The Unexpected Journey-A Prince Harry Fan Fic

Chapter 117

Day 2: Arlington, VA

The feeling in the car was serious. A somber sort of humility had settled over them as they drove through the streets of The District. And when they passed through the gates to Arlington National Cemetery, Maddie could already feel the lump building in her throat. Her eyes watched as the meticulously planned rows of white stone sprawled out before them. She took a deep breath and focused on the Robert E Lee Mansion—flag at half-staff.

And she surrendered to the truth she had known since she had dressed that morning. Her hands shook slightly as they smoothed over her skirt, tugged at the hem to the jacket she wore over her blouse. This day was lining up to be the most emotional of the trip and it was only the beginning.

They were still in the car.

Maddie looked to Harry who was looking away, out his window; though his mind was focused well beyond that. He hadn't spoken since they had all loaded into the car. He had been simple all morning, pressing kisses to her lips as he wished her good morning; offering her compliments once she was dressed. But once the business part of their day had begun, once Thomas brought in the uniform, once they began to prepare, he had grown quiet.

It was with the same stoic reflection that he now sat; next to her but much further away.

He had wanted to be there for her today. This was her first tour, her second day standing next to him in their representation of Her Majesty. He had wanted to be able to offer wisdom and guidance and hold her hand as she walked through a day he knew would only evoke feeling after feeling from the both of them.

But he couldn't. His mind was somewhere else entirely. And Maddie understood; without words, without thought. She understood.

Harry was a soldier. Above all else, he was a soldier.

Not a Prince. Not a Duke. A soldier.

And today, they were honoring the hundreds of thousands just like him who had taken up arms and taken a stand. Throughout the course of the day, they would come in contact with many of these men and women; having served time in a war, just like him. But they would also spend part of their day honoring those who were unlike him, those who hadn't returned to their loved ones or if they had it had been not nearly as whole as they were when they left. This was going to be a day full of soldiers; The Tomb of the Unknowns, Walter Reed, the reception that evening at The White House. The entire day was devoted to service men and women; those still standing and those who had fallen.

And as she watched Harry next to her in full military dress, she felt waves of that reality wash over her.

Tearing her eyes away from him, a purely self-preservational move, she took a deep breath and drew from her pool of emotional strength. She sniffed defiantly at the tears and tried to distract herself; making a mental note to thank Ms. Libby Florence for knowing her well enough that she had wordlessly handed her a hanky before they left the room that morning and Ms. Winnifred Ellis who had the foresight to put pockets in everything she had designed for the trip.

And then she made a mental note to pull it together, to think of something light and cheery; something that would keep her from losing it. But she knew that it was truly in vain. They were driving up the small, winding roads, passing headstone after headstone and already she was teary, already her chest was heavy.

And they were still in the car.

As the car began to slow, the people inside moved to duty; Libby adjusting in her seat, Thomas checking over his notes once more before sliding his folio to the side and scanning over the two of them.

"Ma'am," Thomas' voice was quiet as he cut into the silence. Maddie looked up to him. "Is there anything you need?"

"No," she smiled at him with a soft shake of her head. "Thank you, I'm fine." It was the crack in her voice at the end, the nearly undetectable waver that drew Harry's attention. His gloved hand reached for hers and Maddie's eyes snapped to his.

Those long white fingers wrapped around hers and he squeezed and she saw it all in his eyes; deep and blue. With the tiniest turn of her lips, she offered a smile and she squeezed in return. He had asked in the best way he could. And she was answering. "I'm fine." She whispered to him.

The car came to a stop and Harry turned away from her—a self-preservational move on his part—and their doors were being pulled open. Stepping out into the sunny, summer day, Maddie thanked the driver and stood tall and proud as her soldier rounded the car to join her; their entourage joining them. And just like that, they were on; no waiting, no hemming. They were what everyone else was waiting for.

They were greeted by Staff Sgt. Kevin Brandt, the 1st Relief Commander at The Tomb. He was younger than she was, Maddie guessed. He stood tall, alert, and at the ready; a military man all around. He offered a salute to Harry and a warm smile, a strong handshake and nod to Maddie before he turned to lead them up the walk to where they would be starting. Harry smiled at his wife, his own nerves settling now that they were out in the air, in the sun and together, they fell in step with the Staff Sergeant as he escorted them through the massive crowd that had gathered. Though the numbers had certainly increased when compared to the day before, the spirit was drastically different. There were no signs, no feather boas. This was hallowed ground, this was a sacred place. Everyone stood in a muted silence; hats removed as they passed, as the flags that walked with them passed.

