Billy sighed and dropped down onto Dom’s sofa as Liberty and Dom hugged by the door, “I like you better like this than all angsty and depressed. It was all very Dawson’s Creek. I hate that show. Except I like Katie Holmes.”

Dom nodded, pulling away from her, “Yeah. She’s hot.” He glanced at Liberty, “But not as hot as you, love.”

“I’m flattered,” Liberty rolled her eyes. “I just love inadvertent not-meant-to-be-compliments compliments.”

“The point is,” Billy broke in, knowing she may carry on for hours. “I’d rather have you two being disgustingly cute even though I can’t eat three hours prior to seeing you.”

Liberty laughed, “We’re not THAT bad.”

“I have seen worse,” Billy replied fairly. “Not much worse, mind you.”

“At least we’re not having sex in front of you,” Dom stated, shrugging.

Billy put a hand to his heart dramatically, “Thank God for that.”

“Oh dear Lord,” Liberty muttered.

Dom grinned widely at her, “What, got a mental image?”

“Sadly, yes. Though it wasn’t all bad.”

Dom sighed, “I am doing all I can to keep my hands off you right now.”

Billy stood up, “I’ll just leave, shall I? Before all the clothes are thrown off?”

Giggling, Liberty shook her head, “Billy. It’s fine.”

“I should go have a look at the guestroom. See if it’s up to my standards. I hope there’s a mint on the pillow.”

“Hotel de Monaghan doesn’t do mints,” Dom stated serenely. “We are much better than Hotel de Wood, however where they do mints…we…do complimentary coffee in the morning. And the maids are more attractive.” He grinned cheekily at Liberty.

“Oh, Elijah!” Liberty jumped towards the phone. “I have to call him.”

“Why?” Billy and Dom both asked.

She stared at them oddly, “Probably because he’s our friend.” She dialed the numbers, “Honestly, you’d think you didn’t want to see him!”

“We just saw him last week,” Billy replied. “Though I do always like to see the little bugger. Invite him along to stay with us when Dom leaves you.”

Dom sighed heavily, “I do want to go, but I am hesitant.”

“To stay or not to stay, that is the question,” Billy looked serious. “You have to go, it’s a good opportunity.”

Liberty nodded, “As much as I want you to stay, you’ve got to go.”

Reluctantly, he nodded and went into the bedroom to pack.

“You’re not inviting Anaka?” Billy asked incredulously as he ran his finger down the long list of guests Liberty had compiled.

She threw a chocolate chip cookie in her mouth, chewed and swallowed before she answered, “Why not?”

“I have a list of 100 good reasons why the bloody hell not,” Billy replied, shaking his head and pressing the list back into her hands. They were sitting on the couch together eating cookies and drinking tea; Elijah was out in the kitchen getting something stronger because all the wedding plans “got him so fucking stressed out” that he felt he may keel over at any moment.

Liberty shrugged, “She’s Raya’s best friend.”

“She’s not your best friend.”

“She came clean after a while.”

“After AWHILE.”

She sighed heavily and took a pen, scratching out the offending name. “Happy, now?”

“Yes, now let me have it back so I can veto other people.” He took the clipboard, smiling happily. “It’s like I’m God. I decide who is at your wedding and who isn’t.”

Liberty rolled her eyes, though she was smiling; Elijah entered the room carrying a beer in one hand and a package in the other. “This came for you,” he tossed it onto Liberty’s lap and sunk into the chair opposite her. Elijah, Billy and Liberty were all staying at Dom’s flat in England while he filmed a new movie in Australia, which he had left for two months prior. Liberty had been okay to stay by herself, but Dom insisted she either go with him or have a chaperone because she regularly had mini panic attacks about the wedding preparations. Raya had said she’d look in on her from time to time, but Dom being Dom was not satisfied by this and Orlando, being Orlando, had said this was impossible as Raya had to stay off her feet. She was pregnant again, just about ready to give birth to the second Bloom child, and 2 year old Priya’s first sibling.

