AN: This was a little hasty update so excuse the mistakes. I just really wanted to get this up at the beginning of the week. My mind is hectic with the final chapters of this story and then this modern day fic that seems to be elbowing it's way in. Enjoy!


Chapter 5

Adrenaline combined with her determination and skipping over the tile with her bare feet made her heart beat with excitement. This was why her mother worried about her. She found excitement in the wrong places. Disobeying her mother's orders, sneaking around against her parent's wishes. She couldn't help the smirk that slid across her face upon successful entrance to the barn. She closed the heavy door behind her and waited a moment while her eyes adjusted to the contrasting light of inside.

A second after her entrance she heard Macy's whinny from the near by stall. It seemed her friend had been waiting. Risking the silence and kissing to her good luck she spoke softly to the horse, approaching with one hand in front of her so that she could feel the soft mane that had been foreign to her fingers for so long. She slipped into the tack room quickly but then deciding on a bareback ride instead, tring to remember the last time she'd ridden.

For it seemed the inevitable had finally arrived. She'd watched Rose, growing and maturing until her mother had molded her into the wife she was now; it had only been a matter of time before her mother tightened her own reigns and dragged her, kicking and screaming mind you, down the path of womanhood. She'd resisted, it seemed, as long as possible.

And after the pudding incident everything had become tighter, from where she could wander throughout the day to the new corset she now wore to church on Sundays. Worst of all, her mother had begun asking her friends in town about all the young, eligible men. At church she elbowed Pa, diverting his attention from the minister to some boy in the third row. The race, a week in the past, had only made matters worse. During the day she worked in the Webster household, learning how to run a home and act as a woman should. At night, this teaching continued through devote readings from the family Bible. She woke, bearly dragging her body from the cold bed. It seemed as if everything had become numb.

Macy juggled her head, evidence that she'd been pulling the lead rope too tightly. She apologized in a whisper and reached for the handle of the door. Her plan was to peak her head out first and when the coast was clear, kick open the door, swing on Macy's back and dash into the surrounding woods. Mama was away in town, grabbing some last minute dish for supper; that allotted a full afternoon at Pickle's Pond. Without Mama's nagging voice she was sure no one would miss her.

But as soon as her fingers brushed the splinters of wood on the hinge, the doors pulled open themselves and she was left blinking into the strong sunlight, her courage suddenly gone.

"Annabelle!" Her brother hissed, pushing her back into the barn, Macy clomping backwards awkwardly. Shielding her eyes she was able to clearly see a very messy Roz, Race, Jack and Piper.

They looked like they needed a nice dip in the pond.

Smiling cheekily at her brother's warning gaze, she tipped back the wide brim hat on her head. "Heya big brother."

"Hey yourself. Where you going with Macy?"

"Pickle's." She whispered, an eerie desperate edge lacing the tone of her voice. Roz snorted in protest and disbelief as Piper 'oohed' in agreement.

"I'm with that" he darted out of the barn before Roz could argue.

Annabelle pulled Macy into the open grass in front of the barn, scanning the surrounding field and satisfied to find all the men seeking shade for their lunch. Piper appeared a moment later on Jenny, pulling Race up behind him and turning in the direction of Pickle's. "Come on, Roz." Annabelle pleaded.

"Yea, we've only got so many more good days of swimming before that water gets too strong." Piper reminded, the prancing of Jenny's hooves mimicking the excitement in the group.

Roz looked between Piper and Race, to Jack's eager anticipation, and finally to Annabelle's grin.
She'd been planning this, with or without the entourage, for quite some time he guessed. He wasn't clueless to her new daily routine, he just chose not to get involved. If she'd been his responsibility she would have been able to run wild and face the consequences. But his parent's rules were the law and he'd kept mum.

Shaking his head, he jogged over to where Sammy was munching in the ring. "Pa's gonna have my hide if we get caught."

