Summary:
Control returns—but differently. When everything works the way it should, it reveals a new kind of imbalance. What feels easier doesn’t necessarily feel right.
You don’t give yourself space to hesitate. That’s the fix. It had been a week. Long enough that the noise didn’t feel louder—it felt sharper. More defined. Every sound distinct, not layered together. Monitors. Voices. Footsteps. The constant hum of the overhead lights presses just behind your eyes. Long enough for your body to adjust before your mind did.
You move before you think.
That’s the point.
“Room three’s backing up,” Lena says, already halfway across the floor.
“I’ve got it.” You don’t look at her. You’re already moving.
Vitals. Assessment. Orders. The rhythm settles faster tonight. Cleaner. No pauses.
No second voice interrupts the space between decision and action. You notice that. Rowan is there. Not in your way. Not hovering. Just… present. Close enough that you don’t have to look for him. “Vitals?” you ask.
“Stable enough,” he answers.
You nod. Move forward. It works. That’s the point. There’s no friction. No correction. No subtle pressure in the room waiting for you to prove something. Just movement. It should feel like relief. It doesn’t. You catch yourself looking toward the doorway—before you can stop it.
No one is there. You turn back to the patient. Room eight. Weakness. Elderly. Vitals drifting, but not crashing. You run it through your head. Pattern. Presentation. What doesn’t fit.
“Could be dehydration,” Rowan says beside you.
You glance at the monitor again. Heart rate doesn’t quite match. Skin tone’s off. Not enough to call. Enough to stay with. “Maybe,” you say. “Let’s not anchor there.”
“Fair.” He adjusts with you. Matches your pace. It works. Too easily.
You finish the exam and step into the hallway. You don’t realize until then that you were waiting.
For something that used to meet you there.
And didn’t.
The shift moves on. It always does.
“Trauma incoming.” The air changes. Not louder. Tighter. You’re already moving. The stretcher hits the bay hard. Male. Late twenties. Blood where it shouldn’t be. Face—barely intact. Jaw unstable. Airway compromised.
“Pressure?” Rowan calls, snapping gloves on.
“Dropping.” You call back. You step in. Hands are already moving. Already reading.
Already open. Already laid out. Across the bed— Abbot shifts. Forward, then stops.
You don’t look at him. You don’t need to.
“Prep the neck.” You step in. Fingers press into the anatomy. Find the landmarks. Stay midline. Find the membrane.
“Pressure’s still dropping.” Crus calls out.
“I know.” You take the scalpel. Everything narrows. Hands. Angle. Depth. You cut. Vertical. Controlled. Blood opens under your fingers. Hot. Immediate.
“Suction.” Crus is already there.
You spread. Search. There. “Hook.”
Rowan places it in your hand before you finish the word.
You puncture. Open. Advance. For a second—nothing. No chest rise. No sound.
And then—air.
“Chest rise.” Rowan’s voice.
The monitor climbs. Slow. Then steady. The room exhales. No one says anything. You secure the tube. Hands steady. Breathing not. You step back. It worked.
Across the bed—Abbot removes his gloves. He looks at you. Just long enough.
“You committed to it,” he says. Not praise. Not correction. Recognition.
You nod once. That’s it. He turns away.
The room resets. Wipe down. Reset trays. Move on.
Like nothing just happened.
You step into the hallway. The air hits differently. Cooler. Thinner. You breathe. Once. Twice. No shaking. That should feel like control. It doesn’t. Rowan steps beside you.
“You still breathing?” he asks.
“Barely.” You huff out an almost laugh.
“That’s a good sign.”
A beat.
“You want to get that coffee sometime?”
You glance at him. “You said you’d ask me again.”
“I follow through.” He says. It’s easy. Simple.
You nod. “Yeah. Okay.”
He smiles—just enough. “Good.”
It should feel like something settled. It doesn’t.
Back at the station, the noise returns in pieces.
Crus leans over. “You’re weird tonight.”
“That’s not helpful.” You say, not looking up from your charting.
“I’m not trying to be helpful.”
A beat.
“You’re just—” he gestures vaguely. “Different.”
That lands. “What does that mean?” You ask, looking up from what you were writing.
He shrugs. “Quieter. Sharper.” A beat. “Less you than usual.”
Your fingers still. Just for a second. You hate how quickly you understand what he means. “I’m working.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Doesn’t feel the same.”
Ellis doesn’t look up. “He’s not wrong.”
Shen, without looking up: “People notice when patterns change.”
You don’t answer. Because you don’t trust what you’d say if you did.
Across the room—Abbot is exactly where he should be. And still— not where you expect him.
You turn back to the screen. Everything works. Everything lands. Nothing breaks.
And somehow—that feels worse. It worked. So why doesn’t it feel like anything has settled?
A/N: Hello lovelies! Here is the next chapter! I know you will enjoy it so happy reading xx
The next morning Emily woke up earlier than Clarissa in an attempt to avoid any further confrontation. Emily was not wanting to re-live what happened between them last night. She had felt awful after what Clarissa had said to the prince about his mother. Clarissa was completely out of line and all for what? To prove a point she was trying to make?
“Is Doctor Clarke around?”
Emily recognized a familiar voice as she exited a patient’s room to find Harry asking at the desk where she might be. Breakfast… I am suppose to have breakfast with them. Harry turned to find Emily staring at him with an apologetic expression.
“Can you start an IV and give him a liter of Normal Saline. Re-check his BP after that and if it hasn’t come up page me, please.” Emily handed off the chart to a nurse who left to gather supplies.
Harry’s lips tugged into a smile at the sight of Emily. She was dressed in her navy blue scrubs with her blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Emily walked up to the captain and released a deep sigh. It was then that Harry noticed her tired blue eyes and pale looking skin, indicating she must not have gotten a lot of sleep the night before.
“Hey…” Emily looked down to the floor and put her hands in her scrub pockets.
“Think you can take a break for something to eat?” Harry already knew the answer to his question based on how Emily was avoiding his eye contact.
“Harry…” Emily breathed out his name. “I only have a little time and I need to go see if I can switch rooms. I can’t stay there again tonight, it’s too unbearable for me.” The blonde peaked up at Harry with a guilty expression knowing that she was bailing on plans with him. “I hardly got any sleep last night.” Emily tried to further explain her reasoning.
“You do not need to explain to me.” Harry’s eyes softened their gaze seeing how stressed Emily was over the whole situation. “Why don’t I see if I can bring you back some food?”
“Really? I don’t want to keep you up…” Emily had heard that the Apaches had been out flying most of the night.
