Written by: Me, MrsJosephElizondo ;)
Summary: Being allowed to go through the Palace storage rooms, Queen Amelia has many questions for her Grandma, who she hoped would answer honestly. All she wanted to know was more information about her family history, and about the Grandpa she never got to meet.
Disclaimer: The Princess Diaries 1 & 2 Do NOT Belong To Me.
xXx
x How Did You Meet Grandpa? x
"Grandma?" Mia said as she entered Clarisse's suite, keeping her eyes fixed on the album in her arms, never once looking up.
Clarisse looked up from the dining table in her suite, where she had been sat going over several documents for the last hour. Her annoyance beginning to show over the fact that her Granddaughter, Queen Mia, did not know how to knock on a door. "Mia?" Clarisse asked, watching as Mia slowly looked up "Again..." She stopped when she saw Mia smiling and started to walk backwards.
"I'm sorry Grandma, I was just caught up in this photo album." Mia said as a blush crept over her face and quickly disappeared back out the door, knocking two times.
"Oh Mia." Clarisse exclaimed with a laugh as Mia popped her head around the door "Please come in." She said putting her pen down and watched her walk back in the room "What album do you have there?" She asked and turned in the seat to stand.
"Well I came across it in the storage room." Mia said walking over to her "It's full of ballerina pictures..." Coming to stand beside Clarisse, showing her the album "I just wondered if you knew who it was, or who this album belonged too." She said looking up as Clarisse took the album.
"Well it's been a long time since I saw this album." Clarisse said softly while turning a couple pages.
"Grandma?" Mia asked.
"Yes." Clarisse said looking up at her.
"Do you know who this is?" Mia asked and watched her look back down at the pictures.
"Of course I do," Clarisse said smiling back up at her "It's me."
"No way?" Mia exclaimed while taking the album and studied the pictures as Clarisse laughed.
"That was a long time ago though." Clarisse said turning and sat back at the table.
"Ahh see, now that you told me its you, I see it now." Mia said looking to the space beside her to find Clarisse had moved. Turning she saw her sat back at the table "How old were you when you used to do this?" She asked.
"Oh I started young, very young." Clarisse smiled and watched Mia sit down opposite her "My Mother always told me, and others actually...that I could dance before I could walk." Clarisse smiled across at Mia while picking up her pen.
"This is amazing, how come I never knew about this." Mia asked.
"Oh well, a lot has happened since those days." Clarisse said watching her go through the album "I even forgot, which is bad of me." Clarisse added as Mia looked up in surprise.
Smiling across at her Grandma before looking back down at the photos as Clarisse sat watching her a moment, before carrying on with the paperwork.
After several moments of silence Mia looked up, hesitating to ask the question that's been playing on her lips ever since she first met her Grandma, nearly 6 years ago. Sensing her Granddaughter staring at her, Clarisse raised her head, their eyes meeting.
"What's wrong?" Clarisse asked with a small smile.
"Nothing's wrong." Mia answered, followed with a nervous laugh and watched as Clarisse put the pen back down.
"Mia..." Clarisse said, clasping her hands together and rested them on the table in front of her "What is wrong?"
"Well I do have a question, one that I have been meaning to ask for a long time." Mia started.
"Okay, well ask away." Clarisse smiled, studying the young girl.
"Okay..." Mia said nodding and took a deep breath "How did you meet Grandpa?" She asked, unable to look up at her Grandma.
"Mia?" Clarisse said softly.
"Yes, Grandma." Mia answered.
"Please look at me." Clarisse asked and watched the young girl look up at her "Do you really want to know?"
"I do." Mia answered with a nod of her head.
"Then I will tell you." Clarisse said while standing up "But over on the couch, where its much more comfortable." She said motioning to the couch while smiling over at her Granddaughter.
"Okay Grandma." Mia smiled while standing up and made her way around to sit beside her, taking the album with her.
"Okay." She started while taking the album and opened it up, to find the picture she wanted to show her "Ahh there it is." She said resting the album back on Mia's lap and pointed to the photo of her "This photo was taken that very night I met your Grandpa." Clarisse smiled as Mia gasped "I was a professional ballet dancer touring Europe, and after the first nights performance right here in Genovia, I had no idea how much my life was about to change."
"Girls, girls." Came the voice of the ballet teacher as she entered the girls dressing room while clapping her hands, to get their attention "Listen, I have some exciting news." She smiled around the group as they all turned their attention on her "The King and Queen of Genovia loved our performance so much that they have invited us all to the Royal Palace for dinner tonight." She smiled as all the girls squealed in excitement.
"All the girls were excited except me, of course." Clarisse said smiling at Mia.
"Why not? I heard the Royal family are pretty famous around here." Mia asked "Have been for years."
"Oh they were, but I wasn't really into all that getting excited over famous people stuff." Clarisse said while looking at her.
"I seem to have a spare drink.." Came a voice from behind her, turning to see a tall handsome man stood smiling "Would you like it?" He asked.
"Okay." Clarisse smiled and watched him walk over to stand beside her, turning to face him she took the drink he offered and took a sip of the champagne before turning back to look out into the lit up gardens.
