Back with another chapter. This one has a little surprise, one for the characters and one for the readers! Enjoy!

Unfortunately for the happy couple, the weekend ended and the two were forced to return to work (not that they were going to complain, they both loved their jobs). For Elsa she had to return to the glorious world of ice skating while Joseph had to return to the office.

If there was one thing that Joseph was not looking forward about going to the office, it was going to be telling everyone that he was engaged. Everyone in the office loved to tease him about his relationship (good naturedly of course), but the swore that they just wanted to embarrass him to death.

Even so, it would be most welcome at the moment. He loved his friends and coworkers. They were like family to him. They would be among the first he would invite to his wedding, if his parents couldn't make it. He just didn't want to endure the constant teasing telling them the news. They loved to do that to everyone at work whenever something important was going on.

It would be a rough morning, but it had to be done, so might as well get it over with right.

Joseph walked into the office a wide grin on his face. None to his surprise, everyone turned to look at him, giving him smiles of their own and extending their greetings to him.

He smiled. His co-workers were generally a friendly bunch of people (save for a few who hated the fact he was the CEO despite minimal time at the company) and he couldn't ask for anyone better to share his workdays with.

As he made his way to his office, his secretary, a woman with light brown hair and tan skin walked up to him.

"Sir?" she asked uncertainly.

Joseph couldn't help but chuckle. Amy was quite the uncertain little woman. She was so meek sometimes, but Joseph didn't ask, because he was afraid to cause her to have a meltdown. She was confident at times, but whenever she was not, it was best to appease her.

He gave her a charming smile and asked "what is it mamn?"

Amy bit her lip "a woman is here to see you, a Merida Dunbroch." She said

All at once a cold bucket of ice water seemed to fall on Joseph. Merida. He gulped. He wasn't sure whether to be flattered or annoyed. Why would Merida come to see him at his office?

He had met Merida many years ago, while he and Rapunzel were still in college. At the time, he had still been a man who was really not that good with girls. Despite liking a few in his life, it was difficult for him to start a conversation with one.

Rapunzel decided to do her thing and help him out a little. It was the least she could do considering the fact that they had been friends for so long.

Rapunzel led Joseph into her shared apartment a grin on her face. Joseph was confused by Rapunzel's attitude. He had come up to visit her, and she seemed a little more sly than usual this time.

"You are going to love her!" Rapunzel squealed with joy as she continued to drag Joseph into the apartment.

Joseph was completely confused. Sure she must be talking about a roommate, because there was no one else who would be here.

Suddenly a door slammed open and out walked a girl around Rapunzel's height but with shockingly curly red hair and blue eyes.

Joseph felt his heart stop at that moment.

The girl was breathtakingly beautiful, but also intimidating, because she was giving him a fierce glare. She was a little short than Rapunzel, but she seemed to have a little more attitude in her step. Her hair unlike Rapunzel's own long and blond, was curly and red, but seemed to be just as long as Rapunzel's was, probably longer, if they were straightened out.

"Lass who is this!" she shouted with a thick Scottish accent. Boy she was a loud one wasn't she?

she stomped right up to them and started going red, a blush staining her cheeks. Her gaze was obviously toward him, as she was subtly, looking at his toned muscles

Joseph tried to hold back his own blush, while Rapunzel started with the introductions. She didn't even notice that the two were checking each other out whatsoever

"Merida, this is the guy I told you about."

Merida glanced at Rapunzel briefly before laughing, dissolving into snorts. "Lass, you didn't tell me he was cute!"

Joseph wanted to melt. She was a bold one wasn't she? He had never been called cute by any girl (except for Rapunzel, but she was his friend, so that didn't count.)

Rapunzel giggled "well I couldn't spoil everything now could I?" she asked her roommate, unaware of the undertone of her friend's words.

Merida smiled "Maybe not." She agreed.

That had been the first of many meetings between the two of them over the years. of course, due to his shyness around woman, he hadn't done so much talking around Merida as Rapunzel did, but eventually, he got over his shyness and started to open up more.

However it wasn't until his 21st birthday, did he reveal to Merida that he was in love with her. 3 long years after meeting her.

Joseph was with his friends that year Rapunzel and Merida, and they were partying like there was no tomorrow. Sure all of them were legal (or at least going to be, Rapunzel and Merida were not going to be for a few months), but they were jut happy to see Joseph happy.

Joseph was sitting in a chair enjoying a piece of his cake, when Merida came by and sat down next to him.

Glancing up at her, Joseph nearly choked when he saw her. She was wearing a rather tight dress that showed off her curves and… other things. She wasn't wearing too much make up, but to him her face was shining. Her smile was small, but her gaze showed him that she was happy.

