The Royal Scandal | Prince William |

Sugar Plums and Wedding Bells

December 20, 2010

The winter night nipped at the back of Jaclyn's neck, sliding between the layers of her red scarf, and leaving invisible frost across her cheeks. Not even burying her face in the thick fabric of Williams coat helped, his arms a barrier between her and the softly falling snow.

"I wish you didn't have to go," she sighed, vibrations shuttering through him.

"Last Christmas apart," he offers, tilting her chin up. There looking up at him is his favorite sight in the world. Even puffy and red, with her nose stuffed and her eyes watering she remained stunning. His words must have helped because an easy content smile slips over lips almost as if she doesn't know she's doing it. He wonders if she's imagining what there life will be like as well.

"You promise to call on Christmas Eve?"

"Just like I have every other year."

Her eyes rolled, but she still pressed up to share a short sweet kiss, noting that all parts of her face were now completely numb. "I guess I should give you your present?"

"I do like presents." His cheeky grin was warming as he took the flat present wrapped in blue paper, and Jaclyn thought she could stand here for hours if he kept doing that. She brushed up onto her toes, nudging his shoulder. When they first got back together she despised Christmas, knowing her gifts would never measure up to his, but now she was comfortable knowing William always treasured the usual handmade items she gave him. "Well then get on with it. I think frostbite is about to take me."

He peeled back the wrapping, revealing a clear CD case. Will and Jac's Mixtape, was written across the top in permanent marker, and when he finally tore his eyes away from the gift that really wasn't that special Jaclyn knew she succeeded nevertheless. It was just a CD of some songs that reminded her of them. "Tiny Dancer" from when they danced together at his mom's concert, several Green Day songs from any road trip they took together, and do many more.

"You really did this? With everything going on?"

She shrugged, "Sometimes I can't sleep." He eyed her suspiciously for her nonchalance, but this wasn't the time to unload anything so instead her settled with at least making her happy before he left.

"Well I guess, I have to let you open yours now." He handed the box that was resting atop his suitcase and waited as she ripped the paper. There was no reason to be nervous, but still he held his breath.

She pulled the lid off revealing a stack at least two inches thick of paper, articles, and magazines. On the top was a newly printed picture from The Gazette. A picture of her on stage as the Sugar Plum Fairy, leg exteneded to the side and parallel to her head and outstretched arm.

The Girl Who Will Go Down In History

Flipping through the first few papers, Jaclyn felt her heart nearly burst seeing that every good review, every interview, every significant part of her dance career was collected into a single place. All the way back to her first performance on the Royal Ballet Stage as a student.

"Just a reminder of how successful you've been."

She clutched them to her chest, taking in William's words and releasing a breath, "I love it." In her hands is her legacy, and even if the world forgets she was ever a dancer, if she becomes synonymous with William only, she will forever have this proof. Her past immortalized in print that she can pull out to remember, and pass on to her kids so they can see what she was before. And because she can't keep it in Jaclyn kisses William one more time, "And I love you."

"The first I found is from your first performance." He pulled it from the bottom, pointing to the small grainy picture of her in the corps, alotted the tiniest space on the front page. "They spelled your name wrong. You know, the way most people spell it." And sure enough there was her name under the picture with nine others, but Jaclyn was spelled Jacqueline.