I had expected when we got back to the Manse for there to be a crowd waiting for us. That Roberto may have guessed what had happened... or heard about it by now... and had more or less rallied the Princes to welcome me back. If not that- he might have waited there himself.

The first 'crowd' waiting for us had nothing to do with Roberto.

Protesters.

Not very peaceful ones either, they were pretty aggravated, even throwing a stone at the car, and Prince Keith stared at them with an unreadable expression. They were holding signs against the royal family. One thing I did notice though was that he didn't seem surprised.

"Around the back?" His butler called and Prince Keith agreed. The car curved around the large Manse, a good five minute drive, before we came to a stop just outside the back.

Roberto wasn't there. No one was. Prince Keith and I headed inside, security around us, and I was led to the dining hall. For the first time I sat there and ate with Prince Keith... just a soup and thick crusty bread... but it was tense.

"Those protesters..."

"You need not think about them." He responded as he gazed down at an evening newspaper. "Just eat and relax."

I ate a little. Cream of celery soup, I had to guess, and it was very smooth and very warm. The buttered bread was soft and crispy. Bit by bit the warmth seeped into me and my body slowly relaxed. We hadn't mentioned my father or what had happened the whole trip. It was only when we'd finished did Prince Keith finally bring it up.

"We weren't expecting it to go that way." He ignored the maids that came to take the plates. His emerald green eyes were watching my every move. Maybe Prince Keith wasn't completely convinced I was not on my Father's side, I wasn't sure, but when dessert came he went quiet and only spoke again when we were alone with warmed chocolate pudding. "I will ensure next time my security is better prepared for any potential scenario."

"I didn't know it'd be him."

"We never thought he'd be so arrogant as to show up in person like that." Prince Keith gazed down at his pudding and took a slow bite, thoughtful, sighing. Now that we were inside he seemed almost tired. "What did he say? We have some words from lip reading on the camera but I would hear it from you also."

"Mostly about how bad Princes were, about how he just wanted me to have a heir to Oriens..." Wait. Had he said he'd kill the fake Prince Glenn when he said they'd deal with it? "I don't know but I think he was suggesting... that he'd just take him out of the picture after."

"Leaving you the mother of the heir and ruler of the country by proxy should the King and Queen be rendered unfit to rule. As they seem to be getting ready to do." Prince Keith tossed the evening paper to me and frowned at it.

'A new King of Oriens? King of Oriens claims ill health- But is this a sign that Prince Glenn will soon become the new ruler?'

I gaped at it. Then my eyes drifted further down. There was a smaller article.

'Alliance of the Six Kingdoms under threat? Has Prince Glenn broken the alliance by suggesting he may be soon ascended to the position of King?'

"Why would they assume that?"

"It is an agreement that we six heirs will ascend as Kings upon the same day in Nobel Michal." Prince Keith pushed his chocolate pudding around slowly, barely noticing it, his eyes back on the paper now.

"When?"

"Thirty five. Or, if the leaders are unfit to rule, we'll all be crowned early."

That was a problem. I stared at Prince Keith and frowned. "That's not good."

"No, and it's an issue my Father would gladly challenge."

That we will attend each other's weddings, celebrate the birth of each other's heirs, and ensure that our heirs grow up to be as close as family would be." Prince Keith took the paper back. "I've left a copy in your room."

"Thanks. So... if he's made King..."

"According to the laws which secure our Kingdoms under peace, such a thing would break the alliances between our nations, and perhaps cause problems." Prince Keith muttered, "This was why our ancestors agreed all Princes should be friends- so we wouldn't do this."

"He probably knows that too."

"Of course he does." Prince Keith began to eat again.

I finished the bowl. Now I was pretty calm, my body weary, and the carbs from the meal giving me a strange kind of sleepiness. Prince Keith seemed to be in a similar state because he rose slowly.

"We should rest. There'll be a great deal of work tomorrow."

"Am I going back out?"

"No." Prince Keith shook his head. "After such a brazen display- I think it would only make sense to keep you inside for a while. Your Father wouldn't expect us to trust him and I have no desire to risk it again until my security has learnt from its mistakes."

