Newlyweds Chapter 12: A Weekend Away, a princess diaries fanfic

Author's Note: this chapter wasn't planned originally, but I just thought it might be fun to have a bit more of James and Charlie! Hope you enjoy it!

The song lyrics are from 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None the Richer

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me

The rest of the week passed uneventfully for Clarisse and Joe as they began looking forward to their weekend away from the palace at Hadley's- and Joe was really looking forward to playing golf, much to Clarisse's disgust.

"I don't understand why men love golf- it's so boring, it's like watching paint dry," she pretended to grumble as he brought in the set of clubs that had belonged to Phillipe. It had unsettled him slightly to be using them, but it had been Clarisse's idea and she had insisted.

"He didn't mind when I lent you his DVD player and television when you were sick…"

"But did you actually tell him?" he teased, but Clarisse ignored the question with a smile.

"But I know he wouldn't mind you using these clubs either!" she said when he tried to protest again, and he only grinned and acquiesced to her suggestion.

Things were back to normal between them- while their fight hadn't been forgotten, there had been another happy outcome in that they discovered they were closer and happier than ever. The argument had brought their fears, concerns and jealousies to the surface, but the fact that they had been able to talk them out proved that their relationship was deeper and more solid than they had appreciated.

Still, it relieved both of them to realise that instead of tearing them apart, the fight had brought them closer together and made them both feel more secure in their already solid relationship. So much so that they decided to slightly relax their rule of keeping their affection completely private, and not panic when palace staff saw some affection between them… or PDAs as Mia called them when she had discovered their plan.

"PDAs?" Clarisse looked baffled, and Mia laughed.

"I forgot that that you're still behind in the times…" before Clarisse interrupted her quickly.

"I am not that far behind!" she protested, but then saw Mia's grin and realised that she, just like her father, had riled her up on purpose.

"No, she's not that backward, Mia," Joe defended Clarisse with a grin at Mia. "I've heard her use slang several times, and while it's funny to hear it come out of her mouth, it's all due to your influence, so this is your fault!"

"I may use some slang occasionally, but I've never heard of PDA- what does it mean?" Clarisse spoke over the other two's sniggering, but she wasn't annoyed- she enjoyed seeing the bond between them.

"PDA- Public Display of Affection… you know, kissing, hugging, holding hands… and I've been told that you two have been seen doing all three!"

"Not all that much!" Clarisse protested hastily, embarrassed that they were still being gossiped about, but Mia only smiled.

"Trust me, nothing they have seen ever gets out, Grandma, and judging by the obvious high esteem you are both held in, you could be practically…"

"Mia!" both of them said hastily this time, and Mia giggled.

"Well, they are all supportive of you, and it makes them happy to see you together…"

"By the way, how much longer do you think we'll be considered 'newlyweds'?" Joe asked as he squeezed Clarisse's hand affectionately.

"Until someone else gets married … Besides, you two are still acting like newlyweds anyway!" she added as she watched them grin shyly at each other.

"But I do have one piece of advice- don't wait thirty years before finally getting married… it's something I wouldn't recommend!" Joe said, throwing an impish look at his wife, who only laughed at him.

Friday soon arrived, and although they were meant to leave at lunchtime, Joe wondered whether they would leave at all that day as he watched Clarisse rummage in her wardrobe for more clothes. She had dismissed her maids, wanting to do her own packing, but he didn't think that had been the wisest decision…

They had started packing the evening before, but while Joe had managed to pack one suitcase for the weekend, Clarisse was clearly having trouble with her packing, as indicated by the small pile of suitcases in the corner of the room.

"How much exactly are you planning on taking?" he inquired as he sat on the bed and watched his wife pack, unpack and repack suitcases. "Don't you think you're being a little excessive for two days?" he continued, waving to the pile in the living room, and Clarisse stopped and looked from the current bag she was packing to the pile in the corner.

"Alright, I may have gone a little overboard," she admitted with a slight grin.

Another half an hour later, Clarisse had managed to cut down to two suitcases and an extra bag, and they were just about finished an early lunch when there was a knock on the door, and Mia bounded in.

"Aren't you guys gone yet? I thought you would have left ages ago… Joe, are you taking too much luggage again?" she teased as she collapsed into a chair, and Joe just stared at her.

"Need I remind you of the amount of luggage you brought back from America last summer?" he asked pointedly, and Mia had the grace to blush.

"Alright, but I just called in to say 'have fun', although I can't imagine what you'll be doing out there, it sounds so boring!"

"Thanks!" Joe said with a laugh as there was another knock on the door, and in came Scott to help take the luggage downstairs. As soon as the two men disappeared, Mia quickly sat in Joseph's recently vacated chair.

"Just a quick update on your plan… everything is all set- most of parliament and Sebastian approved, and I'm thinking of…"

"No, don't tell me!" Clarisse cried, wanting to share in the surprise with Joseph, and Mia grinned at her. "But, thank you for doing this for me…"

"My pleasure- it was about time he was recognised for what he's done here… oh, and I thought we might do it on the 24th, which is next week…"

"That's fine, we won't be doing anything…" before Clarisse trailed off, realising something- on that particular date, they would be married exactly a month. Mia grinned, knowing what Clarisse was thinking about.

