Author's Note: Hey, everyone. Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I have been uber-busy trying to finish two papers that are due this week. Besides that, I was struck by inspiration to write something separate from this story. Don't you hate it when that happens? It can't strike when I have nothing to do except write for a long time. No, it has to attack right when I need to concentrate on school and this story. BTW, if you are wondering why I update so quickly, it is because I never study. No, really. Writing this is like an addiction. So, you should all appreciate the sacrifice I am making for you! Just kidding. Anyway, on with the story!

Chapter Twenty-five: Learn

The rest of the afternoon passed rather slowly. Winnie stayed at the end of the dock for another hour after Jesse left, then rose to go back to the house. Once inside, Winnie went into the kitchen, where Mae was preparing dinner. She smiled at Winnie cheerfully. "There you are. I was startin' to wonder where you'd gone off to."

"I was sitting out on the dock. The scenery is beautiful."

"Yes, it sure is. It would have cost us a pretty penny to live out here if the house hadn't been in such bad shape when we moved in. Luckily, Tuck and Miles were able to fix it up good." Mae studied Winnie's face. "How did that cream work for you?"

"Well…I think it turned out okay."

"You won't see results right away, but by tomorrow it should be fine. Within a couple of days, everything will be as good as new."

"I'm sure you're right." She paused and looked around the living room. "Where is everyone else?"

"Oh, the boys are out back trying to finish a rocking chair. I'm surprised they aren't done by now."

Winnie sighed and surveyed the kitchen. A large mixing bowl had been placed on the counter beside a cutting board covered in flour. White dough clung to the edges of the bowl like a child to his mother's legs. Her eyes trailed down the counter to another cutting board, where a huge hunk of dough sat miserably in a desert of flour. "What are you making?"

"Bread. Would you like to learn how?"

Winnie nodded, and Mae began showing the younger girl around the kitchen. After giving her the recipe and showing her the ingredients, Mae left Winnie to herself to see what she could do. Half of an hour later, the two of them stood back to admire Winnie's creation.

Mae spoke first. "Well, it's not bad…for your first try."

"It looks kind of…flat." Winnie reached out and poked the ball of dough, which barely gave into the pressure she put on it. "And hard."

"Well, just give it some time. It will probably rise." Mae smiled at Winnie, but she could see through it.

"It's horrible, isn't it?"

"Well, it isn't that bad. It's just…okay, yes, it's horrible. I don't think it will be edible." Winnie's face fell slightly, but Mae was quick to reassure her. "But don't you worry, honey. The first time I made bread by myself, I forgot to add yeast. That thing was like a stone. If you dropped a piece on your foot, it probably would have broken something."

Winnie laughed as the front door swung open. Miles and Jesse entered the kitchen, each of them wearing a thin coat of sweat on their golden skin. Mae poured them each a cup of water from a clay pitcher by the cabinet. "Did you and your father finish that chair?"

"Yes," Miles answered after taking a large gulp. "I'm going to take it into town on Monday to sell. Pa thinks it'll fetch a good price."

"Well, his things normally do," Mae said.

Miles nodded and glanced around the room. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was teaching Winnie how to make bread."

Miles peered closely at Winnie's lump of dough, then grinned widely. "I take it this one is yours?"

Winnie frowned. "And if it is?"

"Then I would say you were a pretty bad cook." Winnie turned to Jesse, who was grinning at her widely. She placed her flour-covered hands on her hips and glared at him.

"And what do you know about baking, Jesse Tuck?"

"Enough to know it shouldn't look like that," he said, pointing at the lump. Miles busted out laughing, but Mae swatted him in the stomach.

"You cut that out now, you hear? Winnie did a wonderful job. Now, both of you need to go outside and clean off. I don't want any dirt on this floor. You know I mopped yesterday."

"Yes, Ma," said Miles, setting his cup on the counter. He put his hand on Jesse's back and pushed him towards the door.

When she heard the door click, Winnie sighed. "I guess I don't have a future in baking."

"Oh, nonsense. It just takes a little practice, is all. In fact, you can help me next week when I make jam. How would you like that?"

"That sounds wonderful." Winnie untied the strings of her apron and hung it from a hook it the corner of the room. "If you don't mind, Mae, I think I'm going to go back outside for a while. I don't think I would be of any help in here anyway," she said, smiling.

Mae nodded. "Dinner will be ready when this bread is done, so don't wander off too far."

"I won't." Winnie stepped out onto the porch and gazed out at the lake. She laughed when she saw Miles and Jesse running towards the lake, pushing one another as they went. Jesse was trying to pull off a shoe when Miles hit him from the side. They both tumbled to the ground, with Miles on top. Winnie gathered her skirts and ran to the dock, where she fell into a fit of laughter at the sight of two fully-grown little boys sprawled out on top of one another. Miles pushed himself away from his younger brother and removed his shirt, throwing it in the dirt while Jesse tried to catch his breath. Winnie watched as Miles sprinted down the dock and jumped into the lake.

Winnie looked at Jesse, who had pulled himself up to his elbows to watch Miles's jump. He shook his head and leaned over to finish removing his shoes. "Why did he push you like that?"