"Well then, we better not get caught." Annabelle decided, spinning a quick circle with Macy before trotting next to Piper. Roz slipped the saddle off of Sammy and scrambled to the horse's back, helping Jack, reluctant to ride without a saddle, up behind him. He clicked his teeth and Sammy began to follow the other two horses.

"Wait Bee!" The group turned at the sound of Letty's cries, frantic for her to lower her voice. But upon sighting her running towards them at full speed, wearing a ratty dress and dragging a flushed
Fanny behind her, the five realized just how complicated their quick swim had become.

"Letty, hush!' Annabelle hissed, slipping down from Macy's back and placing Letty in her spot in one quick moment. Fanny stood catching her breath and Annabelle wasted no time on her before jumping up behind Letty. She was about to click her heels into Macy's side and disappear into the woods with her hand clamped over Letty's mouth when Fanny decided to open hers.

"I'm coming too" She stated, looking around at the boys to see who would bow down and offer up their horse. All four shuffled off the two horses and Fanny moved towards Jenny, waiting patiently until Piper realized he was needed to assist her mounting.

Annabelle rolled her eyes, trotting with Macy into the shade as the boys rearranged the riding seats. She had the sense that she would have liked to ride with Jack leading, but Sammy had no saddle and that was unacceptable for Fanny's riding experience. After wasting too much of the time
Annabelle considered to be precious and scarce, it was decided that Fanny would remain, alone, on Jenny with Roz and Race on Sammy. Piper and Jack would just run behind until the group managed to hide within the interior of the woods.

So what had initially begun because of Annabelle's dire need of escape had somehow become a mini vacation to Pickle's Pond. The boys were a delightful addition to her afternoon of fresh air, joking with each other throughout the whole ride and even Letty's curious questions humored Annabelle's surprisingly good mood. It was Fanny that trespassed on Annabelle's sunny day. She didn't wholly understand exactly why the girl had pressed on coming but Annabelle felt her beady eyes watching closely as Jack led Macy, chatting amicably with a fascinated Letty, for the entire trek.

She didn't even responsd to Piper's brief attempt at conversation.

The group reached the sparking little pond after a mere five minute walk, Roz and Race back tracking on Sammy so that the rest of the group hurried. The horses were left along the shady bank, content with munching on a fresh crop of grass. Jack watched as Annabelle slid of Macy's back, pulling Letty with her. The girls quickly jumped out of their dresses, leaving only white shifts underneath. Piper and Roz discarded their shirts also, climbing a nearby tree barefoot and shuffling out along a high branch. Wasting no time the two jumped clear of the lower branches, tucking in their arms and crashing into the water with a mighty splash.

"Oh my!" Fanny exclaimed from the bank of the pond. She'd been peering into the murky water, startled by the water that rippled from Piper and Roz's less than peaceful entrance. But what startled her further were the two wet boys, wrestling out of the water and past her, bare chested. She blushed, pressing a delicate hand to her cheek before sinking to the grass.

Annabelle chuckled to herself, before scurrying up the last few inches of the tree. She caught Jack's eye, and he thought she winked at him quickly, or at least held his gaze a little longer, luring him up after her. It was hard to tell, for the first time since their celebration at the track she was showing an open emotion. It made her flushed cheeks that much more appealing.

Race rushed past Jack, nudging his friend to encourage him to follow and tossing his shirt into a bush on the way. Jack followed suit, craning his neck back from the base of the tree trunk. Letty was struggling on the lower branch, waiting patiently for her brother to climb slightly higher and reach back for her. She was swung into the higher branch that Annabelle waited on, crawling slowly to her sister who took the liberty of grabbing her baby sister by the armpits and flinging her into the water. Jack was shocked for a moment, but Letty had apparently done this before, curling into a tight ball and spinning through the air. Annabelle jumped a moment later so that when Letty surfaced, spitting water from her mouth, Annabelle scooped her up easily. The two girls giggled in the sun of the shallow water, Letty enjoying a shorter jump from Annabelle's shoulders.

