Disclaimer: I do not own the Young Wizard Series

Sorry it took so long to update! This is the last chapter to Collision Course (see, I told you it would be that long.) Thanks so much for reading! Please review! =]

imakeladrygirl: Hm, I didn't realize that. She isn't technically married, but is engaged and I see what you mean about easier to break off an engagement. I guess I was just referring to the fact that she's telling Kit that she's in love (*cough*sorta*cough*) and 'promised' essentially to someone else. Thanks for pointing that out!

Bookstotheceiling: Yes, I know, I curse myself for making Daniel so...nice. But I couldnt stick Nita with some abusive, slob, manpig. I mean, she's too strong to get sucked into that kind of relationship right? Atleast I think so lol

Techno-Poet: Yayz! One of the best kind of scenes! =]

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Kit looked out the steamy kitchen window and sighed. Though his hands had been dicing up vegetables, stirring up sauces, and kneading bread into soft lumps all day, his mind had been elsewhere. Over and over in his head he had been replaying the events from last night. Nita coming over. Their argument. Then the kisses they shared before she had to leave. She still hadn't called, or stopped by, or sent any mind messages.

Kit slid a round pan towards him and poured a bowl of yellow batter into it neatly. The kitchen was noisy and hot but Kit liked his work. The restaurant was busy tonight so there were many cooks and waiters darting in an out of work stations and many smells filled the air.

A pudgy man with a stained apron and slightly frantic look ran up to Kit, balancing two plates on his arm. There was a smudge of sauce on his cheek and his brow was dotted with sweat.

"Christopher! I thought you were going to make the Spinach Alfredo dip before the bread sticks came out of the oven! Where the hell is that dip?!"

"Calm down. It's already done." Kit nodded towards a pot a couple counters down, filled with a simmering saucy dip. "It has been keeping warm while I waited for you to get the bread done. Oh and the strawberries go with the chocolate mousse, not the fritters."

The man glanced down at the plates he was holding and colored slightly. He gave Kit a look of relief and slight embarrassment. "Thank you. My apologies." He said, and then he scurried off.

Kit popped the pan of batter into a large oven that already had several other pans filled with yellow cake of varying degrees of readiness. He then directed his attention to a cooled cake on a rotating platform, half of which was already frosted in a delicate pink. He picked up where he left off and continued spreading the frosting around in artful swirls across the pale cake.

When the voice floated into his mind, he almost dropped the bowl.

Kit, I need you.

Nita. He could taste her emotions through their mind contact. She was sad, relieved, confused, and happy all at once.

I'll be right there. He sent back to her.

"You!" Kit motioned to a young man in a baggy apron who was standing hesitantly off to the side of the kitchen.

"Yes chef Christopher?" he asked, coming over immediately.

"I need you to finish up with these cakes. There's an emergency I need to take care of elsewhere."

"Really?! You want me to ----are you sure?" His voice was filled with astonishment. He had never been asked to do something so important by one of the higher chefs. It was normally his job to clean up counters, fix garnishes, fetch ingredients, and sweep the floors. But never, never to do something like be entrusted with frosting one of the cakes.

"Just don't screw it up," Kit told him and with that he pulled off his white hat and strode from the steamy kitchen.

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Nita?

Kit opened the apartment door slowly and peeked into the dim living space. Nita? He mind called again. Are you here?

"I'm in here," a tired voice called from the other room, accompanied by a sniff.

Kit entered and closed the door behind him, following the voice into a room off the side. The room was dark besides a small bedside lamp. Nita was sitting against the headboard with her arms wrapped around her knees. Even in the dim light, Kit could see the tears that glistened on her cheeks.

"Oh Nita…" He said quietly, and then sat quietly beside her. She leaned against him and a fresh sob rose up in her throat. Then she turned her face towards him and he let out a hiss of breath. A large bruise stretched across her cheekbone and Kit felt his fists tighten as he looked at it. "That bastard!" he exclaimed. "What the hell did he do to you Nita?!" He felt about ready to go find Daniel and strangle the life from him.

