New Ways to Dream

by chiana606

Summary:

On a stormy day at sea Laurie and Amy sit together talking about their castles in the air.

Chapter 1

Laurie and Amy had been at sea for nine days when one morning brought with it clouds and a frigid wind that whistled ominously though the sails.

“Do you think there will be a storm?” Amy asked him when they got up to watch the sunrise as they always did and saw only a grey blanket above them.

“Might be,” Laurie said. Seeing that she looked worried he kissed her quickly on the cheek. “Not a very bad one most likely. Was it smooth sailing all the way to Europe for you?”

“Mostly. It was windy sometimes.”

“This might be a little worse than what you’ve experienced before, but nothing terrible.”

“It’s as dark as if it were still night.”

“It practically is, or have you forgotten all the trouble you went through to pull me out of bed at the very crack of dawn?”

“It’s for your own good. I won’t have a lazy man for a husband, so I manage you and keep you industrious My Lord.” Amy grinned up at Laurie as he caught her lips and kissed her. As he did the first drops of icy rain fell upon her forehead.

“What do you say about being industrious as you put it back in the cabin where it’s warmer?”

Amy laughed and nodded her assent.

 

*********

Two hours later and the storm had began in earnest. There was thunder crashing above and the ship rocked and lurched in the most vicious and troubling way. Amy was shaking.

“Are you afraid dear?” Laurie asked.

“No,” said Amy with a shake of her golden head which Laurie would not have believed had it not been so decisive. “I’m only cold.”

“Then come here,” Laurie said, pulling her closer to him and pulling the covers up over them both. “Better?”

“Much.”

Laurie was kissing her neck now, and Amy closed her eyes, enjoying the sweet sensation of it.
“I don’t think that I shall ever be afraid of anything again now that we’re together.”

“I think you’ve always been pretty fearless in your own way. In fact, I can’t imagine a much braver Amy March than the one I knew.”

“I was afraid in Europe when I realized that I’d never become a world renowned painter… don’t smile as if it’s funny, I really was.”

“Oh, don’t worry on that count. I understand entirely, as I’m no more likely to be a world renowned composer.”

“It was a difficult dream to give up, but I like the one I’ve achieved in its stead. I’ve got everything I want. Do you remember how we used to build castles in the air? Imagine my surprise at finding mine suddenly finished and ready to move in, and not at all what I expected it to be.”

“Is it better or worse than you expected?” Laurie asked. He knew the answer all ready, but he wanted to hear Amy say it in her own sweet voice, and smiled contentedly when she did exactly that.

“Much better since we share it. I hardly know what is left for me to wish for and dream of now that I have all I ever wanted.”

“New things will pop up after a time. They’re bound to. I all ready have a few.”

“Oh?”

“Children to fill the castle for example. It’s awfully big for just the two of us don’t you think?”

“And once they come we’ll be starting up castles all over again, only we’ll we won’t be building them for ourselves.” Amy agreed.

There were a great many people who were not enjoying that day at sea, and very few weathered the storm quite so contentedly as the Laurence couple as they sat in their tiny cabin thinking of new ways to dream.