Hey, this is definitely the last chapter I'm going to post for a while. I had it finished so I thought I would go ahead and post it, I'll post again when I get time :) thanks for reading.

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Wednesday 15th November 2000.

"Your Majesty?" Charlotte called as she made her way into the Royal suite and looked around the room before looking towards the bedroom doorway as the Queen appeared.

"Have they landed?" She asked excitedly as she twisted her skirt into place.

"Yes they have, ma'am," Charlotte smiled and watched as her Queen put one of her arms across her front and held her hand against her hip, holding the skirt in place as she zipped up the zipper.

"That's great Charlotte, thank you for letting me know," Clarisse said as she put her hands on her hips and smoothed them downwards before checking the time and hurrying back into the bedroom "will you come down with me to greet them?" She called out to her assistant.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Charlotte called back.

"Great, I'll be right out," Clarisse called back and picked up her shoes from the floor "make yourself at home."

"There's no rush ma'am, we still have plenty of time," Charlotte answered and moved to sit down.

Sitting in her dressing table chair, Clarisse crossed her legs and lent forward, slipping on one of her shoes before putting her foot back down and repeating the action with her other foot. It had been a very long two and a half weeks since she last saw Amelia and Joseph, and although she was excited to see them both, when she thought of seeing Joseph after this time apart her heart raced that little bit faster. Sitting back up straight, she placed her hands down on the top of her thighs and took several calming breaths before smoothing her hands towards her knees and standing to her feet. Biting her bottom lip she moved over to check herself in the mirror before going out to Charlotte waiting in the suite.

A short time later they were both making their way towards the car on the drive as Joseph shut the door behind he and Amelia. "Amelia, my darling," Clarisse smiled as she put her arms up, embracing her granddaughter in a long hug as Joseph turned to them.

Hearing her voice and smelling her perfume made his heart race, it felt like a life time since he last held her in his arms and it took all his willpower to stop him from doing just that right there on the driveway. He hated being away from her since she left San Francisco to return home without him, all he could think about since she left was being with her again and now that he was finally home and she was stood right there in front of him he thought his heart would burst.

"Hello grandma," Amelia smiled as she wrapped her arms around her.

"Did you have a good flight?" Clarisse asked as she pulled back and looked into her granddaughters eyes.

"I did, it was long though and because I was so excited to get here to see the place and you I couldn't sleep, so I'm very tired now," Amelia answered as her grandmother stepped back.

"Well you must rest," she said, putting her arm around Amelia's shoulders "Charlotte can you please show her to the guest suite?"

"Of course, ma'am," nodded Charlotte.

"And Shades will bring your luggage," Clarisse smiled at her granddaughter "when you have rested we will catch up then."

"Thank you grandma," Amelia said as Clarisse lent closer and kissed her cheek.

"And I'll give you a tour too later," Joseph said, smiling at them.

"Thank you Joe," Amelia smiled.

"This way, Your Highness," Charlotte smiled, extending her arm towards the palace "and welcome to Genovia."

"Thank you, Charlotte," Amelia smiled as they began walking away from her grandmother and Joseph.

Smiling, Clarisse intertwined her hands together in front of her and turned to Joseph "and what about you? Are you tired too?" She asked, putting all her weight onto one leg as she stuck her other out slightly, tipping her foot back on her heel.

"I am, because like Amelia I was excited to get home and see you too," he smiled "but, I think a lovely walk is in order before I go take a nap, if you're up for it?"

"Definitely," Clarisse smiled as Joseph offered her his arm "thank you."

"You know, I have missed this, I have missed you," he said and looked at her as she linked her arm with his "it's been a very long two and a half weeks."

"Yes it has," she nodded and looked ahead.

"I have missed us," he said softly as she looked at him and smiled.

"Me too," she smiled and looked ahead once again "oh, talking of us, Isabella knows about us being back together."

"Uh, how?" He asked and looked at her as she looked down at the floor.

"Well she caught me before I had a chance to cover up the mark on my neck, and straight away knew it was you that had left it," she said and looked up at him as he chuckled.

"Alright, and what did she say about it?" He asked, watching her as she looked away with a smirk on her lips.

"Do you mean what did she say about us, or about the love bite? Because if it's about that then she was shocked that I had one at my age," she said, teasing him.

"Clarisse," he said and looked at her as she laughed "you know what I meant."

"I do," she smiled, looking ahead and nodded "there wasn't much she could say, it is our life after all but fortunately for us she loves that we are back together, she actually had suspicions when she saw the twinkle in my eye upon my return."

"She did?" He asked, surprised.

"She did, but unfortunately I can't keep anything from her, I did try but I can't even lie to her because she can always tell," she said, looking up at him "after we talked, she actually said that it was about time we were back together."

