Winter Just Wasn't My Season

A/N: This story was inspired by the song lyric in "2am," and the fact that I hate winter. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it. I've just realized that this is kind of the opposite of CrtJester and LittleObsessions' "In the Winter." And I adore that story, so it was not my intention to write one so similar, sorry. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, and please review.

"I'm kidnapping you," Joseph announced as he walked into his wife's office one morning.

"Oh, are you?" she replied, tilting her head up for a kiss as he came to stand beside her.

"Yes," he said matter-of-factly. "You're working too hard."

"Joseph, as much as I would love to go with you, I have to meet with Sebastian Motaz about…"

"I was under the impression that Mia was queen now." Joe said moving to stand by the window.

"She is, but she's only been the queen for three months Joseph. She still needs help." Clarisse tried to reason with him.

"And you can't spare me one day? Winter is coming soon and we…"

"I know." She interrupted and her tone made him stop short.

"What is it, darling?" he asked worriedly, crossing the room to her side again.

"You know how I hate winter." She told him softly. Joseph pulled her out of the chair and into his arms.

"Yes, I know. But darling we're together now. Have a little faith, maybe this winter won't be so bad."

"I have a bad feeling though every time I think about it. It's almost as though this, what we have now, is too wonderful, and I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop." She sighed, leaning against him more.

Suddenly, Mia bounded into the office with Sebastian Motaz and Charlotte not far behind. Joseph loosened his grip on Clarisse, expecting her to pull away and install herself behind her desk. She didn't however, instead wrapping her arms tighter around him.

"Parliament session is finally over!" Mia exclaimed, then noticed the expression on her grandmother's face. "Grandma, are you okay?"

"I'm all right, Mia. I'm just a little out of sorts today, that's all."

"Sebastian," Joseph said, addressing the Prime Minister, "Would it be possible to postpone your meeting?"

"No, Joseph." Clarisse looked up at him.

"I'm not taking no for an answer." He told her gently, but firmly.

"Of course we can reschedule, Your Highness." Sebastian said, then abandoned the formality as he so often did, " You look like you could use a day off, Clarisse."

"Oh, all right!" Clarisse relented, turning to Charlotte. "Charlotte, could you clear my schedule for the rest of today?"

"Already done, ma'am." Charlotte replied.

"Already done? You were set on kidnapping me, weren't you?" Clarisse said, looking up at her husband, mildly amused.

"Yes, and now you have no reason not to go along with it," he said smugly.

"So where are you taking her?" Mia asked, grinning at her grandparents.

"That's for me to know and you to find out when we return." Joe said mischievously.

"Oh, fine!" Mia said, pretending to pout childishly. Everyone laughed and Joseph said, "Come along darling. It's nearly twelve o'clock." He drew his wife towards the door.

"Have fun!" Mia said, as they said their goodbyes and left. "He's up to something." She said to Charlotte and Sebastian.

"Perhaps," Sebastian mused. "What do you think, Charlotte?"

"Maybe he just wants to spend time with his wife." She said "I'm sure you'll find out when they return."

OOOOOOooooooooOOOOOO

"Joseph, where are you taking me?" Clarisse asked for the millionth time. They had taken one of the smaller limos, just the two of them. Joseph drove, Clarisse beside him.

"I told you, I'm not telling!" he said. She turned to look out the window, and the car was silent for a few minutes.

"The leaves are almost all gone."

Joseph didn't know how to respond to that, so he kept silent. When he parked the car on the beach, he turned to face her. Tears were streaming down her face. Hurrying out of the car, he came around and pulled her into his arms. "Darling, what's wrong? What are you thinking about?" he asked, worriedly.

She clung to him and whispered, "Not thinking, Joseph. Remembering."

The cold November wind whipped through twelve-year-old Clarisse's hair as she stood on the beach behind her house. Why did she have to go to the opera with her parents? Why couldn't she go to the movie theater with the other girls? Clarisse heard the rustle of her mother's dress behind her, but didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry you're upset, darling." Her mother said over the crash of the waves. "But believe me when I tell you that the opera will give you a much more cultured background, and that will prove useful to you."

