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"We will call this place our home, the dirt in which our roots may grow. Though the storms will push and pull, we will call this place our home." North by Sleeping At Last

Breakfast the next morning was tense as Jo sat with puffy red eyes and anger burning in her chest

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Breakfast the next morning was tense as Jo sat with puffy red eyes and anger burning in her chest. Addy sat next to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Jo turned to her sister and gave her a thankful smile despite her anger. 

Amy marched into the kitchen, stopping when she saw Jo. She silently sat beside Jo, hoping to be near her sister again. Jo did not let this happen as she stood up and moved to the other side of Addy. Addy sighed, disappointed that Jo could not be more compassionate. 

Suddenly, Laurie burst through the door, smiling brightly at the sisters. 

"Good morning ladies! It's bright, it's brisk, and I believe it is the last day for the river! Get your ice skates," Laurie announced, staring at Addy before being ripped back out the door by Jo. 

"I want to go! Last time you said I could come!" Amy pleaded as Jo ignored her, leaving the house as Adeline caught Laurie's begging eyes. She nodded, sighing and getting her own skates to follow the pair. 

"Is she going to be like this forever?!" Amy cried, pouting. 

"It was a very hard loss for her," Beth noted, eating more of her fruit. 

"Go after her. Don't say anything till Jo has got good-natured with Laurie, then take a quiet minute and just kiss her, or do some kind thing, and I'm sure she'll be friends again," Meg smiled sweetly as Amy giggled, getting her own skates and following the three down to the river. 

"Wait for me!" Amy screamed as Addy, Jo, and Laurie began their skating on the river. Laurie noted being careful about the ice, grabbing onto Jo's hands and spinning her around to brighten her spirits. 

Adeline watched in melancholy, knowing that this was the way the story needed to go. She just wished that maybe this could have been real life. The two tumbled to the ground, giggling as they were fond of each other. Unknown to Addy, however, was that they both felt their fondness in a very familial nature, not romantic. 

It had just occurred to Addy what was about to happen as she heard Amy cry once more from a distance. She snapped her head towards the younger girl, screaming. 

"AMY STAY STILL!" She screeched, skating as quickly as possible toward her. 

It was too late. Adeline heard the crack of the ice and watched as Amy tumbled into the freezing water. She continued skating toward her, calling for Laurie and Jo to help. 

"Oh, Amy!" Jo cried, scrambling to her feet with Laurie as Addy grabbed a large branch. As she was about to slide on her belly to crawl close and extend the branch, Laurie grabbed her waist pulling her back.

"Let me do it, it's not safe," he breathed, getting into position and extending the branch as Jo and Addy held on to Laurie. Once Amy had grabbed the branch, they all pulled, bringing her out of the water and onto the ice. Jo lunges to her, holding her face in her hands. 

"My sister, my sister, dear God thank you for my sweet sister," Jo sobbed, covering Amy up in any layers she could spare. The group brought the freezing girl inside, passing her off to Marmee to tend to. Laurie agreed to go home once Adeline insisted his grandfather would be missing him for lunch, and the family spent the rest of their day worrying about Amy as a doctor came by. 

Later that evening, Jo sat across from where Amy slept, being bundled up by Marmee. 

"She's asleep," Marmee sighed, taking a set beside Jo as Addy sat on the bed behind them. 

"If she had died it would have been my fault," Jo mumbled, seemingly staring off in a trance. 

"She will be fine. The doctor said she probably wouldn't even catch a cold," Marmee assured in positivity. 

"I... I saw her coming and knew that Laurie had deemed the middle unsafe, and I didn't stop. On purpose. I wanted her to fall in," Jo cried as Addy sat up. 

"Jo..." She sighed, unsure of how to respond to that. 

"What is wrong with me? I've made so many resolutions and written sad notes and cried over my sins but it doesn't seem to help. When I get in a passion I get so savage, I could hurt anyone and enjoy it," Jo placed her head on Marmee's shoulder as Addy felt pain for the uncontrollable feelings of her sister. 

"You remind me of myself," Marmee smiled after some silence. 

"But you never get angry!" Jo protested. 

"I'm angry nearly every day of my life," Marmee admitted, an honest expression on her face. 

"You are?" Adeline asked as Marmee turned to smile at her daughter. 

"I'm not patient by nature, but with nearly forty years of effort, I have learned to not let it get the better of me," Marmee nodded, turning back to Jo. 

"I'll do the same, then," Jo decided, determined to fix herself. 

"I hope you'll do a great deal better than me. There are some natures too noble to curb, too lofty to bend," Marmee sighed, gently stroking Jo's cheek. She then reached an arm around Jo, the other reaching up to drag Addy into a group cuddle of sorts. 

And Addy started to feel as if this could be her new home. 







AN: I love this family and hate this family lol I am such a peacemaker I would cry literally all the time over their fights 

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