Sitting snuggled together on the couch, Clarisse with her back resting against Joseph's chest, his arm draped over her shoulders, kissing the side of her head every few moments as she held his hand against her chest.

"Will you tell me when he made you promise him that you wouldn't tell me?" She asked while turning her head slightly and felt him tense up.

"I don't think I can." He said and watched as she turned her body to look at him, his arm staying around her shoulders as she placed her hand on his chest.

"Please?" She whispered "I want to know."

"Are you sure?" He asked, putting his hand up and brushed her hair back behind her ear "I don't want to cause you anymore pain." He whispered as she looked down.

"I'm sure." She nodded and looked up into his eyes "When did he make you promise?" She asked softly.

"You need to understand the day he found out you were marrying Rupert, it broke his heart." He said softly as she rested her head on his chest "That's why he left, he was angry that you chose Rupert over him." He said softly against her hair "He knew you were in love, but he knew what Rupert was like and though he tried to tell you and failed, he wanted nothing more than to protect his baby sister."

"I had some idea that's why he left." Clarisse said quietly as Joe rubbed her back gently.

"We talked about it many times, and he told me that if anything ever was to happen to him then I would be given a letter, I never took him seriously though, as I thought nothing would ever happen to him." He said and stared at the coffee table as Clarisse tucked her legs up while extending her arm around his waist.

Hearing a sniff from Joseph, Clarisse raised her head and saw that he had tears in his eyes "Joseph?" She asked as he looked at her "Tell me?" She whispered while putting her hand up, cupping his cheek as he closed his eyes.

"I saw him die Clarisse." He finally whispered moments later "I saw him get shot, I was with him when he died." He said as Clarisse gasped in surprise "That's how it came to me promising never to tell you what is in the letter. I was talking to him, keeping him going until help arrived and he begged me to never tell you about my promise to come and protect you." He said and wiped away the stray tear.

"You were with him?" She asked and watched him as he nodded.

"It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, he was my best pal and I couldn't do anything about it, just had to sit there and watch him as he slipped away." He whispered and covered his eyes with his free hand as he cried.

"Oh Joe, shh it's okay." Clarisse whispered while moving forward and wrapped her arm around him and kissed his cheek before closing her eyes as he buried his face in the crook of her neck "I'm sorry I made you tell me." She whispered and just held him as he cried.

Pulling back a few moments later, Clarisse put her hand up and wiped away his stray tears "I'm glad he wasn't on his own and that he had you as his best pal." Clarisse whispered and watched as Joseph studied her face "Thank you though for coming back to keep your promise, I know I haven't always been easy to get on with but I am grateful that you were around to save me, many many times." She said softly.

"It was a promise that brought me here, but love that kept me here." He whispered before burying his face in the crook of her neck as she ran her hand up and down his arm a couple times.

"I'm glad you stayed." She whispered and watched as he raised his head "I really am." She nodded "And I'm glad that even after 40 years you have finally told me, yes it should of been sooner but I can understand why. I am upset of course, but I am relieved to finally found out that he didn't die alone, like I thought he had." She said and rested her forehead against his "Thank you for being with him, and thank you for telling me." She said and kissed him before resting her head on his shoulder and extended her arm around his waist.