No infringement intended. Wrote this for fun.  Based on the movie The
Patriot

Chapter One

The small clear stream bubbled and rolled over the smooth stones that lined
the bottom and filling the air with the fresh, vibrant sounds of nature. A
golden brown mare grazed at the edge of the stream while her rider watched
her from a short distance away, lost in daydreams and listening to the
sounds of gunfire. Ivy Richardson stood up from her seat on the rock to see
if there was anything close enough to see. Several of the gunshots she’d
heard had been very close. She walked slowly and soundlessly to her horse
and pulled her own gun from the saddlebag. She knew it was loaded and wanted
to be prepared if any of the British scum came her way.

Ivy had longed to join the Continentals, but because she was a woman she was
not allowed. She knew she was a better shot than most of the men who had
signed on, but that wasn’t what mattered. The Continentals would be the
laughing stock if they allowed a woman to fight and that was what mattered.
It certainly didn’t matter that those British bastards had killed her father
and brother, two innocent men who just happened to be in the way. After
hearing no more shots, Ivy put the gun away and went back to her rock on the
bank of the stream and thought about her father, David and her brother,
Joshua. They had been all she’d had in the world and in a matter of minutes,
they were gone. Her mother had died shortly after her birth, leaving her to
be raised by men. They had done a wonderful job, she’d thought, but then
again she was biased.

Since their death and the loss of her home in Jamestown and all of her
worldly possessions, Ivy had taken to the countryside, riding from place to
place, hiding in the shadows and eating wherever she could find food. It
wasn’t what she wanted, but in this time of war, she couldn’t expect much
more.

She’d been able to make it as far as Charlestown in the past few months of
constant travel and it was here that she would stay. This seemed to be the
safest place she could think of after hearing the stories throughout various
towns she’d been in.

Ivy lay back in the grass to take a short nap before trying to find suitable
lodging for her stay when a thought came to her out of the blue. She sat
bolt upright and immediately got to her feet. She went to her horse and
reached into her saddlebag once again, this time pulling out a knife. She
went down to the edge of the stream and gazed at her reflection in the
water. This was her last chance, she told herself. This was the end of the
line. Still staring at her own reflection in the rippling water, Ivy took
hold of the long braid that went all the way down her back, stopping just
above her hips. With one quick slash of the sharp blade she sheared off the
braid and held it out in front of her before tossing it into the water.

Going to the bags that held the clothes she was able to salvage before the
house burnt completely, Ivy got a pair of her brother's pants, a
shirt and his favorite hat. She hadn’t cared to grab any of her own clothes,
that part of the house had already been engulfed in flames anyway so she
took what she could and bought the rest in various towns along the way.
She stripped out of her own clothes and looked around quickly before pulling
on the trousers that had once belonged to Joshua. They were far too big, but
Ivy rolled the legs and cinched the waist with a length of rope she’d found
near a tree two days before. Draping the shirt around her, she picked up the
knife again and sat in the grass, cutting her own clothing into long strips
that she used to bind her breasts. If she was going to pretend to be a man
to join the militia, then she was going to have to go all the way.

When she was finished with her dressings, Ivy took one last trip down the
stream for the finishing touches. She reached into the cold water and
grabbed a handful of silt from the bottom, using it to smear on her face,
hands and clothes. Men were not always overly clean these days, and she didn
’t know what else to do to hide the feminine features of her face. Using a
small piece of leather, she bound what was left of her hair and put on
Joshua’s hat before mounting her horse and going in search of the nearest
tavern or pub.

~*~

It was nearing dark when Benjamin Martin tethered his horse and went into
the pub. It wasn’t the nicest of places, but when it came to finding men for
a militia, this seemed like a good place to start.

Going inside, he made the announcement he’d become accustomed to making to
this sort of crowd in the past few weeks and sat at a table, allowing the
men to come to him of their own free will. It never seemed to take very long
after they found out who he was, his reputation from the French and Indian
war always seemed to follow him where ever he went. In this situation it
wasn’t exactly a bad thing. He’d been able to recruit over twenty men, just
because they knew who he was.

Tonight, the line to sign on was just as long as it had been on several
other nights just like this one and Benjamin just sat back and enjoyed a
stout while he chatted here and there with those that were coming to sign
the register.

There was one young man in particular that caught his attention and he sat
forward as he signed his name.

“How old are you son?” He asked, turning the ledger around to read the
young mans name.

“Eighteen.” He relied in a small voice, watching the older man carefully.
“Why?”

“No reason…” he read the name from the list, “…Joshua. Is your family
alright with you doing this sort of thing?”

