The Unexpected Journey-A Prince Harry Fan Fic

Chapter 161

The rain that pattered against the windows of Highgrove, that drenched the grounds surrounding, lulled Harry from slumber just before the sun tipped over the horizon, long before his wife stirred in his arms. Looking across the short space in the bed between them, taking in her soft profile, the way her steady breathing paired with the rain, he let out a bit of the breath he had been holding. She was deep in that peaceful sort of sleep that brought about the softest sort of snore from her.

The smile that curled at his lips was soft and easy and only the slightest bit sad as his mind flitted to the last few days of their marriage. With a deep breath he rolled onto his back, his eyes peering up at the ceiling. He still felt it—the anxiety, the worry, the hurt that had been passed between them. He still felt it in his chest; tight and full. Scrubbing a hand up over his face, he wondered when and how it would go away. She had forgiven him. She had taken him at his word, had refused to entertain the idea that she should 'check' or verify what he had sworn to her. And she had brought him back into her bed; into her arms.

Emotions swirled in his chest as he thought of the night before; of the way she had pulled his hand to her rounding stomach, the way she had pulled his lips to hers. God, he thought, am I really supposed to be so lucky. His eyes shifted to the side, looking out the window as the sun began to stroke light against the dark sky. The rain wasn't letting up, in fact it looked to be settling in for the day.

And Harry wasn't going back to sleep. He was wide awake; his mind diving deeper into this mess of a mystery he was facing. Maybe Maddie had forgiven him, maybe she had found some sort of serene way to be at peace with where things sat. But he wasn't finding it quite as easy. The lump in his throat, the pressure in his chest, they weren't fading quite as fast.

Carefully, quietly, he pulled the blankets back and slipped from their bed. Tucking the covers back around her, pausing to take in her slight smile and her steady breathe, he pulled on his pants from the night before. Finding a sweater and some socks, he moved out of the room; closing the door softly behind him.

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Maddie woke with a smile; she was in one of her favorite places, with her wonderful husband. And the sound of the rain against the windows only made it that much better. She had slept soundly; deeply and well. And as her arms stretched up over her head and she yawned a good morning, her eyes pulled open and she looked for him.

"Harry?" She sat up on her elbows, glancing quickly around the room. Seeing his watch and his wallet on the nightstand, she knew he couldn't have gone far. Her mind began to wander; kicking into gear as she tried to guess where he might be. She slipped from bed and into the bathroom, their child demanding the regular morning ritual—even though it was much later than normal. And when Maddie emerged, she pulled on some warm pajama pants and her robe and set out to find him.

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When he had stepped outside onto the grounds, he had only intended for a quick dose of fresh air. He had gone to his father's study and packed up his computer, had tossed the phone records Maddie had refused. He had tried to sort it out; tried to figure a way in which his words, his thoughts could have been handed over to Cassandra. But the answers weren't there in the study. In fact, they weren't in that house. So he had pulled on his wellies, pulled on a rain coat and stepped outside.

But when the breath of fresh air proved not enough, he decided on a short walk.

And when the short walk to the garden provided no more clarity, he extended his path.

Before long he had trudged to the Walled Garden on the far side of the property; walking the lanes with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his mind miles away.

This was where she found him; where she had finally tracked him down.

"Harry?" Her voice had startled him, something in his mind had let it slip that she was there with him, that she might wake up and wonder where he was.

That part of him snapped back to him as he turned towards her; eyes wide with surprise. "Maddie..."

"What are you doing all the way out here?" She moved closer; her head covered with an umbrella; her feet covered in wellies.

"Sorry," he called out to her with a shake of his head, trying to jar his mind back to center. She was dressed and warm and considerably dryer than he. "I should have left a note or..."

"It's okay," she smiled as she stepped up to him, her eyes dancing over him as she took him in. "What are you doing out here? You're soaked."

"I..." His hand lifted to run along his hood, swishing water away as he chuckled. "I don't know. I needed some air?"