They had gone over the course of events numerous times; once in London before the trip, once on the flight over, and once that morning. Maddie knew exactly how it was going to unfold. Even still, her feet fell into step with the natural cadence the soldiers around her walked with. Her back straightened, wanting to walk tall and proud in this moment—when they honored the fallen.

And as they took their place next to the Staff Sergeant, overlooking the Tomb of the Unknowns, overlooking Arlington, The District, all eyes turned in their direction—all except for the Tomb Guards who never wavered in their duties. Maddie had read up on them long ago, and again refreshing her mind before the trip, and she had been awed and humbled by the amount of time and training it took to take this revered position. And she had been drawn to tears when she read personal accounts from Tomb Guards who viewed this as such an amazing honor.

And it was. It was an honor to pay respects to all that these men and women had laid down in battle. Though she had expected the announcement, the loud, powerful voice of the Staff Sergeant at the bottom of the stairs startled her and she snapped to his attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please!" Maddie was certain even the chirping birds quieted at his request. "The ceremony you are about to witness is the Army Wreath Laying Ceremony to be conducted by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In keeping with the dignity of this ceremony, it is requested that everyone remain silent and standing. All military personnel in uniform will render the hand salute. It is appropriate for all others to put their hands over their hearts upon the command 'Present Arms'. Thank you."

And with that perfected, poignant click of his heels, he was moving. With her hands folded in front of her, Maddie stood next to Harry who stood at attention next to Staff Sergeant Brandt and not one of them was looking anywhere but at the bright, white marble that stood before them. Upon the Sergeant's command, all three stepped forward; left foot first. And they were walking down the stairs.

Though she wasn't a soldier, far from it in fact, she fell into their steps quite easily. She fell into the moment quite easily. Though there were cameras everywhere, video and photo, documenting this moment for the world to see, Maddie felt none of that, she saw none of it.

Because before she had any time to register any of that, they were standing at the bottom of the stairs, the wreath before them.

The moment was like nothing Maddie had felt before. She was standing next to her husband, a wartime solider. And together they were standing before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; a monument to the faceless men and women who had given not only their lives, their identity in order to preserve something so precious.

What she wanted to do was hold on to Harry.

At the direction of the Tomb Guard, she and Harry moved forward with the wreath, with a stunning silence and then they turned and took their positions.

And there they were; Harry standing at attention and offering a salute. Maddie gulping back the surge of emotion as her hand rested over her heart. As the bugle sounded out with the distinct notes from "Taps", Harry's heart clenched and Maddie lost her battle; a few small tears slipped from her eyes; silent and simply. It was always the music that did her in.

He knew she was crying. He knew she was crying the same way she knew that the cousins in London would most definitely poke gentle fun at her for another round of tears.

But she didn't care. And he couldn't hold her hand. He was a soldier in formation. He couldn't hold her hand.

And she understood. She understood better than Harry could expect her to, better than most civilians did. This moment wasn't about her tears, any more than it was about Harry's salute. It was about something so much bigger than them both; an ultimate sacrifice that was paid, the men and women that had come before them, those that would come after them.

And she understood; she really did. As the breeze whipped around them, Maddie sucked in a breath and let it out. She understood why he put up such a fight to stay in the Army when everyone pressured him to step out. She understood why he would take whatever kind of bullshit was printed about him; a toy soldier, making up for his wrongs, trying to sway the press back in his favor.

It wasn't about that. It had never been about that. This had nothing to do with The Duke, nothing to do with The Prince.

He was a soldier. A soldier.

This was the side that gave when every other hand gave to him. Taps came to an end and Harry's hand returned to his side and, at the direction of Staff Sergeant Brandt, they turned away from the Tomb and moved back up the stairs; the same cadence, the same reverence.

