Hi guys. Miss me? I hope so- LOL. Here is the last chapter for this fic. I hope you enjoy it.

The poem (under copyright TXu001588475) is mine and is typed in bold black. I hesitated posting it, but the chapter didn't make much sence without it, so here it is. Let me know what you think?

Blindsided

He'd woke before she had, a smile on his face, and an ache deep in his heart.

She was still curled against him, her small hand resting between the folds of his shirt. The heat of her skin seared him, her fingers brushing softly over his heart. Her breath was a ghost's caress over his collar bone, her lips so close he could almost feel them. He wanted to taste them, to run his tongue over her full lower lip. He was aroused to the point of pain, his mind screaming his desire so loudly he swore she might hear it. She was a temptation he knew he couldn't resist, his need becoming more urgent than hunger, air, or even thirst.

She stirred in his lap, her tender flesh rubbing softly over the more sensitive areas of his anatomy. He hissed in pleasure, his eyes snapping shut, head falling back against the tree behind him. He fought to control his desire, struggled to slow his breathing and his heart. He could still hear her gentle breathing, still feel it feather warmly over his neck. He knew the instant she was awake, and in his haste to keep her unaware of his more pressing state of awareness, he set her gently on the sleeping bag. He mumbled good morning to her, and hurried away without saying another word.

And he would have, except he couldn't find his voice. His doubt and embarrassment had taken control, and he'd hurried off to get a better hold on his desires without telling her of the coming storm, or inviting her to help find shelter. He knew she was confused, and he wanted to sooth her. But it would have to wait. He could explain later, when his need for her wasn't so obvious

He searched the forest, a vague memory of an abandoned hut tickling his memory. He stopped, turning silently while searching his mind for hints of a forgotten path. A mouse scurrying through the underbrush caught his attention, and his eyes found the remnants of an old pathway.

Pushing his way through the overgrowth , he made his way deeper into the forest sighing with relief when the old cottage appeared in the distance. The wood walls looked brittle, and he wondered if they'd hold up against the wind. The roof was worn, but surprisingly intact. There were no windows, the only opening a small entryway barely large enough to walk through.

Inside there were few furnishings that had withstood the test of time. It would have to work.

She'd be cold, and he needed to get the fire built. He wouldn't bring her here without some warmth to keep the chill from her skin, though the thought of warming her himself brought a wistful smile to his face. Yeah, he'd like that - a lot. But considering the unlikelihood of that happening, a fire was one of his top priorities.

He'd spent the better part of an hour cleaning the stuffy confines of the old house. He cleared the cobwebs, and did his best to tidy the floor before piling some grass in the corner so she'd have something soft to sleep on through the night.

He gathered some firewood, making several trips to ensure they'd have enough for a few days should the storm linger that long. He wondered if bringing her straight to the village would have been better, instead of dragging her with him. He'd wanted a day or so alone with her, and had suggested taking a longer route to scout the surrounding forest. She'd readily agreed to the impromptu camping trip, and now they were a days walk from the village. Traveling in this weather wasn't an option. He wouldn't risk her health any more than he already had, and her body certainly couldn't withstand the cold for that long without her becoming sick.

He bent to start the fire, his eyes scanning the interior of the shack. There was an old table sitting against the wall by the door, old dishes littering its top. A half-burned candle sat on its corner, a few more tipped over on their sides behind the dishes. The door covering was barely there, and he wondered how long this place had been without a woman's touch. It was a one-room home, big enough for two and no more, though it wasn't hard to imagine the laughter of children echoing within its walls.

He listened to the crackle of the fire as it took hold of the timbers placed in its depths. Thunder roared outside, and he cursed again when he heard the first few sprinkles hit the roof, and swore louder when it began pouring with the next thunderclap.

He rushed outside, his eyes narrowing. The storm had come in much quicker than he'd expected.

He ran, full speed toward the clearing he'd left her in, and growled at himself for not telling her where he was going. He'd been trying all morning to forget the way he'd left her, and the reasons why, but the memories were still crystal clear.

