This is the sequel to Time of the Heart. Delaney finds herself back in her time, with people who aren't strangers to her; but she is a stranger to them. Can love's flame be rekindled? Will Tristan finally find the love he deserves?

A/N Just a note to say mucho gracias to my beta, Ailis70. I couldn't do this without you! Hope this prologue gets your appetites wet for what's to come!

I make no money from this, I own nothing (darn it all) the only thing mine besides Delaney and her sister are the plot and mistakes.

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Heart Of Time

Prologue

He nodded absently at his friend's rambling. Watching the road intently. Denver had been chilly and raining; meaning they would soon run into snow as they got closer to Summit pass and the town of Summit. The night was cloudy and morose. He noticed a vehicle in front of them and slowed. The thought of getting home quickly to a warm house and good beer quickly slowly becoming a non reality. Watching the speeding erratically driven vehicle intently. His gut tightening as he realized that it was an accident waiting to happen. Just then the car went through the guard rail and down the enbankment. He found himself pulling over, hands still gripping his steering wheel thinking "Why does this happen to me?" With a sigh he got out. He looked at the profile of his companion, they both glanced at each other and sighed. He then stepped out of his SUV and made his way to the downed vehicle.

He saw the rumpled wreck. The small Saturn was wrapped around a large tree, luckily the driver's side was still in fairly good condition; he hoped there wasn't a passenger; the person was dead if there was. He managed to pull the door open with the sound similar to a can lid being peeled back. Metal groaning as he unbuckled the woman's seat belt. Blood oozed sluggishly from a split lip. He couldn't tell what other damage there was due to lack of light. He reached in and pressed the latch holding her seat belt. He smelled the air; thankful no sent of gas could be detected. He pulled the woman as gently as he could from the wreckage.

Delaney felt someone pulling her. She looked up. Her car door had been ripped from its hinges and now someone had unbuckled her seatbelt and was pulling her from her car. Her head throbbed. "Leave me alone."

"Look lady, it's snowing out here and you'll freeze to death. You have a possible concussion. So shut up and let me help you." She turned and looked at the man, he had dark hair; she presumed brown and dark eyes. His face, she knew his face. "Tristan?" She gasped.

He pulled back, looking at her. Another image super imposed itself. An image of someone flogging her, at a stone keep. Then just as quickly the image was replaced by him (it had to be him, because he was seeing through his eyes) running down an alleyway in the rain and then having her jump upon him and laughing. He blinked his eyes and looked down at the woman, the cut above the eye, hair haphazardly in disarray about her face and stuck with blood. It had been her. He shook his head, trying to organize his thoughts. He was going crazy.

"Tristan, what's wrong?"

Delaney's ears rang with the sound of the voice, "Lancelot?" She whispered. Her vision going black.

Tristan sighed, as gently as he could he removed her from the car. He made sure her head was as secure as possible underneath his chin and against his shoulder. Lancelot was standing halfway down the embankment watching them. "She has a concussion." Tristan called, "I need the extra blankets from the back of the truck." Lancelot hurried back up to the SUV. He was back down with Tristan holding an armful of blankets. He laid a couple down on the snow and helped Tristan lay the woman on top of them. He had also grabbed a flashlight, he flicked it on and bathed the woman in the bluish light. "She has a split lip, and what looks to be bruising around the face.

"I don't think that's from her accident." Tristan squatted down next to his friend. He then picked up a hand; motioning to her wrist, "Nor this."

Lancelot shook his head, "She has a story to tell." He gave Tristan the flashlight and drew a cell phone from his inside jacket pocket. He punched in the numbers for 911.

Tristan continued to examine the woman; feeling for any broken bones. Even though she was unconcious; when he felt her ribs she inhaled sharply. He piled more blankets upon her and then stood. Lancelot closed the phone and looked over at him. "They said that they are on their way. The paramedics are coming from Summit, won't take them as long to get here. So I guess we wait." He stared at the woman. Something in him stirred, a memory of clasped hands and bent heads. He shook it off. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

"Not my fault that you got a ticket for speeding. I told you that since it was close to the end of the month the cops would be out in full force. You could have just waited at Starbuck's for me."

"I had to stop by the bank and take care of some things." He muttered, still watching the woman.

"I realize that, but so did I, would it have really killed you to wait 20 minutes?" Tristan too couldn't shake the feeling he knew this woman. The images kept repeating themselves but that still didn't explain who she was.

"I guess not, since that's about how long it took for the cop to write the ticket." Lancelot stared at the honey colored hair, fighting to not brush it off the woman's cheek. Why did he want to touch a stranger? Especially one that wasn't going to warm his bed?

"See." Tristan finally turned towards the road; partially to hide his smirk, partially because he was looking for flashing lights or the sounds of sirens in the distance.