AN: In relation to the previous chapters, this one jumps forward a few days to the weekend after the ball.

AN2: Thank you to everyone who is still reading this and who have given me such nice reviewers. I'm sorry I don't update on a regular basis, but school and work have kept me busy.


Giselle never really wondered what if. She believed wholeheartedly in fate, having been brought up on fairytales and happily ever afters. Because of this, she knew she was exactly where she belonged.

Still, that faith in fate didn't keep her from missing her old friends, no matter how dear her new ones were. She was sure that Pip was fine, as always, and probably had taken advantage of his ties now to Edward. She could picture him know, staying in the palace grounds, ordering around all the other animals in the gardens.

In some ways, she was lucky that he'd been all her family had consisted of for so many years. It made fewer people to miss on the rainy mornings like today. Missing people in general was an odd enough feeling – though she was sure it could be worse. Much like her own self, everything in her new world was much more real, with a whole rainbow of emotions that she had to learn to sift through on a daily basis.

"Giselle?"

Robert's voice pulled her attention from the rain tracing its way down the window pane, and she turned to give him a small smile. She knew at least that she was supposed to be here; no matter the difficulties she faced adapting. Robert was here, and she was with him, and that was enough. "Good morning, Robert."

He crossed the room, his lean form wrapped in his blue robe and the hem of his plaid sleep pants brushing the floor as his bare feet slapped against the wood floor. She lifted her face as he reached her, one hand lifting to brush back his wayward curls as he bent down to kiss her lightly. He pulled away just enough to meet her eyes. "Are you okay?"

She lifted the corners of her lips in a smile. "I'm fine, Robert. Just a little sad is all."

His blue eyes widened impossibly large and she blushed, remember that she'd told him about her small range of emotions back home – in Andalasia – a few days after the ball. With a smooth pull on her hands, he was suddenly sitting in her seat, and she was cuddled on his lap.

"Robert…" she released a watery laugh, shaking her head but leaning further into his warmth.

"What's wrong, Giselle? For you to be a little sad…" He let the rest of his sentence trail off, the words hanging unsaid in the space between them.

"I was just thinking of my friends back in Andalasia."

"You miss them."

She nodded. "I do. I do love it here, Robert…it's just…"

"You miss them." He gave her a soft, understanding look, one of his hands warm on her back, the other resting gently on her leg. "It's okay to miss them, Giselle. They're your friends. Your family – I understand."

"You do, don't you?"

He nodded. "And days like this make it hard not to be sad, right?"

"Oh yes. Very sad indeed." She relaxed into his embrace, her head fitting into that perfect spot between his shoulder and neck. His arms tightened around her, and she blinked back wetness – tears – from her eyes as she returned her gaze to the rainy day outside. "Robert?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it ever get easier to be sad?"

He was quiet for a long moment before he finally shook his head minutely. "I think it's something that you learn to deal with, but no, I don't think being sad gets easier."

"Oh." Giselle let out a frustrated sigh. "I didn't think so."

"I'm sorry things have been so hard for you here."

Giselle shook her head, shifting in his arms to look at him fully. "It's not your fault, Robert. I chose to stay because I wanted to. Because I knew I was meant to be here."

"But…"

"No." Her voice was firm. "True love, remember?"

Robert chuckled a bit, pulling her close for a kiss. "I remember."

She beamed at him, the lingering sorrow for missed friends evaporating from her body. "So what shall we do today?"

Robert looked thoughtful, and she smiled inwardly as he took her change in mood and subject in stride. He didn't even blink. "Well, Morgan is supposed to go to a friend's this afternoon. What about a date?" He grinned at her. "I know, I know, you consider all our other trips and outings dates, but how about a grown-up date with just us?"

"That sounds lovely. What shall we do?"

"Why don't we leave that up to me?"Giselle nodded and moved to get up from his lap, surprised when Robert pulled her tighter to him. "We have at least another hour before Morgan gets up. Why don't we just stay here for a bit?"

Giselle smiled at him, settling back against him with a happy sigh. "I am very happy to be here, Robert."

"I'm glad. I'm happy to have you here, you know."

"Even though I still need to learn so much?"

"In some ways because of that. You brought so much into my life that I didn't know I needed Giselle. I love you."

Giselle felt her eyes welling with tears again, but she didn't try to halt them. "Thank you, Robert." She kissed the corner of his mouth. "And I love you too."

He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her temple, but said nothing. Giselle settled deeper into his embrace, her eyes closing in happiness at just being with him."