None of these characters belong to me, they belong to meg Cabot and Disney, neither does star trek. Hope you like this one and thanks for all my reviews! Keep em comin'! Note: thoughts in italics. I know there might be some discrepancies with ages but it's fiction so it's cool.

"Clarisse was right", mumbled Joe, his knee was giving him hell. He gently removed her head from where she had buried herself in his chest, she groaned gently and reluctantly moved. He pulled back the quilt and swung his legs over the bed.

"ouch", he moaned, putting pressure on his knee. He limped across the room and it started to ease off, it was starting to loosen up a bit and wasn't hurting as much anymore, a shower would make it better.

Clarisse watched him limp across the room and grimaced, it looked pretty sore. She reluctantly pulled herself out of bed and moved across the room towards the bathroom. She heard him get out of the shower, he was humming to himself.

"Joe, can I come in?", she said making her way in anyway.

"of course you can, darling," he said looking at her through his reflection in the steamed up mirror and smiling.

"your knee's sore", she stated more than questioned. He looked at her then laughed. She was standing arms folded in her silk night gown, hair everywhere but still managed to look like a queen.

"yes just a little but don't worry", he said in between spitting out mouthwash and drying his mouth with a towel.

"are you sure?", she said sitting on the edge of the monstrous bath.

"yes," he laughed quickly kissing her on the cheek, "I'm sure. I'd have a sore knee forever if it meant I could relive last night again and again."

"oh", she mused, looking at him intently.

"Your going to be very busy today, Clarisse. Charlotte showed me your schedule, it's hectic, as is mine."

"I wont see you till this evening then?", she smiled sadly.

"no, you wont see me but I'll watch on the security monitors and I'll be keeping an eye on Lionel just to make sure you two don't get to close", he teased. She grabbed the bath towel of the rail and flung it at him, then laughed.

"I'll miss you today. This ball's not going to happen the rate Mia's going at. I'll really need to pull some strings, but she's doing so well, she's so grown up Joseph. I'm so proud of her."

"I know you are and she's proud of you."

"what?", she asked bemused.

"she's proud you done what your heart told you to do and not your country," and with that he left her to get ready.

"Mia wake up! orchestra selections, flowers to be arranged. Oh come on!", said Clarisse pulling back the covers on Mia's bed.

"it's only 7 am, Grandma!", Mia moaned, raising her head to look at her "Star Trek" alarm clock.

"yes, what a fantastic flare you have for stating the obvious, as do I and we have a very obvious, very publicised ball in 12 hours. Get up!", she said in an airy tone. Mia gave in, the way Clarisse was acting it was useless fighting. She hauled herself out of the bed and stumbled toward the bathroom.

"I'll be in my office," Clarisse stated and turned on her heels ordering Bregitta to make sure the "little hellion" didn't get back in bed.

Mia walked into Clarisse's office 20 minutes later or at least she tried to. There were people every where. Florists, chefs, maids, representatives, the prime minister, security -every one!

"ahh, Amelia, Darling", said Clarisse, from behind the desk. All of the people parted to let Mia through. Her grandmother was sitting serene and queenly as ever, signing papers, talking on the phone, ordering Charlotte and greeting Mia- all at the same time.

"hey, Grandma", said Mia amazed at her Grandmother's multi-tasking.

"it's hello", she scolded " and you'll learn to multi-task as you go along, darling", she smiled amused at her granddaughters reaction to her ability to deal with every thing around her all at once but she was just as uncomfortable, just as on edge as always. Joe watched from the monitor in the security room and wished he could help her deal with things, he knew how this made her feel. She was not as confident as she appeared, quite the opposite and all he wanted to do was help her. He picked up the phone and was about to dial the number to her office when he decided against it- it would just aggravate her more. He decided phoning the florist was in order, flowers always cheered her up and today was special, if she remembered, he didn't know but it wouldn't do any harm to remind her.

Mia and Clarisse were standing in the ballroom, Mia checking place settings and Clarisse over seeing the flowers, she loved them. They were wonderful, Joseph always played upon her love of flowers- she wondered what he was doing now, probably telling shades to make sure every single inch of the perimeter was covered with security. He just could not kick the old habit of wanting to protect her, she smiled at the thought.

"your Majesty?", her thoughts were interrupted by Charlotte.

"oh I apologise Charlotte, I let my thoughts get the better of me. What is it?"

