Hi!  This is my first attempt at “Little Men” fan-fiction but this has been rolling around in my head and I felt I needed to tell it.  There might be a few mistakes with the timelines and whatnot so I apologize ahead of time.  There is a bit of a disclaimer at the end dealing with that.  So, please read on and I hope you enjoy it! ~ Maggie

Nick Riley sat at the large kitchen table, evening cup of coffee in hand, enjoying the settling silence that was enveloping Plumfield.  He heard the footsteps of the estate’s owner fall upon the back stairs as she joined him for a few moments alone before going to bed.
            “Remind me we need to order more bed linens from Mr. Gerson on Monday.  I enjoy Saturday nights as much as the children but they ruin so many pillowcases in the process.” Jo Bhaer seated herself across from her caretaker, friend and relatively recent beau and sighed.
            Nick grinned and poured her a fresh cup.  “I’m gonna need some more feed anyways.  We’ll go in the early afternoon and maybe stop by the pond afterwards?”  He handed Jo the cup, a blush gracing her cheeks as his last comment was accompanied with a suggestive tone.
            “That would be nice,” she answered quietly and sipped the hot liquid.  They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the need for words between them not being necessary.
            Jo, eventually sensing the lateness of the hour, yawned and set the cup to the side.  “Tired?” Nick asked tenderly.  Jo’s response was a simple nod and another yawn.
            “Yeah, I should probably go anyways.”  Nick stood, gathering the cups and placing them into the washbasin.  Jo followed behind him with the coffee pot and after returning it to the stove, was enveloped by Nick in a gentle hug.  She sighed contently and was about to excuse herself to go to bed when a knock at the front door startled them both.
            “Expectin’ someone?”  Nick asked.
            “No, no one.”  Jo was suddenly wide-awake.  She wove her way through the house to the front with Nick close behind.  “Who is it?” she asked as she approached the door.
            “Jo, it’s me, Laurie,” came the response from the other side.
            “Laurie?” Jo’s surprise was not hidden as she opened the door to reveal her brother-in-law.  “What are you doing here?”
            “I know it’s late Jo, and I’m sorry, but I’ve got some rather bad news. – Maybe we should go inside.”  Laurie fidgeted as he spoke.
            Jo nodded, slightly confused and concerned, and led the two men into the parlour.  “I think you should sit down, Jo.”  Laurie stood in front of her, urging her into one of the wing-backed chairs.
            “What is wrong?”  She was becoming tense but obeyed and took a seat.  Nick hovered beside the two, exchanging worried glances with Jo.
            “Jo,” Laurie paused for a few moments, “I hate to be the one to tell you this,” he sighed as he tried to muster up the courage.  “Father Lewis came by earlier this evening.  He had just been at Orchard House and Jo—I am so sorry.  Your father died this afternoon.”  Laurie hung his head in a sorrowful shame.
            Jo sat in silence as she allowed the news to sink in.  Nick stood back, ready to offer whatever comfort and condolences he could but knowing what she needed was her own space to deal with the upsetting turn of events.  She finally stood, her face showing signs of the anguish she wasn’t quite prepared to release.  “I’ll go get my things,” she said quietly but firmly and walked out of the room.

            “What happened?” Nick asked after Jo was upstairs and out of earshot.
            “Father Lewis said it must have been his heart.  He had been sitting in the parlour, reading, and had fallen asleep.  Mrs. March went to awaken him for supper when she realized that he was gone.  He went peacefully, though.”
            Nick nodded and looked in the direction of the stairs.
            “She is a very strong woman, Nick.  Jo likes to handle things like this on her own.”
            “Yeah, I know,” Nick agreed, disappointed.  He longed to help her, to do anything, but he knew that Jo would probably turn down his attempts.
            “However, that is her worst fault,” Laurie added offhandedly.  Nick looked back at him questioningly.  “She has never been one to share her feelings, especially those of grief.” Laurie continued, “She bottles them up and those feelings cause her more pain than is necessary.  I suppose her writing has been some source of relief but paper doesn’t offer much comfort.”
            Nick nodded in understanding.  “I’m gonna go see what’s keepin’ her.”

