((This is set in 1920, almost 12 years since Mary came to Misselthwaite. The C's are mostly based on the book… but parts in the movie will be added in at times.))

It had been raining in London for four weeks now, on and off, making it impossible to enjoy going outside even for a minute. The sky was gray and dreary, sending eerie winds and shadows throughout the cobblestone streets. People were closing their shutters, wrangling their children inside, and scolding the family dog for bringing in the mud.

However, the rain was a blessing for Mary Souwerby. Rain was like God's way of sending his love for her. Instead of pulling the shutters tight, she decided to leave one open so she can watch the water fall from the darkened clouds.

---

It had been almost twelve years since her life had changed dramatically. Mary had gone through so much in such a short period of time. She had almost died with her parents when the flu hit. She had fallen in love with a secret garden. And she had also fallen in love with two young men at the same time.

And yet, as happy as she was at Misselthwaite Manor, Mary ran away from there when she turned fourteen. She remembered it so clearly: there was something about the house that was just so… overwhelming. Dickon and Martha had accompanied her, and with Martha's help, they were all able to buy a small house in London.

Four years later, and Mary had turned eighteen. She had blossomed so beautifully since she arrived at Misselthwaite Manor. Her blonde hair was naturally curled into ringlets that lay neatly against the center of her back. Her skin was not as pale as before. Yes, Mary was fair-skinned still, but there was color and life that had taken the place of her once-spoiled and melancholy nature. Dickon had grown up, too. He was a workingman of twenty. There was a riding school nearby, and because of Dickon's love of animals, he decided to become a trainer there. His dirty, boyish appearance from before had shaped up nicely into a strong and handsome gentleman.

Dickon confessed his love to her one day when they were outside in their own small garden. He proposed to her five months later, and they were married off in a month. Mary found out she was pregnant when they came back from their honeymoon, thus the beginning of a beautiful family.

However, things would turn out to be not as wonderful as they seemed. Martha fell ill right before the baby was born. She died that very night, of an unknown sickness. Dickon fell into a state of depression, but bounced right back when little Nathaniel Souwerby was born almost two weeks later. However, Martha's death had ripped a piece of his generous heart out, and Mary started seeing Dickon less and less, as he took his sadness out on working.

---

The rain had settled a little bit now, and Mary sat, watching the people pass in their automobiles and underneath their umbrellas. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a loose braid, and Mary twisted it around her finger as she watched the rain.

"Mummy, where is Father?"

Mary turned around at the sound of her son speaking to her. She smiled and held out her arms to her three-year-old son, who gladly ran into them. Nathaniel Archibald Souwerby looked exactly like his father in every way, except, however, for his eyes. Instead of those beautiful brown eyes Dickon possessed, Nathaniel's eyes were blue, like his mother's, and like her cousin Colin.

However, thoughts of Colin Craven were pushed out of her mind since she left Misselthwaite. She couldn't even remember what he looked like. Her family was her life now.

"Darling, he'll be home soon. He's working," Mary said soothingly, smoothing out her son's messy dark brown hair.

He was staring out the window, with a confused look on his face. "But it's raining," he stated matter-of-factly.

Mary sighed and turned him around to face her. "Yes, but he doesn't want the horses to get wet. You don't want them to get sick now, do you?"

Nathaniel shrugged. "No, I suppose not."

Mary tapped his soft little nose. "As soon as he is done putting the horses back in their homes, he will come home."

"Promise?" Nathaniel asked.

Mary didn't answer. Instead, she just smiled and placed him back on the parlor floor. "Run along now. I'm fixing supper in an hour, so don't go outside right now."

Nathaniel ran off, his little black shoes tapping on the wooden floor. Mary loved her son with all of her heart, but he needed his father there, too. Mary remembered what it was like to be raised without parents, and if Martha had not have been there for her, Mary was quite sure she would still be lurking in her room at the manor.

Martha, however, was dead now. Mary continued to watch the rain, resting her chin on her propped up hand. If anything should happen to Mary, she was afraid Nathaniel would turn out the same way she had started off: destitute and depressed.

---

Mary had awoken to a large, warm hand pushing her braid over her shoulder. She felt lips touch the nape of her neck softly, and she turned around hastily. Dickon looked just about as dirty as he had when he was a boy. Mary beamed and fell into his outstretched arms.

"Oh, Dickon. Nathaniel and I were so worried," she said into his chest.

Dickon's hand stoked her back. "It's alright, Mary. The horses needed to come back from the pasture," he explained.

Mary pulled back from his embrace and looked him square in the eye. "Nathaniel has been waiting for you since early this morning. Why are you always away like this? Neither of us likes it."

Dickon frowned. "I am always working, Mary. I have to make money to feed this family, you know. Can I do that by just staying here all day? You should be grateful you're here all day."

Mary stepped back. "Darling, I only wanted you to know that Nathaniel needs you. He wanted to go ride the horses today, and you left before he could even wake up. Before I could even wake up."

The running and repetitive "Father" coming from Nathaniel interrupted their argument. Dickon looked at Mary for a second longer before he pasted on a smile and picked up his son.

"I wanted to ride the horses, Father," Nathaniel pouted, folding his arms stubbornly.

Dickon carried him up the stairs. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel. Next time, I promise. Let's go and read a story or two before supper."

Mary stared at the empty staircase in disbelief. "What nerve!" she exclaimed, walking into the kitchen and pulling out a couple pots. Dickon had been gone all day, and the first thing he did when he came back was argue.

There wasn't much left in the pantry to make, but with a little rummaging, she came up with a bunch of vegetables and a half a chicken in the ice box.

---

The rain had gradually worsened, and rolling thunder could be heard in the distance. The thunder was ironic in a way, for Mary was sharing the same kind of increasing anger. A couple of tears slid down her soft cheek, landing in the stew that was now on the stove heating up. More tears came, and they only kept forming with every thought of her husband and son.

Suddenly, a knock on the door had startled her from her thoughts. She sniffed, quickly wiped the tears from her face, and walked towards the door. "I will answer it," she called out to her family, knowing they probably were not going to leap up voluntarily to answer it, anyways.

"Yes, can I help you?" she asked, when she opened the door to a tall man in a brown raincoat. His hair was soaked and dark blonde, and a little facial hair was forming a stubble of a goatee.

"Mary? Mary Lennox?" he asked, the rain pouring down on him.

She shook her head. "No sir, it's Souwerby now. Can I help you?" she repeated, becoming increasingly aware that the stranger could take her away from her home at any given moment without Dickon knowing.

"You don't know me, do you," he stated in slight surprise.

Mary shook her head. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't. If you would excuse me, I have supper to attend to."

As she started to shut the door, the man's foot stopped it from closing completely. She opened the door back up and waited for him to speak.

"It's Colin," the man stated simply. "Colin Craven."

((That's the end of chapter 1. Please R&R. Chapter 2 will come soon if you guys enjoyed it! ))