Strictly[Business]

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

Amelia smiled sheepishly at the cashier as she handed her the notes, uttering a soft "Sorry about that," as she blushed. Would she forever be making blunders such as these? It seemed so.

"This will be the first time that I've ever been a part of the photography on a newspaper," said Amelia, laughing slightly. "Normally I have a by-line, and that's it. But I suppose I can bask in the glory, right?" Some people would do anything to get their picture in the paper, or on the news, but Amelia wasn't one of those people. In fact, she would much prefer to be the person writing the story about the picture. However, as long as she was in the paper with Will, she could probably tolerate it.

"I have a feeling those won't be for a newspaper at all, but rather for a tabloid," said Amelia, sighing. "Most reporters are acceptable enough to at least ask for your picture, instead of stealing it. If they need one badly enough, they can just take one out of the archives, and Photoshop it." No doubt that picture wouldn't need photoshopping. What was more interesting than a multi-million dollar liplock?

[William Drake Gardner]

As Amelia payed, Will kept a wary eye on the door. Surely, when they left they'd be hanging around out there. That was always the case. And then they'd be stalked, and some random story would come out that played no part to the truth except for the part that Amelia and Will were together. Well, Will and a 'mystery girl' anyway. He was pretty certain that no journalist had ever gotten a picture of him and Amelia together before, maybe in a group, but they'd have to dig to find her name. Then again, seeing as she was a journalist herself it probably wouldn't take very long.

"I'm sure your mothers going to be pleased with this" he laughed, imagining the look on her mothers face. Surely, it would be worth his while to pop into their house tomorrow before the papers arrived. Well, if he was back in Pemberley then anyway. And then of course, there was the question of Jules answer to what had happened, and the neighbours, etcetera. Maybe it'd be a good idea to stay on at this meeting after all. His house was going to be surrounded knowing his luck. In the past, it'd been models and actresses, well known people. In Amelia's case, there was an air of suspicion as to who this girl was.

Thank goodness she didn't care though, well seemed not to. "Tabloids suck" Will agreed. It was down to them that his life turned into farce sometimes. He'd had 'affairs' and 'relationships' and 'drug use' in the past. Mainly becaus of one dodgy photo were one eye blinked a milisecond before the other one, or a rubishly photoshopped photo. That was always the case. Except for the kisses, they usually got them pretty much right.

"As soon as they get your name, they'll want kiss and tells, inside information.. The usual" he smiled weakly. So far, none of his girlfriends had done that to him, and he was more than certain Amelia wouldn't either. But she had to be warned.

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

Amelia couldn't help but laugh at Will's comment about her mother. "Yes, no doubt Mum will be ecstatic." Knowing her mother, soon she would begin to say things like "My dear Amelia, I always knew that there was something between her and that Will Gardner. They just pretended to hate each other." Or something equally absurd. "She'll go ahead and send out the wedding invitations, and name the babies, too." Her mother tended to jump the gun like that. It was really most inconvenient.

"Yes, tabloids should rot in a bog forever. But since they're after us, we should make the most of it. You know, give them something to talk about." Amelia grinned mischievously for a moment, then hurried to clarify. "Nothing scandalous, of course, but you know, not hide from them. Like...make our displays of affection overly done when they are around, so it's not as fun for them to chase us, since anyone can see with their own eyes what we're doing, they won't need to buy a tabloid to get the inside scoop." Amelia suddenly wished she could change her name, so that they would never find out who she was. But she liked her name. Oh well, she would just hope that it took them a while to dig out who she was.

"Lucky for you, though, I don't kiss and tell. Never have, in fact." That, of course, excluded Helena, who usually got the details of everything. What else were sisters for, after all? Especially when they doubled as best friends.

[William Drake Gardner]

Will laughed. Her mother was definitely going to be one happy bunny. She always was when it came to her daughters love life. It always made Will smirk, her being so over the top and all. Thank God her daughters weren't like her. Well, yet anyway.

"You know, that's a good idea" he smirked, then turned to walk out of the shop, carrying the bag, ever the gentleman. Then that image was ruined as he slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her body into his. Well, the cameras could see whatever they wanted, but now he and her were going to put on a show. They were in love and were going to show it. As they walked out into the street some of the photographers came out and started flashing their bulbs. Will merely smirked, pulling Amelia ever closer.