            Jo ran her finger over the velvet-covered book that sat on her nightstand.  Pilgrim’s Progress.  She remembered Marmee giving her and her sisters the novels one Christmas and how the girls had tried so hard to live up to its moral teachings.  “Your father will be so proud of you.”  She could still hear Marmee’s words and she knew that they were true.  “But that doesn’t make this any easier,” Jo mumbled.
            There was a light knock on the bedroom door and Nick slowly appeared from behind it.  “You almost ready to go?”
            “Yeah,” she breathed and quickly surveyed the room to ensure she hadn’t forgotten to put anything into the carpetbag that lay on her bed.  “I think that is it.”
            She picked up the bag and started towards the door.  “If you could get Nat to do some of the teaching on Monday.  He should know where we’ve left off.  Oh, and Tommy has to set the table again tomorrow night.  He didn’t finish his Math homework on time last week,” Jo added as they reached the stairs.
            “Nan has to work for Dr. Pierce on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Make sure she arrives there on time.  Tardiness impresses no one and she has a tendency to always be late.  And Rob has a new storybook he is working on. – Oh my gosh!”  Realization hit Jo as they reached the bottom of the stairs.  She turned to Laurie.  “Rob and Bess.  They need to be told.”
            She moved back up the staircase but Nick gently grabbed her arm.  “I’ll tell ‘em tomorrow morning.  They should sleep now anyways.”
            “And they can join you at Orchard House in a couple of days,” Laurie offered.
            Jo sighed and started for the front door.  Laurie went ahead to place Jo’s things into the carriage.  On the porch Nick held Jo’s hands in his own and looked her straight in the eyes.  “If you need anything, ya know I’m here.”
            She nodded as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.  He gave her hands a quick, comforting squeeze as she stepped down the stairs and was helped into the carriage.  Laurie gave Nick a gracious nod and climbed in afterwards.  The carriage rolled off into the darkness leaving Nick and a burden to bear.

            "You know this type of thing happens, but it is always such a shock," Asia commented the next morning as she busied herself in the kitchen making breakfast.  "Those girls were so close to their father."
            "Laurie said that he wasn't hurtin' any, which I guess is a good thing," Nick replied, taking a bite of one of the buttermilk biscuits.
            "How did Jo take the news?"
            "You know Jo."  Nick shook his head, "She was upset but didn't wanna say anything.  More worried about things going wrong here."
            "Well, at least she'll have time to be with her mother and sisters.  Family's important at times like these."  Asia shoved a fresh batch of biscuits into the oven.  "I'll make 'em some stew and a couple of cakes.  That should tide them over for the remainder of the week."
            "Bess wants to go up to the house sometime soon.  I can take it when I go," Nick offered as he brushed the remainder of the crumbs from his hand into the sink.
            "What about Rob?"
            "Don't think he really understands what's goin' on.  Probably different from when his pa died.  And, 'sides, I think Jo needs the time away.  Let herself grieve without worryin'."  Nick grabbed his hat from the counter.
            "If that's possible," Asia replied.  Nick gave her a knowing glance as he left out the back door to begin the day's work.

            “Ya sure you’re okay, Bess?”  Dan asked as he and some of the other children sat in the schoolhouse.
            “Yes, I’m all right, I guess.  Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.  I’m not exactly sure how to feel.”  Bess played with the frills on the dark blue dress she wore.
            “You feel how you feel.  You can’t change that,” Nat answered.  “I remember when my parents died.  I cried for three days straight.”
            “Yeah, you would,” Emil remarked unkindly.
            “You can’t tell me you didn’t cry, Emil.”  Dan came to his oldest friend’s defense.
            “Actually, I don’t remember that much,” Emil said, suddenly getting quiet.
            “Well, I do,” Nan piped in.  “When my mother died, it was the worst feeling I’ve ever had.”  She sat on the edge of one of the desks.  “My father wasn’t much help either.  He left two days after the funeral and didn’t come home for a month.”
            “But it isn’t my mother or father.  This is my grandfather.  I knew him well, but I think…well, I don’t know what to think,” Bess sighed.
            From the barn, the children suddenly heard Asia’s morning call for breakfast.  “I guess we better go.  With us not goin’ to church this morning, I’m sure we’ll have to start chores early,” Nan grumbled as she leapt from her seat and ran for the door.
            Nat raced to catch up with her but then spun around to face Dan and Bess.  “Just be thankful you got to know your grandfather, Bess.  Not many people do.”  Nat offered her a half smile and turned to join everyone for breakfast.

