Hello again! Rereading my story I have found a lot of little inconsistencies and I want to apologize for that. I started this before I was pregnant and now have a one year old, so I believe that it may be time for an update. I felt like I had written myself into a corner after Jo spoke with Marmee, so this is taking a different direction than where I originally wanted to go, but I'm rolling with it. Thanks for continuing to read.

Jo awoke to the fresh morning light creeping into her cozy little room. With an actual night's sleep behind her, Jo March did seem to have a brighter outlook on the day that lay ahead of her. When last she left her boy, Laurie promised to give her all of the time needed to make a proper decision. Though Jo did not end yesterday with the clarity that she had wished her mother would give her, the lack of pressure made the forthcoming day palatable. Making her tiny bed and darning a light spring gown, Jo combed through her wild locks and hurried down the stairs for a little breakfast. The sounds of Beth's delicate hands stroking the keys to her piano filled the March home as Jo sat at the kitchen table to eat a small pear that she spied in the fruit bowl. She was looking forward to an uneventful day and was pleased to know that it had begun as such.

After moving to the living area, Jo picked up a sampler that she had been sewing on for months. After only two stitches, her mind began to drift to the previous week, before Laurie returned home from college. Lamenting that the plans that she had made to celebrate Laurie's heroic completion of schooling had never come to fruition. After not having seen her boy for two months, the two of them would have had one of their playful romps in the woods discussing all of the courses, classmates and silly girls that Laurie had encountered during their separation. They would drive about town and put on the play that Jo had slaved over. There were so many things, that to Jo, only seemed right with Laurie. How Jo wished that she could simply cross the hedge that separated the March and Laurence estates and ask her Teddy to a stroll. Reality had hit Jo, she knew that their rambles through the woods would never be the way that they used to be, that Laurie would never be the way that he used to be. There was a part of Jo that mourned what she had lost, however, another part of Jo was piqued by this newfound side of herself which Laurie seemed to have uncovered.

The sudden sound of the front door swinging open and the near song of Meg's voice echoing through the living room caught Jo very embarrassed, yet ecstatic all at once. In one quick motion Jo jumped out of the chair and was at the front door, arms around her very matronly eldest sister.

"Meg, you look tremendous" Jo said nearly breathlessly "Come, sit, tell us about married life" with another hug, the two young women retreated to the kitchen catch up on the events of the past week.

Beth entered the room with Amy following in tow and the March home was alive with excitement and childhood cheer. Meg looked rosy and well and had an air about her that Jo noticed, yet could not quite place.

"Girls, let's go on a picnic, John and I have brought our basket packed full, I needed a good dose of my sisters and thought that this was the perfect opportunity!"

As the two youngest girls gathered sun bonnets and blankets, Jo and Meg walked toward the front door. Meg could see that there was something troubling her sister. Jo was obviously very much excited but her mind appeared to be otherwise occupied and Meg was determined to discover the source of her sister's aloofness.

"Jo, is everything well, you seem a bit…" pausing to find the right word, Meg continued "distant."

Whispering quickly, Jo pulled Meg to the doorway,

"Oh Meg, life has turned upside down since you have left, you see-" Jo was cut off by Beth and Amy ready with their provisions. Meg patted Jo on the back, knowing that she hated the separation of her sisters. Feeling that she was the most likely cause of Jo's troubles, Meg hoped to ease her sister's tensions during her call today. With their arms packed, the sisters began to walk out of Orchard House, Amy looked curiously at Meg,

"Where is John, is he going to join us?"

"Oh, of course, he is just going to get Laurie, they did not get much of a chance to visit at the wedding and he was hoping to catch up today!" Meg replied.

Jo stopped in her tracks and as the girls continued to stroll up the lane, Jo tried to pull her heart out of the pit in her stomach. This seemingly uneventful day decided to take an unexpected turn. The last few days began to fly through Jo's mind and all at once she felt excited, scared and a little ill. The rest of Jo's party noticed that she had stopped and called her to come join them. As Jo reluctantly closed the door and follow her sisters, she caught a glimpse of John and Laurie walking toward the girls from the Laurence home.

Catching up to the whole party, Jo noticed that Laurie seemed incredibly intent on whatever it was that 'drippy Brooke' was saying. They forged ahead to their favorite shady spot and Jo became increasingly aware of the fact that Laurie had not turned to her once, not a word, not even a sly glance. As the gentlemen continued their conversation, the girls spread the blankets and began to disperse the food. Jo tried to stay focused on the task at hand, but she kept finding herself staring at Laurie, she would catch herself and quickly return to situating the task of setting up. At one point Meg took notice and decided to watch the peculiar behavior that had clearly possessed her sister. Jo walked around nervously, picking things up only to place them back where she had found them. Failing miserably trying to be of help, Jo took a seat next to Beth, and watched John and Laurie walk as they continued their conversation. The two men stopped right behind Jo and Beth under the generous branches of the large oak tree. Laurie leaned against a tree and discussed his business courses with a fervor and seriousness that was incredibly out of character. Meg asked the boys to take a seat and Laurie stretched out his lean frame no more than two feet from where Jo had just rested. Feeling so uncomfortable, Jo could not decide what to do with her hands, no matter what she did with them, they seemed to be in the way. Jo tried to place her hands in her pockets, fold them across her body, adjust her hat, everything that she did felt so contrived. Why on God's green earth was Jo so out of sorts? In a conscious effort to not appear as awkward as she felt, Jo finally decided to place the offending body parts casually at her sides.

