A/N: Another chapter, definitely on a roll with this one!

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you rock!

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!

Scott continued to voice his doubts for the next few days- he still thought, deep down, that it was too soon after the coronation and the wedding for Clarisse and Joseph not to be noticed by the general European population, trying to have a normal honeymoon- but Joseph continued to shoot down his objections and even Charlotte stepped in to try and talk to Scott.

"I think it's lovely that they're trying to get away from who they are and just be a normal couple."

"They are hardly a normal couple- she is the Dowager Queen and he was her bodyguard- and I don't think the press will leave them alone for a second."

"That's why you and the rest of the team are supposed to be formulating plans to prevent that from happening… and I know Joseph is confident that it will happen."

"But what's going to happen if something…."

"Don't even say it, Scott, you and your men are perfectly capable of handling any situation, which includes a normal, travelling honeymoon. That's what this is all about, isn't it?" Charlotte said suddenly, coming to a realisation. "You're afraid that you're not going to be able to protect them as well Joseph used to protect her, aren't you?"

"That's not it," Scott protested, but he looked away for a moment and Charlotte sensed weakness.

"It's not?"

"No," but this response sounded even weaker and Charlotte decided not to push him anymore. "Alright, maybe that's why I'm so reluctant to let them go… Joseph was the best of the best, he knew he what he was doing and Her Majesty was never in danger."

"It was partly because of Joseph, but you all contributed to her safety as well… and you have all been trained under Joseph, so you do know what you're doing," Charlotte said- she could understand why he was feeling nervous but she was confident that he would be able to do what Joseph required of him. She found it somewhat endearing that he was nervous- it proved that he still looked up to Joseph with something more than respect… maybe admiration and a touch of hero worship (although he would vehemently deny it if she ever mentioned it to him) and he didn't want to let his boss… former boss… down.

"I hope so…"

"I know so and so do you, deep down."

Finally, Scott agreed to the trip and then he, his men and Joseph gathered together to start planning the trip, starting with the itinerary.

"Of course I would be happy with an itinerary," Clarisse assured him when Joseph had informed her that, in order to have the trip they wanted, they would have to have an itinerary. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Well… I thought that since you had spent so many years travelling according your royal duties, a honeymoon according to an itinerary…"

"That doesn't matter to me, all that matters to me is that we're together and able to enjoy some semblance of a life outside Genovia, even if only for a month, as private citizens…however, if it's too hard…I can understand that it's going to be difficult to try and plan without letting the press know… that there are bodyguards around in certain areas but no royals… if Scott is seriously doubtful about it, I will be more than happy to go to the beach house for a few weeks."

"Well, I won't be satisfied with that," Joseph said bluntly. "This is what you requested and this will what happen… "

"But…."

"I have something to admit to you as well… while I had initial concerns about travelling 'undercover' as I like to call it…"

"An 'undercover honeymoon," Clarisse said quietly, with a smile. "I like it."

"…Anyway, I found that I too have a reason for wanting this as well…"

"Oh?"

"That I want to spend some time alone with you, as my wife, and be able to hold your hand and stand close to you without fear of people gossiping about us… I want to see wherever we go through your eyes."

"Whereas I want to see them through yours."

"So, we'll have fun looking through each other's eyes," she said laughingly and he laughed back as he pulled her close.

0

Once the itinerary was set, Scott and his men set down to work out the other details in regards to security wherever they went, including if they wanted to visit museums or the theatre.

"Although the beach seems more appealing," Scott said with a laugh and Joseph gave him a look. "Can you imagine the two of them….?"

"Don't be impertinent," Joseph said chidingly and Scott calmed down before they continued with the logistics which were just as when planning a tour, were considerably less complicated, considering that there were going to be no public appearances and no visits to local dignitaries or local leaders, much to Scott's surprise.

"What did you think, that it would be just as busy as before?" Joseph jested- he had sensed Scott's ambivalence towards his and Clarisse's idea, not due to ideas that he had learnt from the former HOS himself, but because he felt that he (and his men) couldn't cope with what was happening, and what could happen if…. Not that he would say anything, Scott was a proud young man and didn't take unnecessary criticism well, not that he would criticise Scott in any way, and he was doing well.

"No… I just thought…." Scott refrained from mentioning his doubts about the trip- how on earth could they protect the former Queen and her husband while they're on their honeymoon, if they insist on going out in public- but he knew that Joseph knew what he was thinking (not that Charlotte would ever betray what he had told her) and he wanted to prove that he was the best choice for the job… although, he had often thought with a wry grin since Joseph had mentioned his and his wife's plans to him, he had to wonder….

"Well, it should be a lot easier knowing what you have to do now," Joseph said easily, wanting to set the younger man's mind at easy, not only because he trusted him and knew that he could do the job, but he also wanted the safety of his wife and her granddaughter to be simultaneously in his mind and for Scott to show that he could cope with whatever was going on.

