Part One – Audrey's POV – "The Confession"
I fell to my knees at Nathan's side, rocks and sticks tearing at my skin. I hardly felt them because I was too focused on the bright red blood pooling underneath Nathan's body, and on his skin under my hands which was rapidly cooling. I scrambled trying to feel for a pulse but I couldn't find one. My breath was coming in short bursts and stars swam in front on my eyes. No, I thought, No this can't be happening.
"Nathan!" I yelled, starting CPR, I tried to will the life back into his body. Tears started to flow freely down my cheeks when I realized he wasn't responding. I leaned over him and traced my fingertips across the stubble on his cheek, choking back the sobs that threatened to overtake me.
"Nathan," I whispered, "Nathan, please, come back." I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again, blinking back tears.
"You have to come back, Nathan, I can't do this without you, I need you." My head felt heavy so I closed my eyes and lowered it to rest my forehead against his. Images flashed through my mind. The first time I met Nathan, how blue his eyes were when he looked at me and told me I was the only person he could feel….the first time we kissed. In that moment I realized how stupid I had been, pushing Nathan away.
The conversation I had last night with Duke floated through my mind. I had told him that I was done being a martyr and that I wanted to live my life. I cursed myself for going on that trip with Duke because it should have been Nathan. It should have been Nathan helping me discover my past. It should have been Nathan I confessed my feelings too. It should have been Nathan I kissed. I never should have pushed him away because I need him, more than I've ever needed anyone in my life. Something dawned on me in that moment, something that I realized I had been fighting since the moment Nathan and I first met.
I lifted my head searching his face for any sign of life, my tears dripped off my cheeks and splashed against Nathan's lips. I traced them with my fingertips and then leaned down and pressed a light kiss against his mouth.
"Please, Nathan", I whispered, "I love you".
I felt Duke stiffen at my side and then he tentatively put a hand on my shoulder. "Audrey….Audrey he's gone" Duke said, pulling me against his chest as I began to sob uncontrollably. My grief quickly turned to rage and I pushed out of Duke's embrace searching for something or someone to take my anger out on. My eyes met Tommy's and my voice turned cold and emotionless when I asked him:
"What happened?"