[Outlaw, Alainn] Down South in Dixie

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"But can you handle the Yanks?" came her whispered reply. Caroline gave his hand an affectionate squeeze and tried to keep a smile on her face as the music swelled into a final crescendo and released them from the dance floor. It would do no good to worry, and like her uncle always said, the war would be over before it had even begun. Father, Charles Jr, James, they would all be home again before Christmas and all would be as it was before. Even better, for they would be part of a new country!

She held tightly to his hand as the dancers dispersed, wanting to wander off and find another dance partner but longing to spend as much time with her friend as possible. It had been so long since she last saw him! "I could use a breath of fresh air about now," she remarked slyly, wondering if James would take the hint or not.
 
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He smiled and nodded "I shall accompany you." and followed her outside. Once they were outside James pulled off his vest and bow tie, revealing his white undershirt. "That was killing me." he said as he folded his vest and tucked it under his arm.

"So how has your mother's strict reading regimen been going? Are they all snoozers?" He chuckled at his own joke before continuing . There was a question that burning In the back of his mind, he decided to ignore it. instead he asked the next question. "Hey Caroline, you mind If I ask you a question?" he paused before continuing, "When we were kids, why did you?" he paused. He looked up at the darkened shy and sighed, "Never Mind, forget I said anything" He said.

In the back of his mind, the statement that his father, Jack made, when he was nine singed him. Why bother talking to her Jimmy? She is a Hanson, we aren't worthy to kiss the dirt they walk on. We are carpenters, not upper class royals.
 
Once they were safely out of doors, Caroline released James' hand and propped up her elbows on the porch railing. She loved this view of downtown Winchester. Main Street glittered with street lights but unlike most Friday nights, there wasn't a person to be seen. Anyone with sense was tucked into the community hall behind them dancing, drinking, or conversing. Her lower lip protruded in a pronounced pout as James removed his vest. "If you think that's killing you, you'd never survive as a girl!" Envy laced her words. If only it was that easy to loosen a corset!

"So how has your mother's strict reading regimen been going? Are they all snoozers?" came his next question. Caroline tilted her head to look up at him and gave a half-snort, half-chuckle. "I love reading, thank you very much. I prefer not to be ignorant." Realizing that could be taken personally, she quickly remedied with a teasing smile and a pat on his hand. "Not that you're completely ignorant, James. Just mostly."

"Hey Caroline, you mind If I ask you a question?"

Caroline tensed at the intensity in his voice. Her breath shortened even more than before until she was almost hyperventilating. Was this it? Was he going....?

"When we were kids, why did you...? ...never mind, forget I said anything."

"James, how can you be such a tease!? You know full well I can't stand open-ended questions!" she exclaimed, turning full on to face him and whack him on the arm with her fan. Her bottom lip poked out again in another pout, then she reiterated his question. "When we were children, why did I what, James?"
 
James held his breath as he tried to think of what exactly he was going to ask her. He sat down on the steps of the town hall and sighed loudly. He picked up a small stone and studied it. "Do you know why I joined the army,Caroline?" He paused for a moment before he continued. "It wasn't because I felt some out-pour of southern pride, or that I was sick of that Lincoln and Washington was butting into our business. It was because, I saw David step up, and I guess if I didn't, I would be labeled a coward. So here I am, going off to a war I only half believe in, because I cared about what someone I haven't even met thought about me." He looked up at Caroline, "Would I be a coward if I didn't go and Fight?" he asked
 
Caroline pulled in her pout. It was obvious he had other things on his mind and probably wouldn't ever finish that question. Instead of pestering, she went back to leaning against the railing and listened as James spoke. Slowly, she unfolded her fan and fluttered it in front of her face to ward off the warm, night air. Coward? Poor, maybe, uneducated, maybe, but not a coward. She sighed and met his gaze.

"James, most of those boys in there are going because someone else signed up first. It's a romantic idea, and there's nothing better looking than a young man in a uniform. But if you don't believe in your country, if you don't want to fight for your family and our rights, why... you might be taken for a Yankee sympathizer!" her face flushed with indignation "and that's worse than being labeled a coward. You could get yourself killed here just as easily as charging Washington single-handedly."
 
James sighed as he listened to Caroline go on about being a Yankee sympathizer. He nodded and stared out to the city. He would fight his family, He knew that for sure, and he would fight for Caroline, and Sarah and David.

"I'm leaving tomorrow Caroline, This is going to be the last time I'll see this place before all hell breaks lose. Maybe I'm not that crazy about the war because most of the young men in the Winchester will be coming home in a box." James said coldly He looked back to Caroline and then said, "However, I may not totally agree with why we are going to war, I will fight willingly because my father said, A man fights for his country, but dies for his friends. If I die, I'll die protecting the people I care about." James said with a small smile.

He checked his watch and looked back up to Caroline. "I have to get home, care to join me?"
 