Then I was confined to the Manse once again.

"Please allow my butler, Luke, to escort you back to your room." Prince Keith bowed briefly and vanished outside a side door.

Luke showed me back- it was a little distance from the dining hall- and when I was in the room I took my pills for the night and sat down on the bed with a soft groan. Then I pulled out my phone. Roberto wasn't here now.

I intended on applogising but instead found a message from him. He was worried and he'd gone to make sure I was all right.

...woah. Hang on.

Had he left the Manse?

My fingers fumbled as I tried to find Alberto's number. I didn't message. I called.

"Al... Alberto? It's Sophia."

"I know, Miss Sophia." He sounded sleepy.

"Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Is something the matter?"

"Roberto seemed to know something was wrong and said he wanted to make sure I was all right."

"Mm. He cares for your wellfare. Would you prefer he not visit you tonight?" He really sounded sleepy. Maybe he didn't get it.

"I'd been at the shopping centre when he sent that." I pressed the subject a little to try and get it through his sleepy brain. "When he sent me that message I wasn't in the Manse."

"I see." Suddenly Alberto sounded very awake. "Wait there- I'll be there in just a few minutes."

'A few minutes later' I was much more awake and by the time Alberto had gotten there I'd channeled all my anxiety into 'marine toy sorting' for charities.

Roberto was... we weren't sure. Alberto was on the phone as he strode into my room, knocking three brisk knocks before he entered, and I lay on the bed trying to relax my bad leg as he paced up and down the room.

Once he'd lowered his phone Alberto froze in the middle of the room and started to fiddle with his phone. He was opening something up.

"Do we … know anything?"

"We will in but a moment, Miss Sophia, when his tracker... Ah. I see." Alberto frowned and finally he looked at me. "Please- trust me to bring him back." He bowed before leaving once again.

I blinked and sat there. I supposed he'd come in to reassure me, spent about two minutes ensuring I wasn't about to go after Roberto, before going after him. Right? The Alberto whirlwind had been a bit … fast.

Still. I was kind of reassured. This probably wasn't the first time Alberto had lost track of Roberto. 'Kind of reassured' didn't change the fact that I was still sitting there, heart racing, breathing fast, brain full of Father and bullets and … well, all of that.

He didn't even know how I felt about Roberto. He just wanted him out of the way. What the hell would he do if he knew about us?

'Let him breed you.'

I shuddered. Yeah. Maybe some women were happy with that idea- being rich and having kids as well. Letting others do everything for them. I just … I didn't even want to think about that. And...

And what had he meant by did I want to come home? He hadn't grabbed me, made me follow, and yet I was certain that he had something planned. Right? Why else would he ask? Or would he have just had me shot if I said no?

I wanted Roberto here. Right now. The jerk was supposed to be here so I could tell him everything. So that he could get angry, or joke, or distract me with naked fun time, anything except thinking about that man.

When the door opened I did expect Roberto. Instead, it was Glenn, who knocked gently and excused himself as he came in.

"Hello." He smiled as he stood there. Glenn seemed a little awkward suddenly as he gazed around. "Uh. I'm sorry- if you're tired..."

"I'm okay. It's just been a long day. You're looking better." I commented. He did. Stronger, more upright, his face less drained of blood.

"So do you." He responded. Glenn seemed to have something on his mind though and he took a few moments before offering, "We're discussing... Roberto. If you'd like to join us."

By 'us' I had to assume he meant the other Princes. I blinked. "Discussing?"

"Well, in truth, it's a discussion about all of us." Glenn sat down on the chair slowly. He still seemed sore, careful about his bad shoulder, but he had more energy. "And we'd like to invite you to come."

"Why me?" It was a good question.

"You may choose to get involved as well. It's up to you."

Okay then. That got my attention. I stood up slowly, Glenn standing again in a hurry, and nodded. "Um. Okay. Where to?"

"Prince Keith has a room for us to talk in. Uh." Glenn when he reached the hallway, I followed close behind, but he seemed a little baffled all of a sudden. Yep. Lots of hallways. Lots of doors.

