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Ezra found he was the center of attention at the table at the saloon later that night. He had made a mistake though, in forgetting that while Tanner wasn't much for complaining, the man did have a wicked steak; and he was now getting revenge on the undercover agent for his behavior today.

Nathan, Josiah and Chris had joined them at the bar after they had finished their work with the Emir. The gruesome twosome were working late at the hotel, and thus unable to join them. The group at the table had not stopped laughing since Vin started regaling them with the events as he saw them. But, Ezra knew he would get the last laugh.

Kamilah was an attractive woman with culture and bearing. There would be no regrets on his part if he had an alliance with her. Who knew where it could lead? A paid trip to Bahrain or perhaps a token of affection? Stocks and bonds were always welcomed, and Ezra did have an early retirement to fund. He wanted to be out of the law enforcement business before he was killed. One could only live on adrenaline rushes so long. In addition, the world was made up of whom you knew. A connection to a leader of a country would be a coup, no pun intended. Maude raised a son who knew how to pack and knew how to take care of himself.

Blissfully, Standish had a moment before Vin started again. He watched as the sharpshooter savored his beer before he continued. "Felt like an intruder with Ezra making doe eyes at the Princess."

"Jealous?" The undercover agent retorted.

"No, just want to tell you I am not into, what are those fancy words you use? Oh yeah, voyeurism and menage a trois stuff." Vin slapped Ezra on the back. "So don't go thinking about pulling a Sean Young/Kevin Costner scene like they did in the back of the limo in No Way Out."

Ezra studied his cufflinks, contemplating praying for divine assistance. Would they ever understand? "Surely you realize I have ulterior motives."

"When don't you?" Nathan asked, his brown eyes wide to show that it was a jesting comment.

Standish explained. "Perhaps she will grow comfortable with me, and pass along some information concerning her father."

They nodded. Ezra thought of Buck's saying, 'the light bulb just turned on.'

"Your mother's Machiavellian tendencies are flaring up." Josiah smiled. Unfortunately, he too fell under Maude's spell the last time she was in Denver.

"In addition, contrary to the disgruntled Agent Tanner, I have to say, being in the presence of a beautiful woman is not a horrible way to spend the time." He tipped his glass of Guinness in a mock toast to Vin before partaking of the soft brown liquid.

"Amen, brother." Sanchez saluted his glass in a similar manner.

Ezra saw Chris shaking his head. Vin also caught the movement.

"Regretting the assignment, cowboy? Heard what happened with Josiah."

"Don't mention it, Vin." Nathan explained and glanced between Josiah and Chris. "It's a sore point and there are no leads on the shooting."

Standish heard about the problems at the golf course. The ATF team leader didn't mind the playfulness of the group, but the large agent's actions had irked an already usually irritated Larabee. He gave Sanchez a sympathetic nod as a fellow persecuted officer of the law.

"Thanks for adding to the misery." Chris put his beer bottle down with a thud, which made the white, cocktail napkins jump in fear.

"Not a problem," Vin drawled with a lazy grin. "I'm heading out, boys" he said as he drained his bottle and threw some money on the table. "Ez, see ya tomorrow bright and early."

The five men would be together in the morning for the signing of the hotel to its new owners. "Are you bringing your surly attitude?"

"Probably," Vin winked as he slipped into his suit jacket, which he had carelessly tossed in the booth, as did the rest of the men. They had rolled the sleeves back on their dress shirts and loosened their ties. Not Ezra however, he had an image to uphold. An image that a certain princess was obviously interested in.
*******

Vin quickened his footsteps. There was a chill in the air and the navy blue jacket was not enough protection for a Denver fall night. He would slip in to his worn leather jacket, which he had left inside the Jeep. He saw the shadow before he saw her. There was a street light immediately outside the saloon.

"You're supposed to be at the hotel." He stopped in front of her. She looked different dressed casually. Her hair was down, somewhat tousled. She had jeans, and a fleece jacket.

