A/N: Hey guys. This is kinda a long chapter, and I apologize. A lot of things needed to happen though, and it didn't feel right to split it up. I hope you still enjoy it! A bit of a warning, it does go into details about religion at the end, but please don't be offended. And please be sure to review!

Rachael shook her head as she hurriedly loaded the last few things into the truck. I was supposed to be gone to hours ago! she berated herself as she scurried back up the stairs. She double checked all the rooms to make sure she got everything. That done, she came out, locked the door behind her, and put the key under the mat. They should find it there, she thought. She'd meant to leave a note telling them, but she didn't have time.

"Okay," she breathed as she stopped just inside the barn. "What else needs to be loaded besides the horse?" She jumped up into the tack room and checked that she got all of her stuff out. She triple checked the lids on the feed cans and the feed chart.

"Do I have everything I need for Jet?" she asked as she jumped back down and locked the tack room door. She hid the key in its usual spot and walked quickly to the trailer. "Grain, hay, water . . . I have all that I need for him," she muttered. She looked over all the tie downs to make sure nothing would roll. They were all good.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the trailer. "Now to load the horse," she said. She took several deep breaths as she walked to Jet's paddock. She knew she couldn't be in a hurry when she dealt with him, or they would never get off the farm.

"Hey buddy," she said to Jet as she got near the gate. He'd been watching her the past 10 minutes, standing in the shade by the water trough. "You ready to go?" she asked as she slipped in and put his halter on. She calmly lead him over to the trailer and put his shipping boots on. She then loaded him into the trailer, made sure he was secure, and then closed it up.

She was now ready to leave. Taking a deep breath, Rachael allowed herself to look around the farm one last time. Pushing aside her grief over leaving, she hopped into the cab of her truck and started the engine. She felt tears coursing down her face as she drove past the barn.

She immediately changed the radio station. She wasn't feeling the Christian songs today. She stopped on the country channel as a song's opening notes grabbed her. Then Sara Evan's voice began to sing. Rachael listened with half a mind until the chorus came on. She stopped the truck and put it in park, unable to see because of the tears.

If all that's left to do is walk away

Then baby I'm as gone as yesterday

But if there's something you still need to say

You need to say it now

Hurry up and slow me down

Slow me down

"G," Rachael whispered through the tears. "Please come slow me down." She sat there and cried as the song played on. She wasn't able to move until the last notes faded out. She wiped her face and put the truck back in gear. She was approaching the last bend of the driveway when the DJ's voice caught her attention.

"Well folks, this next song has a little story with it," he said. "It was a request and there's a shout out that goes with it. Now it's to a girl named Rachael from a guy named G."

Rachael's gasp drowned out the next few words of the DJ. She turned the volume up as she went around the bend.

" . . . Anyway, G says, 'Baby, I'm so sorry for everything I've done. Won't you please forgive me and stay?'"

Rachael braked to a stop, stunned by both the words on the radio and the sight in front of her. Across the driveway about 20 yards in front of her, blocking it, was Callen's car. Leaning against the car were a series of signs with words written on them. Rachael blinked so she could focus on the messages, only to discover she was crying again. On the radio, the next song, the one Callen had requested, began to play.

I'd sell my soul just to see your face

And I'd break my bones just to heal your pain

Yeah in these times I need a saving grace

'Cause time is running out and I'm starting to lose my faith

But if I told you I loved you would it make you want to stay

I'm sorry for the way I've hurt you and making you walk away

But if I wrote you a love song and sang it to you every day

Would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay

Would it make you, make you want to stay

The words of the next verse faded to the background as Rachal was finally able to read the signs. They said, "I'm sorry. If I told you I loved you, would it make you want to stay? I'm so sorry for the way I hurt you and for making you walk away. Could I ever do enough to make you want to stay?" At the end of the row of signs was Callen, sitting in the grass with his head bowed.

Rachael put the truck in park. Callen lifted his head. She slowly opened the door and got out. He slowly stood up. They stared at each other for a long time. The tension in the air practically crackled. Rachael slowly took one step towards Callen. He mirrored her and took a step towards her. In that manner, they walked towards each other until they were within arm's reach. She was surprised to see tears running down his face.

