Victoria had made her way to the gardens, alone, unaccompanied. Dawn was breaking and she could see her breath before her. She had not slept that night, the ball had filled her thoughts with hopes which had long been suppressed. Finding her favourite bench, she took a seat, hugged her shawl into her body and sighed. It had been but a year since Albert's passing and the time had helped to assuage her grief. Time healed the wounds partially, but Lord Melbourne had finally sealed them. Light had begun to reenter her life when she heard that there would be another election, and that Lord M was returning to politics. She did not know, however, how profoundly he would impact her. Seeing him again, in the flesh and not in her mind or in watercolours, had affected her more than she cared to admit. Victoria had never really felt at home in a certain place, in a certain building. Kensington was her prison and possessed no comfort. All those years ago, she had attached herself to the only person who really defended her and had the power and means to do so. Melbourne was home to her and when they were reunited Victoria finally felt at peace, she was finally home.

She twisted her gold wedding band around her ring finger and removed it slowly. Albert had been a good husband, loving, attentive, kind and selfless. She had loved him and continued to do so. Yet, her heart was never completely his. Melbourne had set up permanent camp the day they met, never, she felt to be evicted. Not seeing him everyday hurt her and her role as Queen had not been as enjoyable as it had once been. It even hurt to think of him, and so she tried not to. He still crept into her consciousness in certain moments, but married life had forced her to let him go.

Now, he had come back to her and she was not willing to lose him again.

She heard Dash bark excitedly and was shaken from her reverie, only to be met with the subject of it. Lord Melbourne was walking towards her, green jacket billowing in the slight breeze. She tilted her head to the side and smiled as an expression of utter confusion crossed his handsome face.

"Ma'am, what on earth are you doing out here? Are you cold?" He asked worriedly moving to remove his jacket which she accepted gratefully, not having realised that she was terribly cold.

"I am thinking."

Melbourne took a seat beside her and chuckled slightly.

"Same as I, I'm afraid."

Victoria turned to face him just as he did the same. Their nerves dissipated once their eyes met. Everything dissipated once their eyes met.

"I was thinking about you, and about Albert."

He nodded understandingly, encouragingly.

"Lately, I have not been able to clear my mind and I have been so very distracted. I realise now that that is a good thing. For so long I had not thought of anything beyond my own sadness and saw only shadows. I am happy that my mind has been filled with happiness again, and my heart." She took his hand gently, tears welling in her eyes when she saw his own happiness, it radiated from within him. "For a time, Lord M, I was engulfed by darkness, everything was bleak. I heard nothing and saw less. You said once, that I gave you a reason to continue, that being my Prime Minister and friend gave you a purpose. My dear Lord M, you have done that and more for me."

He understood how she had felt, without her ever having to tell him. For he had felt just the same, not once, not twice, but three times. Losing Victoria to Albert had been just as painful as losing his wife and son. What could he do now but tell the truth.

"I realised something last night, when we were dancing. As I held you in my arms, I recalled all of the times that I had let you go, when I had to let you go. But I felt then, in that moment, that we were one and I will never again be able to rid myself of you."

He moved a strong hand to her cheek and gently stroked away a stray tear.

"I love you, Victoria, with my whole, imperfect heart."

Her face lit up upon hearing the words she had so longed to hear.

"I love you."

He kissed her then and all of the pain of a decade's long separation vanished.

Breaking away from him briefly, wearing a look of profound astonishment, she grinned and said: "You called me Victoria!"