A/N: COMPLETE! Finally! Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock and I'll be back soon!

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!

The next morning, Joseph was awake much earlier than he had expected (but back at the palace, seven in the morning was nothing as he was usually up and about by five, getting ready for the day) and he was momentarily disoriented (where was he? Clearly, not at the palace) before he remembered where he was and why and what had happened the previous day… yesterday… Her Majesty… Clarisse had arranged his own 'day off', away from the palace at his cabin….

THAT he had accepted and expected, but the additional idea of spending the night at the cabin (which she had sprung on him much later in the day, just as he was making noises about returning to the palace) that was just inappropriate, particularly as there would only been a wall between them, particularly with their ever deepening feelings for each other, but she had seemed unbothered… and, even more surprisingly, Scott had agreed with the idea as well…

"Why shouldn't he have agreed to this?" she had looked puzzled.

"You know why. You're Queen of Genovia and I'm your bodyguard. Most people already suspect that we're closer than the average queen and personal bodyguard but this…"

"They don't know that we've even left the palace, let alone that we are here… just the two of us," she said lightly and Joseph scowled at her.

"You know, you're not taking this very seriously," and the smile on her face suddenly slid off her face as she turned to look at him.

"I am taking this very seriously. Very seriously, Joseph Bonnell, and I don't ever want you to think that I'm not taking my own reputation seriously- I have been doing that for a very, very long time and I don't think it's fair that you're accusing me of not taking my own reputation seriously and I don't appreciate it continually being thrown back in my face,," she said evenly and Joseph suddenly felt ashamed of himself.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I know I keep going on about this but I want you to be safe."

"I AM safe," her expression softened. "I AM because you're here… and I know this is a highly unusual situation but… I thought that you would appreciate even one night away from the palace."

"I do, truly I do," he said, reaching over and squeezing her hand gently. "Thank you for the brilliant idea."

When they retired for the evening, Joseph again tried to insist on Clarisse taking his bedroom but she only shook her head definitely with an equally definite "No" before, after lightly kissing him on the cheek, she entered her bedroom, turning in the doorway to give him a warm smile. "Good night."

"Good night."

He wasn't quite sure whether she had a restless night or not, but his night had hardly been restful, Joseph tossing and turning impatiently, knowing that Her Majesty was only a bedroom over and, with his ever deepening feelings for her, it was difficult not to climb out of bed, leave his room and stand in front of her door before knocking on it… but he also knew that he wasn't going to push her, this was a delicate stage of their relationship and he couldn't push her…

He was up and about shortly after waking up- he was used to being up and about early, thanks to his routine back at the palace- and he has just stoked up the fire (only a little, since they would have to go almost as soon as they had breakfast) and was boiling water for tea and coffee when he heard a noise from behind him and he turned to see Clarisse standing there, fully dressed in a soft blue sweater and black trousers and smiling almost shyly at him.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked jovially as he set the two cups onto the already set table and she shrugged flippantly as she moved towards the table.

"I guess…. I usually don't sleep well in strange beds…"

"Why do you think I suggested you have my bed?"

"…But last night… I slept very well. Thank you. And you? Did you sleep well?"

"Just as well as you did," he fibbed lightly as he brought the steaming teapot to the table before filling his mug with hot water and then returning to the kitchen.

"Actually, I slept much better than I do back at the palace."

"Maybe you're going to have to relocate here and commute to work," she joked lightly as she slid into her seat and reached for her cup.

"I don't think so… are you trying to get rid of me?" he teased gently as he sat down opposite her and took his own mug and sipped it.

"No, never… but if you're more comfortable here…"

"I'll be comfortable no matter where I am, just as long as you're comfortable," he gave her a significant look and she blushed and looked down at her mug.

"You place too much importance on my life."

"No… I place just enough importance on your life," he contradicted sharply. "Never put yourself down like that… and I'm sure that there would be quite a few people who would agree with what I'm saying."

"Fine, fine, fine," she said before she looked back up at him. "We're going to have to go back to the palace today, aren't we?"

"Yes… I believe that you're due back at the palace at two, if not earlier…"

"Why…?" she began before she closed her eyes in disgust. "Oh no, I've just remembered why…"

"Why?" he asked curiously.

"I have a session of parliament…."

"Ohhhh…how fortunate for you… now I'm assuming that you're going to try and beseech me to stay an extra day…" he teased.

"No," she smiled at him with a twinge of regret in her voice and smile. "It's time to go back."

0

Once breakfast was over (and they cleaned up together, just 'to get things moving', Joseph joked although he suspected that Clarisse, despite her glamorous life, appreciated the simple things in life and that included even a normal domestic chore such as wiping up), there was a different atmosphere as Joseph doused the fire out (although he knew that his other team would come out to check on everything once they had left, he assumed that Clarisse would have arranged that) and Clarisse collected her small suitcase from the bedroom.

"I wasn't sure whether you wanted me to strip the bed or make the bed… so I just made the bed up again."

"It's fine, I'm sure your little fairies will come out and check on the place once we're gone," he said teasingly and she blushed.

"I…"

"It's fine," he repeated as he titled her chin up so that she was looking at him. "Really. Besides," he added as he collected his own belongings from the corner of the room and opened the front door for her as, simultaneously, he switched off the lights. "I have a surprise for you… it's your turn this time."

"What?" she turned on the step to look at him. "What surprise for me?"

"You'll just have to wait a few minutes for that…" he gave her a cheeky wink before, after ensuring that the front door was locked, he took both suitcases to the boot of the car and, after opening it, tossed them inside.

"So? Are you going to tell me what my surprise is?" she stood beside the front passenger seat door and he grinned before he tossed something at her. She was surprised but caught it easily before looking down at her hands and realising what she was holding- the palace car keys.

