None of these characters belong to me, they belong to Meg Cabot and Disney. Sorry to keep you hanging and because of all your begging, I'm writing this. I'm touched by how much you like my writing, thanks!

Joseph woke up slowly, the pain in his chest unreal, he tried to move but he felt too tired. He opened his eyes cautiously. He was in a hospital room, god his head hurt. He groaned painfully.

Clarisse sat in the corner of the room, still wearing the same suit. She was exhausted, they had begged her to go back to the palace but she blatantly refused. She would not leave him! She heard him groan and suddenly she gathered more energy than she had in the last 24 hours. She walked cautiously to his bed side.

He was awake! He looked at her, everything flooding back. The pain in her oceanic eyes was unbearable. She looked terrible and she was covered in what he presumed was his blood.

"Clarisse, my darling", he managed weakly.

"oh Joseph", she smiled, thorough tears.

"ahh, darling don't cry", he said moving a little. He was so restricted with all of these bloody tubes coming out of him. He moaned at the pain in his chest.

"I should tell someone you are awake", she stated, weakly.

"no, no don't. not right away. How long have I been asleep", he question in a low grumble.

"about 17 hours", she smiled. He had never slept that long in his life.

"and from the look of you, you haven't been home or eaten", he said with a serious, knowing smile.

"I didn't want to", she admitted, guiltily.

"but darling, you need t-", he tried but she cut him off.

"no", she said firmly, " I did not need to Joseph. I needed to be here with you."

"I understand", he said, reaching for her hand but he couldn't move because of the saline drip. She seen what he was trying to do and reached down to his hand.

"I couldn't have coped if I'd lost you, Joseph. I just-", she couldn't continue, the tears were falling in torrents down her face.

"I seen you", he said, tightening the grip on her clammy hand.

"what?".

"I seen you fall down beside me, I heard you scream. It was the most terrible thing ever, Clarisse but I was scared for you and I couldn't do anything, I couldn't help."

"I was fine, I was just so scared. I've never felt like that in my life. The fear of losing you was so… so unreal".

"come nearer to me", he commanded gently, she done as he asked. She closed the distance he knew she was building to protect herself.

"there's no need to fear anymore, darling. I'm here and I promise you, I'll do my god forsaken hardest to always be here. Do you hear me?", he said in a throaty, emotional voice.

"oh Joseph", was all she could manage.

"come here, I know what will make you feel better", he said, with a loving smile. She edged nearer to him, and closed the gap, leaving only inches between their faces. He kissed her fore head and she closed her eyes, then he kissed away the remaining tears.

"I'll never leave you, I promise", he said, as he kissed her cheek.

"never", she repeated as clarification she trusted him completely.

"I love you, you know Clarisse".

"I know Joseph, god I know", she said smiling her smile that he knew was only for him.

Did you like? Thanks for the nice review and thanks for saying I am not a Satanist. Please R&R.

Yours,

M