"Come on, Jack!" Roz called and all heads turned in his direction. Truthfully, he'd been eyeing the jump suspiciously, wary of the water beneath. Playing with Letty in the shallow water seemed as appealing and would certainly cleanse him of the grime he'd accumulated that morning.

But his pride made him place his hands on the lowest branches, Race's chuckles up ahead causing him to laugh also. "See, Cowboy here ain't a big fan of da wata." Race explained, holding onto the trunk of the tree as Piper and Roz teetered their way to the end.

"Why not?" Annabelle asked, Letty sitting on her shoulders and counting to ten. At 'one' both Piper and Roz jumped, completeing a full flip in the air and landing feet first.

"He can't swim"

"I can swim!" Jack protested, only a branch below Race. Annabelle had noticed that he climbed with quite a bit of skill and the muscles in his back had certainly drawn her attention. She flicked her gaze over to Fanny, still sheltered on the bank under another tree's shade, and noticed that she two was watching Jack intently.

Race laughed louder, now settled on the end of the limb. "I've got the whole group of newsies in Brooklyn who'd say otherwise, Kelly." And before Jack could scramble after his friend, Race jumped into the water below, swimming underneath until he reached the shallow water. He popped up in front of Letty, a spout of water running from his lips and causing her to squeal to the bank.

Annabelle shook her head at her sister's antics, Race now chasing her into the nearby blueberry bushes. She turned back to Jack, stretching out his arms to balance on the edge of the limb. It was obvious that the height, if not what lay below, frightened him slightly. He took a deep breath, before pumping his arms and jumping high into the air. His arms stuck to his sides and he entered feet first, like she'd seen her father do when they were little. She dove into the deeper water, treading in the spot that he'd disappeared and searching the water below her for a spot of his shirt.

"Boo!" He tugged on her dress, dunking her under and surprising her. She swallowed a mouthful of water, surfacing with a hacking cough and swinging arms. He laughed after he knew she was okay, the spirit evident in how ardently she swam after him. In the shallow water she reached him finally, trudging against the weight of her skirt and jumping on his back. They tumbled into the water, both choking on water that they swallowed from laughing too hard.

From the bank, Fanny shook her head in repulsion. Annabelle's behavior, she'd explain in a lengthy letter later, addressed to her best and closest friend, was typical of her class. And Jack, unable to control his own emotions, was falling under her spell. Fanny planned on setting him straight, and saw her opportunity as he staggered out of the water, grinning widely.

"No swim for you?" He joked, falling onto the grass only a few feet away. He sprawled on his back, using the warm sun as a towel to dry his clothes.

She scoffed lightly, both pair of eyes watching as Piper and Roz wrestled against Annabelle and Race. "Not in this water. Besides, I didn't bring my suit." Jack looked between Fanny's neatly kept skirts to Annabelle's dripping wet shift. "It's unacceptable really, a girl her age acting like that. We're the same age you know," She fluttered her eyelashes when she caught Jack watching her. "Almost ready for our coming out."

"Coming out?" Jack asked, propping on his elbows to watch the four in the water better.

Fanny smiled, finding Jack's ignorance of such high society rituals charming. "Yes, our coming out. We're almost of age to marry."

"Oh!" Jack's eyes widened in surprise. He turned his head and watched as Annabelle tumbled backwards into the water, sputtering to her feet with some lake weed on her head. Instead of skrieking as any other girl would she laughed, throwing it to the side and pouncing on Piper a moment later.

She didn't look like a girl ready to marry.

"Papa has already started looking for my husband. He's to be a great man" Fanny began, leaning towards Jack slightly. He turned to address her while she spoke, unaware of her attempts to seduce him. "But I'm determined to marry for love. Don't you agree?"

