Hi everyone, thank you all so much for reading and to those who left reviews :) I appreciate it. There is a part in this chapter that might not be to everyone's taste, but just remember it's an AU story and all just a bit of fun.


Monday 31st December 2007.

After getting ready for her day, Clarisse placed her wash bag in her overnight bag, zipped it up and carried it downstairs. Placing it down by the front door, she checked to make sure that she had everything she needed in her handbag and walked through into the kitchen a moment later, and seeing Pierre sat looking through some papers at the kitchen table she smiled.

"Good morning, darling," she said while getting herself a glass and poured herself some orange juice.

"Good morning," he replied and looked over at her as she rested her hip against the counter and took a sip of her juice, "are you all set for Italy?"

"I am," she nodded and averted her gaze to the papers in his hands, "what's that?" She asked and walked over to him.

"Oh, it's the listing for the property I'm going to look at today," he said, handing her the papers.

"Oh this one looks nice," she said while placing her glass down on the table and turned the page, "where is it?"

"Just five minutes up the road," he smiled.

"Oh that's not to much out of the way then," she said and smiled down at her son before looking back at the listings.

"Nope, and so far from all the others that I've seen, this one looks the best so I have my fingers crossed it lives up to expectations," he said and sipped his coffee.

"Well I have my fingers crossed too," Clarisse smiled at him as the doorbell rung.

"That'll be Laura," he said while standing to his feet, "be right back."

"Ok," Clarisse said and watched him walk out of the kitchen before she looked back down at the papers in her hands.

Coming back in moments later, Pierre walked over to the countertop and poured Laura a cup of coffee as she entered the kitchen after hanging up her coat in the hallway. "Oh hello, Mrs Elizondo. I thought you had gone to Italy?"

"Please, call me Clarisse," Clarisse smiled while placing the papers down on the kitchen table and picked up her glass of juice, "and I am, I'm leaving in a few minutes." She said and walked over to the sink while drinking some more of her drink.

"Ahh," Laura nodded, "well I hope you have a great time and happy new year to you."

"Thank you, to you too," Clarisse said and placed her glass down in the sink before looking across at Pierre as he stood beside Laura and handed her the cup of coffee he had just poured. "Well I better get going, Pierre walk me to the door, won't you?"

"Of course," Pierre nodded as he looked at his mother then at Laura, "make yourself at home and I'll be right back." He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"It's lovely to see you again, Laura," Clarisse said with a smile and made her way out into the hallway.

"You too," Laura said as she watched them both walk out of the kitchen.

"I see she's still very nervous around me," Clarisse said a moment later as she slipped on her coat, "she does know that I don't bite, right?"

"I know, and she does," he chuckled and watched as Clarisse wrapped her scarf around her neck, "but I have been thinking that perhaps when you return, and when Dad is here too, we could all go out to dinner together, so she can get to know you both a bit better."

"Yes, that sounds like a good plan," Clarisse smiled as she walked over to the sideboard and picked up her handbag and car keys. "I'll talk to Joseph about it while I'm in Italy."

"Ok, great," Pierre smiled, "and are you still sure that it's alright for her to stay here while you are out of town?" He asked and watched as she turned back to him.

"Of course it is," Clarisse smiled and stepped closer to him, kissing his cheek before stepping back. "Let me know about the house alright?"

"I will, and thank you, Mom," Pierre smiled as she opened the front door and picked up her overnight bag, "have a good time and tell dad I said happy new year."

"I will, bye darling," Clarisse smiled as she walked out the door and down the porch steps.

"Bye, mom," Pierre smiled and watched as she walked over to her car and put her bags on the backseat before climbing into the drivers seat. Waving, he stepped back and closed the door behind him before going back in to Laura.

Doing up her seatbelt, Clarisse started the engine while pressing for the cd to play and began driving from her drive with a smile on her face. She was happy, not just for herself and how well her and Joseph, even though they had just spent the last four days apart and who she couldn't wait to see, were getting on, but she was happy for Pierre too and that he had finally found someone to love after all these years.