"That's a good fact to know" he grinned. Well it was, at least now he didn't have to worry about another scandal that wasn't real going on. They sucked the most.

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

"I know," said Amelia, smirking. "I do occasionally have good ideas, you know..." she let her words trail off as they walked outside, and she consciously began to walk closer to him, leaning against him. She threw a brilliant smile at the press, laughing inwardly as their cameras flashed. Let them take pictures, she didn't care. After all, it was all a show. Sure, it was based in reality, but it was a show all the same.

"So, where shall we go now? I've chosen twice, so you lead this time. Where you lead, I follow," she said, grinning. She sounded so...submissive! Who would have thought that Amelia Forster would ever submit herself to the will of Will Gardner! But there was a first time for everything, obviously. Amelia brushed her curls out of her face and waited expectantly, moving her sunglasses down to shield her eyes from the camera flashes.

Amelia told herself that the cameras were just a phenomenon, soon the press would be bored enough of them, and they would be old news. If only that was true. If not, they were in for a long haul.

[William Drake Gardner]

Will smirked at her words, linking his fingers through hers and drew them to his lips as he kissed them gently. The cameras were clicking and flashing like crazy now, stupid photographers. Well, maybe being open about this relationship would be good. There was always the fact that they could make a big deal about her being non-celebrity, or who she even was. Though that'd probably be cleared up pretty quickly.

"Hmm where to go little slave" he questioned, using the words she'd just used to great sarcastic effect. "Well, I have to be back pretty soon, but you're more than welcome to come with me for dinner? Though someone will end up joining us for a while" he said agfter checking his watch. It seemed like five minutes since they'd admitted what they felt, but really it was nearly three hours. He had to be there by seven, and he still needed to shave and change. And now it was five, they had to get back to the other side of the city yet too.

"We could drop at your hotel and get something to wear? Or go buy something now?" he laughed, flapping his cash again. Stupid egoistic man, he thought as soon as he'd spoke the words. Well, if she was like his sister, she wouldn't notice, she'd whip the money out of his hands basically.

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

Amelia smiled as Will kissed her fingers. She knew that it was partly for the publicity, yet it was still one of the most romantic things that had ever been done to her. The cameras flashing about them didn't even ruin the effect.

"Of course I'll go with you," said Amelia, delighted to have been invited. She beamed at Will, then frowned, "Though I wish that I didn't have to share you. I suppose I'll have to get used to that..." She said, pretending to pout. If she had it up to herself, she would transport them to a tiny deserted island somewhere. That, however, was impractical, so she would have to learn to let other people have some of her darling Will's time.

When he mentioned clothes, a strange smile crossed Amelia's face. "I've actually indulged this trip. I saw a darling little dress in a shop's window, and I just couldn't resist, so I bought it for myself. It's red. Thank God I'm not a redhead anymore, or I wouldn't be able to pull that color off." Amelia's hair had been red when she had been a child, but had now faded to a satisfactory auburn shade.

"So yes, let's drop by my hotel. It will take me next to no time to change." She didn't have to do anything with her hair, since she had left it curly today, so that was taken care of, and all she would have to do is dress and freshen her lip gloss.

[William Drake Gardner]

"Thank god," he grinned, "If I'd of had to sit through another of those meals alone, I think I'd of screamed..." Which, was pretty much true. What guy in his early twentys wanted to sit in a hot room full of bald headed, fat, sweaty business men? Certainly not Will anyway.

Laughing at her pout, Will took her chin with his thumb and forefinger, shaking it off of her lips lightly. "Don't do that, your scarily similar to Alison when you do" he laughed. Scarily wasn't the half of it, that girl could make a nun swear, seriously. Alison McAlister always spelled trouble wherever she went. Will inwardly kicked himself for even bringing her name into this topic. The girl didn't need to be mentioned, and he'd bought her into their conversation. Quickly he got her out of his head, a quick glance at Amelia managing to do that.

"Hmm, I never saw the redhead you..." he started, fingering her hair. It was a gorgeous auburn now, and it suited her. Little Amelia, the natural beauty. Well, there went Will once more.

