Jan 11, 2015
So what would you guys like to see in the next chapter? Any ideas?
Btw, I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last one xxx
seen from Malaysia
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Italy
seen from India
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Kenya
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from Maldives
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from India
seen from United Arab Emirates
seen from Cambodia
So what would you guys like to see in the next chapter? Any ideas?
Btw, I'm so glad you all enjoyed the last one xxx
Chapter Forty-Three Part-Two
A/N: So here it is. I finally wrote the second part of Chapter Forty-Three. You can find Part One here.
http://justfriendsphff.tumblr.com/post/95834214666/chapter-forty-three-part-one
This chapter is quite small and it took me a while to get back into it, so I'm very sorry and would appreciate any feedback :)
It was an unwelcome early rise for the slightly hungover party the following morning, ready to prepare for the breakfast that would precede the wedding. While the bride, groom and the rest of the bridal party would be busy getting ready and making sure that everything was perfect for the nuptials that afternoon, Harry and his friends were meeting in the hotel's restaurant for some pre-ceremonial food. While Harry was eager to see if the hotel would have bacon sandwiches on their menu, Alice was dreading the whole affair.
Edward would be there. Edward who now suspected that something along the lines of self-harming had happened during her affair with Harry, Edward who had shot her calculating and anxious glances throughout the previous evening. Edward who was the best brother in the world but also the most overprotective.
“Are you okay?” Harry asked, as he buttoned up his shirt; Alice was pacing the room, absentmindedly fiddling with her bracelet.
She looked up at his question and managed a smile. “Fine,” she answered.
“No,” he said simply, moving to stand before her. She gazed up at him, awkwardly trying not to meet his eye. “You're nervous.”
“No, I'm not.”
“Yes you are,” he said, the tiniest trace of amusement leaking into his voice. “You're pacing, you're wringing your hands.”
She ducked her head and sighed. “Okay, so maybe I am nervous.”
“Of what?” he asked gently; the softest brush of his index finger along her chin lifted her gaze to his.
“Edward's going to be there,” she said. “And after the conversation you two had last night...”
“Don't worry about him,” he said. “I don't think he'll try and talk to you about it at least until the wedding's over.”
“But what if he does?” she pressed fearfully. “What if he asks me in front of everyone?”
“In front of everyone?!” Harry quoted incredulously, then barked a laugh. “You think he'd talk at breakfast?” He chuckled to himself as he enveloped Alice in his arms. “Silly Mini, of course he wouldn't do that.”
As Harry said it, she understood how stupid and unnecessary a worry it was. Of course he wouldn't. People don't talk about those sort of things at the table.
“Okay?” he murmured, hugging her tightly to him. “Stop worrying. Today will be a good day.”
Together they made their way down to the restaurant, hand-in-hand with Alice clinging desperately to him. Despite his reassurances, she still felt nervous. Despite his lips' attempts at taking her mind away from her brother, she still felt sick.
Most of the party were already there when they walked in. With everyone dressed down in summer dresses and casual shirts, it was light and relaxed. Informal and, well, fun, judging from the laughter coming from the table. At the sight of Harry and Alice, the noise only escalated.
Teasing cat-calls met Alice's ears, and she rolled her eyes at William, the joking culprit, while the names 'ginger', 'big H' and 'your majesty' were shouted at Harry. His deep chuckle was the last sound that Alice heard before she had sank into her seat. Her eyes scanned the table, before-
“Where's Lizzie?” she asked, her gaze automatically going to question Edward.
“She, uh, had a little bit of fun last night,” her best friend, Frankie, told them, and the guys all received the news with raucous banter.
Harry took a sip of his orange juice, before glancing at the empty seat beside him. “Where's Skip?” he asked Jake, who was sat on Alice's other side.
“Dunno,” Jake said. “He probably pulled too, knowing him.”
Harry's eyebrows rose as he absorbed the information, but he didn't answer, taking another gulp before setting the glass down on the table.
“How's your hangover?” Edward asked him, causing him to break into a cheeky grin.
“Not too bad,” he replied. “You know what they say cures a hangover-”
“A shitload of drunk sex the night before,” Arthur said. As the party burst into laughter, Harry scowled; Edward wasn't laughing. Therefore, neither was Alice.
They were all feasting on croissants and bagels by the time Skippy entered the room. He looked tired, with fatigued bags beneath his eyes and dishevelled hair. His expression, however, looked slightly anxious, especially as it touched on Edward.
“Finally, Skip,” Harry said, as his best friend sank into his seat. “Where the hell have you been?”
Skippy didn't answer, just shot him a nervous glance before taking a sip of water. Harry, Alice and Jake shared a confused glance.
“You alright, Skip?” Edward called down the table.
“Fine, just...hungover,” Skippy replied.
“You didn't see my slutty sister by any chance?” Alice asked him, trying to lighten the mood. “Apparently she's pulled as well.”
“Um, yeah. She was going back to her room when I was on my way down.”
Alice made a disgusted sound at the back of her throat. “I mean, a one night stand is one thing but being late to breakfast.”
“As if you've never been late,” Harry teased her, snaking his arm along the back of her chair. She threw him a roll of the eyes.
“I don't do one night stands,” she answered matter-of-factly. “You know that.”
“No, just fuck buddies,” Skippy said, regaining his usual spark for the quick comeback. Then he dissolved back into silence, as Harry and Alice stared at him, horrified. Jake was now eyeing the two, confused.
“So Jake,” Alice said. “What exactly have you got planned for this year? A baby?”
As Alice distracted the friend on her left, Harry turned to the friend on his right. “Skippy,” he hissed. “Do you fucking mind? Telling all our friends about the start of our...friendship.” “Sorry,” Skippy grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
“What's up?” Harry pressed. “You seem...agitated.”
“I-” Skippy hesitated, then said, “I need to talk to you.”
“Go ahead.”
“No,” he said. “Alone.”
Harry paused, examining his friend's face, before saying, “Okay. Let's go.” He turned to Alice. “I'll be right back, Mini.”
As the two of them got to their feet, the third and final Marlborough sibling entered the room. Lizzie was smiling, batting her eyelashes at the playful cat-calls, but Harry was sure he saw her eyes meet Skippy's. He was sure that he saw a different emotion take over them. Not just one, a mixture. But he couldn't identify what it was.
Once out in the corridor, Harry turned on his best friend. “You better fucking hope no one heard what you said-”
“I slept with Lizzie.”
Skippy's whispered announcement silenced Harry instantly, causing the latter to stare at his best friend for a few moments. “What?!” he finally hissed.
“Me. Lizzie. Last night. Sex.”
“You....you fucked her?!”
“That's what sex is, Harry,” Skippy drawled, embarrassed.
“I fucking now what sex is, asshole,” Harry snapped, before running a hand through his ginger spikes and letting his breath out slowly. “Shit, what is Edward going to say?”
“Edward isn't going to say anything,” Skippy answered. “Because Edward isn't going to find out.”
“He'll find out eventually,” Harry said.
“It was one night,” Skippy said. “One night. Never again.”
Harry arched an eyebrow. “You think you'll be able to keep this a secret?”
“Yes.”
“Every time you look at her you'll remember what it was like,” he continued. “You'll remember the kiss, and the touch, and the orgasm-”
“Shut it, H,” Skippy nearly cried. “I'm trying to forget what just happened, okay?”
“Why? What's the big deal?”
“Edward's the big deal! You saw what he was like with you and Alice. This will just push him over the edge.”
“Lizzie isn't like Alice, though,” Harry said. “Alice is quieter, shyer. Lizzie would just tell Edward to fuck off.”
Skippy nibbled on his bottom lip. “And then Edward would say the same to me. I don't want him to find out.”
“Well I sure as hell am not going to tell him,” Harry said. “If anyone should, it's you. That's what pissed him off about me and Alice. We didn't tell him, we kept it from him, and it angered him. It made the situation ten times worse.”
“But you guys carried on doing it. Seeing each other, I mean.”
“Yeah, well you two might-”
“We're not,” Skippy hissed. “No. We're not seeing each other. I think-” He gulped. “I think she regrets it.”
Harry's eyebrows furrowed. “Was it not good?”
“No, it was great. I mean, she loved it. But...I think she was embarrassed that she had done it with me.”
“Why?” he said. “You're a great guy.”
Skippy shrugged. “I don't know, man. Girls are weird.”
“Do you want me to talk to Alice about it-”
“No. Don't talk to Alice. She's Edward's sister, she has loyalties to keep-”
“She won't tell anyone-” Harry began.
“I don't want anyone to know,” Skippy answered. “Okay?”
“Okay, Skip, I mean, it's your decision.”
“It is,” he said, then managed a smile. “Thanks, mate.”
“You might regret it, but you're welcome.”
They returned to the room, and while most were too busy listening to the story that Edward was telling to notice their entrance, Alice's curious eyes were immediately on Harry. He rolled his own, silently telling her how unbelievable Skippy was, and received a small smile. As he sat down, their hands met, and their fingers entwined beneath the table as Alice turned her attention back to her brother.
* * *
“Are you okay?”
Alice didn't press for information until they were back at their apartment, until the two of them were well into the process of getting ready for the wedding. Harry was stood by the bed, buttoning up his vest. He looked up at her question; he had been so absorbed in his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed her come in.
“Fine,” he said, smiling.
“We've already had this conversation today,” she said lightly, moving into the room. “Except it was the other way round.”
He chuckled. “True. In a way, they're sort of about the same thing.”
“Same thing?” Her eyebrows rose, and then a horrified expression took over her. “You mean-”
“Not you,” he said, quickly taking her hands to calm her. “It doesn't affect you at all.”
She gazed up at him, at his deep blue eyes. “Does it have something to do with Skippy?”
Harry hesitated.
“You've been preoccupied ever since you came back from speaking to him,” she said. “What's wrong?”
“I promised not to tell anyone,” he said slowly, fearing her reaction. “I'm sorry, Mini, but he made me promise.”
She stared at him for a few moments, then smiled and said, “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay. He's your friend, you have to keep his secrets.”
“You'll probably find out anyway,” Harry said, grinning.
“Can you make me a promise?” Her voice turned playful, changing the subject.
“Hmm, depends what it is,” he teased, his worries immediately forgotten as his arms wove around her waist, pulling her to him.
“I think you'll like it,” she said, her eyelids fluttering closed as she leant up. “I think you'll like it a lot.”
“Does it have anything to do with tonight? After the wedding?” he questioned casually.
She bit her lip. “Maybe.”
“Does it have anything to do with...ooh, this bed?”
Alice fought a giggle. “Maybe.”
“Does it...have anything to do with our clothes...on the floor?”
She was opening smiling now, a tiny blush colouring her cheeks. “Maybe.”
He grinned widely. “I promise.”
“You still don't know what it is.”
“I don't care,” he said, capturing her mouth with his own and chuckling into her. “I like the sound of it no matter what.”
She giggled into him. “I knew you would.”
“I'm surprised at you though,” he teased huskily. “After last night? So insatiable, Mini.”
“Well, who can resist a three-piece suit?” she said innocently, looking up at him from under her lashes as her fingers toyed with his shirt. “Especially you in a three-piece suit.”
He chuckled, a deep sound. “Now come on, Mini, we have a wedding to go to.”
“Oh, surely we could just...stay here?” She arched an eyebrow, pouting, her arms snaking round his neck. “They probably won't even notice, you know.”
But they would've noticed, and half an hour later they were on their way to the church. Sat in the back of the hired Range Rovers, Alice found herself sandwiched between the two princes. The two of them spoke about football, and visiting Graceland the following day, but Alice sat in silence, only looking up whenever Harry gently squeezed her hand.
“Have you spoken to Kate and George today?” Alice asked William.
“Just before I left, yes,” William said, as the car slowed to a stop outside the venue. “George got her up twice in the night.”
“George is a rascal,” Harry said, smirking at his brother.
“Apparently he's been stealing Lupo's toys and hiding them beneath the sofa.”
Alice laughed. “Sounds like the sort of thing Harry would do.”
He scowled at her.
They got out of the car, Harry's hand finding Alice's as they made their way to the church with William walking a few steps behind them, texting Kate. There was lots of people already there, already dazzling in suits and hats and vibrant colours. In her own dress, Alice felt confident beside Harry. She draped her arm through his and walked easily with him. He threw her a grin.
“Let's wait out here,” he said, glancing up at the pure blue sky. “It's a lovely day.”
She peered up at him from under her hat and smiled. “What are we doing tomorrow?”
“Graceland. And then...pool?”
“Pool as in the game or pool as in the hole of water?”
“Hole of water?” He barked a laugh. “Pool of water, for sure.”
“You have bad history with pool, don't you?” she teased. “Strip pool.”
“Nah, that was strip billiards.”
She shrugged. “Same thing, isn't it?”
He fought a laugh. “I'll have to teach you how to play them both. Then you'll know the difference.”
“I've enjoyed this, you know,” she said. “Being with you. We've barely seen each other much other the last few weeks.”
“I know,” he said. “But I am definitely going to make sure I see you more when we get home.”
“Good,” she said, smirking at him.
“Even if I have to move in with you,” he teased.
“Fine by me,” she said, then laughed and added, “No, I don't think Kiera and Tara will be up for that.”
“Me neither.”
“But nice thought.”
“Yeah.” He grinned, then cast his eyes over everyone else waiting outside the church. “I wonder if Skippy's here yet.”
“You still not going to tell me what's up with him?”
“Nope.” He smirked, leaning down to kiss her. “Sorry.”
She pouted at him. “Can I at least try and guess?”
“You never will.”
“Can I try?”
“No.”
“Harry!” She scowled up at him, but before her questioning could continue, Edward had joined them.
“Hey, why are we out here?” he asked.
“Because it's sunny,” Alice said.
“And some people want to tan,” Lesley added to her boyfriend. “See?”
“Actually, we're sort of waiting for everyone else to arrive,” Harry replied. “Is Skip here yet?”
“Yeah, he drove with us. He just went to see Jake.” “Kiera and Arthur?” Alice asked.
“Probably still in bed, knowing them,” Edward said, and he and Harry chortled together. “I don't know, Alice.”
Before long it was time to go into the church for the nuptials, and Harry found himself between Alice and Skippy, awaiting Elizabeth's arrival.
“You okay?” he asked his best friend in a whisper. Alice was too busy talking to Kiera to listen in.
