"Oh Mom, I'm sure that's not true." He said watching her wipe her eyes "He would never do that to you."
"Then where is he?" She said looking back at him "He should be here, not off somewhere else."
"I don't know Mom, I wish I did." Pierre said sadly.
"For the last five weeks he's hardly been here, today is our first anniversary and he's not even here." She said looking down as a couple tears escaped her eyes "He couldn't even bring the flowers himself and yesterday, well..." She whispered closing her eyes.
"What happened yesterday?" He asked as he rubbed her back.
"He was out all day," She said looking at him "He only arrived home moments before you arrived and he was wearing different cloths to what he left in that morning."
"Did you ask him why?" He asked.
"I did, he said he had an accident with his drink." She answered.
"Well maybe he did." Pierre answered "Mom I think you're jumping to conclusions here, he would never cheat on you, ever." He whispered as she started crying again "I'm sorry Mom." He whispered and wrapped his arms around her as she cried on his chest.
After he made sure she was ok he left, pulling up in a drive way a short time later. Heading up to the door as it opened.
"What are you doing here?" Joseph asked.
"I've come about Mom, do you have any idea what you're doing to her?" He asked while walking in.
"What do you mean?" Joseph asked while shutting the door and turned to him.
"I've just had her crying on my chest for the last couple hours, Dad she thinks your having an affair." Pierre said as Joseph looked at him in surprise "I know what your doing, so does the girls but she doesn't and she's broken." He added as they headed into the kitchen "You need to tell her and soon."
"I will, tonight." He said getting them a bottle of water each and sat at the table.
"She was also upset that you didn't bring her the flowers like you have done every time you have bought her some over the years." He said opening the bottle and looked at him before taking a couple sips before looking back at him "She misses you Dad, she nearly lost you several weeks ago and now she thinks she's losing you to another woman, I hate lying to her Dad, seriously."
"I know Pierre, I know." Joseph nodded while watching him put the lid back on his bottle "This isn't how it's meant to be." He added and looked down while shaking his head.
"Look if I can get her here tonight are you going to be ready?" Pierre asked as Joseph looked up "I think once she see's this place and knows what's going on everything will be fine."
"I hope so and yes, but how are you going to get her here?" He asked.
"I have a friend who owes me a favor." Pierre smirked "What time do you want her here by?"
"Say 6?" Joseph asked looking at him.
"Deal." He said holding his hand out for him "She will be here for 6." He smiled as Joseph shook his hand "Boy you sure do have a lot of making up to do."
"I know." Joseph nodded and laughed with Pierre.
After Joseph gave him a tour of the place they stood in the driveway talking for a few moments before Pierre left for home.
"Just make sure you are ready," Pierre smirked at him and turned to the place "I know for sure she'd love this place." He smiled back at him "You done a good job, be proud."
"I will be if your Mom likes it." He said watching Pierre open the door.
"Trust me, she will." Pierre nodded and climbed in the car "See you later."
"Yes you will." He nodded and shut the door.
As Pierre drove away Joseph waved him off before heading back inside.
When he pulled up outside the Palace he grabbed his phone, made sure no one was around before dialing a number and sat waiting for them to answer.
"Motaz." Came a voice seconds later.
"Hi it's Pierre, I need to call in that favor you owe me?" Pierre smirked towards the garden when he saw Clarisse walking with Lena and Charlotte.
"Of course Pierre, what can I do for you my friend." Motaz asked.
"Let me explain." Pierre smiled to himself and went on to explain what he needed.
Finishing the call just as Clarisse, Charlotte and Lena headed over to him.
"What are you doing here?" Charlotte asked as she stood next to him.
"I came to see you of course." He smiled and kissed her before putting his arm around her shoulders and looked at Clarisse "Are you feeling better now?"
"I am a little, thank you." Clarisse nodded and put her arms around Lena's shoulders as she stood behind her and rested her chin on top of Lena's head "Are you staying for some tea?" She asked.
