'Joseph' Clarisse gasped a she rushed to his side 'Joseph' she repeated as she turned him over but his body was motionless 'Oh no' she cried as she felt for his pulse but she couldn't find one. She opened the door and alerted Shades and Lionel who were guarding her door. Shades rushed to his side as Lionel called for the emergency services. Clarisse stood back sobbing as she watched Shades trying to find a pulse and then beginning CPR 'I thought he was just hung over' she sobbed 'He said he wasn't feeling well but I didn't believe him'

'Ma'am I know this may not be protocol to even suggest this but I need you to help me here'

'I don't know what to do' she admitted tearfully

'Just copy me' Shade replied as he continued CPR

Clarisse kneeled beside his body shaking; she did everything Shades told her. As she began CPR her who body ached as their skin touched, she hadn't touched in so long, she missed him and now she may never get the chance again.

It wasn't long before Andrew and Mia both arrived after being alerted of the situation by Lionel 'He's not breathing' Mia gasped 'What happened?'

'Here let me take over' Andrew offered to relieve Clarisse as it was clearly obvious how distraught she was. Mia took her into her arms as soon as she got up 'He's dead' she sobbed

'No don't say that grandma'

'He told me he wasn't well and I ignored him, I shouted at him'

'You were angry'

'What if he was telling the truth'?

'We don't know do we, lets wait until the medics arrive'

'I got a pulse' Andrew shouted suddenly 'It's faint but it's there he smiled

'Oh thank god' Mia replied 'Here that grandma'

Before Clarisse could reply the medics arrived and swiftly took over 'Has he taken anything?' a medic asked

'How do you mean?' Mia asked

'Drugs? Has he taken any drugs?'

'Of course not' she exclaimed 'Joe wouldn't take drugs, tell them grandma'

'She's right, Joseph hates drugs and drink'

'Ok ma'am this looks like an over dose'

'An over dose are you crazy!' Mia shouted

'Are you saying Joseph tried to kill himself' Clarisse cried

'It looks that way ma'am, we will know more once the blood tests are back'

'I don't understand, why would he want to do that' Mia asked looking shocked as Andrew comforted her

'Maybe he was desperate' Andrew commented

'Desperate? none of this makes sense'

'Maybe he will be able to tell us when he comes around' Shades added 'the boss wouldn't do anything stupid. He phoned a few days ago and sounded fine, he left a message for me, he gave me a full list of instructions of what was to happen today, that's why everything went so perfectly ma'am' Shades continued 'He said if anything happened to either of you he would hold me personally responsible because you were both the most important people in his life'

'Why haven't you told us this earlier' Clarisse asked as her eyes were still watching the medics working on Joseph

'He told me not to ma'am'

'He wouldn't do anything stupid, I know he wouldn't. He's ill either that or he has been drugged, he wouldn't have taken drugs willingly'

'Drugged' Mia laughed this is getting more ridiculous as it goes on, who on earth would want to drug him'

'I don't know ma'am but if the reports come back as an overdose or drug related I will make sure I find out. I refuse to believe the boss would take drugs willingly'

'I think you been watching too many movies' Mia commented

Clarisse didn't comment, she found all these possible suggestions for his condition hard to believe but something had put him here in this unresponsive state but what was it. The medics picked him up on a stretcher and began to make a move 'May I travel with you' Clarisse asked

'Of course' a medic replied

'I will accompany you' Shades said

'I'm sorry only room for one passenger, you will have to follow behind' the medic interrupted

'Ma'am I must discourage you from travelling in the ambulance without security' Shade said

'I didn't go with him last time and I am not letting him down again. I'm going with him'

'Please ma'am, Joseph will have my head on a block'

'I am not prepared to discuss this further, I am travelling with Joseph and I will hear no more about it. You may follow in a car behind, nothing will happen in an ambulance'

Shade gave up arguing he knew he was fighting a losing battle and Mia placed a hand on his shoulder 'Just leave her' she whispered 'She needs to do this'

'As you wish your majesty' he relented

Mia and Andrew watched as Clarisse got into the back of the ambulance with Joseph. The doors closed and the ambulance made its way down the palace roads 'He will be alright won't he' Mia cried

Andrew held her tight, comforting her 'we have to hope so darling'

'Grandma couldn't take another death'

'We all love him' he said kissing her head 'We will just have to support them the best we can what ever happens'

'Thank you' she cried before kissing him softly. She may not have initially want to marry Andrew as she didn't love him, however over the past few days he had been her strength and slowly she was beginning to feel something for him. To say she was falling in love with him was not true but there was something developing between them.

