Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wasn't sure there was a way to answer Alec's question with a bit of grace. She had grown used to Peter, but she still didn't like him. It was important that he treated Ella right, which he did, so he got gold stars from her for that... but they were just far too different people for her to say that she could ever learn to like him. It was exhausting worrying about her sister's relationship all the time, anyway, so at least with him being gone she could get a break from it. "Maybe," she said with a small smirk of her own. "But don't tell Ella that."

With his next question, though, she had to pause for a moment. Of course Alec wouldn't see it as the same thing, but... he also didn't know. "This is Peter and Ella we're talking about," she said. "If I could get away with sneaking out to see you almost every night when you were in the loft without being caught, imagine how much they're able to get away with." She loved her father, but he wasn't exactly the most watchful parent sometimes. It also annoyed her because she had been caught, or rather, they'd fessed up, and their punishment was that they were forced to stop seeing each other, Alec more or less got kicked off the property, and now her father was hesitant about even letting Alec step foot upstairs, let alone her bedroom. Meanwhile, Peter and Ella were getting away with sleeping in the same bed at night. And much more.

Josie would have loved it if Alec could get away with spending the night, but of course that wasn't going to happen, and especially not in her bedroom. She was glad he seemed to like it though, even though she was a little worried he might start comparing it to what he had. She didn't want him to think that anything about the life they were starting to plan together was anything less than what she had now. "Your bedroom is very 'me', too," she said. And really, both of the rooms would one day belong to both of them. They could live where Alec did now, as a family, but they could also visit her father and stay the night here. Once they were married, anyway.

After giving him his gift, she watched him closely for his reaction, then smiled when he seemed to approve. "Where's that?" she asked, when he said that he knew where he was going to put it. There were a million undecorated walls at the house, she was curious which one he deemed worthy enough for her flower. But she stood on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek in return, then took his hand to drag him away from the door.

"You can come in, you know," she said, pulling him to the sofa by the foot of her bed. "We don't have to hide anymore. And the door's open, anyway. It's not like we could do anything even if we wanted to..." She knew he was probably feeling a bit anxious about her father still, but he was just being over protective. As long as their clothes stayed on and they stayed away from her actual bed, it was fine. It wasn't like Ella and Peter weren't able to get away with much worse. Thinking this, she bit her lip, contemplating whether or not she should mention just exactly how far Ella and Peter's relationship had progressed since the last time she'd really gotten to speak with Alec.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec smirked at her response, having figured as much. She spent a lot of time worrying about Peter and Ella, he knew, and it was probably nice to get a break from all that. "I would never," he assured her with a light smile. "I never see your sister, anyways." He raised his eyebrows at her response to his next question, though, wondering at what exactly she was suggesting. "Oh? What do they get away with?" Surely it wasn't what came to mind, but both Ella and Peter knew how to get away with things, and they were both just a little reckless. And they both liked to drink a little too much for their own good.

It was hard for Alec to look at her room, which was basically the size of the entire bottom floor of his house, and think of it as being anything other than less than. It was less. But just because it was less didn't have to mean that it was inferior, it was just different. And different was okay. Her wanting to do some cooking today had encouraged him to think that maybe she could adjust to a different lifestyle after all. It wouldn't be easy and that was okay too, but it would work out. He smirked when she insisted that his bedroom was "her," too and rolled his eyes. "Not yet, it's not," he disagreed. "But I don't doubt you'll make it so."

"The wall across from the bed, next to the window," Alec answered easily. He could picture it there, and it would be the perfect thing to wake up to in the morning along with the sunrise. "So I can see it all the time. And the sun won't shine on it and make the threads fade." It would be perfect, the perfect little thing to brighten up his otherwise fairly empty house. He'd been meaning to buy some decorations, but he was still focusing on the furniture part. He'd just gotten a new table and set of four chairs for the kitchen, had a coffee table in the living room and a small table at his bedside, along with a small dresser. A proper sofa was next on the list, and then he would worry about decorating. But it seemed fitting that Josephine should be the one to give him his first proper decoration.

Reluctantly, he let her pull him across the room and sat down on the small sofa at the foot of her bed. He supposed he was right; they weren't doing anything wrong so there was nothing to worry about, but it still made him feel anxious. "I know, I know," he sighed, running a hand through his hair and glancing at the door. "Old habits just die hard, I guess. I don't know how Peter does it," he joked. The man had some guts if he was sneaking into Ella's room while her father was still here, that was for sure.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wasn't really sure she was capable of holding onto such a big secret, and it was killing her that she hadn't been able to share what she'd seen with anyone. This was new territory though. She had to figure out how to balance her relationship with Ella and with Alec - what was she able to share with Alec without betraying Ella's trust? And shouldn't she be able to tell Alec everything anyways? It felt odd, that her sister losing her virginity would have such an effect on Josephine, but it did, and for some reasons that were a bit more complicated than maybe they should be. "I'll tell you, but... Ella can't know you know. So that means Peter, too," she relented. Not that they ever actually talked, but she wanted to be sure.

She giggled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Before long it will be more my room than yours... if I have my way," she teased. With a grin she added, "But maybe if you're good I'll let you share the bed with me and the dog. Just no horses in the bedroom." She wagged a finger at him jokingly, but honestly, she'd sleep on cold hard stone if it meant she could rest in arms every night. They weren't even engaged yet, but she was excited about married life. At this point it was practically already a done deal.

She was pleased to hear his answer about where to put the flower, and she nodded her approval. His explanation even put the icing on the cake, and she smiled. "You're sweet. I think it'd look nice there, too." One day there would probably be many more decorations to clutter up the walls, whether they were things she made, or things they simply bought from the market together. A house wasn't really a home until all the personal touches were added and it felt lived in. With the home being so new, it wasn't quite there yet, but it would be eventually.

Settling in on the sofa, she pulled his arm around her so she could rest her head on his shoulder. It wouldn't be too long before her father kicked him out for the night, and she wanted to soak up as much of Alec as she could while she had him. "Peter and Ella both," she commented. "But they're young and reckless. More reckless than we are anyway." She sighed, because sleeping together outside in the rose garden was definitely the most reckless thing Ella had ever done. "So... the thing you can't let them know you know. I, uh, kind of... saw them. Together. About a week ago. After they... you know." She was red in the face just remembering it.

