Yes, Yes i know! You're all thinking "Oh my! InnerSmile has completely forgot about us...that bitch."

But truely i was stuck. i've come to a difficult point in Will and Elizabeth's life (for me anyway). Thankfully, williz was there to step in and help a sister out...as always.

So this is a bit different, you all may like where the story is going, you may not, and you're free to tell me so! I wouldnt mind getting a few messages, whether emails or comments telling me what you think.

Katie's short legs dangled from the sides of the saddle. Her face was bright and happy, so how could Will refuse just another few minutes when his daughter looked utterly contented on the back of the large animal? The Buckskin horse was very patient and gentle with the three-year-old, even with her excited and sometimes rough shows of affection. The horse, which Liz had presented to Will on his birthday sometime ago, was previously the Yates'. They had named him Joe Buck from his creamy color of his coat, but when Katie had just learned to talk her vocabulary and speech only allowed her so many pronounceable phrases. Hence, Joe Buck's name was shortened to Joeby… and the name simply stayed. Will and Liz thought her childish speech impediments were the most adorable attributes anyway, so they indulged the irresistible quality.

Will's large hand was firmly on his daughters back as he guided the steed around the yard for the umpteenth time. He was even slightly relieved to see Elizabeth walk through the gate of their garden, arriving back home so that Katie's attention might be diverted.

"Mama!" She squealed. The little girl reached down to her father as he took her in his arms and placed her firmly on the ground. As soon as her feet it the grass she took off towards her mother as fast as her close-knit steps could take her. The loose, blonde curls danced around her face as she ran. Liz knelt down just in time to catch the little ball of energy flying towards her. As the two collided, Liz almost fell backwards but caught herself as well as her daughter's giggles.

"Hello my darling! Have you been doing a little riding?" She asked, inspecting her little girl's wrinkled dress and soiled hands from gripping the saddle horn so tightly.

She nodded vigorously. "Papa lead Joeby around the yard! He let me brush him too."

"Well…how lucky you are." Elizabeth replied in mock excitement. "Lets see…" She said drawing attention to the basket of goods beside her. "I've got a few things from the market, and if you will be a good girl and wash up for dinner…we might have a bit of pudding afterwards!"

Katie's soft brown eyes lit up at the mention of the rare treat. The little girl immediately turned and went up the few steps, with minor difficulty, to the front door. Once Elizabeth was past her amusement of the little girl attempting to reach the oh so high doorknob, eventually succeeding, her eyes met her husbands in a tender gaze.

"Fancy seeing you here." She said, putting a lingering hand behind his neck.

He smiled and leaned in a little closer. "I thought I'd be home a little earlier today and surprise you…I know I've been away far too often lately."

"And a lovely surprise it is! I expected Katie to still be with Lucy." She replied as her other hand made its way to a stray curl by his ear.

Will shrugged. "I've missed spending time with you." He said as he took her hand in his as they made their way in their house. "I knew that Nate and I starting our own business would take time but I wasn't expecting to be sacrificing my nights with my wife."

Elizabeth was now carefully backed up to the end of the sofa, Will's arms around her waist. "Well…" she said, more breathing than speaking. "Let us not let this time go to waste." Her lips were teasing him, barely touching, and slightly making contact as she spoke. Will could take no more of this. He pushed her into him; his mouth collided with hers as he felt her body writher at the explosion. For a moment it was just them…just their lips, just their tongues, just their hands, and their bodies. Then Will broke off.

"Liz…" She continued to delve into him, ignoring his slow backward retreat. "Liz." The second sound of her name brought her to attention. Will paused and pulled away further to look into her eyes. Her lips were quivering, the havoc her husband had just imposed on her was too much, if he hadn't had stopped she was sure they would be stretched on the sofa by now. But his eyes were questioning and his fingers grazed her cheek.

"What's on your mind love?" He finally asked after a moment.

Elizabeth let out a gasp. It didn't matter if it was audible to him or not. The fact was the she was slightly shocked that he could look that closely at her and know her so intently that something as simple as a kiss could inform him of any apprehension or emotion she may be feeling. Will could tell that something was bothering her. He had an inkling of a feeling since he watched her come through the gate. Will also observed by her recent reaction that it wasn't a secret she was hiding for there was no wall that she had put up – instead she was trying to buy time, merely find the right words to say. Elizabeth bit her bottom lip and took the forgotten basket once more into her hand as she made her way in the kitchen. Will took this as a cue to follow her, as he did, silently – letting her speak first when she was ready. He found a straight-backed, wooden chair over in the corner of the kitchen near the stove and he took a seat there. Liz unloaded the carrier's contents and placed them absentmindedly on the counter before assuming to talk again.

"Mrs. Fairfax has received a letter from her sister in Boston." She said, turning in Will's direction but looking at the flagstones beneath her. "She says there has been another uprising. This time the militias fought off the British Troops…" It was now that Elizabeth's eyes met Will's in a state of fevering worry. "Some are saying this is it Will…that this is the beginning of the Revolution that they've been preaching for years."

He sat there for a moment, letting the information sink in. "Was it that Revere fellow? The one responsible for the demonstration with the tea in the Boston harbor?"

