TITLE: That Was Then This Is Now (Chap 6)
AUTHOR: Katherine (dragon) (Dramkat2)
SERIES: None As Of Yet
PAIRING: Trance/Harper
TYPE: Romance/Drama
RATING: PG-13
ARCHIVE: To the Andromeda Romance site, yes; any others please ask.
SUMMARY: Trance is up to something again, but what does Harper have to do with it all?
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Andromeda, just the characters I make.
A/N: The song lyrics used are from Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls. My roommate saw the song and
said it screamed Trance and Harper.
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~Flashback~
Trance held the hand of her new husband, a smile on her face. They stood on the Ops deck, with
the whole of the crew, a song playing the background as they began to dance.
Harper looked into her eyes, whispering the words to her.
"And I'd give up forever to touch you,
'cause I know that you'd feel me somehow.
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,
and I don't want to go home right now."
Trance smiled again at their private little joke. He said the song had been written just for them, even though it was written thousands of years ago. She let a small, happy tear fall as he continued.
"And all I can taste is this moment,
and all I can breathe is your life.
When sooner or later it's over,
I just don't want to miss you tonight."
He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I love you, Mrs. Trance Gemini Harper." he said, his eyes brightening at saying the name.
If possible, Trance smiled even more. "You better, you just married me." she laughed out.
~End Flashback~
Trance awoke slowly, the sunlight piercing her sleeping eyes. She could feel Harper's arm
around her waist - oh she loved this, this feeling of complete safety. She remembered it all too
well, but he didn't.
She had to keeping reminding herself of the that, that things had happened a lot differently for him...
His arm moved; he was waking, "No, no!" thought Trance quickly. "Go back to sleep!".
Her wish wasn't answered. His arm slid off her, and Trance sighed and turned herself around to meet his light blue eyes. There he was, her savior; her Harper...
A slight smiled stayed glued to her lips as she spoke. "Hey."
Harper smiled too, his eyes sparkling slightly. "Morning."
Trance snuggled her head against his chest with a contented "Mmm..." She felt him laugh, and pulled her head back up to meet those eyes again. "I don't want to get up..."
Harper laughed again and put his arm around her waist. "Then don't! We can stay here all day."
Trance's smile faded. "I have to go see my father today."
Harper frowned. "Ya know, maybe we *can't* stay here all day. I really don't want your dad storming in here and trying to kill me. I've had it happen before, and, well, the guy threw me out a window..."
Trance laughed again. "Oh, then, by all means, let go! I'd hate for him to do that out this window!" She went to get up, but Harper pulled her back down.
"Well, we can stay a *little* longer..." whispered Harper softly.
Trance laughed. "You think so, huh? If he walks in here and sees me in your bed..."
Harper's eyes widened. "Yeah, we should get up!"
He sat up and looked around. "Clothes?"
Trance laughed and grabbed the boxers on the floor next to her. "Looking for these?" she teased, holding up the shorts and smiling.
Harper grabbed them. "Among others, but those would help."
He pulled the shorts on and stood up, walking over to the wardrobe, grabbing a new set of pants and shirt, and pulling them on.
As Trance grabbed her clothes, trying to get her dress on, she stood up, realizing she couldn't tie it. "Harper, will you help me here?"
Harper just smiled, walking over and pulling the ties down.
Trance laughed. "Up, silly!"
Harper laughed and tied the dress. "Sorry - had to try!"
Trance, smiling, walked to the door. "I'm going to go change I'll be back in a bit."
Harper smiled and walked over to her, pulling her close to him as he pressed their lips together in a light kiss. Pulling away, he smiled again. "Okay."
Trance blushed slightly and walked out and down the hall, to her room. Her maid was pulling a dress out and placing it on her bed. "I thought you'd be back about now."
Trance walked over and fell on her bed. "Oh, Fella, I had the best night!"
Fella walked around and sat on the bed next to her. "With Mr. Harper, I'm guessing." She laughed at Trance's surprised expression. "You had that look like when you have a plan, like that time you were after the Count's son. I knew you wouldn't be home until early this morning."
Trance laughed. "I *was* kind of wild, wasn't I?"
She smiled and rolled over. "So tell me about Shaylena and Rowling. Is she anything like I was?"
Fella smiled back. "She's shown she was your daughter on more than one occasion, but I don't know about her and Rowling. However, he has been staying late in her room, and we don't see them apart much."
Trance sat up, grinning. "He seems nice."
She pulled the dress over to her and looked at it. "Red?"
Fella stood up and took the dress in her hands. "Thought you could use some passion today. Now, up, up - let's get that dress off and this one on."
She pulled Trance to her feet, spinning her around and pulling the tie. Trance pulled the dress off and stepped into the new one, letting Fella tie it up.
"There now, let me take a look at you." she said, as Trance turned around, smiling. "You look beautiful as always."
Trance laughed and walked over to her vanity table, picking up her crown and turning it in her small hands. "I haven't worn this in so long..."
She traced the small jewels and smiled as she placed it on her head, adjusting it to the perfect spot. "There."
She turned and looked at Fella. "Well, I'm off to get Harper, and then to Father. Wish me luck..."
Fella walked up and hugged a shaking Trance. "Good luck, my dear child."
Trance walked out the door and down the hall to Harper's room, knocking lightly. Harper's jaw dropped as he opened the door, and she just laughed and reached forward, snapping his jaw shut.
She saw his eyes move to the crown atop her head. "So I guess that proves it then. You *are* a princess." He smiled and took her hand in his. "Lead the way."
