TPASD 24

Back at Alex's temporary home, they had just said their goodbyes to the girls, as they headed off on the weekend away in Paris. Alex had scheduled a zoom meeting with all three of his parents for midday, London time. Eager to give them at least a few hours to get used to the idea, before they joined Catherine, Shaan and the Crown lawyers in the discussion of how their relationship might work.

In the meantime, Alex was on the floor of the living room, with Gabriella doing her physiotherapy exercises, strengthening her leg muscles, while Henry paid keen attention from his vantage point on the sofa. Watching, leaning and taking copious notes. He was eager to learn, so he could help. So, he could take some of Gabriella's care off Alex's head.

"You know you can tell me, if I am overstepping." Henry told Alex, when they were finished the latest exercise session. "I never want you to feel as if I am coming in and taking over."

"I'll tell you if you overstep, I promise." Alex kisses Gabriella's forehead and caught Henry's eye. He couldn't believe that Henry was finally his. Well, theirs, actually. "But I really like that you want to learn and that you're keen. It tells me that you take Gabriella seriously, and you want to help."

"If we're serious about trying to make this relationship work, then we both need to be helping Gabriella." Henry told Alex. "I know you are her father, and I don't want to take that away from you, but I just want to help. I love her so much and I know that the more help and interventions we do while she is young, the less of a potential delay she might have in the future."

"I know you love her, Hen and its one of the things that I ..." Alex trailed off. He had almost slipped up. Last night in bed they had agreed that they were on the same page in regard to feelings, but neither one of them wanted the other to use the words just yet. That they needed more time to discover this part of themselves and get used to the 'relationship them'. "I know how much you love her, Henry."

Alex's phone beeped, signaling that it was time to connect onto the zoom call. Henry offered to leave the room with Gabriella, but Alex told him in no uncertain terms, no. The plan was for Henry to sit off screen with Gabriella and come on screen if need be. Alex told Henry he would wear his Ear Pods, as not to disturb a Gabriella who would be having a bottle. But deep down, Alex feared that at least someone would have something to say. Something he didn't want Henry to hear. If it was all positive and Gabriella went down for her nap ok, then Alex could always disconnect them, or give one pod to Henry to listen in on.

"Good Luck." Henry said, kissing Alex's lips, as he took Gabriella and her bottle from him and sat on the opposite sofa. "I'll just be over here."

Alex was surprised when he opened the app and saw June was waiting there first. Texting her, worried something was wrong, she quickly replied they were still on the euro star, but she was there for moral support for her. He loved June and he appreciated her. He was glad she was on his side.

A minute and a half later, Oscar, Leo and Ellen all appeared within the space of fifteen seconds. Alex had no idea what he was going to say to them. They knew he was bi, he had come out to them back in high school, but he had never had to tell them that he had a boyfriend before. Until now, that is.

"Ah, hi." Alex greeted them all hesitantly. Henry muffled a giggle from his seat on the opposite sofa.

"Hey Darling'," His mother greeted him, casting an eye over him in a way that only a mother does. Critical, yet loving.

"Hey man," Leo greeted him next. "How's our girl?"

"Mijo, I've only got a few minutes." Oscar added quickly. "I'm between meetings."

"I'll make it quick then, shall I?" Alex smirked and June rolled her eyes. He was incapable of doing anything quickly.

June was the first one to bite to that, just as Alex suspected. "You've never been one to make it quick before, Hermano." June had lamented, sending a wink to her little brother. "Just get it over with. It's like a band aid. Rip it off."

"Geez, June!" Alex huffed.

"Whatever it is, sugar." Ellen told her son, gently. "I'm sure it's not the end of the world and we will back you all the way."

"Before anyone else interrupts me, I'll get on with it." Alex pointedly said to the rest of his family, catching Henry's eye, as Gabriella's eyes began getting heavy from across the room. "Ah, the thing is ... I am seeing someone. It's new and it's exciting, and scary. And it's relevant to you all."

"Oh honey, that's wonderful." Ellen cooed, clearly happy with this news. "Now, why is this relevant to us? It's your life."

Oscar was beaming, eyes wide with realisation. But mostly, he kept his thoughts to himself. He didn't want to jump to any conclusions, just yet.

