Ten Hours 'Til Dawn

Disclaimer: I don't own the Princess Diaries, I just want to play with them. I apologize in advance for any stupidity. Exhaustion and my overactive imagination make strange bedfellows. On that rather bizarre note, enjoy! And PLEASE review.

Hour One

She was sitting in the gazebo, Maurice lying at her feet, as the sun began to dip below the horizon. His breath caught in his chest as his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her silhouetted against the fiery orange sunset. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Laughing to himself about what a sentimental old fool he was, he stepped lightly up the steps of the stone structure. She turned sharply, but soon smiled once she realized who it was. Maurice barely looked twice at him.

"And how are you this evening, my dear?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"Oh, it's a lovely evening, but better still now that you're here." She replied, resting her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and was about to respond when his name being yelled through the gardens ruined their moment. Charlotte and Shades were running in their direction. Clarisse quickly sat up and seconds later, they'd been spotted.

"Joe, you turned your earpiece off, we couldn't find you!" Charlotte gasped, out of breath.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Joe stood, all business now.

"We received this about ten minutes ago. No prints, we checked." Shades handed him a typewritten note. Clarisse stood and moved to stand behind him, reading over his shoulder.

Ten hours 'til dawn explodes into being

And unless you're smarter than you look,

"Your girl" is going to die. I'd kill to

see the fear in your eyes, now.

He heard Clarisse gasp behind him and turned to look at her. Her face was pale. "Joseph, what does this mean? Who could do such a thing to Mia?"

Not caring that Shades and Charlotte were standing right there he pulled her back into his arms, hugging her close. The other two smiled at each other, they had suspected there was more to that relationship.

'My darling, they're talking about you. And I know exactly who is behind this. Come with me, we must return to your suite immediately." He kissed her forehead as she nodded, numbly. "You won't speak of this to anyone." He gently commanded Charlotte and Shades, knowing full well that they wouldn't share what they'd just seen.

"What shall we do?" Shades asked as he and Charlotte nodded in agreement.

"Send out as many men as possible to find the Viscount Mabrey and bring him in. In the meantime, search the palace for anything that might be a bomb. He said 'dawn will explode' we don't have much time." Shades hurried off to give out the orders to the rest of the security force. "Charlotte, will you bring us some tea, please?" Joseph asked her.

"Of course," she replied and headed off in the direction of the palace.

"As for you, my dear," he continued, turning to Clarisse, "Come. We must get you inside."

"Viscount Mabrey?" she questioned as he took her arm and gently led her along the garden paths. "I don't understand."

"And I will explain, all in good time, Clarisse. Trust me, my darling."

She nodded, kissing him lightly before they were in sight of anyone inside again. "I do. More than anyone."

On the way through the halls of the palace, they ran into Mia. The twenty one year old princess looked more than a little confused. "Why is everyone running around the palace? Lionel wouldn't tell me anything and I can't find Charlotte."

Joseph smoothly turned her around and told her as they kept walking, "Mia, you and your grandmother must stay in her suite for the rest of the night. I'll explain it all once we get there. I suspect you both will have a lot of questions."

Entering her suite Joseph told Olivia to wait outside. When she was gone, he locked the door behind her, and sat an even more confused Mia down in a chair, and himself and Clarisse on the sofa. Taking the bomb threat from his pocket, he handed it to Mia who read it, her eyes growing wider with each line.

"Whoa, this is serious, isn't it." She said a bit shakily.

"Yes." Joseph replied.

"But Joseph, how do you know it's Mabrey, and that he's referring to me?" Clarisse asked.

"Wait, you know who it's from already? How long have you had it?" Mia jumped in before he could respond.

"We've had it about twenty minutes. Now I know it was Mabrey because when Mia reviewed the guards last week, he was behind the horse-spooking incident. I confronted him in the barn. After telling him what my job entails, he made a rude comment about my 'catering to the crown's emotions.' Your emotions, my dear." He said, taking Clarisse's hand. "I threatened him with my diplomatic immunity if he ever hurt 'my girl.' That is why, from the wording used in the threat, I know it was meant for you." He finished his tale and got up to answer the knock on the door, letting Charlotte in with the tea. "Thank you, Charlotte. Will you sit with them, please? I'll leave a guard outside the door, of course."

"Joseph!" Clarisse said, her voice giving away her distress as she followed him to the door. Reading her mind, he held her shoulders in a gentle grip.

"Clarisse, I must go help them search." He told her softly.

"Couldn't you stay here and guard us?" she asked, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. He was knowingly putting himself in danger and she couldn't bear it.

"Shh…darling." He pulled her into a tight embrace. "I can't, you know that. It is my job to lead these men, and I must do it. I promise I'll come back to check on you as often as I can. Charlotte has her earpiece, she can fill you in on what's happening. Now I must go." He said, but she clung to him a moment longer.

"Please, be careful." She said almost inaudibly.