"I decided to sneak out. Royal prerogative." She was looking around him, trying to see into the windows of the saloon. "I am trying to see the real Denver." She stopped peering over his shoulder when she discovered she was unable to see anything. "I overheard you were all coming here tonight." She explained to him.

Vin started to walk past her. Funny, he thought, Ezra made a bid deal out of calling her, Your Highness or Princess. Tanner thought that was strange. It wasn't the same as calling your c-o, captain. "You should head back." He advised as he looked back over his shoulder.

She stayed, looking around the deserted street. "I told my taxi to go."

He stopped. He wasn't a jerk, and he had made some disparaging comments about her earlier. Guess he had to do some penance. "I'll take you back." He pointed to the beat-up Jeep. "Get in." He cleaned off the passenger seat of its food wrappers and general debris.

She looked between the saloon and the car, and scurried to the vehicle. "You're not going to tell your friends about this?" She look like she was waiting for punishment.

"No, figure I won't get ya inta trouble." He saw her smile, thinking she had gotten away with something. "You're just gonna sneak out again, won't ya?"

She buckled her seat belt. Vin realized in the dimness of the light how young she was. She couldn't have been more than twenty-three. "No one is going to miss me. Can I have a quick tour?" Her dark eyes were pleading. "Please, please, please?"

Vin started the Jeep and gave it a few minutes to warm up. "Wantin' to see how the other half lives."

"Something like that." She said as she tucked her hair behind her ears.

Against his better judgement he started driving her to Purgatorio. He figured a good scare would have her scurrying back to the hotel in no time. She would get rid of those thoughts of venturing out on her own. Denver, alone was no place for a girl who was as sheltered as the Princess seemed to be.

She was hesitant to get out of the car when they pulled up to his apartment building. Nervously she pointed to the sign, 'ALERTA SE ESTA VIGILANDO LE VECINDAD!' "You have a neighborhood watch?"

"Yep," he locked the door to the Jeep, smirking slightly at her discomfiture.

"You live here?" She gulped as she stood next to him in the doorway of the building. In silence they made their way up to his fourth floor apartment.

"Not a palace, but it's home." He stated as he opened the door. His place was neat; one of the kids must have picked up. He placed his jacket on the coat hooks by the door.

She glanced about the room with a wrinkled nose. "Hmmm, I see."

"See what?" He opened the refrigerator to pull out something to drink.

"Nothing," she hadn't moved since when she had walked in.

He heard the attitude in her voice. He shut the appliance soundly. This place was better than the hundreds of other places he had lived in. There was a roof and it was warm with furniture. Vin Tanner took nothing for granted. "I see a girl with a silver spoon stuck so far up…"

She backed up and opened the door. "This was a mistake. I'm leaving." She rushed down the hallway, her shoes tapping quickly against the linoleum floor.

"Shit!" Vin said as the door flew open. "Wait," he yelled after her. She had made it almost down the hall. He ran and was able to grab her arm. "I can't let you leave."

She looked at his hand grabbing the her forearm. He let the hand drop. "You'd never get a cab." He said with a smirk. She was still looking like she was going to run. "I'm sorry."

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, I know the way I come off." She crossed her arms. "I am not naïve or an innocent. I am a representative of my father, but don't think I don't know what is going on in my own country."

Vin nodded and they walked back to his room, luckily no one had opened their doors to see what was going on.

"They torture women in my country. They hold them hostage so that their husbands and brothers give themselves up; sometimes for months at a time. I'm not supposed to know. It's easier to pretend and create a façade." She abruptly stopped talking. "I've told you too much." She smiled. "Please forget my ramblings."

Vin took his jacket, still clinging with the cold from the outside off the hook. "I'll take you back."

She nodded, and didn't say anything until they were back in the Jeep. She had seen the bridle he was repairing in the backseat. "You ride?"

"Yep," he replied, keeping his eyes on the road. His only thought was getting her back to the hotel without any incident. He wouldn't want to explain to Chris what she was doing with him.

She seemed wistful. "At home I love the exhilaration of riding."

"Aha," he wasn't much for conversation and she must have understood since she did not try to engage him in any conversation.