It was a year since the engagement and Dom and Liberty still hadn’t set a date for the wedding which made the plans hard, but not completely undoable. Elijah and Billy, the wedding planners (or ‘helpers’ as they called themselves) kept pressing Liberty to make a decision, but something was stopping her. It was anyone’s guess what, as the two of them were blissfully and almost sickeningly happy. Dom was busy filming his new movie, and soon they’d all be going to New Zealand for ROTK pick-up’s, and Liberty was nearly done with college. At twenty two, she had one more year left before she got her degree in fashion design. All the while, she and Raya (who was now eating fruit AND sneaking Mexican when Orlando wasn‘t looking) were designing their own clothing line which was really starting to take shape. Liberty had also been taking photography classes so that she could photograph their designs; she and Viggo had a good time going on expeditions together taking pictures of random things that only the true photographer’s eye can really catch.

Priya was going through her terrible twos, which meant that Orlando was even more hesitant to leave her alone with Raya. He insisted Raya take it easy and had even suggested they get a nanny, but Raya wouldn’t have it. She said she’d grown up with a nanny and would much prefer her children be nurtured and looked after by their own parents. Orlando couldn’t argue with this and so he, instead, took jobs that he could film in England and stay home with his family.

“What is it?” Elijah asked, swigging his beer and indicating the package in Liberty’s lap.

She began tearing it open, “It’s from Dom.”

“He called here last night, after you’d collapsed on your sketch for class.” Billy scrambled to pull a piece of paper towards him, off the coffee table. “Here’s the message.”

Liberty laughed, took it from him and scanned it; her eyes widened, “Billy, this is rather graphic.”

Billy shrugged, “I may have embellished…a bit.”

“A bit?” Liberty echoed, handing the paper to an anxious Elijah. “Dom has never…said those things about…my body.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Billy replied. “You can’t invite Dom’s old Aunt Gertrude. She calls everyone a Jew.” He took Liberty’s pen from her hand and began to scrabble it out, but she pulled it back, giving him a chastising look.

Elijah, looking scandalized, coughed, “Erm, I hope Dom didn’t say these things. And I sure as hell don’t think he intended for you to draw this really, really promiscuous sketch here in the corner.”

“Sketch?” Liberty took the paper back, her mouth hanging open. “BILLY BOYD!”

He ignored them, staring at the list, “I’m not on this list. I’m highly offended.”

Liberty threw the pen at him as she pulled the rest of the box open. “Add it on, though I’m sure I put you at the top.”

“Oh, there I am. Next to The Blooms (3). It’ll be four by the time the wedding rolls around.”

“You can change it,” she said off handedly, pulling the box open and gazing inside. There was a letter on top of a very shimmery looking purple fabric. She read it, her hand over her mouth and then set it gingerly aside to pull the fabric out. It tumbled in rolls to the floor showing a very immaculately done beaded bodice and flowing ball gown.

Billy snorted, “Where are you going to wear that to? The Knighting of Elton John?”

Liberty fingered the smooth fabric, “No, it’s for the premiere of Return of the King. He says he wants me to look good when we announce our engagement.”

“Elton John’s already been knighted,” Elijah commented, sticking a cookie in his mouth from Liberty’s stash. “Don’t people wear black to a knighting ceremony?”

Billy scowled at him, “I was making a joke. It’s something funny people do.” Elijah just shrugged, chugging his drink. “Did Dom send a tiara?”

“No,” Liberty laughed. “But he’s coming home next week. Thank God, I miss him like crazy.”

“I’m sure he misses you, judging by that message he left.”

Liberty flushed, “Billy. Shut up.”

“I have a serious question,” Elijah said, his voice sounding too serious even for him. “Has it been hard not seeing Dom for two months?”

“You’ve no idea,” Liberty replied, standing up and heading for the bedroom where she intended to hang the dress up.

“We should go out tonight,” Billy remarked. “You too, Lib. You can’t just sit around and become a spinster while Dom’s off cohorting with the locals.”

Elijah chuckled, “That’s hilarious, Billy. Dom hasn’t even left his hotel room except to go to the set or the pub downstairs. I hardly think he’s living it up.”

Liberty padded back into the room, her bare feet making thuds against the wood floors. “I can’t go out. I have class tomorrow and I have this paper due on London’s fashion in the 1400’s.”