In the ambulance Clarisse sat opposite Joseph with tears streaming down her face, she didn't care who seen her anymore. The man she loved more than anything had come back to see her and she rejected him again, why did she keep doing it and now he was dying before her own eyes just like Rupert had done several years earlier. 'May I…' she signalled to touch Joseph

'Of course ma'am' the medic replied

Clarisse leaned forward and placed her hand over his, he was cold, really cold. 'Why Joseph?' she whispered 'Why do this to yourself?'

Although Shades was adamant that Joseph wouldn't do anything so stupid, she was finding it hard to not believe the medics after looking at the state of him before her own eyes. She knew she had hurt him and that he loved her so maybe her rejection was too much and he began to spiral into self destruction long before her announcement to the country, maybe she was a little to late to prove to him she loved him jus as much as he did her she thought. She herself had thought about ending it all if she was truthful with herself, she couldn't see how she could go on without him, if it wasn't for her granddaughter it could have been her in Josephs position fighting for her life, so she could see why Joseph may have felt there was no other way, she had just hoped her declaration of love would have been enough to save them.

After a short journey the vehicle came to a stop and within seconds the doors flew open and there were medical staff surrounding them. Clarisse was a little taken back by the number of people but stood aside allowing them to work on the man she still loved. She stepped out of the ambulance to a sea of cameras, somehow the incident had gone unnoticed by the press and now they all wanted the exclusive. For the first time ever since becoming a Royal she found herself alone without any guards protecting her but with her emotion state she could hardly see anyone in front of her, all she could think of at the moment was Joseph. 'Ma'am what is the condition of Mr Bonnell' a reporter asked

'We heard he has drunk him self into his condition, can you confirm this'

'Ma'am will you be sticking by your original announcement after this incident' another shouted

Before Clarisse could find her voice to say no comment she felt a hand on her back, for a second she thought it was Joseph, he was the only person to ever actually touch her but then she suddenly remembered that wasn't possible 'Your highness has no comment at this stage' Shades began 'Once the palace has news of Mr Bonnell's condition the Queen will release a statement' he ushered Clarisse protectively into the hospital doors 'Thank you' she cried

'All in a day's job' he replied 'Now lets find out where we need to go'

They made their way over to the young receptionist who directed them to the family suite a few metres down the corridor. She explained that a doctor would soon be with them to discuss Joseph's condition. They both made their way up the familiar corridor and entered the small but clean suite. 'Can I get you a drink ma'am' Shades asked

'No thank you, I couldn't not now'

'He will be alright' he offered

Clarisse couldn't reply she just allowed her tears to continue, she had never felt so lonely and if Joseph did die she would never forgive herself for not telling him sooner that she loved him.

A few hours later a doctor entered the room 'Your Highness' he bowed

Clarisse stood wiping her tear stained face 'How is he?' she asked eagerly

'We have conducted a few tests and it looks like Mr Bonnell has taken a large quantity of antidepressants and alcohol.'

'No' she gasped

'We have bumped his stomach and made him comfortable but I am afraid he is in a coma'

'Can we see him?' Shades asked

'Yes but he is in intensive care and therefore only one to a bed at any one time'

'We understand, thank you' Clarisse said tearfully

'Will he come out of the coma?' Shades asked

'I'm afraid I can't answer that, in some cases such as these they do and they make a full recovery however there are some who don't'

'Will he be able to hear us?'

'Research says that when in a coma the ability to hear is a high possibility so I would talk to him, the more familiar voices he hears the better' he replied 'But there are no guarantees, he is a very sick man'

'Thank you' Shades said before following the doctor out of the room and leading Clarisse up to the intensive care unit 'I will wait outside ma'am' she said

Clarisse nodded before pushing the door open to see his motionless body. She moved closer to the bed and watched his bare chest rising showing he was still with her 'You can touch him' a nurse smiled

Clarisse smiled slightly before reaching over and touching his hand softly. He was warmer this time but still lifeless apart from his moving chest. The nurse left the room and Clarisse moved closer 'Joseph' she began 'Joseph it's me Clarisse, can you hear me darling' there was no reply as she had expected 'I'm so sorry I hurt you this much that you would do this to yourself, if I had known this would happen I would have given up everything years ago and told you I loved you because I do love you Joseph more than anything. When you left with Victoria I thought I had lost you to a younger woman and it hurt, it hurt really bad but then you came back, why did you do that hey? Did you want to see me or did you want to show me what I had done to you? You can't leave me Joseph, I am nothing without you, and I don't want to live with out you. If you just pull through this I will help you get out of this dark area you have fallen into, we will get you the best help in the world and I will stand by you, just stay with me' she sighed as tears feel onto his bare arms 'I have missed you' she sobbed 'All my memories have been clouded by the arguments I caused on our last few meetings, I need you feel your arms around me again, protecting me' she leaned over and placed her lips on his kissing him softly 'I need to feel your love again Joseph, your sweet kisses, your gentleness, I need you, please' she begged before taking a seat next to the bed but never letting go of his hand. She had made a conscious decision that this time she wasn't going anywhere until he woke up, she didn't care what the reporters would write, she had left him last time when he needed her but this time she wasn't going to let him down.

