AN: Lots of character development in this story, so stick with me. We will get to villainy and nastiness soon.

Fairytale Land: The Past, Kingdom of Thebes

Hercules stood in the dining hall, watching out the window as Meg busied herself in the back garden. They had gardeners to tend to these things, but she seemed so keen to do it on her own, despite her condition, and so he granted her this respite. While he watched his wife work, his thoughts drifted. It had been roughly eight months since they had married and yet he couldn't help but feel a palpable distance between himself and his bride. While it was evident by the swell of her belly that they had shared intimate moments, moments where Hercules truly felt that any barriers between them were gone, their relationship outside the bedroom was vastly different. She held his hand as they traveled to the market, but it was mainly he who would reach for hers, and although she would smile when he tried to joke with her, something about it felt empty.

"You know, you really shouldn't allow your wife to attend to such strenuous labors," a voice from behind snapped Hercules out of his reverie. "It's not good for the baby."

"What are you doing here, Hera?" Hercules huffed, turning to face the woman who had a knack for being able to seemingly appear out of nowhere.

Hera rolled her eyes as she dragged her hand across a nearby ledge as if she was inspecting for cleanliness. "Now, now, my dear step-son, no need to be testy. I'm merely here to inquire about the health of my future grandchild and its mother. I am a midwife after all."

"Megara and our baby are just fine," Hercules replied coolly. "We have a wonderful midwife of our own who has assured us that everyone is healthy and well."

"You wound me, Hercules," Hera sighed. "That you've chosen not to use my services in the delivery of your child."

"We thought it was best this way."

"You mean, Meg thought it was best."

"We thought it best," Hercules repeated. "Decisions concerning our child are made together."

"Very well then," Hera replied with a huff. "It really is sad though."

"I'm sure there are plenty of other women with-child in need of your particular…skillset," Hercules replied. His relationship with his step-mother was tenuous at best. Hera had a temper, and it was well-known she did not favor Hercules due to the particular circumstances surrounding his parentage. It made him all the more suspicious of her concerns about his wife and child.

"Oh Hercules," she chuckled half-heartedly. "That's not what I mean."

Hercules swallowed hard. He would never ask her to explain herself, knowing she would tell him her thoughts regardless.

"It's simply a shame that the child will grow up with a mother who doesn't love its father," Hera continued.

"You speak of things you know nothing about," Hercules replied, clenching a fist at his side as he cast a sideways glance back toward the garden.

"I know more than you think," Hera shrugged. "I mean, what with Meg's relationship with Adonis."

Hercules head snapped back around as he stared at his step-mother, coldness in her eyes that chilled him to the bone.

"You really don't know, do you? Your precious bride belonged to another."

"I think it's time for you to leave," Hercules said simply.

Hera clucked her tongue, "Very well my child. Don't bother seeing me out. You really should get back to tending to your…wife."

Hercules watched as Hera shuffled her way out of the dining hall, robes billowing behind her. Once she was gone, he turned back to the window yet again and found that Meg had settled herself on a nearby bench to read. Hercules knew he shouldn't take Hera's words to heart, that more than likely she was simply looking to cause trouble. Try as he might to quell the thoughts that his wife may have loved another and that she was merely here out of obligation to her kingdom, the words burned. That sense of emptiness he had felt before now sat in the pit of his stomach and threatened to swallow him whole.

Storybrooke: Present Day

It had only been two days since Hercules had arrived in Storybrooke, and Meg felt as if she was slowly going crazy. She had done her best to avoid him, keeping their interactions with just each other to a minimum. It proved to be an impossible task when she realized she was the only person he knew in Storybrooke, he was in a strange land, and he was looking to her to soften the adjustment. He had found her in the diner that morning sitting alone and slid into the empty booth across from hers.

"Good morning, Meg," he greeted her, bringing his hand up to scratch the back of his head as he pretended to be interested in something across the room.

Meg knew his tell. He needed a favor and it was something he was embarrassed to ask.

"What do you need?" she asked flatly.

"Well..I.."he shifted uncomfortably. "While I am grateful that the pirate has let me make use of his garments, I was hoping…"

"Spit it out," Meg rolled her eyes. The sooner he asked whatever it was he needed, the sooner she could be done with it and hopefully find some place to hide for the rest of the day.

"I was hoping you might be able to help me procure something a bit less…" he waved a hand toward his middle and looked around as if someone else might hear what he was about to say, "Snug."

Meg brought her coffee cup to her mouth, hoping he wouldn't see her smirk, finally understanding what he was trying to get at.

He leaned forward a bit, lowering his voice, "Honestly, I don't understand how the men in this realm can wear these things. I feel like everything is...I don't even know how to explain it. What I wouldn't give for a nice tunic right about now."

"Aww you miss the 'free and easy' lifestyle huh?" she chuckled.

