Disclaimer: Don't own, never will

Author's Note: Now where could this be heading...

Fallen - Part 27

Clarisse drummed her nails on the clothed table glancing around the highly polished restaurant once more. She was glad she had worn the black cocktail dress now, it was elegant and smart and even better than that she blended in the background quite easily. If she'd gone for the burgundy she might have attracted attention. As it was she was just another lonely middle-aged woman who may, or may not, have been stood up.

Twisting the watch on her wrist she sighed deeply and reached for her glass of water taking another sip. Having been nervous all day she had avoided food but was now feeling rather ravenous.

Sighing she looked up only to catch one of the young waiter's eyes, she cast her eyes down to the table finding something of interest to hold her attention. She would give him ten minutes more then she would leave and end the humiliation.

"Excuse me madam."

"Er, yes." She looked up hesitantly to the gentleman standing next to her; he was about her age, maybe slightly younger. Obviously the maitre d'.

"So sorry to bother you, I believe you are Miss. Arcenciel."

"Yes." She said shakily.

"Ahh, then I am to escort you into our private dining room madam."

"Oh. Oh I see." Rising to her feet she collected her handbag from beneath the table, so much for avoiding attention.

She followed the gentleman through the throng of upper class diners and through an elaborate door at the back, down another short hallway and yet another door and she entered a dimly lit room. Candles stood on almost every surface creating an eerie yet romantic glow, vases containing a mixture of red and white roses adorned several of the side tables.

"If you would like to take a seat." The maitre d' instructed.

She nodded her thanks and accepted when a waiter held out a chair for her.

"I'm Andrew madam."

"Please, miss."

"Miss, I'll be your waiter this evening."

"Thank you."

"Champagne has already been ordered, should I pour?"

"Yes please. Thank you." She realised she sounded rather shaky, her nerves edging their way forward.

It seemed rather bizarre sitting there by herself waiting, fidgeting with the skirt of her dress and the bracelet on her wrist. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself.

"Hello Clarisse."

His voice was as she remembered, deep and incredibly warm, kindness seemed to emanate from his most simple words.

She closed her eyes momentarily before turning her head slightly; he approached from a door on the other side of the room.

"Sorry to drag you in here but it seemed the safest option, I had rather an unfortunate event earlier today when I attempted to purchase a gift."

His smile was in place as he got closer to her yet she knew him well enough to sense his nerves. She shakily got to her feet holding out her hand to him.

She found her voice. "It's so good to see you Joseph."

"And you my dear." He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

She felt he wanted to say more but held himself back and pulled out her chair indicating for her to sit.

"I have it under good authority that the menu is open for us this evening, anything you would like, anything at all."

"Well, how wonderfully extravagant." She smiled and reached for her champagne glass taking a sip.

"You look wonderful." His hands lay folded together on the table as he gazed at her. "Very well."

She swallowed her champagne. "Thank you."

"You've kept well obviously. Three months…" He trailed off.

"Almost four." She added quietly.

Now his smile was genuine. "Goodness I've missed you."

She smiled in return.

"I've missed you so much Clarisse."

She was going to respond when the outer door opened and Andrew approached.

"Good evening your majesty." He dipped his head and Clarisse found the move uncomfortable.

Joseph held up his hand. "Please, not so formal, just a normal guest tonight. Now what do we recommend this evening?"

"Sir, tonight Chef has prepared…"

Clarisse found she wasn't even listening to what Andrew was listing for dinner; she was circling the rim of her glass with her forefinger, trying not to stare at Joseph. He looked so good, she'd forgotten, tried to forget. She remembered the last time they'd spoken, the odd phone call that evening when he'd rang from Genovia to inform her he had returned safely. The letter a few days ago, the funny postcard from Sweden before that.

"Clarisse, anything in particular you'd like?"

"Oh, whatever you choose will be perfectly fine."

"Alright." His smile was infectious, enigmatic, desirable.


Leaning across the table Clarisse knocked her glass against Joseph's.

"What shall we toast?" He said swirling the bronze liquid in the bottom of his brandy glass.

"Oh, how about a truly glorious meal."

"Agreed, should we toast to anything more?"

"And what more could there be to toast to?" She realised now they were flirting openly, had been flirting for the majority of the meal. Apparently three months apart hadn't dampened any of their attraction.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for a drink at the hotel…" He dropped off when he noted the look on her face. "Sorry."

"There's no need to be… well, I, I erm, I have a room there."

"Good, I asked Richard to take care of it. It seems unfair you should have to pay for my bringing you here."

"I can pay for my own hotel room, and it was my decision to come here." She sat back in her chair.