To my amusement a voice said, "This way," as a familiar face appeared with a gentle smile. Yu. Yep. Butlers to the rescue. We followed Yu, who seemed to be very familiar with this place, as we walked some distance right around the Manse and up onto the third floor via a elegant lift.

This area of the Manse was very clearly richly decorated, the hallways, paintings, artwork all clearly expensive and important, so I had to assume this was the place where the important guests and/or important occupants were. Come to think of it- I hadn't even met the King yet. I supposed that was for good reason... I wasn't exactly important... but it was a bit of a relief. That would have been intimidating.

It was in this beautiful area that we came into a room with French windows open, gauzy curtains dancing in the summer night breeze, and a long meeting table down the middle of the room with the other Princes sitting around it in their casual clothing. And like always, I felt like I had been struck over the head with 'Prince-awe' because even in casual clothing these men were … for lack of a better word... glowing. With wine in their hands. Several beautiful smiles directed at me from Wilifred and Edward.

They outshone even the room, which seemed to have gold leaf and lit candles around the edge, or perhaps those were real lights pretending to be candles. I couldn't even tell anymore. The table itself seemed to be an ancient carved wooden table with shapes in the legs, delicate work along the edge, and …

And I really kind of felt out of place. I mean. I was wearing a skort. Even the word wasn't nearly elegant enough.

"Relax." Glenn muttered. He had fallen behind me and I felt his hand give me a shove, gentle, as he chuckled softly. "You look like you're about to run away."

The idea was tempting. I was still stressed about Father and … and had detoxed a little from glowing Princes.

Edward stood and rolled out one of the chairs for me. Clearly a modern chair at leasts. I accepted it and he pushed it under me, before helping me into the table, a hand squeezing my shoulder as he did.

"You look radiant." He said softly, leaning down to kiss the top of my head, and although he was sweet, it suddenly felt as if Edward was behaving like a big brother. I couldn't explain that feeling- just that the last time he'd been sweet to me, it had almost been flirtation, but tonight? Nothing like it.

"Thanks. Um. Sorry for intruding on your meeting." I saw there was a lot of paperwork strewn about now, coffee with the wine, and to my relief Wilifred rose and came to sit beside me. Yeah. He was glowing but I still felt pretty comfortable with him.

"We invited you." Prince Keith didn't even bother to look at me as he tossed a file onto the table and leaned back with a low sigh. He seemed tired to me and when he grasped for the coffee, it confirmed that. "Get her some coffee."

"You had a difficult day. It should be us who apologise for bringing you here, rather than allowing you to rest." Wilifred added. He offered me a mug, Louis … I think that was his name... was quick to fill it, and I accepted the warm drink. Once again a breeze rushed in through the curtains, filling the room with the cool air and the smell of roses and lilac, and despite my anxiety over the day... I sighed and felt my body easing somewhat.

"It's okay. I don't feel so bad."

"This room is designed to be cool in summer." Edward explained softly. He smiled over his drink to me.

Prince Joshua suddenly shot up, his face darkening as he stared at something behind me and to my astonishment the man literally fled. For the balcony. His voice came, shrill, almost panicked, as he shouted, "I told you to keep that thing …. that thing... out of here!"

Huh? He hadn't meant me, had he?

Wilifred was up quickly and I twisted around to see him gently detaching a little orange kitten from the shelf. He frowned and gently stroked it. "Sorry, Joshua. We had to bring her." He gazed to me, adding, "She seems to cry when Roberto isn't there."

Oh. Roberto's kitten. Wilifred sat down and offered the kitten a little place in his scarf once again. I gazed down at it, reaching for it and felt kitten teeth wrap around my finger, and flinched. "This one needs a playmate. So does my puppy. It should play with my puppy. Um. If puppies and kittens even get along..."

"They do." Louis responded straight away. He seemed a little flustered when everyone looked at him. Maybe he secretly liked them? "I... if it would please you, Prince Edward, I could take the kitten to Miss Sophia's room for the duration of the meeting?"

"Get it out of here." Joshua's voice carried in from the balcony.

Was he afraid of kittens? I stared at him in astonishment as he peered around the curtain, glaring at the little orange bundle, before he shuddered and vanished again.

