The girls crowded around the kitchen table eating ice cream straight from their pint sized cartons.
"So how did it feel when Craig kissed you?" Annie asked, between bites of Cookies and Cream.
"You saw it! You were there!" Di laughed.
"But how did it feel???" Annie persisted.
Di just took another spoonful of Cookie Dough into her mouth.
"Was it like- like," Annie fought for the right words. "The Fourth of July when you're looking at a pitch black sky and you're waiting. And you know there's going to be fireworks and when it actually happens its better than anything you ever hoped for?"
"Well, I don't know about the Fourth of July," Di smiled. "But there were definitely fireworks! how did you know?"
"Because-" it was Annie's turn to blush. "-that's the way I felt when Chris kissed me."
"But he told Papa he didn't kiss any girl tonight!"
Annie shrugged.
"How about you Jo?" Di demanded.
"Yeah, Jo," Annie joined in. "How did your date go?"
"What do you want to know?" Jo asked them.
"Any kissing?" Di asked.
Jo thought of the backseat of the limo. At the eager looks on the faces of the girls she burst out laughing. "Di, this is your father we're talking about!"
"What's wrong with wanting to know if you're father's a good kisser?"
"William kisses... well." Jo answered.
"Fireworks?" Annie asked.
"Hot and steamy?" at the look Jo gave her, Di defended. "That's how Mum described it."
"A lot of fireworks, and more than hot and steamy." was all that Jo would tell them.
Their mouths dropped.
Jo cleared the table. "Now go to sleep. And no more dreaming about guys and kisses."
"We won't," they promised.
But Jo knew that they would.

The phone was a common battling ground after that day. (Gee, royal family fighting over one phone? Ah, well.)
This was a typical scenario:
The phone rings.
"I'll get it!" Chris bolts from his place on the couch where he was sluggishly watching television.
Di would run from her bedroom. "No. I'll get it."
Chris picks up the phone. "It's Annie calling for me."
"It's Craig calling for me." Craig had recently moved out of the Palace since his father became an executive of a rising company.
They would play tug of war with the receiver which Chris would usually win being older and stronger.
Di would then proceed to stick her tongue out at him.
"Hello?" Chris would speak into the phone. "Okay, hold on."
Di who had also been pressing her ear to the phone to hear the conversation would yell with Chris.
"Papa! Phone for you! It's Jo."
William would then smile at their disappointed faces and wave them away. And he and Jo would talk all lovey dovey which Chris and Di wouldn't want to hear anyway.

Chapter Twelve
It was a year later when they managed to find a fee day again.
"I don't understand why I have to bathe my cousins when we have a housefull of servants to do it."
"Your Uncle Harry would appreciate it." (Where are Harry and Vina at this time? I don't know. Boogying it at the Caribbean and leaving the kids for a week for some sanity)
"Because your father wants it done with love." Jo laughed as she got her purse and coat.
Wills ruffled his son's hair. "No. Its because I want it done for free."
Chris straightened his hair. "Not funny Wills."
Wills shrugged at Jo. It was Chris latest thing to call him by his first name.
"It's not going to be so bad," Jo told Chris. "Annie will be here to help you."
"Yeah right. I'm just going to sit back and watch him suffer." Annie was unaware that the look she was giving Chris was full of fondness.
"Jo and I won't be home till later tonight-"
"So you can kiss and stuff..." Chris muttered.
"-So don't wait up." He headed for the door. "Make sure you guys eat your dinner. And don't bother Grandpapa. He's taking a nap."
"One year," Jo sighed as she and Wills got in the back of the car.
"Same rules. No mentioning the kids."
The car pulled out of the driveway.
Wills kissed Jo on the neck. "Where were we?"
"I cant remember. I was asleep," Jo teased. "So what do you have planned for us today? More slumber parties?"
"Today, I'm going to take you on a tour of London." the prince answered.
Jo smiled.
"For example. We are now pulling out of the gates of Buckingham. Home of the British Royal Family. It is rumored that the snobbish, conceited, Prince William," He grinned as he made fun of himself. "The darned royal fool who spends English taxpayers money left and right has fallen head over heels in love with the intelligent, remarkable, caring designer by the name of Jo Conroy."
Jo kissed him on the lips. "She has great taste in men."