 

[AvianJen]

A dog. Alec thought that he'd like to have a dog. "I want a big dog," he asserted with a grin. "None of those tiny things women carry around in their bags. A real dog." He pretended to be disappointed when she insisted upon no horses in the bedroom, but it was ridiculous to think about that; a horse probably wouldn't even fit through the door of his bedroom. "That's fine. I don't imagine you'll ever escape the smell, anyways," he joked. She was always telling him that he smelled like horses, and while he'd never been able to figure out whether or not that was a compliment, it was a fact of his lifestyle and it was pretty unavoidable.

He was happy to hear that she approved of his location for her flower, because honestly he didn't know where else he would put it. It would look nice anywhere, but he wanted it to be special. It wasn't just something that he could throw up on the wall wherever and call it a day. But he thought that his location choice was perfect, and he couldn't wait to hang it up when he got home.

With one more nervous glance towards the door, Alec slid his arm around Josephine's shoulder and tried to let himself relax knowing that they weren't doing anything wrong. But he was curious to hear what Ella and Peter had been up to, even if it wasn't any of his business. When Josie told him that she'd seen them together, though, he understood pretty quickly what she was talking about. His eyes widened. "Are you serious?" he asked her. The idea that Ella and Peter had already slept together was crazy. "What happened, did you just...walk in on them?" He couldn't imagine how awkward that would have been for all parties involved. Just the thought of someone walking in on him and Josephine made him cringe with embarrassment. "And you didn't tell your father?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine had to give a giggle at Alec making fun of little dogs. "I'm not opposed to a big dog," she assured him. In fact, it was preferable. Whenever she imagined having one, it was always some kind of cattle dog, or shepherd, or retriever. With lots of fluffy fur and a wet nose. "And probably not, but I'm used to it." She didn't mind it so much anymore now that it usually meant Alec was around anyway.

Sitting comfortably together, it was hard to imagine life without him around. She was glad everything had worked out the way it did finally. It had been such a strange year so far, full of disappointments and some exciting things too, but she was ready to settle down and relax. She hoped Ella could find that kind of peace and happiness too, even if it meant Peter. She had her doubts, and she still didn't understand it... but it was what it was and she had to let Ella make her own choices in life. No matter how much Josie wished she could correct every little thing.

"Well... it's not like I walked in on them while they were still... doing it," she tried to explain, but was having difficulty finding the right words to convey what she meant. It was probably a little silly how she could blush with embarrassment around the topic despite the fact that she still wished to be with Alec intimately, and would definitely be soon, or at least once they were married, but it was a little bit more awkward to talk about her sister's sex life than it was her own - or absence or one. "But I saw the aftermath. In the rose garden of all places... and now I can't walk through there without thinking about it." She shuddered a little bit, snuggling closer to Alec just for the comfort.

When he asked about not telling her father, she didn't really know what to say. "I didn't know what to do. You told me not to alienate her, and telling father would definitely mean she'd never speak to me again. And... I don't know, I'd like to think if she ever walked in on us, she wouldn't tell either," she explained. "Still doesn't mean I'm exactly comfortable with the fact my sister lost her virginity to a pirate..."

 

[AvianJen]

Alec had always wanted a big dog. Horses were great company in his opinion, but he loved the idea of having a dog to play with as well. It could keep him company when he worked long hours in the stables, or he and Josephine could just sit outside and play fetch with a stick every now and then. He didn't have a specific breed he was interested in, he just wanted it to be big enough for him to not trip over it. And he didn't like those high pitched, yippy little barks.

Sex was a very taboo topic and it wasn't something that Alec and Josephine had spent a lot of time talking about, so he understood why it might be awkward for her to explain her encounter with Ella and Peter. Alec felt embarrassed for her just listening to her vague version of the story. At least she hadn't walked in in the middle of the act; that would have been far worse.

His eyes widened when she revealed she'd caught them in the rose garden of all places. Suddenly, Alec felt like a gossipy old woman. He wanted all the scandalous details. "They were outside?" he asked, amazed at that. What if Mr. Sinclair had so much as looked out his back window? Alec didn't know where the master bedroom was, but that was even riskier than it would have been for he and Josephine in the stables. He couldn't believe that Ella and Peter had been that daring. He was able to infer that Josephine must have caught them with each other in the morning, which was even worse. What if it had been a servant, or literally anyone else? They would have been screwed.

And it was a tricky encounter. Alec didn't know what he would have done...well, he probably would have done the same as Josephine. "Well, she never did tell on us," he reminded her. "Of course she'd never walk in on us like that, but we had our secret too. I guess...I don't know, Josie, I think you probably did the right thing. I don't think they should have done it, but anyone can see how much they love each other." Alec wasn't fully convinced it wasn't simply an infatuation, especially with this recent development, but what was he to say about it? He chuckled a bit at the pirate comment, shaking his head. "Well, he's come a long way since his pirating days," he allowed, "but it's crazy, isn't it? To think that after everything...I mean, wasn't he the first mate on that ship? Ella really changed him." They talked a bit more until finally, Mr. Sinclair made his reappearance. With a gentle tap on the door, he pushed it open the rest of the way.

"Sweetheart, Rory's got dinner ready downstairs," he said. "Is Alec eating with us?" He looked slightly troubled, but didn't reveal too much. It could easily be mistaken for tiredness.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine nodded. She thought it was an odd choice as well. If Ella and Peter had been literally anywhere else, she may not have stumbled on them at all. They were lucky, actually, that it was her and not one of the servants or father. Though, Josephine was truly the unlucky one in the whole situation, she thought. "Yes. My mother's rose garden. And now they've taken to her room at least, but I don't think they realize how much I hear sometimes..." It was incredibly uncomfortable and awkward to witness, but she felt weird about letting Ella know all that. It was bad enough she'd seen what she did once already.

