Freedom Train

February 2, 1963 cont.

February 2, 1963 cont.

Annabeth snuck out of her window and headed toward the barn. She walked on a thin blanket of freshly fallen snow and she had to smile at the imagery. If small town Alabama was any one thing, it was visually beautiful.

Annabeth saw his figure moving toward the barn at the same time she was arriving. They met each other with a brief kiss.

Annabeth took Terry's hand and led him inside the barn again. She'd decided that she liked it much better in there as opposed to baring the elements outside. They settled themselves on the hay, each in their own space. The horses paid them no mind as they slept in their stalls. Every now and then, they could hear the wind picking up outside, or feel it coming through the cracks in the wooden walls, but it didn't bother them none.

"Henry said that they're planning a protest in Baltimore coming up here real soon. It's supposed to be big," Terry said, breaking the silence.

"What kind of protest?"

"I'm not sure of all the details yet," he said as he stretched out his legs and linked them at the ankle.

He leaned back on his arms and looked over at Annabeth with a coy grin.

"You could come. If you wanted."

Annabeth smiled over at him, knowing this was his way of bringing up the possibility of them leaving together. Terry knew, just like Annabeth did, that once she left Audumnly, the likelihood of her returning to stay was slim to none.

"Terry, I don't think I can just leave so soon. I want to attempt to talk to my parents. At least with Mama. We may not always see eye to eye but she's still my mother. I have to try."

"I respect that," Terry said, nodding his head. "But we wouldn't leave for a few days yet. They're thinking the protest will start right after Valentine's day, so we wouldn't head out there for another week."

"Just the two of us?"

Terry laughed lightly and reached for Annabeth's hand. She offered it to him as she moved closer to him. He pulled her to his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She nuzzled into the side of his worn, warm brown hide coat and he kissed the top of her head.

"As much as I would love to spend some real one on one time with you, no. It will be a group of us. You've met a couple of the people that are coming the other night. Bradley. Henry. A few others, too, I think."

Annabeth was silent for an extended moment. Terry stayed soundless beside her, leaning his head against hers as her thoughts ran a million miles a second. She was taking in all that he had said- Not just tonight but over the course of their relationship. She was internally asking herself if this was really something she really wanted to do. Luckily, Terry seemed to get that. He sat beside her, waiting patiently for an answer.

This is exactly what Annabeth had always wanted. She had always felt a pull toward helping others. Until she met Terry, she had never had even the slightest clue as to how to do it effectively. Now she could. She had a chance to make a difference. She wanted to take that chance with Terry more than anything else in the world.

It was scary as hell, but my God, it was also so exciting.

"I want to go. I'm going to go with you," Annabeth said to him, making her decision at last.

Annabeth watched his smile widen across his face, bringing out the dimples in his cheeks as he pulled his head back to look at her. She smiled at him and tilted her head back. Terry met her halfway, kissing her once gently.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly. "Annabeth, I don't want you to feel forced to do anything you're not ready for. I'll meet you in the shadows forever if that's the way you want it- If that's what I have to do to be with you."

Annabeth shook her head, a little laugh escaping her mouth with the realization that she meant what she said.

"I don't want to meet in the shadows anymore, Terry. I'm ready."

Terry smiled his biggest smile ever and grabbed Annabeth around the waist, laughing as he pressed little kisses everywhere on her face in his excitement.

They spent the rest of the night laughing and talking about their future together. Terry had big ideas, big dreams and an ambition that would rival any man. Annabeth had questions that Terry was all too willing to answer to put her mind at ease. Terry also made it clear that he wanted Annabeth to have her own dreams, not just follow his. He wanted them to see their dreams realized together.

That's how she knew that she'd found the man meant for her.

Any man that wants you to be everything you want to be and still makes you feel like your body's been lit on fire- That's the one you should spend your life with. Annabeth had no doubts.

Even if, just maybe, she should have.