Merida giggled slightly. "You ok lamb?" she asked him.

He couldn't answer her; he was bereft of any and all words. His breath caught and a sudden overwhelming urge to kiss the beautiful woman in front of him was making itself known.

Merida kissed his nose "cat got your tongue—" she never got to finish her sentence because at that moment, Joseph caught her in a passionate kiss.

Joseph shook off the memory. It had been years ago. His feelings for Merida had long since been eclipsed by Elsa, and the two of them had lost contact not long after he left college.

Joseph sighed and thanked his secretary, before entering his office. There sitting at his desk, was the woman who had once captured his heart. She was holding onto his picture of Elsa.

"Merida." He said coolly. He was not comfortable talking with Merida about his love life, especially considering the history that they had.

Merida glanced at him. She was older. It had been a few years, but she had grown slightly. But she was still as beautiful as the day that they had met (and last saw each other unfortunately)

She was giving him a smile. It wasn't seductive, therefore she wasn't here for reasons that other woman might have been here for.

She placed the picture down on the desk and walked towards him, before wrapping her arms around him. Joseph gulped. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to do this. he hadn't hugged Merida in years. Shyly, he wrapped his arms around her.

"its been years Merida." He said.

Merida let go of him "I…I just wanted to see you." She backed away slightly. Her lip was quivering slightly.

If he had to guess soothing had gone terribly wrong. Or Merida was upset about something involving her parents as usual.

If there was one thing Merida and Joseph had in common, both of them had issues with the quirks that their parents were known for; perhaps one of the reasons that they had bonded in the first place.

Joseph sighed "what is it Merida?"

Merida glanced down "My mother wants me to get married"

Joseph almost chuckled, but refrained from doing so. "As I recall Merida, you weren't ready for marriage."

Merida's eyes blazed with anger. He had struck a nerve. "I'm not! I may be 25, but maybe I don't want to get married."

Merida sighed and rubbed her forehead "Joseph, I know things didn't end well between us, but marriage…" she sighed and fell onto the desk groaning. Joseph then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

"Merida…" he whispered. Merida suddenly started shuddering violently, and he could fell tears soak into his shirt. She was crying. She had never cried before. she never even showed him this side of herself. She was always the strong one. The most he ever saw about her whenever she wasn't happy was when she was angry (and you never want to see her angry)

Merida began to talk but her voice was broken with sobs. "my mom… she wants to see me married, but I just don't want to… but…" she stopped her sobs becoming full blown wails of despair.

This was more than just about marriage.

"Merida…" Joseph chided "what's wrong with Elinor?"

Merida mumbled something incoherent. She geld onto her him tighter, her sobs breaking slightly and she tried to tell him what was wrong.

"Pardon?"

Merida looked up at him, her eyes red "My mom… has leukemia." She managed

Joseph felt his heart stop dead. No….Elinor was one of the strongest woman he had ever come to know and she was dying of Leukemia?

Merida could still remember the day that she learned her mother was dying.

Merida was laughing, as she and her mother were horseback riding through the day. It was one of her hobbies whenever she was off the archery team or not running her classes. Her horse, which she had affectionately named Angus (like her motorcycle)

Was trotting along side her mother and her own horse. Elinor looked quite queenly while riding her horse and did so gracefully.

"Mom!" Merida cried, "race ya over to that tree!" Merida began galloping, leaving her mother in the dust. The wind was blowing through her hair and it felt so good. She neared the tree laughing. Looking behind her, she shot her mother a gleeful glare.

Or she would have, if Elinor wasn't lying on the ground, while her horse was running toward Merida, rider less

Merida immediately stopped Angus, her playful mood gone. Panic began to set in her heart as she dismounted her horse and ran to her mother.

Merida crouched to the ground, screaming her mother's name. But Elinor didn't budge. Blood was trickling down her nose.

Merida gasped. What was wrong with her mother? Quickly, she gathered the older woman into her arms, and all but ran towards the stables, screaming for them to call 911.

Merida returned to sobbing as she told the story to her old friend.

Joseph was silent trough the ordeal. He had only met Merida's parents on a few occasions (ne being the dance that Rapunzel's school held) and Merida seemed to have some issues with her mother over her father (he once called Merida 'daddy's little princess and received a punch to the face for it.) but her mother was almost always trying to control her (or that's how Merida felt at least)

"I'm sorry…" He said as tears began to slowly slide down his own cheeks. "Merida, if you need me, I can set Elinor up with some of the best doctors I know."

Joseph truly felt sorry for Merida. Though she and her mother had never gotten along much, he wished that Elinor wouldn't have to suffer the way that she was being forced to right now.

