Perdita woke up at the usual time of five in the morning, for a few minutes she just stared at the ceiling, wondering, as she did every day, whether it was worth it to get up, in the end she just sighed and got up, walking over to her closet, shivering from the cold morning, she quickly dressed in a simple pink gown, and walked out into the Corridor, where Mouse was already waiting.

"Good morning my queen." He said, bowing to her.

"Good morning Mouse," she said with a yawn, "how did you sleep?"

"Fine my queen, and you?"

"Same as every night." she mumbled, "couldn't sleep until about two or three in the morning."

He nodded, "perhaps we should get you some sleeping pills," he said.

"I have enough medicine that I need to take." She said dismissively.

"Which reminds me." he pulled out a cup from his pocket, two small white pills inside it.

"Mouse-" she started.

"No arguing my queen." He said, "You need to take your medicine."

She groaned and took the cup and quickly put the pills in her mouth, swallowing them dry, "happy?" she asked.

"Very much so." He said as they started walking. "Do not forget that tonight you have the Annual Christmas ball."

She sighed, "do I have to go?" she asked.

"Of course." He said, "It is tradition for the royal family at the time to attend, and, if they wish, to give a speech, but I'm sure you don't want to do that."

'No I don't." she said, "and I want to be out of there before that pompous brat of a prince tries to ask me to dance again."

Mouse smirked, 'he wouldn't dare, not tonight anyways."

Perdita looked at Mouse, "what?"

"I'll be beside you all night my lady." He said, "he would not dare come up to you when I am around."

"Oh…o-of course…" she mumbled, since her release from the hospital, she always hoped that what she had overheard between Ian and Mouse hadn't been her imagination, but with how Mouse acted, she was slowly losing hope in the possibility of Billy ever appearing in Vlatava, "well, lets go to breakfast then… "She mumbled, walking down the hall, mouse beside her.

Queen Perdita found herself with an immense feeling of Deija vu, sitting on her thrown, watching couples dance, while she herself experienced feelings of longing for the night almost five years ago.

"You look upset my queen." Mouse said from behind her, "what is wrong?"

"Nothing…just…these dances always remind me…of him…"

Mouse closed his eyes, "I remember how happy you were." He commented, "so happy to be with that scrawny little boy who seemed to hang on your every word, and you his, and yet, you never tried to contact him after the incident, you never asked me to track him down."

"I didn't ask because I wanted to keep him safe." She mumbled, "it is true, I felt…deeply for him, but I didn't want to see him like he was that night at the dance…a bullet in his chest…blood everywhere…all from protecting me…"

"And it was a noble sentiment." He said, "but why not continue to talk to him? To continue seeing him as a friend."

Perdita closed her eyes, a single tear trailing down her cheek, "because it hurt too much…" she whispered, 'and now that I'm close to stepping down…I can't help but wonder if he's moved on…if he's decided I'm not worth it… which makes me hesitant to even try and contact him."

"I, however, am never hesitant." Mouse said, making Perdita look at him, the large man had a smile on his face as he pointed across the room, "and he is a very stubborn one too."

She turned away from him and looked to where he was pointing, where a familiar red sweater could be seen easily, "it can't be…" she whispered, standing up.

Mouse smiled, "go to him." He said, giving her a reassuring pat on the back, instantly Perdita was going off across the dance floor, weaving through the nobles as quickly as she could; soon, she found herself right behind him, he was looking around, craning his neck as he did.

"Billy?" she asked softly, and instantly the boy stiffened up and slowly turned around, he looked just as she remembered, only more tall and lanky, his hair had gotten longer too, looking very unkept and shaggy, he looked completely out of place in his jeans, sneakers and sweater, but Perdita couldn't care less.

"Perdita?" he asked hopefully, his voice deeper then she remembered, she felt tears swell up in her eyes as she shot forward and hugged him.

"I can't believe it is you!" she cried.

Billy smiled and wrapped her up in a hug, "better believe it," he said softly.

Someone cleared their throat, making Perdita look over to the man standing beside Billy, his face looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"You going to introduce us Billy?" he asked.

"Oh…right…Perdita, this is Connor Kent, he's a friend from back home."

"It is very nice to meet you." she said kindly, he nodded back to her.

"I've heard all about you." he said, "Billy hasn't stopped talking about you since Mouse called him."

"Dude!" Billy groaned, making Perdita giggle.

"That is very sweet of him." Perdita said, 'please, enjoy yourself, any friend of Billy's is a friend of mine."

Connor smiled and walked over to the buffet table, looking ravenous, Billy smiled, "oh you have no idea what you just did."

"I am beginning to realize what I just did." She said back, trying to stop herself from laughing, "will there be anything left when he's done?"

"Maybe the vegetables, he hates those." Billy said, "but I don't want to talk about Connor, I want to talk about you, how have you been? What have you been doing? Do you have a boyfriend? If so, could I beat said boyfriend up?"

Perdita laughed, 'No, I have no boyfriend, though many have tried to fill the spot." She said, "and in any case, I think you could take each and every one of them."

"Oh that makes me feel loads better." He said in relief, he pricked his ears as the band started playing a slow song, "shall I have this dance my lady?" he asked, bowing to her and holding his hand out.

Perdita giggled, "I don't know…I haven't danced in over five years." She confessed.

"It's like riding a bike, you never forget." He said, "or in my case, you fall down about fifteen times before you put the training wheels back on."

Perdita laughed again, feeling a lightness in her chest that she had not felt in a long time, "then allow me to be your training wheels." She said, taking his hand, Billy smiled and straightened up, leading her to the dance floor.


