300 Chapter 300

Pearl's phone rang the next morning at breakfast.

"Good morning, Erik. How are things going?" Pearl asked.

"I am flying home tomorrow. Auggie is still being stubborn and my father wants a meeting. How are you?" He asked.

"I am ok. Erik, I have some depression. Postpartum. Sebastian referred me to a specialist in Scotland. I met with her and it's going really well. Your mother knows about it and is happy as well. She wants to keep an eye on me for a few weeks so Bash was kind enough to offer his home here at Craigowan Lodge. The baby is well and we are relaxing. It's nice. Highgrove was so lonely without you, anyway."'Pearl explained.

Sebastian watched her. Her voice was solid and unwavering and she didn't show any sign of hurt or change in emotion. My god, she was such a rock, he thought.

"Does the doctor think it's serious? Are you feeling alright currently?" Erik asked.

"Oh no. Nothing serious. Just some counseling and medication monitoring. And I am feeling better everyday. I'll be fine. We are fine. Sebastian is a Highgrove with Jim keeping an eye on things and we are here. All is well." Pearl said.

"I want Bash there with you. I will call him. I'll be home in a couple of days. Until then, get some rest." Erik said.

"I will, love." She said.

They hung up and Pearl looked at Sebastian, who was beaming.

"What?" She asked.

"You're good." He said. "Really good at this. You know, when this all comes to a head and you finally move on with your life, I think we should consider making this a career." Sebastian said.

"You're funny. Real hysterical. What? Like spies?" Pearl asked.

"I'm not joking. I'm terribly serious. You and I, we could be private investigators, or some kind of intel. Solving crimes and mysteries." Sebastian said.

"A regular Sherlock Holmes, you are." Pearl joked.

"You would be Holmes, lass." Sebastian said, smiling.

"It's a idea, for sure. But you won't have time to help me. It seems Kings have a lot on their plate and you sir, are going to be the King of England." She said. Sebastian put his tea cup down and looked uncomfortable.

"What is it? What did I say?" Pearl asked.

"I just, I haven't thought about that really. Never in my life was that something I needed to think about." He said.

She reached across the table and put her hand on his. "Bash, since the day I met you, you have always been the finest man and human. You're already a king." She said. "And I'm here, I'll help any way I can. You're not alone. I'm American and obviously a hot mess that knows nothing about these things, but I'm not going anywhere. You have been here for me and I will always return that to you. After we find you a queen, I can be like your little John or something. Your Walsingham. I could be your Royal spy weapon!" Pearl joked.

Sebastian looked up and was clearly unhappy with her. He put his napkin down and excused himself from the table.

"Bash. What? What did I say?" She asked. She followed him up the stairs and he stopped halfway up and looked at her.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I don't know what you mean." She said.

"How can you joke like that? About us?" He asked, grabbing her shoulders and looking into her eyes.

"Bash, I... "

"From the moment I open my eyes in the morning until the moment I close them, you are the foremost thought in my mind. The only thought! I even dream about you, for Christ's sake! How can you keep saying I need to find a woman, date women, marry a woman when the only woman that exists, the only woman I see, since the moment I heard your voice in Edward's office that day, is you?" Sebastian asked.

Pearl looked at him and didn't know that to say, she didn't mean to offend him.

"It is offensive to me and hurtful that you say things like that because it tells me it is not reciprocated by you. And that's fine. I understand that. I can't expect that from you right now with all you are going through. But for the love of everything, please respect it at least for me. How I feel. You know how I feel. Pearl, you are my friend. That will always be the priority. But if for one second you believe that it's not you that I want beside me on that throne and in my bed for rest of my life, you're mad." He said. "It doesn't matter if you decide you can never love me like that and it never happens. It's what I want and what I see when I look to my future. It's you. It's our son. And more children. It's a life filled with happiness and trust and laughter. Friendship. Safety and love. My god, so much love. That's what I see and I see nothing else. So stop pretending you don't know that and playing this game with me." He let her go and turned to walk up the stairs. She watched him until he disappeared from sight. She sat down right where she stood and exhaled.

"I want that too, Sebastian." She whispered to herself.