The time passed, and they amused themselves with discovering different creatures, different plants, different mountains and lakes and stars. Try as they might, neither of them had had any success in locating Eve's elusive organ, although both of them enjoyed looking for it very much indeed. They would while away the breaks between sunrise and sunset, searching for it; and when the skies were inky black, till the sun rose again.

But then Eve awoke from her slumber one day to find that Adam was not by her side. She searched long and hard for him, going over hill and dale and still he was not there. None of the animals she spoke to knew where he had gone. It made her sad, because she felt then that he did not want her, that he did not..what was the word he had used? Love. He did not love her. Why would he disappear otherwise?

So she sat down after a day's fruitless search, and wept till she fell asleep, and when she woke up again she was still alone, and he was not by her side, and she continued to look for him, crying in vexation (another new emotion, and it hurt; she did not like this feeling) and feeling a dull pain in her chest that had not been there before.

She searched for five sunrises, and still she could not find him, and she was near despair, when she saw It. It was a creature who looked like Adam, and It was sitting by a small, gurgling brook, watching her with mild-eyed amusement and a faint smile on its face. As she moved closer to It, she could see that It was a he, a beautiful youth with long locks and a semblance close to that of Adam, and yet he was not Adam. And, because she was lonely and this emptiness in her heart hurt very much, and because this new creature reminded her of her beloved Adam, she went up and spoke to him.

"I'm Eve," she said.

The boy smiled at her. "I'm Jehovah."

"You're not Adam," she said, wonderingly, sitting down beside him.

"No, I am not," Jehovah said placidly.

"I wish you were," she said, sitting down beside him. "Because I love him, but now I can't find him. I've been looking for him for ages, but he's gone. Does that mean he doesn't love me?"

"No, it doesn't," Jehovah said.

"Oh," Eve said. She looked at the water flowing merrily by, and wished with all her heart that Adam were here with her to see this brook. She missed him so very much. A tear fell down her cheek, and then another.

A cool arm went around her shoulders, and drew her close. She looked up, startled, into Jehovah's warm, comforting eyes.

"He misses you too," Jehovah said. "And he loves you. He was just a little overwhelmed by his feelings for you, and your existence, so he left for a little while. He's very young and new to this place, so everything seems a bit much for him." He paused, and then said, with a hint of a laugh in his voice, "He also got a bit lost when he tried to come back. It's a big place. I made it rather large, didn't I?" His eyes shone.

"You made this place?" Eve asked. She still missed Adam, but she was comforted by Jehovah's presence, and was suddenly aware that the pain in her chest had alleviated somewhat.

Jehovah nodded. "Just for you, and Adam, and me, and all the other things I created."

"What are you?" she asked.

"I am," Jehovah said, but did not elaborate further. Eve did not understand fully, but she accepted his explanation, for she knew it to be true, just as she knew that Adam was good, and he was made for her as she had been made for him.

"And what are Adam and I?" she asked. "Are we the same?"

"You are what I made in my likeness," he said. "I made Adam first, but he was lonely, so I made you for him. From one of his ribs."

"Adam was lonely?" Eve said, and frowned. "Then he shouldn't have left me."

"Give him some time," Jehovah said, his eyes twinkling. "The boy's never been in love before."

"But neither have I," Eve said. "And he didn't mention anything about being lonely and me being made for him, when we first met. He ran away from me! I had to chase him for ever such a long time," she finished this sentence with a petulant pout.

Jehovah chuckled and scooped out a water lily, and put it in her hair. "I gave you both free will," he told her, "free will to do as you wish, and to learn things as they come. I didn't signpost you as his mate, but instead let you find each other. I think it's better this way." He paused, admiring his handiwork, the way the lilies glistened in Eve's long, thick locks. "You're very beautiful, Eve."

"Thank you," she said. "You're beautiful too, Jehovah. And this lovely place you've made for us. And Adam. Most of all, Adam."

"If you go to sleep, he'll come," Jehovah said, and the moment he said these words, Eve felt a great peace of mind settle over her. She leant her head into Jehovah's lap, and looked into his deep, oddly familiar mellow eyes. And she was suddenly struck by how beautiful he was. She loved Adam, but this strange, exquisite youth enthralled and entranced her in ways she could not comprehend.

"I know you," she whispered. "I think I've seen you before."

"Go to sleep now, little one," Jehovah said, stroking her hair gently, and Eve closed her eyes, and drifted into sweet oblivion.


A/N: I'm super sorry for the late update, and sorry that it's such a short chapter. I just wanted to post something new, and to let you know that this story IS ongoing, and I intend to finish it, since I don't like unfinished stories as much as the next person! I've actually finished some of the later chapters, so it might be a bit quicker from now then. Reviews are a great motivation for me to update quicker *coughs and tries not to look as if she is fishing for reviews*

Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone! My 2013 kind of sucked, so I hope 2014 is a lot better.