Chapter 7

Valentine and Henri checked out the area and sent several bodyguards ahead into the lobby before letting Keith and Genny out of the limo. The doorman was a little disappointed to see two young people get out. He'd expected the President or at least Elizabeth Taylor to get out instead of the two casually dressed teenagers. Keith's bruises gave the doorman pause, but he just held the door and didn't take the time to recognize either of the new guests. When you're a middle aged man and you're expecting Elizabeth Taylor, two teenagers are a major disappointment.

The Manager of the hotel was standing by the front desk because it had been a bit of a zoo since Shirley Partridge's news conference of earlier that morning. He had been thinking that he wouldn't allow another press conference on the property as it had caused nothing but headaches since. When the front door opened to admit several official looking men that were followed shortly by a young couple, the Manager took note. He immediately recognized Keith and was pleased that his hotel was likely to be hosting another news conference to announce the reappearance of the missing young man. He did not even pause at his quick change of opinion, just accepted his good fortune.

"Mr. Partridge. It's good to see you alive and well, er, well, mostly well." He stuttered as he noticed Keith's bruised and swollen face.

"Do I know you?" Keith asked.

"No, but your Mother is a guest here and we were only too happy to assist her in today's news conference to help find you. It appears to have worked as here you are." He beamed with his own self-importance.

"Thank you." Keith wasn't about to point out the man's flawed thinking. "Would you be so kind as to tell me the number of my Mother's room?"

"Sure thing. It's suite 1433, er, on the fourteenth floor." The Manager said to Keith's back as Keith grabbed Genny's hand and headed toward the elevator.

"Don't announce us, I'd like to surprise her." Keith instructed over his shoulder.

"Yes, of course." The manager mumbled as Keith was already too far away to hear him.

xoxo

"I'll get it mom." Laurie said after hearing the knock on the door.

"Don't forget to check the peephole. Reuben said the last several visitors were reporters looking for another statement." Shirley reminded her as she paced the floor in front of the balcony's sliding glass doors. She hadn't been able to sit for very long before her restlessness would force her up to pace back and forth ceaselessly.

Shirley whirled around after hearing Laurie's screech that sounded suspiciously like 'Keith'. She turned to see her daughter throw herself at someone just outside the door.

"Ouch. Laurie, please, not so hard." She heard in a voice that sounded suspiciously like her eldest son's voice.

"Keith?" She whispered almost afraid to hope that he was standing just outside her line of vision. Shirley was glued to the spot on the floor. She couldn't move because if she did she'd wake up and this would all fade away and she'd still be waiting on news of Keith's whereabouts.

"What the…." Reuben had opened the door to the room he had taken off of the living area as his own. He'd been making phone call after phone call hoping to find out even a sliver of information. Something, anything to go on. Laurie's shriek had brought him quickly into the main room. He glanced over to see Shirley frozen in place with a look of half ecstasy, half fear frozen on her pretty face. "Shirl?"

Reuben's questioning comment did not even break through Shirley's dream like state. Keith walking into the room with Laurie still attached to his side did.

"Keith?" She whispered again and forced her feet forward. She started out very slowly and then as Keith started in her direction, she sped up, meeting him half way in a hug that almost strangled him.

"Mom, you're choking me." Keith said half jokingly.

"Oh, Keith, is that really you?" She almost couldn't see him through the tears that had sprung to her eyes. She blinked to clear her vision and several fell before she could stop them. Laurie was weeping quietly behind him with her hand over her mouth.

"It's really me." Keith assured her.

Reuben watched the happy reunion with suspiciously wet eyes himself.

As Shirley's tears finally allowed her a clear look at his face, Shirley gasped and grabbing Keith's chin turned his bruised face fully into the light. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…..now." Keith answered, smiling crookedly because of the swelling.

"Genny!?" Laurie said as she noticed Genny peaking her head through the door.

"Come in." Keith said as he extended his hand to her. She came forward and grabbed his hand firmly. They both knew they'd need each other's support for the explanation that was to come.

"Genny, it's good to see you." Shirley smiled at the young woman who had attached herself to her son's side.

"You may not think so once we're done, but I really am quite happy to see you." Genny couldn't help but be honest. "Laurie, would you please invite my Aunt and Uncle in? They're waiting in the hallway."

