Summary: Amy locks herself in her art studio after her insecurity gets the best of her.
Pairings: Laurie Laurence x Amy March
Warnings: Insecurity, Jealous, Angst with a Sweet Ending
Requested: @amylxxry Dialogue Prompt 2.10, "Don't shut me out."
Amy didn't know how it even happened.
She'd been enjoying the afternoon with her family, Daisy was sitting next to her as she attempted to show her how to draw her namesake. Meg and John were in deep discussion with her parents. Beth was sitting at the piano playing a sweet, little melody that Laurie had brought over for her.
It wasn't until she looked over at her beloved husband and saw him laughing with her sister that the familiar loneliness that she'd experienced as a child reappeared. She was so tired of feeling like an outsider or the excess to their relationship. When she looked at them, she saw how happy they were together and remembered that Jo would always be Laurie's first choice. Amy's hands shook as she attempted to keep her composure.
She'd managed to keep everyone fooled through their departure that was full of well-wishes and hugs. It had been late when they'd returned and Laurie had gone straight to bed. No, it wasn't until Laurie mentioned that he was going over to help Jo at the school over breakfast that Amy felt her walls begin to crack.
Looking at him, she realized that he must not even realize the way that he talks about her, full of nostalgia and wistfulness. Amy forced her lips together in a tight line as she stood from the table.
"Excuse me," she said toward the two men in front of her, "I have a project I'd like to get started on."
She didn't wait for a response before she rushed toward her safe space. The art room was something that Laurie had insisted that she do when she moved into the house. It was decorated by her, designed for her own personal use, and her private room.
Crossing the threshold, she turned the lock that she'd put on the door. The two Laurence men had a tendancy to walk in unannounced while she was painting and cause her to jump, the lock had been the solution.
Amy leaned against the deep windowill, bracing herself on her arms as she rested her head against the window. She let out a shuddered breath as the tears began to fall, unwelcome, down her cheeks.
The door vibrated with a soft knock and Laurie's voice was gentle, "Amy?"
She muffled a sob with her hand, "Yes?"
Her eyes squeezed shut as her voice broke at the end of the word. It was a dead give-away to her husband who immediately tried to twist the door knob.
"Amy, please let me in," Laurie's voice asked.
She shook her head. The insecurity had a tight-grip around her heart and she didn't have the energy to fight for it back.
"Shouldn't you be leaving? I'm sure Jo is waiting for you," her voice came out hard and bitter.
The air stilled into complete silence as her words reached his ears. "Amy," Laurie's voice sounded broken, "Where is that coming from?"
"It doesn't even matter," she muttered. She'd walked from the window to the door. It's brown wood taunting her with the knowledge of the world that was on the other side.
"It does matter! It matters to me. Would you open the door, please? I'd like to have this conversation and be able to see your face at the same time."
Amy didn't even respond. She couldn't, not as her body shook with sobs at the knowledge of being second to her sister in her husband's eyes. It was unbarable.
"Amy, please-" Laurie was cut off as one of her cries came out slightly louder than she'd intended.
A soft thud vibrated through the door as Laurie rested his head against it, "Please, don't shut me out."
They both stayed quiet, the silence only broken by the sound of Amy's muffled sobs. Amy jumped at the sound of a hard thud against the door. It bounced as if hit by something hard.
It only took a few seconds for it to happen again and a few seconds more for Amy to realize what was happening.
"Laurie?" She questioned.
"I absolutely refuse to be stuck on this side of the door while my heart is breaking on the other side. Either you come open this door or I'm breaking it," his voice resolute.
She paused in shock and in that pause another hard thump sounded against the door. More shocked than anything else, Amy hurried to the door and turned the lock. The door opened the second the lock retreated from it's secured position.
Amy didn't have time to breathe before Laurie's arms were wrapped around her tightly and his mouth was resting on her head. His warmth brought a fresh set of tears and Amy turned her head so that she was crying into his shoulder, hidden from his view.
"My Love, how could you be as silly as to think that I'd rather be with Jo?" Laurie mumbled into her hair.
"You were so vibrant around her yesterday. She was your first choice, Laurie! How could I ever compare to your first love?" She spoke into his chest, her voice muffled by the fabric and thick with her tears.
Laurie was rubbing her back soothingly, "You can't compare to my first love."
She froze, so she was right all along. She fought to release herself from him but he pulled her closer to him.
"My Lady, you can't compare because you are my first love. What I thought was love with Jo is something that I can now recognize as nothing more than brotherly fondness. I recognize the difference because you taught me what love is, with your passionate opinions and very, tiny feet." Laurie pressed a small kiss to her hair.
"Jo's never had my heart, Amy. It's only ever been there for you to hold," his words and his soothing motions eased the ache in her.
She pulled her face from his shoulder and tilted it up to look at him. His face twisted into a devastated expression when he saw her flushed face still cloudy with tears.
"How can you be sure?" She asked him.
His eyes softened and he reached up to push a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "It's quite simple, I couldn't love anyone else as completely as I love you."