The Unexpected Journey-A Prince Harry Fan Fic

Chapter 153

Arriving in Colorado this time was different, seeing her family this time was different. This was the first time they had all bypassed Maddie and went straight to Harry. But Maddie understood. This was the first time any of them had seen Harry since his deployment, since his accident. She understood their need to reconnect with him, to prove to their own minds that it was real; that he was okay. As each new family member arrived, as each one welcomed them, they would all inevitably tear up, hug him tighter than they probably should be and in the most sincere, genuine voice, they would welcome him home.

It was quite the homecoming for him; seeing so much feeling and emotion on the faces of Maddie's family, of his family. Being the man he was, he let each of them do what they needed to do to breathe a little easier. And for each it was different. When Kyle arrived, he kissed his cheeks, relieved to see Maddie's spirits back and when Harry thanked him for all he had done, for dropping everything and going to London, he shook it off and let it go. Derek had read more articles about it than Jenna had and with every question he asked, Harry was happy to answer; to discuss. And whenever Hannah would pass by him, she found she had to touch him; rub his back, nudge his shoulder, and occasionally pull him into a hug. He let them all do what they needed to do. And in truth, if he was being perfectly honest, it felt wonderful to be so cared for.

Though they had come to Colorado for the wedding, they had allowed themselves some time before hand; to get settled, to be with the family, and to manage a few things on their "To Do" list. There was a slew of bridesmaid events that Maddie had on her calendar. They would be gathering with the family to watch the US airing of the Walking With The Women expedition. And finally...there was a tiny little announcement that would be made.

Maddie had decided to tell the family in increments. First and foremost would be her mother as it was a miracle she hadn't given in and blurted it out over the phone. Then she planned on taking Amy aside and telling her; wanting her to know before the wedding and the honeymoon. And finally she was going to tell the rest of the family after the wedding was over; wanting desperately to not pull any attention away from the bride and groom.

And all of that began about thirty minutes after they had arrived at Hannah's home. After the Protection Detail ran through the house, Harry helped with the unloading and unpacking and distributing of all they had brought with them.

"Truly, we're only here for ten days, right? We'll be back in time for Remembrance Day or do I need to call in sick for that?" He teased Maddie as he passed her on his way up the stairs to their room.

"Such a funny man," Maddie called after him as her mother chuckled. "Perhaps I'll leave my husband for you."

"I would suggest a quick getaway but..." Harry held up a bag with a smirk on his face. "Who are we kidding."

With a shake of her head and a light laugh, Maddie turned her attention away from him and looked directly at her mother.

"It's really good to see him here," Hannah confessed; her eyes soft and her smile small. "It's good to see you too but it's just really nice...to see him."

"Believe me I understand," Maddie nodded with a wide grin before tilting her head to the side. "Come sit with me?" She took a few steps. "Let's chat while they take care of all that."

"You got it," Hannah clapped her hands together, following as her daughter led her towards the back family room. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, no, mom...." Maddie shook her head, easing onto the large, comfortable couch. "Come sit. I'm fine."

And she did. Hannah grabbed a light blanket off the back of her favorite chair and sat down next to her daughter. "You look good darling," Hannah rubbed her shoulder. "Are you doing well? Taking care of yourself?"

"I am," Maddie nodded; her eyes already dancing dangerously close to giving it all away. "I've been doing really well and I'm taking excellent care of myself. Listen...there's..." Maddie paused, her heart thudding in her chest as she suddenly felt nervous; a happy sort of anxious. "Wow..." She bit the side of her bottom lip and smiled; her flushed cheeks pulling wide. With a deep breath, her eyes lifted and met her mothers and, going for the most direct route, she sighed. "I'm pregnant. You're going to be a grandma."

Hannah blinked, opened her mouth to speak, and then Maddie watched as her mom's face washed over with joy, her eyes welling with tears. "Really?" She whispered; her voice caught in her throat. "I mean you're not...you're...Really?"

