A/N : Wow, loads of reviews! Thanx to; Azkaban Canuck, Cordelia Osbourne, ndblue123, KrystinePotterLover (double review - I'm so proud! lol), A Sorta Fairytale, Starbright Moonlight, Cassandra Anthemyst, princessvampire - you guys are so great!

As for what might happen to Phillippe, well, I'm capable of anything *grins evilly* and I am the author and in charge of everything in this fic so who knows what might happen?! You'll just have to keep reading and praying for his safety! ;)

Anyway, here is chapter 16, hope you enjoy it....

(Disclaimer : see chapter 5)

Chapter 16 - The Guilt

"I should have protected them" Lars told his wife "I should have protected all of them". He was in a hospital bed, his leg heavily bandaged, and Jackie at his bedside.

"There was nothing else you could've done, Lars, you did your best. You got shot for goodness sake, you could hardly run after them" she rationalised.

"Jackie, it's what I'm paid to do" he tried to explain. He felt terribly guilty about Phillippe.

You're paid to protect that family and that is what you tried to do. You saved the baby, that was a very brave thing" Jackie wanted desperately to ease her husbands guilt, "I know it's awful that they took Phillippe but I'm sure he'll be okay"

Lars sighed. He didn't want to start an argument about it, so he changed the subject.

"Where's Diana?" he asked.

"Back at the palace with Mia and Michael, and their family" Jackie explained.

"Good, I don't want her to see this" he said, gesturing to the bandages on his leg covering his bullet wound. "How is she?"

"Devastated" Jackie admitted, "about you, and about Phillippe."

"I hope the boy's okay" Lars was genuinely concerned about the boy who he had been almost a second father to (or rather third father if Kenny was counted). "They probably won't hurt him. I'm guessing they're doing it for money," he replied.

"Ransom?" Jackie was shocked.

"Yes. Why else they would kidnap a prince?" Lars asked, rhetorically.

"I'll be back shortly"

The secret service agent exited the main sitting room of the royal palace, leaving Mia and Michael alone.

"How many more questions? Why can't they just find him, Michael?" Mia asked, putting her head in her hands.

"They have to have all the details Mia, but I'm sure they'll find him" he told her, putting his arm around her shoulders. In truth he was panicking and equally as upset as his wife, but found he could hide all the emotion away and stay strong for those who needed him.

There was a light knock on the door before it opened to reveal Diana.

"Mia, Michael, any news?" she wanted to know.

"Not yet, Diana" Michael told her.

"I can't believe I did such a terrible thing and now, I might never, I..." tears took away the end of her sentence as she came to sit beside the Queen.

"I know, sweetheart, I know" she comforted her.

A second person appeared in the doorway now.

"Can I come in?" the boy asked.

"Yes of course, what do you want Jay?" Mia tried to smile at him but it was attempt made in vain. She felt that she may never smile again now that her son was gone.

"I just wanted to know what was going on..." he said, nervously entering the room. Diana barely looked him.

"The secret service are trying to work out who took Phillippe" Michael said, simply.

"Y'know I'm such an idiot" James said, wandering into the room, "I get so wrapped up in myself and what's going on in my life and I was so awful to Phil and everyone and this, well, it just makes you realise, oh I don't know..." he was so annoyed at himself, he didn't even know what he was really trying to say.

"It's all right Jay, you can't blame yourself for this" his uncle told him, "Yes, you did something you shouldn't have but you couldn't possibly have known this was going to happen."

"I just want a chance to apologise again. Really apologise" he explained. His last apology had not been quite as heartfelt as perhaps it should have been, he knew that, and all he wanted to do was put things right with his favourite cousin.

"And you'll get that chance, Jay, because Phillippe is coming back" Mia said, firmly. The only way she was going to survive this was to convince herself that Phillippe was alive and would remain that way, and come back soon.

"I hope so" Jay said, quietly.

Silence engulfed the room, as each person within it thought about the young man who could be lost forever. The suffocating quiet was interrupted by yet another tap on the door.

"Come in" Mia managed to say and the agent from before reappeared.

"Your majesty, we have some news about the prince"

"What is it?" Mia was out of her seat and Michael was at her side again in seconds.

"We've just received a note from the kidnappers" the man explained, "it's currently being analysed for finger prints and DNA"

"What does it say?"

"Where's Phillippe?"

Mia and Diana spoke over each other.

"According to the note, he is completely safe but..." the four panicked people in the room hung on every word the agent said, "they're demanding a million dollars for his safe return."

A/N : You know the deal - you review and I'll update v. soon!