"Four...Three...Two..." Erin counted down. Wills was late! The driver's side door opened. "Wills?" she exclaimed. Polka dots did nothing for him. She stared at the orange wig.
Wills snatched it off. "Get in the passenger's side," he ordered.
Erin did, throwing the wig into the backseat.
"Lock doors. Buckle up." Wills instructed as he took off again. In the mirror he saw the men just getting outside of the gate.
The men got into their car.
Another chase scene. You've seen like how many of those in this story so you know what I mean. Running of red lights. Nearly getting killed. And, surprisingly, no cop pulls them over for speeding.
Erin looked back. They had lost them for the moment. They were in the country. "Wills they're going to find us. All they have to do is follow this road. It's the only road in this wilderness."
"We'll just get off the road," Wills came up with the solution driving onto the dirt.
"Is turning off the headlights necessary?" Erin cried as they were jostled around in the car.
"I have to. So they won't see us."
"We could get killed," Erin reminded him of the possibility. And the fact that they were driving at a suicidal speed enhanced the ratings.
A high pitched yelp was heard.
"Oh my, we just killed a squirrel or a rabbit!" Erin predicted.
Wills saw a cave and pulled into it. He stepped outside. In the distance was the road. He watched as a pair of headlights kept on it and passed them. "Coast is clear," he told Erin.
Erin slapped him in the shoulder. "I hate you! Killing who knows what! Putting us in jeopardy! And- and-" she looked at his make-up and polka-dotted outfit and began laughing.
William wiped his face off. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?" he asked, giving her his boyish grin.
"No," Erin answered. There were some more un-nice things she wanted to say to him but she was too tired. She got out of the car and took the backseat. "As punishment, you're sleeping in an uncomfortable ball in the front!" She laid down and used the orange afro wig as a pillow. "Good night, Your Highness!" She made a mental note to scream at him in the morning.

Chapter Nine
Harry Windsor was awaken by the sound of the telephone ringing. He looked at the blinking light on the machine. Only one person had the number to that line! He picked it up. "Wills!" he said his brother's name.
There was silence on the other end.
"So it's going to be like that, eh?" Harry said. "Papa and I miss you. I know you asked me not to tell but I couldn't keep something like that from him."
Still the silence.
"We miss you," Harry said. "We decided not to tell the police about it. Bad publicity and all."
No response.
"I guess- I guess, you'll come home when you're ready," Harry said.
The caller hung-up.
Charles entered the room. "Who was that on the phone? He hung up before we could trace the call."
"It was Wills, Papa," Harry said placing the receiver back.
"Wills? Well, what did he say? Is he coming home?" Charles wanted to know.
"He didn't say anything. I don't know if he's coming home," Harry said. He got out of his room. He needed something to drink. Maybe some milk would calm him down.
"If he didn't say anything then how did you know it was him?"
"Because I know Papa," he took out the milk and poured himself a glass. He took a sip. It helped. "He'll come home when he's ready."
Charles looked at his youngest son disbelievingly. "You approve of his action in this."
"All I'm saying is that Wills's going through a rough time. We all are. If this is his way of coping, who are we to question it." Harry stated diplomatically.
"I'm his father. To cope he has to go through me first."
"We're no longer eight years old-"
"Does he know how much it's costing us to find him-"
"If you would just listen for a-"
"And you being on his side does not help matters-"
"Damnit! I want him home too!" Harry yelled.
They both fell silent. Harry had never before in his life raised his voice to his father. Never.
"How dare you talk to me that way," Charles rasped.
"I'm sorry, Papa" Harry apologized softly, heading for his room. "It will never happen again." He walked slowly by Wills's room. Harry closed his eyes. Come home, he thought.

Wills stared at the car phone. He could've used the cell he brought but he didn't want to use up the batteries. At least the car phone could be recharged. He had cried when he heard his brother's voice. He wiped the wet streaks with the sleeves of his shirt. He had changed into flannel pajamas. It had been so tempting to tell Harry that he missed them too. But he had restrained his tongue.
Wills looked at Erin. Sleep brought out the child in her. She looked so innocent. She must've been sent from heaven because any other person would've reported him to his father by now. But she had stuck by him this long. She didn't know anything. And Wills was overcome with the sudden urge to tell her everything. Everything... He could still remember that day in the hospital.