“What kind of class is THAT for?” Billy made a face.

Liberty plopped down onto the couch, pulling a large textbook into her lap. She tightened her ponytail and said, “History of Fashion.”

“Oh, of course,” Billy replied, laughing. “Don’t you have a nice business management class? Or math even?”

“Yes,” she replied. “But I haven’t got homework from either of those. Well. I did, but I finished it.”

Billy smiled, “You’re so good.”

She shrugged, “Elijah helped me.”

“She’s terrible at math,” Elijah remarked, reaching for the controller and flipping on the television.

“What else needs to be done for the wedding?” Billy asked seriously. “Elijah, turn Pop Idol off, we don’t need to watch it.”

Elijah pouted, “I do, I want to see who wins.”

Ignoring him, Billy turned to Liberty expectantly.

“I have the guest list done, the food list…I just need to book the church and the reception hall, book the caterers, get invitations, register…and, oh yeah, set a date.”

“Well, do that then,” Billy stated evenly, setting her clipboard on the table and settling back to watch TV with Elijah. “It’ll be your homework for Billy Boyd’s class called ‘How To Have A Wedding.’ It’s all the rage in Europe.”

Liberty was sneering at Billy when the phone rang and she picked it up. “Hellloooooooo, this is Liberty Crane speaking, Billy Boyd’s secretary. I’m sorry to say that his wedding class is all filled up, but can I take your name and number and he’ll alert you as to when another one will be in progress?”

“No, thank you,” said a cool voice. “I’m already married. There’s no need to have a class on it.”

“Hey Raya,” Liberty grinned. “What’s up?”

“I just got a most peculiar call from Dominic.”

“Did you?” Liberty looked puzzled. “I haven’t spoken to him for about two days. I got this really lovely dress today, though, for the ROTK premiere. He sent it from some hot designer in Australia.”

“We’re designers. We should be making our own.”

“Be that as it may---” Liberty trailed off. “Is that Priya screeching?”

Raya sighed, “Yes, Orlando’s force feeding her fruit. Actually he’s getting her dressed, we’re going out to dinner with my parents.”

“Oh, nice,” Liberty said, settling back on the couch. “She obviously would rather go naked.”

“Lately, she’s just being disagreeable for kicks.” Raya laughed, “She’s a spit-fire, this one.”

“I can tell. Anyway. About the call?”

“Oh, yes. Well, he asked if I’d spoken to you lately and I said, no, that I hadn’t in a few days and he wondered whether you’d set a date yet. I said of course she would alert you before she’d tell me. Wouldn’t you?”

Liberty had found it hard to concentrate with Priya’s screeching on Raya’s end and Billy and Elijah’s making fun of the contestants on her end, but had mostly got the gist of what she was saying, “Erm. Yes, he’d be the first to know. However, I figured we’d talk about it together and decide TOGETHER.”

“You should tell him that,” Raya said and Liberty heard Orlando curse; Priya stopped screeching. “Priya just kicked Orlando in the shins.”

“Why?”

“She doesn’t like being forced into things.”

“That’s admirable.”

“Have you talked to Sean?”

“Sean? No. What‘s going on?”

“He and Christine aren’t doing the ROTK premieres. She’s pregnant, and she’s due in December.”

Liberty squealed, “That’s awesome! Alexandra will have a sibling!”

“I know, it’ll be really lovely for them. Oh, Lord. Priya! No, don’t drink grape juice while you’re wearing a white dress!” There was a scuffle and then Orlando came on the line. “Hey Libs.”

“Hey, Orlando,” Liberty replied warmly. “Long time no see.”

“How are the hobbits treating you?”

“Fine. How are your shins?”

“Bloody awful. Never have a two year old. Make sure they come out of your womb at three. Or four, even. I’ve heard four is a good age.”

“I’ll make a note of that.”

“Not that I don’t love her. God knows I love her more than anything…” He trailed off and Liberty felt a flood of affection towards him.

“It’ll get better. I remember wanting to both hug and throttle my little brother when he was that age.”