Fifteen minutes later they were nearing the hotel. "Drop me off here so I can sneak in."

Vin signaled and pulled over to the side of the road.

"Goodnight," she said as she pulled up the hood of her jacket without even looking back. It was as if the whole incident didn't happen. She ran the two hundred feet to the hotel. Vin watched her look around an go in the side entrance unobserved.
*******
Ezra felt the Gucci sunglasses that were on the inside of his Brioni suit jacket. He wished he could slip them on. They had to meet at the hotel at eight, and then there was a continental breakfast at nine before the actual signing at eleven in the morning. Standish was joining in the polite applause after, with a flourish, the Emir signed the documents giving him ownership of the Saint Regis Hotel.

The photographers popped picture after picture. The princess had kept a smile pasted on her face, staying in the background like window dressing on the event. She answered a few questions posed to her by reporters, but mostly it was her father's day.

Chris and Vin were quietly talking in a corner; their backs to the beige wallpapered wall of the large conference room. Their eyes roving the crowd, making sure the reporters and onlookers kept their distance.

Ezra went to join them, approaching just as Vin was filling Chris in on the knowledge he had come by the night before.

"The princess wants to go on a tour."

Standish perked up, Kamilah had mentioned her interest in seeing Denver and the undercover agent was excited at the prospect of being able to show her the better parts of the city; its museums and cultural centers.

Chris shrugged his shoulders. "So, take her on a tour." The undercover agent had seen the Emir's itenernary. The team leader was going to be busy all day. At least there were no golf games scheduled, much to Josiah's chagrin.

"It's hard to protect someone so out in the open." Vin drawled. "Figured I'd take her to your ranch." Both men were still not looking at each other. Like Ezra, their eyes were on their assignment. Standish turned though upon hearing the change in plans. He had the day all planned.

"Makes sense." Larabee noticed Standish was taking interest in the conversation. "Ez, you have an opinion?"

Ezra did have an opinion. He thought Agent Larabee's abode was not a place for royalty. "Although I understand Agent Tanner's concern… how do I say this? Your ranch is perhaps not what the princess is accustomed too."

Chris tilted his blonde head and gave a lopsided grin. "Too low class?"

The undercover agent cleared his throat. "No offense."

"None taken." Chris's grin remained. "Why don't you ask her." He said, as if he was talking to a five-year-old. "If it's okay with her then it's fine with me." He gave both Vin and Ezra a quick nod before moving closer to the Emir.

Tanner continued to lean against the wall. This was a job for someone with impeccable manners. Ezra dusted off his suit lapels and made his way to the Princess.

"Excuse me, Your Highness." He had to wait before she looked at him. He bowed slightly when she acknowledged his presence. "I realize this is highly improper ...I know you were hoping to have the opportunity to see our city. But we are but we are concerned with your safety and wondering if you enjoy seeing the more rustic landscape of Colorado?"

"Rustic landscape?" She whispered with the smile still painted upon her face for on-lookers.

Ezra decided to say it plainly. "Horse back riding at a ranch,"

Her eyes lit up and then narrowed slightly. "Yes, I will be ready once my duties here are complete."

"Very well," he bowed again and made his way to tell Tanner. He was surprised that Kamilah wanted to go to a ranch. Thankfully, Ezra had a spare set of casual clothes in the trunk of his Jaguar. Black wool pants and a black Zegna sweater. That God-awful nylon ATF windbreaker was there too, but Ezra could count on his left hand the amount of times he had been forced to stoop so low as to have to wear it.

Ezra thought of his next tactic to attain the princess's favor. He would impress her with his skill in dressage, hopefully Chris's horse co-operated.

*******
Vin's leaden footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell of his building. He carried his suit over his arm. He had changed into jeans and his leather jacket at Chris's ranch. It had been a long day. He had to keep an eye on the Princess and Ezra, who almost broke his neck trying to do fancy stuff, with the horse he was riding.

They both seemed to be having a good time. Ezra was quick to smile and the princess liked being out in the fresh air. Peso had enjoyed the workout; usually Vin only had the opportunity to work with him on the weekends. After bringing back the princess to the hotel, Vin and Ezra met up with Buck and JD at the saloon for awhile before their late night shift.

