Hi! Sooo maybe a little trouble in paradise in this chapter :O

Thank you to AmericaLiberty for letting me use her awesome character Viola (albeit briefly) from her own treasure island (check it out it's really very good)

Also thanks to everyone who's reviewed and if you're reading this pretty please let me know what you think and what I can improve!

Enjoy :)

Chapter 19

Scarlett was dreaming...

She was a grown woman, sat in the kitchen peeling potatoes.

"Viola?" She called, her voice sounded tired. "Viola!"

Exasperatedly she flung the potatoes and knife down and got to her feet, wiping her hands on her skirt.

"VIOLA HAWKINS GET DOWN HERE!" She screamed suddenly, at her wits end.

With a groan she remembered the bread baking in the oven, that was why the room was so hot and stifling. She went to take it out but footsteps were heard clattering down the stairs. The next moment a beautiful girl that looked so much like her when she was young that it hurt ran into the room, her long brown hair untamed and loose.

"I'm going out." She told her mother with a careless smile. Her eyes sparkled as she waved her mother's protests away. Those eyes, Scarlett thought with a pang, they were the color of the sea.

Then she was gone in a flash of youthful beauty that Scarlett would never posses again. The room grew hotter and hotter until she thought she would explode, she needed to get out but all of the doors suddenly vanished, she was trapped.

"No!" She sank to the floor and Jim appeared, dressed like a gentleman.

"Scarlett." He said, pulling her to him, but she didn't want to be held, suffocated, she wanted to be free. She struggled against his grip but he didn't budge, just pulled her closer.

Scarlett's eyes flew open, she was lying on the ground in Jim's arms, next to the fire, breathing heavily.

"Scarlett." He mumbled, pulling her closer. She shuddered, still somehow in the nightmare and climbed out of his hold, scooting away until there was a reasonable distance between them.

"Oh God." She muttered, raking her hands through her hair and smoothing her face, to her relief no age lines had appeared, she clasped her waist – it was still as thin!

"Are you okay?" Jim asked drowsily, pushing himself up onto his elbow and watching her worriedly.

"Yes. Yes fine!" She told him, trying to smile but it came out as more of a nervous twitch.

"No you're not." Jim said, his brows knitting together in concern.

"Don't – just stop it! I'm fine." She said heatedly, turning away.

Jim looked at her in confusion but it was too early for him to process what was happening or why so he just turned away with a groan and fell back asleep.

Lottie fiddled with a lock of her hair, watching him sleep. All her life she'd never felt a tie to anyone, never been bound in that way to another person, never been in love. Her life had been hard, sure, but it had been hers. She hadn't considered life after this adventure, she hadn't thought she'd get out of it alive but now it looked like she would...what would happen when they got back to England?

She flexed her fingers, they were so light and free, would one of them soon be weighed down with a wedding ring? Would her hair soon bear a veil and her body a white dress? Would she spend the rest of her life cooking and cleaning for another person, answering to him, adhering by his rules? Would her slim waist soon expand and carry his child, would she then be a slave to them both, that girl, the one she'd seen in her dream...the girl that was so like her...was she her future? Was he?

She stood up and began to pace agitatedly, she wanted to scream at somebody, hit something...she wasn't made for commitment!

Wait, calm down. A sensible voice in her head reasoned, she took a deep breath and stopped pacing. We'll cross that bridge when and if we come to it.

Scarlett sat down heavily on the ground and waited for Jim to wake up.

Jim woke up to see Scarlett tending the fire, he vaguely remembered her being upset but assumed it was a dream.

"You're up." She said, standing. He smiled at her.

"Good morning."

"Yes. So what's the plan?" She said abruptly, he looked at her, raising his eyebrows.

"Well...we go back to England?" He answered slowly, she flinched.

"But – but we can't! ..yet! We can't yet!" She said frantically. Jim sat up, she was being odd, he thought.

"Why?"

"Well because of...because of the ship!" She replied. Jim narrowed his eyes, he had a feeling she was grasping at straws.

"Yes." Scarlett continued, "There are pirates on the ship and Silver is planning to take it back to England and leave us all here then come back. I heard him telling George." She finished, proud of herself for her reasonable excuse.

"Right." Jim said slowly, "And why do you sound like you're happy about this?"

"I'm not. It's...awful." She said unconvincingly. Jim stared at her for a moment and then understanding dawned.

"Oh I see." He said, sighing.

"You do?" She asked, startled he'd got the picture so quickly.

"You're worried about going back to England." He said, sweeping her into a tight hug.

"Yes." She said into his chest. "I really am."

"It's okay, you won't be included in the charge – we'll make sure you are left out of it. I won't let them hurt you." He soothed, stroking her hair.

Scarlett tensed, that wasn't it at all! Unsure what to do he just nodded, he held her at arms length and smiled.

"Okay?" He asked.

"Yes..thanks." She replied, utterly confused.

"Good. Now come one, I think I have a plan." He said, beginning to walk away.

"And I'll just have to go along with it I suppose." She muttered. He turned around,

"Did you say something?" He asked, frowning.

"No." She said innocently and he shrugged.

"Come on then." He said, setting off again. She rolled her eyes, scowling.

"What am I your lapdog now?" She said under her breath. Jim looked back again,

"What?"

"Nothing. Come on – no time to lose!" She told him, marching off into the trees without a backwards glance.

"Scarlett wait! For goodness's sake." Jim complained as he ran to catch up with her reflecting that sometimes he didn't understand her in the slightest.