By: Clarisse Elizondo

Rating: K

Summary: Joe reflects after the breakup.

A/N: Thanks Chum for the idea! And for those that follow me on FB this is not what I have been working on forever.

Let Her Go

Sinking to the floor just on the other side of his bedroom door, as the tears ran freely down his face. Tonight he had pushed Clarisse out of his life, probably forever this time. Covering his face with his hands he could still see Clarisse's face and the pain and hurt that settled in her eyes as she muttered 'yes I have' when he asked if she had been thinking about them. Squeezing his eyes tighter together he began to sob harder knowing that she was the reason for the pain and hurt that consumed not only his heart but hers as well, his heart told him that somewhere in palace she was sat doing the same. Why couldn't she think of herself for once in her life?

Replaying the scene over in his head, hoping he had missed something:

Slipping into her waiting arms they twirled around the dance floor. Her hair smelled heavenly he remembered as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Have you been thinking about us?"

Lifting her head from its resting place, they stopped dancing "Yes, I have."

"I see. If you'll excuse me." Joseph said stepping back from her to turn and leave

Grabbing his arm "No, Joseph. You had to know what I was going to say. Mia needs me now more than ever before. It's the monarchy. I mean, as queen it's my responsibility. You know how it is" she pleaded with him to understand

"You were never just my queen, Clarisse. You were the someone that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But, if you prefer that I see you first and foremost as my queen... I shall oblige." Joseph could feel his heart breaking inside his chest as he looked at her once more.

"No, Joseph..." Clarisse begged

Bowing "Your Majesty." He turned and left the room the same way he entered

Over the years Clarisse had become my best friend and confidant she always seemed to know exactly what I needed when something was bothering me. Tonight however she broke my heart. It was my fault I shouldn't have walked away from her without allowing her time to explain but my heart couldn't bare the pain of her rejection anymore. I should have stayed, allowed her to explain perhaps I could have said something to change her mind; she has been hiding behind her duty her entire life. I knew that her duty to country and to Amelia would have been in the forefront of her mind and now because I acted in hast it cost me my life, it cost me the one person who makes me happy, Clarisse. I have no one to blame but myself.

Moving across the dark room Joseph collapsed onto the bed staring up at the black ceiling a poem came into his mind causing the tears to once again fall.

Staring at the bottom of your glass
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last
But dreams come slow and they go so fast
You see her when you close your eyes
Maybe one day you'll understand why

Everything you touch surely dies

Staring at the ceiling in the dark
Same old empty feeling in your heart
'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast
Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
'Cause you loved her too much and you dive too deep

But you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missing home
Only know you love her when you let her go

Wiping the tears from his eyes Joseph knew what he must do. Grabbing then pen and paper from his bedside table he wrote out his resignation and a personal note for Clarisse, effectively letting her go…or so he thought.

Author's Note: I know this was a bit different even coming from me but please review good or bad. Oh the "poem" is actually a song called Let Her Go by Passenger I own nothing