A/N: Sorry for the long wait but it is finally here. Another update. One that might reunite our two young lovers. Hopefully, you all will enjoy.

Summer 1797

Lucy wished that forgiveness was easy. She wished that she could forgive her father and go back home. She hated to admit it but her heart longed for Monticello. It longed for the promise that her father made to her. Thomas had told her that he was her home. Her sisters were her home. He told her as long as she was with them, she would always be home.

Now that she was far away from them, she felt out of place.

But every time Lucy missed home, she would remember what her father did. Thomas had promised so much and yet he still betrayed her. He made her trust and Lucy couldn't understand how he could, in turn, break her heart the way he did. She couldn't believe that he was too stubborn to understand what Philip meant to her. Did her father really have so much pride in him that he had to stand in the way of love?

She thought of her mother suddenly, wondering what Martha would've thought of all this. Lucy almost smiled at the thought of her mother accepting her friendship with Philip in the first place. She would've convinced Thomas to stand aside. Lucy would've been Philip's best friend with no problem, and just maybe, they wouldn't have been separated.

Separated.

It was the first time since she had arrived in New York that Lucy realized how long it had been since she was last there. Four years had passed she had seen him and three since she had written that letter to him breaking everything between them. She couldn't help but think that it felt much longer. Decades, even. An eternity.

Although she wanted to see Philip more than anything, she wasn't emotionally ready to. Her father's betrayal and her longing for home had made her absolutely ill. She had been bedridden ever since she had arrived in New York with Aaron and Theodosia Burr. She stayed in the guest room of their house, only leaving her bed when it was necessary. Other than that, she remained under covers in the hot summer air.

The days had grown warm but Lucy found her heart had grown cold. Only fifteen years of age and she felt like she had seen enough of life. She wanted no part of it if people were only going to disappoint her like her father did. All she could do of late was feel sorry for herself. While this had been hard for her, it had especially been hard on Theo. Her friend had tried to get her out of bed, but Lucy would never stir.

Every day would start the same. Theo would try to coax Lucy out of the covers with a soft voice and a cup of tea. Lucy would bury her face in a pillow and wouldn't speak a word to Theo. When the younger girl would refuse to leave her alone, only then would Lucy use her voice to yell at her. She'd kick her out before she could say anything more.

Theo wanted more than anything to say the right thing to Lucy. But a fourteen year old girl can't heal a broken heart.

She was left helpless.

Her father tried to help but Aaron was unable to. He hated to see his daughter upset, especially after what she had gone through after losing her mother at such a young age. But whenever he tried talking to Lucy, she would kick him out faster than she kicked out Theo. It didn't help that the man couldn't help but believe that Philip Hamilton must take after his father. He wanted to help Lucy but Aaron agreed with her father. The two should be kept apart from each other.

That day should have been like that others, but this time something was different. Theo wasn't going to try in the same way she always did, she was going to do something different. She had written a letter to someone who she knew Lucy trusted. Someone that Lucy had mentioned in the past. Someone she knew who could help Lucy in her time of need.

She heard a knock on the door and went to answer immediately. Theo smoothed down the skirt of her dress, opening the door.

"Mrs. Hamilton."

Eliza Hamilton looked down at the girl who answered the door, her eyes settling on Theo. "Miss Burr?" The woman presumed but wasn't sure. Theo sounded older in her letter but in person, Eliza noticed that she appeared younger than Lucy. "Is Lucy with you?" Eliza questioned, looking behind Theo to see that the girl was alone. Theo frowned, knowing that Lucy was in no condition to receive visitors.

"She's been ill, Mrs. Hamilton." Theo tried explaining. "I'm frightened." She admitted. Eliza's brows furrowed in concern,"You should've called for a doctor then." The woman insisted. Theo shook her head,"She's not that kind of ill. Barely." She said. Eliza didn't understand at first,"What kind of sick is she?" She inquired.

"Homesick... sick in the heart... sick of living." Theo listed off any possible diagnosis considering the symptoms Lucy was portraying. Eliza pursed her lips together, her heart sinking at the thought of the girl in that kind of emotional pain. Theo had written about what she had gone through with her father but Eliza had no idea that Lucy was this upset.

