~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Eighteen
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Pulling back from the hug, Calliope looked up at Adam. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, knowing that he wasn't going to like what she was about to say.
"What is it, Callie?" Adam questioned, seeing in her eyes that she wanted to say something, but she seemed to be having a hard time getting it out.
"I need some time." Calliope began. She looked away for a moment before turning her gaze back to Adam. "Alone." She quickly added in, easily seeing what Adam was about to say.
"Callie, under these circumstances," Adam began as he gestured to the island around them. "I really don't think that is a good idea. What if something happens and we can't find you?"
"What if...what if...It's always 'what if'!" Calliope knew that Adam only meant well, but this was something that she had to do. And she was going to do it whether Adam approved or not. "I'm tired of living on 'what ifs'!" Calliope's demeanor softened visibly as she looked up at Adam and saw the genuine concern in his expressive brown eyes.
"I know that you don't understand...or maybe you do, but this is something I have to do Adam. I don't know how else to explain it. I need to clear my mind and get my thoughts in order...find out what I really feel. I won't go far and I'll be back on the beach by sundown. I promise."
Adam sighed as he reluctantly gave in, though only because knew that Calliope had already made up her mind about this and anything that he said would not make her change it. "Alright." Adam agreed. Although still not liking the idea, he had to respect what she wanted. "Just stay close by." He knew that when she got into one of her 'moods' and needed to work things out for herself, she could walk for hours and miles without realizing it.
Calliope smiled sincerely up at him. "I will." She promised as she pulled him close once again. "Thanks Adam." She whispered against his chest where she had her face buried.
Adam tightened his hold on her. "Anytime Callie, anytime." He replied as he soothingly stroked her hair back from her face. He wasn't ready to let go when Calliope suddenly pulled back out of his arms.
"See ya later." Calliope told him, dropping hint for him to leave.
"Be careful." Adam called as she turned and began walking away in the opposite direction. Calliope stopped and waved at him, letting Adam know that she heard him, then she began walking away again.
*****
As Adam approached the beach, he froze in his tracks when his eyes touched on Chase emerging from the ocean wearing the bathing suit that Calliope had given her. His breath caught sharply in his throat when his eyes swept over her from head to toe and then back up again. He watched as she tipped her head back and shook the water from her hair. The droplets of water raining down on her was one of the most erotically appealing things that he'd ever seen. He groaned out loud as need raged through his desire tightened body.
Realizing what he'd just done, Adam groaned again...silently this time. He looked at Chase, thankful that because of the waves from the ocean, she probably hadn't heard him. As she came closer to where the shelter was, he ducked behind a tree, not wanting her to catch him and think that he was spying on her.
"Then again, isn't that exactly what you're doing?" He silently questioned himself as he shook his head in disbelief.
As Chase walked into the shelter, Adam closed his eyes as he took in a couple of deep breaths, trying desperately to get himself under control. He knew that he was going to have to talk to Chase...she would want to know about Calliope and he couldn't very well walk up to her with a huge erection jutting out of his jeans.
Adam didn't know if he was more disappointed or relieved when Chase walked out of the shelter several minutes later dressed in shorts and a tank top. As she had her back turned to him, Adam quickly dashed back into the jungle a little ways and then walked forward again, making it seemed as if he was just then arriving on the beach.
"Chase!" Adam called her name, not wanting to startle her as he approached her when she still hadn't turned around and seen him. "Where is Chris?" Adam asked as he looked around and didn't see his friend anywhere.
Chase smiled weakly, realizing that she hadn't seen Chris since he'd stalked off earlier. "Well, last I saw him he was going to catch some fish for lunch. I think he needed to blow off some steam more than anything."
"I understand." Adam said softly, feeling bad for Chris as well.
"Did you find Calliope?" Chase asked an instant later.
"Yeah, I found her by the spring. She's beating herself up pretty badly."
Chase sighed. "I knew she would be. Where is she, by the way." She asked expecting to see Calliope come back with Adam and was surprised when she hadn't. "Is she all right?"
"I think she will be." Adam replied, answering Chase's last question first. "She needed some time alone." He paused for a moment and looked at Chase, seeing exactly what she was going to say next. "I didn't like the idea, but what else could I do? She said that she wouldn't go off too far and that she'd be back here by sunset."
Chase and Adam fell silent, each lost in their thoughts about everything that had taken place since they'd been on the island. What had nearly happened between them did not escape their mind. It was still very fresh in each of their thoughts, though both Adam and Chase tried to keep it pushed back. It wasn't easy with the other being so close...so temptingly within reach.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Nineteen
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�Fuck.� Chris swore viciously, throwing down his spear. He hadn�t caught a damn thing, not that he�d really given it any effort. For the most part he�d just been staring off into space, not paying any attention to the fish that happily swam around him.
�Damn you Callie.� He muttered softly, rubbing his eyes.
He wanted nothing more than to just forget about what had happened between them, but knew he couldn�t. The truth was, he was in love with her. He had been from the moment they first met. She was everything he ever wanted in a woman.
He knew he hadn�t exactly done his best to show her how he felt, constantly picking fights with her, but it was the only way he knew to respond to the feelings he felt for her. For a long time he was in denial about just how strongly his feelings went. But the night before, when he�d held her and claimed her, what little piece of his heart he had been desperate to hang on too, he had given up freely and willingly.
No one knew exactly how he felt about her, although at times he thought Chase suspected. He smirked when he remembered her commenting before they left for the airport about him having a thing for Calliope. She had no idea just how correct she was.
He sighed deeply, wondering if maybe he should have handled things differently. Maybe he should have been a little more understanding. But he was hurt, Damn it! There was a big part of him that wanted nothing more than to go find Calliope, shake her, kiss her senseless, and make her realize just how right they were for each other.
But he knew he wouldn�t. Chase had said Calliope had been trying to protect herself. Well, he was going to protect himself from the hurt that only Calliope could cause.
With a reluctant sigh, he turned and started wading back to shore, knowing he couldn�t hide forever. He was going to have to face Calliope sooner or later. Right now he just hoped it was later than sooner.
***
Her shoulders shook from the force of her anguish, and she was helpless to stop the flow of tears once they started. She didn�t have any idea how far she had walked, for the most part being in a trance. But once she had stopped to rest, she had completely broken down.
She was absolutely disgusted with herself for what she did to Chris. She kept seeing him standing there yelling at her telling her she was nothing but a self-absorbed bitch. God, he was right! Although he had lashed out at her, he had been unable to hide the hurt shining in his eyes, and now that look was haunting her.
She buried her face in her hands, her thoughts turning to why she hurt him the way he did. She wanted to let him in, she wanted too so badly. But whenever she let someone close to her, they left her. She knew she wouldn�t be able to handle if she lost Chris.
