Thank you guys for being so patient with me! A day in the life of Emily is not one that many could handle juggling let alone do it and find the time to write but I am doing my very best for you all :) I promise I have not abandoned Catch Me! The next instalment is nearly completely finished I just need to finish one more scene and I'll post it. Hopefully I will get plenty of writing done next week as I will be in Mexico and I do not intend to bring my busy life with me lol ;) And also thank you to evilcharmingparrillas for the idea of having Rumple kidnap Henry for a bit. I totally forgot to mention her early so sorry, hun! Enjoy! And please leave a review! I love hearing what you think!

Wandering the castle aimlessly, David had found himself outside in the small courtyard closed in by tall stone walls easily fifteen feet high. There were organized racks of weapons placed neatly around the perimeter of the large square space and it was then that he came to the conclusion that this was where the training of Regina's guard occurred. Bows and arrows, spears, axes, maces, shields, thick wooden sticks, armour, and of course swords. Which was where his eyes happened upon Henry.

The boy was selecting a sword for his morning practice and while David approached him with a smile, Henry very purposely and blatantly ignored him with a small scowl on his mouth. "It's a beautiful morning for a little sword practice," David started as he leaned a shoulder against the stone wall and next to the wooden rack neatly holding a variety of swords. But Henry didn't speak, didn't so much as glance in his direction which had David furrowing his brow curiously.

"You alright?"

"Fine," he answered shortly.

David nodded but wasn't the slightest bit convinced as he plucked a sword from its place and examined the beautiful work of the blacksmith that made it. "So you've been coming down here every morning?" no reply, only the movement of him picking his sword, "for how many months now?"

"You know the answer to that question, David, you're just trying to get me to talk."

"Indeed."

"I don't want to talk to you," he bit out and David furrowed his brow and frowned in confusion. The man didn't even know. He didn't even know what he was doing. So with a scowl on his mouth, Henry turned his back to him and started walking his way but when David's sword lightly scraped against his own with a quiet 'hey' in a gesture for him to stop for a moment, Henry snapped.

David jumped back a little and lifted his sword to block Henry when the boy whipped around with an angered roar and swung his sword at him. When metal clashed metal, Henry swung again and again, pushing David backward as he blocked every swing. He was surprised by the outburst of rage and then surprised once more by the boy's strength as he swung relentlessly with all of his might.

Henry pushed him a little further around the yard before David finally gathered his thoughts and regained his footing so he could stand his ground and defend himself better. "Henry!" He blurted out but the boy only swung harder and yelled in his fit of rage. However David did notice that tears shone in Henry's dark eyes and he couldn't help but wonder what had put them there. For the life of him, David could not come up with anything he had done that would result in Henry breaking in such a way.

Although he now understood that Henry was lashing out and David was more than happy to let himself become the object that Henry let loose on. So he blocked every swing and dodged every stab and pushed the boy back until he was exhausted and stepped back with tears rolling down his young cheeks as he tried to catch his breath.

"It wasn't supposed to be you!" He yelled and David subtly shook his head in confusion as he too tried to catch his breath. With another furious scream Henry threw his sword but David quickly jumped out of the way and it clattered to the floor, "you were supposed to help!" He yelled and when David said nothing, Henry turned and ran off without bothering to wipe his tears away.

...

He had run to the stables and from there he had galloped Rocinante out of the castle gates and in to the forest. The fresh air speeding past him cleared his head and it felt fantastic and the power and strength of the animal beneath him soothed his urge to break things in his raging temper. As he sat there cross legged in the grass he thought on how he generally really didn't have a temper. That that morning was the only time he could remember completely snapping.

He stared at Rocinante as he plucked the grass in front of him and she ate the grass in front of her. He had removed her saddle and bridle and when he sat down in the grass she followed suit and laid down in front of him with all her legs tucked beneath her. It was like the mare knew that he was Regina's son and in turn was important and was not to be left alone in the woods. He didn't question the chestnut mare though, he simply accepted it and stared at her as his thoughts ran amuck in his head.