Trance smiled and began to walk towards her father's sitting chambers. They had to meet and talk of the coming events - and if Harper would even get to live long enough to be tested.
She could feel that Harper was scared to death. "Harper, it'll be fine. Just stay calm and everything will be alright. He won't kill you..." I hope, she added mentally.
Okay, maybe she was scared too....
They rounded yet another corner and walked to the end of the hall - her father's audience chamber. She'd always been so scared of this room - it was where her father would decide the fate of peoples' lives or declare wars. So much pain in this room, and here she was, taking the man she loved to it, to find out what would happen to him...
She saw her father's frail body sitting in his old chair, the same look on his face as he'd had last time they spoke. She sat across from him, letting go of Harper's hand as he sat in the chair next to her.
She looked to her father. "Hello, Father. How do you feel today?"
"Not as good as you must." her father replied, snapping a sharp look at Harper, who sat up straighter and gulped.
He looked back to Trance. "He passed the first test, I am told." He coughed before continuing, dabbing his mouth with a white cloth. "So he will live for now."
He looked to Harper again. "But know this, boy - you fail *any* of the tests, and I will not think twice before ordering your death." Harper gulped again and nodded.
Trance smiled. "If that will be all, Father, I was going to show Harper around the town."
Her father nodded. "That will be all - for now."
Trance stood up, grabbing a shocked Harper and pulling him to his feet. "Let's go!"
She looked back to her father. "Goodbye, Father."
As they walked down the hall, she felt Harper stop.
She looked back to him to see that he had a blank look on his face. "He's gonna try everything he can to kill me, isn't he?"
Trance frowned. "Yes, he will. He's a power-hungry jackass."
She pulled on Harper's hand again to snap him out of his mood, and they continued to an outside door. She stepped into the sun light as Harper put his arm around her waist, and they started towards the small town.
Harper smiled. "It's beautiful here." He pulled Trance close as they walked out of the castle gates and into the small town.
Trance smiled back at him. "Wait until you see the market place - you're going to love it!" She pulled away from him and started to pull on his hand again. "Come on!"
Harper laughed and tried to keep up. "I'm coming!"
They walked onto a street full of booths and booths, full of everything Harper could imagine, any kind of gadget possible and parts to make more.
"Wow!"
Trance laughed. "See? Told you!"
She grabbed his hand suddenly. "Wait for this!"
She pulled him around a corner and to another row of booths full of plants. "This was always my favorite place to come, even to just look. But I never got out with out buying something."
Harper smiled, looking at her. She was so happy here. It was her home, he reminded himself, though he slightly wondered if they'd ever see the Andromeda again.
That was pushed from his mind as Trance grabbed his hand and pulled him down and out of the row and past the market, onto open land.
Trance stopped as they reached a hill over looking a vast lake. "This used to be where I came to hide from everyone, if things became too much."
She sat down and looked up at Harper, who sat next to her, and placed her head on his shoulder. "We'll make it through this. Don't worry."
Harper smiled and laid his head on hers. "I hope so."
"Well, well, well..." said a dark voice. "Isn't this cute? The princess with the pig...."
Trance jumped up and looked at the stranger. "Who the hell are you?!"
Harper jumped up as well, grabbing Trance and pushing her behind him as she protested.
"Harper, I can deal with this!"
"Isn't that sweet?" said the man. "Well, if you'd step aside, pig, I'll do what I was sent to do."
Harper glared at him and took a step forward. "And what would that be?"
"To kill this disgrace to the Royal family!" The man pushed past Harper, heading for Trance, who hit the man hard in the face.
Harper saw another man came from a tree behind Trance. Before he knew what he was doing, he was in front of her pushing her to the ground.
He felt a knife enter his side, pain spreading from that one spot to his whole body in mere seconds as the blood ran down his side. He felt himself fall to the ground.
Trance was next to him in seconds "Harper!!! Oh, God, no!"
Suddenly, the pain stopped and Harper felt the wound healing. He sat up and grabbed his side, feeling for the injury.
"What-?" He looked at Trance, tears in her eyes as she sat looking at him, confused and panicked.
"Wow! I didn't think he'd do it!" said one of the men.
"Nah, I had a feeling he would. I didn't think she'd believe it, though." said the other.
Harper stood up, suddenly realizing. "This was a test, wasn't it?"
Trance looked at the men, her anger rising.
The stabber smiled. "Yeah. We had to see if you'd put your life in front of hers."
Trance stood up and ran at him, hitting him hard in the face. "You tell my father this: if he *ever* does something like that to me again, I'll kill him myself and take the throne!!!!"
Her eyes burned with angry fire. The man just nodded, pulling himself to his feet and running off with his partner.
Trance turned around, tears in her eyes now.
Harper walked up to her and pulled her in to a hug, holding her tight. "Its okay! I'm here, I'm okay! Nothing's wrong."
Trance started to cry. "I thought I had lost you again. I can't lose you again, Harper - I barely made it last time, and I can't now, not again!"
Harper pulled back slightly and looked her in the eyes. "I'm here, I'm not gonna die. I'll pass every one of their freakin' tests and prove to them that I love you, because I do."
He kissed her gently, and Trance kissed back, pushing herself against him like she was never going to let go. When she did finally pull away, they were both gasping for breath.
Harper smiled. "Have you made sure I'm here yet?"
Trance smiled shakily. "Yes. But I'm still going to have to have a talk with my father later."
She put her hand in Harper's, and they began to walk back to the castle.