Di was putting on her riding outfit.
"Papa wouldn't like this," Tom told her.
"Papa's not home," Di reminded. "Chris is. And Chris won't notice I'm gone unless you tell him."
Tom knew the look she was giving him. "I won't tell." he promised.
"Thanks," Di kissed him on the cheek and went off to the stables to meet Craig for a private rendezvous in the woods.

Chris and Annie tried to control the two squirming tots in the bathtub.
"Hold still," Chris told the three year olds as he tried to shampoo one of them, Jessica
Annie laughed as she soaped one, Tiffany, under the armpits. "Isn't this a picture?"
"What?"
"I mean isn't this a look into your future? After marriage you're going to have kids. Then you're going to bathing them in this same tub."
Chris shook his head. "I'm not getting married. Or having kids."
"Why not?" Annie asked rinsing the baby, trying not to let the soap run into the eyes.
"Just because," Chris replied.
When they were done bathing the twins they put on their diapers.
"Very good, Your Highness," Annie praised. "We'll make a father out of you yet!"
"Uh-uh. Not me this is a once in a lifetime experience for me," he winced as he threw the dirty diapers in the wastebasket.
"I'm going at have at least six or seven kids. And my husband wont complain when I march him into bath them." Annie thought for a while. "I think I'll be a lawyer first. Then I'll meet my future husband in one of those power parties in Manhattan. After we've established a respectable law practice for a few years I'll run for senator. then I'll become the first woman president of the United States. The seven kids will be squeezed into that schedule somewhere. How about you?".
"I'm going to be king. End of story." Chris said.
Annie fell quite. She dried Tiffany. "Am I going to be in your future, Chris?"
"Of course!" Chris answered automatically.
"Really?" Annie smiled. he really wanted her to be in his future?
"Yeah, The King of England and the President of the United States are always friends. Otherwise there'll be war between the countries!"
Annie threw the towel in his face.

Billy, age five, and his four year old cousin Julius snuck into their Grandpapa's bedroom.
King Charles was sleeping on the bed unmindful of the mischief the little ones had in mind.
Billy took out the scissors from behind his back and began snipping away.

Annie looked around the Palace. She and Chris had managed to get the twin girls into their matching dresses without any problems. She knocked on Tom's door.
"Yes?" Tom replied.
"Have you seen Di?" she asked.
Tom shrugged in a noncommiting way. "I know where she is."
Annie didn't press for details. So Tom was in his room, Tom knew where Di was, the twins were in the living room, and Chris was talking to the cook about lunch... Where was Billy and Julius?

Charles woke up from his sleep seeing the cherub faces of his grandsons looking down on him. "Hello, boys,' he smiled at them.
They were smiling.
"What have you been up to?"
Smiles widened.
That's when Charles sensed something was wrong. "What do you have hidden in your hand?" the king asked.
Billy stepped away and shook his head. Still smiling.
"Billy..." Charles scolded, sitting up.
Out came the hand with the scissors.
Charles had an inkling of what was going on. "And the other hand." he ordered.
The other hand held clumps of familiar graying hair.
Julius giggled.
Billy's eyes looked at the top of his grandpapa's head in a dead give away.
Billy placed the clumps of hair in his grandpapa's palm.
Charles tried to be diplomatic about it. "Billy, Jules. You're grandpapa NEEDS this." he waved the hair clump in their face. "He's not growing any more you know!"
Annie came running from the hall. "What- What happened?" She saw the weird haircut on the kings head and turned away quickly so she wouldn't laugh.
Chris came soon. "What is it, Grandpapa?"
When his eldest grandson came to him Charles handed him the clump of hair.
"We were giving him a haircut!" Julius declared proudly.
Chris looked at Annie and they bit their lower lips to keep from smiling. they failed.
"Excuse me," he told Charles. He left the room. Chuckled softly to himself in the hall. Then came back. "Billy." he addressed the eldest of the criminals. "You did something very bad."
Billy looked at his feet guiltily.
'What happens when you're bad?"
"Jo, gives me time out," Billy mumbled.
"Jo's not here but I think she would give you a time out. So into your room." he pointed. "Julius. Go with him."
They obeyed reluctantly.
The door was closed.
Billy looked at his cousin and smiled.
Julius knew what he was thinking.
Between the two of them they took out the clumps of hair they stuffed in their pockets and placed them in a pile in the middle of the bed.
They laughed as they threw the clumps in the air.

