Author's Note:

Wow...I can't believe I'm posting the final chapter. This has been so much fun, and I am so lucky to have my readers. Thanks to all of you who have read and enjoyed my story. Your feedback and support was amazing. This story has been quite a trip, and I know that the sequel will be just as much fun. Thanks again to all of you who made this story possible! I will post a preview of the sequel in a few days here. So keep your eyes peeled!

My Saving Raine

Chapter 37

Remember Me

"Oh, my God!" I suddenly shouted, covering my face. "Oh, God!"

Caspian tried to pry my hands from my face, but I turned around and slid out of his lap. "What is it?"

"I just realized," I paused, smacking my face against the bed," that you saw me!"

He just furrowed his eyes together and tilted his head at me. "Yes, I've seen you…quite frequently actually." I sighed and gave him a blank look. He laughed in response. "I'm sorry, Querida. I just fail to see your predicament."

I turned back to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. I was wearing a white gown, but I still felt naked with the realization. "Caspian," I said slowly, "you saw me." It took a while for him to get what I was hinting at, but soon his eyes brightened with recognition. But when he saw the fallen look on my face, they softened.

"Yes, I saw you, Raine. And you don't know how happy I was to see you weren't severely hurt," he said, wrapping his arms around me from behind. I shivered, ashamed that he saw me in the nude. It wasn't something I wanted him to see just yet…

"I'm so…embarrassed."

I felt my body turning as he pulled me around to face him. "Are you worried that I may have seen something I didn't like? Is that it?" He asked cautiously, lowering his head to look up at my face. I merely nodded. "Oh, my love. Why would you even think such a thing? How could there be anything about you that I wouldn't like? You're perfect."

I felt my tension melting with those words. I looked up shyly, lowering my arms from my chest. "Do you mean that?"

"Raine," he said, pulling me back into his lap. "I've thought you were beautiful since that night that we first met. But when I pulled that man away from you, and saw you lying there, alive, I couldn't have been more entranced. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and you've no reason to be worried about what I saw."

I snuggled into him, smiling against his chest. But as I sat there, I noticed the rhythm of his heart skipping. His breathing changed too. "Raine?" he asked timidly, pulling me away so that he could see me. I couldn't help but to notice how he had paled slightly and his eyes had lost some of their spark. I reached down to take one of his hands in mine and saw that he was shaking.

"Caspian, what is it?" I said, cradling his hand against my chest, trying to steal his shaking. He swallowed roughly and blinked a few times.

"There's something that I've been wanting to say to you, but I just don't know how to do it," he said, his voice shaking once or twice. He was looking down at his lap, so I scooted closer to him and took his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

"Just say it. You can tell me anything, Caspian."

"I know, it's just….I don't know where to find the words." He exhaled deeply, leaning against my hand for a moment. Then he looked up at me, took my hand from his face and placed a soft kiss on my palm. "I love you, so much, Raine. I've come to realize that you are what's been missing from my life all these years, and you've given me all the love and happiness I've been searching for. When you're with me, I feel like the man I know my father would have wanted me to be, and when you're away, I drive myself insane thinking about you...worrying about whether you are well or not." He dropped my hand and pulled me against him, brushing his lips against my forehead. "I don't feel like I could go a day without having you by my side, and it's a fear that I avoid every waking moment. If you were to walk through that portal, I don't know what I would do, Raine. Life would cease to be, at least for me. I would never be able to find another who makes me feel the way you do, and I know no one else could ever love me as you do. I need you in my life, Querida."

I looked up at him, wondering why all this was spilling out of him. "I need you too, Caspian," I said meekly, confused by the sudden torrent of words. I was suddenly being pulled out of his arms and set on the bed, and I didn't understand why. I looked up at him in confusion, but then stopped breathing when I saw him kneel before me on the floor.

Oh God, oh my God! Is this really happening!