"Yes, that was part of my considerations- I figured we might as well make an already special day more memorable," Mia said lightly as Clarisse leaned over and squeezed Mia's hand tightly.

"Thank you," was all she could manage to say.

"Poor Joe, he doesn't know what's going to hit him!"

"But it will be all worth it," Clarisse said with a smile, very much looking forward to his reaction, and sharing in it with him.

"What will be worth it?" Joe asked as he re-entered the room, and Mia shrugged as she stood up and stretched.

"To work all this weekend so I can have some time off next weekend… anyway, have fun!"

"We'll try, despite the fact that we're going to the country," Joe joked as Mia left the room. "So, sweetheart, are you ready to go?" he smiled as Clarisse stood up, and she beamed back at him as she took his hand- she still couldn't believe that this man loved her as much as she loved him.

The trip to Hadley's, north of the town of Lybitt by half an hour, only took a couple of hours, and they were both relieved to discover that there were no paparazzi on their tail.

"They must have lost interest in us," Clarisse commented as they drove up the long, tree lined driveway of the estate, and Joe chuckled at the relief in her voice- despite being a public figure for so many years, Clarisse was still quite shy. He whistled softly as they came into sight of the enormous stone mansion in front of them, and Clarisse chuckled as he pulled up in front of the steps that led up to the main door.

"This house is about one hundred years older than the palace, but James and Lisa also have done a lot of this themselves- and they've also installed a swimming pool, tennis court and golf course… are you impressed?" she teased, seeing his eyes light up at the mention of golf course, and he only nodded slightly before getting out of the car.

"About time you got here!" came a jovial voice from above them as he helped Clarisse out of the car, and they looked up to see the two other couples bounding down the stairs.

"We were just about to send out a search party… wait, did you guys get involved in another punch up?" Charlie joked

"No, that was a once in a lifetime experience," Joe laughed as he turned to get the bags out of the car, but he was surprised to find that they were already being taken care of by two of the Hadley's servants.

"Don't worry about the bags, come in and we'll give you the grand tour!" James said happily.

Despite the age of the mansion, and the formality it seemed to represent, the inside was warm and casual, and it was clear that a lot of work had been done inside. But he was especially impressed with the golf course, tennis court and the swimming pool, as they stepped outside and James pointed them out.

"I know Joseph is looking forward to play golf tomorrow!" Clarisse said, squeezing his arm affectionately, and Joe smiled at her as, for a moment, they were completely oblivious to the others. The others, on the other hand, exchanged knowing looks- as they had long suspected, they were crazy about each other, and the state dinner had confirmed that, when Clarisse had glowed and kept close to him all evening, and Joseph had been clearly protective and proud.

When the tour was over, James took them upstairs to their room while the others headed outside to the tennis court.

"It has its own en-suite, so you don't have to worry about bumping into Charlie during the night," he joked as he opened the door for them, and then stood back. "Come on out to the tennis court once you've settled in- did you bring racquets?"
"James, you know neither of us play tennis!" Clarisse chuckled softly, before adding:

"But we'll come out and watch!"

"You don't know what you're missing!" James whistled as he disappeared down the hallway.

"Yes I do," Clarisse murmured as she walked into the room, Joe close behind.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and she turned to him with a smile.

"Those two men are very competitive athletes… but don't worry," she added quickly, seeing the slightly worried look on his face. "They are good losers, but most men do get competitive about sport… any sport…"

"Yes, and you don't have to add it my dear, I know that I'm in that category too," he teased as he sank down onto the four poster bed, and looked around. Their luggage was already there, as James had said, but it still felt a little strange to Joseph to see it there. It would take a little more time to get used to his new role in life, as Clarisse's husband rather than bodyguard, as well that there were people who would cater to his needs… until a month ago, he had been a working man as well!

Clarisse smiled tenderly as she sat down on the bed next to him, and leant her head against his shoulder for a moment- she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Don't worry, darling- it may seem all overwhelming at the moment with the servants and such- I found it like that when I was first married- but they live much simpler than all of this may imply," she waved around the room airily. "But we are going to have fun here!"

"Of course we will… and thank you," he said as he pulled her close for a hug.

After several games of tennis, it was decided that the six of them would stay in for dinner and watch a few movies on the big screen installed in the living room. Before they went into dinner, Clarisse had been determined that Joseph was included in everything, but she needn't have worried- both men and their wives liked him, and they all enjoyed seeing how happy Clarisse was with him. Joe gave her an affectionate squeeze on the knee under the table during dinner on the balcony, overlooking the pool- he knew how much it meant to her for her friends and her husband to accept and like each other. But neither of them needn't have worried- it was fun and relaxed evening, the movies a big hit with everyone, and the 'boys' made plans to get up early the following morning to go fishing, which was something that the women unanimously decided to skip.

"What a lovely evening," Clarisse sighed as they walked into their room, after bidding the others goodnight, but turning back to lock the door once Joseph was in the room.

