This is an alternate ending to Caroline B. Cooney's Time trillogy. I takes place sometime towards the end of the first book. It reminds me of Kate and Leopoald.

It was a warm spring morning, and Strat couldn't wait to go outside. But, first, he had to wake Annie. She still had a lot to learn, and he would be the one to teach her.

Annie awoke to the morning sunlight streaming in through the window beside her bed. At first, she was a little disoriented. Then she remembered where she was, 1895. In the old...new Stratton mansion. She climbed-yes climbed-out of the tall bed, and walked over to the dresser, about to tug on the pullcord and summon Bridget, the little Irish maid, to help her dress. She jumped when she heard the firm knock on the door.

"Anna Sophia? May I come in?" she heard the deep bass voice ask. Strat.

She examined her reflection in the looking glass. She looked like death warmed over, but she didn't want him to think she was mad at him or something. "Yes."

When he heard her voice, Strat's heart leapt. At her conformation, he opened the door, refraining from groaning out loud. She was still in her night clothes, but she was so beautiful. Her dark hair, unbound, cascaded over her slender shoulders and down her back. He knew it was indecent for him even to see her like this, but he ached to imagine her without even the thin cotton night dress. "Good morning, Miss Lockw... Annie.. Would you happen to be available this morning to go on a horseback riding excursion with me?"

He was blushing. Annie cringed inwardly. She'd messed up again, but she liked it when a guy blushed at seeing her in her nightie. He was so sweet. "Why yes Strat, I'd love to. As soon as I get dressed, of course."

Strat blushed an even deeper shade of crimson. "Yes, of course. I'll send Brigit up to help you." He turned quickly and left the room, feeling the heat in his face intensify.

Annie couldn't even imagine how she was supposed to ride a horse in a dress that swallowed her. So many things were different here. Sometimes, she didn't even feel like the same person. Her thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. "It's Bridget, Miss."

"Come in, Bridget." Annie winced as Bridget lowered the wire cage over her head and begin to tighten it hard enough to break ribs. Oh, how she missed breathing. Women in this time didn't do enough of it. Over the corset went a cream colored petticoat which was followed by a pale yellow satin dress with tiny rose colored blooms, and sleeves that ballooned out over her shoulders, and came down to a point over the back of the hand. There was a little rubber-band-type thing which Bridget said should slip over her middle finger to keep it in place. Then Bridget pinned Annie's hair in a large bun on top of her head and fluffed it until it lay in a curled mass. She then carefully extracted two slender strands from it, wet them, and curled them against her cheeks. Next came the dainty boots which Bridget buttoned with a gruesome looking thing she called a button hook.

Annie descended the stairs, her boots clicking on every tread. There stood Strat, looking more gallant and charming then ever. When he smiled, she knew she was in heaven. He offered her his arm, joining himself to her in the distant formal way that was so common then. But she knew they were different.

When they reached the stables, Strat stopped. Annie looked up at him quizzically. He looked around to make sure no one was watching. Then he pulled her close and kissed her. He broke away, realizing how inappropriate the situation was. Then he led her in to the stables. He went to the second stall and led out the horse inside. It was a fawn colored mare with a white star on her forehead. "This is Buttercup. I'm sure Dev won't mind if you ride her."

"But how..?"

Strat grinned "How do you ride in your dress? With this."

"What is it?"

"It's a side saddle. You put both legs on one side."

"Oh, alright."

"Lets get you on."

"Okay."

He made a step with his hands and lifted her up into the saddle. The feel of his hands around her waist sent a shiver of delight down her spine.

"Wait just a moment while I go and get Lightning."

"Lightning?"

"Fathers newest horse. He hasn't even been carriage broken yet. Stay here. I'll be right back."

Like I could move, Annie thought to herself. She felt as if she wasn't fully on the horse, like she would fall off any minute now.

"Strat, wait!"

Strat whipped around at the alarm in her voice. "Yes?"

"Isn't it dangerous?"

Strat grinned at her. This time it reminded her of a proud and courageous little boy about to jump off the barn roof with paper wings and try to fly. Completely confident he would succeed, but never doing it. Annie shivered. Only Strat would end up with more than a broken arm. "I can handle him."

Strat walked to the last stall and emerged leading a black stallion which snorted angrily. But Strat put the saddle on him and got on easy enough. Maybe she was just over reacting.