And no, Ella had never told, but it felt different. "I think our secret was a little different than her secret," she said. It wasn't like she and Alec had actually ever slept together. If they had, or even would soon, she hoped they'd be granted the privacy not to be walked in on. That'd be mortifying. "It just seems so soon. I mean... I know we're not exactly a normal couple, but we've been together two years and haven't..." She blushed again at the suggestion. He of course already knew by now what her stance on that was, but it was a conversation for another time. "She's just so reckless sometimes, and I don't think he's the best influence in that regard."

Josie did suppose Peter had been changed. It still wasn't an ideal choice, in her own opinion, but maybe it could have been worse. "I guess I'd rather she be happy with Peter than miserable with anyone else. I still don't like him, though. It's kind of hard to forgive his role in kidnapping us, even if he did help us escape." The feeling, she was sure, was mutual on his part. She was fine with that. She didn't have to like him to coexist.

She startled slightly when her father came to the door. She had mostly just gotten comfortable again, and there probably was some part of her that was still nervous about him seeing her with Alec so openly now. She thought that the look on his face was because he was also unused to it, not necessarily because he had heard anything, so she thought very little of it. Turning to Alec, she took his hand and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, I think so. We'll be right down." She knew the day was winding to a close, but she didn't want it to. Their first date had been pretty perfect so far.

 

[AvianJen]

Alec could hardly believe what he was hearing. It was insane to think of walking in on Ella and Peter in the rose garden; he didn't think he was going to be that creative with him and Josie's first time, but he wouldn't want it to be outside in a rose garden anyways. That was ridiculous to him, not romantic. When Josephine commented that she could hear them sometimes, he wrinkled his nose in disgust. He didn't imagine that was something she'd ever been exposed to before. "Really? They do it when your dad's home?" Surely they weren't that stupid, but he couldn't believe it was a regular thing.

"I mean...it is quick," he agreed. "They haven't been together long, but every relationship is different, right? And I mean...to be blunt, we both know the kind of culture that Peter comes from. It's probably normal for him, and Ella doesn't know any better." She was probably right that Peter wasn't the best influence on Ella in that regard, but it wasn't like there was anything they could do about it. "Well, does he treat her right, at least?" Alec asked. He gave her a smile and a nudge. "I know you wouldn't let anyone hurt your little sister." If Peter was causing Ella real trouble, he was sure that Josephine would do something about it. But if they were just being irresponsible together, not much could be done. Alec just hoped that it didn't end up badly for them if they weren't careful.

He knew it was hard for Josie, though. After everything that she and her sister had gone through on the pirate ship, now she would never fully be able to escape it. Peter would always be there as a reminder, and they all knew that Josephine had been more traumatized by the incident than Ella. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "do we actually know what Peter's role in all of it was? Maybe he didn't have as much to do with it as we think." He shrugged. It was just a thought.

He hadn't been expecting to be invited for dinner, but free food was always a plus and Rory's cooking was exceptional. Downstairs, Ella must have stopped playing. "Alright," Mr. Sinclair said with a smile. "Hurry down." He left the door open and moved downstairs, where he sat in his place at the head of the table, Ella to his left. He had a hard time looking at her after what he'd just heard, but she was as sweet and affectionate as always. Josie and Alec weren't far behind. Mr. Sinclair kept the conversation away from Peter, but inside his head gears were turning. He couldn't allow his daughter to be with a pirate, changed or not. And he wouldn't allow his friend, Mr. Lawrence, to unknowingly be keeping one close to him and paying him, for heaven's sake. It seemed that Peter had betrayed his kindness more than Alec ever could, and had taken advantage of his daughter in a truly disgusting way. Something had to be done.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

"Well, not really when he's home," Josephine clarified. That would be especially risky. But she supposed they already knew she knew, so probably didn't care so much when she was there. "When he's away at a meeting or busy or something. But I'm still around... I don't think they realize I can hear them sometimes." And it wasn't like they were constantly doing it. Just a few times since the first, but still. There were probably other times she didn't even know about.

The quickness with which it all happened was only part of the reason it was so strange to her, too. At least Alec could agree it was fast, but then again, their relationship was moving at a snail's pace. She remembered when they first got together, she had been so impatient waiting for him to just go ahead and kiss her already. A side effect of having a forbidden relationship. It was also true that where Peter came from, things did move quickly. Pirates didn't really do relationships, they just skipped ahead to the bed and called it quits. At least Peter wasn't skipping out. "He treats her fine, I guess," she admitted. "And I always knew Ella was sort of reckless... But if she ends up pregnant, I'm not holding back on either one of them." She perked up a little, defiantly, like the fierce and protective sister she was.

But she relaxed again against Alec's shoulder a moment later. "I don't know. He let it happen. And I know there's been others before us. I just don't know how he lives with himself, is all," she said, then let out a deep sigh. "You men are incredibly stressful, you know." But no matter how she felt about it, there wasn't anything she could do. Ella had to make her own decisions and live with whatever consequences happened.

Josephine just felt relieved to get it off her chest, and at dinner, nobody at the table even realized what Mr. Sinclair had overheard. For his daughter's sake, he wasn't going to let Peter get away with this. But also for his daughter's sake, he wouldn't mention anything now. He felt awful for whatever heartbreak she may experience, but she deserved better, and he had to do what he had to do. So after dinner, while Josephine led Alec off to the stables to say goodbye, and Ella went back to entertaining herself, he went to office to write a couple of very important letters.

 

[AvianJen]

Finally, the day arrived. The day that Peter was supposed to return. Ella had been counting down the days until she'd be able to see him again, and was excited to hear about everything he had experienced abroad. She'd kept herself as busy as possible, practicing piano and preparing for school and writing her little story, but with Josephine spending more time with Alec recently it had gotten a little lonely. She was thrilled for her sister, though, make no mistake. She and Alec seemed to have fixed whatever problem they had and even if they weren't going out, Alec had decided it might be a good idea if if they just hung out together at his place, even while he was working. They could practice, so to speak, what life was going to be like together. If she wanted to come over and practice cooking while he was working, they could eat lunch together before his next session started. It wasn't every day, but Alec enjoyed those days and he thought that Josephine did, too. As for Ella, she just wanted Peter back. She missed lazy days sitting up in her bedroom reading and her goodnight kisses...but he was coming home today, and she couldn't be more excited.

