The discussion of where William was to lay his head down each night had bounced all about over the past months. He had slept on the floor for a while, then on a pad on the floor, then -- after still unidentified thieves raided the chicken coop one evening -- in the loft of the barn for a while. But it was October, and the weather had taken a sudden turn for the worse, and now William was back in the house, this time sleeping on a bed behind a sliding curtain, built into one corner where a pantry had once been located.

After he'd taken to providing some night time security for the farmstead -- sometimes not finally laying down until midway between dusk and dawn -- William was typically the last of the three to wake each morning. William would rise at the sound of the other two talking or at the unbelievable smell of the breakfast Keziah was cooking. He would dressed and make his bed -- a task Keziah had forced upon the yet-still-a-bachelor man -- then pull the curtain back to open the room up a bit. Occasionally, though not often, when the pair of them rose they would find the curtain already pulled back, indicating that William had uncharacteristically beat them up and was already outside doing this chore or that.

This morning, William's curtain was pulled back only enough to show most of his empty and made bed, but he was sitting on a stool just barely out of sight tying his shoes so the pair of them must have thought he was out and about when they began their conversation. It didn't occur to William to announce his presence, because he honestly thought they knew he was there.

"Keziah…" Edward began, adding after a moment, "Something happened, didn't it?"

William lifted his head, wondering what happened ... and did I do it? Although it was an unconscious thought, William somehow knew that Edward was alluding to something that he'd done ... and for almost a month now, William had been waiting for the hammer on his head for what he'd done ... to Edward's little girl.

The sexual tension -- and, at least for William, the sexual frustration! -- had been building for weeks when finally his first night truly with Keziah arrived. He hadn't expected it to go as it had, and he didn't think Keziah had either. But once they'd kissed, then taken one another into each other's arms, their path was laid out before them.

It had truly and honestly been the most loving, passionate night of intimacy in all of William's decade of sexual activity. They had stood there clutching one another with lips and hands exploring for ... for ever ... then -- knowing what each wanted, finally began shedding clothes. When William finally pulled the string at Keziah's back and her shift fell from her, revealing her still firm, shapely body, he took her hands and stepped back a bit to marvel at her ... which had, unfortunately, embarrassed her beyond belief.

They were soon under the bedding as one -- kissing, caressing, clutching, pressing until it was difficult to determine where William's body ended and Keziah's began. Reflecting on how this century's extremely modest sexual behavior and courting procedures reflected his own century's new political correctness concerning sex -- a Frat boy and Sorority girl couldn't hardly even fuck anymore without a written contract and video verification -- as he finally reached a hand for the first time toward her womanhood, William even asked Keziah with a vague hint toward his desire, "May I...?"

William would never forget that night for as long as he lived. He'd yearned for Keziah since that first day when she placed her warm hands upon his body, treating the flesh wound upon his bare belly. And while he could have simply entered her to finally find his release, William had instead spent those first moments with a hand between her thighs, ensuring that she, too, partook of the euphoria that came from a night of fulfilling sex.

Although it had been on his mind during the entire encounter, William had shown no concern about possibly leaving Keziah with child ... with his child. He'd already long ago decided that he was going to remain here in 18th century Massachusetts ... remain here with her, with Rose Anne, with Edward. William had hoped that the next morning, Keziah would finally take him up on his desire to be wed to her. And yet, nothing even close to that occurred: Keziah had instead pushed him away, and -- despite the obvious joy they had each found in one another's arms -- they neither talked of it nor repeated it again.

And now, as he sat there on the stool, certain that Edward knew William had fucked Keziah -- maybe even forced himself on the man's little girl -- William's heart was pounding with fear.

"I just want to understand if those are genuine feelings or if you just want to be a wife again for the sake of it."

William sat and listened to the conversation, and as it went on, his lips widened in a delighted smile. Keziah fancied him. Fancied! And she got butterflies when she saw him. William wasn't sure whether it was her feelings or the words with which she expressed them, but by the time the pair had finished and both gone outside -- giving William the opportunity to slip out the back door and pretend he hadn't been eavesdropping -- he was flying as high as Ben Franklin's kite (which, he knew, had never actually been proven to have been an actually historic event, but hey, it was a great American story).

For weeks, William had wondered whether or not he and Keziah would ever find themselves in one another's arms again; and for weeks, he'd wondered whether or not they would ever find themselves standing before her father and the preacher in the little church in Lexington; and now, after William's eavesdropping had left him full of knowing smirks and lustful glances, Keziah was standing before him in her very typically shy way, trying -- William was sure -- to say that she was finally ready to commit to him, to marry him, to become his wife...?

Wasn't she?

William was on the edge, ready to drop to his knees and finish the words he desperately hoped Keziah was trying to speak, when...

"William! Keziah!"

William had come to learn Edward's many tones over his months here, and just as did Keziah, he hurried out of the barn to find him standing with a very familiar -- and yet dreaded -- Sergeant from the Massachusetts Second Regiment. The man was bearing bad news: William knew that immediately, though he wasn't certain whether it was bad news for America or for him specifically.

"She's getting big," he said approaching to get a better look at Rose Anne. The Sergeant looked to Keziah and then to William, saying what William himself had been hoping since his arrival in Lexington, "I thought your wife would be swollen with child right now. Or ya can't perform right?"

William smiled at the teasing, then turned his head away from Edward. He wanted to return the joke about having no problems performing ... but that didn't quite seem appropriate for the audience at hand. Instead he looked to the Sergeant and -- more of a statement than a question -- said, "You bring us news ... news of the fight against the British."

The Militiaman rose a bit taller, trying to gain an air of professionalism. But, as Keziah had also noticed, he'd been crying recently, which William had never thought he'd see from the rough and tough man who had personally killed six men in the attack on the Tyler Farm half a year earlier. "General Washington is dead."

The bluntness of the statement hit William almost as hard as the words themselves. With his eyes and mouth open in shock, William asked, "How...? Where?"

"Three days ago," the Sergeant began, adding, "in New York."

"No ... no, that's not what's supposed to--" William began, then realizing that he was talking aloud, he went silent and asked, "Tell me how it happened ... details!"

William engaged his brain -- now with his mouth silent -- trying to recall his memory of this time period in real history. October 1775, October 1775 ... where the hell was Washington in October 1775? He'd been in charge of the Continental Army; and he'd ordered heavy guns to Dorchester Heights to bombard the British supplies lines serving Boston Proper. But those guns wouldn't arrive until Spring of next--

No, no! Fuck the guns! Where was Washington? William couldn't recall specifically where Washington himself had been. And this was important, because -- obviously! -- Washington wasn't supposed to be dead! Not yet! Washington wasn't supposed to die for almost another quarter century, in 1799.