"Your son has a terminal illness," the doctor reported. "It's the reason for his headaches, sudden weakness and nausea."
The princes looked at each other confused. Other than the doctor they were the only ones in the room. It was a very private meeting.
Harry was the first to speak. "How-w?"
"It's hereditary-"
"If it's hereditary then why is this the first I've heard of it?" Charles spoke up.
"It's a very rare case. Sometimes skips five generations. If an ancestor of yours has died mysteriously in the past chances are this was the killer."
"What are we dealing with? Cancer? AIDS?" Wills asked. Surely he couldn't be that sick.
"It's so rare it hasn't even been named. It is a disease that attacks the immune system. It was only discovered last year."
Charles looked at Wills. "How long does he have?"
"A year in minimum," the doctor estimated. "In most cases three. If it's a stretch. A real stretch, five."
"I'm going to die?" Wills whispered. No one heard him.
There was only one question left. "Is there a cure?"
The doctor went to a cabinet and took out a large orange bottle. "Here. It's no cure but it will help you with you pain. Take two everyday. After breakfast or when ever your headaches come back."
"Doctor," Charles pleaded with his eyes. "This isn't enough. Is there anything else?"
The doctor took a deep breath. "There's a scientist in Switzerland researching on this disease. It's not perfected yet. And there has been no proof that this method works on humans. Though he has been successful in lab animals. If you're willing to take the chance I'll tell him you're interested."
"Call him up. Tell him to meet me," Charles said.

Not perfected yet? No proof that it would work on humans? He was dying and they expected him to coop himself up in a laboratory going through a clinical method that might not even work? No way was he going to spend his last year in one room counting the days when the world was alive outside.
Wills looked at the horizon. The morning sun had come up.

Chapter Ten.
Erin looked up at him. He was leaning over the back of the chair staring at her. "I'm suppose to yell at you," she remembered. She tried to summon up enough energy. But it wasn't worth the effort. "I'm too tired," she grumbled. She got out of the car and searched through her suitcase. She found a sack of potato chips and took it back in the car began eating. She offered some to Wills.
"What's this?" He knew what it was. He just wanted to start conversation.
"Breakfast." Erin answered. She took out two bottles of soda from the glove compartment. "No nutrition value but better than starvation since there's no restaurant for miles. Unless you know how to start a fire and cook that creature you ran over last night." she took a big gulp. She looked at the dawn in the desert. It was beautiful.
Wills drank his softdrink. It was warm but the familiar tingling of the fizz on his tongue was nice.
Erin looked at him. She wasn't so angry at him now. If there had been a bear in the cave it might've been a different story. Could this scruffy looking guy really be the same dignified prince that jumped into her car a few days ago? She ran her finger against his cheek. "Are you growing a beard?" she wondered, eyeing the stubbles.
Wills rubbed his chin and shrugged. "I guess. Better go shave."
Erin took notice of the bags under his eyes. "I take it you didn't sleep last night?"
Wills shook his head, "No."
"What kept you awake?" Erin asked concerned. Again the words striking fear in her heart. His life is full of many secrets. You are going to have to decide for both you and him.
He wanted so much to tell her. But decided no. If she knew she would treat him differently. And in an odd way he liked her grouchiness and cheap shots at him. "I stayed awake watching you."
Erin laughed. "Yeah. Real interesting. Erin drooling in her sleep. We should make a movie out of it." She threw some tiny pieces of chips at him playfully.
He threw some at her.
"So where to now, Your Highness?"
"Paris?" Wills asked. He could imagine the wind going through her hair on top of the Eiffel Tower.
"Don't you need a passport?" She brushed the crumbs off her shorts.
"Oh, that's right. I just want to go someplace where my father won't find me. I love the man but..." Wills shook his head.
Erin stretched. "Where's the last place in the world where Charles would look for you?"
Wills looked at Erin. It was pure genius. "London," was the answer.

"What do you mean you lost him!" Charles yelled at the detective.
"They were on the main road. And we followed them. Then all of a sudden they weren't there anymore," it was a feeble explanation.
Charles counted to ten in his mind. He wanted so much in the world to fire McGee but he had fired half of the Windsor staff in just a couple of days. The people will start wondering what's going on. "You get back to work," he ordered. "I don't want you to sleep. I don't want you to eat. You are not allowed to live until my son is back."

