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Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

Josephine didn't really have much understanding of how things operated below her station. She was brought up on certain principles, and although she was more flexible with the rules than others, it was still those principles that guided her understanding of how things should be. She wasn't suggesting they act like strangers, but she did think it would be more gratifying to wait until the end to kiss. Besides, it was the proper thing, and she always had people watching her. She was ready and willing to accept the rumors and the lower status that would come whenever she did marry Alec, but she wasn't ready to accept the nasty rumors that were bound to start once people figured out why she'd always been so cold and distant with other men. If they saw her and Alec kissing in the market on their first public appearance together when she barely bothered to hold hands with the other men she'd been seen with? It wouldn't take long. She just smiled softly at Alec. He wouldn't get it because he'd never been an upper class woman before. "I know. But I'll make it worth your while. I promise."

Peter had been pretty confident that Ella could get in. The only obstacle he really foresaw was her being a woman. Men didn't always give women the credit they deserved, but it seemed like her father's influence and her hard work had come together nicely for her. He was happy for Ella, and excited to see her make some history. "Well, I can. And you're going to show up all your male classmates, I'm sure of it," he grinned, kissing her back.

When it came to Josephine, Peter could only hope that Ella was right. He didn't regret anything they'd done together, but he also worried in the back of his mind that somehow this would come back to bite him. At least if Josephine could be with Alec, then she wouldn't have as much energy to criticize him. She would also no longer have any reason to be jealous or resentful of him for getting things that should have also been given to the stable boy. He brushed some hair away at Ella's temple and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I hope so," he said. The power her sister had in her hands to destroy their relationship was something that still terrified him to the core, but he didn't want it to stop him from loving Ella. He'd already let his own fear and insecurity get in the way a couple of times, and it was awful. Sometimes it was just better not to question anything.

Peter could tell that Ella was trying to hide some worry behind her eyes. It was understandable. They'd never been apart before, and they both knew they had a few insecurities surrounding the inevitability of that. At the same time, traveling was something that came with the job. This was something they would both have to get used to if they wanted any sort of future together. He'd promised he would find a way to take her with him whenever he could, but for this first expedition, it wasn't likely that Mr. Lawrence would approve. "Yes. Just a short one. A couple of weeks, up north, and then I'll be back. If Mr. Lawrence approves, I mean. And if you're okay with it, of course." He didn't want to go without talking to her first. "The ship would leave mid next week."
 
Alec was really having trouble understanding why Josephine was so insistent on this, but he smiled when she promised to make it worth his while. "You always do, love," he said, catching himself before he leaned forward to give her another kiss. It might be tricky, and he wasn't thinking about how their reputations might be at stake after all the men Josie had been out with, but they would make it work. They always did.

Ella giggled at Peter's statement, shaking her head. She knew that she was going to be held to a higher standard than most of her classmates because she was a woman, so showing them up might not be a possibility. But she would try her hardest, do her work and put in her best effort. "Well, I wouldn't want to damage their egos," she joked, wrapping her arms around Peter's torso.

As for Josephine, they definitely were not in the clear, but things were about as good as they were going to get. Josie knew that Ella and Peter were happy together, and after she'd gotten her own happy ending she was definitely not about to ruin her sister's. Ella didn't think Josie was the type to do that anyways, and they seemed to have fixed the issues they'd been having. They weren't so distant anymore, and Ella didn't think that she nor Josephine wanted to repeat that.

Peter's news was the only thing to dampen an otherwise perfect day. She didn't want him to leave, and surely he knew that. This would be the first time they'd been apart since they met, and Ella had had a hard enough time going from seeing him 24/7 to only seeing him in the evenings. At least she got to see him every day, still. But to not be able to see him for weeks? It almost made Ella want to cry, but she wasn't going to do that. If the time came, she'd save her tears for after she'd waved him goodbye.

He asked if she was okay with it...and Ella didn't have the heart to say no. This was what he wanted, and what she wanted him to be able to have. He deserved adventures, amazing experiences that he couldn't have here at the estate. "I wouldn't want you to not go because of me," she said to him, forcing a smile. "Come back safely and I'll be fine...I'd just miss you, is all." She couldn't imagine how much she would miss him.
 
Peter had to laugh. Ella really loved to point out what she called the male ego. "I don't know. I think their egos could do with a little damage." He held her close and tight, just so proud of her for achieving her goal. It really was something for a woman to attend college. She'd be even more of a town figure than she already was once she started. "Just don't let it go to your head. Remember the little people," he teased.

He didn't meant to upset her or dampen her mood. It was supposed to be a happy thing. Ella would go to university, and he would advance in his career so that one day they might be able to have their own place and life together. He dreamed about having his own ship to take her places on, but none of that would ever happen if he couldn't use his strengths to make a career. It would be difficult to be away from her for a little while, but it was a necessary sacrifice.

Leaning down, he gave her a soft, comforting kiss. "I'd miss you, too," he said. "But it's only a couple of weeks. I need to do this eventually for my career. For us, even. Besides, you'd get sick of me if I didn't go away every now and then." Too much time with any one person would do that. Even if it was somebody you loved. "I'll be back before you know it, and that's if Mr. Lawrence lets me go." There really wasn't any point in getting too caught up in this now when he didn't really know for sure whether he was leaving yet.

Not wanting to leave her spirits dampened, Peter grasped her by the arm and held her out, smiling. "Now, how exactly do you plan on celebrating your acceptance into university? I bet your father is itching to throw another party." Although, it seemed like Ella and her sister were a little partied out since the last one. He was under the impression that Mr. Sinclair liked to throw a lot of them.
 
Ella giggled and wrapped her arms around him more tightly, resting her head against his cheat. "Maybe you're right," she laughed. To be honest, Ella wasn't sure how all those fancy university men would feel about having a woman in their class. She wouldn't be surprised if she was criticized or they tried to give her a hard time and discourage her, but Ella didn't think that mattered. She only cared what one man thought, and that was Peter. He was proud of her, and Ella was reminded again of just how lucky she was. "I won't, promise," she smiled.

She knew that getting to go on this trip would be a good thing for him, but Ella still couldn't help but feel a little bit sad. She was happy for him, though. She could tell that he was excited about the prospect of getting to go on a new adventure, and as his girlfriend it was her responsibility to be happy for him. She loved him, and she wanted what he wanted. She kissed him back, still holding him close. "I know," she said. "I'm happy you're going to get these kinds of opportunities. And I'm sure after a couple of times it'll get easier. I just don't like the idea of not seeing you." She kissed him again, and laughed at his next statement. "No, I wouldn't," she disagreed. "I can't even imagine getting sick of you." But, Ella was aware that they were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. In love, but so far nothing had gone too terribly wrong. They'd had one fight, but in the end it had just turned out to be a misunderstanding.

