Just Breathe

“Harry, are you trying to dress your daughter like a nun or is it just coming naturally?”

Harry turned to the woman next to him who wore a cheeky grin while he held an outfit for Arya in his hands. The outfit had a semi high neck with long sleeves and trousers; it was the type of outfit he had gotten used to buying his daughter. He couldn’t help but look disgusted at the surrounding outfits of frilly bum covers and poofy looking dresses. He would be damned if he had her bum showing for the world to see, nope, not while he’s her father.

“Sod off, Noe,” He scoffed placing the outfit into the trolley that as they continued their shopping exertion was becoming more and more full of baby necessities.

“I’m just saying that she is a baby and you should take advantage of her lack of opinion concerning her clothes,” Noelle responded holding up a blue dress with a matching blue nappy covering with a yellow sweater over it. “Like this, this is cute and you can get cute little yellow shoes to go with it.”

Harry eyed the outfit and the woman that was holding up the said outfit. “But her legs will show.”

Noelle groaned with a roll of her eyes. “Henry. She. Is. A. Baby. The cute little chubby legs that she is getting should be shown. People aren’t going to see them and think “how bloody inappropriate is that baby showing off those sausage legs”. No, they will coo and think she is the most beautiful little girl on this Earth.”

Harry tilted his head a bit biting his lip holding in his laughter. “Did you just say that my daughter has sausage legs?”

“I give up!” She exclaimed throwing her hands up walking away from him, outfit still in hand.

“Noelle, stop! I was kidding! Let me see the outfit again,” He called to her pushing the trolley to where she stood just feet away. Turning, she held up the outfit allowing Harry to look it over. “So you said yellow shoes? Perhaps some navy ones as well?”

“Both will go well, yes,” Noelle nodded. Harry took the outfit from her hands and placed it into the trolley with the others.

“Noe, you really need to relax more. Being this high strung cannot be good for your blood pressure,” Harry joked receiving a narrow eyed glance from the brunette woman beside him.

“Keep on and I will shave that head of ginger locks you have and spread a rumor that you admire Mr. Clean.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” He countered with a smirk.

“Try me,” Noelle challenged with a glint in her eyes.

“Bloody hell, you’re mental,” He gasped causing laughter from his female companion.

“Let’s go, Wales, we have a lot more shopping to do,” She called to him walking away chuckling.

“Let’s go, Wales,” Harry mimicked softly as he followed her.

“I heard that!”

“Fuck.”

*****

Harry flopped down onto the sofa following the shopping trip, his arms and legs exhausted from the walking and the carrying of the bags into the flat.

“I cannot move. Everything hurts.”

Noelle eyed the man on the sofa rolling her eyes. “Well, your brother is bringing Arya over in a moment so you are going have to move. Besides all we did was some shopping, you act like we fought a war or ran a marathon.”

Harry looked towards Noelle giving her a wide eyed glance. “I would take either over shopping with you any day!”

“And you call yourself a Solider,” She said shaking her head. “You can fight in battle but an hour or two of baby shopping and you are down for the count. I think you need to hand in that ‘man card’ right now.”

“I beg your pardon,” Harry said standing. “But I am very much a man.”

“With all this whining I am beginning to wonder.”

Noelle gave him a smirking look as he pouted, arms crossed across his chest before tossing him a box of nappies.

“Go put those away, unless you think those are too heavy? Do you need me to help you carry them?”

“Fuck off, Noelle,” Harry replied taking the box towards the newly renovated room.

“Such manly words coming from a whiner!” Noelle called to him laughing when he showed his middle finger to her from the doorway. “I didn’t know a Prince knew such harsh hand gestures.”

Noelle went to work organizing the new clothes to be washed and bottles to be washed when a knock sounded at the door.

“Can you get that?!”

Noelle looked towards the door to the flat and to the direction of Arya’s bedroom. “But that’s your brother with Arya.”

“Yes, I know, can you please get it? I have my hands full right now.”

“Fuck.” Noelle whispered under her breath as she made her way to the door. Taking a calming breath, she opened the door revealing a tall slender man holding baby Arya as a round bellied gorgeous brunette stood beside him. “Your Royal Highnesses.”

Noelle curtsied to the couple as she heard laughing from behind her. Turning her head, she saw Harry red faced from laughing.

“Ignore him he’s a wanker, we know. I’m Will and this is my wife Kate, no curtsying is necessary,” Will told her sending a narrowed eye glance in his brother’s direction. “You must be Noelle, we’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Yes, I am Noelle. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Harry goes on and on about how much he really wishes he could be like you,” She replied winking to the couple. “He always calls to tell me how he wishes he looked more like you, Will. It’s quite sad; I think he hates life as a ginger.”

Harry took Arya from his brother shooting a death glare to Noelle as the adults around him laughed hysterically.

“I like you,” Will laughed nodding his head to Noelle.

“Well, don’t she was just leaving,” Harry mumbled kissing Arya’s head.

“Why leave when we are having such fun?” Kate asked with a wide smile tugging on her lips.

“Yes, why don’t we all have dinner together? I would love to hear more about how you admire me,” Will added enjoying the teasing everyone was giving his brother.

Noelle laughed at the look on Harry’s face. “No, I really must be going. Shopping with this one exhausts me. It was very nice to meet you both and Harry, good luck on your trip. Everything will go fine.”

“She’s nice,” Will said following Noelle’s exit watching Harry the entire time as he sat next to Arya on the floor.

“Yes, she is,” Harry replied moving a toy in front of Arya. “Wait, what did you mean by ‘she’s nice’?”

“That she was nice, what did you think I meant?”

“Knowing you? Anything but what I thought.”

“I just meant she was nice. Nothing more, nothing less,” Will told him. “Why, do you think she’s more than nice?”

Harry rolled his eyes standing. “On that note, I think it’s time I get her ready so we can head out. It’s almost time now.”

“Right, good luck. I’m sure they will be happy to see her and if you need anything call us or Pa, okay?”

“I know, thank you. Thank you for watching her while we finished for the trip.”

“Anytime, we enjoy watching our niece,” Kate said smiling at her brother-in-law. “Have a safe trip.”

“Alright, Arya, it’s time for us to head out. We are driving to see your mum’s family today, everything will go fine. I know they will love you,” Harry said looking down at the smiling baby in his arms. “Okay, let’s go.”

Grabbing the diaper bag that sat by him on the floor, Harry, with the help of his staff, made their way to the waiting Land Rover outside. Securing Arya into the car seat beside him, they started out on their journey to Farnham.

The drive took a little over an hour, the entire time Harry’s mind ran over different scenarios in his head. Each scenario became worse with each passing second successfully running him into being a ball of anxiety. Looking to his left, he watched Arya as she slept. The entire ride she had pretty much slept and Harry couldn’t help but admire how easy it was to be a baby. There were no cares, no worries or stresses, nothing to bother them and cause them night of no sleep. Babies were innocent and so blind to the stresses life offers. And Harry wanted nothing more than to go back to a time like that.

Pulling up to the sweet like farm house that Harry had always known as Ellie’s parents, the anxiety continued to increase.

“Sir, we’re here,” He heard Al say from the front as quiet as he could to not wake Arya. Harry nodded unhooking the car seat from the base that was seat belted in. Slowly, he made his way up the driveway.

“Oh, it’s you,” He heard a voice say, distaste evident in just the tone. “I was wondering how long it would take you to come.”