#IMMEDIATELY upon moving to the left side of the room spam every self heal you have. every one

[rohirric-hunter]

Okay, actually on a second run of the Well of Forgetting I did the first boss fight in one try, so maybe it's not so bad once you get a hold of the mechanics. I can't imagine soloing it on a melee character, though

[missblanchette]

Rumor Has It [4/10]

Series: Hypnosis Mic

Characters: Izanami Hifumi/Yumeno Gentaro; appearances from Jakurai and Doppo

Rating: T

Summary: Thousands of hearts broke that day. With tears shed and cries resounding to the heavens, each grief-stricken woman wondered how this could possibly happen. In the year 20XX of the H. Era, Matenrou’s MC GIGOLO and Fling Posse’s MC Phantom were officially in a relationship.

Except they weren’t, actually.

Notes: Please see the end notes on AO3 for some kinda lengthy cultural notes!

Words: 4,216

ko-fi // Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | You can read this on AO3! Hope you enjoy~! thanks for reading!! (* ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉｼ

Ch 4: Burying the Hatchet

Hifumi sure was as lucky as Jakurai said he was. He only needed to stay at Shinjuku Central an extra day to make sure that everything was stable, otherwise he was right as rain. Y'know, besides the bruise the IV left him and the sutures in his abdomen, but. Details. After he was all cleared, Jakurai brought him back home after he was done with his shift, though Hifumi insisted he could get by on his own. Nevertheless, Jakurai kept an ever watchful on him, his presence a welcome comfort against the shooting pain that came with every step.

"Doppo, I'm ho~me!"

Upon entering the apartment, they found Doppo hunched over his knees on the couch and his hands clenched tightly at his hair. Doppo's head snapped up as Hifumi announced his return, the bags underneath his eyes heavier than last he remembered seeing them. Shooting up from his seat, he marched towards them with a finger pointed at Hifumi.

"Hifumi, you idiot!" Doppo jabbed his finger into Hifumi's chest, his voice raw. Up close like this, he could see how red Doppo's eyes were. "How do you get stabbed? Again?! What would've happened if -- if -- if --"

The warmth leaving Hifumi's side, Jakurai strode over to Doppo and pulled him against his heart. "Deep breaths," he told him as he rubbed circles onto his back, and steadily Doppo regained his composure. Meanwhile, Hifumi smiled and took Doppo's hand in his.

"You're kinda cranky, Doppo~ Have you been eating well? Sorry I didn't leave any food for you while I was gone!"

From Jakurai's arms, Doppo glared at him though he made no move to slap Hifumi away. His frown deepened. "Why don't you ever think about yourself for once?"

Hifumi shrugged. "Should I?"

Doppo groaned and hit his head against Jakurai's chest. Tenderly, Jakurai threaded his fingers through Doppo's hair.

"Now, Doppo-kun, Hifumi-kun is back home safe and sound. Shouldn't we be happy about that?"

"I know -- I am -- it's just that..." Sighing, he stepped back from Jakurai's arms. He turned to Hifumi, the anger in his face giving way to weariness. "Hifumi. Please be more careful."

"Aw, Doppo-chin!" Ignoring the soreness in his arm, Hifumi wrapped Doppo into a hug. Without a second thought, he pulled Jakurai in as well and rocked the three of them back and forth. "Don't you guys worry 'bout a thing, I've faced scarier things than some knife!"

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Despite the exasperation in his words, Doppo leaned into his embrace.

At his side, Jakurai chuckled and patted Hifumi's head. "Hifumi-kun, why don't you rest up? Would you like something to eat?"

"It's okay! I can make dinner --"

"Oh no, you don't," Doppo said, dragging him towards the couch before he could skip off into the kitchen. "Not in your condition."

"But it's just dinner!"

"Doppo-kun is right.” Making sure Hifumi was seated properly, Jakurai adjusted the pillows on his sides. “In order for you to heal quickly, you should avoid putting stress on your body."

Hifumi squirmed. "I cook all the time, it won't be so bad."

"You need to rest," said Doppo. "I'll cook."

As if tasting Doppo's food already, Hifumi's face pinched together. "But your cooking sucks."

"I --" Doppo paused, the dark clouds looming over his head. "T-That's right, I'm so bad at cooking. Last time I tried, I set the rice on fire. And the time before that, the cup noodles --"

Before his self-deprecating tirade could spiral down further, Jakurai placed a hand on Doppo's shoulder. "Why don't I help you, Doppo-kun?"

He shook his head, resigned. "You don't have to, Jinguji-san. I'll order take out."

"Well, if you and Doc are cooking, then it should be fine!"

"But --"

"Let's do our best for Hifumi-kun, hm?" Jakurai took his hand, gracing him with a small smile. Adding to that, Hifumi grinned and gave him two thumbs up.

He glanced at Jakurai, then to Hifumi. Lips pursing in determination, Doppo nodded. "Right."

