Wills saw the headlines and wondered how Laura was taking this new attack on her. He turned a knob over the head of his bed. "Laura?"
"Ah!" she screamed. "Where are you?"
"In my room," he replied, wondering why she was bothered.
"Why can I hear you?"
"Look above the bathtub. See the speaker?"
"Wills, I'm taking a bath!" she said. her voice was clearer so he guessed she had adjusted the knob.
Now Wills was confused. "Yeah. So what? We talk like this all the time."
There was a silence.
"Laura?" he called.
"I'm sorry," she replied. "My amnesia's kicking in."
"Speaking of that, have you read today's headlines?" he asked her.
"I have."
"Are you okay?" he wanted to know.
There came a bitter laugh. "So what else is new?"
"Well, I'm here if you need me," Wills told his sister. He switched the intercom off. He went into Harry's room. "Isn't Laura acting weird?" Wills asked.
"What do you mean?" Harry stopped doing his homework which he wasn't understanding anyway.
Wills ran a hand through his hair. "The tabloids for one. I thought she'd be used to being front page news by now. There was the time she dyed her hair pink and everyone was shocked. And then there was that kiss in Klosters with her skiing classmate. She's acting like this is the first time she's gotten negative press publicity. Or any publicity for that matter."
"She has amnesia. She told us that."
"Then how does she know that we're her brothers. And that Mum and Papa are well... Mum and Papa?"
"She explained that too. She said that when she came to at the party everyone was murmuring how we all looked like a happy family and she deduced from that."
"And there's-" Wills sighed. 'Forget it."
"No," Harry objected. " You were about to say; And there's-"
"When she looks at me. She blushes. And it sort of reminds me about of those girl fans I have to avoid when I go to Eton."
Harry laughed.
"This isn't funny."
Between gasps Harry managed out. "Yes it is! I wonder if there's anyone other than me who knows just how conceited you are! Listen to yourself. Laura is not developing a crush on her older bro."
"But you have to admit she's acting weird, Locking herself in her room. Everytime I touch her she gives me this vibes that she doesn't want to be touched. Or touched that way by me."
"She's grown. Wills. Chalk it up to adolescence."
"I wonder if we should talk to Mum about this."
Harry rolled his eyes. "What are you going to say? Mum, what's wrong with Laura? I think she has the hots for me."
Wills laughed. "You're right. You're right." he went out of the room.
He bumped into Laura on his way out.
Laura stammered. "I-I have to-"
Wills moved to the side.
"Thanks." she told him, walking by.
"No problem."

Chapter Five
PRINCESS TAKEN OUT OF ST. MARY'S.
Laura looked at the front page and sighed. It was true she had taken a break from school. But it was only so she could catch up on the lessons that she forgot due to her 'amnesia' . But the reporter was making it seem like she was being kicked out. Or that she had dropped out. Or that she was retarded.
She tossed the paper in the trash where it belonged and turned to her private tutor.
She opened her algebra book.

THE ROYAL FATS read the next headline.
The cover showed her stepping down a car. She was returning to St. Mary's after catching up with the class lessons (say two weeks or something). It was windy that day and it poofed her blouse out. She did look fat. But it was just the wind!
With permission from the headmasters she visited her brothers in Eton.
They took a walk among the trees.
"Why!" Laura complained. She wasn't going to cry. Royals weren't allowed to cry. "I mean I could take the others. They had a bit of truth in them. The kiss, me beating up Jonathan..... But this. This is just all out cruelty! I did NOTHING. And they're still attacking me!"
Wills and Harry said nothing. The paparazzi were like leeches. They attached themselves on a target and never let go until the another innocent victim came along.
"You told me to stop giving them stuff to write about. Well, I did. I stopped. And it still didn't work." She threw a punch at the air.
"I'll take care of it. Don't worry about it." Wills promised.
"And how are you going to do that, Wills?" Laura asked.
"I'm your brother. Trust me, okay?"

