Chapter 7: Meeting of a Stranger

"Please, it was my entire fault. I should have been watching where I was going." The young man smiled at Vivien with kind eyes. More people began to fill in the gaps of the station as the sirens got closer. Screaming, crying and a bunch of commotion began to overtake their ears. But it didn't really affect Vivien or the young man.

At 5'9 the young man towered over Vivien and her small frame. His big hands looked as if they could take anything that were thrown at him, but they also appeared kind and gentle. His torso was thick with muscle. Had a strong square jaw, with a diamond shaped face? The young man also carried himself nicely. As a dark green outfit were the clothes on his back. His dark green eyes looked down into Vivien's blue ones. He was tall dark and handsome. He reminded Vivien of a prince her father use to read to her about when she was a little girl. The young man's black hair was neatly in place. Very clean cut and much like a gentleman.

"If I may ask, what is your name?" the young man asked as he still looked down at Vivien. He had never seen a girl as pretty as she was. It had been said that there was a young lady in all of London that was most beautiful, but alas know one had ever seen this girl. It had been said that she never showed her face to the public and that she always stayed tucked away in a big lovely estate that was hidden within the country side. However, this young man thought he had found her at long last.

"My name is Vivien Alexander," Vivien smiled her cute smile as her dark blue eyes glistened back with happiness. She knew how to hide her anguish and she knew how to keep it hidden. That was until someone who truly cared asked and Vivien knew she could trust them. Unknowing to Vivien this young man she would be able to share her awful, life threating story with.

"Isn't your father Richard Alexander?" the young man asked snapping his fingers as he knew he had heard of that last name.

"Yes, he's a Lieutenant," Vivien said nodding her head as she was very proud of her father. At the sound of her father's name sadness filled her heart. She missed him so much. "Why is it that you know my name, but I don't know yours?" Vivien had to get her mind off of her father as quickly as possible and besides it wasn't polite not to ask the other person's name.

The young man laughed, "Aw, that is rather odd isn't it. It's Laurence Kent. But people call me Larry." The young man puffed out his chest and then laughed. Vivien looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Was he trying to impress her? Going a little too far didn't he think? Vivien just pushed this aside.

"It's nice to meet you Larry." Vivien said shaking his hand. At the mere touch of his hand a strong, but gentle currently flew up her arm. Vivien jumped slightly, but it wasn't enough to where Larry could notice.

"As it is nice meeting you as well," Larry said kissing her hand gently. Vivien could feel her knees go weak while her hands began to tremble. What was going on with her?

"What made you come here and during an air raid? Of all the times to come here." Larry asked as he pulled out a cigar. "Do you mind?" During things such as this he always had to have a cigar. He once tried to break the habit but found that it was too hard. So he just kept with it.

"Oh, no," Vivien replied as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She didn't want to tell him that she detested such things. "It's a long story." Vivien bit her lower lip as she began thinking. What was she doing? She didn't even know this young man and yet she was about to poor her life story out to him.

"I'm sure we will be here for a little while." Larry said as he looked around. "That is if you want to. You don't have to." As he turned his gaze back onto Vivien he could tell that hers had softened. Her eyes were no longer guarded by the layer of untrustworthy.

"My home life could be a little better." Vivien said with a sigh as she began thinking about all of the nasty things that had happened to her at home. Meanwhile Callie sat in Vivien's arms reaching for a piece of food that was in Larry's left hand. "Callie, no," She pulled Callie away from the object.

Larry laughed. "She's alright," As he gave her the rest of the food. "That's too bad about your home life. Your father talks about you often. He says how nice you are but he's never said how beautiful you are." Her father spoke the truth. She truly was beautiful. She was nothing like he had ever seen before. From the color of her eyes to the perfectness of her smile and grace.

Vivien could feel her face go red. She figured that her father talked about her a lot. What father did not? "That doesn't surprise me. I'm the light of my father's life. After all, my mother died when I was just five months old. When I was a year old my father got remarried to a lady named Catherine." Vivien was about to go on when Larry stopped her.

"Is that who Catherine is?"Larry asked giving Vivien a look that told her he didn't know who she was.

"Is who?" Vivien asked to see if he could get where she was going. Looking around she saw many people that she knew from Notley. Some of the people would come to the parties that were thrown there. Sir Ernest Barrington and Lady Suzanne Barrington, James Kingston, Sir Logan Richardson and his wife Lady Rachel Richardson. Vivien veered back into the shadows. If she were to be spotted then any one of them would report back to Catherine telling them of where they had seen her at. Then her life would be in more turmoil then what it was already in.