“Yeah,” Skippy answered. “You haven't told anyone, have you?”
“No, but Alice suspects something,” Harry said. “Can't I just tell her-?”
“No,” Skippy hissed. “No way. She might tell you-know-who.”
“I think Voldemort is the least of your problems, you know.”
He rolled his eyes. “You know who I was talking about.”
“Have you spoken to Lizzie yet?”
“Shh!” Skippy hushed, before shaking his head. “No. She's avoiding me.”
“Oh?” Harry frowned. “If I told Alice she could talk to her-”
“No, Harry.”
“I don't like lying to her.”
“Just fucking deal with it.”
Harry huffed, turning away from him. “Have you told anyone else?”
“No. I'm thinking about telling Jake, but I'm worried that he'll tell Edward-”
“Just trust him,” he said. “We're not all going to sell you out.”
“I know,” Skippy said, then smiled. “Shit, why did I do it?”
“Don't think about that now,” Harry said. “Let's just concentrate on the wedding.”
Sure enough, the wedding march had just begun to play and the congregation had silenced to welcome the bride. Elizabeth looked simply beautiful in her wedding dress, and Harry couldn't mistake the love that ignited in Guy's eyes at the sight of her coming down the aisle. He cast a glance at Alice, sharing a smile with her; she didn't need to know that he was imagining her walking down the aisle to meet him at the altar. How stunning she would look in a beautiful white dress. He shook those thoughts from his head, concentrating on the ceremony. He would save those musings for later.
Finally, an hour later, the guests emerged from the church feeling cheered and light. Alice's hand found its usual place in Harry's. Together, they watched the wedding photos, they laughed with William and Skippy and then they were in the car on their way to the reception.
* * *
“Another drink?” Alice grinned up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Are you trying to get me drunk?”
“Why on Earth would you say that?” he teased, leaning on the chair before her and smirking down at her.
“I know how much you love drunk sex.”
He grinned. “You know me so well.”
“I don't want another drink, thanks.”
“You sure?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Hmm.” She huffed, then said, “Fine. Okay.” She laughed lightly at him. “Slave.”
He arched an eyebrow before chuckling. “I'll be right back.”
On his way over to the bar, he couldn't help but notice Skippy hurrying outside. Peering round the glass door which led to the patio and gardens, he saw Skippy and Lizzie sat on the grass. Their voices were hushed, and only the gentle whisper of incomprehensible words floated back to Harry. He bit his lip, wondering whether he should confront them and see whether they were going to tell Edward, but he moved away. He would question Skippy later.
Sure enough, when Harry was in the bathroom, washing his hands, Skippy came in. He quickly recovered from the surprise of seeing his best friend and moved to the urinals.
“Everything alright?” Harry asked.
“Yeah,” Skippy said. “This party's shit. Now that Jake's married and Edward's 'in love' they all just want to hang about with their woman. And you're no different."
Harry rolled his eyes. “Why don't you hang about with your woman?”
“Mine?”
“Lizzie.” Skippy scoffed. “Lizzie is not my woman.”
“What were you two talking about?” “You saw us?”
“Yep. And Edward could've too, and then he would be the one questioning you. Not me.”
Skippy scowled. “We were discussing it. We agreed that it should never happen again and that no one should find out.”
“Does she know that I know?”
He shuffled uncomfortably. “No.”
Harry's eyebrows rose. “She'll be pretty pissed when she does, you know.”
“She won't find out,” Skippy said. “As long as you don't tell Alice, and then Alice doesn't tell Lizzie, she'll never know.”
“I stand by what I said, Skip,” Harry said, drying his hands with paper towels and then heading for the door. “When Edward finds out, you're fucked.”
Skippy didn't answer. Harry left the restroom.
Hey Guys :)
I've got lots of questions asking when I'm going to update again and instead of answering them all, I thought I would ask you all a question.
What would you like to see in the next chapter?
As it's been so long I've ind of abandoned the idea of carrying the story on from where I left it, so is there something you'd particularly like to see happen? Perhaps Alice meeting the Queen, or Harry proposing? Anything, I'm open to all your ideas.
Hopefully I'll be updating soon :) xx
Hello Everyone
To those of you who messaged me requesting an update and telling me you're missing Harry and Alice, I'm SO SORRY!! I have honestly had no inspiration nor desire to write Harry and Alice for the last month or so, and I've stayed well away in the fear of doing something to the story which I might regret. But now I'm confident, and I'm definitely going to try and get back into it.
I'll be finishing the second part of chapter Forty-Three, Guy's wedding, and hopefully I'll be posting it soon. A new 'plot' will be starting to hopefully get me and all of you back into the story again :)
I'm so sorry it's been so long. For those of you who messaged me and didn't forget about Harry and Alice, thank you xxx
Chapter Forty-Three Part-One
A/N: I'm so sorry it's been so long!! Hopefully you'll all enjoy the chapter xx
“Alice?”
Her name echoed throughout the strange, misty haze that surrounded her, and her unconscious mind tried to comprehend it.
“Alice? Mini, we're here.”
Someone was shaking her. Gently trying to rouse her from her sleep as they murmured her name into her ear. Her eyes shot open as suddenly as though she'd been doused in cold water; Harry was gazing earnestly into her face, scanning for any sign of awakening. He sat back and grinned at her.
“We're here.”
“Here?” she quoted groggily, brushing her hair from her eyes.
“Miami,” he said.
“Miami?”
Harry chuckled at her, endeared by her disorientation. “Yes, Miami. We're on a plane. Heading there for Guy's wedding. Remember?”
From beside him, Skippy said, “Shit, you didn't drug her, did you?”
Alice sat up, frowning as it came back to her. She glanced out the window, down at the city now awaiting them below. “Right,” she murmured.
Harry took her hand in his and raised it to his mouth. “Remember now?”
“Yeah,” she said, before laughing lightly at herself. “Sorry. I...fell asleep.”
“I noticed,” he teased gently.
“We both did with your snoring,” Skippy added.
Alice scowled at him. “You didn't have to sit with us.”
“It wouldn't have made any difference. I wouldn't be surprised if the pilots had complained.”
“I don't snore!” she said, pouting at him.
“I honestly don't know how you put up with it,” Skippy said matter-of-factly to Harry, who rolled his eyes.
“Quit teasing her, Skip,” he chastised, grinning, before he turned to Alice. “Wide awake now?”
“Skippy's complaining is enough to wake anyone up,” she said bitterly. “Especially when I don't snore!”
“Edward does too,” Skippy replied. “It must run in the family-”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching Miami International Airport-” The captain's voice sounded over the loudspeaker, ending their argument. “I ask of you to return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts and ensure that the overhead lockers are shut and the trays are returned to their upright position. Thank you.”
“We're really about to land,” Alice said. “Wow.”
“I did say,” Harry said, leaning over to tempt her lips with a kiss. “Or didn't you believe me?”
“I just thought you were bored,” she replied playfully, gently pressing her mouth against his before pulling away. “It went fast.”
“You were asleep for half of it,” he said, smirking. “Talking in your sleep. Cuddling into me. And when I fell asleep apparently I pulled you right into me.”
“Aw,” she teased, giggling.
“It was so cute!” Skippy said sarcastically. “So adorable that I was almost sick.”
“Don't you sleep on flights Skippy?” Alice asked.
“Nah,” he said. “Not since I was fifteen. I fell asleep and, well, you know how fifteen year-old boys are. I fell asleep. Had a wet dream about the super hot stewardess.”
She giggled. “Embarrassing?”
“Embarrassing doesn't cover it,” he said, scowling at the memory. “My jeans stuck to my...privates. I could barely walk for the boner.”
Harry snorted into his bottle of water. “What about that time we were at a restaurant? You got a hard on for one of the waitresses. You stood up to go to the bathroom and it looked like you had a tent down your pants.”
“Thank you for that amazing recollection, Harry,” Skippy said bitterly.
“The waitress noticed, of course,” Harry told Alice. “Mainly from the way we all started screaming 'boner alert boner alert'.”
“Wow,” Alice said sarcastically. “You guys were so nice to each other.”
“Ha!” Skippy cried. “I bet you thought your girlfriend would be taking your side, huh?! Well how wrong were you!”
Harry rolled his eyes at him, turning so he was completely facing Alice. “I'm really looking forward to this holiday,” he murmured, his deep blue eyes wide and sincere.
“Me too,” she agreed, leaning her head onto his shoulder. “It feels like so long since we've just been able to enjoy being with each other.”
“Well, you've had work and I've had work and engagements and...” He sighed, then half-smiled. “I've missed you.”
She reached up to cup his chin with her hand. “I've missed you too.”
“For these next few days we are just going to enjoy ourselves, okay?” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “No worries, no work, no annoying paparazzi – just us and our friends, yes?”
“Yes,” she said, smiling widely and leaning forward to kiss him. “A whole lot of fun.”
“And a whole lot of sex,” he added, winking at her.
“I am still here,” Skippy said.
The plane touched down in Miami to scorching heat and blazing sun, and the large party of friends stared out the windows, eager to take in this new city which would be their home for the next few days. Alice, beside herself with excitement, giggled delightedly as the aircraft slowed to a stop, drawing a grin from Harry.
“You're like a little kid at Christmas,” he observed.
“I love going on holiday,” she said as an explanation. “I don't care whether I'm pathetic, I love it.”
“Not pathetic,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. “Adorable.”
Skippy made a gagging sound as people began to get their feet.
Alice waited patiently for the two men to retrieve their hand luggage from the overhead lockers, understanding the necessity of the 'please take care when removing luggage from the overhead lockers as some items may have shifted during flight', for a rucksack fell on Skippy's head, making him swear furiously and receive several disapproving looks.
But finally they began to file out of the plane, Alice pulling her trolley behind her, her other hand entwined with Harry's. He'd been quick to pull his cap down over his face and to slip on his sunglasses – a disguise which barely worked but at least made out that he didn't want to be recognised. Skippy walked alongside the couple, smiling charmingly at the stewardesses who guided them from the aircraft.
“You see, Alice,” he said, just once they'd got out of earshot of the women. “That's why I don't sleep on flights. That one there. The brunette. With the big breasts. That is why.”
She laughed as the three friends followed the winding, twisting corridors down towards passport control, where they found Jake, Zoe, Edward and Lesley already queuing.
“Hey!” Skippy cried, acting dumbfounded. “What are you guys doing in Miami?!”
Edward acted equally shocked, but slightly distraught. “We were trying to get away from you, Skip!”
“Ha, good luck with that,” Skippy said, grinning.
“How was the flight for you?” Harry asked, as he and Alice joined the line behind them.
“It was good,” Edward answered. “Lesley and I watched Batman, and then they showed The Impossible, so we watched that. And then we played cards for a little bit.”
“Not much fun with two people,” Lesley said, sighing.
Skippy was looking sadly at them. “I should've sat with you guys! I would've played cards! Well, anything would've been better than sitting with these two.” He nodded towards Harry and Alice.
“Hey!” Harry said. “What did we do?”
“Made me feel like a gooseberry, that's what you did.”
“We could've been much worse, trust me,” he replied.
“Who are we missing?” Jake asked then, craning his neck to examine the passengers still getting off the plane. “Arthur and Kiera, who else?”
“My idiot brother,” Harry said.
“I was worried,” Jake said. “I thought it was bad luck for two Windsors to be travelling on the same plane.”
“Three Marlboroughs is even worse,” Skippy said, grinning at Edward and then at Alice. “Where's Mini-Marlborough Two?”
Alice rolled her eyes. “Probably still on the plane, don't you think?”
“Probably chatting up the pilot,” Lesley said, and the two shared a giggle.
Edward scowled. “Better bloody not be,” he muttered. “A pilot could never make her happy. He'd always be flying off round the world.”
“Kate's dad's a pilot,” Harry said. “They seem fine.”
“Shut it, Harry,” Edward said, fighting a grin. “You're in my good books again, don't blow it.”
Gradually the rest of their party joined the queue: Arthur and Kiera, loved up and forever embracing each other, were a few people behind, and William, his best friend Thomas and Thomas' wife Melissa were a few people after them. Lizzie and a handful of her friends eventually brought up the rear.
“There's so many of us,” Alice mused.
“How we're all in the same hotel I'll never know,” Zoe agreed.
“This holiday is gonna be so much fun,” Skippy said, grinning widely. “All five of us. In Miami. They won't know what's hit them.”
“No, Skip,” Edward said. “Two of us will be married by then, and two of us are in relationships. We're not getting arrested.”
“Are you going to be looking for someone, Skippy?” Zoe asked. “A lovely American?”
Skippy scoffed. “You really think my mum would approve of an American?”
“Your mum should love her just because you do,” Edward said, his sympathy slightly mocking.
Harry stared at him in outrage. “Uh, uh, do you hear yourself? Do you understand your words?”
Finally they reached passport and – after a raise of the eyebrows as Harry's was examined – they were waved through to collect their baggage and await their friends. While the guys went over to wait for their luggage, the three girls found some seats.
“So, how's married life suiting you?” Lesley asked Zoe, who grinned.
“It's...pretty amazing,” Zoe replied. “Jake and I are still at that part of marriage where it's not too new to be strange but it's new enough for us to want to have sex everywhere.”
“Still?” Alice raised an eyebrow.
“He comes home from work and just seems...insatiable,” Zoe explained. “I don't know what it is. I always finish work before him so I'm home, and sometimes I get the dinner on and no matter what I'm doing if he's had a good day...he wants it.” Both Alice and Lesley laughed.
“Please tell me my brother isn't like that,” Alice said.
Lesley laughed. “Oh please, normal people don't have time for that sort of thing.”
“Maybe Jake's a sex addict,” Alice suggested, looking at Zoe.
“Shit, I hadn't thought of that,” answered the latter.
“What about you and Harry?” Zoe asked after a few moments of laughter. “Is your sex life as animated?”
“Pfft, what sex life?” Alice said, laughing. “No, we've both been so busy with work lately that we haven't seen much of each other.”
“Guy got married at just the right time then, huh?”
“Yeah,” she said. “And we probably won't see much of each other after this either. Harry's going to Italy and Estonia next month so he has, like, a dozen meetings preparing for that.” She sighed. “This being-a-prince's-girlfriend malarkey is harder than I thought.”
“You're not...having second thoughts, are you?” Lesley asked, her eyes widening.