Her head snapped up, her eyes going wide when it hit her. By being afraid to loose him, she�d pushing him away�and lost him.
�Oh God.� Her hand flew to her mouth as the realization set in. Her worst fear had come true. She had lost him. And it was all her doing.
She stood up, wiped the tears from her face and started back the way she had come. She knew what she had to do. Her walk was more confident and her jaw was set with determination. She had told Adam she was tired of living in the �what ifs� and she�d meant it.
Since her parents had died, she had only been a shell of her former self. Chris made her feel alive again. Even before last night, when they were constantly arguing, she allowed herself to feel again. He brought that out in her.
She wasn�t going to let this pass her by. For the first time, in a hell of a long time, she knew exactly what she wanted. She bit her lip as she continued walking, knowing this wasn�t going to be easy. Chris was not going to just take her back with open arms. Hell, she expected him to put up a fight, and she didn�t blame him. But she was determined, and when she set her mind to something, she usually got what she wanted.
She knew she was going to have a lot of explaining and groveling to do. But first and foremost, she wanted to ease the hurt she had caused. She was going to tell him exactly how she felt about him�how she�d felt about him for the past two years, but just hadn�t admitted it to anyone, including herself.
�I love him.� She said out loud, stopping in her tracks, allowing the words to sink in. A genuine, happy smile lit her face and eyes, and if anyone had seen her, they would know immediately that she was telling the truth.
�I LOVE HIM!� she yelled, ready to tell the world. She giggled softly, thinking that maybe she should tell Chris before announcing it everyone else. She didn�t even bother to think that there really weren�t a lot of people around at the moment to hear her.
�SHIT!� she exclaimed, her smile disappearing when she felt the sting on her ankle. She looked down, gasping when she saw what it was. A snake! And it had bit her. She hadn�t heard the telltale sign of a rattle, but then again she hadn�t really been paying attention.
She watched, paralyzed with fear as the snake slithered away. Was that a rattle on the end of its tail? She didn�t know the first thing about snakes! She looked down at her leg, seeing the blood trickle from the two puncture wounds and felt sick.
�Oh this is not good!� She looked around wildly, wondering what in the hell to do. She knew she was at least an hour or more away from the beach. She started shaking in fear, but stopped herself, taking a deep breath, telling herself to calm down.
�It probably wasn�t even poisonous. You�re fine.� She assured herself and began walking quickly back to the beach.
Fifteen minutes later, she knew she was in a world of trouble. She stumbled as a wave of dizziness hit her. She glanced down at the bite marks and nearly fainted when she saw the red streaks starting to spread out from the wound. She may not know a lot about snakes, but she knew enough to know the one she had encountered was indeed a deadly snake.
With a whimper, she continued on, only to catch herself as she stumbled again after only a few steps. She felt her foot slip, and had just enough time to register that she was too close to the edge of a ravine, before she felt herself falling. The next thing she knew, everything went black.
***
She woke with a groan, pain shooting through her body. She tried to lift her head, but it felt as if it weighted a ton. She forced her eyes open, fighting against the pain in her head to keep her eyes open.
Calliope noticed that it was a little darker, and knew she must have been out a couple hours. She moved her body around a little, gritting her teeth when her bruised body protested, but sighing with relief when she realized nothing was broken.
She looked up, grateful that the ravine wasn�t too deep. She should be able to climb it without too much difficulty. She didn�t even bother looking at her leg, knowing the poison had spread from the way her leg was on fire.
�Don�t think about it!� she commanded herself. �First get yourself out of here, then worry about it.�
She sat up gingerly, her hand going to her head when it immediately started throbbing. She gasped when she pulled her hand back and saw it was covered with blood.
She struggled to her feet, only to be overcome with another wave of dizziness. Only this time she wasn�t sure if it was from the bite or the hit on the head. Or a combination of both. She sank back down to her knees, her head lowered and eyes closed.
She knew she had to get moving. Time was running out, and she needed help. She had to get up�now! But she couldn�t seem to get her body to respond.
�I�m so tired.� She whispered to herself, allowing her body to fall back down to the earth. �I�ll just close my eyes for a moment, then I�ll get up.�
With a sigh of defeat, she allowed the darkness to consume her once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty
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"She should have been back by now." Adam stated quietly, the worry is his voice easily heard.
"What?" Chris asked, not really understanding what Adam was talking about. He assumed that he was speaking of Calliope since he hadn't seen her around anywhere. Convincing himself that he didn't care, Chris hadn't bothered to ask where she was.
"Callie...She promised that she would be back on the beach by sundown." Chase answered when Adam hadn't after several minutes. He was worried about Calliope and she could clearly see that. Hell, she was more than a little concerned herself. She watched as Adam got up and walked to the foot of the forest, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of Calliope.
"Well, where is she?" Chris asked. He wasn't really worried...yet. He kept telling himself that being late was something that she was doing purposely, though deep down, he knew better than that. He just wouldn't let himself see that.
"I don't know really. Adam just said that she needed some time alone and that she would be back here by dusk." After that she and Adam had not spoken of Calliope or Chris. They'd spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach acting like a couple of kids. They'd built a sandcastle while laughing and flirting with each other. ]
"We'll give her a little more time. If she's not back here in a half-hour, we should go look for her." Adam stated as he walked back over to Chase and Chris. He didn't sit back down with them though. He stayed upright, pacing nervously, his worry growing with each second that passed and Calliope didn't show up. His increased agitation was making Chase, and even Chris more frightened for her...though Chris fought hard not to show it.
"I can't wait any longer." Adam stated fifteen minutes later. "I need to go look for her." He had a deep sense of dread as he thought about Calliope. He knew her, and knew that she wouldn't be late coming back unless something was stopping her from doing so.
"I'll go with you." Chase said as she jumped to her feet and walked over to where Adam was standing. They both turned and looked to see if he wanted to go too.
"Maybe one of us should stay here incase she shows up." Chris suggested as he rose to his feet as well, and made his way over to Adam and Chase.
No one said anything. Finally it was Adam who broke the silence. "She's not going to show up." He stated matter of factly. He knew without knowing that that was true.
Chris looked in Adam's eyes and knew that what he was saying was real. He suddenly felt like he couldn't breath...as if he'd been punched in the stomach as a sense of urgency to find Calliope overwhelmed him.
"This is no good!" Adam exclaimed in frustration almost an hour later. There was still no sign of Calliope and now that it was dark out, searching for her any further seemed futile. Under the cover of the dense forest, even the light of the full moon was no help to them. "We'll have to stop until daylight." As much as Adam hated saying those words, he knew that there was nothing else they could do for the time being.
