A/N: This chapter has a bit of 'steam' to make up for the angst.

Clarisse snuggled further under the comforter as she slipped deeper into her dream. It was her wedding night, a wedding night her heart would remember with fondness and her body with the tingling of her skin. She was alone with Joseph. Her Joe…her husband.

Joe swallowed as his eyes took in the sight before him. "Where?" he croaked out. He couldn't believe she'd had something like that in her wardrobe all this time.

"I found it in my dressing room. It's from Mia." Clarisse shrugged. "Who knows how she got it here." She looked down at herself, shaking her head in disbelief. She was actually wearing a wine colored satin negligee. The bodice was made of Genovian lace, the neckline dipping down in a vee between her breasts. The back…there was no back. The matching robe was trimmed in the same delicate Genovian lace and tied securely around her waist.

Looking back at Joe, Clarisse's breath hitched at the way he was looking at her, and he hadn't even seen what was underneath the robe. "Joseph? Darling?"

Joe looked from Clarisse's body to her face. "Come here." He held out his hand.

Clarisse walked on trembling legs over to where Joe was standing by the window and took his hand. "Is it alright?" She was very unsure of herself right now. A feeling she wasn't accustomed to.

Joe's hand pulled on the sash at her waist letting the robe fall open. Pushing it from her shoulders, it pooled at her feet. "It's more than alright." His voice was husky. "You're beautiful, Clarisse."

"Oh Joseph." Clarisse sighed as she leaned forward, placing a whisper soft kiss on his lips.

Joe smiled then released her hand. "Champagne, Darling?" He held out a glass of bubbling liquid he'd poured while she was changing.

"Thank you." Clarisse whispered before sipping at the liquid. "Do you think they've noticed we aren't there?"

"I'm sure they have, and I'm positive there are some that are talking about how rude it is for us to have left, but frankly my darling…I don't give a damn." He grinned at her as she giggled.

"That's bad. No," she shook her head. "That's awful." Clarisse couldn't help but laugh at his imitation of Rhett Butler.

Setting his glass down, Joe took hers and did the same then moved closer so their bodies were just barely touching. "You're mine now, Clarisse," he whispered as he gently trailed the back of his fingers down her cheek.

"I'm yours," she breathed, her eyes closing at the gentleness in his touch. "It's been so long."

"Yes, it has." His lips touched hers in a tender caress, slowly escalating into passion that he'd been holding in for far too long.

Clarisse moaned as his kisses moved from her lips to her throat. "Joseph, oh Joseph." Her hands gripped his shoulders as she tilted her head back to give him better access.

"Mmm." Joe murmured against her soft skin. "Did we lock the door?" he mumbled, his warm breath tickling her ear, his hands slipping from her waist around to her back.

She shivered at the feel of his warm breath. "I'm sure we did, but if we didn't, I don't really care."

Joe didn't care either as he'd just gained access to the soft skin of Clarisse's back. Pulling back, he looked at her with a raised eyebrow before moving behind her. "Oh heaven, Clarisse, it has no back." His voice was low and strained.

"I know. It's a little, umm…" Clarisse stopped mid-sentence not sure of the word she was looking for.

Joe moved back in front of her and pulled her into his arms. "No, it's perfect, but seeing you dressed like this, looking so beautiful and sexy, it's almost more than I can take." His green eyes darkened.

Clarisse thought Joe's eyes looked like emeralds as she watched them darken while he looked at her. "You're looking at me like, like…" she shivered.

"Like I want you," he breathed before lifting her in his arms and carrying her to the bed.

"Your knee," she mumbled against his neck.

"My knee is fine, Love," he told her with a smile. Carefully lowering her to the bed, Joe stood back and began to remove his clothes.

Clarisse felt a shiver go down her spine as she watched Joe. He was even more handsome than she had remembered. Sitting up on her knees, she held out her arms. "Come here." Her voice was like a gentle song on the wind.

Joe moved into Clarisse's arms, pulling her close. "I've wanted you for so long," he whispered before pulling back and staring into her eyes. He was mesmerized by the way they had darkened. "Your eyes have darkened. They look like sapphires."

"Yours are darker too." She smiled and a small giggle escaped. "I was thinking they looked like emeralds."

Joe smiled and cupped her face in his hands. "We're a little tipsy, I think."

Clarisse shook her head. "No. Just in love." She turned her face into his hand and kissed the palm.

Dragging his thumb over her bottom lip, Joe moved closer. "I'm tired of talking, Clarisse."

"As am I, Joseph."

