Déjà vu

A/N: This is my first writing experience. What an unexpected way to begin an authors note, huh?

In fact,I wrote the fic ages ago and posted on a certain wonderful forum well known among Candy fans. Apparently, re-reading this after such a time gap I would't say I am even nearly satisfied with my creation. But since I have nothing better to offer the CC world, please, bear with it. Oh yes, I am a modest person. And actually, the story is not so severely bad either. It has undergone some changes especially the final chapter since the initial publishing.

The fic is based on the manga and anime as well, but there are just a couple of references to their content which are insignificant to the complex understanding of the fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Candy Candy and the characters. The ownership issue was resolved without my parttaking; I guess now it's final whom Candy Candy legally belongs to. If you have been seeking for someone to blame and make responsible for your childhood trauma it's definitely not me.

Chapter 1: Reaching for the dream

A briskly rattle of train wheels, tiny villages, woods and fields flashing by, the feeling of nervous expectation and awakening impatience, everything seemed to confirm that he was finally nearing the welcome moment when his dream would come true. He could barely sit on his place, his look swiftly moved from his watch to the window and back to his watch, passing this track over and over again. Every two minutes he rose from his seat, leant his head close to the window pane and peered forward trying to go ahead the train with his gaze. He knew that only a couple of minutes, no, just a few seconds more, and the place that was the key to his dream would appear on the horizon. The train from New York was approaching Chicago. Terence Graham Grandchester was finally going to make his dream come true.

Opposite him Eleanor Baker watched her sons impatient movements with the corner of her eye, smiling inwardly. She pretended no to notice Terrys agitation and seemed to be reading the script of a new play she was going to play in, but being a loving mother she couldnt help sharing her sons excitement. Moreover, at this very moment Terry, who had been so reserved for a certain period of his life, represented quite an interesting sight.

A voice from the loud-speaker solemnly announced that in ten minutes the train would arrive in Chicago. Terry jumped up from his seat and was about to pick up his suitcase it had already been taken off from the shelf by Terry an hour ago when his mother reached for his hand and invited him to resume his seat with a slight gesture.

"Calm down, Terry. I bet you have been carried away by your emotions and missed the in ten minutes part of the announcement."

"Have I? I just can't put up with the idea of spending my time doing nothing but staring out of the window stupidly and waiting."

"... and doing clockwatching", Eleanor Baker put away the script and looked up. "Honey, I understand now that all your ways are clear you cant sit on your hands. Just try not to rush things. There are only several minutes. Not months, not years, Terry!"

"Right, not years..."

How many years has it actually been? Six? Seven? A round dozen maybe? They appeared like a hundred to him, though he was perfectly aware of the number of years, month and days he had been deprived of her. Three years and a half had lasted his personal hell, it took him three years and a half to find the courage to take control over his fate. The events of the last two days seemed to be so far away now.

* * *

He was going to propose to Susanna. He was supposed to do it to be more specific. At first in private and then at the official dinner that Mrs. Marlow had appointed on the same afternoon in advance. Such a haste wasn't surprising at all. The only thing that might have looked strange was the fact that Terry was the last person informed about it. Apparently, Mrs. Marlow believed he wouldn't be able to postpone his proposal for the third time and he would give in under her pressure upon his wounded guilt and duty feeling. He could as well have got accustomed to being manipulated and told what to do at Marlows place. However, it was the last straw. Every day he woke up with the realization that he had to live in regrets and sorrow for the rest of his days, with his desperate need to see Her, to feel Her and to be with Her and only Her getting stronger and nearly unbearable. As a result, having spent quite a lot of time meditating on the subject of love and duty Terry concluded that the only duty of a man was to protect and make happy the woman he loved.

So it occurred to Terry that hed been enough the puppet of the Marlows. He didn't argue with the over-protective mother. But as he entered the room of his soon-believed-to-be bride he had no intention of connecting his life with her any longer. Oh, what a scene full of tears and pleadings broke out in the house! One couldn't have though of better food for scandal-starving reporters. Susanna's tears and pleadings very soon were dampened down by torrents of swears and threats from Mrs. Marlows part. Much to Terry's relief this time he had his reinforcement with him. While Mrs. Marlow was having a purely lady talk with Eleanor Baker, Susanna took charge of setting the mass opinion on the right track. A few moments later her soapy remarks persuaded the whole reception room of Terence G. Grandchester being the most heartless and irresponsible monster. On seeing his supposed bride's enthusiasm all Terrys doubts about her tendency to suicides vanished at once. She had evidently become livelier after replacing her wheelchair with prosthesis. The tension in the house was too strong and Terry left this place once and for all as soon as he managed to make his way to the exit.

Later he received a letter from Susanna which read that she actually was sorry for and ashamed of having made the scene and most of all she was sorry that they had ended up like this. She confessed to him that after thinking things over that evening she realized that maybe to let him go wasn't an infinite disaster. She loved him, but at least she realized that her life couldnt base upon the unshared love any longer. She had understood it quite a long ago but had no courage to make the first step to freedom, hers and his. It looked like they both had needed something to trigger their break up, and strange as it might seem it turned out to be their engagement party.

* * *

"What exactly are you going to do now, Terry?" Eleanor's question brought Terry back to reality.

"I'm going to visit the clinic where she worked during my last visit in Chicago. After that if I don't meet her or learn where she is, I'll go to the flat to where I used to write letters. I'll go to the Pony Hill, the Andrews mansion, to the ends of the earth after all! Wherever she is I'll find her. I'll find my Lady Freckles and take her back."

The fervent answer pleased the young mans mother to no end. Her son was back. Once again he was back thanks to the freckled lively girl, who was truly the savior of her family. Eleanor Baker secretly wished she could accompany Terry and with her own eyes witness his son's reunion with the love of his life. No, it was impossible. Not only because she was in Chicago on business and had to perform today, but from considerations that two young human beings in love would need some privacy after being separated for several years.

It was natural that one part of her, the most motherish one, didn't want to let him go alone and was afraid that her child could make a mistake, stumble somewhere, need her advice No, Terry wasn't a child any more. Eleanor Baker saw a man ready to overcome every obstacle on his way and challenge the destiny.

"Whats up, mom? Are we getting off? Weve arrived already. I see you don't have to hurry anywhere, but I beg you, have sympathy with me!"

"I'm sorry honey. Right, we have more important things to do. Let's go."

While getting off Terry could tell for sure he was carried by some intangible force as if the emotions that overwhelmed him burst forth, interflowed and materialized into wings.

Wings? Who though up this nonsense? Terry gave a half smile. Is it what they call the Wings of Love? Sounds sappy. But I guess I have to agree with it.