Chris sat down on a rock with a heavy sigh. In the last hour that they'd been looking for her, Chris realized a couple things about Calliope. The first was that he had to find her no matter what. The second was that he loved her. He knew he did. He could no more deny his love for her than he could deny himself air to breath. He also knew that he had to tell her this. And then if she still chose to push him away...Well, then he would have to deal with it and move on.
"Let's just try a little bit longer." Chase suggested before Chris had a chance to say anything.
"Better yet...Let's split up. We can cover more ground that way. We'll meet back on the beach at sun up." Chris said as he stood up again. Then before Chase or Adam had a chance to say anything to agree or disagree with him, Chris turned and began walking way in the opposite direction.
*****
Calliope slowly opened her eyes, wincing at the throbbing in her entire body that had not abated in the slightest in the time that she's been out. In fact, the pain seemed ten times worse than it had been before.
She tried sitting up but it was hopeless. The entire right side of her lower body seemed paralyzed and she could feel that numbing sensation slowly creeping up into the upper part of her body. She tried lifting her head, but even that was much too excruciating and exhausting. Calliope closed her eyes again, feeling darkness settling over her once again.
She opened her eyes again a short tome later, swearing that she could hear someone calling her name, but she really couldn't be sure if it was real or if had been a dream. She decided that it was indeed real when she heard it again.
Calliope tried to call out, but her voice only came out as a whisper. Her throat was so dry and she was simply too weak to be able to accomplish anything more than that. She laid her head back on the ground as she closed her eyes again, a small sigh if defeat escaping her lips. She was going to die right there in that ravine.
If she would have had the strength, Calliope wasn't sure if she would have laughed or cried. It would just figure that once she finally realized that she loved Chris, she was going to die. It wasn't dying that she was afraid of...but rather dying before she had a chance to tell him how she really felt about him was what scared her the most.
"No!" Calliope fiercely told herself some time later when she heard the voice calling her name again. It sounded much closer and she was able to tell that it was Chris.
Calliope knew that this was her only chance. She also knew that she was not probably going to make it. The snakebite would have been enough, but the fall into the ravine on top of that had made things even worse. But at least now she would get the chance to let Chris know how she truly felt first. That thought gave her a bit of renewed energy. Gathering up the minute amount of strength that she could, Calliope lifted her head from the ground.
"Here!" She some how managed to yell pretty loudly. And instant later she heard Chris call her name again. She then heard the sound of his rapidly approaching footsteps before he stopped at the edge of the ravine.
"Callie!" Chris called again. He was certain that he'd heard her, but in the pitch black darkness, he wasn't able to see where she was.
"I'm here." Calliope said again, though not nearly as loud or strongly as her first effort. She laid her head back on the ground, gasping as pain shot through her entire being.
"Oh god." Chris whispered to himself as it began to dawn on him exactly where Calliope was. He looked down into the ravine and could barely make out her form lying on the ground at the bottom.
Chris knew that he had to get down to her, but from where he was standing, the wall of the ravine was much too steep for him to be able to get down safely. He spotted a place on the other side of the ravine where he thought he would be able to make his way down easily.
"Okay hang on, Callie. I'm coming down, but I have to get around to the other side. It's too steep here." Not waiting for Calliope to respond, Chris began on his way.
The ravine was much larger than Chris had expected and with it being dark out, he had to move much slower than he normally could have. By time he got around to the side where it was safe to climb down and got Calliope, he guessed that more than two hours had passed since he'd first found her.
"Callie?" Chris asked softly as he kneeled down beside her. By her lack of response, he was certain that he hadn't gotten to her soon enough. He frantically searched for a pulse and sighed with relief when he found one. But it was very weak.
Standing up again, Chris looked up at the sides of the ravine. He knew that he didn't dare move Calliope until daylight. And even then he had no idea how he was going to get her out of there. He didn't think he'd be able to safely carry her up. The risk of dropping her or falling himself and even furthering her injuries was too great. He thought that his best bet would be to go back to the beach and get the raft. It had a rope on it and he would be able to put her in it and pull her out that way.
Chris leaned back down when he heard Calliope's pain filled moan. "It's okay...everything is going to be all right." Chris quietly tried to assure her...along with himself.
"Chris..." Chris stopped Calliope before she could say anything more.
"Shhh Callie. Don't try to talk. Just rest." Chris said to her as he carefully brushed her hair back from her forehead.
Calliope lifted her hand and placed it over his. "Chris...please. I need to say this. I may not get another chance."
Chris remained silent as he let her words sink in. What did she mean when she said that she might not get another chance? How bad was she hurt? Before Chris could say anything, Calliope spoke again.
"I've been bitten by a snake, Chris. Then I fell down in this ravine. I know that the snake was a poisonous one. I don't think I broke any bones in the fall, but I hit my head pretty bad. I keep passing out. I don't know if that's from the snakebite, hitting my head, or both. Most of the right side of my body is paralyzed...I can't move it much at all." She paused, wincing as extreme pain rushed through her. She forced herself to stay focused as she felt the peaceful darkness settling over her again. She was not going to let herself go out again until she said all to Chris that she needed to.
Chris felt a deep sense of dread settle into the pit of his stomach when he heard Calliope's words. Her condition was more serious that he had ever imagined that it was. He closed his eyes, trying to keep himself calm. He was going to need to be able to keep it together for her. He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, but it did no good to halt the fear racing through him.
"Chris, I have a couple of things that I need to say to you." Calliope continued once the wave of pain abated some.
"First of all, I am so sorry for the hurt that I caused you. I didn't mean to treat you that way. I know that it is no excuse, but I just-" Knowing what she was going to say, Chris cut her off. He knew that he couldn't stop her from saying what she needed to, but he wanted her to preserve as much strength as she could.
"It's okay, Callie. Chase explained everything to me. I do admit that I was hurt, upset, disappointed and so much more. But I've had some time to think everything over and I do understand. I don't regret what happened between up. I just wish that it could have had a different outcome."
"I've had some time to think everything over too. I never meant to hurt you the way that I did." Calliope told him again. "I just didn't know how to deal with the way that I was truly feeling and the only way I knew how was with anger. I'm sorry for causing you so much pain."
Not giving Chris a chance to break in, Calliope immediately continued. "I've done a lot of soul searching today and I realized a couple of things. First I realized that I've been attracted to you all along. But I could never admit it...not even to myself. I was too scared. You have made me feel more alive...even when we were fighting...I felt more alive than I have in a long time. I was scared to lose you, but scared to get close. And in my fear of losing you, I pushed you away...and lost you."
Calliope stopped for a moment to catch her breath, but then spoke again, knowing that she didn't have much time. Her head felt fuzzy, the hands of darkness constantly threatening to pull her under.