Theo let the woman into her household, closing the door behind her. "She's upstairs. It's almost time to bring her tea. But she rarely drinks it. Rarely eats as well." Theo mentioned. Eliza moved towards the stairs, looking back at Theo. "I can see why you are frightened." She admitted to her. "Does she know I'm here?" She asked.

She shook her head,"I didn't know how to tell her. She insists that she'll talk to Philip when she's feeling better, but she never feels better. Maybe she needs to see him, I don't know. Could you get him here?" Theo wondered. Eliza was hesitant, knowing how badly her son's heart had been broken. "I should see her first." Eliza insisted, making her way up the stairs. She waited for Theo to lead her to the guest room.

While she was a woman of patience, Eliza couldn't help but feel anxious as Theo opened the door.

Lucy was the first thing her eyes set on the moment she walked into the room. Eliza studied the girl who stayed confined to her covers, pitying her. Her heart ached to think of being betrayed by her own father the way Thomas had betrayed Lucy. Eliza had been lucky enough to have a father who accepted the man who asked him for his blessing. She felt over the moon when Alexander told her that her father accepted him as the man she would marry. She couldn't imagine having a father who despised the person you loved.

"Lucy... Lucy, darling. It's me. Eliza." She spoke sweetly as she approached the bed, moving gingerly in an attempt not to alarm the girl. Lucy barely moved until Eliza reached her bedside. She shifted a little bit, covering her face in the sheets. "Lucy..." Eliza tried again but the girl wouldn't budge this time. The woman looked back at Theo helplessly until she heard some soft cries coming from Lucy.

Every maternal instinct Eliza was blessed with went into motion the minute she heard the girl crying. She didn't hesitate to sit on the bed and scoop up the girl into her arms whether she liked it or not. "No– no... leave me alone." Lucy wept as Eliza began comforting her. "Your friend explained to me what happened with your father– Lucy... I'm so sorry." Eliza said quietly as she smoothed down the girl's hair. Lucy cried as the woman held onto her. "He lied to me– for years... how could he do that to me? I trusted him–" She insisted, tears running down her face as she nuzzled into Eliza's embrace.

"I know you did. I know you did." Eliza whispered as she began to rock the crying girl. Theo held back tears in her eyes as she watched this. Not only did she feel for her friend, she was also reminded of the terrible loss of her mother she had experienced only a few years ago. Lucy pulled away from the embrace to look at Eliza. "It's been so long." The girl realized, looking down at the woman. "You're pregnant." Lucy said, surprised.

The woman chuckled a little,"Yes. As if five children weren't enough already." Eliza commented, earning a smile from both of the girls. Lucy's thoughts shifted instantly to Philip and the smile faded from her face. "Looks like it'll be a summer baby." Theo chimed in, hoping to lighten the mood a little when she recognized the look on Lucy's face. Eliza nodded her head at Theo,"Yes. I'm hoping for a girl. Alexander is hoping for another boy." She said, catching onto what Theo was trying to do.

However, their conversation wasn't enough to distract Lucy.

"Philip." Lucy whispered, wiping her hands over her face, trying to dry her tears now. "He hates me, doesn't he?" She wondered, looking over at Eliza. The woman frowned and looked down. "Answer me, Eliza. Does he hate me?" Lucy questioned. Eliza shook her head gently,"He doesn't hate you, Lucy." She said sadly.

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the woman,"Why do you say it like that?" She asked in a hushed tone. Eliza looked at the girl with pity in her eyes,"Lucy, I assure you–" "I don't wish for you to spare my feelings. I have been told enough lies for at least three lifetimes." Lucy cut the woman off. Eliza frowned, refusing to say anything to her.

It shouldn't have made her mad, but it did.

"I can live with him hating me. If he hates me, that's fine– just give me a chance to explain myself to him–"

"He doesn't hate you, Lucy." Eliza repeated and this time, Lucy believed her. Yet she still didn't understand why the woman was using that sad tone. Lucy looked at her before cluing into what Eliza was holding back. "It's worse than him just hating me, isn't it?" She asked quietly. Eliza pursed her lips together,"It wasn't your fault–" The woman tried to tell her but Lucy just turned away.

