None of these characters belong to me, they belong to Meg Cabot and Disney. Ok so Joe's getting out of Hospital and wants revenge! Who says murder the Viscount! Please R&R! and thanks for all my reviews.

Clarisse walked down the same corridor she had three weeks ago. Shades walked a few steps behind her. God! He had seriously felt Joes wrath! He shook his head in shame, he still felt guilty.

"that could have been my wife!", Joe had roared at Shades as soon as he was able to shout. He had promised Joe he'd watch Clarisse's every move. Lionel scurried along behind him, eager to see Joe. He liked Joe, Joe was cool.

Joe was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed flicking through the "Genovian times", he read the update on his supposed assassination.

…..though the long-standing lover and confidant of queen Clarisse has now fully recovered, police are still no closer to catching his assassin……….

"idiots", Joe mumbled, " I know who tried to bloody shoot me". that was the bad part-he knew who and worst of all, he knew why. He shook his head a little. His poor Clarisse, he wouldn't mention it to her, not yet.

The door of the room swung open and she walked in, looking gorgeous as ever. He was glad to see Shades and Lionel following her. He stood up and opened his arms.

"hello", she said gently, accepting his hug greatly.

"hello, my darling. How are you today?", he smiled, pulling back and standing her at arms length to look at her. Shades and Lionel turned away, for some reason they felt they were intruding on a very private moment.

"oh I missed you so much", she laughed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know, I hated rolling over at night and you weren't there!", he smiled, "no one to tickle". she laughed richly and tapped him on the nose.

"let's go home", she smiled.

"let's I'm dying for coffee with caffeine in it!", he laughed, wrapping a tight arm around her waist.

"hey Joe. It's nice to see you better", tried Lionel. Wanting to impress the very cool Joe.

"thanks, Lionel. It's err nice to see you too", he lied with a smile. Lionel beamed, Joe had missed him!

Clarisse and Joe walked ahead. Doctors, nurses and patients stopped to stare at the two lost deep in conversation, clearly not caring what anyone else was thinking. His arm was firmly around her wait and her hand was at his back. She laughed richly and he smiled, looking proud.

Queen Clarisse looked completely different from the sight that had met the whole of Genovia weeks ago. Covered in blood and in tears. No one expected him to live, he was defiantly a fighter.

The two security men flagged them, they recognised the one with the glasses. The one who had run into the crowd. It had been all over T.V. and radio and everyone wondered who had done it, no one seemed to know.

"Joe?", she questioned.

"yes, My darling?"

"you didn't really miss Lionel?", she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He laughed loudly.

"who do you think I missed the most?", he questioned.

"that's a hard one… me.", she beamed.

"of course, you'd be right!", he laughed, opening the car door for her.

"thank you", she said, sliding over for the first time in her life.

"I missed you, Clarisse", he said, cupping her cheek. She took his hand and kissed his palm.

"I missed you too", she whispered. She could feel the tears pricking her eyes.

He noticed and wanted her to cry-it meant he could help her. She wasn't just crying about the last few weeks, she was crying because of years of pain.

"you can cry to me, you know", he whispered pulling her impossibly closer.

"I know", she said, burying her head in his chest.

"it's safe", he said, stroking her back.

She was sobbing now, she had probably needed to do it for years. He understood.

She was so young when she had married into a loveless marriage at that, She had fallen in love with another man. She had lived her life as the proverbial ice-queen. She had seen her little boy die in front of her eyes and now in the last few weeks she had nearly lost the only happiness her life ever contained- he understood her completely. Why didn't others! She had probably had the worst life ever and yet they expected her to never break down and she hardly ever did. But when she did, it broke his heart.

What did you think. I was nearly crying writing this chapter. Note: in my story Clarisse was there when Philippe died. Please R&R.

Yours,

M