I was 'escorted' out of the party. A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed my suspicions that Roberto would follow, he didn't even hesitate, and I wasn't sure if I was relieved or frustrated when Prince Keith showed up to block him.

Yeah. Not safe. As I watched, I saw Prince Glenn appear, but I couldn't tell if it was the fake or the real. I had to assume it was the fake.

The room I was escorted to was distant from the rest, right in the middle of the building, and it set me on edge. There were no windows, one door, this isolated storage room that was complete with buckets and a mop.

I was left alone in it.

"Sophia." The voice in my ear, Atsumu, was almost whispering. "Tap it if you're alone."

I did just that, finger brushing across the small plastic earpiece, and heard a soft exhale. I muttered, "You going to tell me what's going on?" as I slumped down in the wheelchair. Stupid chair. It made me feel so helpless to be sitting down all the time.

"Where are you?"

"Some kind of storage room." I kept my voice low, though I wasn't sure if I needed to, because this little room had that muffled 'soundproof' quality to it. That probably wasn't all that unusual given that it had only one door.

"Shh." That kind of bugged me- that he'd ask me a question and then shh me. I went quiet though. Atsumu muttered, "All right. We're looking."

"What's happening?" I pressed the question again, ignoring another 'shh', fingers tightening on the wheelchair. Roberto was going to be going nuts again. He'd only just found me.

"So much." There was a dramatic sigh, as he seemed to be pleased with himself, "The real royals are already being whisked to the hospital, the fake royals are now under arrest, all while you were watching movies and dancing. Your brothers are already gone."

"Really?" I had to remind myself to keep my voice down, so stunned was I, and I wheeled a little way from the door, my entire body trembling suddenly from this news. It was good news and I could barely bring myself to believe it.

"Takkun- shh, I'm talking to her. Mmhmm! We're good." Atsumu seemed pretty pleased with himself. "Okay, so..."

It turned out that they'd gotten the real royals out of the way earlier on in the evening disguised as servants. Maybe I'd even seen them earlier without realising... I hadn't even considered that there was a rescue attempt going on right under my window. Father, much to their frustration, never cracked...

It turned out that he hadn't needed to.

All of my brothers had confessed. One bragged to a bodyguard, basically drunk off his face before the party had even started, and that bodyguard... who'd had no idea about any of this, apparently, had called the cops. I wasn't sure if the Black Foxes had planned that but they had sure as hell made it work for them. Hiro/Bell had apparently gotten to work on my other brother, the one that Father had made hurt me, he'd pretended to 'warn' him that they were onto him. Riki had suggested that if the cops already knew he was done for- only turning himself would it seem like he wasn't completely a partner to it all.

It was probably true. And my brother wasn't exactly brave. They'd done it because Father had the guts to do it.

"So your Father's going to be arrested. They've already agreed to testify." Atsumu finished, pretty cheerful, the unmistakable sound of a clap on his end. What was he doing? Applauding himself?

"Great!" Sort of. I stared around the tiny storage room, feeling a little uneasy still, because it sure as hell didn't feel over. "Father's arrested too?"

"Well, no. He seems to know what's happening and vanished." So Father was missing and I was in some storage closest somewhere. There was an edge suddenly to Atsumu's voice now. His good mood vanished and he muttered, "So what's the room like? Describe everything inside it."

I did so, though there wasn't much point, because a cleaning storage room wasn't that spectacular. Brooms, buckets, chemicals. What was he hoping for?

"Okay. We'll be in touch."

And with that, he was gone.

I had far too much time to think after that- no one came. No Roberto, charging into the room, no amazing thieves, not even Father. Firstly... it was probably the real Prince Glenn who'd appeared earlier. I should have been shocked and yet... I wasn't. Those Princes were like the power rangers- they seemed to work best when they could group up. Or maybe it was a matter of safety- if all the Princes were herded into one huddle then the bodyguards could circle around them and keep them safe. While the butlers stalked the edges.

Maybe the latter was a better description. I could see the butlers almost like birds, circling, watching every non-Prince object with beady eyes.

