A/N: Wow I didn't expect that many reviews on the first chapter so thank you all so much, not just for leaving a review but for reading, favouriting and following too. It's made me feel really positive about this sequel and hope it continues to do well :) thank you so so much for taking the time I really do appreciate it.

x-X-x-X-x

Monday 28th June 1999.

Standing by the table in her suite, Clarisse double checked that she had everything in her handbag. She was going on an overnight trip, her bag was already packed and ready to go by the door but she wanted to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Realising a moment later that she had in fact forgotten something, she began making her way across her suite to her bedroom when a knock come to her door.

"Come in," she called out, walking through her bedroom door.

Entering her suite, Charlotte looked around as she closed the door behind her "Your Majesty?"

"I'll be right there," Clarisse called back and walked back into her suite just seconds later "good morning, Charlotte."

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Charlotte smiled as she watched her walk across to the table and put an envelope in her handbag "I just wanted to let you know that Shades is ready with the car."

"Oh perfect, thank you Charlotte," Clarisse smiled and zipped up her handbag before putting it over her shoulder "I think I'm ready to go too."

"Alright, I will walk you down Your Majesty," smiled Charlotte as she grabbed the overnight bag Clarisse had packed.

"Thank you, Charlotte," Clarisse said as they left her suite and made their way downstairs, discussing several things that Charlotte needed to do in Clarisse's absence as they did.

Walking out of the main palace doors moments later, Charlotte looked at Clarisse and smiled "do you have everything for your trip, Your Majesty?" Charlotte asked as she and the Queen made their way down the palace steps and over to the waiting car.

"Yes, I think so," she nodded and looked over at the car as Shades opened the door for her "I will be home tomorrow, so it's not like it's a long trip."

"No, of course Your Majesty," Charlotte said and gave the Queens overnight bag to Shades before turning to her.

"Thank you for making the arrangements for this trip Charlotte, I appreciate it," Clarisse said as Shades appeared beside her "and I will see you tomorrow."

"You're welcome, Your Majesty, and yes see you tomorrow." Charlotte smiled as she climbed in the back of the car and Shades closed the door. Standing in the drive, Charlotte watched a moment as they drove away before heading back inside.

That Evening.

Placing an empty tray on the bar, Joseph looked up at Gino as he stood behind the bar in front of him "I didn't know booth six was reserved tonight?"

"Oh did you not?" Gino said and placed two glasses, one of wine and one of scotch on the rocks on the tray in front of Joseph "the booking came in earlier this afternoon."

"By who?" He asked as Gino looked over his shoulder.

"Why don't you see for yourself," he said and looked back at Joseph as he turned to see who was behind him.

"Hello Joseph," said Clarisse as she studied his face.

"Clarisse?" Joseph said, unable to believe that she was stood in front of him "what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you, if you can spare me some time?" She asked.

"Yes, of course," Joseph nodded and looked back at Gino to find him stood with the two drinks in his hands, holding them out to him "thank you."

"No trouble," Gino smiled at him then at Clarisse as Joseph took the glasses from him "it's good to see you back here."

"Thank you, Gino," Clarisse said and looked back at Joseph as he walked over to her and Shades.

"I'll wait here at the bar if you need me," Shades said as they both looked at him.

"Thank you Shades," Joseph said and looked at Clarisse.

"After you," she said, motioning for him to lead the way.

Moments later they were sat in booth six, overlooking the ocean, sipping their drinks.

"You cut your hair short?" Joseph asked and watched as Clarisse placed her glass back down on the table and nodded.

"I did," she answered and looked up at him "you grew your beard?"

"I did," Joseph nodded, rubbing his hand over his beard.

"I always liked you with a beard," Clarisse said, watching him.

"I remember," nodded Joseph.

"It suits you," Clarisse said and lent forward, folding her arms on the table in front of her.

"Thanks," he said, nodding slightly "so, how have you been?" He asked as she averted her gaze to him "silly question, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, and to answer your question its been a long road, but I'm okay," she answered "what about you?"

"Yeah I'm good, busy with helping Gino here," he answered.

"Jasmine told me that you have been busy here,"

"Yes Jasmine told me that she had tea with you," he said and took a sip of his scotch.

"Yes we did, it was lovely seeing her, she's actually the reason I'm here," she said, turning to her handbag on the seat beside her and pulled out the letter Joseph had sent nearly two years ago.

"You did receive it?" He said as Clarisse unfolded the letter "Jasmine told me that you never got it."

"I thought I hadn't," Clarisse said and looked up at him "after Philippe passed away I got into a habit of putting letters in the bottom drawer of my desk to sort out another time, but overtime I never got around to it. After Jasmine left I started thinking about it and went to check just in case, and sure enough there was your letter."

"Oh," he said as she passed him the letter.

