Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[AvianJen]

Despite what Josie said, Ella still felt like she had good reason to be sorry. She hadn't been a very good sister, and she felt bad about it. "Yes, I do," she disagreed with a sigh. "But...thank you." She was lucky that Josephine was being so forgiving, and that she was still here for her even after everything. Ella curled up underneath the covers, laying on her side and facing Josephine. She couldn't hep but smile when Josie said how proud she was. Everyone was so excited about the university thing, and Ella just hoped that she didn't end up letting everyone down. She really wanted to go. "Oh, I hope so," she said. "I think Peter and I managed to convince them. You could come with me, you know," she suggested with a grin, reaching out and poking Josie's arm. "You're smart enough too."

She knew that university was more her thing than it was Josephine's, and Josie tended not to care as much about things like that. But if she thought it might be something she wanted, Ella would be more than happy to support her in her pursuits. If she still just wanted to be a good wife and mother, though, that was respectable as well. Not everyone had to push the envelope like Ella did. "I'd love to go with you," she said anyways, just throwing the idea out there.

John did seem like a nice guy, Ella had to agree with that. He had been very polite and kind to all of them at dinner. If Alec wasn't in the picture John might have made the perfect husband for her sister, but unfortunately he was doomed to being second best in Josephine's eyes. "How long does this have to go on?" she asked curiously. "Before you tell him that?" If Josephine didn't marry John, she would have to break the news to him sooner or later. But she didn't know if Father had set a deadline, or if they were just taking things one day at a time.

Alec watched Peter carefully, making sure that he wouldn't fall off the horse as he tried to get on. Once Peter was steady in his saddle, Alec swung his leg over Nielson's back and started to lead the way home. It was hard not to yawn; it had to be almost midnight, and Alec had been out and about all day. They could see the Sinclair estate in the distance when Peter spoke up, and Alec looked back to him in surprise. He had been so sour all night, he hadn't been expecting to hear something nice.

"You're welcome," he responded slowly, nodding his head. "I hope so too. And for the record, I don't dislike you." Alec was wary of Peter and his intentions, but he had seen time and time again that he wasn't a bad person. It was just hard not to hold a little bit of a grudge. "The best way to start with Josephine is to not hurt her sister," he advised, glancing back with a small smile. "She'll never forgive you then. But we were both very impressed with how you stood up for Ella today, at the university."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter had done one good thing there, Josephine had to admit. If he ever made her sister cry again, though, she might just ruin his pretty face. She smiled towards Ella, thinking about it for a few seconds before shaking her head. While she thought women attending universities was a wonderful thing, and she would fully support Ella on her way to achieving her dreams, it wasn't something Josephine wanted for herself. She was content with a simple life and surrounding herself with family. "Thank you, but no. I wouldn't want to ask father for the money to send us both, and it's not like Alec could afford it. You're much more suited to all of that than I am. I'll gladly listen to you explain complicated concepts to me, though, and proof read any papers for you if you'd like."

She rolled over onto her back so she could stare up at the canopy while they talked, and pulling her blankets up to just underneath her chin, she shook her head with uncertainty. "I don't know," she said. "I want to tell him. I sort of tried, but I'm not sure he quite understood what I meant." It was hard because she didn't want John to just give up on her in case things with Alec did go wrong. She didn't want one, but she did need to have another plan, or she'd end up alone. Or with someone who wouldn't make her even a little bit happy. John deserved to know the truth regardless of that, but she was afraid of what the consequences would be. "And father really wants me to like him. I know I should be happy that Alec even has a chance, but I feel like father's stipulation that I seriously date other men is complicating things a bit more. As far as I know, the only deadline is however long it takes for someone to ask father for his blessing. What if that happens before Alec's business is successful? Or if Alec can do it, what do I tell John? I don't want to hurt him, but if he walks away, father won't think I'm taking my future seriously enough and take away our chance anyway."

She looked over at Ella with a sigh. "I don't suppose you have any advice for me?" Ella didn't have a whole lot of experience with relationships, but Josephine doubted really anybody had any experience with the problem she was going through right now. Any help she could get would be useful.

Peter held on tightly to the horse reins and stared at the ground as he waited for Alec to respond. He felt a little bit awkward about having said it, but he always felt awkward around him and Josephine. He could feel their judgement and disapproval from a mile away, and it made him feel inferior. Like he wasn't deserving to be here, which, he probably wasn't. After all, that feeling of insecurity was a large part of the reason why he had even left tonight. At least he was coming back. Before he wasn't sure if he should. He still wasn't sure he would stay, but... he supposed a lot of that decision depended on whatever Ella had to say. If she told him to go, then at least he would know for sure that's what she wanted instead of just assuming nobody really wanted him here and then later on regretting it.

He was surprised to hear that Alec didn't dislike him. It was... something. "Well, if we're to be potential brother-in-laws one day, I guess that's a start. Assuming things go well with Josephine and Mr. Sinclair, and... I guess if they go well with me and Ella, too." That was a bit of a strange thought, but it was a possibility. And of course he knew that Josephine would pretty much murder him if he did anything to Ella. Literally. She might not be the one leading him to the noose, but she had the power to turn him in. He figured it would just be a slow process with her, and if he survived the night and the night after, it would be a good sign. "That's nothing," he said in response to Alec saying they both appreciated his help with Ella and her university stuff. "She deserves to go."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella hadn't really thought that Josephine would want to go to college, but she was smart enough, too. There were probably lots of women all over town who were more than smart enough to attend university, but just didn't have the means to. It was infuriating when Ella really let herself think about it, and she hoped that if she was accepted she could be a catalyst for more women applying. There was absolutely nothing wrong with being a wife and mother, but it shouldn't be the only option for girls. "I'll definitely have you proofread for me," Ella promised. "You'll feel like you're going."

She listened quietly as Josephine explained her dilemma. It was tricky, and she wasn't exactly sure what to say. Telling John that she was in love with someone else and that he was her backup plan was obviously not going to work. He was a nice guy and they all knew that he deserved better than that. But at the same time, Josephine couldn't get too involved with John without risking her relationship with Alec. It was a hard situation, Ella had to admit. Even though she and Peter were fighting, at least it was a simple problem.