"Why, James, you're always so pessimistic. No one's going to die..." but even as the words left her lips, Caroline couldn't help but acknowledge the gravity of his words. When a bunch of boys stand facing each other and shoot guns, someone's bound to wind up in a box and that someone could very well be a friend or even family. Suddenly, she didn't feel much like going back to the party. Caroline fluttered her fan harder, trying to keep her moist eyes from spilling over.

"James..." her voice came a little thickly "you certainly know how to ruin a good time." She gave a half-hearted attempt at a laugh. "Go tell Daddy you're walking me home."
 
James nodded as he stood up and walked back inside to find Mr. Hanson. He hadn't meant to spoil the evening for Caroline, especially since this was the last time they would see each other in a possibly years. He had just felt he had a right to share how he felt. He quickly found Mr. Hanson and told him that he would walk Caroline home.

James reemerged from the hall and found Caroline right where they were sitting and motioned for her to follow him. They walked down the dirt road towards both of there houses. the lights around Town hall faded as they walked through the prairie that surrounded their home.

"Sorry if I spoiled the evening for ya Caroline, I'm just a little bit stressed about what is ahead for me and the guys around here." He gave a small smile as if to beg for forgiveness.
 
"Don't worry about it, James. This confounded corset ruined it long before you did!" As they walked, Caroline took smaller and smaller steps. Her breath came in short gasps and finally, she could not go on without black dots crowding her vision and had to stop even before they turned off of Main Street. "I think I might pass out! Oh, why did I have to..." she trailed off and blushed, aware that she was hinting about intimate things her mother wouldn't even let her talk to her about. But that was what she always appreciated about James. She felt like she could talk to him about anything.

"I think my laces are too tight," she explained with her a hand to her stomach. There was no way she was going to last the walk home at this rate. She had three options: Stand and hope for a carriage to pass by to beg for a ride, insist that James carry her the rest of the way home, or... her cheeks burned hotter that she would even consider such an option, but there was no way she would admit defeat-- especially at the hands of a corset-- and so this third option must be. 'Well, he is a brother to me,' she reasoned with herself, 'and I would have no qualms with Charles.'

Caroline turned with her back to the buildings, lest anyone drive by, and reached behind her to fiddle with the buttons on the back of her dress. It took some finagling to unbutton enough to expose the offending corset laces but she managed. Now came the tricky part-- loosening those laces. Caroline couldn't quite reach them without straining her seams. She cast a pleading look towards James.

"Would you mind... you just have to tug the bow loose... and then button me back up?"

She glanced about them to make sure no one was in view. "Quickly! Before someone sees!"
 
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James turned the shade of red that could only be found on the new fire engines that drove down Main street from time to time. He felt strange that Caroline would ask him to do this, but then again, that shows she has complete trust him. He cleared his throat and walked over and started tugging at the corset. "Who tied this Caroline? a Confederate drill Sargent?" He joked as he continued to pull the bow.

"Why are you even wearing a corset Caroline? You are just as pretty without it, even more in fact." He said as he gave the bow a sharp tug. He cursed under his breath as he struggled to undo the bow. Just as He was about to give up, the bow became lose and unraveled. "There we are." he said as he buttoned her back up. He thought for a minute before he pulled out his lucky silver dollar.

"Caroline, I want you to have my lucky silver dollar, Hold onto it until I get back. Maybe It'll bring you some good luck, you never know." He joked while handing her his beloved silver dollar.
 
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Caroline giggled partly from James' attempts at distracting from the awkwardness of their situation and partly from embarrassment. "All ladies...wear...corsets," she defended herself between tugs. "'A woman...is only...as...graceful...as her waist.' ...'least that's...what...Mother always...says!" As her corset loosened its grip on her, Caroline squeaked in relief. She turned her baby blue eyes on James and bestowed a grateful grin upon him. "That is so much better. In fact, I think I could race you to the end of town like we used---" All mirth was soon pushed aside and her eyes grew more serious as James held out a silver dollar for her.

"But James, this is yours!" she protested. "You won it fair and square. Besides, if you don't have it anymore-- Oh, James! What if you get...get..." She couldn't finish the sentence. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes and she quickly blinked them back. Caroline wrapped her hands around James' outstretched hand and gently pushed it to his chest. "You're the one who needs the luck," she whispered hoarsely. Her lips trembled into a teasing smile. "But if you wish, I'll race you to the end of Main Street. Loser keeps the dollar?"

Picking up her skirts, Caroline turned and dashed down the sidewalk before James could answer, losing one of her slippers in the process. Of course that was on purpose. The impetuous girl refused to lose.
 
James smirked as he turned and chased Caroline down the road towards home. He sprinted as he raced to catch up with her. The problem was, his shoes that he was wearing were super slick against the stone road. "Don't think cause you're a girl means I'm going to take it easy on ya!" He called ahead to Caroline.
 