After they made their way through the group, shaking hands and posing for pictures, Harry and Maddie were being escorted back to their car. And they were both walking with significantly more ease than they had when they arrived. Though Maddie had hoped they would be able to see more of the cemetery, they were on a tight schedule that morning and were expected at Walter Reed National Medical Center.

Once they were settled back in their seats, once the car began to move, Harry's white gloved hand reached out to her; taking her hand into his—pulling it into his lap. With a wide smile, he met her eyes and squeezed. With the slightest of winks, she squeezed back. They had made it through the morning.

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If their morning at Arlington was about Maddie watching Harry with admiration, their afternoon at Walter Reed was the reverse. Harry watched with a pride that was evident to anyone who saw as Maddie stepped up and moved with great ease. Having shed her jacket in the car, she looked lighter, more springy, as they were greeted by Hospital personnel and escorted up the stairs.

There was something about her that afternoon; something about the way she moved among the injured and the staff, the way she included the family members in the moment. Her smile was completely genuine, her interest in the people was full of authenticity. As he watched her, he remembered. He remembered where she was when he first met her, he remembered those first days, weeks, months of their courtship; how she had spent hours upon hours serving the people of Bendal. He remembered the night she had lost two clients, the two little boys who had died in the violence that surrounded them. He remembered the sorrow she had felt, the way it had taken over her heart.

He remembered with a vivid detail the night she had been shot.

He had told her before that her time in Bendal could often be likened to that of a tour of duty. Just because she wasn't fighting, just because she wasn't bearing arms, didn't mean it wasn't a warzone. It didn't mean there weren't casualties; physically, emotionally and mentally. And now, as she walked among injured soldiers and their families, she seemed so at ease; at home. She smiled for photo after photo after photo; she listened to story after story. And then, when she met a man who told her he had heard they shared similar injuries, she grew quiet and moved closer; taking a seat next to him as they began to share stories of recovery.

It was clear to Harry that she was a natural at this, that if he had purposefully gone through life looking for a partner better equipped with the kinds of qualities one needed to be successful in this role, he would not have found a better fit than Maddie. But even he was surprised when she pulled up her sleeve just so, showing her own scar to the bed ridden soldier who shared the same injury.

"Oh wow," the young man sighed. "That looks fantastic. It healed up very nicely."

"It did," Maddie smiled, letting her sleeve fall loose, and moved in to share something with only him. Her hand rested on his good arm as her words drew a smile to his face. And when she stepped back, he squeezed her hand.

She wished him great luck in his recovery and was quickly ushered away. As she stepped in line with Harry as they were escorted down a corridor, she could feel his hand rest low on her back; warming at the contact. When she turned her face to his, he was smiling wide.

"Doctor," his voice was barely above a whisper as he took her in.

"Captain," she whispered in return, sharing the briefest moment of eye lust for the other before they were shown into another room where more people were waiting for them.

Harry's hand fell from her back as he was introduced to another patient. And Maddie's smiled pulled higher as she stepped up to his side. And so they were for the remainder of their time there that day.

In truth, they had blown their itinerary. They had stayed an hour and fifteen minutes longer than had been scheduled. Thomas had only allowed it as it ate into their down time before the reception at the White House. But, when he finally stepped forward and gave the two of them the nod, they regrettably said their good-byes and stepped away.

"May I tell you how great you were today?" Harry's arm moved around her as they descended the stairs. "How impressed I am?"

"You absolutely may," Maddie nodded with a grin, her fingers reaching for the black fabric of his uniform; stepping closer to him.

"Or better yet," he flashed a smug smirk, his hand glinting over her backside ever so quickly. "Maybe I can show you?"

"Ooooh. I doubt we have time for that but at least you're speaking my language," she laughed lightly, offering a wave to the crowds that had gathered as they slipped into the open and waiting car.

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"Well, well, well," Maddie let out a low whistle as she stepped from their private bathroom, joining Harry in their bedroom. "Look at you." Her lips curved up in a wide smile and she could barely help the flush to her skin that came every time she saw him in his tux; especially after he spent an entire day in his uniform. It was, regrettably, a great weakness of hers.

"You know, if you're going to keep looking at me like that..." He caught the pink in her cheeks and took advantage of the moment, moving in on her. "You look stunning." His eyes sparkled as they raked over her long gown; his fingers moving to stroke the soft bare skin of her shoulder.