"Rachael," he began. "I am so sorry, so incredibly sorry, for what I did. I ca - " he stopped, choked up. "I can't even tell you how sorry I am," he said through a fresh wave of tears. "Can - could you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Rachael felt her own tears wash down her face. "I forgive you," she said quietly. "I forgive you," she repeated louder. She reached for Callen as he reached for her. They fell crying into each other's arms.

After her tears had slowed, Rachael realized Callen was saying, almost singing something in her ear.

"My heart's on my sleeve but its turning black

Without your touch I'm not gonna last

It feels like my walls are caving in

And I'll do anything to have you hear again

The days are cold the nights are long

And I can't stand to be alone

Please know this is not your fault

And all I want

Is tell you I loved you and make you want to stay

There's gotta be a way cause going on without you is killing me every day

And if I wrote you a love song and sang it to you every day

Would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay."

On that last word, G hugged her tighter and nestled his head against her neck. Rachael felt his tears drop on her skin as he started crying anew. She closed her eyes and felt her own tears trickle down her cheeks. She held him until his tears were dry. She leaned back until she could look him in the face.

"Would you like to help me unpack?" she asked softly.

Callen stared at her for a moment before nodding through a fresh wave of tears as the unspoken meaning sank in. "I would love to," he said. He pulled her in for another hug. "Anything to make you stay," he whispered. "I don't want to lose you again." He reluctantly let her go and get back in her truck.

Now I have to figure out how to turn this thing around, Rachael thought as she hopped back into her truck. She turned down the radio so she could think. Before she thought too long, Callen moved his car off the driveway. Thankfully he'd chosen a spot with lots of room on either side, so she was able to just loop around and go back to the barn.

When they were both at the house and both cars were parked and off, Callen met Rachael at the cab of her truck and swept her into another hug. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest as she hugged him back. Jet shifting in the trailer brought her back to the real world.

"G?" she said.

"Yeah honey?" he asked.

"I need to take care of Jet," she said.

"Okay," he said, still holding onto her.

"That means that you have to let go of me," she said gently. She felt him sign and saw the reluctance in his eyes as he released her.

"Sorry," he said. "It's just that I don't believe this is real unless I'm holding you."

"It's okay," she said, reaching for his hand. "I feel the same. And as soon as everything's put back, you can hug me all you want."

Callen nodded. "What can I do to help?"

"Most of the things in the truck go upstairs in the apartment. You'll find the key under the mat." She let go of his hand.

Callen nodded again and grabbed a box from the backseat before turning to go up the stairs. Rachael turned and unloaded Jet, took off his shipping boots, and put him back in his pasture. When she took off his halter, he gave her a look that said, "What just happened?"

She gave a soft laugh. "A lot buddy. The start of healing for one." She gave him a pat on the neck and turned to go out. As she went out the gate, she looked up and saw Callen already going up with the next load. Smiling, she draped Jet's halter over the gate and went to help Callen.

After everything was brought up and her trailer was put back, Rachael sat on the couch, engulfed in Callen's arms. She signed contentedly.

"What?" he asked, shifting so he cold look her in the face.

"Oh nothing," she replied. "I just really missed you."

"I missed you too," he said, pulling her closer. He planted a kiss on her head. After a few seconds, he spoke again. "Why don't we start unpacking?"

She sighed. "I suppose we must." She stood up slowly and stretched. She heard Callen get up beside her and do the same. She went to the closest container and opened it. "Books," she said. "This goes to the bedroom."

"I have clothes in this one," Callen reported from where he knelt over a suitcase." He picked it up and followed her into the bedroom. He set it down on the bed and went out again. Rachael started unpacking her box. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him come back in with another bag and leave again. It wasn't long before everything that belonged in the bedroom was there waiting to be unpacked. She sensed more than saw Callen watching her.

"What's up?" she asked as she turned to put the last of the books on the bookshelf.

"I - " Callen started. He shook his head. "I just have a lot of questions is all. And not all of them are easy."

She turned to look at him where he stood on the far side of the bed. He had a guarded look on his face. "Well, go ahead and start asking," she said. "They're not going to get any easier by waiting." She braced herself.

He just shook his head. "I don't even know where to begin, or even if this is the right time."