"The second thing that I realized is that...I love you, Chris. I know I have since the first time I ever saw you. I'm not scared anymore to admit it to you, to myself, or to anyone else. I love you, Chris." The moment the words were out of her mouth, Calliope's eyes rolled back and then closed as she succumbed to unconsciousness.
Chris tenderly caressed her cheek, knowing that she was out again. "I love you too, Callie."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty One
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chase head snapped up when she heard Adam's voice crack as he called Calliope�s name for what seemed like the millionth time. Her own voice was beginning to give out on her. As worried as she was about her friend, and Chris, who had gone off on his own to search for her, she could see the stress and guilt was eating Adam alive.
She wanted nothing more than to take him in her arms and comfort him as best she knew who, but ever since Chris had left, Adam hadn�t spoken a word to her, unless it was to warn her to watch her footing, or to shout Callie�s name.
She knew that they were putting themselves in danger by continuing to search in the darkness. She sighed to herself, knowing that convincing Adam of that wouldn�t be easy. It wasn�t that she wanted to stop looking, but the realistic of the situation were telling her they had too�at least until sunrise.
She gasped when she saw Adam stumble in front of her, and rushed forward to help. He had caught himself and was curing under his breath when she reached him. He knew it was pointless to continue searching, but he couldn�t bring himself to give up.
�Adam, we need to stop.� She said softly, her voice soothing. �We really aren�t doing Callie any good right now.� She tried to reason with him.
Adam didn�t say anything and didn�t look at her. His eyes were fixed on the darkness around them, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.
�I shouldn�t have let her go.� He whispered, so low Chase almost didn�t hear him.
�It�s not your fault.� She put her hand on his back, feeling his muscles tense at her touch. �You and I both know how Callie is. Once she gets an idea in her head and get s that determined look in her eyes, no one is changing her mind.�
�I should have tried harder.� Adam shook his head. �I didn�t even really try. Now if anything happens to her�� he trailed off, unable to voice his fears out loud.
�She�s going to be fine!� Chase exclaimed, trying to push down her own fears for her friend. �I�m sure Chris has already found her.�
�Oh yeah, now I feel so much better.� Adam muttered, running his hand over his face. �He�s been a bitch to be around all day.�
Chase shot him a look before turning to look at their surroundings. �He�s been hurting Adam, just as Callie has. Cut him a little slack.� She gently admonished. �Besides, you obviously didn�t notice the look on his face right before he left. He�s just as frantic as you are about Callie. Come hell or high water, I�m willing to bet he found her.�
Adam studied her for a minute before speaking. �You�re awfully calm.� He commented, almost in a grateful way. She was the only thing that was keeping him from freaking out completely.
Chase shrugged and grinned over her shoulder at him. �I work with Chris�I�m used to having to keep my cool under intense situation. It was part of the job description for working with the �Larger than Life Living Legend�� She quoted with a roll of her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him chuckle.
His smile quickly faded when he again looked out into the darkness. They both fell silent, and for the first time Adam really let himself think about the situation. He found himself getting unjustifiably angry with Chris.
�Damn him.� He swore, his fist clenched tightly at his side.
�Huh?�
He turned his head and saw Chase looking at him confused and realized he had said it out loud. He knew he should just let it go, but the fear, anger, stress and guilt were taking over.
�If he had just left her the hell alone, none of this shit would be happening.� Adam ground out as he started to pace.
�Excuse me?� Chase asked, her hands on her hips as she looked at him in disbelief.
�You heard me! Chris has been nothing but a pain in the ass to Callie, and now this!�
�I hate to break this to you, but Callie had just as much to do with what happened as Chris did.� Chase countered, quick to jump to Chris� defense. �And it just so happens to be that he�s in love with her.�
Adam stopped pacing and swung around to stare at Chase. �You�ve got to be kidding me. That man doesn�t know the first thing about love!� It was harsh and untrue and he knew it, but at the moment, Adam couldn�t seem to stop himself.
�You don�t mean that.� Chase shook her head softly, knowing he would regret everything he was saying once he calmed down.
�Chris is your best friend and you know him better than anyone.� She reminded him. �And whether you choose to believe me or not, he�s in love with her�just as she�s in love with him.�
�Oh really?� Adam sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. �And when did you become Ms. Cleo?�
Chase glared at him, beginning to reach the end of her patience. �I never claimed to be psychic, I�m just stating the facts.�
�Look, this is ridiculous.� Adam retorted. �We need to be out there looking for Callie instead of here having a nice little chat.�
Chase threw up her hands, having had enough. �You know what? Fine, go look for her. But when you fall and break you damn neck, remember that she is still out there and you won�t be able to help her like that.� She snapped.
She knew she needed to stay calm, and Adam was just reacting out of fear, but being the levelheaded one was beginning to wear thin. She was having a hard enough time keeping her own self calm, the fear and worry for her friend cutting through her like a knife. She was reaching her breaking point.
�Well, at least I wouldn�t have given up, like some people.� Adam threw back, not really meaning. He saw the pain cross her face at his words, and wished he could take them back. He knew she was right, that he wasn�t doing Callie any good and he needed to stop until daybreak, but he couldn�t bring himself to do it. He felt as if he were letting her down if he did.
Taking a deep breath, not commenting, Chase turned her back to him and started walking away. If she didn�t just walk away, she was either going to say something she�d regret later or get violent. She wanted nothing more at the moment that to hit him upside the head�hard.
Adam lunged forward and caught her arm, stopping her before she could take more than a few steps. He turned her around to face him, his hands still on her arms.
�I�m sorry.� He said gruffly. �I didn�t mean that.�
Chase jerked out of his grasp, glaring up at him. �Seems this island makes people say things they don�t mean.� She snapped. She was still stinging from Chris�s comment earlier in the day, although she had forgiven him for it. Adding this one on top of it just rubbed salt in open wounds.
�What do you mean?� he asked softly, confusion written on his face, along with regret.
�Nothing.� She mumbled, looking down, taking another deep breath before looking up to meet his gaze, her eyes flashing. �Look, I know your worried about Callie, and so am I. And I�m not �giving up�.� She ground out through clenched teeth.
�And you know what? I�m sick and tired of being yours and Chris�s personal punching bags!� she yelled, having worked herself into a fine fury. �Next time you want to bite someone�s head off, make sure it isn�t mine!�
Adam�s breath caught in his throat as he looked down at her. Never had she looked so�breathtaking. The way she was standing there, her hands on her hips, her eyes spitting blue fire at him, was more than he could take, and what little restraint he�d been able to keep since waking up earlier that morning, snapped.