“They’re dead, sir. Brits killed ‘em. I have no family left.”

Benjamin shook his head in understanding. “You’re awful small, son. Can
you shoot?”

“Yes sir, I can shoot, I can ride and I know how to use a knife to my
advantage. I’ve been on my own for the past four months, so I think I can
hold my own.”

“Then by all means, welcome, Joshua Richardson. We’re glad to have you.”
Benjamin reached across the table and held out his hand, waiting for the
other man to take it. After a slight pause, he took it and gave it a firm
shake. “We’ll be heading out of here soon, so be sure to have all your gear
ready.”

“Yes, sir,” Joshua replied, making his way across the tavern and out the
door.

~*~

Ivy stood against the railing outside next to her horse and tried to keep
calm. Her insides were jumping for joy, but she had to remain composed on
the outside for fear someone would see her.

“He bought it!” She quietly told her horse. “They all bought it. I did
it! I am now Joshua Richardson.” Ivy untied the horse and led it to the
trough. She had no idea how far they were going to ride before they reached
their destination and she was going to need her horse in top shape for the
months to come.

Once the horse had its fill of water, Ivy mounted her and waited for the
other men to emerge from the tavern. Her wait was not a long one and soon
she was on her way to her new home. Benjamin had said they were going to the
old Spanish mission, not that it meant a whole lot to her. She didn’t know
the lay out of this place yet, but she was willing to learn.

They rode in silence, no one wanting or needing to speak. Ivy didn’t mind
the silence. Her past few months had been filled with so much of it
sometimes she felt as though she’d gone deaf from the silence. In this case
she felt it was the silence of men who’d just knowingly put their lives on
the line for freedom. It was a noble cause, almost as noble as her own.

The trip seemed to take forever, but Ivy finally surmised that it had
actually only been two or three hours since they’d left the tavern. Once
they finally arrived, having traveled through swamp water and lots of mud,
she was more than ready for sleep. Benjamin showed them all where they could
bed down for the night before retiring himself after the long day.

Ivy thought that she had been so exhausted that she would immediately just
fall into sleep, but it was difficult. This was the first time in months she
’d had people around her when she was trying to sleep and with the
excitement of the entire situation, sleep eluded her. Getting up from the
horse blanket, she went to sit by the fire to warm herself. No one else
appeared to have trouble sleeping as she sat there listening to the snores
from the men in the camp.

“Papa would be proud,” she whispered to the fire, trying to make herself
believe that everything would be all right.

“Where’s papa?” The voice came from behind her, giving Ivy a start.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was having trouble sleeping myself.”

Ivy turned around to see who was speaking to her and her breath caught in
her throat. The most amazing man she’d ever seen stepped from the shadows
and came to the fire, sitting down beside her.

“So…” He spoke again once he was settled. “Where’s papa?”

“Excuse me?” Ivy said, not understanding what he was asking her.

“I heard you say papa would be proud. I was asking where’s papa?”

“Oh.” She mentally kicked herself for letting her guard down. “He’s dead.
Along with my sister. Killed by the red coats.”

He didn’t respond. He just shook his head the way she’d seen Benjamin do at
the tavern. After a pause, he turned to look at her again before extending
his hand. “I’m Gabriel Martin.”

Ivy took his hand and tried to think of what she should say. He was
absolutely stunning. “I’m… uh… Joshua. Joshua Richardson.”

“Nice to meet you Joshua. Are you from around here?”

“No.” Ivy replied, letting go of his hand. “I’m from Virginia. I just
ended up here after my family died.”

“Well, we’re glad to have you, but you’d better get some rest. We’ll be up
early in the morning to see how well you new men can handle a gun.”

Ivy smiled and got to her feet. “Don’t wanna miss that. It was nice to
meet you Gabriel.”

“Likewise.”
 

Chapter Two

Over the next few months, Ivy got exactly what she’s signed on for. They
were able to covertly ambush several groups of British officers, killing
most and taking several others hostage. She’d also become quite good
friends with Gabriel Martin. It was hard to make friends under such
conditions, knowing that at any time someone you cared for could die, but
they still managed to form a bond. For Ivy it was much more than
friendship. Even though she knew it was foolish to adore him the way she
did, she knew she loved Gabriel in her own way.

Ivy would watch him when they were scouting or riding or sitting by the
river. It was, in fact, Gabriel that had shown her maps to give her a
better idea of the landscape they were fighting to defend. The two of them
would sit for hours, sometimes talking, sometimes never having to say a
word, just to be close to a friend… someone to trust.

