AUthor's NOte: I've been lazy and not updating this stuff all week. With my birthday (so sad, no longer a teen!) and Christmas stuff I had no time to do this. ANd when I tried late at night my computer misbehaved. So, anyways, here you go. This chapter has Christmas in it so I thought it would fit with the holiday season. Enjoy.

And for crying out loud, review.

The next day I went shopping with Shameeka for a dress for that nights ceremony. "I am thinking sexy," Shameeka said with a devilish grin. "Cuz from the look on that face I can tell you are getting plenty of-"

"Shameeka, please," I hissed, looking around. People were recognizing me as the PRincess of Genovia. More so now that I was dating a rising musician. "That's kind of private. Besides, I'm not necessarily going for a dress that screams sex appeal. I want something subtle."

We left my apartment at nine in the morning and returned at three with a dress, shoes and a clutch. "Hey handsome," I said, kissing Michael's cheek.

"Hey babe. What time are we leaving tonight?" he asked.

"A limo will be arriving at eight o'clock," I replied.

"Mind if I head down to the studio for a quick rehearsal?"
"Go ahead. I have to get my hair done and stuff. Be back by six thirty so you can shower and stuff."

He pecked me on the cheek and rushed out the door, forgetting his jacket. He then rushed back in a few minutes later to grab that.

"You guys are just too…" Shameeka started.

"Too what?" I asked, grabbing an apple off the counter.

"Perfect. It's creepy."

"How so?" I asked, taking a bite.

"Because look at this. You are somehow fitting both of your careers into one life. And the careers aren't your everyday nine to five jobs-"

"Tell me about it," I said, rolling my eyes. "But the wedding is coming up and that's all I want to think about after tonight. No more princess things. Just this." That was a lie. I still had to write my abdication speech that only four other people in the entire world know about.

"Can you believe it's only two weeks away?" she asked with wide eyes. "I mean, a lifetime of waiting is only two weeks away!"

I smiled slightly. "I know… I have my final dress fitting next week…"

"When is your dad coming?" she asked, looking in the fridge for food, unsuccessful considering we are more likely to order take out than to actually go to the supermarket.

"Um, I dunno if he can. He's really busy withthe new wifeand stuff. Hey, when if your hairdresser coming over?"

She noticed the instant change in my voice tone and stared at me. "He's not happy, is he?"

"Michael? Of course he is," I said, making it obvious that I wasn't ready to talk about my dad.

"Whatever Mia. Just remember that you can't live your life for someone else. You only get one chance at this thing…"

I nodded just as her hairdresser knocked on the door.

MICHAEL:

That fight the night before really strung me out. Well, maybe not the fight as much as the making up did. I could hardly pay attention to the other guys as we rehearsed.
"Moscovitz, come on. We have to have this straight out considering you are doing the whole wedding thing right before the tour-"

"Shut up Reggie!" I snapped. "I had this date planned before anything else was scheduled."

He wasn't used to my abruptness. They all knew I was only like this if something was going on with Mia.

Tony took me outside. He had started smoking a little, but only when he was stressed out. "Want one?" he asked. I shook my head, no. "What's going on? Why you acting like a little bitch in there?"

"I'm getting married in less than two weeks," I replied. "My father in law to be can't stand the idea of me being part of his family so much that he won't come to the wedding. He's blaming me because Mia no longer wants to be princess-"

"Whoa, what?"

I looked around and saw that we were totally alone. "She's abdicating. Effective December thirtieth. So that way she can just be Mia Moscovitz when we get married."

He looked confused. "Yeah, you've mentioned that before but I had no idea that it was going to happen so soon…"

"So basically her dad hates me for taking away his little girl."
He half smiled, "Yeah, my father in law is the same way."

"How are things with Lilly?" I asked, hinting about the whole baby thing.

"Fine. She's been on edge lately, but it's probably just PMS."

I shook my head and laughed. "That's our Lilly."

