The elevator screeched to a halt.

Sienna began to panic. "Matt, stop it! You don't know what you're doing! What if you break the elevator?"

"Sienna, trust me when I say a swift plummet to my death would solve several of my problems at the moment. Sorry I'm not more concerned." He stepped in front of the elevator's controls and faced her. "Now, let's talk. Tell me why you want to break up."

"Look, Matt, you're a really nice guy…"

Matt cut her off. "Okay, from now on, let's stop bullshitting one another, why don't we?" He ran his fingers through his hair. And, once again, as he lifted his brown hair out of the way, Sienna noticed a single diamond earring in his right ear. "I'm willing to talk about anything, no matter how dumb it sounds. Just…tell me."

And, before she could stop it, out of Sienna's mouth came, "Are you gay?"

Matt froze. Apparently, out of all the things he had expected Sienna to say, that hadn't been it. To be honest, that wasn't one of the first things that had come to mind when Sienna had wanted to talk to Matt. It seemed ridiculous. How could Matt be gay? Yet…something about the way he reacted, even if he told her afterward he wasn't, she would always doubt. His face was speechless. How could he be caught off so guard if it wasn't true? Apparently, Lori had been right. Prince Charming had one big, gigantic skeleton in his closet.

"Who told you?" he asked. "Was it Camryn?"

That Sienna had not expected.

"Camryn knows?" she asked.

Matt smacked his head. "Please tell me James wasn't the one who told you!"

"No, he wasn't," Sienna shook her head. "But…is James gay, too?"

"James is my…" Matt stopped too late. He realized Sienna didn't know too late. Of course, James and Matt had a complicated relationship—they were in a relationship that Sienna was also a part of. "Um…to answer your question, yes, James is also gay. We're also…quite close. You can probably guess…"

"If you have James, then why am I here?" Sienna motioned to all of her. "What was the point of us…doing whatever…if you have someone else you should be doing all of this with?"

"You know," Matt laughed awkwardly, "when I imagined you finding out about this, that wasn't the response I expected."

"WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN ASSHOLE TO JAMES?" Sienna screamed.

"Why are you so concerned with how I treat James? Aren't you upset at all that I've been keeping this from you and pretty much entered a serious relationship with you, full aware that I don't like your…gender…that way?!" Matt seemed almost upset that Sienna wasn't crushed.

"You are such a…a…SHITHEAD!" Sienna threw up her arms in rage. "James is such a sweet guy, he obviously cares that you're doing this, and…and…just…why?" Sienna felt so angry. "Why would you even do this? I don't understand! None of this makes any sense! I got that you didn't really like me, but…seriously?! Are you in the closet or something?!"

"Actually, yes, I am," Matt ran his fingers through his hair again, this time spiking it all forward. "Do you know how hard it can be to be two different people? To my parents, I'm Prince Matthew, first in line for the throne. I'll inherit it soon. How will they accept me? James isn't exactly a Queen, Sienna, and it would be extremely difficult for us to have an heir without…you know…" he motioned to her whole body. "The lady element of the equation, okay? We can't have a child! Therefore, they would take the throne from me!"

"You're dating me for the throne?!" Sienna screeched.

For once, Matt flinched. Closing his eyes, he covered his face with his face and groaned.

"I'm sorry I didn't catch that, Your Highness!" Sienna roared. "Would you like me to repeat the question?"

"I said, 'no,'" Matt said. He uncovered his face. Tears were rolling down his face. "Believe me, Sienna, that is not the reason I did all this. The throne is important. Both Leonardo and I know this. So does Camryn. The truth is marriages in the royal family have been fixed now and again. It happens. We patch it up and make it look normal. So what if I'm gay? If I marry a woman who would be an exceptional Queen, who is kind and passionate, the throne would be safe. No simple gold digger would work, Sienna. I can't just offer my hand to anyone. The girl I marry has to be right for this country. Camryn, even though Leonardo loves her, is not right. She's a wild spirit. Camryn outlets all her fear and pent up spirit into the party circuit and gets into all sorts of trouble. I…I was part of it because of James. Only there were we accepted for who we were. I met Paige after a nasty breakup James and I had. She has no idea I'm gay. Back then, I…" Matt just shook his head. "It was sort of one last hoorah, you know? After I left the party circuit that last time, it was back to my parents and getting engaged. Paige actually helped me keep an eye on Camryn."