William's concern over this change of history should have been because it would likely change the course of history of the United States of America and -- because of the US's role as a superpower -- the course of the history of the World itself. But William's immediate thoughts were Did I do this...? Did I cause this...? Did I kill George Washington?

"Sir...?"

When he realized that he Sergeant was addressing him, William turned back to him. Suddenly, the words of the man to which William hadn't consciously been listening flooded his brain: Washington had been monitoring the aftermath of the Patriot's reclaiming of Boston; rumors of the British Navy moving troops south had caused Washington to head for New York; and along the way a sniper had put a lead ball through the General's throat, killing the Father of the Nation before he'd even fallen to the ground.

"I asked, what are your orders, sir?" the Sergeant said, apparently repeating a question he'd already asked.

The man pulled a wadded up bundle from under his arm and presented it. William knew from his reenactments what it was from the color, piping, and lapel pins: a Lieutenant's uniform in the Continental Army. A shiver clawed its way up William's spine and his skin exploded in goose flesh as he asked, "What's that for...? Who's that for?"

The Sergeant looked confused, for as William's mind had been overwhelmed with questions of guilt over possibly having been responsible for the assassination of the man who now would not be on the dollar bill, the quarter, Mount Rushmore, and even on the future flag of the now-less-likely State of Washington, the Sergeant had been explaining that Colonel Harding had ordered a Field Commission to First Lieutenant for the Hessian deserter-turned-hero-of-Boston, William Kutcher.

With the news of General Washington's death, both Edward and his daughter felt dread. With the man gone who would lead the Army? Who would see that they would become free? They didn't know much about how this war would end, well Keziah had been told by William that the colonists won and that Washington had become their first president…and now none of that would happen. Keziah felt tears roll down her cheeks and she wiped at her eyes, a little ashamed that shed been crying. Rose Anne cooed, reaching her arms out towards William. The babe had started to gain control over her little arms, mastering the art of reaching towards people and things.

She looked at William and wondered how afraid he was. With Washington gone then he'd never get back to his time. She didn't want him to go back, she wanted him to stay here. During the first and last time they'd been intimate with each other, Keziah had, in the midst of things, babbled about how she wanted him to stay. The Sergeant was speaking, easing towards a topic that made her breath catch in her throat and more tears spill down her cheeks.
William had to go back. Not to his time of course, it likely no longer existed. But he'd have to go back with the Sergeant. Back to the War. The War had ceased to be just some event for the man, something interesting to learn, this was his life now too and by extension it became hers as well.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder and she looked towards her father, who stood there with a grim look on his face. Edward wouldn't admit it but over the months William had grown on him. He'd stopped seeing the man as someone he had to watch around his daughter and instead had started seeing him as someone with whom his daughter could be happy with. He should have been proud that William had been given such a rank but the older man could not be happy. He pulled Keziah in close and hugged her, knowing that this was hard. Edward knew about the night they'd spent together, it wasn't hard to see that something had happened between them, something that they clearly didn't want him knowing about. Keziah was always a bit traditional, insisting that things be done in the proper way, although she was nowhere near as traditional as her mother or Samuel.

When things fell silent and their guest had no more to speak of, Edward told the man to head inside, that they were about to have lunch soon anyways. It'd be better if he got a little rest and a bit of food in his belly before taking William away. Edward sighed, scooped up Rose Anne and escorted the Sergeant inside so the other two could talk alone.

Once alone, all Keziah could do was look at the uniform that had been handed to William. With no baby to occupy her arms, she let them drop to her sides. For a few minutes she didn't know what to say. Her bottom lip trembled and she fisted her hands into the skirt of her dress. Finally when she did speak to him, her voice came out shaky and broken. "You'll come back, right?" She reached towards him and buried her face into his shirt. "Can't leave me a widow again and Rose Anne needs her father."

William barely noticed the departure of Edward and the soldier, for his attention was focused on the future he'd fucked up and thoughts of how he could fix it.

"You'll come back, right?"

At the feel of Keziah wrapping her arms around his torso and her face pressing against his shirt -- tears quickly flooding through the light work shirt he'd been wearing despite the cool weather -- William's entire consciousness shifted direction as taking an off ramp in a speeding car.

"Can't leave me a widow again and Rose Anne needs her father."

William clutched Keziah tightly into his body, almost to the point of smothering her. He'd come to the conclusion that he'd probably never be returning to the 21st century, and -- more importantly -- he had come to not only accept that for a truth but had come to realize he preferred it. William no longer yearned to get back to the life he'd lived for nearly three decades. He wanted to stay here, in 18th Century Massachusetts ... with Keziah.

"I'm not your husband," William said when Keziah's words fully reached his consciousness. Was her concern about being a widow again a hint as to what she wanted from him, here and now? She'd been spilling her heart in the barn before Edward called to them, before the Sergeant appeared, before the uniform was handed over. Had she been about to tell him she was ready? William took hold of Keziah's shoulders, moved her out away from him, studied her for a moment, then dropped to one knee before her. "I can't remember if this is the way it was -- is -- done in this time ... but--"

As he'd been talking, William had been working to try to get his High School class ring off his finger. He felt he needed something tangible to offer Keziah, and after it finally slipped over the knuckle swollen by hard work, he held it out before her, asking, Keziah ... will you marry me...? Here and now ... today."

Keziah wiped her eyes and looked at him as he dropped to his knee. She was so worried that things would go bad, that he'd be taken away from her just like Charlie had been. In a sense he was but she hoped he'd come back. She watched William take the ring from his finger and when he asked her to marry him this time she accepted. "Yes." Keziah said as she took the ring from him and pressed her lips to hers in a chaste kiss. When she pulled away from him, her cheek were covered in a pale blush. She'd gotten to know him well over the past months and she was surprised that he, given his history with women, wanted to settle down with her.

She clutched his ring tightly in her hand, it was too big to fit around her finger, and she glanced back at the house. Keziah had a feeling that her father knew what had gone on between them not too long ago, but knew he'd be happy about this. The man was very good at knowing when something was up. Marriage was…well it was fairly easy. Typically a lot went into the planning and courting but the actual wedding part was lacking.