"Raine, I never wish to be parted from you from this day forward. I would be honored if you would take me as your husband," he said softly. His eyes were shining with every word he said, and a warmth radiated from him that made me want to take him right there. But as much as tackling him on the spot sounded like a good idea, I couldn't move. I was melted to my seat, staring at him where he knelt. He slowly sat up on his knees and inched closer to me, putting a hand on the bed beside me and raising a tentative hand to my cheek. He brushed his finger ever so lightly across my cheek and I trembled from the love I felt in his touch. I didn't realize he did it to wipe away a tear that had escaped. His face was merely inches from mine, and his eyes had darkened, twinkling more than I had ever seen. His skin was glowing in the hope that I would say yes. "Raine, would you take me to be yours and only yours until the end of our days?"

I couldn't breathe. I looked back at him, wondering what I could say. Yes, I thought, I will! I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and have the life we've both ever dreamed of!

"Caspian, I-," I paused, biting my lip. A few new tears trickled down my cheek and he caught them with the tip of his nose, nuzzling it against my cheek. "I love you more than you could ever know. You've been the best thing in my life that I've ever known, and my heart belongs only to you," I stopped, watching his lips form a small smile.

"Then say yes, Querida," he said, raising both hands to cup the back of my head, resting his forehead against mine to look into my eyes deeply. "Say yes, and nothing can ever stop us from being together. We can have the life we've always wanted, Raine." I placed my hand over his heart and felt it pounding happily in his chest. His contentment was rolling off of him in waves.

"I want to be your wife more than anything," I paused, placing a lingering kiss on his lips. He tried to kiss back and deepen it, but I pulled away. "But I can't be."

His brows dropped and the sparkle was replaced by moisture. His entire face dropped, and I could feel his heart skip a beat. "W-why? Don't you love me?" he asked quietly, his lips trembling as he spoke.

I tightened my arms around him, "I do! Caspian, I would be yours in a heartbeat. But fate has different plans for us, my love. I have to go back to my home." I almost wanted to throw myself off a cliff when I saw the lost, abandoned look that passed over his features.

"You're really leaving me, then?" he asked brokenly, not even stopping his own tears from falling. I took his face in my hands, stopping each tear with my lips. And the thing I never wanted to happen, happened. He collapsed against me, shaking and letting out sobs so soft that I had to strain my ears to hear them. "There's no way you can stay? There's no way you can be with me? I love you, Raine, I love you! Isn't that enough? Why do you have to go? Why do you have to leave? I can't live without you…please, don't leave me…" he finished, his voice fading off into his soft weeping. I then realized I was sobbing, too. I don't know how long we sat there, crying against each other and holding on for dear life. All I know is that at some point the day turned to night, and someone had come in to light a few candles to keep us from being shrouded in darkness. Neither of us stirred from where we clung to each other until a deep voice broke the silence.

"She cannot stay, Young One." Slowly we turned our heads to see Aslan standing in the doorway. He looked upon us solemnly, sad for what he was about to do.

Caspian's voice came out soft and broken, and I barely recognized it. "Is there no way she can stay?"

Aslan shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid not. There are things that Raine needs to take care of in her own world. It would be unfair to those she left behind for her to stay here."

He had stopped shaking, but we still clung to each other, afraid that we would slip out of each other's grasps. He looked back up at Aslan. "When must she go?"

I cuddled further against him, afraid to leave. I didn't want to leave. I was afraid of what he would do once I did. Would he be okay? I just didn't want to go. And to my surprise, I felt him rubbing circles in my back to comfort me. As much as he was breaking on the inside, he was still trying to comfort me. I slowly turned to meet the great lion's gaze.

"The portal is still open, but it will close at midnight. Her last chance to leave will be tonight."

I felt Caspian's grip on me tighten and turned to look at him sadly. And what he did next made my heart swell for him. He took my hands in his and placed a soft, lingering kiss on my lips before pulling us both to stand. He wrapped me in a tight hug, resting his head on my shoulder and breathing against me as if to stable himself. But when he looked back up at me, the sweetest, most loving smile was on his lips.

"Are you ready to go, my child?" Aslan asked from where he stood.

"Will I ever see him again?" I asked him, not taking my eyes off of Caspian's beautiful smile. I couldn't believe that he found the strength to smile when we had both been crying against each other for hours. We were both about to be separated forever, but he could still smile to offer me encouragement for what he knew I had to do.

"That I cannot tell you, my child."