"Are you making it?" He asked as she nodded "Then I am staying for tea." He chuckled and kissed Charlotte again as they all headed towards the stairs.
Walking through the doors moments later as Ally appeared.
"Your Majesty, you have a call waiting in your office." Ally smiled over at her.
"Ok, be right there." Clarisse said looking towards her then at the others "Meet you in the kitchen." She smiled and headed into her office as the others headed into the kitchen.
"What are you smirking at?" Charlotte asked while putting her hand on his chest.
"No reason." He smiled down at her as they walked through to the kitchen.
"You're up to something, I know it." Charlotte smirked as he let her walk on in front.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Pierre smiled and sat at the table.
"You always give it away when you are up to something Pierre," Lena smiled "You have the same cheeky smile as Mom."
"That's true," Charlotte smiled as Lena giggled "You do and I never noticed until just now."
Moments later Clarisse walked through the door "Some birthday and anniversary this is turning out to be." She said walking over to sort them out some tea.
"What's wrong?" Charlotte asked.
"Well first of all my own husband isn't even here," She said turning to them "And that was the Prime Minister on the phone, he's called an important meeting across town this evening that I need to attend." She sighed and turned back to the counter as Pierre smirked.
"Pierre?" Charlotte whispered when she noticed him sat smiling to himself like a fool "Do you have something to do with this?" She asked.
"No." He smiled at her as she gave him a glare "What?" He whispered back.
"You wait!" Charlotte whispered back as Clarisse turned around.
"Pierre you need to be there too." Clarisse said looking at him as his face fell.
"Why?" He asked as Charlotte started laughing.
"I don't know he didn't say," Clarisse shrugged "Just said that we both need to be there and we need to arrive by 6." She sighed and turned back to the counter.
"Your face was a picture then." Charlotte whispered as Pierre winked at her "What are you up to?" She asked.
"I will tell you later." He quickly whispered as Clarisse brought the tea tray over and placed it on the table "Thank you for the tea Mom, though I just realized it should of been me making it seeing though it's your birthday today." He smiled.
"Oh it doesn't matter, it doesn't even feel like my birthday anyway." She said looking up at them "It's just like a normal day this year." She added followed with a sigh and looked at Lena "So much for having a day off darling." She added as Lena nodded.
Later that evening after Clarisse spent an hour trying to find something to wear and settling on a tailored knee length business dress she headed downstairs to find Pierre stood in the foyer waiting for her.
"You look nice." He smiled as she put her bag on the table and slipped on her knee length matching jacket and done the one button up as she stood beside him.
"Thank you." She said checking her bag and looked at him "Shall we leave?" She sighed as they headed towards the door "I don't know where Joseph is, I left him a voice mail message telling him that I had to go to a meeting." She said looking back at him.
"Did he call back?" He asked as they made their way down the stairs.
"No," She said shaking her head "I haven't heard from him all day." She said looking back at him "Luckily Lena is staying over at Livy's tonight."
"That's good." He smiled as they made their way over to the car.
As they left the Palace Clarisse's phone beeped, reaching down for her bag she checked her phone as Pierre kept an eye between her and the road.
"Well he finally replied." She said rereading the message.
"What does he say?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the road.
"He just said sorry he wasn't here today and that he will see me tonight when I return." She whispered and put her phone back in her bag before looking out the window with a sigh.
Pierre smirked to himself as he focused on the road, pulling into a driveway not long after as Clarisse looked at him in confusion.
"What are we doing here?" She asked looking at him.
"Dropping you off." He smiled and pushed the button to release her buckle "Look at the porch Mom?" He smirked at her as she looked out the front window at the porch, seeing Joseph stood in the door way with the light behind him.
"What's going on?" She asked while stepping out the car, grabbing her bag before she walked around the front of the car "What's going on Joe?" She asked as Pierre stepped out the car.
"Happy Anniversary my Clari Bear," He said holding out his hand to her as she walked up the stairs towards him "And Happy Birthday." He smiled while pulling her closer "This is my present to you." He smiled "Because I love you and only you."
