A/N: A short chapter, but a second chapter in a day! That's a record for me! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me

"So, what was your intention in bringing me out into the garden?" Clarisse asked almost playfully as they walked down the cement stairs leading down to the garden and Joseph gave a small shrug.

"I had just noticed that you hadn't been for a walk in your garden in a couple of days and thought that you would like a break from your work."

"Yes, it's true that I have been feeling a pull towards the garden, and maybe I have been working too hard, but there is a lot to do before parliament recommences next week."

"Surely there isn't that much to do?" Joseph knew that it wasn't strictly his place to question his monarch's workload or even the workings of the parliament, but Clarisse had made him a confidante years earlier, if only to be a sounding board to listen to her ideas and complaints (long before they had developed their friendship, a friendship that had seemed to be deepening over the past few months and years) and he now felt free to question what he felt wasn't correct or seemed difficult.

"Not particularly, there's no official dinners until the beginning of October…."

"Hopefully not on your birthday," he teased gently and she blushed slightly.

"No, even that would take duty a little too far… but a few days after it… and I believe that I have a three day trip to Paris at the end of October…."

"So why have you been chained to your desk for the past few days?" he asked bluntly and she paused from gazing at one of her rose bushes to turn and look at him levelly.

"You know I have had work to do."

"It sounds more like an excuse to me."

"An excuse for what?" she suddenly looked irritated- how dare he question her motives for working so hard?

"An excuse… for burying your feelings," Joseph said quietly, careful not to sound too casual with the words but wanting her to know that he was serious about his meaning.

"I beg your pardon?!" Now she was seriously annoyed- Joseph might be her friend, her bodyguard, her Head of Security, her political sounding board on occasion and eventually, hopefully, more than that, but there was still a boundary between them that prevented discussion of things that would mean that they were in a relationship, including feelings. "How DARE you make that assumption?"

"It's not an assumption, it's the truth- and you know that I'm right," Joseph said, still maddeningly calm, which annoyed Clarisse even further, even more so than the fact that he was correct, she had been burying her feelings about Mia and her sons through more work, hoping that the anguish she had been feeling would dissipate somewhat, although she knew that it wouldn't dissipate, it would only grow worse.

"You are… you're not… correct… I have…" she stammered, her anger as well as her anguish threatening to overwhelm her and Joseph realised that he had pushed her as far as he could.

"Come and sit down over here," he waved towards a nearby bench and, taking her arm, gently led her towards it. "So," he continued once they had sat down and he had given Clarisse the opportunity to calm down slightly- she had been angry at his words but she had also been upset. "What is really going on?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she waved his concern away but she was looking away from him and that meant she was struggling to contain her emotions.

"Clarisse… Clarisse," he repeated when she didn't respond to his first entreaty. "Clarisse, look at me," he said in an even quieter tone and she finally looked at him, her eyes dangerously bright with tears. "You miss them, don't you?"

"Them?"

"Pierre… Phillipe… and Mia."

"How could I miss Mia as much as I miss my sons? At least she can return to Genovia at Christmas… Pierre… and Phillipe…."

"Pierre would be able to come back whenever he chooses, he knows that, and yes, Mia will be back at Christmas, but that doesn't mean that you're not allowed to miss them just as much as you miss Phillipe."

"Don't you think I'm being ridiculous?" she asked him a little tremulously and this was the signal Joseph took to put a gentle arm around her shoulders and she leaned slightly into him.

"No, you are definitely not being ridiculous. They are your family and you love them."

"Love…" she blushed at the word, a word that had never really been mentioned in her own family or with Rupert but she had made sure that the boys knew that she loved them… but again, that was a subject that she didn't feel comfortable discussing, even with Joseph.

"Yes," was all he said- he could sense her discomfort at the word and he didn't want to push her too hard. "Anyway, it's alright to miss them- I have to admit, the palace has been much quieter since the Princess and her friends left."

"Do you miss her as well?" she looked at him shyly and he nodded- he did, probably not as much as Clarisse herself, but the Princess was a very vibrant, happy young woman, a lot like her father in a lot of ways, and her presence had lightened the atmosphere of the palace a great deal, just like when the princes were young men.

"I do- she's just like her father, makes the palace seem less…."

"Stuffy and stifled," Clarisse suggested with a small smile and he chuckled.

"I wasn't necessarily going to use those words, but yes, her presence, and the presence of her friends, definitely lightened up the palace a lot…. There would be others that would wonder why you allowed her to return to the States for school…."

