Thank you for your patience as I recovered from my ailment. I'm just about better.

I intended for this to be the last chapter and then add an epilogue in a couple of weeks. That may still stand but there might be another chapter added then the epilogue. We will see how it shapes up when I start writing. Either way, there will be more.

Thank you to Dawn for prereading so enthusiastically.

The American Princess

Chapter 33

EPOV

I'm numb as I look at my suit for this evening's 'festivities'. Was it really six months ago that I was ecstatically happy with my life? And now I dread waking up in the morning. Thankfully, I've been sleeping due to the medication but it's only a temporary fix.

I take a breath then a shower thinking that maybe if I drag my feet tonight won't happen and I won't be betrothed to a complete stranger. But alas, I must face the music and the mystery bride.

I methodically dress and I am looking in the mirror when my attention is drawn to that damn drawer. I try to talk myself out of it, but I can't resist opening it and grabbing the sixpence. I am just closing the drawer when I hear a knock on the door.

"It's open." I call.

My mother pokes her head in. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

I turn to look at her and smile. "Sure."

She is already dressed and looks as elegant as ever in her beaded black gown. I raise an eyebrow at her choice of color.

"Might as well dress for this like it's a funeral."

I laugh.

"I've come to ask if you are in need of a driver?"

"Well, yes. I thought that was already handled?"

"I mean a getaway driver. Because I can kick off these heels off and rush you out of there if you need me to. Just say the word and we'll be gone."

I smile fully at her and she at me. I walk over to gather her into my arms, and I squeeze her tight.

"Thank you for the offer. What do you expect to happen tonight that warrants such an action?"

"What if your father picked out a heinous woman who I have to break bread with for the next thirty or so years? And that would be even worse for you since you'd be married to her. I've been questioning my trust in your father for a while now and I wouldn't put it past him to find some shrew." She grabs my hands. "I hate this for you. So much. You deserve so much better and if you want to abdicate, I will support you. France isn't that far away, or you could go to America and find B…"

"I couldn't bring that upon her, Mother. That would haunt both of us for the rest of our lives and by staying away, I'm protecting her."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes, I do. She doesn't deserve to belong to a family where there would be so much discord with her presence. I wish it were different, but it isn't. When I am king, I will make it possible for Alivia and Grace to marry whom they please. And if this union provides children for me, for them as well. For Rosalie and Emmett's children. Things will change. I will be sure of it. And I can rest easier knowing that change is coming in this century."

"My darling son, I hate the pain you have experienced at the hands of this family and its rules."

"Maybe this won't be so bad, Mother. Maybe he picked for me someone kind and thoughtful. No matter who it is, I will extend every kindness to them to make it easier on everyone. At least it isn't Kathryn."

"Thank God for small miracles." She laughs. "I don't suppose my handsome eldest son wishes to escort his old mother to a party, now would he?"

I offer her my arm. "He would be most willing and lucky to do so. And Mother, thank you for unconditional love and support."

"It's my pleasure."

I only wish I could allow myself to make amends with my father but that didn't seem likely at the moment.

Maybe one day…

***TAP***

My father is missing. He hasn't arrived yet and the rest of the family are seated at our table at the head of the room with a spot open on my right for my future wife, whoever the hell she is, and another open for my father on my left.

I find myself to be quite nauseous, so I take a sip of water and am thankful there is no food yet being served. I am quite sure I would be physically sick if there was. I feel the sympathetic gazes of my family, but I can't acknowledge them lest I grab my mother and we make a run for it per her earlier offer.

"Attention everyone."

We all look up at my father's voice. He looks different than he did when he left for Denmark. More color in his cheeks, happier disposition. I guess crushing my dreams makes for a speedy recovery.

"I know you have been waiting for a while to find out who your next princess will be but before I announce that, I need to say a few things. I have always been known as a fair king and I pride myself on that very accomplishment, but I haven't extended that fairness to my family lately. I have done things that I'm ashamed of and I have taken those I love very much for granted. I almost died five months ago and that really opened my eyes. I see things more clearly than I did before and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to change a few things in the wake of that."