"What could be worse than him hating me?" Lucy asked out loud. Eliza's eyes filled with tears as she broke the news to her,"Forgetting, Lucy. Philip has... forgotten you."

The worst news that you could ever be given in this world is that the one you love the most has forgotten about you.

It is much worse than receiving news that the one you love the most had died because even death in all of its finality cannot be as crushing and consumer as oblivion is. To imagine that she had become nothing, not even a mere memory, in the eyes of someone she used to love and still deeply cares about was worse than any betrayal Thomas could ever do to her.

Lucy was finally crushed.

And this time, there was nothing anyone could do.

No one, except one person, could possibly help Lucy. But how could he help her when he didn't even remember her?

Philip woke up that morning like he had woken up every morning since he had come home for the summer. School was tiring for a man of his age, especially since he had uttered the words 'lawyer' in front of his father. The instant that Alexander had the idea in his mind that Philip could grow up and become a lawyer, there seemed to be no other possible future for him. While Philip had nothing against becoming a lawyer, after all, he was intelligent enough to be one, he felt nostalgic whenever thinking of writing once again.

But he hadn't picked up the journal Lucy had given him for his birthday in ages.

Years had passed since the girl had broken his heart and Philip thought it would be best to leave Lucy in the past where she belonged. Philip had a promising future ahead of him, with plenty of enough time to fall in love with someone else. At least that's what he believed that summer morning, unaware that his mother would return home with a different plan in mind.

He had spent most of the day in his room, avoiding his father because of Alexander's strict studying schedule he wanted the boy on despite the fact the summer was supposed to be a break for him. Angie had popped in to borrow a book, but other than that he was left alone. Philip spent most of it reading for pleasure, while years ago he might have spent it writing for pleasure.

The boy flinched when his door opened, expecting his father but was happily surprised at the sight of his mother. "Do you need something?" He asked her. Eliza paid no attention, looking around the boy's room for what she needed. "Mom–" Philip began, trying to gain her attention as she paced around, looking at his bookshelves. "Are you okay? Do you need help or something?" Philip felt a chuckle come out of him because of the woman's antics. She was looking so fiercely for something Philip had no idea of.

"Maybe you should lie down, you're looking a little stressed..." He trailed off, attempting to approach the woman just as she got her hands on what she was looking for. "Ah ha!" Eliza launched the journal up into the air with a smile on her face. She was thankful after all these years, Philip hadn't managed to throw it out.

It had been missed, unfortunately. Eliza could tell by the way dust had collected onto the journal that it hadn't been used in a long time. Philip eyed her, supporting a confused look on his face. "What is that?" He questioned, reaching for the journal and taking it out of his mother's hands. The journal didn't look similar to the ones he kept for school which made it easier for Philip to conclude that it wasn't one that he used for school. He would've opened it but something at the back of his mind told him it would be better to keep it closed.

Philip looked at Eliza,"Why were you searching for this?" He asked her. Eliza furrowed her brows,"Don't you recognize it?" She questioned, concern growing within her the minute realization didn't hit her son. Philip shook his head, holding the journal out to her,"Should I?" The boy said. Eliza took the journal back before looking at the door.

This wasn't helping.

She looked back at her son before opening the journal. Inside there was a letter kept safely tucked away, a letter that had come with the journal was it was first given to him. "Dear Philip." Eliza said, deciding to open the letter and read its contents out loud. Philip didn't understand what she was doing and stared at her in ignorance.

"I haven't seen you since the seasons changed. Truth be told, I don't think I've ever missed someone as much as I have missed you." Eliza continued to read but he still wasn't getting it. She closed the letter, shaking her head. The woman couldn't do this. She couldn't make him remember after he had long forgotten.

But she couldn't go back to Lucy, not when Philip was like this.

