Okay, for everyone who's been reading this story, I apologize for never updating. My life is so hectic, I never seem to have time for anything. I hope you enjoy this!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Chapter 5

Never Let Go

Natalie's heart skipped wildly in her chest. She stared at Keith, her eyes wide. There was something wrong with this picture. He couldn't be standing right in front of her. A wave of dizziness hit her, and she fought to stay upright. She pinched her arm, her breath catching at the sting she felt. Nope, it wasn't a dream. A myriad of emotions spun through her mind. Every single memory of the past few years flashed before her eyes. He just couldn't be here. Not here. Was she really going crazy? She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and opened them a crack. He was still standing in front of her, an almost bemused expression on his face. "Hey pardner," he said quietly, the sound of his voice sending chills up her spine. She didn't know what to do, how to act. Her feet felt like a ton of concrete had settled on them, preventing any movement.

"Keith?" she repeated, desperately hoping that he just wouldn't disappear into thin air. She drank in the sight of him. He looked very much the same, still sporting the same old jacket and faded clothing. His face was a little thinner, but still much healthier than the last time she had visited him in the hospital. Keith's hair was now a deep red color, obviously dyed, but still realistic enough. Blue colored contacts hid his vivid green eyes. Now that she thought about it, he really didn't look the same anymore. His eyes were filled with a sadness that she had never seen before, like a deep burden had been placed on his shoulders.

"Natalie, it's me. I'm actually here," his voice was gentle and low. She took a tentative step forward and finally broke into a run, throwing herself into his arms. Her breaths were coming in deep gasps, and she could sense a hot, prickling feeling behind her eyelids. A sob broke from her throat. Hot tears began pouring down her face. A rush of joy and confusion filled her. She ran her fingers through his hair, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Is it really you?" she kept repeating over and over.

"It's me," he said soothingly, his warm breath tickling her ear.

"I just can't believe it. You died. I went to your funeral. Your dad was heartbroken. I cried for months afterwards," Natalie said dazedly. "I've missed you so, so much." Keith smiled at her, his eyes blazing with some emotion she couldn't determine.

"Natalie," he began, but was unable to finish. He just buried his face in her hair and said nothing. She could feel him shaking.

"I can't believe you're here. You're really here," Natalie muttered. "How…what? I don't understand."

"There's so much I want to say," he told her. "So many things…."

"Are you going to stay here? Or disappear into thin air the moment I turn around?" Natalie noticed her hands were shaking. She dropped her hands from his shoulders and stuffed them into her pockets. "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you lie?" His eyes suddenly grew distant and almost detached. He thought for a moment before answering.

"I had no choice."

"No choice?" she said incredulously. Her arms crossed tightly in front of her, and she stared at him in disbelief. "You fake your death and run off to who knows where for three years. Suddenly, you appear and want everything to be like it was before? Well, guess what Partner. Things aren't the same. I've changed. You've changed, for sure," Natalie said, her eyes straying again to his red hair.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," he admitted. "I thought that I'd have to keep living life without you."

"You still haven't answered me," she said testily. "I want the truth!"

"Would you believe me if I told you?"

"Keith, three years ago, I lost you. Now, here you are, larger than life. You're not dead. In fact, you aren't…sick. Did you lie about that too?" He flinched at her angry words, but didn't get angry. He almost appeared to be even sadder.

"Natalie, I was sick. Really sick. But I got a different treatment. One that actually worked."

"But why didn't you tell me?" she said in anguish.

"I wasn't allowed to contact you. At least not until now."

"Why not?" Natalie could feel her anger melting away. She could never stay angry with him for long.

"Natalie, I've had to stay in hiding."

"Hiding? Like as in secret hide-out kind of hiding?" she answered. "Just come out with it already."

"Not quite. Hiding as in the witness protection program," he said in as normal a tone as he could muster. Natalie's jaw dropped. She stared at him for a full minute, as if she could discern his truthfulness.

"You're joking."

"No, I'm not," he said, his shoulders slumping. "That's where I've been for the past few years."

"You're telling the truth. Promise me."

"I'm not lying to you. I wouldn't ever lie to you. That's why I couldn't talk to you. It would all be lies. I don't want it to be that way between us."

"So, this is your idea of being chivalrous? Just let the girl suffer and someday tell her the truth?"

"I think you're being unfair," he said quietly.

"Well, I don't. You weren't there at the hospital with your dad….Your dad. Have you talked to him yet?"

"No, I wanted to see you."

"Go talk to your dad," she said in exasperation, "then I'll give you a chance to explain yourself."

"Natalie." She cut him off and pointed towards the road.

"Go. Talk. Now."

"Come with me?" he asked quietly. Natalie felt ashamed for taking her frustrations out on him. She smiled shly at him.

"Okay." They got into her car, and drove the few miles to his old house. His dad was outside, his head buried beneath the hood of an old beat-up car, that was slightly reminiscent of Keith's truck. Keith got out of the car with uncertain movements, as if he didn't quite know how he got there. Natalie gently brushed back an unruly lock of hair out of his eyes. He looked almost scared. "Go talk to him."

"Are you going to stay?" he asked, child-like.

"No, but I'll be just down the road. I'll come back for you, in say, a couple hours?"

"Thanks," he said, his sad gaze lingering on her face. She brushed his cheek with her hand.

