Royals (A Prince Harry Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

"Look at that," Jackie whispered, pointing out of the small plane window.

Harry leaned across Jackie to get a better look at the snow-dusted New York City skyline.

"Your Highness, we will be landing in approximately 20 minutes," the captain announced over the speaker of the Royal private jet that had flown Harry and Jackie across the Atlantic.

Harry settled back in his seat, closing his laptop and stretching his arms above his head. "What date are you at now?"

Jackie had to squint to decipher the somewhat messy cursive handwriting. "Let's see, November 1984."

"How old were you then?" Harry asked.

"I was born October 23rd, 1983, so I was a bit over a year old." Jackie closed the leather bound diary in her hands and held it to her chest. "I can't believe I've waited so long to read these."

Jackie had a trunk full of her mother and father's belongings under her bed ever since they passed away in 2006. She never had the heart to look through the photos and mementos, but something had told her to open the chest just a few days before she and Harry left for New York City. Buried under pictures and tickets and apparently significant little scraps of paper, were about 20 leather bound journals that her mother had kept from the early 1970s through the end of her life. Jackie had decided to start reading from the beginning, and she had just passed her own first birthday. It was interesting seeing history through her mother's eyes, and reading little stories that her mother had most likely forgotten with time, forever preserved on the yellowing pages.

"I wish you could have met her, she would have loved you," said Jackie, her chest tightening.

Harry put his hand on her knee. "So do I. I'm sure we all would have had such a good time, you, me, your mother, and my mother."

Jackie smiled softly. "I've read so much about your mother, I felt as if I did know her. But now I realize that you can't believe anything you read."

"Well, I do know she would have loved you. She had your humor, and you are just as kind-hearted as she was," Harry said, giving her leg a squeeze.

Jackie leaned over and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek before she continued to read her mother's words as they descended from the sky into the city.

---

"It's as if no one notices us," Jackie said in a whisper, not wanting to jinx it.

Harry looked around with a satisfied smile. "We may just have to move here."

The couple were walking hand in hand down 5th Avenue, Central Park to their left, endless beautiful apartment buildings to their right. Christmas music and snow hung weightlessly in the air, an atmosphere of love and cheer all around. It seemed the New Yorkers were too busy to notice Harry and Jackie as they passed, and by the time they realized who they had just seen and turned back to look, the duo had already disappeared into the flow of people in the sidewalk.

"Here we are," Harry said, motioning for Jackie to go first through the revolving door into one of the more magnificent buildings on 5th Avenue.

"Wow," Jackie breathed, taking in the luxurious lobby of the Carlyle Hotel. Harry had booked a room in the hotel Jackie had admired so greatly as a child. They served strictly french cuisine in the five star restaurant on the main floor, and stunning arrangements of fresh flowers were delivered every morning.

Harry took Jackie's hand, and they walked towards the elevators, as Harry's PPO, James, had already checked them in to the penthouse. Jackie stopped in her tracks at the sight of a black and white photo hanging on the wall, her lips turning up into a smile, her finger reaching up and gently tracing the face behind the glass. "Look who it is."