The Shield (Prince Harry fanfic #2)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Harry was late as Lucy glanced down at her watch. It wasn't by much but she thought about pulling out her cell phone to see if she had gotten a call or anything. With the bodyguards here, she didn't recognize him not coming. He was just late, and she tried not to grow annoyed. He had his own life too, and it was busy. However, with him being late, she had less time to see him. All she wanted was to see him, where they enjoyed themselves, and they didn't get that a lot right now.

Lucy wasn't clingy. She didn't call him up at random times and she didn't text him non-stop. But with him backing out a lot, it made it more difficult to not be angry or to wonder. Why did he back out? What other commitments did he have that night? What happened? She was curious. Everyone was allowed to have their own lives but she went out of her way to make his more comfortable.

Sipping on her water again, Harry appeared and sat down, apologizing for being late. Sometimes it annoyed her how he didn't explain but she didn't want to push. He would always chalk it up to some charity event, where he gave no clear meaning on what the charity event was.

"I'm parched," he said, peering at the menu, somehow not even noticing her. Tonight, he had bypassed his normal welcome, by saying she looked beautiful. It would always make her blush and somehow forgive him as he left early. He didn't do this tonight. Like every night though, he forgot to say hello to her. "Do you see anything you?"

Lucy hadn't even opened her menu yet, in the hope of speaking with him. "Not yet." She opened her menu and looked through it.

Harry's blue-eyed gaze stared down at his menu so hard that he didn't realize Lucy looked at him. Her eyes bore into him, and he was oblivious to the whole thing. Sighing inwardly, her eyes trailed the other tables, and she grew tense. Eyes were upon her, near the window, and the male had a out of cell phone. She wasn't sure if he had gotten a photo or not of her or them together, but he texted quickly. His eyes flickered up to her, and she didn't hesitate to glare back. He swallowed but it was already done. She saw it in his eyes. Paparazzo were coming.

"Harry," Lucy said urgently, and his eyes flickered out, "that guy took a picture of us and texted it to someone."

His gaze followed hers and he found the man. He ducked his head to her again. "Lucy, I'm going to ask this and it's all your choice, okay?" He would do whatever made Lucy happy, because he had done this so many times before. His picture was always on the tabloids, but was that what she wanted?

"What?"

"Do you want to leave or do you want to stay?"

Lucy didn't hesitate. "I want to leave."

Harry nodded and got up. Without anything being ordered, there was no need to drop money. He clapped his bodyguard on the back and pointed to the man with a cell phone. The male bodyguard nodded and got up from the table. Harry gripped Lucy's hand tightly, leading her out of the restaurant. When he walked into the dark sky of London, Harry ducked his head, in case anyone else would recognize him. Lucy didn't dare look down, staring forward to dare anyone to try to touch them. A black, sleek car pulled up with flashing headlights and Harry ducked inside. Lucy followed him.

Once they pulled away from the curb, Harry turned immediately to Lucy. "I'm sorry that happened. Our date was cut short."

To her, this was the end of the date. She thought he would drop her back off at her hostile with some excuse.

"How about this?" Harry continued. "We go back to Kensington Palace. Kate and William are out tonight for a charity event and their kids are at their grandparents'. It'll just be us tonight."

Lucy laughed.

"What?"

"If it just us tonight, I wouldn't have had to put on all this makeup." She laughed and Harry laughed with her.

"My apologies for having you go through all the trouble."

"Accepted." She stared forward. "What are we going to do at Kensington Palace?"

Harry paused. "Do you like movies?" He asked it so slowly, like he didn't know what humans did on dates. "We could take a walk through the gardens? Or we could cuddle? We can have some food?" He had a very hard time figuring out what women liked.

Lucy's gaze turned to him. "Okay, we can walk through the gardens, but I'm not wearing my heels. Warning: I have a hard time sitting through movies straight, so it better be good."

"Agreed."

"Also, I talk all the way through movies. If there is a comment to be made, I will make it, especially sarcastic."

Smiling, Harry agreed, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Also, for cuddling," Lucy continued, "yes, but... I want to be able to escape."

"No holding you hostage? Damn." Sarcasm rang out in his voice.

"And food is a must."

Harry threw his head back and laughed. He was quite hungry too. When his eyes found her again, he smirked. "Did you find anything on the menu that you liked?" He put on his smoothest charm.

"No."

He looked hurt.

"Perhaps we shouldn't go that restaurant."

Collapsing back into his seat, he sighed. "Luce?"

"Hmm?"

"I was trying to be smooth."

"I'm aware." Her tone continued to mock him.

Fingers interlocked when he grabbed onto her and wouldn't let go. Lucy didn't mind. His skin was soft and slightly chilled. Lucy felt like she was on fire. There was something about the way he touched her that made her come alive again, relax. It made her feel at home. The same went for Harry: when he touched her, he felt human but he also felt invincible. There was this deep down ability that he could do anything with her. He felt normal, but when she looked at him, he felt like a superhero.

The car pulled up the Kensington Palace, in the back in front of the personalized apartments. Harry got out first, holding his hand out for Lucy, which she took. Gracefully, she got out the car. She had been practicing, so no paparazzi would get the unwanted the picture of her life. The door was held open for them in the apartment, but Harry asked for all the staff to be excused for the night. No one hesitated.

Harry and Lucy stood in the front entry way. He did his best to keep her eyes on him. "Perhaps, Luce," Harry began, "since we're alone tonight, we could do other things?"

"Like what?" she questioned.

He didn't give an answer, but rather planted his lips upon hers.