A.N: Don't even ask me what this is, because I don't know either. Enjoy! xx Mariah


"Land Ho!" Katherine heard someone on deck call as Ned tied her laces, pressing a kiss to the base of her neck.

He gotten good at it, tied them with ease and punctuality. It made her smiled inside to know he knew the exact amount to pull on her corset and not hurt her.

"We're here," he whispered. "We'll be docked in a few hours and we'll be able to build a new life."

"Yes," she leaned into him, feeling his arms wrap around her. "I know."

"We must prepare for departure," he said. "I'll go fetch us a bit of food?"

"That sounds normal," her cheeks bled bright red when she said this, and he couldn't help but grin at her reaction, "And I'm glad we can finally be normal."

Ned leaned in towards her and softly brushed his lips to hers. She returned the kiss and he quickly cupped both of her cheeks with his palms, effectively deepening it. she wrapped her arms around his waist. She gasped a little when she felt his tongue, but she parted her lips to grant him access which he greedily took.

The kiss lasted another few minutes, Ned pulled away first. He gazed at her, grinning like a madman, his hands still holding her face. She returned his grin, though hers was shakier, she clutched the sides of his tunic with trembling fingers.

"You go, I'm starved." She said to him.

"Yes ma'am," he whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers before going to unlatch the cabin door and close it behind him.

She felt the boat rock back and forth suddenly and grasped the bedpost to ease herself.

It took three breaths for her to calm herself and settle her stomach.

She couldn't wait to be on dry land.


Melinda met Jim with a clumsy kiss as he woke, rubbing his eyes as his smile only grew.

"What do you think about having a child?" He brushed his thumb across her cheek and pecked her lips once more.

"We can't do that," she whispered, halfheartedly trying to move out of his grasp, but she still clutched at his check, his palms still held her cheeks. "We can't afford to do that, not now. Not when we need to move quickly after Ned and Katherine. They arrive in Scotland soon, anytime this week."

Jim's smile fell as he gazed at her silently. Her eyes were beginning to water.

"Do you want this?" He asked.

"What?" She furrowed her brow

"This. Us. Do you want this? To be with me?" He froze while he waited for her answer. "Did I rush your decision when we rekindled?"

"Jim I said yes and I do. I made my commitment to you, I love you," she murmured, blinking back tears. "We just can't make a decision like this when we are in a situation like this. We need to be stable."

"It's alright, Melinda, really. I understand." He didn't look at her as he spoke. "Let's forget this talk ever happened." He pulled himself up his bed and walked toward his drawers. "We need to eat and go speak to Charles this morning. He'll need convincing before he lets us leave."

"Jim," she reached for his arm. "We need to talk about this."

He looked at her fingers curled halfway around his bicep before he met her gaze.

"There's nothing to talk about." He said.

"Of course there is. You're upset with me," she sniffed as she attempted to control her tears. "This isn't easy for me, you know? Do you think I want to put our life on hold? But this is for my little sister, and if I need to wait to have children with you to keep her safe and near, then I will do that."

"Not easy for you?" He gawked at her. "Not easy for you?" he repeated, his unusually harsh tone making her flinch and take a step back from him. He sighed. "I'm sorry," he murmured, "for losing my temper."

"No, it's alright," she muttered dully as she stared at the floor.

"It's not," he continued, motioning for her to come to him as he sat down on the bed and she complied, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for raising my voice." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and lingered to smell the scent of her once he stood. "Now come dress, we need to get moving and speak to Lord Charles about our adventure for a new life."

She nodded and got out of the bed, going to meet him with another kiss that he only half appreciated before he turned to his drawers to find something to wear.


Ned grasped their bag as he walked off the boat, setting them down to help Katherine off the boat.

"What is that Jim said in his letter?" She said as they walked down the dock toward the main street that filled with vendors.

"He squared away some land for us and a small cottage to live in." He explained. "He gave me specific instructions on how to get there. You'll need to show me how to put together a farm." Katherine grasped his arm as they walked down the dirt road. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, just a bit faint. I'm betting from not being on dry land in so long," she laughed uneasily. "It's been almost two months."

He smiled at her, letting her lean on him for support as they walked.

"I'll just need to buy a horse for us," he said softly.

"Oh, well I can show you where to get one for a lower price." She said glancing around the vendors. "There, see that man? He'll sell you one for twelve shillings I'm sure."

