Fan-fiction
Second Chance
I do NOT own the copyrights to Pride and Prejudice
All notes were put in the beginning of ch.'s 1-7
Scene 12
Trees far too thin and barren raced by me and soon I found myself in far healthier
Ones which would lead to water. Green actually graced their tops, proper bark covered their more burnable parts, and the smell wasn't one of death. Soon the trees led me to lake.
The perch still stood? I climbed up and looked around trying to see anything that would have trigged a hole opening up. Just when I'd given up a bright flash occurred and then all went dark.
"The danger is past…" A man's voice was speaking and then told them to take it easy as I was starting to come around.
"Micah, Micah-Anne." Thomas' face leaned close as I opened my eyes. His own might as well have shrugged off a thousand pounds as he let out a huge breath of air. "I thought I'd lost you for sure." His hand did not leave my forehead, nor let go of my hand.
"What happened?" I swallowed feeling pain in every inch of my body.
"I'm not sure you'd believe us if we told you." Elizabeth spoke as she came into the room.
My eyes must have shown surprise she was willing to talk to me because she smiled and -to my shock- repeated verbatim what I'd heard earlier in the college's library.
"I don't think you'll have to do any hiding." She smiled at that as I then continued on. "And - as far as what happened - try me." I was exhausted and Thomas insisted I wait until I had more strength. I went to argue only he put his foot down.
"I almost lost you, I won't risk losing you by having you push your strength by excessive talking." I found I didn't have the strength - nor the desire- to argue. And while I slept Thomas' family was downstairs talking.
"How is she doing?" Elizabeth's husband asked as she showed the doctor out and then entered the room.
"Exhausted, has little strength, but she'll pull through." Clasping her hands together she told them the same thing she'd finally admitted to Micah-Anne.
"You think so?" Lady Catherine -who was visiting - spouted off, but quickly pulled back as even she could see what the whole mess had done to her nephew's extended family.
"I don't know what would have happened if she hadn't come back to us." Jane whispered so low the room was fortunate to even catch her words.
"Then we'd have been stuck here for good because none us could budge Mr. Bennett from that bedside, and when she was missing? Oh, good heavens, he was twice as bad." Charles spoke from where he stood behind Mr. Darcy's aunt.
"We should be thankful everything worked out. I -for one- am taking my leave." Lady Catherine stood up and left deciding her presence was no longer needed.
Thomas heard Lady Catherine leave but did not go downstairs. He kept his gaze upon the woman who now held his heart securely in her hands. Sitting on a chair next to the bed he kept stroking her hair and talking to her as he'd done while her life had still hung by a thread.
If anyone - outside those who had been with him- had asked him about the strange hole, of seeing Micah-Anne disappear into the water without the liquid moving at all- and of the lengthy time in which it took them to find someone which should have only taken seconds - they'd lock him up. Thomas watched as Micah-Anne's eyes opened back up.
Micah-Anne's face was still flushed but she managed to move her hand and reach up for Thomas. It was not hard to take her hand and reassure her he was still there. "Take it easy, Little Lady." He kissed the back of her hand. "Remember, I'm the one that is to go first, not you." Micah-Anne gave a small smile before falling asleep -again.
Closing Scene
Is the place holding Momma Sue and the college students real? Are the things Elizabeth and Thomas told me true, or did they - and I- just imagine it? Glancing down at my left hand I twist the simple silver wedding band on my finger. Whatever the case is , Thomas is very real and I no longer bear name of Hawkes, nor do I sleep alone. I hear footsteps behind me, but do not have to turn to know who it is as arms slide around my waist and pull me into their embrace.
"Thanks for giving me - and my family- a second chance." Thomas lowered his head and kissed my neck . "I'd give anything to you I could." His words slid into my ear as he then turned me around allowing me to lay my head against his chest.
"How about a son?" I whisper and he chuckles answering he'd love that. A year later we both are beaming as I am laying in bed holding exactly what we'd hoped for - a son - Thomas M. Bennett.