My mother and I exchange confused glances, and I notice the others at the table doing the same as well as the attendants.

"Esme, you are such a joy to be married to and I know I haven't made you very proud lately but I'm working on rectifying that. Jasper, I am so proud of your accomplishments and value our conversations. Alice, you are not my daughter by birth but my daughter in my heart. You have bestowed upon me two beautiful granddaughters and for that I will be forever thankful. Rosalie, you have had me wrapped around your finger since your first breath. Emmett, you are perfect for my Rosalie and I will accept you as my son when that time comes, which I know it will." He locks eyes with me. "And Edward, if you will please join me."

I muster all my strength and will to stand and walk over to him. I am sure my stiff demeanor is evident to anyone with functional sight and I struggle to school my expression.

"Edward, I know we haven't had an easy relationship and that's my fault for not making your needs a priority. As the eldest son, a lot of responsibility has been placed on you and I failed to recognize the struggle you have felt under its staggering weight. I forget that I was in your place not so long ago and I struggled as well. I need you to know that I do see you, I do listen to you and I hope that I can make it up to you. And I'm hoping this will help in repairing our relationship though I know it will take time."

He turns to the gathered group.

"Together with her parents, it is my extreme honor and privilege to announce the marriage of Edward Anthony Masen, Prince of Wales to Miss Isabella Marie Swan of Forks, Washington."

I shake my head to clear the cobwebs because there is no way I heard what I thought I just heard. I feel my father's hand grip my shoulder in support but all I suddenly see is my Bella confidently strolling into the room on the arms of her father and what I presume to be her mother. I ignore the astonished cries of my family and the party attendants as I abandon my father and rush towards her. She extracts herself from her parents and meets me halfway.

The second she is in my arms; I know there is no way in hell I will ever let her go again.

"I'm so sorry. "I whisper over and over as I hold her head still so I can smother her in kisses then start spinning her around in glee.

"You can spend the rest of your life making it up to me." She grins. "But if you don't stop spinning, I'm going to vomit all over your pretty suit."

I stop immediately and kiss her properly. I would have done it forever but am interrupted by a gruff clearing of the throat.

"If you could refrain from fornicating right in front of me, I'd be thrilled."

We break apart and sheepishly look at what seems to be, if I heard my father correctly, my future father-in-law.

"Sorry, Sir."

"You should be sorry…"

"Dad." Bella interrupts.

"Fine." He grumbles. "But we are going to have a talk later. Now, where's the beer at?"

Her mother swoops in almost immediately, dragging some more guy behind her. "It is so lovely to meet you." She gushes. "Oh, should I have curtsied?"

"You're fine." I assure her.

"So are you." She looks me up and down and gives Bella a thumbs up. Bella groans and looks pleadingly at her stepfather, who leads Renee away under the guise of meeting the queen.

"My family is small, but they make up for it with apparent mental illness."

"How? I don't understand."

"I'm having trouble grasping it myself. Your father and Marcus just showed up in Canada and next thing I knew we had picked up my parents and then I was here."

"He didn't force you, did he? I mean, do you want to be here? I was horrible to you, but I didn't mean any of it, I swear. I was just trying to…"

"Protect me. I know. You were a little harsh in your delivery. If you had asked me nicely, I still would've left, Charming."

"Say that again." I close my eyes and smile.

"Charming." She whispers.

"I've missed that. I've missed you so much. I can't even tell you. I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Charming but if we could just tone down the cheesiness a bit. It's making me more nauseous than the spinning."

"Duly noted." I look over my shoulder to see Emmett waiting patiently. I beckon him over.

"So that's why you bitched my call." He accuses.

She giggles and hugs him. "Well, I couldn't very well answer, now could I?"

"I'm so very happy for you." He tells her.

I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist and squeeze. "Looks like we both might get our happily ever after, after all." Rosalie whispers.

