May 23, 1975

**Hope POV**

Finally the day I've been waiting for is finally here...it's summer vacation! As I'm walking home from school with my friend Karen, it suddenly strikes us that this is the longest time we've got off between the school year and the next, and we plan to make the most of it.

"It's hard to believe we have two whole months off!" I chatter excitedly, skipping along the sidewalk. "What are we going to do all summer?"

"Well, we do start swim class next week..." Karen replies, looking thoughtful for a moment. "...and then there's day camp next month. I can't wait to go horseback riding!" she squeals, her already sun kissed arms swinging by her sides in her exuberance. "My mom told me I couldn't ride until I turned 10, so this year is finally my year!"

"Speak for yourself," I reply, with a smug look on my freckled face. Being a redhead, I always get freckles while everybody else gets tans. I hate freckles! The boys always tease me as soon as they see them...and Mama says I'm too young to wear makeup. Maybe next year...

"I'm more excited about the baking class. We're supposed to be making homemade fruit cobbler..." I offer, anticipation lighting up my entire face. After all...anything has to be better than that rock candy we made last year...

"I hate fruit cobbler," she retorts with a grimace. "Remember that time in first grade when Billy gave me what I thought was fruit cobbler..."

"I know, I know..." I toss back with a look of annoyance. "...it turned out to be a mud pie. I still can't believe you were that dumb! Have you ever seen a cobbler that was brown?" I continue, laughing so hard I started tearing up....at least until I see the frown on her face. You'd think she'd be over this by now...

At this point we're only about a block away from my house, and I'm excited to get home and get this summer started, so I start to pick up the pace...breaking into a light jog. Let's get this summer started!

A few steps later, I turn back to see Karen's still several steps behind me pouting. I catch her gaze with an apologetic look just I start to smell a recognizable aroma in the air.

I slow down for a moment, carefully sniffing the air as the barely perceptible smell causes a crooked grin to make its way across my face. Is that what I think it is...?

Across the distance, I hear Karen's voice call out in a tone of superiority. "Are you sniffing the air?" she asks in a mocking tone. "And you think I'm strange..."

"Come on, Karen! Hurry up!" I reply, shuffling my feet back and forth in my impatience. "I think my mom's been baking!"

Upon hearing that I notice her start to pick up the pace, our argument already forgotten as she eagerly starts skipping along the sidewalk...at least until she stumbles over a crack and stubs her toe. Great...

"Ouch!" I hear her cry out in pain, quickly examining her foot as I continue to bounce from side to side restlessly.

"Are you okay?" I ask with concern and impatience lacing my voice as I start to drool; thoughts of homemade desserts running through my head. It smells just like my mom's pecan pie...

Karen raises her eyes to mine as she painfully hobbles over to me on one foot. Oh boy...it looks like she's really hurt.

"I'm okay," she eventually offers pitifully, hissing through her teeth as she glances down at the offending foot. "It's just a stubbed toe." She looks back at the sidewalk muttering, "Step on a crack and you break your mother's back, my eye..." before rushing over to me as fast as her sore foot would carry her.

Once she finally catches up with me we're only a few steps from my house, and my eye catches what look like two small pies cooling on the windowsill as I make the final dash toward home. Are those for us?!

From just behind me, I hear Karen's voice excitedly call out as she starts rushing toward me. "Is that pecan pie?!"

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May 13, 1989

Suddenly I hear a low baritone voice cut into my thoughts as my eyes slowly refocus on the present. With a faraway smile on my face, I gradually meet an inquiring set of amber eyes looking at me quizzically, his soft lips forming the words. "...pecan pie?"

He snaps his fingers in front of my face, attempting to regain my attention and effectively bringing me back into the moment. Huh? What was he saying...?

I shake my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts, and bring my eyes to his questioningly; a wistful smile still lights up my features. "I'm sorry...I guess I drifted off for a moment there," I reply bemusedly. "What were you saying?"

"I was just asking if you liked the pecan pie..." he offers with a wicked grin, lightly tapping my foot with the tip of his shoe as my eyes cautiously meet his. "...but I think the look on your face pretty much speaks for itself." Am I really that easy to read...?

"It's great, thank you," I offer quietly, glancing down at my empty dessert plate before meeting his eyes again with a sheepish smile. "Not quite as good as my mom's, but still pretty good..." I can almost taste my mom's pie if I close my eyes, and really think about it...

Gemini takes that moment to raise her head cautiously, sniffing the air curiously, taking in the remaining desserts. She eventually vocalizes a demanding kitten meow, tapping my cheek plaintively with her paw to grab my attention, which causes me to giggle at her antics.

I hear his husky chuckle from the other side of the blanket, his eyes firmly locked on the kitten as his deep baritone breaks the silence softly with, "I'd offer you some if I thought you weren't going to sink your teeth into my hand..."

The only response the kitten gave him was a perfunctory hiss and a low growl as she gently tapped my cheek again, releasing an impatient squeak right into my ear.

"Okay girl...let's see..." I offer softly, gently brushing the fur around her ears as I peruse the desserts in front of me, "...what's safe here for a kitten...?" There's got to be something here somewhere...a custard tart maybe...

"Still don't like me, huh? Silly me...not thinking to bring tuna water..." he replies teasingly, eyeing the kitten with a playful expression before turning his eyes to me.

"So your mom makes pecan pie...?" he continues with a gentle look, curiosity lacing his voice.

"She always made it for special occasions..." I reply absentmindedly, eagerly reaching over for some clotted cream nestled alongside some scones. That ought to do it...

Gemini lets out another squeak, and then begins to purr as she carefully makes her way down from my neck, as I gently guide the dish of cream toward her tiny whiskered face. There you go, sweet pea...

