Willow was thunderstruck.

She hasn't danced for a while now, choosing to abandon the activity she and her sister enjoyed together when Iris's feet abandoned her. No matter how insignificant, it was a form of punishment that kept her calm to some extent, made her feel she was doing something, anything. And then, she willingly took the bait from Jack, pushed aside her self declared punishment and danced for the first time after months.

What a dance it was.

Buried deep in her heart and mind, deep under the pile of guilt and self-loathing; was a part of what Willow used to be prior the accident and it revived. It was like driving a bike, or like a password that was approved in her mind, clicked green and set her free. Even for just a small period of time; few steps of tango mixed with waltz; strong body and hands pressed into her own and she was plunged back in time (ironically enough) and forgot.

Forgot about her problems, about the cruel fate that snatched the life out of her sister thus degrading the life of Willow and her parents to nothing but such of ghosts. Forgot about being stuck in nineteenth century with no idea how to return and just danced.

She hated herself for that, she was indignant at Jack for making her forget. For that reason, her lungs clogged leaving her gasping for breath and as soon as the music announced the end of the dance she rushed towards the balcony. Kissing him on the cheek was unplanned, and only added more weight on her chest. Luckily, Jack was too dumbfounded to follow her.

"Going somewhere, Miss Blackwood?" A voice said, stopping Willow within easy reach to the balcony. Turning towards her left, she noticed a figure stepping out from the darkness. "You decided to replay the well known folk tale, I presume, dancing the night off with the prince and rushing for an escape? Do make sure not to leave a slipper on the stairs, I would appreciate not having you back in our home."

A frown etched in between Willow's eyebrows as her eyes scanned the lady in front of her. From the first time they met, Willow was sure that Lady Collins strongly disliked her but her words dispersed every doubt. However, her flabbergasted state and inability to digest such harsh words disabled her to produce any other response than gaping at Lady Collins with open mouth. The Lady approached her, elegantly and slowly, and menacing smirk on her face raised the situation they were in to such of a hunting for a pray. It was doubtless who the pray was.

"There's another option, however, much more dear to me," she fully approached and, raising one elegant, gloved hand, she slowly closed Willow's mouth. "You could take the alleged prince and disappear into the midnight with him by your side. Make sure not to leave breadcrumbs."

"Excuse me?" Willow uttered in disbelief, narrowing her eyes at alleged Lady. She was stunned by her words, such harsh words that no aunt should use while explaining her nephew.

"Oh, you are most definitely excused Miss Blackwood," Lady Collins beckoned not meeting Willow's eyes. She glanced around the ballroom with such disregard, as if Willow wasn't even worth her attention. "However, allow me to grant you an...,"she paused as if searching for right words. Though breathtaking, the smile she pulled on her lips was menacing and her eyes twinkled in anything but a good feeling when she finally glanced at Willow. "...an advice. Abandon your goal to trick Emmett into marriage. Your intentions are clear as day to me, and I would not allow my father's wealth or esteemed name to perish in the hands of the likes of you, and my nephew of course."

"For the advice you are claiming it to be, it sounds awfully like a threat," Willow finally controlled herself and managed to contort her face into a mask of coldhearted charade, the real mask she had on helping in that act. She didn't understand what was Lady Collins actually implying, tough she was sure it was anything but nice. However, Lady Collins didn't even flinch, if anything her smile deepened even more, until it reached a curve that sent chills into Willow's bones.

"After they leave my mouth, my words are yours to adjudicate them. You acquire certain freedom to take them for what you deem them to mean, Miss Blackwood. What represents a mere, kindhearted advice for me, after your personal evaluation it can become much more."

It was doubtless what Lady Collins was trying to convey now. Her words were spoken with such underlining and combining them with her ominous facial expressions, it took Willow mere seconds to understand them. She had watched many movies and read many books in historical fiction to know what "trick into marriage to acquire an inheritance" actually meant.

"I'm afraid I have to disagree, Lady Collins," Willow responded, almost kindly smiling at the lady, but her narrowed eyes spoke different message. "The words are a reflection of the one who spoke them, therefore oneself is also accountable for the result of such evaluation. Contrary to your opinion I'm not so stupid not to understand what you implied. But don't worry, Lady Collins, my intention is not to compromise anyone in order to marry wealthy."

In the corner of her eyes Willow spotted Jack brushing past them towards the balcony door, tough he seemed too captured in his own thoughts to notice the verbal battle she and Lady Collins lead. As her eyes caught a glimpse of his awestruck expression, memories of their dance replayed in her head lie a well known movie scene. Something fluttered in her stomach, something prohibited that Willow told herself to be some bug she caught during her time travel, and nothing else.