He opened the door. It creaked slightly reminding him to find the oil can, which was somewhere under the sink. His sense of smell noted a scent of perfume. As he went for his gun he heard the familiar voice.

"You always leave your door unlocked?" She was sitting on the plaid couch. He placed his suit near her.

"Yep," he turned to hang up his jacket. He made no further moves near her. He was uncomfortable with the tension in his own home.

As she stood, Tanner noticed she had not taken off her jacket. "I just wanted to say thank you." She came close to him and he could smell the sweet perfume. She closed the distance between them further and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He pulled her head over so that their lips were a hairs breath apart. He left the decision to her. Softly she placed her lips on his. He deepened the kiss and drew her against the closed door. They slid down the door to the carpeted floor.

The days passed quickly. During the day Vin was the consummate professional. The princess carried on her haughty air and only Ezra was able to draw her into conversations. Standish believed she was falling for him. No one knew the truth of the affair, not even the couple involved.

They both took risks, giving the sex an illicit, urgent feeling. The sharpshooter, who took on calculated danger, was playing with fire since he already had the Charlotte incident in his past. This relationship, if known, would end his career. First he had an affair with a married woman, and now royalty. His friends would distrust him. This wasn't like him-Vin Tanner, orphan of Purgatorio with Her Royal Highness. He felt a maddening guilt at times, but he understood it was below the surface. The sex satisfied a need. The need to be close to someone for just a little while.

The princess risked punishment and scorn. She wanted the freedom to be lord over her body and soul. She was alone, living in a state of solitude in that she was never able to be the true, passionate, Kamilah.

"Tomorrow is our last night," She pulled the sheet to cover her breasts, and relaxed into Vin's shoulder.

"Mmmm," He replied running his hand through her tangled hair.

"It was good, right? Fun?" She asked hesitantly, feeling the glow of their love making. She didn't say anything further. Vin understood why. He wanted to admit that he cared for her, but it wasn't possible. It was all going to end and it was better to have limited emotional involvement. Tanner rested momentarily on the edge of the bed, and grabbed his jeans off the floor.

"I'll take you back to the hotel." He slipped them on and went to the living room for his shirt and car keys.

*******
Chris slipped on his dark aviator sunglasses, closing out the rays of a sharp sun. Thank God tomorrow these people would be on a plane. The whole assignment had boiled down to no f***in information. They all just had to get through the ceremony and ball tonight and they were home free. Larabee couldn't wait for the next assignment, an arson case. This was the last time he played bodyguard no matter if it lead to illegal gun dealings with the Pope. Putting up with all this sh** sucked. He nodded to Vin and Ezra posted near the door by a towering floral arrangement, and made sure Nathan and Josiah were at their points near the crowd. The Emir's personal guards had taken the higher ground on top of the department store across the street. He gave them a quick wave and they responded with a thumbs up sign.

The Emir and his daughter were posing in front of the ribbon set up twenty feet from the entrance of the hotel, flanked by the United States and Bahrain flags. One snip and a few questions from the reporters and they were closer to being finished. The strains of the Bahrainian national anthem were being performed by a local chamber orchestra. Intermingled with the song came the ringing from his cell phone. He flipped it open, blocking one of his ears so he could hear the conversation.

"Larabee," Chris stated.

He heard Buck's familiar voice reply. "We got a problem." Wilmington's sounded urgent. "There's a bomb in here."

The leader sighed. He was so close to this being a good day. He glanced at the large crowd gathered. Grinding his teeth he responded. "Get the hotel evacuated from the back, and call the bomb squad."

Buck was trying to tell him something else, but it was drown out by the sound of gunshots and high-pitched screaming. Chris dove to the ground landing on the edge of the red carpet. On his elbows his tried to get closer to the Emir. The shots were coming from above. Shit! The Emir's men had been taken out. The phone was still clutched in his left hand. He yelled into the phone, before he snapped it shut.