He was right, though. They shouldn't put too much emphasis on this now; he hadn't even asked Mr. Lawrence to go yet. And if he did get to, they still had at least a whole week to spend together. Ella didn't need to put too much thought into it now. She smiled when he asked how she was planning on celebrating university and shrugged. "Oh, I don't know about a party," she said. Ella very much enjoyed parties though, and she wouldn't mind at all if Father wanted to throw her one. "If you end up going, maybe we can throw you and me a joint university bon voyage party," she suggested. That sounded like quite a lot of fun to her. "But tonight, Josie and I are going to have a little sister sleepover. Josie said she'd get some of Father's wine, so you know I can't say no to that," she joked. "We'll do that after dinner."

Speaking of dinner, it was probably almost ready. Ella and Peter went inside hand in hand and sat in the sun room for a little while- Rory brought out some strawberries to snack on while they were waiting, and they just cuddled. Ella held him especially close knowing that he might be leaving soon, but before long they were called into the dining room.
 
Peter didn't much like the idea of not seeing Ella either, but that was the business he wanted to get into. He loved Ella, but he also respected his career - something he wouldn't even have if she'd never come into his life. This expedition meant possible advancement, which he needed if he they were to ever get a real life together. It was a good thing Ella seemed supportive of that, even if she was clearly a little saddened by it all the same. They both were, to some degree, but he supposed it was inevitable. "Me neither, but it's just a couple of weeks. I'm also very flattered that you don't think you'd get sick of me, even though I'm positive that's not true," he grinned, kissing her back softly.

Unlike Ella, Peter was not exactly a lover of parties. At least, not the kind they threw around here. Her father was a lovely person, and he was glad to be apart of the last party, but formal dances and stuffy dinner guests were not his cup of tea. He preferred the rowdy drunkenness of nights on the ship. Cards, booze, women. Now he was content with just one woman in particular, but it didn't change the fact that pirate parties, or rather parties of the lower classes, were in general much more fun and rambunctious than those the Sinclair's were accustomed to throwing. Still, he smiled and nodded. "If that's something you want, then I wouldn't mind it." Then he laughed at her admitted problem with wine. "I wouldn't either. It's good to see you two getting along. Maybe I'll spend some time with your father if he isn't busy, then." He wasn't upset about missing out on one night together, as long as they got to spend the time before dinner cuddling. Sleeping together had been good, but he quietly appreciated the smaller gestures of affection, too.

If Josephine still felt awkward about Peter, it didn't show much at dinner. She was still riding the high of getting to finally be with Alec that she hardly paid him any mind. Instead, they all seemed to chatter about the good news. Her and Alec, Ella getting to go to university, even Peter's interest in the expedition. There was little room for the dramatics tonight when there was so much to be excited and happy about. The Sinclair household hadn't seen such quite high spirits in a long time.

Afterwards, she practically dragged Ella to her room. She'd already had one of the servants bring up a few bottles for them, which she promptly poured into two glasses. Ignoring her momentary concern about red wine and the likelihood of a spill staining her yellow bedspread, she gave Ella a glass and held up her own. "Shall we toast to a good day?" she suggested.
 
Just a couple of weeks. That seemed like such a long time, but Ella knew that in the grand scheme of things it was nothing. She fully intended to be with him forever, and if that was going to be the case then what difference did a couple of weeks make? Maybe it made a huge difference, but Ella didn't know. She was still very much learning about relationships, and she and Peter were still learning about their relationship in particular. Though for Ella, it seemed to be coming along extraordinarily well.

She sometimes did get the impression that Peter didn't like their kinds of parties as much- Ella was somewhere in the middle. She loved her father's parties, but sometimes she wished that they were a little bit less formal. On the other hand, she wasn't quite cut out for the rowdy, drunken celebrations that Peter was used to. She thought that she would enjoy a healthy mix of both. She smiled when he said that he was glad to see her and Josie getting along and nodded. "Me, too," she said. "We haven't fought for a while now, and even after what happened this morning..." she trailed off, giving Peter a shy smile. She still couldn't get it out of her head. "I don't know. I don't think she's mad." It definitely seemed to be getting better, and now Josephine had her own happy ending. Things were really starting to look perfect for everyone. "I'm sure Father would love that," she told him. "He told me today how much he likes you."

Dinner was a very pleasant experience, and for the first time in a while nobody had any drama that created tension. Everything was going well, and they spent the time together laughing and celebrating all that they had each accomplished, even Peter. But once the meal was concluded, Ella barely had time to get her goodnight kiss from her boyfriend before Josie started dragging her towards her bedroom. Ella's nightclothes had already been brought to Josie's room, as well as the wine and a few little snacks. There was a small amount of chocolate that had been hunted down for them, and that was in there as well.

Ella eagerly and cheerfully hopped onto Josie's bed and accepted her glass of wine. "Yes," she agreed, holding it out and clinking it with her sister's. "The best day." The best two days for her, really. Yesterday had been just as magical as today in different ways. She took a long sip from her glass and set it aside, standing to change into her blue silk nightgown. "How does it feel?" she asked, a huge smile on her face. Josie knew what she meant. "Has Alec bought the ring yet?"
 
Peter offered Ella a gentle smile at her shyness. He wasn't shy about it, having met that milestone years ago, but he could understand why she would be. He kissed the tip of her nose, trying to smooth over any awkwardness she felt about this morning or that they had been together. He certainly felt awkward about the Josephine incident, but it wasn't something he could dwell on. He worried, of course, about her telling, but Ella seemed certain she wouldn't. "Not mad at you, anyway, but I trust your assessment of the situation." He had to admit it was pleasing to hear how much her father liked him, too. "Did he? That makes me feel... I don't know. Proud."

Josephine toasted Ella happily. They were in a better place than they had been since they were kidnapped, even despite the whole Peter scenario, and that felt good. Josie finally felt like the pieces of her life were coming together how she always wanted them to. So she tapped her glass against Ella's and took a long sip in celebration of that. Tonight she wasn't too concerned about how much she drank, because she was with Ella, and they were going to be happy and have fun.

Following her sister's lead, she got up to get her own nightgown, slipping behind the changing screen to give both of them enough privacy to undress. She didn't really want to see Ella in as little clothes as she had this morning again. At her question, she couldn't help the wide smile that spread on her face in return. "It feels good. Really good. I don't think either one of us really expected that this would really happen for us." They both wanted it to, and try as she may this entire time to be optimistic, it seemed for a while there that the odds were stacked heavily against them. But now? Now she could be a married woman in just a few more months. Alec's wife.

As far as rings went though, Josephine doubted Alec had gone so far with his plans. "I don't know, but unless he planned on marrying me without father's permission, I doubt it. It's only been a few hours," she said, coming out in her nightgown and sitting comfortably on her bed. She took another sip of wine before collapsing back onto her pillows. "Remember when you said I might get to marry him on the ship? I'm glad you were right." And she was glad she had been right about Ella finding love, too, even if Peter wouldn't be her first choice.
 
