Ya'll are REALLY gonna like this chapter. Hehehe. But what happens in the next chapter...

Thanks for all the reviews. You guys rock.

I don't own Liberty's Kids. It's not even... sobs On anymore!

I do own the plot, though. That's about it.

Ah, on my way back home. I haven't even been gone so long, but I still miss home so much. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home, right?

Anyways, it's going to be a slow trip back, seeing as I don't even have a horse. Oh well.

So I'm just sauntering along, when along comes someone I haven't seen in years. Since Yorktown, actually. Joseph Plumb Martin.

He's a little taller, and a little less gaunt, but it's still him. I smile and hold out a hand, which he shakes.

"James! I was looking for you!"

Why? Did he see me in the dancehall? I don't get it. Why didn't he just come up to me?

"Why?" I ponder.

He looks down, almost as if he feels guilty.

"Well, you see, there's a slight problem. It's your friend Sarah; James, she's really drunk," Plumb replies nervously.

Whoa. Did he just say really drunk and Sarah in the same sentence? Why? How? I don't get it at all!

Sarah's so uptight and responsible most of the time. This does not bode well. But I shrug and follow Joe obediently. If Sarah's really drunk, then she'll need me to keep her out of trouble. My leaving will just have to wait, won't it?

Ugh. I hate these stupid quiet walks. I can't stand silence. I'm just not used to it, you know. I mean, the streets and the print shop were both always noisy.

We reach the inn a little later, and Joe grimaces a little, holding the door open for me. The first thing I see is Sarah, standing in the middle of the dancehall, surrounded by guys. Her hair is down, her cheeks red, and she looks more made-up than before. What she's wearing... It's just very skimpy. Seriously, I think that's a slip.

But I see the way those guys are looking at her, and I know what those looks mean, and I know that I've got to stop that stuff from happening. Right now.

I stride purposefully across the dancefloor, shoving some men aside in my mission to reach Sarah. They turn on me.

"Who're you?"

"Yeah! Get away from the lady!"

A rage seems to take over me.

"You get away from her!" I snarl back.

Then Sarah turns and looks at me, her legs wobbling a little. Her eyes are wide and teary and she practically falls into my arms. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, but I figure I might as well take her back to the room.

"Come on, Sarah, let's go back to the room," I urge, helping her along.

The other men scowl at me, but they offer up no resistance, and so I push through them, hurrying to get Sarah to the room.

What was she doing with them? I mean, yeah, she's drunk... But still. Why was she even drinking so much in the first place?

I have no idea. I help her lie down on the bed, staring at her in confusion.

She suddenly tugs me down with her and starts kissing me, which surprises me to no end. I think she'd be mortified if she knew what she was doing, so I'm going to stop. I mean, I've got no qualms with it myself, but she's a different story.

So I'm the good guy again. I break the kiss and she just stares at me, shocked. Maybe she's sobered up a little?

"Why? Why'd you stop?" Sarah says breathlessly.

I sigh and begin to speak, but she interrupts. Never knew she was a rude drunk.

"I mean, you're in love with me, right? And I'm kissing you, so you should be overjoyed," She rants.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Hang on a second. She knows about that? This is not good, definitely not good.

"I can't take advantage of you, Sarah. I don't want it to happen this way," I mutter, turning away.

I feel her eyes upon me, pitying me, and I can't stand it. But then she pounces upon me, kissing me frantically, and I know I've got to stop this. Fast. No matter how much I...

"No, Sarah. We can't," I state seriously.

Weird. I'm the serious one, for once.

"Why not? You love me, I love you..." Sarah trails off.

What?!

Did I just hear her right?

No, I couldn't have.

She doesn't... Does she?

Ugh, girls are so confusing.

"Uh, what was that, Sarah?" I choke out.

I hope that was... Well, I don't know what I hope that was.

"I said that you love me and that I love you, stupid," Sarah states impatiently.

She's being serious?

Seriously?

But, wait, nah, it can't be. She's drunk.

Wasted.

"I'm sorry, but I must be hearing things because I swear I just heard you say that you were in love with me, which is, as we all know, completely ridiculous," I retort, annoyed.

She can't just string me along like this.

She already did that.

"Why don't you believe me? I mean, it's not like you ever even tried to ask me how I felt, or told me how you felt..."

And then she faints, and I check to see if she's still breathing. And she is, so I lock the door and fall asleep effortlessly.

- Loren ;

Now, isn't that cute? Seriously... Just all warm and fuzzy. So, guys, REVIEW! Lol...