"What did you do that for?" he asked as she brushed past him, and he caught a whiff of her scent which, as always, drove him crazy- she always smelled so sweet, and it was one of the few ways that she flirted with him before they were married, without anyone knowing.

"It's just a little habit that you introduced me to, and something I'm inclined to do in the future," she said in a low voice as she gave him a significant smile and walked towards him.

He reddened slightly, and she smiled, touched to see how embarrassed he was and she gently rubbed his cheek with her hand. Joseph laughed, relaxing as he always did at her touch… it was silly to feel embarrassed in the privacy of their own room, but…

Clarisse only smiled lovingly at him again before taking both his hands in hers, and leading him towards the bed…

Just after dawn the next morning, Joe's watch beeped loudly in the darkness, but he was already awake as he moved to shut it off quickly. He then glanced over at Clarisse, lying curled up close to him but, thankfully, she was still asleep. He slid quietly out of bed, careful not to disturb her, and quickly got ready, collecting his fishing gear after he dressed, before stopping her side of the bed and kissing his wife gently on the forehead, before creeping out of the room.

James and Charlie were already waiting downstairs for him, and the sky was rapidly lightening as they made the ten minute walk to the creek, past the tennis court and the edge of the golf course, talking about banalities. It was only after they had thrown their lines in when Charlie turned to Joe with a grin.

"Joe, James and I just wanted you to know that we're all really happy about you and Clarisse… we were always hoping that something would work about between you."

"Well…I…" Joe was embarrassed at the obvious approval and admiration from both men.

"She never told us anything," Charlie continued, before James interrupted with a laugh.

"We begged her all the time, but she wouldn't cave… maybe it was the fact that we were usually at public functions, or dinners, so maybe that wouldn't have been the conducive environment for a heart to heart," he mused.

"But we could tell something was going on between you whenever she looked at you, or you at her," Charlie added with a grin, and Joe reddened slightly.

"You may have thought you were being discreet, but you'd have to be blind not to see the signs between you two… Anyway, we care about her as a younger sister, and she's been through enough with Rupert over the years, although I suspect that you saw more than us."

"Yes, I did," Joseph said truthfully, but still remaining loyal to Clarisse. "But she's always been fond of you all, and you've been friends for a long time- longer than I've been around!"

"Not that much longer!" James protested. "But we were only friends to her- there was only man she ever really trusted, besides her boys, and it wasn't her husband- it was you!"

"We both watched you together at young Mia's coronation, and it's clear that her happiness is wrapped up in you… You know, when Rupert died, she seemed to get over it well, but when Phillipe…" Charlie trailed off pensively, gazing out onto the water.

"We both thought that it would literally kill her, but you stepped into the breach remarkably well, so that's when I knew you two were meant to be… This weekend was just to get to know you better, and for the two of you to relax away from the palace."

"Besides, I knew that we would be good friends when I found out that you liked fishing and golf!" Charlie said jovially, breaking the sober moment with a laugh.

"Why did His Majesty dislike you so much?" Joe asked curiously, pleased at how open and welcoming they both were, but also wanting to change the subject. Most of the times he had seen the three of them together, the King usually ignored them, while his wife stopped and chatted.

Charlie and James exchanged an impish grin at the mention of Rupert's name.

"He really didn't like us- he found us rude, immature and boring!" Charlie laughed.

"While we found him pompous, arrogant, boring and a selfish playboy!" James joked, but there was a hard look in his eyes. "Don't forget that he felt we were always trying to lead Clarisse astray- it didn't work most of the time, but it was still fun… Did she tell you about the first dinner party we all attended?"

"Yes- you two were making her laugh, and I think she got into trouble afterwards."

"We suspected as much, but we didn't care… we usually made jokes to make her feel better, and it helped later on when he flirted with every pretty young thing that were at those functions."

"Yes, I remember," Joe said soberly, remembering many evenings he had witnessed Clarisse's tears.

"Poor Clarisse," Charlie said softly before all three of them got jerks on their lines, and they were busy for a while as all three reeled in fish. After re-launching their lines, James turned to Joe with a smile.

"We approve, but I have never seen her as happy as she is now, and that's because of you and Her Majesty… it's about time she has love and happiness in her life!"

000

After rejoining the women for breakfast, the group split up again- the women went into town to shop and the men decided to play a round of golf.

"Just don't come home and tell me that we'll have to put the house up for sale!" James called after them, but the only response he received was laughter.

"So Joe," Charlie began as they walked down to the golf course. "I know you won't be able to tell us much, but what sort of stuff did you see and hear around the palace as Head of Security?"

"Oh boy," Joe laughed as memories began to fill his head. "Where should I start?"

It was hot when they finally got off the course at lunchtime, but they had had fun- Joe had regaled them with stories from the palace, and both Charlie and James had shared anecdotes about the stuffier members of parliament.

"I never realised that other people saw them as I did!" Joe said as they strolled towards the dining room. "I'm glad that I'm not the only one who felt that way about them!"

"And you didn't have to work with them!" Charlie quipped.

The women were already waiting at the table when they strolled in, but no one could miss the way Clarisse's eyes lit up when Joseph came into the room.