"I...I don't know," Ella said finally after trying to think of something helpful to say. "I'm sorry. I think...it's best just to keep doing what you've been doing. Give Alec some time to get his business going, and keep taking things slow with John. If Peter doesn't hate me after tonight maybe we can go to the theater like we said? That's something to do that wouldn't require you to connect with him much, you know? And then if Father sees that Alec's business is promising and he starts doing well, maybe he'll be okay with it." She knew that things were hard right now, and they were definitely on a tight schedule. Josie would be twenty-one soon, and hardly any women made it past that age without being married. "But I would do what Father tells you," she added. Josephine had a habit of breaking the rules when it came to Alec. "If you slip up and he catches you, it'll be over for sure."

The idea of a pirate being his brother-in-law made Alec want to cringe a little bit...but he knew that he needed to work on not being so prejudiced towards Peter. It was just hard, after everything that Josie and her sister had been put through, partially on his account. Alec understood that it wasn't Peter's fault, and that he had been the kindest out of all the pirates, but he was still partially to blame for the girls' suffering. It was a hard thing to forgive. He didn't know how Ella had done it so easily.

He smiled at Peter's words. It was dark, so the other man couldn't see, but he smiled all the same. "Almost any other man she could find would scoff at the idea of his girlfriend going to university," he explained to Peter. "Especially in the upper classes. You supporting her and helping her says a lot. More than you realize, apparently." It was probably the best thing Peter had done to clear his name so far, but he wasn't doing it for that reason. He was doing it because he genuinely believed in Ella, and that had to count for something. They arrived back at the mansion a few minutes later, where Alec helped Peter unsaddle his horse and get him back in the stall. "Going up to bed then?" he asked.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine giggled. She was sure Ella would tell her all about whatever it was she was learning about everyday. Even if she didn't go, she'd get a vicarious education for sure. She was just happy her sister finally found the courage to go after something she wanted. "I'm sure it will," she agreed. "Do you know what you'll study?"

She blew a loose strand of hair out of her face, feeling rather deflated now that even Ella wasn't sure what she could do. Josie was really stuck in a hard spot, but there was no easy way out. Either way this went, someone was probably going to come out hurt. She prayed to God that it wouldn't be Alec, but at the same time John was so nice she'd feel guilty if he started having feelings for her and she had to tell him she was in love with someone else, had been the entire time, and that he had wasted all his time and efforts on her. It sounded like John had been burned so much already, unlucky in love. She did not want to add herself to the list, but in some ways, even if they married, he would still lose out. Josie didn't think she was capable of loving anyone as much as she loved Alec.

"I think he's already planning something for the theater," she said. Ella was right about that being something that wouldn't take a lot of effort or require them to talk much. "And he does seem like the type of man to take things slow. He didn't try to kiss me yet like some of the others might have, but I also think he's being cautious with me." As he probably should be. She wasn't going to be offended about that. She did want John to like her, though, and not just because it was part of playing by the rules to try with him. If things didn't go horribly wrong should he ever find the truth out about Alec, she hoped he would find it in himself to forgive her and remain friends.

"I just hope Alec does well. I mean, I know he's talented. It's just a matter of whether we have enough time, I guess," she said. She wasn't sure whether they had a few months, or maybe just a few weeks. She was getting older, and both her father and John's father were pressuring them pretty hard now to find a match. "It's killing me not knowing if I'll ever be able to kiss him again, but I know if I do and father finds out I definitely never will. But anyways, Im really sleepy, and thinking about this is giving me a headache. I'm really glad you came to talk, though, even if it wasn't under the best circumstances."

Peter never really understood why men didn't support their women more. He didn't buy that they weren't as smart, or that they were weaker, more fragile, and were suited only for motherhood and the life of a housewife. Maybe that was because all the women he'd ever known, the few of them that there were, were incredibly strong and intelligent. His own sister was the one who taught him how to use a sword, after all. And his mother always seemed to be able to read people like books. "I just want her to be happy," he said simply. She deserved it, and he supported her not just because he loved her, but because he owed it to her as well.

Back at the stables, he climbed out of the saddle, only needing to lean on the horse for a few seconds to regain his footing. The world spun just a little bit, but it wasn't so bad that he would have trouble getting to his room. "Yeah, I think so. I need to sleep this off before I make any attempt to patch things over with Ella. Sorry I kept you out so late. I take it you want to go home." Alec looked exhausted.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella shook her head. "No, I'm not sure yet," she said. "I like to read, so maybe literature, or history. But I guess I'll just see which classes I like best and then make my decision based on that." It wasn't as if there was much she could do with her degree, but she still wanted one. She wanted to learn about things, and she knew that she would enjoy it. Surely there was something useful she could do with all of her new knowledge.

She was also excited to take Peter to the theater, assuming that he came back. For now, Ella was trying to assume that he would so that she wouldn't go crazy. "Who on earth kisses on the first date?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. Then again, she and Peter had nearly slept together on their first official date. But...that was different, Ella thought. "It'll be fine, Josie. And he seems like the kind of guy who would respect your boundaries, don't you think? and Alec's smart, he'll figure it out." Josie acted like she wanted to go to sleep, so Ella sighed and curled up into the blankets. "Alright," she murmured, a little smile on her face. "Goodnight, Josie."

Alec nodded. That was all he wanted for Josephine as well- her happiness. Whether it was with him or with someone else, he just wanted her to be happy. "Well, that's a good thing," he said. The one thing that both of them needed to fully realize was how happy the two of them made both Ella and Josephine, but both men struggled with insecurity, worrying that they weren't good enough for the girls they loved.

He nodded in agreement when Peter said he needed to sleep before he tried to fix things with Ella. "Well, best of luck with that," he said. "Don't worry about it. Wasn't nearly as late as I thought it would be." He nodded again, getting back on his horse to head home. "Yeah. It's been a long day, and it'll be another one tomorrow." He gave Peter a little smile and waved his hand. "I'll see you. I hope everything works out for you and Ella." With that, he rode out of the stables and headed back home, eager to get into bed and get a good night's rest. Or, what was left of it.

