Disclaimer: Once again…I DO NOT OWN REIGN

AN: *pushes snacks your way in apology for being REALLLLLLY late* Please don't be mad…but then…if you're reading this, you're probably not mad? You can still have those snacks anyway ;) Continuing from Pancake Saturday. Enjoy the read!

As per usual on Saturday afternoons, chaos reigned in the Medici-Valois household.

"Junior, did you get your work book?" Cat asked her son, helping her daughter fix her hair.

Junior was stuffing aforementioned work books into his backpack at that very moment. "Yes, Mom."

"Both of them?" His mother asked pointedly.

"Yes, Mom." He zipped up his bag and stuck his feet into his shoes.

"And your drumsticks for later?"

"Yes, Mom." Her son said with an irritated sigh.

"Francis."

"I'm sorry. I have everything." He replied in a lighter tone.

"That's my prince." Catherine smiled at her boy. "Remember to help Elizabeth gather up all her things before you leave for your drum lesson. Remember how she left her books at your French teacher's studio?"

He nodded "I'll remember."

"It was an accident, Mommy…" Elizabeth said quietly as reached up to her mother who swept her up into a hug.

"I know, baby, and Mommy isn't mad." The queen kissed her perfect princess on the nose. "You just have to learn to pick up after yourself. You'll be six soon, remember?" Lizzy Bear just nodded.

"Mommy, can we have a cake for my birthday?" Liz asked excitedly.

"Would you like a cake for your birthday?" Cat bounced her girl on her hip, amused.

Giggling madly, Elizabeth responded with a hearty, "Yes, please!"

"Then we'll have a cake. Remember your things before you go off to your piano lesson, Liz. Junior?"

"I'll help her, Mommy."

"Alright then." Catherine put Liz down and gave a kiss to her forehead. "I love you both." Junior accepted his goodbye kiss as well.

"We love you!" The children cried.

"Be careful and have fun!" Their mother called after them.

"We will!"

Philip held the door open for the little ones and gave a nod to Mrs. Valois before following the children out to drive them to their different lessons. Lizzy had been in language lessons for nearly a year and Junior had been taking his lessons since he too, was five years old. Catherine had thought it would be a good idea for the children to experience their heritage through language, all the better to connect with others. She knew that Junior preferred French over Italian, but his sister embraced both with open arms. Her little girl loved learning languages and had even told her mother that she wanted to learn more. Liz had bounced up into her mother's arms one day and had announced that she wanted to be a linguist. Catherine had laughed and asked why. Elizabeth had said, "So I can talk to everybody, Mommy!" Cat had looked over at Henry who was pouring himself a glass of juice at the time. He just shrugged, "Do you want to make the calls or shall I?" And that was that. Elizabeth hadn't put up a fuss when her parents insisted that she master fluency in French and Italian first before moving on to something new. She kept a list in her room that was ever growing of the different languages she wanted to learn.

Francis was more drawn to basketball, and had even joined the school team. Cat and Lizzy would always go to his games, Henry too, if he could make it out. It was a bit of an affair when Henry showed up to games, being the rock star that he was, but he wanted to be there as often as he could be for his children. The beaming smile on Junior's face when he sunk a shot and looked up into the bleachers to see both his parents there with his sister was definitely something Henry would brave crazed fans for. Thankfully, Kyle's apartment had a basketball court so Henry and Francis could go there to shoot some hoops together in the relative quiet. The apartment was host to many celebrities and socialites, so if a rock star and his son showed up, it wasn't nearly as big a deal. On top of basketball, Junior loved the drums. His father had been a bit bummed out that his son wouldn't be following his footsteps towards guitar, but music was just one more thing that they could bond over even though Henry wasn't always there to listen in on his son's incredible riffs.