The group disbanded for a few weeks after their latest victory against the
British. Benjamin felt it was time for the men to rest and spend some time
with their families. Ivy, having nowhere else to go, accompanied Benjamin
and Gabriel to a small, safe island where their family had been hidden. It
was the first time in a long time she’d felt like part of a family. The
children, Nathan, Samuel, William, Margaret and Susan had made her feel like
another brother. She was, after all, introduced to them as Joshua
Richardson.

Ivy had become accustomed to looking and behaving like a man since joining
the militia. It was now who she was and she accepted that. The girl that
she once had been seemed lost forever.

Early one morning, however, Ivy crept from her tent before any light had
creased the sky and gone down by the edge of the ocean. After looking
around she stripped out of the clothes she wore, removed the bands from her
chest and walked into the water to bathe herself. The one thing she’d
hated about being a ‘man’ was the fact that she could hardly ever bathe. It
wasn’t in her nature to be dirty, but with so many men around, she couldn’t
risk
bathing with out being caught. It wasn’t a chance she was willing to take.

Ivy swam in the cool water, relishing the feel of it on her skin and in her
hair. She let the waves rush over her as she floated on her back, looking
up at the stars. Her skin was wrinkled from the water by the time she
emerged from the salty water and walked to her pile of clothes in the sand.

In a flash, Ivy found herself laying on her back in the sand with hands
around her throat. Trying to focus, she frantically tried to release the
hold of the hands around her throat while trying to gasp for air.

“You lied to me. For six months you’ve lied to me.”

Ivy instantly recognized the voice. She knew it was Gabriel that held her
down in the sand and she knew what he was talking about.

“Gab… please…” She tried harder to release his hold on her, wanting to
explain to him what she had done and why. “Please…” She gasped for air.
“Will ex… explain.”

“I trusted you, and you lied to me. You were my best friend. I told you
things that I’ve never told anyone else. How could you do this to me?”

He sat up, moving off from her and slumping in the sand. Ivy sat up,
rubbing her sore throat, forgetting she was completely without apparel. “I
never meant… to hurt you, Gabriel. This was something I had to do. You
wouldn’t understand. But hurting you or lying to you was not something I
would ever intend.”

“So many things that I’ve told you. I told you about Thomas and the guilt
that I go through. I told you about Anne and how much I love her. I guess
I should have figured there was something wrong with you. You actually
seemed to care about the things we talked about and men just aren’t like
that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with me, Gabriel. I pretended to be a man to join the
militia. I told you why it meant so much for me to join the militia. I
should think you’d understand why I had to lie… even to you. Now that you
know, I’ll have to leave.” Ivy looked at her hands. She couldn’t bear to
look at Gabriel at this moment. She’d hurt him and it was killing her.
“You’ve helped me, protected me and even saved my life, Gabriel. I’ve
welcomed the opportunity to do the same for you. It’s been a pleasure to be
your friend, Gabriel. I will miss you." Ivy got to her feet and scooped up
her clothes from the beach. “I’ll leave this morning…and … I’m sorry.”

Gabriel sat there for a long while after she’d gone, not knowing how he was
supposed to feel. His friendship with Joshua had the best friendship he’d
ever had and he wasn’t sure what, if anything, had changed. Now he knew she
was a woman and not a man. He did understand why she’d done what she did.
What he didn’t understand was why she lied to him. After all of the things
they had shared with each other, she had failed to mention to him, of all
people that she was a woman.
 

Chapter Three

Gabriel finally removed himself from the sand and went in search of his
father at daybreak. He needed someone older and wiser to talk to about his
turmoil. He went to the tent he shared with his brothers and sisters and
found Benjamin still asleep on his cot with Nathan and Samuel.

Gabriel knelt close to the cot and shook his father gently. “Father, wake
up, I need to speak with you.”

Benjamin opened his eyes and sat up quickly. “Is something wrong? Is
everyone all right?”

“Shhhh,” Gabriel held his finger to his lips. “Everyone is fine. I just
need to speak with you…outside.”

Benjamin got to his feet, pausing to cover to the two sleeping children on
the cot before following Gabriel outside. “What’s going on?”

“I need to speak with you about Joshua.” Gabriel wasn’t sure how to say
what he wanted to say, so he was silent watching his father put on his
boots.

“What about Joshua?” Benjamin tied his boot before slipping the other one
on.

“Joshua is a girl,” Gabriel blurted, unsure of any other way to say it. “I
saw her this morning, early, down by the beach.”

Benjamin stood and looked at his eldest son. “I know.”

Gabriel couldn’t hide the shock that he felt. “You knew? You knew she wasn’t
a man and didn’t tell me? How did you know?” Gabriel’s voice became
louder with each question as he stared at his father in disbelief.

