A/N: I just wanted to thank all you amazing people for reading any of my stories, for adding them to your favourites list, for following them or for leaving me a wonderful review. Also thank you to those who have added my profile to your favorites/follows. As always your support is very much appreciated and I can't thank you enough.

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On The Beach - Part 1.

Sitting down, Joseph finally had five minute's to himself after a busy morning. He had been up extra early that morning, he was one member of staff down and needed to do the missing mans jobs as well as his own. It was midmorning, and after making sure the Queen, his Queen, was safe in her office he took the time to sit, have a coffee and rest his eyes for a few moments.

Sipping his coffee, he suddenly remembered what day it was today. Raising his head he looked at the wall, realizing that's why his Queen was off with him, and with everyone else too. The last several years haven't been easy, first there was the car crash that had claimed his King's life. He, himself had been driving his King, and his Queen home after an event just out of town when the truck hit them from the side. King Rupert had taken the full impact, passing away on the way to the hospital. Both Joseph and Queen Clarisse wasn't given much hope, but to everyone's surprise they both pulled through.

The recovery was a long one, made even harder for Clarisse, she had lost her husband, her best friend, father of her two sons. She had become both mother and father, both King and Queen all in the space of a few hours. But Joseph helped and supported her best he could. He was by her side every step of the way, a shoulder to cry on, a confidant and the more time they spent together, the more the feeling of love between them grew and eventually three years after King Ruperts passing they admitted their feelings for each other, becoming a private couple with the blessing of the two prince's Pierre and Philippe. They were all, finally able to move on and start being a family again.

And then there was Philippe's accident last year, he had spent the weekend with them as a family at the beach house they owned. Rupert had bought it when the boys were little, they spent the summers there every year as the boys grew up, and even when they became teenagers, young adults and grown men they still wanted to go on the family holiday. As when they were there, they were a normal family, no talk of meetings, parliament or anything Royal. It had been a stricked rule that King Rupert had put in place, and they stuck to it.

Leaving before everyone else after a fun packed weekend, Philippe wanted to get back to town to catch up with some friends before heading back to England. But he never made it, on the drive home there had been an accident. They still don't really know what happened that day, Clarisse refused to hear the details. All she knew was that her son, her baby, had died. She didn't want to know why, or even how, and everyone respected her wishes.

Shaking his head, Joseph couldn't believe it had been a year already. He remembered that the holiday had been cut short, and she refused to go back. Neither he or Pierre mentioned about going this year, deciding that if there was to be a holiday there this year then Clarisse would tell them, but she never did, so they left it.

Finishing his coffee, Joseph thought about getting back to work. Making Clarisse's office his first stop. But giving the top of his head a rub, he didn't hear the footsteps down the hallway leading to his office door.

"Joseph?" Clarisse said softly from the doorway, surprising him.

"Clarisse?" He said softly back while quickly standing to his feet "What are you doing down here?" He said, watching her make her way over to him.

"I'm ready." She said quietly and looked down at her hands, messing with a set of keys.

Joseph's gaze followed hers, realizing what keys she had in her hands he nodded slightly and raised his head "Are you sure?" He asked, and watched as she looked up at him.

"I am." She nodded.

"Then I will arrange it," He said softly while stepping closer, wrapping his arms around her as she turned her head and rested it on his chest.

"Can you and I just go?" She asked.

"If that's what you want, then I will make sure it's just us." He said, gently rubbing her back.

"Thank you." She said quietly and lifted her head, looking up into his eyes.

Reaching his hand up, he pushed a bit of stray hair back behind her ear before brushing the back of his fingers gently over her cheek, causing her to close her eyes momentarily.