A/N: Two chapters in one day!
Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
Charlotte didn't know how it happened, but suddenly the days and weeks suddenly turned into months and years and the next few years seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye.
"I guess when you're enjoying your job, time doesn't seem to matter," Joseph said pensively when Charlotte had mentioned her disbelief to him one day. "I've been here close to thirty years and it doesn't seem as though a day has gone by, it's as if I started only yesterday."
"What would that make Scott and the rest of your younger colleagues?"
"Still in nappies- which, at times, they seem to behave like… honestly, they can be such teenagers," he rolled his eyes and Charlotte laughed.
"Yes, I have to agree with you there."
"Anyway, to return to your other point, I can understand how your feeling… and I hope that you have enjoyed your time here so far."
"I didn't think you could enjoy your job… but while there have been ups and downs over the years, it's certainly kept things interesting around here."
"And, as I've mentioned before, you've certainly proved yourself indispensable around here- Her Majesty certainly appreciates all your efforts."
"I know that… and you're just as indispensable, if not more," she looked at him pointedly and he blushed.
"Well, we're both indispensable…and neither of us can appreciate compliments!"
"All I can say is that Her Majesty is certainly fortunate to have two such modest friends and employees!"
It was true, Her Majesty certainly considered them both friends, although there was very little physical evidence that proved it- she was still as quiet, dignified and reserved as always, but as the years had gone by, Charlotte had seen a subtle change in her reserve and her personality- yes, she was still as reserved and composed as ever, but Charlotte could sense that she was letting her guard down, relaxing a little more, letting people see the other side of her, the side that very few saw and had kept hidden for most of her marriage to the late King. Charlotte attributed much of the change to her granddaughter, their relationship strengthening and deepening over the years as the young Princess grew older and more interested in her heritage and the Queen getting to know her granddaughter as that, as well as educating her in her role and responsibilities as Princess and future Queen.
But Charlotte also attributed the softening of the Queen's emotional reserve to Joe- it was clear to her (and she hoped that it wasn't clear to the rest of the staff, Scott was already a handful with his continued insistence in pursuing the matter of Joe and Clarisse) that their relationship was steadily deepening and that they were falling in love, although Charlotte knew that they were trying to be discreet and Charlotte was doing all she could to ensure that they had as much privacy as they could.
It was difficult, however, to ignore the knowing looks that the maids gave her on occasion, particularly after a ball or state dinner, when Joseph escorted the Queen back to her suite and the Queen often dismissed the maids from helping her get undressed. One of the maids, Priscilla, even attempted to initiate questions with Charlotte, but Charlotte was quick to dismiss any rumours.
"Come on, Charlotte, it's clear that Joe really likes Her Majesty… do you know if she likes him back?"
"I'm only her personal assistant, I'm not her maid- you and Olivia spend more time with Her Majesty than I do… you must have some idea."
"No, not really- but you're her personal assistant and you spend time with both of them…."
"I do but I'm not going to dignify your questions with answers- and you really should be careful about what you say and who you talk to- I may have to mention it to Mrs Cowt, the housekeeper, and I don't think she would be too happy to hear that you're trying to gossip about her… and your… boss."
Priscilla's eyes widened at Charlotte's words, even as she blushed, and she started stammering an apology as soon as Charlotte stopped talking.
"I….I'm sorry… I… promise that…. I… I won't say… a word…" and she was good as her word, although it didn't stop some of the other maids giving her knowing looks despite Charlotte's warning.
Scott didn't help matters by continuing to make cheeky asides, but once Charlotte had warned him that she would go to Joseph again about his 'gossip mongering' and that the consequences wouldn't be as easy as they had been the first time (Charlotte assumed that he had gotten a stern warning from Joseph) and he subsided. But he too kept giving knowing looks to Charlotte whenever they met in the hallway, particularly when they saw Joe and the Queen walking closely together.
Even the princess was suspicious- not as much as everyone else, but the girl was observant and she had noticed that her grandmother and Joe spent quite a bit of time together, as she pointed out to Charlotte during her last visit.
"Joe is her Head of Security as well as her personal bodyguard- it's natural that they spend quite a bit of time together, particularly as he is in charge of arranging her security, your security and security for members of parliament."
"But still… have you ever seen that film… 'The Bodyguard'?"
"I have, Princess but it sounds as though you have watched it too many times," Charlotte teased her gently and Mia giggled along with her. "How is Michael and Lily?"
She already knew that Mia and Michael had broken up on the eve of Mia leaving for college, opting to remain friends (and it was a decision that Charlotte knew Clarisse approved of, despite liking Michael) but she wanted to ask Mia herself.
"I know Grandma would have told you we broke up," Mia gave her a sly grin and Charlotte had the grace to blush.
"I… I…."