"What are you thinking about?" Wills asked as they were waiting for the lunch they ordered. He reached over the table and caressed her hand.
'I'd tell you but I'm forbidden to say the word," Jo gave him a smile.
Wills laughed. "They're fine."
The waiter arrived with their delicious platters.
"You're right," Jo tried to focus her attention on him. Why did she have a premonition something was going to go terribly wrong. She pushed the feeling aside.

"It's beautiful," Di said as she saw the waterfall Craig had taken her to. Since he moved out of the palace it had been harder for them to spend time together. She cherished these secret moments with him.
"My special place. For my special girl," Craig smiled.
Di smiled at him. Oh, weren't they such a cliché? The servant boy pining for the princess. She suddenly had a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. She looked back at the waterfall. She began feeling odd. And it had nothing to do with love. The core of it was fear. She went back to her horse and remounted.
"Di, where are you going?" Craig asked. He remounted his own horse.
"Back to the Palace," She called behind her. "I can't explain it. But I have to go back!"

Jo stood up after finishing her lunch. "Can we go back to the Palace?" she asked.
Wills was confused. "Did you leave anything?"
"No, I just want to check on the children-"
Wills wagged his finger in front of her face. "Forbidden word." he teased.
Jo held it. "Please." she begged.
Wills looked at her concerned face. "All right."

"Oh hell!" Di cursed as she returned from the stables to see half of Buckingham on fire.

"What's happening?" Wills asked the driver. But he didn't wait for him to respond. He saw the smoke in the sky and knew immediately where it was coming from. He got out of the car with Jo. It was only a few blocks. And they would make it faster on foot.
The bodyguards went after the couple
It was happening all over again. He thought. Love me and you die. His mind went to his children. He couldn't lose them too. He ran faster.

Outside, Buckingham was a mess. The lawn was covered with survivors ( these ranged from workers of the royal family and workers of the British government), spectators who stopped to see what was going on, and reporters who were only too happy to catch the event on film.
Wills ran across the crowded lawn to the burning building.
A fireman blocked him. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. You can't enter."
"But my family's there!" he cried.
"We're doing everything we can." was the useless insurance.
Wills looked at the faces of the people outside of the building. He recognized one of them. "Papa," he came to the confused man who was babbling to the firemen.
"Wills..." the king said when he saw him. There was a bandage on his head. "The place was on fire...And...And...Where's Harry?""Harry's fine, Papa." Wills's voice was soothing. though under it was panic of what happened to the rest of his family.
"He's suffering from a mild concussion..."the aide lapsed into medical language Wills couldn't understand.
"They're taking him to the hospital now."
Wills half consciously saw the ambulance drive away. "What about the rest of my family? My children? Have you seen my children?" The note in his voice was close to hysteria.
Jo looked around searching for the faces she knew Wills was looking for. Searching for the faces she was looking for.
"Papa!" Tom shrieked, running to him.
Cubby ( yeah, the dog always gets saved) came running after the crowd of children.
"My boy. My baby," Wills hugged Tom. Wills mentally checked everyone off. Tom, Chris, Annie, Harry's kids. "Where's Di!" he asked panickedly.
All looked at the burning flames which were out of control.
Di came running to them. "I'm here! I'm here!"
Wills looked at her. Her riding outfit and her cleanliness already told her of her deceit.
She sighed. "Can I get in trouble later, Papa?"
Wills hugged her. He looked around the group again.
Christopher noticed who was missing before he did. "Billy! Oh, no Billy!"
Annie noticed it too. Julius was there but where was Billy? She looked at Chris. "You don't think he's still punishing himself by staying in the room?!"
Chris ran back to the burning building.
"No! Chris!" Wills tried to stop him. He tackled him.
Chris wrestled from his father's grasp.
Wills held him tight. "I'm not going to lose you too!"
"He's my brother!" Chris yelled back.
Wills only let go when the boy stopped struggling.
Energy spent Chris looked at the black charred building helplessly. "He's my brother," he cried.
Wills looked at him not being able to say anything.
Chris wiped the soot away from his face with his dirty hands. He looked at the clearing crowd. then back at the building. His brother was dead and it was all his fault. Billy was his responsibility for that day. He looked up to the blue sky made gray by the smoke. Mum, must be very disappointed in me.
"Chris?" a voice called. A toddler ran out of a nearby fireman's arms and came to him.
He turned around. "Billy," he smothered him in kisses. The ashes tasted sucky but what did that matter.
"Am I still on a time out?" Billy asked.
Annie, who came over laughed. "Are you still-?"she laughed again.
The whole family rounded up in a group hug which the photographers didn't fail to capture.
Wills didn't mind.
His family was safe.

