The following morning Jane lay in her husbands arms, her chin resting against his shoulder, looking outside of the opened window. It was a bright day out, despite the heavy rain that pounded on the window. The light that hit her face was friendly and welcomed. Edward rubbed her back, looking down upon her fixed eyes. Jane felt comforted cuddled into his chest. She moved her face down into his shoulder and closed her eyes. His hand held the pack of head and he kissed the top of her forehead.

"I want to take you away from here"

Jane pulled back slowly to look at him,

"All I want is to be alone with you- truly alone".

Jane shook her head,

"I fear I am not good company for anyone right now".

"You will always be the only company I want. It would only be for a few days, some quiet time for us. You should sketch and draw to your hearts content, and we could read together, and walk. There is too much here for you right now Jane, and your mind is overwhelmed".

Jane looked into his eyes, and nodded.

"I want to be better, to feel better- and I want to be your wife again",

"I am afraid, Ms Rochester, that you shall be my wife regardless of what happens to us. You are stuck with me".

He paused from his moment of playfulness and looked seriously at her,

"Let me take you away".

Without her consent he never would have planned anything, and he would not make her go. But because Jane believed it would do them both good, she agreed. She could tell he was burning for it, and she had no desire to deny him any small thing she could offer him. So the next day, Jane sat on the bed and watched as Edward loaded her things into a trunk for her. She had gotten up and dressed in one of her old dresses, seeing for the first time the new ones she had made hanging painfully before her. It had been a setback, and Edward had guided her back to the bed where she remained until the trunks were packed.

The servants sorrowful glances were hard for Jane to walk through, some even turned and busied themselves with invisible tasks rather than look at her. John and Leah, however, were steady as ever. They wished the Rochester's a wonderful break, and waved them off from the steps of the house. Jane had been happy to see Leah's courage in approaching her. In fact, Leah came and spoke to Jane at times in the past week when Mr Rochester was busy. She liked her very much indeed.

The carriage was riding towards an unknown location, and Jane's heart, though heavy, felt like it was beating again.

. . .

"No, Jane, you must not look" Edward said, pulling Jane's hands back over her eyes.

"I know, I must trust you"

"Exactly- oh, watch your step here".

Jane was being lead towards something that she did not know, and waited anxiously until she could open her eyes.

"Okay..open"

Jane took her hands down from her eyes and immediately her heart lifted and lightened. She laughed a singular laugh in surprise, tears filling her eyes.

"The seaside. You've taken me to the seaside".

They stood at the edge of a cliff which overlooked shockingly blue water. White waves crashes against the base of the tall cliffs and the sounds of the ocean were the only things which pierced the air which was heavy with salt and mist. She wanted to say more to her husband, but found she was momentarily unable to. Her hand touched his arm in hopes of communicating, and he pulled her into a close embrace. She smiled into his chest, turning her face to look again at the water below.

"You always wanted to go to the seaside"

Jane nodded as tears slid from her eyes.

"I did"

"Do you remember when you first told me that?"

"When we first met- during the fourth evening you called me to you after dinner"

"I asked you where you wished to travel, seeing as you had never traveled beyond moving from Gateshead to your school. And you told me, 'Anywhere where I can see the ocean. I have never been so lucky to see it'. And then we spoke of it again during our honeymoon- when you lay in my arms in bed, and we talked about what normal couples do for their honeymoon, and how ours was forced to be so different".

"We were so happy then" Jane said, softly.

Her husband pulled back from her, looking directly into her eyes. His hand traced her face, his thumb running over her lips lovingly.

"We can still be that happy, Jane. But please let me in, please confide in me. It is to much to bare alone, to believe your feelings are yours alone, and will disappear with time. I need you. I need you as my wife, and my best friend, and most cherished companion. I cannot move through this world without you. And I cannot move through this world seeing you so unhappy. We lost a child Jane, but we must not lose each other too. You have been there for me every moment I did not think I could continue on, and your faith in me with my frustration and anger never hardened, and never faltered. It is my turn to be that for you".

Jane saw the passion in which he spoke, and immediately she felt guilty for leaving him from her confidence.

"You are right. I have left you alone in this-".

"No, you have every right to wanting to keep your thoughts to yourself."

His fingers closed warmly around hers.

"I left you alone, because I felt as if I had failed you. I know now that is untrue, but it took me some time to fully understand that for myself"

Jane paused, and ran her fingers along the buttons on his coat. She looked down and back up at him thoughtfully.

"You must be frustrated with me, you must think me-"

"No" he said softly "I know that I love you in every imaginable way. That is all I think of when I think of you"

Jane wiped the tears quickly from her eyes and breathed deeply.

"I want to tell you everything, I do not want to keep anything from you anymore"

He took her hand and began guiding her away from the cliff. The ground was rocky, and so their movements were slow. But with all they had to say to one another, the extra time was welcomed. With every word Jane spoke her heart felt like it was healing itself. Though she still hurt, and was angry, she was not isolated in her emotions. There was someone who shared her emotions, and made her fears dissolve before her very eyes. It was not perfect, but it was a start. A very encouraging start.