AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow, I'm really happy that I've had such great feedback for this story! I'm really on a roll with this story, so here's the next chapter!
Thank you to all my readers- you all rock!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
"You two look very cosy," he teased, stepping into the room as the two women turned to look at him, Clarisse's arm still around Mia's waist.
"Me and Grandma... oops, Grandma and I," Mia corrected herself as Clarisse winced at her grammatical slip up. "...We were just talking, and I felt that it was hug time," Mia grinned over at Clarisse who blushed, feeling simultaneously happy and awkward- she wasn't used to impulsive displays of affection (the last person to be that impulsive had been Phillipe), but she had to admit that she liked it.
"Don't let me interrupt you," Joseph joked, feeling a little like an intruder in the room as he watched them,but he was far happier that Clarisse and Mia were clearly cementing their relationship even more, something he knew Clarisse had always wanted.
He could still remember how nervous she had been when Mia had spent her first summer in Genovia when she was 16, immediately following Clarisse's trip to meet (or, in Clarisse's words, 'reacquaint herself with') her granddaughter....
"What am I supposed to do with her... say... act around her?" she had been unusually panicky, pacing her study as they waited for Mia and her mother to arrive from the airport- Joseph, sensing Clarisse's discomfort, had opted to send his second in charge so that he could stay with Clarisse.
"Clarisse," he began calmly, reaching over for her hand and pulling her down onto the uncomfortable couch with him. "She spent a lot of time with you in San Francisco..."
"Only because I ordered her to..." "Because you felt she needed instruction to become a good princess.... not that she wasn't that already.... But you both seemed to get on well, particularly when you went out in her Mustang..." he trailed off meaningfully and Clarisse chuckled but didn't look apologetic- despite the argument she and Joseph had had when they had returned to the consulate in a police car, she had felt the need to bond with her granddaughter. "...But she will just be happy to spend time with you, which is what you both need at the moment."
He emphasized the 'you' because he knew that was what the young teenager wanted-aside from Helen, Clarisse was the only family she really had....
But now, five years later, her fear had been unfounded- their non-existent relationship had blossomed into a closeness Joseph loved to see, which made him feel guilty that he had interrupted them, before Mia pulled away and gently pushed Clarisse towards her husband.
"Actually," Clarisse began as she stood beside Joseph, now feeling a little shy and awkward around him- remembering things about their history had reawakened feelings in her (especially when she had realized she loved him), and she could barely look at Joseph without feeling weak at the knees. Joseph noticed that she was avoiding his gaze and was trembling slightly, before also noting that Mia was watching them curiously, so he almost tentatively reached out and took her hand in his.
"Actually," Clarisse began again, suppressing her emotions so she could speak without betraying herself. "We... I was just telling Mia about us... about how we met...."
"Oh, when you were thrown off your horse," he said with an understanding look- they had officially met then, so it was part of their history, but Joseph didn't like thinking about it...
She had remembered his name, even though they had only met once or twice, but she had looked so pale as she lay, unconscious, in the dirt... It was then that he had felt the first spark of attraction towards her... of course, he had thought that nothing would come of it, and the Queen would definitely not reciprocate... why would she, he was only her bodyguard.... but then things had changed....
"Yes... and that was a dramatic introduction to the woman who would eventually become your wife," Mia said with a sly smile. "But it sounds like you were a good man to have around when there was a crisis," she added with an admiring look. "No wonder Grandma made you her Head of Security!"
"Yes,"Joseph agreed, looking uncomfortable for a moment. "But it was my job to protect the Queen..." he began before he was interrupted by Charlotte entering the room.
"I'm sorry to interrupt... but, Your Majesty, Prime Minister Motez wanted you to call him, and...."
"We can see that you're going to be busy," Joseph said as he led Clarisse to the door. "So, we'll leave you to it."
"Yeah, see you later... at dinner, if not lunch!" Mia called after them.
0
They walked silently, hand in hand, through the place and out into the garden, where Clarisse pulled away to examine some of her roses- she had neglected her garden dreadfully in the past fortnight, but she was fortunate that she had a team of gardeners that looked after it well.
"So, what else did you two talk about?" Joseph asked, aware that Clarisse was feeling shy around him, but he knew it would take some time for Clarisse to not want everything (including herself) to be perfect for him, but he was patient- she had been hurt very badly and very deeply, and it was understandable that she would still maintain a protective armour around herself.
"Just about us," Clarisse blushed, still avoiding his eyes- she absolutely adored him, and wished she could tell him more often, but her reserved nature was preventing her from doing that... why had a simple act of marrying him changed everything, she wondered to herself. Before the wedding (and before their temporary estrangement), he had been her best friend, and she had told him all her secrets while enjoying many kisses and hugs, but now...
It hadn't been like this with Rupert- although he had been kind in his own way- but she also knew that being married to Joseph was a dream come true, even if it would take a little time to actually realize and accept it, and let go of her protective barrier....