“It’s no problem at all.” Harry was happy to help her in any way.
Emily engulfed the prince into a quick embrace. “You are honestly the best person in my world right now!” She thanked him for the kind offer by squeezing him tightly.
“All it takes is food to make you happy?” Harry teased the blonde doctor as Emily reached over the counter and grabbed another chart.
“Uh… yeah!” Emily started to giggle. “I am a doctor, Harry. I scrounge for food when I get the chance to eat it!”
Hannah informed Doctor Clarke of the patient’s chart she was reviewing and Emily ordered exactly what Hannah had requested before handing the orders back to her. “I am going to step out for a few minutes. Page me if you need anything at all, alright?”
“For sure Emily. I hope you get things sorted.” Hannah offered a sincere smile.
“Thank you, Hannah!” Emily returned a smile before turning her head to peak up at Harry. “I can walk halfway to the cookhouse with you.”
“Lead the way doctor.”
“Hmmm I can see where you are coming from Doctor Clarke.” Emily’s blue eyes were pleading with the person in charge of accommodations at Camp Bastion. She had told the whole story, leaving out Harry’s details and explained how it was affecting her work life as well in hopes that they would re-assign her.
“We have had issues with Clarissa Jacobs in the past before your arrival on camp. Let me bring up what places I have available for you.” The woman searched through her computer as Emily fidgeted nervously in her chair across from her.
“Looks like I have a few spots you can choose from…” The woman smiled reassuringly. “I could give you a single dorm which would probably work best for your position here. It is however a different building, closer to the male dorms and the hospital.” The woman reviewed the spot further. “I will get maintenance to check it out this morning and you should be all cleared to move your things this afternoon, Doctor Clarke.”
“I will take it! Thank you so so much!” Emily did not need to think twice about that option. A single room all to herself, closer to the hospital and in a completely different building than Clarissa, how could she say no to that? For the first time this morning, Emily was able to sigh a breath of relief knowing that she did not have to spend another night in the same room as Clarissa.
Emily had returned to the hospital with a smile plastered all over her place. Hannah informed the doctor that Harry had brought her a plate of food and left it in the staff break room in the fridge. Checking that she had no pressing matters first, she headed to the fridge and grabbed a plate of assorted breakfast items left with a little sticky note from Harry.
Hopefully you can scrounge on this throughout the day. Should be enough to last you for your shift. Catch you later Doc. ~Harry
Emily heated up the heaping plate of food that Harry had brought her and took it outside to get a little sunshine. She sat down on a wooden make shift bench and watched the little kids that belonged to the families that were hired to work on the base, play a game of football with a deflated ball, but were none the less they were all smiles and happily giggling away.
While halfway through her bite of sausage, a guy walked up to her carrying a load of bags looking quite lost while displaying a look of uncertainty. “Ma’am, is this the hospital here?”
Emily stood up and blocked the sun out of her eyes to get a better glimpse of whom she was talking to. Glancing down at his name, she recognized that it was the new, young, fresh faced doctor who had come to join them at Camp Bastion. “It is!” Emily swallowed her food. “You must be Dr. Fields. We have been expecting you!”
The look of relief washed over the young man’s face. “Yes, I was suppose to arrive this morning, but my plane departed late and I don’t know where I am going.”
Emily shook Dr. Fields hand and introduced herself. “I completely understand that. No worries at all, I am Dr. Emily Clarke with the UN just filling in the gaps here.” She waved him in to follow her inside. “Welcome to Camp Bastion, is this your first tour Dr. Fields?”
“You can call me Nathan or Nate.” He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, yes it is. That easy to tell huh?”
“Yeah, we all had that excited but fearful look on our faces.” Emily laughed it off, not making a big deal of it. Meeting Dr. Fields instantly brought to mind the first day she had arrived in South Sudan.
The first day she had met Paul.
“Don’t worry, I have been there before…” Emily reassured the new doctor as he followed her inside the hospital.
Flashback to four years ago…
Emily climbed off the bus and hauled her big bag over her shoulder as she scanned the refugee camp. “You can do this.” She took in a deep breath and mustered all the courage she could find within herself.
It was her second job with Doctors Without Borders (DWB) that landed her in the refugee camp in South Sudan, a war torn province filled with people fleeing the conflict of civil war as they sat on the borders of the Uganda and Sudan. Her first stint with DWB in the Philippines was nothing relatable at all like this, she thought to herself while walking through the camp and seeing starving children with their mothers, noting that there were hardly any men in the camp older then middle teens.
After coming home from her first mission in the Philippines, Emily applied for an assignment where she could be challenged as she was always striving to better herself and her medical experience. When she saw a listing for South Sudan, she quickly applied for it the posting that had sat vacant for months. Emily accepted the job officially the next day and told her family that she would be leaving the next week to South Sudan, but the concept of their daughter embarking on a job in a war torn country did not sit well with her parents and well… a major fight ensued.
The morning before Emily left her father showed up to drive her to the airport. During the long drive there, they had a heart to heart and before she boarded that plane Emily knew she had her father’s support no matter what. He did not want to stop hugging her when they said their goodbyes, but all she could remember is seeing her father with tears in his eyes begging her to stay alert and to be safe so she could come home.
The heat of the sun sweltered through her light fabric buttoned down shirt as she searched for the man she was supposed to meet. Squinting through the suns rays, Emily found a make shift tent with the DWB logo on it. Sighing a breath of relief, she had finally made it after her long journey.
Feeling the weight of her bags lighten she glanced behind her to see a middle aged man with blonde hair and brown eyes smiling from ear to ear. “You must be the new doctor. Emily Clarke?”
“Uh yes.” Emily nodded with a smile. “Yes, I am.”
“Paul Hastings, lead doctor here at Camp MISS.” Paul shook her hand firmly and welcomed Emily officially to South Sudan. “Here let me help you with these bags!” He hoisted one over his shoulder and motioned for her to follow him.
“Thank you, Dr. Hastings.” Emily took a few quick steps to catch up to the man.
“You sure don’t pack very light. Planning on staying here a while?” Paul started to giggle while he tossed a piece of gum in his mouth and offered one to Emily to which she politely refused.
“Well, isn’t the posting for six months?” Emily questioned.
Paul stopped in his tracks and turned around to face the young blonde doctor. “It certainly is… but you would be the first one not to leave early.” Doctor Hastings looked her up and down analyzing Emily carefully. “I say one week, tops.”
Emily scoffed; it was not the first time she had been underestimated before by doctors in her field simply because of her young age. Emily looked Paul directly in the eye with determination showing proudly in her own. “I cannot wait to prove you wrong.”
