Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

A Surprise

Lights was still rather shamefaced when he left, although he cheered up considerably when I told him I wanted to hear every word of Sylvie's reaction to the earrings. He assured me he would write, and that he had no doubt he'd be sent to London to put everything into a bank vault. I had laughed, and then told him that I would have to send over even more jewelry in order to make sure that they had a proper hoard in there.

Will had hugged him close, whispering something to him that had made Lights a bit teary eyed as he pulled away. He had brushed at his face, "I'll make sure the boys write, they need to work on their penmanship."

"I would love that." I had reached over and patted his arm, "And you make sure they know that Uncle Will and Aunt Anna send their love." Lights had assured us that he would, before heading into the White Star offices. We hadn't discussed what Lights had said since that night, but Will had been quiet for several days before I cornered him in the library. "Is something wrong?"

He sighed, "No."

"Don't lie."

"Ana, it's nothing." He glanced away, although when I raised a brow he groaned. "It's only, I've been giving more thought to writing down what happened. I'm, I'm just not sure if I should include everything."

I knew what he meant, "Will, you don't have to."

"But I should lay out everything that happened." He collapsed into a chair, and I positioned myself in his lap. "I don't want to leave something out and someone finds it and accuses me of trying to cover something up."

I leaned my forehead against his, "Will, no one is going to see it. And," I winced, "You're unlikely to forget that part of the night. So I think it's alright to leave that out." He merely grunted in reply, but he did press his lips to mine. I sighed, curling my hands around his head to hold him there. This was probably the best that I was going to get, and I chuckled as Will deepened the kiss, his tongue snaking its way into my mouth.

But then he broke off, "Ana, you can't distract me like this."

"You're the one who kissed me." I chuckled, switching to kissing at his neck.

"I know, but you're entirely too tempting." His breath hitched as I nipped at his bottom lip. "Christ."

I leaned back, "I could leave."

"No, don't do that." His arms tightened around me, and he drew me back down. "Ana, you know, now I would never, ever have those thoughts again."

"I know, Will."

"And if I had known what my life would be like, I would never have thought it."

I brushed my fingers over his cheek. "Will, let it stay in the past. It's done."

"It is." He smiled into the kiss he pressed to my lips. "But I hardly am, shall we lock the door?"

I snorted, "The last time we locked the door to the library, you left me with a bruised hip. I'd much rather go back down to our soft bed." Will was happy enough to head back down to our bed, but I watched him closely the rest of the time he was home. He was quiet, and seemed to find quite a bit of time to spend alone each day. I spotted him back in the library one day, a notebook in front of him and a pen scribbling across it.

He was still rather distant when he left for the next crossing, and I held him close to me for longer than usual when sending him off. He at least gave me a smile, and a kiss, before he headed out. But when I watching him from the window he looked down, his step far less lively than it usually was. I knew what he was thinking about, I had no doubt he was writing down what had happened in that notebook.