"Damnit! We got are own problems!" A car had just blocked off part of the street and two men began firing into the crowd.
*******

JD and Buck had been doing a quick walk through the hotel's back area. Buck was glad this whole assignment was over. JD felt the same. The two roommates had been joking with each other, happy their assignment, as glorified wait staff would be ending soon. Wilmington was regaling the young agent on his latest acquisition of a phone number. At least the hotel had been filled with a pretty staff.

JD squinted his eyes in disbelief. "So…what? You told her you were really a secret agent doing work for the government?"

Buck smiled his blue eyes wide. JD had made it sound like he had told Clarissa he was James Bond. He was much better looking than that British guy. "It's the truth!"

The young agent shook his head. "Yeah, but she believed it. Go figure."

The older agent gave the young man a quick push in the shoulder. JD tried to dodge the shove, but Buck had already compensated for the maneuver and Dunne landed near some mops in the corner. With a smile, Wilmington offered him a hand. JD grabbed it, and was almost fully upright when Buck let go.

His eyes zeroed in on the glowing lights by Dunne's side. "JD, we've got a problem."

Dunne frowned at being dropped again. He jumped back when he saw the bomb with numbers counting back from thirty minutes. "Sh**!"

Wilmington quickly punched in his boss's number. He looked doubtfully at the phone as he closed it. "Come on," he told JD who was examining the wiring of the bomb. As they got to the lobby they could hear the gunfire. Buck had already explained that the team was under attack outside. They crouched low; to avoid any stray bullets and made their way to the conceriege, who was cowering behind his desk.

"Parker, evacuate the hotel," Buck yelled to the man over the cacophony of the screaming outside which could be heard in the usually silent lobby.

The man sputtered and tried to bend further into the fetal position. "There's gunfire out there! You're crazy!"

Buck reached out and shook the man, wrinkling the pristine gray lapels. "There's a bomb in here! Call the bomb squad and get people evacuated out the back!" He pushed the man down, and saw him scramble away, wild-eyed.

"Now!" JD ordered, and gained a modicum of satisfaction as the Concierge gulped, and fumbled to the phone.

Buck gave a quick wink to Clarissa, who was sitting against the wall, covering her ears, before making his way back to the bomb with JD. He looked out the lobby doors and hoped the team was holding their own.
*******

Why didn't she get down? Vin thought. The Princess seemed rooted in her spot, frozen in the red carpet while gunfire sprayed around her. Tanner gave Standish a quick nod and ran. Ezra fired, providing cover. In a few strides Vin started to dive for Kamilah to knock her down to the ground where she would be safer. He was propelled into her, uncontrollably, as he felt a stabbing pain. He landed jarringly on top of the princess. He sucked in a quick breath as he felt Kamilah move beneath him. She had pressed her hand against the bullet wound. He groaned, but no one heard it over the gunfire and the screaming coming from the Emir's daughter. He pulled her face roughly to him. She blinked a couple of times until she realized she was staring at a familiar face.

Vin gave her a lopsided grin, even though he could feel a burning pain in his stomach. He kept her body covered, firing at the spot where he had seen the nose of a rifle. The shot hit true and the gunfire from that direction ceased. He pulled her arm, making her crawl with him as they made their way to cover by Chris and the Emir. They were huddled near an overturned table. Larabee gave him a quick nod, but did not notice the blood, which Vin covered with his arm. He pointed to the car, and both of them concentrated on the men shooting at them.
*******
JD took off the plate covering the intricacies of the bomb. They had fifteen minutes left. He saw the different colored wires-blue, red, green. He just didn't know.

Buck was by his side, breathing down his neck. Why did he have to have an onion bagel for breakfast? "You're fresher out of the academy, you should be able to diffuse this bomb."

Dunne shook his head. When was the bomb squad going to get there? He didn't want to take the responsibility if he f***ed the whole thing up.

"Don't you remember? Plus, you're the computer expert what the hell do they pay you for?" Wilmington whispered, touching one of the wires.

JD slapped his hand away. "SHUT UP Buck! You're an ATF agent too!"

