AN: THANKYOU TO EVRYONE WHO HAS READ SO FAR!! I really appreciate you guys! I know tha I promised to be more frequent with my reviews but I got caught up in another story which I was working on. I want to stress that I really appreciate my readers!! Please don't loose interst!!

As her relationships with two of her cousins began to grow and develop, it seemed that the exact opposite was happening between Fanny and Edmund. Edmund was now the parson and was completely devoted to his task! The time that they spent together was limited to family meals and Sunday services. Fanny could recall the bond that they shared in childhood. He was the only one who had ever understood her or cared back then. But now…now things had changed. Tom and Julia cared for her, they loved her and she loved them as well. Now she could honestly say that she was part of a family. The only aspect of this that Fanny disliked was the unfortunate fact the Maria was not there. Fanny felt almost as though she had usurped her cousin and taken her position of sister, friend and Daughter.

The Bertrams all treated her with love and respect. They seemed to all have gained a new sense of appreciation for Fanny and she in turn had gained some understanding of her relations. As Tom's health continued to improve, the Bertrams began to spend an increasing amount of time together. In the past she used to positively dread the evenings in the drawing room but now she looked upon them with giddy anticipation. In stead of having to sit alone working on embroidery or reading to her aunt, Fanny could now freely converse with her cousins.

It was on one such an evening that Fanny began to perceive the magnitude of the rift between her and Edmund. Mr. Hindly had been invited over for supper. At the dinning table he had been placed next to Edmund. The pair had talked incessantly during the whole meal. On few occasions that Edmund had turned to her and addressed her .yet Most of the time all he required was for her agreement on a point had made.

That evening Fanny went to bed with a renewed perspective on things. For so long she had yearned to garner Edmund's affections, his heart. But as she lay on her bed she was struck with the thought that perhaps Edmund would never love her in the sense she had previously hopped for. And perhaps it was for the better. Fanny could see that she had built up an illusion in her mind of who Edmund was. She had taken his acts of kindness and foolishly romanticized him as a white Knight come to save her and win her heart. But now that there was nothing to "save" her from she was afforded a clearer picture of the way things stood; of who Edmund was.

The next morning, Fanny was out in the garden seated under her favorite tree penning in her dairy. She was so engrossed in her task that she didn't perceive her cousin walking up to her.

"Fanny"

"Huh? Oh Tom you startled me!" She said sheepishly.

"Sorry" he said taking a seat beside her. Pointing at her diary he asked. "What are you writing about? I hope that it's not a lot of trumpery about the weather. In my experience women who spend an excess of two lines describing the weather have not an ounce of sense in their heads." He said smiling.

"And as a result those women are top on your list of possible brides." Fanny countered in a mock matter of fact voice.

Tom was silent for a moment but then burst out in uproarious laughter. Seeing that she had not offended him Fanny joined in.

It surprised Tom at times that his cousin actually had a sense of humor. In the past she had always seemed too dull and stiff to ever have an amusing thought. Now as he sat on the bench with her, he could say that she was truly droll.

"You know you can be quite cruel at times, honest but cruel." Tom said with a smile.

"It's a good thing then that you are quite impervious to any of my acerbic comments" She answered trying not to giggle.

Laughing Tom said "So exactly what do you write about Fanny? It has been a mystery that I have pondered over. In my experience, which of course has been limited to interactions with silly girls ; women tend to write about their feelings and their fashion, but the problem is that you Fanny are a level headed girl who has a lot of sense."

"I write about my feelings like any other member of my sex."

"Now you lie with ease like every other member of your sex. You Fanny are much too observant to focus your musings on your self. You most assuredly take down a thorough summary of the days events. In fact I would wager that you have kept a keen eye on our Julia and Mr. Hindly. Aye" he said wagging his eyebrows.

"Julia and Mr. Hindly? But why would—"

"Oh don't tell me that you are as blind as that my dear." Tom said eyeing her curiously.

"Blind to What? Julia and Mr. Hindly are good friends; it's quite natural that they bonded over your sick bed."

"But I'm not ill anymore yet Mr. Hindly frequents our home just as if not more that before."

"Well that does not—" that very moment Julia made her way around the corner.

"Oh Fanny ! I'm so glad I found you. I need to have a word with you" She looked at Tom. " Privately"

Without hesitation Fanny quickly made her way to Julia's side. The two walked out in the direction of the house leaving Tom alone on the bench. Tom sat quietly until he noticed a piece of paper at his feet. In her rush Fanny must have dropped it, he thought as he picked it up.

He unfolded it, his eyes skimming over it. 'My dearest Fanny' who would refer to Fanny as such he asked himself. As he continued to read Tom was quite confused but the missive. Henry apparently still loved Fanny. But that could not be since the man himself had told Sir Tom that he had no interest in her.

At that very moment Julia and Fanny were walking arm in arm. Julia had been considerably quiet for someone who needed to talk. Fanny could tell that there was something troubling Julia.

Suddenly Julia stopped and took Fanny's hands in her own. Fanny peered at her cousin's face. She could not quite decipher that look. Julia looked almost jubilant yet there was a hint of nervous apprehension mixed in.

"Fanny" Julia began. "I have some news t impart to you. I'm sure that this will not come as much of a surprise to you but I suppose that I must tell you my self." She took a deep breath and continued. "Over the past few weeks Mr. Hindly and I have formed an attachment. I believe that I fell in love with him from the very first moment I laid eyes on him. I can not explain it but by some miracle he feels the same way about me. I never thought that I could be any happier until last night. After we had dinned I went out side to get some air. Charles, Mr. Hindly joined me out on the terrace. At first we were conversing about the stars and then… He asked me to marry him! "

Fanny was shocked beyond words. Tom had been right! But what was more Julia was engaged! All she could think to do was hug her.

"Can you believe it? Soon I will be blissfully employed in the state of matrimony! Mrs. Hindly." Julia said dreamily.

"I'm so happy for you Julia" Fanny said earnestly. "But in all honesty I had no idea that you and Mr. Hindly were attached. All of this comes as a pleasant surprise to me."

"Really? I was positively certain that you knew."

The two resumed their walk. "Well I'm glad that you know for you are my dearest friend. In fact, you were the first person I thought of telling last night."

Fanny smiled. "Dose uncle tom Know?"

"Not yet But Charles will pay him a visit tonight."

Fanny was delighted for her cousin. Julia deserved to find love. And as far as she was aware Charles Hindly was a good man.

True to his word Mr. Hindly came to the house that night and made his intentions known to Sir. Tom. Uncle Tom needless to say was very pleased with his daughter's choice. He even went as far as to say that he could not have asked for a better man to wed his daughter. Julia and Charles insisted that their wedding be a small affair but Sir. Tom would not hear it. He asserted that he would give his daughter away in style. After arguing at length and in vain, a compromise was reached. Although the wedding would be small with less than fifty people from the e parish in attendance, Julia would go to London to buy her wedding clothes. It was decided that fanny and Aunt Norris would accompany Julia.

TBC-- So what do you think?