"But I am worried about her. I think she might be…nevermind."

"No, what?" I asked, waving his cigarette smoke away.

"Well...she might be having an affair."

"What?" I said, trying not to laugh.

"With some Boris kid."

"Boris PElkowski? The violin virtuoso?"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"He's her first boyfriend. Back in high school. He used to be in my first band...back in high school."

"Well, I've noticed his number on the caller ID lately…"
"He is coming to New York for the wedding," I replied. "Maybe they are meeting for lunch or something. They ended things pretty well. As friends," I explained. "Lilly wouldn't cheat on you Tony. Trust me."

"But why would he be calling so much?"

"They are friends. Or at least they were. Maybe they are talking more often now. Have you asked her about it?"

He shrugged. "She's been so damn moody and hasn't been feeling good."

"Maybe it's something else," I hinted.

"Like what?" he asked, "She couldn't be preg- oh shit…do you think she's…you know, with child?"

I laughed at him, "That is why you are just the guitarist," I teased. "Not a brain surgeon."

"You mean…you think…."

"I think she is, but I could be wrong."

"How do I bring up the subject?"

"I don't know. Maybe 'Hey Lilly, maybe we should have a talk about kids'?"

"Yeah…"

"You guys have had that discussion, right?"

"Sort of. We wanted to wait a few years. I mean, we've always kind of gone by the seat of our pants."

"What do you think about it happening a little early?" I asked.

"Michael, I'm going to be a father," he whispered with a sort of smile, not looking at me. He stomped on his cigarette and ran into the studio again.

Well, he took that well.

I went home a little while later and showered and put on my suit. Mia had picked one up on her way home from dress shopping. I would have rathered wearing one of my own and she agreed, but only after she saw me in the thing she bought.

She didn't let me see her dress yet though, she simply poked her head out from our bedroom door. "I don't like it. Wear what you want," she said about my suit.

"What are you wearing?" I asked, loosening my tie.

"That is none of your business yet," Shameeka said pushing me away from the door.

"Well, I do need to go in there and get clothes."

"Here," she said tossing me an old blue velor suit. "It'll look great," she promised.

"This is an old Halloween costume," I called back to her.

"It'll be a fashion statement.

I rolled my eyes. Great. Just what I wanted. To be a fashion statement.

I sat in the living room, strumming on my guitar as I waited for Mia to come out of the room. The door opened and I stood up, but it was a false alarm. It was only Shameeka who was also going to the ceremony. "Don't you look snazzy," she teased.

"You look beautiful," I complimented. And she did. She had a bright red dress who's hem went up and down in a wave like formation.

"Thanks Michael. But wait til you see your girl-"

As if on cue Mia came out. And she looked…well, stunning. It was exactly the type of dress she said she wanted. It came to about right below her knees and the hung on all of her curves. The dress was a shimmery blue color that attracted all of the lights. "You look…"

"Doesn't she look vintage?" Shameeka asked. "It's from this little store that we found that sells old Hollywood gowns. This was designed by who Mia?" she asked. She knew that Mia would be asked the designer's name.

"Bill Blass," she said softly. "Do you like it Michael?" she asked.

"Mia…it's…breathtaking," I said after a few minutes. It really was. The dress itself was simple. I'm sure it looks ugly on the rack (and I'm sure Mia picked it out and Shameeka didn't like it until she saw it on Mia), but on Mia it just…I dunno. It wasn't like what other women wear in today's world. It had sleeves, for one. Short ones, but normally women are apt to wear strapless or thin straps.

"Michael, you should go change into that white suit I put on the bed for you. That way you won't look like matching twins," Shameeka instructed, pushing me out of the room. "That is, if you can take your eyes off of her for five minutes."

I could tell I was blushing but who cared?