"Yeah?" She let out a light laugh, her hand reaching to run up and down his arm. "Are you okay? You've gone quite far for air."

"I'm..." He looked down at his feet, at the mud covered boots he wore and with his hands still stuffed in his pockets, he shrugged. "I don't know."

"You don't know if you're okay?" Her expression shifted to concern, her eyes softening as she looked him over again. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." He sucked in a deep breath and lifted his eyes to hers and in them she saw the same dark clouds that covered the sky. "Maddie..." The way he said her name, the soft sweet whisper from his lips, made her feel sad. "I messed up."

"You messed up?" She repeated, her eyes searching his for clarity.

"When I didn't tell you about Monday," he pressed his lips together in a tight line and looked out beside him, over the greenery and the flowers. "When I kept a secret from you, when I held something private between me and...her." He gulped and looked back to her. "I was wrong to do that..."

"I know," she nodded, a small smile pulling at her lips. "But we've talked about it, we've moved past that and..."

"I haven't," he shook his head, his heart weighing heavy. "I woke up this morning and the first thing I thought of..." He caught himself, smiling with a sigh. "Well the first thing I thought of was your unbelievable snore."

"I don't snore," she was quick to defend, her eyes turning into a playful glare.

"Of course not," he met her gaze with a grin that faded as his mind continued on. "And the second thing I thought of was...this."

"This?"

"This new thing between us, this new place we've gone to. This...mess that makes no sense." He held her gaze, his expression saddened as he thought about it all. "I hate that I've taken us here, Madeline."

"You haven't taken us anywhere, Harry," she tried to counter, but he couldn't be convinced.

"I have," he nodded. "I have. And all I can think about now is...how in the hell do I sort this all out? How do I make this right?"

His eyes were wide as he looked to her, hoping she might have some sort of answer for him that he hadn't found on this walk. Maddie swallowed back her own emotion around it all and shook her head. "I don't know." She smiled sweetly, wanting him to know that she wasn't angry any longer. "You don't have to do...anything to make this right with me." Her eyes welled up just a bit, just enough to tug at his heart. "You and I...we...we're right, Harry." She sniffed and took a breath.

"How do I make it right with me?"

"I don't know," her head tipped to the side, her heart aching at the look on his face, at the way his eyes seemed to drift away from the moment, from them. "Hey..." She reached out to him, her fingers warm on his cold, wet cheeks. "It's okay."

"It's not okay," his response was quick. "It's not okay. What she's done, is not okay."

"Okay..." Maddie nodded; knowing he was right, having spent days trying to sort this out for herself. "Do you remember when we were first dating? I lived in that little apartment and the world had really just figured out that you had a girlfriend..."

"Ha..." Harry's lips turned up as his mind trekked further back. "I remember."

"It was like there was this build up; Mystery Blonde, Mystery Blonde and then...boom. They knew," Maddie sighed and stepped closer to him, wanting him under the umbrella with her. "They knew and they were just all over me for a while. All of the stories and the pictures and the paps following me around..."

"If you're trying to make me feel better about the ridiculous situations I put you in," his head shook once; his jaw tightening just a bit.

"I'm not," she smiled, her hand running down the front of his coat, over to the side; slipping into his pocket to hold his hand. "This magazine ran a story and some old pictures—all of it hinting at you having an affair, stepping out on the Doctor..." Though Maddie's smile pulled up, Harry's turned down.

"I'm not sure how this..."

"You had a very clear message for me that day," she cut him off, her warm fingers tangling around his chilly ones. "You...we...don't get to control what people do. There are so many times, so many stories, so many pictures and assumptions and...you can't address them all. You can't jump into the crazy for fear of...for fear of getting caught up in the crazy. All we have is right here. That's it. We stick with each other and we trust and we forgive and we...we don't let other people set the message for us."

"But..." Harry looked down at the ground but she was firm, her fingers pulling at his; his eyes drawing back up to her.