He chuckled, rolling to the balls of his feet and brushing off the seat of his pants. "Me? Marry, wouldn't da guys back home like to hear that." He raised to his feet, about to follow Letty's childish singsongs into the nearby blueberry bushed when Fanny reached out to stop him.

"Oh, but of course you'll marry," She insisted, slightly disappointed that he hadn't taken the bate and professed his wishes to marry her.

He stopped, turning back to the water just as Annabelle stumbled out. "Maybe, but I don't think it's time just yet." With that he jogged to find Letty stuffing her mouth full of blueberries. She smiled a blue gooey grin before offering a handful for him to choose from.

Annabelle followed him just to check on Letty, leaving the two to their feast as the other boys returned to jumping. She settled onto the grass, pulling at her clinging underdress. It would take a while to dry completely but by the time they needed to return to the farm it would be hidden underneath her dress.

She caught Fanny watching her, boldly challenging the girl's gaze until she looked away. A moment later Jack returned from the blueberries, a handful of his own to offer to Annabelle and Fanny. Both girls refused and Jack shrugged to himself, settling between them, unawares of the rivalry they shared. Annabelle could tell by the look in Fanny's eyes that she wished for Jack to speak to her first, pay her the attention she so desperately needed. When Jack turned to Annabelle first, she looked past his face and gloated in Fanny's presence.

"Maybe I will have some of those blueberries." Fanny interrupted, reaching for Jack but finding his hands empty.

"Sorry." He apologized, chewing the last bunch.

Fanny was about to tell him no need when Annabelle spoke up. "There are tons of the bushes Fanny, why don't you go help Letty pick some. We'll have blueberry pie for dessert."

"Oh, I love blueberry pie." Jack cooed.

Fanny smiled because of Jack's attention, wrinkling her nose in distaste as soon as he turned away. But she trudged into the woods anyway, leaving Annabelle to explore the fine lines of Jack's face.

He was watching the boys up in the tree, following their progress to the water, and Annabelle risked her pride by observing him so openly. Over the past week, her week of hell, he'd shown her every kindness he could, going as far as to make excuses for her to help him outside (which Mama always shot down) or simply smiling at her at the early morning breakfast.

Grandfather had caught her giving his bowl of oatmeal an extra spoonful of honey, an honest mistake she'd made because of Letty's pestering, and taken it upon himself to mention it to her father late one night. Mama had been listening from the kitchen, all three adults unaware of Annabelle stretched on her stomach at the top of the stairs. Her parents had chuckled at her girlish behavior and Annabelle had fumed with embarrassment.

Deep in her own precious thoughts she'd let her mind wander and imagine. What would it be like if Jack took her back to New York? She was sure that life among the newsies he so happily described would be better than dull housework. She could help her grandfather with the tables for the lodging house, maybe pick up errands on the side. There was plenty for a girl to do in such a big city she figured, and with Jack as her beau, money would be second to such happiness.

But what stopped her from speaking such things to Rose was the little voice inside her head that nagged at her, unsurprisingly resembling that of her mother's voice. It told her that her dreams were childish, made from the stories in her head, and that she'd be married to an old smelly farmer, wasting her life by having babies and raising a farm.

Whenever thinking of Jack, just looking at his face at that moment on the banks of Pickle's Pond, she returned to that last depressing thought. She fell back to her elbows, no longer smiling with the fascination of a girl next to her crush. Her lips set in a pout and she couldn't budge from the sour mood.

Jack must have sensed her change in attitude, undoubtedly when she huffed despite herself. He was about to turn and make some remark about the boys in the water when two ear piercing cries rocked the peaceful atmosphere by the pond.

Annabelle jumped to her feet, recognizing Letty's distressful cry and calling for Roz to follow her. Crashing through the blueberry bushes she spotted Fanny's dark skirts first, her arms holding Letty in front of her as both girls shook with fear. For standing in front of them, teeth bared and hind legs ready to pounce was a sickly looking wolf.