"Really," Maddie nodded, her own eyes tearing up. "I'm just through my first trimester. The baby is due in February and..."

"The baby," Hannah cut in, her hands moving to her mouth, down to her chest. "Oh my God...Maddie...a baby. You're going to be a mother."

"I know," Maddie smiled. "And you..." She reached out to wipe a tear from her mother's face. "You're going to be a grandma."

Hannah moved on the couch, pulling Maddie into her arms as both women let their warm emotions take hold. With laughter and a few tears, they hugged and held each other and celebrated this news.

"Okay ladies," Harry's voice rang out into the room as he stepped inside. "I think we're all moved in and..." He stopped and looked them over. "Everything okay?"

"Is everything okay?!" Hannah pulled back from her daughter, turning wide, teary eyes up to him. "Is everything okay?!" Before anyone could say anything else, she was off the couch and pulling him into a great big bear hug. With slight confusion, Harry hugged her back, chuckling as she pulled back, held his face in her hands and kissed his cheeks. "Good job Harry. Great job." And then she pulled him back into her arms.

"You told her," Harry looked to Maddie over Hannah's shoulder; his eyes dancing, his smile wide.

"I couldn't help it," Maddie's eyes turned apologetic.

Harry chuckled at his wife, at his mother-in-law still hugging him tight. "But we had the whole thing with the grandma picture frame and the ultrasound and..."

"I couldn't wait!" Maddie laughed at herself. "Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," Harry laughed, his hands rubbing over Hannah's back as she looked up from his shoulder.

"Hold on," she spun around in his arms to look at her daughter. "There's a grandma picture frame and an ultrasound?!"

"There is," Maddie nodded.

"Well what are we doing?!" Hannah laughed, pulling back from Harry. "Somebody better go and get them!"

"Well I suppose that would be me," Harry took a step back from her. "I'll just run up and grab it. I'll be right back."

"Thank you," Maddie reached up to take his hand.

"No problem," he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "You doing okay? Need anything?"

"No, no," she shook her head. "I'm just fine, thank you."

"Good," he dipped to kiss her and as Hannah watched with an 'awww' on her lips, he slipped from the room on a mission to find the gift that Maddie had worked meticulously to put together, that she had abandoned the instant she saw her mother. The excitement that was generated in that room that night would carry with all of them into the week, into all of the family festivities. As excited as Maddie and Harry were to be parents, Hannah was to be a grandmother.

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Maddie and Harry had one full day to settle in, to relax before the family began descending upon Hannah's house. Once the family had discovered that the documentary about Maddie's trek to the North Pole would be airing during her time in Colorado, they put together a viewing party; food and drinks at Hannah's and every single one of them present and accounted for. They had a few days before the wedding festivities officially began and this was a low-key easy way to start it all out.

The day began with an announcement from another Royal Palace; an engagement for Prince Carl Phillip from the Swedish Royal Family.

"Oh look at that," Maddie smiled as she nudged Harry. "Looks like Carl Phillip and Sofia are taking on some of the worldly attention for a while."

"It's sweet of them," Harry leaned in to kiss the side of her neck. "You let me know when you're ready to draw it back in..." His hand slid down over the small round of her stomach; his eyes dancing.

"Ha!" Her hand pressed over his, holding him close. "Maybe we let the family in before the rest of the world."

"Maybe," he kissed her neck again; smiling against her skin. "You ready to watch yourself ski to the North Pole?"

"I don't know," she chuckled. "I'm ready to see the footage, ready to see how it all came together but...my involvement in it? I don't know if I'm ready to see myself on TV."

"I know the feeling," he shrugged. "But it's going to be wonderful."

"Eh," she shrugged with a smirk. "Either way it'll be nice watching Kyle watch it."

"Ha!" Harry's head tossed back. "Always competition with you two."

"Always," Maddie nodded with a wide grin; her focus shifting back to their day.

