A/N: Hello again to all my readers! I had planned on making this a oneshot, but the plot bunnies keep running around in my head, so I'm going to keep going. I want to say thank you to autumnrose2010 and Isaiah Flamez for the reviews. I honestly didn't expect any feedback for this story. This is a prequel chapter explaining how Beth and Mr. Laurence begin their relationship. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Little Women.

Chapter 1: The Awakening

Beth turned sideways to view her profile in the mirror, casting a nervous glance around the attic to make sure none of her sisters were about. She wasn't the type of girl who normally worried about her appearance and she was afraid the concern for how she looked would give her away. She hadn't told a soul about her plan. There was no one she could really confide in. She loved her parents and her sisters, but they all saw her the same way. Ever since scarlet fever had weakened her heart as a child, she'd been seen as an invalid by nearly everyone. It was true, she did get tired more easily than others, but she refused to see herself as weak, at least not in spirit.

Her disposition had always been less vivacious than her sisters and she tended to fade into the background, but she couldn't let that happen today. She licked her lips and ran the plated comb through her long red hair one more time. She wasn't going to put it up today like a proper lady. She'd seen Mr. Laurence looking at it on more than one occasion and she suspected he'd like to run his fingers through it. She looked herself in the mirror and nodded once. Her resolve was solid. Today might be her only chance to change her life for the better.

Beth wasn't sure the exact moment she'd realized she was in love with Mr. Laurence, her neighbor. It was more like something that occurred to her gradually until it seemed she'd always been aware of it. She thought of him constantly and went to visit him under the pretext of practicing on his piano as often as she could. On her last visit, something alarming had happened and Beth knew she had to act quickly if she was to avert disaster. He had mentioned that he ought to simply give her the piano so she wouldn't have to leave her house to practice. Beth had been horrified and unable to think of a good reason to protest. She had one now. She'd spent the last two days thinking about all of her options carefully.

Although she was shy and retiring, Beth was also levelheaded. With so little attention paid to her, she knew she had to think about her future or no one else would. She understood that due to her poor health, her lack of fortune, and her retiring disposition, it was unlikely she would ever marry. It didn't matter how she felt about these things. She accepted them as the truth. She had one opportunity now to change her fate and she couldn't let it pass.

Deciding that nothing else could be done to her appearance without arousing suspicion, Beth put on her cloak, bid her sisters farewell and made the trek across the Laurence's property. She felt like a gambler risking all her money on a single bet.

Beth arrived at Mr. Lawrence's study with her heart hammering in her chest. Other than a single maid she had passed on her way, the house appeared to be quiet. Laurie was occupied with his tutor in another wing of the house this time of day. She breathed a sigh of relief to see the stately gentleman reading the paper at his desk. Sometimes when she arrived the study was completely empty and she was left to cope with bitter disappointment.

When he saw her, his eyes lit up and he immediately set aside the morning edition of the New York Times. Years ago, he'd told her mother that Beth reminded him of his daughter who had passed away many years ago and it gave him joy to see her piano in use again. Beth had no doubt that had been true at the time, but as she grew and matured into a young woman, she suspected his feelings had slowly changed, as hers had. In the beginning, he went about his own business while she practiced on the piano. Other than occasionally providing her with new sheet music, their interaction was very limited. Lately, something had shifted, and she could feel his eyes on her while she played. It was almost as if she could feel his gaze roving over her hands while they stroked the keys or hair as she gently tossed it over her shoulder. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she knew that he was imagining touching her and she found herself imagining it, too.

"Good morning, Beth," he said softly, almost whispering her name like a prayer.

"Good morning, Mr. Laurence," she replied back automatically. Instead of going directly to the piano as usual, she approached his desk. "May I speak to you for a moment, Sir? I don't wish to disturb you."

He waived away her concern, "You never disturb me, my dear. What's on your mind?"

"When I was here last, you mentioned giving me the piano. I meant to thank you for your great kindness, but I was so overwhelmed. I know what a generous gift it would be, but I wanted to ask you not to give it."

He frowned in confusion, "You don't want me to give you the piano?"

