Hope you enjoy this new chapter! Thank you for reading! I do not own Liberty's Kids.

Chapter 7: Three Little Words (James' POV)

I ran. Just like a coward Tory, I ran. I managed to get into my room and slam the door behind me before my tears blurred my sight.

SHE WAS ENGAGED! I never imagined that three little words could hurt so badly.

I leaned back and pressed my back into the wood of the door. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get control of myself. I was better than this. I was a man. I shouldn't be crying. Sarah was just a woman, and there were plenty of other women out there. I could just find another one.

I needed to find a woman who was smart; a woman who was strong, yet beautiful. I needed a woman who could take care of herself, but also didn't mind letting me take care of her. I needed a woman who could write, and had an opinion about the things around her. I needed a woman who had long hair, so I could run my fingers through it when we kissed. I needed a woman who had eyes that lit up when she saw me. I needed a woman who was loyal to her family and to her beliefs. I needed a woman who had a voice like no others.

I needed Sarah.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand. I knew I had to do something if I wanted to get Sarah, but what could I do? What did I have to offer her that her fiancé Thomas couldn't give her? The answer was nothing.

I walked over to my bed and fell back onto it. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to sleep, hoping that it would drive all my problems away…

A pair of lips moved lovingly against mine, while a pair of hands held my face. The thumbs of those hands gently stroked the skin of my cheeks. My hands rested on the woman's waist, holding her against me. I felt the warmth of her body through my own clothes, and it only added to the warmth I felt inside.

Soon enough, the other pair of lips left mine and I opened my eyes, wanting to see whose lips had been on mine. At first all I saw a pair of emerald green eyes that looked back at me with a great amount of love. Slowly though, the rest of her face came into view.

Her skin was pale, but not as white as snow. Her cheeks were a brilliant red, and a blush was quickly spreading across her face. Then I saw her hair, her fiery red hair; and no matter how old I got, I would never forget the woman who had that fiery red hair. Sarah.

Sarah smiled at me and pulled my face back closer to hers. She looked deeply into my eyes before whispering my name, "James."

"Yes Sarah?" I answered, wondering what she had to say.

"I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

She paused for a moment before whispering, "I love you."

I love you. Those three little words made my heart leap and my blood race. Three little words, oh the power of those three little words! I pulled Sarah even closer to me and crashed my lips to hers. This kiss was not gentle. It was a kiss of relief, of excitement, and of hope.

When we pulled apart a few minutes later, a smile covered my face. I held Sarah's hands in my own and said what I'd always longed to tell her.

"Sarah I love…."

"…you," I finished with a smile on my face. But when I opened my eyes, Sarah wasn't in my arms. I was back on my bed, looking up at the real Sarah, who looked confused.

"What are you talking about James?" asked Sarah as I sat up on my bed.

I shook my head and groaned, first from having to see the real Sarah, and second from being awoken from my dream.

"I was talking in my sleep Sarah. I don't even know what I was saying," I lied.

Sarah nodded her head and then took a seat beside me on my bed. She reached out to take my hand, but I jumped off my bed and stood in front of her.

"What do you want Sarah?" I asked angrily, wanting Sarah to leave me alone as soon as possible.

Sarah frowned at me and sighed. She looked down at the floor before replying somberly, "I wanted to finish telling you my story. You never heard the ending."

That was when my anger and jealousy got the best of me. "The ending! I know the ending! You are going to get married soon! That is the ending! There is no need for you to tell me the ending because I already know it!"

Suddenly Sarah jumped onto her feet and stood chest to chest with me. She glared into my eyes before saying, "James Hiller you do not know the ending of my story! If you would sit down and be a proper gentleman for once you might actually find it out!"

Gone was the shine and glimmer from Sarah's eyes. Instead her eyes were dark and dim, and narrowed in a sharp glare at me. I decided to listen to Sarah and I sat back down on my bed. Sarah followed and sat next to me. She took her left hand and set it on my knee.

"I want you to look at my hand James," said Sarah softly. "Do you see an engagement ring on my finger?"

I quickly looked down at Sarah's hand on my knee. There wasn't anything on it. All I could see was her pale but beautiful skin. I grabbed her hand off my knee and felt over all her fingers. The skin was smooth beneath my fingers.

I looked up at her confused and asked, "Then you aren't engaged to Mr. Roberts?"

Sarah shook her head and sighed, "Yes, I am no longer engaged to Mr. Roberts."

I nearly jumped off the bed at what Sarah said. She wasn't engaged! I had a chance! I smiled and grasped Sarah's hand tightly in mine. I tried to look Sarah in the eyes, but she was staring at the floor. That was when I saw a line of tears going down Sarah's cheeks. I reached my hand out to touch her cheek, but she pushed herself away and stood up. Sarah turned her back to me and sobbed quietly.

I jumped up and went over to Sarah. I turned her towards me and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Everything will be okay Sarah," I whispered. "I don't know how any man could refuse to marry you."

At that comment, Sarah's head snapped up and I saw the true pain on her face.

"Thomas did not refuse me," stated Sarah looking at the floor.

"What?" I asked.

"Thomas did not refuse me, James. Our engagement was annulled."

"Why was it annulled? And where is Mr. Roberts now?"

Sarah quickly took a deep breath before looking deeply into my eyes. She opened her mouth and whispered another three powerful words.

"Thomas is dead."