"No buts," she shook her head. "I don't know how she got that information Harry. I really don't. And...I don't know...maybe it would help you to know. But it won't change anything. I know you didn't tell her just as much as I know you weren't with her, as much as I know you would never..." She paused to collect her emotions. "And you know it too. Letting her and her words sit with us any longer...I don't know, it feels like we're letting something else win, like we're letting her continue to be this barrier between us and I don't want that. I don't want her to be able to keep your mind from where it needs to be..."

"Where does it need to be?" His own emotions had reduced his voice to a whisper.

"With me," she answered easily; simply. "Me and this baby and...and somewhere it isn't pouring down rain..." She glanced out around them as they both laughed; the tension easing, the breathing becoming easier. "Come on Captain...walk me back to the house, dry off. Let's have some breakfast and..."

His lips were warm against hers; this soft, sweet heat amidst the chill and the rain that surrounded them. His hands left his pockets to find home against her cheeks, tilting her face to his, drawing her in. When he kissed her like this, in a way that held all of his feelings, all of his wants behind it, Maddie didn't care that the rain that covered him was soaking her clothes.

All she wanted was for it to continue; for this way he wanted her, this loyalty and responsibility he felt to her, to their union, to stay just as strong as it was in that moment. And she wanted him to forgive himself; to let the tension go and release this hold this moment had on his mind. With abandon all her own, she stepped into his space and wrapped her arms around his neck. As her mouth opened under his, inviting him in for more, the umbrella dipped and the patter of rain showered over them.

When Harry pulled back from her, there was a smile on his face; his hair wet but his heart warmer. "Come on Mum..." He kissed her lips as he delivered a soft pat to her ass. "Let's get you inside before you catch cold."

"You know that's not how it works," she smiled up at him, not entirely ready to abandon their embrace, his mouth. Her fingers pulled him back down to her. "Just a little more please..."

With a chuckle and a nod, Harry surrendered to her request; his mouth moving slowly over hers as his arms wrapped her tighter. She was right; in so many ways, with so many words. She was right. This was where he needed to be.

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All Maddie had needed to warm her wet body was a change of clothes but Harry was drenched, having woken and gone for a walk without an umbrella. So as Maddie combed back her already washed hair and pulled on a new, dry outfit, Harry climbed into the shower. And when he stepped out, steam pouring into the room behind him, he felt much better than he had walking the grounds alone. He loved that about her; the way she seemed to seek him out when he was wandering in the cold alone—the way she brought him back to center, back to warmth. If he spent too much time thinking about it, he might be reduced to sobs; at just how perfect for him she was. But she had asked him to come back from his far off place and he was intent on doing just that. So he dried himself, wrapping a towel around his waist and pulling another up into his hair.

"Harry?" Maddie's knuckles were soft on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," he chuckled, reaching to wipe off the mirror.

"Mmmm...." She smiled wider when she stepped into the room, momentarily forgetting what she had intended on telling him. "You smell amazing," she bit her bottom lip as she looked him over.

"Thank you," he was amused by the look on her face, the way she responded to him filling him with warmth and the slightest bit of cockiness.

"Yeah..." She exhaled, shaking her head as she focused; unashamed that he caught her looking, caught her flushed cheeks. With a shrug, she met his eyes. "So listen, while you were in the shower, Ella called. Her mother is in town today, for the Christening tomorrow..."

"Oh wow," he chuckled, remembering the last time they had all seen her. "And how is Ella doing?"

"Well, she's okay now. But they are having lunch with her today and then later...they want to have friends over. Buckie's going out to Bishop's father's for the night and Ella thinks she'll need to have a few stiff drinks."

"Ha," Harry laughed as he patted aftershave onto his cheeks. "I'll bet she does. Wait...I thought she wasn't drinking; with nursing the baby and all..."

"Yeah apparently she can drink a few. There's a thing called pump and dump..."

