The sun was coming up as the twins entered their father's room. A doctor and nurse were both at his bedside.

"Your majesty, on the count of three, I need you to cough, and I'm going to remove the breathing tube. Okay? One, two three."

King Simon coughed; the doctor pulled out the tube. "Good sir, now, you've had quite the health scare. You're going to have to stay in this bed a while longer, we're going to continue to monitor your vitals, and keep you on antibiotics at least another week depending on your labs. Just don't expect to walk out of here tomorrow."

"Rest your majesty. I'll be back later in the morning. Your nurse here will be right outside if you need anything at all."

With a weak voice, Simon responded, "thank you."

Eleanor ran to her dad, "daddy, oh my god I'm so happy to see you." She threw her arms around him. "Can we get you anything? Water? Food? What do you need?"

Smiling, King Simon answered in a raspy voice, "just sit here with me. What's happened? Liam, what was that sound earlier?" He scooted over just enough that Eleanor could squeeze onto the bed beside him.

This time, it was Liam's turn to speak, "That would be our mother, trying to shoot Uncle Cyrus."

King Simon's expression was one of shock, "she what?"

The twins glanced at each other before Liam answered, "You've missed a lot dad. Mum figured it all out. That Cyrus was the one who had Robert's plane shot down, and then he tried to kill you. She confronted him, and he admitted it all. Granted, she did coax him a little bit with the pistol."

"Robert killed himself, that's what we were told?" The king said in reply.

"You really have missed a lot dad." Eleanor responded, "But now, we've got all the time in the world to fill you in." hugging him again, she continued, "You'd be proud of mum, dad. I think you'll be proud of us all when you hear the whole story."

The King glanced towards the doorway, "Where is Helena?"

"Ted needed her to answer some questions. Fill in some blanks, that kind of thing. She said she'd be here soon." Liam answered his father. "But Len is right, mum is something. I still can't wrap my mind around what she just did. Or how much she's seemed to change."

As if on que, the door opened and in stepped Queen Helena. Still in her nightgown, a far cry from her usual perfectly tailored attire.

"Hi." Was all she said as she slowly entered the room.

"We were just telling Dad how much of a badass you are, mum," Liam said as he shot his mother a smile.

Simon watched his wife carefully as she edged towards the bed. "How are you feeling? Can we get you anything?" she asked him, opting go to with the safest opening she could.

Helena could feel his eyes on her, "It's now or never," she thought to herself.

Choosing to not prolong the inevitable, Helena asked, "Kids, do you mind giving us a minute? Then you can visit with your father for as long as he can before he needs to rest."

Both nodded in agreement. Eleanor kissed his forehead as Liam touched his shoulder; together they walked out into the hallway.

"Are you in pain?" Helena asked.

"Not too much, I seem to be on some good pain killers." Simon answered her. "Helena, will you sit down. Take a breath, it's okay."

"Simon," she started, then stopped. She took a deep breath as instructed. Then, all at once she spit out what was on her mind, "I think you should at least wait until after you're healed before we announce the divorce."

Simon was silent.

"I know delaying it won't do much, but it will at least give you time to get back on your feet. I'll let you file everything. I won't fight you. I know it's my fault." She continued on.

"Is that what you want, Helena? A divorce?" Simon asked her.

She looked at him in question, having convinced herself he would jump on the idea. "Well no, but after everything that's happened, I understand why you need to. And I've accepted it."

"Well guess what, I don't accept it. I'm laying here in a damn hospital bed, I almost died. The last thing I want to discuss is a divorce. And the last thing I want is a divorce. Let me ask you something, Helena. Did you mean what you said? Did you mean it when you said if I'd wake up you'd do whatever you could to make it up to me and our kids?"

"You heard that?" Helena asked in disbelief.

"I heard every word you said. And if I could have woke up right then and strangled you over the fact there was even a question over paternity I would have. But, right now, I'm telling you, we're not getting divorced. You meant what you said, yes?"

She shook her head yes.

"You pulled a gun on my brother and made him confess to Robert's murder and my attack?"

Again, she shook her head yes.

"Eleanor and Liam both seem to think you've changed. Are they right? He asked as he studied her carefully.

For the third time, she shook her head yes.

"Okay then. But I warn you right here and now, if I find out there has been any more stepping out, I will not be as forgiving. Do you understand me?" There was a tone in his voice as he spoke. Gone was the raspy voice of a man who hadn't spoken in a week, but instead was replaced with the sound of strength and finality. He reached out his hand to her.

Taking it, she sat on the edge of the bed, "I understand. Thank you, for giving me another chance, and for having a heart big enough to do so. I don't deserve you, or those two waiting in the hall."

"Helena, always remember something. We love you." Simon reassured her. "Now, why don't you tell them to come back in. I want to hear every detail of what I've missed."

"Eleanor, Liam, come back in," Helena yelled.

The door creaked open, "is it safe?" Eleanor asked, peaking her head inside.

Helena smiled, "Everything is good." Then, speaking more to Eleanor she added, "I'm not going under the jail with Cyrus!"

"Alright, now someone start from the beginning. I want to hear everything." Simon instructed. "Helena where did you get a gun anyways?"

"That was your gun, dear, I do know where you hide things."

King Simon shook his head in disbelief, "Okay, someone start from the night I got stabbed and catch me up."

And with that, they started at the beginning of story, all the while creating the beginning of their new story as a family.