Chapter One
"Uncle Chuckie," Brianna Bedford called as she bounded down the stairs of the jet. He wasn't her uncle in the real sense. It was just her parents and he were so close she was given the privilege of calling him that special name. She leapt into his arms and hugged him. "Spin me around," she told him.
"My dear, I'm too old," Charles laughed.
Bri pouted. "C'mon," she urged. "For old time's sake."
"Well, all right," the prince agreed. He spun her around but by the third turn he stopped and put her down. "My back!"
"Have pity on Papa, Bri. He is an old man now."
"Harry!" Bri gushed. She threw her arms around him. "My, you've grown so much since I last saw you." She grinned. "And so handsome. Don't tell me. You've got a girlfriend. No. No. Wait. You're engaged."
Harry blushed. "Wrong on both accounts."
"You've been waiting for me?" she teased. "My, how long has it been? Four years? Well, there was that hurricane warning in 1995 and you guys were totally booked with public duties in 96. I understand why you couldn't come last year. I miss Aunt Di. Well, anyway, I'm here now. I've got so much catching up to do. I can't believe I left this place when I was twelve... I'm missing someone. Oh yes! William. Where is stinky old William anyway?" Her eyes were drawn to the boy who was leaning against the car.
He slid his sunshades down his nose, looked at her, then slipped them back up again.
"Well, nice to see you too," Bri laughed. She hugged him. She was so excited at seeing him again she didn't realize he wasn't hugging her back. "Gosh, I've missed you. What happened? You've stop writing. You've stopped calling. I tried contacting you through Internet but the server said your name was changed."
Will shrugged.
"I'm starving," Bri announced as they got in the car. "Are we going to eat out tonight or just stuff ourselves with junk food in front of the telly like we used to? Anything is fine with me."
Harry laughed. "I've forgotten how much you talked."
"Do I talk too much? I don't talk too much. William, tell your brother I don't talk too much," Bri smiled.
William looked outside the window. The photographers were taking pictures of the princes picking up their old family friend. "Whatever," he said.
"I can't believe you guys actually interrupted the royal schedule for me."
"When your parents called and said you were coming down, that you were going to catch a cab--" Charles shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Bri hugged her hand carry to her chest. She looked out the window. London was different. A few new stores here and there since she last saw it but the aura of grandeur it held had stayed the same. "Thanks for letting me stay at St. James Palace. Saves Mum on the hotel bill. Hey, is that tree still there behind Buckingham? The one we used to play under? I miss that!"
Harry nodded. "It's still there."
"What so special about a dumb tree?" William muttered.
Bri bit her lip. That was where you gave me my first kiss, she wanted to remind him. Obviously, he had forgotten. Traffic was kind to them that day. In a few minutes they had arrived at the front of the Palace.
There was a crowd outside.
"Boys, duty," Charles told them.
William got out of the car, ignored the fans screaming his name, and went inside the house.
"I guess, it's just you and me," Charles told Harry.
Bri looked after William. "Everyone's entitled to a bad day." she justified.
Harry didn't have the heart to tell her that it wasn't one of William's bad days.

Chapter Two
Once Bri stepped trough the door she was greeted by a black Labrador. She laughed as the dog licked her face. "How are you, girl? You okay?" she made kissy noises. "I missed you too."
Widgeon pranced around her happily.
"You've been taking good care of my dog, Harry?" Bri asked.
"Your dog?"
"The public might think she's William's but anyone who's anyone knows that she's my dog." She played with her paws. "You're my dog, right? Yes. You are." She laughed.
"She missed you," a voice came.
Bri looked up. "Tyler." Her tone was un-welcoming.
"Hello, Bri," the servant William's age greeted. "Still hating me?" the boy asked quietly.
"Gee, I don't know. How would you greet the boy who set your cat on fire when he was seven?" Bri fell silent.
"I haven't set anything on fire lately. Oh, except for the royal stove."
Bri looked at Harry for confirmation.
"Tyler's been cool."
Bri ignored this. "Well, I guess I better go change. Dining in or eating out, I know Uncle Chuckie would want me to dress up, right?"
Harry laughed. "You know Papa." He went to his room.
Bri looked at Tyler uncomfortably.
He cleared his throat and led her to her room.
She entered the room ready to close the door and lock Tyler out. She couldn't stand his presence.