They were common in the area, Annabelle knew this much. At least once a year, Pa killed one getting at the chicken's but he always said they were much more afraid of humans. So Annabelle knew that for this wolf to wander into the human world meant he was driven by hunger and the need to feed.

Jack skidded to a halt behind her, spotting the animal immediately and taking action before she could stop him. He jumped infront of the two girls, pushing Letty into Annabelle's arms as the child burst into a fresh round of tears. Grabbing a nearby branch he swung it at the animal, not scaring it as he had intended but luring it closer. Fanny had rushed away at this point and Annabelle was too involved with getting Letty to safety to notice the beast edging closer to Jack, his own feet scuffing on the dirt behind him.

The other boys were now out of the water, aware thanks to Fanny's frantic explanation of the danger they were all in. Roz boosted Fanny into Jenny's saddle, Piper jumping on behind her and kicking the animal to a galloping speed. They were lost in the woods a moment later, Annabelle and Letty only a second behind them. As they hugged to Macy's back Annabelle pressed Letty close to her, surprised by how frightened she'd been at the sight of her baby sister helplessly facing that rabid wolf.

They reached the edge of the Webster land and found a crowd already gathered. Mr. Mooring and Mr. Webster were interrogating Piper as to the exact location of the beast, already ordering another man to grab a shot gun and be on guard. Fanny was threatening to faint, leaning up against her mother while Mrs. Mooring wrung her hands in anxiety for her own children's safety. Macy stopped at the sight of Tom's raised hands, both girls tumbling from the animal's back. Letty immediately ran to her mother's skirts, clinging to them tightly while Annabelle had no choice as the arms of both parents surrounded her.

"I'm sorry Mama!" She cried, immediately thinking that she would receive some sort of punishment for her actions.

Instead her mother kissed both her cheeks, mumbling some soft words inbetween her tears and surprising Annabelle with such an emotional reaction. A moment later Sammy's lumbering form stopped next to Macy and Annabelle turned to see the rest of the boys. She was particularly worried about Jack and impressed by his bravery. But upon seeing only Race and Roz slide from Sammy's back she pushed her way to her brother's side.

"Where's Jack?" she screamed.

Roz halted from hugging his frantic mother, dropping his mouth in shock. "Wasn't he with you?" He asked. "I thoughtwell, I didn't see him and I thought he left with Piper."

A gasp ran through the crowd as they realized Jack had been left behind. Fanny did faint at this time and as the crowd moved to comfort her Annabelle pushed away, reaching for Macy's lead rope.
She was running towards the woods, getting Macy up to speed before jumping on the horses' back, when she heard her mother's voice. "Annabelle! Come back" But she ignored the warning, hugging to Macy's neck as tears of worry filled her eyes. She trusted Macy knew the way and as they crashed onto the banks she'd been only a few mintues earlier she called for Jack with a shaky voice. When there was no reply she spun Macy in a circle, scanning the area and calling again.

Still there was no reply and she moved further into the woods, hopping over a fallen branch. Macy seemed to sense her fear, performing at a new level as they slipped under branches and over fallen logs. "Jack!" She called again, this time closer to where they'd actually seen the animal.

Although he did not respond in words, she heard the crash of the stick swinging through branches. She followed the noise, realizing also the low growl of the wolf as he continued to stalk Jack. She came up behind Jack, jumping over a fallen log and landing in front of him, Macy's body a shield from the wolf. Macy reared on her hind legs, a deeper instinct warning her that the animal in front of her was dangerous, and this caused the wolf to back up slightly. His growl became deeper so that while Annabelle reached to help Jack up behind her, Macy spooked slightly. It was only at the last minute that Annabelle felt the weight of him behind her, one of his arms wrapping around her waist while he kept the other close to his stomach.