"Lucy." She whispered. Philip didn't quite hear her at first, so the woman repeated herself. "Lucy." Eliza said, louder. Philip blinked, having not heard that name in a long time. He didn't respond to her so Eliza did the same thing. "Lucy!" She exclaimed, hoping that it would be enough. She opened the letter back up again but before she could continue reading, it was slapped out of her hand.

Eliza never expected Philip to get angry with her. He had been angry many times at Alexander, but never at her. The boy was capable of being annoyed with her, but it was the first time in her entire life that her son ever looked at her with anger in his eyes. It didn't last long, however, because as soon as Philip realized what he was doing, he stopped himself.

The boy moved away from her, looking away. "Why would you do that?" He questioned.

"Because she's here, Philip." Eliza said gently, trying to break the news to him. Philip whipped his head around to look at her,"Here? In New York?" He asked. She nodded her head,"And in this house." She confessed.

He didn't know what to feel. Suddenly, Philip recognized the journal in his mother's hands. It was the one Lucy had given him for his birthday. The letter she was reading was the letter Lucy wrote along with that journal. He wanted to scream. The boy had spent many days and months trying to forget her and all of a sudden his mother was trying to make him remember everything he wanted so much to forget.

"I won't see her. I won't. Not after what she did. Tell her to leave and never come back! She is not my friend and she never was! And she made it very perfectly clear that she never intends to be... ever!" The anger came back as Philip yelled at his mother. He couldn't believe that after everything that had happened, Lucy would suddenly turn up again in New York out of the blue.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to him.

Philip had to restrain himself from pushing his mother out of there. He did, however, move forward and rip the journal out of her hands. "You can tell Lucy that is what I think of her now–" Philip said in his anger, crumpling the letter in his fist and moving towards the window. He opened it up, tossing the journal and the letter out onto the street. While Eliza had prevented him from burning the journal once before, there was nothing she could do now to stop him from himself.

The journal hit the ground, falling open. Philip looked out the window to see what he had done and he cursed underneath his breath.

"That... snake!" He suddenly shouted. "Three years and I–" He didn't hesitate to run out of his room. He had caused so much commotion throughout the entire household that he had alerted each one of his siblings to his predicament. Angie watched as Philip rushed down the stairs with fire in his eyes. He ran out the front door, not noticing the two young girls who sat in his living room. Eliza hurried after her son,"Philip!" She called.

Lucy and Theo noticed Eliza immediately as she came down the stairs. The woman looked at Lucy helplessly,"I tried– I only made things worst–" Eliza couldn't believe her son. She had never been scared of him before but she was now. Lucy took Eliza's hand, seeing the woman was frail after dealing with Philip. The boy finally came back into the house and slammed the door shut, journal and letter in hand.

He looked up, noticing Lucy.

All of his anger washed away in an instant. Philip should've been angry with her in that moment, but now his emotions were only confused. He noticed for the first time the state he had put his mother in and he only felt guilt in that moment. He shouldn't have gone off at her like he had done but there were years worth of repressed emotions for him to deal with. When he was aware of them, he looked away from them.

"Please leave." Philip requested. Theo wasn't about to stay after seeing what she saw and took Lucy's hand in order to drag her away from Eliza. He didn't look at Lucy again until he heard the front door shut behind the two girls. He finally looked back up at his mother. "Why did you bring her here?" He asked in defeat.

Eliza frowned at her son, realizing she had hurt more than she had helped. "I'm sorry." She said simply.

There was only one thing to do next. After everything that had been done, both Eliza and Theo agreed in their letters that they would stop trying to interfere. Nothing either of them did ending up helping Philip and Lucy. They both agreed that if the two were to see each other again, it would be on their own terms.

But neither of them apparently wanted to see each other again.

Lucy, however, did manage to get enough strength to leave the house again. Theo was glad, mostly because it meant that she got her best friend back. While Lucy was still sad, she was better. She stopped crying over what her father did to her and decided that it was better for her to move forward. She started playing the violin again, despite the fact it reminded her of Thomas. She played violin because it helped her forgive.

