Jeremie, Odd, Aelita, Ulrich, and Yumi are NOT mine. But Cali is, and so is my plot, so don't steal them!

I do think I remember saying at the beginning of this fic that my facts would not be correct, so DON'T give me a review reprimanding me for it. I DO appreciate the thought, though, but just don't... All right, with that said, onto the story.

"Jeremie? Are you in there?" asked Aelita, knocking on the door. Aelita had left Cali's place later after they started their little plan, going over specific details and whatnot. It was now almost dinnertime, and Aelita had persuaded her father to let Jeremie come to the big soiree that Aelita and her father had been invited to. She was coming up to Jeremie's room to tell him the news, AND maybe a bit of shameless flirting could ensue while she was there...

Jeremie swung open the door. "'Ello Aelita," said Jeremie, opening the door even wider to allow her access. She walked in, smiling.

"I just wanted to tell you that I persuaded my father to let you come to this little Ball..."

Jeremie nearly lost his composure. "B-ball? But I... I don't have the right clothing! And I can hardly dance! I don't think..."

"It's all right, Jeremie. I've seen to it that you've gotten the finest clothing, and anyone can dance. Can you count?"

"Well, I... Of course!"

Aelita looked back at him and smirked. "Then you can dance!" She returned to the task at hand, choosing an outfit for him.

"I think," said Jeremie, walking over to Aelita and touching the outfit, "That I can dress myself quite fine."

Aelita blushed. "Of course, Mister..."

"Oh, and all this time we've known each other and you don't even know my last name? Such a disgrace. So sorry for the misnomer," said Jeremie, setting down the outfit on the back of a chair.

He made an eloquent bow. "I am Jeremie Belpois, son of Jonas Belpois, heir to absolutely nothing."

Aelita chuckled. "What a shame. It seems as if you've come from such royalty."

"That's the price you must pay for being the Right Hand to President Washington."

Aelita's eyes widened. "Right Hand? My goodness, you actually know the President? I thought you were just making it all up... to give the prisoners false hope..."

"Should I take that as a compliment?"

"Oh, I believe it's classified as a compliment."

"Well, then I can tell you a few things about said compliment," said Jeremie, sitting on the chair at his desk. "I don't know which is worse. Giving false hope or giving none at all."

Aelita sat on the edge of Jeremie's bed. "I think it best to give them something to hope for. What else could you possibly live for if you have no hope that no one will come to save you?"

Jeremie nodded. "But that would also be giving them false security. I hate to know that I'm up here living in luxury while they're done there, suffering through God knows what."

Aelita tapped her foot agitatedly against the floor. He was making her feel so guilty! "Well, maybe I could pull a few strings..."

Jeremie jumped up from his chair and sprang towards Aelita, grabbing her hand. "Oh could you?" he asked, smiling at her.

Aelita sighed. "Yes, I'll try. But I'm not making any promises!"

Jeremie grinned, pulling her up, and leading her towards the door. "Thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!"

Aelita rolled her eyes.

Jeremie opened the door. "I'm sorry, but this conversation must end. Or else I won't be ready for this Ball you are all worked up about!" Jeremie brought her hand to his face and kissed it. "Come back for me in half an hour, my dear."

Jeremie closed the door and let out a breath. He was surprised at how suave he became. He never had the proper... what he'd call training... around women. He'd always been around Washington for as long as he could remember. Washington was like the father he never had. And Washington's wife was like a mother to him. He remembered when he would walk through the sidewalks with Washington. He felt so old, so accomplished. Especially whenever men would tip their hat to him, and Washington. Everyone knew him as Jeremie Belpois, the genius kid who somehow got into Washington's inner circle. His heart swelled with pride at the thought of knowing such a powerful and influential man. And he was extremely fortunate, as well. He remembered fleeing to his Aunt's home after his parents perished, and she didn't much like him. She sent him off to a boarding school. Jeremie excelled enormously at that school, and by age fifteen he was already in college-level classes. Washington was at the school one time to make sure everything was up to regulation. Feeling compelled to say a speech to the students, he gave a speech to the student-body.