"About time!" she joked, tapping her watch lightly as Joseph sat down next to her, and she smiled as he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Even though they were slowly letting their guard down, there were still some things she still thought could be kept private.

"Yes… we were practically starving here!" Marion agreed

"That I cannot imagine," Charlie said as he sat down next to her, and he narrowly missed a playful slap on the arm. "But, how did the shopping go- are we broke yet?"

"Almost," Lisa said triumphantly, and the three women laughed before she continued. "But Joe, your wife bought this gorgeous dress in town, and she looks wonderful in it!" as Clarisse blushed and Marion nodded enthusiastically. "But you'll have to wait until tonight to see it!"

"Tonight?" Joe looked confused.

"We usually go and have dinner at a local pub in Lybitt on a Saturday night, but if you guys don't want to do that…"

"Let's do it" Clarisse said enthusiastically after looking at Joseph. "No one followed us up, so interesting must be waning… how did the game go?"

"Joe won, but it was only beginners luck… just wait until next time, Joe!" Charlie joked with a mock frown.

"I don't know how you three can play it all morning- it is so boring!" Marion complained jovially, and Charlie patted her hand.

"You wouldn't- it's a game of finesse, precision and patience… a few qualities that you ladies need to develop further!" before he was hit by three napkins.

"And now you're corrupting my husband," Clarisse mock pouted and Joe patted her knee under the table reassuringly. "I bet he'll be spending all his time on the golf courses from now on!"

"Don't worry, I'll try to work you into my busy schedule," he joked.

After lunch, the women retired for a rest, and while Charlie suggested a trip into Lybitt, Joe decided to skip it- after standing around all morning, his knees were aching.

When he entered the bedroom, he found Clarisse lying on the bed, flipping through a magazine, but she abandoned it with a smile as he sat on the bed.

"I thought you were going into town!" she said as she gazed happily at him- she was finally beginning to break him of the 'lifetime' habit of wearing black all the time, but she had to admit that he looked good in anything.

"I was," he said as he swung his legs onto the bed, and leant up against the headboard as Clarisse turned to face him. "But after standing up all morning, my knees need a break…" and Clarisse was instantly concerned.

"Did you want me to look for the heat pack?" as she began to get off the bed, but he stopped her.

"No, but thank you sweetheart," he stroked her hair as she leant her head against his chest. She was still a little shy about being so intimate with him, but she did love their physical closeness- they had always been emotionally close, but this…

"But you could model that new dress for me," he added, and she laughed.

"No, you'll have to wait until tonight," and she looked up at him impishly, as he pretended to look disappointed before bending to kiss the tip of her nose.

"James and Charlie were telling me about their 'fun' times with Rupert… was it really as bad as all that?"

"Yes- he took his job seriously, and he couldn't understand why they didn't, and he also knew that they made fun of him behind his back… it was always mutual dislike, but I remember a time when it almost got out of hand… That was the night I really thought that Rupert was going to hit James, or vice versa…" she said in a troubled tone, remembering the fury that had radiated from both me, and Charles almost holding James back…

The atmosphere in the dining room was pleasant, but there was an undercurrent of tension present too- particularly between the King and Queen. They had had a heated discussion on the way down to dinner about her friendship with James and Charles, both of whom Rupert couldn't abide.

"I can always ban them from future functions," he said coldly as they made their way to the dining room, but Clarisse didn't bat an eyelid.

"You know you can't ban members of parliament from dinner," she said icily, but they came to the doors of the dining room before Rupert could respond, although he glared at her before she took his arm.

No one at the dinner, however, could tell that the King was angry as he was still the perfect host he had always been. It wasn't until dessert when he let his mask slip by saying something derogatory about Clarisse, but while Clarisse ignored it, James had had enough.

"Why do you always have to do that?" he asked in a quiet voice, but it was loud enough for Rupert to break away from his conversation and look at him in amusement.

"Excuse me- what did I do?" Rupert chuckled. "I don't think I did anything wrong."

"I think you know you did- why do you always have to make a joke or comment at Her Majesty's expense?" James repeated, louder so that the few remaining people who were talking stopped to watch the drama unfold.

"I'm don't know what you mean by that, but Her Majesty knows that I don't mean it, don't you, my dear?" he smiled charmingly down to her end of the table, but she was looking down at her plate.

"I never mean to hurt her… It's a joke, Lord Hadley- surely you've heard of a joke?"

"Yes, but you aren't joking with the Queen, you're being down right insulting! You may say that you aren't hurting her, but you are, and it's definitely not a joke when you make fun of someone in front of other people!"

"I can do what I want, and say what I want in the privacy of my palace," Rupert's voice was getting dangerously quiet as the other guests looked at each other uneasily.

"You may think you have the right to, but she doesn't deserve the derision you are constantly heaping on her!" James snapped as Rupert slowly stood up, staring at him in growing anger.

"James, please don't…" Clarisse murmured softly next to him, but both men ignored her.

"Are you telling me how I should treat my wife?" Rupert said quietly and James nodded.