A few hours past and Clarisse still sat holding his hand, there had been no movement or change in his condition, she just sat staring at him praying he would open his eyes, look into hers and give her his trademark smile that made her light up inside. The door of his room opened and Shades entered 'Ma'am, Miss Victoria is outside, she would like a word'

Clarisse could feel the blood rise within her immediately on hearing her name, why was she here, had she come to claim Joseph once again and take him away from her. No she wouldn't let her not this time she thought, if she wanted a fight then she would get one, she loved Joseph and no one was going to ruin that not now she thought as she stood and headed to the door 'Your highness' she bowed

'What brings you here?' Clarisse asked

'I heard about Joe ma'am, I had to come. How is he?'

'In a coma'

'Oh no' she gasped 'I should have made him get help, this is my fault'

'What do you mean?' Clarsse asked

'I knew he had a problem ma'am, it became obvious to me when I took him home to Spain, we went on holiday together and he suddenly became weird and when I challenged him about it he became violent. Then one day when he was out I found a stash of pills and I knew then he had a problem, he told me they were to help him forget you ma'am, he was so down but I never thought he would do this'

'When you say he became violent, how do you mean?'

'Well as you can probably guess ma'am myself and Joseph have always been more than friends' she smiled 'I love him as I know you do, but our relationship blossomed when we first arrived in Spain and was quite physical' she lied 'But that one day he was extremely rough and threw me against the wall hurting me'

Clarisse felt sick, the thought of Joseph being physical with this woman disgusted her. She didn't want to believe Joseph would do that to her but then again he was technically a free man to be with whom he wanted, and that had been her fault. 'I'm sorry ma'am I am aware of your own feelings for Joe but you are too late, he no longer loves you, he got fed up of waiting for you'

'Then why did he return to Genovia?' Shades interrupted he wasn't buying into any of this Victoria was coming out with, he knew his boss and he knew he would never do the things she was claiming he had done

'To see Queen Mia and explain to Clarisse that he was now starting a new life with me'

'That's rubbish' he snapped

Clarisse felting increasingly dizzy and held out to Shades to steady her 'Ma'am please sit down' he helped her to sit in the chair

'You may think what you want but I have no reason to lie and I have this to prove it' she rubbed her stomach

This latest information was all too much for Clarisse and she vomited 'Ma'am are you alright'

'I just need some fresh air' she replied

'Of course' he helped her to stand and supported her to the window where she leaned to get some air

'I'm sorry you had to find out like this, Joe doesn't even know yet'

'How do we know your not lying?' Shades asked

'Babies don't lie' she smiled 'It's a wonderful gift and just what Joe has always wanted'

Clarisse knew that was true, he had always wanted children and they had both discussed what it would have been like having children of their own, he had told her he would have be really proud to have had children with her. She could hardly take all this in, she felt she had had her heart ripped out, battered and replaced all bruised. She felt angry, hurt and betrayed but yet he love for him still over rode all her other emotions. He may have slept with another woman and she may be carrying his child but she still needed and wanted him, she knew the right thing to do would stand aside and allow them to be a happy family but after everything that had happened she couldn't do that anymore. She had lived her life doing the right thing and putting her feelings aside to please everyone else this time she was going to out herself first no matter how hard it was going to be. She stood up right and walked towards Victoria 'I'm not giving him up without a fight' she said suddenly surprising herself as much as the rest of those in attendance 'I love him, I always have and I have let him go once but not again. If you want him you will have to fight me for him'

'No contest ma'am' she smiled 'I have something you can never give him…his child'

That stabbed her heart and made her weep inside as she knew Victoria was right but that was something she would just have to deal with. If Joseph decided he needed to do the right thing then she would respect his wishes but it had to be his decision and until he told her that he no longer loved her she was going to carry on. 'If you'll excuse me, I want to get back to Joseph' Clarisse said before entering the small room where Joseph lay leaving Victoria fuming. She had thought telling her that he had slept with her and she was now pregnant would have finished the two of them forever and that Joe would only then have eyes for her but she couldn't have got it more wrong even if she had tried Plan A had gone wrong so now it had to be time for Plan B she thought.