"Yeah?" She bit at her bottom lip, trying to hide her automatic excitement to his touch; her eyes sweeping over him lustfully. His hands clasped at her waist, tugging her close.

"Yes," he nodded. "It makes me want to send my regrets to the President and..." His head dipped down, his lips pressing to her neck.

"You'll hear no complaints from me..." She leaned into him, her chest pressing to his in an act that was shamefully flirtatious. "Captain." Her voice dipped and she lowered her lashes.

"Ha!" His head tipped back in laughter. "You're working too hard there Madeline. Are you nervous? Trying to get out of that speech?"

"No," she shook her head, her hands pressing into his shoulders; holding him close. "My speech is ready. My nerves are...okay..." She admitted to a slight flutter in her stomach as she thought of how she would soon be addressing a roomful of soldiers and their families—not to mention the President and First Lady.

"Well...just in case..." He stepped away from her then, crossing the room to an ornate table that ran the length of the room where there sat a tray with glasses and decanters and as Maddie giggled, he flipped over two shot glasses and reached for the crystal decanter with the honey colored liquid in it.

"Tequila?" She raised her eyebrows, moving across the room to join him; her skirt flowing behind her as she walked.

"Why mess with a good thing?" He shrugged, handing a glass to her and lifting his own. "I know of no reason to doubt you're going to blow them away tonight."

"Yeah?" She lifted her glass to clink against his.

"You have this." He was absolutely certain that Maddie was going to do wonderfully; and absolutely certain it was going to make him want her even more than he already did.

"How much tequila have you had?" She countered, smirk in place; eyebrow arched.

"I speak the truth," he nodded to her and tipped his glass back. With a soft chuckle, she did the same; the liquid burning down her throat. Taking the glass from her hand, he sat them both down on the table and reached for her hands. "You were amazing today, Madeline. At the Tomb..."

"I cried at the Tomb," she cut in, feeling slightly embarrassed at the memory.

"You're supposed to cry at the Tomb," he countered; eyes serious. "It's supposed to hit you in the gut; the monument, the music. It's supposed to make you feel that way."

"It worked," she whispered. He pulled her closer to him.

"And at the Hospital, with the wounded," he grew soft as he looked down at her wrapped up in his arms. "They loved you there."

"You think so?" She snuggled into him, wishing for just a moment that it was the end of their day, that she could step out of the gown, wash off the makeup and just be with him.

"I know so," he ran his hands over the fabric of her dress. "You know, you never told me what it was you said to that man...with the same injury as you..." His fingers traced the scar on her shoulder.

"I know," she smiled.

"Well?" He lifted his eyebrows and she laughed.

"If it had been meant to be heard, I would have said it aloud," she leaned up on her toes to kiss him then; tasting the tequila on his lips. "Come on Captain. We have a date at the hottest club in town."

"With the hottest woman in town," he looked her over appreciatively as she stepped away from him.

"Now look who's working too hard," she reached for his hand, pulling him along with her towards the main rooms of their suite. She could feel Harry's hands smooth over the curves of her body, falling free just as they stepped from their room.

And everyone was there; ready and waiting. Thomas, Libby, their Security detail—all dressed in black tie. Maddie couldn't help the bit of laughter that bubble inside of her. She wondered if she would ever get used to having masses of people standing around meticulously dressed and waiting—for her. She wondered if it would ever go to her head but had very little time to think it over as the room sprang right into motion. Thomas was with Harry, scanning him from head to toe, handing him note cards that Harry slid into his jacket pocket. Libby was quick to Madeline, assuring her she had her speech and an extra set of stockings tucked away in her own bag. She glanced over her hair, checked her makeup and with a nod from Thomas, the room was moving.

They looked amazing, really, to the people that they passed. Harry was striking in a tuxedo and Maddie stood tall and statuesque in her long, flowing gown—her bubbly personality topping it off magnificently. And without shame, people stopped and stared. Without reservation, they pulled out cameras and phones and tried to snap a photo of the couple as they moved through the hotel and out to the awaiting motorcade.

"Well would you look at that," Harry nodded to the slew of people gathered outside their hotel with cameras and signs. "It appears as though somebody has become quite the celebrity."