"Hey, can you guys make pasta?" Hifumi bounced in his seat, his wound burning with each hop. "Oh, oh! Or how 'bout sukiyaki?"

Doppo flicked his forehead with no real force, getting an "Ow!" from him regardless. "What do you think we are? Five-star chefs?"

"We'll see what we can do," said Jakurai, an amused lilt in his voice. "Now, please try not to move around so much. We don't want you re-opening the wound."

Hifumi saluted. "Aye-aye, Doc!"

With that, the two of them headed towards the kitchen. They’d turned the TV on to keep Hifumi entertained but coincidentally, the news was discussing the incident that happened a couple days prior; particularly about how they apprehended the woman who'd attacked him.

"But you belong to me!" Her distorted voice screeched from behind the screen, a low quality video of that night playing. "This is for your sake, Hifumi!"

Hifumi frowned, recalling how the police had visited him earlier to discuss the matter. When he'd brought up healing her with Jakurai's raps instead of flat out arresting her, they'd immediately shot him down. It wasn't like she meant to stab him. She just wasn't in the right mind! All she needed was help to see what she did wrong then she could've been left alone. Sadly, no one working on the case bothered to hear him out.

The news went on to discuss his relationship with Yumeno Gentaro, but honestly, Hifumi could care less for the rumors themselves. When you were Shinjuku's number one host, people spread stuff about you all the time to ruin your rep. If others got involved, though, he wouldn’t let them slide so easily. He hadn’t been thinking when he pushed Gentaro out of the way, but it'd be a lie if he said he regretted it. Like how he had protected Doppo, like how he would protect Jakurai, Hifumi wouldn't dare let anyone get hurt because of him -- rival or not.

Especially not when he remembered Gentaro's face. Not when he remembered how ashen he looked in spite of the jabs he threw at the woman, or how shaken his green eyes appeared to be as he gawked at him. For all of Gentaro's high-and-mightiness on the battle stage, he was anything but when he caught him in his arms. Gentaro showed no hint of vulnerability when facing him in Chuuoku, not one sign of fear the way he did during the incident. And that look of fear was a thing that weighed heavily on him.

Fear was a feeling Hifumi knew all too well, a feeling he shoved deep, deep, deep into the depths of his mind; fear was a feeling that haunted him, a feeling that blamed him for every single, little thing that he did. If only he'd acted faster, Hifumi berated himself, then maybe he would've avoided seeing the fear on Gentaro's face that night.

His eyes fluttering closed, one thought crossed Hifumi's mind: did Gentaro get home safely?

It was one thing to be cooped up at home, it was another to have limits on his usual routine. No laundry except folding because he twisted a lot during loading and hanging; no cleaning because he bent too often to reach every spot; no grocery shopping because lifting caused too much strain. Talk about boring. That wasn’t to say he didn’t appreciate Doppo and Jakurai’s efforts to cover those things for him but life wasn’t the most exciting when all he could do was light cooking and wander around the apartment. He couldn’t even spam text Doppo, Jakurai, or Matenrou’s group chat since they were busy at work. Legs rubbing together like a cricket, Hifumi flipped through the TV channels in hopes of finding something entertaining.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Hifumi shot up from the couch. Wincing as the bruise pinched him and the wound pierced him, he practically ran over to the intercom. The grin he'd been wearing puckered into confusion as he saw who was at the door: Yumeno Gentaro, posture rimrod straight and hands folded within his sleeves. Don’t get him wrong, Hifumi was glad to see him okay after what happened, but he wasn’t exactly who he expected. Not dwelling on it too hard, he reached for the door handle but the memory of Gentaro's feminine act hit him faster than he could open it up. Stomach churning, he bit his lip.

The sharp pain but an afterthought, Hifumi dashed to his room and dug through his closet. He was down a suit jacket, but there were definitely more where it came from. There was one where the seams were coming loose (sewing didn't count as "too strenuous," right?); this one, the cuff buttons were falling off (another sewing project to be done); that one was getting kinda small (he could probably tailor this to size); and -- ah! He grabbed the one farthest in and threw it on top of his sweatshirt. It wasn't his favorite jacket, but it'd do.

Leaving his room with the saunter of a host, Hifumi opened the door in time to see Gentaro walking away.

"Oh, Yumeno-sensei~" he said, posing against the door frame. Gentaro turned around, brows furrowing as soon as his eyes landed on him. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Nothing in particular." Haltingly, Gentaro came face-to-face with him. "Simply staking out the competition, is all."

"And what competition would that be?"

"Need I remind you? I told you I've been considering becoming a host. With you out of commission, now would be the perfect opportunity."

"Mhm, but that was a lie, no?"

A mirthless smile grew on Gentaro's face. "I see your memory is still in tact."

"It was my body that was injured, not my mind." In return, Hifumi smirked. "Then again, how could I forget such a riveting discussion with an equally interesting kitten."

"Is that so?" Gentaro gave him a look, though it held no actual bite. "To cut to the chase, I figured I owe you some gratitude for the other day."

