Royals (A Prince Harry Fanfiction)

Chapter 8

Jackie shut her car door, locking it behind her. It was 12 pm, and she was scheduled to work until 12 am. It was a long shift, but Jackie loved her job, so it went quickly. She hadn't been in the A&E department for nearly a month, using her banked vacation days and the patriotism of her boss to devote herself fully to Kate's wedding, and she missed it.

Jackie could only hope that her coworkers hadn't seen the magazine that morning- or heard it on a morning talk show- or seen it on the news- or on social media. Jackie's social media accounts had been blown up by so many new followers she had to delete her accounts- her phone had completely stopped working due to the overload. She knew she would be bombarded with questions about the wedding, about the royal couple, the Queen- the last thing she needed was being asked about Harry. Jackie pulled her purse up higher on her shoulder as she walked through the automatic doors into the hospital.

Immediately, one of her fellow nurses and good friend, Emily, was on top of her. "Jackie! I've missed you!"

"How've you been?" Jackie asked with sincere enthusiasm.

"Oh, shut up about me, tell me everything!" Emily squealed.

Jackie took a deep breath, and told her everything.

***

"I actually can't believe this," Emily whispered as she and Jackie sat side by side at the nurse's station. "I mean- are you two going to get married?"

"Oh, shut up!" Jackie hissed with a smile. "It's only been a few days and it's already on a magazine."

"Did you read it?" Emily asked.

"I bought it," Jackie blushed.

"Real celebrities don't read that rubbish," Emily scolded. "I've read that Harry doesn't."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "It's odd the way they know everything."

"Who, the paps?" Emily was bringing her hospital issued laptop to life, exiting the electronic charts and opening a search engine. "Harry and William despise them, after what happened to Diana."

"I didn't even think about that," Jackie mused. She wondered if Harry was actually upset about what had happened, but was distracted by a loud giggle from Emily.

"I googled Jacqueline Baker and look!"

Jackie's stomach turned. She was excited and terrified all at the same time. There were countless photos of Jackie from the wedding and the months leading up to it when she and Kate had gone out together. The PPOs had worked to keep the paparazzi at bay during wedding preparations, so Jackie hadn't ever noticed them. But now that she was with Harry, who knew what would happen?

Emily scrolled through photo after photo of Jackie and Harry at the wedding. Walking down the aisle, arm in arm, grinning at each other. Whispering on the balcony. The infamous grope at the reception. Embracing on the dance floor. There were even a few of Harry, Jackie, William, and Kate at University, young and red-faced. Jackie wondered how those photos had even gotten on the Internet in the first place.

"Incredible," Emily whispered.

Jackie smiled fondly at a particular photo, she and Harry looking at each other as they stood behind Will and Kate during the ceremony. Jackie's cheeks were unusually pink, her head ducked down, a shy smile on her mouth. And Harry was absolutely beaming at her- a look that made her heart melt. If the photos from the reception hadn't gotten out, one may have not noticed the significant look between the two. But knowing what she knew, Jackie could practically feel the intensity of their gaze.

"Will you still be keeping this job, or will you retire early and take on the role of Princess?" Emily teased.

Jackie scoffed. "Don't say that around Harry, you may scare him off."

Emily's eyes widened. "Can I meet him?"

"Well, sure, but his secretary says we should keep things quiet for a while. You know, because of the pictures."

"I may get this one framed," Emily teased, enlarging the photo of Harry grabbing a handful of Jackie's skirt.

Jackie groaned and put her head in her hands. "I can not believe he did that."

"I can't believe someone would dare to take such a photo, and leak it." Emily stuffed a handful of pretzels in her mouth before offering Jackie some. "It's treason."

"I'm sure they made about a million pounds off of it. But, what's done is done." Jackie could feel herself blushing the longer she looked at the photo. She thought to herself, I may have to get that one framed as well.

---

"I'm whooped," Emily yawned, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

"It feels good, though," said Jackie, pulling a raincoat over her scrubs. The 12 hour shift was over, midnight had come, and the two nurses were gathering their things. Though the emergency room was exhausting, it was rewarding. Jackie and Emily had saved a woman who had nearly died in a car accident, and comforted a little girl who had broken her arm in school.

"And you were only recognized by," Emily held out her hand, pretending to count her fingers, "every single patient we had!"

"Oh, come off it," Jackie giggled. "I can't help that I'm famous."

Emily scoffed as she and Jackie walked out through the emergency room doors. "You aren't that famous."

Jackie was suddenly blinded by an intense flash of light. About ten more followed, Emily's hand taking hold of Jackie's arm as the two women were temporarily stunned.

"Jackie! Jackie! Are you and Harry together?"

There were about twenty men with cameras swarming Jackie and Emily. Jackie squeezed tightly to Emily with one hand and used her other to shield her eyes. She forced her way through the men and ran at full speed to her car. A pounding of footsteps told her the paparazzi were following, so Jackie got into her car as quickly as she could and locked the doors. She made sure Emily had made it to her car as well before she put her car in reverse and slowly backed up, which was nearly impossible because of all the men clamoring to get photos through the windows.

Jackie drove home through the practically empty nighttime streets, in deep thought. Her heart was racing. The "news" about her and Harry had come out just that morning, and she had barely made it out of work. Would her life from that point on consist of running from place to place, shielding her face from the impossibly bright flashes from the cameras?

Jackie mumbled to herself, "I see why Harry hates them."

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Thank you to everyone who has been reading so far! I would like to ask you to comment what you think so far, and give me any suggestions you might have! Thank you again! 😊