It was there that Jeremie had pointed out a minor mistake in his speech. Just a small political error that no one would have ever noticed if they had never studied the Constitution and the Amendments in great depth. Washington was impressed, none-the-less, and asked for Jeremie's name. Jeremie ended up leaving with Washington, because he was so far ahead in his studies he was beginning to surpass the teachers there.

Jeremie took the clothes from the chair and began to dress into them, grooming himself the way he felt he needed to. Then he sat back at his desk and looked over all the information he had collected so far. Not much, but he did catch little tidbits of information from the guards outside the door at times. And Aelita had barely contributed. But he should be able to get quite a bit of information tonight at the ball if all went well.

"Jeremie? May I come in?" called Aelita's voice.

Jeremie, jumped, shuffling around a few papers and beginning to write a bit of nonsense on another sheet of paper, and hiding the paper with information on it far beneath blank pages. He managed to look like he was engrossed on a piece of prose when she walked in.

"What's that?" asked Aelita, standing behind him.

"Just a bit of nothing, my dear. I find myself to be quite bored and since I've got a writing utensil and some paper I thought I'd make use of it."

Aelita nodded her approval. "I'll see to it you get more materials if the need arouses."

"Thank you, my dear."

Aelita smiled. "Or, you could come to tea with me and meet my friends."

Jeremie looked at her. "I'm invited to such prestigious events such as that? Oh I must be the luckiest man in this whole jail facility!"

Aelita chuckled half-heartedly. "Well, I know it's not much. But it has to be better than being holed up in this room with guards at your door all day."

"Oh, it's not as bad as it seems. You should try it some day!"

"I think I'll pass."

"Yes, I thought you would. And also, being here is okay, as long as I have the promise of you coming to visit me every day."

Aelita flushed. "Well that's a promise I shall keep!"

Jeremie nodded. "That's good to hear."

Aelita stood. "As wonderful as this chat is, I think we should be going. Or else father will begin to wonder..."

"We don't want him wondering, now do we? OR that fiancé of yours..."

Aelita flushed. "Er no... no we don't."

Jeremie offered her his arm. "Shall we, Princess?"

"Princess?"

"Ah, it fits to me. You seem to be from royalty!"

"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt..."

Jeremie grinned. "Good, let us leave, my Princess."

He opened the door, and Aelita explained to the guards that he was attending the Ball with her, and that they were to have the evening off.

Master Stones was still skeptical about Jeremie coming with them, but it was his daughter's wish. And even though he seemed so barbaric to her, he still loved her and cared for her. He was so used to being the enemy around her, that he now doesn't know any other way to act around her. He saw how crushed she was when he announced that she and William were to be married. It was then when he realized how much power he held over her. She would do anything for him, just to please him, make him happy. Even if it meant that it made her life a living hell. He was aware of the cuts on her hand, of the whispers from the servants about William and Aelita's confrontation. Yet, he did not know what to do. To break off their engagement would mean ruin for himself. If he denied William marriage to his daughter, then his whole life would be ruined. And he wasn't willing to risk anything for that. Even his own daughter's happiness, possibly even life.

And, if you had ever walked up to him and told him that his daughter was rebelling against him and having an affair with one of his prisoners, he would've laughed and told you that you were crazy. But, unfortunately, that was the truth. And he was too blind to see that his daughter actually had a mind of her own, and how many rebellious thoughts were actually in there. Including the thought of running off and joining the Americans on the war front. But one of the only reasons Aelita stayed was because... who else would take care of her father?

Jeremie opened the carriage door for Aelita, then slipped in himself. Master Stones admired his gentlemanly qualities. But, he really sort of expected it. Rumor in the jail was that he was Washington's Right Hand man. The genius kid who graduated from college when he was just sixteen, and then went off and began to Washington himself. He should be well mannered and courteous... at least where the ladies where concerned. And he certainly was courteous.

"Princess, I believe I've caught the iron glare of your father..." whispered Jeremie as he sat down. Indeed, Master Stones was giving Jeremie a bit of a glare. Anyone who even acted a little too sweet on his daughter was on his list. Except William. He could do whatever he pleased to and with Aelita, and Master Stone's never cared. Which was probably one of the biggest mistakes he could have ever made.

Hey man, I'm already done? That was fast. Okay, praise me again. Love me and praise me.

Review kids, I live for them!

Lady Epur out