Devotion (John Seed)

23. Wash Away Your Sins

Amelia and John spent the rest of the day relaxing in the ranch, after John finished his paper work of course. John sat on the sofa in front of the fire and Amelia lay on the sofa with her feet in John's lap. John rested one of his arms on the arm rest and his other hand lay on Amelia's leg, he began to gently rub up and down her leg as she read the book that she was holding. John didn't think anything of it when his hand began to move a little higher, rubbing the bottom of her thigh in a comforting manner.

She let out a small hum when John's hand started to work the muscle of her thigh. She lowered her book and glanced at him over the top of it, he wasn't even looking at her, he was just looking into the fire. Amelia raised the book to hide her face again as she shifted in her seat, once John removed his hand from her thigh and look at her with concern and confusion Amelia stopped moving and relaxed again.

John frowned before resting his hand in his lap, deciding not to touch her if it made her so uncomfortable. He couldn't help but wonder why she was acting like this now, they shared a bed, they had kissed multiple times, he thought that they were moving on and had sorted things out now...maybe he was wrong...

"John?" Amelia asked and placed her book down, taking her feet off of his lap and sitting up on the sofa.

"Yes?" He asked, turning his head to face Amelia, still wondering about her hesitation and how she has been distancing herself from him whenever he touched her in any remotely intimate way.

"Do you ever wish that you could just start again? Start fresh..." She asked, hanging her head.

"...do you?" He asked, using his thumb and forefinger to lift her chin up to face him.

"Sometimes..." She nodded, looking the man in the eyes.

"Then let me help you. I can make you pure once again, I can bring you a new life, walk with me through Eden's Gate" he spoke as he stood up, holding his hand out for her to take. "Do you trust me?" He asked, noticing her hesitation.

Amelia bit her bottom lip before nodding. "Yes" she took his hand and allowed him to guide her out of the ranch and towards the car.

Amelia asked where they were going multiple times during the drive but John always shushed her, eventually she gave up asking and just watched the setting sun out of the car window. Soon they pulled up in front of the lake where John holds his baptisms, he left the headlights on before climbing out of the car. Amelia followed him, unsure about what was going to happen.

She followed him silently to the edge of the water. "John?" She asked, questioning his intentions.

"This is where people come to be reborn, to become pure so that they may walk through Eden's Gate. This can be where you start fresh, after this you can be whoever you want to be" he assured her, speaking as if he was preaching to his followers. He then extended his arm and held his hand out for her.

"A baptism?" She hummed, not actually wanting an answer from him. John simply nodded as she hesitantly placed her hand in his. This was a way to be reborn, to become pure and clean again, this is a way to reset and become more than who she had become in Hope County. Amelia was also thinking about how this would make John happy, she didn't believe in the baptism but he did and it could only bring them closer together.

John smiled at her as he laced his fingers through hers and began to walk further into the lake. He could feel Amelia's grip tighten as she got anxious but he knew that she would be alright once she got comfortable. He led her into the water until they were waist deep, he took both of her hands in his as they turned to each other, allowing the water to lap around them. "You look stunning under the moonlight" John complimented as he caressed her cheek, which was heating up at his words. "Shall we begin?" he asked.

"Yes" the deputy nodded, knowing how much he liked to hear that word.

John turned her around and wrapped his arm around Amelia's waist, placing his other hand on the back of her neck. "You will be clothed with strength and dignity and you will laugh without fear of the future. When you speak your  words will be wise and you will give instructions with kindness" John spoke in his familiar preaching voice as he lowered the woman backwards, until she was submerged under the water. "Today you close the door to your past, open the door to your future, take a deep breath and step through to a new life" he promised as he brought her back up for a breath.

He looked down at her confidently as he pushed her hair out of her face, slicking it back over her head. He wrapped his arm around Amelia's back and held onto the back of her neck again. "You must be born again" he told her as he submerged her under the water again, holding her there for a little longer this time.

"We must wash away our past. We must expose our sins. We must atone-" he preached, still holding her under the water. As her lungs began to burn, Amelia reached up and grabbed hold of the folded up sleeves on John's biceps, begging to be brought back up for some air. John wanted to bring her above the surface and end her suffering but knew that this was a good thing. "-for only then may we stand in the light of God and walk through his Gate unto Eden" he smiled brightly as he pulled Amelia back above the surface of the water, allowing her to take large breaths for air.

Her grip on John's arms never loosened but he didn't mind, once she got her breathing back to near normal John pressed a kiss to Amelia's forehead. His lips lingered and as he pulled away Amelia found herself leaning into him. "Is that it?" she asked, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

"The water had washed away your sins, you can start again...Amelia, you don't have to be the deputy anymore" he spoke quietly and reassuringly, cupping her face in one hand and resting their foreheads together. "You can be whoever you want to be, start again...now is your chance to make the decisions" he told her. There was a choice to walk away from Hope County, from the cult, from the resistance...from John...and Amelia knew the only choice that she could make. The only choice that felt right.

"I would like that" she replied a little breathlessly, tilting her head up to press her lips against his. Now that he had received the reassurance that she wasn't walking away, John kissed her back contently.

"Let's go home Amelia" he whispered against her lips, taking her hand in his as they walked back towards the car.