"Please do." Edward nodded. "Remain with them- we don't want them to harm each other."

Wilifred seemed to be reluctant as he held it up for Louis, who gently took the kitten, and vanished. Within seconds Claude had replaced him inside the room.

Only when the door had shut did Joshua return, his face flustered, clearly avoiding my eyes. Oh boy. I didn't even want to ask what that was about.

"Where were we?" He demanded.

"Firstly, we were going to call Alberto, and ensure that Roberto hasn't gotten himself into trouble. Weren't we?" Glenn responded as he stretched his bad arm and hand slowly. He winced a little. "Urgh."

"It'll get stronger." Edward reassured him. He took a phone off the table and pressed the screen, searching for a number, before he pressed speaker and put it on the table.

As soon as Alberto picked up we all heard the din of music and voices behind him. Was it the shopping center. From the clock on the wall it was already about eleven at night.

"Prince Edward. We've narrowed his location to the nightclub beside the shoping center."

Nightclub? Roberto wouldn't... would he?

"He's supposed to be in hiding!" Prince Keith sat up straighter and glared at the phone. I wanted to laugh at that but I was a bit too stressed about this to bother.

I did, however, take a quick photo of that face. No one even noticed. Roberto would love it.

"My appologies, Prince Keith, it was because of my inattentiveness that he went to begin with. I take full responsibility."

"Is it true that the media saw him outside the Manse?" Wilifred asked softly.

What? I was startled by that.

"It seems so." Alberto's voice was still loud over the crowds and music. "Roberto spent some time discussing topics with the protesters outside the gate. There were, naturally, cameras there and so … the media has already got the footage."

I heard a thump and saw that Glenn had literally dropped his forehead to the table. He groaned softly and muttered something like, "I'll kill him..."

But he couldn't have said that. Not the elegant shiny Prince. Right?

"Luke!" Prince Keith shouted.

Straight away someone appeared, wheeling a TV, Luke bowing as he carefully slid it into an unused corner of the room. "Yes, Prince Keith, it'll be ready in a moment."

"From there, he continued to the shopping cneter, once again spotted and filmed by members of the crowd in a jewellery store, and then in a woman's lingerie store, before a flower store-"

Oh god. My face went bright red and this time it was me that wanted to forehead the table. Oh god. Roberto!

"-and finally is now in here. Somewhere. So if you excuse me- he will be back within the hour. A helicopter is already waiting. The media has grown outside the building and we will not be able to leave by car." Alberto hung up then, the noise of the club vanishing, leaving the room very quiet.

Very quiet.

Oh god.

There was a long sigh by Edward. He ran a hand through his hair, slowly, and muttered, "Then you're right, Keith, we're not going to be able to hide them here much longer."

"One of Roberto's guests has already suggested he was here. The time we achieved was a blessing." Wilifred raised his head. He sighed as he crossed his arms. "For now- we must focus on damage control."

"Then we're going to have to invite them tonight." Joshua met the eyes of his own butler, who nodded, and vanished.

Who? I blinked.

"Sophia. Would you be ready to be introduced tonight as Roberto's girlfriend?" Prince Keith fixed a look at me. "Or are you his fiancee now?"

Woah. I wasn't sure what to say to that.

"Let us explain it, Keith, such a thing must be very overwhelming for her." Edward cut in. He twisted towards me. "Take a slow drink of the warm coffee. Let it relax you."

I wanted to say that if coffee relaxed me, then I was drinking too much, but I took a slow sip anyway. It was very sweet and milky, so it did kind of relax me, and it would probably help me become more alert and less exhausted.

When I'd drunk some, Edward started to explain. "We had intended for Wilifred, Roberto and Joshua to announce their miraculous survival to popular figures in media within each of their countries within the next week or so."

"That surgical intern, Jenny, and her hospital will announce that they were the ones treating them after the crash."

"Won't that make people angry?"

"It probably will. We'd intended on handling it delicately." Joshua muttered. He glared at the phone, the one that'd just called Alberto, adding, "Roberto doesn't know delicate."

"He has someone very important on his mind." Wilifred responded. "We can excuse him for that."