"It's not funny!" he hissed. "It's hard enough adjusting to this realm without my…masculinity…being abused by a pair of silly pants. Besides, it's not just that. I feel as if I'm going to rip this shirt." As if to prove his point, he flexed to show just how much the seams were struggling against his arms and torso.

She shook her head, catching herself staring as his muscles strained against the fabric. Alright, Meg, get ahold of yourself.

She leaned in, moving close and noted he looked a bit surprised, as if he thought she might be about to make some kind of romantic gesture. "I'll let you in on a little secret of this realm…it's called underwear."

Hercules sat back in his seat. He looked like he wanted to say something, like he was mulling over some deep rooted thoughts that he'd been carrying with him for a long time. Whatever it was he wanted to say, Meg knew she couldn't hear it. She was not going to let him break her. Taking one final sip of her coffee, she slid the mug to the side. The need to escape this situation was growing stronger by the minute. She looked around the diner, wishing Killian was around. Maybe she could pawn Hercules off on him. He'd surely have a much better perspective on men's garments than she did. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, have fun with your shopping," she said, sliding out of the booth. She was halfway to the door when he called her name.

"Meg."

She stopped, willing herself not to turn around.

"Meg, will you please help me with my underwear," he said, oblivious to the sniggers and giggles from the diner patrons at the next booth.

Reluctantly she did finally turn back around. It was really kind of a pathetic sight, seeing him sitting at the table looking like a lost puppy. She was almost ready to give in when she noticed Ruby standing nearby, very clearly ogling the blonde man sitting in the booth, and had an idea.

"Come with me," she said, grabbing Ruby by the arm and pulling her to the table.

"What—"

"Ruby, Hercules. Hercules, Ruby," Meg quickly introduced them. "Hercules here needs some help, and I think you just may be able to provide it."

Hercules gave Ruby a small smile. Meg flinched a bit when he glanced back at her, seemingly putting the pieces together of what she was trying to do. She thought she saw a twinge of hurt in his eyes, and she quickly pushed it away.

"Anyways," she continued, turning to Ruby. "Hercules has been borrowing clothes, and they don't exactly fit. I know you are really up on the latest fashion trends in this realm and thought maybe you could show him the best place to pick up a few things of his own."

"You want me to take your boyfriend shopping?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"Not my boyfriend," Meg replied quickly. "But, yeah. I have…something I need to take care of or I'd do it myself," she lied. "So what do you say?"

Ruby looked hesitant at first then glanced back over at Hercules. Meg could see the wheels turning in her head and her eyes start to wander.
"I'll owe you a favor, Ruby?" Meg smiled.

"Yeah, yeah I can help," Ruby nodded.

"Good. Now you two kids have fun," Meg replied, quickly making her exit before she ended up being called back again. Once she was outside and a safe distance away she leaned against the nearest building. A small part of her felt bad for what she'd done, a bigger part of her knew in the grand scheme of things it was for the best.

By the time Ruby and Hercules finished shopping, it's nearly lunchtime. They walked back to the diner, chatting cordially, in spite of the fact that Hercules' thoughts were elsewhere. Once they reached the Inn, he thanked Ruby for her help and headed up to his room to deposit the bags of clothing. He'd fully intended on heading back downstairs to grab some lunch but instead found himself staring at Meg's door, wondering if she was in there. He thought about knocking, quickly deciding against it. Cornering her in her room would only serve to drive her further away, and that was most certainly not his goal. When he came downstairs he noticed Meg sitting in with of the far booths having lunch with Killian and hesitated for a moment deciding whether or not to go over.

"Hello Meg, Killian," he greeted the pair, mustering up the gumption to approach their table.

The shift in Meg's demeanor was palpable. Apparently Killian sensed the tension as well, because he suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Well, thanks for lunch, Killian," Meg said, doing her best to avoid making eye contact with Hercules as she slid out of the booth to make another hasty exit.

Hercules watched her leave, suddenly unsure of what he wanted. Any animosity Meg had towards him was his own fault, and he wasn't quite sure what he'd expected. It didn't change the fact that she was clearly avoiding him, and the harsh reality of her chilly reception felt as if she had slapped him in the face. He was honestly surprised that she hadn't just reached out and hit him. When his wits returned Hercules realized the pirate was still sitting in the booth next to where he was standing and looked like he wasn't sure what to do with himself after the awkward encounter.

"You know mate," Killian finally spoke. "I have a bit of a project at the harbor. Maybe you could assist me."

Hercules turned to the other man, suddenly grateful for the offer to do something useful that might prove a welcome distraction from his current situation. The two men walked toward the harbor together in silence. They reached the docks and Hercules followed Hook to one of the nearby boats.

"I don't mean to be presumptuous," Hercules mused. "I expected a pirate ship to be a bit…bigger."

