Finding You Always

Break

Chapter 133: Break

Aphrodite couldn't find any words for several beats, as she stared at the Prince. He looked bothered and unhinged in a way she hadn't seen before. He was different than David that way. David wore his emotions on his sleeve and wasn't afraid to show love and affection in public. But James was very different. He was used to masking his emotions and burying his feelings, a result of his harsh raising under George and the mandate of his royal upbringing. Cold and aloof, though he had softened much in the short time since his miraculous resurrection. She saw peeks of it every day in the little things. Like his fondness for his nieces and nephews. His growing relationship with Xander that had gone from hostile to something approaching love and respect. And then there was his struggle with David. He had gone from pure, blinding hatred of his more fortunate brother to reluctant fondness and even admiration with a tiny bit of jealousy he tried to hide.

But whatever he had just experienced had shaken him to his core and she wondered what could possibly have done that until he spoke those six little words.

"I think I found your son,"

"James..." she uttered, finally finding her voice.

"What are you talking about? Eros has been missing for centuries...it's impossible," she admonished.

"He's immortal...is he not?" James asked.

"Y...yes...he would have been, despite his mortal half," she answered.

"I was at the diner and I noticed Chad looking a bit suspicious. Believe me, I know sneaky when I see it and so I followed him into the hallway. That's when he stood before a mirror and started talking to a woman in it," he explained.

"You followed him?" she asked. He nodded.

"Leo is my nephew...something told me I should," he replied.

"Do you know who the woman was?" Aphrodite asked.

"She didn't offer a name...but she looked a fairy dressed in black," he answered and she felt her legs go weak.

"This can't be..." she refuted.

"She had his heart...she's forcing him to get close to Leo. Something about tears," James explained. Aphrodite closed her eyes, as a few of her own tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Leo is a product of true love...she needs his tears of a broken heart. It would be the only way she could pass from the dark realm to the Land Without Magic," she informed.

"We need to go tell Snow and David," he said. She nodded, though she was almost catatonic.

"All these years...she had him..." she lamented.

"Yes, but he's alive! We can get his heart back...I don't think he wants to hurt Leo. I heard his say so himself...he's in love with Leo," he reminded.

"All these years I looked and she had him the whole time! She molded into one of her minions!" she cried, as she collapsed into sobs. His arms went around her and he held her while she cried.

"It's not too late..." he assured. She sniffed.

"How do you know? How do you know she hasn't poisoned him against me?" she asked.

"I don't...but even if she did, it's still not too late to get him back. I'm the perfect example of that," he reminded and she looked up at him, realizing the similarities.

"Let's go...we need to warn Snow and David. Maybe if we can explain everything to Leo, he won't shed any magical tears and then we can prevent the Black Fairy from coming to Storybrooke," she said.