Meant to have this up a few days ago! Thank you once more to my wonderful beta, without whom it probably would have taken another week to update!
Again, they'd gone to sleep on opposite sides of the bed and woken wrapped around one another, though this time they'd woken at the same time.
David inhaled deeply and opened his mouth to say something, but Regina cut him off.
"Still not talking about it."
He chuckled and reached up to stroke her arm lightly with his fingers. Any other time of day, physical contact was avoided – foreign – but waking up to it, it felt familiar and safe. "You think we can keep avoiding the topic forever?"
She hummed. "Maybe not forever, but we can at least do it for now. It keeps things from being too complicated."
"How long do we have before we need to be up?"
She lifted her head just enough to glance at the clock. "We have a few minutes."
"So what's the plan for today?"
"The plan?"
"You know – there was shopping day, snow day, the play yesterday – so what's in store today?"
"I only know as much as you do."
"Yes, but you're mom."
She smiled. "And you're dad. What does that have to do with anything?"
"I don't know," he laughed.
"Well…" She groaned and braced a hand on his chest as she pushed herself up. "I suppose if we have to come up with a plan, we'd better get up."
David let his hand slip off her arm as she stood. "Mmm. Fine."
-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-
Halfway through breakfast, David's cell rang and Regina watched from the table as he left the room. He'd had a smile on his face, so she assumed it was nothing bad. Her curiosity grew when she heard a laugh from the hallway. A minute later, he reappeared and she raised her eyebrow in question.
"I guess we don't have to come up with a plan after all," he told her.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Apparently Olivia is dying for a playdate with the girls and Oliver."
"She's coming here?"
"No, actually; Emma and Neal said we could drop the kids off with them for the day."
"Alright. That sounds fine."
"Yay!" Isabella grinned. "We're going to Aunt Emma and Uncle Neal's?"
Regina looked rather alarmed by the names and David laughed.
"Guess it's just going to be you, me, Ben and Henry today," he said.
"Actually…" Henry looked up from where he'd been twirling his spoon absentmindedly in his cereal. "I was gonna go out today." He finished rather nervously, glancing back and forth between David and his mom. "If that's okay, I mean."
"Where were you planning on going?" Regina asked curiously.
"Oh, well…I was thinking maybe I'd do a little Christmas shopping, see grandma. I don't know…"
She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he wasn't being completely honest. "Henry…"
"I just have something I need to do, okay?"
"Not unless I know where you're going."
"But, mom—"
"No, Henry. You're my son and I'm not letting you go off without knowing you're safe or where to come find you if I need to."
He sighed heavily. "I'm going to Granny's."
"For? That shouldn't be something to hide."
"I'm meeting someone."
She set down her fork and glanced down, nodding. "That woman who brought us here," she guessed.
Isabella looked up curiously.
"Yeah," he admitted. "I just wanted to talk to her by myself."
"I don't think that's such a good idea. You don't know what she—"
"She's not gonna hurt me. And that's why I picked Granny's. Lots of people." He watched her closely as she studied him. "Please, mom?"
She glanced up at David who gave a considering look with a shrug and then tilted his head, nodding.
"Fine," she conceded. "But I want to know exactly what time you're meeting her and when you'll be back, and if you think you might be late, call."
"Deal."
"Who are you doing to see?" Isabella asked curiously.
"She's one of the teachers at my school," Henry lied smoothly. "I'm trying to do an extra credit project over winter break and I've been having trouble with it." It wasn't a complete lie – just out of context, and it seemed to appease Isabella.
"So what are you and Daddy going to do?" she turned her attention to her parents.
"I guess we get to hang out with Ben today," David smiled. "What do you think about that, buddy?" He reached down and tickled the baby in his highchair and Ben let out a squeal and laughter.
"And you'll both be here?"
"Yes, honey, we'll both be here." Regina gave her daughter a gentle smile.
It was Henry's turn to look confused, but he didn't ask, just picked up his spoon and began to actually eat his breakfast.
-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-
After dropping the younger kids off with Emma and Neal, Regina and David buckled themselves into the car.
"Home?" David asked, turning to look at her from his place behind the wheel.
"Actually…" She swallowed visibly and David wondered what had her so nervous. "I was hoping…I called Dr. Hopper this morning and he said he had an opening…"
"Understood."
"Are you okay with that? I just thought—"
"It's fine, Regina. I know why and I think it's a good idea."