"What, I don't understand?" She asked looking at him as he undone the button to her jacket and wrapped his arms around her under the jacket as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"Enjoy your night Mom." Pierre smiled and started laughing as she put her hand out, pointing towards him.
"Did you know?" She called out as he just laughed and climbed back in the car "Did he know?" She asked Joseph as he lifted his head.
"Yes, they all did." He smiled and kissed her several times before kissing her slowly.
After Pierre reversed the car he looked over as Clarisse snaked her arms around Joseph's shoulders as they stood kissing on the porch, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight before driving away leaving them too it.
Breaking of the kiss a few moments later Joseph looked deep in her eyes as she looked into his.
"I know I have a lot of explaining to do about where I've been..." He stopped when she put her hand up, placing her forefinger on his lips.
"Tell me this is where you've been everyday?" She asked studying his face as he nodded "Then you don't have to explain anything at all." She smiled and kissed him again as he lowered his hands, cupping her backside as she giggled.
"I will give you the tour after dinner," He smiled while taking her hand and led her inside, pushing the door up and locked it as she slowly walked in and slipped off her jacket.
"Is this really ours?" She asked while turning to him as he took her jacket.
"It is." He smiled and took her hand "I thought it was about time we had a different place to come to when we want it to be just the two of us." He smiled back at her while leading her through to the dining room, smiling as she gasped "Well this is the dining room, as you can see." He chuckled and handed her a glass of wine.
"I can, it's lovely." She smiled and took the glass "Thank you so much."
After dinner they remained at the table, talking and laughing together something they haven't done together for a very long time.
"Clari?" Joseph started as she sipped her drink "Did you really think I was having an affair?" He asked, looking up into her eyes as she put her glass down.
"I did," She nodded honestly "And you can't really blame me, you disappear everyday for the last 5 weeks and yesterday with coming home in a different set of cloths, what do you expect me to think?" She asked while taking hold of the bottom of her glass and slowly turned it around on the spot.
"I know, I did have an accident though but with paint." He said as she looked at him "I was painting and got some on my cloths, I couldn't tell you it was paint though could I?" He smiled as she looked at him while shaking her head.
"We are ok, aren't we?" She asked and watched him turn his chair a little to face her.
"Listen to me," He started while leaning into her and put his hands down either side of her, resting them on the edge of the chair beside her thighs "We are more than ok, I promise." He smiled and kissed her several times as she put her hands on the back of his arms "And no matter what happens to us, everyday spent with you is the best day of my life." He whispered against her lips before pulling back just a little.
"I love you." She whispered looking into his eyes.
"I love you more." He smiled and kissed her slowly as she put her arms up, placing her hands on the back of his head, breaking apart a few moments later.
"Shall we clear up these dinner things before you give me the grand tour?" She asked looking at the table then looked back at him.
"Sure." He smiled and stood up while taking her hand and kissed the back of it as she stood up, smiling up at him.
After they cleared away the dinner things, Joseph took her by the hand and led her around the ground floor.
"And this is the living room." He smiled back at her as they walked through the door.
Looking around with a smile and noticed the huge fire place and photo above it "Aww the one when we are walking on the beach, a year ago today." She smiled as he stepped closer, putting his arm around her back.
"Of course," He smiled at her then back at the picture "I was going to put a big family one up there, but figured what was the point with it still growing." He said looking back at her as she nodded in agreement.
"Well I love this one." She smiled while stepping closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"And I thought with the fire place when we are here and its cold we could snuggle in front of it." He said wrapping his arms around her shoulders "And maybe make love next to it." He whispered as she lifted her head and looked into his eyes.
"That sounds very romantic." She smiled and reached up, kissing him "I can't wait." She said stepping back.
"Neither can I." He smiled and took her hand leading her back out to the hall "And now the upstairs." He smiled, leading her up the stairs.
Leading her straight to the master bedroom, where he just couldn't wait any longer. Pushing up the door behind them as Clarisse turned and walked backwards a couple steps.
"And this," He smiled while turning to her "This is our bedroom." He smirked.