But Tyler moved quickly. He grabbed her upper arm. "I need to talk to you desperately," he told her.
Bri looked up at him. There was only one word she could use to describe a boy who burned her cat and one of the first things he said to her right after she returns in years is 'I need to talk to you desperately.' That one word was: weird. "Let go of me." It was an order.
He reluctantly did so.
Bri locked him out. She felt a little shaken. But she reasoned that was because of the plane trip she had taken. She knew she was lying to herself. She searched the bags which had already been brought to the room. She took out her best gown and went to the bathroom to shower. She changed and sat in front of the vanity to apply on make-up. She put finishing touches on her hairdo and then took time to reminisce. "Uncle Chuckie," she sighed as she looked around the room. Charles had given orders to take her old stuff that she had left behind and to arrange them in this room. She looked at the stuffed pink bunny on the bed. "Fluffer!" she laughed. She went to the window. She muttered, "Same park. Same Big Ben..." She went to the closet. She was probably only going to stay in St. James' for a week since her parents would arrive in that time. But she wanted to be organized. She opened the closet.
"Boo!" William called.
"Ah!" Bri shrieked. Then she laughed. "Same William,"' she laughed. A puzzled thought passed through her. You were watching me chan--But it was never completed.
He kissed her.
Well, maybe he wasn't entirely the same William. Wait--was that his tongue! Bri pulled away from her childhood friend in surprise.
"Didn't those French guys teach you how to French kiss?" William asked.
Bri brought her hand to her lips. Had William just...
"I know why you want to revisit that old tree," he gave her a slow smile. "That's where I gave you your first kiss."
He remembered! Bri licked her lips. But what was that he did a couple of seconds ago?
William took her hand in his. He took a cutter and swiftly nicked her finger.
"William!"
He cut nicked his own and placed it on top of her cut, letting the blood blend together.
"What's this for?" Bri asked.
"Now we're blood friends," William smiled.
Bri smiled back. It was a nice thought. Though she wondered why he didn't tell her first. Or why he had to cut so deep. She went to the medicine cabinet and got them both Band-Aids. "This completes the formal look really well," she noted.
There was a knock at the door. Harry came in, wearing a suit. "I'm ready. We're going to that restaurant in the city you love so much."
William took Bri's hand. "I'm ready too."
Harry and Bri looked at him. He was still wearing the jeans he wore to the airport.
Harry tried to control himself. "Can you change?" he asked.
William looked at his attire. "What's wrong with this?"
"Formal?" Bri reminded.
"I'm going to be king. I can wear whatever I want."
Harry looked at his brother. He was going to be difficult tonight.
"Please, William," Bri said. "For me?"
William looked into her pleading eyes. "Okay," he consented. "For you."

Chapter Three
Bri tapped her spoon on the side of her glass as she waited for William to finish ordering.
"...So you want the turkey sandwich without the special sauce. No mustard. No mayonnaise. No turkey. No lettuce. No tomato. And you want the bread toasted so basically...you want toasted bread?!" the waitress asked.
William raised an eyebrow. "Yes."
"Okay." she sighed, jotting it down.
"No wait-" William said, changing his mind again.
Bri threw her fork down making it clatter loudly on the plate. It was the seventh time he had changed his mind. Everyone else had already ordered. He was the only thing keeping them from eating dinner and she was starving! "William just order the filet mignon!" she snapped.
"I'll go for the peppered shrimp," William said, ignoring Bri. "Without the pepper..." And on and on it went.
"...and you want the pea soup," the waitress repeated their order for the umpteenth time.
"Yes!" everyone chorused.
"And what will His Highness have to drink?" the waitress, still trying to be hospitable, asked.
"A chocolate shake."
"Your Highness, we don't serve shakes..." the waitress informed wearily.
"But I want a shake!" William insisted.
Bri kicked him under the table.
"Ow!" William looked at her, offended.
"Look there's a chocolate sundae on the menu. Why don't we just melt the ice-cream on the grill, mix it with the chocolate syrup and shake it just for you. Will that make you happy?"
"No, because I want a chocolate shake."
Bri tried to keep herself from wrestling him onto the floor. What did she do when he was this out of control when they were younger? Oh , yes. She'd scream to the top of her lungs: I'm going to tell your mum! But she couldn't do that now. She let out a breath. "You really want a chocolate shake?"