"You're welcome. Always." She watched him slowly walk, shoulders hunched and head down, towards his father. Henry looked surprised and then as if he'd seen a ghost. He dropped the wrench he was holding and ran forward to embrace his long-lost son. Natalie averted her eyes and slowly backed her car out of the driveway. As much as she wanted answers from him, there would be time for that later. Perhaps even forever.

Their special spot didn't seem nearly as empty this time, as she sat on a log and tried to make sense of the miracle that had just occurred. Nothing could quite describe the emotions that tumbled around inside her head. How could he do this to her? Why hadn't he said anything? Was he in trouble? Her mind was suddenly filled with a myriad of images of him sitting in jail. The outrageous thought caused her to let out a laugh.

"Now that's more like it, Partner." Keith's voice said from behind her. She spun around to find him smiling at her, his green eyes hesitant.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't come get you," Natalie apologized. "You really walked all this way?"

"Don't worry about it. It's nice to be outside," Keith laughed. His comment only backed up all of her crazy theories.

"Keith," she began. "Where have you been? Please. Tell me." He beckoned for her to sit next to him on a fallen log.

"I don't expect you to believe me. And I won't blame you if you don't." He couldn't meet her gaze. "Have you heard anything about that huge counterfeit ring they busted?"

"Yeah, I did," she said quizzically. He was being so vague. "What about it?"

"Well, their main headquarters were here in town."

"Really?" Why was he going off-topic? "And?"

"I got mixed up with their group."

"I knew it!" she burst out. "You've been in jail?" Keith stared at her incredulously. He looked stunned, then burst out laughing. Frustration began to bubble up in her.

"No, I haven't been in jail. I wasn't a part of that ring, I was a witness to what they did."

"What do you mean?" Apparently, she was completely missing the point. "Just come out with it already!"

"Okay. For the past three years…I've been in hiding." Of all the things that she had theorized, this was not one of them.
"What?"

"They took me away to protect me. I wanted to stay Nat, I really did," Keith said earnestly, reaching towards her, as if to touch her, but he abruptly pulled away. She felt slightly bereft. "They wouldn't let me say good-bye to you. Either way, I thought I wasn't going to make it with the leukemia being so bad and all."

"Who are 'they'?"

"The witness protection program U.S. marshals."

"You've been with them? The witness protection program? I'm having trouble believing this."

"It's true, Partner."

"How did this happen?"

"It's a long story…."

"Listen you, I have plenty of time. Three years to be more precise. Unless of course, you have to go hide somewhere." The sarcasm in her voice was evident. He winced.

"It's not like that."

"Oh really?" her eyebrow raised.

"I'm not in the program anymore. They were arrested and tossed in the slammer."

"This is ridiculous. You are ridiculous."

"I'm telling the truth," he said, perfectly serious. She just shook her head at him, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Do you remember when we went to that insurance company and ate in the meeting room? When we went to the airport? They were all pretend. Great stories. Just like what you're telling me now. I want to know the truth!" His eyes dimmed at her words. He looked down at the ground, his lips trembling. Finally, Keith stared at her with a pained expression. Slowly, he rolled up his sleeves.

"Look, Natalie," he said, gesturing to strange ridges of skin on his wrists. "These are left over from when they found me the first time. I was left in an old shack for three days before someone found me. Then, the program had to move me again. I've had to move six time in the past three years."

"Keith—." Natalie tried to speak, but he cut her off.

"I'm always looking over my shoulder now. Jumping at the shadows. I've had to give up everything: my life, my dad, and…you. And the only thing….The only thing that's kept me going this whole time is the chance that I'd get to see you again. That maybe, just maybe, we could be together. But I guess it was all nothing." His shoulders slumped and he got to his feet. Natalie held her breath. Was he just going to leave?

"Keith, wait. Don't go." A hot tear trickled down her cheek and was hurriedly wiped away. She couldn't keep it together anymore. "I've been hoping, praying for forever, that you would come back to me. Now you're here. And I'm being a complete jerk. I don't know what to think, what to feel. I just know that I…I love you. I always have." She hesitantly reached forward and touched his hand. "Keith, I'm so sorry." He knelt in front of her, his eyes blazing with an intensity that she had never seen before.

"Partner," he rasped, his voice hoarse. "There's nothing to be sorry for." Natalie tried to pull her eyes away from his, but couldn't. She knew what was going to happen next, but did nothing to stop it. Keith gently caressed the side of her face, his touch as light as a breath of air. The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced before, both beautiful and painful. Perfect in every way. All time seemed to come to a crashing halt as they stood there. They broke apart and just stared, as if seeing each other for the first time. Natalie buried her head into his chest, her tears soaking the front of his shirt.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she gasped. "I just don't know what to do. How to act. It's like everything is all mixed up inside me. Like I'm happy, sad, and angry all at the same time."

"Shhh," he shushed her, gently stroking her hair. "It's okay. You should have seen my dad. I thought he was going to haul off and punch me, but he decided to hug me instead."

"I feel like I'm in a dream, Keith," she whispered. "Are you really here?" Natalie had the sudden urge to grab onto him and never let go.

"I'm here, partner. And I'm never letting go of you again," he said, full of assurance. "I love you. Always."

"I love you too," Natalie told him. "I'm sorry for being sorry." The absurdity of her words made him laugh.

Natalie felt a surge of hope for the first time since he had died. Everything was full of uncertainty, but she didn't care. All she knew was that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that they could be together. Not just now, but for always.

Well, that's all for now:) Not that this part made any of your questions any clearer....Hopefully, this will hold you over until I can update again! Again, I'm sorry for my slow updates. I'll try to do better for next time.