The wedding bells in Westminster Abby were ringing again as the King of England took on a second wife. By record it was the most watched wedding in history. The church was crammed with the creme de la creme of the nation. The sidewalks were filled with people who flew in to watch it firsthand and for those unlucky not to get a plane ticket they watched the event in the confines of their homes.
The wedding notes of Here Comes the Bride resounded in melodious chimes as Jo started the long walk on the red carpet. Wills smiled. He had never seen her more beautiful.
Di and Annie were behind her as bridesmaids.
Tom was in the procession sulking because the junior bridesmaid were flirting with him and he had to wear a tux.
And Billy was chatting happily with a flowergirl as he held the pillow with the rings.
Chris took part as bestman, standing beside his father and wondered when he had ever seen him so happy. The long sleeves of his tuxedo his the scars on his wrists but he knew they were there. Chris smiled as he caught Annie's eye. "Papa," he whispered, his eyes still on the fifteen year old. "I'm in love with Annie."
Wills said nothing. And in that silence he told Chris he understood.
JO made it to the altar and took her place next to Wills "I love you." she mouthed through her veil.
"I love you." William mouthed back.
"Dearly beloved," The priest announced. "We are joined on the glorious occasion to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony..."

Epilogue
William could still remember the way Chris smiled when he waved to him as they boarded separate planes.
"I'll see you when we reach the ground, Papa," he said. Annie and her mother went up the steps after them.
William and Jo, newlyweds for just one year, watched the children board the plane. After smiling for the photographers for few last shots, they boarded their own jet.
A few minutes later he plane the royal children were on crashed.

There was a silence.
A silence that was only broken by the reporters who informed the people of the world of the tragic incident.
"...After take-off the plane crashed..."
"...The tragic death of England's future happened when..."
"...No doubt their parent's are grieving over the loss..."

Wills was in a world of his own. There were words in his head that people must've told him some time which he could not remember. "There was a bomb... Terrorists... The people responsible answering to the law...Terribly sorry.
It didn't matter to him anymore. He supposed they had good intentions. As of being informed would ease his pain. But it didn't. Knowing the facts hadn't brought his mother back. It hadn't brought Helen back. And it wasn't going to bring his children back.
Wills looked out the window where mourners were placing flowers on the fence. It was becoming a sight all too familiar to him. He remembered Chris's words. "They may be the world Papa. But they're not mum." Yes. They may be the world. but they weren't his children. He could remember Di asking, "Can I die, Papa? So I can go to heaven and be with mum?" He was on the verge of insanity. Or had he already crossed it? He would imagine that this was all a nightmare.
But the silence kept reminding him.
He could no longer hear the sound of his children greet him in the halls as he arrived home.
He'll never again hear Chris remarks on the monarchy and prince life which had reflected his own opinions of it.
He would never hear Di's inquiring voice, always eager to seek knowledge. And her smile which told him she knew things that never had to be taught to her in the first place.
He would never hear Tom's voice. The diplomat of the family. Never taking sides. Ready to make peace between the quarrelers.
And Billy's affecting laughter.
Never again...
The door of the room opened slowly.
"Wills?" It was Jo.
"Leave me in peace," Wills told her.
"Wills, I'm your wife." Jo reminded him in case he had forgotten.
"You didn't lose all your children in one moment."
"How can you say that?" she asked, hurt.
"It's true."
There was soft anger in her voice, "I may not have born them; but they were my children too. For four years I have been everything a mother was to them. You can't deny that. I've ached for them. I've rejoiced for them. How dare you imply I don't know what you're going through!" She hadn't meant to raise her voice but it happened.
He looked up at her with empty eyes.
Jo rushed to him and held him close. The way she used to comfort Billy. "I'm sorry, my love. I know you're hurting." She searched for words. "Let's go away. To Switzerland? Leave this madness behind. Not run away. But hide? I think it would be nice to hide... for a little while."
Wills was silent.
Jo tried, "We can have other children Wills. They won't be like Chris or Billy. But a new start-"
Wills looked at her as if she had just commit the utmost treason at suggesting such a thing. "No. I will not risk loving again." He turned away. "Leave me."
"Wills?" she didn't believe what she just said.
"Leave me," he said again. "Chris was right," he ached to say the name. "He was right. Don't give a Windsor something to love. It will die. It's a curse Jo. It's a curse. Leave me before it takes hold of you too."
"I'm your wife," she said again. "I want to believe you thought of me as more than a replacement for Helen. Let me prove it Wills. What can I do?"
"Leave me," he told her once more.
Jo looked at him. He really meant that? She left him. She felt his sadness as she walked to her room. Wills and her room. She sat alone. She thought of Chris. Diana. Tom. Billy. She thought of Annie. And Annie's mother. She thought of Helen. For the first time since her marriage to Wills she wondered. would Helen have succeeded where I failed?
It was dark. She didn't bother to turn the lights on. She remembered the doctor's call this morning. "I know this is an inappropriate time to tell you the news..." he had started out.
Jo felt her womb. Already she felt the life that was taking form inside. She wondered if it was going to be a boy or a girl. She shook her head. No, was the decision. There was going to be no life. No one for William to love again then be have it brutally be taken away from him. Not again. She prayed to heaven for forgiveness in what she was about to do. She took the scissors from the desk drawer. She held it to her wrists. A faint memory stirred. Was this how you felt Chris? So helpless? With no hope left? The only way out? She slashed her wrists. Her tears mingled with the blood.

