The week in which Laurie and Meg were away was as boring as can be. Stella's finger felt bare without her ring, but she knew her Teddy would never lose it.

Although, once they came back, everything was incredibly exciting. Especially the beach day.

Laurie had some friends over from England, and Stella was very eager to meet them.

"This is Fred Vaughn, and his sister Kate, his cousin Charlotte, and Dennis Primrose. Of course you already know Mr Brooke." Stella smiled at them all in turn.

"And this is Meg, Jo, Estella, Beth and Amy."

Jo tipped her oversized hat and the girl who was introduced as Charlotte laughed. Stella and Teddy made excited eye contact as Jo smiled at her for a moment too long.

"So pleased to meet you." Dennis said, and Amy stepped forward, noticing his accent.

"Oh how elegant." She said, and then, very intensely, "Remember the name I'm going to come and find you one day in London."

"Oh, I certainly will!" Dennis laughed.

Beth and Stella sat and cheered as Jo and Laurie played badminton against Amy and Dennis.

"Isn't Charlotte pretty?" Stella said, loud enough for Jo to hear, but not loud enough for Charlotte to hear.

Jo glared at Stella, and the shuttlecock hit her in the face.

Stella laughed, Laurie doubling over and eventually falling to the ground.

A while later, Stella ra over to the sea, and Laurie ran after her, so she splashed him with the cold sea water and he splashed her back, but they stopped soon, as Meg called them over to fly kites.

Stella threw Laurie's kite in the air for him and he flew it around. Stella squinted in the sun, and began to chat with Charlotte, who insisted on being called Charlie.

Minutes later, Stella was walking on the beach, picking up shells to show Marmee and Hannah. Teddy came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her from the back.

"I know something you don't know." He sang. Stella turned around to look at him, although it proved difficult, as he was still hugging her.

"What is it? Oh, Teddy! You have to tell me!" She pleaded, and held onto Laurie's hands, which made him grateful she wasn't looking at him, as he blushed.

"Has Meg perhaps mislaid a glove?" Stella thought for a second, before gasping.

"Don't tell me John has it!" Stella exclaimed, and Teddy covered her mouth with his hand.

"Oh, keep it down, she'll hear."

"How do you know?" She asked him after he removed his hand.

"Saw it."

"Where?"

"Pocket."

"All this time?" Stella asked, her brows furrowing.

"Yes."

"Isn't that romantic?" Stella sighed, looking at the pair longingly.

"You aren't disappointed? I mean, he'd be taking Meg away from you." Teddy asked, resting his chin on her head as he hugged her from behind again.

"I am not my sister, Theodore Laurence." Stella laughed.

"You certainly aren't, Ellie."

_____________

The happiness of the day on the beach disappeared as quickly as it came. The Father of the March sisters was very sick, and Marmee had to go to him immediately.

The same day Marmee got the telegram, Stella was on a train to France with her old Aunt March.

She frantically wrote a letter to Teddy, explaining she was going away, and apologising for not being able to tell him.

At the same time, Jo wrote a letter to Stella, explaining how everything was fine and how they missed her already. Nothing was fine. It was about to get even worse however, as Beth got ill, and Stella wasn't told until their mother was.

Aunt March, however, didn't allow her to go home, and instead, left for America to get Amy, and left Stella all alone. Crying in her room, writing to her beloved sister.

"Amy!" Stella exclaimed, running towards her sister, who had red puffy eyes that matched her own quite well.

"Beth is sick, and I was sent away by Meg, and I'm awfully scared." Amy cried, and Stella hugged her, bombarding her with questions and stupid things that would make Amy laugh.

"Come now, my love, and you can paint for us. I'll sing to you, if you'd like." Amy nodded.

_____________

Hours later, Aunt March called Amy, and Stella eavesdropped on their conversation.

"You are your family's hope now. Beth is sick, Jo is a lost cause, I hear Meg has had her head turned up by a penniless tutor. And Estella, you know how she gets. It'll be up to you to support them all. And your parents in their old age as well. Unless one of you marry the half- Italian boy next door. So you must marry well and save your family."

"Oh, Aunt March. None of us would dare marry Laurie. Stella would be the best wife, but they're best friends. She told me so when I asked her if they would get married." Amy blurted.

Stella turned and walked away. Was that all she was known for? A sensitive so and so who seemed to fall in love with whoever walked past her? She certainly didn't love Teddy— or maybe she was certain he wouldn't love her back. Stella wasn't sure, but she knew one of them had to be accurate.

_________________

"Your sister, Elizabeth. She's better."

That was all it took for Amy and Estella to run to their room (they shared, as the loneliness got them both scared sometimes) and pack their bags.

They were on the first train on Christmas Eve. Back home to Marmee, and Hannah, Meg, Jo, and Beth. Oh sweet, innocent Beth. Back to Mr Brooke, and Mr Laurence, and Charlotte, Fred, Kate, and Laurie.

Amy wouldn't stop teasing Stella the entire way back home.

"I don't love Teddy!" Stella laughed, before looking out the window.

"Stella..." Amy took Stella's hand, and became very serious.

