A Love until the End of Time
by NiteRose
Copyright 1997

Part 2


		Nat had arrived back at the cottage late in the afternoon. It was too 
late to make any plans for the evening so she decided to stay in and put a 
movie in the VCR. Nat sat down on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in 
her lap. Staring at the TV with unseeing eyes, she replayed in her mind the 
events of the last few days. She kept wording and rewording what she 
would say to Nick when she saw him. She'd tell him what she thought 
about his having her followed, how betrayed she'd felt, how angry she was. 
She'd make it clear to him that he had no right to do such a thing. She'd.....
	A noise from behind her brought Nat back to reality. Looking over 
her shoulder in the direction of the noise, she saw Nick standing there 
smiling down at her. Nat stood quickly, knocking the popcorn to the floor. 
"What are you doing here?" 
"I saw your lights on." Nick said quietly," I've been worried about you." 
"So turning on the lights becomes an open invitation?", Nat asked angrily. 
"I'll thank you kindly to please leave. I don't want you here." Nat said icily 
as she began picking up popcorn and returning it to the bowl. "I would 
have imagined Mark had told you that."
"I'm sorry, Nat", Nick said as he walked over to help her.
Nat looked up at him. "Sorry won't work this time Nick." She was hurt and 
angry. "You had no right."
"I know, and I'm sorry. I was worried about your coming here alone. I only 
did it because I care about you." Nick started to explain.
"Care?", Nat interupted. "You have me followed like a criminal because 
you care? I'm sick to death of hearing about how you care. Nick, you had 
no right. We are not married, we're not even lovers. You don't OWN me."
	Nick stood there looking as if he had had the wind knocked out of 
him. "You're right." he said sadly, "I don't."  Nick turned and left as quickly 
as he had come. Nat stood there for a moment, too stunned to move. She 
hadn't expected him to give up so easily. She stood there looking at the 
empty place where he'd been standing only a few minutes before.
 *		*		*		*		*
	"I don't want you here!"
The words echoed through Nick's mind. He never expected to hear that 
from Nat. The words had burned through him more painfully than anything 
he had ever experienced. How could he let her go? He didn't own her, but 
she was his, whether she knew it or not. He didn't want anyone else. He 
could almost hear LaCroix laughing, telling him that Natalie was only a 
mortal, and not worthy of Nick's concern. "Love is a mortal emotion." 
LaCroix would say, "We are above all that."
	Nick walked slowly down the beach to his cottage. He thought 
about the others he had loved and lost. "It's not going to happen again." he 
said out loud," I won't let it!"  He was forming a plan in his mind to win 
Nat over.  Suddenly he knew what he had to do. It wouldn't be easy, but he 
had to try. Nick turned and headed for town. It was late but he was sure he 
could get what he needed.
	Nick arrived at the florist shop just as the owner was locking up. 
Stepping in front of him, Nick asked him if he could reopen the shop, if 
only for a few minutes. The owner looked up at Nick, planning to explain 
that it was late and his wife would be waiting for him. His eyes met Nick's 
and in a few moments they were both in the shop.
*		*		*		*		*	
	Nat felt empty inside. She wished she could take back the words. "I 
don't want you here!"  Why had she said that? It wasn't true, she did want 
him there. She had been angry. Nat remembered the hurt look on his face. 
She never meant to hurt him. She just lashed out, not thinking of what she 
was saying or the effect it would have.
	Nat turned off the TV, and walked into the bedroom. Slowly she 
moved toward the balcony. The stars were out and there was a large full 
moon shining. It was a beautiful, romantic night. Looking in the direction 
of the other cottage she whispered, "Nick, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. 
Please come back."   
	Nat sighed and turned from the view. Walking across her bedroom, 
she lay down on the bed and tried to sleep. Thoughts of Nick raced 
through her mind. "If only he'd have come with me in the beginning.", she 
thought. "This never would have happened."  
*		*		*		*		* 
	Nat woke before dawn with the erie feeling that someone was 
standing next to her bed. Slowly opening her eyes, she found the room 
empty. As she sat up in bed, her hand brushed across something lying on 
the blanket. It was too dark to see what it was, so she reached over and 