"I don't know what to do, Rocinante," he spoke and the mare's ears flicked toward the sound of his voice as she continued to graze. "I think..." He started and then gave a long exhale as he slumped his shoulders, "I think my mom is in love with David...and I think that he's in love with her too...but...they're not suppose to be in love with each other...they're just...this isn't...what do I do, Rocinante?" He asked miserably but of course the mare said nothing in return.

"I miss my mom, Rocinante," he pushed out miserably and sniffed back his tears, "I miss my home, I miss my room, I miss my comic books, I miss my bed, I miss my mom, I miss her cooking, I miss the way she always checked on me before she went to bed, I miss her telling me not to leave my stuff on the stairs, I miss her telling me to eat my vegetables, I miss her smiling at me just because I was there with her and she loved me, I miss her yelling on the phone at the 'mindless idiots that make up the population of Storybrooke'," he chuckled a little and sniffed as he wiped away the tears from his cheeks, "I miss my mom. I miss Emma and David and Snow too but I miss my mom the most."

He sat there in the grass for a little while longer, his fingers pulling and plucking at the long green blades of it. Only the sounds of birds flying through the trees and Rocinante grazing surrounded him. It was calming but it didn't make the hurt go away. "Do you think...do you think that David would hurt her? Do you think he could really love her? Like true love sort of love? Do you think he would make her happy?"

...

She didn't want to cry, she didn't want to be sad, she didn't want to feel like her heart was crumbling, she didn't want to hurt. But she did and the tears left her eyes anyway. She wanted him. She wanted him so bad but she couldn't have him and that hurt more than she could describe. It would take little effort on her part to seduce the shepherd in to her bed but that was not what she wanted. She wanted more than that, she wanted him to love her. Entirely, with all of his heart.

But he loved Snow White. Once more that girl stood in the way and she had no words for how livid she was regarding that damn girl. It wasn't even as simple as removing her from the picture. She knew better than anyone that just because your loved one was gone didn't mean you stopped loving them. She wanted David to choose her over Snow. But that wasn't going to happen.

She was miserable and she hated being miserable. She preferred to be angry rather than miserable. At least anger gave her something to do.

"Mom?" Henry called quietly as he peeked his head in to her room and found her sitting in her bed with her blankets bunched around her waist and her eyes on her hands in her lap.

"I am not in a good mood, Henry," she pushed out in a tired voice just above a whisper and didn't so much as glance in his direction.

"Me neither," Henry frowned as he slowly walked up to her bed so he could crawl in to it with her. Still she kept her eyes down and her jaw crossed and he frowned when he saw tears falling down her face. "Wanna talk about it?" He asked softly as he sat cross legged beside her.

"No..."

"...that wasn't a very convincing 'no'," he argued quietly and she sniffed softly and turned her head away from him a little. He allowed her some silence though. Just while he built up the courage to confront her and talk with her. His little world was falling apart. Everything was changing, his fairytales rewriting themselves.

"You love David. Don't you," he stated softly and she bowed her shaking head and clenched her jaw with the effort it took not to let her tears turn in to audible cries. "I didn't mean for this to happen...I didn't think that it...Prince Charming and Snow White are supposed to be together. It's what it's supposed to be, it's what everyone knows. In every world the story of Snow White and Prince Charming is known. Whether it's real life or just a story," he shook his head at his hands and when he looked up at his mom his heart sank at the pure misery and heartache that twisted her beautiful face.

"Prince Charming and the Evil Queen they...they aren't supposed to be together. I wasn't okay with it, it isn't what I have known to be and it is upsetting to find out that the things you think are set in stone are...not. But I have learned that you can't choose the people you love...so...I promised you I would make sure you found love again and if you love David then I will help you let him see that."

Regina shook her head again and sucked in a shaky breath as her tears rolled down her cheeks and breathed out a shaky, "Henry."

"I'm serious," he stated quietly but firmly. Determined.

"He doesn't love me. He will never love me," she breathed out in a defeated whisper and furrowed her brow and moved her eyes back down at her hands because she hated seeing the sorrow and conflict in his young face.

"I think he does though..." He whispered and she shook her head and drew in a shaky and teary breath, "he feels something, mom. And if it's not love it's really close to it."