"They are beautiful aren't they?" He asked, never taking his eyes from her as she slowly looked back up at him.
"Oh yes they are." Clarisse smiled and looked back out at the gardens "I love a beautiful garden." She said nodding slightly.
"So do I." He answered.
"Here you are." Came another male voice as they both turned to him "Mother is looking for you." He smiled at him then looked at Clarisse.
"I will be along in a moment." He said looking at him then back to Clarisse "I'm sorry I have..."
"It's okay, I understand. Thanks for the drink though." Clarisse smiled.
"Will I see you again?" He asked.
"I don't know." She said shaking her head "We are moving on the day after tomorrow and I have a full day of training tomorrow."
"I see." He answered before being pulled away by his brother.
Seeing them punching each others arms and messing around as they disappeared back into the Palace, Clarisse couldn't help but giggle.
Clarisse looked at Mia as sat laughing "And what is so funny?"
"Was that Grandpa, who brought you the drink?" She asked.
"Yes, but I had no idea that it was him." Clarisse answered as Mia gasped and looked at her.
"How could you not?" Mia exclaimed.
"Well as I said before I wasn't into all the famous people or Royals, and it wasn't until we had returned to the hotel that I found out who it actually was." Clarisse answered.
"How did you find out?" Mia asked.
"Well a couple of the other dancers was ignoring me, and the girl who I was sharing a room with told me that they had seen me talking to Prince Rupert, who they all loved and they hated the fact that he took the time to talk to me and not them." Clarisse said looking at Mia.
"Oh." Mia answered and looked back down at the album "Did you see him again, before you left Genovia I mean?" She asked while looking back up at her.
"Yes, yes I did." She nodded and looked at her "It was the morning the day we were moving on to the next town. I had just finished packing my stuff when a call from reception came through, asking me to come down as there was someone who wanted to see me."
Stepping from the lift Clarisse stopped when she saw the Prince in the lobby holding a huge bouquet of flowers. Debating to herself if she should walk over or disappear back upstairs, before she could decide however, she noticed him walking towards her with a big smile. Forcing a smile, unsure what to say as he came to stop in front of her.
"You are staying here." He smiled and looked at the flowers "These are for you." He smiled while looking back at her "You are a hard person to find, even in this small town."
"How did you find me?" Clarisse asked as he passed her the flowers.
"Oh I know a few people who owed me." He smiled.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were, when we were out talking at the Palace." Clarisse said, watching him as he looked down with a laugh.
"I didn't want to scare you away." He said softly while looking back up at her "When I saw you dancing I knew right then and there that I had fallen in love with you."
"The party? It was your idea, wasn't it?" Clarisse asked him and watched as he smiled brightly and nodded.
"Though admittedly my parents both loved the performance, and agreed to it straight away." Rupert smiled "I'm glad I got to see you again, before you left."
"I... I..."
"It's okay, you don't have to say anything. Just promise me one day you will come back?" He asked.
"I can't, I'm sorry." Clarisse answered, handing him the flowers back "I can't see you again, I'm sorry." She whispered and hurried away, leaving Rupert stood with tears in his eyes.
"Poor Grandpa." Mia whispered.
"Poor Grandpa?" Clarisse exclaimed "Poor me, you have no idea what happened after that. Those girls became so spiteful towards me, doing things and blaming me. Many times I thought about quitting the ballet but stuck with it." Clarisse said watching her turn the page over "My heart was to much into it." She whispered while looking at the picture, unaware that Mia was looking at her, studying her face.
"When did you see him again?" Mia asked, smiling softly as Clarisse looked up.
"About 6 months later, I was at home with my Mother and sister when a knock came to the door..."
"I'll get it." Clarisse called out and opened the door to find Prince Rupert.
"Hello." He smiled as she stood in shock, staring at him.
"What are you doing here?" Clarisse exclaimed while looking at him "You can't be here." She said while looking down the path, seeing his two guards waiting by the car "Oh god this isn't good." She whispered to herself while raising her hands, covering her face "Wait..." She said raising her head, looking at him as he stood looking at her "How did you know where I lived?"
"Clarisse, who is it?" Her Mother called out, making Clarisse hurry back in the door.
"No one Mother." She said grabbing her coat "I'm going for a walk." She called back and hurried out the door, slamming it shut behind her "Come with me." She said grabbing his arm and pulled him away from the house as fast as she could.
Stopping by the river several moments later, she slipped on her coat and looked up at him "So how did you find me and what are you doing here?" She exclaimed in a panic.
"I have people in high places, I am a Prince after all." He answered, watching her as she remained looking at him "I wanted to see you, I haven't stopped thinking about you ever since I first set eyes on you."
"How could you fall in love with me from that first time? It's not possible." She exclaimed and started pacing a little "This can't be happening..." She said taking a deep breath "This has to be a dream? A very bad dream."
"I'm sorry, it's not." Prince Rupert answered while watching her stop and look at him "And it does happen that way sometimes... Clarisse, the reason I never told you that night at the Palace who I was, was because yes, I had found myself falling in love with you and I honestly didn't want to scare you away. Which happened anyway." He said watching her stare at him.