Orlando chuckled wanly, “Raya is getting Prie’s jacket on, but she wants you to know she really called because she has a meeting tomorrow with someone from Vogue about them featuring your business. I’m going to be on set. We need a babysitter.”

“I have class,” Liberty said. “I’m sorry. You know I’d jump at the chance to watch Priya otherwise.”

“What’re Billy and Elijah doing? I wouldn’t ask if we weren’t desperate, you know I’d rather have her be with more…responsible adults.”

Liberty cupped her hand over the receiver and interrupted Elijah and Billy’s viewing of a very tall bloke singing ‘I Will Always Love You’ way off pitch and relayed the situation to them. “What time, Orlando?” she asked at last.

She could hear muffled talking and then he said, “Her meeting is at noon.”

“Oh, well I have class at 7 until 11 and then not until 3. Will someone be back by three to take over?”

“Raya should be back by then. I’m on set until midnight tomorrow.” He yawned.

“Well, Billy and Lij say they’ll come with me and take over when I have to leave if no one’s back.”

“Splendid, thanks so much, Libs.”

“No problem. See you tomorrow.”

“Wish me luck. Claire hasn’t seen my new hairdo yet.” He laughed and rang off.

Billy was chuckling when Liberty turned back to them, “May God be with him, when Claire sees his Mohawk.”

“He’s had it before,” Elijah commented.

“She never saw it. Orlando is really skilled at wearing hats. In fancy restaurants, they make you take them off, though. I wish I were there, just to see her appalled expression.”

Liberty laughed, “It will be good times. Christine’s pregnant again.”

Elijah and Billy nodded, “We know. Sean called us yesterday. You must have been at class.”

“I miss everything,” she sighed. “I can’t wait till I’m out of school.”

Billy agreed, “Nor can I. Except we won’t get visits from hot college students.”

Liberty uncapped a highlighter and looked strangely at him, “Yeah, yesterday when Noel dropped my notes off…I could tell you were attracted to him right away.”

“I didn’t fancy that bloke, Noel,” Billy retorted. “I was talking about that girl called Skylar.”

Elijah rolled his eyes, “She was too earthy. Her real name was, what, Donna? And she changed it to be ‘more in tune with the earth‘?”

“There’s nothing wrong with a bit of tree hugging,” Billy chastised. “Dom does it and you don’t say derogatory comments about HIM.”

“Skylar liked you,” Liberty said, her eyes on her book. “She said you were humorous.”

“Those were her exact words?” Liberty nodded and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

Elijah coughed, “Hey, have you heard from Alexia lately?”

Liberty looked up, “Not since she left, why?”

“He fancied her like mad,” Billy said offhandedly, his eyes on the television.

“I didn’t,” Elijah argued. “She was stimulating. We had interesting conversations.”

Liberty couldn’t help the grin that spread across her lips, “She thought you were gay.”

Billy let out such a huge bark of laughter that Liberty jumped; he fell off the couch he was laughing so hard. “Poor Elijah,” he wiped tears from his eyes. “Leave it to him to fancy a girl who thought he was gay.”

Elijah scowled, his arms crossed across his chest; Liberty shut her book and looked at him, reaching out to put a comforting hand on her arm, “Actually. She said anyone that hot MUST be gay. She knows he’s not, of course, after what happened between he and I.” She coughed and went back to her book, uncomfortable with the subject which they hadn’t discussed for a very, very long time.

“She should come back,” Billy said, nodding at them both vigorously. “That one week she spent here two weeks ago was certainly not enough.”

Liberty rolled her eyes, “It was enough for her, let me tell you. She’s not used to living with guys.”

Billy looked affronted, “My jock strap hanging on the back of the bathroom door was off-putting?”

“Slightly,” Liberty replied, laughing.

“Probably she couldn’t control her urges around us,” Billy said knowledgably. “Elwood’s hotness was too much for the poor girl.”

“Maybe it was your kilt,” Elijah suggested, not so lightly.

Billy stuck his tongue out to show that this assumption was not correct. “That can’t be it,” he said after a moment. “Girls are attracted to the kilt. It’s an immediate babe magnet. You should try it. Or maybe your legs are too pasty pale.” He sniffed haughtily. “Or too hairy.”