Cat smiled. Her children were so wonderfully talented. Listening to the sounds of the faucet in the kitchen as Henry cleaned up the breakfast plates, she made her way up the stairs and to her bedroom. In the little tickle fight instigated by Henry, she'd ended up covered in food from little hands. Opening up the door and tying her hair up, Catherine de Medici Valois went to her closet to pull out some clothes. She had to run to the store for some groceries. They'd finished off the rest of the whipped cream today, so she'd need more of that. Also, some bananas would be good as they were Junior's favorite. Perhaps some of that cereal with the marshmallows in it for Liz… Cat gave a squeak as Henry's arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his chest. Her husband chuckled at her alarm and she gave him a swat to the arm, pushing him away as she reached into her closet for something to wear. His hand trailed up to her arm to intertwine his fingers with hers as she went for a folded up white V-neck. Henry plucked the shirt out of her grasp. When his irritated wife turned around, he smiled sweetly at her, holding out the shirt innocently.

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Henry."

"Certainly, Catherine." She gave him a hard look. "Are you really still angry?" He asked in confusion at her attitude.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" His irate wife replied.

He hummed and drew her back to him by the hand. "That beautiful pout of yours. Come here and I'll kiss it better."

"Henry, you can't fix everything with a kiss!" She snatched her hand back and went about changing her shirt.

"I can try." He responded in his most seductive voice, reaching around her to gently cup her breasts.

She slapped him away and whirled around. "Henry!"

"I'm sorry, Cat." Her husband shrugged. "I just hate seeing you so upset."

"You're the one who's upset me." Tugging on her new shirt and threw the soiled shirt into the hamper.

Henry sat at the foot of their bed, tucking a leg under him. "I know and I'm sorry for that."

"Do you even know what you're apologizing for?"

"Everything that I apologized for this morning with the kids and I'm sorry for getting drunk and acting a fool, especially with Lyla. At the time she just seemed interested in my music, not everyone knows I write most of the lyrics myself, and getting attention for that is just really great, ya know?" He gave her dejected smile. "But I know now that she was just another gold digging hussy who was trying to steal me away from you and the kids."

"She was trying to jump in your pants, Henry." Catherine crossed her arms over her chest and glared down at him.

What? "Was she?"

"Do you really think I don't know when some slut is trying to sleep with my husband?" Henry was surprised at the fire in her at this. "You encourage them, even when you're sober! Did you know that?!"

Eyes wide, Henry shook his head. "I didn't, I swear I didn't! Kitty Cat, I'm sorry, I don't mean to! I promise you that no woman is right for me but you! I promise you that! You're the one I married and the one I'm so desperately in love with." He reached out for her, but she stepped back from him. "You know I love you." He said with sincerity in his eyes.

"It's hard to see when you're spreading your love around so graciously, Henry. What a kind king you are to share your love with everyone. Tell me, my King, are there any mistresses I should know about? Any little princes I haven't given birth to?" She accused as her normally liquid gold eyes turned hard.

"Catherine, stop." Henry stood and took her shoulders into his hands. She lifted her chin in defiance as she continued to glare at him. "You know all those times I crawled home blind drunk? All the torrid sex we've had while I had alcohol coming out my ears? Does that tell you nothing of how much I care for you, want you even when I'm too senseless for anything else?"

"It tells me that Philip is a dear friend who takes care of you and drags you home on nights like those so you won't end up having 'torrid sex' with someone else." She wrenched herself away from him, trying so hard not to throw something at him. "I haven't forgotten Julia, the one you jetted around with. The one you flew to Vegas with! Vegas!"

"Nothing happened!" He cried with his hands in the air.

"Henry." Her voice was low and dangerous. "You went to Las Vegas. I checked the bills. I got notifications for the hotel, food, and some attractions. You withdrew some money, which I assumed was for gambling, but not nearly as much if you went for a complete gambling spree. You know what I found when I looked closer at the bills? One room. One bed. Explain that to me, Henry." She was shaking in her fury and Henry was almost too scared to answer her.