Keziah led him into the house. If they were going to do it then she wanted at least Rose Anne and her father there. They really didn't even need to go into Lexington and find a priest. They could actually do the wedding here, with just those present. So long as there were witnesses really.
Once inside, her father took one look at their linked hands and he smiled. "About time." He said with a small chuckle. Keziah had told him of the cover story that she and William had used. He was bouncing Rose Anne on his knee as he watched them. He'd come to genuinely like William. The younger ma had caught on quick to farm life and it reached a point there Edward didn't even have to remind him or tell him to do a chore. "Are you two sure this is what you want? Marriage isn't something you can just end lightly."

"Are you two sure this is what you want? Marriage isn't something you can just end lightly."

"This marriage will need not an ending," William said quickly, squeezing Keziah's hand, then turning to face her as he took her other hand in his as well. "I will go with the Sergeant ... I will perform my duty ... I will return to you--" He glanced to the others in turn before turning back to Keziah, "--to Rose Anne ... to your father, your family, your farm. A bit of separation will not end this marriage ... nor will a war..." Knowing that Edward wouldn't know what it meant, William said for Keziah's sake, "...nor will a Hessian long gun. I want to be your husband, from this day forth ... without end."

William smiled, then chuckled a bit before exhaling a puff of air with an exaggerated whew sound, saying, "Wow! I never thought I'd say anything so ... flowery to a woman..." He squeezed Keziah's hands again, saying with total sincerity, "...and mean it with all my heart."

..........

The ceremony was simple but wonderful. Despite the need not to have anyone more, the three of them each headed up a different country road to retrieve witnesses and guests, resulting in an assemblage of just over a dozen people watching and celebrating the exchange of simple vows. The reception was short -- just half an hour or so of women hugging and sharing wishes with Keziah and men quietly sharing sips of their own home brews with William and Edward before the entire party broke up.

William's mind had been increasing focused on one thought, so when Edward approached with a bedroll under his arm and said he'd be sleeping in the barn tonight, he couldn't help but smile, laugh aloud, and show his relief and gratitude. He shook his father-in-law's hand, telling him, "I will take care of her. I promise."

"No, I will take care of her ... for now!" Edward corrected, reminding William that tomorrow he was leaving for the war. The older man took William's shoulders in his big, strong hands and said, "You ... will come back to her ... and then ... you will take care of her. Yes?"

William nodded, shook hands with Edward again, watched him head off toward his night's lodging, and turned for the house, the bedroom, and his wife.

Being married again wasn't what she had expected. She knew that it would be different, that comparing it to her brief marriage to Charles was like comparing the sun and the moon. Her wedding to Charles had been as simple as this one, but rather than strangers they'd been surrounded by family and friends. Quite a few of her late husband's family showed up, giving her wishes and silent prayers that this husband wouldn't die young either. What made this marriage feel so different was the fact that he would be gone in the morning. It made her heart heavy but she couldn't tell him to not go.

When they reached home, she had given Rose Anne her dinner, given her a bath and settled her down for the night as her father joked around with his new son. She knew he still mourned for Samuel but he was happy to have someone like William around to help like Sam used to. When she was sure that Rose Anne would sleep soundly, she kissed the baby on her forehead before smoothing back her wild blond hair. Even though she hadn't birthed the child, she loved her as if she had. Keziah changed out of her day clothes and into a soft nightgown, knowing that it likely would not make it through the night. She hoped it would, it was comfortable and she'd hate to have to sew it back together tomorrow. When her husband had entered the room, Keziah smoothed out her nightgown and smiled up at him.

Keziah moved closer, taking one of his hands in hers and kissing the backs of his knuckles. She'd be lying if she said that she hadn't thought about what tonight would bring. When she looked up at him again, she had another shy smile on her lips. "Welcome home, husband."

---

It was well before sun up when she woke. Keziah had stayed in bed, just listening to his even breathing. She didn't know when she'd hear it again. It was…comforting to say the least. Sounds like that had always brought her comfort and on most days she would just sit by the fire and listen to Rose Anne's breathing when she took a nap. Keziah hoped that she wouldn't cry today but the possibility was there. She smoothed back his hair and smiled a bit as she rolled over to face him. She caught sight of the nail marks she'd left on him and a soft flush came to her face. "William..." Keziah said softly, reaching out to stroke his cheek with her thumb. "It's morning."

Rose Anne would be waking soon. The child was very good at deciding when she'd had enough sleep and sometimes she'd wail until one of them would pick her up from her cradle. Keziah would likely tend to her when she did wake up but for now she was content just lying in bed with her husband.

"William..."

He had been on the verge of consciousness, the movement of someone in bed next to him unusual. Her speaking of his name revived William enough to hear her next words clearly.

"It's morning."

William's lips widened into a pleased smile. Last night had been unbelievable. He'd gotten married. William, the perpetual bachelor, was now a husband. And his wife had shown him one of the many wonderful aspects of being wed in the 18th century once they'd gotten themselves out of their clothes and between the layers of bedding.

With his eyes still closed, William pulled Keziah tight to him, kissing her forehead. Their second time together had been different than the first: Keziah had seemed more relaxed and less tentative, perhaps because she wasn't sinning this time around; and -- though he certainly didn't perform like he may have with a coed he picked up from some university sports bar -- William put a little more creative effort into ensuring that Keziah remembered this night for more than just the fact that it was sex between her and her new busband.

"I love you, Keziah Kutcher," William whispered, smiling even wider in the low illumination of the turned down lantern across the room. He rolled to lay on his side, opened his eyes and let them adjust, and looked over her beautiful face ... then her mussed hair before chuckling and whispering, "It's gonna be tomorrow by the time you get that brushed out. Are you gonna wake up every morning looking as though you spent the night rough housing in bed?"

He let her respond, then kissed her softly, then again more intimately. He let a hand begin to caress its way down her womanly curves, whispering, "Make love to me again ... wife ... before I leave..."

..........

Edward was standing with the Sergeant and a pair of Militiamen clear down at the end of the corral fence, giving the couple space to make their good byes. In his new Continental Army Lieutenant's uniform, William felt dashing. Without any weapons, though, he also felt a bit vulnerable and helpless. He was sure he would be provided a sword and pistol soon. He just hoped it would be before coming across a Redcoat patrol.

William pulled Keziah to him, kissing her deeply before whispering, "I will be back ... soon."

After she's spoken her piece, William looked over his uniform again, then looked to the three men and their multiple weapons: pistols, muskets, bayonets, swords, and knives hung all about their bodies. He was suddenly reminded -- as he had remembered often over the past months -- that this was no longer a reenactment. This was the real thing. This was the Revolutionary War. And when people fell to the barrage of rifles and cannons, tbey didn't wait for the Announcer's recap to the crowd, then stand, bow, and head away with the enemy for a Starbucks or a Budweiser.

