All That You Are

Today was the first day of the official festivities. The Epsom Derby was the first on the list. Harry wasn’t going to be able to attend because he had his military training, but Beckett had invited her to be his date for the day.

At first, she wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea to go with Beckett since there was going to be so many cameras there, but she decided she wasn’t going to let them stop her from doing the things she wanted to.

Abbey knew that she was going to have fun. She was going to be with some of her closest friends after all, but she never thought it would be as much fun as it was. Between Beckett making it his mission to make her laugh harder than ever before and her horse winning, it had been a very good day.

“You know what?” Abbey said to Beckett. The races had ended. They had decided to wait a while before leaving, hopefully waiting out most of the press. So now they sat in Beckett’s family’s private box, drinking cocktails and people watching.

“What?” Beckett asked.

“I’m almost happy that I came here with you,” she said. “I mean, if Harry had been able to go and I could’ve gone with him, it would’ve been so stiff, and I don’t think I’m ready to meet the Queen. Does that make me a bad person?”

“Nah, it makes you human,” he said, reclining further back into his seat. “Plus, I know I’m more fun than Harry.”

She laughed. “Today you have been.” She looked at the glass in her hands and sighed. “Thank you for today. I needed to forget that I’m dating royalty for a day.”

“You and Harry are doing alright though?” he asked.

“Oh yeah, we’re doing good,” she said smiling. Harry had been amazing lately. He’d been so patient with her because of how stressed she’d been lately. “It’s just having to deal with all the lawyers with this Courtney shit, and then the usual Navy bullshit. It’s exhausting.”

“How’s the Courtney situation going?”

“From what the lawyers keep telling me, it should be finished soon,” Abbey explained. She shook her head. It felt like they had been telling her it would be finished soon since it started. “They’ve offered her a deal. Now we’re just waiting to see if she takes it.”

A big smile spread across Beckett’s face. “How big is your settlement?” he asked even though he had a feeling what her answer would be.

“I would probably never have to work again,” she said sheepishly.

“At least they won’t be able to say that you’re with Harry just for his money.”

“Thank god,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Now I just need find some way to become British and I’ll be exactly what the papers want.”

“Good luck with that,” Beckett grinned. He took a sip of his drink. “Do you know if there is anything going on with Amanda and Eddie?” he asked suddenly.

She looked over at Beckett and raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” she asked. Eddie and Amanda had somehow still kept their romance a secret for the most part.

“Don’t you think they’re been acting a bit strange?” he asked.

She couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled from her lips. “Strange how?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “They’re always disappearing together. Never telling anyone where they go.”

“Oh Beckett, sweet oblivious, Beckett,” she laughed. “Think about what you’re saying. You’ll realize why they’re acting weird.”

He got a confused look on his face. “What are you talking about…” He looked at her with wide eyes. “Oh my god, they’re dating!”

“Good job,” she laughed. “You’re only about six months late to the party.”

“Six months? Does everyone else know?”

“I’m pretty sure everyone knows. They just pretend to not know,” Abbey explained.

“Am I that blind?”

“No,” she smiled. “You’re usually just occupied with other things.”

“Occupied with what?”

“Women. Booze. Your normal things,” she teased.

“God, I’m a terrible friend,” he groaned.

“Nah, you’re a great friend when you need to be.” She pointed at him. “You have been a great friend to me, and I’m sure I wouldn’t have stuck around if it wasn’t for you.”

“All I did was talk some sense into you,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Exactly. You took the time to talk sense into my sorry ass,” she grinned at him. “Not to mention, not very many guys would take their best friend’s girlfriend to the races.”

“True,” he grinned. “I guess I’m a good friend.”

“Royal sightings have not been in short supply this week as the celebration continues for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Her majesty made her first appearance at the Epsom Derby today. She arrived with the Duke of Edinburgh along with her two youngest sons, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, and granddaughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were sadly not in attendance. However, Prince Harry’s girlfriend, Abbey Price, was spotted in one of the private boxes. It is in question if our favorite prince and American is still together as she was seen flirting with one of London’s elite and Prince Harry’s best friend.

