A/N: About scene breaks!!! If there is a single horizontal rule, then there is a scene break!!!!!!

Ok! Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for! Chapter 10!

Chapter 10: There and Back Again

Dear Sarah
How have you been doing? We've been put on a boat to Havana. We're getting a merchantman there and will be back in Philadelphia in a couple of weeks. I've enclosed the dispatch I wrote so you can put it somewhere safe. I'll help you set type when we get back. Cecile and Henri are asleep beside me, and I'm getting a little drowsy myself. See you in a few weeks!

Your everlasting friend,
James

Dear James, Cecile, and Henri,
Have you gotten to Havana yet? I'm getting awfully worried and can't wait for you to get home.

Love,
Sarah

Knock knock knock.

Sarah walked to the print shop door, turned the handle, and opened it.

A blond-haired, blue-eyed boy was standing there with a brown-haired, brown-eyed boy and a black-haired, brown-eyed girl. "We're home!" Cecile said happily.

Henri ran up to Sarah and embraced her. She laughed and hugged him back. Cecile was next. The two girls hugged each other tightly. Cecile left Sarah a small box in her hand when she broke away. "What's this?" Sarah asked. "Just a little something I picked up for you in Havana. Some of them are for Blaze, but you can use some as well," Cecile answered. Sarah took the lid off and found six small sugar cubes neatly placed in the box. "Ohh," she said lovingly. "Thank you!"

"Well," Sarah said, turning to James. "Welcome back, James." "Good to be back, Sarah," he replied. "Good to be back." "I got your dispatch in the mail," she said as Cecile and Henri ran upstairs to unpack. "That was an amazing story you wrote. What else happened?" "Well," James said. "Remember what you said when Cecile first came here? About the greatest adventure of their lives?" Sarah nodded. "You were right," he said, as he launched into an explanation about the boat ride and what happened during their stay at Chickasaw Bluffs.

"James!!!" The two children yelled. "You promised not to say anything!!"

"Aw, come on!" he yelled back. "A promise is a promise," Cecile called. "You can't tell anyone. Sarah, could you please not tell anyone what Ja,es told you? It's a little embarrassing." "Of course," Sarah replied. "That's what friends do for each other." She gave James a look, and he stared at his feet. He felt so guilty.

"Hey, Henri!" Cecile called down the hall when sticking her head out of her room. "What?" Henri called, opening his door, too. "Catch!" she said as she tossed a small box to him. He caught it with both hands and looked at the silver wrapping. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked him. "Open it!" She beamed as he took the lid off the box. Inside were two golden buttons neatly embedded in cotton. "It's kinds of an apology gift," she said. "Why are you apologizing?" he asked her. "Well, that night you attacked yourself, I thought it was all a dream until I stepped on one of the buttons I gave you for Christmas by accident. Then when Sarah's cousin attacked you, I didn't believe that either until I stepped on the other button by accident. They're replacements," she explained while looking down at the floor. "And I also wanted to apologize for embarrassing you like that at Chickasaw Bluffs. I completely blew that out of proportion. Do you forgive me?" she asked in a small voice.

Henri smiled. "You don't have to apologize for the second thing," he said. "Come here. I have a gift for you, too. It's not what you're thinking," he added as Cecile narrowed her eyes. "It's a friend I want you to meet. Come on!" "But..." Cecile said, but Henri already grabbed her arm and led her into the backyard. "Why are you taking me here?" she asked. "Well, we need our horses to get to where we're going," he replied. "Where exactly are we going?" she asked. "We're going to the Continental Congress. Come on!" he said.

"Hi, Gilbert!" Henri said happily when they got to Congress. Cecile stayed behind him, but he wouldn't let her. "Don't be afraid," he said. "You don't understand," she told him. "We thought he was the person who attacked you the night you attacked yourself, so Sarah and I chased him for 10 miles. We didn't know it was him until you told us. I'm really sorry," she said.

The Marquis de Lafayette seemed to understand her. He forgave her because she had said, "I was doing it to protect my friend."

"What is your name, by the way?" he asked her. Cecile tried to look dignified. "I am Cecile Marie DuMont," she said. "Sometimes Henri calls me Cecile. Sometimes he calls me Marie. And sometimes he calls me La Fille D'amant." She reddened but continued. "But most people call me Cecile."