"Yes, thank goodness," the younger man uttered before he realised that Joseph was still watching him closely. "Not that I meant…"

"Scott," Joseph said simply, stopping his chatter. "I chose you to succeed me in this role, I knew that YOU could do it better than anyone else, and I know that you will…you cannot afford to have doubts, this early in the game… no, you cannot afford to have doubts, not with the Queen and the Dowager in your hands… but I will help in any way I can… and you don't have to worry, I will be protecting my wife, as a husband and as her former HOS….but," he added kindly, standing up from his chair, the meeting over. "I have to advise you that you need to believe in yourself if you are going to succeed… if the Princess can do it, so can you," Joseph added with a twinkle in his eye before leaving the room, giving Scott much to think about but convinced that he had Joseph's confidence in what he was now.

0

"Your Majesty? Are you here?" Joseph called jokingly as he stepped into their suite (their suite- he could hardly believe it) and looked around for his wife, she seemed not to be in the living room.

"Who are you calling?" came from in the bedroom and he grinned, knowing that his was his wife and that, even weeks into her retirement, she disliked being addressed as 'Her Majesty'.

"Is that my husband, or my Head of Security? Who are you calling, sir? Your wife?"

"Indeed, my darling, I'm calling my wife… my queen… my Clarisse…" and his grin broadened when he saw his beloved step out of the bedroom and give him an equally as broad smile.

"Here I am."

"And here I am," he responded before he lightly stepped across the room- thank goodness her maids had disappeared upon his arrival, he didn't particularly like showing his feeling to others (even his former colleagues), not that they already hadn't guessed how he had felt for the woman standing in front of him. "My darling," he smiled lovingly at her before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to give her a kiss.

"My love…" she responded in kind- Clarisse too had had trouble showing feelings towards Joseph when others were present, but she adored her husband, hardly daring that he was officially her husband and that they were together for the rest of their lives, and when they were alone… she loved snuggling into his arms.

"So… what happened with Scott?" she asked curiously when they were finally ensconced on the sofa, sharing their daily evening drink of the day. "Where are we going?"

"Do you really want to know…I'm more inclined to want to surprise you…."

"I would love to be surprised… but I would also love to know what I need to pack."

"I could always tell your maids what to pack and keep you out of the loop…" he teased, running a hand up and down her thigh.

"Well…. I could always insist on you in the spare bedroom until we leave," she said with a smile but they both knew they were bluffing- Joseph couldn't any more lie to Clarisse than she could keep him out of their bedroom.

"Okay, I yield," he pretended to sound regretful but they both knew he would have told her anyway. "Alright… we're going to London… the South of France… maybe to Italy, Venice or Rome and I thought… we could have some time in the snow… maybe in the Alps…."

"Oh darling!" her face lit up in delight, happy and thrilled. "Are you joking?"

"I never joke about my honeymoon… are you happy?"

"So much so, I never imagined that you would do this for me….that you all- including your men- would do this for me!"

"Why wouldn't we do it for you? You were our Queen (although a lot of them still see you as their Queen)…."

"Although I hope that they all soon turn their loyalty to Mia as well…she is their Queen now and is a good girl… an amazing young woman."

"They will, sweetheart, they will, I promise you that… but they will still be loyal to you as well."

"But it's definitely been settled upon?" Clarisse gazed at him anxiously, knowing that his new HOS had had doubts and reservations about their trip.

"Absolutely," he met her eyes completely, never shying away from hers. "He did have doubts but have seen through them and he knows that we will be perfectly safe, I will never leave your side, and that it's definitely less complicated than we were preparing for a tour…"

"I never thought of it that way, but yes… I'm sure that it will be a lot easier than when we had public appearances and meeting dignitaries…."

"Scott didn't realise that either," Joseph said in an amused tone. "Poor guy, I guess I should have tipped him off beforehand."

"But were his doubts practical, or… otherwise?"

"Purely practical, my love, I promise you that."

"He is still… happy for us to go?"

"He is, but I would be more concerned about your son and granddaughter's approval… do THEY want us to go?"

"You saw Mia, she can't wait for us to have our trip, and Pierre…

"What did he say?"

"Go, Maman. You and Joseph have given so much to this country, this family and everyone besides yourselves, you deserve a honeymoon away… and while the beach house would be infinitely more preferable to me, I can also understand your need to explore the world as a private citizen… I would do that, in your case…"

"I knew I could count on Pierre to back us up…"

"Of course he would, he loves both of us…you are his surrogate father, you know. He trusted you more than anyone else besides Phillipe and me."

"I knew that… well, I suspected it but I didn't want to believe… until now."

"I'm glad that you believe it now as well," she leaned over and kissed his cheek gently yet lovingly. "But, now that we have got the itinerary out of the way, there is a much more important question that I need to ask…."

"Oh, what is that?" Joseph braced for a question about security and what they would/wouldn't be able to do while they were away, and he was prepared… but instead…

"How long have I got to pack?"