She dragged her bow across the strings, filling the house with music. Theo smiled at the sight, knowing she often enjoyed seeing her friend play. "Are you practicing Vivaldi again?" Theo questioned with a chuckle. Lucy smiled as she turned around. If she could shake her head with a violin underneath her chin, she would've. "Not this time. I'm trying to write something." Lucy said as she played another note.

Theo grinned brightly,"Do remember how we met?" She asked. Lucy smiled at her and played another note,"I remember." She said, putting the few notes together into a soft melody. Theo studied her for a moment,"Did I ever tell you why I was sad that day?" Theo wondered. Lucy looked at her,"You did." She remembered. Theo's smile faded as she crossed her arms around herself,"It has been a long time since my mother died." She recalled, feeling sad just at the thought. "I didn't think it was possible after all of this time... but I still miss her." Theo continued.

Her friend stopped her playing. Lucy looked at her,"Why are you telling me this?" She asked. Theo met her eyes,"Because I know what it's like to miss someone." She said simply. She shrugged a little,"I don't know... you... you play like you miss someone, Lucy." Theo remarked. "And we both know who you miss." She said.

"I miss my father." Lucy said, putting the bow back on the strings. "I miss my sisters." She continued, resuming her soft melody that had gradually become sorrowful. "I miss my home. I miss my life." Lucy said as she played. Her fingers worked delicately as her melody consumed the room they were in.

It was haunting. The song she had written was filled with sadness and regret.

"I miss him." As she admitted it, the melody descended into a long drawn out low note. Lucy closed her eyes as she lowered the violin, accepting the fact that she couldn't just leave that part of her life behind. She had tried to forget Philip as well and had failed. No matter how much she tried, he was still there.

She didn't know if it meant that they were meant to be together. Lucy didn't want to think about what the universe might be telling her. She was too young to understand being in love. The only thing she knew is that out of everything she missed, Philip was the thing she missed the most.

Out of everyone she loved, he was the one she loved the most.

If only she knew he felt the same way.

"I can't go see him." Lucy decided, looking at her violin. "He won't have me. Not anymore. He's hurt too much to ever let me explain everything that had happened." She said. Theo looked at her,"It sounds to me like you're just not giving him the chance to." She pointed out. Theo didn't pretend to know Philip because she didn't. The only things she knew about him were what Lucy told her and the only things she knew about his family were what her father told her.

But Theo knew love. Her parents loved each other dearly. She knew it when she saw them. And she knew Lucy loved Philip whenever she looked at her.

It was obvious.

"I'm not telling you to do anything, Lucy. Especially if you don't want to. But I miss my mother more than anything because I can never see her again because she's dead. Philip's not dead... and if anything were to happen to him and he did die– you would never forgive yourself." Theo said, trying to say what Lucy needed to hear.

While Lucy said nothing at first, as soon as Theo left the room she realized that she had finally said the right thing.

She had tried so desperately to say the right thing and she finally did. Now it was up to Lucy to do the right thing.

Philip might not want to see her, but that didn't mean she shouldn't try. Theo was right. They were alive and it was up to them to do something before they died... because after all, that's life, isn't it? Lucy knew what to do the minute Theo had left her but had waited until night had fallen in order to try.

She knew she shouldn't have left the house so late, but she wanted to wait until the stars were out in the night sky. Lucy wanted to make Philip remember the night they had shared together all those years ago, where they laid underneath a starry sky and promised to not let anything get between them.

Lucy stood outside his house, looking up at his window. She brought her violin up, resting the instrument on her shoulder. She lifted the bow and gently dragged it across the strings. While she originally intended to play the original song she had written earlier that day, she remembered something.

He would always change the line.

To her surprise, the one who opened the window was not Philip. Angie stuck her head out, grinning at the sight of Lucy standing underneath it. "Philip! Philip! No, come towards the window! Look! Look!" His sister urged him, grabbing the boy's arm and dragging the sixteen year old boy towards his bedroom window. Angie poked her head back out but this time Philip joined her.

Angie smiled,"How romantic. She's playing your piano part!" She pointed out with a girlish chuckle. Philip didn't appreciate her commentary, however, because he disliked the fact she was romanticizing the situation. It was hard to think of romance when he was under the impression that Lucy didn't love him. Angie noticed the look on his face before looking back down at Lucy.