"The fight you had with Leonardo, and then with James…it was about Camryn, wasn't it? Do you not like Camryn?" Sienna asked.

"No, no, I love Camryn. She makes Leonardo happy. Leonardo would be a great king if the worst happened to me, but…I don't trust Camryn. In the worst situations, she doesn't put the good of everyone in front of her needs. Sometimes, the job of ruling a kingdom is self-sacrifice. If she were to take the crown because I was unable to—back to me being gay, of course—then it would hurt the country. As the first-born son, I can't let it come to that." Matt shook his head. "This really isn't how I expected this conversation to go."

For a few moments, Sienna thought about nothing but what she had experienced with Camryn. All the anger Sienna held toward her faded. Sienna simply didn't understand Camryn.

And then Sienna remembered what Gram had said about her own mother: she had been wild and free. Matt had said something similar. It wasn't that Camryn was trying to be difficult. Camryn's personality was hard to understand and even harder to control. Instead of dealing with things normally, Camryn freaked; just like Sienna's mother. And, unfortunately, Sienna knew exactly how that had turned out for her mother.

"Exactly how was this supposed to end?" Sienna asked.

"It wasn't supposed to end," Matt admitted. "Right here, the conversation that follows…it's a proposal. Sienna, you are the most kind-hearted, open-minded, incredible girl I've ever met. If I was a straight guy, I'd love you. As a gay guy, all I can offer you is friendship. If you marry me, though, I know you can help me rule this country and take care of the people living in it. I know, you probably want to find your own love and life…but I can help you. Think of your sisters and your gram. They'd never have to lift another finger. We can get Lori help. Paige can go to school, maybe even college. Your gram can live peacefully, knowing her family is taken care of. Sienna, you told me you always wanted to help people. Please, help me. I'm out of time. My father wants an engagement now. Either you agree to marry me or Leonardo will step up and Camryn will…"

Did Matt really not trust his own family?

"Why don't you tell your parents, Matt? What if they help you?" Sienna asked.

"An arranged marriage was already their choice. The girl is absolutely horrid. They threw me a ball to help me find my own candidate. I found you, Sienna. You were the only girl there not looking for me…I need you." Matt bent down on one knee, taking her hands. "You aren't corrupt. Even my parents would prefer you over the girl they chose. Please, Sienna…this isn't just for you. It's for my family, your family, and the people of this nation. What we sacrifice here, we save for our families. Leonardo can love Camryn. Paige can grow up at her own pace. Lori will find she can believe in love again. Together, you and I can lead this country. I know it's a lot to ask, but I beg of you, Sienna. Please, I know it's a lot to ask…but will you sacrifice a little bit of your freedom for the sake of our home?"

Sienna couldn't speak. For some reason, her mind wouldn't let her freak out. Instead, it looked at both sides. Yes, she felt some feelings for Frank. What kind of future did they have? Matt wasn't just some guy asking her hand. This was Prince Matthew, next in line for the throne, desperate for the sake of his country and the future of his people. How could she walk away? If the country fell to ruin after she walked away from him in his hour of need, how could she forgive herself? There was a balance to her choices. Which one would warp her? No matter which she took, she would feel guilt afterward. Would she have the missed chance with Frank or would she lose her family and her home? There was no comparison. Even as her heart screamed no, as every part of her wept in horror, she realized that this was her political leader standing before her.

Tears fell down her cheeks.

"I can't exactly tell my royalty no, can I?" she choked out.

Matt sighed in relief. His whole body shuddered and he collapsed into her, dragging her to the floor in a crushing hug. "Thank you," he whispered. He was crying just as hard as she was. "I'm so sorry it had to be you."

"I don't think either of us had a choice," Sienna said. "You were born for this role. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was no way either of us could have seen this coming. We both made some pretty lousy choices."

"Will we be able to live with it?" Matt asked.

Sienna shook her head, wiping at her eyes. "God, Matt, I hope so."

"I'm really glad it was you, Sienna," Matt whispered. "If it had been any other girl in the world…this wouldn't have worked. You really are one of the most incredible people I've ever met."

"Then why do I feel so rotten?" Sienna whispered. "Why do I feel like I'm lying to everyone?"