It was hard for me to accept that it was over. Seriously. I hadn't even been there. Books and stuff always made these moments seem like the dramatic moment that the right people... the people involved... got to witness. Nope. Apparently it'd all happened while I'd been watching a movie or watching a glittery party.

My brothers were gone. Prince Glenn's parents, the King and Queen, more or less safe. Phew. I wondered what had happened to Geoff- had he been arrested or was he hiding? He'd probably been with the King and Queen so I had to assume he was arrested as well...

I heard, briefly, running feet outside. It was very muffled and I wasn't sure what I'd heard.

Okay then. Father's plans were ruined. If my brothers, the co-planners, were dobbing him in... then they'd probably do the same to every last person who'd helped him. What had happened to them? Had they turned tail and run away at this point? Skipped the country?

Too many things I had no answers for.

The door slammed open suddenly and I was shocked to see Roberto more or less forced in, my Father right behind, several of his bodyguards right there. Roberto looked... bruised. There was red coming out of one noise.

It made me furious. Oh hell no. No one was touching my Robbie.

"Phia." He grinned down at me, shaking off the hands, and strode across the short room to stand in front of me.

"Wha-"

I was cut off by Father, who'd shut and locked the door, my eyes going to him.

What a difference twenty minutes made. He looked like a caged animal, throwing a phone down, his skin shiny with a light sheen, skin paler than usual, his hair … usually immaculately styled... spiked all over the place as if he kept running his hand over it.

"Fine." He was muttering to himself, pacing up and down in front of that small door, hands clenching and unclenching. "Fine. I can make this situation benefit me."

Roberto twisted around, the back of his legs blocking me, giving his full attention to my Father as he stood slightly in front of me. One of his hands reached back, feeling around till it found my shoulder, and rested there.

"Robbie..." I muttered, and felt his hand close tighter on my shoulder, his hand trembling. Neither of us knew how to deal with this kind of situation.

Father swung around suddenly, pressing a finger to his lips as we heard feet outside, and I saw that gun reappear in his other hand.

It was hard to believe, looking at him now, that he'd been the same man I'd met years ago. Father had been that kind of well groomed, well spoken, even 'handsome', this ambitious and serious politician with 'good breeding'. Pure Oriens- nearly black eyes, black hair, wore glasses for reading, and was known for having dates to events half his age. Bachelor of the year several years ago. As far as the Oriens public knew- he was a good looking, goal orientated man who worked hard and refused to back down. Media loved to interview him for his opinions on things, he had frequent offers for interviews, seats on talk shows, and didn't hold back with a sharp worded opinion.

He'd had such good control over his anger and emotions that it had taken a very long time for me to realise how … how extensive they really were. Maybe I'd been in awe of him at first. Most people were. It was so easy to see a good looking man, a successful man, and make an opinion of him based off the face he showed the world.

When they were gone, he didn't relax, but stood there, his eyes moving across each of us far too quickly. "All right. I want you to tie the Prince's arms behind his back. And gag the bitch. I don't need to hear her whine."

They did what he asked... but they seemed to be a little less into it now. Maybe it was because people were being arrested outside? Roberto and I kept our eyes on one another as his arms were hoisted back and tied up, the situation growing worse by the second. I barely cared when they gagged me.

"This could have worked." Father muttered to himself, pacing, frustrated. "It was good. It made sense..."

"There's something wrong with you." Roberto remained close, his bound arms brushing against mine, and when his eyes met mine, his face warmed. "You'll make it worse for yourself if you keep resisting the police."

"This is my country!" Father spat. "I worked hard. I took over. It was going to be better."

"Better?" Roberto almost matched Prince Keith with that kind of scorn, it shocked me, but then... this wasn't normal for us. Maybe Prince Keith had rubbed off on him more than Roberto would admit. "This is worse. It always was."

Every time Roberto responded, every time he spoke a single word, I wanted to pee myself... it scared me that much. He had to stay quiet, my instincts urged, stay safe. Like a little mouse. I didn't want him to speak up, stand out, and even though I admired his strength and bravery... right now, it scared me to death.