�So go look for her!� Chase continued ranting, missing the desire that passed across his face, blinding by anger. �See if I care!� With that she spun around again, intent on walking away. Only again, he stopped her, before she was even able to get all the way around.
She gasped in surprise when she suddenly found herself pressed fully against him. She looked up at him shocked, unable to find her voice, not that she�d need it. A second later, his mouth came crashing down on hers in a hot, demanding kiss that completely stole her breath away.
She stayed stiff in his arms, until his tongue snaked out and traced her lips, seeking entrance. With a groan of defeat, she relaxed against him, and opened her mouth, allowing him the access he was desperate to receive.
She went up on tiptoes, increasing the pressure on his mouth, his deep groan encouraging her as her arms went around his neck, her fingers tangling in his long hair.
With their tongues dueling wildly, he lowered them both to the ground, not caring where they were, just knowing he couldn�t take any more, or wait any longer. He had to have her�.now, and the way she was responding to him, wriggling beneath him, he knew she felt he same.
He tore his mouth away, breaking the kiss, only when oxygen became an absolute must. Breathing heavily, they stared into each other�s eyes. Her hands still in his hair, she urged his head back down to hers. Only this time he kissed her slowly, putting all the passion he felt for her into it. She arched against him, her hands going in between their bodies to pull his shirt over his head.
She smiled when she felt his muscles tighten beneath her touch, and the shiver that went through him made the desire burn brighter in her eyes. Before she knew it, their clothes were strewn around them, and he was kissing his way down her body, just the way she had imagined.
She arched her back and cried out in pleasure when she felt his mouth close around her sensitive nipple. Her fingers tightened in his hair, almost painfully, but it only inflamed him more. She held him close, closing her eyes in ecstasy as his worked his magic with his lips, tongue and teeth.
�Adam.� She moaned in pleasure, a note of pleading in voice. He lifted his head, his eyes again meeting hers.
�God I want you.� He said huskily, his eyes bright with emotions she couldn�t place, but had her heart racing. �I�ve wanted you for so long.� He admitted, not only to her, but himself also. It was then that he realized just how much he wanted her, and the emotions he was feeling was more than just lust and need. It ran deeper...heart wrenchingly deeper.
She reached up and traced his full lips with her fingertips, smiling softly at him, allowing all that she felt for this man to shine through. She was tried of hiding what she felt for him, and she wouldn�t do it anymore. She knew she was opening herself up completely to him, but found she didn�t want to hold back. She was willing to give her heart over completely to this man. Hell, he already had her heart.
�Make love to me, Adam.� She whispered, staring deep into his eyes. At her words, he closed his eyes, his big body shuddering against hers, as he fought for control. After a moment he opened his eyes, bent his head and kissed her tenderly.
Shifting his body slightly, he pulled back and entered her with one long, hard, powerful thrust, both of them crying out in pleasure as their bodies became one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty Two
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Slowly blinking his eyes open, Chris let out a soft groan as he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck before running his hand over his face. He looked around the interior of the ravine in confusion, wondering why and how he was there. It all came rushing back to him when he glanced over his shoulder and saw Calliope lying on the ground behind him. He remembered looking for her and then finding her.
He also remembered what she'd said to him before she'd lost consciousness again. Chris smiled softly as he recalled her words to him. She loved him...she always had. Just as he had her. Suddenly feeling angry at the time that they'd wasted, Chris pounded his fist into the ground in frustration. The two years that they'd spent arguing bitterly with each other, they could have spent together...if only each of them had been able to realize and admit their feelings for each other.
Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Chris spun around and kneeled down beside Calliope. She was so completely motionless and pale that he became very afraid that she hadn't made it through the night. He searched frantically for her pulse and sat back in relief when he found one. But it was weak and irregular. Her condition was very critical. He knew that. And he knew that she knew it too.
His eyes wondered down her leg to touch on the twin puncture wounds at her ankle. As if the bite and then the fall weren't enough, it looked like the wounds were well on their way to being infected. His eyes took in the rest of her body, seeing the bruises, scrapes, and cuts from the fall into the ravine. He gently lifted her head and found the deep laceration at the base of her skull. He winced when he saw the blood in her hair and on the ground.
Leaning forward again, Chris gently brushed his fingers across her cheek. "Callie?" He frowned when he didn't get a response. He tried again and still received nothing from her. Chris tried again for the third. He was filled with relief when he saw her eyes flutter and open for a brief instant before closing again. Calliope pushed her eyelids up again, forcing them to stay open as she tried to focus her sight on Chris. She closed her eyes once more, the pain pounding in her head at having them was much to excruciating and she was simply too tired and weak to be able to keep them open. She whimpered softly in defeat and in fear as tears stung underneath her closed eyes.
Chris took in a deep breath and slowly let it out as he fought to keep his emotions at bay for the time being. He had to keep strong for her. Taking hold of her hand, Chris opened his mouth to speak, forcing his voice to come out strong and steady.
"It's okay, Callie. You don't have to keep your eyes open." Chris paused for a moment when his voice wavered slightly. Her hand was completely limp within his. The only thing that kept him from loosing it completely was to concentrate his focus on getting her out of the ravine and telling himself that everything would be just fine. He glanced up at the sky and saw the sun rising over the horizon, reminding him that he had agreed to meet Chase and Adam back at the beach at daylight.
"Calliope, listen to me. I have to leave you for a little while. I need to get back to the beach. I have to get-" Chris stopped when Calliope suddenly gripped his hand tightly.
"No...please don't leave me here alone." Calliope begged, her voice weak and filled with pain and fear. "Please Chris...I don't want to be alone if I-" Her pain laden gasp stopped her words before they could all be spoken..
Carefully placing his hands on each side of her face, Chris leaned in closer until the tip of his nose touched hers. He talked softly to her until she relaxed a bit and the pain seemed to subside slightly.
"I'll be back, Callie. I promise." Chris told her, his lips lightly brushing hers as he did so.
"Chris...ple-" Calliope tried pleading once more, but her voice failed her.
Chris wanted nothing more than to stay there with Calliope, but he knew that he couldn't. He also knew that he couldn't wait any longer to get going either. He needed to get back to the beach, get the raft, get back to Calliope and get her out of that ravine. Hopefully some where along the way he'd run into Adam and Chase, but if he didn't that was fine too. His main focus was on Calliope. And since her being in the predicament that she was in was half his fault, he was determined to help her and make things up to her.
"I will be back." Chris promised again, putting strong emphasis on each of his words. "But I have to get going now."
Chris pressed his lips fully against hers before pulling back just enough to be able to see her face. He smiled gently down at her when he saw her eyes open. Leaning forward, Chris kissed her once more. "I love you, Callie." He whispered against her lips a moment later.
