Additional Author Note: This story really went off on its own and, as a result, became very angsty and dramatic and out of character of what we're used to on the show. Sorry. I promise my next one will be one big snarkfest!! Sorry for the delay, too – hadn't planned on this being so long and got writer's block!

Nathan faced upwards and let the rain fall upon his face.

"I always knew you loved the rain too."

Slowly turning around, Nathan's eyes grew wide.

His heart sank. "If only you were real."

The figure stepped out of the shadows and took three steps towards him. Her hair was a bit shorter than he remembered but other than that, not much had changed.

"I am real, Nathan." Devon took the last few steps to close the distance between them and took his hand in hers.

Nathan was shocked at the warmth of her hand. He always thought if he ever met a ghost, it would be cold. "Then I must be dreaming again."

Tears filled her blue eyes. "You aren't dreaming. You are standing here, in the cemetery, at my grave with me – and I assure you, I'm very much alive."

Not caring at the moment if he was losing his mind, if he was dreaming or if he was seeing a ghost, he took her in her arms and held her tightly against him – afraid if he let go she would disappear and he would once again find himself standing alone in the cold cemetery.

Tears streamed down her face as she slid her arms around his waist and held him just as tight. "I'm so sorry, Nat. I'm so sorry," she whispered and swallowed hard upon feeling him press his lips to her head.

They stayed lost in the moment while the rain poured down on them.

"If I'm dreaming, I don't ever want to wake up again," he muttered.

"Please don't say that," she cried into his chest.

Anger seeped into his tone as he responded, "I'm the one who had to live with thinking you were dead all these years,"

Devon pulled back a bit and looked up at him. He cupped her right cheek in his hand and wiped the wet strands out of her face.

"I'm really sorry, Nathan. We had to do it. It was the only way."

"We? Only way? What are you talking about? And why was it so important you couldn't include me?"

She stepped out of his embrace and shivered in the cold, hard rain. "My dad and I. That night… it wasn't an experiment gone wrong. It was an attempt on my life and not the first time."

Stark watched her pace. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Devon stopped and smiled sadly at him. "I couldn't. I wanted to but the death threats had stopped about a year before I met you so I figured my ex-boyfriend had taken the hint and moved on. I was wrong. When I was on my way to your place that night, Dad called and told me he had received a call telling him I was dead. That was when we put two and two together. I got out of the car just before the blast hit and climbed back in when I heard to sirens." She gave him a small, sad smile. "I always carried a vile of tetrodotoxin with me. Dad was a bit paranoid." Pausing for a moment, she quietly added, "Who knew he'd be right."

He took a step towards her. "I could have helped."

"No. You couldn't have. Nathan…" She walked back to him and held both his hands in her smaller ones, locking her blue eyes onto his. "My ex wasn't working alone."

His stomach knotted up almost sure he knew the answer.

"You already suspected, didn't you?" she asked.

He nodded. "I figured it was my way of dealing with your death." Nathan paused. "Apparent death," he corrected. "It was much easier to put the blame on the only person I knew who didn't like you and hated me." Running his fingers through his hair, he turned away from her only to face her grave marker once more, where he slammed his fist hard against the cold concrete. "I should have known. I should have stopped him." His body tensed when he felt her hand on his arm.

"You couldn't have known," Devon softly said.

The shock and reality of everything finally began to sink in and Nathan pulled away from Devon. "I've spent the last ten years living with your death," he hissed. "And all you can do is show up at your own gravesite and say, oh, by the way, I'm alive?"

Devon took a step back. "I…"

"A lot has changed, Dev. It's not like we can go back," he growled, anger taking over all other emotions.

"I never thought…"

"I'm married now."

With those three words, everything stopped.

"I know," Devon softly responded. "I… was there. But you also signed the divorce papers."

Nathan stared at her in disbelief for another brief moment before turning and walking out the gate.

"Nathan!" she pleaded.

He kept walking without turning around.

Devon fell to her knees beside the marker bearing her name and cried.