There is no excuse for such a late update, but hopefully this chapter will make up for it! Please read and review! I enjoy hearing from each of you! Happy Belated Thanksgiving! I do not own Liberty's Kids.

Chapter 9: Learning to Love Again (James' POV)

Sarah was going to be the death of me. I know it sounds crazy, but I think it's the truth. As I held Sarah in my arms, it didn't matter to me that she was crying over a dead fiancée. All that mattered, was that she was in my arms and I got to hold her close to me. The warmth of Sarah's body seeped through her clothes, through mine, and then hit my skin like the warmth of a giant fire. My hands roamed down her back, and the feeling of her body against my fingertips was enough to get my heart racing. The feeling of Sarah's smooth hair against the usual roughness of my cheek, drove my senses crazy.

Sarah's tears continued to drip onto my shirt, so I hummed the tune to a song Doctor Franklin used to sing to me when I got upset. I closed my eyes, let the song overtake me, and for one moment I was a child again. I was a child, and Doctor Franklin was standing before me with a smile on his kind face and a twinkle in his eyes. I could see every wrinkle on his face, see the hair on his head, smell the mix of ink, sweat, and something else I could never name. For a moment there was nothing wrong in the world. It was just me and Doctor Franklin. Nothing else mattered. I watched as Doctor Franklin kneeled and stretched his arms out to me. I began to run towards him, with a smile on my face and my arms wide open. But suddenly my thoughts were interrupted.

"James," squeaked a familiar female voice.

I opened my eyes and saw that Sarah's head was no longer under mine. Instead, Sarah was looking up at me, with her hands on my chest, and the tears were gone from her eyes.

She weakly smiled before saying, "Thank you."

I smiled even bigger than I had been before. "It's nothing Sarah."

Sarah shook her head, "No, James. It is quite a bit more than nothing. It is very kind of you. And...I understand how hard it is on you."

What was Sarah saying? What did she mean when she said "I understand how hard it is on you"? I had to find out.

I looked Sarah in the eyes and asked, "What do you mean?"

Sarah looked away and bit her bottom lip. She shook her head and put her face back against my chest. I moved one of my hands from her back, placed it under her chin, and tilted her head up to look at me. Our eyes met and I saw the power and strength in those emerald eyes. I saw the endurance she had to have to be able to keep living life. Yet I also saw the weakness and pain in her eyes. I saw the woman who had to bury the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. I ignored the weak side though. The strong Sarah would prevail. She always has. Always will. So I just waited for her to get her strength and speak.

And I was right. The strong Sarah came through. She looked me in the eyes again, before whispering something I never expected:

"James, I know you have feelings for me."

I tensed up and my face turned red. What? How did Sarah figure it out? I thought I had covered up my feelings so well! What was Sarah going to think of me now? How would she treat me? Would our friendship be over? So many questions were flying through my head, and I just couldn't stand it. I pushed Sarah away from me and turned my back to her. I couldn't face Sarah now. I covered my face with my hands.

I felt someone grab my shoulder and turn me around. They gently took each of my hands and moved them from my face. I opened my eyes and saw Sarah looking at me.

"James, there is nothing to be ashamed of," admitted Sarah, with a smile on her face. She squeezed my hands before continuing, "I find it quite flattering...because I have feelings for you as well."

My eyes shot wide open and I pulled Sarah closer to me. I rested my hands on her hips and she placed her hands on my shoulders. I couldn't believe what Sarah said. She had feelings for me! I could jump up and down and yell at the top of my lungs. I felt amazing. Yet, I had to make sure Sarah was telling the truth.

"Is it true?" I asked.

Sarah nodded her head, "Yes, I do have feelings for you. When I first saw you in the door of the print shop, my stomach felt different and my heart beat faster. I could not believe you did not notice it!"

I laughed, but the voices in my head where not so trusting. So I asked Sarah one final question, "What about Thomas? Am I just a substitute for him?"

Sarah shook her head and moved her hands to hold the sides of my face. Emerald green met sea blue, and I knew whatever she said next would be true.

"You and Thomas are nothing alike James. Where you like hard work, he did not. You do not mind getting dirty, he did. You have flowing blonde hair, he had brown. You never have caused me any harm, while he threw china at me." Sarah stopped to laugh a moment, and then continued. "But it is not that physical differences that matter to me. What I am trying to say James, is that I have feelings for you and only you. My feelings for you are blooming and getting stronger every moment I'm with you. I am still upset about Thomas, but it is not so much out of love for him, but for sadness of a young life so wasted. We've both seen enough death, James. Now, it is time for us to find some happiness. I want to find my happiness with you."

I stood there speechless. What could I say in response to that? I wasn't sure, but I was going to try my best.

I set my hands on top of Sarah's and whispered, "I want to find happiness with you too. I'm willing to let us take our time, but this is great! You've made me happy today."

Sarah smirked before replying, "I believe I know how to make you happier."

Suddenly, I watched as Sarah leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine so gently. My arms wrapped around her and pressed her against me. Sarah pulled my face closer to hers, our lips pressing harder against the other. My head was spinning and I felt my blood racing through my body. I had been waiting for this moment for years. And it had finally arrived!

We broke apart for air, but touched our forehead together. We listened to each other's deep breathing. Sarah was the first to recover and she said, "I was correct, was I not?"

I shook my head and squeezed Sarah in my arms, "For once Sarah, I don't mind saying that you were right."