“Eyewitnesses told us that the American pilot was Beckett Harland’s date for the derby. The two arrived together and spent the whole day together. They were all smiles the entire day.

“Perhaps, Price has gotten tired of her life in the spotlight and has decided to go after Prince Harry’s best friend. Either way, sounds like there’s trouble in paradise for the young couple.”

Abbey finished reading the article out loud and laughed. “I told you it was a bad idea for me to go with Beckett today,” she said to Harry.

Harry had gotten home from his military training a little after Abbey had gotten home from the derby. Now they sat together cuddled on the couch in the living room at Harry’s apartment.

“You had fun though, right?” he asked, looking up from the notes in his hands.

“Yeah, it was a blast,” she said.

“Then it shouldn’t matter what they write.” He went back to looking over the notes for this weekend his private secretary had dropped off earlier.

“Really? You don’t care that half the country thinks I’m leaving you for Beckett?” she asked, grinning.

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “No, because  I know that would never happen,” he said without looking up.

“Mhmm,” she smirked. She didn’t believe him; she knew that it bothered him more than he let on. “You have that river pageant thing tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.” He glanced up at her. “What you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I could try to drag Charlie with me into the crowds. Be the American tourist I was born to be.”

That got his attention. He set all the papers aside and sat up straighter. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? With that many people someone is bound to recognize you. You could get hurt.”

“People aren’t the problem, Harry,” she sighed. “It’s the press. And I can handle anything that happens.”

“I don’t like you going alone.”

“I won’t be alone; Charlie will be with me,” she said, crossing her arms. “You can’t stop me from going.”

He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. “I know I can’t. I just want you to be safe. I don’t want anything to happen to you because of who I am.”

“That ship has sailed. Shit’s going to happen to me whether I’m with you or not,” she said, pursing her lips. “Look, how many times are we going to talk about this?”

“I know I sound like a broken record. I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“I get that.” She scooted closer and held his hands. “Just as you don’t want anything to happen to me, I don’t want anything to happen to you. But we can’t control fate, and it doesn’t help to worry about what could happen. It just makes you focus only on the negative.”

“You’re right, but it doesn’t stop me from worrying.”

“Come on, babe. I’ve had more military training than you. I should be more worried about you getting hurt,” she teased.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Charlie groaned as he followed Abbey as she weaved her way through the crowd. They finally came to the railing along the Thames River. “You know how much I hate crowds.”

“Yes, I think I gathered that much from the other hundred times you’ve told me since we left the flat,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“I just don’t understand why we had to come out here with a million other people to see someone you wake up next to every morning,” he sighed as he leaned against the rail.

“Who said I was here for Harry?” she grinned. She pulled a small Union Jack flag out of her bag. “I’m here for the Queen, bitch.”

They stayed there until they watched the boat with the royals and a bunch of other boats went by. Abbey could have stayed there all day, but she knew that she was already putting her friendship with Charlie on the line just by dragging him out there.

The crowd had started to disperse a little; so it would be easier to walk through. Abbey decided that it was probably time to leave. She looked up to Charlie and nodded. He took ahold of her hand so he wouldn’t lose her and followed her through all the people.

Suddenly, Abbey felt two little arms wrap around her leg. She looked down to see a little girl that was about five years old staring up at her with tears running down her face.

Abbey knelt down. “Hello there,” she said softly. The little girl’s eyes were the size of saucers. “Are you lost, sweetie?” The little girl slowly nodded her head.

“I’ll go find a police officer,” Charlie said. Abbey nodded in understanding before Charlie disappeared into the crowd.

She looked back to the little girl in front of her. “How about we go over to that bench so your mommy or daddy can see you better?” The little girl took her hand without question. Abbey went to the bench and helped the young girl onto the bench. “What’s your name, sweetie?”

“Emma,” she said quietly.

“That’s a very pretty name. My name is Abbey,” she smiled. “How old are you, Miss Emma?”

“I’m…” She held up five fingers.

