James's heart sunk lower and lower as time passed and his knocks went unanswered. He couldn't comprehend what was going on. Emma needed to be on the other side of that door, opening it, right now. Where could she be? His brain couldn't think in a straight enough path to have any logic or sense. Emma was the only thing he had been thinking about for the past several months, she was the reason he was alive. Now he had a second chance and he needed her in his arms this instant.
"No one's at home, mate" A voice called from behind him.
Turning slowly, James squinted slightly against the sunset to see if he recognized who the voice belonged to.
It was simply an old man, who looked as if he were a gardener or something of that sort.
"Who are you?' James asked desperately, abandoning his post at the door and turning for the stairs again.
"Im just Gregor Houndsend, mate. I do a bit of grounds keeping for the lady. Lord knows she has enough on her plate to worry about the weeds in the garden..."
"Emma? You know Emma? Where has she gone? Is she alright?" A barrage of questions flew from his mouth as he went to meet this stranger in the yard.
"Aye sir, poor girl. Her bloke's done gone and gotten hisself killed. She done spent an awful lot of time at the church mind you, then one day she says she found her calling and went out to town to be a volunteer nurse. Lots'a men coming in wounded there as of late. I think she's half hopin one of em'll be hers... But who are YOU? What d'you want with the lady?"
"Im... I'm just an old friend. I was hoping to find her here... but she's in town you say?" James repeated, mind swimming with this new information.
"Aye, she usually don't come home till late in the evening. I make her a pot a stew or summat but she don't eat much." Gregor eyed James up a bit, as if he were trying to decide whether or not he should be giving the man anymore information. Other than his height, James was not exactly an imposing figure at the moment. He was wearing borrowed farmers clothes, looked a bit peaky, and in all he just looked like a lost little boy.
James stood quietly, waiting anxiosly as Gregor pondered something. James could sense he may be on the edge of something important about Emma, so he remained silent, holding his breath and praying for the man's cooperation.
"She should be home in about an hour, aint no use in going off after her" Gregor sighed finally "If you'll give me a hand with supper, perhaps we'll all have a proper meal tonight. Looks like you could use some food in ya"
James' stomach flipped over and he breathed out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh Gregor, thank you. You have no idea what this means..." he could feel his hands shaking and his knees growing weak.
"Sit down boy, I'll fetch some water." Gregor patted his shoulder as he passed him and went into the house while James collapsed onto the step. He swayed forward and backward, his whole body tingling in anticipation. His patience was all spent up, he needed to see his love.
It felt like decades passed as Gregor prepared a rather simple dinner and set the table as best he could. Gregor told him stories about himself and how he'd managed to find Emma.
"Poor girl was cryin in the church one day when I was there, tending the garden. I gave her a flower and told her to cheer up. Finally she stopped her crying and told me what had happened to her and I asked if she happened to own a garden. Didn't seem right for a nice girl to be left all alone like that, so I came to take care of her. All my kids's left, all grown. And my wife died last year from the fever. It seemed God saw two people all alone in the world and introduced us" Gregor chuckled. It was clear he'd taken on a grandfatherly affection for Emma and James was glad someone was here to care for her.
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a sound that stopped James's heart in its tracks. Footsteps on the porch. He turned toward the door and the handle turned. As if in slow motion he saw her slowly emerge from the outside, still in her uniform.
"Gregor I-" Emma choked on her words as she stared at the unexpected guest in her home.
"Oh my God" she breathed, dropping her bag on the floor. She began to tremble violently and James finally was able to force his legs to move. His long stride made quick work of the distance between them and his arms reached out and caught her just as she collapsed.
James fell to his knees, Emma in his arms, weak with shock.
"You were dead" Emma cried tears beginning to roll down her delicate cheeks. That was all it took, before her body was wracked with sobs "An officer came here and told me you were dead!"
"Im sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" James whispered over and over, rocking her back and forth. He was crying as well, and his tears mixed with her hair just as hers were soaking into his shirt.
They stayed there, crying in each others arms and clinging to each other with all their might.
Finally when all the tears had been shed, Emma pulled back to wipe her eyes and look at him, really look at him for the first time.
A weak smile fluttered on her lips as she reached up to wipe away his tears as well.
"You came back to me" she murmured. Her hands held his face firmly as if she needed him to be completely still in order to take this in. Then she ran her fingers through his hair and traced his lips, his nose, his jaw line, as if seeing him for the first time. He closed his eyes and she leaned up kiss his eyelids.
Emma wrapped her arms his neck and huggged him. When his arms held her tightly and securely, squeezing her, she felt as if the frost were melting from her heart and she could feel warmth once against.
"I came back to you" James repeated softly into her ear.
She pulled away again, but not very far. She kissed him, softly at first but with little encouragement needed, the kiss intensified.
Finally when the both of them were out of breath, they sat in silence, just holding each other. James stroked her hair, eyes shut as he just took in the moment wth her.
"I am never leaving you again" James announced finally. "I swear it, Emma. If you'll have me, I'll marry you - tomorrow even - and we can start a new life. I'm a dead man, we can go anywhere you like. No one will be looking for me. Whatever you wish, its yours, my love. Just say the word"
Emma looked up at him again with a smile.
"All I need is you, here with me" She told him "I will marry you, oh James. I love you so much. I never thought I would be able to feel happiness again, and here you are. A man back from the dead to prove me wrong" And a laugh burst from her throat, with such glee, that James couldnt help but chuckle with her.
"You'll never be unhappy again, not if I can help it" he promised.
Emma gazed up into his face, smiling with adoration and pure bliss. James gazed back before he leaned in and kissed her again, content that from now on he'd be able to kiss her whenever he wanted, and she would never be far from him again. Things would be different, maybe even difficult at times to adjust to, but James was certain he was never disobeying her again, and as long as his heart was beating, he would never stop loving her.