“Son, I’ve known since she signed on with us. I spoke with her at the
tavern and knew she was a woman. I didn’t tell anyone because it wasn’t my
place to do so. I was going to speak with her after the first few days… but
then I found out that while she may be small, she can shoot a musket with
amazing accuracy and she knows how to defend herself. I think over the past
few
months she’s really shown that she is a valuable part of our militia. In
fact, I think if the rest of the men knew she was a woman at this point, it
wouldn’t really matter to them.” Benjamin paused to gauge his son’s
reaction. “After all the time the two of you spent together, I seriously
thought you knew who she was.”

“I thought I knew who Joshua was.” Gabriel look up at the sky and ran one
hand through his wavy blond hair. “I think your right though father. It
doesn’t matter that she is a woman. Joshua was my friend and I don’t think
anything has really changed. I better go talk to her before she leaves.”

“She was going to leave?” It was Benjamin’s turn to be shocked.

“I was very angry when I discovered who she really was and I made no point
to hide it. She said she was going to leave today.” Gabriel explained.

“Well then you’d best go and find her. I’d hate to lose one of the best men
in my militia.”  Benjamin gave his son a broad smile, which Gabriel
returned.

“I’ll see what I can do to make her stay, father.”
 

Chapter Four

Ivy threw her belongings into the small satchel she always carried with her
and scolded herself for being so careless. Things had been perfect until
she felt the overwhelming urge to clean herself. Her own vanity had caused
her to lose the best friend she could ever hope to have and the only
man that she’d let herself care about since the loss of her father and
brother.

She was just about ready to go when the flap to her tent opened and Gabriel
entered. She stopped short and took two steps back remembering his anger
earlier on the beach.

“I’d like to talk to you before you go.” Gabriel spoke softly as he moved
toward her. “I’m not angry anymore,” he explained, sitting on the edge of
her cot. “And I understand why you did what you did.”

Ivy stood still for a few moments before going to join him on the edge of
her bed. She no longer wore the hat she always wore and she had opted for
clothes that fit her better today. The game was over so for the first time
in six months, Ivy let herself be a woman.

Gabriel watched her as if it was the first time he was actually seeing her.
She was a beautiful woman and he was shocked that he hadn’t figured out
sooner that she wasn’t Joshua. “What is your real name?” he asked as she
sat down.

“My name is Ivy. I’m so sorry that I lied to you Gabriel. I never meant…”

“I know you didn’t. You did what you had to do to be a part of the militia.
I understand that now.”

Ivy nodded her head, not knowing what to say.

“My father actually knew right from the start that you were a woman.
Looking at you now, I can’t believe that I didn’t notice it sooner.”

“He knew?” Ivy looked at Gabriel for the first time since he’d come into
the tent.

Gabriel nodded his response. “He knew. I came to stop you from leaving. I
realized that nothing has really changed. You’re still the same person,
just with a different name. I talked to my father about this and because he
already knew about you, and the fact that you can really shoot a musket, I
want you to stay with us. The others will just have to understand."

“You want me to stay because I can fight?” Ivy asked, somewhat
disappointed.

“I want you to stay because I’m not ready to lose my friend.” Gabriel
looked at her for a long time, waiting for her answer.

“I’ll stay.” She said finally. “Only because I know how desperate you are
for friendship.”

Gabriel laughed and pushed her lightly. “Did I hurt your neck earlier?”

“Now look here, Gabriel Martin. Now that you know that I’m a woman,
don’t you dare try to coddle me. Things are just as they were.”

“I’d never dream of coddling you.”

“Only because you know very well that I’d put you to death for it.”

“Well you’d try.”  Gabriel gave her one of his heartwarming smiles and Ivy
felt her insides melt as he gave her a slight push, causing her to fall to
the from the cot to the dirt floor.

Chapter Five

The rest of the week was filled with playing in the sun with the children
and long talks between Ivy and Gabriel. Their relationship grew stronger
since he’d discovered she was a woman. It astounded both of them how much
closer they were now that there were no secrets between them. They talked
about anything and everything and spent countless hours doing nothing more
than watching the sky and listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on
the shore.

The night before they were to leave the island and go back to the Spanish
Mission, Ivy and Gabriel spent the evening down at the beach where they’d
spent most of the week. Everyone else had headed off to bed and they were
left alone debating on how far away the moon was.

Ivy laughed as she watched Gabriel squint one eye then the other. “I still
think you’re wrong.” He finally concluded. “There is no way it’s that far
away.”

“Well, we’re not likely to find out anytime soon, so I was just guessing.”
Ivy said picking up a handful of sand and letting it run through her
fingers.
“I’m worried about going back, Gabriel.”