"Goodness I've said the wrong thing again, I always manage to don't I."

"No, more often than not you say exactly the right thing." She drained her brandy. "As I am already staying in the hotel it seems rude not to have a drink with you."


In the back of his Rolls Joseph felt that familiar tingle of uncertainty begin in his stomach. The odd feeling she always brought with her, the feeling that he possibly couldn't handle this right, that he would mess it all up again and lose the best thing that he'd ever had.

"You're suddenly quiet." She said breaking his thoughts.

"Sorry, musing on things, the last time we were together."

"Ahh, rather different surroundings." She turned on the leather seat moving closer to him. "Joseph, why did you call me?"

"You know why, the same reason I sent the letter and that ridiculous postcard. The same reason I followed you to England after you left the palace, I can't be without you, and the more I am with you the more I want. Those two weeks we spent together…" he shook his head. "God I crave you, I dream about you, knowing I can never…"

She placed a finger to his lips. "Dear, dear Joseph." She said gently. "I missed you too." She placed a soft tender kiss to his trembling lips. "That was all you had to say."


It took mere minutes for Joseph to get to his suite, longer to sneak Clarisse in. He strutted about the lounge area completely on edge, his jacket discarded on the chair. The room was warm, the lamps on, his mind wouldn't function correctly, he couldn't settle, couldn't think straight.

Finally there was a timid knock at the door and she entered the room.

"Sorry I took so long, it seemed rude not to have a chat with Richard, after all he was sneaking me in."

She removed her coat and scarf and laid them on a chair. "It's not so cold in here." She whispered. "Thank you by the way."

"For?" His voice almost failed him.

"The gift you sent for my birthday."

"You knew?"

"Nobody else would be able to send me so many fresh Roses in October."

"Ahh, I knew I should have attached a card." He stepped closer to her.

"The sentiment was clear." She took a few steps closer to him; close enough to hear his breath catch in his throat.

"God, you're so beautiful, so very beautiful."

She smiled. "You know I don't need your flattery anymore." Her body came into contact with his. "Yet despite my reservations I just adore hearing you say it."

When her mouth finally touched his he almost cried out in relief, it wasn't a kiss born of lust or desire; it was purity, completeness, two halves coming together again in one fluid motion.

He hardly dare move, he only managed to bring one hand up to her shoulder, as her mouth trembled against his. Smiling she pulled back slightly.

"We used to be better at it than that." She fiddled with his shirt collar. "Fumbling teenagers."

He smiled at her words, at the softness to her voice.

"Shall we have some wine? And perhaps just talk."

She nodded. "I'd like that."


Clarisse stretched her legs out in front of her, slipping her shoes off and digging her toes into the luxurious carpet beneath her. The firelight felt good on her bare arms, the room was scented and warm, comforting, and she felt as if she closed her eyes she would drift to sleep sitting right there.

Joseph paused as he entered the lounge, they'd given up on the wine and he'd ordered tea, now as he stood there holding the tray he felt rather foolish. She was astonishing, magnificent, and there they were drinking tea! Yet she had requested it.

He stepped closer towards her, silently crossing the room and placed the tray down on the small table. "Shall I pour?" He whispered.

Her eyes flickered open and she sighed deeply. "Yes, please." She stretched her legs again. "It's so lovely in here Joseph, being royal does have its advantages."

He looked up at her, noting her teasing smile. "Being royal means you don't have to pour your own tea, yet I seem to be doing just that."

He knelt down and handed her a small china cup. "You do bring me down a peg or two, as the saying goes."

"Well then that's good, you should always remain grounded."

"Ahh, well now Mia does that for me. She knows nothing of meetings, time keeping, respectful church services where one should remain silent on a Sunday morn."

He sat down with his own cup a little way off from Clarisse, sipping his tea and gazing at her.

"It seems you have fallen in love since we last saw each other."

He gulped.

"With your granddaughter." She quickly added.

"Oh yes, very much so, head over heels." He smiled reverently then added. "I have pictures."

"But of course, I expect nothing less."

He hurried to his feet and for a brief moment left the room again then returned with a photo album under his arm.

"Here you go."

Sitting down on the rug again he handed the book to her.

"So many already." She smiled as she flipped it open. "Ohhh Joseph, she's just gorgeous. Look at those eyes, amazing." She gently touched the picture of baby Amelia staring up wide-eyed at the camera.

"Like her father." Joseph whispered.

"Like her grandfather." Clarisse explained. "Just like her grandfather."

"Well thank you, though I think Mia has the looks in the family."