“No, no,” Alice quickly answered. “No. I mean...I can't not be with him. I learnt that last year. This is just one of the hurdles we have to overcome.”
“Yeah,” Zoe said, smiling. “When you get to the other side, it'll be worth it.”
“I hope so.”
“Kate was the same, if I remember correctly,” she explained. “She had second thoughts. Shit, Chelsy – Harry's ex – had tons of second thoughts. The difference was that Kate loved William enough to put up with everything, and Chelsy didn't.”
“I think I do, too,” Alice said. “At least, right now I do.”
“And you'll love him even more after a weekend of long, drunk, dirty sex,” Lesley said.
The three girls dissolved into giggles, each of them knowing that that was exactly what awaited them.
Guy and his fiancee Elizabeth had arrived in Miami a few weeks earlier to prepare for the nuptials in great detail, and it was them that greeted the party upon arrival at the hotel. Alice hopped from the car, snaking her fingers through Harry's, to see them coming towards them.
“Oh my god!” Elizabeth was squealing, embracing Zoe tightly. “I can't believe you're all here!”
“Alright, Guy?” Harry asked, slapping his friend on the back.
“Yeah, you two okay?” Guy said, throwing them a smile.
“You look stressed,” Alice observed.
“Stressed, tired, out of my fucking mind.” Guy sighed. “Take your pick.”
“It'll be okay,” she said, patting his shoulder reassuringly. “Everything will go fine. And all the stress will be worth it.”
“I mean, look how happy Elizabeth is,” Harry added. “Surely that's something?”
“Yeah,” Guy said, before his smile widened. “Yeah, yeah it is.”
“I can't believe the weekend is here!” Elizabeth was saying. “I've been waiting for this for so long! Hello Harry, Alice.”
Everybody exchanged hugs and kisses and asked questions about the upcoming wedding and the preparations that were still waiting, before they began to lug their luggage up to their hotel rooms. Alice held the door open for Harry, so he could tug the suitcases into the lounge, before dropping them on the floor and groaning.
“Shit, what do you have in there?” he asked, leaning back against the lush white suite. “Rocks?”
“Twenty boxes of condoms, just like you asked,” she teased, shutting the door and moving into his arms.
“Twenty?! God, I don't know whether I'll live up to your expectations,” he said, grinning and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. “Here we are.”
“Here we are,” she said. “Miami.”
“Memphis.”
“Memphis in Miami.”
“Do you like it?” he asked. “So far?”
“Yeah, the people seem nice,” she said. “And...well, I can't fault this hotel.” She cast her eyes around them, and Harry's followed.
“No,” he agreed, with a chuckle. “Amazing. I wonder what the bedroom's like.”
“I'm sure we'll have lots of time to find out.”
“You're so dirty,” he teased, kissing her jaw.
“I learnt everything I know from you,” she replied, tipping her head back slightly so he could kiss down her throat.
“I'm impressed,” he said. “Proud, even. To think I taught you all of this.”
“Oh, you did.” “Because you have the filthiest mind I've ever seen.”
“You're exaggerating,” she murmured dismissively, her eyelids fluttering closed.
“Oh, I'm not,” he said, against the sensitive skin of her neck. “You're filthy.”
The word resonated deep within her, and a delicious shudder rolled down her spine. “Your words are so honourable,” she murmured. “But you're the one who is practically fucking me within minutes of having arrived at the hotel.”
Harry paused, his lips hovering inches from her pulse, and then he grinned. “Practically fucking you?” he quoted. “No no no, this is practically fucking you-”
Before Alice could answer, he'd scooped her into his arms and had crossed the room in two large strides, pushing her back against the wall and crashing his lips down onto hers.
“Harry-” She gasped in surprise into his mouth. One of her hands went to his chest, and she gently pushed. “Stop.”
He was smirking when he pulled away, and he raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
“Not here,” she said. “Not now.”
Harry stepped back graciously, respecting her decision, but he was grinning to himself as he and Alice moved to unpack their suitcases: he knew that by the end of the night he'd have her desperate for some love.
* * *
“Harry, don't.”
Harry grinned cheekily, peering up at her with his chin bobbing on the water's surface, before he cupped his hand and carefully poured a few trickles of water onto her bare thigh. She screamed.
“Harry!” Alice sat up on her lilo, scowling down at him.
“Come in,” he said, pouting.
“No,” she said. “The water's freezing.”
“No, it's fine.” He smirked. “I'll warm you up-”
“No, Harry.” She laid back down and sighed, closing her eyes. “I'm fine where I am.”
“Tip her off her lilo,” Skippy called, from where he was lounging on a sunbed, reading an American magazine.
“Skippy!” She glared at him.
“Tip her off her lilo and drown her,” Skippy added dismissively, as though he hadn't heard her.
“You drown my little sister and I drown you,” Edward said, not looking up from his phone.
“I wouldn't drown her if I were you,” Jake piped up. “I mean, her dad hates you enough.”
“Her dad doesn't hate me-” Harry said.
“Loathes you,” Skippy said.
“Detests you,” Arthur agreed.
“Despises you,” Guy said.
“Thanks,” Harry said bitterly, starting to swim the length of the pool. “I guess you told them about Easter weekend?”
Edward tried to look innocent, then sighed, holding his hands up. “How could I not?”
“You're the only person I know who yelled at their girlfriend's dad to try and get him to like them,” Zoe mused.
“You evidently don't know that many people,” Harry said, scowling.
“Where's William?” Guy asked. “He's missing out on us taking the piss out of Harry.”
“He's indoors Skyping Kate and George,” Thomas said.
“He's been indoors all morning,” Kiera said.
“He's allergic to sunlight,” Harry said dismissively. “And other people.”
Alice giggled lightly at him, reaching out for him with her toes as he passed. “Are you swimming round in circles?”
“I'm doing lengths actually,” he said, swimming over to tread water beside her. “A feat far more rewarding than sunbathing.”
“I know,” she said, one of her hands going to gently run through his wet hair. “We're a bunch of underachievers.”
“Speak for yourself,” Skippy said, from the other side of the pool. “I happen to be achieving a lot right now.”
“You're reading a men's magazine,” Kiera said, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah? I'm learning a lot about the local culture.”
“Like what?” Zoe said.
“Like the sort of lingerie American women like to wear,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Ugh.” Alice rolled her eyes.
“What do they like to wear?” Arthur asked innocently. Kiera threw her towel at him.
The friends dissolved into silence once more, Skippy engrossed by his magazine, Arthur and Kiera suddenly involved in a towel fight, Edward occasionally swearing as he lost the game on his phone, Elizabeth flicking through a brochure about the Caribbean, where she and Guy would be spending their honeymoon. The rest of them returned to sunbathing, while Alice turned her attention to Harry who was swimming lengths again. Her eyes followed him as he moved himself up and down the pool. Eventually, when he paused for breath, he glanced at her and grinned.
“Like what you see?” he asked cheekily.
“Very much so,” she said. “Although it's a bit boring. Can't you do some tricks? Something a little more interesting?”
“I'm not a performing sea lion,” he said, swimming over to her.
“Oh, but you look like one,” she teased. “And if you were, I could give you a kiss.”
“You like kissing sea lions?”
“It's what people do,” she said matter-of-factly, then grinned. “So, are you a sea lion?”
“I'll be anything you want,” he said, his eyes fluttering closed as he leant up, his mouth meeting hers to gently play with her tongue. One of her hands went to his wet jaw, to curve around his neck and run her fingers through the sopping hair on the back of his head.
Someone cleared their throat.
They broke apart, looking around for the culprit, and both their gazes went to Edward who, suspiciously, hadn't looked up from his game. Lesley, however, was trying not to laugh; sensing the couple's attention, she pointed a finger at him as if to say 'it was him'.
“Problem?” Alice asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Why would you think that?” Edward said, grinning.
She rolled her eyes, turning back to Harry. “Ignore him.”
“Hey!” Edward said.
“Sorry,” Harry said to him. “But I'm ignoring you.”
“Ugh,” Kiera said. “Guy's will do anything for sex.”
“Hey,” Guy said, scowling. “Speak for yourself.”
As Guy and Kiera bantered about who Kiera had actually been referring to, Alice paddled her way over to the stairs. Harry watched as she got off the lilo, shook some of the water off of it, then laid back down on her front. He stared at her, confused, before swimming over to question her.
“Why'd you do that?”
“Do what?” she asked, letting her arms trail in the water.
“Get up just to lay down again?”
“Well, I've laid on my front for ages and now it's time to lay on my back.”
He frowned, trying to comprehend the strange universe that women live in. “Why?”
“So that my back is tanned as well.”
He frowned, still trying to comprehend the strange universe that women live in. “O....kay.”
“Don't be like that,” she said, laughing lightly and running her hand through his wet hair to make it stick up.
“Will you show me your white bits later?” he asked cheekily, grinning.
“Oi,” Edward shot.
William emerged after a while, white and pasty from having spent most of the morning inside talking to his wife and son, and he collapsed onto a sunbed before sighing and closing his eyes.
“You okay, Wills?” Guy asked.
“I've got a bit of jet lag,” he replied. “And talking to George on Skype always wears me out.”
Harry swam over to the edge of the pool, directly in front of where William was laying, and splashed him.
“Fuck off, Harry,” William muttered.
“Come in and play,” Harry said.
“How old are you? Twelve?” William threw his brother a scowl. “Go bug Alice.”
“He'd probably rather bugger Alice,” Skippy said, rousing laughter from his friends and a roll of the eyes from Alice. Harry shot him a dirty look; Edward rose his eyes to the heavens.
“Skippy, I swear to god-”
“Come on, Ed, I was only joking,” Skippy said, before dropping his voice so only William, Harry and Alice – who were the closest to him – could hear. “She's tight enough where it's meant to go in, imagine where it's not meant to go in.”
“Skippy!” Alice cried, outrage.
“Shut the fuck up, man,” Harry hissed, splashing his best friend angrily.
William rolled onto his back and laughed to himself.
“I don't know what Skippy said,” Jake said from the other side of the pool, grinning. “But I have a pretty good idea.”
“Harry-” He turned to the sound of his name, swimming over to where Alice was floating.
“Hmm?”
“What exactly have you told him about me?”
“I told you before. Just how-” He dropped his voice considerably to less than a whisper. “Small...you are.”
She scowled at him. “I still can't believe you did that.”
“I was drunk-”
“That's no excuse,” she hissed, then laid her head back down and made a face. “I'm so hot.”
“Yes, you are,” he agreed, letting his eyes rove over her bikini-clad body.
“I didn't mean that,” she said, laughing as she gently splashed him.
“Well come for a swim,” he said, grinning and swimming backwards, his eyes feasting on hers. “The water's lovely.”
“To be honest,” she said. “I don't want to give you the satisfaction.”
“I will be utterly unsatisfied if you get in with me,” he lied. “Utterly unsatisfied.”
Alice giggled lightly. “Well, I suppose...” Carefully, she moved herself into a sitting position, dangling her legs into the water. She gasped.
“It's freezing.”
“It's not that bad-”
“It's ice!”
“No it's not,” he said, smirking and rolling his eyes. “Are you coming in or not?”
“Not.”
“Alice,” he growled. “Don't make me do something you won't like.”
“Ooh, scary.”
His disorientating smirk tugged up the corners of his mouth, and Alice felt her insides melt at the sight of it, a blush creeping up her neck. Nonetheless, she stood her ground, raising an eyebrow as though to dare him.
“Oh, you'll regret saying that.”
Before she knew what he was doing, his arms had curled round her legs and he'd pulled her off of the lilo, sending her into the ice cold depths of the swimming pool. Her arms propelled her to the surface, and she blinked the water from her eyes as she gasped for breath, recovering in time to see Harry chuckling and backing away, their friends' laughter ringing in her ears.
“Harry!” she cried, outraged. He laughed.
“Yes?”
“I can't believe you did that!” She wiped the water from her forehead as a drop rolled into her eyes, and she scowled at him.
He raised an eyebrow. “Gonna make me pay?”
William and Skippy laughed as they watched Alice fling herself on him, forcing him under the water until his laughter sent bubbles to the surface. Then she moved off of him, letting him breath for a few seconds before dousing him in her cold gaze.
“If I say I'm sorry...” He began hopefully.
“No chance,” she said, crossing her arms across her chest and pouting. “I hate you right now.”
“Aw, come on, Mini, don't be like that.” He grinned, before splashing her.
She gasped in outrage. “Harry!”
“Yes?”
The couple's banter was looked on by Edward and William, both of whom couldn't help but feel pleased by the happiness that reeked from their siblings' eyes. William could see how happy Alice made Harry, and Edward could see how happy Harry made Alice. When he was finally alone with his best friend, he took the chance to tell him just how delighted he was by their relationship.
“Harry?”
Harry looked up from where he was sat on the sofa, flicking through American channels that were just as disappointing as English ones. They would all be spending the evening at Guy and Elizabeth's pre-wedding dinner, and he was waiting for Alice to emerge from their bedroom, dressed and ready for the meal. He was glad to see his best friend: awaiting a woman was boring as hell.
“Hi, Ed,” he said, grinning. “What's up?”
“Alice here?”
“In the bedroom, why?”
Edward glanced at the closed door as he took a seat. “You guys sharing a room?”
“Uh...” Harry hesitated, anticipating a bad reaction. “Yeah.”
“Oh, okay.” Edward tried not to dwell too much on that. “That's...pretty serious.”
Harry frowned; what did Edward mean 'serious'? “Uhm, I guess.”
“I mean...” He swallowed. “Are you two getting serious?”
“Uhm...I guess.”
Edward chuckled. “Relax, Harry, I'm not looking for a fight. Don't worry.”
Harry slowly let out his breath. “Then what's up?”
“Nothing's up. I just thought I'd come round while I'm waiting for Lesley-” He rolled his eyes. “And I'd catch up on how you and my little sister are getting on.”
“Well, we're doing great.”
“She said something earlier about not having seen much of you lately.”
“No, we've both been pretty busy with work,” Harry explained. “But we're, you know, we're okay. We've seen each other at the weekends and stuff. And we have this holiday.”
“What are your...” Edward trailed off and cleared his throat. “What are your plans for the future?”
Harry stared at him for a few moments; he was being unusually mature, and he stammered unfinished words before finally blurting, “We, uh, why?”
“I don't want you two to end badly, that's all,” Edward said.