"Pump and dump?" Harry's face twisted up as he turned to look at her. "What the hell?"

"I don't know," Maddie giggled at the expression on his face. "But you can ask Ella if you want."

"I don't know if I do," he shook his head.

"Do you want to go?" Her eyebrows lifted, her voice light. "Have a few drinks with Bishop? Watch Ella who hasn't had a drink for nearly a year, down some Scotch?"

Harry turned to face her, his fingers reaching out to tuck back a crazy twist of her hair. "You tell me." He shrugged. "We do...whatever you want. If you want to stay another night in the country, we do that. If you want a night back at home, we do that. If you want to go to the Bishops..." He held her eyes and smiled. "Whatever you want." Maddie watched him for a moment; debating to herself, going over everything that had happened between them—weighing it out.

"You know what...let's go," she answered with a smile. "It might be nice to do something...easy..."

"Okay," Harry nodded with a grin, leaning to kiss her lips. "But I'm telling Bishop you called him easy."

"Please," Maddie rolled her eyes. "I'll tell him myself."

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Maddie wasn't expecting to see her that night; wasn't expecting to ever see her again to be honest. She had this fantasy in her mind that she would somehow shirk away and shrivel into their distant memory. But she should have known better, she should have known that any person who had the gall to call her up and invent such closeness certainly wasn't going to drift away easily.

But she was still surprised to see her that night at Bishop's party.

Maddie was waiting for Bishop to return with refreshed drinks for the two of them. Harry and Ella had snuck outside to share a cigarette, allowing themselves that one slip on this rarest of nights. And Maddie was at peace, happy, in Bishop's living room while she waited.

Until Cassandra Whitworth walked into the room.

Seeing Cassandra move so freely about, seemingly without worry or tension or any of the anxiety that she had flooded their lives with, drew Maddie to the end of a very steep cliff. She could feel the steam rise in her body, flushing her cheeks and clinching her jaw. All she could see were images of Harry shocked and hurt and confused as Maddie flung the accusations Cassandra had saddled her with.

Images of Harry pleading with her to believe him, the pain in his eyes as he saw doubt in hers.

Images of Harry walking in the rain at Highgrove trying to sort it out; trying to rid their lives of this detour.

It was all she could see as she watched this woman—this vile person—walk around the Bishop home as though nothing had happened. As her blood boiled, it washed away any of the rational thoughts she had held onto, any of the wise words of advice she had given to Harry when she had coaxed him out of the rain just that morning. And she wanted, more than really anything in the world at that moment, to slap that wide, toothy, sugarcoated smile right off her face.

"Madeline my darling," Bishop returned to his spot next to her, his eyes looking back and forth between the two drinks in his hands. "I'm nearly one hundred percent that this drink is yours..." He nodded to himself and held it out to her, his eyes drifting up to look at her face, at the new, dark set in her eyes. "Maddie? Are you okay?"

"Ha..." She bit at the side of her cheek, her head shaking as a bitter rumble of laughter bubbled up in her chest. "No. I'm not okay." She glanced down at the drink he still held onto and back up to him. "Do something for me Bishop?"

"Anything," he answered automatically, thrown by the cold expression on her face.

"Distract the room for about fifteen minutes?"

"What? Why?" His lips turned up but the laughter never came; he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Maddie's focus had shifted; her eyes travelling across the room as her shoulders squared and her posture straightened. And then, in a deep, dark voice that held more truth than Bishop was comfortable with, she explained. "Because I'm about to kill somebody."

"Ha!" Bishop's laughter was genuine; as was his surprise when she stepped away from him and began across the room; her eyes focused on one thing and one thing only. Cassandra Whitworth. "Oh shit." He snapped from humor to concern very quickly. Setting the drinks aside, he followed behind her, his eyes scanning the crowd for reinforcements—Harry, Ella...somebody.