"I mean, even after last night and this morning, she—"
"Say no more. Really, I understand. I think it'd be a good thing to talk with Archie."
"Okay." Regina relaxed a little, sitting back in her seat. "Good. I'm glad we're in agreement."
The car ride was silent, but it was a comfortable silence, not an awkward one. When they parked, David pulled Ben's car seat from the van and the couple made their way up the stairs. Regina stepped forward to knock on the door and the pair stood arm to arm until Archie opened it.
"Right on time," he noted, greeting them with a smile. "Come in, come in." He stepped aside and gestured for them to come inside.
"I hope you don't mind that we brought Ben," Regina told him, taking a seat on the sofa.
"No, not at all." He settled himself in his chair as David took a seat next to Regina and set Ben's carrier on the floor in front of them so that he was facing them. He was still fast asleep, the car ride having lulled him into an early nap.
"I'm really glad you decided to come," Archie continued.
"I had to consider it heavily," Regina admitted. "After last time—"
"I assure you, it won't happen again."
"Yes, well, Isabella's happiness is more than worth the risk."
"I've been hoping the two of you would come talk to me," he hurried on, not wanting to remain on the topic of his poor lapse in judgment.
"Did Victor talk to you?" she asked with narrowed eyes.
"…Victor? Oh, Dr. Whale? No, why?"
"Why were you hoping we'd come in?"
"Well there have been a lot of changes around Storybrooke lately, and I think it's fair to say the two of you have been affected quite dramatically. I've been seeing many new families, but your new position proves a much greater transition than most, given your history and the much larger dynamic."
Regina raised an eyebrow at that and gave a wry chuckle. "You think?"
David caught her eye and gave her a small side smile.
Archie watched the pair and their exchange with interest. They were sitting comfortably next to one another, no distance or awkwardness like one would expect. "So…" he started. "You mentioned Isabella…one of your children?"
"Our older daughter," David spoke up. "She's six."
"And she's been having the most trouble with this transition?"
"The twins are only three and Ben doesn't mind one way or the other," David explained, smiling down at the baby.
"So you've managed to co-exist to the point where the younger children don't seem to notice a difference?"
"Well I wouldn't say they don't notice," Regina thought aloud, "I think it's more that it doesn't bother them."
"So what is it that's been bothering Isabella?"
"She's noticed the…distance…between us," David started awkwardly. "Which is mainly my fault. I wasn't receptive in the beginning, and I wasn't sensitive to their needs. I was more distracted by what had happened, and Snow. She picked up on the hostility. And it didn't help that in the beginning, I was staying with Snow."
"I see. And that's changed?"
"I'm sure it's all over town," Regina said in irritation. "He's moved in and people don't bother to hide their gossip. That hasn't helped with the children, either."
Archie ignored the flare-up of hostility. "What made you change your mind about your living situation?" he directed at David.
"Isabella was in the hospital. Dr. Whale thought it was brought on by stress because of all the changes. He talked with her a little about what had been going on. My children's health is more important than whatever stress I might be dealing with, so I moved in. We thought it had fixed it, but she came to us yesterday and still had concerns about the two of us splitting up. Even last night didn't seem to make a difference."
"What was different about last night?"
"We shared a bed," Regina said flatly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
Archie's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he managed to keep his tone calm and even. "I see. And what prompted that?"
"Isabella," she told him, as if it should be obvious. "She was worried that David had been sleeping on the couch for so long. She's afraid we're getting a divorce." She laughed, a little on the hysterical side, "Which is crazy since we're not even married." Putting a hand over her eyes, she sighed. "But we're here. However it happened, it happened, and we need Isabella to feel secure."
Archie hummed. "Have the two of you been arguing?"
"About what?" David asked.
"Anything. Have you argued in front of the children?"
"In the beginning," he answered.
"Surprisingly enough, we've managed to get along this last week," Regina added.
Archie nodded, looking between the two of them. "And aside from sleeping arrangements, have the two of you shown any physical contact consistent with a normal married couple?"
"Such as?" Regina leaned forward a bit.
"Light touches, hand holding, hugging, a kiss on the cheek?"
David shook his head, but Regina slowly nodded, playing back the week through her head.
"David's touched my back a few times, but other than that, not really."