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The family had all arrived and the quiet country house had turned into a hotbed of excitement, conversation, and laughter. With food all around and drinks flowing, they had a bit of time before the episode started. So while Harry talked to Derek and Gary about what had happened over the ocean and his new post in London, Maddie took her chance to pull Kyle and Amy aside. They slipped off to the room Maddie and Harry were staying in and as Maddie shut the door, they moved inside, turning to watch her Kyle with curiosity than Amy.

"What's going on?" Amy watched as Maddie moved closer, her face wide and happy and full of mischief.

"You okay?" Kyle studied her carefully.

"Of course," Maddie nodded quickly. "I just...there's something I want to tell you and just you; for now. I'm going to tell everyone else after the wedding but the two of you will be gone and I want you to hear it from me...And the only way to do that is to tell you now, before it's too late and the world knows."

"I'm so confused," Kyle shook his head.

"Yeah, sorry," Maddie chuckled and then there was a flash of a moment when her eyes twinkled and her grin pulled higher but with a casual shrug, she let them in. "I'm pregnant."

"What?!" Kyle's eyes went wide.

"Oh my God," Amy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh my GOD. Maddie!" She moved then, pulling Maddie into a hug. "You're pregnant?"

"I am," Maddie nodded with a teary smile.

"How far along are you?" Amy pulled back, holding onto Maddie's hands as she looked her over.

"I just finished my first trimester," Maddie laughed lightly at the look on their faces.

"Oh my God..." Kyle shook his head slowly, his whole body warming for his cousin's great news. "Come here," he moved to hug her; sweet and soft and easy. Turning to kiss her cheek, he smiled. "Congratulations."

"Congratulations Maddie," Amy was beaming as she clapped her hands together. "My God, Harry must just be..."

"Oh he is," Maddie laughed, wiping at the tiny tears that perked up during these moments of sentiment. "He's been just a ball of crazy energy for months. But we're so excited."

"And Hannah?" Kyle crossed his arms over his chest. "You've told her, I'm sure."

"The second we arrived," Maddie rolled her eyes as she remembered. "I couldn't keep it a secret any longer than that."

"Sure," Amy nodded, knowing what that urge must be like. "Wait. Hold on. You said you're only telling us?" Her finger drifted between herself and Kyle.

"Yes," Maddie nodded.

"But why?" Amy's face scrunched up as she looked to Maddie.

"I'm going to wait until after the wedding is over, after that has passed. You two will be on your honeymoon and I'll tell the rest of them..."

"But....why?" Amy repeated. "Why wait?"

"Because," Maddie sighed. "Because I don't want to...this is your time, Amy. This is your wedding and your celebrations and your excitement. I can wait a week before I jump in on that. Let's let the wedding be the center and after it's over, I'll bring the family in."

"What?!" Amy laughed, her head shaking back and forth. "That's absurd!"

"It's not," Maddie shook her head.

"Yes it is," Amy moved forward, her hands clasping Maddie's shoulders as she met her eyes. "This is a family celebration; the wedding. And adding a new member to the family...God Maddie, that only makes it better."

"But..." Maddie tried again.

"No," Kyle spoke up. "She's right. You have to tell the rest of them. It's not fair to keep it to yourself."

"Not fair?" Maddie raised her eyebrows.

"Besides," Amy shrugged. "You don't think people aren't going to notice that you're not drinking? That you're not toasting with champagne? At a wedding? At the bachelorette party?" She laughed. "Come on."

"Well...I hadn't exactly thought that part through," Maddie's eyes narrowed.

"Clearly," Kyle snickered even as Amy smacked his arm.

"Come on," Amy was sweet and sincere and being completely honest with the woman she considered her cousin, always her friend. "Tell them. I'm not at all...worried about you taking any excitement or attention or...Jesus..." Amy rolled her eyes. "Tell them. You tell them or...or I will."

"Nice," Kyle grinned at his soon-to-be wife before he looked to Maddie. "You have to tell them. We should all get to be excited as a family for the week...not after when we're all scattered."