Tensions were running high for both agents. Dunne took in a ragged breath and heard his roommate sigh.

"Okay JD, let's say we make an educated guess, pick a wire and hope for the best." Buck gave the young agent a nod.

JD licked the sweat, which had beaded up on his upper lip. "You sure?"

"Yep, son," Buck answered, grasping JD's hand that held the wire cutters.

Dunne moved to the red wire. He closed his eyes as he squeezed the cutters, clamping down on the wire. He heard the snap and waited, holding his breath. Nothing happened. JD peeled one eye open. Buck still had his eyes squeezed shut.

"Buck! We're still alive!" Dunne exclaimed, joy making him bounce up from his sitting position.

Wilmington jumped up also, giving a loud, "WOOP!" before grabbing the young agent in a hug. JD threw his arms around his roommate glad they were alive.

Once it had sunk in, they both backed off, taking a step back to regain their masculinity. Guys just didn't hug, JD thought. They could hear more gunfire coming through the hotel. The agents took off in a dead run.
*******

Josiah and Nathan had maneuvered themselves through the crowd. They were making their way to the building. Nathan saw the wounded whimpering, blood was staining the street. He wanted to help them, but his first job was to take out the men on the roof. Neither agent looked back to see how their teammates were fairing. Luckily the department store was only four levels, and quickly they ran up the deserted escalators. All the shoppers in the store were huddled in unmoving fear.

Josiah with a swift kick knocked down the door. It crashed forward and they ran on top of it.

"ATF!" Nathan yelled out, keeping his gun ready, "Put your weapons down!"

The terrorists turned around, guns at the ready. Josiah gave out a primeval yell, and shot one of the men, while Jackson took out the other.

Sanchez checked over the men, and kicked their weapons away. "Never get between a man and a game of golf." He told the unconscious assailants.

Nathan reminded himself to take Josiah's love of golf very serious. He went to the edge of the building to look out and help out his friends stuck in the hell below. Nathan smiled at seeing his assistance was not required.

Buck and JD plowed though the lobby doors blazing a trail that allowed Ezra, Vin and Chris to take out the three criminals in the small white Ford Escort. The gunfire had finally stopped.

"Looks like things are settling down there Brother," Josiah said, still watching over the two criminals.

Jackson looked back; hoping no one had died today. From above he could see people trying to help the numerous injured people. Ambulance sirens could be heard and the blue police lights were giving a surreal blue glow.

He didn't notice Larabee trying to get his attention right away. When he did he saw Chris was cradling a body. It was Vin.

*******
"So when we went back in with the bomb squad," JD took another sip from his carton of milk. "We posted pictures of the bald concierage all over the place." Dunne wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "You should have seen his face." The young agent grinned, and started to laugh.

Vin could picture the scene but didn't want to start laughing and pull at the staples in his belly. He had been in surgery for five hours. The doctors patched up his stomach and jokingly told him there would be no junk food for a while. Tanner had a feeling Standish told them to say that, since Ezra found his eating habits disgusting. Heaven was a Hostess Snowball.

JD was filling Vin in on what he had missed during the hours of surgery. It was discovered that the terrorists were from Bahrain. Instead of protesting in their own country about the conditions and atrocities they decided to take another approach. Although there had been bombings of government areas in Bahrain, this was the first time they had attacked the leader directly.

"The Emir was happy we saved his ass and decided as a reward he would tell Chris about some new players in the gun smuggling business." Dunne concluded his story with a smile.

Vin moved his legs trying to find a more comfortable position amongst the wires and machinery monitoring his body. He hated being in the hospital. Chris and the others were escorting the Emir and his daughter to the airstrip. Buck had taken Vin's post, although it had been offered to JD first. Dunne wanted to hang out with Tanner. In addition Ezra felt that the princess, "would be immune to Agent Wilmington's animal magnetism."

A bet ended up being made, and Buck was bodyguard for a day. Vin hoped the ladies man wasn't going to lose too much money.

JD flicked through the channels on the TV. Both were enjoying watching Jerry Springer when there was a faint knock before Chris strode in.

