They arrived back at the palace after a very silent car ride.
Jasper was still wondering how this Cook fit into Eleanor's past and why she seemed so affected by him.
They piled out of the car and made their way to the palace.
Eleanor had hoped she could slip in unnoticed.
Wishful thinking.
She should've known really. Her mother was there, obviously waiting to see how much trouble she'd caused this year.
Although the Queen wasn't always the most caring person, she still knew this day was hard for her daughter.
Except once Helena laid eyes on their new guest, her concern seemed to be replaced by dismay.
"Well, I can certainly say, I was not expecting this to be your night's results," She spoke to Eleanor.
"Believe me, neither did I."
"James." Helena nodded.
Cook gave a slight wave.
This whole encounter seemed a little awkward to Jasper, it felt like he was watching a movie, but had missed the beginning scenes.
Eleanor on the other hand, hadn't expected anything more from the two. Her mother had never been fond of her relationship with Cook, blaming him for her 'bad habits' and week long escapades. Sometimes she just liked to get away from it all, and Cook would tag along for the ride. If anything, Eleanor was the bad influence.
"You two look like hell." Helena said to Cook and her daughter.
"Thanks", Eleanor replied blandly.
"I'll see you in the morning", the Queen said, walking past her daughter and out of the room.
"I can see she hasn't changed", Cook said, speaking for the first time since they had left the club.
"Unfortunately", Eleanor told him. She could tell Jasper had questions, but they would have to wait. "Maybe we should change", she offered, realizing how cold she was in her rain soaked clothes.
Cook just nodded.
"Jasper, would you go to Liam's room and see if you can find any dry clothes for Cook," she asked, though it was more of a command.
"Yes Your Highness", he replied in his British accent.
"Bring them to my room", she called after him.
Eleanor started walking towards her room, Cook following after.
He didn't need her to say anything, she had never been one for many words, and yet he felt so much more at ease from just being around her. She felt like youth, reminded him of a home.
They reached her room and at first Cook seemed hesitant to enter.
Eleanor let out a slight laugh under her breath. The old Cook would've walked right on in and made himself comfortable.
"You can come in", she said to him, "I don't bite".
"Sure you don't", he says back, causing her to laugh.
He missed that sound. Even when he was around, a genuine laugh was a rare occurrence.
"Fine, I won't bite".
He steps into her room and she motions for him to have a seat on her sofa. He sits and she walks over to her closet, pulling out a pair of leggings and a warm shirt. She began to take off her wet clothes leaving them in a pile on the floor. She looked over and was surprised to see Cook, not trying to discretely trying to sneak a peak, but focusing on the various things left oh her coffee table. He certainly was not the same teenage boys she knew.
She finished redressing and walked over to sit with him on the couch.
"So", she looks up at him.
"So", he repeats back.
There eyes meet and Cook almost looks like he's going to say more, but whatever it was, was cut off by a small knock at the door.
"Come in", Eleanor called.
Jasper walked in carrying a pair of gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt.
"This is what I found Your Highness", he says to her, still with a questioning look on his face, which seems to have been resting there since the club.
"They're great, thanks mate", Cook says taking the clothes from Jasper.
"You can change in the washroom if you want", she tells him.
He nods and walks over towards the room.
Once hes in and the door is shut Jasper turns towards Eleanor.
"Who is he?" He finally asks.
"A friend", she simply says.
"And?"
"And nothing. Listen, can we talk about this tomorrow? Right now, it's been a long day and I'm tired", she tells him.
Just then Cook came out the door and Jasper gave her a look that meant the topic wasn't going to be dropped tomorrow.
"Thank you for the clothes, I shouldn't need you for the rest of the night", Eleanor tells Jasper.
Jasper looks at her as if to ask if she's sure but she doesn't seem to have anything more to say so he gives a tight nod and leaves the room, closing the doors behind him.
"I think we both could use a bit of sleep", she tells Cook.
She was exhausted. And they were both tired, they had been restless for the past six years.
"That sounds nice", he answers.
Eleanor makes her way towards the bed, expecting Cook to follow, but he just sits back down on the sofa and pulls the blanket off the arm and onto himself.
"You can sleep in the bed if you want", "I promise I'll keep my hands to myself". She teases.
Cook laughs, but does start to sit up.
"Are you sure?" He asks.
"A promise is a promise", she says to him, knowing that wasn't the question he was asking.
He just shakes his head and walks over to the bed crawling into the opposite side.
"Goodnight Effy".
"Goodnight Cook", she said quietly.
She missed his name, she missed her name on his lips. She missed him. And she still had all these questions for him that she expected answers to, but not tonight. Tonight she was just happy to have him back.
She suddenly had a thought that made her heart beat just a little bit quicker. "Cook?" she said into the darkness.
"Yeah Eff?"
"Don't leave", she said so quietly she's not even sure he heard her.
"I won't", he replies almost as quiet.
"Thanks", she says.
"No problem".
And for the first time on this day in six years, her head was quiet.
A/N
I am so sorry for the wait, every time I tried to finish this chapter I kept getting distracted. Also, thank you guys for reading my story, I hope you're liking it. :)