"I really don't mean to hurt you, and I know it's scary. But I know you better than you think I do. And I know love when I see it. You're scared, Stel. You're scared he won't love you back. But he does! And he loves you so, so much. Just as much as I love Dennis, if not more." Stella gasped.

"Really? Am I that blind?" Stella put her head in her hands.

"And you'd better tell him, because I'm not very good at keeping secrets." Stella laughed at her littlest sister. Most of the time, she was a silly little girl who wanted to be proper. But sometimes she was a wise young woman who was very proper indeed.

________________

"We're home!" Amy cried, and there was a loud scramble to get to the two girls.

"Amy! Stella!"

"Beth!" Stella yelled back, the frail girl nearly knocking her over.

"Oh Beth, how I've missed you. I'm so glad you're okay." Stella kissed Beth's forehead, before Jo nearly knocked Stella out with the force she hugged her with.

"Jo! I've missed you so much!" Stella exclaimed, Meg laughing at her struggling to breathe.

"Margaret March you wonderful, wonderful woman!" Stella jumped into her sisters arms.

Meg laughed.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Marmee asked from the kitchen.

"Marmee!" Stella and Amy screamed, running to their mother, crushing her in a hug. The rest of the girls joined in, making one massive family group hug.

"Stella! You've got to go to Laurie! He's missed you so, he was devastated you left without saying goodbye. He hasn't spoke to us the entire time you've been away." Meg exclaimed, and Amy locked eyes with Stella, and Stella shook her head.

"Not now." She mouthed.

Amy nodded.

"I have a lot of catching up to do, so don't expect me home soon! Don't wait up!" Stella called, and Amy sang, 'ooh-la-la'

"Shut it, Amy!" Jo laughed, throwing a pillow at her.

Stella had missed them dearly.

Walking to the door of the Laurence house, Stella thought of what she was going to do. What if he was mad? What if he turned her away? What if he was with another girl? Stella shook her head, and rang the doorbell.

Almost immediately, a servant opened the door, and she asked him where to find Teddy.

"In his room, ma'am."

"Thank you."

"And miss?"

Stella turned.

"I'm happy to see you back. Master Laurence has been very upset when you were gone." Stella grinned at the servant, before hugging him.

"Merry Christmas, sir."

"Merry Christmas, ma'am."

"And please, call me Stella." The man smiled at her and nodded.

Stella climbed the stairs, the nerves in her stomach twisting around the butterflies like snakes.

She knocked the door.

"Go away." Laurie's voice cracked, and Stella opened the door, her heart breaking. He lay in his bed, the curtains closed and in total darkness. The room was stuffy and sniffles filled the air.

She lifted the duvet cover, laying beside him.

"Are you okay?" She whispered, and he jerked his head up.

"Stella." He breathed, his eyes swollen and red. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

Stella ran her hands through his hair, calming him down.

"What's wrong Teddy?" Stella asked, and he simply cried more.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me, but it's going to be okay. We're going to sort it out." Stella kissed his forehead.

"No, we can't." He whimpered.

"Why not?" Stella didn't want to press, but she knew he needed to let it out.

"Because they're dead. My mom and my dad. They died and they didn't say goodbye, and then you left and you didn't say goodbye and I panicked. I- I just- I can't Stella."

Stella held him closer.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll never do it again, I promise you. Okay?" Stella felt him nod.

"Hey, hey, breathe, okay? You're going to make yourself sick." She reminded him.

"Sorry." Stella shook her head at him.

"No, don't apologise. How long have you been here for?" She asked. He shrugged.

"It's going to be alright, you know that? Beth's better, my father's better. It's nearly Christmas!" Stella tried to cheer Teddy up.

"Thank you Ella." He whispered, and she kissed his forehead again.

"You and your grandfather can come around to our house tomorrow, okay? And it's all going to be alright, because we're here for each other. Right?"

Teddy nodded, and she smiled.

"Stay for a while?"

"Only if you get up."

Stella opened the curtains, and Teddy got out of the bed.

"Do you want something to eat?" Teddy asked as Stella yawned.

"Yes please, the train journey was so long, I could have died."

"You're only home?"

"Yeah. I am."

"Oh you poor thing. Come, we can have dinner together." Laurie suggested.

They passed the servant Stella had spoken to on the way in, and she waved.

"Hello." Laurie greeted, and the servant grinned.

"Good to see you again, Master Laurence." The servant nodded and walked on.

"What would you like?" Stella asked Teddy.

"Hmm." Laurie thought for a while.

It was 10 o'clock before Stella even thought about going home.

"I should be going now. Thank you Teddy." Stella hugged her closest friend, grateful that he was there for her and she was there for him.

"Thank you. I'll walk you home." Teddy said. Stella smiled and took his arm, walking back to her cozy home.

"Merry Christmas, Elle." He said, and Stella hugged him again.

"Merry Christmas Theo." She said back, before opening the door, blowing a kiss and laughing as he pretended to catch it.

"Goodnight!" She called, closing the door.

Estella smiled, and did a little happy dance around the front corridor.

Theodore smiled, and danced a happy dance outside the March house.

the chapters are progressively getting worse and worse because i want sAD but also want SAD with nobody to C O M F O R T but at the same time where would A M Y go? goddammit amy, stealing my heart and then stealing my plot line.

luv