Kate, Leopold, (Leo Pold), Charlie, and Stuart sat laughing in the diner's booth. Leopold was telling of the time where Kate was learning the proper etiquette of 1876, and Charlie and Stuart were in stitches, at Kate's expense. Leopold really knew how to relive moments, with elaborate hand gestures and emphasizing words.

"When my manservant, Otis, presented her at the wedding ceremony, our Kate tried so hard to look natural. But," he smiled slyly at Kate, who stared at him in horror.

"No! Leopold, don't say it! You wouldn't!" Kate exclaimed, shooting her husband a helpless look. Charlie and Stuart, on the other hand, were oblivious to Kate's plea. Leopold smiled kindly at her

"No, dear Kate. I won't say. It isn't my place. I apologize for mentioning it, Kate. I won't say another word." Leopold tilted his chin, looking slightly abashed.

Charlie protested. "Of course it's your place to say it, Leo! You're Kate's husband! You have every right to—" he was silenced by Stuart's hand closing over his mouth.

"could I speak to you for a second?" Stuart muttered from the corner of his mouth. Charlie opened his mouth to speak, but Stuart dragged him to the Men's room. "Charlie! You don't see what's going on, do you? Do you see what you're doing?" before Charlie could answer, Stuart pressed on. "We are doing the absolute worst for Leopold! By having the conversation we were just having, we are slowly pulling him out of 1876!"

Charlie looked doubtful. "This is 2001. isn't it a good thing that we're pulling him out of 1876 habit? I mean, he can't walk around NYC hoping everyone thinks he's a duke! He's past that! He is back in 2001, with my sister as his wife. What do you expect?" Stuart glanced at him morosely.

"If this goes at the rate it is, Charlie, Leopold will never be the same. He will never be the Duke of Albany everyone expects him to be! Charlie McKay, we have to get Leopold back into the swing of 1876. Don't you see, Charlie? Back at the table, he was practically ranking out on Kate!"

"He apologized, completely genuine," Charlie mumbled. Stuart sighed and looked Charlie in the eyes. Charlie looked down. "Fine," he grinned awkwardly. "Operation 1876 is now in order." The two exited the room, just in time to see one person they didn't expect to see. Kate's own boss, J.J.

"Charlie McKay!" J.J. exclaimed. "what a surprise! How are you, and where is that disappearing act commonly known as your sister? She caused quite a stir at the banquet last night!" Charlie looked helplessly at Stuart and mouthed: tell Kate. Stuart nodded and hurried off.

"Kate!" Stuart said urgently. Kate looked up from what seemed like an intense conversation with Leopold. "Kate, J.J's here, and he's looking for you!" Kate stood abruptly, a shocked look on her face.

"J.J.." Leopold said thoughtfully. "Isn't that the man that you went to dinner with? Business, he said." Leopold's handsome face darkened. "That wasn't business. He was escorting my wife to dinner."

Kate rested her hand lightly on Leopold's. "Maybe you're right, Leopold. But I wasn't your wife then. I didn't even know you cared about me." Her eyes were warm and melting into his.

"Katherine, who couldn't care about you? I suppose its just as well." Leopold looked slightly pained, and Kate leaned up to kiss him gently. Stuart interrupted.

"Meanwhile, Charlie is stalling the man until we do something. Kate, he's going to wonder why you disappeared during such an important announcement, the moment you dreamed of since you first starting working with the company. Knowing J.J., he's going to question your relationship to Leopold, and you cannot tell him that within a few hours you married a duke!"

Kate nodded briskly and understandingly, glanced at Leopold who was fiddling with the jukebox, and whispered to Stuart, "If JJ comes over here, most likely Leopold will knock him to the ground," she looked briefly at Stuart's wary face. "not literally. Last time they came into contact, Leopold went into a tirade, and JJ was left stunned." She paled suddenly. "and I have this feeling that Charlie could hold the bull in the pen no longer."

JJ was striding purposefully toward Kate, his eyes blazing. "Kate McKay" Kate's eyes flickered slightly at the mention of her old name. "What were you thinking?! I had everyone wondering why Kate McKay missed out on the biggest moment of her career!"

Kate faltered. "I—I guess something came up, JJ. I'm really sorry." She tried her hardest to look apologetic, and raised her eyes to JJ's.

"Something came up," JJ mimicked. " I'd love to know what was so important, Kate, I really would. I don't know if it has something to do with those pictures from a Renaissance Fair that were left on the podium," Kate saw Stuart's eyes widen. "…but considering you lost the promotion and your job, Miss. Mckay…"

Kate couldn't tear her eyes from JJ's face. The heated conversation had gotten Leopold's attention, and he walked calmly over. He slipped his arm around Kate's shoulders and smiled amiably. "Hello again. Is there a problem?" He was smiling, but the smile seemed forced to Kate.

"I remember you…you're the fancy pants from the restaurant a few weeks ago. No, there is no problem concerning you. Kate here just bolted out of a big party last night, with this whole shebang of when the right person comes…never knowing it…blah blah whatever. Not ONLY did Kate embarrass herself in front of the entire company, but she embarrassed me because now people are doubting the type of people I hire!"

Leopold stepped forward. "You are wrongly mistaken, sir. Surely Kate's engagement was of much importance to her. Perhaps somebody took ill, or perhaps she was just overwhelmed by the aspect of what was going on, and did not have much else to say. If you put your selfish behavior aside, did you ever think that maybe Kate felt faint? Instead of grinning idiotically into the flash of cameras, were you ever in tune to Kate's feelings? What if she were sick, Mr. JJ. Would it have made your embarrassment a bit more tolerable if she had, lets say, fainted? Mr. JJ, I've no more to say to you, but that how you have insulted mankind by being the bloody," Kate trembled as a word unseating to Leopold's lips slipped out.

Kate's legs gave way, and Charlie appeared just in time to see her fall to her knees. Her face was pale, but she didn't faint. Charlie raced to her side and grabbed her arm, just as Stuart grasped the other. Together they led her to a booth and settled her in. Leopold and JJ were having a stare down, JJ's lips white, and Leopold shaking with fury. Finally, JJ turned on his heel and stalked out the door.

Leopold just stood quietly for a moment, before he turned and saw Stuart and Charlie bent over Kate, who was shakily lifting a glass of water to her lips. Leopold's heart leapt to his throat. What had he done? He was angry…angry at the man who had obviously hurt his wife. Last time this happened, he'd written an apology to Kate, claiming, in all honesty, that the liquor had gotten to him. That could not be effective now. He walked quietly over to the booth, knelt and kissed Kate's shaking hand. He stood and walked quietly out of the restaurant.

Charlie watched him go and stood up. "Leo!" he yelled helplessly. Stuart looked at him. "Leo's gone!" Kate stood quickly.

"what do you mean he's gone?!" Kate gasped. "Just...gone? Like that?" Charlie glanced at his sister.

"I dunno Kate. I dunno," Charlie said softly. Stuart had a fixed look in his eyes.

"C'mon. we're gonna go find Leopold."