"How does it feel to be finally finished Laurie?" Meg questioned

"Well I couldn't wait to get home…" was all that Jo heard before her attention was derailed. As he continued this thought, Laurie gestured using his left hand for emphasis, and without skipping a beat he pulled his right arm away from his body and placed it on the ground in such a way that the his pinky finger grazed the side of Jo's hand. This touch was so minute that it would not typically be noticed, however, she found herself rendered completely unable to think about anything else. Her entire mind was consumed by the softest, smallest touch. Jo tried to search Laurie's face, but could not tell whether or not this was intentional. As Laurie continued with his conversation, he slightly shifted his weight making the edge of his finger move slightly atop Jo's hand. She felt certain that he was aware of what he was doing, and certain that he could not have known the effect that it had on her. Jo was astounded by his calm appearance. As he continued to talk, his finger slowly glided atop Jo's hand. This contact ignited Jo; suddenly she remembered vividly the feel of his skin under her finger tips, which led her to recall the sweet, salty taste of his neck. Jo felt as though an unstoppable flood of feelings had engulfed her.

Her heart was racing so quickly that she was certain that it could be heard by the others. Allowing her imagination to slip a bit further, Jo felt the fingertips of her boy lightly caress her neck slowly down to the nape. His lips met his fingers and Laurie softly retraced the path that his fingers had previously made until his warm breath was on her ear. Jo tried to bring herself back to reality, but she was too far gone. She began to carefully unbutton his shirt and slowly, gratefully touched the skin that lay underneath. Their lips found one another, this one, Jo took straight from memory. "Jo, Jo…" strangely didn't sound like Laurie, hearing her name once more jolted her back to the present.

"Jo, where is your head Jo?" hearing the words escape Amy's lips she wondered how long her sister had been trying to get her attention.

"In the clouds as usual" Jo replied with a nervous laugh. She could feel the heat in her cheeks; she could also feel five sets of eyes upon her. Jo was keenly aware that she had captured Laurie's attention and for the first time on this day their eyes met. Certain that her glance would bear more than she wished to share, Jo immediately turned to the other onlookers.

"Jo dear, are you feeling alright, your face is looking awfully flushed?" Meg exclaimed.

"I think that I may go home to lie down, I am not feeling quite myself today I'm afraid." Jo stood up and began to excuse herself when she heard Meg say,

"Laurie, would you please be a dear and escort our Jo home?"

After a slight pause, Laurie replied "Certainly Meg, your chariot my lady" Laurie said as he offered his arm to Jo.

"That is not necessary, I make this trip often and I don't need a chaperone" with a look of terror, Jo clarified, "I mean an escort." Jo was furious with herself for making the slip in words, Laurie had completely distorted her clarity and she did not understand how he was making her feel as such. Meg made an insistent gesture to both of them that Jo knew they must obey and she grudgingly took Laurie's arm.

The moment the couple was out of eyeshot Jo immediately retrieved her arm from her partner.

"I'm fine Laurie, you should go back, you looked like you were having a grand time." Jo felt so flustered, she needed time. The time had nothing to do with Europe, Jo needed time to get these ridiculous feelings that were invading her otherwise reasonable mind to just go away.

"I'm not going back Jo. Talk to me what is going through that mind of yours?" Laurie said in a pleading tone.

"I will not. You said that you would give me time, I hardly consider this enough." Jo meant what she said, with a determination in her voice that Laurie knew all too well.

"Jo, be fair, I hardly came here to pressure you. Brooke asked me to the picnic, what should I have said?"

"You should have respected me enough to keep your promise" Jo replied defiantly. By this time, they had made it to the kitchen door of the March home. Jo went through the door and made an attempt to close it behind herself. Laurie caught the door and with a firm hand, he tenderly grabbed Jo's wrist.

"Honestly, what would you have liked for me to say? 'I am sorry John, Jo needs a little time away from me, I can't come with you' I'm not sure how well that would go over. Generally when I come home from school we're inseparable." Laurie caught Jo's eyes once more, she pulled from his grasp moving to the sink and trying to look at anything but Laurie.

"I think that he would understand that, John Brooke has spent enough time with you to understand needing a bit of a separation." Jo broke her serious demeanor unable to keep from smiling. Realizing that her argument was beginning to fall apart she turned toward him quickly adding, "Why wouldn't you leave my hand alone?"

"Is that what had you so distracted?" Laurie replied with a sly smile, walking toward her. He stopped right in front of her placing his hand on the counter behind her back.

"No, no, no." Jo stepped aside laughing. "No reasonable discussion could possibly come from us standing in that position."

"All right, if it is reasonable Laurie that you want, it is reasonable Laurie that you will get. We can't just stand around here starving. Would you like to go back and join the others, or would you prefer that I muster up something around here?" Laurie stared at his comrade for an answer.

"I think that we shall go back, just to ensure all that this March sister has not gone mad." Standing on the tips of her toes, Jo placed a chaste peck on Laurie's cheek for putting up with her antics.

Laurie and Jo left Orchard House arm in arm in a scene that the quaint little home had seen many times in the past. What any onlooker could not be privy to were the changes brewing inside of this pair of lifelong friends.

If you made it this far, please leave a little review. Feel free to make any suggestions, etc. Thanks, I am working on the next chapter now, so it should not be a year before the next update!