When Harry returned to London, he and Maddie were solid—stronger than they had ever been. Their time in Greece had added to the already durable glue that held them together. She had allowed herself to slip further into his world of wealth and privilege and she had found a way to stay grounded there. And Harry, touched beyond words at her gift, was so certain of her place in his life, in his future that he walked with a new air of confidence, a new feeling of peacefulness in his place in the world.

In those weeks following Harry's birthday, life was incredibly busy. Harry was gone at training and Maddie had her hands full with an influx of clients at Veteran's Services and her steady load at the hospital. It was busy, but the good kind of busy. She enjoyed this kind of busy; it gave her purpose and drive. And, as the icing on the cake, it helped the time without Harry pass by much quicker. Her weekends were devoted to catching up with Ella; shopping, lunching, staying up late and drinking wine while going on and on about their wonderful boyfriends. Maddie felt young and silly and she loved Ella for it.

That's why on that cool October night, Harry's third night back from training, when Ella stopped by as Maddie was getting dressed to go meet Harry, Maddie smiled wide and invited her friend inside; without a care in the world.

"You know, I'm getting ready to go meet Harry, but we can have some wine before I go..." Maddie started towards the kitchen. "Or hey! If you want to call Matt, the four of us can go out."

"No," Ella shook her head; watching her friend closely. "I actually came here for a reason."

"Oh?" Maddie mouth drew to the side as she looked Ella over; there was a magazine clutched to her chest and a look in her eyes that made Maddie nervous.

"You know how you asked me to be your filter, to read through things and only bring you the important stuff?"

"Yes," Maddie smiled tentatively. "And you've been doing a smashingly good job."

"Thank you," Ella allowed a tiny smile.

"Is that why you're here?" Maddie's eyes rested on the magazine that Ella held; the cover pressing against her chest. "Is that important stuff?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I don't think so. It's...I think it's nothing."

"But..." Maddie crossed her arms.

"People are most definitely going to be talking about it and I would be remiss as a filter and a friend if I didn't tell you about it before you heard about it."

"Okay," Maddie nodded; finding a bit of humor in the whole situation. If the last year had taught her anything, it was to not get worked up about something until there was reason to get worked up about something. "Go ahead."

"Okay," Ella nodded and took a breath. "But before I show you, I just want to remind you of a few things..." Ella seemed serious as she held the magazine close to her chest.

"Shoot."

"First, Harry adores you. You know that, right?"

"Yes," Maddie nodded; absolute. "Is this about Harry?" Ella ignored her question and continued.

"Second, I have been reading everything about you for the last...I don't know, six months and the press generally only has it right about...forty percent of the time, probably less if I took the time to make a chart and..."

"Ella..." She snapped back into focus.

"Third," she moved closer to her friend. "When that website said they had nude photos of you, Harry never believed it, not for one second."

"Nude photos?" Maddie's eyes went wide. "Are there nude photos of Harry in that magazine?"

"Right, as if I'm really that lucky." Ella allowed a burst of laughter and Maddie narrowed her eyes. "Sorry. I forget sometimes that I need to alter my celebrity crush list because your boyfriend is off limits, even if he's been on my free pass list for years."

"Harry's on your free pass list?" Maddie's attentions were diverted for a split second. "Does he know that?"

"God no! And please, don't ever tell him. Things would be awkward."

"You think?" Maddie raised her eyebrows. "Now. Are you going to tell me what's in the magazine or am I going to have to wrestle it from your hands."

"Ah yes..." Ella pulled it out from her chest timidly as she ran through her list again. "Harry adores you. Forty percent right. Never believed it."

"I got it," Maddie laughed at her friend; tugging the magazine from her hands and flipping it around. Her eyes scanned over the cover; a burst of air gasping from her mouth as she saw it. "Royal Romeo steps out on Doting Doctor..." Her voice fell to a whisper, "Like father, like son." Tearing her eyes from the magazine, she looked to Ella who was standing tall and firm and ready to rebuke whatever Maddie was going to say.

"Forty percent of the time, Maddie. That means they are wrong sixty percent of the time. That's...that's a lot; a majority."

"You're right," Maddie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You're right. How can they print something like that? I mean...without any substance or..."

"There are pictures," Ella's voice was small.

"Pictures?!" Maddie tore open the magazine.

"Not one second," Ella repeated herself as she reached out to turn to the pages. "He didn't believe they were of you for one second."