"They're not American, are they?" Leo asked, eyeing Alex closely. "I think as long as they're not a republican, it can't have too much of an impact on El or Oz's campaigns. Who is she?"

"She is a he, actually." Alex replied, and he had foolishly looked up to see Henry had returned from putting Gabriella down for her nap and was biting his hand to prevent himself from bursting out in laughter. Loud laughter. "He happens to be Henry."

"As in the Prince of England?" Ellen was shocked. Oscar may have told her about their son's friendship with the royal. But he had in no way prepared her for the possibility that the two of them might be more than just friends. "That Henry? The one you work with at the shelter?"

"Yeah, that Henry." Alex smiled widely, beckoning Henry to come and join him. Henry took a seat beside him, sitting just out of the frame. Alex handed him an ear pod and Henry quietly asked him if, he was sure. "I really like him."

"That's great news, Mijo." Oscar finally declared, clapping his hands with glee. He had to admit, his son looked happy and relaxed. He had been sure that Ellen would not object, once she had wrapped her head around it. But that took time, and he had the advantage of already knowing the men were into one another. This was brand new information for his ex-wife and her current husband. "Is he there with you?"

"Hello, Senator Diaz." Henry said tentatively, leaning into the frame. "It is lovely to see you again."

If there was one thing that Henry was, it was polite. It wasn't just his royal etiquette training, his manner were inherently bred into his personality. That was something that Alex admired and loathed about Henry in equal parts.

Ellen froze up. She hadn't been expecting Henry to jump on the call with them. More importantly, she was a little angry at her ex-husband. He hadn't mentioned meeting the goddamn prince when he had visited Alex last. Off screen, she was fumbling for her phone and messaging her PA. She wanted her to find time for her and Leo to make a trip to London.

Leo too was looking at his phone off screen. Ellen's PA was looping him into the conversation. As they compared their busy schedules to carve out time for a trip.

"Well, are y'all going to tell us all how this happened?" Leo asked. Leo didn't care who his step-kids ended up with, as long as they were happy and he had to admit, it had been a while since he has seen Alex this happy.

Before Alex could answer, Oscar begged off pretty quickly after Henry said hello, profusely apologising and asking Henry to give Alex and Gabriella a kiss for him. Oscar's final words were a promise to call soon.

"Well, I'd say we've been tiptoeing around each other for some time now." Henry told Leo, Alex's stepfather and his mom. "I mean we were friends before we started working together on the shelter. Even if I had no idea Pez had hired him, until he walked into the office.

"Probably almost since we first met." Alex added and June fake gagged, before blowing a kiss to the screen and disconnecting.

"Now it's just the four of us, we are going to discuss the heavy stuff." Ellen said seriously and Alex gave Henry an apologetic look. "Henry, ah Prince-"

"Henry's fine." Henry reassured her. She saw her shoulder drop slightly. Alex's mom looked a little less tense than she had a moment ago, but she still looked mighty tense and stressed.

"Henry, where does the palace stand on your relationship with my son?" She asked. Although asked might be too strong of a word. Interrogated might be a more apt word. "I can't imagine they want this to come out so soon after your grandmother's death."

"Ah, my mum's happy for me and so is my sister and sister-in-law." Henry told her truthfully. He was beginning to get the impression that Ellen was perhaps going to be his biggest opponent when it came to Alex's family. His father seemed happy, and he knew June and Nora were happy, his stepfather even seemed mildly pleased. But Ellen still looked far from happy.

"But not your brother?" Ellen continued. "What about Gabriella, Alex?"

"What about her, Ma?" Alex retorted, hoping she wasn't insinuating Alex lapsing in his duty of care to his daughter. "My plan is to work with the Crown's lawyers to get an injunction to prevent the press from publishing her photo or broadcasting her."

"Maybe you should just come back here, for a bit." Ellen offered, all but ignoring Henry now. "You can have your old room and we can put Gabriella in June's old room. I'm sure your sister won't mind. Just until everyone at the palace is on board. The media is going to be relentless."

"Ma, that's not an option right this minute." Alex told her, firmly. He didn't want to flat out say no, because it was increasingly likely he and Henry would end up in the US at some point. "If we ever come it will only ever be for a visit."

"Alex, I too have to run." She apologised once more, before catching Henry's eye. "Relax, sugar. We'll sort this out. And Alex, you and I need to have another chat soon. Maybe when you find yourself alone."

