Waking on New Year's Day, tucked close to Harry's warm body was exactly the way Maddie wanted to start the New Year—the new year that held in it such an abundance of joy. She was marrying Harry, Kate and Will were going to have a baby. With a great big, drawn out sigh, she snuggled even closer, her feet burrowing under his legs for warmth.

"Don't get too comfortable there," his voice was heavy with sleep. "It's our last day to ski..."

"Don't care," she grumbled into his shoulder.

"Ha!" He laughed, his fists rubbing his eyes awake. "Tell me you don't want to take Kyle down a notch or two."

"I don't want to take Kyle down," she grinned against his skin.

"Right," he rolled to his side, exposing her face as he hugged her to him. "Now tell me with a straight face."

"Fine..." She huffed. "We'll ski."

"That's right we'll ski," for a reason that completely escaped Maddie at the moment, Harry was wide awake and lively; ready to take on the day. Pressing a quick kiss to Maddie's lips, he moved to rise from the bed.

"Whoa, whoa! Hang on there captain," she pulled him back to her, catching him with her lips. "Happy New Year Your Highness."

"Oh..." He chuckled against her; rolling so that he was laying over her. "Doctor..."

The slopes would wait.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Okay, who's hungry?" Maddie asked as their SUV rolled back into her hometown after a day full of skiing. They had dropped Dena and Derek at home and Amy and Jenna had gone back into Denver together as they had some post-holiday shopping to do. So it was just Maddie, Harry, Gary and Kyle—who were going to work on something at Gary's house over the next couple of days.

"Starving," Harry groaned.

"Me too," Gary stretched his legs. "Is your mom at the house?"

"No," Maddie shook her head. "She had her school Holiday party tonight. She wasn't really expecting us back until tomorrow. We could grab something in town?" She suggested as they drove through.

"We could," Kyle nodded. "You two okay with that? Nobody gives a shit if Gary and I show up in town but you..."

"It's fine," Harry waved his hand. "I'm used to it by now."

"Maddie?" Kyle lifted his eyebrows to his recently famous cousin.

"Please. Nobody around here is going to care about me."

"Right." Harry shook his head slightly with a grin; knowing better. It was amusing to him how there were still times when Maddie could sit in a space in her mind where nobody knew who she was.

"Great." Gary laughed at the unspoken interaction between the two of them. "Now. Where do we go?"

"Oh that's easy," Maddie laughed in a way that clearly communicated a sarcastic, please.

"Leachmans?" Kyle glanced back at her.

"Leachmans." She nodded, her stomach growling at the thought.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Walking into Leachman's was like walking into her grandmother's basement; familiar and ancient. She had been coming to Leachman's for as long as she remembered and it still looked exactly the same as it did when she was a child. It was old, with dark wood walls and an intricately carved bar along one entire wall. The room was dark and warm and welcoming. There were two men who sat at the bar talking animatedly across it to the bartender who Harry figured had been around for his grandmother's coronation. It looked like just the kind of "hole in the wall" that Harry knew Maddie adored; locals scattered throughout at large booths and tables. Off the back of the room was a billiards table with a bit of a rowdier crowd.

Their small group took a table off to the side with Jim and Sampson taking a smaller table next to them. Though the waitress gave them a bit of a second glance, Maddie was sure she didn't recognize them as she took their order and brought them their drinks; buckets with bottles of beer situated in ice. The food was quick, plentiful and completely satisfying. When they were done, Maddie sighed a happy sigh as the waitress gave them another bucket of beer and took the check from Gary and she rose to head to the restroom. Since Sampson had a line of sight visual on the bathroom, he stayed in his chair; watchful and alert. It wasn't long before she was heading back to the table when she was stalled on her way by somebody who clearly recognized her. Harry saw Sampson's focus shift a bit so he turned around to look.

"Hey..." Harry swallowed a mouthful of beer and nodded towards the bar where Maddie stood. "Who is that talking to Maddie?"

"Hmm?" Both Kyle and Gary followed where Harry was looking. "Oh." Gary groaned as Kyle rolled his eyes; settling back in his chair.

"That's Travis Meeks," Kyle's voice seemed less than thrilled.