Merida pulled him closer, and without warning, grabbed his shirt color, pulled him down and smashed her lips into his own. He could feel her desperation in her kiss. It was raw and angry. Full of desire.

Joseph responded immediately. His lips began moving in tandem with Merida's and he could feel the desire heat up. His arms found Merida's side and he held her close.

Elsa….

There had once been a time where he would have done nothing but enjoy Merida's rather forceful embrace. He had once yearned for it. but after several years of being apart and meeting another woman, Joseph didn't want to be kissed by another woman

Realizing his mistake, Joseph knew what he had done was wrong.

Joseph quickly pulled away and roughly pushed Merida back. It was harder than he intended, but he was shocked. Merida was forceful, but she was never like this. he stumbled back, holding his lips

Merida was staring at him with horror. If it was because she had kissed him, or because he had rejected her he didn't know. But he felt angry. He had just kissed his former girlfriend. Or rather kissed back. He wasn't going to betray Elsa. He loved her too much for that.

He scowled "Merida… I'm engaged."

Merida shuddered "Joseph.. I" she knew that he was right. Merida had lost any right to touch him, or kiss him. He had moved on. In a way, maybe she hadn't. Joseph had been her first serious relationship and after they broke up, she never got back into a relationship, choosing to focus on her freedom.

It was foolish for her to think that he would be the same. He had met Elsa and was loving her, kissing her, touching her in all the ways that she deserved to be.

"Don't" he told her "you did and that's all that matters. But I love my fiancée Merida."

Merida looked at the ground "you used to say that to me."

Merida's breath hitched, because of the sentence that came out of her mouth. Truth be told Merida hadn't thought about that in years. Probably because it was she that broke his heart.

Merida and Joseph were standing by the airport that was going to take them to Scotland. It was the last leg of Josephs trip before he was going to return home. Merida had accompanied him all that time, and the two of them were blissfully in love.

Joseph felt the ring in his pocket. The ring that he was going o use to propose to Merida. He had thought about for some time now, but wanted to do so at the perfect moment. Sure an airport wasn't practical, but the scenery itself was beautiful.

Joseph turned to Merida, giving her cheek a quick peck. Merida jumped slightly, because she wasn't expecting it at all, but then she turned and kissed him hard. Joseph smiled as he pulled away.

Merida was giving him a loving look, and he felt his heart leap. He stepped back and bent down on one knee. Merida's eyes widened and she gasped as Joseph pulled the ring from his pocket.

"Merida, you were the first girl that I ever fell in love with. Your stubborn opinionated and strong willed. Will you marry me?"

Merida bit her lip and opened her mouth. "I can't". Josephs face fell, but Merida didn't even give him a chance to respond.

Merida loved Joseph, she really did, but she wasn't ready to get married. She was 22 years old. She had met Joseph four years ago (and dated for 1) but she just wasn't ready to give up her life of independence, even for the man that she loved dearly

She turned and ran away. She couldn't face him. She was scared. She continued to run as far away as she possibly could, away from her feelings. Away from the one person at she had ever loved

Joseph gave her a frown. She had run off just like that and he hadn't heard from her since. He left, returning home, where he eventually met Elsa and he couldn't deny that his feelings for Elsa were much more than he had ever felt for Merida. He still loved her, but it would never be as it used to be.

Either way, it no longer mattered. He could still see Merida as a friend, because he didn't want to lose that.

Merida suddenly grabbed him once again and pulled him close. She didn't kiss him, but instead stared straight into his eyes "I just want you to know, I'll be here for you lad"

Joseph pulled Merida's hand off his collar. The Scot stepped back slightly. "Merida… What we had once was special, I won't deny tha-"

Merida cut him off "I know what you'll say lad." She pulled a card from her purse, which was lying on the desk. "My friend runs a wedding planning service—"

Joseph had to hold back a snort. Merida the woman who never wanted to get married had a friend who ran a wedding planning service.

"So I just wanted to give you this." she placed the card in his hand. Joseph stared at the card "complex wedding plans? Get your status now!" was written in bold black letters

Joseph looked up at Merida, not sure whether to smile or frown. This had likely been Elinor's idea, granted Merida would actually find a husband.

Merida shrugged "I have an extra, and besides you need it more than I do." She folded her arms and gave Joseph a sly grin. "Weddings are big affairs, of course."

Joseph sighed "of course they are." He agreed. He then held the door open. "I think its best you leave."

A hurt look passed over Merida's face, but she managed a smile. As she walked by she traced her hand over his arm, giving him a smile "good luck Joseph." She ten walked out the door.

Joseph closed the door and glanced at the card in his hand. It was quite nice of his former girlfriend to do this for him. Even though he wasn't sure what to do with her, considering their past and her mothers condition.

"Perhaps Elsa and I should go there."