"the caterers were wondering whether you wanted Russian black caviar or Russian red?"

" I'd prefer neither, I detest caviar but tell them they can pick themselves or whatever's best. Do you know much about caviar Charlotte?" charlotte shook her head.

"no, I didn't think so. Neither do I", she laughed " I think it's vile."

Charlotte laughed " ok your Majesty, I'll tell them they can pick."

"charlotte, it's Clarisse not your Majesty. I have enough of that from the public, you are a friend," she smiled gently and charlotte blushed. She looked on the queen like a mother.

"I'll go tell them, Clarisse," she said making her way across the ballroom. As did Clarisse, towards Mia who was still trying to pick out the orchestra selection with help from Charlotte.

"heya, Grandma. Can you help me and Charlotte pick some of the music, it's pretty boring stuff. No Britney or Christina!"

"well that's a relief", she said sitting down on the seat next to them, while organised chaos ensued around them.

"you know who they are?", asked Mia raising her eyebrow.

"Amelia, I'm older not dead! And anyways, I'm only 56!", she scolded and slapped her arm playfully.

"yeah, your right Grandma. Sorry. So will you help us?"

"of course", Clarisse sighed "let me see the list," she said taking it from her granddaughter.

"well defiantly this one", she said pointing to one, " it's the "wango" music."

Mia grinned, as did charlotte. That music meant so much more to Clarisse than just music, it meant Joseph and it meant the first time they had danced together- 20 years ago, to that date.

"yeah," Mia teased " yeah, we all know you like that music but this party isn't just for you and Joe and anyway I hate it. It's boring. Lets pick something else, Grandma. Something a bit more hip." Mia winked at charlotte and charlotte caught on.

"well it's your ball Amelia", Clarisse sighed, stood up and walked across the room. What was Amelia playing at? Why she wanted a ball at this time of the year was beyond Clarisse. Rupert used to do that, throw spur- of -the- moment balls and Clarisse was left to pick up the pieces and organise them. She was almost near breaking point by the time the ball came along, until Joseph came along-he saved her and at one of those balls. He had saved her, danced with her and fell in love with her. Irretrievable love which concluded with years of having affairs and dancing elaborately around each other but she was wasting time on thinking about all the years they'd missed-now they were together.

"no it's not", whispered Mia towards charlotte " it's yours.. And Grandpas, you just don't know it yet."

"how did you find out about this, Mia?", asked Charlotte.

"read it in Grandmas diary, I found them in the vaults. She wrote that she'd danced with Joseph and fell in love with him, then the rest of her old diaries goes on that they had an affair for years".

"what?", charlotte was truly shocked, Clarisse and Joe? Never! "no way!"

"way!"

"wow, that's cute, really cute. So this is sort of their anniversary?"

"spot-on, charlotte and we are gonna make it special, but quietly so no one knows my grandma's dark little secret", she smiled at charlotte and motioned towards Clarisse. Who had just been handed the most beautiful bunch of roses Amelia had ever seen. She watched her grandmother thank the delivery boy and read the note, her face immediately brightened.

"Looks like someone had the same idea as we had and I betcha you can guess who," she laughed.

"yes, Joe is a romantic at heart isn't he."

Clarisse read the not again and wondered what on earth her husband was talking about.

My darling,

Happy anniversary, I fall in love with you every time I dance with you, again and again and I'm sure I will tonight.

Your only,

Joseph. X X

And then it came to her, she gasped for breath and remembered the night they had danced. Rupert had been so nasty and Joseph had rescued her again, she was so near braking point but he had made it better by dancing. That was 20 years ago to that day and she was standing in the same place he had rescued her from Rupert telling her she was useless after one to many brandies.

Rupert had never hit her but he might as well have, they were friends, nothing more and living in such close confinement put so much stress on both of them that they came to detest each other at times. And Joseph understood why she stayed, why she put up with him. It was honourable and noble. God she hated the world "honour"! It had caused her so much pain throughout the years but as per usual Joseph was always there to pick her up and save her. But now she didn't have to fear he'd leave, not anymore. He loved her so much and she supposed the night he had danced with her , she knew he'd never leave. He had saved her in so many ways- from that night forward she realised he'd always be there to save her no matter how much she protested.

Did you like? The ball's next. It'll be fun. Please R&R. thanks

Yours,

M