Hey everyone, thanks to you if you have read the last update and massive THANKS to tengland2 and Honkytonkangel for taking the time to post a comment, it's very much appreciated THANK YOU! Honkytonkangel, Sorry for scaring you, I didn't mean too.
I want to say a big thanks to tengland2 for all her help also, it means a lot.
I have got the next few chapters wrote out, but haven't been able to post them. Here is the next part anyway, Hope to post another one pretty soon. Being poorly sucks!
SJ x
ooOoo
Sometime has passed, Joseph has been out of hospital for several weeks now.
Clarisse was in a deep sleep when her alarm went off, she quickly turned it off and turned over to snuggle with Joseph only to find he wasn't there. She sat up for a few seconds and wondered into the suite only to find it empty. With a sigh she headed back into the bedroom, had a quick shower and got dressed.
After she headed down for breakfast with the family, except for Joseph. Shades had informed them that he had gone out earlier on a morning ride on his horse.
After breakfast she sat in her office doing her make up and gathered some paper work together, ready for her meeting that morning. Just before she left, she stood checking herself in the mirror in the hall when Joe came in.
"Hey." she smiled turning to him "You just caught me."
"Oh of course, you have a meeting don't you?" he asked standing in front of her.
"I do, I should be done by half 12 and I was wondering if you wanted to meet me at our favorite restaurant for lunch?" she asked while looking up at him.
"I don't know I will have to let you know later?" he said looking into her eyes.
"Ok." she smiled as he kissed her.
He grinned and headed towards the stairs "See you later?"
"Of course." she smiled over at him then left for her meeting.
After her meeting, which ended 20 minute's later than planned Clarisse checked her phone to see she had a text from Joseph letting her know he will meet her at the restaurant, she quickly phoned him to let him know she was on her way with Shades and hung up.
10 minutes later she arrived and as Shades stayed outside in her car, she headed inside and over to the table while slipping her jacket off.
"Sorry I'm late." she smiled as he stood up.
"That's ok, your here now." he smiled and gave her a kiss before sitting back down.
"I am indeed." she smiled putting her jacket over the back of the chair and sat down.
"I ordered you a drink just in case you needed it?" he smiled as she lent over a little and put her bag down under the table.
"Thank you." she smiled and took a sip then put it back on the table, pulling her cardigan sleeves up a little and rested her arms on the arms of the chair "So glad that's over and done with though." she smiled at him.
"How did it go?" he asked while picking up his water and looked at her while taking a sip.
"It went well, yeah." she nodded while looking at him then lent forward grabbing the menu "Have you already looked at this?" she asked.
"I have yeah, but not sure what I will have though." he said leaning on the arm of his chair and lent over, looking at her menu as she smiled up at him.
After a few minutes they ordered their lunch, then sat talking while waiting for it to come. Once they had finished they sat talking some more.
"Can you believe that in a weeks time it will be Christmas day and the day I gave you Holly," he smiled taking her hand as she lent forward while resting her elbows on the table in front of her "And gave you this ring?" he smiled gently rubbing her engagement ring.
"I know, it's gone so fast." she smiled at him while resting her chin on her hand as he let go of her other hand and moved it onto her arm gently rubbing it.
"So much has happened since, some good and some bad." he said looking at her as she looked down "How am I ever gonna top this Christmas?" he asked as she looked up at him.
"Just you being here is my Christmas present." she smiled cupping his face with her free hand.
"Same to you, of course." he grinned and lent closer, giving her a small kiss as two figures stood next to them, as he pulled back he looked up to see who it was as Clarisse turned.
"You?" she said while looking at them "What are you doing here?"
"Please can I talk to you?" Harriet asked while pulling out the spare chair and sat down "Please just give me a few minutes?" she asked while Clarisse and Joseph looked at each other "Please Clarisse?"
Clarisse sat back with a sigh while resting her arms back on the arms of her chair "Fine, you have two minutes." she looked at her then Stephen then back at Harriet.
