DISCLAIMER: No offense is meant to the men of the Easy Company or anyone living resembling our characters. We only own Lorraine and of course anyone else who isn't real.

Nights in white satin
Never reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send-Nights in White Satin, Moody Blues

Chapter 1

Portland, Maine-1938

Lorraine sat at the end of the pier dangling her legs off the end watching the small fish feed from the breadcrumbs she'd dropped in. The hair that had escaped her braids blowing around her face caressing it in the gentle breeze. Smiling she knew that being out in the sun would cause her hair to lighten and the small smattering of freckles across her nose to return. She really didn't care, but the fact that it would upset her mother pleased her. Since turning sixteen she quickly realized that the only pleasure she had in her life was making her mother insane.

Sighing she picked at the scab on her knee out of boredom. Just this morning her mother had lectured her for not behaving properly at breakfast and that song was getting old. The only joy she found was sitting her alone watching the fish at least they didn't yell or judge her every move.

Since her birthday her mother thought she should start to take a more active part in society and begin to act more like a proper young lady. She personally had other ideas. She hated the dresses, preferring to wear pants and no shoes whenever she could. When the winters in Maine seemed to last forever you took advantage of summer while you could and she was determined to enjoy it.

Sighing again, she dropped her head down into the palm of her hand. There was no one to hang out with, even with it being summer most children were out working on their parents boats, so she was left alone. The females her mother wanted her to associate with were boring and stuffy, just like her mother. Of course, her father owning the cannery also ensured that she had no friends. It was hard to make friends when your father controlled their father's lives.

Sitting here wasn't making it any better. Getting up she decided to go to the cannery and maybe her father would have time for her since her mother never did. Creeping up the back stairs to his office, she saw a young man sitting outside the door waiting on something.

Walking over she stopped in front of him waiting for him to lift his head. When he didn't look up, she poked his leg, "hey what are you doing here? Are you waiting on someone? Do you want to go hang out?"

"No."

Frowning she bent over trying to see the boys face, "oh come on if you're waiting why not wait with me?"

"No, you're a girl."

The boy finally looked up and she was fascinated by his eyes. They moved between hazel green and dark brown and he had an intense stare that she'd only seen on adults.

Scuffing her foot across the floor, she tried to hide her disappointment. "Oh that's what I was afraid it was. So you don't want hang out with me because I'm a girl?"

The boy nodded, "right, now go away, don't you have something else to do?"

She scuffed her feet again and sighed, "yeah I guess I could find something else, but I wish you would change your mind."

"No, go away; I've business with your Da, so off with you."

She was about to start her argument again when her father's office door opened and he stepped out. "Good Lord Lorraine, how did you get out of the house without your mother seeing you dressed like that?

Shrugging she stared down at her feet, "I don't know, she was talking to someone in the parlor and I went out the back. Father isn't there something I can do here?"

Reaching over and tugging her braided hair, "yes you can go home and change. You're a young lady now; you need to start acting like one. Now go home and make your mother happy." He kissed her forehead and pushed her way turning to face the boy she'd just been talking to. "Alright son, let's have a look at you. So how old are you."

"I just turned eighteen and I'm trying to earn some money by working part time my last year in school."

Lorraine took the chance to look at the boy while he was talking to her father. She wouldn't have called him handsome in the classic sense but he was definitely more interesting that the milk sops her mother kept dragging home for her to meet. His speech had a funny accent to it and while she couldn't place it, she liked the way it sounded. Maybe she could ask him sometime where he was from.

"Lorraine, I asked you a question, why are you still here?"

She could feel the heat rush to her face as the boy she'd been staring at turned his attention back to her a frown marring his features. "I'm sorry father, I'll go."

Stopping beside the boy, she gave him a shy smile, "maybe I'll see you around."

He watched the girl run down the stairs missing the look the father was giving him. Had he seen it he probably wouldn't have even looked her way. Turning back to look at Mr. Davenport he saw the man was eyeing him critically.

"Sir, I'm a hard worker, give me the chance to prove it."

Michael Davenport was a hard man; he'd worked his way up from the shipping boats and managed to marry well providing him the funds to buy the cannery. He also liked to think of himself as a fair man and a good judge of character. He was confident the boy could do the job and he'd decided to give him a chance, coupled with a word of warning. "Alright you have the job; however you're Scottish born yes?" When the boy nodded he continued, "I'd work on losing the rest of that accent if I were you, you'll get further in life. So what's your name boy?"

The boy reached to shake his hand. "Speirs sir, Ronald Speirs."

"Lorraine Davenport, what is that thing you are wearing? I don't understand you; you were not raised this way, why do you insist upon embarrassing this family by dressing like some fishmongers urchin. I want you upstairs right this minute and into something proper for a young lady."