"Sure, Genny." Laurie peaked outside to notice the older couple waiting about 20 feet down the hallway with a rather large group of men in suits. "Genny would like you to come in."

Genny made the introductions and everyone finally sat down to hear the story that would explain away these last couple of days. The story that was almost too unbelievable to be real.

Genny, Cat and Henri explained the take-over attempt of the throne by her step-uncle on her father's side. They went on to explain their plan to make sure that Genny couldn't be married off to Rupert's nephew. The plan that included using Keith's name. The plan that they had hoped would never reach the ears of the Partridge's. The plan that had escalated without their knowledge. The plan that had unwittingly put Keith in such danger.

The plan that was the only way to protect Genny and her parents.

The plan that Keith was now fully behind.

The plan that made Shirley shudder with fear.

"Keith, how did you end up so beat up?" Laurie had listened quietly to everything so far but not once had they mentioned Keith's trip east.

Keith relayed the series of events that caused each of his injuries. His initial reaction to what he thought was a practical joke that caused the wrenched shoulder and cut above his eye. He explained how the overzealous bodyguard Jones had caused the scrapes on his wrists. The race through the airport that caused the cracked ribs.

Though it wasn't truly funny, Keith's comical explanation of the airport incident had everyone rolling with laughter; tears of mirth flowing instead of tears of relief.

Keith finally finished his story with being shot at in the airport parking lot. This last part was a surprise to Genny as well. She gasped right along with Shirley and Laurie.

"What?" All three said at the same time. Genny's eyes swung accusingly to Henri. After all, as head of her security, she knew he had been aware of the incident.

"Henri, how could you keep this from me?" Genny asked.

"I didn't want to worry you, Genny girl." Henri told her. "We have been taking extra precautions ever since."

"This means that Rupert is aware of Keith's location, doesn't it?" At Henri's nod, Genny continued, "So what does that mean for our plan?"

"It means that we may have to escalate it." Henri admitted reluctantly.

"Escalate it how?" Keith asked.

"By pushing up the wedding date." Cat tried taking a little of the heat from her husband. They'd been discussing their options while Keith had slept.

"What? I thought the wedding idea was just a ruse to stop Rupert from marrying Genny to his nephew. It wasn't supposed to be a real wedding." Shirley's concern for her son's future very prominent in her statements.

"I'm not ready to get married." Keith agreed with his mother. Then he turned to Genny and said, "No offense."

"None taken." She assured him. "I'm not exactly ready for marriage myself."

At Keith's exaggerated sigh of relief, a round of nervous laughter filled the room.

"What if we just make it appear that Keith and Genny are married?" Shirley suggested. Anything to stop this speeding train from derailing her son's future.

"Great idea Shirley. We could stage the whole thing very publicly. That should buy us some time." Reuben who had been silent up to now added. He didn't want to see his bread and butter lead singer sidelined by marriage and babies. Not yet anyway.

"You'd make a great looking maid of honor." Genny grinned at Laurie liking the idea of saving her and Keith from sacrificing their futures for her underhanded uncle.

"And, Reuben, you'd make a great looking minister." Laurie got into the swing of this fabricated story.

"Don't forget, we have to have this all wrapped up in under a week. We have a week's worth of shows in Vegas over spring break." Reuben, ever the manager, reminded them.

They continued to throw ideas around for more than an hour and finally settled on their new master plan.

They were discussing different ways of leaking the story to the press when they received a fortuitous knock on the door.

xoxo

"Valentine suggested we turn on the television. Apparently there's been a new development to this story that we know nothing about." Henri said as he shut the door behind his most favored bodyguard.

Reuben got up and turned on the TV. There was a reporter on the screen and another large picture of Keith soon took over the screen. "According to a leak from Keith Partridge's family, the young singer is soon to be married. The reporter was unable to uncover who the young heartthrob is marrying, but did say that the source was very reliable and that the singer is, in fact, getting married. He stressed that the news came directly from inside the singer's personal circle. This is in direct contrast to the story that had been leaked to the press yesterday that stated the singer was headed to rehab. We know now that he was apparently being taken to his future bride. Most likely by a very upset soon to be father-in-law. This has all the earmarks of a shot-gun wedding. What other explanation can there be for the handcuffs?"

"What?" Keith couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Who makes up this stuff?"