"But thank you for asking, I really appreciate it. I'm fine- we were better off as friends, and he's busy with his band… besides, I know Grandma thought we were too young to be in a relationship."
"She… she was only worried about you," Charlotte felt that she had to defend her boss and friend, but Mia was still grinning.
"I know, she was right… but don't tell her I told you that!"
"I won't, Princess. I promise."
000
The Princess herself was growing in confidence by leaps and bounds- every summer, she returned to Genovia to continue her education with her grandmother and the prime minister, attend a growing number of public appearances, usually associated with the charities she had first visited on her first visit (all of whom were clamouring for her patronage, much to her surprise: "Why me? I'm only a girl! A teenager!"; "You have something they want and they obviously think that you have something to offer them, which you do") as well as attending a couple of sessions of parliament.
Once she had started college, with specialities in politics, foreign affairs and diplomacy ("I hope that they aren't as boring as they sound"), and she had a wider reading range, her ideas and suggestions were based more on what she had learnt and her developing ideas, she was able to contribute more to discussions, even daring to speak up in official meetings, sounding timid and shy but both Sebastian and the Queen welcomed her ideas.
"She's a lovely young woman and she'll definitely be a breath of fresh air in parliament when she comes of age," Sebastian commented to the Queen and Charlotte after one such meeting.
"Hopefully she will be given time to adjust to her responsibilities full time once she comes of age- hopefully they're not going to push her on the throne immediately," Clarisse bit her lip, looking concerned. Charlotte knew that, given the growing unrest with certain members of parliament ("we should either be running the country ourselves or there should be a true, full blooded Renaldi heir to the throne ruling" was what some people were murmuring amongst themselves, according to Joseph, Sebastian and Charlotte's contact in the Attaché Corps) and now knowing that there was another heir to the throne, they were keen to force the Queen abdicating and embrace a new generation.
However, the Queen's concern was not only based on her concern for Mia and parliament itself in trying to force the Queen off the throne, but the possibility of what they were going to do with Mia when she was eventually on the throne.
"I'm hoping that as well, Your Majesty, but you know how these men are when they get an idea into their heads."
"I know that very well… but is there anything we can do to possibly prevent….this eventuality occurring? I'm not saying that she's not capable of ruling, but…."
"I know, Your Majesty- I share your concerns, but I don't think there's anything that we can do to stop whatever they want to do… as the law states, once a heir reaches the age of maturity (in this instance, 21), there is no legal impairment that prevents them from succeeding the monarch onto the throne- unless of some physical incapacity or disability. We cannot create problems (and ammunition) in ignoring that law- and there are certain members of parliament that would consider that as a way of completely wresting the throne away from the Renaldi family."
"They couldn't do that!" the Queen looked shocked and even Charlotte was horrified.
"They shouldn't, and I hope that I'm wrong… but they could attempt to try, if…."
"I stand in their way."
"Yes."
However, the Queen kept all of her concerns and worries away from Mia (and told Charlotte that she had to as well, not that Charlotte hadn't been intending on doing that anyway) and was, as always, calm and composed, praising her when it was due and giving 'constructive criticism' when it was necessary- and it was clear, with her growing confidence, that Mia appreciated all of what the Queen was telling her.
"She's an extraordinary woman," Mia said to Charlotte admiringly as she was leaving to return to San Francisco for her junior year at college. "She's seen so much, done so much and gone through things that normal people wouldn't have, and yet…she's amazing."
"Yes, she's quite an extraordinary woman," Charlotte agreed- the princess echoed her sentiments exactly. "But if you are anything like her (and I suspect that you are), then you will be just as extraordinary, in your own way."
000
During that time, Joseph was as busy as Charlotte, if not more- aside from arranging security details and ensuring that the Queen and Princess were well protected at all times, he also had his own paperwork, as well having several training sessions with his men every year as well as attending conferences and workshops to upgrade his (and his team's) skills.
"Security is always such a tricky business, particularly when there are so many different ways of breaching security- the internet has been one of the worst inventions in existence, I feel- and the constant upgrading… it's wearisome," Joseph complained after one occasion.
"You sound that you are a technophobe," Charlotte teased gently.
"Not necessarily," he frowned. "There are some aspects of technology that I enjoy- the walkie talkies, the cameras… but the internet… it may be useful, but it's also a source of problems."
Despite his gripes about technology, Joe was a very competent bodyguard ("more than competent, he's a genius!" Scott had admitted on one occasion) and it was clear that everyone liked and trusted him- the Queen included- and no one had to fear of the Queen's safety while he was around. He took holidays only when necessary and came to work even if he was sick (although the Queen had insisted, on one occasion when he was really, really sick with pneumonia, that he stay in bed for a couple of days, and she even had a doctor visit several times) - he was hard working, loyal and honest and everyone respected him.