He caught up with her just as she caught up with Cassandra. She didn't blink, didn't hesitate at all as she slid right into her line of vision. "Would you look at this..." Maddie's voice was dark and sharp; her gaze narrowed. "I will say this. You have quite a bit of nerve."

If Cassandra was nervous or afraid, she didn't show it. In fact, in a moment when most others would give in; shrink away or retreat, she stood tall; meeting Maddie's stare in a way that made Bishop more than slightly nervous. "Excuse me?" She crossed her arms over her chest and didn't budge.

"Showing up here as though nothing's happened," Maddie shook her head. "As though you've done nothing wrong." As Bishop looked between the two women he had no idea what was going on, not the slightest clue as to what was happening but whatever it was, he had never seen his friend like this.

"Listen..." Cassandra began, her tone dismissive as she sighed defiantly.

"No," Maddie shook her head, stepping closer to Cassandra. "I'm done listening to you. I've listened to you more than I ever should and I'm done listening. It's one thing to force a kiss on my drunk husband..." Her eyes grew darker as Bishop's grew wider. "And it's another for you to pick up the phone and call me up, trying to convince me that he's been unfaithful, that he's been involved in this seriously made up bullshit version of a fairy tale you have running in your head..." Though Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, Maddie was having none of it. "But you don't stop do you? You don't give up, I'll give you that. Because here you are, after all of this trash you've thrown into Harry's life, at his Best Friend's...just walking around like nothing's happened."

"You know if you're worried about what your husband has been up to..." Cassandra's eyes danced combative as she stood tall in front of Maddie and for a split second, Bishop thought maybe Maddie was going to hit her.

"You're done talking about my husband," she cut her off, moving in closer as her hands clenched into fists.

"Okay..." Bishop moved in next to Maddie, ready to step between them if he needed to; as scary as that thought might be. His hand fell onto Maddie's arm, wanting to pull her back from going to a place she wouldn't be able to walk back; a place that opened her up to harm in more than just a physical sense.

"You're done," Maddie repeated, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm herself. "It's time for you to go."

Cassandra's eyes blinked and Maddie could almost see her ego get the best of her. In a lowered, clenched voice, she spoke directly to Maddie. "I don't know who exactly you think you are but I've been around longer than you and...."

"Cassandra," Bishop cut in between them; verbally and physically. "You heard what she said, it's time for you to leave."

"Bishop?!" Her eyes narrowed as she turned her glare on him with a huff of a laugh. "Really? Bowing to the title, huh? Who knew you were this guy."

She was trying to goad him, trying to appeal to a sense of vanity that Bishop simply didn't have, not when it came to this. "Maddie is family. Now, you can either walk out the door on your own or..."

"Or what?!" She scoffed. "You're going to throw me out?"

"Won't be necessary," Maddie's hand fell on Bishop's arm, much calmer and more collected. "Royal Protection is going to do it for him." She nodded to Brad and Nathan who were moving through the room with their eyes fixed on this particular conversation.

"Fine," Cassandra bit off the word. "I'll go."

"Fantastic," Maddie nodded; ready to watch her walk away. But her husband, stepping up to the group with Ella right behind him, had different plans. Only having just walked in from outside, he had sought out Maddie and couldn't get to her side quick enough; each step he took rising his blood pressure.

"Not so fast." He stood tall next to Maddie; overpoweringly so. "You're not going anywhere. Not until I have some answers."

"Harry?" Cassandra seemed to have lost her voice, her fight, when faced with him.

"Don't pretend you're surprised I'm here," he shook his head, moving in closer to her; his shoulders squared and his attention focused. Though Maddie had never found Harry menacing or frightening in the least, with the way he was looking at Cassandra, she could feel it; the chill, the tension—the all-out detest.

"Harry..." Cassandra started again, thrown by the way he looked at her; her eyes scattered as she glanced around trying to avoid him.

"What exactly did you think was going to happen here? What sort of sick outcome were you hoping for?" He didn't even look up as Nathan and Brad stepped up to the group.