"Are you talking about me?" Maddie lifted her eyebrows, amazed at how the crowds continued to grow with every stop.

"Well I certainly wasn't talking about Thomas." Harry snickered as he stood to the side, allowing Maddie to slide into the car before him.

"WE LOVE YOU!!!" Chorused from a group of girls as Harry stepped in next to her.

"See," he nodded to his wife. "They love you."

"Please," she rolled her eyes as everyone else sat into place. "They were talking to you."

"Actually," Thomas spoke up; his expression stone serious. "That one was about me." As the car set into motion, laughter followed—circling around each of them.

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At this point in her life Maddie had been a guest at some magnificent locations. She had spent many weekends at Highgrove, she had enjoyed tea at Windsor Castle, she had run barefoot through the halls of Buckingham Palace. But even still, pulling up to The White House that night drew a chill to her skin. Though she had given up her citizenship and most claims to the United States, there was something about stepping from the car that night, something about standing on those white marble stairs with the President and the First Lady that made that young history buff inside of her simply giddy.

There were a few moments for pictures; bright smiles and stunning gowns; before they were escorted inside to the relatively small reception for Service men and women and their families. Though the President and Mrs. Obama had attended their wedding, this really was the first time Maddie had spent any time speaking to them. The President was personable; at ease and funny. The First Lady shared the same sort of passion for her work that Maddie had and was ecstatic to be sharing this night, this cause with the two of them—both so clearly devoted to the effort to serve the men and women who had served both of their countries.

Maddie's hand slipped easily into Harry's as they approached the East Room. She could hear the sounds of the reception; light music, conversation. She could see the soft lighting, she could smell the food that was being served. They came to a pause behind the President and Mrs. Obama, waiting to be announced no doubt. Leaning close to Harry, her hand tucked into his elbow and her voice dropped.

"Every time we do this, line up to go in, I feel like we're on a football team."

"When you say football..." His eyes flickered in the soft light.

"I mean American football." She rolled her eyes slightly.

"Ah," he nodded with a grin. "We're going to convert you to a Brit yet, I swear to it."

"Anyway," she nudged him. "It reminds me of how they line up and get revved up before they are announced to the field. It makes me feel like I should slap you on the ass and wish you a good game," the corner of her mouth twisted up, knowing his reaction.

"Well I'm all for the ass slapping," his voice held a hint of snark as his hand slipped behind her, offering the slightest of taps on her ass. Maddie stifled a gasp and shook her head, her lip pulling into her mouth. Of course—even when they were being serious, when they were doing their duty, visiting the White House, honoring soldiers, they had to be them. And nobody really expected any less.

But before she could retaliate, before she had the chance to match him with a tap of her own, the announcement was made and they were moving into the East Room with the President and the First Lady. They smiled and walked through the room to their seats and were immediately served. There was light music playing while they ate and conversed with those around them; happy to be meeting more people, happy they were able to have actual conversations.

But they weren't there to simply converse, there was a greater purpose to the evening and before Maddie knew it, the President was rising to the podium. Under the table, she could feel Harry's hand on her knee. This was it, she was up. As the President introduced her and told her story, she couldn't help but be amazed, again, at where she was in her life. When Libby had told her that they had asked that she give a speech on this night, she had been surprised. And then it all began to come together—her ties to the US, her affiliation with and respect for the military, her new royal role. She had discovered that she and the First Lady stood for a lot of the same things when it came to serving their service men and women and their families.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the President's voice cut into her thoughts and then faded out as the moment washed over her. For a flash of a second, it was too unreal, too crazy. "Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Sussex." But, as she heard her name called out, she snapped right back to the moment. She turned to smile at Harry, seeing in his eyes that he had the slightest desire to try to throw her. But instead, he squeezed her leg quickly and brought his hands together; joining in the applause around them. Maddie took a deep breath, pulled her speech into her fingers, and smiled wide as she joined the President at the podium.