"We could run," William said, almost before he realized he'd said it. Already having begun, he clarified, "You, me, Rose Anne ... even your father. We could go east ... away from the fighting ... to Ohio ... Iowa ... even Colorado."

Of course, he knew they couldn't. Even if Keziah didn't think it cowardly or unpatriotic or simply implausible, those areas weren't yet safe for people like them. Oh, sure, Ohio would be okay: there were plenty of British settlements there, some even loyal to the Rebel Cause. But Iowa was still Injun country, and hell Keziah probably hadn't even heard of Colorado yet, which even the Spanish had only barely explored despite having claimed it for generations by this point in history. No, William might not want to leave Keziah ... but he was...

She didn't want him to go but there weren't many other options. They managed, or rather he managed, to screw over history and now this had become their problem. She balanced her adopted daughter on her hip as she said her goodbyes. Keziah looked up at him when he said that they could run. They could…but here, just outside of Lexington…this was home. Her father wouldn't want to leave the graves of his wife and stillborn son, not when he had decided that he'd be buried next to his wife.

Keziah sighed quietly and bounced Rose Anne gently when she grew fussy. She hadn't even known him for that long, hell she had married him after not knowing him for that long, but she did want him to return. She wanted him to give her children and to grow old with her. They'd been through a lot together already. Being taken in by the militiamen for a month and forced into an awkward position of posing as husband as wife had meant that she'd come to enjoy his presence in the room.
The woman kissed him again before handing Rose Anne over to him. The child cooed and reached for his nose, making quite a serious face as she tried to get it. Keziah laughed and wiped her eyes. She wasn't even laughing hard enough to cry. Hopefully she wouldn't break down here.

Edward was watching them quietly. Unlike his daughter, he would not cry for the man. He had made a promise to Edward and the older man expected that promise to be upheld. His daughter had told him of the other times that he'd kept his promises. It wasn't a bad track record honestly. He frowned when his daughter began crying. Even though they were a distance away from them, he knew her well enough to know that she was trying to keep it together.
He grumbled at the militiamen to give them their privacy, that it was a hard time for the both of them.

A few hours later, the men were gone and Edward was left to chop wood by himself. Keziah was repairing a few sets of clothes. She hadn't spoken much since her new husband had left, and that was fine. She was still caring for Rose Anne, although the baby was fussing again.

Quebec City
3 January 1776:

William stood in the shadows of an alley across from the Hôtel Dieu, watching soldiers and officers of the Continental Army go in and out of the makeshift hospital. The facility's most famous patient -- General Benedict Arnold -- was inside with a shattered leg, and William was going to ensure that when the man left, he would do so on a stretcher with a sheet over his face.

After the fall of Boston in June, the Continental Congress had made the decision to invade Canada, then called the Province of Quebec. Quebec at the time had extended much farther south, including all 5 of the Great Lakes and all the land surrounding them. The Congress's hope had been that the French-speaking citizens in Quebec would join the English-speaking rebels in rising up against the British Crown.

Historically, Arnold had arrived at Quebec City with barely more than 600 exhausted, demoralized, starving troops. A couple of weeks later, General Richard Montgomery would arrive from the east with an equivalent force, and together they would conduct an unsuccessful attack that would result in Montgomery's death and Arnold's injury. The Fort would hold, and the Rebels would withdraw. But, as would come to be known, the Americans would ultimately win the war and all would be well.

Of course, that was before Washington's death. And William knew that the changes in history for which he was responsible had led to Washington's death and, likely, a British victory. He couldn't let that happen. Despite not knowing what the precise, exact effect would be, William was determined to help the Rebels beat the British and, thus, save the Rebel Cause.

With his conscription into the Massachusetts Second Regiment as a Lieutenant, William found himself becoming an advisor directly to Colonel Harding. After secretly using his knowledge of the future to lead the Second to a handful of surprise victories, William found himself the subject of Arnold's attention. And soon afterward, he became an advisor to the future traitor. William had been tempted to kill Arnold the first time they'd been alone together, but William knew that at this point in time, Arnold was an affective and loyal rebel officer. So, instead, William advised the General about the hazards he and his Army would face on their long arduous march north through Maine to Quebec City.

The result was that Arnold arrived on the banks of the St. Lawrence not with 600 men but almost 3,000. Rather than being outnumbered 2-1 by the British -- who, of course, were behind the walls of a fort -- Arnold's army outnumbered the Redcoats 2-1. The fort and the city itself were besieged, and after weeks of civilians fleeing the starvation and disease spreading across Quebec City, the force surrendered without a shot fired.

Historically, Arnold was seriously injured in the battle that now hadn't occurred. Despite avoiding the fight, the General had instead fallen from his horse to crush his leg. Which put him inside the walls of the hotel.

William waited until sundown, then approached the hotel in bloodied clothing. He told the guards at the door that he'd been hurt in a building collapse, which got him inside the hotel. After idling milling about for an hour or so, inconspicuously spying the security and movement of armed guards, he found a way to get to the hallway outside Arnold's room without drawing attention. He found a seat and pretended he needed rest, then when the guard on Arnold's door wasn't watching, William slipped inside.

"You don't look like a man whose name will become synonymous with betrayal," William said when the sleeping Arnold detected his presence and opened his eyes. William pulled a bayonet from his sleeve and corrected, "Would have become synonymous."

It took the General a moment to realize that something was horribly wrong. He tried to call out, but William clamped a palm over the man's mouth ... and stuck the long blade into his throat. Blood spewed all over: onto the bed, floor, and walls; onto the quickly dying man; onto the actor-turned-assassin. When Arnold's thrashing slowed, then stopped, William backed away. He looked at Arnold's lifeless body, then at his own blood covered body. He felt sick and wanted to puke, but sound in the hallway told him he needed to get the fuck out. He shed his jacket and rushed out a connecting door, slowing to a less conspicuous speed as he emerged into the hallway. Before William had reached the first floor, the alarm was out.

He rushed for the exit and was almost out when an officer -- ignorant of William's approach -- stepped into the doorway, causing the two to slam into one another. As William gathered himself, he looked to the other party: it was Colonel Harding, and he was being accompanied by the Second Regiment Sergeant ... both of whom knew William all too well ... as well as where he lived.

......................