"You don't understand!" Father seemed almost hysterical. He stared at the door, the sheen of sweat on his forehead stronger now, his white knuckles held around that gun, a tremble in his jaw as he stared out at the door, I realised. It wasn't the face a person showed the world- that could be faked so well. It was the face they hid. He was handsome, successful, rich, had a long history of 'good blood', the kind of man that women in their twenties and thirties lined up to date in a hope that they'd become the Mrs. Handsome/Successful...

Father's real face was this face.

"The future isn't royalty, or small divided countries, it's a universal government! Democracy. People should be able to choose their leaders- not be forced to accept some screaming brat squirted out of an inbred woman! You oppress the world from the moment you start to suck on a gold teat!"

Did he just insult Roberto's mother? I gritted my teeth around the gag, trying to stand, but Roberto shoved me down gently with a shove. He hadn't moved beside that, hadn't changed in expression, he was so calm right now. He seemed to be the only one in the room who seemed to be fully in control of himself. Even the bodyguards were anxious.

"Democracy isn't born from murdering people, taking hostages, or torture." Roberto spoke very clearly. "It was done by asking- and we gave it, generations ago, a government that they choose."

Wow. He was a Prince. I kept forgetting. Like... a real actual one.

"And for the record- a Queen's nipples are closer to diamond than gold." Roberto added, suddenly, and he grinned as I shook my head. Oh good god. He did not need to joke right now.

I shook my head and tried to not smile.

Whatever Roberto was doing- Father barely even heard it. He was lost in his own place right now. "It would have worked. Alteria and Oriens- the first two nations to unite. Two armies."

"Alteria would never accept the start of a war! You don't know my country if you think you can provoke them into fighting any other country!" Roberto's smile faded. "We are keeping this peace. You're not changing it."

It was almost like I wasn't there. Roberto and Father faced each other, Father striding across, and all Father saw was... Prince. Not my Robbie. He just saw some position of power. Father stared at Roberto, raising his hand to grab Roberto's arm, shaking him. "You! Selfish Princes. Thinking you can keep the world splintered and divided. Hiding in your little countries, keeping them under your royal thumbs, paying for every golden desire you have... all I wanted to do was unite the six nations, give them a republic, and-"

"Rule them? In secret?"

"Only for the start!" His voice rose and Father shoved Roberto backwards, almost into me, as he turned and strode back for the window. His breathing was still high, he was pacing backwards and forwards, restless. "The first part would depend on me, for order, for care, until I had all the countries. It would have worked. I had Oriens, and I would have had Alteria too, unite them. The first two countries of the new Republic."

Roberto didn't answer that. His hand had grabbed for me from his bound arms when he'd been pushed back into me, careful to keep me safe, searching my face. It was an unspoken question of 'Did that hurt?' and when I shrugged, he smiled, his hand squeezing mine.

Even now. He could smile. Shesh. I tried to smile back.

Father was ignoring us. His eyes were on the walls, his body shaking, and when we heard a phone ring, he flinched, swinging, turning for the phone he'd discarded. He lifted it up.

"I might not have Oriens..." He spat into the phone, "But I have the Prince. And her, yes. What do I want? Immunity. To all charges. A flight out. Or I shoot them both."

Roberto eased me behind him at that, which pissed me off, because I wanted to be in front of him. We had a silent argument right there and then about it, as Father spoke to someone on the phone, giving each other a look... as I tried to refuse his 'get behind me' discussion.

The sudden drop of phone made us both jump. Father turned, heading for us both, and grasped my wheelchair.

"She's not going." Roberto grasped it as well, sudden, and Father shoved the gun in his face. This didn't change his stubborn expression one bit. He just stood there, this calm stare on his face, completely in his element even in this situation. Silently daring Father.

Of course, as soon as I saw Roberto with a gun shoved at him, I panicked. Screw calm. "I... just calm down, Father..."

"Brave, hm? What if it's not your life that you're risking?" Father undid the safety and shoved it at my head. That changed Roberto's expression. He released the wheelchair, slowly, a tremble running down his back at the sight. "You're going to marry this woman, right?"

