Chapter 22:

Joseph could not sleep.

It was a fact that he hated to admit but should have seen coming. After all, how could one sleep after having such a night? How could one's body rest when their heart, mind and soul are in such unrest and confusion? Surely the expectation was bordering on stupidity.

So Joseph turned on his bedside lamp, climbed wearily out of bed and threw on his clothes. He stood in the middle of his room for a while trying to figure out what he could do when his eyes fell upon his guitar perched in the corner.

He had taken some lessons when he was at University and had kept it up since then. Although he hardly ever played, it was there when ever he needed some release from too many thoughts.

Now was such a time.

Picking his guitar up, Joseph pushed out the double doors to his balcony and sat down on the cold hard seat under the moonlight. He shifted around slightly, looking up briefly at the stars above before looking down to tune his instrument.

He plucked a few strings, humming along to get each string tuned before placing his hand over all the strings together and closing his eyes. He sat and just breathed deeply, letting his breath flow out in white clouds before a song came to mind. He had heard it a couple of times before, but never played it.

Somehow the words and the chords just came to him as he opened his mouth.

"Would you dance if I asked you to dance?
Would you run and never look back?
Would you cry if you saw me cryin'?
And would you save my soul tonight?"

Joseph opened his eyes and looked to the heavens as his voice grew stronger, and his hands moved faster.

"Would you tremble if I touched your lips?
Would you laugh?
Oh please tell me this
Now would you die for the one you loved?
Hold me in your arms tonight…"

A single, starlit tear slid down his pained face as Joseph closed his eyes.

"I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away"

Eyes opened, knowing that although his heart had just been broken after only just being found again, he would remain by her side forever.

"Would you swear that you'll always be mine?
Or would you lie?
Would you run and hide?
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
I don't care, you're here tonight"

His heart clenched as the vision of his new found love fled from him, denying all that his heart knew was true.

"I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away"

Letting all of his emotions go, Joseph put his all into the song and just sang what his heart was crying out to Clarisse.

"Oh, I just want to hold you
I just want to hold you, oh yeah
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind?
Well, I don't care, you're here tonight"


"I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away"


"I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away the pain
And I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away
You can take my breath away"

"I can be your hero…"

Falling silent as his hands slowed and stopped strumming, Joseph slumped onto his guitar, burying his head in his arms.

Letting the tears fall, and listening to the night sounds around him, Joseph was startled to hear a sound that pierced his heart.

Someone was weeping.

Joseph jumped to his feet when he heard the sound even clearer; it wasn't just anyone.

Placing his guitar down on the seat, Joseph then proceeded to run down his balcony steps and into the moonlit gardens where he began to search for the woman.

Coming into a clearing not far from his balcony, Joseph stopped in his tracks.

"Clarisse?" he called softly, not wanting to scare her away again.

She was sitting on the cold, crisp ground slumped against the side of the fountain that sparkled in the darkness. She was only a couple of metres before him and he could only just make her out.

"Joseph," Clarisse moaned, lifting her head and stretching her hands out to him.

Rushing to her side, Joseph fell down beside her and took the hand that she was offering him. He held to her hand and sat quietly, waiting for her to speak, but longing to take her in his arms and never let her go.

"Joseph, I'm so sorry," Clarisse choked out between her tears, allowing him to see her in such a vulnerable state.

After all, he was no stranger to her tears.

"I heard you singing and it just – it broke my heart Joseph," Clarisse wept, lifting his hand and pressing his rough skin against her smooth, wet cheek.

Joseph lifted his other hand and smoothed her hair away off her face, before cupping her cheek.

"Why did it break your heart Clarisse?" Joseph asked, knowing he was stepping on dangerous ground.

Clarisse looked at him, her face so lost, vulnerable, confused, and longing. All her emotions playing out on her features at the same time, clearly showing the inner turmoil she was facing.

"Because it was so true…it was so honest," Clarisse answered quietly, the confusion fading and the truth beginning to seep through.

"How?" Joseph asked just as quietly, his voice almost cracking.

"It was so obviously expressing just how you are feeling; exactly what you said in the library…and…exactly how…" she tried but her fear took over again, stopping her from confessing the truth.

"Say it Clarisse, please…" Joseph pleaded, stroking her face with his free hand and squeezing her hand slightly with the other.

Clarisse looked at him, watching a tear slip down his cheek slowly before looking back up and searching his eyes. Her chin was quivering and the tears continued to flow as she freed her hand and reached up to wipe the tears from his face. She took his face in both her hands, and pulled him down to place a wet kiss upon his forehead.

He closed his eyes upon the contact and took a deep breath, savoring the feelings swirling in his heart. He opened his eyes again when she pulled back and found himself looking into clear, tear filled blue eyes.

The confusion was gone, completely taken over by the truth that now ruled her expression.

"It was exactly how I feel inside about you," Clarisse confessed, a smile working its way onto her beautiful face.

Joseph remained silent, not believing that he had heard her right, but knowing in his heart that things would never be the same again.

"Do you mean…?" Joseph stuttered, happily shocked by her honesty.

"I love you," she smiled, slipping her hands off his face and taking hold of both of his hands in hers.

"Oh, Clarisse," Joseph murmured, releasing her hold and passionately taking her face in his hands.

No words were spoken as their hearts finally met and intertwined. They looked into each others eyes as their hearts and entire beings finally admitted to the love that had grown so strongly between them.

Their love was not a love that stuck itself together quickly upon first sight of each other, but rather a love that formed over time. It was a love that came from experience together, and understanding of who the other person was. It was created through time as it slowly wove together, forming strong unbreakable bonds that needed all that time to form.

Their love had formed a strong coil around both of them and was now pulling together as they confessed it to each other. It was true love.

Looking into each others eyes, a new light could be seen. It was their sparks of love flickering into a flame that would soon burn strongly for all to see. They looked into each others eyes, and soon gravitated together.

Joseph closed his eyes as their lips met in their first kiss.

Never had he felt anything like this before. This kiss showed their love to each other in a way that words could not express. It was another complete bond that they formed in a matter of moments but was still as strong as the others that had taken years to form.

Although Joseph had loved Solana, it didn't compare to the love he had with Clarisse. It was different; somehow, it was a stronger, deeper, more powerful love than he had ever before felt.

Smiling against her lips, Joseph deepened the kiss as he slipped his hands down to her shoulders. He pulled her close to him as they shared their love in a way that neither had seen coming. They poured out all their love and devotion in the kiss, clinging to each other on the cold hard ground.

Joseph pulled away slowly, opening his eyes to see a glowing Clarisse. The joy was practically flowing off her as she leant back and gazed into his eyes. They sat for what felt like hours, just gazing at each other happily.

"Wow…" Joseph finally breathed out, followed by a small chuckle.

"My thoughts exactly," Clarisse replied with the warmest smile Joseph had ever seen.

Suddenly feeling the discomfort of the cold, hard ground, Joseph shifted around and pulled them both to their feet.

They had only just straightened when Clarisse stepped into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her face into his neck, before sighing deeply. Joseph wrapped his own arms around her shoulders, holding her close and breathing in her scent.

Without any words, they began to sway together gently. They moved apart slightly as their moves became more defined.

Without music, without words, they began to dance. The steps were entirely their own as they twisted, dived and moved together as one. They never broke contact as they moved around the small clearing in the cold Genovian palace garden, in the early hours of another day.

They were in love; truly, deeply, honestly and completely.

AN: Well?

The song was called 'Hero' by Enrique Iglesias.