A beat passing, Gentaro pulled a box out of his sleeve -- Sakura Momo Strawberries to be exact, a gift not unlike the many lavishes his kittens bestowed upon him. Their fingers brushing against each others', Hifumi took it with a hum of approval.

"Sakura Momo Strawberries? This is quite the show of gratitude, Yumeno-sensei."

"Like I said, this is merely hospitality for what you've done for me. Nothing more, nothing less."

Pressing the strawberries to his chest, Hifumi put on a smolder. "Why, to think you've thought of me touches my heart~"

"You're fortunate that's the only thing touching you," said Gentaro, a sigh accompanying his words. "Anyhow, that’s all I came here for. I’ll be taking my leave."

"Oh, so soon?" Host mode taking full reign, Hifumi asked, "Why don't you stay for a while and join me for lunch?"

"As exhilarating as the invitation sounds, I have other business to attend to."

"You can't spare an hour? It's ever so lonely staying home alone."

Gentaro’s gaze shifted from side-to-side. "Even if I could, I don't believe it would be very wise."

"Why not, pray tell?"

Gentaro’s lips tightened. "I'd rather not risk any more rumors being spread about the two of us."

Scoffing, Hifumi waved him off. "If that's what you're afraid of, worry not. Security here was improved after the last incident."

Not giving him the chance to respond, Hifumi took Gentaro's wrist and pulled him inside. Gentaro stood rigidly at the entryway, scanning the room before he carefully removed his shoes and murmured a low "Pardon my intrusion."

"Make yourself at home, Yumeno-sensei~" Placing a hand to the small of Gentaro's back, Hifumi lead him to the couch.

Gentaro stepped away from his touch, though he followed along nonetheless. "Out of curiosity, do you always wear that suit jacket inside the house?"

"Is there a reason not to?"

"It seems rather uncomfortable, is it not?"

With a flourish of his hands, Hifumi flashed a pose. "I'm most comfortable when I can be myself."

Eyeing him, Gentaro sat down. "I see."

"Is there anything you'd like to eat, Yumeno-sensei? How about a drink?" Hifumi asked, ready to make his way to the kitchen. "Ah, you'll have to forgive me. Doppo and Dr. Jakurai have done the cooking, so I think it's best if we order takeout."

"There's no need. I've already eaten before coming here."

"Surely you have room for a little more?" Taking a seat beside him, Hifumi opened the box of strawberries with the grace that came from popping open champagne bottles every night. He tilted it towards Gentaro. "After all, I can't possibly finish this by myself."

Gentaro's green eyes met his, glancing back and forth between him and the box. With nimble fingers, he plucked up a strawberry. "I suppose one or two won't hurt."

Like so, Hifumi took a strawberry for himself. "I must say you have exquisite taste, Yumeno-sensei. Sakura Momo Strawberries are among my favorites."

A shrug to his shoulders, Gentaro gestured vaguely. "My life is worth as much as the price."

Humming, Hifumi bit into his strawberry -- perhaps too big a bite since juice spurt out and dripped down his chin. Skillfully, he grabbed a tissue and dabbed himself clean.

"Oh, you've a stain on your jacket."

Hifumi looked down, seeing that what Gentaro said was true. On the lapel laid a red stain small enough that it wouldn't be too difficult to get out, but big enough that it was quite noticeable.

"Why, I do," he said, pressing the tissue to it. "No matter, I'll clean it up later."

"Are you sure? Why don't you allow me take care of it? Consider it another way of expressing my gratitude." As he’d spoken, Gentaro reached out for his jacket and Hifumi chuckled nervously.

"Oho, there's no need for that," Hifumi said, pushing Gentaro’s wrists to the sides. "You're the guest here, let me take care of myself."

Gentaro's gaze fell to his suit jacket, eyes lingering for a moment longer than necessary. "If you insist."

"Please help yourself, Yumeno-sensei. I'll return soon."

Leaving Gentaro behind, Hifumi strode towards his room with slow steps; something that not only lessened the aches in his body, but also bade him time. How terrible, Hifumi thought, to be cornered in the comfort of your own home. While he might've faced Gentaro out of host mode before, he had Doppo or Jakurai there with him at least. Without his suit, he lacked the ability to finesse his way out of the situation, the confidence to tackle his problems head on. Staring at his vanity's mirror, Hifumi weighed his options: take off the suit jacket and face the possibility of a breakdown should Gentaro pull anything, or replace it and face scrutiny.

Then again, perhaps he was assuming the worst of Gentaro. It was strange that he showed up at his apartment, admittedly, let alone knew where he lived, but he hadn't shown any sign of ulterior motives so far. He'd even gave him strawberries, which could be seen as a peace offering of sorts. Pretty as a kitten he might be, the chances of him doing anything hostile were low. Or at least, he hoped so. Choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt, Hifumi carefully slid off his jacket and put it away for washing. He clapped his cheeks and took a breath before returning to the living room.