The next morning, Ella woke up early. She was still in Josie's bed, curled up next to her sister. She felt much better than she had last night, but Peter was still the first thing on her mind. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, tugging her hair out of her braid and glancing down at her still sleeping sister. Had Peter even come back inside the house last night? Ella was almost afraid to find out, afraid to leave her sister's room and face him, face the day. But, she knew that she had to. Reluctantly, she pulled herself to her feet and put on one of Josephine's robes, heading downstairs to make some tea and grab some breakfast for her and her sister when she woke up.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Ella would probably be good at anything, but if Josephine had to guess, she would have went with literature or history as well. Whatever she ended up choosing, she was sure she'd do really well. The chance that she would do anything with her degree were slim, but it would still be an amazing accomplishment. "Imagine... You. The first woman to ever attend university in the town. You're going to make history."

She had to laugh at Ella's reaction. "Oh, you'd be surprised. Some men feel so entitled." She had turned her cheek toward more than one man in her experience. "But you're right, I think John would respect my boundaries. At least I hope so." The last thing she wanted to happen was for him to walk away because she wasn't ready, or for Alec to get discouraged if she found herself not being able to refuse. Or worse. There was a part of her that worried maybe she would start feeling something for him. She highly doubted it, but she had to be prepared for anything that could happen because of this arrangement, including the unlikely. "Goodnight, Ella. Sleep well."

Peter saw Alec off before heading back to the mansion. It was deadly quiet at night, sort of eerie. He had to feel his way back up to his room, where he quietly shut the door behind him and stumbled to his bed. His brain and his heart hurt, and his mind was slightly foggy from the alcohol. He would be alright at least until morning, and then... He wasn't sure what would happen with Ella, but he was certain he loved her. He just hoped she loved him enough to hear him out and work through what had went so wrong tonight.

Despite being out so late, Peter woke up fairly early. He hadn't drunk enough to feel any repercussions upon waking, which was good, but he was nervous. What if Ella didn't want to talk? What if she wanted him to leave? He quickly dressed himself and went to her bedroom door. He knocked quietly, and when he received no answer, worried she was ignoring him. Or maybe she was still asleep.

He decided to try again later, and for now, thought it was best to get something to eat. It seemed a little early for Rory to have prepared anything, but he was sure he could find something in the kitchen for himself. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking down at his feet as he rounded the corner into the kitchen, and found with some surprise that he was not alone. Looking up, he noticed with a small bit if panic that it was Ella he'd run into to.

"Ella," he said, his voice filled with hints of uncertainty. "I was just at your door. I thought you might still be asleep." Walking further into the room, he leaned against the island countertop, placing his hands on the top of the surface. "Can we, do you want to... Maybe we should we talk. About what happened."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella quite liked the idea of being the first woman in town to acquire a degree. It was a big deal, and something that she never would have imagined for herself had Peter not suggested it. "Yes, make history," she agreed. It almost felt like it had already happened. "That sounds like fun. It also sounds a little scary," she said with a laugh. Would everyone in town know about it? Probably. Ella wasn't sure how much she liked the idea of everyone in town talking about her, and she wasn't sure how the men in her classes would react, but those were prices she would just have to pay. It would be hard work, too, but it would all be worth it in the end.

Nobody had ever tried to kiss Ella, not before Peter. And even then, that had been mostly Ella's doing. But John seemed like the kind of guy who would appreciate taking a relationship slow, so Ella didn't think that Josie had anything to worry about. "I hope so, too," she murmured as her eyelids fluttered shut. "Goodnight, Josie."

The house was always quiet this early in the morning. Rory wasn't even up yet, and Father probably wouldn't be awake for another hour or so. Ella wasn't always an early riser, but with everything on her mind it was hard to stay asleep once the light started peering through the curtains. And she found herself wanting more tea. When she got downstairs, she put a pot of water over the stove and turned it on, waiting for the water to come to a boil. She couldn't decide what she wanted for breakfast, but there were some leftover blueberry muffins from yesterday, so she helped herself to one of those while she waited on the water. She was expecting to be alone, so when she heard Peter's voice she nearly jumped out of her skin. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet, she hadn't mentally prepared! "Peter," she said stupidly. "You're...you're up early."

She pulled her robe around her body more tightly, hugging her arms around her waist. He had already tried to go see her? Ella wanted to talk to him, it was just...she was scared of what the outcome might be. "Okay..." she agreed after a second, leaning back against the counter. How did they start this conversation? Ella was still half-asleep. "Do you...do you hate me?" she asked nervously, thinking that was as good of a starting place as any.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

"If anyone can do it, it's you," Josephine said encouragingly, tugging at the covers until they just covered her chin. She was so sleepy by now, both physically and emotionally exhausted. She wanted there to be one day where she could just have peace. No sister drama to worry about, no Peter to watch, and no complicated love affairs to deal with. This just seemed like it was her life now. Like she was a character in some dramatic play the playwright liked to torture. Thankfully the sister stuff had worked itself out, at least for the time being. She hoped that they would be fine now, for good. She felt confident that they would be, and just barely heard her sister's goodnight before slipping off into sleep.

Peter hadn't meant to scare her. He hadn't even known she'd be down here this early. He had kind of frightened him, too, but only because he was nervous about talking to her. "Sorry," he apologized when he saw her tense, then nodded at her observation. "So are you," he pointed out. Then, by way of explanation, "I couldn't sleep." Well, he had slept mostly soundly. Alcohol tended to put him into a lull at night, but when he woke up this morning he didn't really care for much more sleep. Or trying to get it for that matter.