"Hey cowboy, seems as though the Princess wants to thank you before she heads outta town." Larabee announced, standing at the foot of the laid up sharpshooter's bed.

Vin thought she would just leave town. It would have been easier. It would have kept their unvoiced agreement of no strings attached.

He had gripped her hand before falling unconscious at the hotel. Ezra had told him she had stayed by his side until the Emir made her go inside to the safety of the Saint Regis.

"You up to it?" Chris asked when Vin didn't reply right away. His green eyes filled with concern.

"Yeah, send her in." He said as he cleared his head from the reverie he had been in. Larabee opened the door and signaled her to come forward.

The sunglasses were propped on the top of her head holding back her cascade of dark hair. She was wearing a dark blue pants suit that made her look overly thin and frail. She looked over at Vin, slightly turning up the corner of her lips until she noticed JD and Chris were still in the room.

"Can I have a moment of privacy?" She did not say it as a question. It sounded more like an order.

Vin gave the two men a nod and they left room, pulling the door closed behind them.

Tanner hit the mute button on the television.

"They say you're going to be fine." She came towards him, sitting on the side of the bed.

"Yep, " he replied trying not to get lost in the smell of her.

"I wanted to say thank you," she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and stayed suspended above him for a moment.

"Isn't this the way it started?" he commented in a whisper. He raised his left hand. The IV was attached to his other hand, and she grasped it tightly.

"Maybe I'll see you sometime?" She said breathlessly without looking at him. She just kept staring at their clasped hands.

"Maybe," he didn't know what to say. It was over; Vin didn't play the what if game. The Princess didn't understand and for her he pretended. He could at least do that.

She patted his hand and stood up. "Goodbye," she stated and dropped the sunglasses down over her eyes. She made her way at the door, pausing a moment before she regained the bearing of royalty instead of that of a woman leaving behind a lover.

The guys were waiting outside; Vin could hear Buck,

"Your Highness can I escort you to your vehicle?"

She must have turned him down because when JD returned to Tanner's room he said, "Guess animal magnetism doesn't work on royalty."

Vin gave the young man a lopsided grin. They would never know.
*******

EPILOGUE

It had been three months since the Emir and his daughter had left Denver. Vin was back on duty and there were no side effects from the gunshot wound. He had stopped by McDonalds's for a couple of Egg McMuffins. He brought his packaged goodies into the conference room, along with the cup of coffee he had made as soon as he got into the office. No one was in yet, so Vin put the television on CNN to catch up with the news. It was easier to watch it than to read it in the paper.

He had finished his last bite and had gotten up to throw away the trash. The ceramic mug was cradled in his hand. Effortlessly, he made the shot in the garbage can. He smirked at the thud, nothing but net, he thought.

He was still smiling when he turned to see what the pretty blonde on CNN was talking about.

"The Emir of Bahrain was just in this country a few months ago. After surviving an assignation attempt by his own people, he decided to become stricter with the populace. Bahrainis chafed against the additional restrictions finally retaliating with this heinous act."

A picture of the princess came up on the screen, her hair was blowing and she was waving to a crowd. A helicopter was near by, and she boarded it. Vin could see she was still smiling. In an instant the helicopter took off and exploded before the sharpshooter's eyes.

He dropped the coffee mug, not hearing it as it shattered into pieces. The liquid inside splashed out, quickly absorbed by the dark carpeting. For a moment it all crashed down on him. She was gone.

Chris's voice brought him back to the present. "Hey, we've got a meeting in ten minutes did you read the information?"

He cleared his throat, not trusting his voice and not willing to show that anything was wrong. "Yep, see ya in a few."

When he looked back at the TV, CNN had already moved onto another breaking story. Softly he pushed in the knob and the screen turned to black.

Maybe one day when he was good and drunk he would talk about the Princess in vague terms so no one knew whom he was talking about. That day wasn't today. He would shake his head when he heard the news and nothing else. He would be there to support Ezra, who still believed the Princess had deep feelings for him. Vin bent down, his knees giving a resounding crack, to pick up the shattered pieces of the mug.


*******THE END*******

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