She was waiting for him like promised. She had undone her hair from the strict confining bun she had usually worn it in and now let it hang loosely over her shoulders like some kind of fairy tale princess. She was like a princess, Jack thought with a soft voice, gentle disposition and hypnotizing beautiful looks . A princess just for him.

He smiled then stepped out from behind the tree looping his arms around her waist he was rewarded with a smile for this and soon a gentle kiss. "I missed you Mr. Dawkins."

"And I missed you Miss Kelly."

They began to walk after that, hands neatly intertwined and steps slow and deliberate. He would never get tired of walking with her, hearing her quiet steps and feeling her skirt rub against his leg. During his seventeen years Dodger had never considered himself a blessed man his parents dying at the tender age of six and a life hardened by the streets of London had only proved that but now in the middle of a penal colony with the most beautiful girl in the world at his side he couldn't help but feel like the king of France-well before he had been executed that was...

Finally he found a tree then sat down underneath it. They could get in serious trouble for dilly dawdling so far into the night but he didn't care. He would risk hell and brimstone just to be with her if only for a few minutes longer. Smiling he moved her head onto his shoulder then laid down against the grass. Her hair was soft against his chest and he yearned to touch it if he knew she would allow him. But she had always jerked back whenever he made a move for her tresses so he satisfied himself but touching her cheek instead.

"Beautiful out ain't it?"

She nodded settling into his chest. "It reminds me of home sometimes, all the stars and the sky. I could never see that when I was in prison."

It hit him how little he knew about this girl, during the short time they had known each other they had never gotten into their pasts but now he knew he wanted to know every single detail about the most amazing girl on God's good earth. "Where you from?"

"Galway, by Loch Corrib."

Her R's rolled on the words just how he loved. "What type of kid were you?"

"What?"

He smiled nuzzling his head closer to her neck. "Were you bad or quiet did you give your Ma grief?"

"I was perfectly pleasant."

That seemed like the type of kid she would be well mannered and sweet a part of him wished she had been naughty though the type of child who had a sweet face but a deadly sense of trouble.

"What type of kid were you?"

The question stopped him dead in his tracks. She would pass out if she found out all the sorted things he had done in his past, or more importantly not want him. Surely he couldn't tell her but then again he couldn't stand lying to her...

Sighing he let his hand slide down her cheek savouring her smooth ivory coloured skin. "You asked for it, love." He started with the basics how his Father had been a cobbler in London and how consumption had taken him and his mother on the day before he turned seven. She didn't so much as flinch as he told her how he had ran away the second their breath had turned cold or his exploits in Fagin's gang. When he had told her every single detail he could think of she didn't yell or cry instead gave him one of her comforting smiles then laid her lips to his forehead.

"That was a relief."

"A what?"

She nodded smile growing. "I thought you were a cold blooded killer who murdered innocent Irish girls under trees."

Was she joking? Her smile said yes but how could somebody act so utterly normal after hearing about such a horrible man as himself, obviously catching onto his confusions she sat up giving his hand a long hard squeeze. "I love you Jack Dawkins nothing you did in the past can change that."

She loved him...she actually full heartedly loved him. She didn't care about his past or that he was slightly bow legged all she could see in him was the man he wanted so desperately to be. He pulled her closer kissing her on the lips. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do us Irish always are an honest breed."

"Oh darling I love you so much too, so much."

"Do you mean that?"

How couldn't he? She was wonderful and kind any man would be crazy not to fall head over heals for her. He kissed her again just to verify it. "Say you love me again."

"I love you."

He laughed dragging her to the ground with him. He had never seen more gorgeous eyes nor such a gorgeous face or gorgeous long red hair. Was this woman really his, how could the most beautiful thoughtful girl in the entire world be reserved solely for pick pocketing artful Dodger. "Now." He chuckled touching a ball shaped freckle on her left cheek. "What did the most wonderful girl on God's good earth do to get seven years in this dump?"

Her face paled turning a ghastly ash white she froze for awhile emerald green eyes seeming to be a thousand miles away. She looked like a child now eyes wide and face sunken. Finally she shook her head snapping back into reality.

"I-I stole a pocket watch."

"A pocket watch?" He laughed again then rolled onto his side. "That's not so bad."

"No-they send you here for almost anything now..."

Her voice was distant but at least she was looking at him normally now. "It's because the jails are full you know. They don't know what else to do with us and the land needed clearing so it was the perfect solution."

"Yes..."

He tilted his head onto her shoulder. She was acting odd now...didn't she realize one little pocket watch was nothing compared to his past. "Why'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"The watch."

"Oh!" Her cheeks blushed. "I-I was in a gang."

"How did you get involved in the likes of that?"

She shrugged lowering her gaze to the grass. "I ran away from home."

"Who'd you live with?" He didn't know why he kept drilling her with questions but the need to know about her wouldn't go away.

She was quiet again eyes far away and lips silent. Finally after a considerable amount of time had passed she opened her lips and said. "My mother and sister."

She didn't speak a word after that and him knowing that she didn't want to talk didn't bother to ask any more questions. A few moments later she asked to go home, he nodded then walked her back to her cabin. She didn't kiss him goodnight like how she always did but rather nodded then slipped inside.

A strange way to end a wonderful night.

She had never lied to him before. Ever since the day she had met Jack 'dodger' Dawkins Brianne had been nothing but up front. Ma had always said falsehoods ruined relationships but this was one time when the truth would do more harm than good. If he knew about John he would never want to be with her, after all she was still legally married to the man.

She couldn't bring herself to end things, not after tonight, not after the way he had looked at her and smiled just because he was in her company. She had never loved a person more than she loved Jack, if she lost him...

But it was still a lie, a bald faced horrible lie to a man who most certainty did not deserve it.