A.N: Ok so that wait was longer than we all wanted it to be, but that is due to a very CRAP past few weeks. And not to mention all the time since the last post. I am so sorry for making you all wait so long that I am allowing you all to have a good rant about it when you post, with no consequences! As long as you say how this chapter is as well, though…But no matter, it's over now! And I've got this chapter to write and post so here goes…

Chapter 27:

"Heya!" Joseph bellowed as he kicked his heals into the horse's sides.

Atop his horse, Joseph shot out of the stables and into the dark night. He rode hard, and rode fast, no destination in mind but wanting desperately to escape his own thoughts.

He flew across the fields and into the trees, weaving the horse through blindly but not caring for the danger he was putting himself in. He no longer cared, no longer felt, no longer thought rationally.

His heart pounded, throbbing in his head and blocking out all sound around him. His mind reeled, everything coming at him in a rush and threatening to destroy his sanity. His soul shattered, leaving pieces behind as he thundered through the moonlit night.

Joseph was broken.

The horse broke through the other side of the trees and pounded on ahead at full speed, beginning to veer to the right without Joseph's instruction. Had Joseph known where they were, he wouldn't have been so careless; or would he?

Suddenly the horse stopped short and dropped his head, throwing Joseph from the saddle and onto the ground.

The horse thundered off, leaving Joseph lying on the ground gasping for air.

Pain stabbed through his lungs as the cold air was sucked deeply into them, causing him to gasp even louder. The pain began to subside as Joseph managed to get his breathing under control, but his heart still continued to pound in his head.

Turning onto his stomach, Joseph closed his eyes and screamed out in pain and frustration. Pain at his heart's suffering; frustration at his love for being too afraid to make the move they both so desperately wanted.

He screamed out again, feeling his throat burn and the tears spill from his closed lids.

"WHY!" he cried out, pounding his fist against the hard ground, numb to the pain.

Clarisse's words were driving him into madness, swallowing him up in their brutal honesty. He could feel all the years of his pain suddenly boil up from within and begin to burn away his strength, his hope. The pain inside was a consuming fire compared to the sharp, cold wind blasting into his face.

Opening his eyes, Joseph's sight began to swirl; he was only a few feet from the edge of a cliff that plummeted down to the crushing waves below. The horse had thrown him off before they both flew off the edge, therefore saving both their lives. Again, Joseph's life was spared.

"For crying out loud! WHY DON"T YOU TAKE ME!" Joseph screamed to the sky above, shaking his fist.

"Why must I stay here and suffer while you take the only comforts away from me!" Joseph bellowed, pushing himself up onto his knees, letting the wind rip through his shirt and tear at his skin.

Holding his arms out wide, palms up, his face turned to the sky above.

"Why don't you take me now? There is nothing else I can do here! I WANT THE PAIN TO STOP!" He continued to scream, the wind whipping around his face, taking his tears with it.

"TAKE IT AWAY! TAKE ME AWAY! NO ONE NEEDS ME ANYMORE!"

An image sprang into his mind; Mia standing at a window looking out into a dark night, a single tear running down her cheek, her eyes no longer full of life.

Is this what you want for her?

Joseph gasped in shock at the thought, and felt his heart jolt at the image of his girl in such pain. She looked so real…in such pain…her face etched in misery, her eyes dead with lines already forming on her young face. Is that what he would bring if he left her now? Did she need him that much?

More images came into his mind; a dying Phillippe pleading with him, begging him to take care of his girl, to be there for her. Would he take back his promise now? Would he let it all go after all these years? Could Joseph really betray Phillippe's memory?

Your journey is not yet over…

"But why is it so HARD? Why do I have to suffer SO MUCH? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PAIN? WHY ME?" Joseph bellowed out, falling forward onto his hands, his face headlong into the wind.

Because you are so strong…there is no one else to take your place…

"I am not strong…" Joseph muttered, shaking his head and lowering his eyes, the fire within his soul slowly dying.

You made it this far…

"I had hope; but no longer," Joseph choked out, feeling the tears continuing their assault on his worn face.

There is always hope…one just needs to open their eyes…

Images of Clarisse flashed through his mind, her face always glowing with joy, her eyes filled with love as she looked to him.

"Where is the hope? She does not love me…she does not need me…" Joseph moaned, slumping down so his forehead pressed into the cold, hard ground.

"She was the one thing I was continuing the fight for, she was the only reason I still hung on. The fight is no longer worth it if there is nothing to look forward to."