"It's a start," Archie encouraged, "but if you truly want Isabella to feel secure, you're going to have to do more than come out of the same bedroom in the morning. Intimacy is extremely important. For marriages, yes, but it's important for child development, as well. Seeing you interact is part of what provides a feeling of safety for them. They pick up on the meanings of holding hands and hugging and learn how to express all of those feelings themselves." He looked between the two of them. "I know it's probably very uncomfortable for the two of you, but it's important that you display these things for them. If you want Isabella to feel like the two of you aren't going to divorce, she has to see physical representations of your love for each other and for her. Words aren't enough."
"Our love for each other?" Regina asked.
"Well, you know...the love she remembers between you." He sat forward a little in his chair. "Would either of you like something to drink – water or tea?"
"Water," they replied at the same time.
"Please," David added.
"Sure." The therapist stood up and walked to the table at the side of the room. "So aside from the children, how have the two of you been with this rather large adjustment?"
"We've been alright," Regina replied vaguely.
"I've been an ass," David corrected. "She's been amazing. She kept the kids together without me for several days, and I have no idea how she did it. Even with the two of us, it can be exhausting. I took my anger out on her in the beginning, but it won't happen again. And we're working together on getting this solved for everyone."
As David's thoughts trailed off, he frowned, and Archie turned with the two glasses in hand in time to see it.
"So you don't know the source of this yet?" he asked.
David and Regina accepted their waters gratefully.
"We've met the woman who did this." Regina took a sip of her water. "And she told us that this isn't permanent, but beyond that, she wasn't exactly forthcoming with her answers. It seems even she doesn't know exactly how long all of this will last."
"And the longer it goes on, the more I don't want it to end," David blurted.
Regina looked over at him with slight surprise. He'd admitted almost as much the night before, but to say it so definitively and to someone else was something she hadn't expected.
Archie looked caught off guard as well. "Really. How so?"
David leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he scrubbed a hand over his face and sighed heavily.
"It's them, Archie. These kids. They're so intelligent and wonderful, they're gorgeous, and they each have their own strong personality. They're kind and funny and they're mine. They call me daddy, and they don't look at me with sadness or regret or anything resembling resentment."
Regina's heart broke as she looked at him and Archie took a moment to look at them, deciding if he wanted to broach the subject with Regina in the room.
"Like Emma, you mean?"
David looked up at him with watery eyes. "I understand why she feels that way, one hundred percent, I do. But I know that no matter what I do or say or how much time goes by, she can never fully forgive me. I know that, I accept that, but it hurts."
"That's my fault," Regina said miserably.
David's head snapped up to look at her in shock. "I didn't mean—"
"No, it is. It was my curse that separated you, that took away your memories of her. I'm the reason she lived her first twenty-eight years without you."
He shook his head. "No you're not. You cast the curse, yes, but Snow and I made the decision to send her through the portal. We didn't have to do that – we could have stayed together, but we didn't."
"Yes, but you made that decision because of the curse."
"We could go around and around about whose fault it is, but I don't blame you for it. I did at the time, and right after we woke up from the curse, but the more time I spent with Emma, the more I realized that blaming others didn't make it better; didn't make it right. It's in the past."
She looked shocked. "But—"
"No. Whoever that woman was, she's not you. You've changed. And I'm not the same naïve prince who blamed you. I regret missing my daughter's childhood more than anything else in the whole world, but that's on me, and that's why I can't imagine losing these children, too. It would hurt too much."
They sat in heavy silence, until Archie finally cleared his throat. "Will you be coming in for another session?"
Regina blinked at him. "What do you mean? We're not even halfway through this one."
"Time-wise, no, but I think you've covered a lot of ground today."
"You do?" David asked, a little surprised.
"Yes. You're both concerned with your children's welfare – you came in here of your own volition, and in agreement with one another. You're willing to do whatever it takes to keep them safe, comfortable and happy, and you know the next steps to take. And I don't know if you've realized it, but beyond your children, the two of you have taken great steps in working through your own problems. That will go hand-in-hand with helping your children. I think this is a perfect place to leave it for now. I'd like to talk to Henry soon, too, if that's alright. See how he's doing with everything."
"I'll mention it to him," Regina said. She stood, and David followed suit, picking up the carrier with the still-miraculously asleep Benjamin.
"Regina, David, thank you for coming in," Archie told them both sincerely, smiling at them. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see how well you're making this work."
The pair exited the office, feeling slightly more awkward at the compliment.
"So…" Regina said, turning to David once the door had shut behind them. "Afternoon glass of wine?"
David laughed. "Maybe two."