AN: Thanks so much for the reviews, you guy. I am sincerely sorry for my delay in updating here. I did notice a few of you all commenting on Leah's dad already being dead. Well… trust me on this one, there's a point for all of this. Hope you guys enjoy.

Chapter 14. A Frightening Confession

"Leah," Ethan held her still but he could not hide the perplexity upon his face. "But…"

"Ever since I've been here I have been confronted by him," Leah sniffled. "I tried to ignore it at first. The letters. The calls. Eventually seeing him in public, trying to catch up to me, only to have me run away as fast as I could. I couldn't handle it."

"And your mother?" Ethan asked. "What does she think of all this?"

"I've told her, I really have." Leah reassured, trembling as she spoke. "But she does not know what to do. How could she understand? My situation is out of this world. Out of my hands. It is as if I am living in some science fiction tale that will never end. I want to escape and make it all disappear, but, try as I might, I am a victim. I cannot do it."

"But… he is your father." Ethan said. "Should there be reason for you to flee from him?"

"I love him, of course. I did then and I always will." Leah kept her arms around Ethan, placing a forehead on his shoulder now. "But I can't forgive him. I just can't. It was the hardest thing… trying to move on after he left. And I vowed that I would never forgive him. I am not up to do this, Ethan."

"But do you not think he deserves your forgiveness?" Ethan questioned. "Leah… he is your father. He cares for you. Whatever misgivings he has done, it has been long enough. It is not like you to hold grudges."

"I have carried this for so long in my life, Ethan. I cannot just simply end it like that."

"But is that not what we did?" Ethan had her looking in his face. "I say this not to be cruel, Leah. But it seems I am no better. I left you to move on by yourself. I now come back to you now, asking for your forgiveness, and I believe you have given it to me, I think."

"Of course I have forgiven you, Ethan." Leah kissed him softly. "I love you."

"And do you not love your father as well?"

"It is an entirely different story, Ethan." Leah stood, heading to the kitchen. "I am going to finish that pie of yours now. It isn't warm anymore, but I bet it still tastes just as great."

"Leah…" Ethan followed her, sitting down at the table as she helped herself to another plate. "You cannot avoid this."

"Ethan, you do not know the whole story." Leah remarked defensively.

"But I cannot know the whole story unless you tell me it."

"Maybe for another day."

"I love you too, Leah." Ethan told her. "I wish you would not conceal secrets from me."

"Do not make me seem like I am doing something wrong," Leah took a bite of the pie. "That seems to be all everyone can do anymore."

"I would never think you are doing anything wrong," Ethan ran a hand through his hair. "I just worry for you, is all."

"Trust me, I'll be fine." She said, looking down and not wanting to discuss the matter any further. "Are you hungry?"

"I think I shall retire to bed now," Ethan stopped in the doorway. "Good night, Leah."

"Night."

"I hope that whatever troubles lay within you are soon gone," Ethan confessed. "I hate to see you so pained."

Dressed for bed, Ethan stood in front of the bedroom mirror, staring at his reflection. His time here has already altered his appearance and entire countenance. He had begun to notice a change after the first night, how his eyes now possessed some characteristic of happiness and a life that he had forgotten even existed. But now, after that conversation with Leah, and seeing her as probably most people have seen her recently, part of his new persona had faded away, reminding him more of the troubled man hehad beenacquainted with for the past few years.

By now all of town must know where he was, and who he was with. It hurt to know the gossip and scandal it must be, for him to leave in the dead of the night with no forewarning, and abandon Martha and his family. No one would understand except Charity. How would he ever explain himself were he to come back?

"But I won't come back," Ethan confirmed. "If I do, it will only be to say goodbye. My place is with Leah. I cannot leave her again to take upon herself the life I have heard from others that she has been living. She means to much to me."

Laying himself beneath the covers, he turned off the light, but not even the dark could tire him. He was wide awake with worry, concerned for the well-being of the girl he once loved who had now become a woman that was placed in a situation that was tearing her apart.

Staring in the distance of the room, so lost in thought was he, that he did not notice when Leah slowly entered his domain, wrapping her arms around him on the bed. His hands fell atop his as Leah kissed the side of his face, closing her eyes and savoring the tender moment, not realizing Ethan was doing just the same.

"No matter how rough life may get for me," Leah said. "It all seems so right, so long as I'm with you."

"But does it make the problems go away?"

"No," Leah sighed. "Ethan… not even a cure for cancer could have been a better gift the day you came back into my life."

"I wish to help you."

"Just being here is helping."

"I think I love you, Leah Lewis-Hall."

"I know I love you, Ethan Longacre," Leah's chin rested on his shoulder, now looking down at how his fingers were entwined in her own.

"I did not explain to my family my reasons to leave," Ethan confessed. "I told Charity, but I know that whether I gave explanation or not, my actions will be frowned upon."

"And you and Martha…"

"Nothing will ever happen," Ethan shook his head. "No, I have waited too long. I do not feel fondly of myself for making her wait as well, but the pressure had placed me in a position I wished not to be in. I have only recently escaped it… when I left home to find you…"

"Where do we go from here?" Leah asked softly. "We cannot live like this forever. What do we do?"

"I love you, Leah." Ethan breathed the words and after he said it, they lingered upon his lips. "Lord knows I have loved you since the day we met."

"Ethan…" Leah shifted slightly in the bed, knowing that in order to go any further, she would have to take the first step to make it there. "You know how I was telling you of my dad today and how he has beencoming by and asking for my forgiveness…"

"Yes, of course, Leah."

"Well… the truth is that it doesn't upset me that he is following me around asking for my forgiveness. Or that I keep getting letters and calls and seeing him everywhere I go. Every dad that wants to see his daughter is bound to that. But the thing that gets me… why this entire situation is just killing me inside is that…" Her grip tightened and Ethan shivered at the frightening thought that was soon to come. "Ethan… my dad has been dead for over a decade."

AN: Alright. I MUST know how you think about this one, please.