"Yes, since you're obviously a jerk! I've tried to keep silent for the sake of Her Majesty, but I've had enough… No, Lisa," he said firmly to his wife when she tried to stop him from standing, before he glared at Rupert again.

"I think it's about time someone told His Majesty what is really going on around here!"

"Like what?" Rupert smirked as he folded his arms smugly.

"Let's see…your Queen and the mother of your two sons is brighter than you give her credit for, and possibly even smarter than you!"

Charles stood up and tried to calm him down, but James yanked his arm away, eyes still on Rupert.

"It may surprise you, but there are plenty of people around here that actually prefer your wife to you… and don't even get me started on the people of Genovia! In fact, I've had a lot of people in and outside the palace that prefer as Queen, without you!"

There was a gasp of shock from around the table at his last words, but Rupert was enraged.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" he roared and James, despite the fact that he was angry, had to hide a smile at Rupert's reaction. "I think you had better leave now!"

"I'm not leaving," James said calmly, not backing down. "You know what you are, and you know that you don't deserve her…"

"Oh, I know what this is about," Rupert began laughing derisively as he kicked away his chair and walked towards the two men. "You're in love with her, aren't you… both of you," he snarled, including Charlie in his gaze.

"I really don't blame you, but hopefully she has a little more sense than to look at either of you!"

He smirked as he stopped in front of James, and James could smell the liquor on his breath- he had been drinking, but he wasn't too drunk to know what was being said.

"No we aren't, but she is a friend of ours- not only us, but our wives," Charlie said politely before James interrupted him.

"But, as her friends, it's our duty to care about her and look out for her… something you haven't done in years… and I'm going to make this quite clear- if you keep hurting her as much as I've seen and heard…"

"Clarisse, are you talking about us to other people?" Rupert growled at her, and she shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.

"She doesn't need to say anything, not that she ever does, but we always know…" James said as he stepped up into Rupert's face, and the King stepped back from him, a little taken aback, but sensing that he was serious.

"I repeat- if I hear of you hurting her again, you will answer to me," he snarled quietly.

"And me," Charlie added quickly, stepping up to stand next to James.

There was an awkward silence as Rupert glared at the two men, completely speechless for a moment, before…

"You two can ever forget about ever setting foot in this palace again, or see my wife again… She won't be allowed to see you again either… do I make myself clear, Clarisse?" he shouted at his wife, but instead of waiting for her to respond, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

"Thankfully he never followed through with that promise," Clarisse said as Joseph squeezed her shoulders tightly. "He got sick the following year, so it really didn't matter…but it meant a lot to me that they stood up for me…"

In the silence that followed, Joseph decided to tell her what they had said to him that morning, and she listened intently, a smile spreading across her face as she sat up straighter on the bed, and when he finished his narrative, she hugged him tightly.

"I told you they would like you!" she crowed triumphantly as he smiled at her reaction.

"I liked them because they were your friends, and cared about you… but now- they are really funny guys!" he admitted sheepishly, and she laughed harder.

"I suspect they liked you before we got married, but once that and the dinner happened, I know that you completely won them over… besides, if they hadn't liked you, I wouldn't have been happy!"

He laughed at her words, but he was also touched at how protective she was of him.

"You can be awfully protective of me, can't you?" he teased as she unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, and shifting her hands down to the next button.

"Of course I am," she said firmly, setting her jaw defiantly as she looked at him. "You and Mia mean the world to mean, and you two will always come first… you know, those two never gave up on asking me about you, but at that time, I just liked to keep you and our… relationship," she almost stumbled over the word. "… Private."

"Even though the rest of the palace knew about it," Joseph teased as Clarisse moved even closer to him, still unbuttoning his shirt and running her hands down his chest.

"You know, I think Mia might be right about something," he continued as he shrugged off his shirt, and fiddled with the buttons on her blouse.

"And what would that be?" she murmured as he tossed her blouse onto the floor, and she put her arms around his neck as their lips met for a moment.

"That we're still acting like newlyweds," he chuckled before he wrapped his arms tightly around her and gave her a long, sweet kiss.

000

Several hours later, Clarisse opened her eyes and stretched lazily in bed, before realising that Joseph wasn't beside her.

"Joseph?" she called as she sat up in the rumpled sheets and looked around with a smile, seeing both lots of clothes scattered on the floor.

"You called, madam?" came a voice from the doorway of the bathroom, and she looked up to see him standing there, adjusting the sleeves on the navy blazer he was wearing over a light blue shirt and khaki coloured pants.

"You're already ready?" Clarisse asked, looking around for something to put on, and he chuckled as he sat down on her side of the bed and ran a playful hand up her leg, before handing her his bathrobe. She was still so modest about herself, but that was what he loved about her…

"Yes, I'm ready for tonight, but you've still got time," he teased as she slipped on the robe, and walked over to her suitcase, disappearing into the bathroom a few seconds later.

"You'll be able to make yourself presentable in that time, won't you?" he teased, and she poked her head out of the door, pretending to look angry, but then laughed.

"Yes, I'll be presentable in the given time," she replied pertly before disappearing again.

