A/N: I wrote this a while ago, recently found it again, and decided to try polishing it up. Hopefully, the flow makes relative sense, as I don't have a beta reader to tell me when I'm doing badly.
Disclaimer: I do not own Liberty's Kids.
Her Ring
"It's like he was near me – always."
When James listened to Sarah share with him the importance of her father's locket, he knew what he wanted to do.
Though he had been saving his mother's ring for sentimental reasons, James always knew the time would come when he would need to sell – or give – it away. He had always assumed he would need to sell it when he started his own print shop or had some sort of emergency. As for giving it away, the young man could think of only one reason for ever giving it away: it would be to a fiancée or wife in the far-off future.
However, James never expected that he would give it away to a British girl while still in his young teenage years, much less to be used as a simple replacement for her lost locket. But something in his heart had come undone when the pretty redhead had quietly explained how greatly she valued her necklace.
He told himself he was crazy, but as she spoke about her father and he rubbed his hand against his ring while they looked out into the abandoned Boston streets, he had to restrain himself from ripping it off then and there.
It went beyond trying to thank her for her help in saving them from Lieutenant Hampton and his soldiers, which was the hasty reason James later gave to Moses and Henri when they protested against using his offering. It was a need to protect her, a yearning to keep her safe. In his own way, he wanted a part of himself near her, holding her. Whether they were separated by a sea, a city, or simply an arm's length, James wanted to always be near her, holding her close.
When he thought about it later, lying on his bed trying to fall asleep or spending a night in one of Washington's camps, he never could find a rational reason for justifying his sacrifice for a girl who, at the time, he hardly knew. He supposed it was born out of some sort of desire to make her feel friendly towards him, perhaps a peace offering between their differing opinions.
But giving up his only remaining possession of his parents and not regretting it years later… He was in love with her and saying that he had given up his ring as a friendship token was truly a poor excuse, James realized in hindsight, because now when he asked Sarah to marry him, he would have nothing to offer.
It wasn't until after the war when he proposed to her — yes, he asked Sarah and he couldn't quite himself believe it —and she gently laughed when he sheepishly admitted he had no ring that he realized he had indeed been quite foolish.
"Dear James, you lament the absence of an engagement ring when you already gave me such a beautiful ring ten years ago?" she asked tenderly, taking one of his strong hands in her equally capable ones as she looked up at him, green eyes shining.
"I told you it was the greatest gift I had received, but I must amend my statement now because I know that this," she shyly touched his chest as she spoke, "is truly the greatest gift I could ever receive."
And then James did something he'd longed to do since he had given Sarah his ring. He carefully took her in his arms and held her, his heart clenching tightly in his chest at the sight of her wrapped in his embrace and smiling up at him.
He had given her his ring. He had also given her his heart and she, in turn, gave him hers.