"He doesn't feel anything for me," she shook her head and swallowed tightly, "he may want me in his bed but he does not feel anything toward me."

"That isn't true."

"Isn't it?" She whispered almost too quiet to hear.

"No. I may not know a whole lot about love because I'm only eleven years old but I know what I saw last night. The way he was holding you, the way he was looking at you, that wasn't nothing. He feels something for you. Deeply. And he is probably having a hard time with it too because he knows that he is supposed to love Snow White but his heart begs for you."

A small cry finally left her lips and she shook her head as she glanced miserably at Henry, "he will never choose me over Snow."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean why not?!" She cried out with a miserable laugh and her breaths shook with her cries as her tears fell freely, "what would possess anyone to leave good and pure and pretty Snow White for me? Me!"

"What is wrong with you?! What is so bad about wanting you?!"

"I am not worth it, Henry! I do not deserve such a precious thing as love!"

"You are worth it! Don't you ever say you aren't!" He yelled furiously as his heart broke in his chest and his own tears sprung to his eyes while she looked away and closed her eyes as she cried in to her hand, "you deserve love more than anyone I know!"

"Henry-"

"No! You have suffered enough! You have done horrible things and you have made terrible decisions and your heart may be as black as coal but that doesn't define you! I know that, I see that! And now David sees that!" He argued and she kept her eyes down and away from him. Wiping away his tears he continued a little softer, "you are a good person."

"I am not your mother, Henry," she whispered with an unbearable ache in her heart.

"I know that."

"We are two different people. We have gone through this."

"I know. But that doesn't mean that the two of you haven't gone through the same things. Even if they do differ a little bit in some places."

"You don't know me."

"I do."

"You don't."

"I know you better than you know yourself," he argued and she shook her head as a few tears rolled down her cheeks and her eyes remained down. "You are not worthless. You deserve to be fought for and you deserve to be loved. And if it is David your heart has chosen then it is David we will win and we will do it together. Okay?" He nodded his head forward and she shook her head while more tears dropped from her eyes.

"Stop being so hard on yourself."

"It won't work, Henry."

"Why not? He clearly has feelings for you, he's not married to Snow, he's not engaged to Snow, there is nothing saying that your heart can't change its mind over who it loves. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. But I also don't think it is going to be as hard as you think it will be to have him choose you."

"Henry I'm not...I don't know how to love very well," she admitted miserably and quietly as she looked up and to the side and Henry cocked his head with a sad smile.

"My mom said that to me too not all that long ago," he replied and her shoulders dropped with a swallowed cry.

"I'm terrified," she whispered almost too quiet to hear and breathed out a shaky cry as she quickly dropped her eyes back down to her wringing hands. She hated being vulnerable and raw. Even in front of Henry who she knew would never hurt her.

"That's okay, mom," he soothed and she started to get twitchy and panicky so he moved closer to her and caught her tense fidgeting hands in his. When that didn't calm her down he nuzzled himself right in to her side and wrapped his arms around her middle and left his head on her chest as she gave a long shaky exhale and took a tight grip of his sleeve with one hand and her blanket with the other. "Love is scary when it has only ever hurt you."

...

"How long have you known?" He questioned her quietly and her eyes snapped up to his from her book.

"Known what?"

"Of my growing...fondness for Regina."

Ruth shrugged a shoulder a little and closed her book as she answered quietly, "several days."

David breathed out a single laugh and shook his head as his eyes fell to the floor between his feet, "leave it to a mother like you to know what is going on in your son's head before he does."

Ruth hummed shortly and leaned forward a little in her seat and folded her arms over the book in her lap while David leaned forward in his to brace his elbows on his thighs. "Our darling queen on the other hand," she started unsurely and dropped her eyes to her hands when David lifted his curiously, uncertain of where she was heading, "she has been hiding her affections toward you for several weeks now."

Silence hung in the air and Ruth kept her eyes down while David stared at her with his brow furrowed in confusion. "She doesn't..." He shook his head a little and his brow creased deeper as he searched for the words he wanted but couldn't find.

"Pay attention, dear. Her majesty cannot so much as breath properly when you are anywhere near her," she explained gently and David stared back at her with his brow still knitted together in confusion. His expression had her breathing out a soft laugh as she shook her head, "you men and your inability to see what is right in front of you. I will never understand it."