Peter was so sweet, and Ella smiled up at him fondly. It was also pretty cute when he seemed so excited about Mr. Sinclair saying that he liked him, and she hugged him again. "You should be," she said. "As I'm sure you've seen, he's a little picky when it comes to us." The fact that her father approved of her choice in Peter meant the world to Ella; even Josephine hadn't been so fortunate at first, and she was usually the more mature one who made better choices in general. But it had very little to do with Ella, she knew; Peter had earned her father's approval because of the kind of man that he was, and he deserved every bit of it. "I love you," she murmured, squeezing him tightly. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed to say it.

Ella smiled when Josephine seemed so happy. And she had every reason in the world to be happy. "Well, I'm glad it did," she said cheerfully. And she was; Ella was thrilled that Josephine had also been given her chance at happiness. "When are you going to tell John?" she asked. That was the one thing that put a damper on this whole thing; John was a nice guy, and Ella knew that Josie would want to let him down easy. She knew that several of the men Josephine had seen in the past year or two would also not be happy to find out that they'd never had a chance in the first place. Just because Alec and Josie could be together now didn't necessarily mean that all of their troubles were over, but at least now one thing was all but certain.

She was joking about the ring, of course. She didn't think Alec would buy one so far in advance anyways- she knew that they hadn't had much hope until now, and he was careful with his money. "Hm, I doubt it," she agreed with a smile. "But I imagine he will soon. And what do you mean? I'm always right," Ella joked. With the nightgown on, she jumped onto Josie's bed and grabbed her wine from the table, taking another long sip. "I don't want Peter to go away," she said, while she was thinking about ships. "I don't want him to leave, especially now that I know what's it's like out there. What if he doesn't come back? Storms...mermaids." She smirked a bit at the latter suggestion, but she was entirely serious. Peter had spent his whole life on a boat and he knew how to handle himself, but Ella couldn't help but worry. "And I'll miss him too much," she added. "University classes don't even start until the fall." She had some studying she wanted to do to prepare, but she'd still miss him terribly.
 
Peter laughed. Picky was an understatement when it came to this family, but it made him all the more happy to hear he was earning her father's approval. He still fought the mental battle of his approval being based on a lie nearly every day, but the longer he stayed here, the more distance he felt from his past. "With a daughter like you? I'd be picky about the men that come around, too. I'm just glad I'm the lucky one who won you over." He pulled her close and gave her a lingering kiss. "I love you, too."

Josephine had been so stuck on the good news that she hardly even gave much thought to John at all. Crinkling her nose in distaste at the unpleasant thought, she sighed. "I don't know. Probably tomorrow." The sooner she got it over with the sooner she could start to really be with Alec. Although, actually speaking to John about it was going to be awful. He didn't really deserve any of this, but he should know the truth. She was just afraid it would hurt him. "He's going to hate me... if he's even capable of hating anyone." It was going to hurt a lot of people, probably, once word got out. It wasn't like any of the men had actually fallen in love with her, but their pride might be a little wounded to know they'd never actually had a chance.

She didn't want to think about the aftermath too much right now, though. She and Alec would cross that road when they got there, and right now, she just wanted to enjoy their new freedom. She didn't imagine that Alec would propose right away, as she knew how hard he was being on himself about his business and the home. He was such a perfectionist sometimes, both frustrating and endearing. However, she was already fantasizing about how he might do it. Knowing him, it was probably not going to be a grand gesture or even an expensive ring, but she never really knew for sure. After all, sneaking onto a pirate ship was a bit of a grand, romantic gesture. Either way, she would be happy with the outcome. "And then all our friends can stuff it about how I haven't found a husband yet. Father too," she added with a giggle. It was going to be well worth the wait.

At first, Josie wasn't really sure what Ella was talking about when she brought up Peter, but then she remembered how he'd briefly mentioned a trip at the dinner table. Father had encouraged it of course. Josephine had mostly been caught up in her own head space to pay much attention, although she secretly couldn't wait to not have to deal with him for a couple weeks. After this morning, she'd decided she was pretty exhausted with Peter and all the tension he seemed to cause. She hid her frown with a sip of her wine, but tried to be understanding of how Ella was feeling. Being away from the person you loved was difficult, as she recently found out. Maybe Ella would handle it a lot better than she herself did. "It is hard, sure. But Ella, I don't think you have to worry about storms or mermaids... the man spent more than half his life at sea. He'll be fine."
 
Ella sighed. She knew that it was going to be hard for Josie to tell John that she didn't want to see him anymore, but it was just the last obstacle she had to overcome before she could be with Alec the way she wanted to. Hopefully she could find a way to do it without hurting John too badly; it was an awkward situation, and he did seem like a genuinely nice guy. "I doubt he'll hate you," Ella said comfortingly. "You just have to...be honest. Just say you're very sorry to have lead him on, it wasn't your choice but you love Alec. He might be a little upset, but he can't be mad at you for that. Besides, he can do better," she teased, nudging Josephine playfully. That wasn't true, at least not in Ella's eyes, but John did deserve someone who cared about him and could love him. Josie just wasn't that person.

Josephine was probably right in thinking that Alec's proposal wasn't going to be a grand, romantic gesture. He was a pretty simple man who loved his girl, but he didn't even know what a grand gesture would look like. Alec's idea of a perfect proposal was probably something along the lines of a sunset ride and a picnic before giving her the ring. Ella giggled when Josie mentioned their friends, shaking her head. Honestly, she didn't think of their friends as actual friends so much as she thought of them as acquaintances. Josie was Ella's best friend, and she always would be. But it was true that the other wealthy girls did sometimes get pretty rude when it came to marriage and finding a suitable husband. Even when Josephine did marry they would probably have some insensitive things to say about Alec's social status, but Ella didn't mention that. Josie probably knew it already. "Yes, I guess that's true," Ella laughed. "And then I can finally get married."

There was no rush on that, though. Ella wanted to get married to Peter, but she knew that even though Father approved of their relationship, Peter wasn't at the point in his career where he could get married yet. He needed to find his own place, prove that he could earn an income just as Alec had to do. That was why going on this trip was important, and why it was important for him to go on more trips after he returned. This was going to be his career, and Ella knew that she was going to have to learn to be okay with it. It was just going to be a little bit hard, especially at the beginning. But Ella tried to remind herself that their relationship would grow stronger because of it.

"I know," she said, smiling at Josie's point. "I know that he can handle himself. I've just gotten so used to being with him every day...I've seen him every day since we met, even if not for long. It'll be strange to not have that. I won't know where he is, what he's doing, if he's okay..." Ella knew that she needed to stop worrying, though. "I guess I don't even know for sure that he's going yet," she said. "And I know it will be good for him." Ella took another long sip of her wine and then moved to refill her glass. She swirled the liquid around for a second, thinking, before taking a sip and turning to Josie.