As soon as the call had disconnected, Alex leaned back into Henry's opened arms and let out a huge sigh. "Why do I feel like that did not go as well as you were expecting, darling?" Henry asked him, pressing his lips to Alex's temple.

"That's an understatement, Hen." Alex rubbed at his eyes. He was thankful that from the angle that Henry was holding him, he couldn't see his face. He was afraid that if Henry saw the small tears forming in his eyes, the one's he was desperately squeezing his eyes closed in an effort to stop them from falling; Henry would be upset too. He didn't want Henry getting upset. He didn't want Henry second guessing himself. A self-destructive tendency Henry tended to have when he doubted himself. Another habit that Henry had developed thanks to Mary in part. "I thought she might have been happier to hear that I was seein' someone new."

"Your mum loves you, Alex." Henry told him kissing his temple once more and holding him a little tighter in his arms. "She only wants what is best for you and for Gabriella, love. No one can fault her for that."

The sound of the laptop ringing again, startled them both. They exchanged a brief look and Henry wanted to reach out and wipe the tears from Alex's eyes, but Alex hastily wiped them with the sleeves of his sweatshirt before Henry could stop him. The caller was Leo, and that surprised him.

Leo was always the kind of stepparent that was kind of there. He had never tried to force a friendship or a parental relationship on Alex. Always letting Alex be the one to make the first move and draw the boundaries of what they were. Even in the beginning, when Alex and Oscar were still rocky, in the wake of Oscar's seemingly abrupt departure from Alex's everyday life, Leo let Alex set the pace. There were very few occasions when the two men had ever spoken about anything of absolute substance alone. Ellen's decision to run for the Senate. Alex coming out to Ellen, Oscar and Leo. Leo had follow-up questions and they talked about sexuality. Alex's decision to follow Erica to the UK and how it would affect his mom. The importance of having emergency cash in lock box at the bank. But the biggest one, it was when Leo had decided he was going to propose to Ellen.

So, seeing him reach out like this, to Alex, was a historical moment between the men. Alex hit answer, as Henry handed him the ear pods off the coffee table.

"Sorry to just call back unannounced, but can the three of us talk for a moment?" Leo asked, in lieu of a hello greeting. "Your mom was in shock, Alex."

"Leo, man." Alex started; it was a familiar route between the two of them. The few times in Alex's life that Ellen had flown off the handle, Leo had always been the one to swoop in and try to keep everything amicable. "It's Ma, she's always going to have opinions, and a lot of them. She's always going to be worrying about me, or about Gabriella, because that's what mothers and grandmothers do. They worry."

"Ale, you know she has your back. She only wants what's best for you." Leo told him in earnest. "Henry, please be reassured Ellen has nothing personally against you, nor do I. We just want to make sure that there's someone looking out for Alex."

"I gathered that." Henry smiled, trying to sound confident, but having second doubts.

"Ellen's a complex woman, Henry." Leo told him, and Alex took Henry's hand in his. "She loves wholly and fiercely. Don't mistake her cool demeanour for indifference."

"True." Alex agreed with his stepfather. "If mom has an issue with you, she's going to tell you. She is a loudmouth woman from Texas, of course, she's going to tell you."

"We just want you to be happy, Alex." Leo reminded him. "But if I were you, you should know your mom want a trip to see you, and soon."

"Stall her." Alex begged, even though he knew no one can stall his mom. She is a force to be reckoned with. "My house got damaged in the floods, last week. It's going to be a knocked down and rebuild job. I am currently living in a three-bedroom flat in Kensington. It's really cramped, and this is only until the end of the week. Hopefully the insurance company has paid me out and I can start contracting people to get in and tear it down and speak with an architect and start the rebuild process."

"Oh Alex, do you need me to fly over and help out?" Leo offered. Alex knew Leo would too, if he asked. Alex just had to say the word and Leo would do anything he asked. He was that kind of man. "I can get an air bnb and liaise with the insurance company for you."

"Thanks, but Henry's equerry Shaan, his brother is a structural engineer." Alex explained, holding Henry's hand in his. "He is liaising with the insurance company for me. He wrote the report, and we are just waiting on the assessor."

"You know as well as I do, that as soon as your mom finds out about this, she will be on the next plane out here." Leo smirked at them.