9 May 1776:

For months, William had been on the run, hunted not only by British troops who had become aware of his contributions to the Rebel Cause; but by Continental Army who wanted him for the assassination of one of their greatest heroes. William had been desperate to get back to Lexington before the rebel hunters, but he'd had to radically change course three times and had spent two weeks hiding in a barn recovering from injuries sustained after being attacked by a pack of wolves of all things.

Now, finally -- after having left the road for fear of discovery and trudged through the forest for almost three miles -- William emerged at the edge of Edward and Keziah's farmstead...

There were a lot of things that could change in a year. Everything from your friends to the way you dress and do your hair. This past year had brought many change, some good, others bad. Sometimes it seemed like the bad outweighed the good. The days had passed on quietly. The snow had fallen and she wondered if they'd make it through the night. When spring came around she wondered if he was proud of the life coming back into the earth. She thought of him often. There were late nights when she'd think to the stories he told her. Of how he held her when she cried. Of how he used to push her dark hair from her face with a gentle smile. Of how he'd kiss her on the forehead.

Keziah missed him but she was not bogged down by his absence. Life still passed on. He was buried under the tree with her mother and lost brother. Edward Black had led a good life, married an equally good woman and started a family. He'd passed just as winter was in full swing. He'd taken ill one night, complaining of being dizzy. She allowed him to sleep through supper, content to hear his loud snores. The next morning when she woke, he was silent. They buried him a day later. The men from Lexington, friend of his, had come and dug his grave. The women tended to his body and helped clean the house and watch the baby as she mourned.
Saying goodbye to her husband was hard. Saying goodbye to her father…now that had been more painful. It occurred to her one night that she was, save for the baby at her hip, largely alone in this world. Her husband was off fighting in a war that he'd been sucked into. Her brother was still missing, and her best friend had died.

Rose Anne had grown beautifully. He had been proud of her. She had taken a shine to him and would often follow him around after she learned how to walk. He took her out to the fields, shown her the deer that hopped the fence to dig through the snow in hopes of finding food. He had told her the same stories he had told his own daughter. The baby didn't understand why he wasn't there anymore, and in time she wouldn't remember him. Keziah would keep his memory alive, telling her the stories he'd once told them.

Edward had been proud of his son-in-law, as he'd told his daughter one night after Rose Anne had gone to sleep. "He's a fine fellow. I am glad that you met him." Edward, like Keziah, had no doubt that he'd keep his promise as best to his ability. In war, nothing was guarantee. No man knew if he was going to make it to see the next sunrise. They had heard bits of what was happening in the war when it would pass through Lexington. Edward would deliver the news to his daughter during dinner.

Today was just another day colored by her mourning. She and Rose Anne were tending to the garden. Well, Keziah was tending to the garden and Rose Anne was digging in the dirt with her chubby little hands. She's grown so big. Briefly, Keziah wondered if William would be excited to see her. The last time he had seen Rose Anne was when she was being bounced on Keziah's hip. "Ama!" The little girl cooed, throwing her hands and some dirt into the air. Keziah smiled towards the little girl, her daughter.

"Good job. Our soil needs a bit of over turning anyways." Things were getting physically harder for her. Had been for the past few months. The men from Lexington, old family friends, had come to help around the farm, sending their sons to aid the woman. Most of everyone knew that she was married, that her husband was off fighting in the war. There were no offers of marriage presented to her, especially since there was no news if her husband had died. Rose Anne squealed and put her hands into the dirt again, giggling wildly as she pulled up an old root. One of the boys from Lexington was there, helping quietly. He was a young thing, only about twelve, but already he was a hard worker.
He was working out in the barn, tending to a few of the cattle, when something caught his eye.

"Missus Kutcher!"

Keziah looked up at the sound of his voice. The boy came racing towards her, wide eyed, and for a minute she thought he had been injured. "Missus Kutcher!" They'd taken to calling her that. It was only right after all, she was a married woman. When he reached her, mindful to not bump into her, he put his hands on his knees and panted, pointing out to the fields where a figure was steadily making their way across it. For a long time she worried that it would be soldiers telling her that her husband had died. There had been some concern when Redcoats had come to Lexington, asking for her husband. None really told them where the farm was, only that he'd passed through Lexington. No doubt the reason lay more with the threats Edward had given before his passing. When the figure came closer, Keziah almost couldn't believe her eyes. William was here, well still in the field and she couldn't jump the fence to reach him. The boy, Gabriel, picked up Rose Anne and followed after Keziah quickly, unable to fathom how a woman in her condition could move that quickly. His own mother had taken to waddling around rather than actually walking.

"William!" She yelled. Now that he was closer she could see the way he walked. Almost instantly she knew he'd been injured. She was a nurse after all. Gabriel and Rose Anne hung back. The boy was acutely aware of how much bigger William was. Would the man think something was going on here? Gabriel was a young boy but his older brothers had spoken of how if Keziah's husband never came back they'd like chance at her. It had disgusted him that they even thought that way. He was still pure, untainted by the views of older men. They wouldn't be thinking that way once they learned her husband was back.

"You're hurt." She frowned.

The farmstead looked just as William would have expected in late spring. But there was no sign of either Edward or Keziah. An unfamiliar pre-teen boy was working in the barn. Did that mean the Blacks were no longer here, that they were no longer the property owners? Where was Keziah? Where was his wife?

Then the boy went running off to beyond an outbuilding, hollering Missus Kutcher William had teasingly called Keziah that name while they'd been in bed on their wedding night almost seven months earlier, as well as just prior to leaving and promising that he'd soon be home.

"William!"

William drew a deep breath of relief at the sight of Keziah and the sound of his name coming from her mouth. They closed on one another, him limping and her ... waddling? The evidence of William's earlier handy work only became more obvious as Keziah neared. She gave him a frown as she reached him, pointing out the obvious, "You're hurt."

"And you're fat!" he said, laughing as he took her into his arms. "My god, Keziah. We're ... we're gonna have a baby."

He had so much more to say to her, but he couldn't get the words out. All he could do was clutch her to him. After how long he again couldn't be certain, William caught sight of the slowly approaching boy. He smiled, then waved the lad forward. He looked to Keziah's belly again, smiling broadly before -- unsure whether it was proper -- he asked if he could touch her. When the boy arrived, William took Rose Anne into his arms without hesitation, no longer fearful of holding the child who now seemed far less breakable. He was surprised when the child that he hadn't seen in almost seven months smile wide, then laughed and reached out to grasp at his nose just as if no time had passed.

"She's so big," he said, before looking to Keziah's belly again. "And so are you. If my math is right..."

