Title: The Fall (Eternity Tag)

Author: LOTSlover®

Characters: Richard / Kahlan

Rating: PG – 16 / T

Timeline: Anything up through episode Eternity

Story Type: Angst / Romance

Spoilers: Anything from Season 1 and Season 2 up through Eternity

Disclaimer: I love them and love to write about them even though I don't own them or make a dime.

Summary: One-shot tag to Eternity. While the cave scene gave me goose bumps, Kahlan telling Richard she loved him before releasing her hold on his boot and him screaming her name gave me chills!

The Fall

"We're almost there…give me your hand," he called out, panting for air. They were both exhausted, covered in sweat and dirt from the climb, but they were nearly to the top. Just a little bit more and they would make it. They would be free from the magical place that held them prisoner.

Her scream rang in his ears and pierced his heart as he heard the crumbling of rock and felt her grab hold of his boot nearly jerking him off the rocky ledge.

"Take my hand!" he told her as he saw her desperately clinging to his leg, panic etched in her beautiful face. The jagged piece of rock he was clinging to tore at his flesh but he barely registered it. Instead, his gaze was locked on the terrified blue eyes of his beloved.

"No…we'll both fall!"

"It's all right…I'll catch you!" he promised. He loved her above all else; he would not let anything happen to her. He would happily plunge to his death before he would allow her to…

"Come on! Come on…" he yelled to her, hand stretched out for her to grab onto.

"You have to go on without me..."

A sudden sickening sense of terror and anguish churned in the pit of his stomach, attempting to force its way out. As realization washed over him like waves crashing over a rocky seawall, Richard knew what she was going to do. Tears suddenly pooled in his eyes, blurring his vision as he frantically struggled to think of a way to talk her out of what she was about to do.

"Kahlan, don't!" he heatedly warned her, his voice dropping as panic flooded his soul, his eyes silently begging her not to do it.

His mind had suddenly grown numb while at the same time was swarming with a thousand things he wanted to say to her. She couldn't leave him, not like this. They had been through too much, had a future to build together. His fingers tingled, his arms burned, his heart ached, his legs felt like lead.

"I love you Richard," she tenderly proclaimed, her eyes shining with love.

"NO! KAHLAN!" he screamed in anguish. The words echoed in his ears, his heart shattering under the weight of his anguish. "NO!"

He stared in wide-eyed horror as Kahlan released her hold on his boot, willingly falling to her death in order to save him. In the time span of a single heartbeat, his life since he had met her suddenly flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning as she plummeted away from him and into the waiting arms of the Keeper.

"NOOO! KAHLAN!" he screamed again as the wind whipped around him. But she was gone. Forever.

Fury and anguish gripped him, threatening to suffocate the breath from his lungs. How could she do this to him? He fought against the overwhelming urge to release his hold on the rock and follow his Confessor. He would go anywhere with her, follow her anywhere she would go even if it meant the Underworld. When she fell, she took his heart and his whole world with her.

Richard suddenly jolted forward from his bedroll, his breathing ragged, his heart thundering against his chest, sweat beaded on his brow. The warm summer evening had already encouraged him to remove his shirt before going to sleep. It was only him and Kahlan, Zedd having moved further into the woods to sleep. The small campfire had gradually dwindled into a soft, orange glow.

Running his hands over his face, he forcefully tried to shove aside the images that refused to leave his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, she was there staring helplessly up at him, her breathtaking blue eyes filled with emotion for him, her voice proclaiming her final words of love for him. He would hear his own voice scream her name and then she was gone, falling again as she stared at him.

And so it had been for the last three nights since then. He closes his eyes, she plummets to her death and he awakens in a cold sweat with his heart in his throat and his stomach in knots. It was one of the most horrifying moments of his life. Watching helplessly while Kahlan dangled from his leg, realizing what she was about to do, that he was about to lose her forever and there was absolutely nothing he could do to prevent it.

"Richard? What is it?"

Her sweet voice roused him from his agonizing thoughts. It was so caring and full of concern for him that it immediately began to sooth his frayed nerves. Only she could have such an effect on him.