Mr. Sinclair was not quite so excited. The post was too slow for him to have received a response from Mr. Lawrence and he wasn't sure how everything was going to happen today. They might already have Peter locked up on the ship, they could arrest him as he walked off...he had no idea. But he wasn't coming home, and Ella didn't need to see any of that.

"Sweetheart, do we have to go to the docks?" Mr. Sinclair asked, straightening up his tie. Ella was standing in front of a mirror on the wall downstairs, checking that her hair was perfect for the thousandth time. "Maybe Peter would rather get a ride back to the estate, have a second to get his land legs back."

"Father, no," Ella protested, grinning from ear to ear. "I want to see him the second he gets off that boat. And I'm sure he wants to see me, too."

"Ella, I understand, it's just that I'm not feeling very well this morning and-"

"Go lay down, then. Get some rest." Ella stood up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm sure Josie and I can handle ourselves."

"No, no." Mr. Sinclair sighed again. He couldn't have that. "Alright, sweetheart. Josephine, are you ready?"

The small family piled into their carriage and headed down towards the docks. Ella was giddy with excitement when they pulled up; the docks were bustling with activity as the merchant ship arrived. The workers started unloading boxes as soon as the ship was secure, but all Ella did was scan the crowd, looking for that familiar head of long brown hair she loved so much. Finally she caught sight of him walking down the ramp, flanked by two rather large men. "Peter!" Ella called, jumping up and waving so that he could see her. She made to run forward, but before she could Mr. Sinclair grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Wait, Ella," he said, his voice strangely calm. "Wait just a minute." When Peter drew closer, Ella could see that his hands were cuffed together. The two men that were walking beside him weren't just walking beside him, they were holding onto him, making sure that he didn't get away. Ella's eyes widened, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Why...why is Peter locked up?" she asked, starting to panic. "What happened? Peter!" she tried to run to him again, but again her father held her back. Ella turned to look at him with wide, terrified eyes and his heart broke.

"Sweetheart...it's been discovered that Peter has committed crimes of piracy. He'll be tried for his crimes."

"What?" Ella cried. Her heart dropped to her stomach. "What are you talking about, Peter's not a pirate! He's not!" She tried to tear away but Mr. Sinclair held her tight.

"He is a pirate," he said quietly. "I know that you know this. And I'm sorry, Ella, I know that you love him."

"Well...he has to be let go!" Ella was distraught, tears already forming in her eyes. She didn't understand any of this. "He's not a pirate, and he's not dangerous, he's...Josie, tell him!" She looked towards her sister desperately. "I need to see him."

"Ella..."

"I need to see him! Let go of me!" Ella managed to tear herself free from her father's grip and tear through the crowd towards the man she loved. "Peter!" she threw herself at him, reaching for his chained up hands. "Peter, Peter what happened? Why did they do this to you, what....I don't understand!"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

While Josephine had a Peter free couple of weeks with Alec, and Ella filled her days waiting, Peter had a rather eventful time. It had all started out just fine. Perfect, even. The only thing missing was his girl on his arm, but he couldn't wait to tell Ella all about it when he returned.

The first few days passed on the open water, and he and the other men worked hard counting and recounting inventory. He helped with some of the sailing and maintenance of the ship, and Mr. Lawrence tutored him on selling a product and making good trades. When they arrived at Port in their city of choice, he had a busy day putting all that he had learned to work. He'd even earned enough to buy Ella a pretty little souvenir - a necklace that someone had strung a scale on. They claimed it was from a mermaid, and clearly having seen them himself, it was not, but he thought the story amusing and that it might be something Ella would enjoy even if it were but a fish scale. He'd went back to the ship in high spirits, and spent the night playing cards and joking with his shipmates. The next morning, however, two men had burst into his quarters, slapped shackles around his wrists, and had dragged him down to a holding cell in the belly of the ship. Just as he'd always feared, he'd been found out.

Understandably, he'd been dreading the day they actually returned. The last thing he wanted was for Ella to see this. As he knew she would be, she was waiting at the docks for him. For a week, he had already been heartbroken, just knowing that this was the end. He would lose not only his chance of a good life, a job, a stable future... He'd lose Ella. And in a few weeks, after a trial, he'd lose his life as well. Therefore, hearing her voice calling his name, seeing her face among the crowd, made it all that more difficult. He could hardly bring himself to look her way, and hung his head in shame instead. It would be easier to remember her bright and cheery face - not the one of disappointment and despair at seeing him shackled and dragged off to jail.

Of course, Ella wasn't the only one in shock. Josie looked from Peter, to Ella, then to her father as he explained. She didn't like Peter, no, but she didn't want this either. And how had father even known? Who had found out? Who told? "What?" She asked in disbelief. "Father, no... Something's wrong! This isn't right!"

And then Ella was running towards him, and try as she might to reach out and stop her before she could get there, Josie wasn't quick enough to hold her sister back.

As she approached, Peter winced and turned away from her. As much as he loved her, as much as he wished he could say goodbye, it felt wrong to do it like this. He had gotten too comfortable - and they had gotten too careless. They should have known they couldn't hide his secret forever, and now the inevitable had come. He'd done wrong by her by letting her get too close to him. He had stupidly, selfishly fallen in love with her, and now he had broken her heart like he knew he would.

"Ella..." He said. "I'm sorry, I-" one of the men holding him pushed him forward, and he groaned at the sudden movement.

"Keep moving," the man commanded to him. Then to Ella, "Move along, Miss. This man's a criminal. Wanted for kidnapping and piracy."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella didn't care what anybody else thought. She forced her way through the crowd and ducked under boxes until she reached him. He didn't even look at her, and what broke her heart even more than the sight of him in chains was the expression on his face. He wasn't even trying to fight. How could he have already given up?

