Ok guys, once again...I am sorry for taking so long to update. At first I was not exactly sure how I should wrap this whole story up. I didn't really know what I should put in this last chapter. But I finally decided on what I wanted to use as content for my last chapter, but then it took a little while to write it all out. But anyway, I wish not to keep my wonderful readers waiting any longer. So...

(For the last time) Deep breath in...Deep breath out...Here we go...!

TWO YEARS LATER

Clarisse set down her book and breathed in deeply before she took a sip of her newly made tea. She set the teacup daintily down on its saucer and returned it to its place on the end-table next to the couch. She took the glasses off of her nose and stretched her arms up towards the sky, moaning happily at the relief it caused her back muscles. She was reclining on her favorite couch, "chilling" as her granddaughter would call it. Indeed...life was good. She had never felt more at peace than she had over the past two years. Her country was now comfortable under the new rein of Queen Amelia, and that Queen was now married to Lord Nicholas and soon expecting a child. And of course...Clarisse was happy to be standing along the sidelines with her husband, Joseph, because truly it was Joseph that made the past two years so enjoyable. Clarisse smiled at the thought. Oh, how she loved him! Relinquishing her throne was not easy. Even though she knew that Genovia would be in good hands with Mia, Clarisse still had a hard time with closing that particular door from her past. But Joseph made it easier.

Clarisse ignored the sound of the door opening as she paced back and forth in the large dressing room. She had asked the flock of women who were helping her get ready for the coronation to excuse her for a moment...and that "moment" had lasted over half an hour.

"You know, if you keep pacing like that then the permanent hole in the carpeting will not look at all attractive" he said from the doorway.

Clarisse stopped pacing and turned to look at him. "Oh Joseph," she cried helplessly, "what am I to do?"

Joseph hiked his shoulders a bit and then fully entered the room, allowing the door to shut behind him. "You might want to consider buying a rather large rug."

Clarisse let out a laugh despite her nerves. If laughter was the best medicine, then Joseph was the world's most effective doctor. "Oh Joseph, you can always make me laugh. Tell me...do you have a joke for every occasion?" She had to keep from smiling as he stared at the space above her head and actually considered the question.

"I don't think I have one for 'groundhog's day'" he said finally.

She chuckled and allowed herself to be wrapped in his arms for a much needed hug.

"How are you?" he asked after a short while.

"I'm scared to death" she admitted.

"Why?"

With her forehead she could feel the low vibration in his throat every time he spoke, and it soothed her. "I'm afraid to give them up."

"You're people?" asked Joseph.

Clarisse nodded against his collarbone. "I've been taking care of them for so long now...I mean, I knew that this day would come. I just...it almost feels like when you hear those stories about little ones who find a stray dog and nurse it back to health, only to have the dog's real owners come and take him away. I feel like one of those children who are having their dog taken away. And it scares me."

"Darling, the country will be in good hands...you know that. Mia is going to make a fine Queen." Joseph said, "But in order for her to prove that to the country...and herself, you have to step aside to give her the chance. She loves these people...she WILL take care of them, I know it...and so do you"

Clarisse nodded. Yes, she DID know it. She sniffed a little. Why was she crying? This should be a happy milestone to pass. "Thank you Joseph, what would I do without you?"

Joe smiled and kissed his wife's forehead. "Come," he said, "we have a young lady to queen."

Clarisse smiled at the memory. Really though, what WOULD she do without him. Clarisse didn't even like to think about it. In his own way, Joseph was a lifeline for Clarisse. For as long as she had known him, he had never failed to be there for her in times of trouble. Every time she needed him, Joseph always seemed to be right around the corner with a hanky...or a poodle puppy.

It was the night before the third year anniversary of Rupert's death, and Clarisse stood alone on one of the palace's many balconies. She ignored her own rule about perfect posture and allowed herself to slump over, resting her elbows on the banister. She was dreading tomorrow. She, of course, was expected to make several appearances at this or that throughout the day. And along the way, each Genovian flag that flew at half mass would remind her of the best friend that she had lost those few years ago. Tomorrow would be terrible.