Arriving at her sisters shortly after she pulled into her drive to pick up her and her niece, Beatrice, who were joining them in Italy. Shutting off her engine she climbed from the car and made her way up to the house as the front door opened.

"Hello, are you ready?" Clarisse asked as she stepped through the door.

"Nearly, just waiting on Bea," Isabella smiled as she slipped on her coat.

"Come on, Bea," Clarisse called out, "or we will miss our take off slot."

"I'm just coming," she replied as she appeared at the top of the stairs and started walking down to them, "I am so excited about this trip, do you realise that I have never been to your place there before?"

"Have you not?" Clarisse asked as she watched her walking down the stairs.

"Nope," she answered with a shake of her head and stood in front of her, "and I can't wait to see it," she smiled and kissed her cheek, "hello."

"Hello, now come on, let's go," Clarisse smiled and gestured to the front door before walking outside.

"Ok, ok," Bea laughed as she grabbed her coat and walked outside after her as her mom followed and locked the front door behind them.

"Now, you two are ok in the same bedroom aren't you? As Vicki and Beppe are coming to stay at the house too," Clarisse asked as they walked over to the car and put their luggage in the boot.

"Oh yeah we are alright in the same room," Isabella smiled as they all climbed in the car and buckled their seatbelts.

"Good, you wouldn't have had much of a choice anyway," Clarisse smiled and started the engine, leaving for the airport a moment later. "Now, Lars, Shades and Charlotte are meeting us at the airport."

"Oh, are they coming too?" Isabella asked.

"Only Lars is, Shades will be driving back the palace car and Charlotte is driving back my car," Clarisse said as her eyes remained on the road.

"Oh I see," Isabella smiled and looked out of the front car window.

Later That Evening.

After getting ready for their evening out, Clarisse came back into the bedroom and sat down on the chaise lounge at the foot of the bed to slip on her heels as Joseph came into the bedroom.

"Clarisse, my love, I'm having a bit of trouble with these cuff links. Can you help me please?" He said as he walked around to her and finally looked up, "wow," he exclaimed, getting blown away by how beautiful she looked.

"Of course," she laughed while standing to her feet and smoothed her hands down the skirt of her knee length dress before taking the cuff links from him.

"You look breathtaking," he said, unable to take his eyes from her as she smiled and fastened the cuff links. "And you smell absolutely delicious too."

"Why thank you," she laughed at his comment and looked up at him, "you do too," she smiled and looked back down at his cuffs, "there all done," she said and moved around to the side of the bed.

"Thank you," he said and watched as she wrapped her scarf around her neck and slipped on her coat. "I think I am going to have trouble keeping my hands off you tonight."

"Well I'm afraid that you are gonna have too," Clarisse smirked as she walked back around to him and stood in front of him.

"I know, I know," he said and looked into her eyes, "why oh why do you have to be so daring. You know what it does to me."

"Oh I am sorry," she smirked cheekily while putting one of her arms up around his shoulder and placed her hand on the back of his neck. "I don't mean to, but you know I like to look nice whenever we go out. Especially here where I can really let my hair down and enjoy myself, unlike back in Genovia."

"I know," he said and kissed her a couple times before looking back into her eyes, "you, my love are such a tease," he smiled and watched as she tipped her head back and laughed.

"Oh, and you're not?" She laughed and waved her hand at his attire, "wearing your shirt like that, without a tie and with your two top buttons undone is so damn sexy," she smiled.

"Oh really?" He smirked and stepped closer to her while slipping his hands under her coat and placed them on her sides.

"Yes really," she laughed while snaking her arms around his shoulders, "I think I may even have trouble keeping my hands off you too tonight."

"Mmm mm mmmm," he exclaimed and buried his face in the crook of her neck a moment, making her laugh as he did. "I think we better go."

"Yes, I think you are right," she laughed and watched as he raised his head to look back into her eyes, "come on, we will be back home before you know it," she said while slipping her hand into his and led him over to the bedroom door.

"You're right," he nodded in agreement and watched as she looked back at him over her shoulder as they walked through their suite.

Later.

"Here we go, another round of drinks," Gino smiled as he placed one tray down on the table and Elly placed the other.