"You have to go to her." She insisted. Philip just rolled his eyes, moving away from the window. Angie's jaw dropped but at least Lucy was strong enough to keep playing. Angie moved away from the window, looking at her brother,"You have to." She insisted again. "Lucy loves you–" Angie tried to convince but it was hard when he refused to pay attention.

Philip shook his head,"She doesn't." He told her. "How can you say that? Look at what she's doing for you!" Angie said, gesturing to the window. He barely looked over though. "Philip, can't you see what's right in front of you?" She asked him but Philip kept ignoring her.

She looked at the window,"Mom told me why Lucy's here in New York... she told me that her father tricked her, keeping the letter you wrote to her all those years ago. He let her write that letter to you without ever telling her the truth... that you love her. The letter that she wrote to you wasn't her trying to say she didn't love you... it was her trying to tell you she was heartbroken because she was convinced you didn't love her." Angie tried.

"Now you're just making up stories." Philip was convinced but Angie shook her head. "I would never lie to you, Philip. You're my big brother." She said sincerely and finally, Philip looked over at her.

He trusted her. He knew she would never lie to him.

Philip moved back to the window but stopped himself before sticking his head out. It was the first time either of them realized that the violin playing had stopped. Philip and Angie shared a look, terrified that Lucy had left while they were talking.

The boy rushed to open his door, only to stop at the sight of Lucy there standing in front of him. Lucy smiled a little, violin in hand. Alexander looked down at his son,"I let her in." The man explained to him. Philip stared at her, unsure what to say to her after all this time.

Alexander looked at his daughter and Angie was quick to catch on. The thirteen year old bounced happily out of the room, smiling at Lucy on the way out. "Good luck." Angie mouthed to the girl and Lucy smiled weakly as she hugged her violin close to her chest. Alexander closed the bedroom door, leaving the two teenagers alone with each other.

She looked at Philip, unsure what to say to him as well. There were too many emotions that neither one of them could explain. They still did love each other but it had been too long for either one of them to say it again to each other.

"I–" Philip spoke suddenly, putting both of them on edge. It was too tense and Philip laughed a little at how much tension was in the room. He looked at her fondly and she met his eyes. "I want my best friend back." He finally confessed. Those words were the ones to heal all of those years apart.

Lucy nodded her head at him,"I want my best friend back too." She decided, lowering her violin.

The two rushed forward towards each other and Philip wrapped his arms around her. Lucy smiled in relief as she melted into his touch, allowing Philip to give her the affection she had been missing. He hugged her tightly, closing his eyes. Philip was almost afraid that if he were to let her go, she would leave again. Lucy touched his back with her free hand and she closed her eyes as well.

There was finally peace between them.

Navigating a forbidden friendship and a forbidden love wasn't exactly the easiest thing for Philip and Lucy. As much as they wanted everything to work out between them, they were too young to figure everything out by themselves. It didn't help that Lucy was getting used to living without her family. Her sisters were often her support and she still couldn't believe this was the first time she was living away from them.

But even though there was distance between them, nothing could stop the Jefferson sisters.

"Lucy!" Theo called, growing through the mail before breakfast. She sat down at the table, across from her father, handing out a letter to Lucy. She then looked at all of the other letters before handing them to her father. "Thank you, Theo." Aaron smiled at his daughter, inspecting the letters he had received. Lucy looked at the letter addressed to her and she smiled,"It's from Philip." She revealed, catching Aaron's attention.

She opened up the letter, her heart swelling at the words on the page.

My dearest, Lucy,

I promised once that I would write you. And while you were under the impression for the longest time that I had not kept that promise, I am writing again to assure you that you will never feel that way again. Expect another letter soon. I'll wait a bit before sending the next one.

That one will be longer, I promise.

Love,

Philip.

Aaron paused while looking through his letters, noticing his daughter had missed one. He noticed that there was another one addressed to Lucy as well and it was from her not-so-secret admirer. He lifted the letter up, looking at Lucy who had just finished reading Philip's short letter. "Is that one also from..." She trailed off as Aaron handed her the letter. She was quick to open it.