Beth shook her head, "It's very kind of you, but coming here is one of the only times when I leave the house unchaperoned and do something for myself. I take great pleasure in walking here and practicing and in seeing you, Mr. Laurence. I consider you my greatest friend. I'm afraid that without the piano here, I would lose the opportunity to come and it's the dearest thing to my heart."

Lawrence looked at her in surprise. He'd been trying to tell himself for months that he was imagining the changes in her. That when he noticed the curve of her breasts or the shape of her waist that he was being a dirty old man. He certainly never could have brought himself to mention how his feelings for her were changing, not when he believed she saw him as nothing more than a kindly neighbor. It appeared that she was more mature than he'd been prepared to give her credit for. A tiny ember of hope burned in the back of his mind. He was afraid if he acknowledged it, it would be snuffed out immediately, but he could feel it all the same.

Lawrence reached out and squeezed Beth's hand. "Our time together is dear to me as well. I promise not to deliver the piano or to do anything that would put it in jeopardy."

"Thank you," Beth smiled at him and her resolve faltered. Perhaps they could go on exactly as they were. Perhaps they could continue to simply be friends and neighbors. But she knew in her heart that would never be enough. She wanted more from him than friendship. She wanted his heart and however much it made her blush to think about it, she wanted his body as well. She looked down at him through her long lashes and found her courage. She reached out to cup his face in her hands and leaned down to press a soft kiss to his cheek. It could have been innocent. If she was still a young girl, it would have been, but she was a woman now. It lasted a trifle longer than appropriate and she breathed in the slightly musky scent of him for a moment before she pulled away. She was aware of how his breath hitched and he sat perfectly still, looking at her with a silent question in his eyes. Afraid to speak and break the spell, Beth leaned down and kissed him again, this time tenderly on the lips.

She had never kissed a man other than her father and her stomach flip flopped as she marveled at her own boldness. It was true, this could ruin her, but it was also her only chance at happiness. She prayed that he wouldn't push her away and she sighed in contentment as he returned the kiss and drew her close to him until she was sitting on his lap. He reached behind her head and tangled his hand in her hair. Beth shifted her weight on her his lap and felt his hardness underneath his trousers. He moaned in response and she smiled against his mouth. She'd been thinking about this for months. She'd spent so many nights imagining how his mouth would feel against hers and how it would feel to be intimate with a man. She thought she would go mad with wanting, but now the time was finally here. Boldly, she ran her tongue along his lips until he granted her access to his open mouth. Greedily, Beth plundered its wet warmth. Her fragile health had made her more aware of how limited their time on earth was, and she wasn't about to waste another moment without having this man. She reached down and stroked his erect member through his trousers. This was so much better than what she had read in the scandalous stories she'd managed to get her hands on or what she overheard whispered between her sisters. This was real. Her desire of so many months was about to be fulfilled.

Gently, but firmly, Laurence gripped her shoulders and pulled her away from him. "My sweet girl, do you understand what you're asking? I offer you everything, my life, my hand, my home"-

"Shhh, not now," Beth put a finger to his lips to silence him. "I have long believed that my health meant I would never marry. I'm no longer certain this is the case, but I have yet to get used to the idea of marriage. I think now that I've outlived my family's expectations, they're no longer sure what to do with me. As the wife of someone so important, I would be expected to go out into society a great deal. I don't know if that's something I can do. You know how frightened I am of crowds and meeting new people. I wonder if I might do better to remain a spinster. As long as we remain neighbors, we can continue our visits. Our lives need not change entirely, only improve in this one respect. And I know the gossip and censure you might face taking a wife so much younger, not to mention what Laurie or Jo would say. Might it not be better for now, for us to continue as we are in private?"

"I'm powerless to deny you anything, but I beg you to think carefully before we proceed. You may change your mind one day and to wish to marry some other younger man only to find that you've ruined your prospects here with me."

Beth smiled sweetly, stroking his beard, "There will be no one else besides you, Mr. Laurence. I've loved you ever so long." Suddenly she sat perfectly still, aware of what she'd just said. Silently she cursed herself. Surely, now he would be driven away by her silly girlish foolishness.