“I have a niece your age,” Abbey smiled.“Were you with your parents?”

Emma nodded tearfully. “We came to watch the Queen.”

“Me too. Her dress was very pretty, don’t you think?”

“Yes, but Prince Harry is my favorite,” she said matter of factly.

Abbey laughed at the seriousness in her voice. “Can you keep a secret?” Emma nodded. “He’s my favorite too.”

“Abbey.” She heard Charlie say from behind her. She stood up to see him standing with an officer. “This is Constable Grimes.”

“Her name is Emma. She’s five years old, and she was with both of her parents,” Abbey explained. “They must have gotten separated in the crowd. We’re lieutenants in the U.S. Navy, training with the Royal Air Force.”

“Yes, ma’am. I know who you are,” Constable Grimes said. For once Abbey was thankful to have her face plastered everywhere. “Stay with her until I can get another officer here.” He walked away and started talking into his radio.

“She remind you of Lily too?” Charlie whispered in her ear.

“Yeah,” Abbey smiled. “It’s those big blue eyes that get you.”

“Miss Abbey?”

Abbey knelt down in front of Emma. “Yes, Miss Emma?”

“Do you have any snacks?”

Abbey chuckled. “As a matter of fact, I think I might have some crisps in my bag.” She began to look through her bag. “My friend here, Charlie, always seems to get hungry. Ah, here we go.” She pulled a bag out and gave them to Emma.

Emma eyed Charlie for a moment. “Are you Miss Abbey’s boyfriend?”

Abbey looked up at Charlie with a smirk on her lips. “No,” Charlie smiled. “She’s my best friend though.”

Emma shook her head. “My mummy always says that girls and boys can’t be just friends. That somebody always gets hurt.”

Abbey laughed at the face Emma made as she repeated her mother’s words. “That’s often true, but Charlie and I are very special.”

Emma thought it over for a moment before going back to eating her crisps.

“Lieutenants,” Constable Grimes said to get their attention. “I think we found her parents. An officer is escorting them here.”

“Miss Abbey,” Emma said, tugging on her sleeve. “Did you find my mummy?”

“I think so.”

“Do you have any more snacks?”

“You cleaned me out, sweetie,” Abbey laughed.

“Emma! Emma!” A women called through the crowd. “Oh my god! Emma, You’re okay!” A woman that looked a couple years older than Abbey swooped Emma up into her arms.

“Mummy!” Emma cried.

“Thank you for helping my girl,” Emma’s mom said. Her eyes suddenly went wide as she recognized Abbey.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said quickly. “Just keep an eye on your girl.” She looked to Emma. “Don’t lose your mummy, Miss Emma.”

“Yes, Miss Abbey.”

Abbey turned to leave before too much attention was turned their way. They started to make their way back home. The entire time, Charlie kept looking at her and smiling.

“Okay,” Abbey sighed. “Spit it out.”

“As soon as you and Harry are married, you two better start popping kids out,” Charlie grinned.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re really good with kids, and Harry…well, all kids love him,” Charlie explained. “You guys better have a shit ton of kids.”

“Why are you talking like Harry has already proposed?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

“Because you are considering leaving the Navy for him. For you to even think that, it has to be serious.”

She pursed her lips. He was right, but she wouldn’t tell him that. “You really think that I’m good with kids?”

“Yeah,” he smiled as he slung his arm over her shoulders. “I do.”

“It seems as though Prince Harry’s girlfriend has resorted to doing anything for some good PR. Eyewitnesses tell us that Abbey Price was seen in yesterday’s crowd for the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. She was seen helping a little girl that was supposedly lost from her parents. Abbey was seen giving the child crisps while they waited for the police to find her parents.

“Although, one of our inside side sources at Kensington say that this was just a PR stunt, you can’t deny how adorable Abbey was helping a child.”

“A PR stunt? Why would I ever do that,” Abbey muttered as she threw her phone is frustration. “Don’t they have anything better to do than write this shit.”

“Who wrote the article?” Harry asked from her kitchen where he was making them breakfast.