A figure approached from behind her, but she did not notice; nor would she care if she knew who it was. His presence was not known to her until he came into her peripheral vision, reflecting her position as he too leaned up against the banister. She turned her head to look at him, but he did not make eye contact with her, nor did he say anything. He just stared off into the distance, clearly thinking about something. She accepted his presence willingly. Her Head of Security always knew how to be a comfort to her, even if it meant saying what no one else had the courage to say, or saying nothing at all.

So the two of them stood there, in the still darkness, for at least ten minutes. Then Joseph's words broke the silence.

"When I was a boy..." he began.

Clarisse turned to look at her friend, waiting for him to continue.

Joseph turned and glanced at Clarisse just long enough to read her expression. "I know it's hard to believe. But at one point, I actually WAS a young boy" Joseph joked.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry if that's how it seemed."

Joseph laughed softly and waved the topic away with a disregarding swipe of the hand.

"Go on, Joseph...please?" Clarisse asked softly.

He nodded and looked back off into the distance before continuing. "When I was a boy, and...I would get sick or get disappointed for some reason...my father would take me to the grocery store. He would stand me right in front of the candy shelf. I will never forget how massive that candy shelf was to me. To call it a shelf would be an understatement. It was like a candy WALL!" Joseph chuckled to himself, "Anyway, he would point to the shelf and say 'Go ahead, Joey...pick one'."

Clarisse smiled at the look on her friend's face. It was clear he was enjoying his stroll down memory lane.

Joseph continued, "And every time, growing up, when I would get the flu or something like that, and my father would say, 'come on, Joey. Let's go for a ride'...I always knew that what that really meant..." he turned and smiled broadly at Clarisse, "...was the candy shelf."

Clarisse laughed softly and then turned to look at the grounds below again. Once she realized that Joseph's story was finished, she decided to ask, "Joseph, why did you tell me this?"

Joseph tilted his head a little as though he was thinking about it. "I guess...I just sort of felt like you were going through one of those times."

There was a pause, and Clarisse accepted his answer. Then out of no where, Joseph added, "And...I think...I can see the candy shelf pulling in now."

Clarisse, confused at hearing this, looked closely at the grounds below. She saw a large white van pulling up onto the palace's driveway. When she turned to look questioningly at Joseph, he was not there. She stood up strait and turned around. Joseph was holding the door open for her.

"Come on, Your Majesty...let's have a look at that candy."

When Clarisse and Joseph walked out of the palace, they were greeted by a doorman that stood next to the large white van. "Good evening, Your Majesty" the young man greeted.

"Good evening" Clarisse said politely.

The doorman looked at Joseph and raised his eyebrows questioningly. Clarisse also looked at Joseph. He closed his eyes and nodded his consent. Then the doorman hid a smile while he turned to open the large double doors to the white van. As soon as the doors were fully opened, two uniformed ladies stepped out with a dog leash in each hand, and at the end of each leash was a French poodle puppy.

Clarisse gasped and her hands came up to cover her mouth in shock. She felt Joseph as he leaned in closer and said quietly, "Pick one."

As though on cue, the door to Clarisse's suite opened to reveal Joseph as he came in late for the fifth night in a row. He turned to face the door as he quietly shut it and then leaned his forehead against the cool wood.

He sighed, "I am so exhausted."

Clarisse chuckled a little, "You know, dear one, I believe that you are the only retired man in the world that still ends the day just as exhausted as he did when he was NOT retired."

Joseph chuckled as he walked over to the couch where his wife was seated. "It's only funny because it's true." He laid down on the couch and rested his head on Clarisse's lap.

Clarisse started to rub her hands over her husband's head. Joseph moaned as he felt his stress being massaged away. "Joseph?"

"hmmm" was his weak reply.

"What has been keeping you so busy this time?" she asked.

Joseph opened his eyes too look up at Clarisse, "The palace is having a security upgrade...did I not already tell you this?"

"No, you did. I was just wondering why Scott wasn't doing all of these things. It is HIS job now, after all."

"Shades, darling, he likes to be referred to as Shades" Joe corrected.

"'Shades', 'Scott' it's the same person. My question still has yet to be answered though."