"Are you...getting to be more okay with it?" she asked cautiously. They didn't talk about this often, and when they did it usually turned into a disagreement, but Ella thought that they had both learned from those. "Me and Peter?"
 
Josie wasn't sure that John couldn't be mad at her when he found out the truth. She'd led him on, whether she meant to or not. If he was angry with her, then she fully deserved that. "I don't know... he didn't make it seem like he has the best luck with women. I really wish I didn't have to add to that." At this point though, it was pretty inevitable. She couldn't be with him just because she felt sorry for him or afraid to hurt him. She loved Alec more than she could humanly love anybody else, and nothing was going to keep them apart anymore. At Ella's teasing, she elbowed her in the ribs. "Please. Nobody can do better than a Sinclair."

It was true that Ella and Josie's "friends" were really little more than girls they occasionally spoke to, but they were the closest thing she had to friends outside of Ella and Alec. It was also true that they could be a bit rude and judgmental. They were surly going to say something about Alec when they found out, but she was prepared for it. She wasn't going to let a few mean comments ruin a good thing. As long as she was happy, she didn't care what other people thought. A part of her did worry a bit about Alec, though. She wasn't sure how he might react to some of the things people might say.

It was hard to imagine Ella marrying Peter, and she felt suddenly strange at the realization that could be a possibility. They were already sleeping together, apparently, and it hadn't been that long since they'd been together, had it? In any case, it seemed to Josie that maybe Peter going away would be a good thing. "I don't know. I think sometimes space is needed. It gives you a chance to self reflect and think more deeply about things." It could either prove that you weren't as in love with the person as you thought you were, or it could prove how much you do love them. When they got kidnapped, Josie's thoughts had been filled with worry and despair about Alec before he found them, and after they came home, it had been even harder that they were separated. Before then, she thought she loved Alec, but she would have never believed she could marry him. She might not have even fought to. The hardships they faced together only cemented her love for him. Maybe it would do the same for Ella, even if it wasn't necessarily what Josephine wished for. She tried to explain this to the best of her ability, hoping Ella would understand what she meant.

It was her turn to reach for the wine when Ella asked if she was coming around. Her thoughts about Peter were still a confusing mess, but she realized now she couldn't alienate Ella. She could be honest, but she had to try and understand it, too. "I don't know. I mean... he's not the person I ever envisioned for you, but I know it's not my choice. Father likes him... and he seems to treat you well at least. And... I realize Alec and I have moved at a snail's pace compared to most everybody, but I have to admit after this morning I worry you two might be moving too quickly. I just want you to be happy, though. That's the most important thing."
 
Ella knew that Josie didn't want to hurt John, but she didn't know what to tell her. She had to be honest with him, and if he was upset...there wasn't anything she could do. Ella felt bad for John too, especially if it was true and he hadn't had very good luck with women. "Well, you don't love him," she pointed out. "And John's a nice guy who deserves someone that does. Just tell him that." She didn't know how helpful that was, but it was probably what Ella would do if their positions were reversed. She giggled at Josie's statement and nudged her back again. "Well, that's probably true," she admitted with a smirk.

At first, Ella frowned at Josie's statement. She didn't want to think about that- why would she want space from Peter? She loved him so much, and she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could. Not seeing him during the day was space enough. But, she knew that they each had to retain some measure of independence. They were still separate people, with their own aspirations...that was why she was going to school, and he was going away. As much as she hated to admit it, though. Josephine was probably right. Ella almost always needed to slow down a bit, really think about things and process. She wanted to marry Peter- she believed that with all her heart, but that didn't meant that their relationship as a whole couldn't use some reflection. "I guess," she grumbled. "I think a lot of it is just...insecurity. I can't shake the fear that he'll go off on one of his trips and find some pretty exotic girl that he likes better than me. We've talked about it, and I do trust him, but I guess I don't trust whoever he might run into." Ella was afraid that if Peter left he might never come back to her, for one reason or another. It was terrifying, but it was something she had to overcome.

She looked at Josephine, listening carefully as she relayed her thoughts. They were fair, and Ella knew that she was being honest. "I know he's not," she agreed. "He's not for me either. But before Alec I doubt that he was ever what you envisioned for yourself, right?" Two boys with sad pasts, with no families and not a lot of money. Who would've thought they'd both end up with men like that? Ella sighed, pulling her knees to her chest. "Maybe we are," she admitted, deciding to be open with her sister for once. "I don't know, I've never done this before. But it always seems to go there. We've had to stop ourselves a few times before, but this time neither of us wanted to. And it's not like our relationship is based on that- I love spending time with him just reading, too. We don't even have to talk. But it just...happened. And I don't regret it." Ella didn't want to regret it, either. "I can't believe you and Alec haven't," she admitted, just blurting the words out. "Not that it's a bad thing. Just, you've been together for so long."
 
Ella was right about that. John was probably the only man father had personally encouraged her to see that she could imagine some sort of relationship with. If it had turned out that Alec was no longer an option, she might have resolved to marrying him. But although she liked John, she felt like they were better suited as friends. Nobody was ever going to replace the love she had for Alec, and there was really nothing she or anyone else could do about that. At least this way she would be giving him the opportunity to find somebody who was capable of loving him and who he could love as well. "That's true. There's really no way around it, anyway."

Josie didn't really mean anything negative about telling Ella that space could be a good thing. As much as Alec was a part of her, she still desired to be her own person. Ella and Peter would benefit from that as well. She could understand what Ella meant about insecurity, though. There were moments she struggled with that herself, and she suspected most people did at one point or another. Whether Peter could be trustworthy or not was a bit of a polarizing issue between her and Ella, but Josie had seen evidence of his caring for Ella. It was one of the few admirable things about him she could admit to right now. "I don't think you need to worry about that. You're far prettier than most girls, and you really can't hide him away from every woman you might be jealous of. If you trust him, it shouldn't matter what others may try. He'll stay faithful to you if he really loves you." She sat up, pulling her knees to her chin. "Besides, what is that saying? Distance makes the heart grow stronger?"

It was honestly hard to remember what life was like before Alec, but Ella wasn't wrong. When she was young she grew up believing she'd fall in love with some kind of prince. Her parents quickly taught her those kinds of fantasies rarely came true, but even as she grew older watching some of the older girls start courting and getting engaged, she learned to expect the type of man they chose as husbands - business owners, bankers, members of old and important families. Certainly not a stable boy. It wasn't until she came of age and starting courting and meeting men at parties that she learned most of them were the same. They often reduced her to her looks, or bragged about their money or status as if to impress her. She grew tired of being looked at a potential trophy wife, and after meeting Alec, it only seemed to get worse. Alec was one of the few men she'd ever met to treat her like a friend before anything else. Maybe Ella felt the same way with Peter.

