A/N Short and sweet :)

Chapter 20

"Look. I don't want to go either. But you have to understand, I can't just stay. My mother, she would be crushed." He explained.

As we walked, our heads lowered and fingers intertwined, the sky cleared above us. Bright gold streams of light shining through the storm clouds from last night's heavy rain. As the dark clouds retreated and the rain subsided it left an oppressive silence which neither one of us dared break until we could no longer hold it in.

"I do understand. Your mother is upset, she needs to get away. I get it." I sighed. "But you're everything to me. If I lose you, I lose everything." Tears welled hot on my eyes and I fought myself to let them fall.

"I don't have a choice, Eliza. Nate said flatly. "If I put up a fight it would just upset her more. And god knows my mom doesn't deserve anymore battles." There was a long pause as we walked together; listening to the sound of our shoes hit the gravel. "I'll write to you every day."

"I don't think that will be enough." I answered quietly. "Take me with you." He stopped and looked at me, startled. I stared him down with all my intensity. I meant what I said. I would leave everything for him. After all, what did I have to lose?

"What? No, you can't come with us." He said, with a shake of his head. "My mother would never go for it, your parents would never let you go!"

"But what if you go and I never see you again!" I cried, the tears finally cascading down my cheeks. "There's going to be a whole country between us! What makes you think will pull through? We'll be apart for four years, maybe longer! A lot can happen then."

Nate watched me breakdown. His eyes welled up and a wide smile spread across his face. I shot him a look of pain and confusion and he moved so fast he knocked the breath out of me. His hands moved to my waist and shoulder, backing my body up to the nearest tree. His lips pressed into mine and he kissed me for what seemed like forever, so hard and passionate I could barely breathe.

The weight of his chest lifted off mine and he backed away, grinning. "That's why." I couldn't say anything, just run into his arms and kiss him again. "Don't worry. This whole love thing may be difficult, but its real. We'll make it out of this mess, trust me."

"Please don't go." I sobbed into his shoulder. "I need to know this isn't all just in my head. If you leave, I might think this was all some dream." I gazed up at those aqua eyes I'd miss so much. He pulled away from me, his face showing no signs of any emotion.

Then, he knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring.

"Marry me, Elizabeth?" He asked. "I love you so much. Please, just say yes. I could tell by the look on his face he wasn't joking. So many emotions rushed forwards at once I didn't know how to respond. I started laughing.

"Yes! Of, course!" I said, kneeling down into his arms. He took my hand and slid the ring over my finger. I gazed in awe at the diamond mounted on it sparkled in the sunlight. "You know, this does mean you'll have to take me with you."

"I know. I think I can find a way to get my mother to take you with us. As long as she doesn't know were engaged or catches doing…other stuff… we should be fine. But convincing your parents is up to you." He said, grinning.

"You had this planned all along, didn't you? You just told me you couldn't to make me cry!" I said, half annoyed as I swatted him.

"Kind of." He admitted. "I figured my mother felt bad enough that she'd let you come with us if I asked. But I needed a way to ask you that sounded…more spur of the moment, guess. So how are you going to convince your mom and dad to let you go to New York?"

"Easy." I said. "I won't tell them."

I got home late that evening. From where I stood in the foyer I could sense everything. The smell of dinner on the stove wafted my way as did the sound of little Thomas throwing a tantrum on the floor of the kitchen and the clank of pots and pans as my mother tried to drown him out. There was the distant thud of my brother Jack kicking his foot ball against his bedroom wall. I really never appreciated how lively my home was, how distracting.

I slipped upstairs before my mother noticed I was home and recruited my help. I scampered past Jack's room before he spied my skirt tails rushing past and came to ask where I had been today. Once in the security of my own bedroom, I pulled out my old leather suitcase from under my bed.

Ironically, the last time I had used this bag I had been leaving New York to come to Santa Monica. I had been only three but apparently I bawled and kicked the whole ride on the train and my father had to hold me down to my seat to keep me from running away.

It's hard to fathom that in just a matter of days I will be there again. The only memory I can recall of this seemingly mythical city is ice skating in Central Park, and even that is in a haze of sounds and colours. The only thing I remember clearly was my father holding me up as I struggled to maintain balance. It's just that this time, he won't be there. I'm afraid I'll fall.

The guilt of leaving them with no note or notice kills me. But it has to be this way. If I leave a note explaining why, they'll know exactly where I've gone and have the police come and find me and take me home. It's better this way, for me to just leave without any trace. To just erase myself from existence. I hope they don't think the worst.

A grab only a few things from my drawers so they don't notice anything missing. My money jar is hidden in my closet. They have no idea of its existence, so it's safe to empty and take with me to buy new things and leave everything else behind for them to hold on to.

I plan on taking at least one picture off the mantle before I go. I don't want to forget their faces. Who knows how long I'll be gone from them. Perhaps forever if I forget, so I won't let that happen.

Then I wait. Form up in my room I hear my dad come home and my brothers rush to greet him. I hear the clank of knives and forks as they sit down to dinner without me. They know by now not to bother me if I don't come down. I'm never hungry any more. Then after awhile they head up stairs to get the boys to sleep. They won't come to check on me till about eleven o'clock. But I'll be gone by then.

Once I was sure they were all in their rooms for the night, I took my suitcase in one and and my shoes in the other and head down stairs. I have lost a lot of weight from not eating so the floorboards no longer moan under my weight.

I make a beeline for the front door, hindering once to stare at the pictures above the mantle. Maybe they wouldn't notice one go missing. I set my shoes and bag by the door to go and nick one, but before I could someone spoke.

"Going somewhere?" I watched my brother, Jack descend the stairs looking groggy and condescending. I watched him cross the living room and seat himself in an armchair, still watching me. Feeling threatened, I grabbed for the doorknob.

"Open that door, and I scream bloody murder." He said, darkly.

Shit.