Less than half an hour later, the door slowly opened, and Joseph looked up from the book he was perusing to see Clarisse standing there, looking at him shyly.

"What do you think?" she asked as Joe's eyes drank her in. She had worn so many lovely outfits over the years, looking dazzling in every one, but he had to admit that he liked her best in simple outfits, with little jewellery and no tiaras or sashes- exactly as she was now.

She was wearing a plain royal blue silk dress that reached halfway down her legs, short sleeves and a slightly scooped neck, but it set off her blue eyes, fair complexion and figure perfectly.

"I… I don't know what to say," he finally said, realising she was expecting an answer, and her face crumpled slightly.

"You don't like it, do you? I knew I shouldn't have bought it!" she cried, and he leapt off the bed in a panic, eager to dispel her fears.

"No, no darling, that's not what I meant," he said hastily as, her hands in his, he led her over to the bed. "I only meant that I couldn't think of any words to accurately describe how you look, but I think you look gorgeous- that dress really sets off your eyes and complexion… I love it!" he said as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

"But why were you so worried about what I thought?" he asked after they broke apart, and she blushed before looking at him.

"Your opinion means a lot to me, and I want… I want to look beautiful to you…"

"You always look beautiful to me, sweetheart, and you don't need to worry about that changing- I'm strongly biased in your favour! So, are you ready for a night out on the town?" he asked as he stood up and offered her his hand, and she beamed as she took it.

"Doesn't someone look gorgeous tonight?" James bellowed, and Charlie whistled, as Clarisse came downstairs on Joseph's arm.

"Joe, you're really going to have to tell me where you shop!" he joked before everyone laughed as Clarisse blushed and clutched Joseph's arm tighter, before Joe changed the subject, sensing her discomfort.

"So, how are we getting to Lybitt?" Joe inquired and James smiled.

"Since we're going to be living it up tonight, I hired a mini van and driver for the evening!"

Clarisse was fascinated with the trip down to Lybitt in the mini van, Charlie cracking jokes all the way, and Joe smiled as he saw her look around in delight. She had spent most of her adult life protected and pampered, but now everything was a new adventure for her… but he liked seeing these experiences through her eyes- she was living an almost normal life, rather than existing behind palace walls, where everything was planned to the nth degree…

The pub was only half full when they made their way through to the table of six James had reserved, and while there were curious stares at the newlyweds, most people quickly turned back to their other activities.

"See, I told you no one would really care!" Charlie said smugly as they sat down. "If you see any more stares, they're all just wondering why I'm here with you!"

"Most of the people here are friends," James added quietly as he sat down next to Lisa. "Believe me, they know who you are but you won't see any of them contacting the press- they are very protective!"

"So, onto more pressing matters- what does everyone want to drink?" Charlie, ever the jokester, asked as he and James stood up again. "No Joe, you can shout us next Saturday," he added as Joe followed suit, pulling his wallet out of his pocket.

After collecting drink orders, the two of them disappeared in the direction of the bar while the others watched people trickling in for the Saturday night entertainment.

"Saturday night is usually the most popular night," Lisa explained as Clarisse looked around, wide eyed. This was all so new and strange to her, yet so normal to everyone else…

"Did you ever do this very often?" she turned to ask Joseph curiously, and he laughed.

"Occasionally, when I had the evening off and felt like going out…" before he leaned over and murmured, for her ears only, "Not that I ever really wanted to go out without my girl!" and she blushed at his words, but didn't say anything in reply as the boys bustled over with the drinks and a group of unfamiliar faces.

"Everyone just wanted to stop by and say hello," James said helpfully as they group stared at both Clarisse and Joe, before Charlie intervened and made the introductions.

While they, and the others that followed as they waited for dinner, were in awe about being in the presence of a former Queen, by the time they drifted off, after a few smart comments from James or Charlie, they were grinning… and Joe could tell, as the evening wore on, that their awe and admiration for the Queen and 'the man who captured her heart' as Charlie introduced him once, had melted into genuine affection…

James had been right- no one present, after their first initial surprise at seeing them there, showed no inclination to stare all evening, or contact the press.

After dinner, the karaoke portion of the evening began, and everyone sat back to watch people willingly make fools of themselves. Joseph had switched back to soft drink after his second drink, and he was glad he had as Clarisse, who had been sipping glasses of wine all evening, began to show signs that the wine was going to her head- she very rarely had much to drink at formal affairs, but she was letting her hair down tonight. But he was the only one that could really tell, as she still had remarkable self control, but she was getting more giggly and talkative than usual.

He kept a protective arm around her chair, and while she had initially wondered why he did that, as she got gigglier and talked more, she realised that he was keeping an affectionate but protective eye on her.

The karaoke competition was fun to watch, and the rules were simple- the spotlight roamed around the room before landing randomly on anyone, and they either had the choice of singing a song they chose, or passing- and suffering the good natured ribbing of their friends.

It was funny until… Clarisse suddenly found herself the centre of attention as the light landed on her. For a moment, she didn't know what it meant, but when the DJ playfully waved the microphone in her direction, she suddenly knew… and although she was grinning, she desperately wanted to disappear under the table.

