Finding Catherine hadn't been as hard as he thought. All he had to do was yell at a few servants and discovered that she was in his apartments. After hearing that she had planned to help choose his outfit with his valet, Henry ran towards his bedchamber.

What he did not expect to find as he threw the door open was Catherine standing there, holding his hat in her hand, with a face a pale as a sheet, then she collapsed. Henry ran right over to her, his heart thumping in his chest.

"Guards, call for Nostradamus! The Queen has fainted!" Henry hollered. Henry slowly picked her up, he wasn't going to allow anyone else to touch her other than himself. Slowly he made his way to his bed, and carefully deposited Catherine onto the mattress. Trying to make her as comfortable as a woman who had passed out could be, Henry loosened her corset, hoping that she would be able to breathe easier.

Nostradamus checked out Catherine and declared the Queen would be fine, even though he couldn't find any reason for why she would have fainted. Henry was quite appreciative of Nostradamus' insights until he wanted Catherine moved to her chambers. Henry flat out refused, he wanted to keep an eye on Catherine, and have a serious conversation with her when she awoke.

Once everyone had left, save for himself, Henry walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching over he took one of Catherine's hands in his own, and despite Catherine being passed out, felt a peace settle over him.

Catherine loved him! She had said so herself. Her shock at him walking through with her gown while holding his hat seemed quite authentic. That would have to mean that she didn't know who he was at the masquerade. And no one knew of his second outfit. If she had set out to dupe him, wouldn't she have approached him earlier in the night?

He wished Catherine would wake up, Nostradamus had said soon, but Henry didn't want to wait. He wanted to know how they were going to fix their seriously damaged marriage.

When Catherine came to, she kept her eyes shut. She could tell that she had been moved, it felt like she was on a bed. Someone it seemed was also holding her hand. Deep down she knew it was Henry's entwined with her own, but she really wasn't ready to face him quite yet.

Remembering the last moments before she fainted, Catherine recalled the complete look of bewilderment upon Henry's face. It had seemed Henry was just as clueless to their masked identities as she was.

Was that for worse or better?

Probably for the better, this way it didn't seem like he was mocking her. Then again, who knows how kindly he would take to her looking for an affair, even if it was only a kiss. Many a queen had been toppled for less.

The hand let go of hers and she heard the person walking slowly away. Slowly opening her eyes, so as to not hopefully give away her awakened state just yet, she looked up and saw ceiling, Henry's ceiling. She slowly tilted her head down so she could see the foot of the bed. There Henry was, just looking at her, with the sincerest concerned expression.

"Catherine, you are awake" he sounded quite relieved, "how are you feeling?"

She didn't know how to respond. He had rarely played the doting husband, and given light of the recent events she wasn't sure how authentic he was being. Clearly they were both better actors than they gave themselves credit for.

"Better than before, though still anxious."

He rounded the bed and sat next to her. Catherine could feel her anxiety rising again. Henry still just kept looking her up and down, his eyes scanning her for something, all while still looking very perturbed.

"I believe, when you are up to it, we should probably have a chat."

Henry didn't know how to broach the subject, but knew they couldn't leave the matter unsettled. Catherine and himself had both unknowingly declared their love for one another to one another, they both regretted the state of their marriage, and both wanted to change it.

Catherine sat up completely straight looking grim, like he was about delivery dreadful tidings.

"We can talk now."

Henry wasn't quite sure where to start, a range of emotions and thoughts were running to him. He reached over and took hold of her hand again, finding that the simplest form of contact gave him a boost of confidence.

Suddenly a large smile graced his face, and laughter bubbled forth. Catherine stared back at him, confusion written all over her face. Happiness had just completely taken over him and he couldn't suppress it any longer with Catherine being well and able to converse.

"Henry are you alright?" she asked tentatively, not understanding where this mirth had just come from.

"You love me Catherine" he replied, "you love me and I love you and all this time we could have been together, ruling side by side, instead of fighting and purposely trying to hurt the other. "

"You say it almost as if that fixes everything," Catherine tried to avoid eye contact, like looking him in the eye as he declared their love was embarrassing to her.

"It doesn't fix anything really, but knowing it makes me feel like a weight has been lifted. It makes me look at you differently. Don't get me wrong, I've harbored these feelings for you since we were first wed, but I had come to believe that you hated me."

Saying all of this made Henry feel better as well. He also noticed that Catherine hadn't tried to fight or argue once, instead she just let him speak his peace.

Giving his hand a small squeeze Catherine quietly replied, "I could never hate you. Your actions yes, but not you. "

Silence reigned between the two of them, both still processing everything that had transpired.

"If you don't mind my asking Catherine, why did you don the mask?"

At this point Catherine figured she should keep to the truth. She had already told Henry, albeit unknowingly, her secrets, especially those concerning him. He had enough already to order her execution.

"Well after our fights I often find myself….frustrated, and you are allowed to flirt and carry on to get rid of some of that pent up energy. I am not afforded such luxuries, and I didn't see a way to release them, until the masked ball. I had planned it as a way to eschew my queenly obligations and just flirt and dance. Our fight right beforehand only sealed the deal in my mind. "

Henry let a chuckle escape, causing Catherine to look at him with a confused expression.

"It seems we both went to the masked ball with the same intentions. Our last fight sent me over the edge, I couldn't get you out of my head. I kept confusing images of your anger with passion, leaving me completely at your mercy. Except, I assumed that any hint of affection from me would have been spurned, so I had a second disguise made to woo the perfect imitation of what I truly wanted."