“You want us to get married?!” Harry hissed.
“I'm not saying that,” Edward said, rolling his eyes. “That's up to you two. But I...I don't want you to break her heart.”
Harry's heart was slowly recovering from his fright, and he rubbed the back of his neck to try and calm himself. “I won't. Don't worry.”
“You said that before.”
“She was the one who broke my heart before,” he snapped before he could stop himself.
“You're a big boy, I'm sure you were fine,” Edward said, somewhat mockingly, before he sighed. “I was pretty upset when I heard you two had had an affair.”
Harry looked suspiciously at his friend. “You weren't the only one,” he muttered. “Brad and Cressy weren't too happy about it either.”
Edward chuckled. “I can imagine. I was surprised though. Alice is not the sort of person to do that. I never would have believed it-”
“She found it hard,” Harry said. “But I guess she just wanted to be with me too much.”
“How hard?”
“She struggled to keep it together at times,” he explained slowly, desperately skipping the self-harming part. “We were....barely able to see each other most of the time. But whenever we did see each other, it kind of made up for the guilt, you know? And then...I went to the south pole. I left her.”
Edward could hear the regret and guilt bleeding from his friend's words. “But she was okay. Wasn't she?”
“Yeah, she was. It was just a bit hard for her, that's all.” Harry swallowed the lump in his throat, the lump formed by the memory. The thought of those scars adorning her wrists. He closed his eyes.
“What are you not telling me?”
“Nothing,” he said instantly. “I'm not telling you nothing. I'm telling you everything. Every little thing.”
Edward raised an eyebrow. “Harry, I know when you're lying...”
“What's it to you anyway?” Harry hissed. “What happens between Alice and I is our business, not yours.”
“She's my little sister,” Edward shot. “I have the right to know if anything bad happens.”
“Nothing bad happened,” Harry said quickly.
“Was it when she broke up with Brad?” Edward asked. “Did he take it badly? Did he hurt her?!”
“No, it was nothing like that,” Harry sighed, his head scrambling to understand how they had gotten here, to this point and to make up excuses, lies, anything to cover the fact that Alice's pain had been carved into her skin.
“Then what?” Edward spoke through gritted teeth. He'd come to discuss his sister's happiness, and he wasn't liking how the conversation had escalated.
Harry sighed. “Look, Edward, she doesn't want me to tell you-”
“Tell me what?!”
“Look, Edward, you're going to have to ask her that,” Harry retorted impatiently. “I. Cannot. Tell you.”
Edward stared at him for a few moments, then sat back, grinning.
“Something funny?” Harry hissed.
“You're a good guy,” Edward said. “Keeping her secrets. Good.”
Harry frowned. “Was this a test?!”
“No. It just ended up like one.”
He scowled, eyeing his best friend suspiciously, but before he could answer, the bedroom door had opened.
“Oh,” Alice said, stopping in surprise at the sight of her brother. “Hey, Ed.”
Both men jumped to their feet, and Edward smiled warmly at her, deciding that the secrets and worries could wait until after the holiday. “Hi, Alice. You look lovely.”
“Beautiful,” Harry corrected, letting his eyes suck her in.
Alice giggled lightly, tucking her hair behind her ear before turning to her brother. “Was there something you wanted?”
“Nah, I was just chatting with Harry,” Edward answered. He threw his best friend a grin. “Catching up on the football.”
Harry's eyes narrowed slightly, wondering why his friend wasn't questioning the hell out of Alice. But his mouth smiled. “Don't you mean soccer?”
Edward laughed. “Soccer, football, footballio. Whatever the hell it is.”
“Footballio?” Alice quoted, raising an eyebrow. “Is that even a real word?”
“Don't know. Maybe. Probably not. Just made it up.” Edward grinned, before looking between the couple and patting Harry on the back. “I'll see you two lovebirds downstairs.”
Alice watched her brother go with her eyebrows furrowed, turning to Harry once the door had closed. “Explain.”
“You look gorgeous.” Harry's voice was husky as his arms snaked around her waist, his eyes roving down her body as his hands roved down her curves. “Stunning.”
“Harry.” With a finger she gently lifted his chin, setting his eyes on hers. “What was that about?”
“What was what about?” Harry asked innocently.
“Why was my brother acting strange?”
“Was your brother acting strange?” He feigned ignorance.
She rolled her eyes, her hands going to her hips. “Harry-”
Harry knew that there was no way he could lie under that suspicious emerald gaze, and he made himself look as apologetic as possible before he said, “I nearly told your brother about you self-harming.”
Those green eyes widened in surprise, and then that shock dissolved into horror. “What?” she breathed.
“Nearly!” he reminded her quickly. “Nearly. As in, he doesn't know.”
“Harry!” she groaned, moving away from him and running a hand through her hair. “What the hell am I going to tell him?!”
“You could...” He sighed, hating the way he knew she must be feeling. “You could tell him the truth.”
Alice stared at him for a few moments, before she scoffed. “Tell him?! Are you crazy? I can't tell him!”
“Why not?” he said gently. “Look, Alice, he's just looking out for you. He just worries about you.”
“I...” She tucked her hair behind her ear and moved towards him, letting hin envelop her in his strong arms, snuggling into his chest. “I'm so scared he'll be angry.”
“He won't,” Harry breathed. “Mini, he deserves to know.”
She sighed, closing her eyes. “Okay.”
“Hey-” He gently lifted her chin so she would look at him. “Tonight is Guy's pre-wedding party. And we are going to have an amazing time, okay? Don't worry about Edward, he won't try and ask you anything at least until the party's over. So enjoy it.”
She mustered a smile, managing a nod. “You're right.”
“I usually am,” he teased. She shoved him playfully.
“Let's just go,” she said. “I'm getting a headache.”
“Vodka will help that,” he said matter-of-factly, as they made their way to the door. “Or dirty drunk sex.”
Alice rolled her eyes. “And if I'm not in the mood?”
“Then you haven't had enough vodka.” He winked at her before taking her by the hand and leading her towards the lobby.
Chapter Forty-Two Part Two
Harry's stomach dropped as the car pulled onto the long drive, leading up to the huge house that loomed ahead of him. He'd been there many a time, of course, but never in this situation. With Alice on his arm, he was petrified. He knew that Louis had liked him as Edward's friend, but since everything had happened...Alice, the sex tape – the sex tape that he blamed Harry for – and the breakup, then the affair that had been leaked to the papers: Harry wouldn't blame him if he wanted to throttle him.
“Home sweet home,” Alice murmured, before laughing nervously. He glanced sideways at her, reaching across to squeeze her knee.
“It'll be okay,” he said, unconvinced by his own words.
“Yeah,” she agreed, turning to fix her anxious green gaze on his face as she cupped his cheek in her hand. “It'll be okay.”
His eyes fluttered closed as he leant forward, gently pressing his lips to hers. “No more of this for a while.”
“No,” she said, with a giggle. “Okay, let's go?”
Harry looked at her for a moment, at the nerves swimming in her eyes, before swallowing his fears. Why was he so nervous? He hadn't been this nervous before leaving for Afghanistan, for god's sake! He was being pathetic. He sighed as he swung open his door: calling himself names wasn't making himself feel any better.
He hopped out of the car to see Alice arranging her dress around her, fiddling nervously with the skirt and stroking the fabric over her stomach as though she were calming the butterflies that Harry could guess were fluttering around inside of her. He checked the sleeves of his shirt as he made his way round to the boot, before reaching inside to pull their bag out.
“Alice!”
The sound of Lizzie's voice was accompanied by her bubbly giggle, and the younger of the Marlborough sisters came dancing out of the house, a huge smile on her face. “Hi, Harry.”
“Hi, Lizzie.”
“Dad's really looking forward to meeting him,” she told Alice. “He's been moaning about you taking so long for about an hour now.”
“I said we wouldn't be here til four,” Alice answered, frowning at her sister as she reached for Harry's hand. “And the traffic was kind of bad.”
“In London?”
“No, coming here,” she said. “Harry and I...had somewhere we had to go first.”
“Oh?” Lizzie's eyebrows rose in surprise.
“We went to my mother's grave,” Harry said simply, knowing that Alice would not think it her place to tell them where they'd been. “We stayed there for a while. That's probably why we're late.”
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Lizzie said softly, tapping his forearm. Then she smiled. “And don't worry. You're not late. It's just Dad that's getting impatient.”
“Is Edward here?”
“Yep. Him and Lesley arrived this morning.”
“Does, uh-” Harry cleared his throat. “Does your father like Lesley?” Both girls rolled their eyes at him. “What?”
“Don't worry about him,” Lizzie said.
“He'll love you,” Alice reassured him.
“He'll love you even more than he loves Edward,” Lizzie added, with a laugh. “So if he starts arranging for you to go fishing with him, say yes. Otherwise you might hurt his feelings.”
Harry shook his head to himself as they made their way into the entrance hall, a vast room with a huge wooden staircase that led to the upper floors and half a dozen other doors that connected with the other parts of the house. He'd been to that large estate so many times as a teenager and young adult that he knew where all of those doors ended up; he'd run through them as he and his friends had played hide and seek together as rowdy teens, and he'd followed Edward through a couple, trying to find the safest place to sit down and drink without being caught. He had many memories there, many happy ones, and that was all before he'd met Alice.
Because there were also the more recent memories. Lizzie's twenty-first birthday, which had ended with Harry creeping into Alice's room to consummate their friends-with-benefits relationship; Edward's thirtieth, during which he had disappeared from the party to meet with Alice secretly. That had been during their 'affair'. That had been five months ago.
But he'd never stepped into the entrance hall with his heart thumping uncontrollably within him. He was petrified, but he was trying his hardest to remain the strong man.
“They're through here,” Lizzie said, dancing ahead and leading the way. Alice glanced at Harry, giving his hand a squeeze, before pulling him after her.
Harry recognised the route they were taking, knew it led to the drawing room. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, before he followed the two girls inside.
Edward was the first person he saw. Sat on the sofa with Lesley beside him, his face split into a grin at the sight of his best friend. Then he saw Lesley, receiving a warm smile of greeting. Finally his eyes went to Louis.
Louis was a tall man, of course. Just like Edward, he was long and lean, with dark hair and dark eyes. Even during his friendship with Edward, Louis had been nice to Harry but he wasn't to be messed with. Whenever Harry and Edward had done something wrong, something that they knew their parents wouldn't like, the thought of facing Louis had always scared Harry more than facing his own father. Louis was a nice man, but he was strict. And Harry knew he didn't like being messed with.
Nonetheless, Louis was smiling as he got to his feet. He'd received a very stern, very pleading speech from Edward just before his daughter had arrived, begging him to not be hard on Harry and to not blame him for things that had happened in the past. It had been something that had been troubling Louis for quite some time: forgive Harry, or don't forgive Harry. After the nights spent staring up at the ceiling, he had finally reached the conclusion that if he makes Alice happy, that should be good enough for him. And that was what he was sticking too.
“Harry,” he said, smiling warmly as he held a hand out. Harry dropped Alice's to shake it.
“Dad,” Edward hissed from the chair. “You're not supposed to know his name.”
“Oh, my mistake.” Louis chuckled, rolling his eyes before turning to Harry once more. “Edward suggested we play some sort of game where I pretend I haven't met you before and that I know nothing about you.”
Harry nodded slowly, not blind to the warmth that Louis's smile was letting off. “He played the same game with me.”
“I'm sure he did,” Louis said. “Well, set those bags down there, Harry. Alice, darling-”
Alice smiled as her father pulled her into a hug. “Hi, dad.”
“How have you been?”
“I'm good, I'm okay.” She smiled as he scanned her face for any hidden emotion.
“Those bloody paparazzi aren't getting you down, are they?”
“No, Dad, I'm fine.”
“Good.” Louis smiled and gently patted her cheek before turning to Harry. “I'm sure you two need a drink, huh? Must be gagging for one.”
“I'll go,” Edward said, jumping to his feet. He winked at Harry before leaving the room.
“Harry, you know Anna.” Louis stood back so Harry could greet Alice's stepmother, who smiled widely at him. “And Lesley. And you've already seen Elizabeth.”
Harry took a seat beside Alice, receiving an encouraging smile from her, before turning to her father. “Thank you for inviting me, Mr Marlborough.”
“Oh, not at all,” Louis said, waving a hand dismissively. “Alice was telling me about her having met your father, so I thought I should meet you.”
“Well thank you. Especially at Easter, I know how that can just be a time for family-”
“We know that your brother and sister-in-law are not here to celebrate with you,” Louis said. “We thought you might be on your own. And that is certainly not a way to celebrate Easter, is it?”
“No, certainly not.”
“Was there much traffic on your way here?” Anna questioned casually, as Edward brought in the drinks.
“Um, it was okay,” Alice said. “We had a stop to make, but other than that-”
“Oh, where did you go?” Louis asked curiously.
“Uh-”
“To my mother's grave,” Harry explained, once more sensing Alice's unwillingness to say it. “It's Easter, you know, I just wanted to put some flowers down-”
“Of course, of course,” Louis said, nodding sympathetically. “I don't know whether Alice has told you the plan for the weekend-”
“Church tomorrow morning, right?”
“Yes, and we'll have a large lunch tomorrow. We were planning a roast but if the weather stays like this we might as well have a barbecue.”
“Harry,” Anna said, somewhat gently, as though she was approaching a risky subject. Alice watched her stepmother, apprehensive at to what was about to leave her mouth. “Do you eat meat?”
Harry barked a laugh; he had been expecting something far more serious. “As much as I can fit in my mouth.”
Louis laughed with him. “Good man. That's way a man should be, not 'ah yes but only raw'.” He directed a pointed look at Lizzie, who rolled her eyes.
“He's French, Dad, what do you expect?”
“Who's French?” Alice asked, frowning.
“Lizzie's new beau,” Edward replied. “And he really is beau, as in, he's French. Not that he's beautiful.”
“You said that a bit too quickly there, Ed,” Harry said, grinning.
“Hey, you haven't seen him,” Edward answered, winking at his friend. “I'd actually consider going homo for him.”
Harry's eyebrows rose in surprise. “God, Lesley, what are you doing to the guy?”
Lesley laughed. “Evidently not enough.”
“He's not a boyfriend,” Lizzie said, pouting. “He's just a friend. Who's a boy.”
“Who you don't shut up about,” Edward said. “Seriously, she said his name about ten times in the two minutes before you arrived.”