"She doesn't have to do it- I'll do it instead!" James stood up with a grin, and the light shifted from a frozen Clarisse to a grinning James before….

"Wait! I'll do it!" Clarisse said boldly as she emptied her glass of wine, patted the arm of an equally stunned Joseph, and stood up as James sank back down, surprised. The room suddenly roared with laughter, applause and cheering as Clarisse slowly made her way through the tables, smiling shyly at people and wondering if this had been the best idea…

Joe, on the other hand, was proud but nervous on her behalf, and he could clearly see the respect and admiration she commanded by the way people shouted out messages of support, clapped and cheered as she made her way pas them.

He leaned over her vacant seat to shout to a surprised Charlie:

"Have you ever seen her do this before?"

"No," Charlie bellowed back over the noise as the two women cheered along with the crowd. "You've brought out a side of Clarisse that I've never seen before!"

Meanwhile up on stage, Clarisse was feeling rather conspicuous as well as embarrassed beyond words as she quickly perused the list of songs the DJ offered, and picked one seemingly familiar song she recognised from Mia's collection, and waited patiently as he looked for the song.

She glanced around the room and, funnily enough, no on e was jeering at her or taking pictures- they were all cheering for her… She looked at Joseph, now in a blind panic, as James, Charlie and their wives were standing up and yelling, and he only smiled… and she could feel his encouragement.

"So… any last words… Clarisse Bonnell?" the DJ joked as he handed the microphone to her, and smiled encouragingly at her when he saw how she was trembling.

"Um…" she stuttered, the first and only time she had ever said that before the wine, and years of thinking on the spot kicked in, and she smiled happily back at him.

"Just that I would like to dedicate this song to my husband of almost a month… and I'm sure that you all saw the wedding in the papers!" she added smartly, feeling bolder, as the crowd (Joe included) roared with laughter.

"You've got a husband? A pretty young thing like you… I don't believe it!"

"Now I know you're being sarcastic!" Clarisse quipped back just as quickly, and the room laughed again.

"So, who is the husband of one month?"

"Joseph," she pointed directly at Joe and he was, for a moment, blinded by lights as everyone stared at him, before turning back to the stage.

"Oh yeah, I though he looked familiar… didn't I see you in jail last month?" before the place howled with laughter again.

The DJ waited for everyone to quieten down before the DJ announced:

"Right, so we have Clarisse Bonnell singing 'Kiss Me'" before he stepped back to give her room. Clarisse took a deep breath as the opening bars of the song began playing, and she stared at the screen on the floor in front of her:

Kiss me out of the bearded barley
Nightly, beside the green, green grass
Swing, swing, swing the spinning step
You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress.

Chorus:
Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver moon's sparkling
So kiss me

Clarisse was beginning to relax in front of the microphone, and Joe smiled proudly- she was finally coming out of her shell after so many years of hiding, and he was so proud of her… she was actually living and having fun!

Kiss me down by the broken tree house
Swing me upon its hanging tire
Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat
We'll take the trail marked on your father's map

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight
Lead me out on the moonlit floor
Lift your open hand
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance
Silver moon's sparkling
So kiss me

So kiss me

When she finished the song, she smiled quietly as the whole room, who had been cheering along with her, exploded into cheers, whistles and claps, and every person in the room stood up to give her a standing ovation.

"Well, it looks like we might have to get you back for the next karaoke competition," the DJ beamed as he helped her off the stage. Clarisse shook her head weakly at him- the adrenalin of doing it was wearing off, and she was feeling a little tired.

Joseph, even from his spot far away, saw her face go pale, and he hastened through the bar to get a couple of bottles of water.

Clarisse made her way back through the crowd, relieved that it was over, but touched at the tidal wave of support that was threatening to overwhelm her. When she got back to the table, the other four were giving her yet another standing ovation… but where was Joseph?

""You go girl?" Marion shouted over the noise before both women hugged her, and Clarisse smiled distractedly, looking over their backs for Joseph… where was he? Was he angry that she had made a fool of herself up there?

"I never thought I'd see you do karaoke!" James bellowed, and Clarisse laughed, but she visibly relaxed when she saw Joseph fighting his way back to the table, holding several bottles of water… just what she needed… and beaming proudly at her.

"Well done, darling," he said, putting the bottles down on the table and giving her a tight hug. Afterwards, he handed her a bottle of water, and she swallowed half of it.

"Joseph… I think I need some air," she said a little fuzzily, and he quickly grabbed the other three bottles of water and guided her gently through the crowd, Clarisse leaning heavily on him as everyone shouted supportive words at them, and it was a relief to finally get out into the cool night air.

Thankfully, there was a seat nearby, and he helped her sit down in it before sitting next to her.

"Oh Joseph… I think I'm tipsy," Clarisse sighed as she leant on his shoulder for a moment, before she sat up slightly and emptied the bottle of water.

"I think you might be too- but you gave a wonderful performance on stage just now!" he laughed as he stroked her hair gently, and she chuckled before he wrapped his blazer around her shoulders- unlike in Pyrus, the evening air was much cooler up here.