Killian looked up from where he'd been rummaging through some bins on the deck. "It's not about the size, mate. It's about the man at the helm."

"I'll hazard a guess then and say this vessel does not belong to you?" Hercules probed, stepping onto the deck.

"No, it does not. But if you have qualms about whether or not I've stolen it, given my status as a pirate, then I can assure you it belongs to a friend and I am merely assisting with some renovations," Killian huffed, tossing a rag to the blonde man.

"I didn't mean to imply that you'd stolen anything," Hercules said quickly. "I just assumed you may have given up the pirating lifestyle. Your lady, Emma, is it? She's the sheriff?"

Killian chuckled. "Isn't it always about a woman?"

"It seems that way," Hercules replied. He coughed a bit and shifted nervously. "So, how did you meet Megara?"

"I was travelling the seas and moored my vessel in the port of Thebes," Killian explained. "We ran into each other, quite literally…she bloody well almost broke my ribs."

Hercules chucked a bit, the tension easing a bit. "She's…"

"A bit of a spitfire?" Killian finished.

"That," Hercules nodded "And stubborn. Meg doesn't mince words, for sure."

"Ah. Yes, I know the type."

"I can't say that I blame her though for the grievances she has with me."

Killian cocked his head a bit, dipping his rag into the open can of varnish at his feet. "There does seem to be some animosity there."

"Rightfully so," Hercules looked down, suddenly feeling ashamed. "I mean…I'm the one who left her."

If Killian was phased by this new revelation, he didn't show it. From observing Meg and Killian's interactions it was clear that there was a comradery between the two, and he expected his confession to be met with judgement, anger, and quite possibly violence. They remained quiet as they worked and every so often Hercules would glance over at the other man, mainly just to reassure himself he wasn't making a mess that might delay the progress of the project.

"You know mate," Killian finally spoke after what seemed like eternity, "I won't pry into the circumstances of what happened between you and Meg, but if there is one thing I've learned about winning the heart of a lady, you can't force it, regardless of how much it may pain you. You may just need to back off, give her space and time, and let her come to you."

Hercules nodded, letting Killian's words sink in. They continued working for a bit longer until Killian declared it was starting to get dark and he needed to meet Emma.

"Thank you," Hercules smiled. "The distraction and the discussion were much appreciated."

"No trouble at all mate. You're quite handy to have around," Killian nodded.

Suddenly Hercules caught sight of someone a short ways down the beach. "I'll let you catch up to your Emma. I think I may stay and admire the view for a bit."

Killian nodded again and with a quick wave headed off toward the diner. Hercules turned and started making his way down the shoreline.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said, finding Meg sitting on an old log near the water. He had to resist the urge to step back when she turned to him with a glare he swore could pierce skin.

"You're just everywhere I want to be, aren't you?" Meg replied sarcastically, turning back to the water.

Hercules flinched, knowing he needed to choose his words cautiously. "Well, you've been avoiding me, or pawning me off on your friends."

As soon as he said it he knew he had chosen wrong. Meg reeled on him, a fury on her face like nothing he had ever seen before. She stepped toward him and this time he did move away when he saw her hand clench at her side. He braced for her to hit him.

"And obviously you didn't get the damn hint," she snapped. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be here right now."

"I had just hoped we could talk," he started.

"Well I don't care to hear anything you have to say, and I have nothing to say to you."

With his attempts at trying to reason with her failing, Hercules felt his own resolve begin to dwindle. Anger and irritation were starting to seep up from some deep recess inside of him. He fought hard to push it away and failed, snapping back, "Well I see you haven't changed much. Still as thick-headed and quick tempered as always, right Megara?"

"Don't you dare!" Meg cried angrily. "I wanted to talk that night, when everything went wrong. You tossed me out, fed me some sorry story about how I was free to go find my true love!"

"I think it was fairly obvious I wasn't in my right mind that night," Hercules replied back in a feeble attempt to defend his self.

His seemingly even-keeled demeanor seemed to stoke Meg's fire. She moved toward him, stepping into his space, and jammed a finger into his face. "I'm not here so you can feel better about what you did. So you can forget whatever silly notion you have of trying to make amends with me. I WILL NOT soothe your wounds. YOU left ME! YOU abandoned ME! You were done with me then…now, I am done with you."

Hercules watched her walk away. He should have heeded her words and just let her go, but foolishly he did the exact opposite. "You never loved me anyways, so what does it matter? I let you go and figured you'd just run back to Adonis like you wanted. Let's be honest, you were only with me out of obligation."

Meg turned, slowly making her way back towards him. She stood right in front of him, staring him down. For a moment he saw the anger etched in her face had disappeared, making way for something else he couldn't quite place. He waited for her to speak, only this time she did reach out and slapped him hard across the face. For the third time in his life, Hercules watched her walk away, knowing in his heart this would be the last time.

TBC