Special Thanks to ArtistKuari for the follow.

Chapter Five

Emily bit back her tears. It wasn't Sid's fault. He had no idea that it would be such a sore subject for her. But it was. Back home, everyone at school had always teased her about being the reverend's daughter. Every weekend her friends would go to the beach and get drunk. Not her. And she never heard the end of it.

She'd been called a good-two-shoes all of her life. Maybe she was? But she didn't see anything wrong with that. She lived her life the way she wanted, she wasn't ashamed. She just felt...ridiculed at times and it hurt.

Maybe she was too sensitive. Probably.

She threw her bike to the ground in her driveway and ran inside. She wanted to shut the world out.

"Miss Emily?" Her butler called as she ran up the stairs."Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Percy!"

But the old Butler knew trouble when he saw it, and he figured Sidney Carter was the root of all trouble the first time he laid eyes on him.

Emily slammed the door to her room. She leaned against the door and slid down until she was a puddle of tears on the floor. It wasn't only her friends who teased her for her sobriety. It was her boyfriend as well...and her mother.

Zach used to tease her, and try to coax her into drinking with him. She was after all, a year older than him. There were many things he tried to talk her into that she refused. Maybe that's why he did what he did? She still had no idea. What was her mother's excuse?

When it all came out in the open it was on the front page of every newspaper for hundreds of miles. Her boyfriend and her mother. Both drunk as her mother was hauled away by police from a hotel room on the beach. An anonymous tip had lead the police to where they were. The pebble that started the avalanche that ruined her life.

Then, she thought of Sidney. Sweet Sidney. The man who had done nothing but treat her wonderfully since they met. Even when he could have he didn't press his advantage. When he had her alone in the woods in the middle of the night he was a perfect gentleman. He fixed up her bike, and complimented her.

He didn't deserve the brunt of her anger and embarassment. After all, she wasn't angry with him. She was angry with her past. She already missed him. She looked in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying. She looked at the clock. It was past 11:00 PM.

Time to pull yourself up again, Em. Get off the floor.

Sidney was sitting outside his caravan watching the stars. He built a fire and was having a nice cup of tea when he heard something that caught his attention. It was Emily riding up on her bike. She parked it and stood a ways away from him. Sid stared at her. He slowly sipped his tea and patted the blanket next to him.

She sat beside him and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry." she sighed.

"You know, I am too. I didn't mean for any of that to come out how it sounded. And I figure...you've got your reasons." he said.

"I do." she agreed quietly.

He kissed her forehead. "Have I told you yet that I love your accent?"

She laughed out loud. "Thanks. I love yours too."

"So I was thinking..." Sid whispered. He bit his lip and stared into the fire.

"Yes?"

"You wanna stay here tonight? I mean it's already really late. I don't want you riding all the way back through Kembleford on your bike." he said.

Emily rested her head against his chest, "I'd love to."

Sid smiled, and let out the breath he'd been holding.

After the fire died down they went inside. Sid lit the lantern.

"It's not exactly the ritz." he pointed out quietly.

"I love it." Emily told him.

Sid made up the bed and wished he'd done so before. He handed Emily one of his t-shirts.

"If you want you can wear this."

She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Or just wear your dress...whatever you want." he offered hurriedly.

"Keep your back turned while I change." she ordered.

"Of course." he feigned offense.

He turned his back. "I'll take the couch, and you can have my bed."

"Okay, thank you." she said, "It's safe for you to turn around now."

Sid wasn't sure how safe it was once once he saw her. The sight of her wearing only a shirt. His shirt. Something like that does things to a man. He swallowed. His mouth was suddenly drier than the desert. His shirt hit just above her knees and slid off one shoulder. Her hair was untied, and there wasn't a ribbon anywhere to be seen.

Sid had the urge to do things he knew he shouldn't.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked.

Sid was still staring at her. "You look beautiful." He shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Thanks." she smiled before hopping under the blankets and snuggling up to his pillow.

Lucky pillow.

Sid stripped down and she watched him unashamed.

"Isn't this a bit unfair?" he joked as he unbuckled his belt.

She smiled sweetly at him and shrugged her shoulders under the blankets.

"Right." he scoffed. His eyes connected with hers as he tossed his shirt away and laid down on the couch. She threw him a blanket from the foot of the bed.

Her eyes were heavy and still burned a little from her crying episode earlier. She closed them and could feel Sidney watching her. She felt so incredibly safe, body and soul, with him.

"Goodnight Sidney." she whispered.

"Night Em."

She wondered what her father would have thought of Sid. Hopefully he would have been glad to see his daughter happy with a nice Kembleford boy. With that thought she drifted off to sleep.