"I know you've seen Steve." Harriet started.
"Yes I have, he told me some stuff and frankly I am shocked at you." Clarisse answered "How could you do that to your husband, to your own children?" she shook her head and sipped some of her wine and looked at her while putting the glass down.
"I know, I wish I never did it but I just got caught up." Harriet started as Stephen sat down in the other chair "I hate that I did it, I hate that I kept it from them."
"How could you do it?" Clarisse said looking at her "How could you sleep with someone else and go on to have his baby letting Steve think that they were his?"
"Only Sasha isn't his, Jason is his." Harriet said.
"How can we believe that?" Clarisse answered.
"Because I wasn't having an affair when he was conceived." Harriet snapped and looked at them.
"Who's Sasha's father? Doesn't she have a right to know?" Clarisse answered as Harriet looked at Stephen then back at Clarisse "Oh this get's better and better doesn't it?" she looked at her "You don't even know?" she shook her head.
"I do, I just can't tell you." Harriet answered while looking down then back at her.
"You know what, I don't even want to know!" Clarisse snapped while leaning over and grabbed her bag, getting her purse from it and put her bag back down "The whole thing is just shocking... wait a minute," she looked at Stephen "Why are you here for?"
"I'm here to support our sister." he answered "Unlike you." he snapped.
"What?" Clarisse gasped while slumping back in her chair then shook her head while leaning forward "Doesn't that go against everything you've told me?" she whispered while putting her hand on the table "I didn't think you liked cheaters?" she snapped.
"This is different, she's our sister and alone." Stephen answered.
"Alone?" Clarisse gasped while looking at Harriet then back at Stephen in shock "You know I thought I was shocked at Harriet, but now I'm shocked at you." she snapped while looking at them "It's going against everything you told me, once a cheater always a cheater."
"This is different, Clarisse." Stephen answered her.
"How the hell is this different?" she snapped while banging her hand back on the table and said in an angry low voice "She cheated on her husband and had someone elses baby, letting him go on thinking that she was his and poor Sasha thinking that he was her father." Clarisse snapped while shaking her head "You can support her and stand by her when the person I love with all my heart did it once, didn't father a child with her and you ignore him because he cheated, and you didn't even want me to marry him." she said getting really angry while putting her hand on her chest "You have both hurt me, I want nothing to do with you anymore, I wash my hands of the pair of you."
"Clarisse, Please!" Harriet exclaimed while looking at her.
"You say she's alone?" Clarisse snapped "I'm the one whose alone in this, you carry on supporting her, I don't care anymore!" Clarisse snapped.
"Calm down Clari." Joseph whispered while putting his hand on her arm.
"You make me sick, the pair of you!" she stood up "I'm going to go and pay, and by the time I come back you need to be gone." she pointed at them "You are nothing to me, the pair of you!" she snapped and started walking away then come back, pointing at them again "Do not follow me, or you will regret it!" she glared at them then walked off again.
Joseph sat and watched them leave then looked over at Clarisse as she paid the bill then came back a few minutes later, put her purse back in her bag and sat back down with a sigh.
"It's ok Clarisse." Joseph whispered while leaning over, putting his arm around her placing his hand on her back as she lent forward while looking down "You have me?" he whispered as she looked up at him.
"Thank you." she whispered while he moved and gave her a hug.
"You have our family too, remember?" he asked while looking into her eyes as she nodded "How about we go to our pad tonight?" he asked while watching her finish her drink.
"That sounds lovely." she nodded while putting her glass down "I would love that, thank you." she smiled as he took her hand and kissed her fingers "You always know how to cheer me up." she smiled
"Of course." he chuckled "We have known each other long enough for me to know this, you know?" he smirked as she smirked back with a nod.
After a few minutes they headed outside.
"I thought you went in your limo this morning?" he asked while standing in front of her.
"No, I had Shades take me in my range rover." she smiled and pointed to it as he looked then looked back at her.