"I..." Maddie laughed lightly. "I don't know what to say..."

"Well, 'I'm pregnant' will probably do it," Amy snickered.

"Lovely," Maddie sighed. "I just. Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent sure," Amy nodded without a second thought. "Kyle?"

"Oh absolutely."

"Okay then..." Maddie took in a breath. "I...I'll talk to Harry and I guess we'll...wow. I guess we'll let everyone in."

"Yeah!" Amy clapped her hands before she hugged Maddie again. "I cannot wait to see the looks on their faces. It'll be like an early wedding present."

"Ha!" Maddie laughed. "Well when you put it that way..."

They returned to the party just as everyone was settling to watch the documentary. Harry was beaming as Maddie returned to the room, accepting a hug and a kiss from Amy and a big, warm hug from Kyle.

"Congratulations," Kyle spoke under his breath.

"Thank you," Harry smiled even wider before he patted Kyle on the back. "You should get on in here and get a good seat. You're about to see a whole new level of badass, my friend."

"Oh here we go," Kyle rolled his eyes. "Of course you would say that, she's your wife."

"Ha!" Maddie laughed as they all moved into the room. "He wasn't talking about me...." She settled onto the couch between her mother and her husband. "Soldiers without limbs...doing things that are going to blow your mind."

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Watching herself on screen was certainly cringe-worthy, but watching the progress of the team, the way they moved towards their goal, over hurdles and barriers together—watching that overshadowed the other. It was clear, however, that she was the only one struggling at all to watch it. Her family was engrossed, even Kyle who had quickly gotten over his jealousy and competitiveness and became wrapped up in the stories.

"Truly Maddie," he turned to her about a quarter of the way through. "You should be really proud of yourself."

"You really should," Harry added; his eyes and his smile beaming bright throughout the entirety of the documentary. He knew he looked ridiculous with his wide grin and the way he would clap his hands at pivotal moments, the way his breath would suck in playfully during the dramatic moments, made even more dramatic by the editors' choice in music. And though Maddie rolled her eyes at him, slapping at his arm more than once, she knew he was proud; beyond proud. And she couldn't be too mad about that.

As the documentary edged closer to the end, the group grew silent and watched as the women made it to the North Pole. They watched with tears in their own eyes as the team reached their goal; happy tears, hugs, and shouts of victory there on the screen in front of them.

"I still can't believe I was there," Maddie whispered to Harry as she blinked back her own resurgence of tears.

"I know the feeling," he whispered back, pinching her cheek lightly with his fingers; leaning in to kiss her. "You did good love."

"Thank you," she took a deep breath and turned her eyes back to the screen where they were showing their arrival at that tiny little airport in Norway. "Oh my God..." She nudged Harry's arm and nodded to the screen.

Though Andrew Bradley had kept true to his word, though there were no direct shots of Maddie and Harry's reunion, though they hadn't seen any photos or video of that moment—there on the screen in front of them, beyond the reunions of the wounded women, if you knew what to look for—you could see Maddie, wrapped up in Harry. She felt Harry's hand squeeze hers as she breathed through the emotions that welled at the memory of how great it was to see him; to hold him.

But they weren't the only ones that noticed. "Look!" Jenna half stood from the couch, her hand pointing at the screen. "It's Maddie! And Harry!"

"Hold on," Amy reached for the remote, pausing the TV as everyone moved closer; some standing, some scooting to the edge of the couch—all to get a better look.

"Is that you?" Jenna looked over to the two of them.

Maddie took a deep breath and nodded. "That's us."

"You were there?" Derek leaned up to look over at Harry. "But I thought were still...."

"I was," Harry nodded. "I had just landed in Greece not long before that. I had a few days left of decompression but I wanted to..." He waved his hand at the screen and shrugged. "What can I say? I needed to make things good with my wife and occasionally I can pull a few strings and..."

"You're killing me," Gary groaned, his head shaking at the sappy look on his wife's face.

"Sorry," Harry laughed.

