NOTE: Italics are the past. You know none of these characters belong to me, which is a real shame because it will mean Kajaylc ( who this story is dedicated to) and I cannot write our script without buying the rights off of Disney which will be terribly costly.8-) yet again I've employed artistic licence with age. Thanks for the reviews, you people are soooo encouraging.

Pierre looked all over the palace for his mother- with the terrible feeling something was terribly wrong. He wandered all over- checking her suite, the library, the music room and even Joseph's apartment. The slight hope she might just have fled started to build up in him, but it was soon shattered when he seen Joseph walking around the border of the woods with a man he didn't recognise. He ran towards him, waving a little. Joe waved back and tried to smile but his smile did not mask the graveness that resounded in his eyes.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you Joe, but have you seen my Mama?", he questioned, fiddling with his tie.

"Pierre, this is Dr. Robson, an old friend", Joe introduced, wishing he didn't have to tell Pierre. Pierre looked inquisitively at the doctor, who smiled kindly, Pierre was sure he could detect a sense of pity in his smile.

"Doctor?", he questioned, raising an eye brow at Joseph, who smiled reassuringly back. Pierre knew it was his mother immediately and he knew whatever Rupert had done, Joseph had taken care of.

"where is she?", he questioned, anger building up suddenly. Joseph paused a moment, deciding what to do.

"she's in the cabin down by the lake, we've just returned from there", he answered slowly, still keeping a grip on Pierre's arm to prevent him from running.

"can I go and see her Joe?", he questioned, urgency filling his eyes. Joe nodded and turned to Dr. Robinson.

"thanks, Michael you've been a real help", he smiled, taking the doctors hand and shaking it warmly.

"anytime Joe", was his reply. He turned to Pierre, bowed his head slightly and turned on his heels, whistling to himself as he made his way to his car.

"it was so bad you needed a doctor?", Pierre questioned, gulping a little.Joe nodded, his eyes darkening.

They were silent as they followed the clearing through the woods to the lake, walking side by side. Pierre was bubbling with anger, he gritted his teeth as Joseph quietly opened the door.

She was sitting at the table, staring into know where. Her face was bruised and swollen and her usually composed appearance seem shattered by her slight trembling. She looked up as they came in and looked at them blankly trying to process why they were here. Pierre tried to smile at her but she looked down, staring into her tea cup. She couldn't look at her son right now, she was even finding it hard to look at Joseph. She could hear him getting nearer her, but still she refused to look up at him. He kneeled down beside her chair and tried to catch her gaze, she risked a furtive glance and then up at Joseph who was still standing in the door way, hands clasped behind his back- he nodded and smiled reassuringly. She stopped for a moment, trying to build her brick wall but it just wasn't working. It wouldn't stay in place, every time she thought about Rupert it fell down.

"mama?", Pierre whispered, touching her hand lightly. She looked up her eyes frighteningly empty.

"Pierre, darling-", she tried but failed, returning to looking down.

"Mama, I'm sorry he did this too you, this is my fault", he said, standing up and rubbing his fore head. She suddenly gripped his hand, her eyes boring into his, her nails digging into his skin.

"No, Pierre this is not your fault", she said sternly, " never".

Pierre looked towards Joseph, anger radiating through his eyes.

"I'll kill him", he muttered through gritted teeth. Clarisse stood up immediately, staring him down as she had done when he was a 12 year old eating a packet of biscuits before dinner.

"No you will not, you will leave for Rome this evening, your things are being packed as we speak. You're to join the luminaries in the Vatican", she said gently, her tone contradicting her angry face. Pierre looked at her, a mix of relief, confusion and shock playing on his face.

"Mama?", he questioned, unsure if he could leave her like this, " mama, I don't want to leave you".

"I have Joseph", Clarisse smiled, cupping his face, " Joseph will look after me". Pierre turned to Joseph, his face helpless. Joseph nodded slightly, assuring him he'd look after his mother. He couldn't believe she was doing this, asking him to leave home.

Clarisse watched his face intently, awaiting his reaction to her basically forcing him to leave his home.

"I'll leave Mama but Philippe?", he questioned, sitting down next to her.

"Philippe Is going to a college in America, you know that", she answered, gently.

"but Mama, it means he will be king", Pierre said shortly.

"yes, he will but he wants to be, I've already spoken with him. He's leaving in a week", she smiled, ruefully. The thought of losing her two children to the world was hard to deal with, especially as she was losing them happily. Not her own happiness but theirs, meant the world to her. She had always tried to protect them, she had often failed miserably.

"you should go, pierre", she continued, " I'll say goodbye to you in the morning but I need to be alone just now, darling. You understand?", she questioned, cupping his cheek. He nodded his answer, tears pricking his eyes. He couldn't believe she was doing this for them. What had she endured over the years to save Rupert taking his anger out on them? It was getting too much now, she had taken enough. That was why she was sending them away, to save them from their fathers brutality.

"you always did understand", she whispered, tears making there way down her already beaten face. He noticed lines he'd never seen on his mothers face now. She was still young, only in her forties and yet it seemed she had endured much more that a woman merely in her forties.

He smiled and made his way towards the door, Joseph joined him as he stepped into the Genovian sun, closing the door softly behind them.

"he did worse than ever this time Joe, didn't he?", Pierre questioned, matter of fact. Joseph swallowed and looked him straight in the eye, answering his question.

" dirty pig", pierre sighed, " god help me if I ever even remember him".

"just remember her, ok?", Joseph sighed, starting back down the path.

"look after her Joe, please promise me you'll look after her. She's exhausted and we're exhausted as well", he added, looking towards his father figure.

"I love her, Pierre and I've looked after her for years", Joseph answered.

"you looked after us as well Joe, how many times did you shield our eyes?", he questioned, an ironic smile playing at his lips, " like a father Joe, you've always been there for us and for... Mama". Joseph swallowed back the emotion, trying to remain composed. He loved the boys like they were his own and to hear one of them say it, wellhe wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Joe?", Pierre questioned as they came to the French doors of the palace.

"Pierre?"

"it's not the first time that doctor had had to attend to mama, is it?".

"no", Joe answered truthfully, " many times".

"thought so. If it weren't for the mercy of other Joe, where would we be?".

Pierre turned to go, leaving a smile as he made his way into the cool palace. Joseph watched him go, the young boys' words replaying themselves in his head.

"if it weren't for the mercy of others", he repeated to himself as he turned on his heels towards the cabin again, " Clarisse would be on her own".

Did ya like, please R&R. just thought I'd let you know, I'm finishing this but still working on my other stories, don't worry.

Yours,

M