The Unexpected Journey-A Prince Harry Fan Fic

Chapter 14

"Maddie..." His knuckles were soft on the door as she stood on the other side, debating if she was going to open it or not.

You're being ridiculous, she told herself. If this was it, if he was there to tell her they were done, she wanted to get it over with. Taking deep breath, she forced her insecurities to quiet down and she swung open the door. He smiled wide at the sight of her.

"Look at you..." His eyes scanned her, unbelievably happy to see her. "You have jammies." The look on his face, the tone of his voice—it took all she had not to cave, her mind hazy from the meds, tired from the day.

"What can I do for you sir?" Her cold response gave him pause. The way she tacked on the sir at the end made his eyes narrow in confusion.

What was this? Maybe she had changed her mind about him. Maybe during her recovery she had come to her senses and decided this wasn't for her; that he wasn't for her. Maybe she had decided that the baggage that came with him—simply wasn't for her. Though it broke his heart, he understood.

"Sir? I'm sorry, can I come in?" Though she knew that she should probably shut the door in his face if she had any hope of remaining strong, she really didn't want to have this particular conversation in the hallway. Nodding, she stood aside and allowed him to enter. She noticed that he had lost his suit coat and loosened his tie; and he was carrying a backpack with him. Shutting the door behind him, she took a deep breath and steeled her nerves before turning to face him.

And it was a good thing because the soft look on his face was disarming. He smiled wide and his eyes twinkled.

"Maddie..." He breathed moving to take a step towards her. Seeing the stone look in her eyes halted his movements; keeping him from going directly to her.

"What can I do for you?" She raised her eyebrows, barely hanging on to the tiny bit of control she had over herself. Still not understanding her need to do so. Maybe it was the pain pills she had taken, maybe it was her intense desire to just let her mind rest. Maybe her stubborn, defiant streak was making a comeback in the strangest place possible.

"What can you..." His lips curled down into a frown. "Okay. What is happening right now?"

"You tell me," Maddie countered; he truly was the only one that could clear things up at this point.

"Me?" He pointed at his chest. "I don't know. When Khenda told me you left, I...I thought maybe you were sick or...Maddie, today I left right from training and flew here to see you..." He trailed off.

"Why?" She arched her eyebrows. "Why would you come all of this way if you were just going to brush me off? You could have ended things over the..."

"Ended things?!" His face registered utter shock. "Brush you off? Maddie that's absurd. That's..."

"Absurd?" Maddie laughed bitterly.

"Yes! Why would I brush you off, Maddie I..."

"I don't know. I haven't quite..."

"...Maddie, I'm in love with you..." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them; surprising the both of them.

"...figured it out yet...wait." Her entire thought process came to a screeching halt. "Wait. What?"

"I..." He exhaled. He hadn't wanted it to come out this soon. He really hadn't wanted it to come out like that, but it was too late. There she was, watching him with wide eyes; waiting for him to continue, waiting for him to explain. "I know that it sounds...irrational but I am."

"Wh...wh...?" Maddie stammered, her mind had been swirling around in confusion all day, gaining speed and momentum in her spiral. But his words had drawn her to a complete and sudden stop.