"Actually," Henry smiled at Alex. "I was thinking that we, that is, you, Gabriella and I, might go to the US for a visit soon. Perhaps a small detour to Texas?"

"Henry!" Leo exclaimed. "Alex hasn't been back in the US since he left. We'd love to see him on our side of the pond someday soon. You'd definitely win some points with Ellen."

"Well, of course, it's not set in stone, just yet." Henry reminded Leo. "There's things that have to happen first, though. Alex and I will need to discuss it first. Then I will need approval from the palace, but that's an easy one to deal with. Shaan will have rearrange my schedule. My security team will need to meet and plan logistics. We will need to go to the US embassy and organize Gabriella to have a CRBA. Which is a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Alex will need to fill out a form. DS-2029 and submit it with all of the relevant paperwork. I am sure it's just his birth certificate and password, Erica's birth and death certificates and Gabriella's birth certificate, as well as proof of Alex's employment here in the UK."

"How do you know all of that, baby?" Alex squeezed his boyfriend's hand and kissed it. "Hen, Erica and I did that when we submitted the paperwork for her birth. Gabriella's already a dual citizen. She just needs a passport. We always intended on taking her to the US for visits."

"Sounds like Henry needs to his side of the trip in order." Leo muttered to Alex with a smile. "But about this meeting today, do you two want me to sit in virtually?"

"That's your call, love." Henry murmured.

"Your call, Alex." Leo told him in earnest. "Let me know, I have nothing planned."

As the call disconnected, Alex looked at Henry expectedly. "How do you know all of that, Hen? It was really hot, by the way."

"I may or may not have had some trouble sleeping whilst I was forced to stay at Buckingham Palace, last week." Henry replied with a coy smile. "It's amazing what information you can find on the internet at two in the morning."

Catherine was pleased when she had gone looking for Henry, only to be told by Shaan that Henry was not at the palace. It wasn't often that Henry ever spent the night away from the palace. If it was, it was generally at Percy's 'flat', which was more like a mansion than a flat. Shaan had maintained his professionalism with the new queen. But Catherine could see the small excitement dancing through the equerry's eyes.

"Do I have to ask where he is?" Catherine asked with a curl of amusement on her upper lip. She was almost certain, that Henry was with Alex. "Or are you going to simply tell me he is at Percy's and we both will know that is a lie."

"I do not know what you are talking about, Ma'am." Shaan murmured, looking anywhere but at her. "I am sworn to secrecy."

"Don't call me Ma'am, Shaan." Catherine chastised him. "Not when we're alone. We've been friends for too long for you to start calling me that."

"Catherine." Shaan tested out the new name. It almost felt wrong. But Shaan remembered all of the times when he had called her Catherine, while working for Arthur and it made him feel better about it. Slightly.

"Hmm, so my son is with Alex." Catherine stated, her voice low as she closed the distance between them to allow them a hushed conversation.

"I was specifically told not to tell you." Shaan all but confirmed with a small laugh.

"You know, normal parents get to catch their children sneaking in after staying out late from a date." She smiled with Shaan. "Philip did it with Martha. Bea did it once, with some boy she had been seeing in her teens. But never with Henry."

"Well, he, and Alex are expected to walk through that door in the next ten minutes or so." Shaan returned the conspiratorial grin with Catherine.

Catherine understood what Shaan was saying and what he wasn't saying.

Sure enough, as Shaan had promised, Henry poked his head into the office, dressed in a pair of his own jeans, Alex's UT Austin Tee that he had stolen from June when he was still in high school and Alex's shelter hoodie. Gabriella was perched on his hip, and his hand was slipped inside Alex's.

"Any messages?" Henry asked Shaan, in the way that he always did after he had been away from the palace for an extended period of time.

"Hello, son." Catherine smirked at him. She had narrowed in on Alex's hand in Henry's right away and had to admit her son looked good holding Gabriella in his arms, while holding Alex's hand. They looked like a cute couple, an adorable little family. She was really happy for Henry. "Did you miss me?"

"Mum," Henry answered, stunned to see his mother sitting in Shaan's office. Alex had tensed up, worried about if Catherine would say anything to him or not. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Alex." She smiled reassuringly at her son's apparent new boyfriend. "Hello, Gabriella, my sweet girl." She cooed, winking at Henry.

