NOTES: This is NOT an Edward and Bella fic. I know, I've left all my Twilight readers hanging for a long time. I am truly sorry. My profile explains a little. I promise one of these days I'll finish them.

Sanditon ended horribly! I have to finish it for my own sanity while I wait for an announcement of season 2 (it'll happen). I'm not British nor am I very good with British speech, so I did the best I could. I'm sure it's horrible. But really, this is basically for me because I'm not satisfied with what happened in the final episode. I will probably make up a few new characters along the way. I own nothing.

Morning Post

"The morning post has arrived," my brother George announced coming through the door. "I've never seen so many parcels. All for Charlotte, of course. How many people are there in this Sanditon place anyway?"

Hearing the word Sanditon made my heart clench. I loved Sanditon but thinking about what might have been, what I lost, made fresh tears well up in my eyes.

My brother continued babbling about the morning post while I paid no attention to what he was saying and continued to stare out the window. "Mrs. Parker, Miss Lambe, Mr. Parker, Mr. Stringer, Lady Denham, Lady Babington, another Mr. Parker, and a Miss Parker…"

My breath hitched for a moment when my brother announced another Mr. Parker. I expected a letter from Mr. Tom Parker, but not another Mr. Parker. It couldn't possibly be from the Mr. Parker I longed to hear from. He would never be so improper though, would he?

I jumped from my chair and jerked the letters from my brother's hands. He looked at me with a shocked look, as did my parents who looked up from what they were doing in total surprise of my actions.

"Charlotte, what has gotten into you?" my father asked.

"It's not polite to announce every letter I receive," I said angrily. "I can read them myself." I stormed out of the house and ran to my favorite spot on the bridge. There was a little makeshift stairway that led to underneath the bridge with a stoop to sit on where even if someone came across the bridge, they would never know I was there.

I sat down and quickly started flipping through the letters searching for the one from Mr. Parker. I daresay I had wishful thinking going on inside my mind. Could it be?

I quickly ripped open the letter and discovered that it wasn't a letter from Sidney, of course it wasn't. In fact, it was a wedding announcement from Mrs. Eliza Campion and Mr. Sidney Parker. Fresh tears streamed down my face thinking on it and reading the words over and over again. Sidney would never send this to me. It had to have been Mrs. Campion. She was an evil woman who was trapping Sidney in a marriage I wanted to believe he never wanted. I thought about our parting when he told me he didn't love her. How the look on his face told me everything I needed to know about how he felt about me, about her, about his family. If it hadn't been for the fire, I would be the one on this wedding announcement.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself, wiping the tears away with the back of my hand. I needed to focus on something else. I ripped open the letter from Georgiana hoping that letter would make me feel better in some way. Unfortunately, it didn't. Georgiana's letter consisted of her detest for Sanditon, for Mrs. Griffiths, for Mr. Hankins, and of course for Sidney. She reprimanded me for falling for someone like Sidney Parker and thought I had more sense than that. She then went on and on about how her Otis had left her for the Navy and may never return. She was heartbroken for sure, but it didn't give her the right to reprimand me. We had both made mistakes in love. But somehow, we would both mend our broken hearts.

I went to Jenny's letter instead thinking that one might bring me some joy. Indeed, it did, as both Jenny and Alicia had drawn portraits of the boats sailing on the river. Jenny had even written on hers "Admiral Heywood is our hero" which made me smile, yet long to go back to that special time I spent with the children and Sidney. Everything about Sanditon made me think of Sidney. I couldn't get away from him.

I read the letter from Esther Babington next as the last few weeks in Sanditon we had become close. She talked much about her new life with Lord Babington and how fond of him she had become. She tried so desperately to push him away at first, but realizes now how much she truly cares for him and wants nothing more than to make him happy and be the wife he deserves. She thanked me for being a good friend and seeing a better version of herself than she saw. I didn't believe I saw anything better. I just saw someone who needed a good friend and I was happy to be that for her. I couldn't be more thrilled for her also. She truly deserved her happiness and Lord Babington was her perfect match.

I opened the letters from Mary and Tom Parker next. Both letters were similar in news. Both missed my presence in Sanditon and wished I would consider coming to visit again. The thought excited me yet made me dread it as well. The thought of going back and possibly running into Sidney had me worried. But how much I would love to see all the new friends I had made there.

I opened the letter from Mr. Stringer next. He wanted to inform me of his plans to take the apprenticeship offer in London after all. After talking with me, he felt like it was the best thing to do. Like myself, Sanditon did nothing but remind him of his pain and he felt like he needed to get away for awhile. He had decided to pass on his foreman position to his good friend Fred Robinson. I didn't know Mr. Robinson well, but I hoped he was up to the challenge of working with Mr. Tom Parker.

My next letter came from Diana Parker. I was not expecting a letter from her. I regret, we didn't have much time to get to know one another better. I did enjoy my time with Arthur though. He was a funny character who made me laugh. He could bring out the joy in Georgiana as well, which I truly appreciated.

Dear Charlotte,

I fear I have no one else to talk to. I have been stricken with worry for my dear brothers and sister-in-law Mary. Our family is truly fractured, and I have no idea how to fix it. I fear we all may parish very soon.

Sidney is in London preparing to marry Mrs. Campion, but I can see the pain and hurt on his face when I speak to him. I don't believe he loves her and all I keep thinking about is what you said at the luncheon party with Lady Denham. A marriage without love can be a sort of prison. I daresay my brother Sidney has indebted himself to prison. He has been frequenting the bars with Mr. Crowe quite a lot and gambling away his fortune like he did all those years ago. I don't know what will become of him.