“Alright, Doctor Clarke. Let’s see what you got!” Paul accepted the challenge. “Come on, let’s go… before I get too old now.”
Emily stepped forward, but stopped once her body aligned with Paul. She took her sweet time looking him up and down like he had done. “Too late, you are already old.” Emily’s sass was on clear display as she walked away without another word, leaving Paul shaking his head.
“Ya, she’s gonna be just fine here.” Paul laughed and followed Emily into the tent.
Flash forward to six months later…
“Do you remember the first day you arrived here Em?” Paul sat down in a chair and sighed a breath of relief having finished their last clinic day of their mission in South Sudan.
“Yeah, I sure did.” Emily laughed at the memory of it all. “You did not think I would even last one day.”
“Yeah…” Paul nodded his head and smiled fondly at Emily. “Look at where you are now, Doctor Clarke.”
Emily took a long look around the clinic as memories flooded her mind of the past six months here. “As sad as it has been, I think it has made me into a better doctor. You made me into a better doctor, Paul.”
Paul swiveled around in his chair and silently agreed with Emily. “Nah, poppet that was all you. You really are one of a kind, Doctor Emily Clarke.” He paused briefly and leaned in as the aura of the room turned into a serious one. “Which is why I want you to apply to the United Nations with me.”
Her ocean blue eyes widened at the thought of working for the UN. It had always been a dream of hers, but she did not even think she was anywhere near ready for that. “I – I don’t think I am ready for that Paul…” Emily admitted with a slow shake of her head.
Doctor Hastings leaned in with a grin. “You didn’t think you were ready for South Sudan and look where you are now… you are a brilliant doctor and I know for a fact that the United Nations would be lucky to have you.”
“Paul…” Emily swayed her head back and forth. “I doubt that they will even give me a second look.”
“Don’t Paul me!” He stood up in his chair with an amused expression. “Because I already recommended you for the job alongside me that I took that last week.” Paul stepped away from the conversation before Emily could get in another word.
“Paul… wait, what?” Emily stood up and ran after her mentor.
“We are going to Burma in a few months, Emily! Enjoy the time off!” Paul hollered back at her.
End Flashback
“Hannah, I am going to leave a few minutes earlier so I can pack my things up before a certain someone beats me home…” Emily leaned in and whispered careful of who was in earshot.
“You got a different place?” Hannah had figured this was the case ever since Emily had returned from this morning. Emily had confided in Hannah about what was going on with Clarissa and how awful she had become the night of her birthday.
“Yeah, a single one in building H. I am just wanting to avoid any more drama.” Emily took in a deep breath. “It’s not me.”
“Well, I am literally down the hall from you if you ever need anything.” Hannah kindly offered. The nurse was getting to know Emily better and better each day. She held the upmost respect for the doctor; she was reasonable and kind with her patients, but did not put up with any crap.
“Thank you, Hannah.” Emily’s sincere blue eyes silently thanked her. Without wasting another moment, Emily gathered her things and briskly walked out the door having noticed that Clarissa was still at work in her office.
Glancing around the small room, Emily sighed a breath of relief. She finally had her own space and it felt more like home than her other place with Clarissa ever had.
Emily reached into her bag and pulled out a framed picture that she found at the bottom of her bag. When she first had arrived on base, Emily unpacked only the necessities not wanting to see all the people she had let down on full display in her room. Especially the guilt she held within for Ella’s missed graduation she had promised to attend.
Easing herself down on the edge of the bed she held the frame gently in her hands looking down at the picture of herself in the red 1968 Mercedes Paul had spent all of his free time working on. The funny thing was… Paul knew absolutely nothing about cars.
Flashback
Emily followed a narrowing road up a curvy hill lined with over arching beautiful green trees until she came across an old rusty metal gate. Stepping out of the car she remembered the instructions that Paul had given her to his home in Berkshire when he promised to have her out to see his property as Paul described it one night in Burma. She untwined the metal chain and pushed open the gate wide enough for her car to travel through.
Feeling her tires scrape against an uneven gravel ground, Emily’s eyes became glued to the road, but when she saw the large old brick country home she could not keep her eyes off of it. “Wow, Paul.” Emily muttered to herself.
Coming up closer to the home she saw Paul outside in his garage bending over into the hood of a car. Honking her horn she frightened the older man seeing him jump in the air and drop a tool on the concrete floor.
Emily parked her vehicle and got out with a wide grin having recovered from her short bout of laughter knowing that Paul would have been swearing at her for scaring him. “Hey, Paul!” She slammed her car door shut.
The blonde haired man turned around, leaned up against the car and crossed his arms. “Emily Clarke. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Well, I had to come and check up on you after you apparently forgot to go to the mandatory UN six week follow up post deployment.” Emily approached further and walked into the warmth of the garage. “They called me and asked me where you were… hence why I am here.”
Paul turned his back towards Emily. “I don’t need any follow up.” He shortly replied and brushed it off like no big deal.
Emily stood there in silence and observed Paul tinkering around in the old red car. “Where did you find this old thing?” She tapped the top of the car as Paul’s head snapped up.
“Hey! Hey!” Paul narrowed his eyes at the blonde. “Be gentle with her!”
“Finally got your attention! Now, I am going to make you a deal.” Emily smirked, as Paul stood up taller. “You are going to hand me a tool and we are going to work on this car while you tell me why the hell you are risking your job over a simple follow up appointment.” Emily was not backing down from him in the least as she stood her ground.
“Emily…” Paul swayed his head back and forth.
“No! Do not Emily me!” Her voice rose with anger. “I was there too, Paul. I saw it too! But, I know there was nothing we could have done and I can smell the alcohol on your breath so you need to tell me what the hell is going on, Paul?”
A deafening silence floated between them as they stared the other down with intense gazes. Emily’s jaw stiffened with a slow shake of her head as Paul remained quiet. “Look, you can talk to me. I don’t care what you do with the UN or if you throw your career down the fucking toilet. But, this isn’t the Paul I know to not respond to my calls and reek of alcohol. I am here as a friend because I am worried about the doctor who has been my mentor for years and I can tell something changed in you that day.”
Emily let the words sink in as Paul quietly stewed in silence. Tapping his foot lightly on the concrete floor he shook his head knowing he could not let Emily down. “Fine.” He spoke through gritted teeth. “You are right. I have not been dealing with what happened well and I am sorry I have been ignoring you.”
“You aren’t the only one though Paul.” Emily sighed before sticking out her hand. “Hand me a wrench thing or whatever it is…”
Paul bent down and pulled a tool out of his tool box placing it gently in her hand. “It’s called a monkey wrench, blondie.” He started to giggle. “The name suits you.”