Maddie reminded herself to breathe as she joined the President in the center of attention. He hugged her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek and turning her over to the room; rejoining their table as she stepped up to the plate. Her fingers twisted around the edge of the podium, hoping to quell the slight tremble she felt at addressing such an audience. "Good Evening. Mr. President, Mrs. Obama," she nodded in the direction of their hosts. "Honored guests, Ladies and Gentlemen," she took one last look at her notes and smiled out at the crowd. "On behalf of my husband and I, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you for allowing us to be here tonight, with this amazing collection of people in order to celebrate something dear to all of our hearts—and that's the men and women who serve our countries." Maddie took a breath and smiled. "As President Obama so eloquently pointed out, I am a former American," a light chuckle traveled around the room. "I was raised on a farm in Colorado and my family remains there today. Since then I have spent a great deal of my professional life working with people who have experienced trauma, more recently with men and women transitioning back home after a combat tour. But the role from which I wish to speak to you tonight is one I would imagine I share with a great many of you in this room tonight. A military wife. As you may or may not know, my husband is a Captain in the British Army, a first class combat Apache Pilot." Maddie beamed as Harry blushed; a smattering of applause crossing the room.

"During our time together, he and I have been through one tour of duty. Though we weren't married at the time, those four months, for me, came with sadness and fear, some incredibly difficult moments and, as I am sure you aware, an immense amount of pride." Maddie paused for just a beat, swallowing back the way her heart lurched when she remembered. "On our mantle at home, I have two vases of marbles. When Harry was deployed, I was working at St. Joseph's in England with returning service men and women and their families. In a spouse group one evening a husband of a deployed soldier told me that he and his daughter had used vases of marbles as a visual representation of how long his wife would be away. And I thought it was a great idea, I liked what it symbolized. So I purchased two vases and a bag of marbles. I put one marble for every day that he was going to be gone in one vase and at the end of every day, I would move one marble to another vase. Eventually, the amount of marbles in each vase was even and much quicker than it felt, the days he had been away outnumbered the days he had left." She paused for a breath. "I will never forget the day he came home," she looked down to her notes, swallowing back the undeniable urge she had to cry and blinking back tears as she looked back up. "I will never forget the day I stopped moving the marbles. He was home. He was safe. I know that there are many of you in this room tonight who know what that moment felt like; seeing him or her after all of those days. Or for those of you who served, returning home after all of that time. I know that you're probably feeling it now; that urge to laugh and cry all at once." She smiled softly, gathering herself. "And I know that there are those of you in this room who don't know that feeling, who will never know that feeling. Because when your marbles stopped moving, it was because they weren't coming home." Her head bowed and her heart sank. "I won't begin to pretend that I know how you feel, what it's like to sit in your shoes tonight; while we pour out gratitude and pay homage to your loved ones who truly did pay the ultimate price, while we laud them as heroes when in reality they were your heroes; your husbands and wives, your sons and daughters, your mothers, your fathers...I want you to know that my husband and I will never be able to find the words to appropriately express the emotions that come with your stories, will never be able to put voice to the kinds of gratitude we feel, the way our hearts hurt for your loss....I want you to know that those vases of marbles that sit, stilled on our mantle, sit there not because I need a reminder that he came home to me, they sit there as a reminder that there was a chance that he wouldn't. They sit there to honor those that didn't and those that may have, but with pieces of them missing; mentally, physically, and emotionally. They sit there for your sons, your daughters, your partners, your soldiers." She met Harry's eyes. "And for mine. Because the moment we forget them, the moment we forget all of the sacrifices that you in this room have made and continue to make, the moment we stop working to take care of our soldiers, those who have come back to us and those who never will, that is the moment we no longer deserve the amazing gifts and freedoms they have fought to secure for us." Maddie sniffed and smiled wide. "It is my sincerest hope that the partnerships that have been forged between our two nations will continue to grow and strengthen and that the ways in which we honor our military men and women, those home with us now and those standing a post, will do justice to the magnitude of the ways in which they honor and serve us—the ways in which you serve us." Maddie's eyes fell on Harry's and she felt her voice waver. Blinking back the threat of tears, she smiled. "I look forward to meeting many more of you this evening and to the conversations we're going to have. Thank you for sharing this evening with us and thank you for your service."