"I wanted that- and her father wanted that. She is not to be Queen for some time, so why force her to be here when she should be allowed to have a normal life back in San Francisco, even for a limited time."

"That was very unselfish of you to make that decision," he said in an approving tone and Clarisse again looked at him, this time in bewilderment.

"It sounds as though you are proud of me for that decision."

"I am."

"Oh," was all she could say to that before Joseph suddenly remembered something else that had been bothering him for a while and decided to ask her about it.

"A couple of weeks ago, after the coronation, you seemed to want to say something to me… what was it?"

"What?" Clarisse frowned at him and then remembered what she had been wanting to say to him but still not wanting to say it to him. "Oh, that was nothing."

"I don't think it was nothing," he withdrew his arm from around her shoulder and pulled away to look at her evenly. "I think it was something that was bothering you a great deal and you wanted to tell me but couldn't."

"Really, Joseph, it's nothing… let's keep walking in the garden, you were right about being n the garden, it's making me feel much better…."

She began to stand up, still talking quickly and hoping to convince him that there was nothing seriously wrong but he reached up, took one of her free hands and pulled her back down next to him.

"Clarisse… you cannot lie to me, you know that. Tell me what you were thinking that evening?"

"I… I…." she stammered, her cheeks turning a bright pink and she couldn't look at him.

"Clarisse… please," he was starting to feel a little worried.

"I… I was thinking about that evening in San Francisco, after the ball….

"Ah, yes," he said heavily, suddenly understanding her meaning and what she was talking about. "What about that evening?" he continued cautiously- if she was going to profess regrets, he didn't know what he was going to do or think or feel….

"I… I was just wondering… did you… did you… regret….that….?" her voice was almost a whisper and she couldn't even bear to finish the thought or even look at Joseph, who was stunned at the question. Did she really think that he would regret kissing her that evening, in the garden? Surely not!

"I… I don't know what to say…" he began hesitatingly, unsure of what to say and Clarisse suddenly looked up at him with naked emotion in her eyes, the veil having been completely torn away and he knew that she was waiting for an answer. "Do YOU regret what happened?"

There was a long pause then and he waited with bated breath for her answer- again, if she regretted what had happened…

"No… no…. no! I don't, I truly don't," she suddenly cried out passionately and almost tearfully. "That moment was… lovely and….wonderful," she looked back at him, suddenly sheepish. "I know you must think I'm foolish but… I was worried that…."

"Why should you be worried about me? I was the one who initiated the kiss," he said, letting out the breath he was holding and hiding his relief behind a warm smile.

"To be honest, I was more concerned that you regretted it."

"Why would I have regretted it?" Clarisse looked shocked- surely, he wasn't serious.

"Well… you are the Queen and I…."

"Are a very dear friend whom I trust very much…" and someone that I can see belonging in my life long after I have stepped down from the throne but NOT as my bodyguard, something much more deeper and long lasting….

"Then why are we both worried?" he joked lightly as he wove an arm around her shoulders again and she again leant against him.

"I know, for me, I was worried that you regretted it because we haven't had an opportunity to discuss what happened….but then again, I'm over thinking it, aren't I?"

"Not necessarily," he used his free hand to tuck a tendril of her hair behind her ear, an intimate gesture he wasn't quite sure he should have done but it didn't seem to bother her. "You have always been one to consider all your options and carefully consider them again, but you don't have to worry about over thinking things… all we need to do is take things slowly, which is what I assume you want to do."

"I do… and what about you?"

"Whatever you want to do is what I'm happy with…" he said gently and she turned to him with a small, shy smile.

"You are far too patient with me."

"You shouldn't bury your feelings, Clarisse. It's not healthy for you… and you know that I, as well as others including Charlotte, are always here for you to talk to, when you need it."

"You know that that is not possible, and there are too few that I trust aside from Charlotte and yourself… but I know that I can always count on you when I need you… thank you, Joseph, for always being there when I need you."

"You are welcome," before he leaned over and gently pressed his lips on hers for their second kiss- a kiss that wasn't quite as passionate as their first, but still a sweet kiss- and when he finally pulled away, he stood up and gave her a warm smile as he offered her his hand.

"Shall we continue our walk in the garden? It's what we're supposed to be doing."

"You were the one that stopped to talk," she pretended to grumble as she took her hand and he helped her up.

"You're not passing the blame, are you?" he arched an eyebrow at her and they gazed at each other for a long moment before they smiled at each other.

"No… not really… alright, let's continue our walk."