"Okay," Maddie took a breath and, giving Harry the complete benefit of the doubt, she looked at the page. There were three photos of Harry and a woman who was clearly not her. They were clearly taken at night, dark and grainy, and snapped in quick succession. Harry leaning in, then closer, and finally with his lips on hers. There was nothing identifiable about the woman. She was tall, blonde; his standard—or so the article reported. Her heart thudded as she looked closer; studying the photos closely. Ella saw the moment her friend started to come undone and she moved towards her; placing her hands on her shoulders and forcing her to look up at her.

"Maddie, listen to me. I don't buy it. I don't think it's him. Why would he do something like this? And to be so stupid to do it out in public and...it just doesn't compute, you know."

"Shh..." Maddie held up her hand; her mind spinning.

"I only wanted to show you because I think you're going to get bombarded with this and..."

"Ella please," Maddie pleaded. "I just...let me think for just..." Maddie's train of thought was interrupted by her phone ringing out into the room. Her stomach turned when she saw that it was him. "Hello?"

"I'm downstairs. Can I come up?" He was short and to the point and Maddie knew he had seen it; certain that was why he just came over instead of calling her.

"Yes," she nodded and hung up the phone. "He's here," she muttered; moving to the buzzer.

"Oh wow..." Ella reached for her purse.

"You don't have to go," Maddie shook her head as she opened the door to wait for him.

"Yes I do," she moved towards the door just as Harry and Nathan stepped up to it. The tension was thick as Maddie tried to pull it together; wanting to give him a chance to explain before she dove off this particular cliff.

"Doctor Forrester," Nathan nodded hello.

"Go ahead," Maddie stepped aside to allow him in; avoiding eye contact with Harry while she tried to calm her crazy mind.

"You've seen it, haven't you?" Harry was never one to mince words; his eyes cast down at his shoes.

"Ella brought it over," Maddie jutted her thumb towards the magazine on the table.

"Of course she did," Harry sighed heavily, nodding to Ella. "Hello Ella."

"Hello," Ella tried for a smile as she leaned to kiss Maddie's cheek. "If you need anything, call me." Maddie nodded and Ella stepped out the door, squeezing Harry's arm as she walked past him. "I'm on your side here." Without speaking or really looking to her, Harry nodded to Ella; his eyes focused on Maddie.

"Madeline..." His hand reached out to her.

"All clear," Nathan stepped past them into the hallway.

"Come in," Maddie's lips pursed into a smile. Harry nodded and moved into her place. Shutting the door behind him, Maddie took a deep breath and turned to face him; to face the moment. "So...how was your day?" She tried for small talk, but Harry wasn't interested.

"I wanted to get here before the magazine did."

"Sure," Maddie nodded.

"You've seen it?"

"Yes."

"All of it?"

"I saw the three photos and the article...if you can even call it that. Is there more?"

"No," he shook his head. "That's it."

"Then yes. I saw it."

"I can't help but notice that you haven't asked me if..."

"And I can't help but notice that you haven't come out with a denial."

"Listen..." His hands stretched out to her.

"Ella thinks that it's not you," she cut him off as she reached for the magazine. "She thinks that it's somebody who looks a lot like you, but she doesn't believe it's you."

"And you?" His voice cracked as he looked to her.

"There's this thing..." She stopped to collect herself; moving closer to him. "There's this thing that you do sometimes, just before you kiss me..." Her hand moved to his waist, circling around him to his back. "Your hand rests right here..." She let her hand fall to the spot on him that she was talking about. "And your top lip pulls in slightly..." She looked up to him then; her hands dropping away from him as she took a step back, holding the magazine out to him. She gulped and forced her eyes to meet his. "Look at these pictures; the hands, the lip...I think Ella's wrong."

"Maddie," he reached out to her as she walked away; his eyes wide and pleading.

"Hold on," she held up her hand; effectively silencing him. "I just... I know that the press likes to...invent something out of nothing. I know that the majority of what is printed is absolute bullshit. I know that. And I do not want to spend the rest of my life second guessing or double checking or..." Maddie took a deep breath. "You told me at the very beginning that you are unflinchingly honest; honest even if it hurts, you said. So...I want you to know that I am going to believe whatever it is you tell me next. I am going to trust you completely. I am going to take you at your word and I will never bring this up again I just...I need you to know that this moment right here, it sets the stage for how we handle this in the future. I need you to know that and I need you to be absolutely honest with me..." She bit her lip and looked away for a moment before turning her eyes back to him. "Is this...Is this you?" Without looking to the magazine, Harry blinked; his eyes holding hers as he spoke.

"Yes." His words echoed in her ears; in her heart. "It's me."