It's been a while since I updated my story or reviewed any others' ones…Real life got into way. Hope that you are still here with me and enjoy this chapter. I'd love to hear your comments about it. Thanks in forward.

Chapter 45

The day was bathed in sun that warmed the streets and parks, accompanied with the little birds singing somewhere up in the high branches of the trees. Atlantis could feel her whole being being melted into that perfection of nature as she and Matthew strolled beside the river. His hand never let go of her waist, not even while they went to do some shopping. She inhaled deeply; it was good to feel like this.

The humming of the water caressed her senses like the most beautiful tune. She slightly squeezed her eyelids against the sun tracks that gently played on her face. She could feel the warmth of the green grass against her feet. 'The day was perfect', she thought as she gazed across the river, holding onto her hat that protected gentle skin of her face from the sun.

Suddenly, Matthew stopped by one store and Atlantis looked up to see that it was a book store.

"You mind if we go in? I wanna buy something for Colleen and Brian", he looked down at her.

"Sure, lets go", she nodded and followed him inside the store, all of a sudden growing serious as she remembered her conversation with Brian…

"I…", Brian nervously rubbed his palms, looking down. Atlantis could see that something was eating on him. She got really concerned by now. She watched as he took a deep breath in and started to talk in a silent voice "I just wanted to thank you."

Atlantis creased her eyebrows "Thank me? For what?" All this time since she was back in Colorado Springs, she barely spent time with Brian, they talked on few occasions, but she couldn't remember anything significant that happened which would make him say this.

Brian looked up at her, his eyes filling with tears "For bringing Matthew back to life, back to Colleen and me. Ever since…", he swallowed hard and furiously rubbed his eyes to chase the tears away. Atlantis let him be, figuring he needed some time. After few seconds, he continued "Ever since Ingrid died, he wasn't the same. Not even with Emma. And it was…it was my fault. It was my fault that Ingrid died. If I wasn't so stupid and childish", Brian rambled on, but his voice trailed off in tears.

Quickly, Atlantis hugged him, swallowing her own tears. That was such a burden for a young boy Brian Cooper still was!

"Brian", she whispered "It wasn't your fault. It was an accident. Hey, look at me", as he slowly pulled away from her, Atlantis gently wiped his tears away in a motion like she did when her little son was upset over something and was crying "Matthew loves you very much. And he surely isn't blaming you for Ingrid's death. You can't go on blaming yourself. It's not fair to you, it will eat you down, you can't live with that, Brian", in her thoughts Atlantis already decided that she will have to talk to Matthew about this.

"I thought that he will never be happy again", whispered Brian "And what you did is…is just like magic", he silently added.

"Hey, I spent whole my life in the circus, don't you think I still have a trick upon my sleeve?", she winked at Brian and he chuckled. Atlantis smiled, seeing him calming down "Brian…There's only one magic that can heal broken people – and that is a magic of love", she was close to tears now.

"That is true", Brian smiled "And that was what I wanted to thank you for. Thank you for bringing my brother back with your love", he silently whispered.

Atlantis absently walked between the shelves, not seeing the titles of the books as the pain on her young brother – in – law's face came back to her. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even hear Matthew's voice when he got back to her, talking about the books he chose for Colleen and Brian. The touch of his palm on her shoulder snapped her back to reality.

"Atlantis? Something wrong?"

"No, no, I'm fine", she quickly explained seeing worry creating small lines on his forehead "Just need to talk to you about something when we go outside", Atlantis tried to smile to put his mind on ease, but could see that he was wondering what caused a sudden change in her behaviour and was concerned. She watched as he quickly paid for the books he bought and ushered her to go outside "What is it?", he asked as soon as they left the bookstore.

Cautiously, she started "It's, uhm…it's about Brian. Something he told me before our wedding", she swallowed hard "Maybe we should sit down."

"No, tell me", Matthew insisted, worry getting the better of him. He looked more closely at his wife's face, wondering what's wrong. Did something happen to Brian that he didn't know about? His little brother seemed fine.

"Brian is…Brian is still dealing with what happened with you two…he feels responsible for Ingrid's death", she gently added the last words.