"Why couldn't you just tell me? I don't like it when people can't be honest." Clarisse answered and turned to sit on the bench in front of the river "Do you have any idea what I've been put through since that night?" She said watching him walk around to sit beside her.
"No, what have you been through?" He asked.
"Those girls, who has a major crush on you turned really spiteful towards me, made me wonder if I should give up my dancing." She said and looked out at the river "They hate the fact that you took the time to talk to me out in the gardens and not them." She said looking at him "They wondered how I could be there talking to you and not know who you were."
"I wondered that myself, when I was talking to you I came to realize that you had no idea." He said softly "And I'm sorry that they treated you that way, they are in my eyes, just jealous." He said and watched as she looked at him.
"I'm sorry I'm not into all the Royal business and famous people, it doesn't excite me like it does them." She said looking away.
"Please tell me you didn't stop dancing?" He asked, watching her look back at him.
"No..." She said shaking her head "My hearts in it to much." She said, watching him smile.
"Good." He said nodding and looked out at the river.
"Yeah... then what happened?" Mia said watching her Grandma as she sat day dreaming "Grandma?" She said touching her arm, smiling as Clarisse looked towards her.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Clarisse asked and looked back down at the album.
"I asked what happened next, Grandma." Mia asked again.
"Well we talked some more and went for a walk." She said looking at her "He stayed in town for a week, coming to see me as much as he could."
"Oh..." Mia said and smiled.
"And on his last night we went for a picnic under the stars." She smiled.
Laying side by side, staring up at the sky in silence. Both wondering what to say to the other, when suddenly Rupert raised his arm, pointing to the sky.
"A shooting star." He said turning his head to look at Clarisse "Make a wish." He smiled and watched as she closed her eyes.
"Okay. It's done." She smiled while turning her head to look at him as she opened her eyes, seeing him smile.
"What did you wish for?" He asked, turning to lay on his side and rest on his arm.
"Now that would be telling." She smiled and looked up into the sky while taking a deep breath.
"I wish I didn't have to return home tomorrow." He said softly and watched as she looked back at him "I've had the most amazing week, I don't want it to end."
"So have I." She whispered and smiled as he took her hand in his.
"Now that does surprise me." He said with a chuckle and kissed the back of her hand as she laying smiling up at him.
"Why so?" She asked and looked at their hands as he intertwined their fingers.
"We didn't really have a great start, did we?" He asked and watched as she nodded.
"That's true." She said, staring up into the sky.
"I hope we get to see each other again one day." He whispered, watching as she looked back at him.
"So do I." She answered.
"Would it be okay if I kissed you?" He asked.
"I think so." She answered, getting lost in his gaze as he lowered his head and pressed his lips softly to hers. Watching as she closed her eyes and moved her hand from his hand, up his arm and across the top of his back, gripping the back of his shoulder, getting caught up in the moment.
The need for air broke them apart moments later, both smiling at each other as their chests heaved, trying to catch their breath.
"Awww did he stay Grandma, or did he leave the next day?" Mia asked.
"He left, he had to." She said looking at her "He had Royal duties to attend to." She smiled.
"I see." Mia smiled as the suite door opened, making both women look towards it to see Joe appear "Grandpa, hi." She smiled.
"Hello Mia," He smiled as she stood up and kissed his cheek "Am I disturbing something?" He asked.
"Oh no no." Mia smiled while closing the album "I was just about to go anyway." She said checking the time "In fact I'm going to turn in for the night." She said leaning over and wrapped her arms around Clarisse's shoulders as she sat up "Night Grandma and thank you." She smiled and kissed her cheek.
"You're welcome darling." Clarisse smiled while rubbing Mia's arm and watched her stand up beside her "See you tomorrow?"
"Of course." Mia smiled and hugged Joe "Goodnight Grandpa." She smiled.
"Goodnight Mia." Joe smiled and watched her walk out the suite before turning back to Clarisse as she stood up "What were you talking about?" He asked, watching as she took his hand.
"Oh she asked me how I met her Grandpa all those years ago." She said kissing his hand "She found my ballerina album." She smiled while stepping closer and put her other hand up, cupping his face as she pressed her lips to his, kissing him slowly for a moment before kissing him several times while moving her hand to the back of his head "I missed you today." She whispered.
"Mmm, I missed you too." He smiled wrapping his arm around her back, taking her hand with his "And I still can't believe that you were a ballerina." He smiled "I guess that explains how you are so flexible." He smirked as she pulled her head back, looking at him in surprise "Not that I'm complaining or anything." He winked with a cheeky smile.
"You are lucky, You are very lucky that you just said that." She smiled while stepping away from the coffee table, still holding onto his hand.
"Oh I am, am I?" He smiled feeling the gently tug on his arm as she reached forward for his other hand "Clarisse?" He smiled with a twinkle in his eye.
"Yes?" She asked giving him a side glance as she smiled, walking backwards towards the bedroom door, still holding onto his hands.
Suddenly Joe rushed forward, and scooped her into his arms as she laughed out in surprise. Rushing through the bedroom door, he kicked the door closed as laughter filled the air.