Joe sighed, "He's got enough on his plate as it is. I've been in his shoes, I know how it can get...I just want to cut him a break, and sometimes I wish someone would have cut me one all those years ago. He's a good man. The least I can do for him is oversee the installation of the new security gear. You wouldn't believe the kind of luxuries he's getting, Clarisse! New cameras, new microphones, tinted glass for specific windows (you can see out...but no one can see in), and...get this...he has an x-ray machine that scans every vehicle that comes through the gate! When I first started here, all we had was a snap shot of the license plate. Now he can tell you, if there are any weapons on board, what's in the trunk...he can even tell you in which pocket the driver is carrying his wallet! You should have seen Shades as he was showing me all the new stuff he could do..." Joseph chuckled, "he was as giddy as a schoolboy! Of course I have to admit, I myself was getting a little excited over it all as well."

Clarisse smiled, she would never understand why all of his security toys excited Joseph so much. But then again, she guessed that every man had their own thing that really tickled them. For some men it was cars, other men sports...but for her husband...it was vehicle x-ray machines and unbelievingly small cameras. Clarisse chuckled.

Joseph continued, "But anyway darling, we think that tomorrow will be the last day of installation and after that...I'm all yours."

"Glad to hear it" she said, and then leaned down to give her husband a light kiss.

"So what have you been up to?"

"I've been waiting for you to get home. And I've been reading a little bit too."

"Really? What have you been reading?"

Clarisse sighed and looked at the book, "Well...I found this book on the shelf, and I remembered how good you said it was once. So I started reading it."

"What book is it?" Joseph asked. Clarisse handed him the book and Joseph started laughing. The cover read Another Grape on the Vine, this book held fond memories for him.

"It's terrible!" Clarisse said.

"I know..." He said as he continued to laugh.

"Honestly, Joseph. I don't know what you see in this book. The author spent a page and a half describing, in GRAVE detail, the contents of a characters refrigerator!" Clarisse complained.

Joseph still laughed, "I know...it's a terrible book."

"Then why did you say that you liked it?"

"I lied, my dear. I'm sorry. I have never liked that book and suspect that I never will."

"Oh...good." Clarisse seemed to feel relieved that she was not the only one who hated the book.

"So..." Joseph said, tossing the book lightly to the floor. "What else have you been doing?"

Clarisse thought about it momentarily. "Nothing really...just thinking about the past."

"Oh?"

"Do you remember the night you gave me Maurice?"

Joseph smiled widely. He turned his head to look at the now fully grown poodle that slept happily by the unlit fireplace. "I'm glad you chose him. He was my personal favorite out of the bunch. He was the only one that didn't try to chew on my finger as I was picking him up."

"I'm glad I chose him too. He's a fine animal. Did I ever truly thank you for him?"

Joseph chuckled softly as he rose to a sitting position next to Clarisse. "Only about a hundred times" he said, as he leaned against the armrest and Clarisse fell to rest on his chest.

Then things went silent. Joseph stared thoughtfully at a large painting that hung on the opposite side of the room. Joseph had thought that his wife had drifted off to sleep until he heard her ask, "Did you see Mia at all today? Aside from breakfast, I mean."

"Yes I did, I stopped by hers and Nicholas's rooms on my way here. She told me to tell you goodnight and that she loves you" Joseph reported.

Clarisse smiled, "I love that girl. And I am looking so forward to her due date. It will do the palace some good to have the little pitter patter of feet running up and down the halls again."

Joseph smiled faintly and merely nodded his head in agreement.

"I tell you Joseph, it's been far too long since we had some little ones in the palace."

"And what a child it will be. Mia and Nicholas make a fine couple; their child will be beautiful, no doubt."

"Joseph...do you remember when we first heard about the pregnancy?"

Joseph grinned, "Yes I do."

"Nicholas, where is that wife of yours?" Joseph asked over his shoulder as he readied the DVD player. "Was she not supposed to be here quite awhile ago?"

"She said she was running a tad late but she would be here as soon as she could make it" Nicholas replied from his place on the couch in the viewing room of Mia's and his suite.

"Give her time Joseph, it can get rather frantic being queen, trust me" said Clarisse, also seated on the couch.

"Well the DVD is ready," Joseph said, grabbing the remote and heading over to the couch to sit next to his wife.

Right before he made contact with the comfortable cushions Clarisse asked him, "Darling, would you mind poring me a cup of the tea Olivia just brought in?"

