Author's note: Don't worry, I've got others I'm working on at the moment, but this was a little fun! Hope you enjoy it!

The Princess Diaries and characters belong to Disney and Meg Cabot.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to eat again after that lunch," Joe winced as they walked back to their suite. Mia had already left on her shopping expedition with Nicholas and Mia, but promised to drop in when they came back.

"Although I'm not going to be able to show you everything I bought!" she said teasingly as she walked backward out the door.

"Yes, the kitchen did a fine job," Clarisse said distractedly- she was still bothered by a feeling of apprehension that she hadn't fully been able to shake off since lunch.

She had, for a moment, honestly thought that Mia was serious about downsizing her security, and she had been relieved when it had turned out that she had been joking, but this feeling…she couldn't put her finger on it, but she had a strange sense of déjà vu. Joseph instantly sensed it as they walked into their suite.

"What's wrong?" he turned to her as they sat down on the sofa- he could see that she was worried about something as her brow was furrowed and she was very quiet.

She didn't seem to hear him for a moment, before she turned to him with troubled eyes.

"I just have this feeling…maybe it's just because Mia had her little joke before…."

"Yes, and it wasn't funny…Mia should be a little more careful."

"I know it was meant to be a joke, but I have this feeling…of uneasiness…that something's going to happen this afternoon…."

Joseph could see that this was troubling her greatly, so he tried to reassure her. He knew how protective she was of Mia, but it was also partly from the overactive imagination he loved.

"Darling, she's going to be with Nicholas and Lily this afternoon- they're two guards on their own- along with all her protection…she is always well protected…there is nothing to worry about…Does this make you feel a little better?"

He wrapped both arms around her and drew her closer to him, as she leant her head on his shoulder, her features visibly relaxing. He always had a calming influence on her.

"Yes, that makes me feel better…I know that I'm silly to be thinking of it, but…"

"You don't have to explain it to me, my love. But she'll be back in a couple of hours, and you won't have to think about it before. Besides, she's been on plenty of shopping trips in the past few months…she's a very independent girl, our Mia…very much like her grandmother…Plus, it's Christmas- who would try anything on the Queen in the season of festivities!

"Yes, she is…"Clarisse replied softly as he turned her face to his and kissed her. "Now…I definitely feel better!"

"Good. So let's just relax on the couch for a while, and then maybe we could watch a DVD or something."

"As long as you work the DVD player- I'm absolutely hopeless with technology."

"Don't worry, I'll teach you."


"Can we go back to the palace now? I'm freezing!" Lily, never a big fan of shopping, grumbled as the three of them entered a jewellery store. Mia's protection had agreed to stand outside the doors- after all, it was only a small shop, and where could anyone else enter but through the front door?

"Only this store," Mia said soothingly. "I just have to pick up something for Grandma."

She already knew what she wanted to buy her grandmother- she had seen a gorgeous sapphire necklace and earring set that would suit her blue eyes and fair complexion perfectly. Joseph had agreed with her when Mia had asked his advice.

"Anything you bought she would love, Mia."

So, she walked over to the main counter to the waiting assistant, who gave her an ingratiating smile. She was still to get used to people fawning over her- although she had found it funny when her high school vice principal had practically thrown herself at Clarisse. Nicholas and Lily wandered over to the other side of the store, and her bodyguards were standing outside the doorway.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty. How may I help you this afternoon?"

"Good afternoon," Mia said properly, remembering her training from Clarisse. "I've actually been here before, and I'm here to pick up a package that I had set aside."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I'll just get it for you."

While she was waiting, she looked around the room- the store was empty, so everyone had obviously taken the weatherman's advice and stayed at home. It was a relief because every time she had come shopping, she had been inundated with cheers and calls, and the press had followed her every move, making it very hard to move from shop to shop, which were usually jam packed with people.

"Here you are, Your Majesty. I can see that you've already paid for it, so I'll just put it in a bag for you….there you are…Have a nice day, Your Majesty."

"Thank you," Mia smiled at him, before placing her parcel in her bag and turning towards the door, where the other two were waiting.

Suddenly…..there was a loud bang, and the room was quickly full of smoke.

"Lily! Nicholas!" Mia called, trying not to inhale the smoke. She had had several close encounters with fires, but an explosion…that was something new.

"Over here!" she vaguely heard Lily's voice from the direction of the door, and she began to make her way over there before she realised that there was someone directly behind her.

"If you will just follow us, Your Majesty, I'll take you out the side entrance and round to the front," an unfamiliar and deep voice said.

She squinted in the smoke- she couldn't see who it was, but whoever it was wearing the palace security uniform, so she turned back in the direction Lily and Nicholas and called:

"Someone's taking me out the side entrance- I'll meet you out the front!"

