Author's Note: Sorry I've taken so long to get this chapter up, but I hope you enjoy it. There's going to be one more chapter...short and sweet, just to wrap things up.

In my place, in my place
Were lines that I couldn't change
I was lost, oh yeah

She didn't know why it seemed so strange to have never been there before, but it did. She had asked Cheryl for the directions, so with a dozen white roses in hand she was off to find the grave of her fiancée...the man she had lived and breathed for so long she didn't know where he ended and she began. It felt surreal. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded as she got close enough to read his name. She had to fight the urge to turn around and run.

I was lost, I was lost
Crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed
I was lost, oh yeah

There it was in big bold capital letters: KIERAN COPELAND. Her heart wrenched as she read it. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had expected him to just pop up one day and yell 'surprise' like it was all just a cruel joke or a bad dream. But seeing his name there, carved into a cold slab of marble...that made it real, he was really gone. Suddenly she felt week and her knees buckled. She didn't even realize she was on her knees until she felt the dampness of the grass seeping through her jeans. Gently placing the roses on the ground in front of it, she traced his name with a trembling hand.

Yeah, how long must you wait for him?
Yeah, how long must you pay for him?
Yeah, how long must you wait for him?

She didn't even realize she was crying until she head the choked sob coming from her throat. They weren't tears of sadness...they were tears of anger. She was furious with him...furious with him for dying and leaving her here all alone. "Why Kieran? Why did you do this to me?" she said softly. She was so angry and she didn't understand. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to have the baby, and get married, and live their happily ever after together...but that was all gone now and it hurt. It hurt too much.

I was scared, I was scared
Tired and under prepared
But I wait for you

Since Kieran and Aidan died, she had lost all direction. She didn't know where her life was supposed to goor what she was supposed to do...so she spent five years waiting for someone who could never return to her, grieving for the life she would never have. But things had changed now, and that's why she was here. In the span of a few months everything had changed. She finally felt like she was getting her life back together...like she had a life to look forward to. A life with Alec if he would have her. For the first time in years she felt good, and happy, and free of the things that had weighed her down for so long. The last step in moving on was letting go. She took a steadying breath before she began to speak.

"Kieran baby, I love you. I always will, but I know now that you wouldn't want me like this...not like been for the past five years. You always did whatever you could to make me smile...you would make a total idiot of yourself if it would make me happy," she began, "Alec's a great guy, I'm sure you know that already since you're always watching over me. He makes me laugh, and he lets me know when I'm being too serious, and I really think he's the one I could spend the rest of my life with. I'll never let you go, but I have to let go of all the anger and pain because I can't change it. So take care of my little girl, and smack my brother for me...and one day I'll see you all again."

"Goodbye, my love...my guardian angel," she said before pressing her lips to the cold slab of marble. And with that she walked away.

If you go, if you go
Leaving me here on my own
Well I wait for you

"He's doing it again," Max said to Logan as they sat at the bar waiting for their beers to arrive. "Doing what?" Logan asked. "Sulking. He's letting Sketchy beat his ass in pool. Sketchy of all people! I didn't think it was possible, but Alec is really in love with her," she said. "Yeah, I shudder to even think about it, but if he makes Asha happy I'm all for it. She deserves that more than anything," Logan said. "Somebody's ears must have been burning. Look who just walked in," Max said, motioning to the door. Logan turned and saw Asha walking towards them. "Hello stranger," Max said.

"Hey Max, hey Logan," Asha replied. "Wow, now that's something I haven't seen in a very long time," Logan said, smiling. "What?" Asha asked, confused. "That smile. That's a genuine Asha Barlow smile...the kind I haven't seen since the day you and Kieran announced your engagement. I've missed it," he said. "You and me both," she replied. "So...are you ok?" he asked with concern evident in his eyes. The question seemed simple, but it held so much. "Yeah, I can honestly say that I am," she replied. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. "I hate to break up this Hallmark moment, but Asha, I think you have something more important to take care of right now", Max said as she grabbed Asha by the shoulders and turned her toward the pool tables, "There's someone waiting for you." Alec...he wasn't facing her and she was glad of that, because if he had been she probably would have bolted. Instead, she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and began to make her way across the room.

Yeah, how long must you wait for him?
Yeah, how long must you pay for him?
Yeah, how long must you wait for him?

He was just about to make a shot when he felt hands over his eyes...soft hands, graceful and delicate hands...the hands of a woman. "Guess who?" she whispered in his ears. He shuddered at the warmth of her breath across his check, and the feel of her chest pressed against his back. And that voice...there was no mistaking it. Asha. She was back, and his heart was racing a mile a minute. "I would guess Asha, but it can't be her. She didn't even bother to tell me she was leaving so why would she let me know she was back?" She sighed and jammed her hands into her pockets. He turned to face her. She was staring at the floor, kicking at some imaginary object on the floor. "Fair enough, I deserved that," she said softly. He could see her fighting back tears and wanted to kick himself. "Now that we're past the hard part. Are you alright?" he asked, gently lifting her chin with his forefinger. "I'm fine," she said. He searched her eyes and was surprised to see them so bright. The pain that had clouded them since the first day he met her seemed to be gone.

"It's been a while. A fine looking man like you in a city like this, women must have been throwing themselves at you...I understand if..." Asha began. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence. I haven't even looked at another woman since you left. The only one I want is you. I can't get you out of my head Asha Barlow," he replied, taking her hand. She smiled the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. There were no words to describe it. "I'm tired of waiting Alec," she said softly, breaking the silence, "I can't wait for him anymore, not when I have so much left to live for...not when all I want is you." Alec couldn't speak...he was too busy drowning...drowning in her words, her eyes, her smile. They slowly inched toward each other until they were standing so close together they could feel each other breathe. Alec dropped his pool cue...then he did what he had wanted to do for over a month now. He kissed her. Not the kiss he surprised her with the day she left, but a real, passionate kiss. Before they knew it she had jumped up and wrapped her legs around him, causing him to lose his balance and fall back onto the pool table.