He stood across from her, the counter being the only thing that separated them. He watched her mess about with the tea and eyed her muffin, ignoring his hunger for the time being. He had to look back up at her with confusion when she asked whether he hated her, and the question seemed ridiculous. "What? Of course I don't hate you. Quite the opposite, actually." He imagined part of his loving her accounted for his insecurities about her. One of his biggest fears was that she didn't love him, or maybe one day would realize he wasn't good enough for her. He feared she was already starting to realize that, hence why he had freaked out last night at the talk of marriage and her question about him sleeping with other women in her absence. "But... Do you hate me?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella nodded when he pointed out that she was also up early, not really sure what to say. She hated how things were fine yesterday and were suddenly so awkward today. Where had they gone wrong? Normally by now she would be wrapped up in his arms already, kissing him good morning. Now they stood at a distance from each other, and Ella hated it. She frowned when he said that he hadn't been able to sleep, wondering if it was a result of their argument. "I slept fine," Ella told him, glancing at the floor. "I wouldn't have been in my room anyways. "I slept in Josie's room." She realized as she said it how odd that sounded; she had slept in her sister's room, her sister that she had barely talked to for the past week. At least if there was one good thing that came out of this, it would be Ella and Josephine's mended relationship.

To her, the question wasn't so ridiculous. He had said that she was no better than Josephine, and Ella knew how he felt about Josephine. Maybe he didn't hate her, but he definitely didn't like her. Maybe Peter didn't fully understand how hurtful that one little statement had been. But when he turned the question on her, Ella had a very similar reaction. "Peter, of course not. I love you," she insisted, horrified that he would even ask that. Although, she realized she had just asked him the same thing. "I'm sorry for what I said. And it isn't that I don't trust you, I just...you were just acting like I might give up on you, and I thought maybe you were looking for an excuse to give up on me. It hurt that you think I could forget about you so easily, and it made me think...maybe you didn't want to be committed. And sometimes I just feel like...I don't know. If some drop-dead gorgeous girl came up to you while you were away, I can't compete with that. I can't even compete with Josie, I really can't."

She didn't mean to say all that right away, but it just kind of spilled out. Ella bit her lip and looked at him, waiting anxiously for his reaction. She didn't think that she'd worded anything hurtfully, but after last night she was bracing herself for every possible reaction. At least she had everything out in the open. "I'm sorry I upset you," she said finally, her voice quiet as she turned her gaze towards the ground. "I didn't mean to."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Ella had slept in Josephine's room? That came as a surprise. Maybe he had upset her more than he thought, and for a moment, he panicked, thinking that maybe whatever Ella had told her about him meant Josephine was just given her reason to turn him in. He could just imagine the way it would feel to have a noose tighten around his neck, and all because he'd been too cowardly to just admit how scary this relationship was. Scary, and wonderful, and beautiful... But frightening and foreign to him nonetheless. Loving Ella was playing with fire.

"You two made up?" he inquired, trying not to let the worry show on his face or in his voice. He was glad if she and Josephine were getting along again, but he just worried about what the cost of that might be.

His whole body flooded with relief when she said that she loved him though, and he thought that maybe this whole argument of theirs was just a huge misunderstanding. Alec had said they needed to work on trusting each other, but maybe it was more like they needed to learn how to trust in themselves. She said she didn't think she could compete with other girls, and it was more or less the same with him. He didn't feel like he deserved her. But hearing her explain herself about why she said what she did... It made his reaction seem so silly now.

He walked around the counter, stopping just short of taking her in his arms. He wasn't sure that would be okay yet. "I thought, when you said what you did, that you might be holding my past against me. Like you didn't quite believe that I would be faithful to you because I was a pirate," he explained. He hadn't meant to upset her either, though in retrospect his final words had been harsh. "I'm sorry. I never meant to upset you either, I just.. I guess I'm feeling a little insecure."

He hesitated for a second, then pulled her to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her. It sounded like they were both struggling with some insecurity. "I love you, Ella. I wish you could see how beautiful you are. You're always comparing yourself to Josephine or some fictitious woman in your head, but nobody else has ever done what you have for me. You're smart, and beautiful, and nobody's believed in me like you have. I'm sorry that you can't see that, and I'm sorry even I questioned the last part until now." Pulling back so be could look at her, he asked, "Can you forgive me?"

 

[AvianJen]

"Kind of." Ella didn't know how to explain it, and she didn't want to tell Peter every detail about it right now. "She helped me feel better." It was actually kind of amazing how Josephine had managed to cheer her up. Ella had been feeling completely heartbroken when she'd run to her sister, and she had been almost peaceful by the time she fell asleep. She hadn't even though about how her interacting with Josephine might make him nervous, but she realized it a second later. "Nothing happened," she told him. "Nobody's going to get you in trouble. She just threatened to punch you, I think." Or maybe it was drag him back. Maybe it was both. Ella had been tired and upset, and the whole night was just a little bit fuzzy.

It was scary, telling him how she felt. Ella hoped that he would understand and not get upset...their entire relationship was riding on the outcome of this conversation. When she had finished she could barely look at him, afraid of what he was going to say. When he came around the island to stand in front of her Ella shrunk back and stared at her feet, still hugging her arms around Josie's robe. He didn't sound upset- that was the first thing that Ella noticed, and it helped her to relax a little bit and focus on listening to his side of the story.

"I'm sorry," she said. The last thing she'd meant to do was hold his past against him, and she hadn't been doing that intentionally...but she had brought it up. It was understandable that he might have interpreted it that way. "That's not what I meant. I know that you have a past, but...I don't see you as a pirate, Peter. I promise." She nodded when he explained that he had been feeling a little insecure, realizing that it was the same thing. "Me, too," she sighed. That was what their little fight all boiled down to: insecurity.

She was startled when he pulled her against him, but it only took a second for Ella to loosen up and put her arms around him as well. She felt a huge weight lift off of her shoulders, and realized with a wave of relief that it was going to be okay. His words melted her heart and she hugged him tighter, fighting back tears. She blinked when he pulled back and looked up at him, nodding. "Of course," she said, hugging him again. "Only if you can forgive me."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter was glad Josephine was able to make Ella feel better, but he felt bad about Ella having the need to feel better at all. He'd promised he'd never hurt her ever again, and he wasn't doing very well at keeping that promise. At least Ella seemed to think it wasn't enough that Josephine would blow his cover and go telling his secret to their father, but the thought of Josephine attempting to lay hands on him was kind of terrifying in its own right. Peter may have been in sword fights, fought mermaids, survived sea storms, and gotten into his fair share of drunken bar fights as a pirate, and Josephine may be tiny, but she was a ball of furious protection when it came to her sister. He did underestimate the power of that. "Good. I mean, that's uh... slightly intimidating, but I probably deserve it."

