Bound by Word and torn by Heart

Steady tears slowly began to fall on Sharon's face as she felt the man, whom she considered as a brother, was hovering above her and shaking silently.

"Oz-sama?"

"I...I can't do this afterall...please... please forgive me... Sharon-chan!" he cried as he let himself drop onto the Rainsworth heiress.

"Eh?" Sharon, all though stunned for Oz's change of behavior, looked at his pitiful crying face as he began to cry harder.

Realizing his guilt and regret from what he just did made her eyes water as well, "W-why would you even try to do that to me Oz-sama?" Her tears also began to fall as she started to sob, "Y-you scared me!"

"I'm so so sorry Sharon-chan! I never wanted to do this! But...but..." The Vessalius noble got off Sharon as he sat in a knelt position in the corner of the bed in which he almost did something he was going to regret for the rest of his life. Sharon also sat up but the tears didn't stop and she took the young noble into a gentle hug.

Both nobles were now in each other's embrace as they began to cry out loud, not caring how childish they look. Both their eyes were wet with their endless tears and their noses were pink from all the sniffing. After a few minutes the noble's cries slowly faded out as they tried to calm each other. They looked at their red faces and laughed in embaressment.

After he wiped his face with the back of his gloved hand he looked back at the Rainsworth girl. "I'm really sorry Sharon-chan for scaring you like that. But you see..." he stopped in midsentence and looked down.

Sharon also looked down knowing what could have triggered Oz to do something so horrific, "My grandmother made you do this... didn't she?" she finally managed to say.

Oz slowly nodded. He still couldn't face her after what he tried to do.

"I don't know the exact details of where Break is since by the time that you were shot some Pandora agents took me, Alice, and Leo into a secluded room in your manor. An hour or so passed by and the agents seperated me from the others. They took me to where your grandmother was and that's when she started to order me to do all this to you..."

XxFLASHBACKxX

"Y-you want me to do what?" Oz stammered in disbelief as Sheryl Rainsworth slowly rose from her wheelchair.

"I want you to make Sharon bear your child."

Oz got up from his chair, angered of hearing such a demand, only to be pushed back down by Duke Barma. He gritted his teeth as he was forced to look back at the elderly woman.

"Even as a joke that's going way to far, Sheryl Rainsworth!" he yelled.

She sighed, "I'm afraid that I'm not joking. Vincent and Gil are both in critical condition and may not recover after a month or so, making you the only suitable man to force my granddaughter back into reality."

"Tch- There is no way that I will do that!"

"Ho?" she glared at him as she covered her face with her fan, "Then let's make a deal"

" I already said that I won't help you!"

The elder woman began to walk towards the Vessalius noble and stopped after she was in front of him. In a split second, the fan that she was holding was now inches away from his face with blades coming from it's ends. "Even if Alice's life depended on it?"

"Eh?"

"Don't forget that I have your lover under my watch. With the word of two prestigues nobles such as myself and Barma, we can have your precious Alice executed through false accusations. I highly doubt your father will step in to save her. Her uncle, Glen Baskerville is bedridden and won't be able to save her either."

Oz's heart sank as the crooked smile of the once great and fair Rainsworth woman he once knew grew.

"I'm not asking for a favor Oz. If you want to save Alice you need to do this." she continued, "Even if it means that she'll hate you. As long as my granddaughter has a promisable future then anything is fine."

"Her life is in your hands Vessalius" Barma added.

Oz couldn't believe what he just heard. How was he supposed to agree to this?

Consider: Sharon is a close friend, surly she'll understand him right?

Consider: If Break manages to find out, wouldn't that put Oz's life in danger. Unless the duchess has dealt with him. Or he could simply give up... however that'll make Sharon really sad.

Consider: Alice was someone very dear to Oz. He can't let her die when he had the power to save her.

Consider: Even if Alice hates him, she could always find someone new. Someone who will make her happy and love her more than he could ever love her.

Choice...