Joe met her lips with his, tenderly tugging on her bottom lip before slipping his tongue inside her mouth. Tasting the champagne they'd shared earlier, he groaned, "I can't wait any longer."

"Then don't." Clarisse breathed.

Joe, holding her gaze, lifted the negligee up her body, over her head and dropped it on the floor. Noticing that Clarisse had her head slightly bowed and her eyes closed, he put his finger under her chin and lifted her face. "Open your eyes, my love." He smiled when she slowly opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I guess I was a little afraid that you wouldn't find me," she stopped and shrugged her shoulders.

"Desirable after I'd seen your naked body? Is that it?" Joe felt a tug at his heart when she simply nodded. "Oh my darling. Look at me," he gently commanded. "No, I mean really look at me."

Clarisse finally got his meaning and let her eyes roam over his body. Looking back into his face, her cheeks were flushed. "Oh."

"If I didn't find you desirable, that wouldn't have happened," he reassured her.

"I'm sorry. It's just," She frowned. "Joseph, I'm old. My body isn't what it used to be."

Joe chuckled, "And mine is?" When she started to speak, he placed his finger against her lips. "Shh. No more talk. Let me love you."

"Yes, please," she sighed.

CnJ

Joe ran his hand over Mia's hair, thinking as he did, that it felt so much like her grandmother's. He knew she was asleep, but couldn't bring himself to disturb her so he rested his head back against the sofa.

Mia stirred several minutes later, her head getting a little achy from crying and laying on Joe's knee. Sitting up, she smiled when she noticed Joe was asleep. Carefully standing up, she bent over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Oh Grandpa, thank you," she whispered before quietly making her way to the door.

Joe blinked. Was that the door? Looking down at his lap, he realized Mia was gone and sighed. Not ready to go to bed, he went to the corner where he kept his guitar and pulled it from its case. Going back to the sofa, he sat down and quietly begin to play the song that had played for his and Clarisse's first dance as husband and wife.

Clarisse, having woke up after realizing she was alone in bed, stood in the door listening to Joe softly humming their song. She knew that he could play the guitar, and he was a wonderful dancer, but she had no idea his voice was so…she shivered. It was wonderful.

Joe, realizing he was being watched, looked up at Clarisse with a smile. Holding her gaze, he began to sing the words to the song.

"At last, my love has come along. My lonely days are over, and life is like a song. At last, the skies above are blue, and my heart was wrapped up in clover…the night I looked at you. I found a dream that I can speak to. A dream that I could call my own. I found a thrill to press my cheek to. A thrill that I have never known. You smiled, and then the spell was cast. And here we are in heaven, for you are mine at last."

He stopped, placed his guitar on the sofa then stood up and made his way to Clarisse. "I'm sorry that I woke you." He kissed her gently.

Clarisse sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "That was lovely. And you didn't, wake me that is. I reached out for you, and when you weren't there, I woke up to come and find you. I can't sleep without you anymore." Her hands traced the features of his face.

"I'm so happy to hear that." Joe smiled before wrapping her in his arms and kissing her. "Come, Darling, let's go to bed."

Clarisse rested her head on his shoulder as they made their way back into the bedroom. Settling into bed, she snuggled against him and sighed, "Was Mia terribly upset?"

"How did you know?"

"I knew she would come, and I knew you would be the one to talk to her, wanting to protect me from the painful memories." She caressed the hand that rested on her stomach.

Joe kissed her head. "Yes, she was upset, and understandably so."

"Was she angry with me for lying to her?" Clarisse couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes or the way her voice trembled.

"No, my darling. She didn't even mention that. I don't think it even crossed her mind. Just the knowledge of what happened to you, and the horrific realization that if something doesn't change, it will happen to her – I think that was all her mind could process."

"Oh my poor darling." Clarisse sighed and snuggled closer to Joe.

"Shh, Love, it's alright. She'll be okay. She has her grandmother's strong spirit. And as soon as she talks to you, I'm sure it will make her feel even better."

"I love you." Clarisse whispered on a yawn.

"And I love you, too. Now go to sleep and dream of happy times."

"Mmm, I was dreaming of happy times earlier." Her voice was soft and sleepy.

Joe smiled, knowing that she was almost asleep. "Oh? What were you dreaming about?" He let his fingers slide through her silky hair.

"Our wedding night." Her voice drifted off.

Joe knew she was asleep by the way her breathing had evened out. Laying with her in his arms, he finally let himself think of the things she'd written in her hidden diary. Had she written everything in that diary? She had told him earlier that he always had the right answers, but he didn't. He hadn't had the right answer all those years ago.