Instead he drew her toward him again, running his hands over her back. "I've loved you as well," he said, "I thought it was simply a cross that I must bear alone. Alright, we'll say no more about it now," he said as he caressed her sides. "No corset," he whispered hoarsely in her ear.

"I thought it would be easier for you to undress me without it," she whispered back, looking over at him with a coquetry he hadn't known she possessed.

"And where, pray tell, did you imagine this intimate act to take place?" he asked, gripping the edge of the desk with one hand, trying to maintain control of himself.

"On the rug in front of the fire," she said simply, standing up and taking her place by the hearth.

Laurence suppressed a groan as he stood, painfully aware of how hard he was at the sight of her. His rational mind knew that he should feel ashamed, like what he was doing was immoral. That part of his mind had mostly shut down and all he could think was that he'd never felt so blessed. This young beautiful woman was here in his home, telling him that she trusted him, loved him, and wanted him with no conditions. He couldn't imagine any other man having such an offer. He removed his jacket and hung it over the back of his chair. He walked to the fireplace with slow measured strides.

Beth turned and presented her back to him, "Might you help me with the buttons?" she asked, looking up at him with her bright green eyes. Without replying, he set to work, as quickly and carefully as he could. When the last button was undone, he ran his hands along the smooth skin of her back. She shivered.

"Are you cold?" he whispered, his lips almost touching her ear.

"No, it's the opposite. Everywhere you touch me I feel like I'm on fire."

Laurence reached inside her dress and drew his hands across her abdomen and up to her breasts. He cupped them in both hands and pressed her body against his. She moaned as he worked his thumbs over her nipples. She'd never felt so much desire in her young life. She felt the wetness between her thighs and thought that she'd die if she couldn't have all of him soon.

She took her arms out of the dress and let the fabric pool on the floor around her feet. She turned to face him in only her pantaloons. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him and started working on the buttons of his vest. "Mr. Laurence, please," she begged as she helped him shrug out of his vest and shirtsleeves.

He smiled and said, "I think under the circumstances that you'd better call me Joseph." She nodded fervently and started working the buttons on his trousers. When they both were divested of the last of their clothing, Joseph laid her down gently on the sheepskin rug in front of the fire. He gently dipped his fingers inside her sex, amazed at how wet she was.

He looked at her in silent petition one last time as he positioned himself above her. She guided his member to her entrance and he pushed inside her one long stroke. She cried out and sunk her teeth into his shoulder. The combination of her warmth around his cock and her teeth on his skin was the most arousing thing he'd ever felt. Beth felt a twinge of discomfort as he entered her and then a rush of pleasure as he filled her completely. She waited in silent ecstasy, unsure of what to do next. When he began to pump into her in slow strokes, she fought not to cry out. Instead she whispered into his ear, "Oh yes, please don't stop."

It pushed him over the edge. The gripped her hips and ploughed into her with several hard fast pumps and then he was shooting his white seed into her waiting womb. It was several long seconds before he recovered himself enough to speak. "I'm sorry. I meant for it to last longer and be slower, but you were so tight and hot, I couldn't help myself."

"Oh, is it supposed to last longer?" Beth asked dreamily. "I enjoyed it. It felt wonderful while it lasted."

Laurence resolved then that he couldn't let her leave until she found her pleasure. "I want to help you find release, as I did. May I touch you?"

Beth looked up at him in confused trepidation, "I don't understand. Can women find release as men do?"

"It's similar, but not the same. Do you trust me?"

"Absolutely."

He reached down to the mound of brown curls between her legs and found the sensitive nub there. She cried out in pleasure as he slipped two of his fingers inside her and worked the nub back and forth. After a few minutes, she clamped her muscles around his fingers and cried out. He felt her whole body go slack. She looked up at him in wonder, "I didn't know such a feeling existed. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."

"I promise to show you every pleasure in time, but I think for the moment, we must right ourselves and you must return to your family. They'll wonder why you've been gone so long."

After Laurence carefully rebuttoned her dress, she turned to face him and he cupped her face in his hands. "My Beth, no one is dearer to me than you. I promise to do all in my power to see that you live a full and happy life."

Beth took her leave and skipped most of the way home. She felt like she could fly.