Thank you for the reviews, reads, favourites and follows... I hope you enjoy.

It's almost time for the new episode! Can't wait...

On another note, I have something that I am unsure of regarding the story... Now, I rated it M because I expect there to be some sort of sexual attraction leading to action in the fic. However, I have never written smut so I do not know whether I should change the rating to T and just imply or if I should try my hand at 'smut'? Some opinions would be nice. Thanks. ;)

Chapter 3

Regina woke up, stunned to find herself sandwiched between her son and none other than Prince Charming. Despite the prince lying on the edge of the bed, clearly careful not to touch her, she moved away from him even further. In her haste, she tumbled to the floor, Henry caught beneath her. The loud thud woke David up and he sat up straight – only to find both the queen and Henry on the floor, wincing. Without wanting to, a smirk formed on his mouth and he burst out laughing. It was not long before Henry joined his laughter and even Regina managed a small smile. David stretched and supressed a yawn. His eyes sparkled when he looked at the pair, who was now sitting on the floor, both rubbing their heads.

"Now there's something I never thought I'd see."

The amusement in his voice was obvious and Regina lifted a brow.

"I can say the same for finding you in my bed."

Although her tone was sardonic, David could not help but notice the innuendo in her words. He explained quickly, his hands stretched out in front of them.

"You had a nightmare and… Henry asked me to stay."

Her features softened and she nodded, pulling her son into an embrace.

"Thank you, David."

"You're welcome. Hey…"

A thought suddenly struck him and he looked at her curiously.

"Why did you let me keep my real name when the curse struck?"

She shrugged, uncomfortable under his piercing gaze.

"I figured… it suited you. We all deserve to have our real names and I guess… I guess I knew the curse would break sooner or later and I didn't think you ought to go back to James. You never were much like your brother."

David's eyes widened in surprise and he leaned forward slightly.

"You knew my brother?"

She nodded and pursed her lips.

"You were never as cocky as he was. I guess you reminded me of someone."

David frowned.

"Who?"

Regina's voice lowered to a whisper.

"Me. Before I became… what I am now."

For a second repulsion flashed over David's face, but soon it was replaced with curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

Regina shrugged – she guessed that it was the trauma of the previous day, but her shields had dropped completely and she had no idea how to put them back up.

"I wasn't always royal, David. There was a time when I was just a girl… in love with a stable boy, forced to marry someone I never wanted to, forced to become someone I never wanted to be."

Henry frowned where he sat in her arms. He had always seen his mother as nothing more than the evil queen – when he thought about it, he had to realize that she couldn't have been born as the queen and he sighed deeply, looking up at her.

"Mom… I never really asked you what happened…"

"What do you mean, Henry?"

He looked at her with big, innocent eyes.

"What happened to turn you in to the Evil Queen?"

Regina was silent for a while and stood up carefully, pulling her son with her.

"I think this is a story better told on a full stomach."

Henry smiled at her and glanced at David before nodding. Regina bent down to kiss his forehead gently.

"Go get dressed, I'll start with breakfast."

Henry rushed out of the room quickly and Regina turned to her closet, catching David's still figure in the reflection of her mirror. She lifted her brow, her sarcasm returning.

"Do you mind leaving so that I can get dressed or do you want a show?"

Where David would have been irritated by her sarcasm, he now realized that it was all a mask. She was desperate to protect herself and he stood with a nod.

"Sorry…"

She simply nodded and he moved away, allowing her to dress in private. Of course he considered going home, but decided against it. When he went downstairs, both Regina and Henry were already in the living room. Regina smiled up at him hesitantly.

"We decided to go to Granny's. I… I don't feel much like cooking."

The words were out before David could think about it and Regina looked at him with confusion.

"Why?"

He sat down next to him, his own gaze softening.

"I guess… I want to hear your story too. If that's okay."

Regina's mouth was suddenly dry and she nodded after a long silence.

"Okay."

He gave her a lopsided smile and shrugged.

"Is it okay if we stop by my apartment first? I guess going to Granny's in yesterday's clothing might give people the wrong idea."

Regina smirked slightly.

"You mean they won't realize that I had to kill my true love and you stayed with me, sharing my bed to make sure I was okay."

David could not help but laugh at her statement and he leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a confidential whisper.

"I think they might just think the sharing a bed part."