"Totes soz if I made you wait long, Yumeno-sensei! Your neighborhood friendly Hifumin's back~"

As he plopped back into his seat, Gentaro gave him a once over. His head tilted and he quirked a brow up. "There's certainly a different air to you."

"Y'know what they say: clothes make the man. Or something!" With that, Hifumi popped a strawberry into his mouth.

"Indeed they do." Gentaro nodded along, taking a bite of his own strawberry. "You seem rather chipper for someone who's left the hospital, if I may say. I take it recovery is going well?"

"Psh, it was just a little stab! It wasn't like it was my first time anyways," he said, a laugh ending his sentence.

"You did mention that before..." He trailed off, Hifumi hearing hesitance in Gentaro's words for once. "Excuse me if this is too invasive, but may I ask as to what happened?"

Bouncing forward, Hifumi drummed his palms against his knees. Gentaro startled back a bit, a hand flying to his chest.

"Funny story actually! That's how I met Dr. Jakurai!"

He jumped right into it, recounting the whole Stalker Incident right from the night the woman had broken into the apartment. His hands fluttered around him as he mimed every lash, every hit, every freak out; his voice changed into bad imitations of Doppo, Jakurai, and the woman when he spoke their parts. All the while, he ignored the phantom pain in his arm, as well as the aches his bruise and wound brought. How couldn't he when he had a story to tell, of course! What finally brought him to a pause, though, was when he noticed that Gentaro's attention was focused elsewhere.

"...and Doc looked sooo awesome when his speakers turned on and -- hey, what's that?"

Gentaro froze, a pen in hand and a book on his lap, and he blinked as if broken out of a spell. Slowly, he tucked the pen inside the book and closed it.

"I hear better when I can read what's being said," Gentaro told him. "So I like to transcribe every word I hear."

"Ooh, like subtitles? Y'know, Doppo mumbles when he's really tired and I can barely understand him, so maybe I should do that."

Green eyes running over him, Gentaro's lips tugged up.

"That was a lie, although I do apologize for writing down your story without your permission." Gaze falling to the book's cover, he tapped it. "I must admit, I found it rather interesting and couldn't help but pen it."

"Whoa, so that's like your writing book?" Without warning, Hifumi reached for it but Gentaro swiped it up.

"Yes, it's a book in which I write in," Gentaro said, holding it close to his chest.

"Boo, y'know what I mean. Like a book where you write all your ideas and stuff!"

"Well, I suppose you're not wrong in that regard either."

"That's so cool!"

Again, Hifumi grabbed for it but Gentaro raised it higher into the air. He tried once more, standing up for leverage but Gentaro followed suit and raised the book even higher. Hifumi pouted.

"I wanna see it."

"Why should I let you?"

"Why not?"

"Hm, that's not a good enough reason." Presenting the notebook as it were an ancient relic, Gentaro took on the voice of an elderly sage. "Only they whom art worthy enough art allowed to lay their eyes upon mine inspirations."

Folding his arms, Hifumi puckered his lips in thought. He bobbed his head up and down, mumbling as he racked through his mind for any decent reason. The pain throughout his body pinched him and he gasped, slapping his hands to his cheeks.

"You should let me see it 'cause I'm injured!"

Gentaro squinted. "I fail to see the correlation."

"’Cause I’m injured, I’ve been stuck here, right?" Hifumi said, throwing his arms out and swinging them about as if to capture the living room’s space. "And it's been su~per boring in the house, y'know? So like, reading your book will cure my boredom and make me feel way better!"

Silence was his reply, accompanied by a stare of green eyes. Peering down, Gentaro leafed through his notebook and the pages flittered by like the wings of a hummingbird. Once he'd reached the end, he closed the book with a definitive snap and met his eyes. For the first time that day, Gentaro let out the smallest of chuckles.

"Very well then," he said, the slightest hint of amusement in his tone. "Who am I to deny an ill man a cure?"

Giving his notebook one last look, Gentaro handed it to him.

"Yay~! Don't worry, Yumeno-sensei, I'll be extra careful with it!"

"Thou should be," Gentaro replied in his sage's voice. "Or else thou wouldst have to face the wrath of the gods otherwise."

"Those gods sound kinda grumpy." Giggling, Hifumi flopped back into his seat and opened the book like a child eager for story time.

To be honest, Hifumi didn't know what to expect from a writer's journal but what he did know was that it was as entertaining as he thought it would be. More, even! With handwriting as pretty as the writer himself, Gentaro's notebook was filled with various notes and out-of-context scenes and lines of dialogue. Scratch outs were made, parallel to the lines; arrows pointed here and there, connecting ideas together; little doodles drawn in the margins helped illustrate his ideas further, though there was definitely a reason Gentaro was a writer and not an artist. Nonetheless, each page was worn with care and something about that made Hifumi smile.

Skimming the pages, he caught sight of a familiar name. He flipped back quickly, jaw dropping when he landed on it. He pointed at the name and shook Gentaro's arm.