She didn't have time to figure out what had happened, and to an extent Ella didn't care. All that mattered was getting him out. He wasn't a pirate anymore, he was a good man, and Ella would never stop making sure everyone knew that. But this was not how she'd expected this reunion to go. Someone had ruined it, and it was not okay.

"Let go of him!" she demanded, shoving the man who pushed him. "Stop it, there's been a mistake. He's not a criminal, he's my boyfriend, and he's coming home."

"Well you're going to have to find a new boyfriend, doll," the other man said. "The one's going to prison. He'll be lucky if he keeps his head."

"Oh no. Don't you 'doll' me, mister." Ella was outraged. "He's been gone for two weeks! I don't even know why this is happening, I deserve to talk to him! I get to talk to him. Five minutes," she requested, grabbing onto one of the men's sleeves to keep from getting lost in the crowd. "Two minutes? Please. I love him, haven't either of you ever loved someone?" Her outrage soon turned to desperation and tears began forming in her eyes as she continued to follow them. She didn't want to say goodbye, but she needed to see him. Talk to him, just for a second. "What will it change, anyways?" she challenged, raising her voice as they continued to drag Peter away towards a carriage. "You'll still take him away. I just want a minute before you do."

Finally, one of the men seemed to tire of her nagging. "A minute, or two minutes?" he asked gruffly, turning back to look at Ella's tearful face. Ella lifted her hands up in exasperation.

"As much as you can give me."

Stopping next to the carriage intended to cart Peter off to prison, the two men finally gave in to Ella's pestering. "Make it quick," one of them insisted. They didn't leave, but they did shove Peter towards Ella.

"Thank you," Ella gasped, catching him. Blue eyes wide and saturated with tears, she ducked under his chained hands so that his arms fell around her and placed her hands on either side of his face, looking up at him. "Peter," she said tearfully, combing her fingers through the ends of his hair as she loved to do. "I'm so sorry, I...I don't know how this happened but I'll fix it. We'll fix it, I promise, and I'll get you out..." She nearly burst into sobs at the mental image of Peter sitting behind bars, but there wasn't time for that. "And I love you. So, so much."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

(again, thanks for being patient!)

It was possibly the most heartbreaking moment of his life, even more than when he had told her that first kiss had meant nothing to him. Part of him would have found it easier if she just let him go, rather than have to face the look on her face now. For an ex pirate, he sure was a coward. He thought so too himself when she persisted, and a pang of pity and heat break hit him again when she succeeded in convincing the guards to give her a moment with him.

Her insistence was endearing, but he said nothing for a moment. Just looked at her with his saddened eyes, knowing that, try as she might, there was next to nothing they could do now. It was his time, and all he could do was be thankful for his time spent with her. "Ella," he said after a moment. "I was charged with piracy and kidnapping... There's no way out of this." No way to convince anyone that he was innocent. He may have helped the girls escape, but that didn't excuse his crimes before them. "We both knew this was a possibility. It's better it's happening now, while you're still young... While you still have time to find someone better."

He didn't want to hurt her, but he wanted to put it as straightforward as he could. This arrest was a death sentence, and it was better she was prepared for that. Better he was, too. "I love you, too, Ella. And it was a privilege to have loved you for however short it was..." He was even starting to choke up now, not wanting to say goodbye, but knowing he had to.

He leaned forward the distance it took to give her a kiss on her forehead. If she had forced her way up into his arms, there was no harm in having this now.

 

[AvianJen]

((Not at all!))

Ella didn't understand why he was saying this. This was ridiculous, he was just resigning himself to his fate? That wasn't okay with her. He wasn't allowed to die. When he said that it was better because she had time to find someone better, Ella had to resist the urge to slap him. "Don't you dare," she said sharply, trying not to burst into tears so that she couldn't talk. She'd have plenty of time for that later. "And don't you dare say goodbye. I'm going to fix this..." she didn't know how, but she'd figure something out. Her resolve not to cry too much was strong until she saw Peter start to tear up, and then she completely lost it. She hugged her arms around his waist as tightly as she could and sobbed into his chest, soaking his shirt all the way through.

"Alright, alright. We have to break this up." The men returned and roughly pulled Peter's arms back over Ella, separating them. They'd get in huge trouble if something happened, and the instructions were to take Peter to the jail immediately. Ella could hardly control her crying.

"Wait," she sobbed, reaching for him one last time. She pulled him down into a wet, sloppy kiss, not wanting to think about it but knowing that it might be the last one they ever shared. "I love you," she managed to choke out again. "Don't give up yet. Please." The men tore Peter away and shoved him in the carriage, leaving Ella alone. As it began to roll away towards town, Mr. Sinclair and Josephine finally caught up to her.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," their father said to her, pulling her into a hug. Ella hadn't put together all the facts yet so she hugged him back tightly, still crying.

"He's going to be killed," she sobbed.

"That will depend on the outcome of the trial," Mr. Sinclair said softly. But yes, he probably would be. He hated how heartbroken Ella was, but it was what was best. If only she and Peter hadn't gone so far or fallen so hard. Maybe it would be easier on her.

"We...we have to get him out," Ella whimpered. "We have to."

"Ella..." Mr. Sinclair pulled Ella away and leaned over to look her in the eye. "Sweetheart. It's true, isn't it? He's a pirate, and he participated in the kidnapping of you and your sister."

"No!" Ella insisted vehemently. "It's not true! That's bullshit, it's not true! Why would you say that?" It was true...but to Ella it was irrelevant. Mr. Sinclair just sighed, exchanging a glance with Josephine.

"Let's go home," he decided. "We'll talk about it later. There's nothing we can do now." Ella moved from her father to Josephine, holding onto her sister for support as they returned to their own carriage. Ella cried the whole way back and as soon as they reached their estate, she dashed inside and went upstairs, but instead of going into her room she went to Peter's. She took one of his shirts from the closet he would probably never see again and crawled into his bed, curling up. One shaky breath at a time, she managed to stop crying. But Peter was going to die, and although Ella had promised to fix it...she didn't know where to start.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Peter winced with her tone. He understood that she didn't want to hear him say it... But if she couldn't be with him, there were plenty others who could still care for her and love her. He just didn't see that there was any other outcome to this. Ella,for as long as he had known her though, had determination that could never be outmatched by anyone. she wouldn't be herself if she didn't deny him or fight against this, and it was this that made him simultaneously feel his love for her grow even as his heart cracked just a little bit more.