            Orchard House, although an old house, stood tall and echoed with the years of life and memories that were held tight between its walls.  Inside, those memories were ever greater with pictures and portraits that seemed to line every table.  Jo ran her thumb over a photo of her mother and father that sat in the front hall.  The couple staring back at her was relatively young but the sparkle in their eyes had never changed over so many years.  Of all the delight and pain they had gone through, they always seemed to understand that the days would continue whether one chose to relish that joy and sorrow or not.  Jo smiled slightly as she remembered her father telling her that, ‘Life does not wait for us to decide how to react to it.  We must take what comes, find God’s goodness in it, learn from it and get ready for tomorrow because we will have to do it all over again.’
            The front door opened, startling Jo and she quickly blinked away her forming tears to prevent any breakdown in front of the newly arrived guest.  Laurie poked his head around the doorframe and smiled when he saw Jo.  “I didn’t think anyone would be awake.  You were up fairly late last night,” he said as he shut the door and the two dear friends walked into the adjoining parlour.
            “Amy and Meg are still asleep.  Marmee was awake but I sent her back to her room to rest.”  Jo sat down on the sofa and gave Laurie and weak smile.
            “And what about you, Jo?  Shouldn’t you be resting?  You look exhausted,” Laurie said sympathetically as he sat down next to her.
            “I’m all right.  Besides, there is so much that must be done now.  There is the funeral to arrange, family to contact, Father’s estate to get in order…”
            “I am taking care of that,” Laurie interrupted, “and Father Lewis has already said that he would make most of the funeral service preparations.  There is not much you can do now, Jo.”
            She shook her head and gave a weak laugh.  “There are so many things that I need to be doing, Laurie.  There are three family members in this house that I must take care of.  And the house itself needs to be looked after while Marmee cannot do it.”  Jo turned to Laurie.  “I want to do these things, Laurie.  Really, I do.”
            “But Jo, you need to think of yourself as well.  This is your time to grieve without these unnecessary worries, and if you push yourself too hard you are going to end up doing no one any good.”
            “She is too stubborn to listen to you, my dear Laurie.  I am sure you know that.”  Marmee appeared from the hall, her eyes glistening with the fallen tears of a lost husband.  However, the rest of her face was bright with the prospects of a new day.
            “Marmee,” Jo spoke in a scolding tone, “You should be resting.”
            “I heard voices and thought that my girls were all awake.”  She gave her son-in-law a gentle smile as she sat down in the one of the chairs.  “But a visit from Laurie is just as pleasant.”
            “It is always a pleasure to visit with you, as well, Mrs. March,” Laurie replied grandly.  “I am trying to convince Jo that she needs to rest just as you do.”
            Jo shook her head.  “I am fine,” she said firmly.  Her tone indicated the end of their discussion.  She turned to her mother, “I believe I will make some tea.  Would you like some, Marmee?”
            “That would be delightful.  Thank you dear.”  Jo stood and left in the direction of the kitchen.
            “Arguing with her will get you nowhere,” Marmee spoke matter-of-factly.
            “Yes, I know,” Laurie confessed, “though I had to make an attempt.  She will end up wearing herself out.”
            “Yes, she most likely will.  What we must do is make certain that the right person is there when she does.”

            Plumfield’s dining room table was unusually quiet at evening supper.  The empty seat at the head of the table and the reason for this absence had caused a respectful but sad silence in all of the children.  Neither Nick nor Asia tried to pretend that nothing was wrong or to encourage unresponsive conversation.  “There’s no need to force ‘em,” Asia had commented earlier that afternoon.
            Yet, Plumfield’s youngest, Rob, seemed to be having particular difficulties with the entire situation.  “When is my mother coming home?” he inquired, staring down at his dinner plate.
            Nick looked at Asia, who simply shook her head in remorse.  “Um, I’m not too sure, Rob,” Nick answered hesitantly.  “It all depends on how much time she needs with her ma and sisters.”
            Rob only sighed deeply.
             “Well, Nick is takin’ Bess over to see her mother tomorrow.  Why don’t you go with ‘em?” Asia suggested, trying to sound somewhat cheerful.
             “No, thank you,” he said quietly.  He picked up his plate.  “Can I be excused?” 
            All of the children looked to Nick and Asia, surprised with the young boy’s overwhelming grief.  “Sure ya can, Rob,” Nick complied, uncertain with what else to say.
            Rob got up from his seat and began to take his plate into the kitchen.  “I’ll read ya a story later, if ya want,” Dan called after him.
            Rob disappeared into the kitchen without an answer.  Dan turned to Nick, looking for either an explanation or some reassurance.  “He’ll be alright.  Probably just a little confused,” Nick spoke and then took another hurried bite of food.
            “And some things are just a little too complicated to understand,” Asia added as everyone returned to their meals.

            “Tell ‘em all they need to do is stick it on the stove for a half hour.  It should heat up real well,” Asia instructed Nick as she handed him a pot full of her beef stew.  “And there is a chocolate cake in there for Mrs. Jo.”  Asia handed Bess a basket full of goodies.  “That should brighten her spirits a little.”
            Nick took the bundles and placed them into the waiting wagon sitting outside of Plumfield.  “We’ll probably be back some time tonight,” Nick stated as he walked around the side to help Bess into the wagon.  He strolled over to Asia.  “It’ll give Bess a chance to be with her parents for a while.”
            “Rob still doesn’t want to go?” Asia questioned.
            Nick shook his head.  “He’s shut himself up in his room.  Won’t even talk to me.”
            “Well, I’ll see what I can do this afternoon.  Maybe get one of the children to play checkers with him or somethin’.”
            “Something’s got to work.”  Nick climbed into the wagon.
            “Send everyone our regards.  Tell ‘em we’re thinkin’ of ‘em.”  Asia said as Nick flicked the reins and set the wagon into motion.  She waved after them until they disappeared around the bend in the road and then turned towards the house.  She sighed as she hiked up her skirts and climbed the stairs.  “Somethin’ has to work.”