With no need for encouragement, Macy started darting through the woods again, heading back towards the Webster farm. Exiting the woods for the final time that afternoon, the crowd was now much larger, swarming around Annabelle and Jack as soon as Macy came to a halt. Annabelle felt her father's hands grab her and swing her to the ground but it was Jack she was worried about.
Pushing away from all the bodies around her, her mind was hazy with dread. Something was eating at her stomach but she didn't understand exactly what it was until she broke through the crowd, finally reaching Jack and fainting at the sight of blood on his shirt.


She didn't have to open her eyes to know that Rose was waiting by her bedside, a small smile on her pleasant lips. Her voice was whispering softly to Tom and it was then that Annabelle peaked from underneath heavy lids. Rose had her back turned towards the bed so she didn't notice Annabelle shift until she heard the rustling of the sheets.

"Oh you're awake!" Rose caught Annabelle by the shoulders, helping her sit up. In the doorway Tom waited, wanting to make sure that there wasn't anything he could do to help the two sisters. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm in trouble aren't I?"

Rose chuckled, moving around the room cautiously. It was then Annabelle noticed that she wasn't in her own bed but in Rose and Tom's room on the first floor of the Mooring house. She moved to her elbows surprised when her head seemed to separate from her body. Rose was back by her side a moment later, pressing a cool cloth to her forehead and helping her lay back on the pillow.

"Your heroics gave us quite a scare, little sister." She explained, still dabbing at her clammy skin. "You're never sick. It was strange without you at supper."

"But I'm still in trouble, aren't I?" Rose sighed, shaking her head at her sister's antics. "You can tell me Rose, I know that Mama and Pa"

"That's they've what?" Rose asked, hesitating for a moment and reaffirming what had only been an assumption up until that point.

Annabelle pushed to her elbows for a second time, ignoring the slight dizziness and Rose's suggestion to rest. "They've been talking around town, haven't they? You can tell me Rose. I'm not a child anymore."

Rose smiled sadly. "No, no you're not." She stood from her seat, returning the cloth to the bowl of water on the dresser, keeping her back to Annabelle as she spoke. "John Hanks, his mother came up to Mama at church a couple weeks ago. I guess he's smitten with you."

Annabelle had been expecting a shock but not one as great as hearing John Hanks' name. She curled her lip in distaste. "Why of course he does, I'm the only girl who didn't kiss him behind the schoolhouse."

"And I'm proud to hear you say that." Rose added, coming back and sitting on the side of the bed. She placed a cool hand over Annabelle's. "But Pa has approved it. John is going to speak to you at the County Fair next week."

Annabelle wiped harshly at the tears forming around her eyes. "Rose, I don't—it's not fair." She sniffled loudly. "I can't believe Pa agreed. John Hanks! He's so dense. It'll be like living with a mule!"

"But a mule who can provide a house, child." Annabelle dropped her chin to her chest, letting her head lull to the right. "Why, how can you be so surprised. You knew that when you turned eighteen"

"But I thought I'd have at least a small amount of influence in the decision." She whispered, playing with her sister's dainty fingers. Against her calloused hands they epitomized the difference between the two girls. One delicate and proper. One brutish and wild. "Like you did"

"Why, if you had shown an interest, I'm sure Pa would have noticed."

"But I did!" Annabelle protested.

Rose tilted her head to the side, purposely catching Annabelle's eyes as she asked, "Why, who then? Who's this boy?" When Annabelle dropped her gaze to the bedspread she patted her sister's hand and moved away from the bed. "Speak to Pa of it then, tell him that you're ready, just not hasty. John Hanks isn't meant to be your husband, he knows that. It's just that Mama is so anxious. If you just" She heard Annabelle slip from underneath the sheets, her bare feet echoing softly on the bare floor. She joined her sister at the window, pushing back the shades so that they could look into the garden where Tom and Jack were picking up tools.

"Am I acting foolish?" Annabelle whispered.

Rose did not answer for a moment, watching as her husband waved at them from outside. Her hand slid to her expanding belly and she smiled back before whispering in a voice just as soft. "Love always is."