Lizzie threw a cushion at him.
“Oi, oi, watch it, you two,” Louis said, rolling his eyes. “I'm sorry, Harry, you'll be sick of these three by the time you leave.”
Harry chuckled. “Oh, don't worry. I have brother. We're far worse.”
“At least you don't have two sisters,” Edward said. “Girls are far worse.”
“Hey!” Alice asked, batting at him with her hand.
Harry was surprised by how quickly it took him to relax. Louis was remarkably kind to him, asking questions from everything to how his father was, how his nephew was growing and how his job was going. While Lizzie tapped away on her phone and Lesley and Edward talked among themselves – Edward occasionally butting into the conversation to share an amusing observation with his best friend – Alice listened intently to everything her father asked Harry. She was endlessly grateful to the welcoming way Louis was treating him, and she was endlessly proud of having Harry as her boyfriend as he answered Louis' questions graciously. Occasionally she would tap his knee, or laugh lightly with him, but it never went further than that. Their physical attraction was kept away from her father's protective gaze and, to their utter relief, he didn't mention the sex tape. He didn't mention any of Harry's past mistakes – at least, not until the family were retiring to their rooms to get ready for dinner.
“Harry?”
Alice paused in the doorway to see her father call her boyfriend.
“Don't worry, Alice,” Louis said, chuckling lightly at her. “Harry and I will just have a little word in private.”
She glanced at Harry, before nodding. “Okay.” Reluctantly, she took a few steps back, now dreading whatever was going to come out of Harry and Louis spending time alone together.
As soon as she'd gone, Louis turned to Harry. “Harry...” He smiled, although some of the warmth had disappeared from his smile. “Take a seat.”
Harry gulped. Shit was going down. “Okay.”
Louis sat across from him, his elbows on his knees, as he observed Harry from over his hands. “Harry, I haven't mentioned it so far today, but I...I need to bring it up. At least once.”
Harry watched him, fearful of what was coming.
Louis sighed, wondering how on Earth he should try and put his feelings into words. Finally, he returned his gaze to the man in front of him. “Harry...Alice is my eldest daughter, and I love her very, very much. I hope you know that.”
“I had a pretty good idea of it, yes,” Harry answered gently.
“Well, I don't want to see her to get hurt,” Louis continued slowly. “In fact, I've seen her get hurt too many times that I don't think I could take seeing her go through that pain again.”
Harry didn't answer.
“She's such a good person, Harry. I don't know if you know how good she actually is-”
“I do,” he interrupted. “She's amazing.”
“No, I don't mean what she is. I mean how she is. The way she carries herself, the way she treats those around her. She is so careless, even after everything she went through with her mother, and then with her last boyfriend-”
“Her last boyfriend?” Harry frowned. “What do you mean?”
Louis also frowned. “Well, he cheated on her.”
“What?”
“Yes, they were together for two years. And for three months of that he'd been seeing another woman.”
Harry stared at him. “But...why didn't she tell me?”
“I don't know. I'm surprised you didn't know. I would've thought-”
“It doesn't make sense.”
“She's gone through a lot in her life, Harry,” Louis said gently. “Don't begrudge her one secret.”
“No...” Harry trailed off, not sure what to make of this news. Then he nodded. “Yeah.”
“I...haven't finished talking to you,” Louis added, somewhat awkwardly. Harry laughed humorlessly.
“Yeah, yeah. Course.”
“I want to tell you that...Alice has a very good heart. She honestly does. She always cares too much and then gets her heart broken. That's why Edward is so protective of her, why I was, initially, reluctant to accept your relationship with her. And I want to warn you that I am giving you a chance. I'm forgiving you for every single thing that you have done wrong in your life, even the things that affected hers, and I'm giving you a chance. A chance to show me how good a man you are, and how good a man for her you are.”
“You won't regret it,” Harry murmured.
“I hope not,” Louis said. “She's my eldest daughter, Harry. She's gone through enough heartbreak without you screwing her over.”
“I won't...I won't screw her over,” Harry answered. “I couldn't do that. I would never do that to her. I...I love her too much.”
“You love her?” Louis said, an eyebrow raising. “Well, never forget that.”
“I won't.”
“I'm sorry I have to talk to you about all this, I just don't want to see her get hurt.”
“No, I understand. My father has spoken to me in this manner many times, though.”
“Of course, but...” Louis looked uncertain as to whether he should continue. “But perhaps your father isn't the...best person to talk to you about this?”
Harry's jaw clenched; no matter who the person or what they said, he hated it when people brought up his father's mistakes. “Why not?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Louis seemed to pick up on the change in Harry's tone, for he quickly said, “Don't get me wrong, I love your father. He's been a very good friend to me over the years, but I...I mean, he can hardly say he knows how to treat a woman, can he?”
Harry scowled. “I'm sorry?”
“Well, just look at what he did to your mother-”
“He loved my mother very much,” he said simply.
“I'm sure he did,” Louis said gently. “But that doesn't change the fact that he broke her heart the same way that Samuel broke Alice's.”
“He made a mistake-”
“Just make sure you don't make the same one,” he interrupted firmly. Harry stared at him for a moment, enraged by the way he was talking about his father.
“What about your mistakes?” he snapped. “Aren't you scared that Edward will make them? That he'll screw Lesley over? Or do you not care about other men's daughters? Just your own?”
Louis didn't look away from Harry's furious gaze, staring him down as he tried to control the anger that was growing within him. “My mistakes?”
“It didn't take you too long to get remarried,” Harry shot. “Maybe you broke some hearts as well-”
“Are you accusing me of cheating on my wife?!” Louis shouted, storming to his feet. Harry stared up at him, realising he'd crossed the line, just as Edward peered in.
“Dad?” he said. “I-uh-I think Anna wants you.”
Louis' chest was heaving as he turned his eyes to his son, then nodded. “Thank you, Edward.” He didn't look at Harry as he made his way from the room.
“Fuck,” Harry muttered, letting his head fall into his hands.
“Smooth,” Edward said, moving to sit across from him, watching as his friend began to shake his head, as though trying to deny what had happened.
“He was saying shit about my dad-”
“About your dad?” Edward asked, raising an eyebrow. “Like what?”
“Like-like how he doesn't know how to treat women. Like what the fuck?”
“Why doesn't he know that?”
“Because he cheated on my mum,” Harry said, his face contorting in anger at the memory.
“But he did,” Edward said gently. “I'm not defending my dad for saying it, but your dad did cheat on your mum.” He got to his feet. “And my dad didn't cheat on mine.”
Harry sat back in his chair, regretting what had just happened with every inch of his stupid mind, as Edward made his way to the door.
“I'd go tell Alice if I were you,” he said. “Before Dad does.”
He left Harry in silence to think over everything that he had said to his father and how on Earth he was going to tell Alice. She would flip, Harry knew that. He knew that she'd be furious for him not having bitten his tongue, and she'd be offended by what he'd said. He sighed as he rose: he'd just have to deal with her anger.
Alice was brushing her hair when Harry knocked on the door to her room, and she glanced at him before returning her frosty gaze back to her reflection. Harry frowned, standing behind her and gently kissing the top of her head. She didn't look up at him.
“What exactly did you say to my father?” she asked, her voice icy.
“I...uh-”
“Whatever it was it made him shout,” Alice said. “Something about him cheating on Mum? About you accusing him of cheating on Mum.”
“I...can explain.”
“Ha! This better be good.”
“He started it-”
“Oh please, Harry, you sound like a five-year-old.”
“He started off saying about the mistakes my father's made in his life and that just made me really angry-”
“So you thought you'd accuse him of the worst thing you could've?!” she snapped, throwing herself to her feet and standing before him, her wide green eyes swimming with anger and, to his horror, pain.
“He was saying loads of things-”
“Do you even know what my dad went through when my mum died?!” Alice asked, storming across the room to tidy her clothes into the wardrobe. “Or does that not matter to you? Is that so boring that you can't be bothered to hear it?”
“You've never told me anything-!”
“You never asked!” she cried. “I thought you didn't want to hear it-”
“I do,” he insisted desperately. “I want to hear every little thing about you, Alice! I want to know every little thing! But how can I do that if you're still keeping secrets from me?!”
“What are you going on about?” she muttered impatiently.
“Samuel.” Harry watched her reaction, watched the way her body tensed at the name. “And his affair. The affair that you never told me about.”
Alice paused for a moment, not looking at him. “That was none of your business.”
“I still would've liked to know.”
“Why?!” she suddenly retorted. “What would you have done?! It was way before you, Harry, it was nothing to do with you-”
“I'm your boyfriend,” he hissed. “How come it's nothing to do with me?!”
“If you're my boyfriend then why did you say that to my dad?!” she cried. “That is what is more important here. Why did you say that?!”
“It was provoked-”
“Couldn't you hold your fucking tongue?!”
He stared at her, at the tears that were in her eyes now, at those eyes that were so beautiful yet were brimming with fury, with the pain that he had caused her to feel. “I was angry. And I...I shouldn't have said what I said.”
“No, you shouldn't have,” she snapped. “I'm glad we agree on something.” She sat down on the bed, staring unseeingly at the floor; Harry remained unmoving by the dressing table.
“Your father was the one who provoked me,” he finally murmured.
“And maybe he did that to see what you're really like!” Alice shot. “Maybe he was testing you! Because, I don't know if you know, but he really didn't want to ever meet you as my boyfriend. He has disapproved of this from day one!”
“Why? Because he doesn't like me?” Harry laughed humorlessly. “Honestly?! He bullshits me about how much he loves you-!”
“You think he doesn't love me love?!” she cried. “You think that was all a joke-?!”
“If you're happy that's all he should care about!” he hissed.
“No, it's not. He cares about whether I will stay happy! He wants me to stay happy!”
“And you will,” Harry said, his eyebrows furrowing in desperation. “You will be happy with me!”
“I'm not very happy right now,” she shot.
“Look, Alice, I...I think I should've been given a chance-”
“He did give you a chance!” she yelled. “He's forgiven every thing you've done while we've been together! He agreed to meet you today! Do you know how hard that was for him?! And you just threw it back in his face!”
“He provoked me-!”
“Oh fuck off, Harry.” She stomped over to the door and flung it open, and before Harry could ask where she was going, she had slammed it behind her.
“Alice!” he cried, following her down the hallway. Just as she disappeared down the stairs, a hand grabbed his wrist.
“Let her go,” Lizzie whispered to him. “Give her a head start. Otherwise she'll flip at you.”
Harry stood with Lizzie's fingers curled around his arm for a few moments, until the front door slammed. Then he hurried after her, grabbing her jacket on the way out, and following her out into the cool Spring evening.
It had been a sunny day, and the sky was a deep orange as the sun began to set. He could see Alice heading to the gates of the estate, and he followed her, careful not to call her name. She didn't seem to know he was there, and as they made their way down winding country roads to the quaint village that was perched at the bottom of a hill, he finally knew where she was heading.
He finally stopped just as they reached the start of the graveyard, and he knew that this wasn't his place to intrude. He watched as she moved inside, her nimble fingers making quick work of the wrought iron gates, and then as her feet carried her to the place that she knew so well. She could find her way there blindfolded, for it meant that much to her. Finally, after he'd lost sight of her behind the huge stone church, he slowly made his way down the path.
Harry could hear the gentle murmur of her voice as he neared the grave. It was darker there, with the large evergreen trees shielding them from the sun. A twig snapped behind him, and he spun round only to see Simon standing there. Harry sighed, before turning back to Alice.
She had her back to him, sat down on the grass beside the grave that Harry knew was her mother's. Her head was ducked, her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders, and her voice was a whisper as she spoke to her mum the same way Harry had not hours before.
“I just needed to get away,” she was saying. “I just needed to be able to talk to someone who won't argue. Someone who will just listen.”
Harry turned away; he couldn't listen to this. He couldn't listen to the raw emotion bleeding from Alice in words. He began to walk away – and then he heard her voice break.
“I just wish you were here right now,” she said, crying. “I need you to give me advice and to tell me what to do because I just don't know.”
He couldn't take that, he couldn't take the heartbreak that met his ears. Glancing over his shoulder at Simon, he closed the distance between himself and Alice and dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her.
“Harry?” she gasped.
“Come here,” was all he said, pulling her into his arms, and despite her anger she let him. She nuzzled into his chest and sighed as tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I'm sorry,” she murmured, sniffling. “I-
“Don't apologise,” he whispered, kissing her forehead, rubbing his hands over her arms. “I'm sorry. I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am for saying what I said. And I didn't mean it, of course I never meant it. I only said it to hurt your father the way he was hurting me. It didn't even occur to me how much it would hurt you, all of you. I'm sorry.”
Alice didn't answer, she just leant her head against his heart and let the tears fall, tasting their salt as they ran into her mouth and occasionally wiping her nose impatiently on the back of her hand. They sat in silence for a while, and then she moved away to gaze down at her mother.
Harry saw her tear-stained cheeks and smudged makeup beneath her eyes, and he knew then that this was the closest to Alice that he was ever going to get. Not when she was in the shower, not when she was drunk, not when she was unravelling beneath his pleasurable hands, but here, now, as she broke down before him. She desperately wanted the one thing he couldn't give her: her mum.
He watched her for a few moments, reaching for her hand and just holding it, just wanting to feel some part of her skin against his, and then he moved. He wrapped her cardigan around her shoulders, he brushed her hair from her face, he wiped her tears with his fingers, and then he gently lifted her chin so her eyes were fixed on his.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
“I know,” she breathed.
“I love you,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
She smiled sadly. “I know.”
“I hate to see you like this,” he said gently. “I hate to see you in this state. It kills me. I hate seeing you cry.”
“Funny,” she said, her voice wobbly. “Because you're always the one who makes me.”
He ducked his head. “I'm an asshole. All I've ever done since I've been with you is make mistake after mistake and I just act like none of it affects me when really...it kills me to see what I've done to you.” His eyes went to the scars on her wrists, faint now but still there. “What I've put you through.”
“You don't understand how hard it is to love you,” she whispered. “I just want to love you so much and then you do this-”
“I'm sorry,” he said again. “Alice, baby, I hate myself right now. I hate myself for saying what I said. I hate myself for making you angry, I hate myself for hurting you.” He gazed into her wide green eyes. “I hate myself for messing up your life again and again.”
“My father was giving you a chance.”
