As he flew through the air, Nick's mind replayed Grace's words over and over. "Come quick, it's bad. She's barely hanging on." Nick had thrown the phone down and without even looking to see if anyone was watching, took off into the sky. Questions filled his mind. What had happened? Who or what had hurt her? He didn't know the answers, yet, but he would. First things first, get to her, let her know he was there, take care of her like she always did of him. Landing on the roof of the hospital, he went down the stairs two at a time. He didn't need anyone to tell him where she was. He could feel her heartbeat, as faint as it was, calling out to him. Running down the hall now, he burst into the room. My God, he thought! It was hard to believe this was Natalie. The figure in the bed looked so small. Her face was bruised and cuts marked her beautiful features. Tubes, IVs, and various other machines were hooked up to her. Running over to him, Grave threw her arms around him.

"Thank God, you're here Nick." She sobbed. "She was calling out for you before they sedated her."

Never taking his eyes off Natalie, Nick hugged Grace tight. "What happened?"

"She was driving home from the conference and lost control of her car. She went over an embankment. They said she was thrown clear, before the car crashed on the rocks below and exploded." At the word exploded, Grace shivered. Nick held her tighter. "They airlifted her here and called the station. Scankie couldn't get a hold of you, so he called me. I rushed right over. When I got here, she was awake and screaming for you. They sedated her to try and keep her calm so they could try and repair the damage."

Nick closed his eyes against the images going thru his mind of Natalie in pain and distress and not being able to help her. The thought of her crying out for him and not being there was almost more than he could handle. How many times over the years had he told her he would always be there for her, that nothing would ever happen to her? And what had happened the first time she really needed him? He had failed her. Like so many other times in the past he had failed someone. However this time, he had failed the one person who meant more to him than anyone had since he lost his mother and sister.

Letting go of Grace he walked over to the bed. Being careful of the needles, he took her hand in his. She was so cold and her skin was so pale.

"Nat, can you hear me?" he leaned over and whispered. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere until you wake up. Because you have to wake up Nat. You have to come back to me. I need you." Leaning down he kissed her temple.

Grace came over and placed her hand on his back. "I'm going to leave you alone now. I think you being here is going to do her more good than anything. Look at me Nick." He turns and looks down at her. "Remember this, Natalie loves you. I know that she never told you that, but she does."

Nick closed his eyes and sighed. "I know she does Grace. She is my best friend."

"Nick Knight if you believe that friendship love is all that she has for you, you are sadly mistaken. That girl is head over heals, 100 in love with you." She turns and leaves the room.

Nick stood for a moment trying to take in her words. Was that true? Did Natalie love him? For so long he had wanted to be able to love her as a mortal man would. Give her all the things she wanted, make all her dreams come true; love her until his last dying breath. But he had held back from let her know how he felt until he was rid of the vampire. He couldn't expect her to really love him the way he was. How could any woman love a monster? A monster that had killed without remorse? No, he knew she cared about him, but loving him was out of the question.

He had a re-occurring fantasy about Natalie and the day that they finally succeed in bringing him back.

"We did it Nat! We did it! It's gone. The vampire is finally gone." Grabbing her, he swings her around.

"I'm so happy for you Nick." Natalie could hardly contain her excitement.

"Happy for us, Nat, for us." He corrected her.

"Us?" She questioned

"Ah, Nat. I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved any woman. I could never tell you before because I was afraid of what the vampire might do if we tried to have a relationship. But now, there is nothing stopping us. We can have that relationship and more." He pulls her close and then a thought occurs to him. Pulling back, he looks down at her and asks, "That is, if you want the same thing?"

"How can you even ask me that? Of course I do. I want to love you. I already care about you so much, that I know in time I will love you."

Pulling her to him, he kisses her………………………..

Now Grace was trying to convince him that Natalie already loved him.