"She is beautiful."

"You are." He said without thought, he had unconsciously leant closer to her as they both looked down at the pictures.

She never lifted her face up to show she had even registered his comment, choosing to ignore it she flipped over the page and giggled.

"Goodness, look at you there."

He glanced at the picture and grimaced. "I'm sure I told them to throw that one away."

She chuckled again as she stared down at the sight, King Joseph flat on his back with a baby balancing on his chest, both fast asleep, both with their mouths open…

"I never even did that with my own children, I think I'm getting a little soft in my old age."

"No, I think you just realised that some things are important."

"Yes, I did."

Taking a deep breath she closed the book. "Thank you for sharing those with me."

"You are very welcome." He took the book from her and placed it on the couch.

"Being a grandfather certainly seems to suit you, you seem quite relaxed, quite happy and content."

"You mean not in so much of a state as when you last saw me."

"I didn't say that." She sighed regretfully. "I didn't mean to imply that."

"I know, you're far too polite. But it's true, I was in a state."

"I hardly helped, besides neither of us seemed very…" she paused as she searched for apt words, finally she settled on, "in control." She shrugged and lifted her teacup to her mouth. "It's wonderfully clichéd, you think you get to our age and know everything, and yet life seems to have a way of still being able to creep up and kick you in the backside."

He laughed. "That's not how I would have termed it but you're right, it does."

Both were silent, Clarisse leant back on the chair again; eyes closed as she circled the rim of her cup with her little finger. Joseph gazed into the fire, he couldn't help but dwell on the fact that they were there together and would probably never get any further than that. With her everything felt right yet at the back of his mind he was battling with the thought that if he did lean across and kiss her now it would be one amazing night followed by some screwed up heartbreaking morning.

"May I ask you something?" He said, his voice barely even a whisper.

"Of course." She said gently without opening her eyes.

"How did you do it, I mean get over Stephen, all those years ago. Being so in love with him, how did you get used to not being with him?"

She struggled for a few moments with her reply, then finally she opened her eyes and looked towards him. He still stared into the fire.

"Or did you never, I mean did you ever get over him?"

"Yes…" she nodded her head. "Yes, it wasn't easy and I'm not saying it didn't hurt, but I did."

He grimaced and dropped his head in resignation.

"But things were different. The way I felt for him…"

"You loved him, totally…"

"In a way," she interrupted. "But not like… it wasn't like this, yes it was love, but it was young love, lust and excitement, different to this, and he hardly treated me well. Not like you have, did," she shrugged. "It wasn't anything like what we had."

"Had?" He finally looked up at her. "Meaning it's already gone?"

"Joseph. We shouldn't do this, it won't help neither of us."

"Perhaps I just need some closure."

"Didn't we have that? Wasn't that phone call just that? Closure for you, you left me Joseph…"

"You told me to go! What was I supposed to do? I didn't know what to do!"

"Neither did I…" She closed her eyes momentarily. "Let's not do this, I don't want to end tonight arguing. It's been wonderful to see you, to talk to you, to see how you are."

Joseph struggled to his feet and crossed the lounge to the bar; uncorking a bottle he poured two large Brandy's.

He downed his almost instantly then poured himself another, savouring the hot bitter sensation as it lazily slid down his throat. He felt his chest burning with the liquor, his heart beating with intensity.

Clarisse had moved to the front of the fire and rubbed her arms as she sat there by it, the light flickered on her face, he could see the curve of her neck as she held her head to one side. The long streamline shape of her spine, he remembered kissing all the way down it, the freckles she had on her skin, the softness of it, the way she smelt. The memories assaulted his senses and combined with the shot of strong liquor he found himself feeling a little dizzy.

He still wanted her. He always had.

He moved to stand by the edge of the large rug, a glass in each hand.

"Did my heart love till now, forswear it sight, for I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."1 His voice almost broke as he quoted the words to her.

This time she turned to look at him, watched him as he knelt in front of her.

"You are still, and always have been since the moment I met you, my everything. Day and night, each thought revolves around you. I can't seem to function as I once did, can't seem to enjoy life as I once did because my life is going on, and your life is going on, separately. And we shouldn't be apart, do you understand that? Do you even feel a little of what I do… Clarisse?"

She allowed herself a little smile.

"I was foolish to think I could come here and we wouldn't do this, foolish to think you and I could just sit here now as friends and nothing more."

He swallowed uneasily. "Is that some kind of answer?"


1 Romeo & Juliet, Act 1 Scene 5

Well sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger, hopefully won't take me too long to update... PLEASE review! Thanks x Rhonda