“Someone at the Daily Mail,” she sighed.

“That’s your problem,” Harry said as he chewed on a piece of bacon. “They make better fiction writers than news reporters.”

“Obviously,” she muttered. “I just don’t understand how they can make up stories when there is so much else to write about with the Jubilee and all.”

He brought her a plate of scrambled eggs. “Trust me, I know exactly what you’re talking about.”

“They’re taking the focus off of where it should be,” she said, poking at the food on her plate.

“I know, but it’s what they do.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she mumbled. She looked up at him “I don’t think I’m going to go to the concert today.”

“What? Are you sure?” he asked quickly.

“Yeah,” she said. “It’s not like I would be there with you anyways.”

“I guess,” he shrugged. “You’ll come to the afterparty though?”

“Are you kidding me? Like I would miss one of Eddie’s parties,” she laughed.

Of course she was running late, and it was no one’s fault but her own. She had fallen asleep while watching reruns of some stupid show. She had woken up to about thirty text messages and almost as many missed calls from her friends. All wondering why she wasn’t at the party. It was a wonder that no one had come to check on her since she was nearly two hours late.

So now, as a result, she was running around like a mad woman trying to get ready. She rushed around trying to find her jacket that she swore was somewhere in her closet. Her phone was once again ringing violently.

She didn’t even look at the caller id. It had to be one of her friends. “Yes, I know. I’m late, but I’ll be there soon,” she said quickly as she continued to look for her jacket.

“Is this Lieutenant Price?”

Abbey sat up straight and felt her cheeks go red. This was not any of friends. “Uh, yes, sir. This is she.”

“This is Lieutenant Commander Jordan. Your JAG lawyer.”

“Yes, sir. What can I help you with?” Abbey asked.

“I wanted to let you know that Miss Emmerson has taken our deal. You’ll just need to fill out some paperwork, and then you’re done with this mess,” he explained.

Immediately, she felt an enormous weight had been taken off her shoulders. “I can come by your office Monday morning to sign everything.”

“Where the hell have you been?” Beckett asked Abbey once he spotted her walking into the party. “You were suppose to be here hours ago. I was about to go look for you.”

“Kinda lost track of time.” She looked around the room. Once again, Eddie had outdone himself.

“You missed the concert,” he stated.

“I thought it would be better not to go after the last couple of days,” she explained as she took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “And I got to have a much needed nap.”

“Of course,” he grinned.

“Is my boyfriend somewhere around here?” she asked.

“Ah, yes.” Beckett looked across the room. Abbey followed his eyesight and saw Harry at the bar. “He got a little depressed when you didn’t show up.”

“So he decided to do shots with his brother?” she questioned. “Why aren’t you over there with him?”

He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. “I sorta lost my date.”

She bit her lip, trying her best not to laugh. “You lost your date?” she managed to ask.

“Be nice,” he warned. “Everything was normal until Harry forced me to take a shot, and I turned around and she was gone.”

“Maybe it’s time to find better dates,” she smirked.

“Are you offering, Abigail?” he asked, putting on his signature smile. “Have you finally seen the light? Are you going to leave Harry for me?”

“In your dreams, Beckett,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. “Don’t get into too much trouble.” She made her way over to Harry.

“Abigail!” Harry shouted when he saw her. The smell of alcohol radiated off of him. He basically threw himself on her. “I missed you. I thought you decided not to come.”

“Wow, you certainly haven’t slowed down,” she mumbled. She looked to Will, who had a lazy smile on his face. “Where is your wife?” William only shrugged his shoulders. Abbey shook her head and returned her attention back to Harry. “Come one, let’s get you some water.”

Abbey grabbed one of the unopened water bottles off the bar and then helped Harry to a couch in the corner. She put the water in his hands and urged him to drink.

“Once you drink that, you can go back to having shots with the future King of England.” She sat down across from him. She didn’t understand why he had drank so much in the first place.

“Why were you so late?” he asked, slurring her words.

“I fell asleep and woke up late. Then I got a call from one of my lawyers,” she explained. She pointed to the water in his hands. “Drink.”