"How do you know?" He asked.

"I'm a businessman's daughter," she mocked her father's voice. "Here, I'll fetch it for cheaper I bet." She adjusted the bodice of her dress to push her breasts up more. "Come on silly, learn the commoner game."

"You're so spontaneous," he chuckled and fetched the money for her. "I'm shocked."

"These are the secrets I hold," she grinned and bounced off, set off to get their horse.

She watched as Katherine teased the man with her pretty smile and grasped his arm before he grinned and pulled her along with him toward an open door which he lead a horse out of and took some money for her.

The man counted seven coins as she kissed his cheek and lead the horse away with a grin to him.

"Told you I could get it cheaper," she grinned and tucked the money in his pocket. "Come on, hop up."

Ned straddled the horse and she settled the bag on lap before pulling herself up behind him, pressing a kiss to his neck as they rode off toward the countryside.

"I'm glad I can finally see all your sides to your personality now that we are free," he called to her as hey rode past a few farmsteads.

"Me too," she whispered as she rested her head on his back.


"I think he's getting tired," Katherine spoke quietly for fear she was wrong.

"I think you're right," he answered, daring to slow their pace.

Their horse was tiring, they had been running at breakneck sped for awhile now. Their slowed pace allowed her to loosen her grip around his waist as she sat behind him on the horse.

He looked down at her hands now hanging loosely at his sides.

Ned brought his gaze back to the trees in front of them. They were cutting their own path through the woods.

"I'm just," he paused, clearly searching for the right word, "exhausted."

"And you think I'm not?" She laughed. "My whole body aches. My breasts are so sore and I need to just sleep for a million years."

He suddenly steered the horse into a particularly thick set of trees and stopped them there. He hopped down and held his hand to help Katherine climb down as well, which she did. He gazed at her intently.

"Are you peckish?" He asked.

"No," she settled against the tree. "I'm alright. You eat."

"I have been thinking, maybe it isn't the boat's effects that are upon you. What if your with child?" He said softly. "I have a feeling, a gut feeling, that there's something about you that's different. I've seen sickness after being at the sea... " he trailed, not wanting to finish his sentence.

"You think?" She whispered.

She brought her startled eyes to his when he crooked his finger beneath her chin and turned her face towards him.

"I have hope," he smiled.

Katherine brought her lips to his and kissed him, a kiss he returned until she pulled away.

"I do too," she told him with a smile.

He grasped her hand in his. It began to rain softly.

"Come, we're almost there. If Jim's directions are correct, we should be there within the hour." He helped her back on the horse before he took his place in front of her once more. "We need to be there before this storm becomes more than we can handle."


The rain was falling in cold sheets, they knew they had to stop soon, but they came to a clearing and Ned chuckled.

"Look! There it is," he rubbed the horse's belly. "Come on boy, we're almost there."

The horse took off and they rode to the cottage, Ned hopped off with the bag and tossed it through the door way after opening it.

Katherine made her way down and rubbed the horse's belly.

"You were so good today," she cooed and reached in her pocket to give him an apple that she'd bought in one of the villages they'd passed through. "Such a good boy."

She tied him to the post and made sure he was covered by the roof before going to Ned.

"It's got more than enough space," she said as she want to step inside, but he stopped her. "What?"

"I must carry you," he grinned. "It's tradition."

She shrugged and let him pick her up, not minding that they were thoroughly drenched now as he stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

"We'll have to build a barn, but I built the last one with my father back home when a storm knocked it down." She explained. "And we'll need some more furniture. There's enough for now and that's a plenty big fireplace." She looked around. "Three rooms, how stupendous."

"Enough room for bundles of children," he grinned.

"Definitely," she kissed him before going toward the biggest room. "This is ours."

"That bed looks so comfortable," he gasped.

"It's certainly nothing you've slept on at the manor." She chuckled.

"It's a bed," he launched himself toward it and laid down. "Oh it's so nice."

"You're sopping wet!" She gasped. "Ned, get off there this instance."

He chuckled and stood up, stripping down.

"Now can I?" He grinned, watching the way she smirked at him.

"After you untie my laces..." She motioned for him to come closer. "Then we can try out this bed."

"Oh yes," he ran to her and turned her around, pressing a kiss to her neck and nibbling at her jaw. "I like that plan."

He quickly untied her laces and shed the dress from her body, leaving them to their bare forms and that was just the way they liked it.