I nodded slowly, turning to face Aslan. He nodded in return, turning to walk down the stone corridor. I didn't want to move, but I felt Caspian's hand squeeze mine softly and then he stepped forward, guiding me. We both followed the great lion out to the courtyard, where the portal still remained open. The moon was splaying silver light across its branches and almost made it look serene. But nothing that was meant to part me from my love could be serene. Then I remembered something.

"Aslan, where are the others?" I asked, remembering the Pevensies, who were also supposed to return to their homes.

"They have already returned, Raine. They left after your attacker was dealt with and after they knew you were safe. Lucy left me with a message for you," he paused, taking a breath. "She wanted me to tell you that 'She'll see you soon.'" I nodded, taking it in but not really comprehending what it meant.

Then he stepped toward the portal, breathing upon it. He turned to me with kind, understanding eyes. "It is time, Raine."

I nodded and turned to look at Caspian for the last time. He stood still, accepting what had to happen. I could see in his eyes that his heart was breaking, and I could see the shield he was trying desperately to hold up so I wouldn't see how much he was hurting.

"I guess this is goodbye," he said quietly, remaining where he stood.

I took a step toward him, trying to keep my control. "I wish it weren't."

He closed the small distance between us, wrapping me in his arms one last time. His lips captured mine and I almost fainted with the emotion that was coursing between us. He cupped the back of my head in his hand, tugging at my hair to keep me from leaving too soon, and I tangled my fingers in his hair. I could feel him trembling in my arms and I was sure I was too. But then he pulled away, wiping away the tears I knew had fallen. He rested his forehead against mine, taking in a few steadying breaths.

"Raine, you must make me a promise."

I nodded against him, sniffling. "Anything, my love. Anything."

He looked deep into my eyes. "Never be afraid to show those around you who you really are. Never stand back because you think know one will hear you. Never cease to have faith in yourself, because I never will. Never deny yourself the happiness that I know you deserve." He paused, smiling as he tucked a piece of my hair behind my eyes. "When it rains and you're sitting inside alone, don't hold back when you desire to go out and dance in it. When you want to burst out into song and serenade all that you see, don't hold it back. When everything around you starts to weight too heavily on your shoulders, don't let it get you down. Just know that somewhere I am here, helping you to bare it all. When you feel like you're all alone in the world, remember that I love you more than my own life. And I always will."

I sniffled again, somehow managing to smile. I loved this man with my entire life. "I will promise you all those things as long as you do one thing for me."

He nodded, catching another tear as it fell from my eyes. "Anything, Querida."

I closed my eyes, wishing to always remember the way his endearment for me would roll from his lips more softly than the breeze blows over the sea. "Remember me."

I turned with a small smile and took a step toward the portal, feeling the magic buzzing like static in the air.

"I always will, my queen...until my dying day."

And with that, I walked through the portal, leaving everything I had grown to know and love behind me, including my heart.

"She's waking up! Look," Cory cried, as Raine's eyes began to blink warily. Slowly, she opened them, blinking against the bright light in the room. Around the bed, everyone Raine had ever known had settled. The nurses on the floor had asked them to leave several times as they were exceeding the number of visitors allowed, but no one budged. Finally she sat up slowly, holding onto the rails on the sides of her bed. She looked around, blinking as she looked at every person in the room.

"I'm back," she said quietly, rubbing her eyes with her hands. No one quite got the hidden meaning in that, but smiled nonetheless. Kassandra stood at the foot of her bed, watching as she studied everyone who had come to see her. Her daughter…her baby…was awake again. When she spotted her mother, her eyes squinted a little and she smiled brightly. Kassandra rushed to her side, hugging her as if she would disappear from beneath her.

"I missed you baby, so much," she said through tears of joy.

"I missed you too, mom," she said softly, nuzzling her face against her like she did when she was little. Kassandra's heart swelled with the undying love it held for her daughter, and she prayed that nothing would ever take her away from her again.

What she didn't notice was the way Eddie's grandson, Dalton, was leaning against the wall of the room, glaring at her. He blamed her for his grandfather's arrest. And knowing him, he wouldn't let it go.

Never.

And there is our finale. Don't forget, I will post a preview to the sequel here soon. I'll post the preview here to give you a snippet of what's coming. Thank you all, and until next time...

¡Adios!

~Rhythmic5