“Ahhh!” Emily playfully pushed Paul for his comment. “I will let that one slide today, but you call me a damn monkey any other day and there will be hell to pay!” She giggled along side her mentor. “Now what are we supposed to be doing?”
He glanced up at the blonde doctor and simply shrugged his shoulders. “How should I know?”
“What?” Emily was taken back. “Wait, you are trying to fix this car up, but you know nothing about cars?”
Paul nodded while sticking his tongue out. “Yup! Exactly, poppet.” Paul groaned as he tried turning his tool to tighten a piece. “The guy at the auction said it was a one of a kind 1968 Mercedes Benz that needed a little work…” All of a sudden a loud crack sounded while fluid started to leak everywhere.
“Uh! I don’t think that was supposed to happen?!” Emily stated the obvious. “What are we supposed to do?”
The pair stood up dumbfounded while the car continued to leak. “Ok, let’s triage this issue. Go inside and grab my kit, should have some gauze in it We can pressure wound pack it until it stops.” Paul nodded with a smile, becoming proud he found a resolution to their issue.
“Gauze?! Really?” Emily scoffed a laugh. “I think you are getting senile! Maybe you did just forget about your follow up entirely?!” She bellowed a deep laugh making Paul’s eyes glare at her tightly.
“You know what? I am going to go inside and call them to re-book just to prove you wrong, blondie.” Paul shook his finger at Emily as he stomped off inside.
“MAKE SURE YOU CALL A MECHANIC TOOK WHILE YOU ARE AT IT!” She could hear him cursing from inside at her. But, her plan had worked even though she had to drive an hour plus to find his place. Emily had been worried about Paul when he had ignored her call a week after they had returned. She continued to try to contact him with no avail. But, when the UN called her and asked if Paul had other means of contact, Emily had learned he had missed a mandatory follow up appointment for post deployment and was at risk for losing his contract with the UN if he did not show; Emily had to go to greater lengths.
Paul was after all the only one who witnessed the tragedy that Emily could confide in that day resulting in the death of a young child in the last week of their contract in Burma. A senseless death resulting from a war where the only victims were the innocents.
End Flashback
“Why did you give me that half broken down car, Paul? And that stupid, rude goat Billy?” Emily chuckled at the memory as she placed the picture on her bedside table. Looking around the room, she smiled at the pictures that lined the walls reminding her of home back in England.
Four and a half more months were all she needed to endure as she promised herself that this time she would take a break from it all to catch up with family and friends. But, that smile stayed stagnant upon her lips knowing that while she was here, Emily would be able to get to know Harry further as she was reminded of her birthday wish last night.
Emily glanced down at her phone and decided that she would go wait for Harry outside his building to go eat dinner with him and the guys. Grabbing a jacket, she quickly put it on and made her way out of the dorm.
She was leaning up against the outside wall waiting for them to leave knowing the squad liked to get there in the first rush if possible to get the freshest food and a table. Each time the door flew open; her heart skipped a beat in hopes that Harry would be the one walking through that door. The time dragged on as Emily waited for the prince, but he did not show up.
The door flew open and Harry walked through with his head hanging low and walked right by Emily without a word displaying a distracted look on his face.
“Harry?” Emily pushed her body off of the cool metal that lined the building and waited for Harry to turn back around.
His head perked up and turned to look back at who called his name. The frown lines on his forehead smoothened over while his tightly clenched jaw relaxed into a softening expression at the sight of Emily.
“Oh, hi Em.” Harry shook his head and took a step back towards the blonde doctor with a concerned look growing on her face. “Sorry, I did not see you there. Bit distracted.” He breathed out a sigh of relief and forced a smile for her benefit.
“What’s got you so distracted, Harry?” Emily’s blue eyes lingered their gaze as they searched for the source herself.
“It’s fine, Emily.” Harry’s lips pulled into a soft smile at her concern for him. “How’s your new room?” He tried to change the subject off of him.
Her eyes narrowed at the prince and with an angled head she crossed her arms knowing what Harry was attempting to do. “Harry.” Emily shook her head at him. “Don’t play it off. What’s going on?”
Harry released an exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t get anything by you, can I?” A light laugh escaped his lips followed by a heavy sigh.
He motioned with his head for Emily to follow him as they started to walk off together. “Si promised me not to tell anyone Em…” Harry pursed his lips together as his jaw clenched together. “But, I don’t know how to help him.” His head turned to lock in her blue eyes.
Emily could see the obvious concern and distress circling in his deep blue eyes that she was immediately drawn to reach out for his hand and grasp it. Harry glanced down feeling a gentle hand squeezing his own, his fingers intertwined with Emily’s accepting the touch and reciprocating the gesture for a brief second as he regretfully looked into her blue eyes and dropped her hand.
No words were required to be spoken between them as they knew they could not continue to hold hands despite the urges within them too. But, the small gesture and risk that Emily took for that moment did make Harry feel grateful for her.
“You can tell me, Harry.” Emily sweetly encouraged the pilot.
“Simon’s wife wants a divorce.” Harry spat out through angry teeth. “She sent him a letter saying he was taking his son to Birmingham where her parents are and that when he comes home, she won’t be there.” The prince was clearly angry about how it went down. “She sent her wedding ring with the letter, Em.”
Emily’s heart sank in her chest for Simon. Her hand clutched her chest knowing the pain he must have been feeling. “What? Why?” She tried to comprehend it all.
Harry shook his head. “I don’t know. He’s my bunkmate and my boss.” The prince breathed in deeply. “He cannot be distracted Emily. Distracted pilots… are dead pilots.” Harry relayed the saying that was often taught in his training classes. “He’s an absolute mess and I have no idea how to help him.” The frustration was evident in his voice.
“Hey.” Emily stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face him. “Stop thinking like that.” Her blue eyes bore into him. “You are the closest thing Simon has here. Everyone can see that. He told you because he trusts you and needs your help.” Emily breathed out, “so let’s find a way to help him…”
Harry looked down to the ground and nodded in agreement. “First, want to come get some pizza with me? I am rather starving and don’t feel like being gawked at in the cook house today.” The prince raised his head with pleading blue eyes gently staring into Emily’s.
“Only, if I can buy.” Emily watched as Harry was about to protest. “Uh uh.”
“Ok fine.” Harry followed the smiling blonde doctor towards the pizza restaurant on the opposite side of the base.
“Pineapple is not meant to be on pizza.” Harry informed the blonde doctor as she took a giant bite of her ham and pineapple pizza.