The wind whipped harshly around him, dragging his hair away from his face, the rain soaking through its length. The forest was silent, its inhabitants safely tucked away to wait out the fury of the storm.

Something white caught the corner of his eye. His curiosity altered his course, and he chased after it. The wind kept it just out of reach, but he followed anyway determined to catch it. The wind stopped abruptly, and the object floated for a moment longer before fluttering to the ground at his feet.

Bending to pick it up before the wind took hold again, he realized it was a sheet of paper. Her paper. It was wet from the rain, but her scent still lingered on its surface. The fresh ink was beginning to smudge, and he realized that she must have been writing it before the wind managed to obtain it. She wouldn't have willingly let it go. She was always careful with her belongings.

Reaching to put it in his shirt to keep it from being completely ruined by the weather, he stopped when the scent of her tears caught his attention. It wasn't just the rain that had wet the paper. She'd been crying when she wrote this. He hadn't intended to read it, her work was private, but he had to know what she could have written that would have her so emotional.

Smoothing the edges, he hunched down behind a tree when the wind began to pick up. It was written in her handwriting, small feminine letters written against what had been a solid white page.

I hate missing you

And the fact that we're just friends

I hate how my feelings

For you have deepened

I hate that you love her

And the way it makes me feel

I hate our moments together

So beautiful and surreal

I hate that you know me

I hate that you see

I hate that I need you

And what it's doing to me

I hate that I love you

This vast little bit

I hate even more

That you don't see it

And oh how I hate

The words I can't say

The ones in my heart

Begging you to stay

The ones screaming loudly

How very much I love you

The ones if said

Are so very true

But mostly I hate

These few moments alone with you

When all that I want is eternity

To be free loving you...

He read each word, reread them. His heart stopped and his breathing accelerated. Had she wrote this about him? The words were sad, no doubt pulled from the very center of her heart.

And she had cried while writing them, her anguish as plain to read as the words were. Just friends. So many times he had heard her utter those words. And he'd said them as well, though he had always wanted to be so much more to her than that.

"How very much I love you

The ones if said

are so very true"

She loved him? She loved him!

" When all that I want is eternity

To be free loving you..."

It was written there for him to see. Her handwriting, her scent. The words she had only ever used to define their relationship written at the top. Just friends...

Not anymore. Not while there was still life in his body, and breath in his lungs. They would be so much more than that, because he loved her too. He'd been blind, hadn't seen what was now so obvious: how she cried when he left to see her, how her eyes lit up when she saw him. How could he have been so stupid?

Standing, he folded the paper gently before tucking it away into the safety of his inner shirt. He'd left his outer shirt in the shack to dry so she'd have something dry to wear while her own clothing dried.

She'd be soaked by now; he'd taken far longer than he should have. He needed to get her back to the shack. He would apologize for not telling her where he'd gone. And once she was warm and dry, assuming he had any courage left by then, he'd ask her if those words meant what he prayed they did.

He found her where he'd left her, soaking wet and shivering. She glanced up at him, and smiled though it didn't quite meet her eyes.

" I found some shelter." he muttered scooping her into his arms. He smiled at her surprised squeak as she reached to wrap her arms around his neck.

" I'm sorry I took so long."

She cuddled closer to his warmth, her breath warming the shell of his ear. " You could have told me that's where you were going. I could have helped you."

" Yeah. Sorry. But it should be warm by now. I wasn't expecting the storm to move in so fast. "

Turning, he rushed into the forest toward the shelter.

She was shivering, her teeth chattering, her cold nose pressed against the skin below his ear.

" I'm sorry." he muttered again. " I shouldn't have left like that. "

" It's all right. I was worried. I thought - well, I thought I'd done something to make you mad. "

He smiled, and turned his cheek to nuzzle hers. " Not mad. Never mad at you. It's you who has every right to be angry with me." he whispered slowing to a walk as they neared the old shack.