Did they mean me? I felt my face grow flustered at that. He had been spotted in three stores that more or less suggested 'a woman's in the picture'.

Just as I was thinking that, Luke hat the TV on, and we saw the headlines.

'Prince Roberto – Alive and engaged? The exclusive footage!'

"I'll kill him." I muttered.

"We all have that thought." Joshua responded, sharply. "Don't deny us the pleasure."

The headlines continued, something about how Roberto had apparently been on a secret lover's vacation with a woman, and the faces they'd started to speculate about. Women that weren't me. Famous women. Some of them who'd been invited here, even. The media was trying to guess who his bride would be.

"Now, now." Edward actually laughed at that. "It could be worse. Roberto is a popular figure in the public and the media is responding very positively."

"That's very true."

"That's why we're asking you, Sophia." Keith spoke up. "Are the two of you engaged?"

"H... hey!" I protested. "I..."

"Keith." Edward warned. His laughed faded and he shot Keith a look. Once again I got the 'big brother' vibes from him as he twisted in Keith's direction.

"Princes don't have lovers or girlfriends. We have secret relationships or we have an engagement. For Roberto announce you, by his actions, suggests to the world that he's enagaged."

"Well, we're not. I think." I wasn't so sure. I mean... he'd proposed twice, I'd rejected him twice, but even I wasn't sure... sure if I wanted to reject him outright. I was too confused. "I'm not even sure what you're expecting me to do."

"When the talk show host from Alteria comes tonight, he'll be looking forward ot speaking to Roberto, and will probably hope for an exclusive with you."

"...E...exclusive!" Woah. All over their TVs. Radios. I felt even more flustered now.

"The issue of your engagement will come up." Keith pressed. "So make it clear. You are either a friend or a fiancee. Given that he's to be wed in a month, I'd suggest the later, as it'll please Alteria the most."

"She's not used to dealing with the press as we are." Glenn surprised me as he spoke up. He frowned. "Sometimes... sometimes Princes have girlfriends in public. There's nothing new about that."

"Not so close to a wedding." Joshua responded. "If she was publicly made a girlfriend they may assume that he's marrying some other woman. Sophia would become the public mistress."

Ow. But I could see his point.

"Give her some time to think about it." Wilifred squeezed my wrist suddenly. "For Philip's popular media figure we'll need-"

To my relief they accepted that change of topic to Philip. While they discussed that, I sat there, feeling completely overwhelmed.

Maybe... maybe the issue I had with Roberto's proposals was that it felt so forced. Like he didn't want to marry me really, but he was forced to marry me. Because he liked me. Loved me. Would he really have wanted to spend the rest of his life with me though?

Besides- what would he expect me to do? I may have kept forgetting it when we were together, Roberto was just Roberto to me, but he was still a Prince. What did the wife of a Prince do? Was she called a Princess? And what about when he was King?

I hoped he got here before this …. this talk show host. Seriously. I had to ask Roberto. Somehow this stuff made me feel a bit anxious all of a sudden. There was too much about all of this that I didn't have answers for.

While they discussed flights in, butlers suddenly moving, I started to form a list of questions I had to ask Roberto.

This wasn't just something we could do totally on passion and love alone. Maybe a lot of relationships were like this- there was a point where they needed to talk. I hadn't ever gotten this serious about someone to sleep with them or to … to think about this stuff.

"I'm hungry." Wilifred spoke up suddenly, sighing, and leaned back. "Should we eat something?"

"It might be wise to have a little." Edward agreed. "Something sweet."

"We'll still need to sleep tonight." Prince Keith responded. But he didn't seem to be arguing either, his eyes locked onto a sheet of paper, finger tracing the words.

I wondered if they really needed me here right now. But no one had asked me to leave … and so I sat there, a little uncertain, as within minutes warmed pudding in delicate tiny bowls were brought in for each of us. Myself included. It smelt sweet and was so fresh that steam rose off it. The chef had to have been as psychic as the butlers to do this.

A few mouthfuls took a little effort to eat, my mind on Roberto, and though Alberto hadn't said he was in danger, I couldn't help but be anxious. Angry and anxious. Full of questions, demands, and smacking. What was the matter with him? Worrying us like this?