As applause thundered through the room, Maddie folded up her speech and stepped away from the podium. A deep, clarifying breath calmed her nerves and the smiles from the people she passed warmed her heart. And, when she returned to her table, the look on Harry's face made her knees weak. He rose to his feet to receive her, debating his next move. He wanted to take her in his arms, kiss her senseless but he thought it best to refrain from that. Instead, he leaned in to hug her and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to her cheek—taking considerable restraint on his part—and whispered into her ear, "Good Game."

His eyes were twinkling as they pulled apart, his hand pulling hers up to his lips and they shared just a flash of a second between them before they turned to the rest of the room.

"Thank you," she smiled back at him and then, following the lead of their hosts, she slipped back into her chair, back into her role.

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As the evening continued, Maddie's hopes were met. They spent a great deal of time rounding the room, meeting soldier after soldier; family after family. And they never wavered. They smiled wide, they shook hands, they posed for photos and, more than once, they would sit for minutes intrigued in conversation, engrossed in the multitude of stories that filled up the room.

As the music drifted over the room, Maddie took advantage of a brief break in the conversation and snuck back to her table for a drink. As she sipped at the glass of champagne that had been sitting there, she watched Harry speak animatedly with a small group of soldiers; though they were talking about combat, they were all laughing and swapping stories. She smiled into her glass and, when she looked up, the President and First lady had joined her.

"They seem to be doing quite well over there," Michelle nodded to where Harry was with the group.

"Yes," Maddie smiled. "He really loves stuff like this. And he's amazing at it, so that's good."

"You're not so bad yourself," The President smiled warmly at her.

"Oh wow, thank you." Maddie smiled sheepishly. "I'm incredibly new to the speaking part, to the public part but I do enjoy meeting people, hearing their stories."

"Me too," Michelle agreed and took a breath, pulling the focus from Harry back to the table. "So. I wanted to ask a favor of you, a favor which you should not feel obligated to meet."

"Okay," Maddie grinned, unable to imagine what sort of favor she wouldn't do for the First Lady.

"Our daughter Sasha went through a bit of a Princess obsession phase."

"A bit?" The President chuckled into his hand.

"She reads everything she can about you," Michelle laughed. "She woke up at four to watch your wedding, was furious we wouldn't let her come with us."

"Oh wow!" Maddie thought it was sweet.

"Anyway," Michelle nudged her still laughing husband, "she would love to meet you and..."

"Absolutely," Maddie nodded quickly. "I would be happy to."

"It's just...in all honesty, I would much rather her look up to you, with all of your education and service, than a Disney version, you know?" Michelle leaned in conspiringly.

"I am so incredibly flattered by that..." Humbled, really. "And I would love to meet her. Is she here right now?"

"She's upstairs in the residence," Michelle nodded. "I can take you up, if you're sure."

"I am absolutely sure," Maddie smiled and glanced around the room; waving to where Libby stood with Thomas, watching the action. She nodded quickly and hurried right over. "I am going to head up to the Residence with Mrs. Obama to meet her daughters."

"Yes Ma'am," Libby nodded. "Did you need me to do anything?"

"No, not at all," Maddie shook her head. "I just didn't want to interrupt the story-teller over there."

"Yes Ma'am," she smiled and moved to rejoin Thomas. The two women said good-bye to the President and slipped, relatively unnoticed, out the door towards the Residence.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Are you still with me?" Harry's voice was soft, amused, as he called out to her from his side of the car. She turned her head towards him, resting back on the seat.

"I am," she smiled, though her eyes felt heavy and her body was exhausted. "Barely."

Their second day of their tour had finally come to an end. After spending time with both of the Obama daughters, sharing tales of Africa and laughing about similar experiences with the press, after shaking a few more hands and smiling for a few more photos, Maddie and Harry had said good-bye to their gracious hosts and had slipped back into the car. The sky was deep black with a handful of stars scattered about and both of them were feeling the effects of their long day.

"I'll trade you what's in my pocket for what's in yours," Harry's lips pulled up in a tired smile; their connection, their intimacy, more than clear to Thomas and Libby who sat quietly opposite them. Though they were both trained and versed in blending into the background in moments like these, neither of them failed to see the love that was shared.

"How do you know I have something in my pocket?" Maddie's lips pulled higher as Harry played with her fingers.

"It's a leap of faith I'm willing to take," he winked, his other hand stretching towards her pocket. "Come on...take a leap with me."