“Why? I told you, everything will be fine.”

“I just don’t think everyone is going to take it as well as you did. What
if they tell me to leave?”

“No one will go against my father.” Gabriel reached out and stroked her
shoulder. “They respect him far too much to question his decisions.”

Ivy looked away from the sky to Gabriel. “If you say so.”

Gabriel looked at her for a few seconds, feeling the strong urge that he’d
felt several times over the past week. He wanted to kiss her so badly it
physically caused him pain. This time, with no one else around, he gave
into the urge and leaned forward, brushing his lips lightly against Ivy’s.

Ivy closed her eyes and let sensation take over. For so long she’d wanted
to know what it was like to kiss Gabriel, and now she was going to find out.
Pulling back from their first kiss, Gabriel opened his eyes and looked at
Ivy, trying to gauge her reaction to him.

She smiled sweetly, and to Gabriel it was a silent invitation.  Leaning
forward once again, he moved his hand from her shoulder to cup her
head, pulling her closer to him. He kissed her lips gently at first, then
growing more urgent and demanding. He was never rough with her, just
assertive, letting her know exactly what he wanted without having to speak a
word.

Ivy brought her hands up to let them tangle in his blond locks,
Encouraging him to take what he wanted.

Gabriel slid his tongue across her lower lip, asking for entry. She
obliged, parting her lips slightly, giving him what he sought. As soon as
she opened for him, he plunged his tongue into her mouth, stroking her face
gently with one hand, and letting the other wander aimlessly about her body.
Never before had he wanted something so much that it made his body ache.

Ivy responded to his touch in kind with gentle moans, pulling him closer.
He laid her back in the sand gently, pulling back from their kiss. His eyes
were asking her the question she’d wanted to hear from him since the moment
she laid eyes on him, but never dared hope to hear. Not wanting to break
the moment with speech, she responded by pulling him to her again, kissing
him deeply.

Gabriel began to unbutton her shirt, stopping when he had it opened enough
to bare her breasts to him. He remembered seeing her that day on the beach
a week ago coming out of the water as naked as the day she was born. He
thought even then she was beautiful, but the issue was clouded then by his
anger at her betrayal. Now there was nothing to cloud the issue, there was
nothing to take away from her beauty as he leaned down, taking one of her
peaked nipples into his mouth and sucking gently.

Ivy had never experienced such pleasure at the hands of anyone. Never had
she expected anyone to make her feel this way. She let a small moan escape
her lips and she twined her hands deeper into Gabriel’s hair as he suckled
on her breasts moving from one to the other in quick succession, teasing her
to the point of madness. He stopped, unbuttoning the rest of her shirt and
allowing her to slip out of the garment before stripping off his own shirt.

Ivy looked at his masculine chest, amazed. She’d seen him several times
this way, but tonight it was different. Tonight she was going to make love
to this man, the man that she had secretly loved for months. She reached
her hands out, touching the taught brown skin that covered the muscles and
bone that lay beneath and listened as Gabriel sucked in a breath through his
teeth.

Leaning over her once again, he untied her trousers, feeling her
continuously touch him everywhere she could reach. Once he had them untied,
he skimmed the garment over her hips and legs, pulling them off and throwing
them into the sand. He gazed down at her and for the first time in her
encounter with him, Ivy wanted to cover herself. He stopped her hands and
pulled them up over her head, lying on top of her.

“Don’t hide anything from me ever again,” he breathed, his voice deep and
husky. He slid himself down her body stopping to kiss the gentle concave of
her belly before continuing downward. He stopped again when he reached the
apex of her legs, kissing the soft tuft of curls there. Gabriel used his
hands to open her legs, feeling the heat that radiated off her body as well
as his own, the prolonged intensity of the situation, driving him mad.
Ivy moaned as he touched her, feeling as though she had died and gone to her
own personal heaven.

Gabriel leaned forward and kissed her again, using his tongue to find where
she wanted or needed to be touched. Using one long digit, he opened her
slick folds, delving into her delicate softness, humid with proof of her
want for him. Ivy arched her back off from the sand and let the ecstasy
that was building in her body explode. She convulsed into a chain of
spasms, moaning loudly and not caring if anyone could hear her.

Gabriel moved himself back up the length of her body, watching her face as
she came back to him. He kissed her deeply again, allowing her to taste her
own nectar on his lips and tongue. Ivy wrapped her legs around him, trying
to pull him to her despite his trousers that still stood in their way. She
could feel the evidence of his own need through the thick material and she
wriggled her hand between them to try and untie the offending garment. He
helped her untie the trousers and hurriedly pushed them off, kicking them
into the sand with the rest of their clothes. They lay together, naked,
kissing and caressing each other. Not being able to stand any more, Gabriel
positioned his aching staff at her opening, easing himself just barely
inside her.