Theo looked at her with a grin on her face,"What does that one say?" She asked curiously. Lucy smiled brightly at the letter,"My dearest, Lucy... I couldn't wait." Lucy read out loud. She then looked at Aaron,"Do you mind if I excuse myself?" She asked. Aaron shook his head but gestured to his daughter. "That's more of a question for the lady of the house." He said. She turned her head towards her friend.

"Go." Theo laughed as Lucy fled the breakfast table with her letters in hand. She was so happy to receive letters from Philip that she had barely touched her food. Theo couldn't help but feel a little bit of jealousy though. She wasn't exactly sure of what she was jealous of. She didn't know if she was jealous of the fact that someone else was happy and in love or if she was jealous of the fact that it was Lucy.

She reminded herself that Lucy was her friend and there was nothing more between them than friendship. But was it wrong that Theo felt like she wanted more of the girl? She reminded herself that it would be wrong for her to think that way because it was a way that no one else thought that way. But maybe people did think that way and maybe Theo wasn't the only one.

But there was nothing she could do about it now that Philip and Lucy were together again.

There was no getting in the way of that.

It was true love.

And maybe there was someone out there waiting for her now and all Theo has to do is wait for that boy to come around. She couldn't help but worry though that it wasn't a boy. Maybe it was a girl. Maybe it wasn't Lucy exactly, but Theo imagined that there might be a pretty girl waiting for her out there. She knew what her father would think if she told him any of this, she was so used to telling him everything.

Theo knew she couldn't tell him about this. She couldn't even tell Lucy about this. But maybe she would... one day.

But not today.

Angie watched as her brother read another letter from Lucy. She rolled her eyes as she examined the stupid grin on his face. "Why are the two of you writing each other? You should take her out already." Angie instructed. Philip sighed as he lowered the letter,"I don't want to complicate things." He explained shortly, ignoring her by returning to the letter. She rolled her eyes once more.

While the girl was excited for her brother and Lucy, she could only be so excited when the two of them did nothing about their feelings. They were content to write love letters to each other but when it came to acting on their feelings, Philip and Lucy did nothing.

It was honestly exhausting for Angie. She loved the idea of them together so much that all she wanted to do was help to make it happen. But she found herself incapable of any real matchmaking when dealing with two people who so obviously were in love each other but did nothing about it.

"You should take her out, Philip, come on. Invite her to dinner. Like the one you had when you were kids. Or take her out on a walk. It's summer. Do something fun." She encouraged. Philip put down the letter and shook his head,"I don't know, Angie." He admitted. She gave him a look,"What are you so afraid of?" Angie questioned.

He averted his gaze, looking to the letter. "I fell in love with Lucy last time and it was brutal. I ended up getting crushed. This time... I would like to walk into love with her opposed to freefalling. It's easier." He explained.

"It's boring."

"It's mature."

Angie scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue at him, making the boy laugh. "What are you doing?" Philip asked. She shrugged her shoulders, making another weird face. "I'm being mature." She argued. He shook his head, giggling a little. "You are not being mature." He argued back as she touched her nose with her tongue. Philip chuckled again,"Stop that." He asked.

She shook her head,"Never!" Angie declared with a laugh. Philip shook his head at his little sister, their laughter dying down as they both looked at the letter. "You're really lucky, you know." Angie said, suddenly. Philip was surprised by her comment, looking over at her. "Why?" He asked. "Because it's easy for you." She shrugged.

"Her father hates the idea of the two of us together, I hardly call that easy." He pointed out. Angie looked at him with sad eyes, which only confused him. "At least the world doesn't." She mumbled. "Is something wrong, Angelica?" Philip asked, moving closer to his sister.

"Yes, there is." She confessed, making him worry. Angie then smirked,"You need to take Lucy out." She said and Philip rolled his eyes at her while Angie laughed at him. "I'm sorry– but I am serious about that one." Angie told him, still chuckling as her brother held back a smile.