Chapter Thirteen
The fire at Buckingham made it the perfect opportunity for the Royal Family to relocate back to St. James Palace. What about the government part? Eh, who cares about them =)? But, surprise. Surprise. Jo and Annie also moved in with them at a far wing.

(Do I have to bore you with details of moving day?)

They were bathing Cubby in the back of the Palace.
Jo and William watched as the kids soaped and lathered the fur of their pet. Cubby, in gratitude for the personal attention, licked their faces.
"Annie, was right," William said as though from memory. "The kids needed something to love."
Ever since Annie gave Cubby to him Chris insisted on Feeding him, washing him, making him sleep at the edge of the bed. The servants never got a chance to take care of the dog except when Chris went away with the rest of the family out of the country. And when Chris came back he made up for lost time. Di, Tom, and Billy pitched in whenever Chris would let them.
Annie laughed, then shrieked as the dog stood up and shook the water off his body.
Chris chuckled at her state.
She glared at him. But everyone knew that glare was a sign of affection.
Chris smiled at her. Involuntarily his eyes moved to Jo. He frowned then turned away.
Jo looked at Wills to see if he noticed the exchange between her and his son. It seemed as if he did not. Jo sighed to herself. She played with the pendant which has been a Valentine's gift from Wills.
Chris dried his pet. He was grateful that Annie had moved in with his family. He could see her more often now. But for that to have happened Jo had to move in too. And that action was, he felt, a betrayal to his mother. In the fire most of his momentoes of her had burned with the building. But he had managed to salvage some and those he kept always in his room where they would be safe and where he could look at them at night and remember the lady who he loved very much.
"Cubby, no!" Di said as the dog slipped through her fingers.
Craig was the first up. "I'll get him he promised." He attempted to tackle the mammal but failed.
Soon all of them ran after the Cubby in good fun. This had happened before and they thought nothing of it. He would eventually get tired, and they too would collapse from exhaustion after having captured him.
But today he put a new twist into the game. He ran through the iron bars of the fence. He was wedged for a while but managed to slip through.
"Cubby!" Billy screamed.
Cubby never saw the car that hit him.

It was a sunny day contradictory to the mood of those present when they buried him.
Billy cried but was older now and tried to stifle the sobs streaming down his cheeks.
The Minister who was assigned to read the pets last rites did everything with grave formality. When the prince called him to perform the ceremony he was afraid he would laugh. As he looked at the distraught faces of the royal children he knew it wasn't going to happen. The scene they gave was too sorrowful to evoke any humor. And the eldest looked as if he would kill anyone who dared smile.
It was a small affair. Composed only of Charles, Harry's family, Chris and his family, Annie and Jo.
Annie watched as Cubby was laid to rest. Ceremoniously each child got a patch of dirt and threw it over the small coffin.
After everything was over everyone went into the house and the parent's tried to pressure the still grieving kids to eat their lunch.
Chris stayed outside, thoughtful, under the shade of a tree.
"I'm sorry," Annie said, giving him company.
Chris looked at her with tired eyes. What did saying 'I'm sorry' help matters now. He looked at the resting place of his beloved companion. Did anyone know how many lonely nights he spent with only Cubby to hear his thoughts? He walked back to the house. To Annie, he finished a sentence he started years before. "Don't give a Windsor something to love...eventually it will die."
Jo who was fixing lunch in the kitchen heard this and thought. That's a sad thing for someone to say, she frowned.
While William who was nearby thought, he learned at age thirteen what took me years after to find out.

Daddy: Chapters 14-17