“Neither are mushrooms and your pizza is covered in them!” Emily poked fun back at the prince, enjoying the smile that graced his lips. “Now that we have debated that, what are we going to do about Simon?”
Harry finished a piece of pizza and nodded his head. “Well, you are a woman so why do you think she’s leaving him?” His tone of voice did not sit well with Emily.
“Really?” Emily slapped her piece down on her plate and sat back crossing her arms. She glanced away from Harry with an annoyed expression.
The prince released a groan seeing the expression grow. “That is not what I meant…” He coaxed her blue eyes back on his.
“Ever think that this job is not exactly the greatest for relationships?” Emily leaned in and whispered while gently tapping on the table with her fingers. The way Emily spoke made it feel that she was speaking from past experience.
“Of course it’s demanding and puts its strain on any relationship.” Harry agreed, but curiosity got the better of him. “Something makes me get the sense that you are speaking from experience?” The prince gently tip toed for an answer, but immediately saw Emily put up the walls around her, closing him off from the truth.
“Nah.” She curtly replied. “Was making a general statement is all.” Emily further added to hide the obvious truth she accidentally let slip. Right now simply was not the time to bring up her ex with Harry, but that did not stop her mind from going there.
Flashback
“If you get on that plane Emily, this is over.” Emily’s long time boyfriend and most recently, fiancé, gave her an ultimatum.
“Aaron, you can’t be serious?” Emily undid her seat belt in the passenger seat and looked to the people outside through the window managing their luggage as they entered the airport. She was to be leaving that morning on yet another United Nations mission, but this time to Syria.
Aaron, her fiancé, was all on board with it until a few weeks ago when he learned that Emily was headed right dead in the middle of the Islamic/Russian fueled Syrian civil war as the rebels along with foreign allies fought to regain control over Assad’s dictatorial regime in an attempt to end the needless deaths and provide care to the thousands of civilians caught in the cross fire. Their fight went on for days and days, until Aaron decided to leave and go MIA.
A few days before Emily left she had come home after a night out with friends to find Aaron sitting in their living room. After a long conversation, she had learned he left to a childhood friend’s house a few hours away to cool off and rethink his options. He begged Emily not to go, but still remained supportive of her decision until the morning she was to leave for Syria.
“Oh, I am dead serious, Emily Rose Clarke.” Aaron pushed down on the lock button to lock her door and keep her inside. “You get out of this vehicle and I can guarantee you, you will never see me again.” Aaron threatened the blonde doctor who was looking straight ahead out of the front windshield, breathing hard with anger in the passenger seat.
“You know this is what I want…” Emily quietly replied being tired of him always wanting her to do less of her work while he was allowed to spend late nights at his job to advance his own career, never giving Emily’s a second thought. He would often cancel a scheduled date night if it meant for him to be a part of a major surgery. Emily was stood up numerous times as he ignorance completely forgot to even inform her of the fact he was staying.
“How many more Emily?” Aaron speaking her name caused Emily to turn her attention towards him. “How many more of these are you willing to go on before something happens to you? They are getting more and more dangerous. First Burma, then the Congo and now bloody Syria? Do you not know what is going on there?” He tried to reason with her.
“That is exactly why I am going, Aaron. We have talked this dead about why I am.” Emily sighed heavily. “I have supported you, moved with you to another city away from my friends and family so you can pursue your dream of becoming a top neurosurgeon, but quite frankly I am tired of you doing everything in your power to kill my own dream!” Her voice rose with each passing word. “You cannot keep doing this to me and giving me these ultimatums each time I am to leave like I am choosing my career over you when you know that is the opposite of what I do…”
“When I got down on one knee that night in Paris, I meant what I said.” Aaron’s voice became quiet. “I meant that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, but that meant you staying in Manchester and working at the hospital and eventually becoming my wife. But, I cannot keep watching you leave and be all by myself for months on end.” Her fiancée complained. This was all about him being alone?
“So, this is about you being lonely?” There was no doubt in her mind that Emily loved Aaron, but in the last recent weeks after the proposal there were little red flags that kept popping up everywhere. The one thing that they could never agree on was Emily’s work with the UN and all the time she spent away. Emily was at first elated at the thought of being married to Aaron, but a little voice inside of her head could not be silenced as it continued to build a little thought in her mind that Aaron was using the engagement to keep Emily’s career beneath his own.
Numerous times he commented on how successful she was for her age, but as he continued to chip away at it, he became resentful towards her for own success being the leading source for many of their fights. In an attempt to get past that issue, Emily moved with him to Manchester to support him in pursing a top leading medical fellowship under a brilliant neurosurgeon.
All the doubts she had felt over the course of their relationship were circling in her mind as she glanced down at her diamond engagement ring sitting on her finger feeling utterly stupid for even accepting such a trapping gift. Emily needed one answer from Aaron to make her decision. She had learned through rumors that their fight had caused Aaron to seek the comfort of his ‘childhood friend’ also known as his high school girlfriend, Gemma.
“Did you go see Gemma when we had our fight?” Emily’s blue eyes bore into him as she seeked the truth he attempted to conceal.
Aaron’s hesitation to Emily’s question gave her the answer she needed. “Instead of working it out with me, you went to Gemma to fuck her, didn’t you?” That was the nail to the coffin of their relationship.
“No, not at all.” He denied it with stumbling words as Emily scoffed. “How do you know about her?” Aaron questioned in return trying to put it back on Emily.
“I am not an idiot, Aaron. It’s not the only time you have gone there because you are ‘lonely’ when I am gone. Am I right?” Emily saw the betrayal circling in his brown eyes. A part of her questioned it after her return from Burma that Aaron had been seeing someone else behind her back. He never did handle Emily being away very well, but that still did not give him any reason to do what he did. Her doubts of his cheating changed within a few days of her return, but still lingered in her mind.
“Alright fine! I did go see Gemma a few times while you were in Burma and the Congo, but nothing ever happened between us!” Aaron flat out refused to commit to the truth. “I am done having you fly half way across with the UN and put your life on the line. I am worried sick about you all the time!”
“You must not have been that worried when you had your dick inside Gemma, now did you?” Emily’s blue eyes were shooting daggers as the expression of guilt formed on Aaron’s face. She had been right all this time and yet she refused to listen to that little voice inside her head. Closing her eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears she failed as they cascaded down her cheeks.
“I proposed to you because I love you Emily Clarke and I want you here with me in Manchester. Gemma is not you…” Aaron could hear the sobs coming from the blonde doctor.