She walked around the bed and grabbed his hand. "We might as well start talking about it," she said. "Ask the most burning question. And I want you to be honest about it. Don't try to soften it."

He nodded. "Why didn't you talk to me before you tried to leave?"

She dropped her gaze to the floor. "Fear," she whispered. She dropped his hand and turned to the bags of clothes on the bed. "I couldn't - didn't - talk to you because I was afraid," she said louder.

When Callen didn't respond, she turned back around. She saw tears tracing down his cheeks for the countless time that day as he stared at the floor.

"Grisha?" she asked softly. "What's wrong?" She walked back over and grabbed his hand again.

"I'm fine," he said. He sniffed and wiped the tears with his free hand. "It's just . . . It hurt a lot when I found out you were going to leave without talking to me." He looked up at her, his pain evident in his eyes.

"Oh Grisha," she said, wrapping her arms around him. She felt tears pricking at her own eyes. "I'm so sorry about that. I didn't even think about what you felt. I just didn't know what I would say and it scared the hell out of me." She paused. "Can you please forgive me?"

"Of course," he said, hugging her to him. They stood like that for a bit before Callen gently pushed Rachael back so they were looking each other in the eyes. "Now, why were you scared of talking to me?"

She dropped her eyes, stepped away, and grabbed a stack of shirts from one of the bags. "Because I had it set in my head what questions you were going to ask, and I didn't have answers for them." She paused, her back to Callen. "I also really didn't want to talk through that night," she whispered.

Somehow he heard her from where he was across the room. "At the risk of sounding like Nate," he slowly began, confusion in his voice, "What questions did you expect me to ask? And why did you expect me to bring up that night? What happened was my fault, not yours. End of discussion."

She stayed silent as she grabbed another stack of clothes, keeping her eyes down. She was trying to figure out how to put her thought into words when Grisha's hand appeared on her arm, startling her.

"Rachael," he said firmly. "That night was entirely my fault. I was irresponsible, drank too much, and pushed you too far. Nothing that happened was your fault."

"Are you sure?" she asked, a dark note in her voice. She tried to shake off his hand, but he only gripped her arm tighter.

"Yes," he answered confidently. "Why do you think otherwise?" As he spoke, he used his free hand to take the clothes from her, set them in the bag, and gently turn her so she could face him.

She met his eyes for a few seconds and then looked down, blushing a little and trying to formulate a sentence. "When I think back to that night," she said slowly. "I remember the instant when I felt you change, when the line was crossed. And I remember that, right before that instant, I - " She broke off, embarrassed. "Never mind," She tried to pull away but he held her in place.

"You what?" he prodded, stopping down so he could look her in the eyes. When she stayed silent, still blushing, he sighed and pulled her into a hug. "Honey, I know this is difficult, but I want to work through whatever it is. I can't do that though if you're keeping me out."

She took a big breath. "I kissed you differently," she mumbled against his chest in a rush.

"What was that?" He pushed her until she was just within arm's reach. "What did you say?"

She took another big breath. "I kissed you differently," she said slower and slightly louder. She looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet his gaze.

He was silent for a minute. She finally looked up at him and saw sorrow in his eyes. "Baby," he began. "I remember that. I also remember what was going through my head. And I can tell you that - " he broke off and swallowed hard. "That no matter if you kissed me differently or not, I was still going to try and do it. I was still going to push you." He let go of her, straightened, and took a deep breath. "And I'm not proud of it," he muttered as he turned and walked over to the window. He started out, not really seeing the mountains and the woods. Behind him, he heard Rachael resume unpacking. After a minute, he turned back around and saw a troubled look on her face. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"A lot," she said. "About what you just told me and a couple other things."

He nodded. "Care to share?" he asked cautiously.

"Eventually," she replied, She stopped and looked at him. "It's just that I'm not 100% comfortable talking about some of the things." She suddenly turned away and continued putting things away, but not before he noticed a blush spread across her cheeks.

"As much as I totally get not being comfortable talking about something," he said slowly. "Your reaction has me very curious. You normally only blush like that after we did some serious making out."

She threw him a rueful sideways glance before quickly turning back to what she was doing. "Well, that is a way to describe that night since we never actually did it," she quietly said.