Ivy sucked in her breath, expecting a painful entry. She let out her breath
as Gabriel slowly eased into her, allowing her to adjust to him, not wanting
to rush things. When he was buried in her, he withdrew again, delving
deeper into her with each rhythmic thrust. When he was sure she was
accustomed to him, he lifted her off the sand into a sitting position and
held her on his lap. He kissed her again, with all of the passion that he
had in his body. He lifted her off from him, letting her glide slowly
downward again. Once she was used to the rhythm and what he wanted, Ivy
picked up a pace of her own and they moved together in perfect harmony, as
if this was exactly what God had planned for them both right from the
beginning. She continued to rock against him and she could feel him as he
increased the rhythm. He began to grunt low and deep in his throat and Ivy
could feel his hardness growing inside her.

The heat was building again, Ivy could feel the overwhelming explosion
coming. Her inner muscles tightened involuntarily around him and Gabriel
grabbed her around the waist, holding her to his chest as he moaned,
spilling his hot seed into her waiting warmth. As soon as she felt his
release, Ivy let go of the pressure and let out one last sweet and final
cry.

They collapsed together back into the sand, holding each other, agonizingly
gasping for air. They held each other that way for a long time in complete
silence. It felt good to just be together, alone and naked under the stars.

Gabriel was the first one to move, untangling himself from her limbs and
getting to his feet. He held out a hand to her, pulling her up to stand
with him. Ivy could feel the evidence of their lovemaking, slickly sliding
down her inner thigh and she giggled, silently hoping it wouldn’t be the
last time she felt this.

“We better get to bed,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head as he held
her closely. “We have a long day ahead of us.”

“Yes.” It was the only word that Ivy could think of. All of her dreams had
come true, but somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it wouldn’t last.
Nothing good ever did.
 

Chapter Six

Ivy sat at her post, quietly watching for any sign of the British, lost in
her own thoughts. It had been weeks since the first time she’d let Gabriel
make love to her and they had done it several times since. There was a
clear line of understanding between them. They loved each other as friends
and were good together as lovers, but a relationship right now, under the
current conditions of war, was unacceptable.

Gabriel had also expressed a love of another woman, long before he knew who
Ivy was and before they had made love. It was something that weighed
heavily on Ivy’s mind, but she never spoke a word of it. She was secretly
scared that if she reminded him of it, he would take his love and friendship
as well as the lovemaking away.

She sat silently today, brooding on these thoughts because Gabriel and
Benjamin had gone to Pembrook for supplies. Pembrook was where Anne lived
and Ivy knew that things would change. She would never let Gabriel know how
much it hurt her to see him go, but inside she felt like she was coming
apart.

~*~

Gabriel was silent for a long time, lost in thoughts of his own when he
realized his father had been speaking to him.  “I’m sorry father, I didn’t
hear you.”

“I said, you must be excited to see Anne. It’s been a long time since our
last trip here for supplies. I know you write to her almost everyday.”

“Yes, I am looking forward to seeing her,” Gabriel responded,
unenthusiastically.

“What’s on your mind son?” Benjamin pressed, knowing exactly what his son
was thinking. He wasn’t blind and he knew that Gabriel and Ivy had become
very close.

“I was thinking father…can a man love two women at the same time? I mean I
know in the eyes of the law it’s a sin, and once a man marries, that is his
wife, he can not love anyone else.”

“No matter what the law says Gabriel, a man can certainly be in love with
two women at the same time. He just has to make a decision between the two.
It is a difficult decision, but one that must be made.” Benjamin paused for
a moment. “Do you love Anne?”

“Of course I love her. I think about her all the time and can not wait to
see her again.”

“But…” Benjamin pressed.

“Ivy.” It was the only thing Gabriel had to say. Benjamin understood
completely from there.

“You love her too, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. I love her very much. What am I going to do?”

“That is something you will have to find out for yourself, Gabriel. I can’t
make the decision for you, but you will eventually have to choose.”

“This will be, by far, the hardest thing I have ever done.”
 

Chapter Seven

Ivy waited none to patiently through the day for Gabriel and Benjamin to
return. She didn’t go out with the rest to greet them when they finally did
arrive. She stayed in the shadows of the fire, waiting for Gabriel to seek
her out. She knew eventually he would.

He found her just as she was getting ready for bed. Gabriel approached her
from behind and threw his arms around her and kissing her on the cheek.

