Chapter Fourteen:

Everyone sat at the kitchen table expect for Amy, whose chair sat on the end and remained empty.

"How is everyone?" Elouise questioned, buttering a slice of bread.

Jo said nothing, only staring off in front of her. She brought a slice of bread to her mouth and took a small bite, making no noise. Her eyes were red and puffy, and from what Elouise heard all night, she'd been weeping.

"I'm fairly well." Meg nodded, trying to ease the tension. "Though, I didn't sleep very well."

Footsteps bounced down the stairs, Amy entered the kitchen as everyone stared at her. She pulled her chair out and sat down, immediately poking at her dish. Jo abruptly sat up, moving across the table and sitting on the other side. Amy frowned, giving Meg a look.

The door burst open and Laurie jumped in, a bright smile on his face. "Good morning, ladies! It's brisk and brilliant and I think the last day for the river- get your ice skates!"

Jo popped up, tossing her bread onto her plate. She raced from the kitchen to the entryway, "One second! Go down, and I'll be right there!" She got on her boots and coat before grabbing her skates and running out the back door.

"I want to come too!" Amy called, "Last time you promised I could go!"

Laurie looked to Elouise, an eyebrow raised. "You go with Jo." She told him, "I'm spending the day with Amy."

He nodded, giving a smile before rushing after Jo.

"Is she going to be like this forever!" Amy wailed.

"Most likely." Elouise said plainly.

Beth shifted in her seat, "It was a very hard thing for her to lose."

"Is there nothing I can do?"

Meg sighed, eyes gazing out the window at the river. "Go after her. Don't say anything till Jo has got good natured with Laurie, then take a quiet moment and just kiss her, or do some kind thing, and I'm sure she'll be friends again."

Amy grinned, standing up and searching for her own skates.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea." Elouise stated.

Amy ran by, having found her skates as she dashed out the door. Elouise stood up and walked to the open door, watching as Amy ran to the edge of the lake.

"This isn't going to work in Amy's favour." Elouise stepped out, "Jo's already mad, and crashing her alone time won't make her happy."

She dashed out, running to where Amy shuffled on the ice.

"Jo!" She screamed, "Wait for me! Please!"

Amy waved her arms, sliding towards the centre of the river. "Hello! Wait for me!"

Elouise stopped at the edge, staring at the ice. The middle was never safe towards the end of the season, right where Amy was headed.

"Amy! Skate towards the edge!"

Amy pretended not to hear, continuing to slide along. Elouise huffed, carefully stepping onto the ice. She slowly shuffled along, trying to be as careful as possible. She didn't need a head injury.

"Amy! Listen to me." Elouise huffed, "You're going to fall in!"

The girl slid father, her hands out to balance. But Elouise could see the cracks already across the ice, and when Amy finally crossed them a loud crack sounded. The ice splintered and broke underneath her feet, Amy crashing into the water below.

"Amy!" Elouise yelled breaking into a run.

She resurfaced and screamed, "Help! Help!"

Elouise fell to her knees, crawling over to the crack. "It's Amy!" Jo's voice shouted.

She turned to see Jo and Laurie skating towards them.

"I need to a branch!" Elouise shouted.

Amy went under again, coming up and gasping for breath.

"Laurie get in front." Elouise huffed as Jo dragged a branch over, he grabbed it and inched it towards Amy. They all held it tightly, "Grab on!"

They laid on their stomachs, all watching as Amy managed to grab ahold of the branch. They pulled with all their might and eventually Amy flopped back onto the ice. Jo sat up, shedding her coat, placing it over a shivering Amy

"My sister, my sister, dear God thank you for my sweet sister!" Jo sobbed holding her.

Elouise let out a sigh of relief, wiping her cut up hands on her dress. "Thank goodness." She mumbled, falling back into the ice.

"We need to get her home." Laurie pulled himself up, "Elouise, get up."

"I've only just laid down."

He bent over and grabbed her arms, pulling her up. Jo helped Amy up and held her tightly as they skated off. Elouise watched as they rushed to the house, Marmee met them at the door, ushering them in quickly.

"I had no idea she was following us." Laurie whispered, "If I did, I would've told her to stay away from the middle. She could've joined us."

"I told her. She didn't listen. And she couldn't have, Jo wouldn't have allow it."

He gave her an odd look, before nodding.

"I'm going to see if they've made up." Elouise said making her way towards the house, "Thank you for helping her, Laurie."

He rushed up next to her, reaching for her arm. She stopped, moving her hand away.

"Yes?"

His eyes widened, a panic seeping into them. "Erm... I've forgotten."

Elouise gave him an amused look, "If I come looking for you later this evening, will you be around?"

Laurie said nothing for a few moments, only stared down at her in wonder. "Yes- Yes I will be around." He finally spoke after processing her words.

"I've really got to go now." She waved, finding herself back on solid ground, rushing towards the house as Jo and Amy did. "Goodbye!"