William was going to do the math, but honestly he didn't know whether he'd knocked up the Widow Wilkinson the first time they'd made love or Missus Kutcher the second -- and last -- time he'd been with her. So, one way or the other, Keziah still had several weeks before they had to look for a second Midwife ... or William should be rushing off to Lexington to find one now!

When they reached the more beaten down area between the home, barn, and outbuildings, William looked around and asked with just a touch of concern, "Where is Edward? Where is your father?"

Keziah told him about her father's passing, and William took her into his arms again. Edward's passing was a great loss for Keziah, of course, but he would be greatly missed by others, too, including William. Edward had been the only male -- short of the Sergeant and the Colonel -- with whom William had made a connection in this century. Six months with the Second Regiment had seen him buddy up to a few men, but none had become friends. And now, with him labeled a traitor to the Rebel Cause, those Militiamen would just as soon hang him from his neck as sit down for a flagon of ale and war stories.

Telling him of her father's passing had been painful. It hadn't been that long ago. She even told him of how when she first had grown ill in the mornings her father just smiled wide and looked down at her belly, telling her that she was with child. It had been embarrassing when he asked which time she thought had done the trick. "He didn't let me work around the house as much." Her laugh warbled a bit and her eyes were watery as she spoke. Edward had been so excited at the idea that his daughter would soon have a child. It was a shame that he'd never get to meet the child growing within her. He'd been there when the little one started kicking, his large had had been splayed across her expanding belly as he told her of how when her mother had been pregnant he used to talk to her and Samuel.
Keziah told him about Rose Anne and how much she'd learned over the past seven months. "She shall be a year old soon. It doesn't seem like too long ago that she was first brought to me." There was much more she had to tell him, like how much she missed him and even how worried she was that she could have been a widow again.

Holding him at arm's length, she studied her husband quietly. He seemed tired, more tired than she remembered him being. "Gabriel…go fetch a pail of water and a scrap of cloth." The boy nodded, used to Keziah's demands by now. The boy was a sweet one, always eager to do what was asked of him.
When the boy brought back the water and rag, Keziah simply took Rose Anne from William. "Wash up, then I'm going to look at your injuries." There was something that was nagging at her. If he was free to come home after all of these months, why hadn't he come up the main road rather than through the forest.

She was happy that he was home, and happy that he seemed excited about her growing belly. For months she had worried that he would be upset or angry, fearful even. She remembered the way he had looked at Elizabeth while she had been pregnant. Her father had assured her that seeing a strange pregnant woman was one thing but seeing your pregnant wife was another. Gabriel ran to fetch another pail for Keziah to sit on. She thanked the boy with an affectionate pat on the shoulder. As her husband was washing up, she looked at him, carefully holding Rose Anne in a way that wouldn't harm the unborn baby. She sent Gabriel on his way, allowing him to take two of their chickens and a basket full of potatoes and other foods. It was the least she could do for him and his family. They had been so kind to her these past months and weekly his mother would come to check on her and help with Rose Anne.

"So husband…tell me of your travels. And how you managed to get those kinds of injuries." Keziah said once the boy was gone. Rose Anne fussed until she was set down and she began waddling around. For a moment, Keziah focused on her with a small smile. "She's missed you. For the first few days after you were gone she cried. No matter how much I held her or my father held her she still cried." The little girl waddled around, gipping tightly onto William's pants before holding her arms up to him.

"And I missed her, too," William said, picking Rose Anne up. As he let her play with his nose and long-uncut hair, William looked to Keziah again. "And I missed you."

He was playful with the toddler for a long moment before setting her down again with his hat as a toy. He shed his shirt and trousers, wincing occasionally. One by one, a series of now dirty bandages were revealed: they were wraps or patches on both arms, his chest, his back, a hip, and a thigh.

"It was my fault, actually," William confessed with an embarrassed tone. "I surprised it ... came up upon it on the trail in the dark ... five feet from the thing before either of us saw the other in the moonlight. Jesus! The thing looked huge, though ... I'm sure it was just a black bear, not brown."

As Keziah gently worked the blood-stained bandages from William's body, the claw marks from the bear's attack revealed themselves to be numerous but not deadly. William had never been in danger of bleeding out. Infection had been his own real concern.

"They tell you to wear a bell when you're hiking through the woods, so you don't surprise them," he continued, trying to laugh but seriously wondering whether since his initial first aid, he'd developed any infection. "But hell, in my time, the only bears in Massachusetts are at the zoo."

The topic of why there were no longer any bears in the wilds of Massachusetts would probably come up later. William would be more happy to discuss that with Keziah. On the other hand, he would be more uncomfortable about explaining why he'd used the phrase in my time in reference to the 21st century when he had clearly and honestly told Keziah he had no wish to return to that era. It hadn't been meant to insinuate his anxiousness to return to 2017 -- which, he guessed, was now 2018, if it worked that way -- but had meant to simply remind her that he'd come from another time.

"I came across a house in the woods the next morning," he explained as Keziah began cleaning the wounds and bandaging them. "There was an older man and his--" William chuckled. "His very young wife ... Leah ... I bet she wasn't 13. They took good care of me."

William had been intentionally avoiding Keziah's question about his travels. He didn't know how to explain to her that his sudden return required a sudden departure as well. Over his time with Keziah before leaving for Quebec, William had come to call the history he knew before arriving here in her time as Real History; and when he talked about current events that were now different because of things he'd done, he referred to them as Alternate History. It had seemed the easiest way to keep things straight when they discussed what had been, what was now, and what might one day be.

"Real history remembers General Benedict Arnold as a traitor to his country," he began as Keziah continued working on his wounds. He explained about how after being passed over for specific missions and denied the credit for some great accomplishments, Arnold had become disillusioned with the Rebel Cause and attempted to turn over control of the Fort at West Point to the British. "His imminent betrayal was uncovered before he could do it and was thwarted."

He chuckled, asking, "Did I really just use the words disillusioned, imminent, and thwart in the same breath?"

He went on to explain about Canada. "With Washington's death, I wanted to help the Patriots win at Quebec City. I thought ... I thought maybe it might be necessary to keep us ... the US, America, the Colonies, whatever you want to call'em ... to keep'em on a roll ... to make up for George's loss. So ... I helped General Arnold win at Quebec City..."

He winced at the tightening of a bandage around his arm, laughed, then got serious after Keziah looked into his eyes. He said bluntly and with a hint of regret, not for Arnold, but for himself, "I helped Benedict Arnold, Keziah ... and then I killed him.

