Chapter 15:

I was born the day you kissed me
And I died inside the night you left me

But I lived, oh how I lived
While you loved me~~Rascal Flatts "While You Loved Me"

Within minutes of leaving the Tribunal building I take him to a small stone bridge, just outside the building. Next to this bridge is the same waterfall we saw earlier, only now more sparkling, lush green trees are surrounding us, these trees resemble a tree which I have on the Andromeda called a weeping willow. I take Harper to the center of the bridge and we sit, feet dangling above the stream of water below. He looks around in awe and says, "Trance, this is beautiful, better than anything I ever saw on earth."

"Yeah it is. I used to come here when I was younger, before the Maru."

Harper looks at me and asks, "Trance, the memory that I just saw...what was that from because I remember that happening but obviously I'm here and the Harper from your timeline wasn't around for that...I'm confused."

I sigh, realizing that I was once again going to have to explain. "What you saw was from this timeline, only I made everything better. Harper, I've lived through millions of timelines, always searching for that perfect one. What you saw was what I have to go through everytime the timeline goes wrong. Oh, I've had to watch you die thousands of time, never being able to stop it and it only gets harder each time.

I hear Harper deeply exhale and then ask, "Have you seen the others die as well?"

I nod and say, "Yes, about as much as you, but your deaths were always the hardest on me. That last time, the one we just watched, was especially hard since I had only just gotten you back." I look into his eyes and say, "Those years after you died were the hardest years of my long life. I can't tell you the countless times I'd go to one of the Machine Shops or your room calling out your name, expecting you to bounce out of some nook, only to remember that you weren't there and never would be. We left your room as it was the day you died. Your room became kind of a sanctuary to me. I would go in there when you being gone was the worst and just lay on your bed, hugging your pillow and cry. Until Andromeda's destruction, your room always smelled like you, like oil and Sparky and that smell always put me at peace."

We sat in silence for a while watching the sun set. As the sun starts to fade behind the mountains, I feel a hand take mine. I look to see Harper holding my hand looking at me, warmly smiling. "Trance in the twenty odd years I've been in this universe, you were and still are the only person to ever make me feel alive and loved. Yeah, Beka had been there for me, but you, Trance, are what really keeps me around."

I'm smiling now as the sun finishes setting, Harper takes my hand and gently kisses it. We stand and make our way back to our room. We eat and both head to bed. I start to get in mine, but once again Harper calls my name amd motions me to get in his bed. This time I don't hesitate. I crawl in beside me. We lay there once again silent, I on my side and Harper on his back, hands behind his head. I look over at him and ask, "Harper?"

He looks at me, "Yeah, babe?"

"Remember the way you were when you woke up this morning, with your arms around-"

Harper interrupts, "I said I was sorry, Trance."

"No, Harper....I was wanting to know if you would maybe do it again, if you would put your arm around me again? Please, it makes me feel safe."
"Anything for my Golden Goddess." I smile and roll back over. Harper puts his arm around my waist but isn't as close to be as he was before.

"Harper, you can get closer....I, uh, want you to be closer." I can sense him hesitate. "Please Harper?" Without a word Harper pulls himself closer to me, his firm chest against my back. As he nestled closer to me, his spikes and breathing tickled the back of my neck. Then, as before, I feel his legs start to intertwine with mine, but this time I don't stop him, I just let him. Finally his hands lay protectively against mine. I smile and say, "Thank you, Harper."

"Anytime, babe, anytime."

TBC

Now here comes another one of my tortures....review...I'm really happy with the amount of reviews I'm getting, so if you keep this up, I'll post more...come on, you know you want more. ;-) Well, until next time, take like five minutes and click that little purple button and review!!!!