"Hey, that's TOP DANDY!"

"Ah, indeed. Like I said, I was doing research."

"Research for what?"

Gentaro held a finger to his lips. "Now that's a secret."

"You can't give a hint?" Hifumi whined, pouting.

"Nope," Gentaro said, popping the "p." His eyes scanned the page, index finger trailing along until he landed on a list of rankings. "But I did mean to inquire more about this..."

From the types of drinks they kept in a host club, to the hobbies of a host, to the activities that went on behind the scenes, Gentaro went over each detail and Hifumi was more than happy to throw in his input. The journal sitting between their laps as they bounced off ideas, Hifumi watched as Gentaro scribbled down what he’d said and so they continued on like that -- Hifumi pointing at each and every line with the awe of a starry-eyed child and Gentaro further explaining the notes he so meticulously jotted down. Hifumi hadn't ever read a single one of Gentaro's books before, but if hearing the process behind them meant anything, then his actual novels must've been just as good!

It was easy to lose track of time when immersed in the world of another, however. The next thing Hifumi knew, the front door swung open.

"I'm home -- huh?"

"Doppo, welcome back!" His head turned towards Doppo, who looked back at him with his brows creased and his mouth hanging. Grinning, he tipped the journal in Gentaro's direction. "Look, look, Yumenon stopped by to visit me!"

The poker face Gentaro wore turned into one of bemusement, eyes leaving Doppo and snapping back to him. "'Yumenon'?"

"Yeah, ‘Yumenon’. 'Cause it’s cuter than 'sensei'!"

Doppo's awkward laughter broke into the moment, warily stepping into the apartment as if he was the guest.

"Ah, it's good that Yumeno-san kept you company..." He glanced nervously at Gentaro. "Er, is Yumeno-san staying over tonight or...?"

Looking at the window, Hifumi's eyes widened. "Oh my God, yeah, it's like super late! Wanna stay for dinner?"

Gentaro shook his head, plucking his notebook from Hifumi's hands and thumbing through it to make sure not a page was out of place.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I should head home now if I don't want to miss the train."

"You sure?" Hifumi leaned in with a hand covering his mouth, whispering a little too loudly to be considered a whisper. "I'll cook something while Doppo's not looking and he doesn't have to know."

Huffing out a laugh, Gentaro stood up and tucked the notebook into his pocket.

"Yes, I'm quite sure. I believe I've overstayed my welcome, anyhow. Take care... Izanami-san," he said, bowing his head slightly. Then, he turned to Doppo and did the same. "Kannonzaka."

"Aw, okay..." Hifumi said, following him to the entrance. With the elegance of a host, he opened the door for him and waved. "Bye bye, Yumenon! Come visit again!"

He gave him a wry smile. "I'll consider it."

And with that, Gentaro was gone.

"Seems like you had fun today," Doppo said once he'd closed the door.

Beaming, Hifumi turned to him with his chest puffed out and his hands on his hips. Aches and pains aside, the day turned out better than he thought it would. Though Gentaro was the last person he expected to drop by, certainly his presence broke the monotony of being cooped up at home. From the strawberries to the notes of his journal, Gentaro had given him more than he could imagine -- a colorful world filled with things he'd never stopped to think about and a vibrant perspective he’d never considered. The image of the pretentious writer he'd faced on Chuuoku’s stage fading away, Hifumi figured Gentaro wasn't as bad as he originally thought him to be. Well, he wasn't one to hold a grudge anyways.

"Yeah, lots! Like -- wait. Here, Doppo-chin, have some strawberries! Yumenon brought them! Oh, and we gotta save some for Doc, too..."

[hrhduchessoflancaster]

Chapter Eighty-One: Clearer Skies

A/N: Thank you for keeping up with the story! xx Bea

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She saw as he sprang in front of her, the gunshot ringing in her ears as she lowered her head, watching it hit the man in front of her. She heard the shot flying above her head, passing through Colin, embedding itself in the wall, as she ducked her head. He fell to the floor, blood oozing out of his chest and around his back, forming a puddle at her feet. She briefly looked down as Dmitri talked, her ears still ringing, seeing the look of horror in Colin’s eyes as he grew paler and paler until he stopped moving. She froze on her spot for a second, looking at the lifeless body of the man she once loved. Then she looked up, seeing the older man pointing the same gun at her, ready to take her life.

“ NO!”, she screamed in panic. Blinking and fighting back tear, Elle tried to calm herself down as she took in her surroundings. She looked around and saw the hospital room and someone rushing to her side. Harry.

“ Baby, I’m here. I’m here, love. It’s alright, you’re safe.”, he told her as he held her in his arms. Rubbing her back, Harry felt her start to relax, but she still clinging tightly to him.

“ I’m okay…”, she whispered. Harry wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or to herself, but he nodded his head and let her make the first move. So long as she was holding onto him, he wouldn’t let her go. After a few minutes, Elle backed off, leaning back on the bed. Harry looked at her and waited for her to feel comfortable enough to talk.