“I know.”
“And you blew it.”
“I know.”
“You might have just blown any chance you ever had of being with me,” she breathed. “Any chance of us ever being happy with my father's blessing.”
“I'll put it right,” he said instantly. “I'll-I'll go and apologise as soon as we get home. I'll...put everything right. For you.”
“Not for me,” she said, not looking at him. “For us.”
“For us, yes.”
“Harry, everything I do is with us in mind. I even have to double think what I wear to work in case someone is going to say something about how 'short my dress is' or how 'high my shoes are'. Because that reflects on you, and on us. Everything I do, I think about us first.” She returned her gaze to his deep blue eyes. “And maybe, if you don't, then this isn't-”
“I do,” he interrupted desperately. “Shit, Alice, you are the first thing that comes to my mind every single day. I love you so hard and all I want to do is make you as happy as you've ever been and I...I make mistakes. I made a mistake today. And I regret it so bad already because I was so stupid and foolish and angry for some stupid reason and-”
Alice placed her hand over his mouth, silencing him, and then she smiled. “I understand. And I'm not forgiving you, I'm still furious. But I'm going to bite my tongue and give you a chance to put this right. And then-” Her smile widened. “We'll see whether you deserve my forgiveness.” Her hand returned to her lap.
“Alice, I-”
“Stop apologizing,” she said, wiping the corners of her eyes. “Do something about it.”
He managed to grin. “Time to go home?”
“Dinner will be cold,” she said, with a nod. “And Dad will be even angrier if we miss dinner.”
“Hmm, it's getting dark too.” He glanced up at the sky, frowning.
“Thank you for bringing my cardigan,” she murmured, slipping her arms into the holes and snuggling into the fabric.
He smiled, his eyes trailing over her. “You're welcome. See what I mean? You're always the first thing in my head. Well, most of the time. Sometimes not at the right times.”
“No,” she agreed, half-smiling, before turning back to the grave. “Bye Mum. See you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“We'll be coming here for the service,” she said, as she rose to her heet, brushing the grass from her dress. “Oh god, I hope I don't have grass stains-”
Harry got to his feet too, looking down at the grave. The tombstone read Isabelle Marlborough, followed by her date of birth and date of death, the two dates tragically close, just like his mother's.
“Isabelle,” he murmured to himself.
“Everyone called her 'Belle',” Alice said. “Except Dad. Dad called her Bella. He...loved her very much.”
Harry ducked his head as his words from earlier echoed in his ears. “I'm sure he did.”
Alice glanced at him. “You'd do good to say that to him.”
“I will,” he replied, before reaching for her hand. “Let's go?”
“Let's go.”
“Bye Isabelle,” Harry added, waving at the grave. Alice laughed lightly as he led her towards the gates. “And now I've met your mother.”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps not in the way I'd like.”
“She's a bit too dead, right?”
He stared at her for a moment, wondering whether it would be wrong to laugh, but he couldn't help himself. She giggled with him.
“We're certainly a couple, Alice,” he said, as they walked hand in hand up the country lane. “Both of our mothers are dead. I'm a royal screw up.”
“Hey!”
“I am,” he said, throwing her a grin.
“Well then I'm a social screw up,” she said. “Look at me, I have two friends. And a sister.”
“And a boyfriend who is the world's most eligible bachelor, I'll have you know,” he said.
“A boyfriend who's a royal screw up,” she corrected. “Your words, not mine.”
“How far away is the estate?” he asked after five minutes of walking.
“It's a twenty minute walk from the graveyard,” she said.
“What? No way did I run after you earlier for twenty minutes.”
She giggled. “It was probably quicker 'cause I was in a hurry.”
“You looked like you had a rocket shoved up your ass or something.”
She dissolved into laughter. “I was angry!”
“I could tell.”
Alice shoved him playfully, then sighed in pain.
“You okay?”
“My shoes are rubbing,” she said, dropping her gaze to her pair of pink heels. “I mean, they're normall quite comfortable but...not for twenty-minute walks.”
Harry sighed theatrically. “Come here.”
“What-?” He stooped down in front of her, holding his arms back, and she giggled. “No way.”
“Just get on my back, Alice.”
“No!”
“I'll give you a piggy back.”
“I'm not a child.”
“Get on!”
She sighed, fighting a smile as she clambered onto him. Her arms snaked round his neck as he straightened up, and then he was walking.
“Shit, you're heavy.”
“Hey!” She batted the top of his head.
“Can't you walk bare foot?”
“Not now I can't,” she teased. “Not since you forced me to get onto your back.”
“Dammit. I don't understand.”
“What?”
“You're nowhere near this heavy in bed.”
She scowled as he laughed. “That's because in bed your penis is doing all the thinking.”
“Ah, that's right. Where are we going now?”
“Turn right.”
Alice wasn't really that heavy, he was just playing around to cheer her up, for he knew that she wouldn't take his insults seriously. They climbed the winding roads with her sat on his back and him grunting and groaning to emphasize what he was putting up with for her. Behind them, Simon walked a few feet away, examining the surroundings and doing his job, occasionally smiling at the couple's playfulness.
Finally they reached the estate, and Harry set Alice gently on the ground before leaning back against the wall to regain his breath. “Shit, that killed me.”
“As if you haven't been going to the gym for the last six months.”
He grinned. “But you're different because you're physically and mentally stimulating. You're a completely different work out.”
“Aw, I'm honoured.”
“Come here.” He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. “Are we good?”
“Of course.”
“Even if I fuck up the apology?”
She pulled back to glare at him. “Don't. Fuck it. Up.”
“I was only meaning hypothetically,” he said, with a grin. “Okay, let's go.”
Alice reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers. “I love you,” she said, against his lips. “You big idiot.”
He chuckled. “I love you too, Mini.”
She opened the gates for them, and then they made their way inside with Simon close behind. Alice sucked in a huge breath as they approached the house; what Harry had said was unforgivable, and now she had to listen to her father's anger.
* * *
Alice was holding Harry's hand when she led him into the dining room, and Harry had no time to admire the beautiful surroundings for five pairs of eyes had fixed on him. Louis' glared.
“Hello, Alice, darling,” Anna said, with a smile. “We've had our starters, we honestly didn't know how long you would be-”
“It's okay, Anna,” Alice said. “Actually, we'll have ours in a minute. Harry just has something to say first, don't you?”
“I do, yes,” Harry said, before clearing his throat. His eyes went to Louis as he spoke. “I want to apologise. I know my words will...will never be unsaid, that's how words are but I...I want you to know that I never meant them. The subject you were treading on is a very touchy subject for me, and it isn't your fault, of course, because you didn't know that. The truth is that I find it very hard to hear how much my father hurt my mother, which I'm sure you can understand. Not only because of how much I love my mother, but how much I love my father. It's hard to hear about all the mistakes the most important man in your life made. So in my head you seemed to be suggesting that I would make those same mistakes. And that angered me, for I could never do that to Alice-” He glanced at her, and his gaze lingered on her stunning eyes.
Louis cleared his throat.
“Right, sorry.” Harry chuckled sheepishly, and Lizzie and Lesley both smiled at his faint blush. “As I was saying, that angered me. And it hurt me. And all I wanted to do in that moment was to make you feel the way I felt, by saying the worst thing I could have possibly said. I never meant it, of course I didn't. I wasn't even part of any of your lives back then so there's absolutely no way that I even have the right to form an opinion, so of course I never meant it. It's obvious to anyone how hurt you are over your previous wife's passing. So I just want to say that I'm...sorry.”
Louis watched him for a few moments, then nodded once. “Thank you, Harry. Your words mean a lot. I'm glad someone-” He glanced at Alice. “Is able to talk some sense into you.”
Harry opened her mouth to speak, but Alice interrupted. “Shall we join you for the main course?”
“Of course, of course,” Anna said, smiling widely. “Sit down.”
Alice glanced at Harry before moving to the chair opposite her stepmother.
* * *
Harry entered Alice's room the following morning with an array of shirts on his arm. He closed the door behind him, drawing a surprised and horrified gasp from Alice who held her towel over herself, shielding her naked body with the fabric. As her eyes went to Harry, she sighed in relief.
“God, I thought you were my brother.”
He chuckled. “What do I wear to church?”
“Clothes would be good.”
He rolled his eyes, moving to sit on the bed and lay out his shirts as Alice pulled on some underwear. “But is it shirt and tie? Or suit? Or blazer? Or just a shirt? Or...”
“Have you never been to church before?” she asked, arching an eyebrow, amused at his preoccupation.
“Of course I have,” he said dismissively. “But never casually. Only when I'm with my family, and in that case we have to wear suits and then women have to wear hats.”
“Look, I'm just wearing a casual dress with a cardigan and some heels. Nothing snazzy. Just wear a shirt.”
“You're wearing heels? No no no, that's too smart for 'just a shirt'.”
“Then wear a blazer with it.”
He looked up at her, his eyes absentmindedly roving over her slender curves, over the cream lace that clung to her backside, and then he shook his head, forcing those thoughts from his mind. “Okay. Shirt. Blazer. Which shirt?”
Alice laughed in disbelief. “What's the big deal?”
“I want to make a good impression.”
She raised an eyebrow. “After last night?”
He squirmed, embarrassed. “I want to make up for that.”
“And being stylish is going to do that?”
He scowled. “Just choose a goddamn shirt.”
Half an hour later, Harry and Alice made their way down the wooden staircase, her arm curled around his, to where Louis and Anna were waiting at the bottom.
“Where's your brother and sister?” Louis snapped to his daughter. Alice shrugged.
“I don't know,” she said. Then grinned. “And you're always moaning at me for taking so long-”
“Edward!” Louis shouted.
“Alright, alright, we're here,” Edward said irritably, appearing at the top of the stairs hand-in-hand with Lesley. “Stop your whining.”
Louis didn't appreciate his son's attitude, and he chastised him non-stop until Lizzie emerged from her room, and then, as they made their way out to the cars, it was her who got the telling off.
There were paparazzi waiting outside the estate for them, to Harry's utter surprise. He and Alice ducked their heads as Louis drove through the gates, and then they were on their way, following the exact same route that Harry had carried Alice on the night before. He looked out the window, thinking how different it all looked during daylight.
“This is where you grew up?” he murmured to Alice.
“Yup,” she said. “Pretty boring. But I suppose I was at Marlborough for a lot of it.”
“I have to ask-” He grinned. “What does Marlborough College have to do with you? The Marlboroughs.”
She giggled. “My great-great-great grandfather or something set it up, didn't he, Dad?”
“That's right. Something like that,” Louis said. “It didn't help us get in though. We had to fight for it. Had to pay good money.”
“I can imagine,” Harry murmured. “Did you go to Eton, Mr Marlborough?”
“I did, Harry. At the same time as your father. Well, I was a few years behind. But that's how I know him from. We didn't see each other for years after that, mind. I couldn't believe it when you and Edward became friends.”
“Huge coincidence,” Harry agreed.
“Here we are.”
While Anna and Louis made their way to into the church, Alice, Edward and Lizzie prepared to go and lay some flowers down on their mother's grave for Easter. While Harry and Lesley watched from afar, the three siblings crouched down by the tombstone.
“We always miss you, Mum,” Edward said. “You know that. Especially at Easter, since you loved to stuff your face with chocolate.”
“Alice's boyfriend met Dad yesterday,” Lizzie piped up. “Couldn't have gone worse.”
“Hey,” Alice said, scowling. “He apologised.”
“Dad knows you told him to.”
“Harry's able to make him own decisions, you know-”
“God, Mum, tell them to stop arguing,” Edward said, with a laugh. “They're always at it, you know. Always. Arguing over boys, or clothes, or celebrities.”
“Celebrities?” Alice's eyebrow arched in surprise.
“I don't know,” he mouthed, shrugging. “Anyway, Mum, he's some flowers we got you. Roses, your favourite. Although we drove everywhere trying to find some white ones. Even the wedding shop didn't have some, and that's saying something.”
“So we had to settle for some pink ones,” Alice added. “But we know that you won't mind. As long as they're roses.”
The three of them bid goodbye and got to their feet, Edward wrapping an arm around both of his sisters and hugging them to him. “Okay,” he said after a while. “Let's go.”
Lizzie hurried on to chat to Lesley and Harry, but Edward stayed behind, his arm still around Alice as they slowly ambled towards the church.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“Of course,” she said. “I came here last night, you know.”
“I guessed you had.”
“I had to talk to her. Just...get things off my mind.”
“I understand. You know you can talk to me, right?”
“I know.” She smiled up at her brother. “It was hard, you know? Yesterday. Not having her there. Did you feel that way when Lesley met Dad?”
“As though she were missing?” he asked. “I feel it every day with Lesley. And every day with you and Harry, and every day with Lizzie and the stupid twats she goes out with. Of course I do. And as we...as more time goes on I feel it even more. Like she's missing out on so much.”
“We're growing up,” Alice agreed.
“I mean, Lesley and I celebrated our first anniversary last month-”
“Congratulations, I had no idea.”
“No, our secret.” He grinned. “But we've started talking about marriage – I mean, not yet, obviously – but eventually. And I can't help but think that Mum won't be there to see it. She won't be there to get stressed.”
“Or to yell at you when you get Lesley's names wrong,” she teased.
“Hey,” he said, narrowing his eyes. Then he sighed. “Over these next few years things are going to change. I'll get married, you'll get married, Lizzie'll get married, we'll all start having kids, they'll start growing up and it's...sad. It's sad that she won't be here to see it.”
“I know. It's hard. I just hate it that she'll never be able to meet Harry. She would've loved him. They're both really cheeky, you know.”
He grinned. “I know, I can imagine them getting on like a house on fire. How are you two, by the way? After yesterday?”
“He...said all the right things and made me fall even harder in love with him again,” she said, smiling.
“Good,” Edward said. “I know that I didn't like the two of you together initially, but I have to say that you're happier than I've ever seen you. At least, in a very long time.”
“I feel happy,” she said. “Just...being with him. Of course, when shit doesn't come out of his mouth.”
“Yeah. I don't like him when that happens either.”
“But I do love being with him. Being around him. Just...” She shrugged, unable to stop a smile. “I love him.”
“Well, you better do something in a minute because Lizzie's boring him with tale of when she got her nails done. If I were him I'd be contemplating suicide by now.”
Alice laughed and rolled her eyes at her brother. “Okay, you're right, I better go save him.”