“Hey,” Ivy squealed, turning to face him. “How was the trip?”

“Long and uneventful. Did you miss me?”

“Not really. I had a whole slew of men to keep me company while you were
gone.”

“I need to talk to you. Care to take a ride with me?” Gabriel held out his
hand and waited. Ivy pretended to think about it for a few seconds before
taking his hand and following him out of the old building.

“Where are we going? She asked when they reached his horse.

He lifted her onto the mount and then climbed up behind her before
answering. “Just for a ride. I want to talk to you about some things.”

They rode out of the swamp to an open field. It was dark except for the
fireflies that seemed to be everywhere, lighting up the night with their
ritualistic mating signal. Gabriel dismounted and held out his arms for
Ivy. She leaned forward and let him catch her, bringing her safely to the
ground.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” She asked, sitting in the long
grass.

Gabriel sat next to her, pulling a small box from his jacket. “I got
something for you when I was in Pembrook. I actually had it engraved for
you. I’ve had it for awhile now, but I wanted to do something special with
it.”
  He handed her the box and waited for her to open it.

Inside was a small silver heart dangling on a chain. Inside the heart in
tiny letters was the word ‘forever’ with a delicately carved ‘G’ underneath.
“It’s beautiful, Gabriel. Thank you.”

He lifted the pendant from the box and put it on her. "I want you to wear it
always,” he told her in a soft whisper. “I want you to wear it and always
know how much I love you, no matter what happens.”

Ivy turned around to look at him. Never even once in their time together
had he told her he loved her. He’d said he cared about her, cared for her,
but never love. Something was definitely wrong. “Gabriel, what is it that
you want to tell me? I can tell there’s something more than just the locket
that you want to talk to me about.”

“You know me so well.” He said reaching out to touch her face. “Ivy, I
asked Anne to marry me and she accepted.”

The shock that course through Ivy was unbearable. But somehow she managed
to keep it contained. Her heart broke and she cried on the inside, but she
knew this was already difficult enough for Gabriel; she didn’t want to make
it any harder. Trying to recover from her shock, she leaned forward and
threw her arms around him. “Congratulations, Gabriel. I know how much you
love her and I know she’ll make a good wife. Your children will be
absolutely beautiful.”

Gabriel responded to her hug with one of his own. “This is so hard for me,
Ivy. I love you I really do, but…”

“No buts Gabriel. This is what you’ve wanted for a long time.” She pulled
back and looked at him, trying to make out the features of his faced that
she loved so much, in the darkness.

Gabriel leaned in, kissing her gently. “God, how can you be so wonderful?”
He pulled her to him, laying back in the grass and moving her to lie on top
of him. “I meant what I said about the pendant. I want you to wear it
forever and know how much you mean to me.”

“I promise,” she said, looking down at him. She leaned down, kissing him
deeply, knowing this would be the last time they would be together. They
made love in the meadow with the fireflies hovering everywhere, as is if
they
weren’t in the meadow but among the stars themselves. It was night that Ivy
would remember for as long as she lived.
 

Chapter Eight

Ivy watched from the back of the tent as the man she loved, married another
woman. He was happy and for that she was grateful. She wanted nothing more
than for him to be happy. She danced with the groom after the ceremony and
kissed the happy bride on the cheek after giving her congratulations.

Later, she retreated to the beach where she’d first made love to Gabriel and
cried herself to sleep in the sand.

On their way back to the old Spanish Mission, Ivy rode in silence, fingering
the pendant around her neck, thinking about her life.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Benjamin Martin rode up next to her and
watched her carefully.

Ivy laughed half-heartedly. “You don’t want to know.”

“I know this must be difficult for you. I was watching you last night.”

“It’s been difficult, yes, but this is what Gabriel wanted and I respect
that. I just want him to be happy.”

“You’re a strong woman, Ivy.” Benjamin told her, slowing his horse to trot
next to her. “Over the past few months I’ve come to think of you as another
daughter. I know that you and Gabriel would have been good together, but it
wasn’t meant to be.”

“I know, and thank you for your kindness. Everything you’ve done to help
me…well I can never repay you.”

Benjamin scoffed. “No need to repay me for anything. I only did what I
thought was right.”

~*~

Somehow, Ivy was able to maintain her friendship with Gabriel. It hurt
everyday and Ivy suspected that it hurt Gabriel as well. She had no idea
how much the pain would consume her eventually. She held Gabriel as he wept
for his new bride when he discovered that she’d been killed along with her
family and everyone in the town of Pembrook. Killed by the British Butcher.