“ It felt so real…”, she whispered, not meeting his eyes. “ I… he died, Harry. I saw him die.”, she said to him.

“ There was so much blood… and the other man, Dmitri, he was ready to kill me.”, she said, now meeting his eyes. Her emerald green meets his aqua green ones. Hers were full of sorrow, guilt, relief and fear. His, were concerned and scared, but also full of love.

“ Oh my goodness! Alfred! He was shot too! What happened to him?”, said Elle, getting worked up.

“ Love, he’s alive! He’s fine! The bullet hit him in the ribs but he’s okay. He’s in recovery.”, said Harry and Elle nodded her head, calming down once again. Harry knew that what she had seen would be imprinted on her forever. He also knew what was like to face death in the eye, just like his wife just had, a few hours ago. And being in the military didn't make it easier to deal with it.

“ I know how hard it is. You know I do. But you have to focus on the fact that it’s over now, Elle. And you’re safe. We are here with you. You have me, Nugget, your entire family and friends. We are all here with and for you, my love.”, said Harry, running circles in her hands.

“ I know… I know… and I’ve been through traumas before but… I… he’s dead…”, she said, tears springing from her eyes once again. As much as he hated Colin for his role in what has been going on, Harry knew he meant something to Elle once upon a time, and watching him die was probably a big shock to her. Patiently and with care, he calmed her, helping Elle with her breathing exercises once again. This much stress was not only bad for her, but also for their child.

************

All of her family came to see her on the same day she was admitted in, but the person she was mostly worried about was Kate. She had been with Elle when it all happened and she was worried she had been hurt. When the Cambridges finally visited on the third day of her hospital confinement, she was beyond relieved to see Kate well.

“ I was so worried that something had happened to you as well.”, said Elle as they hugged each other.

“ Just the shock and a bruised head. Nothing more.”, said Kate, giving Elle a smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She saw as Kate and William looked nervously at each other when they asked about Elle’s health and the baby. She noticed that Kate flinched when Elle touched her arm and William moved swiftly at his wife’s side. Kate concealed it well but Elle knew something was wrong. The older couple kept on glancing at each other, as if they were trying to say something, every so often exchanging secretive glances. Once they had left, Elle turned to her husband.

“ Harry?”, she asked him. “ Yes, love?”, he said.

“ Did you think that Will and Kate were acting a little weird?”, asked Elle. Harry paused for a moment before nodding his head.

“ As a matter of fact, I did. Which is odd…”, said Harry.

“ Maybe there’s something going on and they’re keeping from us?”, suggested Elle.

“ No… if something was happening, Will wouldn’t keep it from me. I’m his brother. We tell each other everything.”, said Harry. Elle decided not to insist on the matter, even if she was still a little suspicious.

It took her almost a week to leave King Edward’s VII hospital, mostly due to the head trauma she had suffered and to monitor the baby’s health. By the time she left, the world media knew all about what had happened to the Duchess of Sussex and the Freedom Movement. While she had been hospitalized, Colin’s body had been sent back to what was left of his family, so they could give him a proper burial. The joint front formed by MI5, MI6, Scotland Yard and Armed Forces were able to track down the remaining members of the Freedom Movement in Britain and incarcerated them for life. Colin’s body had been sent back to what was left of his family, so they could give him a proper burial.

That, gave her as much as a sense relief as of dread. She knew that an organization this big and threatening must have hundreds of followers and people in chains of command. Elle knew she’d always have to be on her guard, as would everybody else in her family. But they’d be more prepared for them if and when they attacked again. She sincerely hoped that time would never come, but was better to be safe then sorry.

On the following days after her return to Kensington Palace, the nightmares, panic attacks and fear in general still were very much pricking under her skin. And so, she thought it was high time to get in touch with Dr. MacKellan once again. As she phoned him, he didn't seem surprise to hear from her and soon, they scheduled new appointments for her, to be had at her apartment, starting on the following morning. They started off tackling the immediate fears and traumas she had recently, going over all matter at hand: her safety, pregnancy, marriage and public life. By the sixth session, Elle began feeling like herself again. “ You know, you’ve been through quite a lot in the spam of two years, young lady.”, said Dr. MacKellan. “ I’m surprised you haven’t freaked out.”, lighting up the mood, Elle chuckled along with the elderly man.

“ Trust me, there’s a lot of self control involved. And a great support system.”, she said.

“ And that’s the most important thing. I know it’s hard to confide in people, specially when you have traumatic experiences like the ones you’ve had. But so has your husband. Opening up to each other will help you both, more than I can. I found that by sharing similar experiences, people tend to heal and move on faster. Think about, ok?”, said Dr. MacKellan at the end of their session.

“ I will.”, said Elle. And she really did. She spent the remainder of that afternoon thinking of ways to approach the subject with Harry and she figured out there was no beating about the bush. That evening, as they sat together in the sofa, Elle turned off the telly and faced Harry.