Joseph did as requested and, again was about to sit when Clarisse asked, "Oh, and perhaps a blanket as well? Movies are best when you can cuddle up with a blanket during them. Besides, I don't like horror films and need something to cover my eyes during the scary parts."

"Clarisse, this isn't a horror film. It's a cunning mystery. It's not scary" Joseph informed.

"Even still...a blanket please?" Clarisse pleaded with a bat of the eyes.

Joseph tapped her on the nose before turning to find her a blanket.

"Hey, Joe!" Nicholas called, "You want to grab me a drink too? As long as you're up, I mean?"

When Joseph turned to look at the younger man, Nicholas was batting his eyes at him just as Clarisse had done. Joseph picked up a nearby pillow and threw it at the boy. Nicholas caught it with a laugh. As Joseph went to the opposite side of the room to fetch a blanket and soda, Nicholas and Clarisse exchanged winks and then proceeded to make request after request just as Joseph was about to sit down. And each time, he would glare at them both then fulfill what was asked of him. The last time, however, neither Clarisse nor Nicholas had to make a request because there was a noise at the door that stole Joseph's attention. It sounded like someone was trying to open the door with their foot but kept failing. Joseph turned and looked at his two companions who showed no signs of moving to answer the door. "Oh please don't get up, let ME get it!" Joseph said with an exaggerated sigh.

He walked over to the door and opened it. Mia walked in holding an armful of papers as well as a coat around one arm and an envelope in her mouth, "Thanks, Joe!" Mia said threw clenched teeth.

Just then Charlotte quickly followed Mia into the room saying, "Your Majesty, please let me carry some of that for you."

"No, no...I got it. You guys go ahead and start the movie. I'll be there in a second." Mia said as she hurried towards the bathroom. But as she walked across the room, Mia's foot got caught up in the rug beneath her feet and the Queen went tumbling to the ground. Files and documents went flying through the air and then drifted swiftly to the ground.

"Oh dear!" said Charlotte and she and Joseph bent to help clean up the mess.

As Joseph reached for Mia's fallen coat a small rectangular box caught his eye. He picked it up and read the label, "a pregnancy test?" he questioned once he realized what he was holding.

Charlotte gasped as Clarisse and Nicholas both stood and stared at Mia. Joseph too was staring at Mia surprised. Mia stood and rolled her eyes, "A little louder Joe! I don't think the Prime Minister heard you in Mritz!" she said as she snatched the box out of Joe's hands. Joe just stood frozen and continued to look at Mia.

Nicholas stood with an open mouth as he stared at his wife, "You think you're pregnant?" he asked quietly.

Joseph's, Clarisse's and Charlotte's eyes all jumped from Nicholas to Mia as they all awaited her answer. Mia nodded softly with a shrug, "I think I might be, yeah. There's no way to be sure until..." Mie waved to small box lightly in the air.

"Take your time, dear" Clarisse said.

Then Mia disappeared behind the bathroom door and there was silence in the viewing room. Joseph's eyes were locked on the bathroom door until he turned look at the three people who stood behind him. He looked at Clarisse whose mouth was open slightly in surprised awe. She held out her hands to him. Joseph walked closer to her, grabbed her hands, then pulled her into a hug.

"Oh..." she breathed simply.

Joseph sent a kiss to Clarisse's head and then turned to look at Nicholas. The young Lord was half sitting on the armrest of the couch, his mouth slightly open, and his unblinking eyes were staring fixedly at the intricately designed rug beneath him. Joseph reached out a hand and clasped Nicholas on the shoulder.

Nicholas seamed dazed at the contact as he brought his eyes up to meat Joe's. "What do I do?" he asked.

Joe smirked slightly, "You wait."

What was probably only a few minutes seemed like a year to the four people who waited for Mia to reappear from the bathroom. Joseph and Nicholas both found themselves pacing back and forth. Charlotte moved to Clarisse's side for some comfort. With one hand, Clarisse clasped her ex-assistant's hand, while with the other, Clarisse held her own heart. After what seemed to be a lifetime, Mia finally appeared in the doorway again. Nicholas immediately stopped pacing and was at Mia's side in an instant. Mia had tears in her eyes as she merely looked at her husband and nodded softly. Nicholas was frozen for a moment, letting that nod and its meaning sink in. Finally he asked quietly, "a baby?"