"Henri," Gilbert said. "Could I ask you a question?" "Sure. What is it?" "Well, since the war is now at a close, I was wondering if you would like to come live with me, my wife, and my two daughters." Henri couldn't be happier, but he also seemed very worried because of his promise to Cecile. He looked at her. "Should I go?" he asked her.

She smiled. "Go ahead," she said. "Family's more important than friends." "But I can't leave Sarah and James and you just like that." "Trust me," she said. "You need a father more than a friend. I know these things."

He turned to Gilbert. " I would love to," he said. He turned back to Cecile. Are you sure about this?" he asked. "I'm going to give you something that will tell you that I am telling the truth." She gave him the biggest hug with all the power she had left. "Good luck," she said. "I'll write to you every day," she promised. He looked reluctant, but he said, "When are we leaving?" "In a couple of weeks," Gilbert replied.

"So, it's the big day," they said. "I'll ride with you to the docks. You need to bring Penny, anyway," Cecile suggested. They got their horses away from the post and rode off to the dock. "It's too bad Sarah and James couldn't come," Henri said as they galloped . "I can think of three things they're doing," Cecile said, and they laughed as they rode to the docks. "Wow, I didn't think it would take that quick," Cecile said as she saw Henri's ship coming into view. "Whoa!" They said as they slowed their horses down and dismounted them.

"Henri! Over here!" Gilbert called when he saw them. "I know I should be happy, but I'm not," Henri confessed. "I know what'll make you feel better," she said. She took him by the hand and led him to a large oak tree.

"This is what we did a few weeks ago at Chickasaw Bluffs. All over again," she said. "Seriously," she continued after Henri smirked. "Even though this is who you are destined to be, where you are destined to go, I'm still going to miss you. I can't take the pleasure of having a family away from you." Their eyes were seas of red. "Will you ever come back to visit?" she asked. "Yes," he replied. "When Sarah and James get married." "That won't take long, at the rate they're goin!" They laughed.

"Somehow, I feel like half of my heart is getting ripped out," Henri said. He couldn't look at his best freiend for what may have been the last time. "It'll be all right. Trust me. You know how I know?" she asked him. He shook his head. She took his face in her hands. "Because I'm your best friend. That's why," she said. They bit their lips and slid down to the ground. They leaned against the tree.

"Henri?"

"Oui?"

"Back at Chickasaw Bluffs, when you said you loved me, were you lying?" she asked.

Henri smiled slyly. "Let me answer that another way," he said. He made sure that nobody was around.

"We really shouldn't..." Cecile began. Although Henri agreed with her, he disagreed with her. "It's the only way to answer your question," he reminded her. "I guess," she said, and she trailed off. She started to cry. "But it'll be too painful for both of us."

"Cecile?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you, for once, not stick to logic?" he asked her seriously.

"Well..................................ok," she replied. "Who cares about logic at a time like this?!"

She put her head down. He lifted it up. "It's going to be all right," he said, but his sparkling eyes didn't seem to say so. Neither of them said a word as they silently let tears stream down their faces.

"Henri? Are you all right?"

Gilbert came from behind the oak when he saw the two of them sitting on the ground, crying.

"I'll leave you two alone," he said, backing away from the tree. "Go ahead and cry. I won't stop you."

They leaned their backs against the tree. They were both breathing heavily and quickly. Cecile bit her lip. She put her head back down. He lifted it back up. He pulled it towards his own. He let go of her head. They closed their eyes. She tilted her head to the right. He did the same. Their lips touched. She threw her arms around his neck. He took out her hair elastic. He pulled a curl and let it go. Boing, they both thought. Tears streamed down their faces. She pulled him closer to her as the kiss got deeper and deeper...

He stroked her fallen hair. She stroked his soft cheek with her thumb. Their heads moved away from each other. She let her forehead sit on his shoulder. Her own shoulders were shaking with sobs.

"I'm sorry," she said, lifting her head off his shoulder. "I'm getting your shirt all tear-stained." "Don't be sorry," he replied. "But you never answered my question," she persisted. "Yes, I did. Just now. I said that I would answer it another way, remember?" he answered.