“ What did you do that for?”, he asked, eyeing her quizzically.

“ I think we should start opening up to each other about our traumas.”, said Elle. Harry tipped his head to the side.

“ I’m not following, love.”, he said.

“ I was talking to Dr. MacKellan today and he told me something that got me thinking. He said something that, thinking about it now, seems quite obvious but I haven’s considered it before. He told me that opening up about our traumatic events with people who had similar experiences, can be a good healing process. So, even though we have shared a few things, I want us to be able to tell each other those traumas. I want us both to get better and not handle this as some shame or guilt that we have to carry.”, she said to him. Harry paused for a second and sighed, nodding his head.

“ You know, I don’t remember if I’ve told you this but it took me years to finally talk about how my mother’s death shook my life and how it affected and changed me. And for the longest time I didn’t realize that my mental health was as important as my physical one.”, said Harry.

“ You’re right. We have to talk about it. If we want to get better and be able to move forward with our lives, we need to let the trauma go. And in order to do that, we need to speak up. Not only amongst ourselves, but other people too.”, he continued.

“ Precisely, darling. So can we do that?”, she asked him, taking his hands into hers.

“ We can. And we will. I want us both to put all of this sorrow behind us.”, said Harry smiling. As tired as she was being this far along in her pregnancy, Elle fought to stay awake and talk to him about all that she was feeling. And he did the same. They talked about their fears, not only from the Freedom Movement but of not being good enough parents, of the child they lost and how Nugget would never replace that baby, who was as much their child as the one who would be born in a few months and they loved both regardless.

Harry talked about his time in Afghanistan and what he seen. Elle shared what was like to be held hostage twice and how she coped with it. Little by little, they were letting their walls down and the more they shared, the more they were able to understand and trust each other. By the time all their tears had dried, it was almost four in the morning. As they snuggled against in the sofa, Harry and Elle realized that by talking about all of those things, they had found strength not only in  in each other, but also and more importantly, in themselves. Strength to fight on, to live on, to believe they could be and would be better.

************

She had spent the remainder of February recovering from her attack. A few media outlets had been rather unforgiving on her but most of the reporters and the public were understanding of the situation. As March graced them with sunnier, bluer skies and flowers in blossom, Elle made her first public appearance, next to her husband at the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, on behalf of Her Majesty. Being such a big event, held at Buckingham Palace no less, there was a large number of dignitaries, members from foreign countries and of course, the media was flooding the gates, waiting for a glimpse of the Duchess.

Side by side, Elle and Harry received the young leaders and ambassadors for the Commonwealth Youth at the ballroom of Buckingham Palace. The people, who were around sixty, stood in a line and waited for the royal couple to meet and greet them; from celebrities ambassadors like David Beckham and Hayley Atwell, to bright young teens and adults who had brilliant ideas for the Commonwealth future and a few politicians. Once it came time for the speech, Harry made his way to the small stage, as Elle stood next to him.

“ Good evening to you all. My wife and I are honoured to be here today to recognise and celebrate this year's Queen's Young Leaders. This programme was launched four years ago in honour of Her Majesty's service to the Commonwealth and Her belief in young people as a force for positive change. A change that can ignite the spark to make out world a better and safer place.”, said Harry, looking at Elle, who smiled at him.

“ I was honoured to have been named The Queen's Commonwealth Youth Ambassador earlier this year, and I am committed to supporting the legacy of The Queen's Young Leaders and the Commonwealth youth. I guess you can say you're stuck with me.”, he continued and laughs were heard in the room.

“ I… together with my wife Eleanor, look forward to convening young people from around The Commonwealth to hear your ideas, work with you to build platforms for you to collaborate and form partnerships, and continue to meet with many of you as we travel around in our work on behalf of The Royal Family. Thank you.”, finished Harry. Elle applauded her husband vigorously, feeling the baby kick in her belly. Smiling, she kissed his cheek as they walked hand in hand out of the stage area.

“ You were wonderful. As always.”, said Elle smiling.

“ Thank you, my love. For being here and for your constant support.”, said Harry.

“ Where else would I be?”, she joked. As they mingled among the people, a few of them congratulated them on their child while some other showed their concern for what had happened to Elle. For her, it felt a little overwhelming to have so many people expressing their sympathies for something that wasn’t directly related to them. Feeling a panic attack coming, Elle excused herself to a more secluded area, finding an empty room. Sitting down, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, until she felt herself calming down again.

“ Love? Elle, are you in there?”, asked Harry, coming into the room where she sat. Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands into his and caressed them.

“ Hey… is everything alright?”, he asked her as she opened her eyes.

“ It is now.”, she replied, giving him a small smile. Harry looked into her eyes, searching for any signs of pain. Finding none, he sighed and hugged her.

“ Let’s get back to the ballroom, shall we?”, he suggested. Nodding her head, she stood up with his help, only she did it a little too fast. A wave of dizziness hit her and she down back again.

