"How dare you kiss me. How dare you come back on the eve of my wedding to another man. How dare you say that you love me. How dare you kiss me." Christy shouted to be heard over the pouring rain as she stared tears streaking down her face at Neil.

"You wanted me to come back AFTER you were married and tell you how I felt?" Neil quipped.

Christy sharp answer held on her tongue. "HOW DARE YOU TELL ME HOW YOU FELT! WHY NOW! WHY NOT THAN!" She screamed frustrated to no end. "I finally decided on marrying David and being happy with David. I - I have put you out of my heart Neil McNeill." Christy spit out.

Neil crossed the few steps that it took to reach Christy. "No you haven't. If you had than my kiss inside the cabin would have meant nothing to you." He smiled softly. "You wouldn't have slapped me."

Christy knew he was right but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of admitting her uncertain of her upcoming wedding to David Grantland. She turned suddenly and fled down the steps and into the storm.

"CHRISTY! COME BACK HERE CHRISTY!" Neil shouted as he watched Christy run into the woods. He sighed hugely and rushed to the door and grabbed his jacket from the hook and jerked it on as he ran down the steps on the up tempt of following the twenty year old woman into
the storm.

Christy ran and ran knowing that Neil was right behind her. She didn't know where she was running too all she knew was that she had to leave Neil to try to short out her confusion. Suddenly her foot slipped in the wet mud and she feel down the steep hill hitting her
head on an rock.

"CHRISTY! CHRISTY!" Neil shouted. He stopped and looked around him. He looked down and saw Christy's slid marks and he rushed to the edge of the cliff. His heart stopped at the sight of Christy lying face down on the ground. "CHRISTY!" He shouted.

"Neil!" Christy murmured loudly.

"I'm coming down." Neil went to the spot where he could slid down safely and he was soon on solid ground and rushed to Christy's side. "Christy. Oh Christy." He murmured as he placed an hand on her head.

Christy brought her head up and moaned. "Neil."

"It's all right. I have you. Does anything hurt?" Neil asked.

"My head, my ribs, my ankle, my arms." Christy replied.

Neil wrapped his arms gently around the young woman and gently lifted her into his arms. "I have to get you back to the cabin; than I can see about bandaging you up."

"I'm sorry." Christy murmured as she placed her wet head against his wet jacket.

"It's quite all right Christy." Neil said softly. *This is all my fault. I knew how Christy would react to my professing of love. I shouldn't have done it knowing an storm was on it's way.* He
thought as he made his way back up the hill.