They were so caught up in the moment they forgot they were in public. He was all set to tug her shirt over her head when everyone in Crash started clapping and cheering them on, bringing them back down to reality. Both bright red, they quickly stood and straightened their clothes. They looked over to the bar where Max and Logan were. Logan raised his beer and smiled, while Max was laughing hysterically with Original Cindy. "Umm, what do you say we go somewhere a little more private?" Asha asked Alec. "You read my mind," Alec said as he took Asha's hand and headed out with her in tow.

"You know, if Asha can overcome what she's been through to be with Alec, there's no reason we should let one little virus bring us down. We'll beat it one day," Logan said, as he grabbed Max's gloved hand. She just smiled and nodded...and hoped he was right. "You do realize if he hurts her I'll have to kill him right?" Logan said trying to lighten the mood, yet being totally serious. "An opportunity to kick Alec's ass? Did you really think I would object to that? I'd be the first person in line," she replied. They both laughed and went off to play some pool.

Please, please, please
Come on and sing to me
To me, me

The ride back to Asha's apartment only took a few minutes, but to them it seemed like an eternity. They couldn't wait to get their hands on each other. Asha was in his arms the moment they dismounted Alec's bike...arms around his neck, legs around his waist, and lips on every inch of his skin she could get to. He struggled with trying to get the door open and hold her at the same time but he finally got it done. Kicking it closed with his foot, he stumbled through the dark apartment as they made their way to the bedroom. He was so caught up in her he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. The back of his knees hit the footboard and they fell...landing with him on his back and her straddling him. He didn't mind that at all. The fall had startled them enough to break the moment and they both broke out into a fit of laughter.

He slid his hands up the back of her shirt and unhooked her bra. Alec made a move to pull her shirt off, but Asha stopped him. Suddenly, she became very serious and he was a little confused. "Alec, if we're going to do this it has to be right. My heart is fragile; I can't take any secrets or lies. You already know my past...is there anything you want to tell me?" she asked. He sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Remember I told you I'd lost someone too? There was a girl, Rachel. Manticore sent me to pose as a piano teacher to get information on her father. I was assigned to kill him and I never counted on falling in love with her. There was a bomb planted in the car her father was supposed to be in, but she got in instead and was killed. It was hard, but I've gotten over it," Alec said, "Is there anything else I need to know about you?"

She leaned down and kissed him softly. "I want to have babies one day," she said. "Should they call me daddy or dad?" he replied. She smiled then kissed him again. "I'm cranky in the mornings, and I'm bitchy when I'm tired," she said. "As one of Max's furry little friends, I'm fully aware of that," he replied. "I'm never going to live that one down am I?" she said, clearly embarrassed. "Nope," he replied. This time he was the one who became serious. "I love you Asha," he said, staring into her eyes to let her know how much he meant those words. "I love you too Alec," she relied, looking at him with the same intensity. He made a move to remove her shirt again, and again she stopped him. "Wait, there's one more thing. There are, um, scars...from the accident...and I have enough screws in me to never make it through airport security," she said shyly. "No scar could ever make you any less beautiful to me," he said, looking her straight in the eye. Finally she allowed him to pull the shirt over her head. Sliding her bra down her arms, he tossed both garments aside.

Come on and sing it out, out, out
Come on and sing it now, now, now
Come on and sing it

Alec deftly switched their positions, lying her down on her back while he kneeled between her legs. There was nothing between his hands and her skin now. She bared herself before him unashamed. He paused and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes, searching for some kind of sign that she didn't want this. But he found nothing but love and desire there...and her soul. Looking at her then, he saw something he had never seen before. Her beauty went beyond just the physical. There was something about her...something inside of her that just took his breath away. Letting his hands wander over the ivory plane of her stomach, he caught sight of a scar just below her left breast.

Looking into her eyes once again he began to unbutton her jeans. Lifting her hips slightly, he tugged them down gently...stopping as he exposed a long scar along her hipbone. She whimpered softly at the feeling of his fingers lightly tracing it. It was as if he was silently trying to heal what was broken inside her. He noticed another scar low on her abdomen, well below her navel. This time sadness clouded his eyes as he thought about what had put it there. He couldn't even fathom what she had felt. Just trying to imagine how much it had hurt her to wake up one day and see the stomach that had once been swelling with their growing child suddenly flat, with an angry red scar staring back at her...it brought tears to his eyes.

"It's ok, Alec. I'm ok," Asha whispered softly, cupping his cheek. Taking her hand from his face, he kissed her palm and held it to his chest, letting her know that his heart belonged to her now. He softly ran his thumb along her chin before leaning down to claim her perfect pillowy lips. Meeting her eyes once again, he searched for any sign that she had changed her mind. He knew that there was no turning back from this point on, and he smiled slightly as he saw that there was nothing but need in those gorgeous blue orbs.

Turning his attention back to her stomach, he let his fingers dance along the scar below her navel. She flinched slightly...not from physical pain, but the pain of the memory. She inhaled sharply as she felt his lips brush against it. In that one kiss, he had sent fire coursing through her veins along with a million promises. The night was filled with soft touches and quiet whispers...sweet nothings pouring from lips parted in pleasure. They made love throughout the night and well into the morning...and for the first time in five years, Asha felt like she was where she belonged. She was in her place...lost and drowning in his love.

In my place, in my place
Were lines that I couldn't change
I was lost, oh yeah
Oh yeah