...Continued.

The following morning Clarisse awoke to find she was in bed alone, then remembered Joe had slept out in the suite. With a sigh she got out of bed and slipped on her dressing gown while walking over to the door, opening it she was surprised to find Joe had already gone.

She ordered breakfast and had a quick shower while waiting, after she ate she got ready and headed downstairs while messing with a pin holding her a hair in place.

"whats wrong Grammy?" Amelia asked as she came into her office

"I am trying to get this pin to go in correctly but it doesn't seem to want to work" she sighed

"here let me" Amelia said standing up and stood behind her

"thank you" she lifted her head as Amelia took the pin and sorted it out for her "have you seen Joe this morning?"

"there all done" Amelia smiled as Clarisse turned around

"thank you" she answered her

"and no, but Shades did and he said that hes took the girls shopping and is going to sort out a couple things before coming back" she answered "why?"

"oh" she laughed a little "no reason" she moved and sat at her desk with a sigh

"is something wrong?" Amelia asked sitting opposite her

"just last night we had a small fight and he slept on the couch, and by the time I woke up this morning he had already gone" she said resting her chin on her hand while resting her elbow on the desk

"is it about not going to Paris?" Amelia asked

"yes, actually it is" she sighed "he knows how it works, I just don't get why he's being like this for" she said looking at Amelia

"I do" Amelia answered as Clarisse looked up at her "he had planned a romantic weekend Grammy, in his, including yours and many other people's world's its called a dirty weekend"

Clarisse gasped "I beg your pardon" she exclaimed

"don't sit there and tell me you don't know what it means" Amelia smirked

"well yes I do, I just didn't expect you to say such things" she said looking at her

"Oh Grammy, what did you tell me so nicely yesterday?" Amelia said

"what did I tell you yesterday?" Clarisse answered

"that we are all adults here" Amelia giggled as Clarisse gasped "and even though I do find it a bit weird talking about this stuff with you, at the end of the day you are my best friend and well, we are all adults here" she smiled at her

"you are so grown up, sometimes I forget how old you actually are" Clarisse sighed "I keep seeing you as the little girl, then I have to remind myself your not that little girl anymore" she sighed "please promise me you will stop growing"

Amelia laughed "sorry Grammy, but I can't promise that" she smirked

"I know" Clarisse sighed "you and my girls are growing up so fast, then again the boys grew up fast too" she sighed and held her head in her hands "you no" she said while lifting her head and looked at Amelia "out of all the years we've been together we've never gone to bed on a fight before, we always sorted it out and he's never slept on the couch before" she sighed sadly

"oh dear" she whispered "you no what you got to do don't you?" she said

"what?" Clarisse said looking at her

"your not gonna like it?" Amelia answered

"I see" she took a deep breath "ok, go on"

Amelia told her what she had to do, then they headed to another meeting, after they sat and had lunch with the girls who had returned but Joe had gone of to help Shades. After lunch while Pierre looked after the girls, Amelia and Clarisse went to do a tiny bit of shopping.

Returning home Clarisse went to her office to sort a couple things out while Amelia took Clarisse's bags and hid them in her own suite so Joe couldn't find them. Just as Clarisse put the phone down Sofia stood in the door way.

"Mom" Sofia whispered standing at the door

Clarisse looked "hey you" she smiled as she walked over to the desk "is everything alright?"

she nodded "but is it with you and Daddy?" she asked sitting on the desk next to her "there was talk going around that you fell out"

"we are just fine" she slumped back in the chair and looked at her "you don't miss anything do you?" she asked

"nope" she said watching her as she closed her eyes

taking her glasses of and placing them on top of her head with a sigh "everything is just fine" she nodded looking at Sofia

"how come you didn't go on your trip then?" she asked

"because I had to do some extra work, then something else came up" she said looking at her "where's your sister?"

"she's out riding with Pierre and Amelia" Sofia answered looking at her

"ok" she nodded "ok" she said tipping her head back

"Mom" she said as Clarisse lifted her head "everything is alright isn't it?"

"of course" she smiled and watched as she moved sitting on her lap

"no matter what, I am never to old to have a hug from my Mom" she smiled knowing it will make her feel better

"indeed" Clarisse smiled giving her a hug as Sofia wrapped her arms around her shoulders "you and Olivia always no how to make me smile" she said looking up at her

"and Pierre" Sofia smiled as Clarisse nodded "and Daddy and James?"

"oh of course, them too" she smiled and kissed her

"love you Mom" Sofia smiled hugging her

"I love you more" she said holding her close "I can't believe your going to be 16 this year" she said looking at her

"I know its scary" Sofia smiled at her

"its gone to fast" she said putting her hand on Sofia's back "what would you like to do for it?"