"Did you know about this?" I ask her, as I bring her around to face me.

"No. Not at all. We were all as shocked as you were."

I need to see my father now. I spot him with my mom, their arms wrapped tight around each other. My mother has been crying.

I signal to Bella that I am going to him and she nods and smiles.

As I near him, I think of all the things I want to say but when I reach him all I can do is wrap my arms around him like I used to do when I was younger. Before the weight of the world was placed on my shoulders.

"Thank you." I struggle to get the words out through the giant lump of emotion in my throat.

"I'm truly sorry, Edward." He says.

I shake my head. "We will hash this all out later. I'm afraid I am much too emotional to discuss negativity on such a positive night."

My mother hugs me and kisses my cheek.

"Go back to your fiancé, Edward. Everything else can wait."

"I haven't gotten a ring." I gasp.

"We will take care of that tomorrow. For now, do as your mother says."

I grin as I make my way back to Bella, bypassing Kathryn and her ilk along the way. They seem to be leaving and I smile wider at the thought.

A slow song starts playing and I grasp her hand and guide her to the dance floor.

"Are you really ready for all this?" I gesture to all the trappings that surround us.

"Not even close, but I know that I want you in my life and I think that we can figure all this out together. But is this what you want?"

"There is nothing I could ever want more." I whisper. "But your career, your life."

"Carlisle and I did some negotiating and while we still have some things to talk about, I think I can live with it."

"Ms. Swan, I'm sorry to interrupt but…"

"Then why are you, Marcus?" I ask, my tone harsh.

"Hush, Charming. Marc-Ass and I have come to an impasse of sorts, haven't we? I didn't throw him from the plane, and he won't be meddling as much. Isn't that right?" She coos at him.

"I have repeatedly asked you to stop calling me that." He scowls.

"I think it has a nice ring to it, myself. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Your father just saw Mr. Hunter and I quote 'I want to know if Bella wants me to shoot him'. And coincidentally he wants to know where you put his gun?"

"Did you hide it like I asked?"

"Yes."

"Tell him I don't know where it is and to sit down and behave."

"As you wish."

HE leaves and Bella turns to me with a grin.

"Interesting."

"My father is trigger happy and most unhappy I won't let him go postal." She explains.

"I was actually referring to your exchange with Marcus but good to know. Will we be seeing much of your father?"

"Probably, yes. He'll warm up… in a few years."

I pull her closer. "I don't care how long it takes. I'll jump through all the hoops he wants me to, but you're my priority."

"That isn't necessary. I was never angry with you." She objects. "And I don't want to spend the next month reliving it all or dealing with your disgust over your actions. That being said If you ever do that to me again, I will not hesitate to leave you. Either you're in or you're not; there is no going back and forth. It's counterproductive and I have no interest in going backwards. It's time to look forward and Charming, we have so much to look forward to now, if you want."

"I get to marry you." I realize.

She giggles. "Yes, once you ask me properly, Your Highness. I do have standards, you know. Just because you're a prince, doesn't mean you get off that easily."

I take a look around. "Right now?"

"No, not right now."

"This is our engagement party." I point out.

"Charming, you know as well as I do, this party is not for us. It's for the nosy rich people who came to see a spectacle and for your father to look good."

"I thought you guys were working things out?" Suddenly, I'm concerned.

"We are. Doesn't mean I don't see things clearly. I will work with him and we will come to an agreement but that doesn't mean I trust him just yet. Like you have to prove yourself to my father; your father has to prove himself to me. And that's gonna take some time. But, Charming, we have forever, so I'm not worried."

"Forever. I love the sound of that."

"Me too. You know what else I love the sound of?"

"What?"

"Blowing this popsicle stand."

"There's a popsicle stand?" I look around.

"Oh, Charming." She sighs, though she is smiling. "Let's get out of here."

"I thought you'd never ask."

"I didn't. Now, let's go. These shoes have got to come off." She groans.

I bend down on one knee.