Regina pulled a face and a shiver went through her body.

"Oh please, no!"

Against his better judgement, David was offended at her reaction. Granted, they hated each other but he could not believe that the thought of him was that repulsive. The thought of her sure wasn't. He was embarrassed at his thought immediately and Regina watched with interest as his ears turned scarlet. He stood quickly, wanting to avoid further conversation.

"Right… let's go to my apartment, I can hear Henry's stomach growling already."

They made their way to the apartment quickly, where David got dressed in a record time before they headed to Granny's. Regina was not surprised at Granny's reaction when she entered and for a second she thought that the woman was going to chase everyone out of the diner 'for their own good'. Her heart sank a little at the thought and David, noticing it, looked at Granny with a smile.

"Don't worry about it. She's harmless… at least today."

Regina did not know whether to be offended or not, so she simply smiled gently – trying to reassure the other woman. Granny nodded briskly and David led Regina and Henry to a booth where they settled in. Regina looked incredibly uncomfortable – not a surprise, seeing as half the town was still screaming for her death and without Emma and Snow to help protect her, the task fell to David and Archie. Impulsively, he reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Ignore them, Regina. They'll get used to this – they will have to. Besides, if you think about it the curse wasn't all bad."

Regina lifted a questioning brown and David grinned.

"Running water and electricity? The food is an improvement too!"

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"Is it working?"

Regina nodded with a small smile.

"Thank you, David. For not… entirely hating me."

Henry was getting bored with the comforting conversation and he tugged at Regina's arm impatiently.

"Mom! The story!"

Ruby was at their table before Regina could open her mouth and she took their orders with a distrusting glance in Regina's direction. Only when she left, did Regina start speaking softly.

"Well… my father was a prince, but he was not first in line for the throne – far from it. He preferred a simple life – much to my mother's irritation. We moved to a small house far from the village, where we lived in peace. I loved it – I felt free. I could play in the field, ride my horse in the forest… I was alive. My mother hated it though…"

She took a deep breath, pausing. At that moment, Ruby arrived again. She placed the plates in front of them with a huff and left wordlessly. Regina took a sip of her water before continuing.

"She used to punish me with magic whenever I did something she did not agree with. I was so afraid of her. She wanted me to be rich and royal – she wanted me to marry a noble, but… I fell in love with the stable boy."

"Daniel."

Henry breathed out the name, entranced by her story. He could not imagine his mother being in love – much less with a simple stable boy.

"Yes… Daniel. One day we met up in secret and… I spotted a girl on a runaway horse. I saved her and…"

This time, it was David who interrupted her – his voice sad and sympathetic.

"It was Snow, wasn't it?"

Regina nodded and swallowed back tears.

"Her father wanted to marry me and before I could refuse, my mother accepted. I was terrified… I couldn't lose Daniel, I couldn't lose the love of my life so we decided to run away and get married, but… Snow saw us and I made her promise to keep my secret. I couldn't marry the king, but… she told my mother."

Regina took a deep breath and when she spoke again, the trace of anger in her voice was palpable.

"My mother stopped us before we could run away and she ripped Daniel's heart out… She crushed it in front of me and as much as I tried… there was nothing I could do. I couldn't save him."

Tears were pooling in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Henry slipped a hand into hers, willing her to continue.

"So I married the king… and he kept me locked up in a castle, only allowing me outside when I was with him or Snow. I had no way of escaping, no way of getting away from the miserable nightmare my life had become. I couldn't handle it anymore, I couldn't live like that so… I switched it off. Everything I felt, I switched all the pain, all the hope, all the love I had off and focused on my anger. It was the only thing that kept me alive."

She released a long breath and closed her eyes. She never thought she would have to tell the story again. Both Henry and David were quiet enough, David caught in his own thoughts. If it wasn't for Snow… if King George had found her and killed her – right in front of him, no less – surely, he would not have been the person he was now. Who was to say that he would not have travelled down the same road as Regina had? He reached for her hand and brushed his thumb over her soft skin gently.

"I'm sorry, Regina."

Once again, she managed to switch off all emotion and put her mask back in place. She lifted her chin and forced herself to smile.

"What's done is done. I wanted to avenge Daniel, but… casting a curse out of vengeance… I know it was wrong. I'm evil… and as much as I want to blame Snow, my mother, anyone… I only have myself to blame."