Against the Odds

It was an odd thing, getting dressed for a day when you knew that hundreds and hundreds were going to be pointed at you; when you knew that everything about your appearance would be discussed, dissected, obsessed over.

Luckily for Alex, Eugenie was there to help. Her and her boyfriend Jack would be accompanying Alex and Harry to Wimbledon that day, and Eugenie had come over to Alex’s place early to help her get ready and provide needed assurance that what she had selected to wear would be acceptable.

“Perfect,” Eugenie said with a grin as Alex slipped a gold necklace over her head and slid her feet into her beige pumps. Her simple green dress, white blazer, and understated jewelry were elegant but understated. Her makeup was light; just a touch of mascara and some color on her cheek and lips. Her long blonde hair fell in soft waves down her back.

Alex breathed a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at Eugenie’s reflection behind her in her mirror. “Thank you.”

“Are you nervous?” Eugenie asked quietly. She offered up a small smile as Alex turned to face her.

“I would be the world’s worst liar if I tried to tell you that I wasn’t.”

Eugenie laughed. “Yes, you would be. But…I think you will be just fine.”

“I hope so. Really though, thank you for coming over this morning. It means a lot and has helped calm my nerves quite a bit.”

“Please; it was my pleasure,” Eugenie said, waving a hand in the air. “Did you pack an outfit for going out tonight as well?”

The four of them, joined by Charlotte, Beatrice and her boyfriend Dave, and some other of their friends would be going out for drinks and dancing later. Alex suspected it was being set up as a celebration of sorts, but didn’t question it, letting Harry make the plans and looking forward to being out with him and meeting more of his friends.

Alex nodded and reached for a garment back hanging on her closet door. She opened it and showed Eugenie her selection, which received a nod of approval and a smile.

The buzzer sounded then, indicating that Harry and Jack were downstairs.

Alex grinned. “Our boyfriends are here.”

“Well, let’s not keep them waiting,” Eugenie winked.

Alex laid her overnight bag over her arm, reached for her overnight bag, and then they moved from her room. Alex buzzed them in and waited in the foyer for the knock at the door. When it came and she opened it Harry and Jack stood there both looking very handsome in their suits and ties.

“Good morning, gentleman,” Alex teased as she stepped back to let them in. As they wouldn’t be going any further than her foyer, Mark didn’t have to do his walk through, but he did take Alex’s items and then moved outside of the door to wait for them.

“Good morning, my love,” Harry grinned as he stepped to her. He leaned down and dropped a kiss to her lips, lingering for just a second longer than he would have if anyone but his cousin and Jack would have been in the room. “You look stunning, Alexandra,” he murmured when he pulled back.

“Thank you, you don’t look so bad yourself,” she responded with a soft smile as he stepped around to her side. His hand went to her lower back and he motioned toward Jack.

“Alexandra Morgan, this is Jack Brooksbank. Jack, this is my lovely lady, Alexandra.” Harry stood tall and proud as made their introduction.

Alex extended her hand with a grin. “Please, call me Alex. It’s wonderful to finally meet you, Jack. I’ve heard a lot about you.” She winked toward Eugenie.

Jack laughed as he firmly shook her hand. “Don’t believe anything she says, Alex. It’s nice to finally meet you as well.”

“Alright, are we ready?” Harry asked. The excitement was clear in his voice as his hand moved from Alex’s back to the curve of her waist, pulling her tight against him and looking down at her. His eyes were dancing and his lips were pulled into his cheeky grin. He looked so happy that Alex couldn’t help but let some of her nerves fall away. She leaned into him, her eyes getting lost in the look in his.

Eugenie groaned at the two of them. “Yes, we better go before you two jump each other in the hallway.”

“There will be no jumping,” Alex said firmly, breaking her gaze with Harry and shaking her head at Eugenie.

They all filed out and Alex locked the door behind her. She turned and took Harry’s hand as they made their way downstairs. There were two Range Rovers outside and when Harry led her to the front passenger side of the first one she halted.

