TITLE: SECOND HUSBANDS
RATED: Late Teen
DISCLAIMER : I don't own The Princess Diaries, One Special Night or
Eloise or its characters and I don't make any money from this story.
Only the original characters, plots and ideas belong to me.
SUMMARY : Eloise / One Special Night/Princess Diaries crossover
story. The story starts 3 years after the conclusion of "One Special
Night", and 1.5 years before "PD 2", let's call it 2002. Which means I
could not stay true to "Eloise" and make it be the 1950s, it takes
place right after Eloise at Christmastime, relationship wise, only
present day, or 2002 I should say.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It seems I can't stay away form fan fiction or
crossovers. I really liked intertwining the lives of Nanny and
Clarisse in my last fanfic and was happy to add Catherine to the mix
in this one. This story starts with three couples in different stages
or their relationships: one married, one having something of a secret
relationship, and one shyly waiting for a relationship to begin.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
CHAPTER ONE: MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING
Catherine walked in the door of their suite at The Plaza Hotel and was
happily surprised to see a Christmas tree set up by the window. It was
Christmas morning. She had been working all night at the Hospital.
Several emergencies arose overnight and she simply couldn't get away.
She knew Robert would be disappointed, but seeing the tree gave her
hope that their Holiday may be salvaged.
They had moved to New York last year, when Catherine took a job at New
York Presbyterian Hospital as Chief Pediatric Cardiologist. The offer
came at an awkward time in her life. She and Robert had only been
married for six months, his family had finally excepted her after two
years of awkwardness and it seemed the wrong time to move, but they
truly needed her at the hospital and Robert could see she wanted to
take the job. He knew she needed to work with children, to save
children. It's what completed her, and so he supported her decision
and they had moved into The Plaza Hotel as their full time residence,
although they kept their cabin in Connecticut as well.
Catherine worked much more then she would like, a fact which she knew
was wearing on her marriage and would have to change very soon. She
had little time for Robert, as well as family or friends. She winced
thinking of her only friend here in New York. She was supposed to have
visited Nanny yesterday evening. She had a gift for her and she knew
Nanny was feeling particularly lonely due to the Holiday and being
alone. She tried to shrug it off, making a mental note to visit her
today and secretly hoping that Nanny might spend some time with Sir
Wilkes, their sweet, albeit slightly boring neighbor that Nanny seemed
to have a terrible crush on.
Catherine put her things down and made her way over to the tree to
look it over. Robert had done a wonderful job decorating it. She
wished she could have been here with him last night. Hearing the floor
creek behind her, she turned and met his gaze.
"Your late", he said, although with a smile, "by about twelve hours"
"I'm so sorry darling", she said as she embraced him, "I wanted to be
here, but there were emergencies that needed my immediate attention",
she pulled away to look him in the eye, "I know I have been working
too much. I don't like it any more then you do and I promise you
things are going to change. I will speak with the board when I return"
"Return?", he asked, holding his wife securely in his arms, her face
mere inches from his.
"I have two whole days off. I was promised NO interruptions!"
"Yeah right", he laughed. Never in the three years that they had been
together, had the medical community left her alone for that long. He
was enormously proud of his wife. She was incredibly smart and
talented, she saved lives, children's lives, including the life of his
own granddaughter. However, at times he missed her so much that all he
wanted was her beside him, as selfish as it may be.
"It's true! A specialist from Washington flew in last night and he
will be taking over for the next couple days, but I am hoping he will
stay for the long hall. It would give me much more freedom"
"Well, then I certainly hope he sticks around too. I've missed you
kid, you know that?"
"Yes", she said with a smile, pulling him closer, "Now, we have two
whole days. Do you really want to spend them talking?"
"We can talk later", he agreed with a smile, as he kissed her sweetly
and began inching back towards the bedroom.
She kissed in back, with much more passion, making him laugh, "Well,
Merry Christmas to me!", he said laughing as he scooped her up in his
arms and carried her into the bedroom.