"Ahh ok, well my car is up there a little more." he smirked looking towards it as Clarisse focused on him as he took hold of her hands holding them down either side of them "And I was wondering if a certain Queen would like ditch her driver and come shopping with me?" he smirked as she looked up at him.
"A certain Queen is wondering why?" she smirked.
"Just because." he smirked and kissed her nose.
"Well in that case." she giggled giving his hands a squeeze "We have to tell Shades though, or he will worry with after what happened before."
"Yeah that's true." he smiled while walking over to him with her, still holding onto one of her hands.
They stood next to him for a moment as he chatted to someone on his phone while leaning back against her car, Clarisse and Joseph smirked at each other then looked back at Shades as she cleared her throat making him jump and quickly hang up.
"Sorry, Your Majesty." He exclaimed while looking at them.
"It's ok Shades." Clarisse smiled "I just wanted to let you know I am going with Joseph, so you can head home now."
"Alright, thanks for letting me know." he nodded getting the keys from his pocket "See you later." he opened the car door as Clarisse and Joseph started walking off.
"Oh and Shades." Clarisse stopped and looked back at him as he stopped and looked at her "Just because I'm not with you, doesn't mean you need to drive like a loony, I want my car back at the Palace in one piece this time, unlike last time." she smirked "Understand?"
"I do." Shades nodded and laughed as he watched them walk off.
As Clarisse and Joseph headed off shopping Shades headed back to the Palace, and a couple hours later they arrived home to. While Joseph got the bags out the trunk, Clarisse inspected her car to make sure it was in one piece.
"Well?" Joe asked as she stood back next to him and closed the trunk for him.
"Its in one piece." she smiled standing back and looked at it "I was thinking about getting a new one though." she said looking at Joe with a cheeky grin.
"No, you have enough already." he exclaimed while shaking his head.
"Oh but one more, wouldn't really hurt." she giggled as they started heading to the stairs.
"What one are you after this time?" he smirked at her "Maybe Santa will bring it for you." he smirked as she smirked back at him.
"Oh I couldn't ask Santa for a new car, they cost way to much for him." she giggled as he put his hand on her lower back while they headed up the stairs and through the doors.
"Well me and Santa are pretty good friends, maybe I could pull some strings." he smirked as she looked back at him.
"I'm not telling you." she smiled walking into her office.
"Why?" he asked standing in the doorway.
"Because I know you will go and get it, when I want to buy it for myself." she said putting her jacket up on the back of the door and came back out, heading towards the stairs.
"Oh come on, I'm stuck on what to get you." he sighed following her.
"I told you already." she whispered as she carried on up the stairs.
"What did you already tell me?" he asked walking next to her as she stopped.
"I told you, you are my present this year." she put her hands up cupping his face "That's enough for me." she smiled and kissed him.
"Clari?" he frowned.
"Clari nothing." she answered and walked into their suite, shutting the door after him.
After a little while Clarisse had a soak in the bath, as Joe watched some sport on the tv in their bedroom. Only when she came out he was sleeping, she turned the tv off and headed into the suite, pulling up the door behind her.
"Where you going?" he asked while looking over at the door.
She came back in and looked at him "You were sleeping so I was trying to leave you to it." she said walking back over and climbed on the bed beside him.
"Yeah I felt a bit tired." he said watching her snuggle close to him and put her hand over onto the back of his head "I was thinking, I know we talked about heading to our pad tonight, but can we stay here instead?" he asked as she played with his hair.
"Of course." Clarisse nodded "We can go another night, that's fine." she smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you." he whispered giving her a small smile.
They stayed up on the bed talking for a while then headed down to have dinner with everyone else, afterwards Clarisse caught up with everyone and spent time with the girls as Joe watched some more sport up in their suite, after she was done she headed upstairs and sat watching a film with him.
After it finished they got ready for bed and as Clarisse sat rubbing cream into her hands Joseph came out the bathroom and climbed into bed beside her.
