Oh We Falled
By rese
Summary: What if it had been Jo who fell into the lake instead of Amy that day? Oh yes, I recognise an instrumental moment in a relationship when I see it!
Disclaimer: The title's from a line in Josh Pyke's "Memories and Dust". That man writes and plays beautiful music, even with his Aussie accent (which makes it so much easier to sing along with). Louisa May Alcott owns Little Women yadda yada.
A/N: I apologise for the current lack of ficcing on my part. My creative juices are dying and I want them back. Plus ff . net wouldn't let me upload for some reason.
…
Jo shuddered as the cold nipped at her bones, seeping through the thick layers of clothes she wore, however, being the young, energetic person she was Jo shrugged it off and skipped down the rest of path to warm herself up. Not that the speed didn't help for she was off to meet Laurie at the previously agreed time and place and eager to forget her sister.
Her sister.
Jo's jaw tightened as the swell of anger rose up again and she blinked back the cross tears that would inevitably sting her eyes with their hotness when she thought on the matter. Amy could rot in the attic for all she cared. "No –" thought Jo, "the attic is my place, my refuge and I shouldn't ever want her there again. She could rot in the garden shed."
Satisfied that she found an appropriate place to leave her youngest sister's imaginary decomposing body Jo reached the bend in the road and looked past the glare. There was Laurie, tall as ever; swinging his skates back and forth in a manner that simply encouraged danger.
"Laurie!" Jo called out before she ran forward, through the mist her breath made, leaving behind all thoughts of her golden-haired nemesis. The boy turned to see his friend and smiled widely at her enthusiasm.
"Well, well," he said quickly as they shook hands in a very brisk, gentlemanly way before he took her skates thoughtfully. They flexed their hands, encouraging the warmth to seep back down to their fingers with the return of blood smiling at each other knowingly.
Jo watched Laurie's happy face carefully and decided she wouldn't tell her woes just yet, for they had fun ahead and she would be grievously displeased should Amy, even the thought of her, mar Jo's exercise. "The dimple and strain in his cheeks are flattering though," Jo thought distractedly as they marched off into the wood.
…
Laurie's hand rested on her shoulder as she bent to do the laces of his skates up, frowning at his feigned inability but smiling with her eyes as she felt his pleased gaze. The hand did not sit there long but Jo felt its presence even as they stood up, wobbling and clutching at each other to gain balance.
The boy laughed at his companion's look of concentration as she tried to steady their silly selves which in turn broke her seriousness and she fell back down to the ground in a stitch of barking laughs. Laurie's grin remained wide and he wondered as he rejoined her on the wet stone what made Jo look so relieved to be enjoying herself.
"All well, fellow?" He asked chummily bumping her with his thickly covered elbow as if to spill the answer out of her. Jo raised her eyebrows, still smiling and gave him a long indiscernible look before she finally answered, "Only sister troubles, sir."
Laurie gave her a lopsided grin as comfort and squeezed her shoulder until she smiled back reassuringly. "Let's get off and have that fun you promised then," said he at length, pulling Jo to her feet with far less calamity than before.