Happy new year everyone! Sorry for any errors, but hope you enjoy this one.

"Snow what is the matter?"

The look Charming saw on her face made his heart drop, he didn't like this look on her. "Talk to me please."

Snow was struggling to form the words; she knew she had to tell him, but would he blame her?

"I need to tell you about something, something about the day that." She gulped down her tears, willing herself to get it together. "The day that your Mother... died."

Snow had spoken so quietly that she wasn't sure Charming had heard her. The only sign that he did was the wince of pain on his face.

He still felt the pain so deeply; his Mother would never see Emma or Leo grow up. Charming knew that was all his Mom wanted for him, his own family. Emma was so much like he in many ways, it hurt knowing that she would never meet her grandmother.

Charming still hadn't replied so Snow took that as a sign to continue "Well, something happened that day. I don't know how to tell you and I should have told you before now, but our lives have been turned upside down. I guess I just never got around to it."

The only response that Snow got was a nod on the head and a squeeze of her hand.

Taking a deep breath she continued "When we split up, when our camp was found by the Lancelot it was a trap, when I ran off he caught me. I thought it was so they could get to your Mother, but I was wrong. It was to take me to see King George."

This got Charming's attention "What! You were taken to see HIM. Why didn't you tell me?" Just thinking about that man got Charming hackles up. If there was one thing about the curse that he was almost thankful for, it was the fact that HE was away from Charming's family.

"Wait Charming, please let me finish. George was talking to me about what was most precious and how it was taken away from him. While he was talking Lancelot got me a drink of water, I didn't think anything of it. I guess it was really stupid at the time but I drank it. Then he said that he wanted to hurt you, the only way he knew. The pain of finding out you could never have a family, just like him and his wife. It was then I realised that it was cursed, the water. He cursed it so I could never have children."

Charming was more than a little confused, he smiled chuckling a little "but Snow, the face that we have two sleeping monsters in the other rooms, I am pretty sure it didn't work." Charming started to relax, okay so he wasn't happy at what George tried to do, but Emma and Leo proved that the planned very obviously did not work.

"I've not finished Charming; I still have not got to the worse part. It work, you Mom and I tested it with her necklace and it didn't move. George had won, I was so scared. I knew it all you wanted was your own family."

"Snow, even if that were true, that you couldn't have children. You didn't think I would leave you? Did you?" Charming could almost not believe what she was saying, didn't Snow understand what she means to him. He took both her hands and held them close to his chest, needing her to understand what he was about to say "Children or no Children Snow, I love you. We would have made it work, we would have been together. Children were a bonus. What I do not understand is if the necklace didn't move when you first tested it, how did it move when we tried it out?"

Snow was full on crying now, Charming gently cupped her face. "Snow, it's me." He whispered.

"I didn't know what she was planning. I told her no, that she needed it. But it was in the cup Charming, I thought it was too late for me. I was just happy to have you." This all came out in a rush it was difficult for Charming to keep up with the words overflowing from his wife lips.

"What was in the cup Snow and who was planning what?"

Snow had gotten to the end of the story; it felt like that she had clay in her mouth. Speaking slowly this time "Your Mother put the magic water into the wedding chalice Charming, she didn't drink it."

It took a couple of moments for the truth to set in. His Mother never drank the water that would have heeled her. He didn't know how to feel, without the water Snow and him wouldn't have Emma and Leo. It was at the sacrifice of his own mother. Pulling away from Snow, his arm went to rest on his leg and his head bowed. He would never regret having the children they were everything to him, but his Mom had given her life so he could have a family with the woman that he loved. There was only one person to blame.

When his head came up, Snow gasped, seeing the anger in Charming eyes scared her. Misreading the signs she thought that it was directed at her "I am so sorry Charming; I didn't know your Mom hadn't drank the water. I would not have drunk it if I did. I'm sorry, so sorry."

Her words were like a bottle of ice over him, putting the anger right out. "I'm angry Snow, but Gods forbid not at you. How could I be this wasn't your fault, you didn't ask for it? The only one to blame is George and once we break this curse, I will not let him get away with this."

The venom in his voice shocked Snow "No Charming, that is too long to hold on to your anger. If anything this curse shows that, if we learn anything from this curse we have to learn that."

Charming stood up and started pacing, "You want me to let him to get away with this. It was HIS guards that injured her; it was his curse that caused my mother to give up the water. He may not have picked the sword and stabbed her with it himself, but HE is the reason that my Mother died. The reason that our children will never know her."

At this Snow stood up "They certainly will know her, and one day we will tell them what their Grandmother did for them. It may just be stories that we are able to tell at the moment but trust me Charming they will know." She walked over to hug him, trying to relay everything she felt, it took a couple of breaths for Charming's arms to go around her. This had to be one of her favourite places, the place that wherever world they were in, she felt at home. "Don't take a page out of Regina's books, it's not and can't be us."

Charming laid his cheek on top of Snow's head, bringing her in closer. She was right, as usual. He couldn't let the anger and revenge boil up inside him. Not that it would be easy to let it go but he would do it for his family, and for his Mom.