"I guess not," she admitted, but it was harder to relate to the rest of it. Had there been moments of intense passion between them before? Of course. But sex wasn't exactly something they'd ever talked about at length before. Alec had never pressured her and she mostly tried not to let it go so far that they'd get carried away. It probably helped that they weren't as keen on wine as Peter and Ella seemed to be. "I don't want you to regret it... if anything I'm glad you were able to make a choice at all." Both of them had almost had that choice taken from them, something she thought about often. How different would their life be if Nora hadn't saved the day? "I just... you know. I worry. About you getting hurt."

It did seem surprising that as long as they've been together, Josephine was still a virgin. There was a good reason for it, though, and she gave a shrug. "Well, I mean... it's not like I don't want to. I guess we just... never had the opportunity? We couldn't risk father finding out. Then there's the possibility of pregnancy, and if I did ever have to marry another man and he found out... " she knew she didn't really need to explain any further. People would have judged her. She could very well have lost her chances to marry, and women didn't really have many options if they couldn't find a husband. "But I don't know, maybe it will be different now. Maybe we could..." she turned red thinking about it. He obviously already knew she wanted to. It was a little bit stranger admitting it out loud to her sister.
 
Ella smirked a little bit at Josephine's compliment, glancing away and pushing her hair back. She didn't know if that was true; Ella had never thought of herself as being very pretty. If she was, it was only because she had nice dresses to wear and a wonderful maid to curl her hair. But it didn't matter much what she thought, because Peter thought she was beautiful and that was all Ella cared about. "You're right," she said, tugging at her hair. "It's just...I don't know. He likes to drink, and you know how a lot of the merchant men are. Lots of them are good men, but some aren't, and I just don't want him to get peer pressured into drinking too much and doing something he'll regret." She knew that Peter was smart and that he would use his judgment, but with the right combination something regrettable could end up happening. But there was nothing she could do, and she just had to trust Peter. "Fonder, I think," she said with a smile, correcting Josie. "But it's pretty much the same thing."

It was a little strange, being so open with Josie about what had happened last night, but...honestly, Ella wanted to talk to someone about it. Not because she felt like it was wrong or needed any emotional support, but it was a big step. Not just for her and Peter, but in her life in general. Losing her virginity was a big deal. She nodded when Josie expressed how glad she was that she was able to make the choice for herself, thinking back to the pirate ship. That had been a terrifying day all around, and Ella knew that if it wasn't for Alec and Peter helping them, they would have been raped by the crew and sold as slaves at the next port. It was horrifying to think of, and sometimes Ella forgot how lucky they really were to have escaped and had their lives go back to normal, more or less. "Yes, me too," she said. "I don't even want to imagine what might have happened. But Peter's not going to hurt me...not intentionally, anyways. There's always some risk involved when you decide to trust someone, but I do trust him." Ella loved him, more than she'd ever imagined herself loving anyone outside of her family. "I was always worried about you getting hurt, even without you and Alec going there," she pointed out.

For some reason, Ella wasn't nearly as uncomfortable about the topic as she'd thought that she'd be, but Josephine still seemed a little shy about it. It wasn't as if they had a mother to talk to about these things, though. She had to laugh when Josie pointed out that they didn't want to risk getting caught. "You probably would have much less chance of getting caught in the stables than you do in the garden," she laughed. It probably wasn't her and Peter's smartest move; if Josie hadn't found them someone else could have. She raised her eyebrows teasingly when Josie suggested that maybe not she and Alec could take that step; Ella didn't personally know how Alec felt about all of it, but she knew that he was sometimes too noble for his own good.

"Well, I guess you'll have to ask him," she said playfully. "Hardly any chance of getting caught on a completely different property, right? But I don't know, poor Alec might feel too guilty," she teased.
 
Josephine could understand Ella's concerns. Peter's drinking habits, more than likely picked up from living around pirates for more than half his life, left a lot to be desired. It didn't mean he would be unfaithful, though. Josie didn't necessarily trust him, but she knew better than to feed Ella's fears. Peter was hardly even different than the majority of men in that regard anyway. "Lots of married men who aren't merchants travel to the brothels, too. Not all of them are even drunks. That's just how it is. All you can do is trust him to do the right thing," she said, then shook her head at the correction. "Oh. Well... see, this is why you're the one going to university."

She didn't really allow herself to think about the ship much anymore. It always made her feel sort of sick to her stomach and depressed. "Me neither." She shuddered at the brief thought and hoped that Ella was right about Peter. As much as she disliked the man, she desperately hoped deep down that she was wrong about him if only for Ella's happiness. "Maybe he will surprise me," she offered, then gave her a small smile when she mentioned she worried about her getting hurt as well. "I did too, but... I think we're finally okay." As long as there wasn't any more surprises thrown in their way, she would get a happy ending with the man she loved. Ella would hopefully have one as well.

Josie returned Ella's laugh when it was pointed out that the stables were probably a safer hideaway than the garden. "Clearly. You're lucky I found you and not somebody else." She couldn't imagine the kind of wrath Peter would face if it had been father, not her, that found the two of them. This morning had been embarrassing, but at least that was the extent of the damage. If she and Alec did finally take that step with each other any time soon, they would definitely be more careful about it than doing it in the garden. Although, she did still have that fantasy of being in the stables. That was where almost all of their history was, and there was something sort of romantic about that. Ultimately though, it didn't really matter where it happened. She just wanted to share herself with him in a way she hadn't shared herself with a man before. "I don't really know where he stands, but... he knows I want to. The wine made sure of that." She sighed at the hazy memory of that particular night. It wasn't her proudest of moments.

She collapsed back down on her bed, cheeks still red, but too overcome with curiosity to shy away from the subject completely. "I just... I can't believe you're not a virgin anymore. I feel like I'm the only person in the world who doesn't know what it's like." She paused for a moment, trying to see if she could conjure up anyone she knew who was still unmarried and childless at her age, or at the very least, not even engaged yet. She couldn't. "What does it feel like, anyway?" She heard it might hurt. She also heard it felt nice. It had to if men always seemed to want it, right? But men were also different from women, so she wasn't sure.
 
Ella didn't feel that she could really fault Peter for his drinking habits, especially when she knew that, given the option, she would be in the same boat. She would probably enjoy drunken parties much more than the balls that her father threw, even though she did like those, and she was known for having an special affinity for wine. She took few more sips, almost finished with her second glass. She nodded at Josephine's point, knowing that she was right. "I know," she said. "I think it will be a learning experience. Our relationship is still growing, we haven't faced too many challenges together yet." They'd had that one fight, but it was just a misunderstanding in the end. Nothing truly horrible had happened, and they hadn't yet been separated.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, surprised and a bit amused that Josephine hadn't already been surprised by Peter. "You mean he hasn't already?" she asked. "He was the one who encouraged me to apply for university, he stood up for me in the admissions office. Not a lot of men would do that, you know." Josie had to know that she was right. "And look at how he's turning his life around. Father helped him on his way but he's had to completely change his lifestyle." Josie never gave Peter enough credit, but she was still getting used to him. Ella knew that she still saw the pirate, and that was okay as long as she wasn't unwilling to change her mind.

