When Maddie and Harry returned to London, they were returning to a barrage of excitement and action. They had six months before the wedding and quite suddenly everything seemed to be rushing around them. It was the storm before the calm, Maddie would smile and nudge Harry playfully. It was a prelude to the main act, Harry would shake his head and warn.

Either way, things were moving at record speed and all they could do was move with the flow; and hang on.

Kicking off the delightful ride was Maddie's citizenship. They had been home for ten days when Thomas requested a meeting with Maddie and the family attorney. With a small smile, he informed them that Maddie had met all of the standards for citizenship, including the mandatory residency requirements. It was time to send in her application.

"I just need your signature here," the attorney had slid the paperwork across the table to Maddie with a nod to the flagged signature line.

"You sure about this?" Harry spoke up next to her; smirk on his face, gleam in his eye.

"Are you?" She arched a defiant eyebrow as she signed her name and passed it back to the attorney, her attention turning to Thomas. "What's next?"

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

Next was tea. With the Queen. At Buckingham Palace.

"No big deal," Harry had told her with a slight upturn of his lips. "You've been there before. You've done this before. How many times is it going to take before this is a casual cup of tea with gran?" He watched as she crossed their room in a flutter of scarves as she tried to dress for the afternoon with his grandmother.

"How many times is..." She took a deep breath and walked right up to him; squaring her shoulders and looking him in the eye. "You really want me to start treating this casually?"

"I really want you to relax," his hands met her shoulders soothingly. "She said I could marry you. She asked about you at Christmas. She wants to see how you are, make sure I haven't chased you away yet."

"Ha!" Maddie laughed; rolling her eyes at herself. "I'll relax. I just need to figure out what to wear and I'll relax." She kissed him then. "I promise."

And she did; relax. She found the scarf she had been searching for, she slipped into the perfect pair of shoes. She eased into the car, sighing into a settled mode for their ride to Buckingham. She was calm as they stepped from the car, smiling a greeting to the Queen's personal assistant as he stepped aside and escorted them into the Palace.

She was at peace, serene even, as they turned over their coats and walked through the halls—her arm linked loosely through Harry's. She was completely relaxed; right up until they rounded the corner and the assistant smiled warmly.

"You'll be joining Her Majesty for tea in the Drawing Room." The way Maddie's body halted, reflexively pulling Harry to a dead stop along with her, was instinctual; outside of her control.

Harry turned confused eyes to her, his smile warm and in place. "Maddie?" He wanted to laugh, wanted to poke fun at whatever was happening inside her mind at that moment but his grandmother was waiting; The Queen was waiting. "Everything okay?"

"I..." She stammered, glancing around as a red flush filled her cheeks. "The Drawing Room?" And it hit him. If he had any self-control, he would have tampered down the wide grin that stretched his cheeks as recalled the last time they were in this very room; what they had been doing. But his control was failing him and the amusement was just too much.

"Come on love," he tugged gently at her hand on his arm; taking the last few steps towards the infamous room. "It's time for your first lesson in behaving badly." His voice was so low she almost hadn't heard him.

"Harry..." She wanted a way out, or at the very least a word of guidance.

"What's the saying?" He asked as the assistant moved to open the doors. "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time? This is us...doing the time."

"Oh Lord, give me strength," Maddie muttered, taking a large, deep breath and pulling a smile to her face; calling upon her years of training to sustain her.

The doors opened and there she was, The Queen of England...Harry's grandmother, sitting on the very same couch Harry had taken Maddie on in a selfish, passionate moment immediately following their engagement interview. This was them serving penance for the acts they had committed on that couch. Maddie cleared her throat and Harry fought the smug, cocky smirk that desperately wanted to surface as they stepped forward and greeted his grandmother.

"Harry, Madeline," her wonderfully charming voice called out; a beautiful smile gracing her face. "I'm so happy you were able to join me for tea. Won't you come in?"

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

"I was pleased to see that you chose the Strathmore Rose Tiara for the wedding," Gran was smiling warmly, everything about her was open and welcoming and wanting Maddie to feel at home. And, save for the intense embarrassment that seeped to her bones, Maddie felt exactly that. It was difficult not to in such a presence.

"It's a beautiful piece of artwork," Maddie smiled, continuing in her efforts to push from her mind memories of Harry's lips on her skin, his hands on her body. "Thank you so much for allowing me to wear it."

"Of course, dear. As I am sure you are aware, my mother wore it when she married my father..." And then, as the Queen began to tell Maddie stories of her mother, of her father, stories from history that books never held, that articles never neared—Maddie's mind cleared of Harry. Her entire focus turned to what his grandmother was telling her; the world she was sharing with her. The tension flowed from her fingers and she relaxed to the melody of her voice. It was so magical; like spun sugar with the authority and importance that held stronger than the Palace they now sat in. Suddenly Maddie felt bad; sad for those who would never have the enormous opportunity to witness it in person.

