A/N: Hi all! Thanks for the reviews! They are much appreciated! Hope you enjoy this chapter!- Cat

Chapter Thirty-Five

It was a quiet night that seemed to promise something was coming. She could feel the tension in the air building and building. The storm they had seen in the morning was looming large over the horizon and Sabine felt certain thunder and lightning was in their future. The children were already in their room but if the thunder crashed she was sure they would end up in their bed.

She looked over at Jack who was sitting at his desk beside the fire, rereading over his speech for the town fair this weekend. Tension was building in the community as travellers from Britain brought terrifying stories of the Witch Trials taking place there. Ridiculous persecution of women who had been ratted out on their neighbours for wonton behaviour or being too skilled at healing. The families felt safe, certain in the knowledge that there was no way these men fuelled by fear and superstition would be able to find one of their own.

But as suddenly as she looked back at the dough she was kneading for the morning, the front door banged open and her brother Edmund ran into the room looking disheveled and frantic.

Jack stood up as soon as the door opened and she accidentally dropped the dough on the ground.

"Oh honestly, Edmund, I just spent-" But she stopped when she looked up at her panting brother and saw the fear in his face.

"They have John," He said frantically.

It was like the words didn't make sense to her, "What?" Sabine asked furrowing her brow but Jack also spoke coming around his desk to stand by his best friend.

"What happened Edmund, tell me,"

"I don't know. All I know is they descended upon his house and they had the upper hand Jack. An upper hand no one has had before," Edmund's face and tone was serious as Sabine's heart started to pound.

"Who is they?" Jack asked in a serious tone coming to stand beside Sabine, and she found herself reach out and take his hand.

Edmund shook his head, shrugging his shoulders at the same time, "We know not who. These men it is as if they appeared in the night, but from what we managed to here..." He took a deep breath as if bracing himself, "They sounds like puritans."

Jack nodded, instantly becoming a man of action, "We have to protect our families. Sabine, I want you and the children to go with Edmund-" But Jack stopped when he actually looked at his wife, who had taken off her apron and was walking briskly to the door, taking her cloak off the peg. "Sabine?"

She looked at her husband, "Jack, you need to take the children and go with Edmund, I must go out."

Edmund looked at Jack confused, and Jack stared at his wife, "No, Sabine. You need to go to safety while we figure out what to do about John."

Sabine shook her head, flicking her cloak on her shoulders. "Jack, there isn't anything you can do."

Edmund crossed his arms, "And what do you think you are doing then, going for a stroll?"

Sabine glared at her brother, "Think about it. We left England a generation ago to avoid detection, none of the witch trials every found one of our own. Now all of a sudden they have? I do not believe in these hate filled men's abilities were able to advance that much over a few decade. It was always based on the word of someone else, someone with a grudge." Both Jack and Edmund looked like they weren't sure what Sabine going out into the night had to do with any of it. Sabine took a deep breath and looked her husband in the eye, "There is only one person I know who could be that filled with hate towards John."

Realization dawned on the two men's faces. Jack instantly started shaking his head, "Then I will go and you can go with your brother and the children-"

"No Jack, I am sorry but you are wasting time. John's life could be at stake, all our lives could be." She stepped closer to her husband, putting her hands on his chest, feeling the warmth spread from her hands up her arms. "Goodie will never speak to you. She trusts me. I need you to take the children and look after them. I will be back with you soon."

Edmund stepped up, clearing his throat, "If John used his powers when they took him, they might know the truth. Even if Goodie was the one to bring suspicion to John's door step, if he used to protect himself there may be no unringing this bell, no matter how convincing you are Sabine."

Sabine nodded, "I know, I have to try. If this can be resolved without blood shed and without discovery, we owe it to our children to try."

Jack took his wife's arms in his hands, "I don't want you out there on your own. These men are savages, and if they do know what John can do-"

Sabine nodded meeting his eyes, "I know, I will be careful, and I will come to you as soon as I can. But you know I am right Jack. I am the only chance we have of this ending peacefully."

Edmund scoffed, "I think you are grasping at straws,"

Jack glared at his friend, "We have to trust Sabine." He said finally.

Her heart swelled, even under the tight band of anxiety that was wrapping its way around it. "Thank you," She said quietly to Jack as Edmund turned around.

"Don't thank me for sending you into danger," Jack said quietly resting his forehead against hers, pulling her into his arms.

"I love you," Sabine said as way of response.

"I need you to protect yourself above all else, I will keep our children safe, but they need their mother above all things." He said meeting her eyes.

Sabine nodded, "I have to go, be safe my love. I will be at your side in no time." She said trying to sound more confident than she felt. After a quick hug from Edmund, Sabine left the safety of their cabin and went into the night.