"It definitely is about time," he smiled.

"She's also happy that I am no longer wearing black, figured you had something to do with that too." She said as they continued on their walk.

"Of course," he laughed.

Meanwhile, up in the guest suite Amelia stood looking out the window at the view when Joseph and her grandmother caught her eye. They were talking to a member of staff as two dogs bounced around them for a moment before they continued on their walk with the dogs following. Smiling, she watched as her grandmother bent over to pick up a stick for the dogs and chucked it ahead of them as Joseph leant closer, wrapping his arm around her back while leaning his head closer to what looked like whispering something in her ear making her laugh as she looked up at him.

"Charlotte?" Amelia said, watching them a moment more as they continued on their walk.

"Yes, Princess?" Charlotte said, looking over at her as she finally turned to her grandmothers assistant.

"What's the deal with my grandmother and her head of security, Joseph?" She asked, folding her arms.

"What do you mean, what's the deal?" Charlotte asked, knowing exactly what she was asking.

"Well from the way they act around one another would give one the impression that they are an item?" Amelia asked.

"I know, but I assure you that they are not, they just go way way back," Charlotte answered.

"So they were once an item?" Amelia asked, raising her eyebrow at the assistant.

"No, Your Highness," Charlotte said, shaking her head "they are best friends, have been since they were young." She smiled.

"Oh," Amelia.

"She was best friends with his sister, Victoria, too," Charlotte said, averting her gaze away a moment.

"Was?" Amelia asked and watched as Charlotte looked back at her.

"Yes, Your Highness, she sadly passed away back in March," Charlotte said sadly.

"Oh," Amelia said, lowering her arms "that's sad."

"It was a very sad time for them both," Charlotte said and nodded "anyway, I will let you get some rest now Your Highness."

"Thank you," Amelia said and watched as she moved over to the door, opening it "oh and Charlotte?"

"Yes, Your Highness?" Charlotte said, turning back to her.

"Please call me, Mia," she smiled.

"As you wish, Mia," Charlotte smiled and bowed her head "now if you need anything just call, I have left a list of numbers beside the phone."

"Thank you," Amelia smiled and watched as she walked out, closing the door behind her. Moving back over to the window, she looked out to see if she could still see her grandmother and Joseph walking but they had disappeared. Turning, she made her way over to the bed and sat on the edge a moment before flopping back, soon falling to sleep where she fell.

Later That Day.

Sitting at the dinner table, Joseph held onto Clarisse's free hand and lent closer to her, whispering as she sipped her water. Smiling, she put her glass back down and nodded as her sister and her husband walked through the door.

"Oh good, we aren't late," Isabella smiled as they walked over to her sitting at the head of the table.

"No you're not, we are actually early," Clarisse smiled.

"Well that makes a change," Isabella laughed and bent over to kiss her sisters cheek.

"Hey, cheeky," Clarisse exclaimed while putting her hand up to cup her cheek as she laughed.

"What, it's true," Isabella smiled and looked up "wheres Amelia?" she asked as she moved around the table to sit opposite Joseph.

"She's on her way, she didn't realise what the time was so shes just getting ready now," Clarisse smiled as Charles kissed her cheek and moved around the table to sit beside his wife.

"Ahh I see," Isabella smiled and watched as Joseph stood to his feet, moving to sit in the seat opposite Charles leaving the seat closer to Clarisse for Amelia "does she know about me yet?" She asked and looked back at her sister.

Resting her arms on the table in front of her, Clarisse shook her head "not yet, I haven't had a chance, but that's why I asked you both to dinner tonight, so she could meet you."

"Okay," nodded Isabella as Amelia appeared in the doorway.

"Hello," Amelia said, slowly stepping in the room as they all looked at her.

"Here she is," Joseph said as everyone stood to their feet.

"I have to get used to that, don't I? Everyone standing to their feet whenever I walk into a room?" She asked, walking nervously over to the table.

"I'm afraid so," nodded Clarisse as she put her hands on the tops of her granddaughters arms and kissed her cheek "now, you already know Joseph," Clarisse smiled and looked at him before looking at her sister and Charles "but this is Isabella, my sister and her husband Charles," she smiled and looked back at her granddaughter.

"You have a sister?" Amelia asked, looking at her grandmother before looking back at Isabella "you can definitely see the resemblance."

"I do," smiled Clarisse "and you'll see her around a lot because she and her family live in one of the cottages on the palace grounds."

"Ahh, well it's nice to meet you, Isabella," Amelia smiled.

"It's nice to meet you too, Amelia," Isabella smiled and watched as she looked back at her grandmother.

"Because she's family she gets to call you by just your name, not by title," Clarisse said softly, knowing exactly what her granddaughter was thinking.

