An Alternate ending to chapter 17

To those of you who want more, or are just bored, or, like me, think the other ending is a bit…well….sappy (what can I say, I just finished watching Love Actually), here's an ending that in my opinion goes back to the evolution of the characters. In this new one I'll explain moreso what ever happened to young Tavington. I do like chapter 17, but it seems a bit…odd. I feel as if I've made totally new characters instead of evolving the characters through their journeys. So, here you go. You can be the judge of which you like better

Gabriel stretched widely and reached to take hold of his love as she slept. However, when only sheets reached his arms, he awakened. Looking around the dark cabin, his blurry eyes found no trace of her. Strapping on his long johns, he sluggishly opened the door and walked barefoot down towards the beach, where a lone shadow sat by the waves.

His voice was hoarse when he spoke. "I know your as good a soldier as any man, you've proven that quite enough, but do you have to guard the camp at night?"

She looked over as he proceeded to slowly sit down next to her. "Couldn't sleep. Something's happening, Gabriel. I can feel it. I want to be there."

His lips caressed her shoulder then her neck, as she breathed heavily, her eyes closing. "I want to be there too."

She flinched to make him get off her. "But it is because of me that you are not by your father's side. You stayed, and you long to protect him."

"Father is fully capable of winning this war all by himself, you know this. I long to be there so that I can hurry home to you without looking back to see if a gun is pointed at me."

She gulped, pulling her hair back against the night breeze. For a few moments the only sounds heard were the soft crashing of waves. She sighed.

"I worry about my girls. Jane was to disband the group and have the girls come here until the war ends. I should have known she would disobey."

"Well, they learned disobedience from the best." She playfully nudged his side with her elbow. Soon her smile faded, and her mind went back to the subject she had long been thinking over.

"It's so very difficult, Gabriel. When I first met you, I was angry, I was passionate about the cause. I only cared about winning and getting back at my father for all the wrongs he caused. When he died…when you killed him, my anger subsided. Meeting Evan, it just flip flopped my mind. War isn't as clear. How many British soldiers with wives and children have we slaughtered? Weren't they only obeying orders? Evan did not believe in King George's fight. This war is simply one man's greed and the priceless sacrifices on both sides to gain more power and control. And what's worse…I gave my girls the right to gain information by all means possible. I gave the orders. I did it myself. I told them it was alright to do this…your father warned me once. Goodness that was a long time ago. I want no part of war anymore, but I worry because through my own rage for my father I taught my girls to fight and die and kill."

Gabriel did not say anything for a moment. He stared straight at the waves, comprehending how to instill hope in her.

He began, "Listen Kristina. We've been through a lot. You learned to survive through this god forsaken war. You taught your girls to survive. Yes, you know I never approved of what you did. But through your work, this war will be over soon. No one should live to see such times, but we did. No matter who wins, we will continue to survive and evolve. Whether we believe in war or not, we fought to survive, even if that meant fighting the innocent. We live in an age of kill or be sacrificed. Some chose to be sacrificed. Others, like you and I, fight like patriots."

She leaned on his shoulder as both stared towards the rising sun. His fingers stroked her wind blown hair as he sighed heavily. He whispered softly in her ear, "You are the strongest most beautiful woman I've ever met. You are strong, Kristina. You have to stay strong for me."

Two weeks later a letter arrived from Jane, detailing the Yorktown battle.

Dearest Kristina,

We did it. That fat hog Cornwallis surrendered a few days ago at Yorktown. Oh, if you had been there- please do not be angered that the girls and I decided to go. Just as you had your reasons to fight, so did all of us. Mary Ellis died trying to load a cannon. Eloise Kensington took a bullet to the chest, but somehow she's still breathing. She was not even armed when she ran to help a wounded soldier to safety. Flora Rittevon is missing. The other girls are alive and well, though all of us are scarred from this war. I thought maybe I should tell you in person, but I do not know when we shall see each other, so I guess I will have to write it. Evan Tavington died. I watched as he shot three Continentals. I hate to say one of our own, Clarisa Fortwright, triggered his end. Collateral damage was everywhere, I'm afraid. There are no good sides and bad sides, Kris, only the death in between. Mr. Martin is well. He is the one who asked me to send this letter along. He sends his love to his children. I hope you and Gabriel are well. I daresay I also took a wound. I was one of the very few girls in the midst of battle when I was shot in the leg. They had to cut it off, Kris. I suppose I'm one of the lucky ones. Emeline Harris lost an eye. Now that the war is over, I doubt I'll ever return to our beloved South Carolina. Too many memories. They are sending me up to Delaware for treatment. I love you, Kristina Warwick. I always have. I wish you the best with your Gabriel- I always knew something would happen.

With love,

Your Jane

Kristina refused to eat for two days, her mind plagued with thoughts of all she loved. A part of her wished she had been there….but the what if's were too numerous and stupid to think about. The costs of war are countless, she told herself. For everyone, not just yourself.

But the battles were not over yet.

One day, Nathan came running to their cabin, knocking and yelling for the two to wake.

After quickly dressing, Kristina and Gabriel went outside to see what all the commotion was about.

"Samuel, what's going on?" Gabriel asked as about twenty men came across the bridge, armed with muskets and looks of curiosity.

"I don't know." They weren't dressed in uniform, and some were whooping and hollering while others began to load the muskets.

"Stay back while I talk to them," Gabriel told, and Susan and the other children stood there. Kristina ran back to the cabin, Nathan and Samuel following. Something was afoot.