"No you're not," Kyle smirked.

"No I'm not," Harry agreed.

"Hold on," Jenna held her hands up. "You're telling me that this..." She walked over to the screen. "This is the first time you saw him after the deployment?"

"Yes," Maddie smiled with a shrug.

"But....how in the world did the journalists not get more shots of that?" Jenna was impressed; from a purely 'royal watcher' standpoint.

"The lead on the story was a nice guy," Maddie explained; smiling as she remembered.

"He was," Harry agreed.

"Well, I would assume that got you out of the doghouse," Derek chuckled.

"It did," Harry nodded, his eyes swinging to Maddie who was biting her lip as she smiled back at him; her mind warmed as she remembered.

"What a reunion," Amy sighed back into her seat.

"It was," Maddie's eyes never left Harry's as she spoke. Then, with lifted eyebrows and a nervous smile, she added. "I'm actually pretty sure that's the night I got pregnant."

Harry's face flashed bright as she said it, his eyes pulsing wide and his smile pulling higher and then she swung her eyes out to the rest of the room.

"Hold on." Jenna spun around from the screen.

"Wait." Dena sat up.

"Did you just...." Jenna's eyes grew increasingly wider as she moved closer.

"No no. Wait!" Dena waved her hand.

"Did you say pregnant?" Gary's grumpy face turned warm and sweet.

"I did," Maddie nodded as Harry's hand moved to her shoulder. "I'm pregnant. Just over twelve weeks."

And the room erupted.

The screen on the TV remained frozen on that exact moment as Maddie's family reacted to the news as if they had just been handed a prize in a great, great game. In an instant, they were on their feet; clapping and laughing and going on about the believability of it all.

All of them moved to hug her, all of them moved to hug him; to congratulate them both, to talk of the blessings and the perfection and the excitement. The excitement that just seeped into every corner of that room, every smile, every hug, every burst of happiness from around the room. Maddie felt so full of love and warmth and support that she thought her smile would never fade from her face. And it felt amazing.

With Harry standing next to her, they laughed at her family's reactions, they fielded a whole bevy of name suggestions—from the sweet "You should work Jay in there somewhere," to the eye-roll inducing "It doesn't get any better than Kyle"—and they felt great love and a sense of protection in the room. And they knew this little baby already had such an amazing team ready to love him or her; just as they did.

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By the time Maddie and Harry got up to their room that night, they were tired. It had been a long evening; a celebratory evening, but a long one no doubt. They had stayed up late letting their family in on all they knew; the due date, the big appointments, how the news would be dropped on the rest of the world and when. And then, after another round of hugs, kisses and even a few sneaky pats to Maddie's stomach, they said goodnight and the family filtered out. There was still a whole week to celebrate, the wedding and all the activities that surrounded it were that much sweeter—just as Amy had insisted they would be.

And finally, finally, the expectant parents were alone with each other.

Harry sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Maddie moved about getting ready for the night; stepping into her pajamas, slipping inside the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. And when she stepped back in, she caught his gaze and smiled.

"I see you staring..."

"Okay," he shrugged; shameless.

"You okay?"

"Okay?" He puffed out a laugh. "No Madeline. I'm way past okay. I'm...just...over the moon."

"Aww..." She moved to stand in front of him, her hands resting on his shoulders as his moved to her hips. "You're too cute sometimes."

"Hmmm..." He smiled, his hands flattening out as they moved to her stomach. "You're so gorgeous Maddie..." He looked up at her with wide, warm eyes. "Just beautiful."

"You're going to make me blush," she ruffled his hair.

"Good," he leaned in to kiss the small round of her stomach. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she moved in closer, loving the way his hands moved over her body, loving the way he looked at her as he did.

"Do you..." His voice was soft as he looked up at her. "Do you really think it was that night?"

Maddie felt a rush of emotion, a wave of desire wash through her; her skin heating at the points where he touched her. Meeting his eyes, she smiled. "I think there's a really good chance that it was."