"Oh Robert, put me down! You'll throw your back out"
"Nonsense! Besides, you love it when I pick you up. You need to be
picked up sometimes"
She smiled at him. He was right, "Merry Christmas Howard"
"Merry Christmas Millie", he smiled in return, using their code names
from three years before. The Holidays were a special time for them, a
time when all the memories of their first falling in love came
flooding back to them.
Robert kicked the door closed and they enjoyed their Christmas morning
together. Alone. Later that day there would be family and friends and
food and presents, but right now it was just them. Catherine shut off
her cell and threw the phone off the hook, before they became
completely lost in one another, the greatest gift of all.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Clarisse huffed as she looked out the window of the limousine. Joseph
could hear her from the drivers seat and tried to smother a chuckle.
"Don't think I can't see that smirk on your face in the mirror Joseph!"
"I'm sorry, your majesty", he said seriously. He knew from past
experience, that terms of endearment were best left for when she was
in a better mood.
"Amelia is nineteen years old! She should know better then this! How
will she ever survive as a Queen if she does not learn how to be
organized?"
"She'll make a fine Queen. Remember, she doesn't have Charlotte to
organize her schedule for her", he said in Princess Mia's defense. He
could feel her giving him a look and decided to change the subject,
"It will be nice for you to see your sister"
"Yes", Clarisse said flatly, looking back out the window. New York was
such a busy city, especially this time of year.
"You don't sound too excited. I thought you were rather found of Catherine"
"Well, of course I am Joseph! You know that. She is my twin sister! I
haven't seen her in ages, being both busy women, living on different
sides of the world. Of course I am excited to see her!"
"I apologize, my darl... your majesty"
"Oh, don't apologize Joseph. You have done nothing wrong. I am the one
in the fowl mood. I suppose I am just rather disappointed that I won't
be spending Christmas with Mia... Or Pierre this year. I won't even be
spending Christmas in Genovia!"
"Yes. You did go to a lot of trouble to spend the Holiday with young
Mia. I must say it was rather irresponsible of her to not have checked
her mother's plans before you jumped through hoops to get here, only
to have plans changed half way to America"
"Exactly. Very irresponsible! Does she truly have the makings to be a
Queen Joseph?"
"She is young, and will make mistakes, but yes. I have faith in her"
"Yes, so do I", Clarisse admitted, looking out the window once more.
"I know you will miss the younger generation this Christmas, and of
course the people of Genovia", he said as he pulled up to The Plaza
and parked, "but you will have a wonderful time with your sister I am
sure", he watched as a crowd formed, to see what royalty had arrived
at The Plaza Hotel. These flags on the limo were a blessing, parking
was a dream, and a curse!
"Yes. I am happy to spend the Holiday with Catherine, and Robert, I
have only met him the one time. It will be enjoyable, being with them"
"Indeed", Joseph said looking back at her in the mirror, as she looked
up and met his gaze.
"... and you", she continued.
Joseph's mouth curled into a half smile.
"Please forgive my mood. I never intend to take things out on you Joseph"
"I'm aware of that... My darling"
Clarisse flushed slightly and looked away, but he could see the smile
on her face.
"Shall we?", he asked, taking another look at the crowd.
"Yes", she replied, as she waited for him to make his way through the
crowd. He motioned to the security guards in the black car behind them
and four guards made their way over and cleared a path for the queen,
before Joseph opened her door. He reached in and offered her his hand,
which she took and stepped out onto the sidewalk, clad in her elegant
coat, heels and black sunglasses. She heard a few shouts from people
in the crowd who knew who she was and gave a polite queenly wave,
before entering The Plaza. Joseph's hand rested lightly on the small
of her back, as per usual.