"So you're agreeing that this person is best, Joshua?"

"He is held in high regard by the public." Joshua responded. "Without resporting to a comediac angle. I don't have any interest in turning this into a joke."

"Sometimes laughter can help news be shared." Wilifred muttered.

"Or cause people to doubt their leader's weakness, should they start to feel they can laugh at them." Joshua retorted. "No."

"It's your choice. Wilifred?"

Wilifred held out a file as he slid it shut with the name and face of a TV presenter I'd sometimes heard about from Philip.

"Roberto can handle a laugh." Prince Keith muttered. "So we know he'll choose that show that's popular. Are we all agreed?"

No one argued. He offered the files to Luke, who bowed before heading out, before Prince Keith turned his attention to the TV. It had been running silently this entire time.

"Let's focus on this." With a long sigh he switched on the sound.

The sound appeared for a few seconds then stopped. Prince Keith frowned as he jabbed at the button, turning off mute, only for it to return. This continued several times, his brow creasing as he shot daggers at the TV, before he muttered something very unprincely under his braeth.

"It's depressing." Roberto complained. He slid in behind me from where he'd been hiding, leaning down to wrap his arms around me, a second remote in hand. "Hi."

I was torn between a public display of 'Don't do stupid things!', embarrassment at being held like this, and relief. Luckily I didn't have to do any of these things- Prince Keith was the first one to go for Roberto.

"Have you lost your mind?" He stood up, tossing the remote to one side, his face darkening.

"Sorry, Keithy, but ..." Roberto held up his hands in defeat as I spun around, red-brown eyes meeting mine, and he knelt in front of me. "Sorry, Phia. I thought I'd lost them. I bought you a present." He held out a box and went to open it.

"Don't you dare bring out women's underwear here." Prince Keith's voice was almost echoing, his face a very dark shade of red again, and he strode around the table to yank Roberto up by the collar. "You need to prepare for an interview. Early tomorrow."

"Then I've got all night with Phi-"

"Not allowed! Not again! Not under this roof."

"Keith, relax." Wilifred sighed. His calm presence silenced Prince Keith, who turned away, but there was a kind of frustrated anger … which had just as much weight as Prince Keith's anger, even without the volume. "You should have thought things through."

"Roberto-" I started, frustration rising, but the look on his face as our eyes once again made contact... I lost the ability to be mad. It was impossible. He was making a cute face at me. Why did he have to be the one who knew how to make cute 'You can't be mad' faces?

"Well, if you'd heard her Father's voice on the other end of a phone call when she was alone, what would you do?" Roberto's smile faded. He slid closer on his knees, reaching out to draw me against him, sighing against my waist as his head rested against my stomach. "I'm so glad you're all right."

Any anger I had faded at this and for a moment, just a moment, I leaned against his head. Then... I realised what he was doing. Leaning against me. Between my legs. Sure. I was dressed in a skort. But I could only imagine how it looked anyway, bare legs wrapped around him, and I went bright red as Prince Keith exploded again.

"I demand you stop acting lewdly under this roof!"

"Stop teasing Keith and Joshua, Roberto." Edward laughed softly. "All right. You went to protect Sophia. Still- it was reckless. What if you'd been harmed? How would she have felt?"

I only now saw that Prince Joshua had turned his back to us, quite literally facing away, as if he couldn't even stand seeing these public displays of affection. Roberto released me slowly. "All right. But we already discussed that we'd need to publicly announce our survival."

"We'd intended on having more time to prepare for it." Joshua glanced back and when he saw we weren't attached, he turned, and reached for his wine. "This also may cause trouble for Glenn."

"It will push things ahead a little faster." Glenn agreed. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking anxious, and suddenly I remembered- he still had no idea what had happened to his parents. None of us did.

"Nothing we can do about it now." Wilifred muttered. He gave Roberto another cool look, the kind of look that made me decide then and there I didn't want to get THAT Prince angry, and turned back to the table. "We've got to agree on questions they're not allowed to ask..."

"Should I go?"