"For your sake, I sincerely hope so," Lady Collins retorted finally, snapping Willow from her daze. Following her line of sight, the former added: "And keep that boy at the distance, he had been nothing but trouble since he was born." Connecting her eyes with Willow's again, she smiled - almost sincerely - and continued: "Now that, Miss Blackwood, is truly an advice."

Lady Collins kept her eyes on Willow's just enough to let her words produce the desired effect, bowed slightly and turning on her heel disappeared among the crowd. The air Willow needed few moments ago before she ran into Lady Collins's tongue was now crucial. She practically dashed outside, her lungs able to take in and let out the air freely at last. 

She glanced around the backyard, for the moment forgetting about spiteful words she received seconds ago and got lost in the beauty of the nature. Soft breeze traveled in her way, like it knew its hands were needed and played with Willow's hair in soothing way. The lake twinkled in the moonlight, dancing with countless stars and sending comfort to Willow. The nature was her friend tonight, Willow concluded, it was warm and caring for her tormented soul. 

After her mind calmed a bit, her eyes searched the backyard on their own account. It was doubtless who were they searching for, and she finally spotted him marching towards the left side of the mansion. His silhouette was shaped out of different shades of dark, and soft moonlight that bathed him allowed Willow to se how hurried his steps were. Without pausing to think, she carefully followed him.

Jack had promised her that they were going to discuss their plan at the ball, but no matter how many times Willow brought it up he always evaded. Deciding to take the matter in her hands, Willow rushed forward. A shadow was lurking amongst the bushes that rounded the lake on the west side of the backyard, and joining Jack, they both continued their march farther from the house. Willow cursed for obliging to wear a corset this evening, which disabled her from running as fast as she wished. Furthermore, combining with the long dress that was hell-bent on making Willow break her neck, and slippers that could probably pass as the most uncomfortable shoes on this side of the universe by the time she reached a construction that looked like a stable Willow was panting for breath.

Unfortunately, as soon as she reached the stable, the two men Willow was following had already mounted their horses and took off towards the forest. Bursting into the stable and scaring the horses in the process, she frantically searched for something she could wear that wasn't so dead set on tripping and decelerating her. Scanning the stable, Willow did a little happy dance when she spotted a pair of pants hanging off the wall in the corner of the room. Deeming they belonged to men who worked in the stables, she quickly picked them up and pulled them on, raising her dress upwards as well. Spotting a white shirt, Willow decided to abandon her dress completely - no matter how small part of her heart twitched in discomfort as the soft, silk gown fell onto the dirty floor - and fiddled with the corset.

Willow was a proud record-holder of ''The fastest dressing-up'' category, proclaimed by her parents and sister back when she first started high school. She valued her appearance, but the make-up she secretly loved had nothing on her love for sleep, and after years of attending school Willow had acquired an ability to pull on clothes and snooze in the same time. Considering the snoozing would quickly turn into all out sleeping, she would have approximately two minutes to dress and be on her way, which had made her a professional. 

However, she never had to deal with pesky things like a corset.

''Ma'am,'' a voiced called out from behind her and Willow yelped in surprise. Whirling around, she spotted a man standing hesitantly on the threshold, staring at he in surprise. However, after the last traces of surprise left Willow's mind she quickly rushed towards him.

''Thank God,'' she breathed out, and as soon as she reached him Willow turned her back to him. ''Quickly, untie me.''

Few seconds passed and the man's hand didn't even flinch, lost in the shock of the preposterous thing the lady in front of him was ordering him to do. Willow huffed in impatience, urging him to hurry up with a notion of her hand.

''Come one, I'm kind of in a hurry here!''

''But Ma'am,'' the servant managed to compose himself just enough to reason with her, ''it's inappropriate. Maybe I should call fo-''

''Ain't nobody gotta time for propriety,'' Willow groaned in a very unlady-like fashion, quickly turning into the closest to the ghetto girl she could get. Patience was definitely not her best asset, especially when those who she chased were advancing farther, and her chances of following them growing thinner. "Just cut it or something."

The servant hesitantly obeyed and cut the strings, allowing Willow to finally take a proper breath after the torture that corset was. Surely that must be some kind of punishment for women in those times, it's illogical that anyone would submit themselves to that just to look pretty. Willow was thankful that she at least decided to keep her own bra on, and quickly pulled the white shirt on. Tying it on her stomach to prevent its size bothering her, she turned towards her rescuer.

"Whew," she breathed out, grinning. "Now that's much better. Thank you."