"Yes."
"You really really want a chocolate shake?" she wanted to be certain.
"Yes," William replied. He wondered what she was up to.
"Fine," Bri said, getting up from the table and pulled the waitress to the side. She returned to her seat.
"I'll be back with your drinks," the waitress told them. "Including your chocolate shake, Your Highness."
Harry whispered to Bri the question everyone was thinking. "What did you do?"
"I gave her a ten pounds to take a taxi to the nearest McDonald's and get a shake there," Bri whispered back.
Harry slapped her hand in a low five under the table.
Bri looked at William. True to his word he had changed into formal. Sort of. His tie was loosened and the top of his shirt was unbuttoned. The tail of his shirt was untucked and hung from under his jacket. Bri knew that it was improper but... he looked kinda cute in a rugged sort of way.
"The service here sucks," William complained suddenly. "We've been sitting on our butts for who knows how long. You'd think we'd actually be eating dinner by now!"

William was gargling wine in his mouth.
Everyone in the restaurant noticed his awkward behavior but pretended not to notice. Besides, if the Royal Family thought it proper enough not to correct him, who were they to intercede?
Bri wanted to crawl under the table and hide.
"William," Queen Elizabeth scolded in her place a the table. "We have a guest."
William swallowed the liquor but Bri could've sworn he muttered, "Big freaking deal." He reached for the wine bottle again.
Bri took it out of his reach. "I think you've had enough."
"Nonsense," William said taking the bottle's neck.
"William, no," Bri told him. If the Family wasn't going to make him behave she was.
"But I want some," William insisted, tugging the bottle his way.
"You've had three glasses already," she hissed, tugging it her way.
"That's nothing," he told her. Tug.
"Let go!" Bri ordered.
He let go suddenly. "Fine."
Bri tugged on it and without William's restraint the bottle overturned and poured over her gold sequined dress. She stood up shocked.
"That's going to be hard to get out," Harry observed.
William smiled sweetly. "You told me to let go..."
Bri was about to yell at him but the waitress arrived with their food.
"I hated the dress anyway," Bri took back her seat. "Two to one," Bri whispered to Harry. "They sneezed in his soup."
Harry gave her a smile.
William didn't eat the slimy green soup though. He just played with it. Lifting a spoonful up and letting it drip. Lifting a spoonful up and letting it drip.
"William, behave yourself," Charles reprimanded.
William put the spoon down and sulked like a child.
"How are your parents?" Prince Philip asked Bri.
"They're fine. They can't wait to be in England again," she answered formally. "I think they'll be in time for the annual hunt."
"I do hope so," Philip expressed. "Your father is one of the best of them."
William stole a shrimp off Bri's plate.
She glared at him.
"Will you be enrolling in St. Mary's?" Charles asked.
Bri closed her eyes and tried to keep her voice calm as William kicked the back of her chair. "Yes. They still have to-" (kick) "- get my old school records-" (kick) "-but most likely- "(kick) "-I'll be enrolling this fall." She turned to William. "Quit it!"
Charles stepped in and lectured, "William, stop it. Your actions tonight have been less than improper. You will behave yourself for the rest of the evening and let the rest of us enjoy our dinner. Do I or do I not make myself clear?"
William looked up at his father. He opened his mouth to speak.
Instead of an apology (which Bri doubted) or a string of angry words and curses (which was more likely) that she expected to come out. William burped in the future king's face.
The whole place turned quiet.
Bri couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and threw her napkin down. "You apologize to Charles, right now!"
Oooh, she called Papa, Charles, Harry noted. She was mad.
William looked at Bri.
"I'm waiting." Bri crossed her arms across her chest. Her eyes blazed.
"I'm sorry, Papa," William said reluctantly.
"Good," Bri took her seat again.
There were no more interruptions from William all through out the rest of dinner.

Chapter Four
"You've been a very very naughty boy tonight, William," Bri hissed as they came back to St. James' Palace.
Tyler took their coats as they stepped through the door..
"So?" William gave Bri a look that suggested something something. "Spank me!"
"Ugh!" Bri said, throwing up her hands in defeat. She heard footsteps behind her. "What are you following me for?" She snapped at the servant.
"The, um, the dress," Tyler stammered. "Hand it to me when you take it off. I'll send it straight to the laundry room. They might still be able to salvage it."