She willingly followed the man out the side entrance, and was surprised to see more unfamiliar men and an unrecognisable car waiting outside. All of the men were wearing balaclavas, and she suddenly felt a dreadful sensation in her stomach.

"Where are…" she began before she felt someone from behind her grip her arm tightly.

"If you get in the car and be quiet, no one has to get hurt," the person growled, but before she could move towards the 4WD, another man stepped forward and blindfolded her and put a gag in her mouth. They helped her into the 4WD, as someone from inside gripped her other arm tightly.

"You won't get hurt if you follow our instructions," he hissed into her ear as she leant back in the seat. Someone was binding her hands, while someone else was binding her feet.

She was completely helpless now…hopefully someone would be able to find her, otherwise…who knew what was going to happen!


"Where did she say she was going to meet us?" Nicholas asked as he and Lily watched as fire fighters raced into the smoke filled building.

The police and the ambulance had also been called, and were waiting nearby. They had already spoken to Lily, Nicholas and the security detail, but they had been unable to provide much information.

'She said that someone was showing her out, and she'd meet us out here…but that was ten minutes ago!" Lily glanced at her watch. "And none of our guys knew that there was a security detail in the side entrance- or that there was even a side entrance!"

"Maybe it was some plain clothes policemen, and they've taken her back to the palace," Nicholas suggested as the firemen emerged from the building, and from the side street, empty handed- Mia wasn't with them.

"I think we should get back there. It is likely that they've taken her there- after all, it sounded like a mini explosion in there, and they are so careful with security, especially with the Queen," Nicholas said calmly, but they exchanged a nervous look.

When the cars pulled up in front of the palace, Nicholas and Lily raced up the stairs, two at a time, to meet Charlotte and Sebastian, who were chatting in the hallway.

"Has Mia come back here?" Nicholas asked, trying to stay calm but hoping that what he was thinking hadn't happened.

"We've been in a meeting all afternoon, so we haven't seen anyone come and or go. But the last time I saw her, she was going shopping with you two," Charlotte explained.

"Why?" Sebastian asked sharply- he instantly had had the same thought as Lily and Nicholas.

"There was some sort of explosion at the jewellery store we were in, and we couldn't get to Mia as the room was full of smoke, so she told us that someone was taking her out, and she'd meet us around the front.." Lily began, speaking rapidly, before Nicholas continued.

"But we waited there for nearly 20 minutes, and she hadn't come, so we thought that she may have been brought back here."

"The same men have been with you all afternoon, and have followed you back," said a voice behind them, and they were joined by Shades. "There were 3 details with you, and three here with Her Majesty and Joe."

"Let's just have a look around the palace- she's probably somewhere around here," Charlotte said calmly as the five of them split up, going in different directions.

"Mia? Are you here?" Lily called tentatively as she peered through the doorway leading into the living room. However, there was no movement, and it was clear that she hadn't been back.

As she walked out of the suite, she collided with Nicholas, Charlotte, Shades and Sebastian- all of whom were out of breath.

"What about the kitchen?" Lily asked, but then Mia's two maids appeared in the hallway.

"Have you seen Her Majesty Queen Amelia in your travels?" Sebastian asked the two girls, who looked at each other, and then back at the anxious faces.

"No, Your Excellency, we haven't. We thought that Her Majesty was with Lily and Lord Devereaux…" one of them said quickly.

Everyone looked at each other soberly, their worst suspicions confirmed- Her Majesty was missing.

"I…I think we'd better call the police," Lily said soberly, and the others nodded, before Charlotte looked around.

"But someone has to tell Clarisse as well!" They all looked at each other uncomfortably- who was going to be the one who would tell the former Queen that her only granddaughter was missing?


"So, what did you think of that movie?" Clarisse asked pointedly as the credits began to roll, and Joe switched off the television. She sat up from her position of leaning on Joseph's chest, and looked amusedly at him. They had already watched one of his favourite action movies, so they had just finished watching one of Clarisse's favourite romance movies. Joseph made a face, and stood up to stretch.

"It was alright, but there was too much romance in it…"

"I see," Clarisse said thoughtfully as she too stood up to stretch. "So, it's alright that we can enjoy a little romance in our lives, but it's not right to have it in the movies?"

"Well, if you think of it in terms of the movie, they'll probably have a serious argument or two down the track, and decide to divorce."

"Really?" Clarisse looked at him, both eyebrows raised. "So, are we going to get a divorce in ten years, or when we have a big fight?"

""No, no, no," Joe said hastily, walking the few steps to pull her in for a hug. "I would never divorce you…I've waited too long to be married to you to get divorced…."