"Oh I see well, in that case then, please call me Mia," Mia smiled as Joseph nodded.

"Alright, Mia it is then," Isabella smiled.

"Shall we sit?" Clarisse asked and took her seat, followed by everyone else.

"I can't get over how much you look like your father, Mia," Isabella said, watching her great niece.

"Thank you," Mia smiled as dinner was served.

Later That Evening.

Sitting in one of the armchairs in her grandmothers suite, Amelia watched her grandmother a moment as she read over an important document she had missed earlier in the day before finally speaking. "Grandma?"

"Yes, darling?" Clarisse said and slipped off her glasses as she looked over at her.

"I was speaking to Charlotte earlier," she said and lent forward, placing her glass of water down on the coffee table.

"Oh yes, what about?" Clarisse asked, watching her granddaughter closely.

"About you and Joseph," Amelia said, watching the colour drain from her cheeks "she said that you and he go way way back."

"It's true, we do," nodded Clarisse as she slipped her glasses back on "we grew up together."

"Yes, she mentioned that," nodded Amelia as she slumped back in the armchair "I think it's lovely that you can have a close friendship with your head of security, but has anyone ever questioned it?" She asked and watched as her grandmother averted her gaze from the paper before finally looking at her.

"How do you mean?" Clarisse asked, half smiling.

"Well I mean, has anyone ever questioned how close you are to your head of security? What I mean is, with you being Queen without a husband, and having a close relationship with Joseph,"

"You mean has anyone reported a story on our closeness, as if we were an item?" Clarisse asked.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean?" Amelia nodded and watched as she shook her head.

"No, they have not because everyone around here knows that we grew up together and that we are best friends," Clarisse smiled "and that's all it is."

"I see," nodded Amelia as she watched her grandmother look back at the document in her hand "so there has never been anyone since grandpa then?"

Looking up, Clarisse studied her granddaughter a long moment and wondered if she should be honest but soon decided against it. "No, there hasn't."

"That's a shame," Amelia said, looking towards the fire roaring in the fireplace as her grandmother watched her a moment "I think I'm going to call it a day grandma."

"Alright, darling," Clarisse said and watched as she stood to her feet "are you still feeling jet lagged?"

"Yes, very," Amelia nodded and walked around to her "thank you for a lovely dinner and welcome, I will see you in the morning."

"Yes, you will," Clarisse smiled and put her hand up onto her granddaughters arm as she wrapped it around her shoulders and kissed her cheek "sleep well."

"Thanks, I love you," she smiled, making her way over to the door.

"I love you too," Clarisse smiled and watched as she walked out before looking back down at the document.

A short time later she went to check on her, to make sure she was alright only to find her fast asleep on her bed. Covering her over with the quilt she kissed her forehead and left her to rest. Pulling up the door, she bit her lip and made her way to Joseph's suite. However, reaching the door a moment later to find it open slightly, a flash back from when they were in San Francisco popped into her mind it was the night they rekindled their relationship and the thought of finally getting to be with him for the first time since her last night in San Francisco caused butterflies to flutter in her tummy.

But pushing open the door, she wasn't expecting to see what she saw. There in front of her, her maid Melissa was stood in front of Joseph and her hands were up, cupping his face as she reached up to kiss him. Gasping at the sight, Clarisse watched in horror as they both looked at her.

"Clarisse," Joseph exclaimed.

"Your Majesty," Melissa exclaimed at the same time and looked at Joseph when she realised he had called her by her first name "Clarisse?" She said softly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean," Clarisse said, unable to finish saying the words and shook her head instead as the reality of what she just saw hit her "excuse me."

"Clarisse," Joseph exclaimed once again as she hurried away "dammit!"

Moments later, he followed her into her suite and slammed the door behind him as she turned around to look at him "get out," she snapped.

"No, not until we have talked,"

"I have nothing to say to you, so please go and leave me alone," she snapped and watched as he walked over to her "I said, please just go." But to her surprise he simply put his hand up grabbed hold of her jaw, not roughly but lovingly and kissed her. Pulling back, they looked into one another's eyes and all she saw was love and desire "is that, what I see in your eyes for me or for her?" She asked.

"You dammit!" He snapped and lowered his hand as she looked away "it's always been you, even when I was married to Liliana, I thought of only you." He said softly, wanting to take her in his arms but knew it would be a mistake "Clarisse, please I swear I didn't kiss her, she kissed me."

Looking up, Clarisse studied his face before finally whispering "please leave."

Nodding, Joseph honoured her request and left, but didn't go far. He remained standing outside her door, listening as the woman he loved broke down. He wanted to go back in to comfort her, hold her in his arms and tell her it's okay but knew it wasn't the best idea right now.