"What are you… Charming, I said not now."

I look up at her. "I'm not… yet." I proceed to slip her shoes off, first the left then the right. I get up and then carefully throw them to the side.

"See, how that's done? No broken noses anywhere." I smirk.

She snorts then wraps her arms around my neck as we sway back and forth. "I thought in the fairy tale, you're supposed to put the shoe on my foot, not take it off."

"This isn't a fairy tale, Bella."

"If this isn't a fairy tale, then what is it?"

"Real life. It will be full of happiness and joy but there will be disagreements and protocol which will be hard to follow at times. I suggest finding a good therapist to talk to. Depression can be a real issue in this life. It feels very solitary at times and it's something I've struggled with especially recently. I can't promise that this life will always seem worth it, but I can promise you, without a doubt, that I will love you for all of my days."

"That's all I ask. And besides, I will have you to guide me through all this. Together, Charming."

"Together. Now, didn't you say something about blowing this sucker stand?"

She opens her mouth but says nothing instead choosing to smile and laugh.

She kisses me and whispers, 'let's go."

"Oh, one more thing before we do."

"Charming, I'm exhausted."

"I know. I am too." I reach into my pocket and withdrawal her pendent. "I can't bear to wait another moment to return this to you."

"Why do you have that?"

"You left it for me, remember?"

"No, yes, I know that. But why is it in your pocket?"

"It didn't leave my person for five months, then a couple of nights ago, I put it away in an effort to move on. But something told me to have it on me tonight which I didn't understand because this was supposed to be my engagement party to someone else." I chuckle. "What a lovely surprise this night has been."

I turn her around facing away from me. "But now it's time for it to be back where it belongs. And for you to be where you belong- with me." I hook the necklace into place then place a kiss upon her slender neck, feeling her shiver beneath my lips.

"Now, can we please get out of here?" She pleads, turning back around.

"Yes. Now we can get out of here." Without a word to anyone, I lead her out to my car and have them drive us to my apartment.

I stare at it for a long time. I can feel her curious eyes upon me.

"I abandoned this apartment when I abandoned you. It's just sat empty much like myself for the past five months. I refused to let it be cleaned for fear your scent would be washed away and I couldn't have that. Yet I had no plans to return because I knew that would be the thing that would break me completely. To smell you but you be nowhere around." I look at her. "Did you know I heard your voice in my head. Like you'd be talking to me, telling me things. Not like a memory but like you were in my subconscious." I look back at my home and chuckle humorlessly. "Therapy, Bella, look into it so you don't crack and go proper mad like I did."

"It's starting to rain."

"I know but I'm afraid to go in here and realize that this didn't happen and I'm still alone without you or worse, with someone not you."

"Maybe we should look into some couple's therapy?"

"Not even married yet and we already need counseling?"

"I'm not going anywhere unless you send me away. And I don't mind assuring you of that for as long as it takes for you to believe it." Her gaze turns coy. "But I can think of several things I can do tonight to convince you that I'm real, but we have to get into the apartment first. I don't think your father would appreciate public nudity or lewd public sex acts. So, why don't you unlock that door so we can get on with it. Or get it on." She winks.

Suddenly I can't get the door unlocked fast enough, all my earlier concerns wiped away with the thought of her wrapped around me.

I pause when I get the door open though.

"Charming, we don't have… oof!"

She's interrupted by me swinging her up in my arms and carrying her over my… our threshold.

"You're supposed to do that after we're married." She giggles.

"Oh, I will but I just want to make sure you don't get lost on the way to our bedroom."

"What did I say about the cheesiness?"

"I'm afraid you might have to learn to live with it."

She kisses me then pulls back to smile. "I think I can do that. But in the meantime, why don't you take me into our bedroom and do me?"

"It would be my pleasure." I smile back at her.

"It will be both our pleasure if you'd get a move on it, Charming! I'm dying here!"

I laugh loudly then carry her into the bedroom and no more words are said for quite some time…

See you in a couple of weeks.