Catherine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Henry admitted to wanting her. Yes, he had said he'd wanted to repair things with his wife and loved her dearly, but he had admitted those feelings to what he thought was a stranger. This time he openly confessed his feelings to her. Catherine could feel a smile form on her face.

"You know, in the future, after we've had a fight, you could just come to my chambers directly."

"Oh really" Henry said with a roguish expression that made Catherine feel lightheaded.

"That way we can address the problem more directly" Catherine said through a smirk.

"I am very much in favor of that decision."

Catherine felt Henry continue to let his gaze wander. She almost felt awkward under his gaze, it had been so long since he had looked at her that way. What did this mean for them though? She just basically gave Henry carte blanche to her chambers. Was that what she wanted? Of course it was, she always wanted Henry. It was her curse, and if the look he was giving her now meant anything it was he wanted to start as soon as possible. But was she ready?

Not quite yet.

"Henry, at that ball, what was it that drew you to me?"

Henry was ready to prove to Catherine just how much he did love her. In fact he was plotting the best course to her lips, when she asked him.

"Henry, at that ball, what was it that drew you to me?"

She reminded me of you. That answer felt inadequate though, not truly capturing the spark he felt when he finally found the perfect woman to stand in for Catherine. Of course now it all made sense why she felt so right.

"I went looking for an imitation of you" Henry started, "It was your laugh that pulled me in, it sounded so much like your laugh when we were happy, and once my eyes found you, I was hooked. Then of course you called me husband to relieve yourself of those two dullards and held on to my arm, and my first thought was you. Did you know you do a great impersonation of yourself?"

Catherine smiled at his joke and it was too much for his heart to take. The woman of his dreams was currently sitting in his bed, professing her love to him, and he hadn't yet kissed her. He really ought to remedy that Henry thought.

So rather than continue to think about Catherine responding to his affection, he leaned forward and kissed her. Thankfully too, Catherine responded to his invasion with equal ardor. It was not a collision of two passions coming to a head type kiss, but rather a coalescence of tenderness that had been hidden away for far too long.

A sudden knock on the door, pulled the two apart suddenly, both with sheepish expressions. Nostradamus's figure appeared in the doorway. Henry rolled his eyes and sighed audibly. In response Catherine swatted at his hand. He just couldn't help it. Anyone's interruption would have annoyed him, least of all the man known for constantly whispering into Catherine's ear.

"I see your majesty has awakened."

"Yes Nostradamus, thank you." Catherine gave the man a beaming smile, one Henry hadn't seen in years, but endeavored to now see every day.

"How are you feeling? I couldn't quite figure out what made you faint." Henry wanted to dismiss the man and his infernal questions, but Catherine probably wouldn't respond well to that, so instead he continued to watch the exchange.

"I am feeling…" Catherine locked eyes with Henry as she trailed off, "good" she finished, eyes never leaving Henry's.

"If in case something should happen please send for me."

And with that, the "doctor" was off.

Finally.

Putting his attentions fully back on to Catherine, Henry leaned forward. Except this time Catherine stopped him.

"As wonderful as this has been, what exactly do you want to come of it?" Leave it to Catherine to come to her senses first.

"I believe we discussed it, I want reconciliation, and you want reconciliation. We both lamented at losing our marriage and confided as much to one another."

Catherine didn't quite look satisfied with that answer, like she didn't' quite believe it.

"You Catherine! I want us to have a real marriage. I want us to be united as one. I want you by my side, day and night. That is what I want to happen. "

Catherine had a lot to digest. Her husband, who was her masked gentleman, who she poured her heart out too, who had just kissed her senselessly with a tenderness she hadn't felt in years, wanted her. This was of course the same husband that up until about an hour ago, Catherine would have sworn hated her, would have jumped at the first opportunity to abandon her.

It was a good thing Nostradamus interrupted them. In the moment Catherine had been just as annoyed as Henry, as she thought about the best way to slip her hand under his shirt. Things would have escalated much quicker had he not decided to check up on her.

"I want those things as well. I want all the privileges afforded to married couples." She couldn't help but look down the large gap of Henry's shirt that formed when he had leaned forward. Obviously Henry noticed her gaze.

"Then we owe it to ourselves to try. Why deny something we both want."

"I want to, truly. I'm just afraid of what happens when it falls apart."

Henry looked at her with a scrutinizing expression. She had no idea what his response would be.

"I would almost hazard a guess that we know what happens should we fall apart. We've been down that road for many years. The antics that we have pulled have only hurt one another. And yet, my feelings toward you never cooled. I just allowed myself to believe that you hated me and your interactions with me were purely forced. "Henry leaned forward, so that he could really look into her eyes. It felt like he could read her soul. "I don't' think we can really fall apart, if you want my honest opinion. "

Catherine let Henry's words hit her. He was right, she knew already what it was like to have her marriage fall apart, and despite everything their passion for one another never fizzled out. This time around they wouldn't have the pressure of a new crown, or heirs, both were quite established in their titles.

Catherine leaned forward to close the gap between Henry and her, giving him light loving kisses.

Laughing, Henry pulled away for a quick second, "Of course we will need to address how you tried to pick me up at that masked ball. Just what were your intentions?"

Sensing Henry's teasing tone Catherine played along, "I went there to find some gentleman that would make me scream."

"Well mi'lady it seems you found the perfect gentleman."

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