"So the answer is..."

"Yes. The answer is yes. But here are three questions for you. Do you like me? Am I in your heart? Would you cry if I left?"

"No, no, and no," she replied. Sadly, he walked away, but Cecile took his hand. "That's not what I meant," she said.

"I don't like you. I love you. You're not in my heart. You are my heart. And I wouldn't cry if you left. I would die," she elaborated.

Henri was speechless.

"You should probably go," she said. "Your ship's waiting." They clicked their tongues and led their horses to the boat. Henri led his horse up the ramp and onto the deck, then came back down the ramp. Rather, he ran down the ramp. He threw his arms around her and they hugged each other tightly. He ran his fingers through her hair. She turned her head downwards and buried her face in his shoulder. He lifted her head up again. "Well..." he said. "Au revoir." "Yeah, au revoir," she said. "Until next time." He squeezed her hand, gave her one last tender, meaningful kiss, and finally got on the ship.

"Sarah?" Cecile asked as she cut some bread for that night's supper. "Can I ask you a question?" Sarah turned around and said, "I'm listening."

It had been exactly one year since Henri had left America. Sarah was 19, James 18, and Cecile 12. They were all still living in the shop. James had taught Cecile the main points of journalism, and now she helped him and Sarah with the Gazette. She didn't normally set type. Occasionally she did, but most of the time she read the articles the three of them wrote to Sarah and James (who set type), but that was help!

"Remember when you told me about your old locket? The one your father gave you?" she asked. "Yes, very well," Sarah replied. "Well," Cecile continued. "I realized you were right. You don't really know the value of something until you have to give it up." She sighed and continued slining bread. Sarah looked at her understandingly. "This is about Henri, isn't it?" Cecile nodded silently.

"I have an idea," Sarah said automatically. "Tomorrow, why don't we spend the whole day out? Just the two of us. We could have a picnic, go riding, whatever you like." Cecile didn't even have to think. "That sounds reasonable," she replied without hesitation. "So we'll leave around 10:00?" Sarah said already making plans. "All right. 10:00 sounds great. You do mean 10:00am, right?" Cecile added hesitantly. Sarah laughed. "Of course, silly," she said, pulling a curl and letting it go.

At 10:00 the next morning, Sarah put on her light blue cloak and Cecile put on her white one. As they were about to leave, James sprinted down the stairs. "Where are you going?" he asked them. "We're going to spend the day out," Sarah replied. Cecile looked up at her like a daughter would her mother. "Do you want me to get the horses?" she asked in a small voice. Sarah smiled down at this little girl who was like her Lissie. "Go ahead. I'll be right there," she replied.

"She's been feeling a bit down," Sarah explained to James. The two watched as Cecile slowly led the horses towards the door. "It's because of Henri's departure," she finished. "Oh," James could only say. "Well, go ahead. Have a good time for me," he called out the door as the girls mounted their horses and went off for their big day.

"So what would you like to do first?" Sarah asked as they got to the field and tied their horses to a conveniently placed post. "Why don't we just walk around town? It'll give us a couple of hours to spend before lunch," Cecile suggested. "Great idea!" Sarah agreed. "Let's go."

"I like your cloak," Sarah commented as they got into town. "Where did you get it?" "Thank you," Cecile said and smiled. "It used to be my mother's. She gave it to me before she died and she told me to take care of it as if it were my own child. It's all I have left to remember my parents by."

"Don't you have any jewelry?" Sarah asked, puzzled.

"Yes," Cecile said. "I used to have a ring, but I gave it to you for Christmas. You could protect it better than I could." "What kind of ring was it?" Sarah asked, intrigued. "It...it..." Cecile mustered up the rest of her courage. "It was my mother's wedding band," she said after a moment of nervous silence was between them.

"Oh, my," Sarah said. "You gave me your mother's wedding band?" I-I think it's something she would have been proud of. She would have wanted me to pass it on to another Sarah."