"umm..." she said while thinking "I would love a family holiday, just me, Olivia, Daddy and you" she nodded "with no guards"

"well" Clarisse started "we will see" she smiled "I can't promise anything but I will talk to your Dad"

"ok" she smiled and hugged her again "I am going to make some tea, would you like some?" she asked looking at her

"sure, why not" Clarisse smiled as Sofia stood up and brushed against her arm

Sofia turned to see Clarisse looking at her "whats wrong Mom?" she asked

she looked up at her "um.. nothing" she said standing up "you go ahead, I will catch you up" she smiled putting her hands together

"ok" she said and turned walking out as Clarisse stood and watched her

Clarisse shook her head and waited a couple minutes before going to the kitchen.

"Mommy" Olivia exclaimed rushing over and hugged her

"hey you" she smiled wrapping her arms around her "did you have a nice ride?"

"I did" Olivia smiled while lifting her head "I wish you could of come though"

"maybe next time?" Clarisse smiled and kissed her cheek as Amelia and Pierre came in

"hey Grammy" Amelia smiled sitting next to her "Thanks for letting me ride Mint, I love riding her" she smiled

"isn't she a smooth ride?" Clarisse said turning to her as Olivia clung to her

"she is indeed" looking at her and Olivia "whats wrong Olivia?"

"nothing" she smiled as Clarisse looked at her

"are you sure?" Clarisse asked while putting her arm around Olivia's waist as she remained standing next to her

"uh huh" she smiled

"well I am going back to my room" Sofia said standing up "I will see you later" she smiled and walked out

Clarisse watched her again then shook her head and looked at Olivia "I need to talk to Pierre and Amelia about something so why don't you go and get changed and I will come and see you in a bit?"

"ok" she kissed her then rushed out the room

They sat talking for a while then Clarisse and Amelia headed back to Clarisse's office to carry on with some work.

Signing her last piece of paper, Amelia smiled up at Clarisse "and we are done" she nodded putting the lid on the pen

"Finally" Clarisse exclaimed while taking her glasses off as Shades came in "afternoon Shades" Clarisse smiled up at him while standing up

"Afternoon to you both" he smiled back as Amelia smiled over at him

"I can't believe we have finished now" Amelia said standing up as Shades done some checks

"I know, neither can I" Clarisse smiled grabbing the books and walked over to put them away "how come your doing the checks Shades?" Clarisse asked with her back to him

"um" Shades said looking at her then at Amelia as she looked over at him

"Shades" Amelia raised her eyebrow "somethings going on?"

"I have been sworn not to say anything" he answered

"by who" Amelia asked

"Joe" he answered

"talking of Joe, where is he?" Clarisse asked turning around "I must tell him something" she smiled

"you can't Your Majesty" he said nervously

"why?" she asked walking over to her desk

"as he's not here?" Shades whispered

"well when he gets back then" Clarisse nodded "where did he go?" she said turning her back to them again and slipped on her jacket

Shades stood shaking his head while closing his eyes and looked down, Amelia noticed and stood up straight.

"Shades" Amelia whispered as he looked up "whats going on?"

"what do you mean whats going on?" Clarisse said turning around and looked at Amelia then Shades "is there something going on?"

Shades nodded "you could say that, Your Majesty" he said looking up at her

"well will someone be kind enough to tell me what is going on?" Clarisse said looking at them

"I think I know" Amelia whispered "It's Joe" Shades nodded "and he's gone, hasn't he?" Shades nodded again "and he's not coming back today, is he?"

"thats right Princess" Shades said to scared to look at Clarisse

"what do you mean he's gone and not coming back today?" Clarisse whispered looking at them both

"He left a couple hours ago, he said he needed some space and put me in charge" he said looking at her

"What?" She exclaimed while sitting down "but..."

"I'm sorry Your Majesty" he said watching her

"I'm sorry Grammy" Amelia whispered while walking around to her and Pierre stood in the door way

"whats going on?" he asked

"can you please all leave?" Clarisse said

They all looked at each other while Clarisse looked down, then they all looked at her.

"whats going on?" Pierre asked

"I said can you please leave" Clarisse snapped "NOW" she screamed while banging her hands on the table

Pierre and Shades walked out as Amelia stood next to her for a second then left, pulling up the door behind her.

After realizing what she done, she stood up and headed upstairs to the suite. Sat and cried on the bed for a while then pulled herself together, packed a bag and got changed.

Leaving the Palace, knowing the girls will be looked after she headed to her and Joe's private house, knowing he will be there.

3 Hours later, she arrived. Pulling into the drive, she looked for his car, but couldn't see it. She went and tried the door but it was locked so she went back to the car and sat waiting for a while to see if he would return. As she waited it started storming and not long after Joe pulled in beside her and got out the car.

Getting out the car she looked at him "why did you leave?" she asked putting the hood up on her jacket

"because I needed some space" he said looking at her

They both stood in silence for a few seconds, getting soaked through.

"why did you come?" he asked

"to try and save my marriage" she exclaimed

"I thought saving your country was and always will be first on your list" he said looking at her as she gasped "as it seemed more important yesterday"

"how dare you" she said stepping closer and slapped him hard across the face

He put his hand up to his face while looking at her as she put both hers up to her face in surprise.

To Be Continued...