A/N: finally coming to the end, but I'm sure they'll live happily ever after after this!
Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
"Grandma?" Mia's first word was full of tension and timidity- she wasn't quite sure her grandmother wasn't upset with her- not only for the press sensationalizing their problems but calling when she was told to wait (and she was ready for the telling off she was about to receive)- but Clarisse surprised her with a warm greeting.
"Good morning, darling!"
"You... you're not angry with me?" came after a tiny pause.
"Why would I be angry with you?"
"Well, for what the press said... and then calling back when I knew you were going to call me..." the younger woman sounded so serious that Clarisse felt sorry for- and she realized that she probably hadn't made Mia's life any easier by not letting go completely when she should have.
"Dearest, I am not angry at you for either of those things or anything else."
"But I should have known that someone would have sold out to the press..." she was convinced she herself was to blame for this entire mess.
"Mia, it's alright," Clarisse said firmly. "I don't want you to torture yourself over this- people will always try to sell scandalous stories about us to the press and people will buy them, even if they aren't true- I've learnt that the hard way over the years and you too have experienced that- from last year as well- and you will continue to learn about it during your reign... unfortunately for us... but at least you weren't the in the headlines!" she teased gently and could then sense her granddaughter smile on the other end.
"True... but are you and Joe... Grandpa alright? I mean, this isn't exactly putting you in the best light."
"True enough, but we're fine..."
"Really?"
"Really," Clarisse affirmed. "In fact, we've already prepared a statement which I want you, with Sebastian's approval, to release to the media as soon as possible... I know one of the boys are coming out here to check on us so we'll send it back with them.."
"Wow, you're quick!" Mia blurted out before recovering quickly. "But that's good... and Sebastian has already informed me that he fully supports whatever you choose to do.. so, you've already got the statement done?"
"Yes..." before she read it out, "What do you think?" and Joseph, listening in, smiled- Clarisse was showing respect to the current monarch, asking her opinion- and it was clear to Clarisse that Mia was flattered at the show of respect and asking her opinion.
"I think it's great, Grandma, and I happily approve of it's release to the press."
"They don't know where we are?"
"Absolutely not- no one knows about the existence of the cabin so I'm sure they won't go anywhere near Lybitt... So, you're not coming back to the palace to really sort this out?"
"No, I don't think so," Clarisse said after a fraction of an instant. "I know everyone expects a swift, personal response but I...we," she amended with a quick look at her husband. "...Feel that our marriage is our business, no one else's and that's it... as for my own personal opininon, I've given almost my entire life to Genovia as Queen, and while I will always support you when necessary, it's time for our lives to go in two different directions- I as a wife, you as Queen."
Joseph's jaw dropped at her words- she REALLY was serious about the changes in lifestyle and in life- before he quickly turned away before she could see his reaction.
"Well, I'll support you two too and since your statement is your own reaction to this, then I will do everything in my limited power to ensure that the press understands that."
"Spoken like a true Queen," Clarisse said approvingly.
"That sounds very familiar," Mia joked. "But thank you- I'm glad I'm starting to SOUND like a Queen... so, still won't see you back for a while? But that's a good thing..."
"Not yet... why? Are you needing my assistance? "
"Not at the moment..." there was a skip of a beat. "I still have to clean up from the massive party I hosted a few days ago, the palace is still a mess, so maybe it's just as well you don't come back just yet..." and while Clarisse was momentarily horrified, she immediately realized that Mia was joking, as evidenced by the giggles of mirth erupting from her granddaughter.
The two of them spoke a moment or two longer- Mia relieved that neither Joseph nor Clarisse weren't angry with her and Clarisse reassuring her of the same- before they hung up and Clarisse collapsed back against her chair with a happy sigh.
"Everything alright?" he inquired as he rejoined her at the table- he had moved away slightly to give them so semblence of privacy, but he had heard everything- and she nodded.
"Fine- Mia is perfectly happy with what WE came up with," she strongly emphasized the 'we'. "...And she'll do what she can to support us."
"I thought she would," before he paused for a moment. "So. Now what?" he looked at her expectantly.
"Well..." she began slowly as she stood up and stretched. "We should have some lunch, remake the bed and get dressed...although..." she looked down, realizing her robe was the only thing covering her. "I do need a shower."
"Would you like some company?" he too stood up, only with a sly expression on his face, and she laughed, again feeling like a schoolgirl, only she wasn't... she was a very married woman, crazy about her husband and it was clear that the feeling was mutual... she had never doubted it, only forgotten it- but now it was all coming back to her.
"I don't know..." she looked and sounded coy as she slowly inched her way, backwards, towards the bathroom. "If you can catch me before the door closes, you can... although it might get too warm in there..." before she almost spun on her heel and dashed to the bathroom, chuckling as she felt him behind her... yes, it was time for them to get more fun in their life and that would mean giving up work completely for both of them but that was something, now, she wouldn't mind doing... in fact, the last thought that crossed her mind before Joseph pounced on her in the bathroom, was that it was time for some serious life changes...
00000
The next week passed by happily and, unfortunately, far too quickly for Joseph and Clarisse, although they were still fairly isolated from the rest of the country, aside from that brief visit from their bodyguards, and even more so when they had an unusually heavy snow fall in late January and they couldn't leave the cabin- not that either of them wanted to...
