We Could Build a Life

❝ 𝚆𝙴 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙻𝙳 𝙶𝙴𝚃 𝙱𝚈 ❞

Johanna bolted out of the door as soon as she heard that woman scream. It was the only chance she had to get away... and luckily, she succeeded.

She took off her cap, letting her long, yellow hair flow through the wind.

She sobbed and shook uncontrollably, looking around frantically for the slightest sign of Anthony. She knew that he told her to stay, but she thought given the fact that if she didn't run out here, her throat would have been slit, he'd understand.

She could barely breathe, she continued looking around, until she found him. "ANTHONY!!" she yelled, running up to him.

Anthony quickly turned around. "Johanna?-" He asked, slightly shocked as she tightly held onto him, shaking and sobbing.

"Hey... hey.. what happened?" He asked, taken slightly aback by her tight embrace, but happily accepting it nonetheless.

Johanna couldn't speak. Every time she tried to, it felt like her throat was closing in on itself. She simply shook her head and continued to cry.

Anthony wouldn't force her to talk if she didn't want to, he wasn't that kind of person. He brought his hand up to the back of Johanna's head, gently making circular motions with his thumb in an attempt to soothe some of her anxiety.

"Shhh... shhh... it's okay, my love... I'm here..." He whispered. He wouldn't break the hug, he would let her decide when she was ready. He'd stay there forever if he needed to.

"Why....." was all Johanna could muster up. "Why would he do that..." she cried. She was referring to Sweeney here... well, who she thought was a stranger. Anthony assumed she was still referring to Turpin.

Anthony didn't know the full extent of Turpin. Johanna didn't talk about him very much, and Anthony thought that was perfectly fine. He would never pressure her to tell him things that she wasn't ready to talk about just yet.

Anthony continued to comfort Johanna the best he possibly could.. he just wanted her to know that she was safe now. Nothing could harm her, not while he's around.

"I know... I know..." he whispered.

Johanna took a breath, finally breaking away. "Anthony I could have died..." she finally said through sobs.

Anthony's eyes widened as his brain tried to register what his fiancé was saying. "What...?" He asked.

Johanna did her absolute best to recall everything that happened. Starting from hearing someone enter, to witnessing murders, one of which of her previous captor, and finally almost dying herself.

Anthony's jaw practically dropped to the floor. He immediately hugged Johanna. "Johanna..." he whispered. "It'll all be okay." He continued, kissing the top of her head.

Anthony's mind was racing currently. He knew that the man guilty of this was most likely Sweeney... but he figured that was a topic for another time. He didn't want to stress her out any more than she already was.

Anthony let go, and held Johanna's hands, looking at her. "You're safe now." He stated. "He's gone, we're leaving London." He continued with a slight smile on his face. "We'll be okay." He ended, kissing her cheek lightly.

Another thought crossed Anthony's mind. "I'm going to go check on something.. do you want to come with me?" He asked.

Johanna nodded and took Anthony's hand, beginning to trail behind him like a lost puppy.

Anthony opened the door to the pie shop, it was dead quiet. "I guess she's not here..." he sighed, looking back at Johanna, who was looking at a chair in the corner of the room.

Johanna repeatedly tapped Anthony's shoulder to get his attention, then pointed in the direction she was looking.

There was a boy sitting there... a boy who had to at least be younger than thirteen.

Anthony glanced at Johanna, who simply just nodded, then looked back to the boy.

They began walking over there, careful to not startle him. "Hey kiddo..." Anthony said awkwardly. Johanna gave a smile and a wave.

The boy looked up slowly, he seemed to be happy to have someone else there. "Oh- hello, sir!" He exclaimed, something seemingly bothering him.

"Are you waiting on someone?" Anthony asked, confused to as of why such a young boy would be in this shop all by himself.

"Oh um... no sir." He sighed. "I don't have anywhere else to say." He said, his voice somewhat sad.

Anthony glanced at Johanna, who was smiling and pointing at the boy with her eyes.

"I'm Anthony Hope, this is my fiancé Johanna." He stated with a smile, watching as Johanna's blush grew at that title. "You are?"

"Tobias Ragg, sir. Everyone calls me Toby though." He replied. Anthony crouched down to reach Toby's level.

"Well Toby..." he began. "We might have a place for you to stay." He smiled. "It would mean you leaving London, but if you're okay with that, Johanna and I would be more than happy to take you in!" He beamed, standing back up and holding Johanna's hand once again.

Toby's eyes lit up. "Really??" He asked, all of this felt like a dream... like he'd wake up at any moment on that cold, hard bakehouse floor, staring at the corpses once again. He was choosing to try and wipe those memories. He wouldn't tell a soul about what he had done.

Johanna smiled, finally speaking up herself. "Really." She responded. "Come on... we're gonna be late!" She added.

So Anthony, Johanna and Toby all loaded onto the boat. Anthony had shown them both around,
leading to their shared room.

Anthony and Johanna didn't have a problem with this. Johanna knew that she'd need Anthony there with her incase her nightmares came... she couldn't be alone, especially not her first night of freedom.

Neither of them protested against Toby staying in the room either, and Toby didn't seem to mind.

Two beds... one for Johanna and Anthony, one right across from them for Toby.

Johanna nuzzled up against Anthony, his arms wrapped around her waist. "Good night, Toby!" Anthony exclaimed while whispering as Johanna started to drift to sleep. "Good night, sir!" He whispered back.

Anthony then proceeded to, much more softly, tell his fiancé good night. He kissed her head, before closing his eyes himself.

For the first time in a very long time, Johanna's nightmares didn't come that night, and Toby was able to sleep peacefully.