"Travis Meeks?" Harry looked between the two of them as he took another drink.

"Her high school boyfriend," Gary grumbled.

"Oh really?" Harry's interest peaked as he glanced back at the two of them talking; his lip twitching into something of a smirk. So this was Number One. He looked him over, working hard to keep the annoying twinge of jealousy in check. The guy was tall; not as tall as Harry, but tall. He looked like what Harry figured was the All-American look; blonde hair, blue eyes, muscular. Probably played American football. "So that's him..." He took a breath and reminded himself who he was; who he was to Maddie. No need to sweat this.

"Yep." Gary's response was clipped, the tone crystal clear and Harry caught it.

"Why do you say it like that?" Harry nodded his head across the table at him.

"He doesn't like him," Kyle offered.

"As if you ever did," Gary shot him a look. The two men shared a glance, shared a silent conversation. And Harry caught every second of it.

"Fair enough."

"Neither of you like him?" Harry was confused. In all honesty, he and Maddie had only ever had a handful of conversations about this particular ex-boyfriend and in none of them had she mentioned that her cousins didn't like him. Silently they shook their heads. "Why not?"

"Well..." Gary adjusted in his seat, clearing his throat. Harry could tell he was debating, he could tell that he was trying to decide just how much he was going to let out, just how truthful he was about to be. Harry recognized this look, this thought process—it was a big part of his own life. He wanted to say something, to remind them that he was marrying Maddie, that he loved her—that it was acceptable for him to know what they were thinking. But it turned out he didn't need to remind them. They knew.

"Fine..." Kyle waved the universal gesture for Harry to lean forward; they were going to let him in. With a quick glance back at Maddie, Harry did just that. He glanced between the two cousins and raised his eyebrows.

"Listen," Gary was the first to speak. "He wasn't a bad guy. He was nice."

"Nice?" Kyle smirked bitterly.

"He was. Their relationship was fine. It was a high school thing, you know. Nothing big, nothing serious. Just...there. It was the ending that was bad."

"Oh?"

"I say the whole thing was bad," Kyle had never been one to beat around the bush. "I can't say I was ever a fan of the guy."

"Really?" Harry's forehead creased. He liked Kyle, he trusted Kyle and he was the cousin that Maddie felt closest to, the one she said was closest to her. And his intense dislike for this guy got Harry's attention. "What was his problem?" Harry took another drink.

"Well, from the looks of things, you're about to find out." The distaste was evident on Kyle's face.

"What?" Harry chuckled.

"She's bringing him over," Kyle sighed and nodded behind Harry's head.

"Why is she bringing him over?" Gary groaned. But before any of them could crack a joke at an answer, Maddie was approaching the table, Travis Meeks not far behind her.

"Hi," she smiled, slightly uneasy, at the three men.

"Hey," Harry met her eyes. There was something intriguing about the confusion he now sat in, the way Maddie was playing nervously with her engagement ring, the way her cousins instantly hardened when they approached the table. Harry caught all of it.

"You both remember Travis, right?" Her eyes shifted to her cousins across from Harry, willing the two of them to behave.

"Yeah," Kyle nodded and rose to his feet; his hand extended. There was a smile on his face, he was raised right, but his eyes remained cold. "Travis."

"Kyle," Travis shook his hand. "Gary."

"How's it going," Gary extended the same courtesy as Kyle.

"Good. Good." Travis nodded as Harry watched the interaction; years of practice in bullshit told him that was exactly what he was watching. It was clear that Travis was well aware of the tensions and the issues that Maddie's cousins had alluded to. This was all too familiar to Harry; the pretentions, the inevitable show that people put on. His life was full of this, but finding it here, in Maddie's hometown, with Maddie's family, was a new experience.

Finishing off his beer, Harry rose to his feet. With a wide smile he took in Maddie's Number One. Harry was definitely taller than him, by a good few inches and he didn't look that much bulkier than Harry did. Maddie's eyes sought refuge in his as she introduced them.

"Travis...this is Harry Wales, my fiancé," she grinned as she said the word. "Harry, this is Travis Meeks."

"Good to meet you," Harry was the first to extend his hand, standing tall and secure as he met Travis' eyes.

