I know I took a really long time to update, and I'm sorry! But it's here now, so enjoy! Hope you like it.

Chapter Five

Joseph's heart skipped a beat when the man before him aimed the old pistol at Clarisse.

Arthur turned his head to Joseph. "Give up the fight, or….." He cocked the gun with a deathly sound, the threat hanging over the silent room.

Joseph's pulse was racing. He looked to Clarisse, sensing her frantic message to him, seeing it written in her lovely eyes. "Not for me, Joseph." He could hear her saying it, begging him to save himself. He knew what he had to do. Wordlessly, he held his hands out in front of him in silent surrender.

Arthur motioned for Doug to tie Joseph's wrists. Then Arthur checked Joseph for any weapons or communications. He found a walkie-talkie and a gun, and took them both.

Joseph hung his head and looked at the floor. "What kind of bodyguard am I?" He thought sadly. The one thing he cared about most was in danger, and he couldn't help her.

Clarisse's heart went out to him. She had never seen him this way before. He always seemed to be able to fight back. Except for now.

Arthur still didn't lower his gun, but instead, turned it towards Joseph.

Joseph looked up at the gun, and heard Clarisse gasp slightly.

"You are going to leave, and not tell anyone where Clarisse is, or we're leaving to go where no one can find us."

Joseph thought as quickly as he could. "I can't just leave her here. Not with this horrible man. And he is NOT taking her anywhere. I won't allow it." "I am not leaving without Clarisse." Joseph said finally, but he didn't move because Arthur's gun was still facing him.

"All right, suit yourself." Arthur said and he cocked the gun.

"No!" Clarisse tried to yell and she jumped off the couch. She forgot that she had the old, dirty gag in her mouth.

"I've had enough of this." Joseph thought when he heard Clarisse's cry of fear. "I can't fail on her." At that moment he kicked into his bodyguard mode. He used his strong muscles to break the old rag around his wrists. Which seemed quite thin and weak to him.

He turned to the side of Arthur, knocked the gun out of his hand and pushed him to the wall, which made Arthur fall to the floor. Before Arthur could regain his strength and get up, Joseph got Arthur's gun, put it in his pocket, and managed to knock out an oddly terrified Doug.

Clarisse watched him lovingly through the tears in her brilliant blue eyes. Joseph pointed the gun at Arthur warning to keep away, and he walked quickly over to Clarisse. He put the gun on the side table, held her shoulders gently, and sat down on the couch with her. He could feel she was shaking.

He removed the bandana used as the gag in her mouth, and untied the hay coloured rope around her wrists. As soon as she was free, Clarisse flung her arms around him.

"Oh Joseph!" She cried through the tears that were now streaming down her face. "I'm so glad you're here!"

He held her tight as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "She looks really tired." He thought to himself.

"Clarisse, are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes…" She said, and looked up at him. "I have been miserable all day though, and my face and arms are a little sore." She looked at her wrists. They were still burning from the rope, and had the markings from it.

He lifted her chin up lightly, and his mouth fell open when he saw the crimson bruise on her cheek, boiling hot anger rose inside him. Swallowing hard, he caressed her cheek ever so gently. She inhaled softly, her eyes watching him closely as he calmly walked up to the Viscount. Arthur looked at him warily. Joseph's voice was no more than a low growl. He said, "I warned you not to hurt my girl." Clarisse gasped as he raised a tightly clenched fist and hurled it at the Viscount with all of his might, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps.

Panting, Arthur pulled himself back into a comfortable position. He brought his hand to his throbbing eye, where Joseph's hand had collided with him.

"She's hardly a girl, Romerro." he spat the words distastefully. Clarisse shuddered at the bitter words spoken by the vile man. Her eyes widening as he swung his fist towards her husband.

Skilfully, Joseph caught and blocked Arthur's hand with his arm, though not without being sent back a couple steps. Clarisse sighed out of utter relief, realizing he wasn't too badly injured as he took another couple hits against the Viscount.

Clarisse then remembered Doug, who was lying stiffly on the floor across the room. She quickly walked over to him and got Joseph's walkie-talkie and gun. To her it felt strange to hold a gun, since she never had before.

After a few seconds she found the talk button on the walkie-talkie, and summoned for help. What she didn't realise was that Doug had gotten up and was standing right behind her. He grabbed her wrist and started pulling her into the garage to start the car.

Clarisse gasped. She started screaming and trying to get away.

As soon as Joseph heard Clarisse scream, his blood ran cold. He looked over at Clarisse just in time to see Doug slap her hard on her face, in the same spot where Arthur had given her the bruise, to try to make her stop screaming. Clarisse was stunned, and fell backwards in pain.

Joseph punched Arthur one last time with such anger, that Arthur got knocked out. Then quickly, he ran over to Doug. "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you." And with that, he punched him with all his might.

At that moment, Shades and the other guards came in. Shades looked at the scene before him. "I guess you didn't need us." He joked, to break the tension in the air.

Joseph half smiled. Now, he had both Arthur and Doug knocked out on the floor. But they weren't the only ones on the ground.

"Clarisse!" He ran over to her, but he couldn't kneel down to help her up because of his knee replacement. So he stood in front of her and leaned down. "Clarisse? Can you hear me?" Joseph asked.

Well I am stopping here. Just trust me. And tell me what you think!