He brought her inside, sitting her near the fire. He took her sleeping bag and draped it over the edge of the table to dry. Picking up his shirt, he walked over to the grass bed he'd made for her and spread it out so that she'd have something softer to sit on.

Turning to look at her, he frowned at how wet her clothing was. His undershirt was mostly dry. His speed had kept him from getting to wet.

" You're soaked. You need to change before you get sick. "

He reached to remove his shirt holding the warm material out to her. "I'll wait outside."

Her vision filled with his perfect pale chest, and she dropped her eyes.

" No. Then you'll get sick. Just turn around and close your eyes. "

He could hear the rustle of her clothing dropping to the floor. He closed his eyes, listening as she moved around behind him. Her surprised gasp had him spinning on his heel.

She stood facing him, his shirt draped loosely over her shoulders falling to just above her knees. Her long hair fell over her shoulders in loose waves. Had he known seeing her in his clothing would be so damn arousing, he might have reconsidered the idea. But even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew he wouldn't trade this vision for anything in the world. She was far more beautiful, more sexy than he could have ever imagined.

Her eyes were wide in shock, and it took a moment before he realized she was holding something in her hands. Something wrinkled and white. The very same something he had placed inside his shirt in the forest.

Her eyes darted from him to the paper in her hands and back again. The room was utterly silent except for the soothing crackle of the fire, and the wind and rain pelting the outside of the shack.

" I found it on my way to get you. I thought you might want it back."

His voice came out strained, almost unrecognizable to his own ears.

" Did you .. read it?" she choked, her eyes closing, her hand pressing the page against her heart.

"The person you wrote about, do you love him that much? " he whispered.

" You read it. I thought it was gone. The wind tore it out of my hands, and I couldn't catch it."

She walked to the fire, reaching to drop the poem into the dancing flames. His hand closed over hers, and she glanced up, her eyes uncertain. His were questioning.

With a resigned groan she answered. " Yes."

" And he is your friend?"

She waited, he waited, her teeth worrying her lower lip, her eyes falling to the floor. She sighed softly before answering- honestly.

" Yes, my best friend. But he's taken. "

He waited, listening to her breathing, and the way her heart hammered in her chest. His finger curled under her chin tipping it up till her eyes met his.

" Taken with you, yes. " he answered before tipping his head, his lips brushing softly over hers. A hushed sob escaped her, a single tear falling from her closed eyes.

" I have never loved anyone the way I love you. " he murmured against her lips. His heart nearly exploded from his chest when she stood on her toes, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Her lips moved over his, her tongue tracing the edge of his lower lip. Her hands traced the top of his shoulders before trailing lower over his chest. He pulled her body closer.

Her breath whispered over him, her words filling his heart.

" I love you too."

X

Well? Was it all right? It should have been edited, but hopefully it isn't to terrible. I had planned on a lemon, but my head is no longer cooperating, so this will have to stop here. This chapter was longer than I thought it would be. I thought you deserved a longer chapter this time around. I'll move this to a 'T' rating, since it really doesn't qualify for an "M' rating. I think I'll leave this as it is. Simple, clean, and vague. I am glad you all enjoyed it.

Thank you for your wonderful reviews. I am sorry I haven't gotten back to you all. This last week has been a not-so-fun roller coaster.

I will not require another surgery- thank goodness- but I will continue dealing with my symptoms. There is no definite fix to make me better, and it sounds like this is something that will not be easily- if ever- fixed. Not good news, but it could have been worse.

Anyway- I have a new story in mind. It came to me today, and I think it'll be fun to write. It may take awhile to get chapters up. I would like to get a few finished before posting it so that I have a bunch of chapters to post. I'll most likely post oneshots for awhile. I have lots of ideas- I just need the time and such to write them. I will continue writing as long as you all want to read more from me. I will add more to Silhouette as well...eventually. Lol.

Thank you all again.

Neisha