She hurried ahead of him to where her sister was stood with Harry at the entrance to the church, showing him the intricacies of her fake nails. Edward watched her run ahead, a small smile tugging up the corners of his mouth. No matter how unsure he had been initially about his little sister's relationship with his best friend – partly due to his best friend's tendency to put his foot in it – he was endlessly happy to see her so cheerful, to see the delight that emanated from her face at the mere mention of Harry's name.
He knew then that not only would he proudly call Harry his best friend, but he would also refer to him as his sister's boyfriend. Because the fact that he was his sister's boyfriend meant the world to him.
Chapter Forty-Two Part-One
A/N: Pretty boring, mostly building up to the next chapter.
“I cannot believe I haven't seen you in so long,” Kate said, as she led Alice out into the kitchen. “I mean, Harry didn't even tell us it was your birthday! He mentioned it yesterday, really casually, almost a two weeks after it was actually your birthday, and I just...flipped.”
Alice laughed lightly. “He's quite strange when it comes to sharing information.”
“So I forced William to watch George while I went to the shops, because we had to get you something...”
“Oh, Kate, you didn't need to do that.” She smiled at Harry's sister-in-law. “Really, I don't mind-”
“I wanted to,” Kate said simply, smiling widely as she held out a tiny package, a pink envelope sat on top. Alice looked disapprovingly at the woman stood in front of her, before taking it and smiling to herself.
“You shouldn't have done this, Kate,” she murmured.
“Well I did,” Kate said. “And if you're not okay with that, screw you.”
Alice let out a laugh. “Thanks.”
“George has a present to give you too,” Kate added. “But we'll give you that in a minute.”
“Okay.” Alice shook her head slightly to herself as she pulled the card from its confines. It was glittery and pink, and she laughed lightly as she read the joke on it. “Thank you,” she said, smiling widely at Kate. “Good card.”
“William offered to go out and buy a card and I just said 'nope, you'll get a crappy one' and he acted really offended.” Kate laughed lightly. “Open your present!”
“You're as bad as Harry,” Alice said, giggling. “Forcing me to rush and open my presents.”
“What did he get you?”
“Uhm...a Pandora charm, some diamond earrings...oh, and some lingerie.”
Kate's perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched. “Is that so?”
“Uh huh, and then two nights at a bed and breakfast in one of those villages that you get on the front of Christmas cards.”
“Romantic.”
“Yeah.” Alice laughed lightly. “It was.”
“Okay, open your present.”
“Oh yeah.” She giggled. “I forgot.” Curiosity overcame her as she fingered the sparkly wrapping paper, before she tore it off, revealing a tiny box within. Pulling the lid off, her eyes searched through the pink tissue paper, finally fixing on a nail file, and then some white nail varnish-
“It's a French Manicure set,” Kate explained. “It's what I use, and I love it. I thought you might find it useful.”
“Thank you,” Alice breathed, before returning her gaze to the woman stood before her, and she moved forward to envelope her in a hug. “Thank you, Kate.”
She laughed lightly. “Don't worry, you're welcome. It's your birthday, after all. Well, was.” She made an awkward face.
“I love it,” Alice murmured, pulling the different components out and setting them on the worktop so she could examine them all. “It's great, I'll really use it a lot.”
“Great,” Kate said, delighted with Alice's delight. “I'll get us some drinks.”
As the duchess moved around the kitchen, pulling glasses from cupboards before heading to the fridge, Alice toyed with each of the parts of her gift, looking at them from every angle, a smile on her face the whole time. She was touched beyond words that Kate had gotten her a present, and just as she was about to voice her endless gratitude, a pair of hands snaked around her waist, making her gasp out in surprise.
“What's that?” Harry murmured against her neck, as her heart restarted.
“You scared me,” she said accusingly, pouting. He chuckled lightly.
“You mustn't do that to a girl,” Kate said, from across the room. “You practically made her scream.”
“I'm good at that,” he answered cheekily. Then he let his breath out and moved to lean back against the worktop, crossing his arms as he looked over Alice's gift. “What's that?”
“It's a French Manicure set,” Alice explained. Harry's eyebrow raised, his expression completely bemused. She rolled her eyes. “This is a nail file, and this is to buff, and this is to shine, and this is-”
“Such technical terms,” he said, grinning. “And I thought flying an Apache was difficult.”
Both women laughed at that. “Where's William?” Kate asked.
“In the living room with George,” Harry replied, before turning to his girlfriend. “I hear that my little nephew has something to give you.”
Alice's eyebrow arched. “More presents?”
Kate grinned sheepishly. “How could I resist? Besides, I took him with me and I said “Let's get something for Auntie Alice” and it was the first thing he chose. Of course, he didn't really know it was for you-”
Alice's giggle cut her off. “It's the thought that counts.”
Together the three of them moved into the living room, where William was sat on the floor with George sat beside him, the baby perched on his padded bottom. At the sight of mummy, he let out a delighted coo and began to crawl towards her. Kate let out a light laugh, stooping down to scoop him into her arms and nuzzle her nose into his hair.
“Have you got a present for Auntie Alice?” she murmured to him, as Harry found a seat and pulled Alice down beside him.
“Ahh goo,” George cooed, and Alice laughed lightly.
“Could you hold him for a minute?” Kate passed the baby to her. “I'll just go get the gift.”
Alice adjusted George on her lap, gently bouncing him up and down as Harry tickled under his chin. William watched on, smirking slightly as the two of them made faces at George, making him laugh. He let out his own chuckle, catching Harry's attention.
“What?”
“Nothing,” William said, clearing his throat.
“William.”
He sighed, then fought a grin. “You guys are going to have so many kids, I can sense it.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. “I had no idea you were a physic.”
William rolled his eyes at his brother. “No, idiot, you're just both so good with kids that I can't see any reason why you won't.”
“Maybe the whole having the kid part,” Alice said. “As in, the birth. The getting fat. The throwing up.”
“The pooing, the crying-”
“The screaming,” she added, nodding in agreement.
William looked between the two of them, a smirk pulling up the corners of his mouth. “You guys are just worried about commitment.”
“Gah!” George let out a roar, his eyes on Alice's face, and she dropped her gaze to him as she laughed.
“Woah, George, what was that? You're going to be a little lion, aren't you?”
George giggled lightly, suddenly extremely enthralled by Alice's bracelet.
“Here you are,” Kate said, emerging from the hallway holding another tiny parcel, this time something squidgy and soft. Alice raised an eyebrow. “This is from George.”
“Oh, George, you shouldn't have,” she teased, pressing a kiss to the top of his head, and he looked up at her before his chubby face split into his usual cheeky grin. “Do you want to help me unwrap it?”
With furrowed eyebrows, he toyed with the wrapping paper with chubby fingers, before Alice tore it all off, revealing a Tatty Teddy bear, Happy Birthday Auntie neatly sewn onto its tiny t-shirt. She let out a delighted laugh.
“Why thank you, George,” she said, kissing his ear and receiving a giggle. “It's lovely.” Then she looked up and Kate. “Thank you.”
“Hey, it's my money,” William said, throwing her a grin.
“And thank you, William,” Alice added. He smiled smugly, now satisfied.
The Cambridges would be leaving for Bucklebury the following day, spending their last two weeks there before their departure for New Zealand, and it was highly likely that this would be one of the last times Harry saw his nephew before their tour began. Both William and Kate expressed nerves, but mostly concerning George, and then, after an afternoon in their company, it was time for Harry and Alice to leave. She gave the toddler a cuddle, nuzzling into his hair as he cooed in her arms, to say goodbye. She had no idea when the next time she would see him would be, but she knew that he would have changed immensely, whether their next meeting was soon or some time away.
* * *
Kiera and Arthur were lounging on the sofa, kissing each other lazily, when Alice entered the apartment. She threw her keys down onto the table, chucked her bag onto the chair and then her gaze fell on them. She rolled her eyes. She'd left them in exactly the same position that morning.
“Have you guys been like that all day?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“No,” Kiera said, sitting up; Arthur quickly moved her onto his lap. “We had a shower. And we spent some time in the bedroom-”
“Say no more,” Alice hurriedly interrupted. “I thought you were over his tonight?”
“No, we're here,” Kiera said. “I thought you were over Harry's tonight?”
Alice frowned. “No. We're here.” “Great,” Kiera muttered.
“Hey, it's okay,” Arthur said. “We can have a few beers. Celebrate 'cause Good Friday's tomorrow.”
“Yes, and Easter is all about drinking,” Alice said sarcastically.
“It's all about chocolate too,” he replied, equally as ironic. “What time's Harry getting home?”
“Soon. Unless he had to stay behind and finish paperwork,” she answered. “I'm, uh, going to go get changed.”
London was inexplicably hot that day, as it had been for the last week, and it seemed that most people would be spending Easter in the parks or on the beach, but Alice wasn't. During her lunch break her father had called, checking she would be coming to them for Easter, and while she had wondered what to say, he had added 'Oh, and bring Harry along too, if you like'.
So now she was nervous. She would love for Harry to go with her and meet her father officially, but she didn't know whether he would be up for it. And now she had to ask him, which she wasn't particularly excited about.
Just as she pulled on a comfy t-shirt, a pair of hands went to her waist and she gasped in surprise.
“Hello, beautiful,” Harry murmured, his lips against the back of her neck.
“Harry, you really need to stop scaring me like that,” she said breathlessly, as her heart remembered to keep beating.
“I'm sorry,” he said, turning her round in his hold and kissing her lightly on the lips. “It seems we have company for the evening, hmm?”
“Trust me, not my idea. I thought they'd be at Arthur's. Kiera said they would be.”
“Hey, it's okay. It'll be good. Those beers are really doing no good just sitting in your fridge like that.” He grinned. “And, frankly, after the day I've had, I need one.”
Alice giggled lightly, his hand moving from her waist to hers as he moved to leave the room. She pulled on him, not ready to leave yet. “Can we just stay here for a little while?”
As she moved to sit down on the bed, pulling her after him, his eyebrows rose in surprise, before he smirked. “You know I won't say no to staying in your bedroom with you.”
She rolled her eyes slightly, staring up at him. “What are you doing for Easter?”
“Eating shitloads of chocolate, hopefully.”
“I'm serious, Harry.”
“So am I.” His grinned finally disappeared as he sighed, sitting down beside her. “I was thinking of going to visit my mum, take her some flowers. But I don't have any plans.”
“Do you...” Alice paused. “Do you want to come with me to my parents?”
“To your parents?”
“Yes. We go there on Saturday and then stay there on Sunday to go to church. And have dinner.”
“Would they want me there?”
“Hopefully, considering they invited you.”
His eyes widened in disbelief. “Really?!”
“Mm-hmm. My dad called me today and said that you could come too. Especially since William and Kate aren't here, I don't want you to be all on your own.”
Harry wasn't sure what to say. On one hand, he wanted to go, he had no reason not to want to meet Alice's father, but on the other hand the thought of how serious that would make their relationship scared him slightly. Finally, he smiled. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay, I'll go with you.”
“Great!”
“But no funny business, okay?” he said. “I don't want to give your dad another reason to hate me.”
“He doesn't hate you,” Alice said, before smiling widely. “This is so great! Edward will be really happy.”
“Can you do something for me, though?”
“You're not going to ask me to give you head, are you?”
“No,” he said, as laughter fell from his mouth. “Would you come to my mother's grave with me. On the way there, so we can put some flowers down for Easter.”
“Oh.” Alice silenced instantly; that, for her, was something far bigger than meeting his dad. She nodded. “Okay.”
“You sure?” He didn't look reassured by her moment's silence. “You don't have to-”
“No,” she interrupted, taking his hand and squeezing it. “I want to.”
* * *
Alice stared around with wonder as Harry led her round the corner of a stone building that had doubled as a museum in hommage to the woman that they were coming to remember. She couldn't imagine how it would feel to have a mother buried where thousands would come just to visit her, nor to have a mother that was celebrated in exhibitions and museums all round the world, even right by her grave. She peered curiously through one of the windows as Harry pulled her past, wondering what was inside. Harry didn't even glance its way.
“Are you okay?” Alice asked gently, as she ran a few steps to catch up with him. His long legs carried him faster than hers, that and the desire to get to the grave that was driving him one.
“Yeah,” he said, mustering a smile for her. “It just always hurts being back here. I hate this place, just for how much it means to me.”
“I know what you mean,” she murmured. “My mother's buried in the graveyard in the village, by our estate, you know. And the walk there...it's always the same one. And I hate it. I hate the route, because it means I'm going to the graveyard to see my mum. And I hate that, because it means she's dead.”
Harry watched her even after she'd turned her gaze to their beautiful surroundings. He loves Alice so much, but what had experienced with her mother was something that remained somewhat of a mystery. A locked door that he daren't open, for he was scared of the tears that Alice would shed. He hated talking about their mothers for that simple reason – the pain that came with remembering. But at the same time, whenever Alice spoke of her, of how she had felt when her mother had died, it made Harry feel like she was letting him in just a tiny bit closer, revealing another small part of her soul.
“So where is she?” Alice asked, as they made their way to the edge of a lake.
“Over there,” he said, gesturing to the island that sat in the middle, adorned with plants and trees, birds fluttering between the branches. “In the middle.”
“My mother's grave isn't this sophisticated,” she murmured, as Harry pulled her over to where a tiny boat was tied.
He chuckled lightly. “No, I'm sure Mum wouldn't have wanted all this nonsense.” He threw his hand over his shoulder, pointing to the museum behind them. “But I think she would've liked the peace. At least, for a while. She really did like noise.” He looked out over the water, his eyes touching on the island that he had visited so many times before, even during his relationship with Alice. He always lied about his destination whenever he planned to come and sit with his mother.
“Shall I take them?” Alice asked gently, reaching out for the bouquet of flowers that he clutched in his hand, and he smiled as he handed to them. “If you row one-handed I think we'll end up in trouble.” He barked a laugh. “Probably. Although it's not very deep. I think it only comes up to my waist, from what I've heard.”
“But still...let's try not to ruin my shoes.”
Harry chuckled, before taking a deep breath and stepping into the boat. It rocked with his weight, sending water sloshing around. Alice eyed the rickety thing with worry.
“Such a beautiful place. Couldn't they have afforded a bigger boat?”