"How can you promise her something like that?" Harry asked after Laura left. "You can just take the public's attention away from her like that. "He snapped his fingers. "It's impossible."
"I'm going to pull it off, Harry."
"You know as well as I and Laura do- well, Laura did." Harry corrected. "You know that the only way a royal is taken out of the front page is if another royal takes his or her place in an even bigger story. Or have you forgotten that?"
"No, I haven't forgotten," Wills answered.
"Then-" Harry paused. "I don't like that look you're giving me."
Wills leaned his head to one side and looked at his younger brother critically. "How attached are you to those locks of yours?"
"What?" Harry exclaimed. His hands went to cover his red hair.
"Haven't you always wanted a haircut like Mark Owen's?" Wills recalled.
Harry backed away from him. "You're not going to shave my head!" Harry read what was on his mind.
"Look, I'd do it but I'm the heir. Papa would have a heart attack."
Harry said nothing. That was always Wills's excuse.
"Laura did it for you. Remember in Klosters when you snuck out for that bonfire party? She kissed that geek so her name would be on the news instead of yours?"
Harry sighed. "Where are the scissors?"

Later that night Harry's mates surrounded him.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" the one holding the scissors asked.
Did he want to do it? "It's for Laura." Harry stated. "Just remember to stick to the story. We all wanted to have our head shaved like Mark Owen's. I went first. It turned out to be a disaster."
"Don't worry." "Gotcha." "No problem's here." were the assurances.
The one holding the scissors took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."
Harry closed his eyes and felt his heart sink as he heard the snip. He opened them and saw the clump of hair at his feet. "Hey, not so much."
"Do you want this to be believable or don't you?" Snip. "Oops!"
Someone else took the scissors. "Here let me try- Oops!"
"I don't like the sound of that Ooops!" Harry told them.
"WE kind of chopped off a little more on the right than we should have." one informed.
"We'll just even it on the left side like this-Uh-oh."
"Hand me a mirror. I think we mutilated my hair enough." Harry looked at the hand mirror provided for him. It was worse than what they had planned. He looked at his hair now. It separated in tufts with patches of bare space in between them. "Call Wills. Tell him he can tell Papa now. And get ready for yelling."

It was a quiet evening at St. James Palace. The Royal Family was having dinner at the table and were just finishing up with thier coffees. Charles was telling them the progress of his garden when the phone rang. He excused himself to get it.
"Hello?"
"Papa," Wills was on the other line and forced shock in his voice. "Do you have any idea what your youngest son just did?!"
Whenever Wills addressed Harry to Charles as 'your youngest son' Charles knew something was up. "What happened?"
"Uhh- you'll have to come over to see for yourself."
"Wills, Out with it!"
"Harry shaved his head and well... It's sort of kooky lookin."
"Do the papers know of this."
Not yet, Wills thought. "Well, you better come. And bring a barber!"

Laura didn't see the damage till next week when everyone was picked up to spend the weekend at home.
"It's not that bad..." she told him with a sad smile. The barber had to shave his whole head to even it out. It was the only option.
"Yes it is. And you know it." Harry got a baseball hat and put it on.
"It'll grow back," Diana assured her son.
"Why did you- What possessed you to-" Charles was still in shock and couldn't get the words out.
As they went home Laura saw the newsstand and the story was on the front page.
Laura leaned to harry. "You did it for me didn't you?"
Harry knew what she was talking about. "Yeah."
"Thank you."

Chapter Six
There was a knock on the door. "Hurry up, Laura. You know Papa doesn't want to be late. Even Mum's finished getting dressed." Wills called.
Laura grabbed her purse and took one last look in the mirror. She hoped she remembered everything. The royal wave. Smile. Don't smear the make-up...
She was about to open the door when Jory appeared before her. "Ah!"
"Miss me?" he asked.
"I thought you were out of my life," Laura hissed.
"Nope. No can do till you've made that last wish."
"Laura!" It was Charles who was calling now.
Laura gave Jory an apologetic look. 'They're waiting for me."
"So you're adjusting to this royal life pretty well." Jory asked.
"Pretty much. When in doubt do nothing."
Jory asked her seriously. "You don't miss your old life?"
Laura sighed. She didn't miss her old life. But she did miss Greg and her mother. "I'll return to them later."
"Till then," Jory said, ready to disappear in his cloud of smoke.
"Wait!" Laura warned.
"Yes?"
Laura twirled around in front of him. "How do I look?" she asked.
Jory sighed. He gave her a smile. "Like a princess."