"You mean your mother's name was Sarah as well?" she stammered. Cecile nodded. "Both your name and your personality have given me great reason to believe that my mother put some of her love into your heart, Sarah," she said. Sarah was awestruck. "You say a lot of meaningful thing, Cecile. Some are wiser than others, but they mean a lot ever still. You should write poetry and ask James to publish it in the Gazette," Sarah suggested. Cecile looked up at her, grinning. "I already have. He gave me the first copy to read." She took some parchment out of her satchel and unfolded it. She turned to page six. "He put my poem right.........there!" she said, pointing to a section of the page. "Would you let me know what you think of it? It's just a poem about recent feelings. Not a love poem or something like that," she said. Sarah took the paper and read the poem aloud, which went like this:

"Empty Feelings

It's lonely here.
Rooms of empty feelings
Surround me.
They suck
The happiness
From my body.
They rip out my heart
And leave me behind
To lie here
And bleed.
I'm even worse off
Than before..."

Sarah looked up from the paper. "I never thought you could write like this."

"Neither did I," a strong male voice said. The girls saw a large brown hand on their shoulders. They turned around.

"MOSES!!"

He grabbed the two girls and hugged them tightly. "What are you doing here?" Cecile asked. "Yes, I thpught you were looking for a new home and for a family," Sarah continued. Just then a small African-American boy ran up to Moses and tugged the bottom of his shirt.

"Daddy, daddy, aren't we getting apples for mommy's pie?" he asked eagerly.

Moses bent down and said, "Yes, Matthew, we are." The buy turned to a dark-skinned girl behind him. "I told you, Hannah!" he said pompously.

Cecile and Sarah stared open-mouthed at him. "You have children?" they asked simultaneously. Moses nodded. "Yes. I have another daughter name Anne. She's 7, Hannah's 6, and Matthew's 4," he replied.

"I----I'm going to get James," Cecile stuttered. "He'll be so surprised! She mounted Soot and rode off to the print shop.

When she got there, she practically ran off of Soot and zoomed through the door. She spoke, almost out of breath. "James...in town...person...wants to see you...right away...come one." She ran out the door. Interested, James ran out the door after her. "Come on!" she call. "Someone in town' axious to see you. And it's not Sybil." She laughed and galloped off. James gasped, groaned, and galloped off after her.

"You are going to be so surprised!" she called behind her as Soot galloped faster. When they got there, Cecile smiled atop her horse. James gasped.

"Moses!"

"And his children," Sarah said as Cecile got off her horse. Matthew, Hannah, and Anne emerged from behind Sarah, Hannah and Anne holding the bottom of her dress.

James put his head in his hands. "My gosh, Moses. How long's it been?" "Too long," Moses agreed. "Wait a second. Where's Henri?" Cecile turned away for a moment and James put his hands on her shoulders. He turned his head to face Moses. "He moved to France with the Marquis de Lafayette," he and Sarah said quietly so as not to upset Cecile.

Cecile felt someone put their hands over her eyes.

"Moses? Could you take your hands off my face?" she asked. Moses, Sarah, and James were all grinning.

"That's not me," Moses said.

"Sarah?" she asked cluelessly. "No, it's not me either." "James?" she asked hopefully. "Nope. Guess again!" he said happily.

She turned around. "Please don't let it be Sarah's cousin," she said in a small voice. The someone took their hands off her face. It wasn't Sarah's cousin.

It was Henri.

She pinched herself. It hurt. She smiled and started to cry tears of joy. She threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up a little and whirled her around. They finally let go of each other. "What...wh-why?" was all she could say. "Did you run away again?" James asked him cautiously. "Non." They looked behind Henri and found the Marquis de Lafayette with his wife and two daughters, Yvonne and Rochelle.

"We're moving to Philadelphia!" Henri said happila. "Seriously?" Cecile asked, over joyed. She was hyperventilating. "Yes!" Henri cried. "I told Gilbert, or dad," he said, smiling at the Marquis, "Anyway, I told him that I couldn't stand being away from America, and he suggested that we move here!"

"So which house are you moving into?" Sarah asked. "We're moving in next door to the print shop!" he replied, grinning from ear to ear. "I can visit you almost every day!" He hugged Cecile again and kissed her on both cheeks. He did the same with Sarah. Then he hugged Moses and James.

The nine of them walked back to the print shop. All they way, Cecile and Henri held hands.

"Welcome back, Henri..."

End Chapter 10

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