Invincible

5. Love ?

Time skip to November 1942
"I'm going out into town today," she said as she ate her breakfast, "and I'll go with you then..." She hadn't expected to hear him say that, and she wondered if it was because he was worried about her because of what had happened the previous time, but all thoughts were erased when Tom finished what he was saying. "...because I have some personal tasks to attend to," she'd been let down. He never mentioned the book, which made her wonder if it was he who had left it or if it was her hopes that had caused such a thought. She intended to find out today being how they had gotten closer and wanted some type of confirmation in her mind to act on it. She would begin by speaking with the owner of the bookshop; she would be embarrassed if she asked Tom himself if he was the one who left it, and for the answer to be no.

They were walking side by side as if they'd known each other for years, stopping at a bench Tom said they'd meet back there as soon as they finished whatever they were doing in town. She was then left alone in the quiet town, and she found herself drawn to a shop with such cute clothing, her eye caught by a beautiful corset on a mannequin. Despite her desire to purchase it, she lacked the necessary funds, forcing her to leave the store empty-handed. Just as she was about to leave for the bookstore, she overheard two boys her age disparaging Tom, and there was no way she was going to put up with it. "Hi boys" she said in a flirtatious voice, both turned back admiring her head to toe and looking at each other with a disgusting smirk "hello, how may we help you?", "Well you see I've seem to have lost my cat in the alley and was wondering if you would be kind enough as to help retrieve it. ". Both ended up agreeing and following her.

They clearly had a different plan, but before they had a chance, she unleashed her power, beginning by boiling their blood "You have no right to speak ill of Tom! I should kill you right now "They ended up pleading for their lives and swearing they would never do it again. "I warn you, if his name comes out of your mouths again and it isn't to praise him, I promise you I won't be so lenient the next time." When she stopped torturing them, she started walking away, but the boys became overly ambitious, causing one to grab her arms from behind and the other to strike her across the face. "I warned you I wouldn't be so forgiving, but now you've given me no choice..." With his hand raised again, ready to strike her, she spoke again, remembering the words Tom used to murder Charlie, "Avada Kedava." As she walked away without a care in the world, their lifeless bodies lay there.

Tom had seen everything and was on the verge of intruding when Madeline was slapped, but she handled it just in time. He was taken aback by the power she possessed, and even more so by the fact that she used it to defend him and his reputation. Before she noticed him and realized he had been standing there the entire time, he walked away, making himself unnoticeable.

She walked out the alley and towards the book shop to find it to be closed when it was said to be open. "What are you doing here?" she recognized the voice and responded immediately without having to look in his direction, "looking for books." but his response after caused her to finally look at him " Did you finish the book I gave you already?" answering any questions she had before. "Ah yes I enjoyed it so much I finished it in one sitting but I did re-read it a number of times." he was intrigued but also questioned why the book was so special causing him to ask why she adored it so much. "It's a love story between a man with pride and a woman with prejudice, at first they loathe each other but then realize they're somewhat alike and fall in love, The conflict in between marrying for love and marrying for economic reasons.  The main character, Elizabeth Bennet, struggles with the societal pressures of marriage and rejects Mr. Darcy's advances and proposals. She eventually realizes, however, that she does love him and, as a result, decides to marry him." she says, not realizing Tom's expression on her. "Do you believe there is such a thing as love?" he asks, catching her off guard, "yes, yes I do and I hope to fall deeply into it one day and wish to never awake from its deep trance", "I won't believe until I see it with my own two eyes" he says, not believing in such a thing until Madeline stops right in front of him, "you don't see it...you feel it" as she places her hand on his chest. She then felt her face heat up, so she turned around and continued walking in the direction of the orphanage before he could notice.

Tom didn't know how to react, so he followed behind her silently. No one had defended him as she had, no one had touched him as she had, and no one had filled his mind as she had. It was obvious that they influenced each other in some way, but neither had fully realized, or had not yet realized, their feelings for one another...

( a/n :hope you enjoyed the chapter !!!)