Chris' smile broadened when he saw the surprise register in her eyes, but she didn't question him. He watched as her eyes then began to take on a far away look and he knew that she was close to drifting out again, but at least she heard him this time when he said that he loved her.
"I love you too." Calliope murmured softly. An instant later Chris felt her body go slack again. In a way, he was relieved that she wouldn't be awake while he was gone. He hated to think of her being alone there, scared and in pain. He hoped that when she was unconscious, she didn't feel any pain. They down side of her being unconscious was the possibility of her slipping into a coma and not waking up.
Chris stayed with her a few minutes longer before he rose to his feet and climbed out of the ravine the same way that he'd gotten in there. Once out, he took off in a full sprint toward the beach.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty Three
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chase kept glancing at Adam out of the corner of her eye, waiting and wondering if he was going to say anything, or give her the silent treatment for the rest of their lives.
She was afraid he regretted what had happened between them, and knew she should take the initiative and find out what was going on in that head of his, but in all honesty, she was scared to find out.
The night before had been filled with so much passion; it was beyond anything she had ever experienced in her entire life. They had only slept for maybe a few hours, the rest of the time spent talking and exploring each other�s bodies. It had been heaven.
But with daybreak, Adam seemed to draw away from her and into his own little shell. Since they had gotten dressed and started back towards the beach, it was like she had been thrown back in time to when they were completely ignoring each other.
�Maybe he does regret it.� Her mind screamed, and she had to blink rapidly, surprised by the sudden sting of tears. Had she just been a distraction for him? Something to get his mind off the fear and guilt he was feeling?
She had always prided herself in the fact that she stayed in control of her emotions. She never let them run wild, and never gave her heart out�she�d learned the hard way from that, and swore never to do it again.
And here she had just given everything this to this man, who up to a few days ago hadn�t had a civil conversation with. And she wanted to give him more�hell how much more could she give him, really? Even if he didn�t know it, she had given her heart to him the night before.
She stopped walking, the thoughts swirling around in her head. For the first time in her life, she was in love. Totally and completely in love. She was no longer in control on her emotions. Adam could make her the happiest woman alive, or completely devastate her, and there wasn�t a damn thing she could do about it.
Adam paused when he realized Chase wasn�t walking next to him, and turned around. She was standing a few feet back, her head down, her long hair falling over her shoulders, hiding her face.
�Chase?� he called. She slowly lifted her head and looked at him. What he saw in her eyes nearly sent him to his knees�the raw emotion.
�W-what was that?� she stumbled over her words slightly.
�What?� Adam asked, looking around, trying to see if he�d missed something.
�That�that back there.� She gestured behind her, back the way they had just come. �What was it?�
It took a moment for him to comprehend what she was talking about and when he did he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, searching desperately for the answer she was seeking. He hadn�t been able to think of anything else, and for that, he felt even guiltier towards Callie. He couldn�t afford to get distracted right now, no matter how badly he wanted too.
After Calliope was found, they could sit down and figure out exactly what was going on.
�Chase�� he started, but she stopped him.
�Don�t!� she stated, taking a couple steps forward, until she was standing directly in front of him, close enough where they could feel each other�s body heat.
�Just tell me, what was it?� she nearly begged, her eyes pleading with him.
�Honestly,� he said solemnly, �I don�t know.�
She jerked back from him as if she�d been punched, the color draining from her face, her eyes going wide before she was able to get herself under control. She bent her head and took a deep breath, then nodded.
�Okay.� She whispered shakily.
Adam reached out and touched her arm, but she reacted as if he�d burnt her, pulling back again and moving around him, ready to continue back to the beach. That hadn't come out like he'd meant it too...he wanted her to know that it had meant the world to him, but he really couldn't concentrate on it right now. He gritted he teeth, ready to smack himself when he fully realized how what he had just said sounded. God, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
�I didn�t mean it like it sounded�I just need to concentrate on Callie right now.� He tried to explain, his own eyes begging her to understand, and she may have, if she had been looking. "We can talk--"
�No, it�s fine.� She interrupted over her shoulder, not bothering to look at him. �And you�re completely right, we need to concentrate on Calliope. So, let�s go.� She started off, walking briskly away, ignoring him when he called her name.
She barely saw where she was going, blinded by tears. She wiped her hand across her eyes, silently cursing herself for letting go the way she had. When would she learn?
Wrapped up in her own misery, she didn�t hear the sound of pounding feet, nor Adam�s shout of warning. She looked up just in time to see Chris come barreling through the trees before he slammed into her, completely knocking the wind out of her as their bodies connected, sending them both to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty Four
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris sat on the ground for several minutes breathless from running and in a daze before he realized that it was a person that he'd run into and not a tree as he'd originally thought. He immediatly jumped to his feet and rushed over to where Chase was still lying on the ground, staring up at the sky as stars danced before her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Chris questioned as he helped her to sit up.
"Apart from a headache, I think I'll live." Chase tried to joke, but it came out sounding fake and humorless. But if Chris noticed, he didn't show it.
"You know," Chris began as he stood up and held out his hand to help chase to her feet also. "I was hoping that I'd run into you and Adam, but I didn't mean it quite so literally."
"Chris, did you find Callie?" Adam asked before Chase or Chris could say anything more.
Chris looked away for a moment, his brilliant blue eyes clouding again with fear and he again felt a sense of urgency to get back to Calliope. "Yes," Chris started as he turned back to Adam.
"Is she okay?" Adam questioned before Chris could elaborate any further. He held his breath and said a silent prayer for her well-being as he waited for Chris to reply.
"No." Chris answered with brutal honesty. There was no time for beating around the bush now.
As Chase listened to Chris telling about what happened to Calliope, she was suddenly overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of guilt and she began to fully understand how Adam was feeling. She felt selfish for the way things had gone between them just moments ago...for thinking of herself first and not of what Adam was so obviously feeling. Yes, her and Adam still needing to talk, but not until later.
"So I figure the safest way to get her out of there is by using the raft. I was just on my way to get that when I ran into you two." Chris finished telling Adam and Chase what was all going on.
"We'll go with you." Chase stated, answering for both Adam and herself as she began walking once again toward the beach. Adam and Chase immediatly followed behind her.
*****
"There...there is the ravine." Chris pointed to their place of destination. Once seeing it, the three of them felt a renewed sense of urgency to get there and their paced picked up considerably.
"Sweet Jesus..." Adam hissed under his breath when his eyes touched on Calliope laying at the bottom of the ravine. Tears stung his eyes as guilt consumed him. He should have tried to stop her...he should have tried much harder than he had. Dropping the end of the raft that he was carrying, Adam rushed around to the side of the ravine where Chris had told him was safe to get down. Within moments, he was at Calliope's side.