"I hear you're going to abdicate," Harry informed as he joined his brother.
"You've always wanted the crown Harry. Now you'll have it." Pause "Besides I have no one to pass it on to." Wills sighed. "I have nothing."
"You have someone," Harry told him. "And you're pushing her away," Harry said from his position in the doorway.
"What?" Wills asked.
"Jo. You're pushing away the one thing that might be able to get you through this." Harry said as he sat down in from of Wills.
"I don't know what you're talking about?"
"You'll know," Harry said. "You'll know when she leaves you. Because you're pushing her away. She's never denied you anything. You want her to leave? She'll leave. Even if it will break her heart. She loves you that much. She loves you that much."
Wills was silent, looking away.
"And you're pushing me away too," Harry observed. "You're not the only one of us whose grieving Wills. The whole family, we are all feeling it."
"They were my children!" Wills exclaimed passionately.
"And you weren't the only one who lost a son!" Harry shouted equally.
"You knew?" Wills asked, for a moment grief giving way to bewilderment. "Helen told you?"
"Helen didn't need to tell me anything. I just knew," Harry said.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"For the same reason why you didn't say anything. I loved him. I love him. Why force him to choose?"
"But he was your flesh and blood."
"And you loved him as well as I could have."
There was a knock on the door. "Your Highness? There's a phone call for you-"
William waved him away. "I'm not receiving any -"
"It's Doctor Gellar."
Wills took it. With royal grace he tried to be polite. "Hello... Thanks I appreciate the thought... What? No, she didn't tell me." The gloom on his face vanished a little. "Yes. Yes. I'll tell her right away. Thank you again."
"Harry looked at Wills.
"Jo's pregnant. The doctor just informed me. It's a son."
Harry smiled for him. "Go to your family Wills. You need them. They need you."

Wills knocked on the door. "Jo, darling, don't be mad. I'm sorry. I said things I shouldn't have. Forgive me?"
There was no response.
"I heard the news," Wills began. "We're going to have a child. A baby boy. England will have an heir and it will be our son. Isn't it wonderful? A new beginning. You were right. Chris, Di, Tom, and Billy. All of them would've wanted us to move on. I know they would've. And Darling- Darling, I love you."
there was still the silence.
With a breath, Wills opened the door.

The next morning a note was given to Harry, "Brother, I've gone to join my family."