I love the inventive stories that keep this pair fresh. And then there was this line that made the whole chapter, "All the while, she pretends his hands are smooth."

Perfect.

this really is one of the best fanfics I've ever read. It broke my heart bit by bit the more the story advanced. Thank you for this wonderful story.

'Enjoy' is too simple a word to express my feelings upon reading this.

Thank you. It was just... so accurate.

Thank you.

He didn't write. I knew he wouldn't but still.

I loved that the little girl was named Elsie and shared her favorite song. I loved Peter, though my heart ached for him. He has a lot of his mother in him to be so astute. Poor boy.

Beautiful job!

One word - sequel?

This was so wonderful.

Yes. I can't say I like it because it's not about that. It's made me forlorn, like a laura marlin song, so I think it's expressive and meaningful but I need cheerfulness and fulfillment now. I think i can imagine this life and this person well and that it has happened in a life, to someone, somewhere.

My god, that was amazing. (I really did mutter that aloud.) I would say this would have to make it on my top ten fanfictions. You capture them both so wonderfully it's quite haunting at times. I enjoyed the ending, because it wasn't unbelievable. Elsie wouldn't just leave her family, how tempting it was she couldn't have handled the guilt. Charles... Always wanting something out of reach. Just amazing!

Of all of the ff's I've ever read, yours is the first to make me burst into tears. I will not lie and say that I would have preferred an ending with them together but it was still a truly heart wrenching and beautiful story! Please keep writing :)

This epilogue is so beautiful. I love it so much. You've managed to tell Elsie's story through Peter's eyes, grasping her essence. Her son probably knows her more and understands her more than she's ever thought possible. That hole in her life is still there, she's still torn, still somewhere else, but I think it's so perfectly in character for her to train herself to love. And then I was wondering if Charles ever wrote her, but apprently he didn't. Even though it makes me sad (for Elsie), I think it's so Charles not trying to shake her life even more and respect his own place. I'm wondering where he is now. If her entered service in this universe too. Oh and then the ending. Little Elsie is such a cute image, but the song! Somehow, after all this time, Elsie still loves him, but maybe, even more than Charles himself, he loves what he represented. This is so beautiful and perfect.

This is absolutly perfect. It's so them, so in character because Elsie would never really leave and Charles would never really overstep the boundaries. It quite pains me to see her so torn. When she says she's not unhappy, she means the exact opposite, her life feels empty even though there's Joe and there's Peter. And I think the moment she shares with Peter after Charles's left and then with Joe perfectly show how she's trying to get rid of all of her hopes, all of her dreams to just live what she has, trying to appreciate it.

I also love the scene with Charles in the bedroom. They say so little, but their silence speaks volumes and once again you've managed to create a wonderful atmosphere, full of emotions.

I love the way you write. This was executed perfectly. Realistic, painful and slightly charming. Wonderful job. I especially love your characterisation of Joe. As Elsie said, he is a good man.

"I'm not very unhappy."

Thank you for this line. It's about my life, basically.

And I'm not disappointed by the ending. It's heartbreaking, and sad, and oh so UNFAIR, but it's also the way it would have been, had they met in these precise circumstances.

Also, I got a notification yesterday saying that Chapter 7 was up, but it doesn't show: should I be worried?...

This chapter is beautiful and painful and heartrending, and so very natural. Per usual your imagery is wonderful-I love the idea of the earthquake and not knowing what sides, and the continuing use of the roots that tie her to Joe and Peter. They have all made something that they can't quite fix. I think it does all three of them, Joe, Elsie and Charles much credit for how they handle the situation. It was a very complex and tough situation regarding Joe and Elsie in particular but you manage it splendidly.

I am upset for both of them, but not disappointed because it wouldn't be believable for them to go any other way. It just hurts, which means you have written them beautifully and in character. I wonder if Joe can be happy.

It was not at all a dissapointment! The story is still so fascinating and gripping that my head screams "MORE". It really touched my heart and almost made me cry. Perfect.