Adam cursed softly as his eyes took in the condition that Calliope was in. Chris had said that she was in bad shape, but he never thought that it would be like this. Reaching out, Adam gently touched her cheek. His fear for her heightened when he felt how hot she was. She was burning up with a fever.
"Callie?" Adam called her name, trying to rouse her. All he got from her was silence. He tried several times more with the same result.
"She's unresponsive." Adam said as Chris and Chase approached.
His eyes clouding darker with additional worry, Chris rushed around Calliope and kneeled down at her side across from Adam. "Callie?" As he called her name. Chris gently shook her shoulder with one hand while he tenderly caressed her cheek with the other. After getting no response at all from her, he took hold of her hand and felt his heart drop. He could feel her slipping away from them.
As Adam watched Chris with Calliope it became very apparent to him that Chase had been sincere when she'd said that Chris was in love with Calliope. All it took was one look into his friend's eyes to tell that.
"Oh my God!" Chase exclaimed all of a sudden as she looked up, her eyes searching the sky. "Do you guys here that?"
It sounded like there was a helicopter approaching from the distance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Twenty Five
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You two stay with Callie." Chase exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. She
got up the side of the ravine quicker than she thought possible, and took
off running for the beach, knowing that was the only possible way for anyone
to see her from the air.
Fear for Calliope's life encouraged her to run faster, and she reached the
beach in record time. She quickly forgot her breathlessness when she saw
the helicopter hovering.
"HERE!" she screamed, waving her arms frantically. A relieved sob tore from
the very depths of her soul when the pilot waved to her, indicating that he
saw her. She stood back, tears streaming unnoticed down her face as the
helicopter touched down.
She ran up to the uniformed men who stepped out, barely registering that
they must be with the coast guard. Thank god, they would be able to get
Calliope help...hopefully before it was too late.
"Thank god we fou-" one of the men started to say, but Chase cut him off.
They didn't have time for talk...Calliope needed action!
"This way, follow me, and hurry!" she ordered, then turned and ran back into
the woods. The men exchanged a look, then took off after her after grabbing
some medical supplies, which they instinctively knew they were going to
need.
They followed her in silence, only catching up with her when she stopped at
the edge of the ravine.
"Down there." She pointed. "She's been bitten by a snake, then fell down
the ravine. She's fading fast." She updated them, her voice relatively
steady, although her eyes were wild and her heart was pounding in fear.
Then men nodded and quickly made their way down the ravine. Adam and Chris
both moved out of the way, knowing help had arrived, although they stayed
pretty close by, their eyes not leaving Calliope's still form.
"She doesn't have a pulse." One of the guys said. Adam closed his eyes,
while tears flooded Chase's eyes. She stepped forward and put her arm
around Chris who was trembling. Never taking his eyes from the woman he
loved, he pulled Chase closer, grateful for the comfort she was offering.
They all three watched, their hearts in their throats, as the men worked
feverishly to save Calliope's life.
***
"We've got her somewhat stabilized." One of the paramedics informed them, a
little while later. Before they could really absorb what he had said and
breathe a sigh of relief, he continued.
"She is by far out of the woods, and if we don't get her to a hospital right
away, we may very well loose her." He told them, his heart going out to the
three people standing before him.
"We're getting her ready for transport, but unfortunately we only have room
for two people. Under normal circumstances we would have one of our crew
stay behind, but for Calliope's sake, we can't do that this time. One of
you has to stay here. Once we're in the air, we'll radio in and have
someone pick up whoever stays behind."
Chase looked at both Chris and Adam, seeing the stricken look on their
faces. She knew what she had to do, and took a deep breath. "I'll stay."
She said firmly.
"What? No!" Chris countered as he spun around to face her. Although he
knew she wouldn't be left alone for more than a few hours or so, there was
no way he was going to let her stay on this island by herself.
"Chris, it'll be fine." She assured him, giving him her best fake smile,
hoping he didn't see right through it. She wanted nothing more than to go
with Calliope and make sure her friend was okay, but she knew Chris and Adam
needed to be with her more.
"Don't worry about me." She said sternly. "Concentrate on Callie." She
knew she had made her point when his eyes immediately went to the woman he
loved. Her heart broke at the fear she saw in his eyes.
"Go, Chris." She urged gently, smiling softly when he started moving in
Calliope's direction. 'Hang on, Callie.' She thought to herself. 'You have
no idea just how much you have to live for.' She silently prayed to her
friend.
"We'll have another plane on the way as soon as possible." The pilot told
her. She nodded and watched as he turned and ran over to the helicopter and
got in, preparing for take off.
"You don't have to do this."
"Yes I do." She said before turning her head to look at Adam. "It's time to
stop being selfish." She said softly. "About before...I-I'm sorry. You were
right." She looked down at the ground. She felt horrible about what had
happened between them before. She'd been worrying about what had happened
between her and Adam when her best friends life was hanging in the
balance.
"Chase-" he started but she cut him off.
"You better go. It looks like they are about ready to take off." She
pointed. Suddenly she spun around to face him again, her eyes bright with
tears. "Adam, tell Callie to hang on and I'll see her soon. Tell her, I
love her." She pleaded, a single tear slipping down her cheek.
He reached forward and wiped away the tear. He pulled her into his embrace,
holding her close for a few seconds, before pulling back and looking deep
into her eyes.
"I'll be back." He promised gruffly. More tears slipped from her eyes as
she watched him run to the helicopter. She turned her back to them, unable
to watch as they took off. She closed her eyes and sent more prayer up for
her friend.
She kept assuring herself that Calliope would be okay. Chris would never
let her leave him so easily, especially after finally realizing how much she
meant to him. She squeezed her eyes tighter when the engines roared louder,
and she was able to make out the sound of the helicopter leaving the
ground.
When strong hands came down on her shoulders, she let out a strangled cry
and spun around, nearly falling over her own feet in surprise and fright.
"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled, partially in confusion and the
other part to be heard over the loud engines.
"I can't leave you here alone." Adam yelled back. He'd known right away he
couldn't leave her, and had gone to give Calliope her message and one of his
own. He knew Calliope would kick his and Chris's ass if she found out they
had left Chase on the island by herself.
He also knew Calliope was in the best hands possible. She was with Chris.
Adam pulled Chase back into his arms, and together they watched as the
helicopter took off, neither saying a word, even as it disappeared out of
sight.
Epilogue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Calliope smiled benevolently at her friend. "You're so beautiful." She replied softly, her voice filled with sincerity.
Blinking back the threatening tears, Chase walked over to where Calliope was standing and pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you." She whispered as she pulled back and looked into Calliope's eyes. "You're so beautiful too."