"I am sorry, I really had no idea that you had written to me until last month." She said as he looked back up into her eyes.

"It's okay, these things happen," he said and looked back down at the letter in his hands.

"And I'm sorry that I left it so long to get in touch, I needed time to find myself after Philippe passed away, I needed time to grieve and accept that he wasn't coming back." She said sadly as Joseph looked back up at her.

"I know, that's why I left you be. I didn't want to push you, I knew you would come to me when you were ready."

"I appreciate that, thank you," she nodded and sat back in the chair as Joseph watched her a moment before looking back down at the letter he sent her, reading it to himself.

Folding the letter, he placed it on the table and looked back at her while picking up his glass "so why are you here now, you could have just wrote me a letter?"

"I know I could have, but I wanted to come and apologise to you personally instead of writing you a letter," she said and watched as he took a sip of his drink.

"Alright, well I do appreciate that," he said, placing his glass back down as she nodded slightly before looking down at her glass.

"I realise that I shouldn't have ended things with you that day, I should never have sent you away either," she said sadly and looked back up at him "but I hope you can understand why I did?"

"I do,"

"Do you?" Clarisse asked and studied his face for a long, silent moment before speaking "the day Philippe died should have been the happiest day of our life's, and it was until we had the accident. I felt responsible for it, I kept thinking that if we hadn't been in Italy for our wedding then he would still be here and I blamed myself for a long time afterwards. I still do sometimes, in my darker days."

"I do understand, Clarisse," he nodded and looked into her eyes.

"That day had been our special day, we had thirteen happy, amazing years together and then it all changed in a blink of an eye. It was no longer our day, it no longer had any special meaning because from that day forward it will now be known as the day my son died and that thought killed me. I felt if I ended things with you, if I sent you away then I could forget about the happy times, does that make sense?" She asked.

"It does, it makes perfect sense, but you also need to understand I was hurting too. Yes Philippe wasn't my son, but I classed him as my own and to find out that you had both been involved in that accident broke me, my world came crashing down and there wasn't anything I could do except pray to God that you would both be okay, and I really thought things would be okay when I saw you in that hospital corridor. But then," he stopped as she shook her head "I would have given anything to take the pain away from you but I couldn't."

"I regret my actions over that month, you were there for me, you wanted to help but I pushed you away and I shouldn't have." She said tearfully "I'm so sorry, I hope one day you will forgive me."

"There isn't anything to forgive, you were a grieving mother who had just buried her son, I could have demanded to stay as I knew that you would have needed me more than you believed at that point but I didn't. I really didn't want to cause you more pain that you was already suffering, so I obliged with your request because I knew that you would come to me when you were ready."

"Thank you," Clarisse said, nodding slightly and dabbed her eyes with a tissue "there isn't a day that goes by where I don't think of you."

"Me too, I think of you everyday," he said as she looked up at him "how can I not when we have an amazing history together?"

"We do, don't we?" She said, nodding in agreement and looked up into his eyes a moment before her eyes filled with tears "I'm just sorry it's over."

"Hey come on," Joseph said and moved around to her, putting his arm around her shoulders as she dabbed her eyes once again before looking at him as he spoke "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

Later.

After another drink together and a long chat, Clarisse checked the time on her watch and looked up at Joseph "Its getting late, I should really be going."

"Oh that's a shame," Joseph said and finished his drink "I wish you could stay."

"I've taken to much of your time already,"

"I have all the time in the world for you, you know that," he said as she looked back at him and smiled "when do you have to leave?"

"In the morning, I have an early flight slot," she answered and looked towards Shades, getting his attention "I wonder if," she began but hesitated as she slipped her handbag over her shoulder "no, never mind."

"No come on, what was you going to ask?" Asked Joseph, both standing to their feet as Shades appeared.

"It doesn't matter," she answered and looked up at Shades "I'm ready to go now, can you bring the car around to the door?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," he said and made his way towards the door.

"Clarisse, what was you going to say?" Joseph asked, as they began to slowly follow Shades.

"It honestly doesn't matter," Clarisse said "thank you though for talking to me tonight."

"You're welcome," he said and opened the door for her.

"Thank you," she smiled and walked through "please tell Gino that I said goodbye."

"I will," he nodded, following her outside "it was lovely seeing you tonight, Clarisse."

"It was lovely seeing you too," she said and turned to face him as the car slowly pulled up beside them "don't be a stranger, you know where I live." She smiled.

"I do, and I won't," he said as she reached up and kissed his cheek "take care of yourself and I will see you soon."

"You too," she said and smiled up at him before watching him open the car door for her "thank you."

"It's no trouble," he said and watched as she climbed in the car.

"Goodbye Joseph," Clarisse said and closed her door.

"Goodbye," Joseph said to himself, watching them drive away as his heart sank.