"Clarisse, my love," he said suddenly, and she looked at him with wide eyes- she loved the term of endearment, again something she had to get used to as Rupert had rarely used them.
"Darling," he said in a softer voice as he walked over to where she was standing and cupped her face in his hands, looking into the beautiful blue eyes he loved so much. "It's me, Joseph... you know me inside out, as I do you..." she had to smile at that- it was true. "You don't need to be shy and in your shell around me... but I know why...." before he leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips, and he could feel her relax into his arms.
He knew she loved him and Mia more than anything in the world, which scared her (particularly as she feared she would lose them, just as she had lost the last person she had really, really loved), and he knew her way of ensuring no one saw her fear was to put on an act, but he didn't want her to do that anymore. She needed to realize that she was safe and secure, surrounded by people who loved her, and maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't be so scared and reticent... This morning's talk with Mia had obviously been her first step towards this.
"I'm sorry, darling," she smiled broadly at him at that- she loved calling him that. "I am, honestly... I'm just...." she struggled to find the right words to say before she decided to be honest with him. "Retelling our story to Mia made me feel... made me fall in love with you all over again... I love you so very much, but I've...."
"Been hurt before, I know, and very, very badly... but I won't, I promise. I mean, there may be times when we will hurt each other, but not deliberately and not almost incessantly...."
"I know," Clarisse said firmly, reaching out and touching his cheek. "You should be insulted and impatient that I may be... less than a normal newly married bride, but..."
"I never wanted normal, I wanted you," he said almost fiercely. "And you'll never be normal, no matter how hard you try.... I know what you're like, and what your nature is, but I'm a patient man... all you need to do is trust me."
"I do," Clarisse looked at him heatedly. "Aside from my sons and Mia, you're the person I trust more than anything or anyone..."
"So will you trust me when I say relax and stop worrying about things still being... strange between us? Like I said this morning, we're two independent people merging two very different lives into one, which will create inevitable tension, but it's all settled down again... we're really going to have the time of our lives!"
"Why are you so wise and knowledgeable?" Clarisse murmured as she rested her cheek against his chest for a moment. "I'll try and stop worrying, I promise... I'm finally with you, so that's all that should matter."
"By the way, why did you seem to freeze up when Mia called me 'your husband'?" he inquired as they continued their walk through the garden, Clarisse somewhat more relaxed after Joseph's words as she happily held his hand, enjoying the sensation.
"What did you say?" Clarisse, who had been watching Maurice scamper in the garden ahead of them, looked distracted as she looked back at Joseph, who repeated the question. "Oh," she frowned for a moment, trying to recall the moment Joseph was talking about.
"Oh! Now I remember...oh, it just hit me then that you really are my husband... I know, you've been described as such for the past two weeks, but it really hit me just then, all of a sudden..." she trailed off, and Joseph grinned.
"Yes, it's still rather amazing, but I am your husband, and I LOVE the fact that you're my wife, even though you're still known as Your Majesty...."
"I would rather be known as your wife, Mrs Bonnell, rather than Her Majesty..."
"I know, but that's probably not going to happen," he said realistically, although touched that his name meant something to her.
"Still... among those who know us well, I'll be your wife... you know, when I was talking to Mia, I remembered the time when I knew I had fallen in love with you.."
"Oh?" Joseph looked intrigued- she had never told him this. "When was that, madam?"
"When you went out on that date with your brother's friend," she said simply and Joseph was stunned.
"What?!" He remembered the date well- it had been boring, but he had thought Clarisse had been encouraging him to go... she had teased him that he may meet his future wife on this date.... but he hadn't realized she had been feeling otherwise....
"I may have teased you, and been interested... which I was, in a way, " she explained as she pulled away and sat down on the garden seat. "But when you left... I felt so upset....and, after pondering it for a little while, I realized that I was jealous... and jealousy usually only means one thing... I loved you."
"Why on earth didn't you tell me that?" he sat down beside her and she looked at him wisely.
"I was a married woman, and who was I to suggest that you didn't deserve to marry and have a family of your own?"
"But you would have been on your own when Rupert...."
"Still, I didn't feel right preventing you from having a life with someone else... that's why I never asked about the date in great detail...."
"I still wish you had told me," he repeated, resting his hand on top of hers. "But the date was boring anyway... BJ had no idea about who I wanted to see, or my type.... besides, it didn't help that all I could think about the entire time was you!"
"Really?" Clarisse looked amazed, but her eyes sparkled with delight.
"Really," he affirmed, leaning over and caressing her cheek, which went pink under his hand. "So, what shall we do now?"
000
They spent the rest of the day in her..."our," Clarisse corrected with a smile... suite, watching a movie or two and Clarisse slowly began to unwind. Joseph was right- it would take time, but it would happen... but she had been so foolish to feel shy around her husband and best friend... but, after the difficult marriage she had endured with Rupert, she wanted this marriage to work....