He didn't say anything more. She was already crying now, and he was too though he was trying not to. How could he say to her that he had given up already? How could he find hope in this? Sure, he'd have a trial. But he couldn't deny his piracy. He couldn't deny his part in kidnapping the girls. The laws on this were strict, and if he was lucky they would grant him a quick and merciful death. To be a free man after this was next to impossible.

So he said nothing, for her sake, and simply nodded. He kissed her goodbye, trying to make it count. It may be the last time he ever saw her. "I love you, too," he said for the last time, and then his guards were pulling them apart. He didn't dare look back as they shoved him into the carriage and away from the docks.

Meanwhile, Josephine's mind was racing as she tried to piece together what was going on. How anyone would know. It was possible, she supposed, that Peter had been recognized as a pirate. But as their kidnappers? There were only four people who knew about that. Herself, Ella, Alec, and of course Peter himself. Alec wouldn't... Would he? No, she didn't think so, but she wasn't sure. She would have to ask him. She didn't want to believe that she may have accidentally given away Peter's secret.

The thought of it gave her anxiety. She tried to push it down and instead channeled it into trying to comfort Ella. She held her on their way home, silent. She didn't know what to say. She was in shock.

It was a few hours later, now that Ella had a few hours to process, Josephine as well, that she made her way up to Peter's room. She didn't have to look in Ella's to know she would be here rather than there.

"Ella?" She said, knocking then coming in. With her was a cup of tea and a small piece of Rory's cake. She sat on the edge of the bed. It was still hard to know what to say. "Ella... I'm really sorry. I... I never saw this coming." She knew what Ella was going through, in a way. But at least she never had to worry about Alec dying. Peter would most likely be dead in a month. The thought turned her stomach.

 

[AvianJen]

This was, without a doubt, the worst thing that had ever happened in Ella's life. Every time she started to calm down she thought about Peter and envisioned him being led to his execution and the tears started again. After an hour or so she had managed to calm down a bit, but she was still curled up in Peter's bed, his shirt around her shoulders like a jacket and hugging his blanket to her chest.

When Josephine came in, Ella had started to become more productive, at least with her thoughts. She kept trying to think about how she could possibly save him. Maybe if she claimed she was pregnant...no, that wouldn't do anything. That would just upset everyone, but it wouldn't change his fate. The only thing she could think of was to somehow prove that he was innocent, but she had no idea to do that. Even if she could get up and testify to his innocence, somehow someone had found out the truth. And Ella loved him, so her testimony probably wasn't as strong as it could be. She didn't know if she could get Josephine or Alec to help...or if that would even work. She needed to know how he'd been found out before she could think of a way to proceed.

Physically, though, she was still curled up in a ball. Her eyes were red from crying so much and she had a massive headache that only sleep would fix. "Hi," she mumbled, pulling herself up to a sitting position. She couldn't bring herself to smile, but she accepted the tea and took a sip. "Thank you." Ella was quiet for a minute. It had been a few hours since she'd seen Peter being dragged off, but she still wasn't sure she'd fully processed it. "I just...I don't understand," she managed, her voice hoarse from crying. "I haven't breathed a word about Peter, I haven't. I can't believe he'd be crazy enough to let it slip himself, but if he did that we're screwed. And I know you wouldn't, Josie, but I have to ask...have you said anything? I just don't understand how this could have happened, and...he's going to be killed if he's found guilty, Josie, the punishment for piracy is death." She felt the tears coming again. "I'm can't see him die, I can't, I have to get him out. I just don't know how."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine sat on the edge of the bed. She was having trouble understanding it as well. She used to think Ella would be better off without Peter, but now that this was happening... It was hard reconcile. There was a lot about Peter she didn't like, but he didn't deserve death and her sister didn't deserve this heartbreak. It was unfair that just as she and Alec found their happiness, her sister had to find her and Peter's undoing. And father... He seemed oddly at ease with all of this. Like he knew.

"Of course I haven't said anything... I wouldn't do that to you," she said. Not to father anyway. She knew that she and Alec still referenced Peter's pirate ways from time to time, but always when they were alone. Unless... Unless someone had overheard. But they were always at Alec's. Except for that one time... No. She didn't want to think about it. She couldn't be the one responsible for this.

"I don't know... I don't know that he can get out," Josephine said honestly. "I don't know how to make this better. Unless we try to convince the judge he's changed... Maybe they could lighten his sentence. At least save him from death. I don't know..." She just wanted Ella to be happy. It was all that mattered.

 

[AvianJen]

Ella nodded. She knew that Josephine wouldn't say anything, regardless of how she felt about Peter, but she just had to ask. It did seem odd that Father was so at ease with all of this, but Ella hadn't even allowed herself to think about that. If Josephine and Alec hadn't said anything then it couldn't be his fault, but it was possible that Mr. Lawrence had sent him a letter explaining what had happened.

Josephine wasn't very encouraging, though. Ella took another sip of her tea, trying to keep from crying again...she should be dehydrated by now. "If we find out how he was exposed, we could make an argument for it being a misunderstanding," Ella speculated, trying to keep her head clear. It was hard when all she wanted to do was break down, but Peter's life was at stake. Ella had to figure out a plan. "I think...I think Father might know how it happened. We could deny it. You, me, Alec...we're the only witnesses to what actually happened. But we'd have to come up with a story, and Peter would have to be in on it...and he'd have to stop being so goddamn noble and lie. Sometimes I think he's changed too much." She loved him for it, but in this case it would be a lot easier if he had less moral conviction and a better sense of self-preservation.