"It does sound pretty outlandish, doesn't it?" Laurie agreed. "Unfortunately for you, the latter part of that story is now pretty close to the truth. Well, at least the truth we're going to try to get everyone to believe."

"This saves us from leaking the story to the press. However, it also speeds up our time table even further." Cat pointed out. "With the story already out there, we're going to have to capitalize on it. If we wait too long, the furor may die down and we won't get the same publicity we need."

"Well, Keith? How do you feel about getting fitted for your tux this afternoon?" Genny teased.

"Slightly nauseous." Keith admitted.

xoxo

It was decided that Laurie and Shirley could not stay at the hotel. They couldn't provide the security required to keep them safe. Rupert may have decided that the only way to force Keith into not marrying Genny would be to take his Mom and sister hostage. But before they left the hotel, Shirley placed a call home.

"Dad, I need you to take Mom and the kids back home with you for a while. The kids aren't safe at home." Shirley went on to explain what she could about what was happening. Though her father had a hard time believing some of the more spectacular parts of the story, he did not doubt his daughter's fear for her children's safety. He suggested going to a friend's cabin in the woods rather than to their house. If they could trace the kids to San Pueblo, then they could trace the Renfrew's too. Shirley was grateful for her father's foresight and agreed to get in touch as soon as possible.

She had been able to assure everyone that Keith was alive and well and that she would be staying with him until she could bring him home. That reassurance was enough to allow the youngest Partridges to become very excited about their unexpected trip. They'd even be missing school which was an added treat.

With one more threat taken out of the equation, Shirley, Laurie, Keith and Genny headed back to the embassy. They left Reuben at the hotel. If he was to be able to act as the Minister at the wedding, he needed to be separated from the family. Reuben wasn't too upset, Bonnie was still there to keep him company.

Before exiting the limo Keith and Genny reminded Shirley and Laurie one last time that every word spoken in the embassy had to be carefully watched and all conversations must conform to their story. No one could slip up.

xoxo

The next several days were spent making wedding preparations.

Keith's injuries continued to heal. The swelling around his eye had gone down and he only had slight bruising around the eye. His ribs were still sore, but his shoulder and wrists were also almost completely healed. He was starting to feel like his old self again.

It was decided that Genny and Keith needed to be seen in public. America was about to learn the identity of Keith's future bride.

They chose the most popular restaurant in the city. A reservation was made for the next night for six under Keith's name, knowing that this would draw the most attention. Henri was sent out once again to buy clothes for Keith, but this time it was a suit that needed to be purchased. The women decided they also needed better clothes than what they had packed so a shopping spree was in order for Shirley and Laurie. Valentine and several other bodyguards were sent along for the trip.

Genny sent them to the most exclusive shops and told them the shopping spree was on her. They were to not only purchase an outfit for the dinner, but dresses for the 'wedding' as well. Genny called ahead to warn the shops that they were coming and Shirley and Laurie were treated like princesses, which was Genny's goal. She wanted to pay them back for what they were going through, if only in a small way.

While Shirley and Laurie were out shopping, Keith and Genny decided it was time to make sure that the people who were listening to everything that was happening in the embassy were convinced that they were definitely getting married. That theirs was a love match.

They had planned a candlelight dinner in Genny's suite. It would be private and very romantic.

"Wow, you look beautiful." Keith said as Genny opened the door to admit him.

"Thank you. You look wonderful yourself." Genny admitted. Now that the bruises on Keith's face were fading, he was once again one of the best looking men in the world. She would have no problem getting the people listening in to believe that she had fallen in love with him. She had already been almost in love with him from their first meeting, but his willingness to sacrifice his time and reputation to protect her family had put on the finishing touches. She was currently head over heels.

She raised her face to his for a quick kiss. "Dinner is waiting for us. You hungry?"

"Sure. It smells great." Keith admitted.

They spent the next hour eating, feeding each other, sharing glasses of wine that Keith should not have had and making small talk. They appeared to be young lovers, which is exactly what they were attempting to portray. If neither of them was actually acting, neither admitted it to the other. They simply let things progress naturally.

After dinner was over, they moved over to the couch with their glasses of wine. Conversation flowed freely with both of them almost forgetting that someone was listening to everything they said. They talked about life in Genny's country as if Keith was really going to be living there. They avoided subjects like Keith's real plans for his future and they completely avoided the subject of the group. For if Keith really became a Prince, his singing career was likely over. He'd have other, greater, responsibilities.