William explained about the horse fall, the broken leg, the hotel hospital; he held off on graphically explaining sticking a bayonet into the General's throat, though, a bloody event that sometimes still woke him from his nightmares. "I ... I wanted to prevent him from betraying us in the near future ... and ... I thought I could do it without getting caught. But ... I was. And now--"

The words stuck in his throat, and he had to look away for a moment. He'd hoped to come home to his wife and her family farm and live a comfortable life in the soon-to-be United States of America. But...

"Keziah, Benedict Arnold will go down in Alternate History as the man who captured Quebec City, and -- likely -- the whole of Canada," William continued. "And I--" He paused, clearing his throat. "And my name ... it will go down in that same Alternate History ... in your history ... in your history with me..."

His eyes teared up but he fought through them, "I have been branded a traitor to the Rebel Cause. My name ... the name of William Kutcher ... will become the replacement for Benedict Arnold as the equivalent of traitor."

She paused midway through wrapping a wound on his forearm when he began telling her of how he assassinated Benedict Arnold and how that made him a traitor. For a long time she didn't know what to say, or even think. She just sat there on that over turned bucket quietly as Rose Anne waddled over to her and pat her knees to try and get her attention. "Ama!" The little girl said, throwing her arms in the air. Keziah moved almost robotically, picking up the little girl and settling her in her lap. She buried her face into Rose Anne's soft silvery locks and took a deep breath before looking up at her husband. "He might not have turned out a traitor." She said quietly, resuming her task of bandaging him up. She was upset and it showed. Her lips were set into a firm line and she worked quietly and quickly.

"And because of your actions you've put your family in danger. They know where our farm is, William. They will not hesitate to string you up…or even…" Tears welled in her eyes and she tried to blink them away. The thought of her husband being strung up was enough to make her cry but the thought that somehow they'd lump her and Rose Anne into the category of traitor…of what they could do to her babies…that's what broke her heart. She'd already lost so many people, she didn't want to lose anymore. Keziah finished tying the final bandage in place before she got up with Rose Anne in hand. "Where do you suggest we go? If you can't clearly tell, I am in no condition to be travelling." She gestured down to her belly. Honestly she didn't know how far she really was. For all she knew the baby could come any week now.

"And Rose Anne…she's but a babe. We cannot leave her with someone while we run. I refuse to give my children up!" All sorts of possibilities flashed in her head, each worse than the last. It hit her that this was the first fight she'd had with any of her spouses. "And what shall we do if they come here? Hide in the forest and hope that they don't find us or give up and come out with a white flag?"

She wiped her face and the child in her arms looked at her with a concerned face before grabbing her nose. Keziah gave the girl a watery smile before looking at her husband with a harsh glare. Maybe Keziah should just take her daughter and go find a friend in Lexington to live with for a while. The possibility that they'd use her to get to William was in her mind though. What could a pregnant woman do against a bunch of soldiers?

William was on the edge of tears as well. What had been going through his mind as he plotted, then carried out the assassination of a then-loyal Patriot General? Keziah was right, of course: Benedict Arnold may not have turned traitor after all. William was entirely educated on the reasons behind Arnold's betrayal, but what if the changes for which William himself had been responsible -- changes which led to the great victories at Boston and then Quebec City -- had changed Arnold's view of the Revolution enough to prevent him from turning his back on the Cause?

"You're right," he murmured, his eyes on the floor near his wife's feet. "You're right. I may have made a mistake." He hesitated, then looked up into Keziah's eyes and corrected, "No ... I made a mistake. Whether or not the General betrayed America or not ... I made a mistake. Because you're right. I put my family in danger."

Keziah had finished with the last bandage, so William stood and began pacing about the cabin slowly, working his mind hard and fast yet coming up with no other answer than the need to run. But Keziah was right about that again: she was with child -- seriously so -- and running wasn't a very good option at this time.

He was about to tell Keziah that they'd stay put until the baby was born. After all, no one knew he'd returned yet. No one ... but an excited 12 year old boy who had just been relieved of his duties taking care of the pregnant neighbor lady. Gabriel had surely begun telling his family about the return of Missus Kutcher's husband. And those people would soon be telling their neighbors and their fellow church goers. And then, it was only a matter of time before someone hunting William -- whether Redcoat or Rebel -- came looking for him.

"I have to leave," he said bluntly. He turned to look to Keziah, his eyes filled with tears. He wiped them away as she had hers, then continued, "You'll be safe here. No one's going to harm you for what I did. I mean ... it wasn't like I killed General George Washington himself. Hell, it was only Benedict Arnold."

Of course, at this time in history -- particularly after Canada -- that was like saying it wasn't like I killed Cher herself. Hell, it was only Sonny. William had killed a man who was beloved by enough people that he'd soon have all sorts of soldiers and bounty hunters after his head.

"I'll go east," he continued, his mind racing. "I'll find us a place. Some place safe. And I'll come back and get you."

It wasn't the best plan in the world, but it certainly wasn't the worst. Of course, the worst part of it was that William likely wouldn't be here for the birth of his first child. How could he not be here for the birth of his first child. Suddenly, his mind was racing on other thoughts. He moved back to Keziah and fell to his knees before her. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to his baby's current residence and began to sob at the many thoughts he wouldn't have expected to be having a year ago when he was preparing for the annual Siege reenactment.

Keziah carded her fingers through his hair. She was crying but not as heavily as he was. Rose Anne was crying now too, simply because her parents were crying. Keziah did her best to hush the girl while attempting to comfort her husband. She didn't know how long they'd stayed like that; Keziah holding a still crying Rose Anne and William on his knees with his face pressed to her belly and her hand in his hair. A sudden knock made the woman jump and she unlatched his arms from around her before passing Rose Anne off to William. She hurried to the door, wiping her cheeks before opening it.

On the other side stood her first husband's brother. He was a tall man with thick reddish blond hairand the same blue eyes as his brother. He was also Gabriel's maternal uncle. "Where is he?" The man demanded, looking at Keziah with a serious glare. The little woman was dwarfed by this man but she held her ground, returning his glare with one of her own.

"What do you want, Garrett?" Keziah put a hand on her belly, more as a means of protecting her baby if it came down to if. She didn't thinkthat Garrett would strike her but he was quite angry and sometimes angry men did things they'd regret. When it became clear that neither would budge, Keziah relented and allowed him in. "If you fight in front of our daughter I will not hesitate to boot you out." She hissed, closing the door behind Garrett.
The man sized William up, eyeing him carefully. So this was the man she'd replaced his brother with. Garrett had grown up with Keziah, justlike his big brother Charlie had. By no means was he jealous of their union, Keziah was very much like a sister to him. She had been closer to Garrett than most others. It was after the death of his brother that their friendship had become even more strained than it already was. See, having a female friend had been tolerable until she bled for the first time and he had become a man. Things grew strained between them then.