As they rode out of the stable with Strat in the lead, Annie admired his form from behind. This perfect world and love too. Could it get any better than this? He puled up on the reigns and turned his horse. Waiting for her. When she reached his side, he clucked to his horse and started off again. He was playing cat and mouse with her. She quickened Buttercup's pace to a gallop, and managed to catch up with him. They rode side by side for awhile.

When they came to a log on the path, still running the horses at a gallop, Annie managed to coax Buttercup over, but Lightning balked. Strat desperately tried to control him, but he couldn't. The horse threw him, and galloped away wildly. Strat lay in a crumpled heap on the ground. Annie pulled up on Buttercup's reigns and slid off her back. She ran as fast as possible in her enveloping skirts. When she reached his side, Annie nearly threw herself to the ground. There was a large jagged gash on his forehead which was bleeding profusely. Blood had already stained his sandy brown hair a pinkish color. He was unconscious, and when she put shaky fingers to his wrist she felt a slight pulse. Annie didn't know what to do, but she knew she had to get help and fast. She also knew she couldn't run all the way back to the mansion in those skirts. She had to get back on the horse. Annie, as best as she was able, tried to slip her foot into the stirrup. She finally succeeded, after five
tries, and slid up onto the saddle.

Annie reached the mansion within ten minutes, but it seemed more like an hour. Buttercup was worn out from galloping up the Great Hill. When Fred, the stable boy came out to take Buttercup, he asked "Where's young Mr. Stratton, Ma'am?"

"He's hurt. I think it's bad. Get help. Call a doctor, somebody, anybody, quickly!"

"Yes, Ma'am. I'm going Ma'am!"

Just after Fred disappeared into the house through a back staircase, Devony came running out the veranda doors. "Miss Lockwood, please! What is it? Fred ran through the Great Hall mumbling something about Strat, and ran straight to the phone. What has happened to Strat, Miss Lockwood? What's happened to my brother?"

"There was and accident...in the woods."

"What happened?"

"His horse balked when we came to a jump. He was thrown."

Devony gasped. "Is.....is he alright?"

"No. I...I.. he's ....got a...a cut on his head. It's bleeding pretty...pretty bad. He's unconscious. Not mo....not moving."

At this, Devony fainted. Fred saw and carried her to the front room to lay her on the fainting couch. "Doctor Rawlings is on his way, Miss."

Annie nodded. "Thank you." she said shakily.

Bridget emerged and begun to stroke Annie's hair. She was the only one who really knew the truth about Annie and Strat. Everyone else assumed that the accident was just a traumatic event for a lady. They were oblivious to the love between them. Strat and Annie knew they had to keep their feelings for each other hidden, if not only for Harriet's sake, for their own safety and well being. Mr. Stratton Sr. was a violent man, and he wanted the money that Harriet Ranieigh could give him. He knew the only legal way for him to get it was through marriage, and Strat, as his only heir, was the key. He would marry Harriet and get her money for his father, or face the consequences.

When the doctor arrived, it was Annie's job to take him to Strat. The ride seemed endless. When they arrived at the fallen log, Annie immediately dismounted, and ran to Strat's side. By now, his hair was a deep shade of crimson. After checking his pulse, the doctor cleaned Strat's wound using iodine and dressed it as quickly as possible. Annie stroked his thick, brown hair from the bandage, her tears wetting it.

"This should rouse him," he said.

He waved a vile of ammonia underneath Strat's nose, and his eyes fluttered open. He grinned at her, wincing . A hand shot to his chest.

Doctor Rawlings pressed his hands to Strat's chest then looked up at Annie, concerned. "Miss, the horse ran after the young man fell? He wasn't trampled?"

"I...I'm not sure. It all happened so fast."

"I'm sure it did, Ma'am.

At this, the doctor untucked Strat's shirt and lifted it to expose his chest.

It was horribly bruised. He had obviously broken some ribs.

"I'm sorry Miss, but he's broken quite a few ribs. They may have damaged some organs," he said. "My advice is, take him back to the house and make him comfortable. There's nothing I can do, Miss."

Annie's heart skipped a beat, and the air rushed out of her lungs as if she'd been hit. Nothing he can do? She massaged Strat's hand as she held it in both of hers. He was so cold. Strat tried his best to comfort her. His voice was hoarse as he shushed her. He brought his hand up to the back of her head and rubbed her silken black hair. " It's going to be alright. I love you, Anna Sophia."

At that moment, with the way Strat said her name, Annie knew exactly what she had to do. Take him home. Her home. Back with her to 1995.

Don't worry, the next chapter won't be so gloomy. It gets good then. I'll try to post soon. PLEASE PLEASE R&R