Disclaimer: I don't own TOTC
Ever since his fiancée drowned in the ocean Sydney Carton had been terrified of the water. He avoided it whenever he could to the extreme. He wouldn't bathe in the river instead deciding to use the sink at the local tavern to wash up. His heart would start to pound any time he saw someone in the dunking pool. They could drown he thought to himself and sometimes would have the guts to say it.
One day Charles and Lucie took their 3 year old daughter down to the beach. Sydney tagged along. Little Lucie was playing at the edge of the ocean when a water current came and dragged her deeper into the ocean. Lucie screamed in horror. Charles had started to run towards the water but Sydney was closer and he was the one that took action.
Without thinking of his fear of the water or perhaps because of his fear of the water he jumped in.
I won't let Little Lucie become another Sara, he thought to himself, She's like my own.
"Hang on," he told her, "Just hold on"
It took several minutes to reach her but once he got her he held her very tightly and lifted her onto his back.
"Put your arms around my neck," Sydney told her and she quickly complied.
It took a couple of minutes before they reached shallow waters. Cradling her like a baby he kissed her forehead, took his own towel and dried her off.
"You're alright little one," he whispered to her holding her close as he carried her back to her parents.
"Sydney," Lucie hugged him and kissed him quickly as a gesture of grateful friendship and love, "Thank you so dearly for saving her"
"She's like my own," Sydney said.
Charles handed Sydney his own towel to dry off.
"You've always feared the water so much," Charles said.
"I did," Sydney admitted, "But I feared losing my- I mean losing her more then I fear the water"
Sydney blushed realizing what he had just said but Charles didn't seem to notice the slip.
"I cannot," Sydney continued, "let my past control me anymore."
"You don't let your past control you," Charles said gently
"If I hadn't," Sydney replied, "Sara would still be alive. If I hadn't I wouldn't have made the mistakes I made. If I hadn't-"
"If you had," Charles interrupted, "you wouldn't have jumped in the ocean to save her."
"She's like my own," Sydney said
"I've known that for years," Charles replied
"And you are my family," Sydney continued, "You gave me the chance to be someone special. I wish I had been able to understand that long ago. I'm glad that I do now"
"If it weren't for you," Charles said cradling his sleeping daughter, "She wouldn't be here now"
You don't know how true that is, Sydney thought to himself, Neither of you do"