"So what now?" he asked after awhile. We were perched, still hand-in-hand, on an ancient, rotting log, deep in the woods, away from prying eyes.

"What do you mean, 'What now?'" I asked frantically, "We're together! Forever!"

"Really?" he asked, and stared intently into my eyes.

"Yes! Of course! Don't you want me?!" I stared back into his, startled and suddenly deathly afraid. My breath caught.

He smiled slightly, his gaze never wandering from their insight into my soul as he glimpsed my fears.

"Yes. I do. I want you forever. I love you, Sasha! I only meant, do you really want me? You really are staying forever this time? You will not want to leave again? What about your family? Your friend? Your life before?"

"I don't care! I would give it all up for you!" And as soon as the words left me, I knew them to be true. I'd do anything for him. Suffer terribly, even die if for him, should it be neccessary!

His smile widened, but his eyes never lost their faraway, sad look.

I wondered what he was thinking. He looked as if he knew something and accepted it. But whatever this something was, it obviously filled with a terrible, heart-wrenching sorrow.

And that's when I heard the six words that had the potential to ruin my life.

"But I don't want you to."

I gasped. Was this really happening? After all we'd been through, he didn't want to be with me?! But he'd just said he loved me!

My heart thudded painfully against my ribs. My breath came faster and faster and tears burned my eyes.

Nathaniel noticed my distress.

"Sasha! Sasha, whatever is the matter?"

He put his strong arms around me and held me to him.

My slim shoulder fit perfectly in his big, beefy hands; my head fit comfortably in the contours of his chest. I felt his hard muscles tense.

"So you - you don't want me to stay?" I couldn't help it - my question came out as little more than a squeak. Very unromantic and unattractive. But Nathaniel only chucked and pulled me closer to him.

"Silly Sasha! That's not what I meant at all. I only meant that I do not want you to have to give it all up - not for me."

His arm moved slightly and I felt his fingers caress my face, and wipe the tears away.

I wanted to crane my neck back, look into his eyes, and determine for myself if this was true or not, but I couldn't. Instead of moving, I closed my eyes. His strong, muscular embrace - my head on his chest - our togetherness just felt too staggeringly phenomenal, it was surreal. I'd missed him so supremely! I felt like a little kid, curled up in her Daddy's lap. I knew that Nathaniel could take care of me if I needed him to, and right then, I did need him to take care of me; to hold me tight.

I couldn't bring myself to answer. My voice had stopped working. I felt so good! So very, very, good! Better than I'd ever felt before!

Of course, I'd had boyfriends before, felt passion, even thought I was in love, but I hadn't felt like this - ever! I hadn't thought it possible. It was so much better than true love is acclaimed to be. My heart felt so swollen, it was liable to burst at any moment. It hurt. It was having trouble dealing with as much love as that which I felt for Nathaniel.

After awhile, he sighed.

"So many questions I have for you! How did you manage to disguise yourself so completely? Why did you do it? Did you find a fairy somewhere or something? How long have you been in Frell? How - well, I guess I'll let you answer those first," he finished, a bit sheepishly.

"Sasha?" he asked, when I still didn't reply.

"Hmmm...?" I managed to get out, "Nathaniel."

"Yes."

"You really love me?"

"Yes! And you me?" And, despite his apparent bravado and confidence, his voice wavered a little.

I was shocked that he would have to ask something like that, but I didn't move.

"Of course! I'm here aren't I? Last night happened, didn't it? Nathaniel, I love you so much, it hurts!"

"Yes. The feeling is mutual, and extremely excruciating."

His fingers ran through my hair and tousled it playfully.

"Then I don't have to give anything up. Nathaniel, I'm a fairy."

Might as well come right out with the truth, I thought, and never mind the consequences.

He pulled back abruptly.

I was left feeling utterly bereft and abandoned, even though only his torso moved away, and our hands remained interlaced.

"A what?" he asked, his voice breathless with shock, "You?"

I laughed, cautiously, shakily, and quietly.

Everything seemed so insecure.

Would he hate me now that he knew?

What reasons would he possibly have for any abhorrence?

"Yeah. Can you believe it? Me!"

I examined his face anxiously, but couldn't make out anything other than extreme surprise written there.

He didn't answer, only stared back at me.

"Nathaniel?"

Still, his lips didn't move to form a reply.

"It's good, that I'm a fairy." And I knew immediately that this was true, "If I wasn't one, I would never have met you, fell in love with you! I'd have never come to Frell, never have found a way back!"

"Yes. I suppose that is true," he said slowly, his face suddenly extremely thoughtful, and his words coming fast and intense, "and it makes sense. After all, you could speak Orgress and Ayorthian. And those loud colored lights from your world that appeared after our first kiss. Yes. It makes sense. I suppose I shouldn't be shocked. I knew you weren't an ordinary maiden from the moment we met that night in the garden. It was obvious that you were more. Much more. I shouldn't be surprised. I suppose that what I'm most surprised about is the fact that you are something from my world. A fairy! It is so hard to believe! You may recall telling me about superheros in your world. I think I would be better able to believe that you were a superhero than a mere fairy. Yet it's still so incredible!"

"Superheros aren't real," I explained earnestly, "and in my world, we don't even have faries. But Nathaniel! I could show you!"

And as the realization hit me, I started bouncing up and down and could practically feel my eyes shining.

"Nathaniel! I could take you to my world! You could meet Myra! And - and everybody! I could show you everything! And then we could come back and be together forever and ever! We could bring Myra here and everything!"

He seemed to be paying little attention to what I had to say, despite the importance I felt for it. His face had a look of concentration on it - like he was figuring something out.

Maybe he was finally accepting that we were possible. That we could be together.

And his gaze burned into mine.

"Then marry me Sasha! Marry me! You have to! Never leave again! Marry me!"

His voice was coarse and harsh and low and fast and I -

My breath stopped altogether and my heart thudded so quickly and violently, I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if it had drilled its way through my chest. Tears sprung into my eyes and I started to shake so violently, I couldn't respond. I was too shocked, too thrilled, too overwhelmed! I could breathe then, but it was extremely difficult, and with each breath, my chest caved in with every breath as I gulped in as much air as my lungs could possibly hold.

He seemed to regain his composture as I lost more and more of my own.

"I - I am sorry. I - please forgive my forwardness. It was uncalled for. Please, do let me do this the right way. I am sorry I have no ring."

And then Nathaniel - Nathaniel got down on one knee. He reached for my right hand. It was lost in both of his. He raised it to his lips and kissed it tenderly. At that moment, I think my body ran out of responses. So I felt as if I were watching it happen. It was as if I were a third party, observing this romantic moment in the middle of a forest in another world, as far as possible from the world with its problems and the closest possible thing to a fairy tale.

"Sasha. Sasha of Frell, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"