Mouse watched the pair, a broad grin on his face, "It does me good to see her smile." Ian's voice boomed from behind, he walked up to mouse and clapped him on the back, "she looks indescribably happy, no?"

Mouse nodded, "I haven't seen her this happy since about five years ago when we were in America, I believe he's the reason too."

Ian smirked and pulled out a glass bottle, "well, here's to Billy boy," he said, raising the bottle into the air and then taking a swig.


William watched Billy and Perdita dance, clutching his fists in anger as he did, 'she will dance with that peasant but not me?" he asked angrily.

"Calm down William." Queen bee said from behind him, "I am as surprised as you are…but it appears that they have a history together."

"I'll rip their history apart." He said acidly, earning him a slap from his auntie.

"You will not start anything, at least not tonight, if we're lucky, they may get into some kind of quarrel and he'll be history by the end of the week."

/


Billy escorted Perdita down the hallway, towards her bedroom.

"I told you I could manage." She said softly.

"I know, but you looked so tired, I wanted to make sure you made it without keeling over."

"I don't know why I'm so tired…" she mumbled, "Usually I don't sleep for another five hours."

Billy watched her, "have you eaten anything today?" he asked.

"Of course…" she said, not looking at him.

Billy watched her, then said, "Mouse…told me…about how you've been...under the weather…"

Perdita felt her heart ache, "oh…so, you only came because Mouse asked you too?" she asked spitefully, pulling her hand away from his.

"Perdita-" Billy started.

"You came only so Mouse could have someone to try and do as he wants, is that it?" she asked.

"Perdita I came because I care for you!" he said angrily, "I'd have come sooner if I had known, or if I had thought you wanted anything to do with me."

She watched him tears threatening to fall.

"When I heard." He started carefully, "that you were sick…I almost dropped the phone…I couldn't get here fast enough. I had to make sure you were alright."

Perdita said nothing, just turned away from Billy and looking out the window.

"Do you know how much the mere thought of you tortured me?" he asked, "every day, waking up and knowing that I couldn't be with you? Do you know how much it hurt that you cut me off? No calls, texts, hell not even a letter."

"What about you?" she asked quietly, "You never tried to contact me before."

"Oh yeah, it would've been so easy to do too," he said sarcastically, "just call up a dignitary without anyone trying to stop me, I called the queen of England the other day, had a nice long chat."

"So it's all my fault that we haven't reconnected?" she asked thickly, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Of course not." He said softly, walking up behind her and putting his arms around her, "it's no ones fault."

Perdita sniffed, "Why did you really come?" she asked softly.

Billy looked down at her, "I came." He started, wiping her tears away, "because you needed me, I'll always come when you need me."

Perdita felt a fresh wave of tears come on as she hugged Billy, burying her face into his chest.

"Come on Perdita, please stop crying." Billy said, hugging her, "I don't like to see you cry."

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, pulling away from him and wiping her eyes, "I'm not usually like this."

"It's okay," Billy said quickly, "didn't mean to…you know…'

She shook her head, "it's not your fault Billy." She said.

"I-I know…I just feel like I should be apologizing for…anything I've done?"

Perdita gave a soft chuckle, "Billy…you have done nothing to be apologetic for." She said, taking his hand, "I'm just being…irrational."

"We all deserve to be irrational sometimes," he said, putting a hand to her cheek softly, her free hand went up to his, holding it as she closed her eyes, she opened them again and looked at him, "Billy…" she whispered, "I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize," he said softly, leaning in slowly, kissing her softly, Perdita immediately deepened the kiss, letting go of his hand to put hers on his chest, Billy put his now free hand around her waist, pulling her closer, when they broke apart Perdita looked slightly dazed, "wow…" she whispered.

Billy was grinning like an idiot, "I've been waiting to do that for almost five years."

She smiled, "worth the wait, no?"

He nodded and kissed her again, "and I'm not going to let it be the last one." He mumbled.

Someone clearing their throat made the young couple step away from each other and look over, Connor was leaning against the wall, his face blank, "hey Billy, it'd probably be a good idea to let the Queen get some sleep, it's probably been a long day for her.'

"R-right." Billy mumbled, looking at Perdita, "um…goodnight…Perdita."

She smiled and kissed his cheek, "Goodnight Billy." She said, before turning around and walking into her room.

Billy smile and turned around, walking over to Connor, who was now smirking, "What?"

"Nothing," Connor said, "Just glad you're out of that depression."


Perdita walked out of her meeting with a smile on her face, Mouse walked beside her, chuckling, "what is it mouse?" she asked.

"Nothin, it's just that I haven't seen you this happy in a long time."

"Why would you think I'm happy?" she asked innocently.

"The smile on your face tells me everything."

"Oh right, I can stop anytime I want to." She said, trying, and failing, to stop smiling, she ended up just laughing, "I cannot stop!"

Mouse gave a booming laugh, "It does me good to see you like this again."

"Have I really been that bad?" she asked, her smile diminishing a little.

"Not bad, just worrisome, you know how us big brothers get, when our sisters aren't happy, we will do anything to see them smile again."

Perdita hugged mouse as they walked, "Thank you mouse," she said sincerely, "if it were not for you, I may have failed."

"You would have found a way, you are very resourceful." Mouse said with a crooked grin, giving her a side hug, "Now, enough of this, do you not have a dinner date with Billy?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"There's is very little I don't know when it comes to what happens in this castle."