There is always something…in time, you will find it…but you need to hang on…

"Can I really believe that now? After all I have lost?" Joseph questioned angrily, his head shooting up defiantly.

The wind whipped around his face, drying the tears to crusts on his cheeks, hacking into his numb lips, burning his eyes.

What does your heart tell you?

"That I will continue on, that even if there is nothing for me in the end, then at least I will have given something to the world; to Mia. She needs me so I will hang on, I will fight on until she is safe and has someone else to take care of her. She will come to no harm while I am still here," Joseph murmured, dropping his head once more to the ground.

Don't hide your scars…show her you are real…she will bring you joy…Clarisse is not lost to you yet…

"No…Clarisse is lost to me now…she is gone from my life…we are no more," Joseph sobbed into the ground, falling to his side in his misery.

"We are no more…" Joseph continued to sob, pressing his cheek into the cold, hard ground, feeling his heart shatter again at the truth.

But his soul was still intact; still strong and willing to fight on, no matter what heartache he felt.

Joseph Luca Romero would live to see another day.

OoOoOoOo

Joseph looked out over the balcony. He watched as Clarisse followed Maurice around the sunlit gardens, her figure walking slowly but majestically.

His heart tightened in his chest, causing him to clear his throat.

He would retire; he was clear of that now. He would remain at Her Majesties side to serve her until Mia takes over the throne, and then he would leave. Where he would go, he did not yet know for sure. Perhaps to New Zealand to spend some time with Marama before returning to Spain? Who knows…?

But he knew he could not stay in Genovia. There was no way he would be able to stay in this country where he would be so close to Clarisse – Her Majesty – and yet be so far away. His heart would not take it.

Turning back to the palace, Joseph prepared himself for the momentous day ahead; so much needed to be done.

Little did he know that the day would turn out so much differently than anyone had even begun to imagine.

OoOoOoOo

Joseph couldn't believe it.

"Can someone please pinch me?" he asked in a dazed voice, feeling so detached since Clarisse had called his name at the back of the church.

Sharp pain shot through his arm, causing him to jump and glare at the woman who had inflicted such pain on him.

"Ow!"

"You did ask for someone to pinch you, so what did you expect?" Clarisse asked with an amused grin, apparently enjoying herself.

"I can't believe it…" Joseph murmured again, rubbing his arm as if it still stung, even though his expression was one of great wonder.

"Come on Joe, this is starting to get a little old…you've been married for hours now!" an exasperated Mia groans from her slumped position over the back of her Grandmothers couch.

"Yes, I agree, Joseph," Clarisse chuckled.

"Come and sit down a minute; you are wearing a hole in my floor," she added, patting the space beside her on the couch.

Joseph came and sat down quietly beside his new WIFE, and smiled at the two opposite.

"Our," he stated with an overly happy grin.

"I'm sorry?" Charlotte asked, sharing a confused look with Mia.

"It's our floor, Clarisse," Joseph said quietly, looking up into her face, watching with joy as her face lit up with a glorious smile.

"I can't believe it!" Joseph laughed suddenly, throwing himself onto his back so his head was in Clarisse's lap, and kicking his feet in the air.

Mia burst into hysterical laughter as Clarisse gasped in surprise; Charlotte's look seemed torn between laughing and concern.

"Joseph, stop it! You are married to a Queen now, so act like it," Clarisse said sternly, her mouth still twitching in a smile.

Joseph sat back up slowly and silently and looked at her with puppy eyes.

"Does that mean I have to take Sir Joseph lessons?" he asked quietly with a meek expression.

Everyone laughed and Clarisse slapped him playfully on his shoulder.

"Wow…" Mia said happily, shaking her head.

"What is it, Mia?" Clarisse asked.

"I've never seen you both like this before," she replied, nodding towards the glowing pair.

"This is the real Clarisse," Joseph explained, holding his new wife's hand.

"She just went away into hiding for a few years," he said softly before looking into Clarisse's eyes whilst raising her hand to his lips.

"That explains Grandma," Mia smiled.

"But what about you, Joe?"

"Well that's easy; I've always been mad," he replied quite simply.

The others laughed, causing Joseph to crack a smile.

"I believe you suffer from insanity, dear Joseph," Clarisse laughed.

"I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every moment of it!" he shot back, causing the group to fall into hysterics.

A.N: Well? Did that appease you all? Please send me a review and let me know what you think. There is more on the way (and hopefully soon!). Oh and Monker…can you see my heart in this chapter?