"Yes, I think you're okay now," she said with a smile in regards to Alec. "I'm so happy for you. Do I get to be the maid of honor?" She nodded in agreement with her sister, still laughing. She turned a bit red, reliving the embarrassment from this morning...but it was okay. Ella wasn't too torn up over it. She didn't want to know what would have happened if it had been Father who found them. They should have at least gotten dressed after they were done, instead of just falling asleep like that. But, they had learned their lesson. She giggled a bit at Josie's mentioning of the wine, struggling to envision what that must have looked like. "It's okay," she tried to reassure her sister. It was obvious she was still a little embarrassed about it. "I'm sure he wants to- he wouldn't have stayed with you this long if he wasn't attracted to you," she pointed out. "And you both want kids, right? That's kind of part of it." She finished off her wine and lay down as well, staring up at the canopy. "But, it's good that he had enough self-control to say no."

Obviously Josephine wasn't the only person who didn't know what it was like, but Ella did think it was strange how she'd lost her virginity before her older sister. Not only was Josie supposed to get married first, but she'd been in a relationship longer. Not that having sex was any indication of the quality of a relationship, but...Ella just hadn't expected it. When she actually asked what it felt like, though, Ella couldn't help but blush bright red as she tried to think of a way to describe it. "It was amazing," she said after a moment. "I don't know how to describe it. I mean, it did hurt a little bit at first but he knew I was nervous, and he was very gentle. And everything felt good, physically, but the whole time, it was just...romantic. There wasn't anything lustful or aggressive about it. And it made me feel so much closer to him, I guess, because...it's being vulnerable, and I had to trust him to take care of me." That was probably more than Josie was asking for, but Ella blamed it on the wine. It was true, though- Peter had made her feel like the most special and most beautiful girl in all the world, and she had relived many of those moments in her head throughout the day.
 
There was a lot Ella still had to learn about relationships on her own. Josie could only help so much. Two years with Alec was a long time, but Ella and Peter were a different kind of couple in a lot ways. There was still so much even Josephine had to learn about relationships. It wasn't like the one she was in was typical either. All they could do was take it day by day and see where they ended up. "It's only two weeks. I'm sure everything will be fine. You'll see."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at Ella's reaction. Okay, so maybe Josephine was hard on Peter. She would have been hard on anybody Ella decided to date, though. Peter just happened to get it worse because he was a pirate who kidnapped them and held them captive on a ship for a ransom their father couldn't pay. "Fine. He has surprised me. He's not a complete bastard. But he did kidnap us still, and he has made you cry on more than one occasion. Forgive me if I'm not ready to forget all of his sins yet." It might take years for the damage to be repaired. She was sure Ella knew that. The important thing was she was giving him that chance to prove himself. "Check back with me in a year and maybe I'll be ready then."

With a playful nudge, Josephine grinned. It was probably a bad idea to start talking about a wedding now, before they were even engaged. She didn't want to jinx it, and poor Ella would probably have to listen to her babble on and on and on about plans once she got started. "Obviously. Who else would I even choose?" They did have a few cousins she had in mind, but the actual wedding party was probably going to be small. Alec didn't really have a family, and she wasn't sure how many people would attend if she was marrying somebody of a lower class anyway. "And yes, that's true, but I don't want kids right now. I don't even know how to cook or keep a house yet, let alone raise a child." Although she couldn't wait at the same time. The thought of a tiny human that was half her and half Alec filled her with happy excitement. "You're right, though. I think I might have regretted it if he didn't."

They were both probably a little red, but Josie was glad she could talk openly about it with Ella. She always thought they might be having this conversation the other way around, with Josie explaining all the details to Ella instead, but she also felt better knowing a little about what she could expect. "I guess that's... good," she said. When the time came, she didn't doubt she would completely trust Alec, but she was still nervous. It was still a part of her she'd never shared with anybody else. She worried that maybe she wouldn't be as attractive to him once her clothes came off, or that she would mess up and do something wrong. It was probably silly because she knew he loved her, but she figured these were things every girl worried about when they were faced with the choice for the first time. "And he didn't... compare you to other girls?" She knew Peter had a past, and apparently Alec did too. Even if it was before her, and she knew how much Alec loved her, she still couldn't help but feel a little bit of jealousy towards them. They shared something with him that she hadn't yet. It bothered her.
 
((I'm sorry it's been so incredibly long!!))

Ella frowned when she caught Josie rolling her eyes, wondering what that was supposed to mean. It was a little bit frustrating that Josie was still having a hard time with Peter, but she was getting much better and Ella knew that Peter would prove her wrong in the end. She had absolute faith in him, no matter how stubborn her sister was. Her frown transitioned into a smile when Josie admitted that Peter had surprised her already, and she made a mental note to let him know that. "Well, technically Tom was the one who kidnapped us," Ella argued playfully. "Peter was charged with looking after us. And we've just had a few misunderstandings...hasn't Alec ever made you cry?" Now that she thought of it, Ella wasn't sure that he had- Josie had certainly cried on account of Alec, but she couldn't think of an instance where it was a direct result of something that he had done that hurt her. But Ella had no trouble admitting that she and Peter were the more turbulent couple; that didn't mean that they were any less in love.

"Alright, I'll check back," Ella promised with a smile. "But you'll see. The pirate was never who he really was." Josie would come to realize that in her own time, as the memories of the pirate ship faded to just that- distant memories. Maybe it was still a little too soon.

She clapped her hands delightedly when Josie promised she would be the maid of honor. "Don't make me wear an ugly dress," she begged. Josephine wouldn't do that to her, but Ella wanted to put it out there just in case she was feeling mischievous. But really, the wedding was probably going to be simple and elegant, not an especially grand affair. Alec wouldn't like that. If he had his way it would probably be a simple ceremony out in an open field, with the two of them riding off into the sunset later. She laughed when Josie clarified that she didn't want kids right now, and shrugged. "I mean, you already know where the bassinet is going to go," she reminded her teasingly. "You sound pretty ready to me. But I guess it will be an adjustment. I don't think I want to be responsible for running a household by myself." She didn't imagine she and Peter living grandly, but she hoped that they had enough for a housekeeper and a cook, at least.