As she starts tentatively lapping it up, my eyes slowly meet his once again.

"She doesn't make it anymore...? Why not?" he asks hesitantly, his golden orbs filling with a mix of confusion and concern.

My eyes meet his with a frantic look, realizing too late what I've unintentionally said. "Uhhh...." Crap!

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**Prince POV**

Seeing the look on Hope's face, it's clear I've managed to hit a nerve of some kind...albeit unintentionally. I can only hope you'll let me in...rather than bolting again like you seem to be considering...

"It's okay." I offer cautiously, my gaze filled with an abundance of openness, gentle understanding, and a touch of uncertainty. "You don't have to answer that..." ...but I hope you will.

With a frown her eyes travel down to the ground, and I can almost see the wheels turning in her head. After a few moments of this, just as I'm about to do anything I can to break the newfound tension between us, once again she manages to surprise me.

Slowly her eyes make their way back up to mine, and I can read acceptance and resolution radiating there...even before I hear her quietly murmur, "I don't want to, but I think I need to..."

Her eyes break contact from mine with that admission, and it's clear she's struggling with summoning the courage to continue.

Not wanting to rush her in any way, I radiate a comfortable, companionable silence. My eyes rove over to Gemini, who's still lapping away at the cream, and reach out my hand in an attempt to touch fur that looks softer than a cloud...allowing Hope the time to broach this conversation on her terms.

Hearing a low kitten warning growl signals I should back away, and as my hand retreats back to my side I hear Gemini once again start to purr.

I direct my next comment to my tiny furry dining companion with a self-deprecating grin. "You really don't like me, do you?" I question gently, before continuing with, "But that's okay, I'll win you over yet..." ...both of you...

Suddenly I hear Hope's voice continue in a desultory tone as her emerald gaze meets mine filled with sorrow and uncertainty. "Somehow...even after all this time it never gets any easier to say..."

I offer her a reassuring smile and a barely perceptible nod, encouraging her to continue. I'm tempted to place a comforting hand on her thigh but somehow resist the impulse, sensing it'd probably have the opposite effect than I intended, causing her to withdraw back into herself. Relax and let her open up to you...

Her eyes eventually go teary as she murmurs in a whisper tone so soft I almost missed it, "My parents were killed in a hit and run shortly after I left home for college..." Fuck... What do I even say to that?

My eyes meet hers slowly, laced with compassion and concern, as my hand reaches blindly around looking for a napkin for her to use to dry her eyes, now glistening with tears.

Eventually stumbling upon one, I gently reach over to place it carefully into her hand as I tumble headfirst into foreign territory...hoping for the best. Despite my own broken relationship with my folks, I can still take comfort in knowing they're still here...and that we have the chance to make things right. Poor Hope...

"Oh Hope...I'm so sorry..." I stammer out pitifully...wishing I could find the words to make everything alright again, but lost as to how.

Raising the napkin to dab at the corners of her eyes, a sorrowful nod is her only reply, leaving me befuddled, grappling with how I should respond. What I want to do is give her a hug. It really looks like she could use one....

I slowly scoot closer to her, my entire countenance radiating empathy as I carefully search her eyes for guidance on how I should proceed, even as my mind starts asking more questions. I'm now wondering all sorts of things...things like... With her parents gone, is anyone looking out for her...? My gut says no, as it looks like she's out here all alone...

Luckily, my decision was made for me as the tension of the moment broken by the thump of a slight furry weight falling directly into my lap. I glance down, only to see Gemini with a crazy look in her eye, fur bristling, lowly growling...trying her very best to look intimidating.

"You know you're not fooling anybody..." I respond with a husky chuckle, shaking my head at the tiny feline in quiet mirth when I suddenly hear a soft feminine giggle coming from just off to my left, dainty hands reaching out for the kitten still struggling to find her way off my lap to freedom.

"Come here, you silly girl..." she coos gently to the playful kitten as I note her starting to unperceptively shiver, even as her hands start to cradle the now purring ball of fur and I find myself immediately overwhelmed with concern for her wellbeing...she's obviously not used to how cold it gets up here....

"You look a little chilly over there, mama." I offer quietly, before continuing with a rakish smile, "Why don't you borrow my jacket?" as I start slipping it off, preparing to gently drape it across her shoulders. What is it about her that makes me want so desperately to protect her?

She gives me a reluctant nod...hesitantly meeting my eyes, her teeth starting to chatter...I slowly reach over slipping my jacket over her protectively. She looks warmer already...

Keeping my voice low, I broach the subject carefully, eyeing her with concern, "You know, it's supposed to get pretty cold out here tonight..."

"That's okay," she replies with false bravado, slowly getting up and starting to clear away the evidence of our little picnic as she snuggles deeper into my jacket. "It's been chilly the last few nights, and I've gotten by okay..." she continues, placing our dirty dishes back onto the dessert platter with a smile, brushing pie crumbs off her lap as Gemini retreats into the comfort of my coat pocket.

"Some company would be nice though..." she continues softly, rubbing her arms in an attempt to generate heat even as she tosses me a teasing smile before gesturing exaggeratedly toward the vast wasteland of trash littering the alley. "...and I've got plenty of extra space..."

"I knew those dumpsters looked familiar..." I tease her with a rakish grin, before continuing with a chuckle. "I have the same ones back at Paisley Park..."

"Oh you do, do you?" she tosses back, with a twinkle in her eye. "Trying to steal my decorating ideas, I see..."

"I wouldn't dream of it, mama..." I offer playfully, giving her an exaggerated wink. "...but given our similar taste in decor, I think you'd feel right at home there..."

**Author's Note:  I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to this story...but I hope this chapter makes up for the extended wait.  Thanks for sticking with me...;)**