A couple of days later.
Erin let the water run from the hose to her neck. It felt cool and refreshing. A break from the sun's scorching rays. she walked over to the car where Wills was waiting, his buttoned shirt opened all the way and he was wearing cut-offs. They showed off the tan he acquired on their days on the road.
"I can't believe you expect me to do this!" he said.
Erin threw him a soapy sponge. "You were the one who suggested we take the dusty side roads. We could've taken the main highway and be in the city by now but nooo. The car's covered in dirt. Doggone it! You're going to help me wash it." She squirted him with the hose. "No servants here Your Highness. Just you, me, and a dirty car. In a car wash. In the middle of nowhere."
"Hey!" he exclaimed as a blast of water came surging his way again. "I don't think getting me wet is doing the car any help."
"We haven't taken a bath in who knows how long. We stink. Call this an opportunity for a free shower." And she liked seeing him in wet clothes. The way the damp cloth just clung to his body... But of course she wouldn't reveal this hidden agenda.
He laughed as he got his own hose and sprayed her.
Running around laughing, they seemed like little kids. Eventually they got to washing the car. Wet, soap, rinse. Erin tried not to stare as Wills leaned over to soap the roof of the car. His biceps were clearly defined under the soaked rolled up sleeve. Wills looked in her direction. Yes, she had been staring. There was a soap sud on his cheek that she wiped off.
Wills smiled and flicked the water on his fingers at her.
"Ow! Ow! Soap!" Erin exclaimed, moving away.
Wills came over. He hurriedly washed his hands. "Let me see."
When he got close enough. Erin sprayed him again.
"Why you-" he chased her around the car.
"No!" Erin shrieked when he caught her. He grabbed her by the waist and pinned her against the car.
He kissed her.
It had been so sudden. Like the time he fed her that pancake. Though the moment had passed she could still remember the feel of his lips on hers. Erin raised her eyes to him. He looked just as confused as she was.
"You kissed me," she said.
"I did."
She gestured with her finger. "You put your lips on my lips and kissed me!'
He nodded slowly. "That would be correct."
Erin sighed. "We better start drying."
"I think that's a good idea."

Okay, he was a good kisser but he could still get her goat.
"What wonderful person forgot to fill the gas tank? Sure, she remembers to wash the car but making sure the tank's full?"
Erin stared at the gauge that pointed to empty. "It was a carwash. Not a gas station. And which wonderful person decided: Hey, lets use the backroads where there's no signs of civilization anywhere including gas stations so my father can't find me!"
Wills glared at her.
Erin got out of the car and took out her roll-away suitcase and started heading down the road.
"What are you doing?" Wills asked.
"It's something us commoners do but something you're probably not used to since you're driven around a lot. It's called walking!" She continued down the road. She might die of dehydration before she reached the nearest bus station but at least it would be away from him.
"You have my clothes!" he yelled.
Erin paused. Okay. Fine. Worry about the clothes. It's not like she mattered. She called over her shoulder, "I'll mail them to Buckingham!"

McGee found the car abandoned by the sideroad. No sign of Wills or the girl. He suggested to Charles that they wait at the rent-a-car since most likely the girl would call to explain the situation. So that's what they were doing.
Charles waited anxiously, his eyes darting from one of the several phones to the other. Each time one rang, he jumped in anticipation.
"Hello, this is Erin Price," came a voice.
"Move!" McGee mouthed to the crew as they operated the machines to trace the call.
"Um, I'm calling about the car I rented. It ran out of gas."
"Mhmm," the receptionist nodded.
"Keep her talking," the detective mouthed.
"Can you state its present location?" the receptionist asked.
"It's on a sideroad." This they already knew." About some miles outside of England territory. The nearest building is Ted's carwash."
They almost traced the location. "Um," the receptionist stalled for time. "We need confirmation that you really are Erin Parker. Can you please state your whole address."
"123 East street-"
The line got cut off.
"Damn! Three seconds," McGee cursed.
Harry shook his head. Wills was smarter than they gave him credit for. Didn't they realize that by being under their protection his entire life Wills knew their tactics? Harry followed his father out of the building.
Disappointed couldn't describe the look on the future king's face.

"Why did you do that?" Erin demanded. They were riding on a public bus. Wills had followed her all the way to the station. Not casting a backward glance, she hadn't realized it till they were there. He had just cut off her in mid-conversation with the receptionist at the rent-a-car.
Wills pocketed his cellphone. "They can trace you with this." he looked across the aisle, out the window, where the scenery was passing them by. "Knowing my father, they probably tried."
Erin looked out her own window. She wanted to know why Wills seemed so frightened of returning. At first she thought it was just curiosity on his part. A few days break, to see what it was like to have a normal life. But weeks had passed. Surely his curiosity would've been quenched by now. Then Erin realized it had to be more than that. She looked at Wills. He was next to her but he seemed to be so far away. So distant as if contemplating one of the great wonders of the universe. The gypsy's words came to her again. That haunting word. Secrets...

Chapter Eleven
London was just an hour away.
Wills looked out of the window. He walked up to the driver. "Can you stop?" he asked.
"There's no bus stop here. And this isn't a scheduled stop." The driver informed.
"I know that," Wills said. "Can you just bend the rules a little bit?"
The driver sighed pulling up. He wasn't in the mood to argue. Not at this time of the night.
"Thanks." Wills went back to Erin. "Wake up."
Erin looked up. "We're in London already?"
"No, change of plan. C'mon, here's your bag. We're getting off."
The plan changed everyday Erin thought. But she knew it was how Wills wanted it. If they stuck to plan, he was sure to be found. If they kept changing course no one could catch him. She got off, letting Wills lead her. The full moon shone above. She saw what Wills was so excited about. A beach house.

Secret: Chapters 11-13