"Hi Catherine." Alex returned her warm greeting, but it was too late. The Queen was solely focused on Gabriella.

"At least if we ever need a good babysitter ..." Henry whispered into Alex's ear, as they both watched Gabriella light up with a big smile for Catherine.

"Oh, I would love to babysit, let me babysit." Catherine all but begged. "I can babysit, and you can take Alex on a beautiful date somewhere. I mean, I am assuming you're a couple now. Your holding hands."

Shaan caught Catherine's eye. He was sure that wasn't exactly what had made her think that they were a couple. He could see, as well as she could, that Henry had a smallish, deep purple bruise on his neck that had not been there yesterday, and Alex had a matching mark that could be seen where his sternum and collarbone meet.

"Ah well, yes. We are." Henry confirmed, giving their clasped hands a small squeeze in support. "We made it official last night. We have a meeting with Orville, Simon and Lachlan. I want us to discuss getting a preemptive legal injunction to stop media outlets from publishing photos of Gabriella."

"You don't need them; I have a meeting with the PM tomorrow. I will have the lawyers write up the decree and sign it immediately. I can have him notify his own staff and issue the decree to the media at his briefing with them tomorrow afternoon." Catherine offered. Her offer was warm and genuine. It was not laced with a quid pro quo barter like Henry's dealings with his gran, when she was on the throne.

"Also, Alex and I were talking about taking a trip to the US while his house is being rebuilt." Henry added, figuring his mum would be actually open to at least discussing the idea. "Give me a chance to meet his family properly and get to know them a little before our relationship becomes a little more public."

"That's a wonderful idea, love." Catherine beamed. Henry's choice to go and meet Alex's family was proof to her that her son had genuine feelings for Alex. That this wasn't some lust-driven, hormonal want based on Alex Claremont-Diaz's appearance. "While you are making plans to meet Alex's family, our family would love to officially meet Alex and Gabriella, Henry. Can you both come to dinner tonight? I know it's short notice, but I would really like it."

"Mum." Henry protested. He was unsure about whether or not he was ready to introduce Alex to Philip. Philip still hadn't proven to him that he could be trusted again. Nor had Philip even apologised genuinely for all the years of systematic physical, emotional and mental abuse at his hands.

"Shaan can join us, too." Catherine hastily added and shooting Shaan a wide-eyed look. She had panicked and now that panic was written all over Shaan's face too.

Whilst this wasn't the first time that he had been asked to sit down and have a meal with Catherine and her children, it was the first time since Arthur's death. Looking up he saw that Alex was looking unsure, just as unsure as Henry. Shaan had been there when Philip had brought Martha home to meet the family, and he suspects that Bea doesn't really need or want a man. "I'd be honored to be there." He found himself saying, sincerely.

It was the least that Shaan could do for Arthur. Be there for his family in times of happiness, as well as sorrow and grief.

Pulling out her mobile phone, Catherine called Martha. Explaining to Martha the new plans for dinner and how it was to be an informal affair, and the boys would be welcome too; no nanny required for them. Martha promised her that she and the boys would be there, as well as Philip, even if she had to drag him kicking and screaming.

Henry grimaced at that, if Philip didn't want to come, Henry didn't want him there. He didn't want Philip to feel guilted into attending. That would make him no better than Mary, and Henry always strived to be the best version of himself.

"I was kind of hoping to get to take you out on a date myself before meeting the family." Henry murmured to Alex, as his mum and Shaan began making arrangements for an impromptu family dinner. "I would have loved to wine you and dined you; court you."

"Can you wait until June and Nora come back?" Alex asked, hesitantly. "I like your mom and all, but I am not sure I am ready to leave Gabriella with just anyone yet. Unless you were planning on asking Pez to babysit. Don't get me wrong, I love Pez, but he isn't exactly ready for nighttime babysitting duties."

"I'll make you a deal." Henry winked at him. "If you can make it through dinner with my family, I will do Gabriella's nighttime routine. You can have the night off."

"What am I supposed to do with myself while you're putting her to bed?" Alex coyly smirked at him, before feeling his cheeks heat up. Thankful in the moment for his Mexican heritage, his brown skin hiding the extent of his red cheeks.

"I am sure you can think of something, Darling." Henry replied, kissing their clasped hands.