Choice...

Oz looked away as he opened his mouth. He closed it after a few seconds of opening it. For some reason he forgot to breathe.

"I understand" Oz finally muttered as his head sank.

XxEnd of FlashbackxX

"I see..." Sharon softly said as she looked down towards her hands. Oz didn't respond, not knowing how to. He wished to save Alice at all costs, however, he just can't bring himself to hurt one of his close friends.

"About this dress then..." Sharon finally broke the silence, remembering the white dress she was wearing along with the ring on her finger.

"She told me that she was going to get the papers ready for marriage while I was going to-" he stopped and fell silent once again.

"It's okay Oz-sama. I'm not mad at you or anything" she reassured him.

Oz sighed and continued, " She is going to come as early as tomorrow morning"

Sharon looked at her blonde compainon. Through her eyes, he was at his limit. She knew that he was terrified of what will happen to Alice. And if she doesn't think of something fast then she was afraid that he might change his mind and do what Sheryl requested of him.

She looked around the room. It was fairly large and old looking so she doubted that she was in any of her mansions. Her grandmother must have rented this house at the last minute. She hasn't been out cold for days only a few minutes. Knowing that her grandmother was racing through time, Sharon began to think that perhaps her grandmoter didn't inspect the room properly nor did would she have expected that Oz will betray Sheryl at the last minute.

Sharon smiled as she got off the huge bed. She looked around the old fashioned room and walked towards a drawer, hoping for the best. She opened it and found what she was hoping for.

She held the siccors in front of her.

"Sh-Sharon-chan! Don't tell me that you're going to-"

"Oz-sama what ever are you talking about?" she smiled. She took the siccors and began cutting the inside of the dress. "I'm afraid that if we're going to escape I can't hold you back with this long and heavy dress"

"E-escape?"

"That's right. Don't tell me that you wanted to sit here and wait to tell my granddmother that you couldn't do it." She continued to cut the inside of the dress, getting rid of the extra fabric from under the dress making it lighter to walk in.

"How are we going to escape. She has Alice as hostage and we don't even know where Break is"

"Don't worry I have a plan" she calmly said as she got rid of her long white gloves along with the gold ring. "Besides I can't wait for Break to come to my rescue. He's only human... he's not some sort of super human that can do everything. This isn't a fairytale so I know that not everything will go my own way so I have to take things into my own hands" Sharon firmly said as she smiled to her blonde companion.

"B-but..." Oz stammered, "Aren't you hurt? You were shot afterall"

Sharon placed her small fragile hand over her stomach, "To tell you the truth... it hurts like hell" she blushed. Oz almost choked hearing the Rainsworth heiress speak in such a manner.

"Then-"

"But," Oz was cut off by Sharon as she continued, "Like I said. I don't want to rely on Break for everything. I want to try doing this on my own and see what I can truly do with my own power. If you're worried about me pshycologically then put your worries aside"

"Eh?''

She smiled at him, "Afterall, flowers grow back, even after they are stepped on. And so will I"

Oz stared at her in awe. This wasn't the Sharon he knew. She has truly changed her ways of thinking. She has become the woman that she has always wanted to be. He began to wonder if she knew of her great change.

After a few seconds he too showed her a warm smile as he chuckled, "Sharon I've never seen you like this and it feels as if I'm talking to a different person. Just a few months ago you allowed your grandmother to make choices for you, however, ever since you met Break you've become a stronger woman, and as your friend I couldn't be any more proud."

Sharon wasn't expecting such a compliment and was taken back for a moment before she thanked the Vessalius heir.

Oz sprang up to his feet and also removed the gold ring and threw it to the bed. He looked towards the Rainsworth heiress; waiting for her to give orders.

Thanks for reading!

Please remember that I do not own Pandora Hearts nor the characters! For those who have not yet read PH the manga please do so! It's amazing! I do reference back to the manga from time to time but not that much and I try not to make it obvious. If it is then I apologize.