Mia nodded again with a smile.

"A baby?" he asked again, a bit louder.

"Uhhu!" Mia said excitedly.

"A BABY!" Nicholas yelled as he sent a swift kiss to Mia's cheek then lifted her into the air in a spinning hug.

Once Nicholas's head got the better of him, he realized that it was probably not a good idea to spin a newly pregnant woman around in the air. He set his wife down and apologized multiple times for his actions. "Really Mia, you should be sitting in your condition."

"Honey, I'm fine" Mia said, pushing Nicholas lightly aside so that her grandmother could come and hug her.

As both weeping women exchanged a very long, non-spinning hug, Joseph walked up to Nicholas and gave him a hardy handshake. All thoughts about a cunning mystery movie had fled the minds of everyone present.

"That was a good day" Joseph said finally after his flashback had ended.

Clarisse nodded, "Yes it was."

Then things went silent. Neither one felt the need to say anything after that. So they both merely sat in silence for a long while. Joseph's head was leaning back on a large pillow that was behind him, his eyes studying the inside of his eyelids; while Clarisse's gaze was fixed on their joined hands. She compared the difference in skin tone; his was slightly darker than hers. A few light freckles were sprinkled on her forearm whereas his arm was covered with a black sleeve held together at the cuffs my two equally as black buttons.

"Joseph?" Clarisse squeaked, not wanting to wake him if he had fallen asleep.

Joseph's eyes opened and he breathed in deeply, trying to keep himself awake to answer what ever question his wife wanted to ask. "Yes?" he said.

"How did we ever end up here, like this?"

Joseph merely cocked an eyebrow and shifted slightly so that he could look his wife in the eye.

Clarisse continued, "I mean...ours is rather an unlikely story, isn't it?"

Joseph nodded softly, "Yes, yes it is" he said thoughtfully.

"What did we ever do to deserve this?" Clarisse asked as she nuzzled back into her cozy position of laying her head upon Joseph's chest.

"Well...I know that, for as far as I'm concerned, I never did a thing to deserve you. And you do not deserve me either, you deserve someone far better. But being married to you the past two years has taught me something very interesting about love that I would have never known otherwise."

Clarisse smiled, "Oh? And what would that be?"

"That sometimes the most powerful example of love is when a person is willing to accept someone else, who is completely inferior, as a spouse, for no other reason except that of love. To say that I know why you love me would be lying. I don't have a clue why you picked me, but what I DO know...is that, if for some odd reason you decided to keep loving me, then I wont to anything to stop you. Because the past two years have been the happiest of my life" Joseph said. Then as if to seal his statement, he dropped a simple kiss down to his wife who lay quietly on his chest, listening to his words thoughtfully. When he pulled away, Clarisse started to grin.

"I do love you Joseph" she said.

Joseph grinned back, "And I love you" he said, "...with all my heart."

Clarisse leaned forward and kissed him right on the tip of the nose. Then finally, she said...with a smile that lit the room...

"I know."

THE END

Well...that's it guys. I hope you enjoyed my story. I fear that I have dragged this story out for longer than it needed to take. My posts have come VERY slowly and for that I'm sorry. So what ever readers have stuck around with this little story all the way to the end, I thank you for reading and pray that you enjoyed what you read. Feel free to leave me a review...just for old time's sake (wink wink) lol.

For those of you who care, during the third and final flashback scene, the movie that I had in mind for the group to be preparing to watch is a film titled "Sleuth" (made in 1942) which stars Michael Cain and Sir Laurence Olivier.

I also thought that I would have a bit of fun while bringing Another Grape on the Vine back just for one last time. I guess I just thought that, since I started this story by having JOSEPH read the book, it might be interesting to end the story by having CLARISSE read the book. So, in a way, it felt like we made a full circle. And I liked how it turned out, so I kept it in.

Anyway...I guess that's it. God bless you all...and thanks again for reading (and for those of you who have been reviewing as well...I also thank you for doing that. Feedback is really what gives me the courage to continue a story. So thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! You guys are the best!)!

-Monker