The servant looked young, perhaps her age. His baby blue eyes and blond hair combined with soft blush on his cheeks into enveloping him in innocent aura, tough he was tall and lean, almost muscular. Without loosing any more time, Willow stepped towards the horses pulling the servant with her.

"I could use your help with one little thing, tough."

The servant glanced from horses towards Willow, and cocking his head left he narrowed his eyes, understanding the type of help she needed. Willow quickly raised her hands and shook her head in negative manner.

"Whoa, I'm not going to steel the horse, just borrow." After the guy in front of her failed to change his questioning expression or make a move to help her, Willow impatiently groaned. "I swear! Look, if the Richmonds ask anything just put the blame on me, okay? I'll take full responsibility."

The servant finally sighed, concluding that there was no point in rebelling. 

"Attaboy!" Willow grinned wholeheartedly. "Now hoist me up!"

After few seconds of trying to mount the horse for the first time; terrifying minutes of getting used to straddling a living, breathing animal and trying to keep balance without toppling to her own death; Willow was dashing towards the forest in which Jack disappeared earlier (in her mind tough, the horse was barely strutting).

******

It wasn't long until Willow was able to locate Jack and his buddy. The loud quarrel and shouting were heard even from great distance, for their disturbance of the forests calm was unable to ignore. In order to avoid being heard, Willow decided to dismount her horse and tie it on the tree, then swiftly tiptoed towards the voices. Crouching behind a bush she peaked over.

"Finally a man enough to face me, eh?" The blood in Willow's veins froze at that voice. She recognized it immediately, it was embedded deep inside her brain like a sour memory that was too terrifying to chase away. The first day she came to nineteenth century played before her eyes, the fear she felt when that man finally caught her blanketed her, paralyzing her limbs.

Blue Johnny.

"Facing you could hardly qualify as a test of bravery, Johnny," a familiar voice was heard and Willow's body slowly relaxed at its own accord. It was unreasonable, Willow thought, for Jack was no less a criminal than Johnny. If anything, he was much more dangerous. The intelligence and wit he undoubtedly possessed surpassed Johnny's on so many levels, making Jack's movements unpredictable. 

Nevertheless, she felt safer just knowing he was nearby. Stupid hormones!

"However, if it would make you feel better, I shall pretend I was afraid," Jack continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "Here, I'm shivering in fear."

The idiot did as his words announced, making a show of hiding behind a man that was standing besides him. Imbecile! Willow quickly counted the men on the both sides, concluding that Jack was outnumbered. Not gravely however, three more men were standing next to Blue Johnny and there were two men by Jack's side. She recognized them as the ones that were quarreling with Johnny the first day she arrived.

Guided by numerous movies and show she had watched, Willow suspected there would be more Johnny's men present, tough surely hidden somewhere around. 

"Enough with the blabbing," Johnny roared with anger, probably caused by words of one stupid idiot Willow swore to hit in the head. "Got the gold?"

"Got the book?"

Blue Johnny nodded at one his friends, and the latter reached into the sack he was holding, pulling out a...book. Willow assumed that the book was actually a code word, a password of some sort but she was perplexed to be wrong. Blue Johnny took the infamous object in his hands and waved it towards Jack, smirking.

''Oh I got the book,'' he said, snickering to himself. Willow noticed Jack exchanging a look with his friend, a look that meant to prepare for trouble. ''Now, I was thinkin'-''

''Such an accomplishment!''

''I was thinkin','' Johnny pressed, seething but trying to ignore Jack's input, ''tis book must be worth a lot for you to pay that amount of gold.''

''Haven't you heard that the books themselves are a treasure,'' Jack retorted quickly, tough something changed about his demeanor. No matter how hard he tried to pretend to be fully relaxed, the way his eyes scanned every person standing on Johnny's side betrayed him. Only to a close observer however, his devil-may-care smile was rather persuasive.

''What I want to say is the we want more gold for it,'' Johnny finally declared his intentions, his hand flying to rest on his right hip. Willow strained her neck in order to discern the thing that was hanging off his belt, and an inaudible sigh left her mouth when she spotted a gun. Her ears became deaf to everything around her, her eyes glued on the weapon Johnny was gripping.

Their shouting tried to penetrate the wall fear built around Willow's ears, but all she could hear was a muffled noise. Willow had overlooked the chances of them being armed with firearms, and she cursed herself for not seeing the obvious. Trying to compose herself and think of a plan she forced herself to breathe in and out deeply.  Her eyes concentrated on Jack, seeking comfort, assuredness that nothing will happen, something he was unable to give her.

She found him shouting, reaching for his horse that was tied on a tree behind him and pulling out something that looked like a sword.

And then all the hell broke loose.