"I..." He started but again was at a loss for words, caught completely off guard by this entire situation. "You seem very accepting of this whole thing..."

"I have had a long time to accept it," she reasoned gently and absentmindedly traced the lettering on the front cover of the book, "the queen and I have already had our little spat over you."

"How have I been so entirely oblivious to this?"

"Hell if I know," Ruth laughed quietly and David rubbed his hands over his face. "You have some big decisions to make, my boy...be mindful and gentle with that woman's heart. With any decision you come to," she added quietly and David looked up at her, unsure of where even to begin.

-Storybrooke-

Regina was staring off in to space across her kitchen when she heard the knock on her front door. She ignored it in hopes that they would go away but when the door opened Regina's eyes fell shut in a slow blink and a long sigh left her nose. When the footsteps entered the kitchen she drawled out irritably, "what happened to the days you were afraid to enter my home?"

"Well it was never really a matter of fear. More that I simply couldn't get past your defences," she answered with a small smile and Regina's dark eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice. Clearly she had not expected it to be her in her kitchen.

"What are you doing here, Snow?"

Snow shrugged and ignored the tired bite in Regina's tone, "I wanted to see how you were doing."

"Well you've seen. Now go away."

Snow didn't say anything but continued forward and Regina huffed irritably out her nose when she leaned on the island counter across from her, "I always knew you and David would get along."

"He is a nuisance. And an idiot. I do not know what you see in him."

Snow simply smiled and breathed half a laugh out her nose while Regina scowled at her, "if you didn't want his company you wouldn't have it."

"It is not a matter of wanting him in my home."

"No?"

"No. I find it incredibly annoying when he is knocking on my door upon his every whim but he isn't going to stop unless he's dead. So to save myself the trouble of angry mobs I appease his insistence."

"Oh so that's what it is?" She teased lightly and Regina crossed her jaw with her scowl, "well whatever you wish to call it, I'm glad he's distracting you every once in awhile," she nodded and after a moment of silence Regina gave a short and indeterminate hum and dropped her gaze to the countertop.

The pair of them then fell in to silence but it wasn't uncomfortable. It wasn't all that comfortable either but given their relationship, Snow was more than pleased with it. She stood patiently and quietly as she watched Regina and Regina kept her eyes down. The woman was looking better than the last time she saw her. She wasn't nearly as frail or thin and while her eyes were tired and hurt, they were not wild. Her hair, make up, and clothes were as perfect and well put together as ever though and that had Snow smiling a small sad smile. Her appearance was the only thing she had left and it was the only thing she could keep from slipping away.

Long minutes passed before either of them spoke a word and Snow was just enjoying occupying the same room as Regina without her stepmother trying to remove her from the room. The woman was used to having another person in her large home. She was lonely.

"Henry's birthday is in three and a half months..." Regina started quietly and kept her eyes down but did see Snow lift her head, "he will be turning twelve..." She added and tilted her head as she asked softly, "do you think he will be home in time for it?"

Snow frowned and felt her shoulders drop in sorrow and heartache when Regina lifted her head and looked her straight in the eye. And then she tried a smile despite knowing that Regina wouldn't fall for it, "I'm sure he wouldn't miss it for the world," she shook her head and Regina nodded once and then dropped her eyes back to the counter.

"He loves you, Regina," she assured her quietly and Regina nodded but didn't speak and didn't lift her eyes, "he is a very clever and productive boy, he is doing everything he can to get back home," she nodded and felt her shoulders drop again when Regina lifted a hand to her lips and kept her eyes down to try and hide the tears in them. "He is going to come home, Regina," she promised quietly as she walked around the short end of the island so she was at the corner closest to Regina and gently took her hand between her own. At the contact a small breathy cry left Regina's lips and the hand that was over her mouth pushed through her hair but she didn't pull her other hand away. Instead she hesitantly closed her hand around Snow's.

"I feel so helpless," Regina confessed on her teary exhale and avoided looking Snow in the eye and instead studied the way her knuckles and fingertips were turning white as her hand held on to Snow's.