Charlotte had stayed in Genovia for the Holidays, as did Joe's second
in command, Shades. So Joseph took it upon himself to check the
Queen's party in, as the other guards waited with her a few yards away
in the lobby. Clarisse herself would be staying with Catherine, as
would Joseph, seeing how they had two guest bedrooms and the Queen did
need security at all times. The rest of the security team would stay
in a suite downstairs, their presence would only be needed when they
left the hotel.
After checking in, the security team made their way to their floor in
the elevator, along with Joe and Queen Clarisse. When they got to
their floor they looked to Joe, who nodded they were free to go and
wished them all a Merry Christmas, as did the queen. After the doors
closed, they rode up to the sixteenth floor in silence, the elevator
operators back to them. Joe took her hand in his. As they reached
their floor and exited the elevator, Joe moved his hand back to her
back. Then, as they approached Catherine's door, Joseph pulled
Clarisse into the nearby stairwell, which was deserted.
He looked at her questioning face for a moment before kissing her
passionately. He legs turned to jelly below her, and she clung to him
to keep from falling. She put a hand on his chest after a moment,
stopping the kiss.
"Joseph! Are you mad? We could be caught!"
"I'm sorry my darling. I simply... It's Christmas and I am uncertain
of when we will be alone again. I just needed to wish you a Merry
Christmas, properly. I'm sorry", he said, releasing her.
Clarisse caught his hand as soon as it left her waist and kissed his
palm, "Please don't apologize darling. Merry Christmas!", she said
before sliding her hands behind his neck and pulling him in for
another kiss.
This one was even more passionate, and a heat generated between them
which neither could control. Joseph found himself gently pushing her
against the wall and allowing his hands to roam over her, he simply
could not resist this opportunity. She knew she should stop him, but
instead contributed to the kissing and touching which was driving them
both crazy. There session finally ended, when the stairwell door swung
open and a little girl with a big red bow on her head came running
past them. She appeared to be in a hurry and ran right past them, much
to their mutual relief.
Clarisse was still encased in Joseph's arms, breathing heavy, pressed
against the wall. They smiled at each other.
"We're playing with fire", she said as she ran her thumb over his cheek.
He smiled at her devilishly, before placing wonderful kisses on her
neck, "You... Are right... This is... Not the place... But I must...
Briefly... Show this lovely... Lovely neck... Some attention..."
She smiled and let her eyes flutter shut at the wonderful feeling of
his warm mouth and tongue on her skin.
Just then a woman about Clarisse's again, but far less elegant, burst
into the stairwell, her hair straggling out of her bun, yelling,
"Eloise! Leave the Queen alone! Catherine was just teasing you! 'er
sister is not really a queen! For Lord...", then she spotted them,
frozen again the wall. Joseph's hand on Clarisse's outer thigh, under
her skirt, her leg slightly elevated, her neck red from where his
whiskers had rubbed her, her hand intertwined in the hair at the base
of his neck.
"Oh, my sainted Aunt Fanny!", she said, looking at the man and then to
the woman, who was obviously Catherine's sister... The Queen of
Genovia!
Joseph quickly released Clarisse, after the shock wore off, but then
she nearly fell and so he moved to catch her. Once she nodded that she
was fine, he released her once again, as they both straightened their
clothes.
"I am so, so, so sorry! ", Nanny said, as she looked at her feet.
"I, ah, trust that you know who this is? ", Joseph asked Nanny,
firmly, but kindly.
"Yes", Nanny said, looking up bashfully, "I am very good friends with
Catherine. It's a, ah, pleasure to meet you your majesty", she said
with a little bow.
Clarisse, closed her eyes, of course she knew Catherine. This was just
perfect! She thought sarcastically.
"I trust that you will keep what you saw here quiet, madame", Joseph
said, before Clarisse could greet Catherine's friend.
"Of course! I will never breathe a word of it! Never, never, never!",
Nanny said before excusing herself and stepping out of the stairwell.