Now if only he could get himself to stop seeing himself as a pirate. It was hard enough that the others couldn't. Thinking even for that briefest moment that maybe Ella couldn't either had really messed him up, but he believed her when she said she didn't now. It was going to be a work in progress to overcome his own fears and insecurities about his past, but every moment he spent with her meant that he was at least working on it. Each day he spent at his apprenticeship was another day gone by where he wasn't stealing for a living, or living off of somebody else's hard earned income he'd only been given because he helped kidnap and hold some poor person for ransom.

"Don't. You don't have to apologize. I just needed a gentle reminder, that's all," he said. After all it had been him who doubted her faith in him. He'd questioned his own capabilities at times. "And I don't see you as anything less than the beautiful, intelligent woman you are, Ella. I promise you never have to worry about me leaving or being unfaithful to you, because you're the best thing that has and ever will happen to me. I'm not deserving of you, but I'm so lucky I have you anyway."

He squeezed her tight knowing things would be alright now. He felt so stupid that this had even happened, but even the happiest of couples had their moments, if his own parents were any indication of what love looked like. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her forehead and nodded. "Of course," he echoed, though there was really nothing to forgive.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella had to giggle a little bit, hearing him call Josephine intimidating. Her big sister was a little scary sometimes, but at the end of the day she was just a small girl just like Ella. She'd have to tell Josie that she scared Peter- she might get a kick out of it. "Well, maybe," she admitted, glancing up at him with a smirk. She had been pretty upset last night, and she'd never thought that she and Peter would have that kind of fight. It was frightening as well as eye-opening, but Ella hoped that it never happened again. She didn't like to fight with anyone, but it had been especially difficult to fight with him.

She bit her lip when he told her she didn't need to apologize. She had hurt him and she hadn't meant to; wasn't that reason enough? Ella thought that they were both equally at fault. But still, she was happy that he didn't seem to be mad at her anymore. "Okay," she said sheepishly, hoping that everything was alright now. "I just don't want you to think...I mean, I know you were a pirate. And I know that's always going to be a part of you, because our experiences make us who we are, but...I know you're a good man. I've always known it, I could tell you were different even back on the ship. Nobody could ever convince me otherwise, and I would never hold anything like that against you." Ella knew that he had done bad things in the past, but lots of people did bad things. The important thing was that he recognized it and was prepared to move forward. "And I guess the idea of you going away does scare me a little, but..." she glanced up to look in his eyes. "I think it scares both of us in the same way."

"Stop, you're going to make me cry," she whimpered, burying her face in his chest. "I love you so much, Peter." He was better at the long, meaningful speeches than she was, but she hoped that he knew that. "I know what I want, and I want you. I'm never going to want anyone else. I promise." Ella had never been so sure about anything before, and now she understood how Josie felt about Alec. It didn't matter what he was or what he had been, it only mattered who he was now. Her lips turned up in a smile when he agreed to forgive her, and she smiled, keeping her arms around his torso. Rising up on her toes, she pressed a kiss against his lips, satisfied that they were made up. And just maybe, their relationship was stronger for it.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter didn't really think it was funny. Sometimes the smallest things packed the biggest bite, and he'd already seen how big Josephine's bark was. "Well, you haven't been on the receiving end of her death glares before," he explained, rubbing the back of his head, but then letting out the smallest of laughs himself. As upset as they'd both been last night, it seemed fine now. He felt relieved that they could carry on and put this behind them.

Although he still wasn't sure Ella's faith in him wasn't completely misplaced, it did do him some good to hear her say she really didn't hold his past against him. He was the one doing most of that, he thought. It was just hard to put over ten years of piracy behind him. He may not have been the most ferocious of pirates, but he hadn't been exactly a good man either. There were a lot of things he watched happen that he could have stopped. He had no idea why it took Ella coming along to get him to do anything about it, but maybe it was because he could see the good in her. And maybe he had just spent too long looking on and finally felt like he wouldn't be able to live with himself for much longer if he continued to let things happen. "I know that now," he said. "And I think you're right. Maybe we're just too hard on ourselves."

His felt himself relax when she said she loved him and he just had to trust that it was true. "I love you, too," he said, then tilted her chin up when she went to kiss him, kissing her back with as much love as he could convey in one kiss. He rubbed a soothing circles into her back, lingering for a few moments before he pulled away. Leaning his forehead against her, it seemed they had a whole day ahead of them still. He wasn't sure how she'd want to spend it, but he was content to just read and cuddle if she'd let him. "What were your plans for the day?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella smiled and shook her head. "Oh, yes I have," she said, letting out another little laugh. Mostly recently, but she knew that it wasn't nearly as bad as the looks that Peter received on a daily basis. Josephine had no problem making it very clear that she didn't like Peter or approve of him spending time with Ella. "But I'll talk to her about it. She doesn't like you, but...I think she's trying to respect our relationship. She was nice about it last night." Ella knew that she didn't understand, and it would take some time. She also probably wasn't too happy with the fact that Ella had came to her crying last night on account of their fight, but it wasn't very fair to hold that against Peter. Like she said, all couples fought sometimes.

She nodded in agreement. Maybe the problem wasn't so much that they didn't trust each other, but that they didn't have a whole lot of confidence in themselves. Typically Ella exuded confidence, and she knew that she was a bright, likable person, but sometimes she still struggled. Sometimes everyone struggled with believing in themselves, and now that she knew that Peter was still having a hard time with his past she could help him better. "Yes," she agreed. "I guess that's something we should work on."

