Drowning in the Rain
A/N: This scene is so fun to play with. So many what-ifs! I came up with this while doing the dishes and listening to music. In this scenario, Clarisse goes after Joseph in the pouring rain. Silly nonsense, but please R&R anyway, I love feedback, and you've all been so lovely.
"But if you prefer, that I see you first and foremost as my queen, I shall oblige."
"No, Joseph…" she reached out to touch his face, but his robotic "Your Majesty," made her stop short.
Joseph finally managed to pry her fingers off of his wrist, and turning on his heel he exited into the rain.
Clarisse stood, bewildered by what had just happened. Slamming her hand down on the CD player, she felt the tears well in her eyes.
"Your Majesty?" Charlotte asked, hesitantly.
"Not now, Charlotte, please."
"Your Majesty…Clarisse. Go get him. You can't let it end here."
Clarisse froze. "Charlotte…"
"I know I'm way out of line here, but…"
Clarisse cut her off. "No. Charlotte, thank you. I needed a push. I was too scared to do it all alone."
Charlotte smiled to herself as Clarisse stepped out into the rain in the direction Joseph had gone. For a moment, she thought that perhaps he had really run away, but she soon found him stretched out on a bench, letting the rain soak him.
"Joseph?" she said softly. He didn't answer. "Joseph, I know you can hear me. Will you please just listen?"
Still, he didn't answer her, but he made no move to get up so she figured he had no choice but to listen to her.
"I was scared, Joseph." She knelt on the ground beside him. "Darling, there's something I don't think I ever actually told you. I do want to marry you, that's all I've ever wanted. I love you, more than anything, you must know that. My whole life I've had to be concerned about how the public views me. Charlotte just helped me, though. She told me that I couldn't let this, what we have, end here." She paused for a breath, unsure what to say next. "She was right, Joseph, I can't. For the first time in my life, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I love you, and that's all that matters to me. Joseph, will you let me take back what I said earlier?"
Very slowly, Joseph sat up. Rising to his feet, he pulled her up with him. "Are you sure?" he asked her in a soft voice.
"Absolutely sure." She replied. He said nothing for a moment, and she was afraid that he wouldn't forgive her, but then he swept her into his arms and kissed her.
"Oh, my darling Clarisse. Finally."
Clarisse and Joseph watched from the back of the church as Mia abolished that marriage law. Mia called Lionel over, and when Charlotte handed Clarisse her earpiece, she said, "Grandma, Joe, why let all this go to waste?"
Slowly they turned to each other. Joseph cast a glance at the members of Parliament, then his gaze returned to his fiancée. She lifted her chin defiantly.
"Let's do it." She said, smiling.
"Woo hooo!" cried Mia.
Later that night, after the party had wound down, Clarisse and Joe were snuggled up together, relaxing on the sofa in her suite. They hadn't spoken about that day in the rain, but something was bothering Clarisse at the back of her mind. Tilting her head up to look at her husband, she said, "Joseph, what were you doing, when I found you on that bench?"
Joseph hugged her tighter to him, and said in a low voice, "Drowning in the rain."