Chapter 1

In the wake of what happened to Michael with regards to the death of his wife Stephanie, Devon had also felt the pang of the loss of someone he loved very deeply. Devon knew what Michael was going through, but never could express it out loud. It hurt too much to even say her name. Devon could have been brave and told Michael that he knew exactly what he was going through, but again he chose not to broach the subject. No one knew about his relationship with his one and only true love, his soul mate, except for his best friend, Wilton Knight. Wilton had met her, and he took the information he knew about her to his grave.

The only time that Devon even remotely came close to telling Michael about her was when Michael saw Stephanie for the first time since his identity change. Devon told the story as a half-truth. It was true that he met the girl who was the angel in the white dress at the little café outside of Paris. It was true that their time together was short. What wasn't true was that he didn't call off their relationship, because he was in a dangerous occupation. In fact, at that time, they were engaged to be married. There were times that he would have so called dreams that seemed more like nightmares. They were nightmares because in his dream he was haunted by the idea that he was still living the life that he should have had if she would have survived childbirth. The dream seemed so real. She was with him in the flesh. She aged gracefully as he always thought that she would have if she were still alive. There were times that he would wake up in a pool of sweat, because he didn't want the dream to end. There were times that he would sit up and scream out loud, "She can't be gone."

If anyone heard him, no one said anything to him about it. He knew that someone had to have heard him, but then he told himself that he didn't care who heard him. Maybe it would help if he would talk about her instead of keeping her memory locked inside his mind. He tried to date again, but it wasn't the same. He even thought that he would actually marry again, but he was too slow in getting around to asking the question. Maybe he would never marry again, and it would be all right with him. He was too much of what Michael and Bonnie referred to as a 'workaholic,' and it was true. The reason he worked all the time was to keep his mind focused on anything and everything other than his past.

After Stephanie's funeral, Michael went out for a "drive," and didn't come back until Kurt Roland A.K.A Durante was arrested for the murder of Stephanie Knight. He walked into Devon's office to say that he was back to stay. Michael found that Devon was sitting in his office chair facing the French doors looking outside, but he was actually asleep and snoring lightly. Michael left Devon's office not willing to disturb him, knowing that it had been a hard day for all involved. He shook his head slightly in the realization that he had never seen Devon actually sleep until tonight.

Devon was dreaming from Marie's point of view. It was something that he did from time to time. He didn't know if that was normal, but he figured that there was no use in saying anything about it since one can't control what and how one dreams.

Marie was sitting on the park swing, minding her own business when she was nearly hit in the head by a cricket ball. She got off the swing and went to pick up the ball to throw it back the way it came when she saw a boy her age come towards her to claim the ball.

"Is this yours?" Marie inquired holding up the cricket ball in her hand.

"Yes," he replied, "Are you new to this area? I don't remember seeing you before."

"Yes. I am from Dorset. My family recently moved here because of my father's job. My house is seven houses down along that path over there." Marie pointed to the pebble path next to the swings.

"My name is Marie. What's your name?"

"Devon," The boy in the dirt-stained cricket outfit answered back.

"Well, I guess I'd better head back home before my nanny comes looking for me." Marie stated.

"If you could wait a few more minutes, I could walk you home." he informed her.

"Are you not still playing your game?" Marie inquired.

"No. We are just finishing."

"All right, that would be lovely. Thank you." Marie accepted his offer to escort her back to her home. "I will wait right here for you." Marie pointed to the swing that she was previously sitting in.

"I'll be right back." He jetted off toward his fellow team mates.

"Devon must be at least fifteen or sixteen," she mused out loud. "He's tall, has wavy blond hair, bright blue eyes and is very handsome. Why on earth would he want to walk me home? He doesn't even know me. My nanny is going to think ill of me, but I really don't care. I'm in trouble anyway for being out this long." Just as Marie finished her soliloquy, Devon came back to where she was sitting.

"Are you ready?" he asked, sweat was pouring off of his forehead from his afternoon activities.

"Yes I am." Marie got off the swing and they started on the path.

"So, Marie, do you have a last name?" he asked, curious.

"Yes, my last name is Jordan. I am Marie Alexis Jordan, to be more precise - and I didn't quite catch your last name either, sir."

"Miles. Devon Alexander Miles."

"How old are you?" Marie asked, blushing.

"I am fifteen. And you?"

"I'm thirteen, but I will be fourteen in less than a month," she said hurriedly, scared to think that he would think she was too young to be associated with him.

"I just turned fifteen back in April." Devon announced. "Don't worry about not being fourteen yet; I would have still talked to you even if you were still thirteen. So, Marie, why do you still have a nanny at your age?" Devon asked, looking at Marie's green eyes then looked back at the path that he was walking on.

"I have a nanny because my parents still travel quite a bit. They don't feel as if I am old enough to stay at home by myself yet. I do attend a boarding school, but not during the summer. I find school then rather boring, because practically every girl there is gone on holiday anyway. So, I would rather be in the comfort of my own room, rather than at school." Marie replied, looking at Devon, and then facing front, scanning for her house. "What about you?" She asked pushing a stray strand of black hair away from her face.

"Well, I share the same ideas as you do for not staying at my school all year. I would rather be here than being a hundred miles away with nothing to do."

"You don't have anyone that watches over you anymore do you, other than your parents?"

"No. I am glad to say that I don't. My nanny was quite difficult to deal with. My twin brother and I could never do anything that would win her approval, including playing cricket." Devon looked at Marie than back down at the path in front of them.

"Twin brother? Are you identical twins?" Her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Yes. Unfortunately." Devon grumbled.

"Why is it unfortunate?" She questioned, wanting to know still more about him.

"It is a rather long story, and we are almost to your house. I can tell you the full story some other time."

"All right," Marie replied not wanting to press the issue any further. "My nanny, Miss Sarah, is my confidant. I confide in her when I can't confide in my parents. Sometimes, I wonder if she tells them anyway, but I don't know that for sure. It is just speculation." Marie added, just as they were approaching her house. She could see the woman on the front porch, waiting for her.

"Where have you been Miss Jordan? Your parents will be arriving home very shortly,"

Miss Sarah exclaimed as the two stopped in front of the house. She seemed to not even notice Marie had a boy walking with her.

Embarrassed, Marie looked towards Devon, "This is Miss Sarah, my nanny. Miss Sarah, this is Devon Miles. He lives a few houses down from us."

"How do you do, Miss Sarah," Devon said, shaking the nanny's hand.

"Nice to meet you Devon," the woman returned the handshake. "Now for you Miss Jordan, you need to get cleaned up before your parents arrive home."

"Yes ma'am." Marie replied, with her best manners.

"I hope to see you sometime soon, Marie. I bid you good evening." Devon shook Marie's hand, and departed for headed home.

Marie looked back at Ms. Sarah, "Isn't he the most beautiful boy that you have ever laid your eyes on?" she asked, dreamily.

"Marie, I hope that I don't have to remind you that you are not old enough to date yet. If your parents knew that a young man walked you home this evening, they might have been a little upset with you. But, you are right, he is rather handsome. Come, in with you." Miss Sarah pointed Marie toward the house.

"Yes, dear," Marie teased, and she ran up to her bedroom to get freshened up before supper.