Kissing him was still the best feeling in the world, and after their misunderstanding it was exactly what Ella needed. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his as her worries all melted away. She could have kissed him forever, but Rory could be walking in at any minute. "I didn't really have plans," she told him. "I was just going to bring some tea for Josie." After making up with her sister, Ella still felt like she should do that, but she'd still like to spend the day with Peter. Tomorrow marked the start of his second week of work, and she wouldn't be able to see him much. "Maybe we could stay in. Just relax? I haven't gotten a chance to look at my new book yet."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

The next couple of weeks flew by without much incident. To Josephine's dismay, Peter and Ella made up, although she figured they would and still didn't want to see her sister hurt. Alec was still invited to dinner sometimes, but she still didn't see much of him anymore now that he was working on his business. And the week before she, Ella, Peter, and John had gone to the theater as planned. It was still hard seeing a man when she was in love with someone else, but it had been fun nonetheless. Ella was right about him taking things slow and respecting boundaries, so at least for now it was manageable.

Now it was Ella's birthday, and Josephine had occupied much of her time the previous week shopping for a gift. Usually she and her father collaborated on a new gown. Josie got to design it, and father would pay for it. This year was no different. She'd talked to the dress maker and had the most beautiful blue dress made to Ella's exact measurements. It had a lot of Josephine's personal influence in it, but it was also very much to Ella's tastes as well. But seeing as it was a special birthday, the one where Ella was crossing into a new decade, and the one after surviving a pirate ship, Josephine had struggled the whole week finding something else for her as well. She had no idea what it would be until she stumbled upon a little doll makers shop that had a wooden mermaid displayed in the window. It amused her so much she couldn't pass it up.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" Josephine didn't even knock before she burst through Ella's door into her bedroom in the morning, singing obnoxiously at the top of her lungs, and carrying the dress box and her little wrapped present in her arms. "Happy birthday, dear Ella! Haaaapppy birthday to you!" She jumped into her bed with the last note, and as if her loud singing wasn't enough to wake her up, she put the gifts aside and began shaking her excitedly.

"Wake up, birthday girl! I've got presents!" Josephine treated every birthday and holiday with the most ridiculous enthusiasm.

 

[AvianJen]

In the next few weeks that went by, everything seemed to be perfect. She and Peter were back to normal and better than ever, and now her relationship with Josephine was mended as well. Josie seemed happier now that Alec had gotten a good start on his business and was able to come over for dinner sometimes, and it sounded like he had even managed to get a customer or two. Father was still in the process of searching for a new stable boy so Alec did come to the property every once in a while to check on the horses, but anymore he spent most of his time at the new house.

They had also gotten to go to the theater with John, which Ella had enjoyed quite a bit. She loved taking Peter to experience things that he had never been able to do before and watching his reaction, and the show they'd seen had been good. She was as happy as she had ever been, and her birthday was coming up fast too. Ella couldn't wait to see what Josie had planned, what Rory made for dinner, and if Peter would come through with the candles and wine and kisses. It was going to be a wonderful day, and she could hardly sleep the night before.

Josie was always crazy on birthdays, so Ella was fully expecting what came in the morning. Still, it never failed to scare her. She jumped, stunned awake by the sound of her sister's voice piercing through the peaceful silence. Once the initial shock had worn off she was able to push herself to a sitting position, smiling and laughing at Josephine's enthusiasm. "I'm awake, I'm awake," she giggled, rubbing her eyes. She eyed the dress box curiously, wondering what her birthday dress would look like this year. She always got a special gown for her birthday, and they were usually among her best thanks to Josie's amazing fashion sense.

The first thing, of course, was to give Josie a hug. Ella leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her sister, squeezing her tight. "Thank you," she said sincerely. Then she sat back and clapped her hands excitedly, looking at her presents. Usually it was just the dress, but there was a second one this time. "Ooh. For me?" she asked, glancing up at Josie. But of course they were for her. Ella wasted no time taking the lid off of the dress box, revealing a stunning blue gown that made Ella gasp with delight. Josie always designed the best gowns. She lifted it out of the box, completely awestruck. "Josie, it's beautiful!" she gushed. "Oh, I love it. Help me put it on?" Ella always wore her birthday dress on her birthday, and even though she had requested not to have a big party this year after everything that had happened, she still wanted to wear it.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine didn't know why she liked birthdays so much. Maybe it was because they seemed so special, and if the death of their mother taught her anything, it was that each day on this Earth could be your last. Making it to your birthday marked another year of survival and life, and there was something sort of magical about that. Besides, after their kidnapping, it seemed especially important to celebrate spending a birthday at home. Even without an extravagant party, she was determined to make Ella's special day a happy one.

Josie giggled at Ella's surprise, and hugged her back tightly. "You're welcome." She sat back and watched her take the dress out, admiring the handy work of the dress maker. They'd worked many times together and he always seemed to capture her vision just perfectly. "Of course," she said, hopping up to oblige Ella's request. She grabbed one of Ella's corsets and helped lace her into it before slipping the dress over her head and buttoning it up in the back. While she tied the ribbon in the back, she guided Ella to her mirror so she could see for herself how stunning it was on her. "It looks amazing on you. I'm so glad I got your measurements right. After everything that's happened this year I was afraid they might be off." At least Ella seemed to have gained most of her weight back. Josephine was still struggling with that after her period of stress and depression, but was on her way to getting it back now.

She left Ella to look in the mirror while she went to retrieve the second gift off of her bed. The mermaid doll was too cute to pass up, and she hoped Ella would see the humor in it like she had. Handing the box to Ella, "Here. This one's also from me. I saw it and I figured this year called for something a little extra."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella had never quite understood why Josie was so fond of birthdays, but they were fun. Once a year, it was nice to have a day that was all about her, though, and this was that day. She would be in the spotlight all day, and she was sure that Rory had made her a strawberry birthday cake. On top of that, she thought that this year's birthday dress might quite possibly be the most beautiful one that she had ever received. It was her favorite shade of blue, the one that the dressmaker always said looked best with her skin tone and matched her eyes. The material was luxurious, but light enough that it wouldn't weigh her down. She was still free to dance about as she usually did, just looking much better.

She hopped out of bed and let Josephine help her get dressed, standing in front of the mirror. It really was stunning. Ella beamed and twirled around, letting the skirt fly out around her. The measurements were all spot on, and the cut accentuated her curves and made her look like a woman, no longer a teenager. Ella loved it, and she told her sister so about a thousand times. While Josephine went back over to the bed, Ella took her hair out of her braids and began to brush it out, letting the loose waves fall about her shoulders. She had almost forgotten about the second gift, but when Josephine brought it over to her, she eagerly took the box and opened it. "I never get two presents," she said gleefully as she unwrapped the gift.