“ I’m fine… I’m fine… just stood up too quickly.”, she said before Harry fussed over her.

“ I think, after today, it’s best if you don’t attend anymore public events. You’re nearing the end of your pregnancy and you’ve had a great trauma. I don’t want you to endanger yourself or the baby.”, said Harry. Elle opened her mouth to argue but was cut by her husband.

“ Please, Elle. Do this for me.”, he pleaded. “ I already feel powerless not being able to help you. I can’t bare to see you hurt in any way again.”

“ Fine. I have just one more that I cannot back down from, then will stay at home. But I’ll still work from the office.”, she said and he nodded his head, acceptingly.

************

William and Catherine had a lot on their minds after what had happened to Elle. When she was kidnapped, Kate, along with the other people in the room fell on the ground due to gas that Colin released. What no one noticed was that the bullet that hit Alfred through the ribs and grazed Kate’s arm, creating a flesh wound. Once they were awake no one seemed to notice since their main priority was to get her out of the museum. It was only on their way back to Kensington Palace that the wound was seen and Kate was assessed by a doctor at the palace.

William saw red when he was notified of it. He had rushed back to Kensington Palace from the engagement he was attending and couldn’t believe what had happened. Not only to his wife but to Eleanor as well. “ We need to get her to a hospital!”, exclaimed William as a dizzy Kate was being looked after.

“ We… can’t… it… will… be worse.”, said Kate, looking at her husband.

“ We strongly advise against it, sir. Her Royal Highness suffered a minor injury and can be looked after here. If we were to take her to the hospital, the situation would become ever more chaotic than it already is.”, said one of his RPO’s. He pondered over what the man had said and nodded his head. He was right. If this became public, things would get worse.

“ We keep this between us. No one needs to know about that now. Specially in a time of crisis.”, said William as Kate received a few stitches for her wound.

And so, up until the situation was controlled and Elle was taken to the hospital, no one knew what had happened, except for those in that room. Charles and Camilla went to visit the Cambridges that day after Harry had gone to the hospital after Elle. Once there, they were shocked to see Kate lying in a bed, with a gauze on her arm, a few specks of blood seeping through it.

“ What happened?”, exclaimed Charles.

“ Pa, we need to talk…”, said William in a serious tone.

************

What remained of the month of March passed as a blur to her. Elle had attended her last public engagement with Harry and the Cambridges for the Royal Foundation. They visited a sports’ centre for children and teenagers funded by the foundation. Together, they took part in a few games, chatted with the young ones, their parents, and the staff. From then on, Elle focused her time on her book. She went to the office everyday, getting reports from Lisa on her patronages, already planning what she could do after the baby was born.

Spending her days in her office had been easier than she predicted. It reminded her of her time at the Tower. As much as she loved being able to help people through her charitable work and her visits to the causes she supported, academic work was what she was used to, it was where she truly fitted and belonged. In the spam of a week, she was able to right far more than she had in the last three months. As she wrote, she reconnected with her old self, and also with Melissa and Trevor. Ever present, the trio talked for hours via Skype about their projects but also, about their lives.

In between her work, she visited Georgiana and continued her exercises with Helen’s help. All to make sure she and her baby would be healthy and ready when they needed to be. At thirty-seven weeks pregnant, Elle was told the baby by Georgiana that the baby could be expected from that point on but that Nugget would most likely arrive on their due that. At her weekly check-ups, she and Harry discovered that their child was weighting over three kilograms and was as big as 50 centimetres.

“ You have a big, strong baby in there…”, said Georgiana, making the couple smile.

“ Trust me… I can feel it.”, joked Elle, making Harry and Georgiana chuckle. “ Now, as the due date approaches, you’ll experience false alarms, the so called Braxton Hicks contractions. It’s normal, but they’ll get longer and more painful with time. So if they persist, it’s better to rush to the hospital, alright?”, she advised the couple.

“ As for the birth itself, have you chose the place where you want to deliver the baby?”, asked Georgiana.

“ Harry and I have decided on St. Mary’s Hospital. It was where he was born and Kate had only great things to say about it.”, said Elle smiling.

“ Of course. It is indeed a wonderful hospital with a even better equipped maternity facility. I imagine your midwife will also be accompanying you?”, she asked and Elle nodded her head.

“ Also, Dr. Alan Farthing, the Royal Surgeon will be attending the birth, per my grandmother’s request.”, said Harry. Yes, Elizabeth had asked that Dr. Farthing be present at Nugget’s birth just in case something went wrong. He would be there more as a consultant than an active part of the process. Elle had only met him twice during her entire pregnancy and he seemed nice enough.

“ Very well. I’ll make all the necessary preparations with the hospital and your staff to make you and the baby as safe and relaxed as possible during and after the delivery.”, assured Georgiana. Just two weeks, Nugget. Just two more and mummy will meet you., thought Elle caressing her belly lovingly.

************