Once Upon A December ❉ Newsies//ON HOLD

Chapter 8

In a crowd of thousands, I'd find you again. . .

•

When the shopping was done everyone met back at the hotel.

"You all have your keys?" Clara asked.

The three nodded.

"Okay, Jack and Davey, you're sharing a room. Katherine you get a room right across the hall. Fifth floor. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Bye Clara." Katherine smiled, hugging her tightly.

Clara went over and kissed Davey's cheek before strutting out of the hotel.

"She's really something." Davey sighed dreamily.

"I'm happy for you Davey." Katherine grinned, "You two really are the perfect match."

"Sounds like two people I kn-"

"Rooms. Now." Jack quickly said, cutting Davey off.

•••

They made it to the fifth floor and exchanged their extra keys with eachother for emergencies. quickly bid their farewells before going to separate rooms across the hall.

Katherine put her key in the knob and twisted it to unlock it before pushing the door open.

It was a nice room. A gorgeous bed with a desk on one side of the room. Katherine sighed in awe. What'd she ever do to deserve this?

She went into the bathroom and could nearly cry tears of joy at seeing a shower for once. She quickly threw her bags on the bed before hopping in the shower. She couldn't remember the last time she was so fortunate to get a real shower. Or sleep in a real bed. Nonetheless a bed that looked like it was made for a princess.

To say she found the complimentary travel size soaps and shampoos to be interesting was an understatement. Somehow they were adorably fascinating and she smiled thinking how even if you forget something someone is gonna have your back. Kind of an ironic thing really.

Katherine got out of the hot shower and wrapped up in a towel, soaking in the warmth from it and sighing. She wrung her hair out and blow dried it (after taking a good 2 minutes to figure out the blow dryer) before going over to the bags of clothes she'd thrown on the bed in a hurry earlier. She pulled out a white nightgown with flowing sleeves that Clara had insisted on buying.  She slipped it over her head and gave a small twirl in the clean cotton before sighing, hugging her arms to herself.  It was all like a dream.  A hot shower.  A clean bed.  A boy- wait.

Katherine shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." She muttered, grabbing a hairbrush out of the bag and running it through her hair.

"Pull yourself together Katherine, come on."

She put the brush back, shaking her head before taking the bags off of the bed and setting them aside.  She pulled back the covers to the bed and slipped inside, loving the warmth that spread across her body.  She laid down against the pillow and turned off the light that sat on the nightstand.  She lay in the dark, staring deep in thought at the ceiling.

The ballet was tomorrow night.  She was meeting the Dowager Empress tomorrow night.  What if she's not the princess? What if she hates her? What if they came all this way for nothing?

She sighed and flipped over, pulling the covers up to her chin and placing her hands under her head.  She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

•••

She felt young again.  The palace looked the same as always.  The King and Queen ruling as regal as ever with all of their little princes and princesses.  Katherine stood once more in a white dress as her ringlets of hair fell around her shoulders.  She felt a tap on her shoulder and the King stood there extending his hand.  Katherine curtsied before taking it and going to the floor where hundreds of people were dancing.  She knew this.  She remembered this.  She remembered dancing.  They began to waltz, twirling around and around until Katherine was sure she'd be dizzy.