Joseph noticed her thoughtful expression, and knew she was brooding about why she was still so shy, so he decided to distract her.
"I am definitely going to get used to this... doing nothing," he joked as he stretched his arms out before letting one drape gently around Clarisse's shoulders.
"Unless Scott has an emergency and needs all hands on deck.. including yours," Clarisse teased with a smile, leaning back and resting her head against his shoulder. "Would you have stayed as Mia's Head of Security if... if we hadn't gotten married?"
"I thought we agreed on no 'what ifs'?" he teased.
"I know, but I have been wondering about it... so, would you have stayed?" He sighed.
"I would have stayed until Mia was crowned, and then I would have gone... it would have been too hard to stay in such close proximity to you, and know what could have been...."
"Are you suggesting that I might not have married you at all when Mia was crowned?" she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, at the time I was more concerned about my own pride and leaving the palace with dignity... no one didn't need to know that I had proposed... but, in retrospect, I know I was being silly- you would have married me the minute Mia was crowned....But, at the time... I had even given Scott a letter of resignation...."
00000
The morning after Clarisse's "rejection", a grim faced Joseph strode into the security room, more than a little relieved that Scott was the only one there- he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone at the moment... particularly all his colleagues, and especially Her Majesty....
"Good morning, Joe," Scott spun around in his chair to grin at his boss. "Both Her Majesty and Her Highness are fine..." before he trailed off, seeing the grim look on Joseph's face. "What's wrong, Joe? What happened?"
"Nothing... except she said no," he muttered bitterly as he poured a cup of coffee and, slamming the cup on the table, sat down as Scott, who had look confused initially, suddenly understood.
Two weeks ago, Joseph had proposed to Her Majesty after many years of friendship (which had turned into love), and he had patiently been waiting for her answer... which, judging by the expression on his face, wasn't the answer he had expected....
"I'm sorry, mate," he said quietly as he sat down opposite him- it was definitely not the time to tease him. "What reason did she give for saying no?"
"She didn't exactly say no... she said Mia needed her, and..." "You didn't let her finish, did you?" Scott said quickly. "I bet, knowing you, you heard something you didn't like and, shutting down, you didn't care to hear the rest." "I did not," he began heatedly before Scott interrupted him.
"Now I know you did just what I said, as you're denying it," he said sarcastically, surprisingly angry at his boss. "Joe, you're a great guy, but sometimes you can be so damn stubborn when you hear something that may not be as expected. You KNOW she's head over heels for you, and doesn't want anyone else... I'm sure she wants to marry you... surely you could have given her the chance to explain... Besides, she does have a responsibility to the monarchy and to the princess... I don't think even you would have felt right with Clarisse walking away before the crown was secure."
Scott was making an awful lot of sense, Joseph thought with a pang of shame, almost too much sense, before he roughly pushed the vanilla coloured envelope across the table. He had barely slept the previous night, debating what he should do, and it finally came down to a letter...
"What's this?" Scott picked it up, confused.
"My letter of resignation... you can tell everyone I retired- I'm due to retire anyway... " he said gruffly, taking a sip of coffee. "I need you to make a copy for yourself, and you can give the original to Her Majesty...."
Scott, who had been staring at the letter in disbelief, suddenly shook his head violently.
"No."
"No what?"
"No to either request... or, in your present mood, demands.... I don't accept your resignation, and if you insist on following through, you can tell everyone AND you can tell the Queen herself and give her the letter... Maybe she will give you the courtesy that you failed to give her!"
00000
"Wow, Scott is surprisingly feisty and argumentative when he wants to be," Clarisse said in amazement when Joseph finished his story.
"Yes, he was rather fired up over that, and he had every right to be disgusted at my behaviour... and, after I thought about it, I was disgusted with my behaviour."
"You were upset and disappointed," she reached over and timidly patted his knee, feeling guilty that she had turned him down even temporarily.
"That's still no excuse," he trapped her hand in his and lifted it up to his lips as she giggled, his goatee tickling her hand... it could be construed as an old fashioned gesture, but she loved it.
"I usually listen to everything you say, but I let you down that time... I think my mother would give me a lecture if she had know... I know she would say : 'That's no way to treat a lady, Joseph!'" he laughed, stroking her hair and they enjoyed a long moment of silence before Joseph sat up straight, suddenly thinking of something....
"I've just had a great idea... we're free from now on... why don't we visit my parents in England? I want you to meet them, and I want to introduce you to them, so that they can get used to you... Yes, I think it's a great idea!"
Clarisse smiled at his enthusiastic tone... yes, she did want to meet his parents... but she also suddenly felt inexplicably nervous... She had heard a great deal about them (and he was sure they had heard a lot about her) and now she was going to meet them... what if they didn't like her?