There was a long silence as Joe kept a protective arm around her, and she managed to finish almost another bottle of water.

"So, what do we do now?" Clarisse sighed, feeling better now that the world had stopped spinning.

"Do you want to go back inside?" he asked gently and, after a slight pause, she shook her head.

"No, I think I want to go to bed…"

Just then, Lisa and Marion appeared in the doorway, and walked over to them.

"Everything alright?" Lisa asked anxiously.

"Fine," Clarisse said calmly, comfortably leaning on Joseph's shoulder, his arm around her.

"But would you mind if we back early? I think we're both tired," Joe added.

"Of course, that's fine… take the mini van."

"But what about the rest of you?"

"The driver will come back for us- we'll stay a bit longer, and we'll probably be another hour anyway…"

"What about…"

"They'll come home when they're ready- they usually don't show up until early Sunday morning, but they are, typically, fine anyway!"

The sun was shining brightly into the bedroom when Clarisse opened her eyes the next morning. She blinked for a few moments, wondering why she felt tired and had a slight headache, but it all came rushing back to her in an instant, and she was about to cover her face with a pillow when she heard a quiet voice in the doorway.

"Good morning, darling!"

She propped herself up on her pillows to see Joseph walking towards the bed, carrying a tray. "How are you feeling?" he asked tenderly as he set the tray down in front of her, and leaned over to kiss her.

"I feel alright…how big was last night? I can remember most things, but was there any press there?"

"No, you don't have to worry about any of that- as James said, they were all very protective of us, and I don't think anyone took any photos… but yes, it was a very big night last night!" he chuckled as he sat down on the bed next to her, and she sighed as she took her cup of tea from the tray.

"I'm sorry I was so much trouble last night," she said, and he pulled her face to look at his. "I guess you've never had to do that before!"

"No, but I was looking after my wife last night, someone who had a good time… Darling, last night was something you've never tried before, from the karaoke and going to the pub, as well as even something as simple as the trip in the mini van… you were living, rather than existing in the palace, and I couldn't have been happier seeing you let your hair down!"

"Yes, I did enjoy myself last night," Clarisse smiled smugly as she munched on a piece of toast. "But you aren't going to let me forget it, are you?"

"No… and neither will James or Charlie, it's safe to assume… But don't worry, Mia's not going to find out."

"By the way, how are the other two men?"

"I think I heard them come in at five this morning, but they both seemed to fine when I saw them downstairs… maybe a little under the weather, but still their normal, cheeky selves… and I'd better warn you, they can't wait to see you!"

"Oh no…" Clarisse groaned, but then smiled slightly at Joseph. "You'll stand by me, won't you?"

"Of course I will… by the way, I think it might be time to get up- it's nearly 10, and we've still got a three hour trip back to Pyrus!"

"Alright… I'd better face the music with them sooner than later!"

000

An hour later, they were packed and ready to go as they followed their luggage downstairs, and found the others lolling out by the pool.

"Well, well, well… here's our Party Queen now!" Charlie bellowed smartly as he sat up on his lounge chair, grinning broadly, and James turned from talking to Marion and Lisa, and his face lit up.

"Well, well, well… how are we feeling this morning?" he teased as Joe and Clarisse made their way over to them, and sank down onto a nearby lounge chair. "I can imagine that you feel a little under the weather!"

"Not really," Clarisse said flippantly with a smile. "I drank several bottles of water before I went to bed… but I hear you two stayed out until all hours!"

"We always do," Charlie said as he moved over to where the rest of the group were gathered. "I'm sure one of the ladies would have told you that Saturday night is a big night out on the town, and we usually have a good time!"

"Sounds like we might have to come again," Clarisse commented, and James nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course you should! Next time it'll be Joseph's turn to do karaoke…"

"And I will beat you at golf," Charlie mock growled at Joe, before bursting into laughter.

"So, you two are ready to go?"

"Yes… we've got a couple of hours drive… but thank you so much for having us here this weekend," Clarisse said with a gentle smile as they all stood up, and James grinned as he walked over and hugged her.

"It was no problem, kiddo," he said, and Clarisse laughed.

"Kiddo? I'm only a few years younger than you!" before she was distracted by the other three hugging her.

James turned to Joe with a broad smile.

"You're a great guy, Joe, and I'm glad that Clarisse has you… you didn't have that much to drink last night?"

"No, I wanted to make sure someone was able to keep an eye on the rest of you," he teased, and James laughed outright before sticking out his hand.

"Good on you- one day when we come into Pyrus again, we'll have a boy's night out!"

"I'd like that a lot!"

Finally, after another half an hour of conversation as they all made their way out to where the car was waiting, Charlie finally bellowed:

"Enough talking! Let them go so we can talk about them!" before Marion playfully swatted him on the arm. The other four stood and waved until they were almost out of sight, and Clarisse turned back to face the front with a tired sigh.

"What a weekend… But, did you have fun?" she looked at him curiously.

"Did you?" he countered, and they both laughed.

"Alright, we both had a good time, but I think we might have a few early nights for the next week!"

"That sounds like a good idea, madam!"