"Why?" He asked in an icy voice, glaring at William. Men had come through Lexington asking for him but none had breathed a sord of where the farm was. Edward Black had been a well respected man and was a pretty damn good shot with a musket so most tended to take his threats seriously. But it hadn'ttaken a genius to put two and two together. Gabriel had even voiced that it was odd for a man coming back to see his family would stumble out of the forest rather than running down the road, as imperfect as they were. "Why come back to Lexington at all if you're just going to put them in danger?" Garrett should just take Keziah and Rose Anne to safety. She had been someone close to him, family even. He'd promised his brother that he'd make sure Keziah stayed safe. All Charlie wanted for his wife was a happy life. He hadn't been able to give her that life and so as he was on his death bed, growing sicker by the day, he had asked his brother to help his wife in any way he could. Garrett was going to keep that promise.

The knock on the door had caused William's heart to leap in his chest. He'd barely made it home, barely spent time with his wife, barely acknowledged the child he hadn't realized he'd helped create and now -- this quickly and this soon -- it was all over. As Keziah moved to the door, he faded back out of view to beyond the open door to the bedroom.

"Where is he?"

William recognized the voice as that of Keziah's former brother-in-law, Garrett. During his time before leaving for the Second and, ultimately, Canada, William had spent some time around Garrett, mostly at social events such as church, weddings, funerals, and christenings. Garrett had come by the farm occasionally, and William -- with Edward and Keziah -- had even been to Garrett's. But while the two had always been cordial with one another and never shied from approaching and speaking to one another at gatherings, they'd never been what you could call overly friendly let alone attempted to become friends in the true sense of the word.

William had seen the way Garrett glanced at or talked to Keziah, and Edward had told him about the bond between the two brothers and -- after Charles's death -- the changing bond between Garrett and Keziah. Garrett had wanted Keziah in the way men want any beautiful woman. Oh sure, that was just William's belief: he had never seen the man do anything toward accomplishing such an end. But William knew. Whether driven by loyalty to his dead brother or desire for his dead brother's wife, William had just known that if he hadn't come along in the way he did -- traveling through time with an AK-47 bullet wound to the belly -- Garrett would have eventually found some way to make Keziah his own.

"What do you want, Garrett?"

Keziah relented and allowed the man past, and William stepped out of the bedroom to face him.

"Why?" Garrett asked, glaring at the slightly shorter William, "Why come back to Lexington at all if you're just going to put them in danger?"

William could answer the more clarified portion of Garrett's question, if you're just going to put them in danger. William had known his return would be a problem, yet he'd come home because, "She's my wife, Garrett. Keziah is my wife ... Rose Anne is my daughter..."

He moved to his right a bit, taking Keziah gently by the elbow and pulling her close enough so that he could lay a hand upon her belly, continuing suddenly with more pride and joy than the shock that had struck him initially, "And this ... this is my son."

Garrett looked skeptical. How could he tell that Keziah would bear a little boy. He glanced at the woman and found that under the blush that now stained her cheeks that she too was wondering why William had said they were going to have a son. The man had a sour look onhis face as he regarded the man. "I understand that hey are your family but why come here when we've already had Redcoats looking for you?" The news of Benedict Arnold's assassination had reached Lexington long before William and Garrett knew that there were some that would turn him in rather quickly now that they knew he was here.

"All I'm doing is looking out for Keziah..." He glanced at the woman again. He held no fancy for her. There might have been a time when they were younger and had toyed with he possibility of marrying each other but those days were long gone.
He had come to learn, just as she had, that he would much rather call her a friend, a sister, rather han a wife. He knew that some people mistook the looks he gave her.

"And that's okay, Garrett. But..." Keziah didn't want hdr family to be in danger, she didn't want to see her husband be captured and given a traitor's death. But at the same time she hadn't seen her husband for so long. Rose Anne hadn't seen her father for so long. She paused her thoughts when Rose Anne walked her way to Garrett. The big man smiled briefly and picked her up, holding her carefully. He had mourned Samuel's passing too. It was rather sad to thk that the man who'd helped Garrett with making a little stick musket was gone.

He sighed softly. "Keziah you know that I'm just looking out for you. I can take you and Rose Anne to safety, give you a safe place to live until you birh your child..." This was her call. He wouldn't, couldn't force her to go with him, just like her husband couldn't force her to stay. "And after the child is born...then...I will help you find your husband again. If he isn't captured first." It sounded harsh, and it was, but Garrett made it clear that if William got caught then there wasn't much he could do. He wasn't willing to risk his life for something that would have no gain.

Keziah looked down at her belly then up at Rose Anne. She needed to do right by them. They were her priority now. She looked back at her husband and sighed. She wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to stay with im, be a family again, but if he was going on the run then she and Rose Anne couldn't go. "William..." would he be upset if she asked to go with Garrett? "I don't know what to do..." she said weakly.

"You have to go with Garrett," William answered without hesitation. He saw her reaction, continuing, "I made a mistake returning as I did. I ... I should have been more cautious. But ... there's nothing to be done about that now. It's not like I can travel back in time, right?"

He smiled at the private joke, then kissed Keziah on the forehead. With an arm around his wife, William looked to Garrett and said, "Take them home with you. Now. I'll take care of things here. Can I borrow your boy for a few last minute chores? I promise you, no harm will come to him."

She had been surprised that he agreed that she go with Garrett. Even the blond was surprised. He had expected William to get angry, to lash out at him. A few hours had passed since then . Garret had given the couple some time to themselves while he played with Rose Anne in the garden. There were things those two had to talk about in private. When they finally did come out of the house, Keziah was wiping her cheeks. No doubt she had been crying.
"I’ll make sure they're all safe. If you have any sort of idea of where you're going to be…well…I can try to send word when the child is born. You deserve to know." Garrett wasn't a bad man, only worried about his friend.

When they finally did leave hours later, Keziah was holding as sleeping Rose Anne as the carriage started to move. It would have been easier on foot of horseback but Keziah's belly and Rose Anne presented a problem. Garrett lived on the edge of Lexington in a simple home. He was unmarried but kept a well maintained home. After he had helped Keziah and Rose Anne from the carriage, the man went about taking some of their belongings inside. "You and your daughter go ahead and rest. I'm going to ask around...see if anyone had the desire to tell where William was at.

((Forgive the post. I'm very tired.))