"Okay, just don't take hours about it" he laughed. His past with girls and dates usually was him waiting an extra hour for the girl to get her hair perfect, her makeup smudge free... Typical...

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

Amelia nudged Will slightly, trying not to laugh at loud at the mental image of him trapped in a room with horrid businessmen for hours. "If it gets too boring, I'll faint or something, to get you out of it." Wasn't that how women in the books always did it, fainting dramatically whenever they so pleased? It must have been rather convenient. Surely Amelia could pull it off just as well.

Amelia allowed a look of mock horror to spread across her face. "Not Alison McAlister! Anybody but her!" That was the one person that Amelia would hope to never look like. Not that Alison was unattractive, because to say that would be a lie. But Alison had that way about her that made Amelia certain that she was as poisonous as a viper...not to mention that Alison had been pursuing Will for ages. Too bad he was all Amelia's now.

Amelia grinned at Will. "I'm sure my mother would be all too happy to show you pictures of the red-headed me. They're quite amusing, to be sure." Amelia had been a rather funny pictures, and there were pictures of her with iguanas in her red hair, and other interesting poses that Amelia hoped that Will wouldnt' see for a long, long time.

Throwing him a look of disdain, Amelia flipped her hair snobbily over one shoulder. "Honestly, I couldn't take hours if I tried. What would I find to do in the bathroom for that long? I only have so much of a nose to powder."

[William Drake Gardner]

Will grinned as she said that. God, having her there would probably be more fun in one of those meetings than he'd had in a long time. Fainting, he could just imagine her falling on the floor and him having to carry her out the room, never to be seen again. Yeah, like that'd happen.

Will cringed slightly as he'd bought up Alison's name, but the fact that Amelia had made a joke out of it did sort of cheer him up. At least this way he knew that she didn't really see her as that much of a threat. Either that or she was just covering up, but that really wasn't like Amelia was it?

Laughing to himself, he tried to picture a redheaded Amelia, but couldn't conjure up the image. It was just too strange to think of her as anything but the Amelia he knew now, the gorgeous woman who was his.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. Take however long you need" he added rather shame-facedly. Why oh why had he just presumed she'd take forever? Hmm, maybe because of the fact that his sister and most of his exes did take that long. Some of them longer. Typical vain tarts, totally unlike Amelia.

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

Amelia smiled angelically at Will, able to tell that he felt badly for what he had done. "Don't worry, darling, I won't take long. And I'm just giving you a hard time." It was still fun to tease him, only now that she was in love with him (or perhaps she had been all along, she just hadn't admitted it) she wasn't malicious in her teasing. Before she had tried to see if she could make him look foolish, but now her teasing was all in fun.

Amelia took Will's arm and led the way to her hotel, then up the elevator to her room. "Now you can wait outside, if you wish, or in the living room." The newspaper had gotten her a suite for some absurd reason, and she didn't want to leave Will out in the cold. That would be most uncordial.

The thought of Will in her hotel room made Amelia blush. It seemed indecent, because of how they felt for one another, but she had to admit that she would also like it if he was there.

[William Drake Gardner]

"Thank god for that. You'd best not be like this all the time" he laughed. Of course he knew she was never like this, it was called teasing. Normally he hated being teased, but seeing as it was Amelia, he felt he could overlook it.

"Well, I don't really think I like waiting in the hall. I'll look like a rent boy" he grinned, imagining himself working as one of those tramps that lived by renting themselves to the upper class. God help him if he ever got that desperate. And now he had Amelia, he was pretty certain he never would.

"So, if you don't mind, I'd prefer the living room" he laughed, leaning down to brush her lips softly.

[Amelia Isabelle Forster]

Amelia had to laugh at Will's reply. Him, a rent boy? Hardly. He looked like a Prince or something, in her opinion, because of his posture and way of carrying himself, and the clothes he wore, and the car he drove, and his house...but even before she had known all that about him, she never would have mistaken him for a rent boy.

"A rent boy? Hardly. I've always known that you were somebody extraordinary." Amelia smiled cheesily, totally comfortable with saying silly things. At least she had the type of personality to allow her to get away with things like that.

As Will kissed her, Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and led him into the room. When the kiss was done, she freed him and walked backwards to the door to the bedroom, spinning at just the right moment to take her inside, and shutting the door behind her. That was called a movie exit.