps toward her, his eyes darkening in a way that to most would be more than a little frightening as his chest heaved with adrenaline. But Catherine was not just anyone, she was his equal in every way and with a cruel smile she went on, undeterred by his antics, throwing her final blade aimed right at his chest. "I should probably count it as a blessing in disguise that your never around since Francis can't possibly turn into a man he never knew"
Seeing red, Henry launched at her from across the room, picking her up by the throat and slamming her against the fridge. He held her there, just a little off the ground, pressing her head into the hard surface of the door. "You shut your fucking mouth" he ordered, his voice low and dangerous. "Or what?" Catherine spat back, her breathing a little heavy, though her composure was otherwise unaffected by his manhandling.
"I suggest you remember who you're married to, my darling" Henry warned. "That's funny, I was about to suggest you do the same, my love" his wife retorted, before motioning with her eyes to her right hand where she was holding one of the smaller kitchen knives up against his skin, ready to puncture his kidney at any moment. She never failed to come out on top, he'd give her that. He'd never even seen her pick the damn thing up. He was impressed, though it only fuelled his anger further. With a vicious snarl his hand began to close around her throat, blocking off her air way. The harder he squeezed the more force she used to press the blade into his skin. It wasn't until he felt blood trickling down his pants that he started to loosen his grip, suddenly and inexplicably filled with the desire to kiss her.
His hand moved down off her throat and began to roam over the rest of her body as he gave her room to regain her breath. When their eyes met again they were both filled with lust and hatred and love and pain and so much more that was too complicated for either to fully comprehend. He pushed her against the fridge again, hard. Intent on taking her right there as his hands ventured down to yank her nightgown up around her hips, before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss, one she Catherine returned hungrily as she dropped the knife she was still holding to the ground and wrapped her arms around his neck. Allowing him to lift her slightly so that she could mirror the action with her legs, wrapping them firmly around his hips.
She was lost in the heat of passion unable to think past he feel of his skin against hers, until a tiny sneeze caused her heart to seize in her chest. Their activities ceased immediately and Henry moved his body to cover Catherine from whichever one of their children had come to investigate the noise coming from the kitchen until she could make herself decent, whilst also covering his own...disheveled state.
Catherine pulled her nightgown back down to its normal length before bringing the lapels of her robe together and tying it at the front to hide the tear in the fabric above her breasts that had been caused by her husbands eager hands. Cursing herself that she had allowed their..argument to distract her so much she hadn't heard the pitter patter of tiny feet coming down the stairs, she moved out from behind Henry to tend to whomever it was. Her heart sinking when she saw the wide eyed young Mary looking up at her. Great, as if she hadn't been through enough without having to bare witness to..that.
"May I please have a glass of milk?" She asked innocently, trying to pretend she hadn't just seen what they all knew she had. She glances back at her husband and they share a remorseful look, sorry not just that she had seen but that it had escalated to that point, again. All their anger now deflated Henry picks up the table and puts it back on its feet before picking up the knife from the floor and hiding, it along with the gun Catherine had brought down before from young eyes that had already seen too much, whilst his wife poured them all a glass of milk.
Once the weapons were away Henry left the rest as it was and called Mary over to sit by him, knowing Catherine would pick up all the pieces later, just as she always did. With a slight reluctance the little girl walked over and sat in the seat beside him, encouraged by Catherine's warm smile. As she sat down the blonde woman Henry's and her glasses on the table and kissed the top of her head affectionately in attempt to put her at ease, which worked for the most part. Mary had come to adore Catherine in the short time they'd spent together and found that her nerves were easily calmed when the matriarch was present.
"What's your name kid?" Henry asked, having forgotten already. "Mary" she replied shyly as she took a sip of her milk.
"hmm.." He murmured, pursing his lips as he tried to decide if he could come up with something better to call her. "What's your full name?" He asked causing Catherine to grit her teeth in irritation as she went about cleaning the mess he had created. She hated the way Henry insisted on butchering their children's names, calling them by shortened, cheapened versions of the ones she'd daubed them with like; Frank, Lizzy and Nancy (a classless variation of Claude's middle name; Anne as he had always hated her first) no one else dared use such abbreviations in her presence. The names she had chosen for them were elegant and tasteful, she wanted them to be able to grow up and have every opportunity available to get out of this life, and a name with class would surely help.
Sensing his intention to do to Mary what he does with Claude she had to physically bite her tongue to stop herself from lashing out at him again with her in the room. Catherine had always hated fighting in front of her children and would try to avoid it wherever possible, this being no exception.
"..Mary Stuart, sir" she answered politely.
"You can call me Pop now and I want your middle names too" Henry insisted. "Mary Amelia Diane and I'm sorry sir but my father was James Stuart and he may be gone now but I'm not looking for another." The young girl replied with a maturity beyond her years. Nervous that she might offend him, but firm in decision that she would never call any other man father, nor any variation of that title, she squared her shoulders ready to stand her ground should he argue. Catherine liked this girl more with each passing moment.
"Fair enough sweetheart how bout you call me uncle Henry then hmm?" He suggested with an affectionate chuckle, finding he too was quite fond of the girl. She nodded sweetly and he went on with an amused glance at his wife before continuing "So you're names Diane, huh?"
"Henry don't even try it" she snapped with a dangerously icy tone. Her skin crawling at the very thought of having him refer to this sweet little girl she was already falling in love with by that whores name. "Her name it Mary, it's two syllables, it requires no shortening nor changing. It's Mary. You can handle it you're a big boy with a normal functioning brain I assure you it won't be that much of a struggle."
He gave her an amused smirk that let her know he had only said it to get a rise out of her, one she chastised herself for allowing him. He turned back to the young girl whom was watching them silently with an empty glass and a tiny, white liquid moustache.
"Mary then."