He took a long drink. “Do you want to marry me?” he asked suddenly.

“I’m rethinking it now,” she mumbled under her breath.

“What?”

“You know I do, Harry,” she sighed. She sat back and crossed her arms. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“You’re going to laugh at me.”

“More than when I’m going to laugh at you when you realize you’re gonna have to drag your hungover ass to Thanksgiving Service in the morning?” she challenged.

“Oh god,” he groaned as he buried his head in his hands when he realized she was right. “I’m going to hate my life in the morning.”

“If it makes you feel any better, Will is going to hate his life too,” Abbey offered. He looked up at her with a miserable look on his face. “What’s going on, Harry?” she asked quietly.

“When you didn’t show up, I thought you stood me up, and William didn’t help. He said that you probably found someone else to spend the night with.”

She couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping open. “Your brother is a dick.”

Abbey stood up and searched the room for William. She spotted him still at the bar. She beelined towards him to give him a piece of her mind. She wasn’t sure what had come over her. Maybe everything had finally pushed her over the ledge. But she was not going to stand by and let someone talk shit about her, even if they were royalty.

“Harry’s not here if you lost him already,” William said when she appeared next to him.

“You know, I wouldn’t normally say anything, but after all the bullshit I’ve been through recently, I can’t ignore it. I don’t appreciate the way you talk about me and the fact that you would put it in Harry’s head that I would leave him for anyone.” She stepped closer; so she was only inches away from him. “You may not like me, but I’m not going anywhere unless your brother decides to break my heart.” He opened his mouth to say something but she ignored him. “So you better get used to me being around because I’m in it for the long haul, buddy.” She turned around and started to walk away.

“You can’t talk to me like that,” William called after her.

She stopped. “I just did,” she smirked. She slipped down into the worst curtsy she could do. “Your Highness.”

She walked straight back to Harry. He had drank the rest of his water and looked like he had fallen asleep sitting up.

She gently shook his shoulder. “Come on, babe. Let’s get you home.” She helped him up.

“Love, are you crying?” he asked wiping a tear off her cheek.

She didn’t even realize she was crying. “I’m fine,” she said, forcing a smile.

His thumb brushed across her cheek. “I love you, Abigail.”

“I love you, Harry.”

The next morning came all too quickly for Harry. Abbey, on the other hand, had the liberty to sleep in. She woke up in Harry’s bedroom, the late morning sunlight warming her skin.

The memories of the night before came flooding to her. She couldn’t believe she had talked to William like she had, but she didn’t regret any of it. William was an asshole for saying what he did to Harry. How someone could be that mean to their own brother was beyond her.

Abbey rolled over and smelled Harry’s pillow. She loved him more than she could ever express. He made her feel things that she didn’t think was possible. Just thinking about him caused butterflies in her stomach. He was it. And for someone who had been terrified of commitment most of her life, it scared her shitless.

Eventually, Abbey pulled herself out the comforts of Harry’s bed. She found one of Harry’s shirts and slipped it over her head. She walked towards the kitchen in search of coffee. She poured herself a cup and headed to the living room to hopefully watch the last of the Service of Thanksgiving. She rounded the corner and got a clear view Beckett’s bare ass.

“What the hell are you doing, Beckett?!” she yelled.

Beckett jumped up and quickly grabbed a pillow off the couch to cover his front. “Abbey, what are you doing here?”

“I had sex with Harry last night and haven’t done the walk of shame yet,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Seriously, why are you here and why you naked?”

“Harry let’s me stay here sometimes, and I really can’t tell you why I’m naked,” he said sheepishly.

She shook her head. “Find your pants. There’s coffee in the kitchen.”

Beckett sidestepped around her and disappeared down the hallway. Abbey sat down on the other couch and took a big gulp of coffee. Beckett come back eventually with pants that Abbey suspected were Harry’s.

“So why do you stay here when you like five minutes away?” Abbey asked.

“Habit, I guess,” he shrugged.

“Ah,” she hummed.