"Catherine, nothing happened." He began slowly, not sure if she'd rain down her Medici temper on him. "When I explained that I wasn't traveling with my wife, that Julia was just a friend, and knowing who I am, the hotel gave me the second room free. It wouldn't come up because it was a gift, Cat."

"You know I don't believe you." Her voice was cold as ice as she warred with herself to believe him, but unsure if she should.

She heard him sigh behind her. "Nothing that I say will make you believe me, will it?"

"Nothing but the truth." She countered.

"You won't hear the truth!"

Cat whipped around to face him, advancing her petite stature with all the intimidation that he knew she possessed. "Henry, how am I supposed to believe that was the truth with all those bills?! How?!" Her voice was strained with the pain and fear of a woman thinking that the love of her life was slipping through her fingers.

He could see her heart breaking in her eyes and he felt a fool for not having explained before. "Catherine…"

"Henry. You go off on tours, go to rehearsals that sometimes have you coming in at noon the next day and your fans adore you." A bitter scoff of a laugh. "How could they not? You're talented and handsome and any woman would melt at the way you take care of Francis and Elizabeth, but Henry…" She grasped the front of his shirt and shook him once, twice. "Are you really mine? Have you always been mine?" Her voice cracked at the last before she shoved him away from her.

"Yes, Catherine, I have." He didn't reach for her. He had to tell her. "You may not believe that now, but I'm telling you that is the truth. It was all just a misunderstanding." He closed his eyes for a moment to find the words that would heal this rift between them. "Darling, ever since you stumbled into my life, I've been yours and I will continue to be yours until the day I leave this world. Even then, I'll wait for you in Heaven. If you give me another chance, I'll show you that you are the only woman in my life." His eyes opened and Catherine could see his remorse and genuine wish for her to understand and believe him. "My wife, my queen, my love—I am yours in whatever way you want me."

She felt herself push down the demons in her mind. "You know I really don't care what you do as long as you come home to me, but don't ever make me doubt you again." Her voice was soft, but he could feel the steel in her words.

All Henry could do was nod. Catherine looked up at him with suspiciously moist looking eyes through the curtain of her titian hair. Sighing, she opened up her arms to him and Henry gratefully swept her up in a heartfelt embrace. He knew now he should have explained to her what had happened at the hotel, but since he'd been provided with a free room, he'd thought it would have been alright. He hadn't meant to cause her to doubt him. As Henry rested his cheek against the crown of her head, he closed his eyes in thanks. Catherine, you mean more to me than you even know.

AN: …sorry for the really late update. I wrote this far back, but then I got stuck because I wrote myself in a corner. I THINK I fixed it. Anyway, MORE CUTE FLUFFY TIMES WITH THE KIDS NEXT TIME ON SWAY! THANK YOU FOR READING!

To CocoRocks: YAY! I dunno if this chapter made you smile, but…? Let me know! Thank you for reviewing!

To Catherine Woods: HAHHAHAHHA foam fingers though...

To nainachica: Did you feel the pain? Just a tad? I think I made it better, but at the same time, we all know that Catherine doesn't trust so easily. She's gonna try though. Just wait. Cutesy funtimes ahead with the whole family and some Cat and Henry moments later on also. Mercy. I'm so obsessed with Megan Follows *swoon* She's my Bae every day. I jest not.

To NotEvenaProperWord: Okay, awesome, thanks! THE DOCTOR LANDS TOMORROW! *screaming* Ahem. Henry…makes a metric shit ton of mistakes. Not that I'm making excuses for him, but he really does need to get himself together.

Um…I just wanna throw it out there to anyone who is confused, Henry DID NOT cheat on Catherine. Just saying. I feel like it might have been confusing, so…sorry.

ALSO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MY WONDERFUL READERS : So, Henry is gonna do a mini-tour of the South and East Coast soon and I was just wondering if you guys had any ideas or input as to what cities he should go to? If you guys have any city nominations, just leave me a little line! Thanks!