“You should have thought of that before you cheated on me, before you asked me to follow you here, before you proposed to me only to keep me beneath you because the thought of me being more successful than you, kills you inside.” Her blue eyes turned to lock in Aaron’s guilty gaze. “When you got down on one knee, you were only thinking of your ego and not the fact that you were doing this for the wrong reasons.”
“I am done. I should have known you really didn’t care about me being your wife. You only cared about yourself, this whole time.” Emily tore off the ring and tossed it in his lap. “You won’t ever see me again, Aaron. This is goodbye.” She wiped away her tears off her dampened cheeks and grabbed her bags before slamming the door shut. Turning around without another glance she took off inside hearing Aaron calling after her.
Emily pulled her bags from behind, searching for Paul as he had already boarded the plane ahead of her. He stood up with a smile and waved to her, climbing out of his seat to help her with her bags.
“Hello, poppet.” Paul was grinning from ear to ear. “Let me help you with those.” He hoisted them above his head into the carry on bin and allowed Emily to take her favourite spot by the window. She loved to glance out the window and say her goodbyes to home and take in the first views of their new home for the next months.
“Thank you, Paul.” Her somber tone alerted Dr. Hastings that something was not quite right with her.
He sat down beside the blonde doctor and noticed the absent ring on her finger. His eyes peaked up to see Emily staring up at him silently as a cascade of tears she tempted to keep at bay flooded down her cheek. Paul immediately wrapped his arm around her and comforted Emily as she quietly sobbed without a spoken word between them.
“I’m sorry.” She gathered herself together and took a few deep breaths. “Aaron gave me another ultimatum.” Emily closed her eyes and rested her head back on the seat before glancing beside her to see Paul nodding. “He cheated on me numerous times with his high school girlfriend while we were in Burma and the Congo.”
“So you ended it?” Paul sincerely asked as he watched Emily nod.
“Well, I never liked the guy to begin with” Paul leaned in and smiled before muttering, “pompous arrogant ass” causing Emily to bark a laugh. “He could have at least gotten you a bigger diamond for being such a twat in my opinion!” Emily knew that Paul was trying his best to make her laugh and forget about it all, which she was grateful for.
“I know, Paul.” Emily glanced out the window as the plane took off towards their destination.
“You never know, maybe you will find the person you are meant to be with over there!” Paul squeezed her knee reassuringly and offering her some hope. “I know I found my Claire when I least expected it. It could happen to you too, you know. He’s out there somewhere, you just haven’t found him yet.”
End Flashback
Emily was staring into Harry’s sparkling eyes as a faint smile appeared on her lips remembering what Paul spoke about on the plane. The little voice inside of her head came to the forefront, he may be right in front of you.
“What?” Harry took another bite of his pizza as the prince noticed Emily’s intense stare focused on his blue eyes.
She shook her head and came out of her thoughts. “Nothing.” Emily stifled a giggle and took a sip of her drink. “I think I know how to help Simon.”
Harry flashed her a smile as his hopeful eyes stared back at Emily, intently watching her as she was distracted by a loud noise in their surroundings. This gave the prince an opportunity to steal an unguarded glance at Emily, taking her all in to commit to his memory.
A/N: I apologize for not updating as frequently but here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! I would love to hear what you think of it, good or bad!
“I want you to come with us! It will do you good Soph.” Rowan tried her best to convince Sophia that a vacation would do her some good. “What can a little sun hurt?”
Standing on her tippy toes Sophia grabbed a box from the top shelf placing it in her grocery cart. The squeaky wheels drug along the waxed white flooring as she continued to check off the items on her grocery list.
“I don’t know Rowe.” She dragged out undecidedly.
“It’s last minute I know, but someone cancelled and I swear it is not a couple’s trip.” Her friend was relentless in her persuasion; after all she was a lawyer and could win the toughest cases or any argument. “It will be a good escape for a few days Sophia.”
Rowan did have a point; maybe a little vacation would not be such a terrible idea. Her parent’s separation had somehow made its way to the front pages of the SUN, causing nothing but more strife between members of her family. Blaming Sophia’s mother for the leak, her father decided to release his own statement in hopes to save face in the public eye claiming that their marriage was stronger than ever.
Image was everything to her father; going to great lengths to cultivate the image of the perfect British family, one that was better fit to rule than the tumultuous Windsor clan that sat upon it’s throne. Sophia played her part along with the rest of her family; part of the reason why she had ran away from the prince a few weeks ago. The disapproving look on her father’s face haunted her, no matter how hard she tried to get it out of her head Sophia knew she could never be with Harry.
Harry had been right, but she could not admit to the fear her father held over her head; he would not understand her feelings she held for the prince. They simply could not be together, in any sort of form. That didn’t mean it was any easier for her to get the prince out of her mind. He lingered there, invading her thoughts day-to-day replaying the way he kissed her that night in her mind.
Her mind was in a daze, reminding her again of the way he held her hand of how it fit into his grasp like the perfect puzzle piece. The sweet scent of him burned in her nose as her heart skipped a beat…
Bumping into someone’s cart, her thoughts were rudely interrupted from their daydreaming. “I’m sorry sir…” Apologizing profusely, Sophia realized she was still on the phone with Rowan.
“Ok ok. I will come…” Sophia reluctantly agreed through pursed lips. Rowan’s loud squeals of happiness rang in her ear loudly.
“I will tell the crew that you are going! Ben’s friends are amazing and he will be so happy you are coming to celebrate his birthday! We are leaving in two days, quite early in the morning and don’t worry about the private plane, it’s on us!”
“Thanks Rowe. I owe you one.” With that Sophia hung up the phone. A bubbling sense of relief started to flourish within her. Knowing that a little time in the sun and the waves of the beautiful Seychelles Islands was the perfect getaway she required, spending it with friends and days filled with laughter and alcohol would make her forget the struggles that kept her landed at home. It was time that she took the chance to be selfish.
Parking her cart at the cashier’s aisle she placed her items on the belt. Waiting patiently for her turn she scanned the corners of the trashy magazine covers giggling at the ridiculousness of the cover stories.
That’s when her eyes fell upon him. Seeing his arm wrapped around a brunette woman’s arm as he exited a popular club he attended. Her heart sank in her chest, crushing her lungs in the process.
It was Harry pictured with a mysterious new brunette woman with writing plastered over the front saying ‘Has Prince Harry found a new royal girlfriend?’
Not being able to contain herself, Sophia grabbed the magazine and skimmed the article. How had he moved on from her already? Sophia could not stop thinking about him in the past weeks since their kiss. Mind you it was she that ran away from him and strictly told Harry nothing could ever happen between them. But so quickly, how could he?