"We need to convince the judge it's a mistake, that it's not true," Ella decided. "That's the only way we can get him out. If they know he's a pirate then he will die." The punishment for piracy was very clear, so it would have to be wiped off his record. "Even if it's something like he was acting like a pirate to keep himself from getting killed, or posing as one like Alec to help us. He was never a real pirate, anyways. He was always better than that." Ella's mind would never be changed on that front. Convinced that her plan was the only way, she finished off her tea and set it on the bedside table. "I have to go talk to Father," she said, rolling out of bed. There was no time to waste.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine had to admit that Ella's optimism was endearing, but what she was suggesting seemed impossible. How could they possibly convince anyone that Peter wasn't a pirate? He certainly looked the part, with his long hair and tanned skin. And while Alec was hailed as a hero still, it was impossible to mistake him as a pirate even though he'd pretended to be for a time. He had an alibi. He was their stable boy. Peter, on the other hand, had no such luck. No family, friends... Nothing. No one other than the three of them to make a claim. And what if one of his old enemies came forward? If someone else recognized him?

She would hate to see Ella go through so much effort if it failed. But maybe it would be worse if she did nothing - she would blame herself for his death. At least this mission was distracting her, and Josephine had to fight her instincts to encourage Ella to let it be. There were better men than Peter. Maybe this was a blessing. Still, she also couldn't bear to also see her heart break, and if this is what prolonged it...

"Whatever you need from me," she said. "I'll... I'll do." She couldn't let Ella think she had no one, either. But a part of her panicked when Ella said she had to talk to father. She did not want to believe it, but she had a terrible feeling this was her fault. If Ella knew... If Ella were to find out before even Josephine could be sure... Her hand shot out to stop her sister. "Wait!" she said. "I'll go. You've had a hard enough day as it is, and... And I'm not so sure father will be the most open with you and the details given how involved you and Peter were. He'd try to shield you from the truth."

She stood and smoothed her dress. "I should also talk to Alec... Let him know what happened. If this is something you really want to do, we'll need his help."

 

[AvianJen]

Ella cracked a smile in Josephine's direction, appreciative of her support. She knew that Josephine would always be there for her but there was a part of her that had thought she might decide to tell her that she needed to get over it. Ella knew how Josephine felt about Peter, and now she wasn't the only one who thought that Ella could do better. It meant more than Ella could say that Josie wasn't saying that- she knew how this felt, kind of. She and Alec had been forced apart, but she had known that despite what everyone else thought he was the only one for her. Ella felt exactly the same about Peter. She didn't have to meet all the men that Josephine had to know that Peter was the only one she wanted. She'd rather never marry than marry someone other than him. She loved him so much that it drove her crazy, especially right now. "Thank you," she said genuinely. "I really appreciate that."

She was positive that the first order of business was to go and talk to Father, though. He obviously knew something about how all of this had happened and that was the first piece she needed to start solving this puzzle. When Josephine stopped her, though, she was confused. Why didn't she want her to go? Her explanation kind of made sense, though. Father might gloss over some of the details talking to her because it had happened so soon. Maybe sending Josephine was the best option. "Oh...okay," she agreed. "But you'll tell me everything he says, you promise? I don't want it sugarcoated, I want to know what really happened."

When she mentioned going to visit Alec, Ella nodded again. That was probably a good idea, too. "Maybe I could come with you to see him," she suggested. "I mean...Peter is my boyfriend, after all. And I'll go crazy if I just sit in here by myself all night." Ella had already been crying for hours; she was done doing that, and she wanted to do something productive.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

(Well I suck. My reply never got posted. Sorry!!!)

Whether Josephine gave Ella all the details really depended on what father said. It was selfish of her, perhaps, but if this ended up being her fault, Ella would hate her. She couldn't bear the thought of that. Apart from Alec, Ella was really the only person she shared everything with. Her closest friend. "Of course," Josie said with a nod.

She turned to go talk to father, but Ella stopped her yet again. Her sister actually wanting to go visit Alec was unlike her, but she supposed after losing Peter, she needed a distraction and something to do. For once Josephine wasn't really sure she wanted Ella to come with, if only because she didn't know the details yet. And some of those details she might need to discuss with Alec. Alone. But she couldn't deny Ella now. Not when she needed her. So she smiled, and touched Ella's hand lightly. "I'm sure Alec wouldn't mind. I'll come find you once I figure all of this out, then we can go."

A few moments later, she knocked, anxiously, on her father's door. If she was lucky be would tell her something like "Peter was recognized" not "I overheard a conversation between you and your boyfriend". He just seemed so unusually calm about it... Like this wasn't a surprise and he'd had time to process it. "Father?" she asked, pushing the office door open just a crack. Mr. Sinclair sat at his desk, busying himself with some work. "It's me. Can we... Can we talk about this morning? Ella's a mess. And I want to try and understand what happened."

 

[AvianJen]

((That's okay! I got a weird notification that said you'd posted a couple days ago but then there wasn't anything, I wonder if that had something to do with it?))

Ella didn't really want to go see Alec just for the sake of seeing Alec. They'd never really seen eye to eye on anything and she didn't get much enjoyment out of going to his place. The real reason she wanted to go was so that if they needed his help with Peter, she might be able to make her case. If Josie asked then of course he would testify on Peter's behalf, but Ella felt the need to be involved in it. This was Peter's life they were talking about, and it couldn't possibly be a bigger deal. Ella felt like she needed to be there, and she really would go crazy if she was left here all alone with nothing but her thoughts. "Okay," she said, nodding. She still wanted to go talk to father and hear about what was going on for herself, but if this was what Josie thought was best then she would sit back for this one conversation. "I'll just be here..." When Josephine left, Ella changed into more comfortable clothes now that she wasn't thinking about trying to impress Peter any more, and she went for her mythology book, curling up on her love seat and reading it by herself until she inevitably started crying again.

Mr. Sinclair knew that his daughters would be coming to talk to him sooner or later, but when he heard Josephine's voice he was admittedly relieved that it was her instead of his youngest. His heart broke for Ella and knowing the pain he had caused her, but it had to be done. She wouldn't understand now, but one day she would...he had to keep telling himself that if he was going to be able to live with himself.

