The world around her was gray and dark but there was warmth surrounding her, a beating heart comforting her like a lullaby from childhood. Here she was safe, here she was loved, here was where she wanted to be for the rest of her life. She clung to it as tightly as she could. And then it was gone.

---

Sisse woke on a gasp for breathe. She couldn't breathe through her corsets and the fact that she couldn't panicked her. Her wide eyes searched for Lester's terrified he'd left her. She couldn't lose him. Couldn't lose even a person more. "Lester!" She gasped in panic until her eyes found his. There was nothing else that mattered, only her hand reaching his. If this corset was going to kill her it was going to kill her as she made sure Lester was okay. "Can't. Breathe." She tried to explain to him as she struggled to sit up, struggled to reach him. He'd understand this fear clawing at her, understand that she needed his comfort, his safety.

  

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The spell worked. Beatrice pressed her lips together as Sisse struggled. Lester reached to twine his fingers with Sisse, and squeezed her hand. Beatrice looked up at Matthew Sr., concern written all over her face — this obviously could not be allowed to stand, it would ruin both their children, but separating them was going to be difficult.

She looked back at Sisse. "It's alright, Miss Sisse," she said, "You lost your breath. Just relax a minute."

Really, Beatrice ought to loosen Sisse's corset a bit, but she certainly was not going to do as much in the company of men.

  

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set by Bee!

Someone was trying to speak to her but all Sisse could focus on was the feeling of Lester's fingers twined with her own, the blood on his face, and the dazed look on his face. Taking shallow breathes to try and keep the gray dots from spinning tighter into her vision, she reached toward his face. "Are you okay?" He wasn't, but she was trying to be brave. She squeezed his hand and hoped he could understand.

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Mr. Thompsett's chest felt tight, watching his darling girl spread vulnerably across the garden path. But it was nothing compared to what he felt watching her looking for a boy she clearly loved the moment she was revived. He remembered her mother looking at him like that and his heart softened incrementally for the moment.

It was a horrible match if only because the lad had yet to establish himself and would never be able to provide Sisse the life she deserved. Her dowry might get them through some lean years, but it wasn't a match any father would logically approve of. His own wife would have wanted so much better for Sisse. But she wasn't here, watching their daughter's heart break, watching her show her endless love and concern for another person so deeply he could only remember being young and in love himself.

He glanced at Mrs. Hatchitt, catching her look. He was going to lose Sisse either way, to scandal, or to himself.

"Lad, let your mother take a look at you." Mr. Thompsett commanded, grateful in that moment that the woman was also a healer. His voice giving nothing away of his thoughts.

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Lester didn't want to let go of Sisse's hand, so he didn't. He kept a grip on it but edged away from the wall and looked up at his mother. She held her wand and flashed a light in his eyes, and reached to touch his face briefly. He flinched. "Your nose is broken," Bea said. "We'll fix it at home."

Lester nodded. There was a look in her eyes, a soft one, almost pitying.

This was going to be hard.

"I think we should go home," he said.

  

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set by Bee!

Lester's hand remained tight in her's even as his mother inspected him. Sisse focused on taking breathes herself, feeling that if Lester's hand remained in her own everything would be okay. It didn't keep a gasp from escaping her lips at his mother's verdict though.

Lester looked down at her and Sisse could feel the panic growing with his words. If he let go, if he left now, she had a feeling she'd never see him again.

She met his gaze, could feel the pain and hopelessness. Fighting against her own shaky breath she pulled herself up to stand next to Lester, never letting go of his hand, and was the bravest she had ever been in her life.

The hat had been right. She'd been tested against so many pains and horrors in her life. She'd thought herself weak and scared. But when it came to what really mattered - she was brave. Putting aside all her fears Sisse stood beside Lester, hands clasped together, and looked at her father. Blood splattered her dress, fear clenched her bones, panic clawed through her lungs. But still she stood, anchored to Lester. It didn't matter what others would think, what her family would think, what Lester would think. She met her father's eye and declared:

"Lester and I want to be married."

Her legs were shaking, but she focused on his hand, focused on the boy beside her. There was nothing left to lose except for every single thing, and so she continued before anyone could interject. "We will do everything above board, we will court officially." It would at least minimize the scandal, there'd be talk about how unsuitable the match was, but it would be better than if they ran away. Because, standing here now, Sisse knew that she had been wrong - Lester had been wrong. She'd run away with him and elope. There was no future for her without him.