"The wars over son!" she heard one grey bearded man rejoice to Gabriel. "Now we can collect what was stolen…or er…wandered away while we fought for our lives."

Gabriel looked towards the camp, where about fifty blacks began to look terrified.

A young black man came up to Gabriel and the grey bearded man. "Sir, some of us were freed men long before the war started. Others of us served as soldiers. The women and children were released when the British set fire to their slaveholder's houses. We are free."

This angered the man. Before another word was spoken, one of the others, a boy no more than twenty, opened fire and shot the black man dead. Wailings erupted throughout the crowd, as children clung to their mothers and fathers raced inside their huts to get whatever weapons they had acquired over the years in hiding.

"What are you doing??" Gabriel shouted, and the young blonde pointed his musket at him.

"Don't tell me you're a N- lover. Just stay right there as we conduct our business,

and take what's rightfully ours." Gabriel put his hands up, his eyes blazing with hate.

Kristina, along with Nathan and Samuel, ran to the outskirts of the camp along the treeline as others ran to find cover. As silently as possible, they ran up a small hill closer to where the twenty southern men sat on their horses, not yet moving in on the camp.

"Nathan- the blonde. Samuel, mister gray beard. Meg…Meg?" Kristina whispered, surprised to see the girl silently walking up the hill with a musket of her own.

"If they land one finger on Abigail I'll-" she began, but Kristina instantly put her finger to her mouth to signal silence.

"Meg, once Nathan and Sam have fired, the other men are going to ride towards the camp, not knowing what to expect. Pick off the leaders, and keep your head behind this tree. Boys, once you reload, run south- without getting shot- towards the other end of camp. I'll run to the bridge to make sure none escape." They all nodded.

Kristina took aim at the man behind Gabriel-once the others were down he might be a problem. Sure enough, once Nathan fired his musket straight at the blonde haired boy's chest, Samuel fired and hit the grey beard in the eye. The man behind Gabriel, unsure of what was going on, pulled out his gun and aimed it straight at Gabriel. Krstina smirked, then fired her shot, killing him instantly.

Gabriel quickly ran into the trees as the other men raced towards camp away from the unknown snipers. As directed, Meg, Nathan, and Samuel ran to beat the men there. Some of the villagers opened fire on their attempted kidnappers, killing three in the process. An old black man was shot in leg and doubled over in pain. Meg opened fire on the man nearest Abigail, hitting him dead on the forehead.

Charlotte appeared, rushing Susan and other children into her cabin. Kristina stood at the bridges end, picking off two men trying to run away. Gabriel rushed by her side.

"Are you alright?" she asked, keeping her hand on the trigger and her eyes on the camp.

"I'm fine. Give me your dagger you have stashed away underneath that dress." She couldn't help but smile slightly, then reached down to give it to him.

"Be careful!" she whispered as he parted and ran into the camp. She watched as he silently slit two of the men's throats from behind, then bent down to get their muskets. Nathan shot another guy on horseback, though he failed to find cover in time as a shaggy brown haired man ontop his horse aimed and fired at Nathan, hitting him in the shoulder. He fell backward, unconscious. Kristina gasped, but kept her eyes to make sure none crossed the bridge. Soon only two men were left, and as the crowd ran to take care of them, they desperately rode their horses across the bridge. Kristina fired and hit one in the stomach. She had no time to reload and thrust her dagger forward, missing his vital area but hitting him in the arm. He toppled to the ground, and she was ready. She stamped her foot ontop of him as he reached for his gun when Gabriel ran beside her.

"Drop it!" He yelled. The man did not answer. He cocked his gun towards Kristina and Gabriel fired. Gabriel looked towards Kristina. "Where'd you get the other knife?" he enquired, bemused.

"I always keep a second in this damn corset", she exclaimed. He smirked.

"Gabriel!" Samuel screamed, and both ran to see Samuel crouching beside Nathan, who had woken up and was desperately trying to conceal his pain.

"First real fight I've been in" he exclaimed. Gabriel smiled.

"You did great."

That night the free blacks burned their three dead comrades. All the Martins gathered around Nathan as he fought to keep his face free of pride for getting wounded.

Kristina grabbed both her arms and squeezed in nervousness.

Soon they retired to their own cabin for a few hours of sleep, though the sun was already beginning to make its way up in the sky. "You fought bravely." Gabriel at last said. "And you saved me yet again."

Kristina smiled slightly. "I never thought I'd have to fight again." She paused, then remarked, "All you Martins are excellent snipers. Did you see Meg?"

Gabriel nodded. "There will always be battles to fight, Kris. It never ends." He began to undress and get in bed. She did likewise.

"For a second I thought I might lose you again. It seems now that the war is over a whole new form of battles will have to be fought. Abigail and everyone else aren't safe here anymore."

"When father comes, we'll take everyone and build a new home. A new life," he whispered, exhausted from the day's events.

Kristina's eyes were wide awake, and she lay facing him. "With hopefully a government free of tyranny."

Gabriel sighed. "Some things will never change. But we fought for liberty, and we have to believe our intentions are good enough to come true. Now, miss, if you don't mind I think I'd like to get some sleep….by the way…you don't…sleep with that dagger do you?" he enquired playfully.

She smirked. "Only when I'm sleeping next to you."

"Too cold you are."

"A girl never takes her chances, especially with curly haired blondes."