Bri slammed the door in his face.
"That went well," Tyler said under his breath. He walked away.
The door re-opened and Bri in her bathrobe threw the frock at him.
"I take it this evening didn't go too well?" he asked, hanging the dress on his arm.
"Didn't go well? Isn't that the understatement of the month! William was acting like a totally different person. I think he goes by the name of the devil! I mean he was rude, immature and--and--" she paused, looked at Tyler intently. "Why am I telling you this?"
"Uh-uhhhh," Tyler said.
Bri sighed, threw up her hands again and retreated back to her room, slamming the door louder than she did before. She rummaged through her suitcase till she found an old photograph. It was of her and William age seven and eight respectively and they were playing in a pile of dry leaves. She looked up at the ceiling. To no one in particular she asked. "William, what's going on with you?"

It was the sound of someone stubbing his/her foot at the edge of the bed that woke her.
Bri's eyes immediately flew open. A burglar was her first thought. A prestigious building such as St. James was visited by burglars every now and then. But what about that high-tech security system? Her eyes zeroed in on the silhouette moving in the dark. She immediately grabbed the nearest weapon she could reach on the dresser. A pen. (Yeah. That will really protect ya!) She turned on the light. She gasped. "William?"
"Ah!" the boy breathed covering his face from the blinding light.
Bri walked over and took his hands down. "William, it is you! I think..." she did a double take on his attire.
He was wearing tight blue ripped jeans. The white T-shirt showed off his muscular physique. And then there was the leather jacket. And the boots. And his hair was varnished in gel. "What are you doing sneaking around like this? And what's with this getup? Halloween's over."
"I'm going out," William stated matter-of-factly going out the window.
Bri followed him in her bare feet and flannel nightgown. "Why my room?"
"Harry and my windows have bars," William reminded as he climbed down the vine-covered trellis along St. James' walls.
Bri climbed down after him.
William paused only to reactivate the security system by remote.
"Where are you going?" Bri asked running after him. She hugged herself. The night was freezing.
"None of your business," William told her as he entered the garage. William got on one of the motorcycles and gunned the motor.
"I'm telling your father!" Bri told him above the noise.
"He's not in there," William grinned. Though it was night time he put on his pair of mirrored shades. "You might want to try someone else's house." Leaving no doubt whose house he meant.
Bri stood in front of the cycle.
"Get out of my way," William said.
"You're taking me with you."
William's grin lit up his face. "Ah! Finally the adventurous spirit of the girl I adore is coming out." He kissed the air. "Love ya!"
Bri got on the back of the cycle in only her nightgown. She wrapped her arms around William's waist and held on tight.
They left the Palace and rode off.
Only a couple of minutes when they were on the streets on London did Bri realize William might be driving drunk.

When Bri stepped off the cycle it occurred to her that she should've changed or at least worn shoes. What was that she stepped in?
She stood close to William as they entered the bar. The smoke circling around the place was choking her. The looks of the other guys present made her uneasy.
"Hey, Willy," one called.
"Hey, mate," William returned, doing one of those corny handshakes only guys can adorably perfect.
"Your usual?" the bartender asked.
Wills nodded. "Better make it a double."
"Another girl?" he gestured to Bri.
Bri couldn't explain why she felt embarrassed.
William looked at Bri as if he never saw her before in his life. "I just can't keep them off me."
"Willy," two blondes in tight tight clothing came rushing over to him.
"How ya been, bad boy?" one them asked, playing with his hair.
Instead of answering William gave each of them a kiss that Bri felt had the censorship of a X rated movie. She felt bile rose up to her throat. She had seen worse. Right in public. In broad daylight. But the fact that this was William made her sick to her stomach! She turned her face away.
The girls looked at Bri.
Bri met their stare.
William laughed. "Girls, don't fight. There's plenty of me to go around."
"Ugh, get over yourself," Bri said.
A boy came over. "How much is your bet?" he asked William.
William tossed a wad of bills on the pool table. "Same as always...HIGH."
"William, you're gambling?"
"Wills, if your girlfriend can't take the heat why did you bring her along?"
"Late night entertainment," William grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.
Bri felt like dirt. How dare William imply that she was--But she bit her tongue. She would let him have his fun for the night. Then they would go back to St. James. She sat down to wait.