A confused look came into Nita's eyes, then she reached up to her cheek. Completely unexpectedly she started to laugh quietly.

"That wasn't Daniel. I ran into a door on my way here," she admitted. "No, Daniel was quiet the gentleman when I went to see him today." Another sniff. "I told him everything." Then more tears were leaking out her eyes.

Kit put his arms around her, resting his cheek on her hair. "What happened?"

"I told him all about being a wizard. At first he didn't believe me. But I made the table tap dance, and turned the carpet blue. And then – and then I told him about you." Noisier sobs rose up from her and her shoulders trembled.

"Was he angry?"

"No!" Nita sobbed harder. "He wasn't angry at all." The words were bubbling out now in an uncontrollable rush. "I almost wish he was angry with me but he just sat there while I told him everything. Then he nodded his head and told me all he wanted was for me to be happy." She was crying so hard near the end that Kit could barely make out what she said. "I feel so rotten! How could I do that to him? He told me he wanted me to be happy but after what I did, I don't deserve to be happy! He should have yelled, gotten angry. I would have deserved that! Before I left he told me that he would not tell anyone about my wizardry. But he also said that if I had been keep secrets like that, then maybe it was for the best that we didn't stay together. And he was right! I'm such a terrible person!"

"Nita that's not true. People do things all the time that seem like the right thing at the moment. It doesn't make them a bad person." After a few moments, when Nita's sobbing had decreased, Kit shifted slightly so he could reach the wallet in his back pocket. "I want to show you something." From inside, he took a folded dog eared picture and handed it to her.

In the dim light, Nita could see it showed a slender girl of about 19 in a flowered sundress. She was smiling brightly at the camera and there was a pair of sunglasses perched on top of her long, curly, brown hair. She was carrying a small purse and a handful of colorful flowers.

"She's pretty." Nita murmured.

"She reminded me of you."

"Who is she?"

Kit gave a sigh. "She is the real reason I left Miami."

Nita looked up at him in question.

"We started dating in my second year of college. She was a closet bookworm, curious about everything in life, and we hit it off immediately. I thought I fell in love with her. Near the end, we were getting pretty serious. I knew what she wanted. To settle down and live out her life. I knew that she loved me. Which was why I had to leave her."

"But I thought you said you loved her." Nita said uncertainly.

"I thought I did. But you know what I realized? When I looked at this girl, I wasn't seeing her for who she really was. I was seeing you Nita. And I knew she didn't deserve that. She wanted to be with me for me. And if I was going to stay, I needed to want the same in her. And I realized I couldn't do that. So I left her, and Miami. Not a day goes by when I don't wonder if what I did was the right thing."

Nita digested this information quietly, leaning against Kit. Finally she sighed and said quietly "Wow, we're pretty screwed up people arnt we?"

Kit chuckled softly and squeezed her gently.

"What happens now?" She wondered aloud.

Kit turned Nita so he was looking into her eyes. "Nita, I promise I wont ever leave you again. Ever. Well, unless you decide you want me to leave and in that case I'll--"

Nita whapped him gently with a pillow. "You're stuck with me buster."

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Nita smoothed the photo in her hands again then handed it back to Kit. "I hope she's happy where ever she is," Nita told him. "She probably lives in a beach house with her soul mate, two dogs, and their 3 1/2 children."

"If there is any fairness in this world, she will be."

"Lets start over fresh." Nita said suddenly. "Start with a clean slate, no grudges, or past regrets ok?"

"Sounds good to me," Kit leaned down and met her lips with his. "Wait," Kit said when they broke apart. "Does this mean I have to move again?"

Nita laughed and pulled him closer. Kit tucked a piece of Nita's behind her ear, then she pressed up against him and their lips found each other again. Nita smiled against his lips. Everything would be better from here on out, with Kit at her side.

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The End! Thanks for sticking with me you guys! Mucho thanks to everyone who took the time to read but especially to my reviewers who not only read but shared their thoughts! =] -Ivy