Matt laughed bitterly. "Sienna, I've been asking myself that since the day I met James."

"Was it instant?" Sienna asked.

"It was…different. I knew he was different. For years, I had been confused about girls and what I wanted. There was no way for me to understand. And then, there he was. I became friendly with him. He was openly gay. This I didn't know until later, and soon, I began to realize…" Matt shook his head. "I shouldn't talk about this anymore."

Matt had already begun to close the door. For him, James was a past life. There was no way back.

Sienna tried to do the same. Trying her hardest, she tried to push her feelings for Frank away. She couldn't make them vanish, but if she tried hard enough, she could almost not care. It hurt on the inside. Part of her seemed to shut off completely.

"There are…things I have to do," she said and Matt leaned back to face her as she spoke. "Before this happens, I have to close some doors. We can't go back, can we?"

Matt shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if my parents put the wedding in the express lane and we were married in about a week."

"That doesn't make any sense! Why are they so keen on getting out of the palace?!" Sienna cried.

"My father," Matt said, leaning against the wall. "He's been losing his mind over the last two years. Apparently, his body is deteriorating as well. His advisors say he should be replaced as soon as possible. My mother wants to take him to the sea, where he can rest for a few years. In order to do all that…"

"They both need replacements," Sienna finished. "The King is really sick."

"You have no idea." Matt shook his head and sighed heavily. "Sometimes, he thinks I'm Leonardo. Other times he thinks I'm his brother. Most often, when he sees me, he just tells me how happy he is that I will succeed him soon. My mother hasn't been sympathetic toward my choices in women, but…my father has always been. I don't know if it's because he doesn't remember exactly how many women or if he just understands on some level. I want to make him proud."

Sienna leaned out to touch his face. His skin was chilly to the touch. Matt's puppy-dog eyes locked with hers.

"You will," she promised. "No matter what, he's your father, and he's proud of you. Your parents are the people who accept you no matter what."

"Paige told me your parents died," Matt said.

"They did. That doesn't mean they didn't love me. In fact, they left me with so much love I can never forget them."

"What about…your mother?" asked Matt.

"She did her best," Sienna said, thinking of what Gram had said. "I don't think we can ask for much more than that."

"I understand it," Matt said, blinking his eyes. Tears were starting up again. "I understand how hard it is to watch your parent lose their mind. It starts out slow. You just think they're quirky. And then…you realize."

"I know." Sienna leaned forward, combing her fingers through Matt's hair soothingly. He leaned into her shoulder. "You try so hard to protect them. I covered for her whenever she lost it in public. I made excuses for her to my father. When she didn't take her meds, I would sit with her for hours, just listening. That's all she wanted, I think: someone to listen to her."

They sat in the elevator for over twenty minutes before Matt had recovered enough strength to speak.

"We should go back." He said. "I'll go phone my parents. You should…visit with Lori for now. Tomorrow we can close all the doors."

Sienna murmured something unintelligible and Matt stood up, gently holding her shoulder in place where she had been leaning on him. Slowly, he picked her up off the ground and held her close to his chest. He was a much more experienced hugger then James. Sienna tried to feel comforted, but it was hard to think at all.

"Ready?" he asked.

Sienna could only manage, "Yes."

Matt let go of her and hit the button on the wall. The elevator leapt back to life. There was a loud ringing noise and then the sound of the elevator awkwardly shuffling downward. They reached the main floor and the doors slid open. There, standing as a proud and dignified mama bear, stood Gram. Next to her was a man in a yellow suit, fiddling with the buttons of the elevator. His shirt had MAINTENANCE printed clearly across the front.

"Well, well, well," Gram said with a mischievous smile. "What were you two doing in the elevator?"

"Just hit the wrong button," Matt lied quickly, wiping gently at his eyes. "I'm going to go make a phone call."

He gave Sienna's hand one last squeeze before sidestepping around the maintenance guy and heading down the hall toward the pay phones. When he was out of earshot, Sienna faced Gram again.

"What do I need to know?" Gram asked.

"Well, long story short…" Sienna tried to smile, but her cheeks were warm and wet from crying. "I'm getting married."

