Prince and the Pauper

Chapter Forty-Five

*Final Chapter*


Three months had sped by since that pivotal day in court. Dante, Chandler, and even my best friend Sebastian, had been locked up in prison. Sebastian had been given a lighter sentence since he pleaded guilty and had been the reason I escaped. Three years was his sentence, and three months in I still wasn't certain if I was crushed the boy that had been my only real family growing up was behind bars, or disappointed on the light sentencing for being partially responsible for my brothers attack. I had visited him several times since and each time we both cried, and I came home to Harry who would rant and rave about how I should leave him there to rot, apart from the one time he encouraged  me to go only to steal the key whilst I was there and throw it away. "He gets food, water, civil-like facilities and a bed which is a hell of a lot more than what he gave you when he locked you up!" Harry had yelled. He didn't understand how a friend could be the most important person in your life when he had a mother who loved him, and a father who, despite his flaws, had potential to be a better man that did love his son, albeit he struggled to portray that. Something I had discovered about Harry since our lives settled down and we led normal mundane lives. Their relationship was strained and awkward, and Harry had been hurt from his cold father growing up but they were trying, and it was a wonderful sight to witness. Chandler was given five years, which was a loss nobody really mourned for. He had been a friend to us, but after the hurdles we had cleared previously, his betrayal was more of a skip over than a leap. As for Dante, he had received twelve years, and the verdict had sent all of us on a roller coaster of emotions. I was relieved I had at last won justice for my brother, and Harry was for the most part elated for me too, but deep down he was hurting for the loss of his own brother, and I hurt for Harry seeing that loss in his eyes. Harry's nature was to love and forgive, and his brother had made that impossible for him. He wanted to love Dante like brothers should,but he couldn't move past what Dante had done, and Harry felt guilty for his lack of forgiveness. Trace was alive, he survived the bullet from my father, and had been scared enough by the event to flee Adlington and was never heard from again. As for my father, he was serving time too for shooting Trace. I hadn't attended his court case, one reason being I never wanted to step foot in a court again, and another being I never wanted to see Sam again. Ideal apparently because he never wrote to me, however, he did write to Harry which had shocked us both. 'Heard your Devonne was alive. I would say send her my wishes but she won't want to hear them, and you won't believe them. Take care of her like I never could. Sam.' That was his departing speech, and it had been burnt in the fireplace. 'Your Devonne' he had said, showing not all ties had been severed, but there never really had been ties to begin with. We had been more estranged flatmates than anything, I told myself not to mourn him anymore, insisting you can't miss something you never had. So three months in and the, as Harry had been so longing for, apple pie life had arrived. Along with the wedding day, and a whole bunch of nerves.
"Devonne, what did I say about drinking or eating  in the dress!" Nikki snatched away the bottle of water away before I had the chance to unscrew the lid. I couldn't blame her really, the dress was spectacular, and picked by Monica. It was close fitting and elegant, thin straps and a heart shaped neckline, that stayed slim all the way down to my ankles. The back however nothing but sheer lace that you couldnt really see unless you were up close and stopped just above the ass, where the rest was made of the same silk as the front of the dress. The best part was the diamond like jewels that were formed to look like sparkling ferns along the bottom of the lace, and then spread off into thin lines up the rest of the lace. It was far from what I would have typically picked, but it was stunning and I loved it.
"Not to." I grumbled, raising my hands in false surrender, and Donna laughed as she walked into the room.
"You'll ruin the dress with your-"
"Reckless eating etiquette, I know."I finished her mantra of the day. Her narrowed gaze turned into a smile as I grinned at her, and she came up to my side and squeezed my shoulders sweetly.
"You look beautiful, honey." She whispered and a tear slipped from her eyes.
"Oh no, no tears." I playfully scolded. I turned to hug her and was halted by a squawk from Donna as my veil got caught in the cord to the blinds.
"That's the second time you've got that damn thing caught on something, you'll rip it!" Donna warned me and I laughed as she carefully unhooked me.
"It's not my fault, this  small room is a hazard." I defended and both Nikki and Donna laughed along.
"I think it's very sweet, you know." Nikki smiled as she fiddled with the bottom of my dress for the millionth time.