"Why can't I go to the cinema like a normal girl? All my friends are going to see 'State of the Union' tonight." Clarisse said, then shuddered at how childish she sounded.

"Darling, I'll make a deal with you. If you don't like it, I'll take you to see the movie tomorrow. Just the two of us, okay?" her mother said.

"All right." Clarisse said, turning to face her mother.

"You're going to love it, Clarisse. Madame Butterfly is my absolute favorite." Her mother exclaimed as she led Clarisse back inside.

Clarisse and Joseph were sitting on the beach now, his back against a rock and she, lying in his arms her head on his shoulder. Joseph wondered what had caused her to fall apart. She had told him the story of her first time at the opera, but she had never mentioned her mother.

"Then what happened, darling?" he asked, smoothing a hand over her hair, "What has you so upset?"

She was silent for a moment. Then, hugging him tighter, she took a deep breath to begin again.

"Mother, it was wonderful! I just adored it!" Clarisse gushed as she left the opera house with her parents.

"I'm glad you liked it, darling. I knew you would." Her mother replied.

"I'm sure the movie was nothing compared to this," Clarisse said as she climbed into the backseat of the car.

Her father slid into the driver's seat, having given the driver the night off. A light rain began to fall as they began their journey home. It was nearing midnight and Clarisse made herself comfortable in the backseat. She could feel herself beginning to drift off to sleep. Her parents were talking softly in the front seat but about what she didn't know. Nor did she care. Clarisse was being lulled to sleep by the steady swishing of the windshield wipers. The last things she heard were the rain on the glass, the low murmur of her parents voices, and then, her mother's bloodcurdling scream.

Joseph felt Clarisse shudder, and tightened his grip on her. He couldn't decide whether or not this trip to the beach had been a good idea. Joseph almost didn't register when she began to speak again, he was so caught up in the worry that he had caused his wife unnecessary pain.

"Joseph, this isn't your fault. It has nothing to do with coming here." She said softly.

"You read my mind again. How do you do that?" he said in an equally hushed tone.

"I know you too well." She replied.

"Never." He told her, smiling gently.

"I've been thinking about this night for a few days now."

Clarisse awoke to find herself in a strange place. All around her she saw white. Suddenly, she figured out where she was. A hospital. But where were her parents? She tried to sit up, but was scolded when a nurse bustled in.

"You just like back down, miss. You're going to hurt yourself if you sit up too soon." She said, coming to Clarisse's bedside.

"Please," Clarisse said, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"It was an accident. Some drunk rammed into your car at an intersection. Of course he walked away without a scratch. It's always the innocent that get hurt the most…" she trailed off, realizing that she was rambling.

"And my parents? Are they all right?" Clarisse asked anxiously.

"Your father is fine just a bump on the head like you." The nurse stopped, looking nervous. Clarisse's father entered behind her. "Oh, sir! You shouldn't be up and around yet."

"I have to speak with my daughter," he said, his eyes red, and his voice rough.

"What's wrong, father?" Clarisse asked, "Where's mother?"

Her father came to sit on the edge of her bed. "Darling, I don't know how to say this. Your mother, she got hit the worst. She… she didn't make it."

Clarisse was sobbing again. Joseph held her as tight as he could, wanting more than anything to take away the pain she was feeling. Though he suspected that she had never talked about this with anyone, and that this release of tears was a good thing.

"I'm so sorry, my darling. I had no idea. If I'd known I would never have brought you here." Joseph said apologetically.

"Don't be sorry," she choked out. "Thank you, Joseph."

"For what?"

"For being here. For loving me. For just being you."

"I'll always be here, love. Nothing can separate us now."

A/N: I promise that there will be less back and forth in the chapters to come. I wanted to set up the general idea of the story. Please, review! Lizz