He laughed lightly as he reached up for her hand and, after casting another anxious glance over the boat, she took it. First one shaky step – gasping out as the boat wobbled beneath her – and then another, and then she quickly sat down on the bench, one hand clinging to the side, the other clinging to the flowers.
“Relax,” Harry said, as he sat back and reached for the oars. “It'll go fine.”
“It's like something out of a Jane Austen movie,” Alice laughed, looking around at the peaceful setting, before dropping her gaze to the water below and frowning. “Or Harry Potter.”
He frowned slightly in confusion but didn't say anything; he was used to missing jokes due to not having read the Harry Potter series. “Tell me something,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence.
“Anything,” Alice replied. “As long as it's not embarrassing.”
He chuckled. “It's not. When do you miss your mother most?” Alice was taken aback by his question, not only the directness with which he said it but that he said it at all. For their whole relationship neither of them had purposely brought up their mothers, occasionally mentioning them, something they said, or did, or liked. The actual missing them was never discussed.
“All the time,” she said, for it was true. “Every second of every day I wonder what she'd say if she were with me.” “What do you think she'd say right now?”
“She'd probably say, “he's rowing you across a lake, marry him”.”
He laughed. “But don't you miss her more at, for example, Christmas? Or Easter?”
“Of course,” she said quietly. “Birthdays, that sort. And, well, I'm sure I'll miss her later, when we arrived home. At my home. Because I'll be introducing you to Dad and to Anna and Edward will be pretending he doesn't know you because he's an idiot, and I'll wish she was there so I could introduce you to her too.” She paused to smile shyly down at her lap, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. “Because she'd love you.”
“Why do you think I'm bringing you here?” Harry said gently. “So that I can introduce you to her in the only way that I can now.”
Alice half-smiled. “We're going to crash.”
“What?” He turned round in his seat just as the boat met the island, banging against it and jerking them both forward. Alice giggled lightly. “Bloody thing,” he muttered, as he tied them to the ground.
“Somehow I knew it would end badly,” she teased lightly, as he hopped from the boat before holding out a hand for her. The grass was springing as she stepped out onto it. “This place is beautiful.”
“A beautiful place for a beautiful woman,” he answered simply. “Here she is.”
An erect plinth with some sort of stone trophy on top stood there under an archway of branches, and Harry took the flowers from Alice before setting himself down on the grass.
“Happy Easter, Mum.”
Alice half-smiled at him as she saw the sadness in his eyes, carefully folding herself down beside him and casting her eyes over the grave. It was very simple, a contrast from the ostentatious museum back on the shore. Her name printed simply in stone, followed by her date of birth, date of death and 'a loving mother, a caring princess'.
He was staring at the flowers he'd just placed down with a strange expression on his face, and Alice knew that his head was swimming with memories. She leant her forehead against his shoulder.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered.
“About Mum.”
“Tell me,” she breathed, leaning up to gently kiss his ear. “I want to know.”
He half-smiled. “Just...about our last Easter with her. She brought us both huge Easter eggs, and then ate kept breaking bits off and eating them herself. William and I kept pretending to get annoyed at her.” Then he sighed. “I wish I'd let her eat all of mine now. She did used to love her chocolate.”
Alice laughed lightly. “What else did she love?”
“She loved to dance. She loved to dance more than anything, really. When Pa would drop us off – after the divorce, of course – sometimes she'd be dancing around the kitchen, singing along to Elton John as she made the dinner. She was mad like that.”
“I see where you get it from.”
Harry chuckled lightly at her teasing. “She would've loved you, you know?”
“Really?”
“Yeah, how could she not? You're crazy, just like she was.”
She giggled. “I wish I could've met her. Did she like to tease you much?”
“All the time.”
“We would've got on well.”
“You would've,” he agreed, grinning, although his eyes were still sad, still shining with unshed tears. Then he turned back to the grave. “William's in Australia right now. Him and Kate are introducing George to the world. I know he wishes he could've come. George is getting really big. He's blond, with blue eyes. Takes after his dad, and after you.
“Alice is here with me today,” he added, throwing her a smile. “I wish you could meet her properly. She met Pa the other day. He just embarrassed me the whole time, you know how he is. But he loved Alice, and I know you would too. I'm meeting her dad tomorrow. Well, I've met him before, he's Edward's dad, of course. I'm a bit nervous.”
Alice didn't say anything; he was talking to his mother, his words were not meant for her.
“I know you would just say that I'm being silly, and that I'll be absolutely fine, and that I meet people I don't know all the time, but I'm scared that I'll mess it up. Because I really love being with Alice, I don't want to screw it up any more than I already have.”
“You haven't screwed it up at all,” she whispered. He spared her a smile before turning back to where his mother lay beneath the ground.
“I wish you were here, Mum,” he breathed. “I always do but right now I wish it more. Because you're missing so much.”
His voice broke on the last word, and Alice squeezed his shoulder, leaning her head down onto him.
“I'm sorry,” he murmured to her, as he ducked his head, trying to hold it together.
“Don't apologise.”
“I know, I just haven't been here in too long. It makes me miss her more. And then with George growing up so fast...and she'll never get to meet you.”
“I understand,” Alice breathed. “It's okay.”
Harry sat back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “I brought you flowers, Mum. They're colourful ones, because I think this place needs a bit of colour. Especially for Easter. I hope you like them.”
They sat in silence for a while, Harry dwelling on the memories that he was forever hiding from for they hurt too much to remember. Alice didn't say anything; she didn't rush him and she didn't interrupt his thoughts, for she knew how it felt to sit there beside a mother's grave and to just think. She'd done it so many times, she knew the way Harry's heart would be breaking by now.
Finally, Harry cleared his throat, blinking the tears from his eyes, and he turned to Alice.
“Okay?” she asked, smiling sadly.
He nodded. “Yeah,” he said thickly, hurriedly wiping the corner of his eye. “Sorry, I don't normally cry-”
“Harry, you don't need to apologise,” she said. “I understand. I understand better than most how you feel.”
“I know. We should be going?”
“When you're ready.”
“You're sat here doing nothing-”
“I'm fine just being here,” she quickly interrupted, with a reassuring smile. “And I'm not doing nothing. I'm thinking. And remembering.”
He reached up and cupped her cheek. “A few more minutes?”
“Whenever you're ready.”
Over ten minutes later, Harry helped Alice back into the boat. Once more, she gasped out as it wobbled underneath her weight; Harry's hands grabbed her waist, steadying her, and she laughed at how silly she was.
“Let's see if we can make it back this time,” she said, slowly sinking onto the seat.
“Let's hope,” he said, grinning widely as he joined her into the boat. He put his tears and painful memories behind him, sitting back and reaching for the oars. He'd had his sad moment, and now he just had to deal with meeting Alice's family. And his tears were being replaced by his nerves.
“Are you okay?” she asked gently, and her eyes met with his as he looked up at her
“Yes,” he said, smiling. “Thank you. Anyone else would've...I don't know, said the wrong thing. You were perfect.”
“I know how it feels when people say the wrong this,” she said. “I didn't want to do it.”
“Well you didn't,” he said. “You were perfect. Anyway-” He grinned. “What are we doing now?”
“Driving to the New Forest.”
“Ugh. You don't want to go home, do you?” He raised a hopeful eyebrow. “We could spend Easter Sunday in bed.”
Alice rolled her eyes, fighting a smile. “The same way we spent Good Friday in bed?”
“Yes.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Aren't you tired of having sex with me yet?” she asked, smiling openly now.
“Oh no.” He grinned. “No no no. Never.”
“People normally get tired of having sex with me.”
“People?”
“My exes.”
“All of them?”
“Except one.”
“Interesting.” He nodded to himself slowly. “Very interesting.”
“We're going to my dad's, Harry.”
“Damn it.”
“You can't try and get out of this,” she teased. “Not even with sex.”
“You're lucky I love you,” he said, with a grin. “I don't meet many girls' dads.”
“I'm honoured.”
“You should be.”
She watched his arms for a while, his strong shoulders, as he moved back and forth, propelling the boat through the murky water, and she contented herself in listening to his faint grunts, the strength he was exerting written clearly on his face. Finally, they reached the other side.
“That journey went a bit more smoothly,” she said, with a laugh. He grinned as he tied the knot, securing the boat to the ground before jumping out. Alice rocked, and she cried out, before laughing. “Bloody hell!”
He chuckled, reaching down and helping her out. She raised a hand to stop her panicking heart.
“I'm never letting you take me out on a lake again.”
“Me?!” he said incredulously, as they slowly began to make their way back to their car. “I can't believe it. I make an effort to be romantic-”
“Romantic?” Alice quoted, before giggling.
“You were the one who said it was very Jane Eyre.”
“Jane Austen.”
“Same difference.”
“It's not, actually-”
She was silenced by his kiss, an amused smile tugging up his lips as they gently pressed against hers. Her hand went to his chest, and she pushed him away.
“Hey!”
“I was talking,” she said, walking away from him. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the back of his head.
“You were. Past tense.”
“Where did all this happiness come from?”
“Just getting in the mood for dinner with your father,” he said, grinning.
“Oh yes. It'll be riveting, I'm sure.”
They reached their car then, and Harry opened her door for her before moving round to his own. “See? I can be romantic?”
“That was being charming, not romantic.”
He raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her, unamused. “So, what happens when we get to your dad's?”
“Well, I introduce you two, and then we have dinner, and then we go to bed.”
“I can't wait for that part.”
She rolled her eyes at him, ignoring his grin. “Actually, you'll be on your own tonight.”
He stared at her. “What?!”
“My dad wants us in separate rooms.”
“What?!” he gasped. “Why?”
“Because he doesn't want us to have sex under his roof, that's why.”
Harry made a sound at the back of his throat, annoyed at this turn of events. “And tomorrow? What are we doing?”
“We're going to church, then having lunch. Then going home.”
“Okay,” he said, smiling at her. “It's only one night, I guess.”
“I'm sure you'll survive.”
As they slowed to a stop at the traffic lights, he leant over to kiss her. “Thank you for coming with me today.”
“You're welcome.” She smiled shyly at him. “Thank you for wanting me to come.”
“It meant a lot,” he added. “An awful lot.”
She kissed him gently. “I'm glad you thought so.”
The lights turnt green, and Harry turned back to the road as Alice sat back in her seat. Now that he'd been to see his mother, now that he'd shed some tears and had spoken to her, he had to focus on the second part of his day.
Meeting Alice's father. And that was the scariest thing he'd done in a long time.
When are going to update???? I'm dying here
I'm so sorry!!! It's really has been too long :( I've been suffering from quite severe writer's block when it comes to Harry and Alice. I literally feel as though I have written one sentence per hour.
Bear with me, I'll try and update soon :)
Here's a little preview of what I have written already (this might not end up being published, if I just freak out and start the chapter from the beginning again).
“Hey.” She broke into a smile at the sight of Harry; George sat in his arms, wriggling, his bag full of baby things slung over one shoulder and his own night bag hanging off the other, he looked like he'd just been to hell and back. His eyes, though exhausted, lit up at the sight of her.
“Hi.” His voice was joyful, yet plagued by fatigue. “Take him, will you?”
Alice giggled as George was passed to her, and she sat him on her hip. “Hello George!”
“Maaa yaaa!” he babbled, his arms flailing. She gently pressed her lips to his blonde head – his hair had somehow changed from light brown to utter blonde during the few months since she'd last seen him.
“Yeah!” She bounced him up and down, and delighted giggles fell from his mouth.
Harry chuckled. “He loves you, little monster. He screamed all the way here. All. The. Way.”
“Looks like we have a long night ahead of us, huh?”
“Definitely,” he said, moving into the room as Simon and Graham did the same. Graham was George's own PO, a burly man with a stern face and dark eyes, evidently set on doing his job. Together, they scoped the apartment, finally giving Harry the go-ahead, and he dropped his bags as they shut the door behind them.
“I'm exhausted,” he said, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes. “I swear, I've been looking after him for just under twenty-minutes.”
“Just one night to go,” she tease lightly, before turning away and looking at George. He was sat contentedly in her arms, looking around at his new surroundings with a tiny crease between his eyebrows. “Where are you, Georgie?” she murmured to him. “Do you not recognize this? Do you remember me, hmm?”
“How could he forget his Auntie Alice?” Harry said from her behind, his tone teasing.
“You remember the last time he came here?”
He paused for a moment, pulling on his memories of the last few months, and then comprehension flickered on his face. “Oh.”
“Oh indeed,” she said, smiling faintly at him. “Do you want a drink?”
“Sure, what do you have?”
“You know what I have.”
“I feel like I haven't been here in ages,” he said, shrugging as he took in the apartment. He certainly hadn't been there for a few weeks, for both him and Alice had been busy with their jobs, and the only times they'd seen each other had been at his flat. “What do you have?” “Tea, or alcohol.”
He grinned. “It's a bit early for alcohol.”
“I sure as hell need some,” she said dismissively.
“Maybe I should take George,” he suggested.
“I haven't had any yet,” she said, with a roll of her eyes.
“But still...” He was teasing her now. “I doubt William and Kate would appreciate it if I left their son in the hands of an alcoholic.”
She rolled her eyes once more. “I'm not an alcoholic. I've just had a long day.”
“Anything you want to talk about?”
“When I have a glass of wine in my hand, yes.”
He scoffed. “How about we try and stay sober? For George's sake.”
Alice turned to the baby in her arms, surprised to see his head nuzzled into her shoulder, and she smiled affectionately at him. “I suppose I can wait a while.”
“We've got all night,” he reminded her. “And trust me, I think you'll need to be sober for the ten times we'll have to get up.”
She groaned. “Why did I talk you into letting us babysit him?”
“He's my nephew,” he said, with a shrug and a grin. “And, if I remember correctly, I did have to bribe you.”
“You did, yes.”
“Was my tongue not worth this?”
Alice giggled, blushing at the memory. “Yes, it was.”
“Ah, you see?”
“Do you want a drink or not?”
“Go on then.” He took George from her, and the baby looked up at his uncle with wide eyes, before he giggled and batted his cheek. “George, no!” Harry pulled his head away, chuckling and grabbing his tiny fist. “Don't hit Uncle Harry. That's not nice.”
“Baa too!” George said, pouting. Alice giggled.
“He evidently meant something by that,” she said. “Probably calling you an asshole.”
“Ha ha. You don't mean that, he worships me.”
“I know. It was evident in the way he was trying to punch you.”