My brother Tom and his wife Mary seem to be more at odds than ever before. Tom has spent most of the last weeks in London desperately trying to find a way to save Sanditon, ignoring Mary and the kids all together. I fear even with the money Sidney has secured for him, it will not be enough and he will set himself up for debtors' prison still. Poor Mary and the children will be on the streets. He has been at odds with Sidney as Tom has been trying to talk some sense into him about the drinking and gambling, but Sidney seems to resent Tom and refuses to listen to him. They have gotten in many quarrels as of late. I don't know how to help them.

My poor Arthur seems to be the worst off of the lot. I fear he will not survive another London winter. We have been seeing the new doctor here in London almost daily, but nothing seems to be helping his spirits. He has become bedridden and refuses to talk to anyone, especially his brothers. I daresay both Tom and Sidney have not treated him well these last weeks.

You always seem to be so sensible and able to fix everything. Please tell me how I can mend our broken family.

Your desperate friend,

Diana

Tears welled up in my eyes yet again at the thought of what was happening to the Parker family. I know Diana can be dramatic at time, but this sounded sincere. I didn't know what to tell her and I definitely didn't know how to fix anything. What could I do? Why would Diana think I could do anything?

"Charlotte," my sister Alison whispered. My breath hitched and I quickly brushed my tears away trying to hide my face from her. She came closer and sat down next to me on the stoop under the bridge. "Charlotte what is it? I fear something horrible must have happened for you to be in such a state." I hadn't spoken to Alison much about my last weeks in Sanditon and what all had transpired between Sidney and myself. How could I?

I tried to smile and brush off the pain written on my face. "It's nothing."

"Charlotte speak to me. Let me help you," Alison insisted. "We all see there is something troubling you. Mother and Father are stricken with worry for your wellbeing. What can we do?"

Fresh tears streamed down my face and my whole body shook. I fell into her arms and sobbed tears I had been holding in for weeks. Alison held me tight and allowed me to cry without words.

I stayed with Alison all afternoon under the bridge and told her everything. All about what had happened in Sanditon and all about what my letters informed me. I even showed her the wedding announcement.

"Maybe you should go back," Alison suggested. "Maybe going to Sanditon will help your spirits but also help those who are hurting. You seem to have made an impact on almost everyone in Sanditon."

I shook my head. "I can't risk facing him."

"He's in London, is he not?" Alison reminded. "I don't believe you will have to worry about seeing him at all. You can spend your days with everyone else you care about. Our little Willingden has become too small for you. I believe you need the excitement of a bigger and busier town."

Alison was right. Willingden had become too small for my taste. I definitely didn't want to live in a big city like London, but I did enjoy the excitement of Sanditon. The problem was, everything in Sanditon would remind me of Sidney and I couldn't face that yet. "I can't," I said.

Alison nodded her head in agreement and rubbed my shoulder in comfort. "I have an idea." Alison searched through my letters and took out the wedding announcement then walked a few steps to the riverbank.

"What are you doing?" I inquired. Without saying a word, Alison began ripping the announcement into little pieces. I watched intently, unable to move as the pieces got smaller and smaller. She turned towards me with a grin on her face then threw all the little pieces into the air and let them land in the river. I giggled as I watched all those fragmented pieces of paper float away. It actually felt good to watch them disappear and be free of Mrs. Campion's deceits. I didn't believe I'd ever be free of Sidney's pull on my heart, but I refused to let Mrs. Campion have any part of it.

I looked down at my letters and realized I had yet to open the letter from Lady Denham. Why on earth would Lady Denham write to me? Alison sat down next to me seeing the troubled look on my face.

"What is it now?" Alison asked.

"It's a letter from Lady Denham," I said still looking at it with a confused expression. I opened it up to see what on earth she would want to write to me.

Dear Charlotte,

I have decided to take you in as my guest. With Clara banished from my home and now Esther married off to Lord Babington, I find myself lacking in company. It has become dreadfully lonely and I'm in need of a companion. I have come to admire your spirit as you remind me of my younger days. It has also come to my attention that not only was it your idea for the regatta, but it was your connections to Lady Worcester that brought many influential people from London to enjoy our Sanditon while I was on my deathbed. You have become a great asset to Sanditon and we need you back. Please accept my invitation to come stay with me for the unforeseeable future. Once here, I'm sure I can help you find a suitable husband, since you lacked in any luck the last time you were here. If you must, bring a sister to help you settle in, preferably someone who plays piano. I have great plans for you and may need an extra companion while you are further engaged.

I expect to see you very soon.

Lady Denham

Alison and I stared at each other with astonishment. I was not being invited; I was being told. I had no choice but to go to Sanditon again.

"Will you take me?" Alison asked with excitement. "I'm not the greatest at playing the piano, but I can follow music. What I wouldn't give to have half the adventures you've had in Sanditon." My heart yet again ached. A part of me longed to be back there, to show my sister all the wonders of Sanditon and introduce her to all the wonderful people I'd come to love. Yet another part of me feared I'd come to regret it as everything would remind me of Sidney.

I spent the rest of the day telling Alison all about Lady Denham and what to expect from her. I feared Alison would not do well in Lady Denham's presence. I believe I may have been trying to secretly talk her out of wanting to go, but Alison grew more excited with every word I spoke. I couldn't possibly deny her of an adventure like mine.

Thanks for reading.