The last summer night... Laughter echoed through the downstairs and floated up the stairwell. The distant sound made its way down into the West Wing and hit the library door. Her reading stopped as she savored the sweet sound and looked up. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she looked down at the documents and continued writing. She filled in the last two lines and slid the document back into an envelope. Sealing the envelope shut, she put her pen away and let out a sigh. Pushing her feet off the couch, she walked over to the window and wrapped her arms around her. The waves beckoned to wash her pain away and she closed her eyes. She could hear the distant music and tried to focus on it. Each wave became clear as it crashed onto the beach and she looked back at the sunset. She took one last look at the scene and left the window. Grabbing her envelope, she crossed the room and stepped into the hall. Pulling the door shut, she walked down the hall to her room and pushed the door open. She placed the envelope in a drawer by her bed and ran her fingers through her hair. Sitting on the bed, she slid the boots off her legs and carried them over to her window. She pushed the window open and began rubbing her boots. The dirt from the day's work slipped away and she watched a shine come through. Setting her shined boots on the floor, she drew her legs up against her and stared out the window. Her mind was chaotic with all the worries plaguing her. She rested her head back against the wall and let out a slow breath. A soft knock came from her open her door and she quietly looked in that direction. Her eyes fell on the brown eyed man and she watched him shut the door. He watched her look outside the window again and glanced around the room. "What can I do for you?" He heard the guarded tone and caught her slowly looking back at him. Her blue eyes had so many worries in them and he quietly approached her. "You're not yourself tonight." She tried smirking and but failed. All her energy was gone and she just wanted to drop down into the waves. His hand slid through her hair and she looked up at him. "I'm okay." His hand rested on her face and she felt the touch send a jolt through her. She felt his thumb glide along her pulse and leaned into the touch. He caught her hand and pulled her off the window sill. She stood in front of him and he captured her mouth. Her fingers slid through his hair and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Slowly his brown eyes looked down into her blue ones and she felt his hand glide along her spine. "Get some sleep woman." She smirked and said "That isn't on my list of things to do." One eyebrow went up and he pulled her over to the master bed. She watched him sit down and stood with her arms crossed. "You won't win tonight." He smirked and she felt her throat tighten. The man knew he had a pull on her just as strong as she did with him. His hand came for hers but she stepped back. "Eve." Looking away, she walked back to the window and grabbed her boots. He watched her slip them on and head for the door. One hand wrapped around her wrist as she caught the handle and she went still. "What aren't you telling me?" She looked back at him and said "I can't talk here." He pulled the door open and let her out of the room. They moved down the hall and into the East Wing. He let her into his room and checked the hall. Shutting his door, he turned and found the woman at the window. Slowly she looked back at him and he pulled her over to the bed. She sat down next to him and he let her take her time. Whatever she was hiding was strong and it was hurting her. "I'm leaving tomorrow." His blood went cold at those words and she kept her gaze averted. He could feel his pulse slowing down again and he looked across the room. "Where are you going?" She closed her eyes and sighed "I don't know." He heard her take a deep breath and looked down at her. She was holding back the worst of the pain and he took a deep breath. "Eve." "I need to go back to my room." She stood up and he caught her wrist. She kept her back to him and closed her eyes. "The kids?" She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to hide the close tears. "They're going to a family in the valley." His grip disappeared and she put space between them. She moved to the window and wrapped her arms around her. All she could feel was pain slipping through her and it starting to choke her. His brown eyes slowly settled on her again and he stood up. He wanted to just walk out of the room but knew it was too late to turn his back on her. "Why?" "They need a family." He came up behind her and said "They want you." She closed her eyes and said "I can't." He saw her slowly look up at him and found the tears starting to cloud her eyes. Never had he seen this woman cry and it left him shaken. "Eve." She looked away and said "I can't." His hands slowly caught her shoulders and he felt her shiver. The embrace left her conflicted. She wanted to be away from him, making tomorrow easy but she also wanted to spend it with him for the last time. He turned her to look up at him and she rested her head on his shoulder. His heart beat was still steady and she closed her eyes. "I really should go back to my room." He held her firmly against him and said "Not tonight." She looked up at him and said "Johnathan, it wouldn't be right." "Why not?" Pulling herself free, she stepped past him and let out a sigh. Both hands slid through her hair and she tried to think of a way to explain. Slowly she looked back at him and knew he was going to hate her. "I've been lying to you this whole time." His eyes darkened and she stepped back. He didn't move and she tried tearing her gaze away. "I came here to save your people. I was given a year." "Why?" She heard the cold tone and felt her heart breaking. It was killing her to stand before him but she knew he deserved the truth. "The town was dying. I couldn't let another town fall into despair." "What makes us so important?" "You." He stared back at her and she took another deep breath. Holding her arms tighter to herself, she bit back the pain and forced out a calm tone. "You drowned ten years go." His eyes widened slightly and then turned icy cold. "Then how the hell am I still alive?" "I pulled you from the ocean and laid you on the board you were found on." "You saved me?" She shook her head and bit back the tears. Her arms fell away from her and she shoved both hands through her hair. "My mother." The ice lessened in his eyes and he stared back at her. Everything started to become clear. "She gave her life to save you." He watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath. All those moments he was with her he had felt connected. The touches had sent something through him. It all led back to that night. She looked back at him and said "Goodnight." He watched her turn to the door and caught her hand. She looked back at him and he let the jolt sweep through him. "You aren't telling me everything." "I can't." He saw the light in her eyes and pulled her back to him. She was uneasy as she drew closer and he caught her side. The tender area on her ribs drew his attention and he looked back at her. "Stay." "Johnathan." He captured her mouth and silenced her excuses. The woman was going to disappear for who knows how long. He didn't know how he was going to get past her and he didn't want to. She had brought meaning back to his existence and he would always owe her for it. Slowly he pulled back and looked down at her. "No arguing." She smirked and he pulled her back to the bed. Sitting down, she slid off her boots and his joined hers. He stretched out on his back and held her in his side. She slid her hand along his chest and held his brown gaze. His brown eyes held her gaze captive and one hand slid along her arm.