Gram was stunned speechless. Using the moment to her advantage, Sienna weaved her way around her and headed down the hall, dabbing at her eyes. Voices were coming from Lori's hospital room. As she neared, Sienna saw three girls sitting up tall. They were all talking pleasantly, as if they were all old friends. Paige and Lori, even with Paige's black hair and Lori's lemon blonde, looked more like sisters than ever. A bridge of understanding was forming between them. Their relationship could be saved. Both girls were worthy of a fairy tale ending. They had lost so much.

Sienna stood outside the room, staring at them. Even Camryn looked at home beside Lori, talking and laughing like a normal teenage girl. She was only sixteen and engaged. Wasn't her age another obstacle? What sixteen year old girl could run a country? She and Leonardo deserved a chance at remotely normal lives.

"Hey, Sienna!" Lori noticed her at the door. "Where have you been?"

"Just having a chat," Sienna said normally. "Why are you awake? Didn't they just put you under?"

"These two loud-mouths woke me up," she said, grinning. "Aren't they just huge pains?"

"Lori!" Paige whined. "That's mean!"

"You're the one who woke me up, aren't you?" Lori was saying. She went on, but Sienna's attention was lost. Sienna found her eyes wandering to Camryn. The girl was sitting still, knowing full well what Sienna wanted. Standing up, she dismissed herself. Paige protested, but Camryn reassured her that she'd be right back. Camryn left the room and closed the door behind her, Lori and Paige staring at the two girls standing just outside the room through the window.

"I want to thank you," Sienna said.

Camryn looked shocked. "For what?"

"You tried to save me, before I got too far in," she said. "I fought you the whole way. For that, I'm sorry."

"Did he…?" Camryn looked around for Matt, but he was nowhere in sight. "When he wanted to talk…did he tell you?"

"I guessed, but yes, he told me." Sienna tried to smile, but it seemed the wrong thing to do. "We had a long talk, and…we think it's in the best interest if we move forward. Even if we don't have feelings for one another, in order to help the King, we will get married. We have a friendship and an understanding."

"You…agreed?" Camryn was baffled. "Even knowing he will never, ever love you?"

"We're both sacrificing our ability to take on a significant other," Sienna said. "He and James will never be together. I will never…love the person I love. We decided this was best."

"How can you say that?!" Camryn demanded. "You just admitted you love someone! How can you agree to this, knowing you will never get the chance to spend the rest of your life with the person you truly love?"

"There's nothing else we can do. This is the only option."

"What about Leonardo? He'd make a great king!" Camryn stated. "Just give us a few more years…"

"We're out of time, Camryn," Sienna pulled Camryn in for a hug. "You and Leonardo are so young. The King needs to retire now. There's no other way."

"Please, just…think about this some more!" Camryn pleaded.

"Are you ready to be queen, Camryn?" Sienna asked. "If the Queen steps down, will you be ready to take up her mantle and rule the country in her stead? No more partying, no more freedom, and no more time? You will have a whole country to be responsible for. Everything will always be your fault. Can you handle that?"

Camryn couldn't speak.

Sienna took this as a victory. Giving Camryn's shoulders one last squeeze, Sienna released her and walked back to Lori's door. She opened it, looked back once at Camryn, and then shut it again, this time on the other side.

Lori and Paige were staring at her open-mouthed.

"What just happened?" Lori asked.

Paige looked frantic. "Is she okay?"

"I think she will be okay," Sienna said, taking the seat next to Lori's bed. Automatically, Lori's hand stretched out to take Sienna's hand. Sienna gripped it tightly. "She's just a little shocked."

"Tell us about it," Lori said.

"Well…I guess she just wasn't ready to hear that her friend's older sister was about to be her new sister-in-law," Sienna mumbled.

Paige and Lori sucked in large breaths of air. They waited. When Sienna didn't say anything else, the room exploded. Lori was demanding all sorts of details while Paige was repeating over and over again, "I did it! I got her engaged to a Prince!" Both seemed excited for her. Lori turned Matt's unromantic proposal into a wonderfully planned moment. Sienna didn't have the heart to tell her what details were in the conversation, other than Matt's father was sick and Matt had said he would have no other girl to rule beside him.

"Princess Sienna," Paige giggled. "What a title!"

"I never thought you'd actually be a Princess one day when I called you Princess Bitch," Lori said dreamily.

"You never know, I guess," Sienna said. "These things…I guess sometimes they just happen."