Disclaimer: See the prologue.

A/N: Chapter two, the real beginning I guess. I hope you like it. Reviews are always good. Thanks for reading!!!

Chapter two: Unbelievable

Even though his hair was shorter and his face was clean shaven there was no mistaking him. His hair fell over his forehead as he looked down at me, his familiar form only inches in front of me. I was so flabbergasted that my body froze. I didn't know what to think, or what to do. I was staring but I couldn't tear my eyes off of him. He was a site for sore eyes.

"Oh my God…" I didn't know what else to say.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Your name is…" I stammered.

"It's Tristan dear." Carol said looking thoroughly confused.

"And you are…" I started before everything went fuzzy and I fainted.

When I woke up I was being carried. We were in a staff lounge somewhere in the store. I lifted my head and saw his face up close and personal. I freaked, struggling, giving him no other choice than to drop me.

"Oh, Paige!" Carol said to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked kneeling down. "Why did you struggle?"

"Just stay back." I said crawling backward away from him. "Just…stay back."

"All right." He said and stood, his hands raised in submission.

I stood up and started to pace. I didn't know what to think. I put my hand to my face, blocking him from my view.

"Paige, honey, what's wrong?" Carol asked coming up to me.

"I just need to think." I told her, pacing again. I stopped and crossed my arms, staring at him. "I don't understand." I told him.

"What don't you understand?" Carol asked me.

"Carol!" I shot at her. "Please, just be quiet for a minute." I told her and looked back at him. "Tristan…"

"Paige…" He replied.

Just hearing him say my name again made my heart sore. "How did this happen?" I asked him.

"What?" He asked confused.

"I just can't believe that it's you." I said as tears sprang to my eyes. "Tristan…" I said throwing my arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around me and I gripped him harder. "I thought I'd never see you again." I said, taking his head in my hands.

"Paige, what are you talking about?" He asked, taking my hands away from his head.

I held tight to his hands. "What?" I asked him. Then it dawned on me that he had no idea what I was talking about. I got caught up in seeing a man that looked identical to Tristan. Identical to my husband. "Sorry." I said and backed away from him. "I'm sorry." I said and ran from the room.

Ludo was sitting outside the door. He was clearly upset and when he saw me he glued himself to me, making sure I was okay. I called him as I ran from the store. I didn't have a plan. I had no way of transportation so the next best thing was going on foot. I started to run through the streets, not knowing what else to do. I ran to the nearest bus station and got Ludo and me a one way bus ticket back home. I was accustomed to walking and had no worries if it took me a while to get there. Ludo seemed to know that something was up and he whined, leaning against me. I just stroked his head comfortingly and loaded us onto the next bus.

It had been nearly a week since the opening. No one seemed to think it odd that I had left. Carol had fed them a lie and everyone seemed to have believed it. She didn't want my quick exit to hurt my book in any way. I left her to deal with the book and I went back to my usual daily life. Being alone I was naturally quiet but I had barely said two words to Ludo since being back. The dog's sixth sense was tingling and was overly clingy. Normally I would have no trouble with it but after seeing Tristan, the present version, I hadn't been quite right. I had been shaken to the bone and I had no idea what to think of it. I had been overjoyed to see those eyes looking at me. They looked through me like they always had. To try and forget about it I threw myself into fixing things up around the house. I did a mild remodeling in the kitchen. I replaced the fence posts that needed to be replaced, even some that didn't just to blow off some steam. I took to running through the woods to try and exhaust myself at night. Sleeping had become an issue and I needed something to wear me out. I wasn't much for running but right now it felt good. Ludo wasn't very excited about it but refused to leave me alone. Although it didn't matter when he lagged behind me by yards. We'd get home and he'd go right to his bed and lay down, not moving for the rest of the night. I felt bad for him, telling him that he didn't need to come with me but being my constant companion he felt the need to be with me constantly. He was the one thing I could always depend on.

I sat in my big cozy armchair and took the hardcover book from the end table. I turned it over and saw Ludo and myself looking back up at me. I turned it back over and looked at the drawing on the front of it. A group of seven men on horse back depicting my Sarmatian Knights'. I ran my hand across it before opening the book randomly and started to read.

She watched him as he stood in front of her. She leaned against the headboard and watched as a small smile graced his lips. His fingers unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his well-toned chest. She couldn't help but grin at him, almost laughing with the anticipation of him finally crawling across the bed to her. She quivered as he toyed with her. When he finally moved toward her she spread her knees. He crawled up to her and she pulled him into her arms. She met his lips and their tongues danced as foreplay began.

I shut the book, not feeling like reading anymore. Of all the parts to have opened up to. I sighed and got up, running my fingers through my hair. I felt tears stinging. It was all about Tristan. Every happy moment in that damn book was about Tristan. My Tristan, the Tristan that lived in 300 AD. The one that existed today walked and talked exactly like him, exactly like him. It terrified me and yet all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him. I just wanted to be close to the man that looked like my husband. But I knew that I couldn't do it. I knew that I would never see him again. It was for the best, really it was. I wouldn't be able to handle it if I had to look at him and not be able to touch him, to feel his hands on me. I took a deep breath and walked from the house out to the barn. Ludo still asleep on his bed. I rushed out to the barn with every intention of jumping onto one of my horse's backs and running him till I felt better. By the time I got there I realized that it wasn't fair to the horse to push him just because I was miserable. Instead I stood in the barn, my breath coming in misty puffs from the cold night air. I paced back and forth as I thought of Tristan, both of them. I was getting so confused. Trying to differentiate which one I was trying to think of. My Tristan had long hair and a beard that tickled my cheeks. The new Tristan had shorter hair and was clean shaven but he was just as ruggedly handsome as ever. My anger and frustration built up and in desperation to release it I punched the wall as hard as I could, and immediately regretted it.

"OUCH!" I screamed holding my hand. "DAMN IT! Ah, I'm so stupid!" I told myself angrily.

"Are you okay?" A voice interrupted my yelling.

I froze as a figure came toward me. I went into fight mode and as they reached for me I grabbed them, falling backward and with my foot threw them over my head. I whipped over onto my stomach and got to my feet. I ran to the wall and flipped on the barn lights. Tristan was getting up off of the ground.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I yelled at him.

"What the hell was that?" He yelled back, getting to his feet.

"Why are you sneaking around my home?" I countered. "How the hell did you find me anyway?"

"Do you always beat up your guests?" He asked.

"I don't know. I'll have to let you know when I get one." I told him coldly. He just looked at me, his hands on his hips. "Now tell me what you're doing here." I demanded with my arms crossed.

"After what happened at the opening I tracked you down." He replied straightening his leather jacket.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I know who you are." He replied.

"You know shit about me. You only met me for five minutes." I shot at him.

"I'm a history major who specializes in the Roman Knights' of Legend." He told me.

I just looked at him. "What?"

"I know who you are." He said again.

"Get the hell off of my property." I told him through clenched teeth.

"We need to talk." He told me.

"We don't need to do anything." I told him. "Now get the hell off of my property."

"Fine." He said putting his hands up in surrender. I just glowered at him as he walked from the barn.

I listened to him start his truck and watched him drive off. I shook my head. "How the hell did he find me?" I asked aloud.

I yelled out in frustration and crossed my arms, making a face into the night. There were snorts behind me and both boys were looking at me with perked ears and intrigued looks in their eyes. I glowered at them and turned off the light. I walked back to the house and went into the den and to my nice cozy armchair. Ludo was still asleep on his bed.

"Thanks pal, you really came through for me tonight." I told him. He didn't even twitch. "I think it's time to cut out our nightly runs." I decided. "He tracked me down. This is unbelievable."