Lorraine turned and started up the stairs with as much enthusiasm as a convict going to be executed. She was half way up when her mother's voice stopped her.

"Yes and make sure you dress for dinner we have a guest coming and I want you looking nice. I'll be up to check on you later."

Once her bedroom door was closed behind her she stuck her tongue out in her mother's direction. Flopping on the bed she knew exactly what company was coming, another potential suitor. Her parents had arranged for her to attend some prestigious finishing school just outside of town. The bright side of that was only two years of school left; the down side was she would go on auction to the highest bidder that much sooner. She was convinced she'd been conceived for one reason and that reason was to marry up the social ladder.

William Davis the Fourth was absolutely the most horrible human she'd ever met. From his mousy brown hair to his dull brown eyes, she wanted to throw something at him, just to get a reaction. Trying not to sigh she looked across the table at Mr. Boring and tried to act interested in his latest tirade over the fishermen in the town.

Stealthily glancing at the clock she realized this wouldn't go on much longer and she'd be able to escape to her room. Tonight was a full moon and she had plans to head down to the shore, she'd heard some kids talking about the big bonfire and party they were having and maybe, just maybe she could sneak in unnoticed.

Feeling the pinch on her arm, she glanced at her mother to see her frowning. She realized she must have missed a question. Smiley sweetly, "I'm so sorry William; I must be a bit tired tonight. Could you please repeat the question?"

Her simpering act must have worked because he puffed up and cleared his throat, "yes, well I was asking if you would like to accompany me Saturday day sailing, of course with your parent's permission."

Glancing over at her mother she cringed when she saw the smile on the woman's face, "well of course she may go it will be wonderful. What time should be expecting her home?"

Plastering a smile on her face, she felt a cold shiver pass down her spine. This was her future, mind numbing dinner parties surrounded by people who bored their own reflections. Hmm, wonder if Dracula had bored his own reflection and that's why he didn't have one. Catching a glimpse of her father, she realized he was as miserable as her. That confirmed to her that this little get together was all mother's idea.

Standing at the door, she bid good night to William Davis the Fourth and tried very hard not to snatch her hand away as he pressed a slimy kiss to the back of her hand. The mental groan echoing through her head, Saturday was only two days away. Turning she watched as her mother beamed at her father.

"Oh Michael that went so well and he's asked her out on Saturday, this is wonderful. He comes from a wonderful family and would make an excellent match."

Her father met her eyes over her mother's head and must have saw the panic in them, "now Helen, she's only sixteen, she's got plenty of time to make a match and well I'm not sure about this boy, he seems a little weak to me."

Her mother moved to the sideboard and poured herself a sherry tsking at her father. "Michael, he's perfect and it's never too soon to make those connections and matches. Of course she still has to finish school to be properly educated, but an early guarantee of marriage to a prominent family would be a very grand thing indeed."

"Mother, you do realize I'm still in the room right? My God, now I know how a brood mare must feel begin paraded before the choice stallions for breeding."

Beside her, her father choked back a laugh while her mother slammed the glass down hard enough to break the stem. "You will not speak to me like that young lady. I know what's best for you and I find your reference to breeding stock insulting. This is your place in life and the sooner you learn to accept it the better off you'll be."

She watched her mother smooth her dress and take a deep breath calming herself. "Now I think it's time you went upstairs. You're father and I need to discuss some things."

Lifting her head, she left the room refusing to even say goodnight to her parents. She was too angry to be trusted to speak.

Helen turned to Michael, "well I can see that you are no help with this. Why didn't you say something?"

Taking a glass of whiskey, he moved to his favorite chair. "Well I didn't say anything because I didn't think you'd appreciate me agreeing with her." As his wife gasped, he held his hand up halting her future tirade. "Helen, she's sixteen, let her grow into this and besides those couple of years at the school she'll adjust. The harder you push against her the harder she's going to push back."

Helen dropped on the couch glaring at her husband, "yes well she gets that from you. What do you propose to do if she alienates every eligible male in the area? What then Michael? I'm certainly not letting my daughter lower herself to marry some fisherman's son."

He tried not to flinch at her words. At one time he really believed they had married for true love, well time had shown it was true loving alright, his wife's true love of money and power.

"Helen relax, I've a friend in England who would be perfect for her, but he is willing to wait a few years until she is properly educated. He's been recently widowed and I think he might be the right choice in the end."

"Well we can always use that as a fall back. But Michael, I expect you to speak with her tomorrow about this."

"Yes dear."