            The wagon rolled up in front of the large house, the surrounding street oddly quiet for early afternoon.  Nick helped Bess out and then, grabbing the parcels from the back, followed the young girl up the walkway.  Bess gave Nick a worried glance and then knocked on the door, unsure of the state inside.  Much to her relief, Laurie opened the door and Bess fell into her father’s arms.  “How are you doing, Sweetheart?”  Laurie asked as he held his daughter.
            “I’m all right.  How is Mother?”  Bess’s concern was obvious.
            “She is much better.  Not to worry.”  Laurie smiled at Nick as he ushered the young girl into the house.  “Thank you for bringing her.  Amy has been quite concerned about how Bess is dealing with the situation.”
            “No problem.  Had to drop off some food anyways.”  Nick closed the door behind him, noticing the darkness that the house was submerged into.
            “Ah, guests!”  An older voice exclaimed coming down the hallway.  “And delightful ones at that.”  Mrs. March approached her granddaughter.  “My dear Elizabeth.  It is so wonderful to see you.  My, aren’t we turning into quite the beautiful young lady.”
            “Thank you, Grandmother,” Bess said as she was embraced.
            “And Mr. Riley.  I’ve noticed you’ve brought us some necessities.”  Mrs. March began to relieve Nick’s arms of the bundles he was carrying. 
            Meg appeared from the parlour, a wide smile adorning her face when she saw the arrivals.  “It is so nice to see familiar faces.  We’ve had so many people calling, some of which I don’t think we’ve ever met.”
            “But they come with good intentions, my darling,” Mrs. March concluded, handing the basket to her eldest daughter.  “Go on in and sit in the parlour.  We’ll just stick these in the kitchen.”
            Nick followed Laurie and Bess inside and was immediately disappointed to find only Amy sitting there, the rest of the room empty.
            “Mother!” Bess cried as she ran over to sit next to Amy on the sofa.  She was enveloped in a mother’s hug and a look of happiness swept over Amy’s previously saddened face.  Laurie sat on the other side of his wife and daughter while Nick hung back in the doorway.
            “The food looks absolutely delicious,” Meg said as she passed by Nick patting him on the arm.
            “Thank Asia for that.  She spent most of yesterday cooking,” he replied and took a nervous look around the room and down the hallway.  His gaze was met by Mrs. March’s, who merely smiled as she came towards him.
            “She’s upstairs,” the older woman stated, reading Nick’s anxious thoughts.  She looked towards the staircase.  “Go on up.”
            Nick looked at her, his eyes searching for permission.  Mrs. March gave a final nod and she entered the parlour to sit with the remainder of her family.  Nick smiled awkwardly to everyone in the room and turned towards the stairs.  He took an uneasy breath and began the ascent.

            Jo stood in front of an old oak dresser that sat off to the side in the dark bedroom.  She smiled as she remembered the significance of the old trinkets that lay across the top.  A music box that Jo could still hear its tune inside her head, an old hair comb that she and her sisters used to play with, pretending they were going to some magnificent ball.  I am amazed Marmee has kept all of this, Jo thought to herself.  Her eyes then noticed some papers that made the knot in her throat grow ever larger.  “Beth’s sheet music,” she whispered as she picked it up and brushed across the small written notation with her thumb.  She closed her eyes as tears escaped down her cheeks.
            The footsteps at the door may have seemed to go unnoticed by Jo; however, she knew exactly whose they were and because of that she made no attempt to compose herself.  “This was Amy and Beth’s room,” she said after a few moments.
            Nick stepped into the room, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
             “We used to call to each other across the hall each morning, making sure the others were awake.  Amy was the worst.  She would awaken before all of us and it was so hard for her to wait.”  Jo turned around to face him, the papers shaking in her hands.  She sighed.  “Beth died in this room.  I was here.  We talked most of the night; mostly about me and the exciting future I was going to have,” Jo swallowed and shook her head.  “It was a dreadful night.  But I was here.  I got to tell her how much I loved her and to say goodbye.”  She took another shaky breath.  “I was also there when Fritz died.  It was sudden but at least I was by his side when it happened.  I got to say goodbye then too and he knew I loved him.”  Tears were flowing freely at this time.  “But I never got to say goodbye to my father.  I never got to tell him how proud I was even to know him. - I never told him I loved him.”  Jo began to sob, her eyes pleading with Nick to take away the growing pain she felt.  He removed the distance between them, and after taking the papers from her hands, Nick swept Jo into his arms, allowing her to finally express the grief she had been holding in for almost three days.  As she clung to him, her tears staining his shirt, she heard through the choking sobs Nick speaking.  “He knew, Jo.  He knew.”

Part Two

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