But just because he was relieved it was Josephine didn't mean he was ready to talk about it. He was getting too old for these girls. Letting out a heavy sigh, he looked up from his paperwork and met Josephine's concerned eyes. "Yes, we can talk," he said tiredly, gesturing towards the seat in front of him. "Sit down, sweetheart." When she was ready, he continued. "There's not much to be confused about. Peter is a pirate, and he participated in yours and your sister's kidnapping. Ella knew this. You knew this, and Alec knew this. Why you didn't tell me the moment I arrived at the harbor I can't understand. He's dangerous, and he's a criminal. I promised you girls justice, and justice will be served to him. I just...I can't believe I let him fool me for so long. And his sins are not a thing of the past; he continued to betray my trust under my own roof. He took advantage of Ella- at least Alec is honorable. I am sorry for Ella, but I will not have him back in this house. He will be executed for his crimes."

That was the other awful part of all this. He was genuinely fond of Peter. He'd allowed him into his home, given his permission to see Ella and had genuinely hoped that they might marry one day. But now that was out of the question, and Ella's purity had been compromised. Peter had done wrong by him and by her, according to Mr. Sinclair, and if kidnapping his daughters wasn't enough then that was enough to put him over the edge. Mr. Sinclair's daughters were the only thing in the world that mattered to him, and Peter had harmed them both. He would pay for it, most likely with his life.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

(Hmm. Maybe! Probably something to do with the update.)

Josephine shuffled into the room and found a seat across from her father's desk. She didn't really know how to approach this conversation, but it seemed like he was ready to just jump in with his explanation. She felt like she could sense some disappointment rolling off of him, and she frowned. Could she even ask how he knew without completely ruining any plan Ella might have come up with? It sounded like father was convinced everyone but himself knew the truth. He wasn't wrong, but... It complicated things if they had to come up with a story.

"You didn't seem to think he was dangerous when he first got here. Today's the only day I've seen you look at him like that," she said. In fact, until today, he always seemed to look at Peter with more approval than he looked at Alec. And Alec really hadn't done anything. "Don't you think if I thought he was dangerous... I would have said something to you? And Ella. She's hardly ever glanced at a man before Peter. She's picky. She has standards. She wouldn't choose just anyone." At least putting it that way didn't indicate that father was right about any of it.

She had to frown at his comparison of their boyfriends as well. Admittedly, it was something she did all the time. She'd even voiced such comparisons to Ella, but hearing her father do it... That wasn't fair. Peter had his flaws, but Peter was equally as responsible for getting them off that ship. Truthfully he had been nothing but honorable since leaving the pirates behind as well.

"It took you long enough to recognize Alec's honor, so don't... Don't use him as a weapon against Peter, father," she snapped. They were happy now, but she was still bitter about their forced separation. But this wasn't about that, so she sighed. "Whatever you heard... However you heard it. It's not true. Not the whole truth, anyway. You don't know the full story, and... How could you let a man lose his life over a rumor? Can't you trust us? I know I've lied to you before, with Alec, but Ella... Father. She needs your support."

 

[AvianJen]

Mr. Sinclair didn't see the point in prolonging the inevitable. Josephine was going to press him for an explanation and that was clearly what she was here for. He wanted to believe that Josephine would have told him if she believed that Peter was dangerous, but she hadn't and again his trust was being challenged. But Josie had known exactly who Peter was and hadn't had the good judgment to tell him. What was he supposed to think about that? And Ella had standards? That was news too- he loved his little girl, but she had no measurable standards. Ella was a smart girl, but she wasn't always logical. She made rash decisions based on her emotions, and this seemed to be an especially unfortunate instance of that.

"You know what I mean," he snapped back when she complained about using Alec's honor as a weapon against Peter. "Please, Josephine, I would love to hear the full story. Because I'm failing to understand how you claiming Ella has lost her virginity to a pirate, the first mate no less, and finding difficulty in forgiving him for the role he played in your kidnapping can be spun in a way that will work out well for Peter. Did I miss anything that would clear his name?" He didn't think so. He didn't see how that was possible. "I'm tired of being lied to, Josephine."

He softened somewhat when she begged him to support Ella, but his resolve was firm. "I want to support Ella," he said, the intensity in his voice lessening. "But supporting her may mean something very different to me than it does to you. Whatever she did with that man will remain secret. I won't use it against Peter and let it ruin her too. She'll still go to university but in the meantime I will arrange a marriage for her." Ella clearly couldn't be trusted to make her own choices. "And we will do everything in our power to help her through the weeks to come," he added. "The heartache will pass, eventually, and we will forget all this."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josie paled. "How... how do you know about that?" she asked. Unless father had actually stumbled upon Ella and Peter himself, how would he know that Ella had lost her virginity to him? She found it unlikely he would have let it continue if he had. That could only mean he had found out some other way, and there were only two other people who knew about that. Her and Alec. And she knew Alec would never say anything, given that he and Josephine had been in a similar predicament not that long ago, minus the sex anyway.

No. No, she didn't want to believe it. Her worst suspicion was true after all. Father had overheard her at some point, probably talking to Alec. With just a couple sentences he'd revealed that he knew much, much more detail than any person off the street could know. But he didn't know it all - and hearing that he wanted to now arrange something made her panic. And furious. "No! Father, you can't do that! Ella would probably rather die than marry anyone but Peter. Things might have been different a few months ago, but... this will destroy her. Maybe even worse than losing Alec almost destroyed me."

All she ever wanted for Ella was for her to be happy, for her to not have to experience the heartbreak she had felt not so long ago herself. There were things about Peter that until now Josephine thought she could never forgive, but... apparently she had. Because she didn't want Peter to die, and here her father was, content that his daughter's boyfriend was probably going to hang. "Peter's not that much different than Alec. He's equally responsible, maybe even more so... for getting us off of that ship. Alive. And relatively unharmed. Maybe he's not an angel, but... none of us are, and he's been working hard to make you and Ella proud. He doesn't deserve to die, and Ella doesn't deserve the heartbreak."