turned on the light. There on the bed was one perfect red rose. Tied to the 
long stem was a card that read, "Nick." 
	Nat held the rose up to her cheek. It was lovely, but what did it 
mean. Was he moving on?  Was he trying to tell her goodbye?  She gently 
laid the rose on the table next to the bed and flung off the blanket. Nat 
sprang out of bed and hurriedly dressed. Grabing her hat and shoes she 
raced off in the direction of Nick's cottage.
	Running down the beach she reached the cottage. She nearly 
tripped trying to take the stairs up to the cottage two at a time. 
Breathlessly, she knocked on the door, no answer. She reached above the 
door where Mark had kept the key, and used it to let herself in. Looking 
around in the semi-darkness she realized that she was alone. Nick wasn't 
here. It was daylight, where was he?  
	Nat walked into the kitchen and saw the box of now empty bottles. 
He had been here, but how long ago? Sadly she looked around the house 
one last time. He was gone, she'd told him that she didn't want him here 
and he'd left. Nat walked back into the living room. "It's your own fault." 
she said, "You told him to leave."  Nat let herself out and closed the door 
behind her. Slowly she descended the stairs and walked back to her own 
cottage. 
	Opening the door, she walked inside and sat on the couch. She 
looked around the room. Popcorn was still scattered across the floor. 
Absent-mindedly she kneeled down and began cleaning up the remnants of 
last night. In her mind she replayed the events of the night before.  "You 
did the right thing." she told herself, "He was wrong, he had no right to 
have you followed. He doesn't own you." 
	"Then why do I feel so hollow ?" she asked out loud. Nat put the 
bowl back on the table. "I'll just have to face it. He's gone, that's all there is 
to it. He moved on, he doesn't need me anymore."  Nat stood up and 
walked to the kitchen. She began going through the motions of a normal 
day. She made herself some coffee and took the mug out onto the balcony.  
"I'll just start my vacation over again, put all this behind me." she said, 
matter of factly and sat down in one of the lounge chairs. A tear ran down 
her cheek, as she reached for the novel she had been reading. 
*		*		*		*		*
	Nat spent the day trying to keep herself busy. She didn't want to 
think about what it would be like to never see Nick again. It took her all 
afternoon to finish one chapter of the book. Her mind kept wandering back 
to Nick. "This is ridiculous.", she said, and put down the book. She stood 
up and stretched. Walking back into the house, she went to the kitchen and 
made herself a light supper. Taking it into the living room, she settled down 
on the couch and turned on the TV. Nat yawned. She had not slept well 
last night and it was catching up with her. Nat closed her eyes, and when 
she opened them again the movie had finished and it was dark in the 
cottage. 
	She sat there for a minute, trying to remember where she was, 
when she heard a noise. It sounded like music, but where was it coming 
from? The TV screen was full of static. Nat reached for the remote control 
and turned the television off. The music was still there. Then she heard a 
man's voice. He was singing. Nat got up to investigate.
	The sound was coming from her bedroom. She cautiously moved 
toward the doorway. Looking around she saw only an empty room. Where 
was the sound coming from?  Nat walked into the room. The music was 
outside. Walking towards the sound she reached the balcony. The sound 
was coming from the garden below. Nat walked out onto the balcony. She 
looked over the edge and saw Nick standing in the garden. 
	Nick stood there looking up at the balcony. The moon shone on his 
face and Nat saw him smile. His eyes met hers and he began to sing.
 "I love you with a heart that knows no one but you,
A love I never thought I'd find.
A love that comes just once and never comes again,
A love until the end of time.
I'd give you all the love I have in me to give,
If I could only make you mine.
I love you with a love I've never known before,
A love until the end of Time."
	Nat stood on the balcony with tears in her eyes. She'd only dreamed 
of hearing him say those words. Here he was singing of his love for her. In 
an instant he was standing next to her on the balcony. Taking her in his 
arms he gently kissed her tear stained face. " I love you Nat." he whispered. 
Nat reached up and put her arms around his neck. "I love you too Nick. I 
think I always have." 
	Nick smiled and drew her closer. As their lips met he whispered," 
I'll always love you Nat. Until the end of time."


END