"Joseph…?"

"What?"

"I thought… I wasn't allowed…."

"You do still have a licence, you're just restricted in your driving because of safety issues, I never said you weren't allowed."

"But in San Francisco…."

"That wasn't the best idea- two unlicensed drivers on the streets of San Francisco- but this is different."

"How so?" she challenged, although she was more than a little pleased that he was actually going to let her do this, even for a couple of miles.

"I will be with you," he smiled almost angelically at her and she laughed back at him.

"Alright… but I'll warn you that my driving skills are a little rusty… and that's not my fault!" Clarisse said as she strolled around the driver's side of the car and Joseph chuckled as he opened her door for her.

"Who's fault is it, then? Surely not mine."

"No… not completely… more like the palace protocols that dictate my life… but this should be fun…"

"Good luck," he gave her a quick smile before he closed the door behind her.

0

"How do you think I went?" Clarisse inquired half an hour later when Joseph indicated that she should pull over and they swapped seats.

"Not bad, not bad at all."

"You have to remember that I haven't been driving in quite a few years…" she protested.

"And while that is demonstrated in the last half an hour, you still are quite an alert driver," he said as he turned the car back onto the road.

"But…."

"Not buts."

"But… do you think I'll be able to continue driving?"

"On occasion, but not necessarily in Pyrus or around the palace area…"

"Of course not… but you're going to let me drive on occasion?" she almost sounded timid and he looked over at her.

"It would mean that much to you?"

"Yes. I know that I don't have many opportunities to drive- and most of the time I rather prefer not to drive- but there are times… driving is a sign of my independence, and while…."

"I understand, and yes you can drive on occasion, you don't need to ask my permission for that… just as long as you're not alone when you're driving."

"Are you going to let me drive with Mia?" she gave him a sidelong glance and he couldn't resist snorting.

"That… I'm not quite sure about… we'll see."

0

The rest of the trip seemed to fly by and they both sighed almost regretfully once they turned into the palace driveway and the palace came into view.

"Home again," Joseph said almost jovially and Clarisse agreed, trying to maintain the jovial tone.

"Home again."

"At least you have a little time before your session of parliament to change and have some lunch," he said encouragingly and she sighed again.

"Lucky me. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"I believe that you have to apologise to your men when you get into the security hub."

"Mmmm," he hummed, sounding non-committal.

"It's true… and you know that, Joseph," she said and he looked sidelong at her.

"Yes, you're right, I know that."

"And… what else do you have to do?"

"From now on… I'm going to delegate more."

"Good… and?"

"Take holiday time when necessary."

"And?"
"Come and see you when I feel a little out of control… particularly when I get jealous seeing other men touching you….I'm getting jealous now, just thinking about it."

"It's part of my job, Joseph," Clarisse reminded him softly.

"I know, I know, I know," he grumbled then gave her a sidelong glance again, but this time, he was smiling.

He didn't get out of the car straight away when they pulled their car to a stop, much to Clarisse's surprise- she had half expected him to get out of the car immediately, eager get back to work- but, then again, his reluctance was understandable… and she had to admit that she was reluctant as well… but they would only have a leeway of a few minutes before Charlotte and some of the security team would come to greet them.

"Joseph?"

"Mmmm?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said simply, turning to face her. "Thank you for yesterday and today," he reached over and cupped her cheek gently with one hand. "I know I've been saying it all day but I do truly appreciate what you… and Scott… did for me."

"I know," she said gently, enjoying the touch of his hand on her cheek- not even Rupert had touched her cheek so gently, so tenderly… "I would be more than happy to do it again for you, anytime."

"As would I."

"And remember," she added hastily, seeing the palace doors open and Charlotte step out as Joseph dropped his hand abruptly. "I will always be here if you need to talk… or kiss," she added with a coy smile. "But now," she added briskly as she unbuckled her seat belt and moved to open the door. "You have some work to do with your security team."

0

Joseph was feeling slightly apprehensive as he stepped into the security hub after depositing his bag in his room (and seeing Clarisse… Her Majesty… disappear upstairs to get changed for the rest of her day), an unusual feeling for him but he knew that he had done the wrong thing and he had to apologise.

The room was almost empty, aside from the usual people who were observing the television screens that covered every inch of the palace, but Scott was sitting at the head of the table, reading the paper.

"Ah…" Joseph cleared his throat and Scott set the paper down as the other two men turned away from the television screens.

"Hey, Joe! Did you have a great day away from the palace?"

"Yes, I but…."

"No need to thank me, it was something that needed to be done and you needed a break…"

"I'm sorry….you didn't deserve my bad mood and you definitely didn't deserve what I did the day before yesterday…"

"Well, I have to admit that that meeting didn't go quite as expected but… hey, at least we didn't have our meeting that day."

"But we will be having it tomorrow," Joseph said in a stronger voice as he sat down opposite Scott and the other two men turned back to the television screens.

"Aww…" Scott pretended to sound disappointed but he was relieved that he looked and sounded much more relaxed, the pressure had obviously been getting to him, but now that he had had that day off… hopefully things would improve…"

"As for the additional plans…"

"That had nothing to do with me, Boss," Scott shook his head definitely. "That as all Her Majesty's idea, not mine…"

"And you agreed with it?" but he didn't sound too irritated- he was just intrigued to find out how Clarisse had gotten around Scott with that idea.

"Come on, Joe, you know that she can be very persuasive when she wants to be…."

"And you didn't want to say no to her, I get it," Joseph finished with a grin.."

"So… back to work now?"

"Back to work," he affirmed.

"But, Joe? If you get like that again… take a day off! Promise me!"

"I promise," Joseph grinned back, glad for the day but glad to be back.