"Wow..." He shook his head, slowly bringing her in; wanting her closer. His fingers moved to the hem of her shirt, lifting it just enough to expose a small patch of skin. And then he leaned in and kissed her there; soft and sweet and were it not for the look in his eyes, it could have been meant to end there. With that small kiss to her hip.

But his eyes were dark and intense and all in one collective breath, the mood of the room shifted. Her hands slid into his hair as his lips returned to her body; lingering, wet and warm. Maddie gasped as his hands moved around her; tugging her closer as his tongue slipped out and ran a line from on hip to the other—stopping to tease at her navel, to torture her with a dip below the band of her panties.

She gasped as he licked just below the lace; groaned as he pulled back and continue on to the other hip—the hips that angled out, wanting to bring him back to her. With a grin up to her, his fingers tucked inside the waist of her pajama pants, his entire hand sliding in against her skin.

"Harry..." She breathed; her body rousing in the wildest way. The pregnancy had only magnified her senses, her need and drive for him; for the way he made her feel.

"Yes?" He looked up at her with a boyishly smug grin; he knew exactly what the pregnancy had done to her, to their sex life, and he counted himself lucky every time she pulled him from whatever it was he was doing and into her arms. "Are you too tired?"

"No," she shook her head, biting at her lip as her hand slid down to his forearm. "I'm not too tired..." With soft fingers and a firm grip, she moved his hand from her hip right to her center; where she wanted it.

His face lit up; his grin pulling higher, his eyes dancing, and with that smirk firmly planted in place, he slipped inside the lace and let his fingers stroke against her. He loved it when she directed him. "Jesus..." He breathed at the way she felt, hot and wet, at the way she groaned and sighed and let her head fall back. His hand stayed in place, stroking against her in the way he knew she loved and he leaned in; his other hand lifting her shirt so that his lips, his mouth could return to her body. "God Madeline...you feel so..."

"Wet?" She breathed; her voice working around the word in a way that made Harry groan.

"Maddie," he smiled against her skin as his mouth moved higher on a direct mission to her already swollen breasts.

"I want you Harry," she pulled at his hair, her nipples aching to be in his mouth so much so that when he finally arrived, when he finally closed his lips around her, she sighed in relief. "Yes..." She hissed, unable to help herself. He chuckled around her, his fingers still stroking, his tongue beginning the slow tease she hated and loved all the same. "I'm so glad..." She breathed, pressing at the back of his head as he worked her over. "I'm so glad that you're not turned off by me being pregnant..."

"Excuse me," Harry pulled his mouth from her, looking up at her with a knotted forehead. "I couldn't be more turned on right now..." He shook his head, his eyes shifting back to her glistening chest, down to where his fingers moved against her. "I want you...all the time."

"I know," Maddie's breath was growing heavy, her body responding to the way his fingers worked.

"All the time baby..." His voice dropped low, watching as her face changed; as her jaw went slack and her eyes went hazy. "I want you..."

"I know," Maddie gasped as his fingers shifted; sliding just inside of her, teasing her with the promise of more. "Oh God...Harry..."

"Come to bed with me," he commanded with a gentle voice and steady fingers. His mouth moved in, capturing first one breast and then the other; sucking and nipping and then pulling away. "Come to bed with me Maddie. Let me make you call out my name."

"Oh God," she groaned, her knees weakening at the very thought. "Okay..." She licked her lips and tried to gather her breath.

"Right now," he leaned up to kiss at her neck. "Come with me right now." And then all at once, his hands slide away from her.

With an uncontrollable groan and a reflex of a pout, Maddie's entire body ached at his absence. But he rose to his feet and gathered her in his arms and the way he kissed her; the pull of his lips, the push of his tongue, it made her forget that he had left, it made her remember his command.

"To bed," she whispered against his lips as his hands lifted her shirt; pulling it up and over her head before tossing it aside.

His eyes met hers with a grin and a nod. "Right now."

And that's exactly where she went.