I guess he never thought twice about me…. I guess he never cared how I would feel.
With that thought she placed the magazine back in its slot, burying along with it every thought and feeling she ever held for the prince. It was not worth her heart or mind constantly thinking about someone who clearly had not cared for her the same way she did for Harry.
If he was going to move on this quickly, so would she. Adding yet another reason to attend Ben’s birthday trip.
Maybe this was what she needed to get her mind off of the prince for good.
Glancing out the window of the SUV the private plane came into Sophia’s view. It was nothing that she wasn’t used to; she had been on a few before hand but preferred to not waste her money on luxury. Working with the Red Cross, Sophia had become accustomed to flying all over the world, mostly on uncomfortable cargo planes.
The railing of the steps up to the plane smoothed over across the palm of her hand, her fingers gripping it lightly to steady herself while pulling her bags up them. Ducking her head beneath the entrance she was greeted by the pilot and flight stewardess who took her bags and handed her a glass of champagne.
Following in behind Ben and Rowen she met a couple, Marcus and Lena, joining them on their trip. Not knowing anyone else she was forced to make small talk with Lena, taking up the seat behind Rowen at the back of the plane.
Her small frame settled into the plush leather chair that reclined back into a bed for the long trip ahead of them. Taking a sip of her champagne Sophia chuckled at a joke Marcus had made at the expense of his girlfriend Lena. The light of the window beside her caused her head to swivel, looking out at the planes taking off going to whatever their destination maybe.
That’s when she heard a familiar posh voice.
“Hey mate.”
Snapping her head towards the direction of the voice she searched for its source knowing in her mind who it belonged to. Her hand flew to her mouth, silencing her gasp as Harry stood at the front of the plane greeting Ben. Gripping the arm rest beside her she tried to catch her breath feeling a sense of dizziness circle in her head.
Ben and Harry were friends, this she knew. Rowen did not allude to the fact that the prince would be joining them on this trip. There was no way that Rowen would invite Sophia had she known.
Those deep blue eyes caught her staring at him. He paused for a brief moment unsure of whether to proceed down the aisle to greet the rest of the group. A display of shock graced his face for every one to see, a look that did not go unnoticed but was hidden in its true meaning.
“Sorry Harry. Rowe invited her… I didn’t think you were coming.” Ben leaned in hoping to explain why Sophia was here with them. Everyone aboard that plane, hell everyone across England knew the unaltered hate between the Cromwell’s and the Windsor’s.
“It’ll be fine Ben. I don’t hate her, besides my plans changed last minute.” Harry reassured his friend with a faint smile hoping to down play the situation. The real reason was not that at all, it was the fact that Sophia and him now shared a past, one she evidently hoped to have kept buried. A smile tugged at his lips thinking that this trip would be the perfect chance for him and Sophia to work things out. It’s not like she could hide or run from him now.
Hanging her head low trying to hide her gaze Harry smirked sensing how uncomfortable she was feeling in that moment. Walking slowly towards her Harry saw the seat across from her free; picking his pace up he kept his gaze on her until her blue eyes peaked up at him.
Leaning on the seat in front of her Sophia was forced to look up at him. “Hello Harry…”
“Sophia…” Harry winked at her watching a faint blush appear on her cheeks. Knowing Sophia was trying her best to not smile at the fact he was here she cleared her throat nervously, fidgeting with her hands.
“Is this seat taken?”
“It’s yours if you want… but there are better ones in the front…” Sophia tried to convince Harry to sit anywhere else but across from her. The aisles were small, making it feel that Harry was nearly sitting right beside her.
Rowe turned her head rounding it into view from the seat ahead of her. “I didn’t know he was coming… I’m sorry Sophia.”
“It’s alright Rowen. It’s about Ben this weekend, don’t worry about me!” Sophia spoke loud enough so Harry would pick up on that fact. Seeing his head turn slightly Sophia knew he had heard her.
Sinking back into her seat she closed her eyes gripping the handles of the seat waiting for the plane to take off. No matter how many times she had been on a plane, the take off always terrified her for an unknown reason. Closing her eyes she listened to the engines firing up.
Harry sat down buckling himself in securely in the seat across the aisle from Sophia. Taking a brief glance in her direction he saw her tense body stiffen, gripping the arm rests tight. He wanted nothing more than to try and distract her from her obvious distress she expressed on her face.
“Sophia…” Harry whispered loud enough for only her to hear. Her blue eyes sprung open turning to look at him, her mouth slightly parted.
“You ok?” He mouthed to her displaying a look of concern.
Biting down on her lower lip she forced out a lie with a simple nod of her head.
‘Look at me…’ Harry mouthed to Sophia in silence. ‘It will be over soon.’ His blue eyes held a comforting gaze that calmed her nerves. Not wanting to fall again under his spell Sophia was hesitant to keep their eyes locked, but revelled in the feeling it surrounded her with like Harry was right beside her comforting her.
“Soph…” Her friend Rowen was gently shaking her body awake. “Sophia!” The voice became louder as her eyes sprung open from a deep slumber. “Hey we are landing now!”
“Ok ok I am up.” Sophia sat up slowly, stretching her arms up as she yawned tiredly. A set of blue eyes were smirking at her from across from her seat that helped to form her narrowing eyes at the prince.
The plane had landed safely in the Seychelles as everyone was standing up grabbing their overhead bags. Sophia gave her bag another tug unable to reach it high up in the overhead bins. Muttering beneath her breath she silently spoke profanities.
An arm reached above her and pulled it down. “Let me help.”
Sophia peaked up at the figure towering over her from behind. Of course it was Harry grinning proudly down at her as he gently placed her bag in his hands.
“Thank you Harry.” Sophia chose to be polite towards the prince, even though all she wanted was to ignore him and enjoy her mini holiday.
Making their way to the private beach front villa everyone started to explore their home for the next few days. Rowen had rented it out, which clearly had costed a fortune based on the size and amenities of it. Sophia dropped her bag and immediately ran straight out the door towards the beach.
Her toes squished in the warm white sand feeling the ocean breeze tousle her blonde hair. The waves came crashing in to the shore in a calming manner. This was exactly what she had needed to get away from all the stresses and worries back in England.
Closing her eyes she heard someone step quietly towards her silently turning around she could not hide her beaming smile seeing that it was Harry. Her smile faded when she saw his concerned expression.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” He stood beside her taking in the amazing view with arms crossed defensively.
“It’s breathtaking…” Sophia smiled up at him with curiosity. Harry would not look at her as he stared straight ahead into the ocean with a furrowed brow as if he was deep in thought.