We were the toast of the town that night. Or rather, Mia was. Everyone loved her simple elegance look. Her hair matched the 1930's feel that her dress set off. She said a short speech at the ceremony and then asked me if I minded leaving a short while later. She didn't want to go to the parties afterwards. "I'm way too tired," she explained to a person taht was hosting a party.

They looked offended, but Mia stood her ground. "I think I may be coming down with the bug. I just need some rest," she lied, feigning a stuffed nose. What an actress.

The next week was filled with us rushing around the city getting the final plans for the wedding settled. The guys helped me get some tables for the reception and then helped me set them up at the loft. Rocky was kind enough to put his drums away for this occasion.

"It's not everyday that my big sister gets married," he explained to me.

I was happy to be getting a little brother out of this deal. Cassy was too young to understand anything. She had started walking a little on her own so she kept walking around us to show off.

"I think she has a crush on you," Mia teased on Christmas eve. We were spending it alone because her mother wanted us over early the next morning for presents.

"What can I say? The Thermopolis women love me," I teased back. "Why are the fire detectors going off? Are you cooking something?"

"Oh crap!" she said jumping up.

"What?" I asked.

"Your cake!"

"My what?"

She was already in the kitchen opening the oven. I walked into the room filled with smoke.

"Your birthday cake!" she exclaimed.

"My birthday isn't for another few weeks," I replied.

"I know…but we won't be around for it," she explained, "So I wanted to surprise you with a birthday cake."

I kissed the tip of her nose and pulled her to me close and started silently laughing. "Thank you babe," I said trying not to let her know I am laughing. "Love you."

So instead of a birthday cake we sat in front of my fireplace toasting marshmallows, and listened to some old Al Green music and talked about her upcoming speech to the populace of Genovia.

"They'll hate me," she said softly.

I handed her her s'more. "No they won't. They just won't understand."

She half smiled and bit into her s'more.

The next morning she woke me up extra early from our little bed that we made on the living room floor. "Why am I awake at six thirty in the morning?" I asked rubbing my eyes.

She bounced up and down, "You'll see."

So I got up. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a girl in pink pajamas and pig tails.

She pulled me into a guest room where she had a piano set up. "You got me a piano?" I asked, surprised. "When did you get it in here?" I asked.

"Yesterday while you were at the studio, do you like it?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, totally," I said fingering the keys. I had never really owned a proper piano before and it touched me that she figured out that I wanted that.

She sat down on the bench and turned to me. "This was written for me a long time ago," she started. "But now it is for you."

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful

Stop me and steal my breath

Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky

Never revealing their depth

Tell me that we belong together Dress it up with the trappings of love

I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I'll be your cryin' shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

Rain falls angry on the tin roof

As we lie awake in my bed

You're my survival, you're my living proof

My love is alive and not dead

Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up in the trappings of love

I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I've dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead

Tuned in, turned on, remembered the thing you said

I could tell without her having to say so that Joshua had written those words for her. I sat next to her on the bench and rubbed her back as she played the last few notes. "You learned how to play the piano?" I asked softly to lessen the tension I could feel that was building up in her back.

"Grandmere had me learn it a few years ago."

"Thank you," I said softly, "That was beautiful."

"And Michael," she said softly, looking up at me.

"Yes?"

She took off the bracelet that had been on her wrist since before I had seen her again. "Look at the inscription."

I looked at the engraving and saw 'Prop. Of MM'. I laughed. "So the bracelet is mine as well?"
She smiled and took it away from me. "You can only wish. No. It is mine. All mine."

"Where is your necklace?" I asked, noticing that her locket was gone.

"I put it away last night," she replied, rubbing her neck where the necklace had once taken residence.

"Away?" I asked.

"Joshua gave that to me for my birthday last year and I swore I would never take it off. But then I started thinking about something. He wanted me to move on and I know I could never fully do that with his picture around my neck. I don't think he intended for me to wear him for the rest of my life."

I nodded. I didn't want her to let go of her past completely. "Ready for your gift?" I asked.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Duh."