An hour later they were standing, bidding the Queen good-bye; kissing her cheeks and thanking her for the tea, for the stories. Finally, when she stepped from the room and the door closed behind her, Maddie let out a sigh of relief with Harry chuckling next to her.

"You pulled through quite nicely," his voice was low as his hand moved; fingers dancing on her shoulder. With a flick of her hand she brushed his hand from her body. "Hey!"

"Oh no," she turned to him then, shaking her head. "No touching me in here."

"Ah come on," he laughed; his hands moving to her waist, pulling her to his side playfully.

"I hate you," she tried for stoic and serious but even her lips knew she wasn't being honest.

"No you don't," he laughed louder.

"That was....horrendous."

"I thought the tea was fantastic," he joked.

"I'm not talking about the tea."

"You're sexy when you're mad at me," his lips graced across her cheek before she pulled back from him.

"I want to just...go back in time before I let you pull me into your lap on that couch and slap myself."

"Really?" He lifted his eyebrows; nuzzling closer. "Because I really want to..." As his hand moved over her ass, Maddie's hand clamped over his mouth.

"If you really think I'm going to get on with you here, again, you are out of your mind."

"Let's find another room then," he held tight to her; despite her reluctance.

"Harry!" She pushed at his chest.

"There are plenty of rooms here..."

"Yes," Maddie grinned, giving in; letting him pull her tight to him. It really was fruitless with him sometimes. "I know." She let her mind wander as his lips pressed to her neck, his arms enveloping her against him. "You know...when you really think about it...I wonder how many of them your grandmother has..." Harry grew stiff around her; his lips halting their journey. "You know..." Maddie's voice dropped, a slight giggle coming from her turned lips.

"No I do not know." His voice grew colder.

"Think about it though."

"I don't think I will."

"She has probably had sex..."

"I beg you..." He pleaded.

"In all of these rooms."

"Oh God. Would you stop?!" He stepped completely away from her then.

"Come on," Maddie's smile pulled wider. "She was twenty-five when she moved in, she is a Windsor and...I'm sorry...but your grandfather..."

"No." Harry shook his head, a finger lifting to her in warning.

"He's hot."

"No!" His hands moved to his ears.

"He is Harry."

"No. Just. No." Harry shook his head as he moved towards the door, deciding that if she wouldn't stop talking, he would stop listening. "This isn't funny Madeline."

"Oh come on Harry!" She called out to him as he pulled open the door. He could hear her laughter as he stepped through it. "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!" Maddie let out a little sigh as she reached for her bag; feeling more and more relaxed at Buckingham Palace.

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

It was the middle of January when the big bomb dropped. The heir to the heir was going to be a father. Catherine was pregnant and the world erupted. They were nearing the end of their first trimester and Kate wasn't feeling well. The admission to the hospital was simple, routine in the world of medicine. But nothing was simple and routine in this royal web they lived in. So the news was leaked.

And, though Maddie was among the first to call her, she and Harry among the first to visit, the stories of a Kate and Maddie rivalry were already running rampant.

Kate stealing the spotlight with her "conveniently" timed pregnancy.

Maddie jealous over the attention the expectant mother garnered from the Windsor Men.

The two sisters-in-law were, according to many in the press, already entrenched in a fictional tug-of-war that would follow them throughout their lives.

Maddie tossed aside the notion as Kate tossed aside the articles and, as they sat together in that private hospital room, they promised the other that should any real issues arise, they would do their very best to address them in person. And then they loved on this baby that wasn't even there yet.

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

"I see you're jealous of the baby," Ella couldn't help but joke with her best friend as they sat in Maddie's bathroom at Kensington. Harry was away for the week and Tara had agreed to come to Maddie to try out a few wedding hairstyle options. Maddie only knew that she wanted her hair up and tonight was the first of three styles Tara wanted to try with her. Tara smiled at the two friends; feeling included and welcome in this exclusive circle. She had never imagined that, almost a year ago, when she did Penelope a favor and sneakily colored and cut Maddie's hair while Harry was deployed, that she was securing for herself one of the most important styles of her entire life. The engagement interview had been one thing, a royal wedding was a completely other.

"Right," Maddie laughed into her glass as Tara pulled her hair tight; finishing and spraying. "Can you even imagine that? I don't know where they come up with half of this shit."

"How is she doing?" Ella sipped from her glass of champagne as she did her main duty; entertain the bride to be while Tara worked on her hair.

"She's doing great, actually. She's so happy..." Maddie's cheeks grew warm as she thought about it. The two women had spent an entire day mooning over the baby that Kate had worried would never come, the baby Maddie couldn't wait to snuggle.

"Good," Ella nodded. "Oh Maddie. Your hair..."

"Shush!" Tara waved her hand at Ella with a grin. "Not yet."