She was also the one to follow him when he left Pembrook in search of the
Butcher to exact his revenge not only for Anne, but for his brother Thomas
as well. It was Ivy who held him when he lost his battle with the Butcher.

She held him close, weeping as the life slowly ran out of him.

Gabriel reached up, his strength slowly fading, to wipe a tear from her
cheek. His hand trailed down to the pendant she still wore. “Promise you’ll
always remember.” He whispered. “I love you so much Ivy.”

“I promise,” She choked on the words, but she knew she had to tell him.
“Gabriel, I will always love you. You’ll be with me forever. You have to
know…” He stopped her, putting his finger to her lips and smiling.

“I do know Ivy… I know.”

“No Gabriel, you don’t understand. I…”

He smiled at her again, asking her for one last kiss. Ivy’s breath caught
in her throat as she leaned down, kissing him gently. As she pulled back,
she could hear hoof beats coming their way and she knew Benjamin would be
there soon.

“I know, Ivy. And I want you to know that no matter what happens in your
life, I will always be with you. Both of you.”

Ivy stepped back as Benjamin Martin went to his eldest son’s side and held
his hand as his life slipped away. She cried silently knowing that she
would never again be able to talk to Gabriel or laugh with him. The only
thing that kept her going, kept her breathing as her heart was breaking for
the second time was the thought that Gabriel knew. Before he died, he knew
about his child.
 

Chapter Nine

Ivy stood outside the tent for a long time, trying to think of a way to
approach Benjamin, how to tell him of her pregnancy. Finally she just went
inside and sat down beside him. They sat there in silence for a long time,
just looking at Gabriel’s lifeless body. It seemed morbid to Ivy, but she
rose and kissed him gently on the forehead before she turned to Benjamin.
“I have something I need to tell you.”

Benjamin looked up at her, looking as if he hadn’t realized he was no longer
alone. “What is it Ivy? Please don’t try to convince me that Gabriel would
want me to keep fighting for the cause. I’ve already heard that.”

“No, sir, it’s not that. I have to tell you that I am with child…Gabriel’s
child.”

Benjamin stood and looked at her for a long moment. “Did he know?”

“Before he died, I was going to tell him, but he already knew. I don’t know
how in God’s name he knew, but he did.”

Benjamin embraced her, hugging her tightly and kissing the top of her head.
“I never knew your relationship had gone that far.”

“No one knew. We tried very hard to be discreet. There will be no
hiding it now, even though Gabriel married after I became pregnant, I didn’t
know
until recently and just didn’t know how to tell him.” Ivy began to cry as
she babbled on aimlessly. “I don’t want to hide it. I want everyone to
know this child belongs to Gabriel. I love him so much, Benjamin.”

He held her tighter, waiting for her sobs to subside. “You don’t have to
hide it from anyone. You will have Gabriel with you always now. This child
is his flesh and blood. You have every right to be proud. I want you to go
stay on the island with Charlotte and the children. You’ll be well taken
care of there and they can see to your needs.”

Ivy nodded, still crying into his shirt. She’d done what she’d set out to
do so many months ago. She joined the militia and exacted her revenge on at
least a few of the British. She was finally able to lay her father and
brother to rest, keeping them in her memory forever. Now she would have to
do the same with Gabriel. She wouldn’t be able to kill the bastard that did
this to Gabriel in her condition, but she would do what ever was necessary
to protect the child they had created.

Ivy pulled back from Benjamin and wiped her tears away. “From now on,” he
told her, “you are one of my daughters. When all of this is over, you will
live with us as family and we will all be there for this child and for you.”

“Thank you so much for everything Benjamin.” Ivy turned away from him and
looked at Gabriel one last time. She put her fingers to her lips and kissed
then before gently touching them to his lips. “I love you,” she whispered,
before making her way out of the tent.
 
 

Epilogue
 

In the months that followed, Ivy found peace on the small island with the
Martin family. She stopped referring to herself as Ivy Richardson, and went
by Ivy Martin instead.

Her pregnancy progressed without difficulty and it wasn’t long before she
had to fetch Charlotte and Abigail in the middle of the night. The
contractions had begun and the child that she and Gabriel Martin had created
was about to make its entrance into the world.

She followed the instructions that both Charlotte and Abigail gave her and
soon she held a small pink bundle in her arms. She gazed down lovingly at
the child, a small smiling paying at her lips before she looked skyward.

“Here she is Gabriel. This is what we created, this is your daughter.”
A small tear ran down her cheek as she spoke.

“What will you name her?” Charlotte asked, wiping away her own tears.
Ivy looked at Charlotte and smiled a wide, happy smile. “Her name is
Gabriella.”

The End