"Your stepmother," Larry asked as he put the cigar out and into the nearest ashtray. "Your father's mentioned her a few times as well." He looked in the direction of which Vivien's gaze had just gone to. "What's wrong? Do you know them?"

"Yes, yes, I do, but I would rather I not be seen." Vivien hesitated a little before she answered Larry's first question, but she couldn't hold back. Here was someone that was willing to listen that didn't know her stepmother. "Yes, she isn't the best either. Has he told you how cruel and hateful she is to me?" Vivien questioned as she could feel warm tears coming. "Has he told you how much she despises me so much that she wants me dead?" Larry looked at her for several moments before she went on. "It's true. When I was six years old she held my wrist over a hot stove. Burning my wrist. Leaving a scar for all to see. She wanted me to remember all the bad things I had done. But none of it is true!" Vivien caught her breath before going on "She tried to send our Butler out to kill me, but he had mersey on me. He didn't want to kill me because I'm like one of his own children to him." Her voice begun to crack as Vivien thought back over the past six or so months. "Has he told you any of that? Of course not. He would never do such a thing." Big round salty tears came with a vengeance, running down her lovely face the tears began to stain her face. Taking out his handkerchief Larry handed it to Vivien. Dabbing her eyes she realized what a full she was being. "Thank you," Vivien said as she wiped her eyes once more. "I'm terribly sorry for blubbering on like this. You must think me a fool."

"You're quite welcome." Larry replied. He couldn't help but feel sorry for this girl and they had just met. Her home life was much worse than his. "Not at all." He thought her very pretty, but not a fool.

Through the whole ordeal about Catherine Vivien had forgotten to ask about his family. How silly and how foolish of her, "It seems that during my crying outburst I've forgotten to ask about your family."

"Aw yes my family." Larry laughed as he clapped his hands together. "Where to begin, I have one brother Andrew he is two years older than I. Andrew and I are both doing our effort for the war. My father helps to recycle steel; you know to help re-build planes and my mother works for the Red Cross. We lived quite a quiet life, but when the war came, well things just got all chaotic." Vivien could tell that he truly missed his family. Maybe even far more then she missed her father.

"Yes, it seems that all of our lives have been shaken hasn't it." Vivien answered. "Your parents must be devastated to have both of their sons off at war."

"My father was proud to have his sons doing what he couldn't do, while my mother tried to persuade us to do otherwise." Putting the cigar out in the nearest ashtray he rubbed his hands together to keep warm. It was a very chilly night.

"It's all clear. Off we go!" the voice of a man came.

"I'm afraid it's over. You know I've never enjoyed an air raid more." Smiling at Vivien they left the underground. "It's very unlikely that we will see each other again." Larry said as he flagged down a Taxi.

"Oh, why do you say that?" Vivien asked turning towards him. Larry was the first nice person she had met in quite a long time. Yes, Max was nice and yes her father's friends were nice, but it just wasn't the same. Having someone closer to your age to talk to was nice just the same, but something just seemed different, very different.

"Well you see I'm on leave and now I have to go back." Larry said as he opened the taxi door. "To the war I mean."

"That is unlikely." Vivien answered as Larry waved his hand for her to get it. "I'm just heading down the street here, but thank you." Oh how sorry she felt for him. Going away and not knowing if he would ever come home to his family.

"May I write to you?" Larry asked. "After all it does get very lonely in the army."

"I'm afraid I won't be going home for quite a while." Vivien said as she began messing with her hands. For all she knew she would never return to the lovely estate. As long as Catherine held range over Notley she wouldn't step foot back into her childhood home.

Taking out a pen and a small piece of paper Larry began writing something down. "This is where I'm stationed at. You may write me whenever you find time." Larry said handing Vivien the paper. "I would love to hear from you."

"I will see what I can do." Vivien said with a smile as she put the paper in her purse.

"Well it was nice talking to you." Larry said as he kissed her hand and departed. Watching him leave Vivien could feel her heart in her throat. Swallowing a little she felt her heart slow down a little as she watched him depart into the night.

Turning in the opposite direction Vivien began making her way down the street. This would be a new place and a new adventure wouldn't it? But yet while Vivien began walking down the street all she could think of was Larry. Maybe she would run into him again somewhere? However, that was very rare, for he was going back to the war. Then again she might write to him.

A/N: Aw, yes you finally got to meet Larry. What do you think? Did I do a good job of making him her prince? I will try and update again soon. However next week is finals for me so it might be a little while.