What she saw immediately brought a smile to her face. It was a little wooden mermaid, with blonde hair just like Nora. Even after that terrifying encounter Ella still loved mermaids, and it was absolutely precious. "Oh, I love it," she said genuinely, letting out a laugh as she examined the toy. "It's perfect." It was a timely and appropriate gift, and Ella did see the humor. But she also genuinely loved it, and probably would have picked it up for herself if she'd seen it. "Thank you, Josie." She gave her sister another hug and took a few moments to admire the doll before skipping around her room, searching for the appropriate place to display it. "She can live here," Ella declared, finally setting it on her bedside table. "And I'll name her after Nora." The tail was different, and this mermaid was actually wearing a top, but it would remind Ella of the mermaid every time she saw it.

She gazed at the mermaid for a moment before picking it up again, cradling the doll in her arms. "But first, I want to show Peter," she said excitedly. Before heading downstairs for birthday breakfast, Ella stopped in front of her mirror and tied the front pieces back with the matching ribbon she found in the dress box. Ella had a ribbon for every dress, and this one was no exception. The dress was beautiful, and Ella didn't think that much primping would make it better. "Alright, I'm ready," she said. "Shall we go get breakfast?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Seeing how happy Ella was with the dress made Josephine equally gleeful. She really was gorgeous in it. With each passing year she had begun to look more and more like a woman - they both had. It was so strange to think about how they were no longer children. They were adults, both of them looking forward to their adult lives. Ella, possibly going off to get college educated, and Josephine, well on her way to becoming a bride soon enough. The toy doll was just a nice way for Josephine to welcome her sister into adulthood with a touch of humor and a way to make light of an otherwise dark shared experience.

She grinned, glad that Ella appreciated her second gift and watched as she placed it on her bedside table. Nora had been such a strange and beautiful creature. To this day, the mermaid still haunted Josephine's nightmares, but she still had to be thankful to her for getting rid of Tom for them. "Good, I'm glad you like her. And as long as this Nora doesn't try to drown my boyfriend, she's welcome to stay anywhere she likes."

She fought the urge to roll her eyes at the mention of Peter. She still didn't understand it. Not at all. But she was tolerating it for now, and had already endured much talk about Peter in the weeks since they'd made up. "Yes, let's go. I'm starved," she said, linking her arm with Ella's and heading downstairs where their father and Peter were probably already waiting for them.

Peter had been planning what to do for Ella's birthday since she mentioned it, although, she'd been pretty specific about what she wanted, so there wasn't much to plan. Still, he wanted it to be perfect. He had pretty much everything ready to go for tonight, already set up in their special spot they used for stargazing. Even though they'd had their fight there, the place still held a special meaning for them, and it was even more private than one of their rooms. Besides, it was perfect for the extra little gift he'd gotten her. She hadn't told him to get her anything specifically, and he'd already bought her many books since he'd known her, but he didn't mind spending a bit extra on the woman he loved. And now that he had his apprenticeship, buying things with his own money made him feel proud.

He was already sitting down at the table with the girls' father when they came down. Their small talk was cut short when they entered, Peter's eyes going to Ella and admiring her in her new gown. It was hard to deny the transformation. In reality it wasn't like she changed much over the course of a day, but he supposed it was probably the dress, and the way she was carrying herself. So confident and beautiful, and he felt himself falling just a little bit more in love with her, if that was even possible.

"Happy birthday, Ella," he said, standing up so he could help her into her seat. "You look stunning, as usual."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella giggled at Josephine's comment, shaking her head. She might get a kick out of singing with her little toy mermaid and pretending to try and drown Alec and Peter, but obviously the doll had no power of it's own. "She'll be good, promise," Ella said with a smile. "No drowning anyone this time." With one last look in the mirror, Ella took Josie's arm and the girls went downstairs to join their father and Peter for breakfast.

"There are my girls," Mr. Sinclair said happily, standing to give both Ella and Josephine a good morning hug. "Happy birthday, sweetheart," he said to Ella. "You like your dress?"

"Love it," Ella replied, beaming. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, darling." Mr. Sinclair gave her another hug before letting her go over to Peter. Ella hoped that he liked her dress, but it was so pretty. She didn't see how anyone could dislike it. Not shy at all, she bounced up on her toes and pecked Peter on the lips, grinning at him. Today was going to be so much fun, she could already tell.

"Thank you," she said, letting him help her into her seat. Once they were all seated, Ella presented her mermaid, setting it out on the table. "Look what Josie got me," she said with amusement. "It looks just like Nora, doesn't it?" She showed the mermaid to Peter, knowing that he would be just as amused by it as she was. "Nora is the mermaid we saw on the pirate ship," Ella explained to their father. "She was really beautiful, but she tried to drown everyone." They had told their father about the mermaid, and Ella wasn't sure whether or not he actually believed them, but he usually humored them when they talked about it.

Moments later, Rory brought out their breakfast- a huge platter of chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, and bacon. "Happy birthday, Miss Ella," he said cheerfully. "Enjoy your breakfast."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine gave her sister a smile, happy that both gifts had been well received. The two of them went down to eat their breakfast, and she greeted her father with a hug and a kiss. Even Peter got a small smile before she situated herself at the table. Rory always made birthday meals special and she was starved for whatever he'd prepared this time.

Peter was hardly shy either. He accepted the peck and helped Ella into her seat before taking his place next to her. She really was stunning today, and he could see how happy and excited she was on her special day. When she pulled out the doll for everyone to look at, he rose his eyebrow in curiosity, but then laughed. It was a funny little gift. He wished he'd thought of it himself. "It does look like her," he said, memories of the exotic mermaid springing to mind. She may have tried to drown the whole crew, but she had saved the girls' lives too, so he liked to think of her as some sort of friend.