They walked down the red carpet.
"And now approaching-" Laura overheard an announcer. " behind their parents is the Heir, the Spare and the Lady Fair..."
Laura smiled to herself. She had wondered how she fitted into that rhyme. In front of her Diana and Charles were playing the part of the happy couple. Holding each other's hands. Smiling at the camera's. The public still had its fairytale marriage but unlike everyone else in this reality Laura knew better.
"Wills!" a group of girls shrieked.
That used to be me. Laura thought. She looked up at Wills next to her. He was close enough to touch.
Wills noticed Laura. Again there was that look in her eye that reminded him of the fans that just called out his name. He shook his head. Like Harry had commented. It was ridiculous.

Laura sat at the table. She had been introduced to several people she didn't know and apologized for her amnesia. After that she had set refuge in a corner and just watched the party. She was a princess. But she knew deep down that she didn't belong.
"Hey," Jory appeared beside her in a tux.
"Ah!" Laura exclaimed.
Jory placed a hand over her mouth. "Don't make a scene. Remember? No one can see me."
"If no one can see you why are you in a tux?"
"I want to have flair," Jory grinned.
Laura thought it a waste that she was the only one who could see it.
"So, why aren't you dancing with Wills?"
Laura balanced some ice on a spoon. She hit one end and the cube went sailing into the glass. Plunk! "Who wants to dance with your brother? It stops at age five."
"I wish I could dance with you," Jory offered.
"That's a nice thought." There was something that had been irking her. Laura ate a ham cracker that had been resting on her plate. She looked at it. Round cracker. Slice of Swiss cheese. Cube of ham. Cube of Cheddar Cheese. Garnish. Fancy toothpick with a blue cellophane flag. "Who's catering to this party?" she asked a waiter, walking bye.
"Lawrence, Geeves and Lawrence." he answered, then went on his way.
Laura felt her heart quicken Lawrence, Geeves, Lawrence, Wallace, had been the name of her mother's catering company. What happened to her mother's name? It didn't matter. She went to the kitchen, knowing who she was going to find there.
"Your Highness," Gregory greeted the princess. "Why had she come to the kitchen? had the food been bad?
"Greg!" Laura was so happy to see him. "I'm so glad to see you." Without inhibition she hugged him. "I missed you."
Gregory took a step back. What was she talking about? "I ,uh, have to get back to work."
"Oh, Let me help," Laura looked at the familiar plates and trays excitedly. She took the crackers and placed them in a circular design on the tray.
Greg watched her. How did she know what to do? Did they teach you this in private school?
"There!" Laura declared triumphantly when the last cracker was placed. When she saw the confused look in Greg's eyes her face fell. He really didn't know who she was.
"Um, Thank you," Greg stuttered.
Laura tossed her head back. "It's okay. Tell me... How's your mother." she had been careful to use the word your.
"My mother?" Greg echoed, wondering why she wanted to know.
"Greg hurry up with those trays!" An angry boss strolled in.
Martin! Laura smiled at the sight of him.
The older man bowed when he saw her. "Good evening, Your Highness. Has Greg been giving you trouble?" he gave the boy a glare.
"No. No. Actually I was the one interrupting him. I better get back to the party. Nice meeting you Greg." She smiled. "That went well." she muttered as she exited the kitchen. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Diana talking to Dodi Fayed. She came over to them.
They were laughing over some joke.
"Hi, mum!" she piped up.
Diana turned to her daughter. "Hello, darling. Dodi, this is my daughter, Laura. I think you remember her."
"Nice to meet you again, Laura."
"Laura, Dodi Al Fayed. We were with him in Paris last August."
Laura only smiled.
"Is there something you wanted to ask me, darling?" Diana asked.
Laura put on a worried face. "Have you seen Charles? I mean- Papa." she cast a glance at Dodi. Hint! Hint!
"Papa," Dina looked around the room.
"Yeah. You know. You husband!" Laura said in case she had forgotten. She looked at Dodi again. HINT! HINT!
"I know who he is!" Diana laughed. "Oh, Look he's over there talking with his old classmate."
Laura followed her gaze. Across the room was Charles and he was speaking with Camilla! "I have to go to him. See you later, mum. Bye, Dodi!"
Laura approached the other couple.
"Yes. Yes. that sounds good," Camilla nodded. Agreeing with what Charles had been saying. Her eyes fell on Laura. "Hello." She touched Charles on the arm to draw his attention. She motioned to Laura.
"Yes, princess?"
"Have you seen, Mum?" Laura asked. 'You know your wife!" HINT HINT HINT!!!
"Sure. You were just talking with her a few moments ago," Charles gestured with his brandy glass.
Laura smacked her forehead with the base of her palm. "That's right! My amnesia's doing weird stuff to my brain." Boy, that amnesia story sure came in handy. "Well, Tata."
"Nice seeing you again Laura." Camille called.

