Of Princes and Princesses

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: So here we have another little cute chapter, there's going to be a lot of those in the next little bit. I've started writing the chapters that coincide with the actual movie which means all the regular characters are going to be coming up soon. Isn't that exciting? I know I'm excited! I can't wait to hear what you guys think, so please review and I'll see you guys next week.

22.

Kate had been super secretive about whatever plans she had for his birthday. That meant that Marshall was expecting one hell of a shindig. So he was trying very terribly hard not to be disappointed that she had only taken him to the bar that he and his mates frequented.

That sounded terrible and selfish. Like a child throwing a temper tantrum. He knew he was being unreasonable, but she was the one who was making a big stink about him turning 34 that year, and how it was his second birthday with her and she wanted to make it even more special than the year before. This, well, this didn't feel special this felt common place.

They weren't even alone, either. She had invited his old bandmates and their significant others and of course Rose and her current boy toy. A man named Brad that neither he nor Kate liked but were going to put up with so long as he made Rose happy. He was fine with the crowd of people around him, don't get him wrong, but he had been hoping for a more intimate birthday. Because, let's be real here, his ideal birthday was worshipping his wonderful Kate in a bed.

His birthday should have been them in their apartment with no clothes on. That would have made him happy. That would have been special to him.

But Kate was trying to throw a birthday party that she thought he'd like and as god as his witness he was going to love it simply for her and her alone.

Kate kept turning big giant grins up to him and he kept smiling back. She was waiting for something he could tell but he didn't know what it was.

He finished his most recent beer and turned to find his band suddenly holding their instruments and all wearing shirts that read: "The Mad Connelly Brothers." God what was this?

Marshall turned back to Kate who was grinning and holding his guitar out for him.

"Okay, what's going on?" he asked, noting that she was stripping out of her tight fitted leather jacket to reveal her own ripped up band tee underneath, goddamn she was in a groupie outfit.

"We've got a gig," Sean tells him. "Come on you numpty we're on in like five minutes."

Marshall sighed. "Really," he said to Kate. "Really, you're going to make me play a gig… on my birthday?"

"Trust me, it's going to be worth it," Kate said and he sighed again.

"We don't have a lead singer, Kate, remember?"

"Tonight, you do," she said. "I picked someone great. I promise."

She had picked a lead singer for them? He turned his eyes back to his band who merely all smiled and nodded in an encouraging way. Well, they had all agreed to this, apparently this temporary lead singer had their approval. He would have to wait and see if this lead singer met his standards.

He begrudgingly took his guitar, realizing that Kate just wanted to cheer him on while he performed. This was more a present for her than for him. Though if he got to take her home in that groupie outfit… well… then that would be his present.

He joined his band in the little corner of the bar set up for musicians, he let Mannix announce the group and then they came together, a little huddle to decide on a song, deciding. He figured, as this was last minute, they'd need to figure out what song to sing, but the boys already picked one. One of Louis' last songs, one of Kate's favourite. Damn Kate had put a lot more planning into this than he thought.

When he turned around to start the song, he found that Kate was the one standing in front of the mic. "I can do this," she was whispering and for a moment he was very, very confused.

Though the rest of the band started playing Marshall did not. He went to put a hand out to his girlfriend's arm, just to soothe her, to send her back to her seat, or the front row where she could cheer him on, but she surprised him.

By opening her mouth and beginning to sing his brother's song.

Her voice, picked up and amplified by the mic, was silkier and smokier than he knew it to be. There was something about that microphone that was making her sound… angelic. As she took them through the chords of that song better than his brother ever did, Marshall found himself just staring at her. It took him a while to remember to play. And when he finally got his fingers moving, he realizes that he was numbly and almost blindly strumming along, his fingers playing the right chords through muscle memory alone. He couldn't take his eyes off of Kate and how the spotlight lit her up. Like a halo. Proving her to be the angel he thought her to be. Even the crowd had gone silent to take all of this in.

When they were done there was an eruption of applause that all rang in Marshall's ears. He barely noticed, all he saw, all he was tuned into was Kate.

When she headed for the table, she was engulfed by a crying Rose who was just so happy to see Kate singing again, and Marshall followed.

When she turned around, he saw there was some kind of hesitance on her face like she expected him to be mad. "I know it's not a full set but… I can really only do one song…"

She thought he'd be mad over the amount of songs she sung? What the hell was wrong with this girl?

Marshall gripped her shoulders. "You forced yourself tae get over your stage fright just so you could sing with my band for my birthday" he asked her, though clearly that was exactly what she had done.

She nodded to him and for a second Marshall thought he might cry at the sheer thoughtfulness of the gift. And the guilt he suddenly felt. Kate had chosen this bar because the owners knew his band and wouldn't have hesitated in letting this go on. She had all their friends there, because she was nervous about what she was going to do and she wanted as many familiar faces around them as she could manage. And he had been disappointed. My god, he was a child.

"Well it's not really stage fright," Rose explained for her. "It's more like singing was something she did for Kevin and since Kevin died…"

"I know why she doesni sing anymore, Rose," he snapped not happy to be taken out of the moment he was sharing with his Kate.

Kate turned Rose with a wince. "It's true, he does know that."

Rose just rolled her eyes and huffed, sitting back and letting the two of them get back to their conversation. When Kate turned her eyes back to him he couldn't help but smile at her, his eyes practically misting it was so beautiful this gesture she had made.

"I canni believe you did that for me," he whispered.

Kate just smiled at him. "I wanted to give you something meaningful," she said to him with a casual shrug as if this was nothing. "I was originally going to contact your brother but the others were certain that if I did find him you two would get in a fight… that and none of them know how to contact him…"

She was going to contact Louis? Really? Yeah, they were right that definitely would have ended in a fight. In fact, she probably would have called Louis, asked him to come, he would have sworn at her and then Marshall would have had to hunt him down and beat him for even daring to disrespect his girl.

"I know it wasn't exactly the same… that I'm a piss poor replacement for him…"

Marshall swept her up in his arms and pressed a kiss to her lips to silence her foolish words. "It was perfect," he whispered to her because it had been.

Kate practically melted into his embrace, and pulled his head down to hers so she could thoroughly cover him in kisses. Marshall held her close knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he knew exactly what emotion he felt for Kate.

He was in love with Kate Axton, no doubt about it. His heart was hers, and he knew, unlike the girls of his youth, his heart would belong to her long after she left him.