Till The Clock Strikes Gone

39 | moonshine

"Good morning, Moonshine!"

Eliza was grinning. It was not just any grin. She was looking at him like he was her miracle discovery. William propped himself on his elbows and his eyes fell on the figure leaning at the door.

Harvey Scott.

He was still in the past. He felt offended by that. He had thought he would be back but he wasn't and now he had to deal with this mess that Eliza had put him in.

"I thought you were never going to wake up." Eliza's words took him by surprise and he looked at her. She was wearing her white frock and looked like she hadn't slept for days.

"You missed New Year's, William," she informed him with a pout on her lips and he just stared at her, confused.

He looked down and noticed that he was wearing one of Harvey's shirts and trousers, the ones that Harvey had lent him before.

"How are you feeling, William?" Harvey asked and William looked at the man.

"I...I'm fine!" he said with a soft exclamation.

He was still having a hard time adjusting to the nightmare he had just had and was trying to put things into context. He looked around him, puzzled and realized that he was in the Scotts' guestroom where he had previously spent a night. He studied the beautiful red colour of the room and the bed he was lying on, covered in white sheets of silk.

"I'm getting you some soup," Harvey said as he began pulling the door close when he stepped out of the room. "Take care of him, Eliza."

Harvey closed the door and William was left alone with Eliza in the room. He wasn't looking at her. He was annoyed, very annoyed at not being back and he knew that staying here wasn't going to bring him Eliza since she was hellbent on not marrying him. He avoided her gaze and diverted his eyes towards the window straight ahead.

"William, are you upset?" Eliza's soft voice pierced his heart but he didn't answer her question. He didn't want to lie to her.

"I just want to be alone for a moment. Can you leave me?" He felt her grip on his arm tighten and he knew his words had hurt her.

"William, please look at me."

"Please leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you." He felt her flinch before she let go of him.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on her steps that slowly retreated and as the door opened and closed, he knew Eliza was gone.

He opened his eyes and planted his feet on the floor. He put his elbows on his knees and his head on his hands and then, he broke down. He didn't notice when the door had opened again.

He let the tears fall and didn't make any effort to stop them. He couldn't understand why he was crying. He should have cried long ago; crying now wasn't going to lead him anywhere but he still sobbed, not for Eliza, not for his unborn baby, not for his stories...but for himself.

He cried for the fate he had brought upon himself by his arrogance and attitude. This was punishment. Punishment for not being what he was supposed to be. Soft sobs escaped his lips and then, he felt light arms encircle his neck. He froze when he felt a weight on his back.

"Don't cry, William. You're going back to your Eliza." Eliza's words travelled through his skin, seeping through his bones and he felt a rush of adrenaline.

He turned around and Eliza gasped at the sudden action as she lost her balance but he caught her before she could hit her head on the headboard. He pulled her to his lap and she glanced at him in anticipation. His face was inches away from hers and he was inspecting her with a bewildered look.

"You didn't go," he said and she smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck and placing a peck on his nose.

"I never will. I'm here to stay, William Ray."

"What did you say?" he asked again, unable to believe her words.

"I said, I am going to marry you, William Ray. I am going to find you even if I have to travel to Scotland for that. I will find you and I will marry you. I will be your wife." Her face was enlightened with determination.

"What...I don't understand. I...how..." Eliza stopped him from speaking any further by putting a finger to his lips and he shivered at her warm touch.

"It's okay. I know it is a lot to process and even though I don't want to go all cliché on you but here's the thing, Loverboy." She stopped and a big smile claimed her lips; she leaned in and pressed another kiss on his forehead as he kept staring at her with his mouth agape. "You have stolen my stupid, little heart. I love you. Eliza Scott may be nothing compared to you but she knows one thing for sure — no-one in this world can love you as she does."

William's eyes widened with surprise, amusement and happiness but he still couldn't believe that this was really happening. His emotions were a mess along with his head and he suddenly realized that his nightmare had not been a nightmare but it was reality. He indeed got lost in oblivion and he would have disappeared forever if it wasn't for Eliza.

Eliza saved him. Her love brought him back.

He pressed her closer to him and gazed deep into her eyes.

"Please tell me you aren't lying. Please tell me this is not one of your games," he prayed.

"You really think I'm that heartless?" She looked at him with her eyebrows pinched together.

"No! No, no, no. That's not what I meant. I...I just." He struggled to let the words out when nervousness gripped him but Eliza put her hands on his cheeks and lifted his head to meet his eyes.

"Don't doubt my love, William Ray. The sun will lose its shine the day I stop loving you."

William stilled. He remembered. He remembered his wife's words.

(Never doubt Eliza's love for William Ray. The sun will lose its shine the day Eliza stops loving him!)

Emotions overwhelmed him and he pulled her into a hug. He held her tight as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and cried. This time, his tears were of happiness. He was happy and there was nothing in this world that could put a stop to it.

"It's okay, Moonshine...you will be okay," she said as she patted his back and placed a kiss behind his ear. "You are going home. You are going back to your Eliza."

William nodded even though he knew Eliza couldn't see him but he nodded silently, more to himself than to her and his tears drenched the linen covering her shoulder.

"I love you. I love you so much."

"I know. I love you too," she assured him.

He never knew what was so special about love but now he did. Love was love. It didn't need comparison with the moon or the stars or anything else. It was love and it was unique because it was the only feeling in the world that could make you alive and dead at the same time.

Eliza loved William and William loved Eliza and for him, that fact was enough to survive an entire lifetime.