Sidney watched her sleeping peacefully. She really was an angel. So innocent and perfect. Much too good for him, and he had no idea why she was here. What could she see in him? He closed his eyes with a million thoughts running through his mind.

Sometime in the night he heard a whisper that roused him from his sleep.

"Sid? Sidney?"

"What's wrong?" he sat up quickly.

"I miss you." Emily whispered. It was barely audible.

Sid quietly slid his blanket back and went to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She didn't answer, only reached her arms up to him and pulled him towards her. He slid under the blankets beside her and held her close. He kissed her forehead.

"Sidney?"

"Em?"

"Don't go."

"I'm not goin' anywhere."

When the sun came up over Kembleford Sid was still staring down into the face of an angel as she slept. He swore to himself he wouldn't mess this up. He'd never had anything so precious, fragile and rare. He wasn't going to lose this.

He'd be the man she needed.

Emily woke up in Sid's bed alone. The door to the caravan was open. It was a cool morning and Sid had a fire built, making some coffee. The smell wafted in teasing her nose with the aroma. She wrapped herself in Sid's blanket and made her way outside.

"Mornin sleepyhead." Sid smiled at her as he poured her a cup of coffee.

"Good morning."

She took her mug from his hands and their fingers brushed. It shouldn't give her goosebumps after they slept in the same bed, but it did. There was something unspoken between them. She could feel it now. Whatever it was.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked as he stared into the fire. His hand found it way to hers and he gave it a squeeze.

"Perfect. And you?"

"Me? Like a baby." he lied.

It was the perfect morning to Sid. Although, he thought if they were going to do this more often then he might need to think about getting a cottage. He looked back at his old caravan. He'd had a lot of good times, and some not so good times here. It might be time to move on.

"What's up?" Emily asked.

"Nothin'. Just thinking."

"About?"

"About last night."

She blushed. Her creamy cheeks turned bright pink.

"Why you blushin', Em?" he teased.

"I am not blushing!" she insisted.

"Mhm." he replied as he took a sip and finished his coffee.

He threw his coffee grounds on the fire. "Wanna give me a lift to St. Mary's?"

"How exactly would I do that?" she asked.

Sid winked at her, and she knew she was in trouble. Before she knew it she was riding down the streets of Kembleford on the handlebars of her own bike as Sid pedaled along.

"Slow down!" she squealed with laughter.

"What was that? Sorry I didn't hear you!" Sid said as he sped up.

"Ah! Sidney Carter I will get you for this!" she shrieked.

They wizzed past all the old gossips at the market, and down every lane they aquired curious looks. Sidney Carter with the late reverend's daughter on the handlebars of a bicycle. Most unladylike.

They arrived at St. Mary's just as Mass was ending.

"Hello Sid. Hello Emily, how are you?" Father Brown asked.

"I'm fine Father, how about you?"

The Father offered her a hand in climbing off the bike.

"I'm wonderful. Looks like you two have been up to no good." he chided Sid.

"What? I needed a ride, so did she. Two birds, one stone." he said as he nudged Emily's shoulder.

Her face was flushed from the brisk morning wind. She climbed onto the seat of her bike.

"I have to get home." she said.

"And you have work to do." Father Brown told Sid.

"Yeah, yeah." Sid replied. He wanted to kiss Emily goodbye, but he wasn't sure how she would feel about him doing that in front of the Father.

"I'll see you later?" she asked him.

"Count on it." he was close enough now to kiss her. It was so tempting. He could just-

His train of thought was derailed when Emily pressed her lips against his in a chaste kiss.

"Until later. Bye Sid."

She wheeled away and left Sid speechless and the Father smiling.

"Things seem to be going well between the two of you." Father Brown said.

"They are...she's...well she's perfect." Sid shrugged. "Too good for me that's for sure and certain."

"You don't give yourself enough credit Sid."

He just shrugged and followed the Father into the prespretary.

Emily stopped at the market to buy some fruits to take home. She was handing over her money when a lady walked up behind her.

"I can't believe you would show your face with that man!"

Emily was so caught off gaurd. "Excuse me?"

"That man is a convict. Do you know he's spent the last year in prison? And you, a respectable young lady consorting with the likes of him. Shame!"

Emily's head was swimming with thoughts. Sid had been in prison? She couldn't process that. She swallowed her shock and spoke up.

"Thankfully I'm a grown woman and can consort with anyone I choose. Good day." She abruptly climbed back on her bike leaving the woman speechless even though she obviously had much more she wanted to say.

On the ride home she tried to process the woman's words. Was it true? She knew there was only one way to find out. She would have to ask him. If it was...what did it change?

Nothing?

Everything?

She dreaded finding out.

I think our Sidney has grown up.

Please leave a review.

PS, Do you guys think tasteful "love" scenes warrant an M rating?

Leave a review and let me know.