Lorraine rushed around the room quickly changing and putting her clothes away. Fixing the bed so it appeared that she was in it took her longer than anything but pleased with her deception she crept out of her bedroom and down the backstairs. She'd oiled the backdoor earlier so no sound was made as she slipped out into the night.

Making her way to the beach, she could hear the noise from the party and crept to the start of the path that would have taken her down. Standing over the crowd below her she realized she'd have to be content to sit and watch, she'd never been accepted and it hurt too much when they just ignored her. Maybe if she waited until they had drunk more.

"What are you doing here?"

Whipping around she twisted up in her own feet and ended up on her ass in the sand staring up at the man behind her. "I…I wanted to come to the party, but now." She waved a hand down at the beach and sighed, "guess I'll just stay and watch. What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, "thought I'd come down and see what the big deal was. You know it's probably not the safest thing for you to be here alone."

"What are you going to do run back to work tomorrow and tell on me? Because you made it very clear today how you felt about hanging out with a girl."

Running his hand through his hair, "no I'm not going to tell your Da, I mean father, but it's just you here by yourself and well, that's not a good idea."

Dropping her head on her knees, she scooted her butt around so she could ignore him. "Fine consider me warned. Have a nice time."

Looking down at the party and then looking back at her sitting alone he was torn. Before he could make a decision she spoke, "look if it'll make you feel better I'll go sit over there in the shadows, I've done it before."

He watched her get up, walk over to the edge of the forest, and sit down. Had he not been watching her he couldn't have told you exactly where she was. Sighing in relief, he started down the hill to join the party.

She had no idea how long she'd sat watching the people laugh around the bonfire, but the cold was seeping into her bones and she probably needed to head home. She had no idea why she tortured herself this way, she needed to accept that she'd never fit in. Getting to her feet, she brushed off her pants and took the path through the woods to the house.

She was so lost in her own misery that she didn't see the two men step from behind a tree.

"Well look what we have here. A little blonde pixy, where you going sweetheart?"

Looking between the two men, she saw there was no way around them. She slowly began to back up, "I was just on my way home if you'll let me pass."

"Hey Bill, hear how she talks all proper like, you're one of them rich brats ain't yeah?

Shaking her head, she kept backing up hoping to put enough distance between her and the men that she could turn and run. "No. I live in town yes, but I'm not a rich brat."

"Yeah sure you ain't, you're coming from that party down there, so maybe you can party with us."

Turning to run she'd only made it a few steps when someone grabbed her braid and pulled hard enough to jerk her off her feet. Crying out in pain, she found herself on the ground with one of the men on top of her. Trying to kick or scratch them, she realized the one of top had her pinned.

"Alright you got her Bill, come on don't be selfish, get her to her feet so we can both have a go."

When they pulled her to her feet, the moon broke through the clouds and she could see both men's faces clearly. These weren't boys they were men who worked at the cannery, "well look here Bill, this is the bosses daughter. What you doing out of the house little girl? Looking for a party?"

Lorraine's eyes narrowed and when the man let go of her arm to grip her around the waist she kicked him between the legs and ran again. This time she was out distancing them.

She glanced back over her shoulder for just a second and collided with a solid object, knocking both of them to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?"

She could feel the sobs of relief clenching her throat, she knew that voice, "please you have to help me, two men…"

She got no farther than that and he had her up pulling her off the path and behind a large tree. He quickly put her back to the tree and stood in front of her his chest pressed against hers.

"Shh, be quiet, they'll hear you." He put his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming as the men stumbled by looking for her and cursing her every step of the way. When quiet return he removed his hand and stepped back.

Lorraine couldn't stop shaking and her knees went weak sliding to the base of the tree she pulled her knees into her chest and tried to disappear. She felt him sit next to her and put his arm around her.

"It's okay, you're fine now. Just relax and when you feel better I'll walk you home Raine."

"Why…why did you call me that, that's not my name, it's Lorraine."

He laughed, "I know but it got you to think about something else didn't it?"

"Yeah, so Mr. I don't like girls, you ever going to tell me your name?"

"I never said I didn't like girls, I just said I didn't want to hang out with you."

She couldn't stop the look of hurt on her face or the tears in her eyes. She should have known that he would be like the rest and not want anything to do with her. Pushing to her feet, she put her hand out to shake his hand.

"Well thank you so much for your help. I'll be going now."

He looked down at her hand like a snake about to strike and she quickly pulled it back when she saw it. Turning away from him she ran off through the woods not looking back, she didn't want him to see the tears.

WELL I NEED TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO BER1791, THIS REALLY WAS HER IDEA I JUST TOOK IT AND RAN WITH IT. THANKS SWEETIE, YOU'VE BEEN MY BIGGEST FAN.