Jesse looked up, surprised to see her standing there. "Oh, he was just being a mean older brother, is all. Truthfully, if I hadn't had so much trouble with these shoes, he would be sitting here right now instead of me," he said, grinning. He stood, barefoot, and looked Winnie straight in the eye. "You goin' in?"

"In where?"

"Well, the lake, of course!" Jesse grinned at Winnie mischievously. "What, you aren't scared, are you?"

"Well, no," Winnie stammered nervously. "It's just that I don't know how to swim very well. My father tried to teach me when I was nine, but my mother didn't think I would ever need it, so she made him stop."

Jesse looked thoughtful. "I can teach you, if you want. Me and Miles, that is." He glanced down to the end of the dock, where Winnie could hear splashing. She followed his gaze and saw that Miles had pulled himself up onto the wooden planks, where he had rested his elbows. He shouted at her from across the distance.

"Are you coming in, Winnie?"

Jesse cupped his hands around his mouth. "She can't swim!"

Winnie rolled her eyes, somewhat embarrassed that her lack of skill was being proclaimed throughout the land. However, Miles did not seem to think anything of it. "We'll teach you!"

Winnie sighed and looked at Jesse for reassurance. He smiled gently. "It's okay, Winnie," he said quietly. "We won't let anything happen to you."

She swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

Jesse stripped off his shirt while Winnie took off her shoes. It occurred to her that Mae had cleaned this dress earlier that morning, but pushed away the guilt over messing it up again. Jesse led Winnie down the dock as he had earlier that afternoon, coming to a stop when they reached the end. Miles had pushed off from the dock and was doggy-paddling a few feet away.

Jesse jumped in first, sending warm drops of water flying in her direction. She wiped her face and looked at the surface of the lake. It didn't seem that bad, she thought. It looks peaceful even, and safe, especially with Miles and Jesse in there to protect me. She cast a worried look in their direction, but they each gave her encouraging smiles. "Go ahead, Winnie," said Miles. "Jump in."

Winnie plugged her nose with her fingers, as her father taught her to do when she was young. She took a deep breath through her mouth and closed her eyes. You can do this, she thought. You can do this. Without another moment's hesitation, Winnie Foster jumped into the sun-drenched lake.

The water hit her skin like a blast of warm air. Her dress clung to her body, wrapping itself around her waist and legs. She felt herself descend a few feet, then rise to the surface. Her face hit the air first, and her neck and shoulders followed. When she opened her eyes, drops of brown water clung to her eyelashes. She looked around for Jesse and Miles, but did not see them. She gasped in fright, and her hands shot out from the water. She may have been able to keep herself afloat had she not been so shocked that she was alone, but her fear got the best of her. Before she could take another breath, the water swallowed her back up again.

Being under water felt different this time. Winnie's legs began searching frantically for the bottom of the lake, but it was not there. Her hand reached desperately above her, and her fingers skimmed the surface, but she barely noticed. An eerie, hollow sound filled her ears. She could not open her eyes. Her lungs burned with a lack of oxygen, and a small amount of water leaked into her throat when she gasped for air. The distant sound of splashing echoed around her, but her mind could conceive of nothing save the inky darkness sucking her into its endless depths. She did not even understand what was happening when a pair of hands grabbed the fabric around her waist and pulled her up to the world of air.

When her face broke the surface, she tried to inhale a large gulp of air. Her lungs rejected the breath, sending her into a fit of coughing to rid themselves of the water she had consumed. The arms around her tightened, and she felt a hand brush her hair out of her eyes. "Oh, my God, Winnie. Are you okay?"

Winnie blinked slowly and tried to focus. Miles's face, just inches from her own, was filled with guilt and worry. She nodded stiffly, but clung to him when she looked back at the water.

"Do you want to get out now?" Winnie's eyes lifted to see Jesse paddling a few feet in front of her. His face was a reflection of Miles's, etched in guilt and concern. She swallowed and nodded, and Miles took them both to the edge of the dock. He held her as Jesse climbed up onto the wooden planks and reached down to pull her up. His strong arms came around her as he lifted her out of the water, then held her tightly when she was standing firmly on the deck. Miles used his own strength to lift himself out of the water.

"I'm going to go get Ma," he said quietly, glancing at the both of them. "I'm sure she has some clean towels she could use." He turned away and began walking quickly down the dock as streams of water dripped from his soaking trousers.

Jesse held Winnie at arm's length and studied her carefully. Their eyes locked and Winnie could see how truly worried he was. I could have died, she thought. I could have drowned in that lake and never resurfaced. The sudden realization of what had happened hit Winnie with full force, and she choked out a sob. Jesse reached out for her as she collapsed, tears running down her face in rivulets of salt and mixing with the brown coating of lake water that she had not wiped away. He held her against his chest, and she clung to his neck as if she needed a life preserver in case should she fall back into the water.

When her tears had run dry, Winnie stepped back and looked at Jesse again. His eyes were wet, too, but she saw no sign of shed tears. He only looked sad and worried. She wondered what he had been thinking, but realized soon enough. He was wondering about the water. Not the water from the lake, but the water from a place far from this one with properties he knew only too well. Winnie glanced away because she did not want his eyes to see what she did not want to tell him.

Soon, she promised him as they walked along the dock towards the house. Soon.