Thus they spent most of their time inside either talking, reading (Joseph had accumulated a wonderful, extensive collection of books), watching television and continuing to rekindle their romance.
After their first night out on the sofa- which, despite it's appearance, was extremely comfortable- Joseph had suggested they move out there for their nights, Clarisse had readily agreed and she had to admit that it was far warmer and cozier in the main living room, almost opposite the fire and the television nearby...and much, much more romantic as they usually ended up falling asleep in each others arms, content that the press had published their statement and hadn't bothered them again (although there were still snide comments from Elsie).
"I'm going to miss this," Clarisse said half sadly one evening after they had 'retired' early for the evening- meanting that they, again carried away by the feelings that had been reawakened and were still just as passionate as ever- had virtually tumbled into bed, only coming to their senses much later in the evening.
Neither of them had spoken about a specfic, set return date to the palace, but Joseph and Clarisse both knew that they had to return, if only for a while- February had arrived, spring was just around the corner and there were people who expected to see them back... yet they also didn't want to go back...
"Miss what? Us spending each night on a fold out sofa?" he teased gently as he began stroking her hair. "Us... making love as we did on our honeymoon? Reading and talking about nothing in particular?"
"All of it," she said simply. "This past fornight has made me realize that I really DO want the simple life...maybe we could even have that away from the palace."
Joseph stiffened slightly at her words- aside from the small clues she had verbally expressed earlier in their visit, she hadn't expanded on those clues since- but tried to remain casual.
"Oh? Do you have some ideas?"
Clarisse paused for a moment before she purposefully sat up in the bed, fluffing up her pillows as she went.
"Yes... Joseph, we need to talk," she sounded and looked so serious that Joseph instantly became concerned and followed suit.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"I know this seems very unromantic but I've been thinking about this and we need to set some conditions to agree to for when we return to the palace."
"Oh?" he was intrigued and pleased that Clarisse had been thinking about this- this meant that she was taking their marriage seriously and that, finally, it didn't come second to everything else in Clarisse's life. "What conditions were you thinking of proposing?"
"I thought we could consider and agree on them together... my main ideas are a) that I give up working with Mia completely unless she really, truly needs me (and if there are any occasions where we need to go anywhere, you come with me) and; b) that we go travelling much more together."
"Travelling?" he sounded amused- the first condition made sense to him- he had been waiting on this for six months- but the second was a little baffling. "Travelling?"
"Yes, travelling," his wife affirmed. "I've been to most places in the world."
"As have I."
"But I want to visit these places again with you and only you, as an almost private citizen, at my side rather than being behind the scenes, ensuring my safety and missing out on so much."
"I didn't miss out on much!"
"Nevertheless, you didn't see everything... I want to see everything with you, not as a monarch and I think we should get completely away from Genovia, even if in brief times."
"It may not happen that way," he reminded her gently. "You will probably always attract attention wherever you go and you will always be known as a Queen..."
"Even so, I'll be able to enjoy it all with YOU and that's what matters to me."
"Then I'll be happy to agree to that condition," before he paused. "I need to ask- about the work situation... are you really ready to give it up completely?"
"Yes," she looked at him unflinchingly. "I know I need to let go and let Mia go her own way... and I don't want to lose you."
"Is that all?" he hoped it wasn't.
"No... also, I don't want to work anymore, especially as hard as I used to... I'm ready for a new life and I'm ready for some changes in my life... what do you have in mind?"
"I don't have any conditions really- I don't want to be flat out with work anymore- Shades can definitely do without me...otherwise... I want to spend more time with YOU, enjoy our new life together and lead a more simple life."
"Anything else?"
"I want you to stop worrying about every little thing, especially what other people think of you or us..."
"That's easier said than done," she said wryly.
"I know you can do it... will you try?" he leaned over to gaze deeply into her eyes and she nodded a little bemusedly.
"I will try..." she vowed before he pulled away.
"So, what are the other changes we have to talk about- we've already decided we're both giving up our unnecessary jobs, we're going to travel more..."
"...Spend more time together," Clarisse continued. "Lead a simpler life... stop worrying about what everyone else thinks AND make the decisions together," she finished firmly and Joseph nodded in agreement.
"...And we can always make other conditions as time goes along," he added reasonably and she nodded.
"There was one other thing I wanted to discuss...living arrangements."
"Living arrangements? You mean, you stay in your suite and I'll have my own suite?"
"No... I was thinking more of our own place, away from the palace, somewhere we can really set up our life."
"You're overthinking again, my love- we already have two homes, aside from the suite at the palace, to call our own- here and the beach house, and if we're going to be travelling more, why have another house?"
"True," she looked sheepish. "I wasn't really thinking... so, do we have a deal on our negotiations?" her voice turned professional as she held out a hand towards him.
"I think so... only I'm not sealing our deal with a handshake,"" he moved slightly closer to her as she arched an eyebrow.
"Oh? How will you be sealing it?"
"With a kiss?" before he proceeded to do just that, a soft moan escaping from her throat... sealing their deal with a kiss... "And," he continued after a moment as she slowly weaved her arms around his neck. "We really should be going back to the palace soon..."
"Why?" she almost sounded like a petulant child.
"So we can come back here sooner rather than later!" he reasoned and she chuckled before he kissed her again and that effectively ended the conversation.