A/N: OK, I know this story is really sad, and I am not sure how readers are receiving that. I do appreciate reviews, although I am not writing to get reviews. I am writing because I have a story to tell and hope you are listening, or rather reading. I do fear I may have turned some readers off of the story because of the situation I've put the characters in. However, I am using it as a way to fill in the holes of what we don't know, something the writers of the show failed to do. Therefore, I do hope you will give it a chance and bear with me because I do promise it will have a happy ending. Thank you. D
Chapter 8
The last month that everyone was together was a difficult one, especially for Nathan. He did not want to say goodbye. He kept trying to convince Kristin to stay at the house while he and Lucas were on seaQuest.
"You know you're welcome to stay here while Lucas and I are gone," he told her just a week before the second tour began. "Or, maybe I should take a leave of absence," Nathan added quietly.
"You'll do no such thing," Kristin said, somewhat annoyed as this was an ongoing conversation over the weeks. "Nathan, we've been over this; I don't want to explain again."
Nathan nodded, "I know. It's just that I've been thinking that maybe I shouldn't leave you."
"Nathan," Kristin said seriously, "You can't keep trying to save me."
"I'll always try to save you," he said.
Kristin sighed; she walked up behind Nathan and put her arms around him. She whispered gently in his ear, "This is something you can't save me from, and I don't want you to try. You aren't supposed to mess with fate."
Nathan gently removed her arms so that he could turn to face her. He wrapped her in a tight hug, "When it comes to you, I have to. I'll never let you go."
Tears came to Kristin's eyes. She knew that she was hurting Nathan, and she didn't want to. But, since the future was unclear, she felt she had to do it. What is the old saying? If you love someone, you are supposed to let him or her go. And, if it's meant to be, he or she will come back to you. She had to remember that. If she stayed there, she knew Nathan would end up leaving the seaQuest, either temporarily or for good. Even if it were only temporary, she would not allow him to put his life on hold for her. She had to hurt him to save him. If by some unforeseen reason she did end up passing away from the illness, she would be damned if she was going to allow Nathan to wallow in self-pity again on that island of his. She felt the separation would prevent that.
She pushed away from him. "Nathan, I do love you, but you need to understand it's for the best."
Nathan sighed. Kristin had changed so much since the illness, it was almost as though he didn't know her anymore. To Kristin's dismay, he was still debating leaving his position on the seaQuest; but, at the same time, he knew how much that would disappoint Lucas. He didn't want to see Kristin suffer anymore, and that was what she was doing. He didn't like what was going to happen, but he just kept telling himself that once she was better, they'd be together again.
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The last week was bittersweet for all of them. Nathan tried to remain positive. On their last night together, he and Kristin were sitting out on the beach, watching the waves and enjoying each other's company.
He took Kristin's hand and said, "I'm going to miss you, you know."
Kristin nodded, but was silent. She had tried to prepare herself for this moment, the goodbyes, but she couldn't stop the tears that were beginning to flow. She whispered, "Me too."
Nathan gently wiped her tears away and placed a gentle kiss where the tears had been. I'll never love anyone else the way I've loved you," he said, tears coming to his own eyes.
These words caused Kristin's tears to flow freely; Nathan immediately responded by wrapping her in a tight hug as they both cried together. After the tears subsided, they sat together holding each other and watching the waves. Neither of them wanted the evening to end, but, as the evening went on, they both decided they needed sleep. They quietly went upstairs arm in arm, neither of them wanting to say goodbye but both knowing it was necessary.
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The next morning came too fast for their liking, but the time came for packing and goodbyes. Jasmine and Lucas exchanged E-mails and said their goodbyes.
"Good luck at school," Lucas told her.
"I'm not going back to Wendell this term...under the circumstances," Jasmine said.
"Does your mother know?" Lucas asked.
Jasmine shook her head, "Not yet; I thought I'd tell her on the plane. I'm not going to be miles away from her with her being sick. I'll just go the regular public school."
Lucas nodded with understanding. "Well, I promise I'll E-mail you...and we can chat over the Internex. And...maybe we can call each other once in a while?"
Jasmine nodded, getting close to tears. She didn't want to leave either but knew the day would come.
Lucas wrapped her in a tight hug. "We'll see each other soon; I promise I'll visit you on my next leave."
Jasmine wiped her eyes and said, "I'll miss you."
"Me too," Lucas said.
Meanwhile, Nathan and Kristin were saying their goodbyes as well.
Kristin was just finishing her packing when Nathan found her in the bedroom.
"Are you almost ready?" he asked.
Kristin nodded.
Nathan walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Promise we'll talk as often as possible."
"I promise," Kristin whispered, her voice thick with tears.
Nathan held her as long as possible. He wanted to stop time; he wanted to remember that moment as long as possible because the best thing that ever happened to him was about to leave him and possibly never return. He tried to preserve these last moments in his memory so that he would never forget how Kristin smelled, how she felt in his arms, her touch-he didn't want to forget anything.
But, the hands of time kept moving. Soon, the cab pulled up in front of the house. Last minute hugs were exchanged, and that was the last Nathan and Lucas saw of Kristin and Jasmine for quite a long time.