"Look..." She was growing nervous; her words starting to shake. "Can we talk about this in private?"

"No." Harry's voice was final. "We don't talk in private. We have never talked in private..." His voice dropped deeper as he took another step towards her. "Which is exactly why I want to know how in the hell you knew all of this stuff about me..."

If he wanted to rattle her, it was working. Maddie saw the tiniest flinch, saw the briefest flash of fear cross her eyes. And for a split second, she felt bad. "Harry..." She reached out to her husband, wanting him to take a step back, wanting him to ease up.

And then she watched as a smile spread across Cassandra's face, something inside of her ignited by Maddie's voice. "Listen Harry," she was smug and held more than a little bit of crazy in her eyes. "You're blowing things out of proportion..."

"Out of proportion?!"

"It was just...silly and...nothing..."

"No," Harry shook his head, moving in even closer as Maddie's hand let go of him. "It wasn't nothing. It wasn't silly. And if you think that I will ever let this go..." He chuckled in a way that made even Bishop a little nervous. "I will make your life hell. Forget the protective order that's already in place. Forget the quiet ways we handle things," he took another step, his arms crossing over his chest as he looked down at her, his voice dropping to a near whisper as he leaned in. "I'll leak this to the press." Maddie's eyes registered surprise as she looked to her husband. "Your name will be all over the news; your picture. Your parents will hear about it, your boss will hear about it. Hell. I'll do an interview. I'll tell them all about how you've been harassing the pregnant Duchess. You want to see what crazy really looks like Cassandra? When they all know you've been hurting somebody they love?" His lips twisted up in a smile that was scarier than any of his glares. "You want to see what happens when you cross me? You want to see what I'm really capable of? When you go after my wife?"

"I..." She took a step back, she had to; he was getting too close.

"How. Did. You. Know." Harry's eyes grew hard, his jaw tight and for a beat everyone in this small private group held their breath. "Because we both know I didn't tell you." His fingers flexed into a fist that nobody thought he would really use but he had been pushed to his limits and he had had more than enough. "God damn it Cassandra, I swear to God I'll..."

And then she caved; with a rush of an exhale and a teary voice, she caved. "I overheard you!"

"Overheard me?" Harry's steel exterior cracked as he was finally given an answer; as confusing as it might be. The air rushed out of lungs surrounding him and he blinked. "But when?"

"That night," Cassandra's voice was low, growing self-conscious of all of the people around her. "You were talking to Bishop and..."

"Whoa," Bishop spoke up with narrowed eyes and a mixed up expression. "What?"

"We were in his office," Harry's eyes were scattered as his mind processed it all. "With a closed door."

"I..." She gulped and glanced around nervously. "I was in there already, before the two of you came in and when I heard you I..."

"What were you doing in Bishop's office?" Ella spoke up from the back of the group, her pulse pounding so loudly she could hear it in her ears.

"This has nothing to do with you," Cassandra snapped and before Maddie could catch Ella's arm, she was moving towards the woman who was the focus of all of this upheaval.

"Hold on," Bishop was quicker, catching his wife before she reached her. "Nothing here is helped if you go to jail love," he met her eyes and held her tight. He was right; as he usually was so Ella halted.

"I slipped into the bathroom," Cassandra finished her sentence. "I heard everything you said to him."

"Oh my God," Harry's face went white, his mind reeling. "I don't know what to...I don't know..."

"Okay," Maddie stepped forward, looking to Brad and Nathan. "That's enough. It's time to go. You're done here. You're just....you're finished."

And amazingly, she went. She looked up to Harry who had turned his face from hers and then to the Officers and she pivoted on her heel and moved towards the door. Brad and Nathan followed behind; as inconspicuous as they could be when they were ready to jump.

"Oh my God..." Harry's groan was deep and strangled.

"You okay?" Bishop loosened his hold on Ella, looking to his best friend.