"Papa, please. I love him." She kept her gaze on her father, feeling the black spots from her panic in her vision, but Lester's hand anchored her as she pleaded to her father. Met his gaze and hoped he remembered what it felt like to be in love with her mama.

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Lester expected Sisse to relinquish his hand, to step away, to say a real goodbye. He expected her to bow to the expectations of society first, because she was a debutante, she was a former Head Girl, her family was more proper than his was, and she had always been the most conventional of his friends. But she did not let go; she kept a hold on his hand and met her father's gaze.

She was looking at her father, but Lester was looking at her, awe spreading over his blood-streaked face. He was impressed by her; he was even more in love. This was one of the bravest things he'd seen her do, and he'd seen her keep getting up and facing the days after her mother's death, and face Sloane's death when he could not stand it.

He looked at her father and his mother, and swallowed. "We'll court, and we'll wait until I am established enough to provide a good life for our family," Lester said. (This deadline felt interminable for him, but it was better than not having Sisse in his life, and waiting as better than poverty.)

Beatrice Hatchitt looked at Mr. Thompsett; it was not really up to her, but Lester would not be the first of her sons to try to marry young. She would support him in this — as long as he was not dooming the poor girl to losing the support of her own family.

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   Edelweiss Prewett, Rosalie Hunniford, Sisse Thompsett, Sloane Bixby

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set by Bee!

[Matthew Thompsett Sr - Written by Fallin]
For the entirety of her life Sisse had always been the perfect daughter. Charlotte had placed so many hopes on Sisse’s young shoulders, only wanting the best for their shining daughter. But all Matthew had ever wanted was to see his daughter happy. He had known love, known the world it could bring, and had wanted it for his daughter. Yet he had watched through his own haze as she was pulled asunder from those she loved. Her mother. Her friend. And now?

Now she stood before him pleading. Love on her face, her heart open to him in a way he had not seen since she was young. He knew that look, knew he’d held it on his face when he approached Charlotte’s own father. But here it was echoed on the face of the one person he had never been able to tell no. And the boy…

The boy had stood before them and tried to protect Sisse, he had tried to do the right thing. It was not him who pressed for the match. One glance at Hatchitt and he could see the love on his face. For the boy didn’t look at him or his mother, but at Sisse. Admiration, wonder, love on his face. He hadn’t asked for this, hadn’t expected this. Looking back at Sisse’s face there was a fierceness, a determination in her that he hadn’t seen.

They stood before him, no longer children, a young woman and a young man clearly in love. He could not say no, not when he knew the feelings pulsing through their veins, when his daughter had bloomed before his very eyes.

Beatrice Hatchitt met his gaze. He knew what he must do.

Clearly his throat he looked at the couple sternly. “Very well. You may court. However,” Here he looked at young Hatchitt, “Once your training is complete I expect you to marry. You will find her dowry ought to provide comfortably until you are fully established.” He might want his daughter happy and in love, but he would not have her risk her future on the fickleness of the youth of men.

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A smile, genuine, bloomed across Lester's face at Mr. Thompsett's permission. He ought to say something in the affirmative, though — so he nodded fervently and said, "Yes sir, I think we can make that work."

He would not be fully financially ready when he finished his training — but he did not want to point that out now, and maybe Sisse's dowry was generous enough that things would be tight but doable.

His mother managed a tight smile and said, "Rufus and I will be in touch to confirm details, Matthew. But I ought to take Lester home — Sisse, you're welcome to visit him once he's a bit cleaned up."

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   Rosalie Hunniford, Sisse Thompsett

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set by Bee!

She hadn't heard father right, she couldn't have. Slowly the words sunk in. Involuntarily she squeezed Lester's hand, confirmation this truly was real. "Oh, Papa, thank you! Thank you!" Looking at Lester she saw her own joy, the beaming smile upon her lips on his!

The edges of her vision were light, her lungs still tight, but the fear lightened. His mother's voice reminded her of the rest of the last few minutes. "Thank you Mrs. Hatchitt." She looked at the woman, hoping she could see the sincerity in Sisse's face, hear it in her tone.

She turned her attention back to Lester placing a gloved palm along his jaw and meeting his gaze. "I'll be there as soon as I'm." She promised him, leaning in to, scandoulously, kiss him on the cheek. "I love you." She murmured before she drew away, giving his hand one last squeeze before stepping away so the Hatchitts could head home and take care of Lester - and so she could go give Matthew a peice of her mind (perhaps after she no longer felt as if she would collapse).

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   Lester Hatchitt

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