AN: Thanks for reading. Feedback is always apprecated. I am looking forward to these two back on our screens soon. My story will continue to be multiple chapters, after all, Kevin has some making up to do. In addition to the romance, there will be plenty of adventure! Stay tuned. The characters belong to ABC/GH. I just want to borrow them for a little bit.

The Letter

Chapter 2

Dearest Laura,

I miss you. I thought of a million more profound and contrite ways to start this letter. But at the end of the day, what I feel the most is the loss of your company. Your smile-how it will light up a room! And your eyes-they truly light up your soul. I miss talking to you and being there for you. Even if we were not immediately together, just knowing I might run into you at the hospital or meet for breakfast to sort out the next step to unravel Helena's clues that was enough to get me through each day. I'm sure this letter should start with apologies and explanations to help you understand that I never meant to hurt you. But, that is what I did. Your eyes displayed fiery anger...and pain when you found my novel in progress. But underneath I saw so much more. I glimpsed sadness, and perhaps even fear. To fathom that my actions were the cause of that fear hurts me to my core.

I should have told you about the novel after I wrote the first paragraph. It was later that first day that we met at that Metro Court when you brought me the law book with Helena's code to break. I started working on the non-fiction book of past therapy cases and they all felt so dull, so mundane. Instead, my mind wandered to the clues you presented me. They were alive, despite Helena's demise. They were mysterious and beckoned to me. Soon, hours had passed and I had ten pages of a fiction story, loosely based on you and your family history. The Cassadine curse on the Spencer's is the thing of legends and to think that Helena had found a way to still manipulate you and others was tantalizing, albeit pure evil. For the first time in months I felt alive. Invigorated. I had been frustrated in my work and was especially blocked when it came to the non-fiction book that I had promised to my publisher weeks before.

The story took over every fiber of my being and became my constant companion over the last few months. I know this sounds strange but it helped me feel closer to you. More connected and more determined to help you figure everything out in the hopes of finding some solace and peace. I did not expect that this journey would take you so far into your past and the fact that I was there with you, and that you allowed me to support you, changed everything.

My story diverged from the reality. My heroine, again, based loosely on you, was seeking answers to get back to her one true love, her ex-husband. It became a true love story and I know now that I sent my story on a separate path because I was trying to protect myself from the fear that you would someday tell me you wanted to go back to Luke. I never in a million years thought I had a chance with you romantically. I escaped into the fantasy of my story and it ended up being my Achilles heel. If only I had confided in you and trusted you to understand that while I was indeed writing again, it was only for me and not something I ever intended to publish.

And now, I refuse to let this be the end. I never expected us to become lovers or at least not this quickly. But we did make love that night and it was wonderful, Laura. I haven't felt that close to someone in a very long time. You see, your story, our story is the one that was ultimately the most romantic. Friends becoming lovers. I will forever treasure how you trusted me to talk about your past sorrows. Your strength is amazing. You amaze me every time I am around you. I saw your strength when you shared what happened as a young girl in the disco and I can only imagine how confusing that time had to be for you. And again, when you shared how you had to flee your imprisonment on Cassadine Island only to leave behind your first born.

While I may not remember everything I said on the plane ride away from that Godforsaken Island, I do remember telling you that you were an incredible mystery with multiple layers. A mystery I wanted to solve and still do.

So, you took a chance on me several months ago when you allowed me to help you unravel the clues and again along the way. I now implore you for another chance. Another chance to make this up to you. To reassure you that I would never make light of your past or your struggles.

Again, I want to end this letter with apologies and pleas for forgiveness. Instead, a simple few words seems the best at this point.

I'm sorry I hurt you.

I miss you.

Love,

Kevin

P.S. Please don't be mad at Lulu for telling me where you were staying in Versailles and the name of Spencer's new school. I told her that I managed to hurt you and wanted a chance to apologize. Surprisingly, she thinks that I am good for you. I'm sure it had something to do with following you to Greece and that whole bullet issue.

The teardrop smudged the handwriting before I even had time to register that I was crying. Kevin's words reached in and wrapped themselves around my heart. I knew I would find a way to forgive him and trust him again but I had to move slowly, cautiously. While I desperately wanted to write him back in the same manner he wrote me, with the feel of pen on paper, and words forever captured in the format of lovers from another time and place, time was not on my side.

I opened my iPad and decided that sending Kevin an email would be the best. I'm sure he would be glad to know immediately that I had received and read his letter and was willing to reach out to him. I considered even suggesting that he meet me in London if he was able to get away from his work for a few days. My heart skipped a beat as I thought of seeing him again in person. How wonderful it would be to have some time together without following clues, looking for supposedly deceased children, or fighting for our lives.

I smiled as I thought of his reaction when he just randomly checked email and saw one from me. To know that I could impact another person in that manner filled me with excitement, and if I was totally honest trepidation as well. I had not expected to find love again this late in life. But as scary as it felt in my thoughts, it was even scarier to feel in my heart. I knew that I was falling in love with Dr. Kevin Collins.

TO: kevincollins

FROM: lauraws12

SUBJECT: Your letter

TO BE CONTINUED