"I had fun today." she smiled as he looked at her "Thank you."
"Anything for you." he grinned at her and turned his lamp off, pulled the covers over a little and lent closer to her, giving her a kiss while putting his arm around her back.
"Are you ok?" she asked while looking at him as he nodded and kissed her again while running his hand up onto the back of her head, pushing her back a little. "Joseph?" Clarisse whispered between kisses.
"Mmhmm?" he moaned and carried on kissing her for a second before stopping and looking at her.
"Are you sure about this? I mean, are you ready?" she whispered as he nodded.
"I am more than ready?" he nodded and kissed her jaw then her shoulder.
"As long as your sure?" she whispered as he nodded again.
Several moments later they were making love for the first time after Joseph got shot. Only just as things were about to get heated between them, Clarisse ran her hands down his sides as Joseph stopped and pushed her hand away in anger.
"Joseph?" Clarisse gasped while looking at him "Did I hurt you?" she asked feeling a little scared.
"No." he shook his head and kissed her while pinning her arm down on the bed, then rested his forehead against hers "I can't do this, I'm sorry." he whispered and kissed her while climbing off and sat up next to her.
She lay still for a second and sat up, rubbing his arm while kissing his shoulder "It's ok Joseph." she looked at him as he shook his head.
"No it's not!" he exclaimed and climbed of the bed, walking into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.
She watched and sat on the bed in surprise for a few moments before getting dressed and walked over to the bathroom door, gently knocking on it.
"Joseph?" she whispered.
"It's open." he answered and watched her come in.
"Have you been crying?" she asked looking at him sitting on the seat while shutting the door "I hurt you, didn't I?" she asked walking over to him.
"No." he shook his head "You didn't, I'm so sorry." he looked up at her "I thought I was ready but I wasn't."
"There's nothing to be sorry for." she whispered while putting her arms around his shoulders while standing between his legs.
"I failed you though?" he whispered while putting his hands on her thighs and looked up at her.
"No you didn't, so don't even think you did." she whispered while wiping his stray tears away and kissed his forehead.
After a moment he pulled her down to sit on his knee, as they sat talking.
"I think I'm going to go for a walk." he said looking at Clarisse as she lifted her head and looked at him.
"But it's gone midnight." she exclaimed.
"I know, but I just need to clear my head, I won't leave the Palace grounds, I promise." he said looking at her then buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"Well I can't stop you." she whispered while playing with his hair and closed her eyes.
"Thank you." he kissed her neck and looked at her.
A few moments later she was stood in the suite, watching him walk out. She sat down for a while then headed to the kitchen to get some coffee and sat thinking when Sofia came down with Ella.
"Mom?" She stopped and looked at her.
Clarisse looked at her and smiled "Hey."
"What are you doing here?" she asked walking over to her as Ella smiled at her.
"Hey you." she smiled taking Ella from her "I am here because I couldn't sleep."
"Oh." Sofia whispered while grabbing a bottle and put it on to heat up "Where's Daddy?"
"He went for a walk." she answered and kissed Ella as she laughed.
"At this hour?" she asked.
"Yea, he got upset over something and went for a walk to clear his head." she said resting Ella on her chest.
"He is ok isn't he?" Sofia asked standing next to them again "I mean since what happened he doesn't seem himself."
"I noticed that too." Clarisse nodded "I guess we just need to give him time."
"Yeah." Sofia agreed and offered her the bottle "Would Grandma like to feed her?" she smiled.
"Of course." Clarisse nodded with a smile while taking the bottle.
Sofia sat down and watched as Clarisse started feeding her.
"Mom, I'm glad you were up actually I wanted to talk to you about something." Sofia said as Clarisse looked up at her "Can I ask you something? you know, something personal?"
"Of course darling, what would you like to ask me?" Clarisse smiled and looked down at Ella as she drank her milk while grasping Clarisse's hand.
"Well, I just wondered how long it was before you, you know after having us kids?" Sofia asked with a blush.