Laura looked at her reflection in the Ladies' room mirror. She closed the door and enjoyed the solace of the place. She held the edge of the sink and took deep breaths. She felt as if the weight of the world was on her chest.
"Hello."
"Ack! Jory." Laura took a step back. "Stop doing that. You're going to give me a heartattack."
"What were you doing out there?" Jory asked. He sat on the counter and dangled his feet.
"Reminding my father and mother that they're married. To each other!"
Jory stopped dangling his legs. His tone grew serious. "Do you realize what you're doing?"
Laura tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She checked her reflection. "I'm prolonging the fairytale."
Jory corrected. "You're prolonging their nightmare."
"You said that they're married." Laura reminded.
"I never said happily." Jory sighed.
Laura opened the door and saw Diana laughing and charming a crowd of listeners with a story. Wills and Harry were beside her enjoying as well. "You see that? In my life there have been thousands of people saying how sad it was that Diana would never be with the boys again. Wills and Harry are now in the position to have thier Mum witness thier graduation. Witness thier weddings-"
"And you?" Jory asked.
"She'll attend my wedding too." Laura said, closing the door again.
"You know what I mean." he waited for Laura too look at him. "What about your real mother attending your wedding?"
Laura clutched the edge of the sink again, her memories turned to the woman who bore her, who took care of her when she was sick, who taught her to live her dreams and not settle for second best. Laura shook her head to erase the visions. "She'll never miss it."
"And what about you?" he reached for her hand.
At his touch, Laura exploded with. "The world has Diana back! How can I be so selfish to ask: What about me?" She looked at him. Pain in her features. She looked away. "I know I can't force them to love each other." her palm tightened into a fist. "But I feel - if I could keep them from getting separated. I can prevent the self destruction of The British Royal Family.'
Jory let out a low whistle. "That's a lot for one person to take."
Laura met his eyes challengingly. "I'm willing to try." She opened the door and went back to the party.

Chapter Seven
When the Windsors came home Diana and Charles were arguing with each other.
"I don't understand why Mrs. Rottwieller had to be there." Diana was saying switching on the light.
"Hello?" Charles said loudly. "She was hosting the party. And why did you have to be with Dodi all night long?"
"Hello?" Diana mimicked him. "We had to discuss the future of Harrod's."
Wills and Harry exchanged an uncomfortable look.
"Will you guys stop it!" Laura screamed. They had been arguing non-stop in the car on the way over. About everything. About anything. About nothing. She looked at her feet when she got thier attention. "You guys are being childish. And-" she attempted to joke. "That's Harry's and my department."
Diana only gave Charles an angry look.
Charles gave her a look of his own.
Charles went to his study.
Diana went to the bedroom.
At the same time both doors slammed loudly echoing through and shaking the entire Palace.

Glass: Chapters 7-9