I … might have been afraid. Any other time. But it was the look on Roberto's face that got my attention, not the cold metal object near my ear, the look of sudden defeat. He wasn't going to fight this if I was in danger.

Ditto.

"She's your daughter." Roberto snapped.

"She's a brat some bitch squirted out. You two. I want you out of here." Father gestured to the guards. "Wait for me outside."

They were quick to leave. It was not a good sign.

I knew that … that I hated him, and that he hated me, and that I never wanted anything to do with him. Never. Still... that hurt. It did. It made me feel all muddled and confused.

"All right, all right..." I muttered. My spirits sagged. However strong we were... Father was the one with the gun and the cracking mind. I had this awful sense that he wasn't going to separate me for any good reason... but I couldn't stand Roberto's expression either. "Relax."

He pulled me to one side, yanking me out of the wheelchair and pushing it out of my reach while I fell like a sack of potatoes, before Father gestured to Roberto with the gun. "We've got two choices here, Prince."

Neither of us were really expecting it. But when I was shot in the thigh, it was as if Roberto had been shot, it was him that made the noises, his face draining of blood, his control finally snapping. The noise deafened us, the smell filled our world, and the pain was almost shared. It made Father's mood soar to see.

"I keep shooting till I get to her womb. You want babies in it? I'll destroy it and kill her. Or you give me what I need."

He raised the gun again, as if to shoot again, and Roberto cracked. "Stop!"

"This could end." Father snapped, his eyes locked into Roberto's eyes, voice raised. "Give me safety in Alteria."

"Trust you there? Near my Phia?" Roberto laughed, a dry laugh, lines all over his face with the stress. "That wouldn't happen."

"You give the order, Prince, and it's done. I know how it works."

Roberto met my eyes, shutting his a moment, a pained look crossing his face. I'd never seen him like that before, so unhappy, so stressed, and I hated it. It didn't suit him. If I could talk... I didn't know, I'd have reassured him, comforted him, anything. Honestly. Physical pain was nothing compared to that look.

"She's your daughter." He muttered, eyes still shut, just as angry... but also suddenly confused.

"That's hardly useful now, is it?" A foot came crunching down on my injured calf and I swore I saw stars. It hurt. It hurt like hell. I was sure I felt things inside it tearing... not a good thing when someone had gone in there with wire and wired the muscles up.

It was kind of hard to pretend I wasn't in total agony this time. I barely even heard Roberto's words- just the sudden raise in volume of his voice, the tenseness, and the movements from his side of the room.

It took me a few long moments to realise he'd stopped and crossed the room. He was whispering to Roberto, whispering softly, and whatever he was saying was … not helping. Roberto stared at me, helpless, his face draining of blood as Father whispered something into his ear that I couldn't pick up.

Was he threatening him? Or threatening me?

It wasn't hard to tell.

Roberto's red eyes met mine, his jaw clenched, and suddenly he slammed his head into Father's head. The gun went off again with the impact, the two of them staggering backwards, Father raising the gun towards Roberto... and a body came flying in through the door. Grey shape. I'd never seen Alberto move so fast, never in my life, than he did at that moment.

He grasped the arm Father was using to hold the gun, the gun going off again as Alberto twisted it back, a bullet barely missing me, as Father came toppling down with Alberto right on top of him.

Remembering myself, I grasped for the arm and the gun, my hands slippery with sweat, almost out of body of myself as I panted and groaned in pain. I felt one of Father's hands clawing at me... it was as if he was just trying to hurt Roberto by hurting me, and was shocked at the strength in his arm, the cut of his nails, his fingers digging in around my neck.

I'd never felt that much hate from anyone. Never... never been attacked like this. He was trying to kill me.

Then it was over, Alberto and Robero on top of him, the room filling with other people. Police, bodyguards, ambulance people, Father ripped away from my neck and from the room. We were swarmed by ambulance personal... and it was over.

A/N But not quite over! :)

Besides- we have five other Princes to work with.