The car ride felt more like twelve hours than four. With every turn of the wheel Jo felt closer to Beth, but further from herself. Further from reality.

Professor Bhaer was very focused on his driving and Jo very focused on her thoughts so neither of them spoke. The only sound was the road and the very few other cars out that night.

Jo thought of her last time in Concord. She'd come home for Thanksgiving to see Beth. Beth had had cancer a few years ago but it had come back again, because cancer sucked like that.

Her whole family asked her questions about NYU and about life in New York but Jo hardly spoke. She was too focused on being there for her Beth.

She'd spent nearly every moment with her. Amusing her with funny stories she'd written and telling her about her strange neighbors.

Everyone was at the house. Well, everyone but Amy. Their aunt Carrol had taken her to Europe for a trip.

Mr. Laurence was over every day to see her. He was their neighbor, a cranky, straight laced old man who had taken a liking to their family the past year. Jo knew it was because of Beth. Beth made everyone like her.

Then there was Mr. Laurence's grandson, Teddy. Teddy was Jo's best friend in the world.

Well, at least he was. She wasn't so sure anymore.

Last time she'd been in Concord things had changed. She and Teddy had gone off for a walk, just like they always did.

"Have you been arrested in New York yet?" Teddy had asked, plucking a leave off of a nearby tree.

"No," Jo answered with a laugh. "I've had too much homework to do anything interesting. I have to do all my writing at night so I hardly sleep at all!"

"Poor baby," Teddy smirked. "You'd die at Harvard. I haven't even got many friends there. They're all outrageously snobby."

"You should fit in fine."

Teddy knocked her arm but a smile betrayed his anger, "Tell me all about New York."

Jo sat down on a nearby tree stump, "Everyone there is completely insane. NYU is amazing, even with all the work. My apartment is nice but I live with the weirdest people imaginable. I haven't got too many friends there, except Professor Bhaer."

Teddy raised an eyebrow, "You're friends with your teacher?"

"He's not MY teacher," Jo explained. "He teaches at some high school. Anyway he lives across from me and I go over there all the time. He never locks his doors so I just barge in."

"Typical Jo."

"Anyway," she continued, "he normally grades paper and I rant to him."

Teddy gave an odd smile, "You always need someone to rant to."

"Yep," Jo stood up. "He's probably my best friend beside you. But I miss Concord when I'm there." She walked forward, looking at all the trees and the bright blue sky. "I miss Marmee and Meg and Amy and Beth and I even miss John and Mr. Laurence."

Teddy crossed his arms, "And what about me?"

"Of course I missed you," She laughed.

Jo noticed how Teddy had changed since going to school. He was taller than her now, something he'd never been. He was more muscular too an looked much more sure of himself. His light brown hair was getting a bit long and there was even traces of facial hair on his defined features.

He hardly looked like her Teddy anymore.

"You look different," Jo spotted. "More...distinguished."

"I try," he rolled his eyes. "You look different too. Your hair's longer and you're starting to look like a girl." Jo ran at him, hitting him playfully in the side. "I'm kidding, Jo." He took a deep breath, "Jo, I have something I need to tell you."

"Shoot," Jo said, leaning against a large tree.

"I wasn't sure of it until you left for New York," he began, his voice quivering a bit. "I missed you so badly it hurt. I just...Do you remember when we first met?"

"Of course," Jo remembered. They were at the school dance and they'd run into each other while trying to hide from the crowd.

He glanced down bashfully, "I knew you'd and I'd be great together."

"We are," Jo said, forcing a laugh. A little light was coming clear in her mind. Teddy was acting weird.

"Jo," he started moving closer to her. Jo cursed the tree behind her preventing an escape. "For weeks, well, actually months. No, this whole year I've wanted to-"

And then he kissed her. And not like a quick kiss she'd given Professor Bhaer. A real kiss. One like in those sappy romance movies she hated.

Jo pushed him off, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

He grinned like an idiot, "I love you, Jo. And I have for a very long time." Again, he moved in on her but he backed away quickly, suddenly very scared of him.

"No," she shook her head rapidly. "No, no Teddy don't be like this. You're like my brother, Teddy. My brother! I don't...I didn't know you..."

His grin washed away, "You didn't know?" For some reason, that was funny to him. "You didn't know?! Everyone knew how I felt about you!"

"No!" Jo pulled her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit. "So this whole time, you were never really my friend, were you?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"No!" Jo felt her emotions boiling over, unable to stop them. "Teddy, I'm not in love with you. You just can't...you can't expect me to-"

"Just think about it," he insisted, moving in again. "Please, just think. Maybe you could try to-"

"I'll never fall in love," Jo spat, folding her arms.

The silence was so thick you could've sliced it with a knife.

"You'll fall in love," Teddy whispered.

"I won't."

"You will. It just won't be me," He exhaled. "Oh, it's him isn't it?"

"It's who?"

"That stupid Professor. I heard you tell your mother about him earlier. It's him. That's why you-"

"Shut up!" Jo yelled so loudly that birds squawked in the trees. Her face was bright red as was his "Just shut up. Please, just go away."

"Jo, I-"

"Go."

She wasn't certain he would, but Teddy backed away quietly, looking like he'd just been shot. Part of her wanted to apologize for being so rude. But he'd deserved it.

How could he have told her that and expected her to be fine with it?

In love with her? He was in love with her?

Jo thought back on this memory, still as confused by it as she was then.

She let the roar of the car bring her back to reality.

Suddenly, she gasped.

"What?" The Professor said, sounding concerned.

Jo fell back into her seat, "Amy. Amy's in Europe. She won't get to see Beth."

"I'm sure everything will work out, Jo," he said calmly, taking her hand again.

Slowly, she nodded, "Yeah. Thanks. I'm just-"

"Anxious. I know. We'll be there soon, alright?"

Jo agreed, letting him clam her down.

She thought back to what Teddy had told her.

Maybe she could fall in love with the Professor. She wasn't sure if she was now or not. He certainly seemed better for her than Teddy.

She and Teddy were too alike. They'd kill each other in one year of being together.

But the Professor was different. He could be aloof, arrogant, an pretentious but he was also mature, understanding, and calming. The opposite of her.

But Jo couldn't think too much on this now. Thinking about him felt like a betrayal to Beth.

Her sister were all she needed. Her sister were who she should love most of all.