"Ha!" Maddie laughed, swatting at his hand. "Easy Handsy." Her hand slid into the hidden pockets of her dress. She held out one closed fist and one open palm. "Okay. Let's see what you've got. Give it up Captain Handsy."

"Handsy..." He shook his head with a smirk, his fingers slipping into his pocket. Retrieving his item for trade, he held his hands out like hers. "On three?"

"One."

"Two."

"Three." Hands opened and smiles widened.

"Look at that!" Harry laughed. "A plastic toy soldier...with a parachute."

"Mmmm..." Maddie sighed, happy with her switch. "My candy." Her fingers were quick with the wrapper. "I figured as much but it's still so good..." She plopped the minty treat into her mouth and leaned back against the seats, watching Harry unwrap the parachute that was twisted around the toy.

"I can't believe you thought to put something in your pocket for the kids."

"Who said they were for the kids?" Maddie winked. "I see how excited you are over there."

"Please," his eyes narrowed slightly at her reference from the day before. "How did you even know to do something like that? Carry toys in your pocket, just in case."

"Come on, Wales." Maddie nudged him lightly. "I've worked with children for a very long time. You remember the first thing you noticed in my office in Bendal?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"You." He was smug and completely unashamed. And Maddie was instantly reeled in. Her eyelids lowered as she looked to him across the backseat of the car. The stars and the lights from outside cast patterns over them as they moved. It had been a long day, an emotional day, and though Maddie was exhausted in all definitions of the word, the way he was looking at her, the way his hand held her fingers...something inside of her stirred awake.

"Wow..." She sighed, shuffling just a bit closer. "You're really on tonight."

"You were really on today," he pulled her fingers to his lips; kissing them lightly.

"Hmm..." She turned her fingers to stroke his cheek, his jaw; tugging him closer. But before she could bring his lips to hers, before she could completely forget about the other two people in the car with them, they were pulling to a stop outside of their hotel.

"Care to come up for a nightcap?" Harry's eyes twinkled as he flirted with his wife who sighed and pulled away from him.

"I would love to." They parted ways then, only to move from the backseat. Maddie stood on the sidewalk, waiting for him to round the car. The day had caught up with them both and they moved slowly, lazily.

Harry stepped up to her side, his tux coat draped over his arm. His sleeves were rolled up, his tie loose and he just wanted to be next to her, to be close to her at the end of this long day. The time for protocol and propriety was over so his arm wrapped around her easily. He warmed her shoulders and tucked her close; under his arm, next to his side.

She felt so good there, walking next to him through the doors, across the lobby to the bank of elevators. They had half a dozen people with them; security, staff—but they felt alone, together, close. They had expended so much that day that now that it was coming to a close, they were pulling into the other; blocking others out.

As they waited for the elevator, Harry shifted, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her close to him. Maddie sighed and leaned into him, her forehead pressing into his broad chest. She could feel his lips kiss the top of her head, she could feel his hands tight against her body; sliding over her waist, down over her ass and pulling her tighter.

"You're amazing," his voice was low.

"Thank you," she pushed her hands up his back, loving the way he felt against her.

"It's like you were born to do this..." The way he was looking at her was nearly too much to take.

"I was." She grinned.

"Yeah?" He snickered, not entirely sure if he had heard her correctly. "You were born to be a Duchess?"

"Oh!" She laughed out loud, shaking her head. "No, no. Not that. I thought we were talking about loving you..." Her smile tipped to the side. "I was born to do that. Love you."

"Come here," he jerked his head, beckoning her closer. And she went. Her arms tight around his waist, she lifted up on her toes tilting her lips to his.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The photos would run the next day; the ones of Prince Harry in a passionate lip lock with his wife. They were a bit grainy, a bit dark, as they were taken by a cell phone from a bit of a distance. But they were clear enough to show what was happening—clear enough to show how tightly together they were, clear enough to show his hands clutching at her body, her arms wrapped around him. They were clear enough to show a young couple clearly enamored with each other.

They ran with much better photos from their time in Washington DC and a story about how the city seemed to welcome them with open arms—and about how well the Duke and Duchess had fit in with the people with whom they visited. The district had enjoyed the Royals and wished them luck in their journey to New York—the next stop in their travels.