"That's nice!" Clarisse sniffed, but she wasn't exactly miffed.

"You know what I mean, and you know we will be together forever…but this was just a movie!"

"I can see that I'm going to have to educate you with the classics," Clarisse said with a heavy sigh, but a smile was creeping onto her face as he kissed her. 'What time is it, by the way?"

"About three o'clock," Joe said, glancing at his watch.

"Good. Afternoon tea time," and she strolled happily over to where her ever present tea pot and two cups were waiting.

"Did you ever have afternoon tea when you were guarding me?"

"Not unless you were in your suite, then I could go have a good cup of tea…"

"And watch me on your television screen," Clarisse finished with a smile.

"Yes…but funnily enough, I only ever had time to have tea or coffee at breakfast or before I went to bed."

"Now you can have it any time you want," Clarisse concluded as she carefully carried over two cups of tea to him, and he helped put them on the table. "I assume that Mia will be back soon, and dying to show me what she bought."

"Not from this trip, I don't think," Joe said teasingly- he had thoroughly approved of what Mia was buying Clarisse. He himself had bought her an 'engagement ring' (although they had been married for five months!) and other little presents…he loved buying things for his wife. He never had been able to before, so he was going to spoil her this Christmas!

"Do you know what she's getting me?" Clarisse looked at him wide eyed and pleading, and as much as Joe melted at her look, he wasn't going to break this secret.

Thankfully, he was rescued by a knock on the door.

"Come in!" he called, relieved for the distraction- Clarisse could be very persuasive when she wanted to be- and the door slowly opened and in stepped Charlotte, Lily, Nicholas, Sebastian Motez and Shades, Joe's former sidekick and now head of security.

"I think you came a bit late for afternoon tea…besides, we don't have any more cups!" Joseph said jovially as the group walked slowly towards them, but he quickly sensed a very sober mood among them.

He glanced quickly at Clarisse- she was still unaware of any changes, thinking that they were all thawing from their outdoor adventure- before glancing at Charlotte, who indicated that she wanted to speak to him.

"So, back from your shopping so soon?" Clarisse asked cheerfully as Lily and Nicholas smiled, a little wanly, at her. "We were thinking of going out tonight, and wanted to know if you both wanted to join us…and Mia…Where is Mia, by the way? I assume she's in her suite modelling clothes!"

Both Nicholas and Lily opened their mouths, as if they were going to speak, but nothing came out. Clarisse looked over at Joseph who was talking to Charlotte, and when she saw him bring a hand up to his mouth, the feeling she had had all afternoon suddenly reappeared.

She looked from one sombre face to the other, growing more and more puzzled, not to mention a little scared, when she suddenly felt Joseph sit down beside her and take her hand in his.

"What's wrong? Why isn't Mia with you?"

She was getting a little frustrated- there were all these people in her suite- not one of them were Mia- yet no one was telling her anything. Charlotte nodded encouragingly at Nicholas and Lily.

"We…were down in Pyrus, and we were going to a jewellery store to buy your present, Your Majesty. The store was…empty, but there was security everywhere outside…" Lily began falteringly, before dissolving into rare tears as Nicholas continued the story.

"There was an explosion inside the store, and it completely filled with smoke. We got separated from Mia- some of Shade's men got us out, but somehow other people got Mia out the side entrance…She said she would meet us outside, but we…were waiting there for 20 minutes, and she never showed…." Nicholas broke off.

"They came back to the palace, and asked Sebastian and I whether we had seen her, which we hadn't, so we checked everywhere we could think of…and we've had to call the police," Charlotte finished the story calmly, but even she looked devastated.

'What are you trying to tell me? Was Mia hurt in the explosion? Is she alright? What are you all trying to say?"

Clarisse was desperately trying to keep her emotions in control, but she was getting more and more upset. She looked towards Joseph, who turned her towards him and took both hands in his, squeezing tightly.

"The police suspect that Mia has been kidnapped."

Clarisse stared at him in disbelief for a moment, before she began to smile- this was all a joke!

"You're playing a joke on me, aren't you? It's a good joke, although I won't be happy when Mia finally appears…."

Joe turned to Charlotte who, in turn, nodded to Shades at the doorway, and in stepped two police officers.

As Clarisse looked at the two officers, and the official uniforms met her eyes…the smile disappeared off her face, and she turned white as a ghost.

"Is it true, officers?" she croaked, slowly standing up.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We suspect that Her Majesty has been kidnapped."

Clarisse looked around the room, desperately trying to find a face that would tell her it wasn't true…as she looked, the room suddenly began to spin like a merry-go-round, and everything went black as she fainted into Joseph's arms.