It was a little bit awkward telling Josephine about this, but she wanted to tell someone. And, it might put Josie's mind at ease. Ella had tried not to do anything rash; her feelings for Peter were more than just lust. At her question, Ella shook her head fervently. "No," she said. "At least, I don't think so. He didn't say anything and I'm sure he wouldn't, but it doesn't matter anyways. He loves me, and he didn't love those other girls, he was just having fun back then. So I'm automatically better." Ella thought that made sense, and she wasn't overly self-conscious about it. It was less because of the absence of her own insecurities and more because of the loving way Peter had treated her, but she definitely hadn't gotten the impression that she didn't measure up.
 
(no worries)

It may be true that Tom instigated the kidnapping, but nobody on that ship was innocent of the crime. Josie wanted to point out that Peter had enabled him, but she'd tried that before and it hadn't worked. At this point she knew there was pretty much no way to get Ella to change her mind about Peter. She could only hope the outcome would be okay. "Yes, well Tom is a whole other kind of evil," she said, shivering at the memory of him pressing his cold lips on her and the feeling of his hands around her neck. He was about the only person she had ever wished death on. Admittedly, Peter was not like Tom, but it would still take some time before she was ready to forgive him.

The other indiscretions were maybe easier to forgive him for. She didn't like that he made Ella cry, and her protectiveness of Ella meant that if he messed up too much he'd be walking on dangerous ground, but she also knew not every couple was perfect. Has Alec ever made her cry, though? Well, honestly she could say no. If she did cry regarding him in any way, it was usually due to the frustration of having a lack of control over their future. "No... But, I mean, we've argued. Every one does. So I get what you mean. Im just saying this shouldn't become a regular pattern, that's all."

She had to laugh when Ella brought up the dress, and again when she mentioned the bassinet. "Ella, have you ever known me to buy an ugly dress? If I wouldn't wear it, I don't want it at my wedding." That was one thing she would miss whenever she entered her new life with Alec. She loved how a pretty dress made her feel. Of course her own wedding gown was going to be the most beautiful one she'd ever owned. As far as children went, excitement and preparedness were two different things. First she needed to learn how to be a good wife for Alec. Then she could prepare to be a good mother. She wanted desperately to give him that, but she needed to do it right. "Even if I was ready, I think I'd have to try pretty hard to convince Alec we could do it so soon. I just want us to be happy. I don't care if I have to do everything myself. It will be worth it."

She fell silent for a few minutes while Ella explained her thought process. It was good to hear that Peter hadn't compared Ella to others. She supposed that Alec could, although whether he would was a different question. It didn't seem like something he would do, but Josie couldn't help her fears underlying her inexperience. Ella's explanation that because Peter loved her she probably was already the best did make Josie smile and ease some of her worries. "That's good. I just... I don't know. Alec told me he's been with girls before me. We've been together so long now that I guess it just bothers me that there are girls out there who know him in that way and I don't."
 
Josie was right about that. Tom certainly was his own special kind of evil. Ella didn't like thinking about him, but she didn't understand how Peter had been able to stand being around a man like that for so long. It didn't seem like him, now that she saw what a good person he was, but...she understood that Tom had, in a way, been a bit of an father figure for him. She could hardly blame him for that, considering where he came from.

It was a little surprising that in their two years Alec hadn't made Josie cry once, but Ella knew that he was usually very logical and down to earth. He didn't have emotional outbursts the way that Peter had the other night, and maybe that was why. Things just didn't get as heated between him and Josephine...but Ella was overthinking it all. They had different relationships, and that was okay. Good, actually. But Josie was also right that crying shouldn't be a regular thing. "I don't think it will be," she said. "The first time was just a misunderstanding...he said that he didn't like me because he was afraid. The second time was the same thing, we were just...afraid." Both she and Peter had a lot of their own insecurities, but they were each becoming more aware of them. They had fallen in love, and now they were growing in it.

Josie had a good point, and Ella giggled, shaking her head. "No, I haven't," she admitted. Josephine had wonderful fashion sense, and since Father would probably be paying for the wedding Ella knew that the dresses would be rather extravagant. Ella's style had always been a little simpler and more on the comfortable side of things, but she knew she could always trust her big sister when she really wanted to make an impression. As for the baby thing, she was right that Alec might take a bit more convincing. "Well, I guess," she said. "But you'll do it when the time is right for you, whenever that is. Or it could be a surprise, who knows?" She nudged Josie playfully. "But anyways. I don't know that you can ever be ready for kids. I think you just have to be ready to try...or bored of spending all your time with Alec," she teased.

She nodded thoughtfully, listening to Josie explain how she felt. It was understandable, she supposed. And it was true, that sex was an interaction unlike any other she could have had with Alec. But at the same time, she didn't entirely agree. "But you know him in lots more rewarding ways," she pointed out. "You know what he loves, what makes him angry, what scares him, how to calm him down...or how he calms you down, maybe," she added with a smirk. "You know him on a much deeper level than any of those other girls he's been with, and he knows you. Sex is great, but it's not better than that. And I think that your experience will be different than theirs, anyways. Having experienced it...I can see how it could easily become about the pleasure, not the person. I think hookups are just about the pleasure." Ella wasn't sure if she was helping at all, but she hoped that she was able to make Josie feel a little bit better about it. "Besides," she added with a smile, "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
 
Josephine's top priority and main concern when it came to Ella was that she was safe and happy. As long as Peter could manage to give that to Ella, then Josie could at least tolerate him. It didn't bode well that she had seen Ella upset at his hands more than once already, but she seemed pretty insistent that they had been isolated instances of misunderstandings. "As long as you're happy, I'm happy," she said, knowing Ella probably already knew that. She just couldn't see herself calling Peter family any time soon. For now she would just rather error in the side of caution while he continued to show her his intentions towards Ella were positive.

Josephine didn't find it so surprising or odd that Alec never made her cry. He was much too mellow most of the time to say anything hurtful out of anger or any other reason. If anything, Josie was the colder of the two when her emotions got out of hand, but usually Alec was pretty good at talking her down. Arguments were never really long lived with them, but they also didn't have a whole lot to argue about. It had been harder in the beginning trying to navigate how she could be with him while being forced to see other men, but once they built up some trust it seemed like hardly anything outside of her being forced to marry would break them apart. Their struggles were mostly external, while apparently Ella and Peter's were mostly internal.

She gave Ella a smug smile in regard to the theoretical bridesmaid dress. One day, maybe soon, she could take Ella to get it made. Alec hadn't even proposed yet, though, so it was best she didn't get too carried away with her dress fantasies. Her fantasies about children, too, were probably better left pushed back for further thought at a later time. She had to giggle at the notion of a surprise pregnancy, though it was always possible. Not everything could be planned. "Maybe," she admitted, though the control freak in her would probably die if that was the case. Either way, she would love any and all children she had. "And I'll never get sick of Alec. He might get sick of me, though, I don't know," she joked.