“If it bothers you, I’ll stop,” he offered.

“No, no, it doesn’t bother me. You being naked bothers me,” she said pointedly. “I live with my best friend and Harry doesn’t complain about it. You just surprised me.”

Beckett reached for the remote. “You wanna see how hungover Harry is?”

“Heck yes!” she grinned.

Beckett and Abbey had a great time watching most of the younger royals through their hangovers. Abbey was particularly happy at how miserable William looked.

After a long morning, Harry wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, but when he stepped into his home, he heard Beckett talking and Abbey laughing. As he got closer, he could hear what Beckett was saying.

“So there I was with a half empty bottle of whiskey in my hand and Harry out cold at my feet, and the entire time I was trying to come up with some excuse as to why I was in this position to the Headmaster,” Beckett said. Harry rolled his eyes. Of course, he had to tell her this story.

“Oh my god!” Abbey laughed. “How long was he out for?”

“Several minutes. Although, if you ask Harry, he’ll tell you that it had been our least favorite prefect who had hit him over the head instead of running into the cabinet himself,” Beckett explained.

“Did you get in trouble?” she asked.

“I got written up for possession of alcohol,” he shrugged.

“What he doesn’t tell you,” Harry spoke up finally. “Is that he was the reason we got caught because he started yelling about how amazing whiskey is.”

“Couldn’t hold your liquor?” Abbey teased Beckett. Harry came over to Abbey and kissed her cheek.

“I was 15. Of course I couldn’t hold my liquor,” Beckett defended.

Abbey looked to Harry. “Did you really knock yourself out on a cabinet?”

“Maybe,” he grinned. “What other embarrassing stories has he told you?”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t get to any of the incriminating ones,” Beckett said as he stood up. “I’m going to head home and clean up.” He pointed to Abbey. “Next time, it’s your turn to tell stories.”

“You got it,” she smiled.

Beckett left and Harry sat down next to Abbey. She threw her legs across his lap.

“So do you mind telling me why William told me to keep you in check?” Harry asked as he ran his fingers up and down her legs.

“I may have given him a piece of my mind last night,” she said, looking down at her hands.

“What did you say to him because he wasn’t too happy?” he questioned with a hint of a smile.

She looked up at him. “I told him I didn’t appreciate the way he talked to you about me , and I wasn’t going anywhere,” she said.

“That’s it?” he asked.

“That was the gist of it,” she shrugged. She looked up at him. “Was he really mad?”

“He wasn’t happy that’s for sure,” he chuckled.

“You’re not mad at me?”

“Nah, William needs to be knocked off his pedestal every once in awhile” he shrugged.

“Okay, good.”

“So you never told me why your lawyers called you yesterday.”

She was surprised he remembered her telling him that he called. “They wanted to let me know that Courtney took their offer.”

“Remind me what the settlement was again.”

“She has to pay a fine of 3.5 million to the U.S. government for releasing classified information. She cannot legally travel to the United States for at least the next ten years, and she has to pay me 8 million for pain and suffering she caused.”

“Are you happy with outcome?” he asked.

“I’m happy that it’s finally over. It’s felt like this has gone on way too long,” she sighed. “I don’t even care about the money; I’m just happy that she got some sort of repercussion.”

“I’m sorry this happened to you. It’s my fault it happened.”

“It’s over with. Nothing we can do about it now,” Abbey smiled. “There is something I want to tell you.”

“What?”

“My next deployment, whenever it is, will be my last,” she said. “I’ve already talked it over with Charlie and my commander, and they understand why I want to do it.”

“You’re gonna get out?” he asked, not believing what he was hearing.

“It’s time,” she said softly. “I want to start my life with you, and I can’t do that while I’m still in the Navy.”

“Wow,” he muttered. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Nothing’s final yet, but I’m doing it.”

He had a big grin on his face. “You have no idea how happy this makes me.”

“It could be a couple years before it happens,” she warned. “It could be a while before I get deployed, and my deployment could be anywhere from six months to a year.”

“I know, I know,” he said quickly. “But this is the start of our future together.”