"And what about the rest of the upstairs?" She asked putting her hands together behind her back as he stepped closer.
"It can wait, we have all night." He smiled and put his hands on her sides while stepping her back, closer to the bed.
"Are you sure?" She asked while looking up into his eyes.
"I am, the Doctor said I'm good to go now that I can do stairs." He smiled and started laughing as she raised her eyebrow.
"But..." She started and stopped while looking at him as he nodded.
"Yes, he said back then if I can walk up a set of stairs then I can make love." He smirked while locking his arms around her waist, taking hold of her hands "So what do you say?"
"Well if you are sure you can then I am willing to try." She smiled up at him as he lowered his head and began kissing her slowly.
After a few moments of kissing they removed her dress so she was stood in just her bra and panties, still kissing each other as she started undoing his shirt buttons. Pushing it over his shoulders seconds later when they stopped kissing.
"What the?" Clarisse gasped and ran her hand over his chest "What's this?" She asked looking back up at him.
"My tattoo," He whispered and watched her look back down at it while pressing her hand against it "It's your hand print, placed as you would of guessed by now, over my heart." He said watching her.
"My Life, My World." She whispered as she read the words underneath and looked back at him "When did you get this done?"
"A few weeks ago." He smiled "I got it because I want you to know," He started while putting his hand up on top of hers "That you are my life and you are my world, forever and always." He whispered and looked into her eyes "And well, you own my heart." He smiled.
Looking up at him with tears in her eyes "That's so romantic." She whispered while removing her hand and looked back at it "How did you even know my hand print?"
"Remember that sticky stuff you accidentally put your hand on about 3 weeks ago?" He asked.
"You did that?" She exclaimed as he laughed with a nod "I can't believe you did that." She said as he put his hands on her sides.
"That was the only way I was going to get it without you asking why." He whispered and kissed her a couple times as she put her arms up, locking them around his neck.
Laying on the bed a short time later. Joseph knelt between Clarisse's legs as he hooked her panties from under her and slowly removed them before kissing the inside of her ankle with a cheeky smile. Leaning forward while placing one hand on the bed beside her as she arched her back and brought her knees up. Looking down between their bodies as he lowered himself, filling her completely as he rested his body down on hers.
"Mmm you feel so good Clari." He whispered in her ear while moving his arms up over her shoulders and placed his hands on the top of her head, beginning to rock his hips slowly against her.
Moments later however he raised himself up and looked down at her as she looked up at him "What's wrong?" She asked and watched him lower his head and kiss her a couple times "Joseph?" She whispered as he pulled out of her and climbed of the bed "Joe?" She exclaimed as he walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
Sitting up in confusion she grabbed the robe from the back of the door and slipped it on before walking into the bathroom. Stopping when she saw him stood in his boxers and hands on the sink counter his head down, her heart broke at the sight.
Moving closer while holding the robe closed, she made him move his arm and stepped between him and the sink as he put his hand back on the counter beside her.
"Talk to me?" She whispered and watched him lift his head before standing up straight "Please?" She said moving her hands up, framing his face as her robe opened.
"I can't do it, I've lost it." He whispered and closed his eyes.
"Oh darling, that's alright." She whispered and watched him open his eyes "Honestly, it doesn't matter."
"It does to me, I wanted this night to be romantic and I've ruined it." He said as she lowered her hands and wrapped them around his waist.
"What did you say to me earlier?" She asked as he shrugged "You said and I quote 'No matter what happens to us, everyday spent with you is the best day of my life.'" She smiled "Well I mean that too." She whispered.
"I'm sorry." He whispered and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
"You don't need to be sorry, now how about we go to bed and snuggle?" She smiled.
"Yeah." He nodded and kissed her.
"Good." She smiled and took his hand leading him through to the bed "As to me, that's romantic too." She smiled back at him.
"Thank you." He whispered and stood watching as she turned to him.
"You're welcome." She smiled.
Moments later they were snuggled together in bed, both drifting of to sleep a short time later.