“Harry? What’s wrong?”
“Rowe is trying to fix it don’t worry…” Harry put on a masked smile as he turned his attention to the blonde.
“Tell me.” Her voice became stern demanding to know.
“Rowen and you are going to stay together in a room, cause there aren’t enough beds for you and me to have a separate one.” He sighed deeply pausing. “Unless… you are ok sharing a bed with me.” Blue eyes held her gaze while she repeated every word.
Share a bed with Harry? I can’t…. but it’s Ben’s birthday? Sophia was trapped deep in thought pouring through every scenario. How can she ask that of Rowen?
“That’s not fair to Ben….” Sophia quietly whispered.
“Look, I don’t want this to be awkward or uncomfortable for you. So let’s just be ok with sharing and I will sleep on the couch in the room. It’s no big deal for me.” Harry kindly offered knowing that Sophia was being put in a tough spot.
“What about your girlfriend?” Sophia bravely asked with a slightly annoyed tone. Harry’s head lifted from the sand displaying a confused look. “The one you left Mahiki with?” Her voice fell into a whisper.
“Sophia… that was my friends girlfriend.” He tossed his head back in laughter. “You should know better than to jump to conclusions from a mere picture.”
Her blue eyes stared into the depths of his. Maybe she was wrong about Harry… maybe he did still care and want her the same way she so desperately wanted him. Shaking her head lightly from the thought she heard the door open from behind them.
Rowen and Ben came walking out towards them making Harry glance back over his shoulder angling his body. He had wanted to discuss the options with Sophia first before being put on the spot. Even though things with them had ended quite rocky he still respected Sophia. He did not expect to see her on the trip, but a tiny part of him was ecstatic to see her again after everything, like it was a second chance for them to figure out what was happening between them.
“Sophia! Can I talk to you for a minute?” Rowen dragged the blonde away from Harry and Ben. Sophia quickly took one last glance at Harry wanting to know what she should do.
“What is it?” Sophia pretended not to know giving her an extra few seconds to make up her mind.
“So, I originally had invited another couple before we invited you and I didn’t think that Harry was coming so I thought there were enough beds and well… there aren’t….” Rowen smiled weakly with caution as she treaded around issue.
“Will you be ok sharing with Harry? I completely understand if you don’t want to cause me and you can just share one and the boys can if it’s an issue at all!” Rowen continued explaining.
“It’s alright. I don’t mind sharing with him. I am not going to make you do that to Ben on his birthday.” Sophia plastered on fake smile acting like she was completely fine with the idea when she internally knew it was a terrible choice sharing a bed with Harry.
“Great! You are the best!!” Her friend pulled her into a warm tight hug. While her eyes landed back on Harry giving him a guilty smile.
Mind if I take this blanket?” Harry walked out of the bathroom glancing at Sophia that had pulled the covers around her body already careful not to show the prince any part of her silky pajamas. It had been a long day for everyone and all they wanted was some much-needed sleep.
“Yeah, and the other one too if you want Harry.” Sophia sat up in bed feeling guilty as she watched Harry walk away with pillows and blankets heading towards the sofa. It was unfair to him that he was the one to sleep on the uncomfortable sofa and her get the bed all to herself.
Harry flipped the light switch off still having enough light from the bed side lamp where Sophia was sitting up watching him carefully, to safely make his way to the sofa. Pulling off of his shirt he tossed it in the general direction of his bag wearing only his boxer shorts. Making himself comfortable as he could on the sofa he laid his head down on the pillow knowing Sophia’s eyes were still on him.
“Are you going to turn off the light?” Harry giggled quietly as he watched her sit up higher in bed.
Sophia closed her eyes briefly knowing it was a terrible idea what she was about to do, but she could not let Harry sleep there. “No….” She smiled at him weakly.
“Because you need to find your way back into this bed.” There was a part that worried her even more knowing that she did not regret inviting the prince to share the bed with her. He had been a gentleman and offered to sleep on the sofa, but she could not make him do that for the rest of the week. A small voice in her head was curious what it would be like to sleep next to him.
“Sophia it’s fine I can sleep here. It’s no big- ” He started to reassure Sophia, not wanting to play on her guilt.
“Harry, please just come. I cannot let you sleep on that lumpy sofa… we are adults I think we can both be respectful and share a bed together right?” Sophia half questioned herself remembering the last time she had been in Harry’s presence that ended with a kiss she would never be able to forget. She was asking for trouble.
The prince slowly sat up, placing his feet on the marbled flooring. “You get one last chance to change your mind Cromwell.” Harry warned her with a narrowing of the eyes as he stepped closer to the bed pulling the blankets along with him.
“Get here in before I regret it Wales.” Sophia could not help but giggle at him seeing his crooked smirk flash on his lips.
“What are you doing?” Harry could feel a pile of pillows along side his back. He turned over to look at the blonde making a pillow wall between them.
“Making sure you stay on your side.” Sophia was completely serious. “No funny business Harry.” She heeded yet another warning that he better keep his promise and stay on his side.
Harry was too tired to continue arguing with her so he flipped on his side facing her, knowing it would bother her more. Sophia was face to face with the prince shaking her head at him knowing that he was trying to get under her skin.
“It’s not going to work Harry.”
“We will see about that. This pillow wall will be non-existent by morning. We both know you cannot resist me…” His blue eyes winked at her causing an eye roll.
“You know better than to try a Cromwell.” Sophia laughed away his response.
“You should have known better not to kiss me then!”
“Harry!!” Sophia gasped before making herself face the other direction not wanting to see the pure giddy smile that was gently placed on her lips.
Sophia quickly fell into a deep sleep, sharing the bed with Harry as well as sharing her dreams with him.
Han pasado cuatro meses, y parece que hayan pasado cuatro años. Y aún nos quedan años por pasar juntos.
Así que ven, ven a mí y dame la mano. No te separes, pues aún nos quedan muchos viajes por delante, muchas camas que conquistar y muchas guerras de cosquillas bajo las sábanas a cualquier hora del día.
Ven que aún me quedan miles de besos para darte, bien entrada las 10 de la mañana para que puedas despertarte.
Ven que aún tengo abrazos incompletos, besos medio dados y sueños medio hechos.
Ven que aún tengo consejos que no te he dado y heridas que me quedan por relamer.
Ven cuando la vida no te esté dando más que problemas. Prometo solucionarlos con un buen vaso de vino y besos hasta que te quedes dormida.
Simplemente ven, que aún me quedan trozos que darte, sonrisas que dibujarte y mucho amor con el que obsequiarte.