Clarisse thought a second and looked up at her "Oh you mean have sex after having you kids?" she asked as Sofia nodded "Well let me think a moment." she said closing her eyes then opened them with a small smile "After I had Pierre, it was a year before I felt comfortable, after having Philippe though, it was 6 months after." she smiled "With you, it was the same as Philippe, 6 months." she nodded and looked back down at Ella.
"And after Olivia?" she smiled as Clarisse looked up at her.
Clarisse looked back down at Ella "Shamefully 3 weeks after." Clarisse said not taking her eyes from Ella.
"Oh my, what?" Sofia laughed a little as Clarisse looked up.
"We couldn't help it." Clarisse blushed "I will tell you this though, don't do it unless you feel comfortable about it, as other wise it will hurt."
"Did it hurt with you?" Sofia asked.
"No, I was fine." She smiled.
"Cool." Sofia smiled "Thanks Mom, I know I was a nightmare in my teens but I am glad we are friends now."
"So am I." Clarisse smiled "Listen I'm probably not going to get any sleep tonight so why don't you go on back to bed and I will take care of Ella for the rest of the night."
"Are you sure?" Sofia asked while standing up.
"Of course, no point both of us being up is there?" she smiled and looked down at Ella "Just put the travel cot up in my room then go back to bed?"
"Ok." Sofia smiled moving around and hugged her "Thanks Mom." she smiled and kissed Ella's head "Be good for Grandma and Grandpa." she smiled and left them to it.
After a little while Clarisse headed upstairs to her suite, sitting back against the headboard, snuggled in the pillows with Ella resting on her chest as Clarisse read her a story. Not long afterwards Clarisse realized Ella was sleeping, she kissed her forehead and rested her cheek against the side of her head as she thought about Joseph.
Not long after Joseph came back and noticed Ella sleeping on Clarisse's chest, he walked over and tried to lift Ella from her without waking them. But as he lifted her Clarisse opened her eyes as Ella started crying a little.
"Shh, it's alright." Joseph whispered while walking over and put her in the travel cot as Clarisse watched "That's it flower, you go back to sleep." he whispered while stroking the top of Ella's head as she settled down again.
"You are so cute with her." Clarisse whispered coming over and put her arm around his waist, while leaning over and checked on Ella.
"Of course." he smiled at her "Wasn't I cute with our girls?" he asked as she looked up at him.
"Of course." she nodded with a smile.
"Good." he grinned and kissed her then headed over to the bathroom.
A few minutes later he came back out and climbed into bed next to Clarisse.
"How did we end up with Ella tonight by the way?" he asked turning his lamp off.
"Oh I gave Fia the night off." she chuckled while looking at him "Did you have a nice walk?"
"I did, didn't help much though." he said looking at her as she snuggled up to him "I'm sorry about what happened earlier." he whispered while putting his arm under her head and around her shoulders.
"Don't be." she shook her head while looking at him "You have know reason to be." she smiled and kissed his jaw.
"By the way I know what car you want now, I know I was a bit slow guessing." he smirked as she tipped her head back and looked at him "But I know what it is." he winked.
"Don't get it me Joseph, I've told you already that you are my present this year." she smiled "Or how about you get me a present in the form of a little brother or sister for Holly, you know, like we talked about?" she smiled at him.
"Of course, yes that's a great idea." he kissed her a couple times "We will have to wait and see what Santa brings you on Christmas morning then won't we?" he smirked as she put her hand on his chest while lifting her head and looked at him.
"I mean it Joseph, don't get me that car I want to get it myself." she said "The dog and you are all I need." she smiled as he laid smiling at her "I'm not gonna win this am I?" she asked as he shook his head "But I wanted to get the car myself."
"Lets wait and see." he smirked at her as she frowned at him "Anyway." he smirked and kissed her "Now I think sleep is calling?"
"I couldn't agree more." she smiled and rested her head back down "Good night?"
"Good night my Love." Joe whispered and kissed the top of her head.