"You too," Travis nodded; an all-too-fake smile reaching his lips.

"Care to join us? We have plenty of beer." Harry waved a hand at the table and he could almost feel Kyle glaring at the back of his head. But he didn't care. Harry was not easily rattled and he was admittedly a bit curious about this guy and the history he had with this family.

"Sure," Travis nodded and moved to the empty chair next to Maddie, who sat just to the right of Harry. Maddie took a deep breath and cleared her throat, moving to explanation.

"Travis is an old friend," her fingers found Harry's knee, feeling more at ease as she came into contact with him. "From High School."

"I see," Harry's hand covered hers entirely; squeezing reassurance into her.

"Ah come on," Travis pulled a grin from the corner of his mouth. "An old friend from high school?" He laughed; a loud sort of a bark that gained the attention of the people at a table close by. "We were more than that, weren't we Mads?"

"Mads?" Harry lifted his eyebrows, prepared with a joke that fell silent as he read the reaction to that particular nickname. Reaching for another beer from the bucket at the center of the table, he took the cap off and took a drink; ready to watch.

"Ha!" Maddie tried for a laugh, tried to avoid the look on Kyle's face; the look Harry caught completely. "You know, I used to hate it when you called me that..."

"As I recall," Travis drawled, his voice dropping low. "You used to hate quite a bit about me."

Harry leaned forward in his chair, glancing around Maddie towards Travis, his shoulders squaring, his jaw tightening. Okay, he looked then to Kyle, what the hell is happening right now? Clearing his throat, Kyle adjusted in his seat. Nobody was sitting well at this table.

"Oh..." Maddie tried to laugh it off as she reached for her drink. "That was such a long time ago, wasn't it?" She gathered herself and turned her well-practiced smile his way. "Tell me, what have you been up to?"

"I'm building houses."

"Great!" She smiled easier. "With your dad or..."

"Yes," he nodded.

"And are you still living in town or did you..."

"Yes," he cut her off. "I'm still living in town. Just as you said I always would."

"Travis..." Maddie's voice was soft. "Do we really have to..."

"No. We don't," Kyle spoke up across the table and all eyes turned in his direction. If Harry hadn't been so focused on watching Maddie, on trying to read her stance, how she felt, he may have laughed at Kyle's obvious tone and stance. But he was just as surprised as everyone else at the table.

"Kyle!" Maddie hissed.

"We don't, Maddie." He narrowed his eyes at her. "We don't have to do this. Again."

"Excuse me?" Travis leaned forward. "You have something you want to say to me?"

"Actually, I really do," Kyle wasn't mincing words as he met Travis gaze for gaze.

"Kyle!" Maddie's voice grew more serious as her eyes traveled from her cousins to Harry. "Let's just...not...okay?" She wanted them to back down. She wanted them to stay in their seats. She wanted them to let her handle this. And although he was growing more and more uneasy with the situation, Harry sat back a bit and let her take it.

"Fine." Kyle held a hand up and tipped his bottle back; mad at the situation.

"I heard that you're a doctor," Travis spoke only to Maddie; his words and his smile slurred.

"I am," she smiled, taking a breath; hoping they were moving on. "A Psychologist actually."

"And you're getting married."

"I am."

"Congratulations," he smiled bitterly; a sad sort of twisted expression before his eyes shifted from Maddie to Harry. "And you too man. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Harry nodded, smiling at Maddie as his arm moved around the back of her chair in a way that appeared casual and easy but was every bit of protectiveness that he intended it to be.

"I mean..." Travis chuckled into his beer. "I can't say I ever thought Maddie would end up the marrying type..."

"Excuse me?" Harry raised his eyebrows; getting less amused and more annoyed with all of it.

"I mean...you know...cooking dinner, greeting the hubby at the door with a cocktail. Thought she was 'above it all'...I thought it wasn't exactly her kind of 'job'." Feeling Maddie's hand on his knee, Harry took two seconds to take a breath and think before he responded. But Kyle wasn't interested in waiting.

"Maybe it wasn't the job she had the issue with..." His eyes met Travis'. "If you know what I mean..." Harry almost smiled at that; if Maddie weren't so tense next to him, he might have.