When Genny would get the urge to ask Keith something that she knew they couldn't talk about, she'd instead lean in for a kiss. Keith quickly caught on and started leading her in that direction every time he brought up a subject. Genny could tell he'd figured it out by the gleam in his eyes. She smiled wickedly back at him and urged him on with a look that promised anything and everything.

Genny took Keith's wine glass out of his hand, leaned over and set both of them on the table behind her. She turned back around, slid closer and proceeded to forget about talking altogether after saying, "Just pretend we're at the drive-in and we were never interrupted."

Keith smirked and did not make her wait for long before his nod of agreement turned into action. The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of wet, deep kisses interspersed with the occasional moan. With Genny's arms firmly anchored around Keith's neck and her hands buried in his hair, Keith took advantage and his hands traveled where they would. Touching her here, then there causing gasps and moans to be emitted between kisses. Genny could feel the smile on Keith's lips. She was so responsive to his touch.

Keith rose slightly and bringing one leg onto the couch, proceeded to ease Genny into a prone position quickly following her down. She swung her legs up onto the couch to bring her body into direct contact with his from lips to toes. The move sent shock waves through Genny's system. She could see how people got carried away and ended up pregnant. She knew at that moment that she would not have protested had Keith suggested they consummate their relationship.

For now, Keith was content to continue kissing her and caressing her. He was, however, restless enough to try to reach under her clothes. When his hand found its way under her sweater and made contact with the skin of her stomach, he felt her muscles contract and her gasp of pleasure flooded his mouth. Her hips pushed upwards in reaction. She pulled back enough to moan, "Ah, Keith don't stop. More...please."

As Genny continued to whisper encouragement to Keith, he decided he really liked hearing her voice urging him on so he moved his mouth along her jaw line and to the soft spot just below and behind her ear. As his tongue ran across the sensitive spot, Genny's hips pushed up involuntarily once again and she could not suppress a moan of frustration. He bit down softly on her neck and received another involuntary but equally satisfying reaction. "Oh god, where did you learn to do that?"

Keith didn't bother answering he just continued to torment her senses with further stimulation. He turned them over so that Genny was on top and put one of his legs between hers. He bent his leg so that Genny could feel the pressure in her most sensitive spot. Her body was on sensory overload. She was practically panting.

Keith had brought his mouth back to Genny's and she had immediately sucked his tongue deeply into her mouth loving his taste. Just as Genny discovered that she now controlled her own pleasure and had begun a steady rhythm, there was a knock on the door.

Keith's hands stilled immediately and his head fell back in frustration, a low moan flowing along Genny's lips. "What?" She asked.

"Someone's at the door." Keith told her.

"Oh god, no." Genny stopped moving slowly unwilling to stop the roller coaster ride she'd been on.

Keith smiled up at her flushed features. "'fraid so. And, I'm in no condition to answer it."

Genny couldn't stop herself from one last slow grind against Keith's reason for not being able to greet visitors. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

Genny leaned in for another kiss before slowly standing up, straightening her clothes and heading toward the door. Keith sat up and watched her pull on her most regal persona before pulling the door open haughtily. "This better be good." Followed quickly by, "Mother!?"

Keith's head fell back on the sofa in disbelief. This could not be happening! His head came back up and he glanced over at Genny who held the door while glancing frantically at Keith. He quickly stood up and positioned himself behind a chair. Then he ran his hands through his hair hoping to put it back in at least partially good condition. He was about to meet his faux future mother-in-law.

A beautiful woman who looked amazingly like her daughter swept into the room and quickly spotted Keith. "You must be Keith. I'm so pleased to meet you." She walked over, right around the chair and wrapped him in a 'welcome to the family' type hug. "I can see why Genny fell for you. You are just adorable."

Keith smiled uncomfortably and nodded, not quite sure how to answer.

"What are you doing here?" Genny asked as she went to stand next to Keith grabbing his hand for moral support.

"Well, your father is fully recovered and should be only a day or two behind me. We're here to attend your wedding." She grinned and winked at the young couple.

"That's wonderful!" Genny beamed at hearing the news of her father's recovery.