Royals: Part 2

Chapter 16

"Remember Wills, you aren't just Harry's best man, you're the one walking me down the aisle. So I expect you to watch him as if you were my father." Jackie teased, placing a hand on William's shoulder. "Which means no strippers."

Her friend laughed, shaking his head. "Don't worry, he's just as much of a grandpa now as I am."

Jackie smiled. "Don't sell yourself so short, Kate tells me you had two pints last night instead of one!"

"I was feeling a bit reckless, but believe me, I regretted it in the morning." Will looked a bit more serious as he said, "But really, Jackie, if he ever did something to hurt you, I'll go after him like your father would."

Jackie could see Harry in the kitchen from where she and Will sat in the sitting room, he was roughhousing with Rupert on the floor as Kate poured wine and laughed. "I don't think I'll ever have to worry about that."

"Neither do I. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen him so happy." Will put an arm around Jackie. "You two are meant for each other."

Jackie rolled her eyes, she wasn't one for sappiness, but couldn't hide her smile. "I think so too."

"Jackie!" Kate's voice called from the kitchen. "We need to get going!"

"Coming!" Jackie stood from the couch, motioning to Will's black framed glasses. "I like the glasses on you, you look sophisticated."

Will let out a laugh. "Thanks, that's what Kate says."

Jackie slung her purse over her shoulder, checking her appearance in the mirror. She and Harry were parting ways that night for their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. Jackie's night could hardly be considered a party, Kate said she had planned a night consisting of a nice dinner, followed with drinking and maybe a bit of dancing. Harry, however, was following in the footsteps of Will, having an entire weekend away in Norfolk with about 20 of his friends. They were flying by helicopter to the royal family's country estate where they could escape the media's lens.

Contrary to what Jackie had said to Will, she wasn't worried in the slightest of the antics the boys would be getting up to over the weekend. She trusted Harry with her entire heart, though he was quite the partier, he would never do anything she wouldn't like.

"Woah, woah, woah," Harry said, rounding the corner from the kitchen. "I don't know if you should go out looking so incredible, the strippers Kate hired might get the wrong idea."

"My god, enough stripper talk!" Jackie laughed. "She'd better not have."

Kate gave a mischievous wink. "I can't make any promises."

Jackie narrowed her eyes. Kate knew her quite well, so she was well aware that Jackie would not be amused by having strippers at her dinner. "Very funny."

Kate only laughed, so Jackie groaned, "Let's just go already, before I change my mind."

The couples made their way out of the apartment, heading down to the first floor of the palace. They went out the back entrance into the pleasantly warm spring air. April had come and gone, and May was in full swing. Jackie's single life was coming to a close, only 7 days left until the wedding. She couldn't believe how fast time was going, soon, she would be a Duchess, married to the third in line to the throne, but most importantly, the love of her life.

A car was waiting for Jackie and Kate, and across the green lawn, a helicopter sat, its blades spinning. Jackie turned to Harry, pulling him into a tight hug. She gave him a few kisses before saying, "I love you, have fun."

Harry took Jackie's face in both hands, planting a kiss on her lips. "I love you too, more than I can ever tell you."

Jackie smiled, giving him one last tight squeeze before they went their separate ways for their last weekend as two single people.

---

"I can never thank you enough, that was the most fun I've had in a long time." Jackie practically collapsed onto her bed, her feet sore from dancing and her head a bit fuzzy from drinking.

"I had so much fun with you," Kate said, her voice a bit slurred. "And I wanted to say, watching you and Harry over the past year has been just so amazing."

Jackie laughed, half at Kate's voice and half at what she was saying. "Why?"

"It's been like watching a love story," said Kate, her eyes dreamy. "Ever since university, I knew it would happen. I knew it."

"You did not!" Jackie protested. "You aren't a psychic."

"No, really!" Kate insisted. "You always said he was so immature, but he just needed a few years to grow. And now- look at you. It's beautiful."

Jackie could hear sniffling, and turned her head to see Kate crying on the bed next to her. "Oh, stop that! I keep telling you, you're turning into your mother."

"Well good! Because I'm going to be one soon!"

Jackie sat up, suddenly feeling incredibly sober. "What?"

Kate giggled. "Well, I'm not pregnant yet, obviously, but I hope to be, very soon."

"Oh my god," Jackie breathed, letting out a cry. "That's so wonderful!"

Jackie and Kate hugged, laughing and crying at the same time. "I'm a godmother, right?"

"Of course, and Harry a godfather."

Jackie fell back onto her pillows, suddenly very tired. "This is going to be the most exciting year. My wedding, you getting pregnant."

"What about you getting pregnant?" Kate asked, falling back next to Jackie.

Jackie shook her head. "Probably not. I think we should try out being aunt and uncle first."

Kate frowned. "Oh, come on, I think we should be pregnant together!"

"No way!" Jackie laughed. "We need to relax for a bit, I think. Of course, we both want lots of children, but not for a while yet."

Kate looked genuinely disappointed. "I wanted to be pregnant together," she repeated.

"Maybe your baby number two will sync up with my baby number one," Jackie said. "If you have a girl, I expect her to be Princess Jacqueline II."

"And when you have a girl, I expect her to be Princess Catherine II."

Jackie stuck out a hand. "Deal."

Kate shook it with a giggle. The women climbed under the covers of Jackie's bed, flipping off the lights. Laying in the darkness of her Kensington Palace, Jackie thought back to the days she and Kate laid in the darkness of their St. Andrews dorm, no idea of what the future held.

"Do you ever think of how crazy this is?" Kate whispered in the darkness.

Jackie smiled to herself. "All the time." There was a moment of silence before Jackie added, "I'm so glad we're in this together."