"Quit." Calliope gently admonished as she wiped a tear from her eyes. "You're going to make me mess my make up."
"Who would have ever thought?" Chase wondered out loud as she looked down at her stunning white wedding dress while her hand reached up to touch the veil perched atop her head. Six months ago she would have never...ever guessed that in just a few minutes she'd be walking down the aisle to marry Adam.
Things had happened so fast that it still made her head spin thinking about it. After getting off of the island, she and Adam were taken to the same hospital that Calliope had been. As the doctors were still busy with Calliope, they had been taken to an exam room down the hall to be checked over themselves. Chase and Adam were relieved to see Chris in there as well, but by the grim expression hardening his handsome features, they knew that things weren't good for Calliope.
As if the complications from the snakebite and the fall into the ravine were not critical enough, Calliope was also severely dehydrated and she had a serious infection stemming from the wounds acquired when she'd been bitten. While still in an unconscious state, she was kept sedated and on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. It was touch and go for a week before Calliope finally snapped out of it and everyone knew that she was going to be all right.
Once Adam and Chase knew that Calliope was out of the woods, they took the time to talk. And they both soon realized that there was nothing to talk about. They both knew that there was something amazing between them and there was no sense in denying it or putting it off. Chase knew that Adam hadn't used her as a distraction that night and that he didn't regret what had happened between them. He'd just been worried and felt guilty about Calliope and didn't know how to express it.
From that point on, Chase and Adam had been inseparable and it was only a few months later when Adam asked her to marry him, which brought them to where they were that day.
Things had gone just as smoothly for Chris and Calliope, but there was an additional unexpected twist to their situation.
Her recovery had been slow going at first, but with each day passing, Calliope became stronger. Having Chris constantly at her side giving her strength and encouragement pushed her recovery along even quicker. She was released from the hospital after two weeks. It was a month later when she discovered that she had become pregnant the night that she and Chris had been together on the island.
There had been a lot of stress and worry that the baby would suffer ill effects from the snakebite and the drugs that Calliope had been given at the hospital to help keep her alive, but so far nothing had been detected on the three sonograms that she'd had. Chris and Calliope tried to take it only day by day though because they wouldn't be certain until the baby was born or even after that if there had been any consequences.
Calliope was snapped out of her thoughts when there was a light knock on the door. Her eyes lit up and she smiled softly when she saw Chris poke his head in.
"It's about-" he trailed off when his eyes rested on the two women in the room. His breath caught, as it always did, whenever he looked at Calliope. Pregnancy had done nothing but enhance her beauty. Although she as showing, she didn't look nearly as far along as she was. She was still very tiny, and the only difference was the slight swell to her belly.
Chase snapped him out of his daze when she walked over and pulled him into the room completely. "Are you going to do it?" she whispered, looking anxiously at him.
Chris smiled down at her, praying that Adam realized just how lucky he was to have found, and captured her heart. "You look amazing." He said, leaning down to kiss her on her cheek.
Chase grinned up at him. "Thank you, but quit changing the subject."
"I was about too." He admitted, glancing over at Calliope, who was standing in front of the mirror, making sure her hair wouldn't fall down.
"Oooh!" Chase clapped her hands together in excitement. "How much time do we have?" she asked.
Chris glanced down at his watch. "About fifteen minutes."
She nodded. "Okay, I'm going to go check on the other brides maids, I'll be right back." She called over to Calliope, who waved return.
Chris waited until the door was closed before he turned his full attention back Calliope. He walked over to her, grinning at her through the mirror. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her back against him, as his hands rested on her stomach, settling over their growing child.
"You're breathtaking." He whispered as he dipped his head and placed a kiss on her exposed neck, feeling the shivers that coursed through her body.
"Mmm, you look mighty fine yourself, Mr. Irvine." She responded, turning in his arms, taking in his Tuxedo. "Although I really think I prefer the leather pants." She teased, tilting her head back to look up at him.
Chris stared deep into her eyes, not saying anything for a few seconds. When he did speak, his voice was deep and rough with emotion. "I love you. You are my entire life, and I never want to be without you." He gently cupped her cheek.
She leaned into his touch. "I'm not going anywhere." She promised him. Ever since getting off the island, Chris would sometimes have nightmares that they were unable to save her in time. "I'm here...right where I want to be."
"You've given me so much." Chris continued. "You gave me your heart, your love, respect, and in turn gained all of me. And now, you're giving me our child. I love you more than anything."
Calliope's eyes flooded with tears at his words. Although he always told her how he felt, something seemed different about this moment. Her eyes went wide when he gracefully went down on one knee before her.
"Chris..." she trailed off, her mouth open in surprise. She knew that they would always be together, but after finding out she was pregnant and worrying about the baby's health and safety, they had never had a chance to really discuss the future.
"Marry me." He pleaded, looking up into her eyes. Biting her lip, Calliope smiled as the tears slipped down her cheeks.
"Yes." She answered with no hesitation.
***
After checking on the bridesmaids and seeing everything was in order, Chase slipped away from everyone, going into the parish to just have a few moments alone. She smiled to herself, knowing that at about this moment, Chris and Calliope were engaged.
It was truly a miracle the way everything had worked out...for all of them. In just a few minutes, she would be walking down the aisle and professing her love for Adam before all their friends, family and God.
She closed her eyes and sent up a silent thank you to the man above for all the blessings he had bestowed on all of them. She heard the door open behind her, and felt the familiar sensation on the pit of her stomach. She grinned and shook her head knowingly.
"You know, it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." She called out teasingly without opening her eyes or tuning around. She felt him move behind her and leaned back against him, his low chuckle coming close to her ear.
"I couldn't resist." Adam admitted, swallowing hard past the lump that had formed in his throat the instant he had opened the door and saw her standing there.
She turned around to face him and what little breath he did have left was then gone. "My god." He breathed, gazing down at his soon to be wife. She blushed slightly at the look in his eyes, then went up on tiptoes and brushed her lips across his.
She stepped back slightly and took in his appearance as well. "Wow." She breathed. "I'm thinking that it's going to be a new rule that you have to wear one of these every week." She fingered the collar of his Tux jacket.
Adam snorted and made a face. "But they are so damn uncomfortable."
"Yeah, but think of how much fun it will be to get you out of it." She giggled, her eyes taking on a mischievous gleam that had his heart pounding.
His hands came up and framed her face as he bent forward and caught her lips with his, putting all the love he had for her into the kiss. A few minutes later, they broke apart, both of them breathing heavily, their eyes clouded over with passion.
"Come on." Chase took his hand and started pulling him to the door, anxious and more than ready to take that next step. "Let's go get married!"
.
2002 K&K Productions
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