“Wait. Why am I sitting up front?”

The corners of his lips tugged up. “Because I’m driving. Why would you sit anywhere else?”

Alex scrunched up her nose. “You get to drive?”

She heard Jack and Eugenie chuckle behind her.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been a passenger in a car I’ve driven before.”

“Yeah, but that was at Balmoral. Not here.”

“What’s the difference?”

“There are other cars here.”

Eugenie and Jack’s chuckles had turned to laughter.

Harry fought the smile that was tugging at his mouth. “You think I can’t drive in traffic?”

“I think you almost ran us off the road twice up at Balmoral and without other drivers as a distraction.”

Harry’s eyes danced. “Alexandra…you know that’s not true.”

“It is true. Remember, you almost hit the ditch that one time and…”

He shook his head, cutting her off. “No. I mean the distraction part. I seem to remember a certain pair of hands and how they were making their way…”

“Harry…” Alex warned, her eyes widening.

Jack howled with laughter. Eugenie gasped and then hid a muffled giggle behind her hand.

Harry pulled the car door open and motioned towards the seat. “Alexandra, would you like to get inside the car?”

“I seriously cannot believe you,” she mumbled as she scuttled past him and slid into the seat.

Harry leaned into the doorway before closing her door. “I love you, Alex. Thank you for going with me today,” he whispered huskily.

She slid her eyes toward him, but kept her face forward. Her lips twitched. “You’re welcome. And I love you too. But you’re still in trouble.”

“Ha! Trouble has never stopped me before,” he said before pressing a quick kiss to her temple before closing her door and moving around to the driver’s side.

Alex’s cheeks were pink with embarrassment and she shifted uncomfortably as Eugenie and Jack got into the car. The POs would be trailing in the car behind them so they could all ride together.

Then, just as Harry got in the car and started the ignition, Jack leaned forward between the two front seats.

“Don’t worry, Alex. I’m a good driver, but because Eugenie can’t keep her hands from my…”

“JACK!” Eugenie screeched.

“I was going to say gearshift.”

The car erupted into laughter and Alex’s embarrassment faded, along with a little bit more of her nerves.

*************

The drive to Wimbledon took about forty-five minutes. The four of them chatted excitedly for most of it, but as they got closer Harry became less and less a part of the conversation.

Alex knew he was struggling with something. She knew it wasn’t the idea of press; they had both discussed and prepared for a week for that. It was an inevitable conclusion for them anyway; eventually they would have to deal with the cameras. She wasn’t sure what was running through his mind, but she knew she needed to find out before they stepped out of the car and out into the limelight.

When they finally drove up to Wimbledon they were escorted by event security to a secure entrance. They has discussed going through the VIP entrance, but because that was visible to the public and the press could wait outside of that entrance, both of them decided that the inevitable photographer crush that would cause would not do them any good.

They pulled up to the secure entrance and Harry stopped the car, killing the engine and unbuckling his seatbelt, still silent.

“Jack, Eugenie. Could you give me and Harry just a moment?” Alex turned and asked with a smile.

“Of course,” Eugenie said. She motioned at Jack to get out of the car and the two slid out, shutting the door firmly behind them.

Alex turned back to Harry. “Okay Wales, what’s up?”

He sighed and then turned his head to her. “When we step out there, this isn’t just ours anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

He reached over and took her hand in his, pulling over to his lap. “I mean, we are inviting them in. And that’s okay, we need to do that. I love you and I’m not scared to let them all know. But…I feel like now I have to share you with them.” He stopped and rolled his eyes at his own self. “That’s sounds incredibly selfish.”

Alex bit her lip to avoid the smile from breaking across her face. “It’s okay to want to be selfish about this, Harry. But…you don’t have to share me with anyone, ever. Well, maybe except Emma.”

