Little house in Maryland.

((From Road))

When the wagon began to slow, Emily sat up and pointed towards a warm and cozy looking home. "There."

Tim, remembering the home from the march, nodded quietly and helped her down.

...

"Caleb!" Lucile gasped and put a hand to her mouth when she saw her daughter. "It's our Emily!"

Emily smiled and fixed her skirts before turning to go up the steps.

---

Caleb stood in the partially opened doorway, "There's a man with her, Ma."

"A man?" Her mother waddled to the doorway, looking somewhat like a puddle-duck in her expressions and movement. "A man! She's brought home a beau, Caleb!"

Emily could hear her mother's voice from within the house. She groaned and looked at Tim, "Here we go..."

----

Caleb flinched slightly at how loud his mother's voice was. He peeked from the doorway again and made a face.

Tim gently held onto her arm, rested his head on her shoulder for a moment as if he were tired as they came up to the steps.

...

"It's the doctor! Oh, my little girl's married a doctor!," she squealed, despite the fact that they were at the doorway.

Emily nudged him with her elbow playfully, a silent encouragement for the bombardment they were both walking into. She smiled brightly, "Mother."

----

Caleb watched silently, trying to stay out of his mother's way.

"Emily!" She wrapped her arms around her daughter for a moment before her gaze fell onto the son-in-law-to-be. Although the woman had not been told, she had the ability to almost sense these things.

Tim held out a nervous hand and looked over at Emily. "I'm Timothy Fisher...And....I love your daughter....very much...," he said quietly.

Lucinda smiled. "Come in, no use in you two getting all cold out there in the dark."

Following her mother into the house, Emily smiled encouragingly and took Tim's arm. "How is the family mother?"

Caleb stepped back and held the door open as they entered. He still couldn't belive his sister, Em.....was getting married?

"Oh, wonderful. Caleb's been doing stellar in his lessons, darling--" The woman waddled into the kitchen and added an extra chair to the table before sitting down; Tim sat down as well. "I'm so happy to hear of your engagement, Emily."

"Hear of our engagement?" Emily laughed slightly as she took a seat. "We've said nothing since we entered the house."

"My, of course--" Lucinda floundered slightly; Tim smiled gently.

"Thank you...," he said quietly.

Emily reached over and took Tim's hand, "You're not wrong though, mother."

A thrilled smile came upon her face but faded when she saw that her daughter was not wearing a ring. "Oh, I'd love to see your ring, darling."

The young nurse looked up at Tim once before looking at her mother. "We've had no time....I don't need one immediately."

Tim bit his lip and glanced away. Why hadn't he even gotten her an engagement ring? Of course a woman would want one, to show to her friends and family...I'm doing it all wrong...He reached under the table and gave her ringless hand a gentle squeeze.

She could see it bothered him, and voiced her thoughts to her mother. "With the work I've been doing lately, I could not wear a ring mother. Less I wanted it to be ruined..."

Her mother made a fanning gesture with one hand. "Oh, nursing? A good stone can take a little scuff here and there." Tim's attention had moved to the window.

"This isn't just scuffed knees and dosing out medicine." Emily tightened her grip on Tim's hand. "I don't need a ring."

Her mother, taken aback, got up to begin cooking. "We're having Haddock tonight."

When she left Tim smiled gently and turned to her, "...Sorry I don't have a ring...we'll get you one, Emily, we'll get you one."

"No, don't worry." She shook her head and looked at their hands, "I just wasn't expecting it to be a problem...."

She glanced in the direction her mother had left, "I don't think she knows what we do exactly...."

Tim quietly shook his head. "It's alright."

She nodded, but suddenly felt uncomfortable. Caleb hadn't been in the room during the previous discussion, but he could feel the slight tension when he entered. He stood awkwardly and watched them.

"What's it like? .....Out there?"

Tim looked at his feet as the memories came rushsing back. "It's...horrible, Caleb....I hope you never have to...experience it."

"We don't hear too much, Ma and Pa never really took sides." Caleb looked out of the room they sat in. Emily watched her younger brother, "Tim's right, you never want to see it."

Tim smiled lightly and nodded, resting his head on Emily's shoulder for a moment.

"Maybe I should help......" She made a face and looked at Tim questioningly.

"...It's okay..." He said quietly, smiling at her, "I....can...talk to Caleb..."

"Alright," She patted his hand once before standing and walking to the kitchen. Grabbing an apron from a wall hook she spoke outloud, "What would you like me to do mother?"

----

Caleb sat awkwardly at the table, green eyes watching Tim nervously. "So...uhhh...you're going to marry my sister..."

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