"I will. I promise." He said, kissing her tenderly, then vanishing through the door. Clarisse managed to control her tears and then turned from the door.

"Grandmother, I am disappointed in you." Mia said from where she now sat on the couch. Clarisse looked worried for a moment before Mia continued with a wide smile, "Why didn't you tell me about you and Joe!"

"Oh, Amelia, I couldn't. No one was supposed to know, and I honestly wasn't sure how you would take it." She said, wearily sitting beside her granddaughter.

"Grandma, it's amazing! I always knew the two of you were made for each other. Don't worry about it, I love you both so much, and I'm so happy for you I could almost forget that that stupid snake is threatening you." She hugged her grandmother, then turned serious. "And don't worry about Joe either. Well, no, worry about him, but not so you make yourself sick about it. He'll always come home to you, I just know it!"

Clarisse smiled through fresh tears, and reached out to cup the girl's face in her palm. "Oh, my Mia. Thank you so much. What would I do without you?"

"I really have no idea." Mia said grinning and making them all laugh. Suddenly, she had an idea. "Charlotte, will you go find Nicholas? And quickly?"

"But Princess, Joe told me to stay here with you." The aide looked torn. She sensed what Mia was thinking.

"I know," Mia replied, "But Nicholas might know where his Uncle is. Please go get him, we have to convince him to help us."

"All right. I'll get him. But if Joe comes after me…"

"You can absolutely put all the blame on me." Mia said grinning. "You're the best, Charlotte."

Charlotte smiled, and left the room. Knowing she could do nothing else, Mia turned to her grandmother, an expectant look on her face. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Clarisse asked, confused.

"Are you going to willingly tell me everything, or do I have to torture it out of you with loud rock music?"

"Amelia, what are you talking about?" Clarisse asked, her eyes growing wide at the thought of being tortured by her granddaughter.

Mia gave an exasperated sigh. "You and Joe, of course! Honestly, where have you been!"

"Oh…" Clarisse gave in and was about to launch into a full explanation, when there was an urgent knocking at the door. It was Andrew, and Mia let him in.

"Mia, I just heard, are you all right?" he asked, slightly out of breath.

"Andrew, I'm fine. The threat is against Grandma. Now, Joe wants everyone to stay in their rooms until they find anything, okay?" she said, ushering him out the door. "Thanks for stopping in to check on us, though."

Reluctantly the boy went back to his own room. Immediately after, Charlotte returned with Nicholas.

"I'm assuming Charlotte, filled you in?" Mia asked, once he was sitting down.

"She just said that there was a bomb threat." Nicholas replied, startled by the fact that he found himself very worried about the girl in front of him.

"Yes, a bomb threat. Specifically targeting Grandma, and your Uncle is behind it." She told him, giving him the short version.

"Are you sure?" Nicholas asked, his jaw dropping in surprise.

"Yes, and never mind how, but we are. Please, Nicholas, we have to find him…"

She was serious, and he forgot whatever loyalty to his uncle that he had. "I'll do whatever I can to help." He interrupted her quickly.

On impulse, Mia hugged him. "Thank you. It means a lot."

Charlotte was talking into her little communication device, and then turned to Nicholas. "Come with me, Sir. I'll take you to Joe."

"Never mind that, I'm here." Joseph said, entering the room with Lionel in tow. "That door should be kept locked. Anyone could just walk right in."

"Sorry, my fault." Mia jumped in before Charlotte could say anything. The aide smiled at her gratefully behind Joe's back. His wrath was not something you wanted directed at you.

"Amelia, you should know better," he said severely. "I will expect it locked the next time I return."

"It will be." Clarisse said, standing and moving towards him, just wanting to be near him for a moment before he left again.

"Very good. Nicholas, I've been informed that you would like to help us."

"Anything I can do, Sir." Nicolas replied.

"We appreciate it, Nicholas. Come with us, we'll bring you up to date in the security room." He said and turned to follow Lionel and Nicholas out the door.

"Joseph," Clarisse said, and he turned to face her again. "Joseph, what have you learned?"

"Nothing useful, I'm afraid my dear. He isn't at his house, and Lionel and another of the men are going through all the members of Parliament, asking if they've seen him. I'll let you know if I learn anything else at all. I promise."

"Thank you, Joseph." She reached out to touch his face in a tender but chaste gesture. Glancing around quickly to make sure no one was watching them, and seeing that only Mia was, he turned his head to kiss her palm before leaving with Lionel and Nicholas. Clarisse sank back onto the sofa while Charlotte locked the door behind them. She turned to Mia who was wearing a huge smile.

"What?" Clarisse asked.

"You two are soooo CUTE!"

A/N: This was something I thought up at about midnight awhile ago, and I just went on a writing rampage this morning. Lots of cliffies in this one, not because I don't know where to go, but simply because I'm evil. Mwahahaha. And I have to keep you interested somehow don't I? reviews are most welcome. 3, Lizz