Hold My Hand

Oliver Twist

Belle scoffed.  "Don't patronize her, Mother."

Fanny took her book away.  "Look at us."

Jane raised her eyebrows.  "What makes you think you can speak to me this way?"

Elizabeth laughed bitterly.  "Maybe threatening Jack's job because he was training me."

The woman's head snapped to her middle daughter.  "How did you know? Did he tell you?"

The eldest child groaned in frustration.  "You don't even deny it? Mother!"

Fanny smiled proudly.  "We figured it out ourselves."

The Governor's wife chuckled.  "I did what was best for you.  It's abundantly obvious that you don't just think of him as a brilliant surgeon.  You see him as a suitor, a love affair.  Elizabeth, you don't love him.  It's a mindless obsession."

"How would you know? You married Father for money-"

A slap echoed.

Belle and Fanny screamed.  Jane walked out of the room, leaving a shaking Elizabeth.

Belle sighed and brought her younger sister into a hug, Fanny joining in.

Elizabeth sniffled.  Fanny bit her lip.  "Is now a bad time to tell you two that I have a suitor and we are having dinner in honor of him?"

"Fanny!" The brunette hissed.

Elizabeth smiled.  "What's his name."

"Oliver Twist." The redhead answered. 

"Huh, weird name." The strawberry blonde laughed, earning a concerned look from the eldest.

————
Edward ran into Elizabeth's room screaming.  His hand bleeding.  "Um....girls." A finger was almost completely cut through.

Belle screamed.  "What happened?"

"I cut my finger with my bayonet." He answered with a pained tone.

Elizabeth sighed.  "Take your coat off.  We're going to the hospital."

The guard paled.  "We don't have to-"

"Yes we do."  The strawberry blonde snapped.  "Come on."

All three girls ran downstairs, Belle trying to get Edward to look away from his bleeding finger.  They got a carriage and all piled in.

"Oh god.  I'm dying." Edward cried.

"Dear lord." Belle muttered.

Elizabeth grabbed her hanker chief to staunch the blood.  "Calm down, Ed.  I can stitch you."

"That's so gross." Fanny gagged. 

"Quiet, Fan." Her two sisters said in unison.

"I'm gonna die.  I'm dying." The guard fretted.

Belle facepalmed.  "You're not dying, you prat! It's a cut!"

Elizabeth sighed as she tried to staunch the bleeding.  "Edward, stop moving."

The blonde sobbed.

Fanny was still gagging.

The ride consisted of Elizabeth trying to keep everyone calm, Fanny puking out the window, Belle yelling at Edward to shut up, and Edward screaming that he was gonna die.

They finally got to the hospital.  "Belle, take Fanny to the bathroom.  I'll take Edward to the operation room." The middle sister instructed.

Belle nodded, and led her youngest sister to the bathroom.