She was terribly embarrassed, to catch the Queen and her husband
kissing and groping in such a fashion, in a public stairwell! Perhaps
they were newlyweds, like Catherine and Robert... Or perhaps they just
were not permitted much time alone in their castle. Castle! Oh, this
was just too, too, too much!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Nanny made her way back to her suite where Eloise's mother, Kay, was.
She would let her handle Eloise for once. As she walked past Sir
Wilkes suite, the door opened. Nanny jumped in surprise.
"Sir Wilkes!", she said, blushing. She thought back to last night,
when she had kissed him on the cheek downstairs, in front of everyone!
His reaction had been questionable. At first he looked rather shocked,
but then gave her a sheepish smile. The rest of the night he stayed
close by her side and even put his hand on the small of her back a
number of times. At the end of the night, he had walked her to her
door, where Kay and Eloise had already returned. They both glanced up
at the mistletoe and then shyly at each other. Nanny was sure he was
going to kiss her, she even closed her eyes to wait for it, but
nothing ever came. When she opened her eyes, she found him looking
back at her rather terrified. She said goodnight and disappeared
inside quickly. She was so, so, so confused that she barely slept last
night. Had she misunderstood their relationship all along? Were their
tea dates, tv watching dates and occasional dinner dates merely a
friendly gesture, with no hope for anything more? Yet, when they had
danced together at the ball last spring he seemed very interested in
her, and since then as well. He more then once had referred to her as
"a special someone". Now she stood looking at him, unsure of what to
say.
"Nan...", he finally said, braking the silence, "I thought we agreed
that you would drop the Sir and call me Wilkes, or Willie, as you did
last night"
Nanny blushed again, remembering the kiss, when she had called him "Willie".
"I, I must apologize... for last night!", he continued.
"For what?", Nanny asked, confused. She was the one who had kissed him
for Lord's sake! A knight!
"Well, when I walked you to your door last night and... you know...
the mistletoe"
Nanny flushed once more, this was rather humiliating!
"I just... you see... wanted you to know"
"Sir Wilkes, please stop! You do not have to explain. For sure, sure,
sure. You're a knight! ...I'm just, well, a nanny!"
Wilkes looked at her perplexed, "Do you really think I care about that?"
"Well, I...", Nanny was not sure what to say.
Wilkes took her gently by the shoulders then, surprising them both,
"I... I wanted to... to KISS you... Last night. I wanted to, but...
I'm a coward Nan. I always have been and I'm afraid I always will be,
but that doesn't mean that I don't want to... to... Because for some
time now I have wanted to... to... Well, to... to..."
"Oh, for Lord's sake!", Nanny said, as she lunged forward and kissed
him, full on the lips. She pulled back after a moment, thrilled by the
feeling of his lips on hers, but horrified by her actions, once again.
She was about to apologize, when he put a finger to her lips and took
a step forward.
"My, er, well... My turn", he said quietly as his lips met hers
softly. Her lips soon parted in response, as they wrapped their arms
around each other in the most wonderful kiss Nanny could ever
remember. Heat shot between them, and her body reacted in a most
shocking manner. As they parted, Nanny swayed a bit.
"Wilkes, my stars, stars, stars!", she said, her hand on his chest to
steady herself. Wilkes smiled at her, having enjoyed the kiss, which
they both had waited so long for, very much as well. He was very happy
with himself for finally taking the plunge, although in the back of
his mind he wondered if he may become addicted to such sweetness, as
Nan's welcoming mouth on his and the sensations that were currently
swirling through him.
"I will, ah, see you later this evening? At Robert and Catherine's?
For Christmas dinner?", he asked, taking a step back.
"Yes, yes!", Nanny said steadying herself, "Until then... Willie", she
said with a smile, before departing to her own suite, where she hoped
Kay wouldn't notice her inflamed lips, but she was so happy she wasn't
sure she cared if she did. Wilkes watched her, until she disappeared
around the corner.
"Merry Christmas, my love", he said after she was gone.
TO BE CONTINUED...
