As they stood on the magnificent steps leading down from the church, Joseph slightly behind Clarisse, his hands resting lightly on her upper arms, the sun came out from behind a cloud. From the mass of photographers, not more than ten paces away, came shouts and cries. Taking another deep breath, Clarisse felt his fingers tighten almost imperceptibly, the fabric of her jacket shifting slightly. Through the cacophany of voices, the glaring sun, he felt her draw slightly closer to him, whispering softly,

"I promise this won't last much longer..."

He relaxed a little, his heart warming at how well she could read him, and smoothed her jacket sleeves down a little.

"Just keep smiling, darling, and then we can leave"

If it were possible, the grin that had been plastered on his face from the moment she had accepted his proposal grew wider. Squeezing her a little, bringing his mouth closer to her ear, he too began to whisper,

"At the moment, Clarisse, I fear that I may be smiling for ever...I don't seem to be able to stop"

She giggled softly, and turned her face a little, smiling as his beard grazed the side of her cheek,

"Would that be so bad?"

He paused, clearly pondering the issue,

"Well, it would rather put pay to my sultry staring and moody good-looks..."

For the third time that day, Clarisse had to forcibly bite her tongue to stop herself exploding in a rather uncharacteristic fit of giggles. She was about to administer a gentle elbow in the ribs, when the repeated chant of the photographers finally registered.

To begin with, Joe had ignored it, knowing she would be mortally embarrassed, but now the occasional cheeky shout had become a veritable chorus...

"Kiss, kiss, kiss..."

He smiled at the assorted men and women sprawled out in front of them, and wondered what he might shout back. He was too used to simply herding away these sorts of people, chucking them out of the palace when they'd managed to sneak in on some false pretence or another. He was not accustomed to being under their legitimate scrutiny. As he expected, Clarisse began to move forward, presumably to utter something polite, but noncommittal. His hand slipped down from her shoulder to rest on the small of her back and as she moved nearer to the lenses, he stroked her tenderly.

From his angle, he couldn't really see what she was doing, but, from the sudden hush of the crowd, he assumed, correctly, that she must have raised her hand. Waiting for her words, not a little curious as to how she might play with them, he was surprised when she turned back to him, her eyes challenging his, a slight blush colouring her cheeks. He looked at her, then at the crowd, and then back to Clarisse, his eyebrow raising in curiosity.

"Darling...?"

She smiled, her hands sliding down his arms, coming to clasp his fingers, turning him a little to face her,

"Might I be so bold as to request a kiss, my love?"

Her eyes never left his, not even as he ran his hand along her jawline to cup her cheek. Only as his lips met hers did they finally flicker closed, losing herself, no, finding herself in his touch. The crowd were silent, mesmerized by the couple...only the soft click of the shutters broke the stillness. Joseph wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing her tenderly, smiling against her lips as she met his kiss with her own. Pulling back, she was glad of his arms to support her. Once again the crowd began to cheer wildly, and he was touched to see an endearing blush spread across her cheeks. Dropping a kiss to her forehead, he wrapped an arm firmly around her back, and they turned in the direction of the car,

"I think we've given them enough of a floor show, don't you, my love?"

She smiled, pleasantly surprised at how free of guilt and embarrassment she felt after such an extravagantly public gesture, and nodded her ascent.

"Yes...Joseph, take me home."

OoOoOoOoOoO

As the car turned down the long swoop of the piazza and accelerated away, Joseph closed his eyes for a moment. Relaxing back into the expensive leather seats, warmed a little by the sun, his mind began to truly register recent events. He felt Clarisse shift across, her finger running delicately down his nose, caressing his lips. She was watching him, he could tell, waiting for him... He smiled as he felt her talking his hand in her own, lifting his arm and wrapping it around her as she came to lie against his chest.

Still not opening his eyes, not wanting to break this moment of perfection, he kissed her hair, whispering softly,

"It's all over, isn't it..."

She lifted her head again, her lips running over the smooth silk of his necktie, pressing a kiss to his throat,

"Yes, my love...I think it is."

As the anger and pain, the loss and desperation of the last few days floated away, he felt the tears slip down his cheeks. It was all too much...it was the same as it had always been, and yet everything had changed. Finally, she was here, with him...and he knew that she would stay. That he wouldn't have to lie to her, or run away from her. He felt giddy at the prospect, and cursed his own moment of weakness, wiping away his tears with his sleeve.

"Don't..." She kissed his eyelids, then his cheeks, her fingers gently brushing away the tears.

As their lips met, hers searching, his finding, Joseph moaned softly, his breath causing her to shiver,

"It's over..."

Again, they kissed, this time more insistent, time suddenly seeming so insufficient. She felt his tongue slide tantalisingly across her upper lip, and she met him warmly. He felt her shift a little closer, and he moved to sit up slightly, pulling her onto his lap. Clasping the nape of her neck tenderly, running his fingers up to stroke her hair, he caressed her mouth, teasing and yet almost painfully gently. The car turned a corner, breaking them apart slightly, but still they kissed. Her lips were warm and dangerously soft, and as she ran her fingers idly through his beard he wondered for a moment whether he would ever manage to leave her side, even for one second. As she looped both arms around his neck, pressing herself against him, he suddenly realised that he wouldn't have to.

As the car stopped, presumably at traffic lights, Clarisse reluctantly eased back from his embrace. Her face was flushed and, in spite of her sleepless night, she looked remarkably radiant. He smiled, amused as once again she moved to readjust his tie, to straighten his jacket.

"You like doing that, don't you?"

She looked up, biting her lip a little, smiling at how automatic it had seemed to do it,

"I...I suppose I do."

He grinned, touched by her self-consciousness,

"And I like you doing it...it's, well...nice"

She smiled back, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear. He frowned, his hand coming up to touch her complicated hair-do.

"But there is one thing"

Raising an eyebrow, she looked genuinely confused. Again, he caressed her cheek, his hand coming to linger at the nape of her neck.

"May I?"

Still she didn't understand, as he pulled her a little closer, but she smiled and nodded anyway.

Reaching round carefully, Joseph ran his fingers up into the base of her hair. One by one, he negotiated the pins, removing them carefully, and placing them in the top pocket of his jacket. Her eyes were closed now, enjoying the sensation of his fingers easing their way across her scalp. Eventually, he completed his task, and the hairpiece came away in his hands. Dropping it casually onto the floor of the limo, he turned his attention back to her face. Running his fingers through her hair, massaging gently, he smiled as she groaned softly.

"There"

Her eyes flicked open, and she was met by the sight a very happy looking young man. Glancing to the floor discreetly, she decided to bite her tongue...he didn't need to know just how much that particular piece of fuzz had cost.

"You didn't like my hair?"

He grinned, shaking his head, and pulling her back against him in a strong hug,

"Not your hair, my darling, but the other hair. Your hair is wonderful"

As if to prove his point, he dropped another kiss to her head and took a deep breath,

"..mmm...wonderful."

OoOoOoOoO

As they approached the palace, Clarisse began to think about the evening's events. There would be a dinner, of course, and possibly dancing...people to talk to, people to avoid. As if reading her mind, Joseph asked whether they might manage to disappear after dinner.

"I'm not sure...I suppose it will depend how the evening unfolds."

She didn't look hopeful, and he deliberately pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

"It's ok, Clarisse...I think we can wait...I mean, we've waited long enough."

She snuggled in once again, exhausted already at the prospect of the evening's events.

Joseph, on the other hand, was already scheming. Hell, if she could spring a wedding on him at practically no notice, surely he could at least manage a quick getaway from what was surely to be the invariably boring reception...