Matthew felt cold sweat running against his forehead. His eyebrows creased "What... Still?"

Atlantis nodded "On our wedding day, he talked to me. Wanted to thank me for making you happy. And than he said that it is his fault that Ingrid died", slowly, Atlantis repeated every single word that Brian told her that day. When she finished, Matthew's face was deeply troubled. She hated to see him like that, but this had to be out. He needed to know "I tried to convince him that it wasn't his fault and that you love him very much and surely don't blame him for Ingrid's death…", she gently whispered.

"Of course I don't", Matthew breathed out, angry at himself. 'How did I miss this?!'

"I know. But, I think that Brian needs to hear that from you", Atlantis gently said "Don't go blaming yourself because you didn't see it", she continued, guessing his troubles "You were always there for him, it is something you always did, you always took care of him and Colleen."

"But, I didn't see this", Matthew shook his head "It ate him for years and I didn't see it, Atlantis", he huffed in desperation.

"It was too painful for you to talk about it and he probably didn't want to open the wounds", Atlantis cautiously added. As Matthew's troubled look went across the river, she gently caressed his upper arm "It just shows how much he loves you, Matthew. He is older now and more aware how big tragedy that was. That is why you two need to talk about what happened. You have to talk about Ingrid."

"I was never so afraid in my life like when I saw him standing with a rifle in front of Pup", Matthew's voice was distant and Atlantis could feel how he tensed up "He could have attack him any second. I could have loose a brother as well. Still, I couldn't kill that bloody animal", he said through gritted teeth.

She intertwined her fingers with his palm and instantly felt his hold tightening. Atlantis didn't say a word. It was enough that he knows that she is here.

"And you're right; we barely talked about it afterwards", Matthew looked down at the dust on the street.

She leaned closer to him as they walked side by side "You can talk to him as soon as we get back to Colorado. It will do you both good"."

Matthew nodded and looking down at her, he whispered "Thanks."

She just smiled, somehow sadly. He saw it and softly pressed his lips on her hair, pulling her closer to him "I love you", he whispered in her hair. As she looked up at him, Matthew caressed her cheek with top of his fingers. He was so lucky to have her back in his life. Over and over again she showed how much she truly cares about him. Not that he didn't know. But, it still amazed him that she didn't mind to have him talk about Ingrid. Matthew had to admit to himself that, ever since Atlantis got back in his life, pain over loosing Ingrid calmed down. He will always remember her, of that he was sure. But, he moved on. Definitely. Atlantis' unconditional love pulled him out from the black hole he crawled in long time ago. She was a gift from God to him. She brought peace to his heart and made him feel happy again. Made him live again.

"I love you too", she silently said and leaned closer into his embrace. For a while, they walked in silence and than she slowly started to talk "The three of you have a special bond. You, Colleen and Brian. I never saw that in my life and I met lots of people who were siblings."

Matthew's lips curled up in smile "Yeah. We went through lot together. I can't imagine not having those two in my life."

Atlantis nodded and smiling, she asked: "Remember Colleen, how terrified was she to walk on that high wire? We couldn't talk her into it for quite some time. She just froze."

"Yeah, but we did talked her into doing it at the end", Matthew grinned.

"Yep", Atlantis couldn't help but giggle at the memory.

"Looks like all my hard work was for nothing", Matthew imitated Atlantis' tone of voice back than and earned himself a light kick on his upper arm from his wife.

"But, it worked!", Atlantis laughed at hearing Matthew repeating her words she said to Colleen long time ago.

"Of course it worked. We were always a good team", Matthew said in matter – of – fact tone of voice. His words warmed Atlantis' heart and she looked up at him again. His eyes shone with love for her "Thanks", he said again "For everything."

Atlantis smiled and holding her hat with her left hand, she stood on her toes and gently kissed Matthew's lips. Just before the kiss turned into a passionate one, she pulled back. They were at the street after all. She saw him trying to regain composure as well and couldn't help but chuckle again. He grinned too and raising an eyebrow, asked "Hungry?", as she nodded, he said "Come on. Lets get some lunch."