"Getting ready in Georgie's hospital room so he's still part of the big day." She rose to her full height again and let out a happy sigh. She had to be the most pedantic woman about the wedding, and made me look like I was totally calm. Which I wasn't. Today I was getting married to the love of my life, and I felt my nerves were going to explode.
"I couldn't get married without him being involved somehow." I confessed and both Donna and Nikki smiled in understanding.
"He'd be happy for you, Dev. You deserve this. To be happy." Donna was battling back her own tears and I took a deep breath and nodded my head, trying to convince myself she was right, that despite all that had happened, Geordie would be okay with me marrying Dante's brother. If our lives had proved anything it was love and family doesn't begin or end with blood necessarily. Harry would be like a big brother to Geordie if, when, he woke up. He would be the male role model in Geordie's life that would teach him all the things his father should have. The birds and the bees, shaving, how to treat a woman, kick a ball around with him. I had to believe Geordie would be okay with this, because I couldn't live without Harry.  He had saved me in so many ways, he didn't just save it, he gave me it. He gave me a purpose to breathe again and he was the hope I needed to have when mine started to fade. He was everything I wasn't, and I adored him for it. I just wanted Geordie to adore Harry too.
"Knock knock." A sweet voice sang, and we all turned to see Monica walking into the room, a huge smile on her scarlet red lips.
"You look so beautiful." Monica pressed a hand to her heart and Donna and Nikki hummed in agreement, making me blush.
"Harry hasn't done a runner ye-ah!" I groaned as once again my veil got caught, only this time on the IV bag next to the bed. Donna scrambled to free it, and Monica laughed delicately.
 "No he hasn't. He can't wait." She assured me. "Though he did ask if you'd fled yet." I laughed loudly. "What's the time?" Monica Nikki asked, still fiddling with the dress.
"10:25am." Donna glanced at the clock, making Monica frown.
"I could have sworn it was 11:30 when I checked on Harry..." We all turned to the clock on the wall were the time read 10:25.
"Call me crazy," my voice trembling, "but aren't the hands on the clock supposed to move?" We all froze in sheer panic  and then Donna practically wailed.
"We're late!"
"Go go go!" Nikki barked. My eyes widened and then the room was a flurry, Monica calling Drake and explaining, Donna collecting all our things and Nikki escorting me in a flash to the door, only for everybody to halt when the door flew open and Harry stood there, panic dropping when he saw us still in the building.
"Not my fault! The clock wasn't working!" I gushed, and Harry blinked twice, and then threw his head back, roaring with laughter. My cheeks flushed and I saw Zaiden chuckling beside him.
"You look breathtaking  baby." Harry smiled when he collected himself, and then laughed again.
"Then why are you laughing?" i asked despite my smiling.
"You've been planning this and every detail for months, the dress, the food, the guests, the venue, worried somebody would mess it up, and on the actual day, you were late because you didn't notice a clock was broken?" Heat flamed my neck and cheeks and everybody in the room laughed.
"Still want to marry me" I squeaked, and Harry smiled, looking incredibly handsome in his suit. He came up to me and clasped my hands. 
"As much as I want my next breath." He whispered, and I smiled widely.
"You look beyond handsome." I complimented, and Harry winked, making me giggle.
"There aren't...I have no words for how beautiful you look." Harry cupped my cheek in his hand.
"Alright save the sweet talks for the alter guys!" Zaiden cut in making us all smile.
"Okay, let's go." I took a deep breath.
"Harry turned first and I took one last breath, then went to turn towards the door as well, only for my veil to get caught again.
"Oh for goodness sake, this damn veil." I grunted turning back and everybody spun to see what had happened. My veil was caught, but not in blinds, or the IV bag, but the bony fingers on a hand I hadn't seen move for six months. My eyes watered, trailing up the frail arm, towards the face of my brother. And there were his eyes. Open, sparkling, doe-brown just as always, and so definitely open.
"Geordie!" I sobbed, and grabbed his hand in mine. I knew plenty about the outcomes of coming out of a coma. Knew the possibilities of brain loss, loss of speech, being a completely different person. Geordie didn't speak, he looked, as insane as it seemed, completely exhausted. But when I looked at him, I saw a smile. Sweet, happy, proud. Words weren't needed, I knew where his thoughts lay when he wandered his eyes to Harry then back to me, and smiled. I knew he held no resentment, no grudge, he was happy. When I looked at the smile, I knew everything would be okay between my brother, the Prince, and the pauper.