"No," Harry shook his head as it dropped, his shoulders slacking as the wreck that was the last few days rolled over him. "I'm not. I..."

"Maddie?" Ella looked to her friend, nearly as white as Harry and just as shaken. "What's going on? Why are you crying? What did she do?"

"I..." Maddie opened her mouth to speak but found nothing. Harry spun around at Ella's words, snapping back from his own spiral to seek Maddie. When his eyes found hers, wide and teary, his heart ached in his chest.

"Maddie..." His hand rested over his heart as he took a step towards her.

"It's fine," she waved her hand, trying to be dismissive, trying to not be upset. "I'm fine." She looked up to him and bit her lip. "I'm sorry I just..." She glanced around and took a step back. "I'm sorry. Will you just excuse me for a minute?" With one hand pressed to her stomach and another to her mouth, Maddie hurried down the hallway; away from the party, away from the group.

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"Hey..." Harry knocked softly as he pushed open the door to the spare room where Maddie had disappeared. "Can I come in?"

Maddie sniffed and smiled up at him from her seat on the bed. "Of course you can."

"Are you okay?" He moved slowly over to her, taking a seat next to her on the bed.

"Ha," she laughed as she wiped at her eyes. "Yes. I mean...what are you going to do you know?" She shrugged and took a deep breath, turning to look at him. "At least we know," her voice was soft. "At least we know how she knew everything...and that's more than I thought we would have."

"Yeah," Harry nodded.

"I just thought..." Maddie chuckled lightly. "I don't know. I thought it would make me feel better."

"But?" Harry lifted his eyebrows.

"But it just makes me sick," she shook her head and reached for his hand. "It makes me sick that somebody could do something like this...could follow you around and hide out in bathrooms and take your private thoughts and use them so maliciously. It makes me sick and sad and..." She shook her head again and looked up to him with wide wet eyes. "And I'm just tired..."

"I know," Harry nodded his head; his own sadness weighing down his shoulders. "You know if I could take it away...if I could go back and never say a word to Bishop and never..."

"I know," Maddie smiled over at him, lifting his hand up so she could kiss the top; desperately wanting to rid his forehead of the worry that creased it. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"A secret?" His eyes narrowed. "Sure."

Maddie's eyes twinkled as her voice dropped and she leaned in. "When Ella went after her, I kind of hoped Bishop wouldn't be fast enough to catch her."

"Ha!" Harry's laughter burst from his lips as Maddie giggled. "Yeah...that would have been something no? Sweet little Ella..."

"Sweet?" Maddie snickered.

"Tackling Cassandra in the living room," Harry finished with a shake of his head. "Now that would have been something."

"Yes," Maddie agreed with a sigh. "It would have."

"Can I do anything for you right now?" His focus shifted to his wife, his hand pulling hers into both of his.

"No," Maddie sighed, feeling better than she had when she walked in the door. "I just needed a minute to let it settle."

"And?"

"And..." She took a breath. "God, don't tell Bishop this, but I really wish I could have some Scotch right now. It's been a hell of a night."

"Ha..." Harry's laughter was less boisterous. "It really has. Do you want me to take you home?"

"No," she shook her head. "Not yet. But I do think we need to let them in on at least a little bit of what happened, right?"

"Yes," Harry nodded. "We should tell them everything. I could feel Bishop boring holes in the back of my head."

"Hmmm..." Maddie smiled and rose to her feet, pulling at Harry's hand. "Come on Captain, let's put an end to this chapter, shall we?"

"Yes of course," he agreed, rising to his feet but holding still; bringing her back to him. "I love you Madeline," his hands slid up to her face; tucking strands of hair, smoothing over her cheeks. And instead of offering up more heartfelt apologies or going over the reasons for guilt or blame or allowing her a moment to tell him there was no reason for either, Harry bent his head and kissed her as the rain began to patter outside; washing it all away.

This was where he needed to be.