Callen's correction died in his throat as his mind began to put pieces together. He studied her for a minute. "Something about that night, besides the whole assault side, some physical aspect of that night has you shaken, worried almost," he ventured.

She nodded as she let out a big breath, "Yes," she said as she searched for a full box or bag. Not finding one, she braced against the bed and stared down at the floor. She tried to keep her voice and thoughts detached from her emotion as she slowly spoke. "The way my body - I - reacted to what you were doing . . . I found it extremely . . . unsettling."

"Why?" he slowly asked.

"Because I - " she broke off. She knew she failed to detach from her emotions when she felt a blush come over her cheeks and spread down her neck. "Because I liked it. A lot. And I guess I didn't expect that?" she finished, her voice above her normal pitch. She shook her head a let out a big breath. "I'm not exactly sure why, but how I responded that night has me scared almost." She looked up and saw Callen still leaning against the window frame, staring intently at something on the ceiling.

There was silence for a moment as they both processed the implications of what was said. On his part, Callen was a mix of confusion, surprise, and a little - to his shame - aroused. He was still trying to decide how to respond when Rachael spoke up.

"Telling you that probably doesn't make things any easier," she said.

He took a deep breath, trying to put some order to his thoughts. "I just don't know how to respond," he finally said. "I've never been in this situation before." He paused and thought for a moment. "In a way," he slowly continued, "no it doesn't. The fact that you enjoyed it, assault aside, makes me want to take you all the way even more than I already did, though not because I pushed you unwillingly," he quickly added. "When we do it, I want you to be okay with it. At the same time though, I'm really glad you told me."

Across the room, Rachael took a deep breath. "Well," she said, "At least we have an honest starting point." She checked her watch. "I'd better go feed the horses," she muttered. "It's really late for them to eat."

"I'll help you," he offered, pushing off from the sill.

She smiled. "I would love that." She reached out for his hand and surprised him by pulling him into a hug. "I love you," she whispered in his ear.

"I love you too," he said as he hugged her tighter.

They broke apart and went down to the barn. As they were feeding, Rachael felt G's eyes on her. She turned and caught him looking at her thoughtfully.

"What?" she asked, walking up to him.

"I'm just trying to understand how you could forgive me so easily for the awful thing I did," he replied.

She turned and jumped up into the combination tack and feed room. "I'm not sure what you mean," she said over her shoulder. She heard hum step up behind her. "You're genuinely sorry for what you did, and I love you. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because what I did was awful, inexcusable, and all sorts of wrong," he countered, "Why would you?"

She took a deep breath and turned around to face him. "I guess it's because I've already been forgiven for something far worse than that," she slowly replied,

"What?" he asked, looking confused. "You're practically an angel. What have you done that is worse than what I did?"

"Killed the son of God," she replied. She braced for his ridicule.

Instead he looked at her thoughtfully. "How do you mean?" he asked quietly.

She took a steadying breath. "When Jesus was on the cross," she slowly replied, "He was there not only for past sins, but also for future sins. Sins that would be committed by people who's 10 times great grandfather wasn't even born yet in a place that they didn't even know existed at that time. Each and every sin we commit is worthy of death because with it, we spurn God, spit in his face. The perfect, loving Father and we tell him to go to hell." She stopped and shook her head. "Thinking back over my life, I see so many times where I have done that. Sometimes I would even curse at him because of what was going on. If each of those deserves death, that's a lot of dying. Yet Jesus took all that death on him. And God forgave me. Every single time. And I know I will continue to challenge him, to rebel. And yet he'll forgive me. Every single time, to the day I die." She paused and looked back at Callen. "If God can do that for me, I can forgive you."

Callen nodded. "I'm glad that works for you," he said quietly, almost regretfully. "But I doubt he'd do the same for me. I've done too much crap in my life." He shook his head.

"That's the thing though," she said. "He knows all of it and will still forgive you, still wants desperately to forgive you." She dug out your phone. "I can play it for you later, but there's a song that says this a lot better than I can. It's called 'One Step Away', and it's by Casting Crowns. The message of the song is that you're always only one step away from being forgiven and being totally and u conditionally loved."

He nodded. I would like to listen to it, but not right now." He gave her a hesitant smile. "It's just a lot to process."

She nodded and smiled, "Take your time."