He was also stubborn as well, as evidenced when, two winters after Mia's return to the Queen's life, he began limping around the palace.
"Just a little arthritis in the knees, nothing to worry about," he insisted on several occasions when everyone had asked him whether he was alright. "It's only in the winter when it's really bad, I never limp during the summer, as you have noticed."
Despite his insistence (growing ever more irritated after a while) that he was fine, his knees began getting worse over the ensuing months and it was the summer before Mia's college graduation that the Queen, fed up with his irritated denials and everyone asking whether he was alright, insisted that he visit a doctor and find out what was wrong.
"It's arthritis, that's all."
"That's nonsense and we both know it. You need to see a doctor- you may need a knee replacement or two and that is nothing in today's world… Besides," she continued after a moment, feeling awkward but knowing that she had to insist. "I cannot have a Head of Security who is not fit for duty…."
"Are you saying that I'm not fit for duty?" he looked insulted.
"I'm not saying that… but you need to consider whether it would be fair to you if you cannot protect my safety… I don't want to lose you as my bodyguard, but…."
"I understand," he suddenly realised that he was being selfish and not being fair to Clarisse herself- it would be all his fault if something happened to her and he wasn't able to protect her as well as she deserved to be. "I'll do it."
The doctor insisted that he needed knee replacements, but would be able to return to work by the end of the summer.
"Just because you have knee replacements doesn't mean that you can't continue in your current role, although I have to insist that I don't think you should be doing much serious physical activity from now on."
When his operation was scheduled, Joseph requested Charlotte and Clarisse that the Queen remain at the palace for the summer, any overseas trips to be put off until after the summer.
"Why? Don't you trust us? Scott? The rest of the team?" Charlotte teased but Joseph was stony faced.
"I trust you all but I much prefer if things aren't organised until after the summer- I think that would be a perfectly reasonable request."
"Alright, alright, it should be fine- the summers are usually the quietest time of the year."
"Good."
The day of the operation, Charlotte could see that Her Majesty was a nervous wreck, despite trying to hide the fact- she paced her study several times every hour, popped her head around the door to ask if Charlotte had heard anything from the hospital and even venturing out to look for a book in the library but the book remained on her desk as she shuffled papers, pretending to be busy.
At long last, the hospital rang and informed Charlotte (she and Her Majesty, as well as Scott, were listed as his emergency contacts) that "Mr Bonnell was out of theatre and in recovery, resting well, the surgery went well," and when Charlotte told the Queen exactly what the hospital (the Queen was insisted on 'telling me exactly what they said'), the anxious expression that had been on her face all day suddenly disappeared into a bright, relieved grin.
"Good. Good. Thank goodness. Did the hospital say whether he was up to visitors?"
"They didn't say anything, but I'm sure that you should be allowed… you are the Queen, after all."
"Good. Get a car and a security team ready," the Queen said distractedly, brushing past her and out the door and Charlotte literally had to leap into action- judging by her behaviour, if the car wasn't ready quick smart, she would literally walk to the hospital.
000
Joseph recovered from his operation much, much faster than Charlotte had expected, but she suspected that his incentive was that he wanted to get back to work and step back into his main role as the Head of Security, looking after the Queen, and by the end of August, he was back in the 'driver's seat' as Scott had described to Charlotte on his first day back.
"I'm glad he's back, though."
"Because you missed him?"
"No, because I can go back to being 2IC and avoid all that stupid paperwork!" he joked and Charlotte looked at him in horror before he sobered up. "I was just joking, Char- I missed him as well, and he's a pretty good boss."
Her Majesty was not quite as open with her feelings as everyone else was, but it was easy to sense that she was pleased to see Joseph back again, and Charlotte couldn't help but that notice that Joe was just as pleased to back in Her Majesty's company (not that he hadn't been away too long, and everyone had visited him in his room), as judging by the twinkle in his eye and the small smile on his face as he kissed her hand in greeting on the morning of his return, Charlotte already being in the room.
"I take that you're glad to be getting back to work," the Queen said with a smile and Joe nodded as their eyes met and held.
"Indeed, Your Majesty- I'm definitely interested in seeing how much of a mess Scott made in my office."
"Scott and his team did quite well in your absence- we did as you requested and kept public appearances to a minimum- it's just as well as Mia decided to spend the summer in San Francisco, although she may have appreciated the quiet time here as well- but now that you're back," her expression turned business like as she gently extricated her hand from his grip. "Things have to go back to normal here as well…and there is quite a lot to do before Christmas."
"Well, I'm back and ready to work," he said with a wink at Charlotte.
"Good," before the Queen strode back around her desk, pausing before she sat down to say: "Welcome back Joseph, it's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back, ma'am."