"You still have to decide whether you're ready to be interviewed." Prince Keith responded as he made his way back to his side of the table. "This is what happens when you're the partner of one of us. Decide what you want- face it, or leave."

I flinched at that. I supposed he had a point though.

"Ow, Keithy, that's harsh. You know I'll protect her." Roberto muttered. He gave Edward a gentle nudge to the side. "Can I sit beside her?"

"No." Prince Keith and Edward both responded.

Edward gave Roberto a gentle look. "I'll remain here. Focus on this."

Maybe Roberto was feeling bad because he did what he was told, only stopping a moment to kiss the top of my head, before he rested down in a chair and accepted a cup of coffee. Once he was down, the meeting restarted, the Princes going over what to expect from the interviews the next day, the story they had to all share, and …

All I could do was sit there a little intimidated by the reality of Roberto's position while I scribbled questions I had to ask him later... hidden, of course, in a notepad on my lap. But as the meeting continued, as they droned on and on, the exhaustion from the day... the shock, the fear, and the confusion... it took over my brain.

I woke later, being carried by Roberto, and felt my face warm as I realsied I'd fallen asleep. He was humming under his breath softly, every step gentle and careful, eyes forward in the dark hallway.

"What are you singing?" I muttered and he gazed down at me.

"A song I heard in a store. I like it." He lifted me up for a quick kiss, a quick tender kiss, and I sighed. God. I really loved this idiot.

"I was so worried, you idiot. My Father might have shot you."

"Sorry." Roberto's face fell at that.

"Yeah, you better be. From now on- no reckless stuff."

"Then you won't be bait?"

I hesitated. Roberto stopped walking and we stared at each other a long time. I wanted to say no, I felt like I'd let Prince Keith and Glenn down, but... maybe the sight of my Father had frazzled me. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do now.

"Keith won't force it. You say no, Phia, and he'll find another way."

"I guess... I did bait them."

"Yeah." Roberto agreed. He started again slowly.

"If I don't ruin Glenn's plan, then... I guess I don't want to be." I muttered. He smiled then, a beautiful smile, his step quickening.

"Then it's decided. We'll get them another way. And if we do anything risky- we do it together. I'll protect you." Roberto squeezed me carefully. He went silent as we went through the hallways again, starting to hum again, his cheerful mood returning.

"So what song is it?"

"Um. I'm not sure- I was going to look the lyrics up when we got into bed. It was from a movie."

"Oh."

"You and me, always, and forever..." He sung, cheerfully, my heart skipping at beat as he lifted me up for another quick kiss. "Ba, ba, ba, Phiaaa..."

"You." I flushed, reaching up to stroke his cheek, but I smiled.

When we got to my room he lowered me down carefully onto the bed, Roberto gently pulling shoes off, lingering as he pressed kisses against my bare ankles, feet, and up my bare legs. I squirmed and he smiled up at me.

"It's just- I like it. All this skin."

"It just made sense in this weather." I slid backwards, only for his hands to grab my legs and yank me right underneath him, Roberto's heavy body settling on top of mine. Even fully dressed... it seemed to do something to both of us, being like this, and this time we really kissed.

"What presents?" I asked against his lips, trying to distract him, but it wasn't working- he was doing a better job at distracting me by sliding his hand up my top.

"Mmm, surprise." Roberto responded, twisting his head to the side to kiss my neck, his hips grinding gently against mine. "We should do this twice a day."

"Twice?"

"At least. You and me, always..." He grinned down at me, and suddenly dragged me up into his chest, Roberto's heart thudding hard in his chest. "It frightened me. To hear that voice. He can't have you back. Ever."

"Agreed." I wrapped my arms around Roberto's body, squeezing him back, deciding it didn't matter if I couldn't really breathe from his weight. It was nice here. Except... except we needed to talk. "I love you."

I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to have to face the fact that we might have to … might have to agree he needed … well, it wasn't going to be fun.

Some part of me just wanted us to stay like this. Forever. Him and me, always.

The song Roberto's singing is Romeo & Juliet (1996) – Soundtrack Wannadies – You and Me Song

Findable on youtube. :) Warning- it's addictive.