Mr. Sinclair still didn't know whether he believed in mermaids, but unless all of them were playing a joke on him, it was strange that all three of them seemed to agree that they'd encountered the mythical creature. Mostly he just tried not be reminded of those days without his girls. They'd been open about their experiences, but he feared there was still some stuff they omitted telling him for his own protection. It was probably best that way anyway, for he felt guilty enough as it was.

Rory's breakfast looked amazing, and they all thanked the cook for his hard work. It tasted equally as wonderful, and Peter was just glad to see chocolate. Ella had gotten him addicted thanks to all the chocolates she'd shared with him from Miss Crawford's.

"So, Ella," Mr. Sinclair said. "As you requested, there will be no big party tonight. I've asked Rory to prepare a special dinner as always, but the rest is up to you. Have you thought about what you'd like to do?"

 

[AvianJen]

Ella giggled, thrilled that Peter liked her doll as well and saw the resemblance. She too struggled with deciding how she felt about the mermaid; Nora had been beautiful, not to mention utterly and completely magical, but she had also been lethal. She had tried to kill Alec, and she had killed Tom. Ella was grateful for the latter, but she also knew that she would try to kill Peter if she had the chance. There was part of Ella that wanted to see her again, but the chances that she ever would were slim. Nora had learned her lesson, hopefully. Still laughing a little bit, Ella put the doll in the middle of the table as a centerpiece. Mr. Sinclair didn't do anything except laugh, not sure what to say about it. It was a cute gift, and Ella seemed pleased by it, so as far as he was concerned it was fine.

She was also thrilled at the breakfast that Rory set out before them, and she thanked the cook along with everyone else. As a little treat, he dropped some strawberries on top of Ella's pancakes as well, causing her to clap her hands with delight. "Thank you, Rory," she laughed before digging in.

At her father's question, she glanced up and nodded, setting her fork down for a moment. "Yes. I just want to spend the day with you all." She looked around at her family and Peter, smiling. "We can do whatever. Go for a walk, maybe, or a ride, or play games...whatever. I just want to have a nice day with you all." Normally, Ella would be very excited for a party and a feast in the evening, complete with her favorite dancing, but she felt that after everything that had happened, she just wanted to celebrate with the people she cared about most. That was what birthdays should be about, anyways. "Is that alright with all of you?" She was hoping to spend a romantic evening with Peter as well, but that wasn't something she wanted to mention right now.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

All anyone really wanted was for Ella to have a good day, and nobody was really that disappointed about how she didn't want a party. Josephine felt like with everything else going on, a party would have just stressed everybody out more. And Peter, he didn't really like parties anyway. The last one had felt a bit awkward being around so many strangers and people who had grown up wealthier than he had. Mr. Sinclair might have been the only one who would want a party, but he was more than happy to save a bit of money and indulge Ella and her wishes on her birthday. He just wanted to see her happy.

He cut into his stack of pancakes and took a bite. "Whatever you want to do is fine by the rest of us, sweetheart," he said. "After breakfast, why don't we all go for a stroll while it's still cool out, and then come back for a few games? It's been a while since we've sat down as a family to play charades, and with Peter it will be even easier to form teams."

Josephine grinned at Ella from across the table as she finished off an egg and pointed at her sister with it. "Only if you're prepared to lose, that is." She wanted to spend as much of the day with Ella as she could, but she figured there would be some time Ella would want to spend just with Peter. It annoyed her a little bit, but it was understandable. She always made sure to find time for Alec on her birthdays as well. Hopefully this year they could actually be together by the time her own birthday rolled around, instead of sneaking up to the loft when the party died out. There was still a couple months before that happened, though.

Peter couldn't help but smile at that. He wouldn't mind spending some time with all of Ella's family today, just so long as he got to steal her and have her for himself later. "As long as I get to have you to myself for a few hours. I mean, assuming it's alright with your father?"

Mr. Sinclair nodded. Unlike Josephine, he really liked Peter. He had no reason to believe that anything would happen and trusted them. "Of course. If that's what Ella wishes."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella nodded agreeably. That sounded nice. "Yes, that sounds like fun," she said. She would like to spend some time with everyone all together, and she had always enjoyed playing games. It was hard to play charades in teams after their mother died, but Father was right; it would be fun with Peter. Josie was always competitive though, and she had to laugh when she asked if she was ready to lose.

"Aw, but Josie," she said, pretending to pout, "I thought maybe you would want to be on my team. Boys against girls?" Peter and their father got along great, and she thought that would be fun. Family games were always fun, and on a day like today everyone was committed to being happy and getting along, for her sake. Peter had even taken the day off so that he could spend all day with them- unfortunately her birthday hadn't fallen on a weekend.

Mr. Sinclair chuckled, taking another bite from his pancakes. "Like I said, whatever you want, sweetheart. Today is your day." Ella smiled, nodding towards Josephine. "Boys against girls, then." She would always win if Josephine was on her team, she was almost positive about that. Josie was good at games, although Ella didn't quite know how one developed that talent. Maybe it was luck, but she always won cards, and nearly always won charades. Apparently, she had done rather well at the horse races too.

But even though she wanted to spend most of the day with her family, she was also determined to spend a few hours with Peter at the end of the day, just the two of them as a couple. Ella was excited for a romantic evening, and she knew that Peter had probably planned something special. Of course she wouldn't be upset if he hadn't, but he was always so sweet and thoughtful. This was the first time Ella had a significant other for her birthday, and she was hoping for a hundred kisses. "Yes," she said without hesitation, beaming at Peter. "I'd like that too. After dinner?" she suggested.

They all finished up their meals and thanked Rory repeatedly when he came to collect their plates. It had been delicious, as usual. Ella didn't know if Rory was capable of cooking something that wasn't amazing. Then they all went outside and took a long walk around the property, which Ella found especially refreshing. Josie wasn't being mean to Peter today; she wasn't even giving him the death stares, and it was nice to spend time with Father as well. He had been so busy working on saving his business, that after the girls had readjusted to being home he'd spent most of his time in his office or in town. From what she could understand, though, things were turning up. She held hands with Peter for most of the walk, and when they had circled the entire property they made their way back inside for a round or two of charades.