A tiny smile appeared on his face. “I’ll always be okay with sharing you with Emma. The press though…”

She put a hand up, halting him. “They don’t know me. They will try, and even when they find out the facts of my life, they still won’t know me. You know me. Therefore, I don’t see it as you sharing me with anyone. Harry, everyone in the world knows who you are and I’ve never once felt like I’m sharing you with anyone. Well, maybe except Emma,” she finished with a smirk.

He grinned. “You know, Alexandra. You have this way…”

“Of telling you to knock it the fuck off?”

His shout of laughter warmed her heart. He was back, the anxiety gone. He leaned over and kissed her soundly once and then he was stepping out of the car and moving around to her side. He pulled open her door and then held out his hand to her.

“Ready, love?”

She extended her hand to his and slid from the car.

“Yes.”

****************

Entering the open air of Wimbledon stadium and being led by Harry to the Royal Box was one of the most surreal moments of Alex’s life.

The stadium got quieter as their presence became known. Everyone around them turned to look. People pulled out their cameras and their phones and immediately began snapping pictures. The cameras that were filming the action on the court, which was currently on break, immediately swung to them.

Alex could sense all of it.

But, she kept her eyes forward. She watched Harry in front of her. She watched her step as she moved down the stairs. She smiled lightly at those who were escorting them.

And then finally, they arrived to their seats. Harry put a light hand on her back when he showed her where to sit. She turned to him and shared a small, knowing look. And then, Harry, Alex, Eugenie, and Jack all sat in unison.

They were there.

They were public.

Alex breathed a sigh of relief.

“You doing alright?” Harry murmured, leaning over slightly.

She turned and gave him a small smile, her eyes meeting his. “I’m perfect.”

He grinned. “Now that I already knew, love.”

“Shut up and let me watch tennis, Harry.”

His laughter filled the air around him.

He leaned a little closer to her. “I love you, Alexandra,” he whispered.

She shook her head, trying to hold in her laughter. “Stop it. They will lip read you.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

It was then that her laughter filled their space.

Eugenie leaned across Alex slightly. “Henry, can you please stop antagonizing the poor girl, be a proper prince, and watching the God damned tennis match?” she admonished him.

Harry smirked but did as he was told.

Except for Harry, just like with everything else in life, he did it in his own way. He pulled his aviators out of his pocket, slipped them on his handsome face, leaned back in his chair and put his arm around the back of Alex’s.

The four of them enjoyed the tennis match this way. Harry stayed close to Alex, leaning in to say things to her, laughing with her, gently ribbing her about her lack of tennis knowledge. Eugenie and Jack, much more used to the public attention, but clearly feeling inspired by Harry and Alex, were affectionate and full of laughter as well.

They cheered on the competitors, ate strawberries and cream, and had a genuinely fun filled afternoon.

And when it was time to go, they all stood, checking to make sure they had all of their belongings, and then Harry took Alex’s hand in his and led them from the stadium.

************

The media were nearly in hysterics over the footage of them that afternoon. One thing was certain instantly, Prince Harry was enamored with the young woman he had brought with him to sit in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.

Not only that, but she was clearly comfortable with his cousin Princess Eugenie, indicating that there was a raised level of seriousness about the relationship. The footage of Eugenie and Alex showed two women who were relaxed and friendly with each other talking, laughing, and leaning over to whisper things in each other’s ears in reactions to plays made on the court throughout the match.

What wasn’t instantly clear was who the woman was. It didn’t take long to find out.

The news reporters remembered and dug up footage of Prince Harry from an event six months before for a program called Healing Families Through Friends. Sure enough, the pretty founder of the organization was none other than the woman who Harry had taken with him to Wimbledon. There was no doubt that she was the one whom was waiting for him while he was in Afghanistan.

Prince Harry was seeing American born Alexandra Morgan.

It only took the reporters another few minutes after that to make one more very important, and stunning, discovery.

Alexandra Morgan was a single mother of a six year old girl.

The world’s press was effectively set on fire.