"Sorry!" Ella laughed, her hand pressing to her lips as she tried to physically shush herself. Maddie laughed at the attempt.

"Okay." Tara took a step back from Maddie's hair, looking it over for a moment. "Now..." She turned away from Maddie's hair for a moment and reached for a box that was sitting off to the side near where Ella was perched to watch this dry run.

"What's in the box?" Maddie's neck twisted so she could see and her heart flit-fluttered.

"Oh my God..." Ella's voice dropped as Tara lifted the item from the box.

"What is that?" Maddie felt tears in her eyes.

"This..." Tara turned to face them both. "This is a weighted replica of your tiara. They are used so that you and I can make sure we're ready for the real thing on the big day. I'm just going to..." Before Maddie could protest, before she could prepare herself, Tara was placing the weighted tiara on her head, moving around her with pins, blocking Ella's view.

And then she stepped out of the way and Maddie didn't even need to look in the mirror. The sob from Ella was all it took. She felt tears in her own eyes as she looked up at her best friend.

"You think I should have gone with a different tiara?" Maddie lifted an eyebrow in a stab for humor.

"Ha!" Ella laughed, sniffing through her tears. "I think you should have gone with a different bridesmaid. I am in no way going to be able to hold it together."

"It's okay," Tara smiled at the both of them, her own eyes bright. "You can cry...you should cry. Get it out now. Maybe it'll help you on that day..."

"Nothing is going to help me on that day," Ella grinned, moving to her knees in front of Maddie. "I know you hate it when I...but you look so much like a Princess right now I can't even..." She swallowed, her cheeks flushed.

"You really do," Tara agreed, her own face flushed with excitement for the bride. "Do you want to see for yourself?"

"I don't know," Maddie shook her head, her voice hoarse as she looked to Ella.

"Come on Doc," Ella held out her hand as she rose to her feet. "Let's get a good look at what's going to bring that Prince of yours to his knees." Without a word Maddie allowed Ella to pull her from her chair. Facing the mirror, her heart pounded in her chest.

"Oh my God..." She whispered, moving closer to the mirror in a slow cautious way—as if she wasn't sure she knew the person in the reflection. "Oh my..."

"I know," Ella was unashamedly wiping at tears.

"Do you like it?" Tara asked softly; hoping for real feedback. "What don't you like? What do you like?"

"I love it," Maddie was still whispering. She couldn't help it. "I...there's nothing I don't like. It's comfortable. It's secure...It feels easy enough but it looks...Tara, it looks beautiful."

"It really does," Ella nodded, holding tight to Maddie's hand. "And the way you worked in the tiara..."

"I think we've found a hairstyle," Maddie turned from her reflection then, wanting to pay Tara the respect of her attention. "This is perfect Tara."

"Are you sure?" Tara bit her lip as she moved closer, joining the other two women in the reflection of the mirror. "You don't want to try another or..."

"No," Maddie shook her head, smiling wide. "This is it." Her eyes welled up and she knew—she was going to be a mess on the wedding day. "This is it."

"It is," Ella agreed, pulling Maddie to her side so she could kiss her cheek. "Such a Princess."

"Stop it," Maddie's eyes focused on the replica tiara in her hair; choking up as she remembered her conversation with The Queen, as she recalled the history in the original. She turned to Ella with wide eyes and a cracked voice. "This is so crazy."

"It is," Ella nodded, her arm still wrapped around Maddie's shoulder. "You know what's crazier?"

"There's something crazier than all of this?" Maddie waved her hand around her place at Kensington, pointed to her tiara.

"In five months, people are going to start calling you Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex. They are going to curtsy to you and bow and..."

"Stop." Maddie held up her hand; tears in her eyes. "Just...wow..." Maddie took a few deep breaths; letting them out slowly. "Just promise me something?"

"Yes?"

"I don't want you to ever be that person. I don't want you to curtsy to me or call me that or..."

"But you're going to be the Duchess, Maddie. I can't..."

"Ella. Please." Her eyes were pleading with Ella's. "We lived together in a tiny apartment in Bendal. We've been through an Earthquake, we've seen some of the worst...and some of the best...please Ella. You've seen me naked. It's just me; Maddie."

"Okay," Ella nodded; her voice barely there. "I can promise to never do it in private. That's all I can do."

"Okay," Maddie accepted that; wiping at her eyes and turning to Tara. "This is absolutely perfect," she took a deep breath. "But you're going to have to take it all out before I just..."

"Of course," Tara laughed lightly, moving immediately back to her station behind the chair. Maddie squeezed Ella's hand and returned to her seat. As Tara's fingers worked to remove the tiara, Maddie took another deep breath.

This was happening. So fast, so soon; it was happening.

Maddie had never felt so excited and so nervous at the same time.

This was happening.

It was the storm before the calm. It was a prelude to the main act.