She sighed and turned to bury her face in the pillow, red with embarrassment again. It did feel good to get her concerns out in the open, and talking to Ella about it was helping at least a little bit. It was true that what she had with Alec was probably different than any other person he had been with before her. He was certainly the only man she even thought about giving her virginity to. Still, it wasn't a pleasant thought to picture him with anyone else, even if it was just about pleasure. Married men with families that they loved still slept around at brothels all the time. It wasn't unheard of, not that Alec ever would. But it sometimes seemed like sex were two different things to men and women. The choice to give him that part of herself for the first time to anyone was something special and important to her, so she felt like she sort of missed out on the opportunity for him to do the same. "I suppose that's all true. And I don't know, maybe. I hope so anyway. I can't imagine being with anyone else like that. Even before father said we could be together, I was considering choosing him anyway. I don't think it would feel right if I had to be with anyone else like that. John is nice, but... I don't love him. It wouldn't be fair to him if I ended up resenting him for just... Trying to be a good husband to his wife." Thankfully she no longer had to worry about that anymore. After tomorrow she could be Alec for real, and John would also be free to find someone more deserving capable of loving him.
 
Ella beamed happily, knowing that was the truth. Josephine just wanted her to be happy, and Ella had never doubted that she loved her. Ella loved Josephine too, more than anything, and she was thrilled that she would be able to be with Alec and have the life she'd dreamed of. Just like Josie didn't quite understand Ella's wishes, Ella had never quite understood Josie's, but after being with Peter she was definitely starting to. "That's all I want for you, too," she said, putting her arm around Josie and hugging her close. "It looks like we might both actually get that."

She smiled when Josie asserted that she would never get tired of Alec. She'd just said the same thing to Peter, even though he hadn't seemed to believe her too much. "He won't get sick of you," she said. "I see how much he loves you." That didn't mean that they both would never need space every so often, but she didn't think that they would get sick of each other. And the same went for her and Peter. It was love, and Ella didn't think that love just died. There would be struggles, but they would both make it. Ella and Peter would adventure together and Josie would have a perfect little family. For the first time, Ella was genuinely excited about the future.

She nodded, understanding where Josie was coming from. After being with Peter, she could never imagine being with anyone else. She could never imagine anyone else loving her better than Peter did, or loving anyone more. "I know," she said. "But you don't have to worry about that anymore. You don't need to worry about John. You can have everything you've always wanted." She blew out the candles and snuggled up to Josie, pulling the blankets around her. "I love you," she said. "Goodnight, Josie."

The next morning, she woke up before her sister and sat up, stretching her arms above her head. It was so early that she thought that Peter might not be awake yet, and with that in mind she slipped out of bed and snuck out of Josie's room, down the hall to Peter's. She quietly slid inside and tiptoed over to the large bed where he was still asleep, crawling under the covers with him. "Good morning," she cooed softly, tucking his hair back away from his face and pressing little kisses all over his face. "Wake up, sleepy."
 
"I know," Josephine said, confident that Ella just wanted the same for her. Like Ella said, maybe they would finally both get that. They had their whole lives ahead of them and the outcome was looking a lot more clear than it had previously been. Returning Ella's hug, Josephine snuggled close and pulled the blankets up under her chin, yawning. She'd only had one glass, but wine made her sleepy.

She smiled when Ella said she could see how much Alec loved her. Of course Josie knew that. Not many other girls could say their boyfriends would risk their lives to save them from pirates. It may be that he wasn't fond of big romantic gestures, but she was perfectly okay with that. He showed his love in lots of little ways, and she appreciated them. "I suppose I am pretty lucky," she said. As far as John was concerned, she just had to remind herself of that. She might break a heart temporarily, but it didn't seem like John had fallen for her anyway. He'd forget all about her when the right person entered his life. She was just moving that process along and fulfilling her dreams at the same time. "And you're right. It will be okay. Goodnight, Ella," she said, yawing again before closing her eyes and drifting off into sleep.

Peter's night away from Ella was nothing too exciting. He spent a bit of time talking to Mr. Sinclair, then read a book until he fell asleep. Of course he missed the company he'd grown used to since he came here, but he was fine having a night to himself when he knew Ella was spending time with her sister. He felt like less of a wedge between them as he used to, but it was still good to see them being sisterly again.

He went to bed early and didn't even notice when Ella crawled into bed beside him until he heard her in his ear and felt her press the kisses to his face. He made a small noise of protest at being woken up from his sleep, and without even opening his eyes, he snaked an arm around her waste and pulled her against him. "Good morning," he grumbled, placing a few of his own lazy kisses against her neck. "Did you have a good night?"
 
Ella nodded in agreement. Josie was lucky, and so was she. They were both incredibly fortunate to have found men who loved and supported them, and wanted the same things that they wanted. Ella never wanted to take that for granted, and she hoped that Josephine wouldn't either. "Goodnight," she whispered happily, easily following asleep.

She didn't know why she decided to surprise Peter, but that was just where her feet took her in the morning. She'd loved spending the evening with Josephine, talking up and catching up on their sister time, but she had also missed spending more time with Peter, especially if he was going away soon. She wanted all the time with him that she could get before he left- she had a feeling that Mr. Lawrence would approve of his request. It was only a matter of time before he went somewhere.

Ella snuggled up against him, letting out a giggle and kissing him back, pulling the covers over the both of them. This would probably be another bad situation if they were caught, but nobody else was just going to barge into Peter's room. He still seemed half asleep, but Ella thought that it was adorable. "I had a wonderful night," she murmured, letting him pull her closer. "It was really nice. How was yours?"
 
Peter felt warmer with Ella beside him. It was cozy under the covers, and he smiled when she pulled them over them. He found a comfortable spot to rest his head between her neck and shoulders, and let out a content sigh. He wasn't even thinking about explaining this if they were to get caught, but he wouldn't have worried about it anyway. Considering the sun hadn't woken him up yet, it was still too early for anyone else to be awake.

"Good. I'm glad," he murmured in response, voice a little hoarse with sleep, and squeezing her tight. This was a much better way to wake up next to the woman he loved than the day before. "My night was fine. I missed you, though." He placed his lips against her skin again. He still hadn't even bothered to open his eyes, but he memorized all the lines of her face a long time ago. For now he was content just to feel her close. Anticipating a possible journey coming up, he was going to soak up all he could get.

Josephine hadn't expected to wake up alone, but she wasn't bothered that Ella had gone off to do her own thing in the morning. She was just glad for last night. They had a much needed talk and a lot her anxiety about Peter and Alec had been soothed for the time being. Today she had a task, though. A difficult, albeit important one. There was no telling how it was going to turn out, but the longer she put it off the longer she delayed her own happiness.

So she got up and dressed, ate one of Rory's famous muffins for breakfast, and prepared Chestnut herself for the short journey to the boys home where she knew John would be this morning. She had been there all but once for a charity event, so felt somewhat awkward as she ascended the steps on the front porch. A few young boys peered at her through a window on the second floor, and she gave them a gentle smile before knocking on the door.
 

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