"Kyle..."

"Maddie this is..."

"I know," she cut him off. Patting Harry's knee before she pulled her hand back, she turned to Travis. "Look, Travis. I don't really think this is the time or the place to rehash something that happened so long ago."

"So long ago?" He laughed. "You act like it was twenty years ago." His laughter faded and his eyes grew cold. "You walked out of town that day and haven't said a word to me since..." He shook his head. "And then I came to your father's funeral..." Maddie flinched visibly and everyone at the table shifted; Harry's hand falling to her back. "And you couldn't be bothered to say a word..."

"That was..." She took a small breath. "That was a pretty rough day Travis, surely you can understand that I..."

"And now look at you," he waved his hand towards her and Harry. "Crazy isn't it? How you were so hell bent on leaving town, leaving me so that you wouldn't end up a housewife. And now...you've ended up being just that. Nothing but a housewife." He bit off the last word harshly. Maddie flinched and Harry had had enough.

"Maddie," his voice was low but the meaning was incredibly clear.

"I know," she nodded to Harry before focusing on Travis. "You know, I think maybe it's time for you to go."

"Go?!" He laughed loudly. "What? You're so high and mighty that you can kick people out of bars now?"

"No," she shook her head, desperately wanting to avoid the scene he seemed to be gearing up for. "You don't have to leave the bar. Just...this table. I think maybe it was a mistake to..."

"A mistake?!" And this time, when Maddie glanced to the side, she saw Sampson and Jim who had just moments ago been calm and relaxed and laughing over something. But they weren't calm and relaxed any longer. They were watching her. And Travis. And neither of them was laughing. "You know...maybe the papers are right..." Travis' eyes met hers and everything about him; his glare, his words; everything was meant to hurt her. "You really are quite the high class bitch. Probably always have been."

"Okay. That's it." Harry was done. Past done. The chair below him creaked against the wood as he moved to stand. "I think it's time for you to excuse yourself."

"Look at this guy," Travis laughed, a crazy sort of laugh before his face grew serious. And, when his chair rocked back and he rose to his feet, everyone else at the table followed. The tension mounting instantaneously as Maddie's cousins moved to back Harry up. "You wanna take a swing at me?"

"More than you know man," Harry took a step forward.

"Harry!" Maddie's voice was a tense whisper as she stepped between them, her hand sliding to his chest. "You don't want to do this."

"Bullshit."

"Whatcha waiting for?" Travis egged him on. "Go for it."

"Please..." Maddie's eyes were huge as she looked up at him. "Think about this..." And he did. He looked at the sadness in her eyes, he looked at Travis—drunk and steaming—and he looked out over the rest of the bar.

"Nah..." He let out a breath, his fingers flexing out of the fist they were working into. "Five years ago? I'd meet you outside and we'd finish this." His eyes were severe as he focused on Travis. "But now...if I hit you and you hit me back, then that guy right there... He has to shoot you. That's a mess of paperwork, we would have to go back to London early and of course you..." He chuckled. "You would be rightly fucked. But no. I think I'll save that hit for somebody else."

"Rightly fucked?" Travis laughed in their faces. "Sure thing buddy."

"I don't know Gary..." Kyle looked to his brother. "How much paperwork do you have to file if I hit him."

"None." Gary's voice was cold. "None at all."

"Bring it on Kyle." Travis' attentions turned.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time."

"Come on guys," Maddie kept one hand on Harry's chest as the other reached out towards them; her back to Travis. "Come on. Let this go. We don't need this right now. Let's just leave. Let's go home." She smiled towards Sampson who was on his feet, radioing Arthur to bring the car around. Maddie was ending this and, as they began to move away from the table, they were going along with it. "Let's just go. It's not worth it."

"What did you just say?!" Travis demanded and, in a split second, made a fatal decision; a grand error of judgment.

In one second his hand reached out, his fingers wrapping around Maddie's arm to pull her back to him.

And in the very next moment, his face was crashing to the table; his arm bent behind his back as a hand pressed him down with a force he would have never expected.

"Bad decision," the British accent in his ear was low and rough and spoke of nothing but business. "Really bad decision."