Elizabeth nodded and spoke in almost a whisper. "Yes. The men Dawes and Prescott as well." Her eyes switched back and forth to nothing in particular but her hands absently went around her. "I don't understand! I don't understand why Will! …. We are colonists and that's all we'll ever be – just Englishmen under the crown of England. Why can't everyone just accept that?"

Will stood and made his way to her. "I know love. I feel the same…but not everyone has that same view. We've been colonists almost our whole lives. But the Americans are indebted to the Royal Treasury for the war with the French and Indians. The taxation is almost unbearable – I have to agree…but I think that times will get better…but these 'Patriots' as they're calling themselves, want change now…and they want independence."

Elizabeth shook her head, her hands resting in her husbands comforting grasp. "I don't like it Will. Nothing good can come of this…only war."

The blacksmith sighed and turned her chin upwards to look into his wife's warm brown eyes. "Don't let it bother you. All of this is going on hundreds of miles away." A wry smile broke out onto his tanned face. "And who knows! Nothing may come of these rebellions…but until then, let us be busy with our own matters, eh?"

Elizabeth met his cheery countenance with her own grin. "You're right." She nodded and kissed his cheek quickly before stepping away from him and drawing her falling shawl over her shoulders once more. "I had better get dinner started, it's getting late."

Just then Katie appeared in the doorway, a clean dress on – but backwards. "Mama I can't see!" She said, her meek voice muffled in the cotton fabric.

Elizabeth laughed as she knelt down and pulled and tugged until the garment was turned the right way. "You just can't wait can you? …you want to grow up so fast." She shook her head, speaking more to herself than her daughter. "Let me see you hands"

The little girl presented them, palm up proudly.

"And behind your ears"

She turned and let her mother inspect her.

"Very well then. You can stay in here and help me prepare dinner if you like, dearest."

Katie nodded and went quickly over to the cupboard and strenuously pulled out a stool, one just big enough for her to stand on and comfortably see over the counter.

Will stood in the doorway and watched his two girls, standing side by side. He imagined Elizabeth when she was younger and what she would have looked like when she was a three-year-old little girl. The only image he could deem right was his own Katherine…soft blonde curls, honey brown eyes, and an air about her that filled a room. As he stood, undetected, his mind wandered to his and Elizabeth's previous conversation. He didn't want war, he never looked for a fight but if the occasion called him to arms he would to anything to protect his family…now he prayed that the new war didn't bleed its way down to New Bern.

As time passed, rumors grew and Will could feel the fighting growing more violent, more powerful and closer to home everyday. He would dream of neighbor killing neighbor, of father killing son, all because of their differing opinions. He merely wished to get a good nights sleep but after two months of waking up with screaming ringing in his ears and smoke of rifles swimming around his head, he has almost given up any hope of being free of fear. Elizabeth knew he was worried, she had heard the stories too. Of course many of the young men, Will's age, many older and a few younger had already left to go join the army of their choice. Many where patriots, men who wanted freedom from the crown, but a few were taught loyalty to the King and suited up in their red jackets to join the regiments in the north. At all costs the couple had avoided the rallies, the speakers who would come to town and talk of a life a freedom – a life of self-government. They wanted to stay away from the turmoil and try to live out their lives as best they could. For so long now, it felt like Will and Elizabeth had been denied a normal life, a life of normal problems and domestic issues that face every married couple. Now that they had their chance of a quiet life it was being threatened by war. A revolution, they called it.

Another night came, just as restless as all the others. At first Elizabeth had stayed up and tried to console his tossing and turning but eventually, after much persuasion from Will she consented to ignore the sighs of frustration and dose off into sleep.

At first Will had heard a faint knocking, shallow at first then after a few seconds the beating became very persistent and forceful. He tried to push it from his mind, taking it as another one of his worrisome thoughts come to haunt him from his slumber. But the sound was growing, so much so that he leapt out of bed and ran to the front door downstairs for it sounded as if the door would fall from its hinges.

"Yes, alright I'm coming!" He said as he took two stairs at a time coming down.

The latch was lifted and Will opened it up to find four British Navy officers on his threshold.

" Mr. William Turner?" The man in the front of the brood asked.

Will nodded, obviously perplexed and agitated. "Aye, that's me."

It took no more than that and the man put his foot inside the door, just incase Will any sudden movement to shut it. But he didn't, instead he stood there, wanting to know why this party of red coats was at his home in the middle of the night.

"In the name of his majesty, King George III I hereby commandeer this home for the quartering of your king's men. Kindly stand aside Mr. Turner."

After no more than a seconds hesitation, and even that was from the state of shock, Will swiftly shoved the soldier from his post in his doorway and pressed the door forward in an attempt to buy time and close them out. All it took was the shoulder of the other two men behind their leader and Will was pushed backwards, the men came into the foyer and a gun was pressed quite firmly to his forehead.

" I wouldn't want to be hanging you in your own yard for treason, Blacksmith. Now, either put me and my men up or lose your life."

Will swallowed hard and felt his heart beating in his ears. The war had finally come to his doorstep.