"Don't think just because I'm a lady that I can't whup you!" Caroline hollered back over her shoulder. She shrieked with laughter as the thudding of James' footsteps grew closer and threatened to overtake her. Unfortunately, with her cumbersome skirts she couldn't muster any more speed and Main Street's pavement was about to end, signalling the end of their race. Oh, if her mother could see her now! Caroline would be the one to get whipped for behaving so unladylike, but at the moment she didn't care. She would relish this last taste of freedom with her friend.

Just then, Caroline tripped on the hem of her dress and lost her balance. Her arms waved wildly for a split second and she managed to regain her footing, but it was too late. The stumble gave James ample opportunity to pass her up.
 
"Ha! It looks like that dress will cost ya a chance to beat me!" He said as he slowly but surely took the lead. He failed to notice the small puddle that had formed in the road from the storms they had gotten earlier that day. His right foot plunged into the puddle, soaking both the shoe and sock he was wearing. "Aw nasty!" he complained as he stepped over the finish line.

He came to a stop and turned to watch Caroline cross over the finish line. "And the winner by a nose.... James Allen Garrett!" He announced. He was about to pull the silver dollar when he thought of something better to give her. He took off his shoes and socks and turned to Caroline. "Don't move, I going to get something, I'll be back in two minutes, I swear." He jogged up to the porch of his home when his five year sister came out of the house.

"Hold it Sarah! Where do you think you're going?" James asked the young blonde girl

"Can I go see Caroline, please?" Sarah asked with those puppy dog eyes that always got James.

"Fine" James reluctantly agreed. Sarah cheered and raced out to greet Caroline while James headed inside.
 
"Serves you right, farm boy!" Caroline grinned as she came to a stop after the finish line, her hands on her hips. Strawberry curls had tumbled from her bun and spilled over her forehead and framed her freckled face. She tucked one stray curl behind her ear and held out her hand expectantly for the silver dollar, but James changed his mind and took off for his house.

"Don't move," he ordered. She planted her feet firmly and stood stock-still like a good little soldier. "Yes sir!" When Sarah rushed down the steps to her, Caroline resisted the urge to bend down and wrap her in a hug. "Hello there, Miss Garrett. How are you this evening?"
 
James threw his stuff all over the place looking his dogtags so Caroline could remember him. He had his window open, so he could hear all the stuff that Sarah yammered about. He overturned his handmade steamer trunk ,which revealed the tags. He scooped it up and trotted back downstairs and back outside. As he approached the girls, he could hear Sarah complain about momma not letting her go to the party, so she had to stay behind and help tend to the garden. James tapped her on the shoulder.

"Okay Runt that is enough, let the big kids talk." James told her. Sarah stuck her tongue out and ran back to the house. James chuckled and turned back Caroline and gave her a smile. "Well this may be not as nice as a lucky coin, but It would mean the world to me if you held onto it for me." He then took out his dogtags and draped them over Caroline, 'No point for me to hold onto something I can't use.
 
Caroline was speechless. Slowly, she picked them up to examine them and looked back to James with wide eyes. "James? Are you...? Is this...? Are you asking me to be your...sweetheart?" The word came out awkwardly, but it came nonetheless.
 
James just smiled and nodded his head. "I love you Caroline, I always have. Even when we were kids, I thought you were the prettiest girl in all of Winchester" James said with a quirky smile. Just then, James father, Jack Garrett, came out onto the porch and called out to James.

"Jimmy Garrett, quite yakkin with the young lady and come help your papa with shoeing the horses."

James nodded and turned back to Caroline. "I've gotta go, I'll stop by tomorrow at ten to say farewell, Good night Miss Hanson." he said before he pecked her on the cheek and headed around back to the Garrett stables.

Jack took off his hat and acknowledged Caroline. "You have a nice evening Miss Hanson, and send your parents my regards." He then headed around back to join his son.
 
Her heart thudded loudly in her chest as James leaned in. Was he going to kiss her? She caught her breath as his lips brushed her cheek. "It's...it's Caroline," she whispered faintly as James slipped away. She barely managed to curtsey politely to Mr. Garrett's acknowledgment before wandering off to her townhouse in a daze.

He loved her. Her. Caroline Hanson. She bit her lips together as a giggle worked its way up from her throat. He loved her. And that crazy, backwards boy had run off before she could even give him a yes or a no. He had kissed her before getting an answer. Whatever his faults in birth or breeding, James Garrett certainly had guts. Caroline tucked the tags into her bodice and skipped up the walk to her home with happiness plastered all over her face, somehow managing to slip inside and upstairs to her room without anyone hearing her.

He loved her.
 
The next morning


James eyes snapped open as he could see the dim gray light break through the window and shine on his face. Well today is the day he thought out loud as he headed downstairs. He had breakfast with his mother, father and little sister before heading back up and changed into his uniform. He headed back downstairs and was met by his sober, clean shaven cousin, David. He took time to say good bye to his family before hitching up the horses and heading over to the Hansons' place. It started to drizzle as both James and David stopped in front of the house. James got off his horse and made his way over too the front door. He reached out and gave it several good knocks.
 
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