"And these cards that were left here last night by a hen party," Elly smiled as she picked the pack of cards up from the tray and sat back down. "I thought we could all have some fun with them."

"What cards are they?" Clarisse asked and took a sip of her drink as Elly took the pack out of the box.

"Truth or dare," Elly smirked as Clarisse placed her glass down and held out her hand for them.

"Let's have a look," Clarisse smiled as Elly passed them across and started looking through some of the cards.

"Let's see," Isabella smiled and leant closer to her sister, reading some of the questions with Clarisse. "Oh my," she giggled and looked at Clarisse.

"What does that one say?" Elly asked and watched as Isabella took the card from Clarisse.

"Truth. Rough or slow?" Isabella read from the card and started laughing.

"Oh god," Elly laughed, "I am not answering that one."

"Okay, what about this one," Clarisse said, reading from the card. "Truth. Where do you like to be kissed the most?"

"Oh that ones not so bad," Elly smirked as Isabella took another card from the pack, "I prefer the neck."

"Mhmm, me too," Clarisse smiled and took a sip of her drink before looking at Joseph sat smirking beside her.

"And what about this one?" Isabella began as Clarisse looked back at her while placing her hand down on Joseph's thigh, "do you keep the lights on or off when making love?"

"Oh on, definitely," giggled Elly, "I want to be able to see my man."

"Oh yes, definitely, me too," Clarisse nodded as Elly took another card and started giggling. "Oh god, what does that one say?"

"I don't think I can say," Elly laughed.

"Give it here, I will say it," Clarisse said and took the card from her. "Does the size of his package matter?" Clarisse laughed and shook her head, "no, nope, definitely not. As long as you both love each other, that's all that matters. Anything else is a bonus, and if he just so happens to be well endowed, then you are lucky."

"You're one of those lucky ones, aren't you Clarisse," Elly laughed.

"I have no comment," Clarisse smirked as Joseph sat laughing beside her.

Later That Night.

"If I go and get our coats, can you come out onto the back balcony with me?" Joseph said as he and Clarisse danced.

"Of course," Clarisse nodded and looked up into his eyes, "is everything alright?"

"Yes," he nodded, "I just need to speak to you about something."

"Oh, okay," Clarisse said and let him lead her from the dance floor.


Walking out into the cool night air moments later, Clarisse placed her glass down on the table and turned to her husband. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"This," Joseph said while taking a folded piece of paper from his inner coat pocket.

"What's this?" She asked and watched as he looked down at it a long moment before handing it to her.

"You look," he said and watched as she opened it.

"A cheque? For what?" She asked and looked up at him.

"For my share of the restaurant," he said as Clarisse gasped.

"What, no," Clarisse exclaimed as she glanced down at the cheque before looking back up at him, "this is your life, you can't just give it up."

"No, Clarisse, it was my life," he said while taking her hands, "but you and my life with you are much more important. I want to be able to return to Genovia with you in a couple days and stay there to work on us, I don't want to have to keep coming back here all the time."

"But,"

"No buts," Joseph said and shook his head, "it's what I want."

"Alright, okay, but," she said and quickly put her hand up, pressing her forefinger against his lips, "what about the house here?"

"We can do what we were originally going to do, and use it just as a holiday home," he said with a shrug.

"And what about Vicki, Beppe and Alysse? If you moved back to Genovia permanently then you won't get to see them as much as you do now?" Clarisse said.

"I know that, and I have talked to Vicki about it already, she's agreed to fly to Genovia as much as they can, and keeping the house here as a holiday home means we can come to visit when we can too." Joseph said and looked into her eyes, "I know this is a lot to take in, but I really want us to work and I feel that if I do have to keep coming back here then it's just going to get in the way."

"So, you are what? Retiring?" She asked with a smirk.

"Yes, you could say that," he said with a nod and laughed.

"Then ok," she smiled and stepped closer while putting her arms up around his shoulders, "whatever you want to do, you have my support."

"Thank you," he said and kissed her a couple times while wrapping his arms around her waist.


Please let me know your thoughts on this, or any other chapters please :) I got the ideas but need a bit of help and motivation to get me writing. Many thanks :)