"It's nothing…just a nightmare," he softly muttered, trying to avoid looking at her for fear she will know that it was far from nothing.

Placing a gentle hand on his forearm, she leaned in even closer, causing a lump to suddenly form in his throat. Swallowing hard, he knew he would not be able to avoid her now, not after the electric feel of her touch setting his skin on fire and fanning the flames of his smoldering need for her.

"Please talk to me, Richard," she gently prodded a little more, knowing that there had been something upsetting him since they found the Stone of Tears. He had been quieter, more distant ever since then. At first she thought it was worry over Cara, but now she knew there was something more.

He turned towards her and the warm glow of the campfire on her face made his heart begin to race again, this time for a completely different reason. He couldn't help but be mesmerized by her intense beauty, the love and concern that permeated her eyes, causing her brow to furrow. Her very close proximity allowed him the added pleasure of being able to breathe in her scent. The tempest that possessed his soul began to settle while at the same time arousing the inferno of desire that burned deep within him.

Reaching out for her, he lightly caressed her raven hair as his eyes roamed over her face, taking in every soft line and gentle curve, imprinting it forever on his heart and in his mind. Tears began to collect in his eyes as images of her releasing her hold on him flashed through his mind again.

Seeing the pain in his eyes, Kahlan reached for him, pulling him to her. He greedily accepted her comfort, needing to feel her body close against his own. He closed his eyes, burying his face in the hair that fell over her shoulders.

Kahlan tenderly held him close, stroking his hair, reassuring him of her presence. The feel of this strong yet gentle man in her arms began to make her heart beat faster. Her love for him ran deep and the thought of ever losing him made her blood run cold.

Richard felt her tremble in his arms and nuzzled his face into her neck. His breath was warm against her flesh, his lips beginning to tenderly caress the sensitive skin there. He needed this connection to her now more than he had ever needed her. He lived the nightmare of watching her die. Now that Kahlan was alive and here with him, he was not going to let the moment pass by. His love for her was so infinite, his need for her far too great.

"I love you, Kahlan…always…" he softly breathed in her ear, tears beginning to sting his eyes again as the horrifying images continued to taunt him. "I can't lose you…not ever…" His voice trailed off, his words cut off by the tears that refused to cease.

Pulling back, Kahlan cradled his face in her gentle hands, understanding washing over her like a sudden spring shower. She hadn't realized until now how much it had hurt him to watch her seemingly fall to her death. She lovingly brushed his hair from his forehead before erasing his tears with tender butterfly kisses on his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Richard," she whispered, brushing her cheek softly against his. "I just couldn't let you die because of me." She pressed her forehead to his, her hand caressing his face as they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Kahlan, I would gladly die for you a hundred times over," he softly declared, the intensity in his eyes setting her body on fire for him.

Unable to suppress his need for her any longer, Richard captured her lips in a heated kiss, his hands grasping her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. His tongue prodded her mouth, begging her to give more of herself to him. She readily bid him welcome, her tongue gliding over his as they began to devour each other.

His hands began roaming her voluptuous body, desperation to feel her and be in her consuming him body and soul. Her own hands began stroking the smooth defined muscles of his back, her nails lightly racking against his skin. He released a throaty moan into her mouth, his chest heaving with desire for her.

He quickly laid her back onto her bedroll, his hand immediately seizing her thigh as he moved himself over her. His other hand was buried in her hair as he sensually stroked her thigh, his mouth never leaving hers for more than a panting breath required for more air.

She could not get enough of his kisses, his warm flesh pressed hotly against hers. She knew she should stop this, but, Spirits, she wanted him so desperately. Maybe Richard was right, maybe they could be together…but what if they were wrong…

"Richard…" she breathlessly panted when he moved from her lips to her throat. She had stopped him before in the cave, fearful of losing her judgment. How could she possibly stop this now after what they had endured?

"Trust me, Kahlan," he simply said into her ear before sucking the lobe into his mouth.

She gasped loudly from the erotic sensations he was eliciting from deep within her, sensations and feelings she never before dreamed possible. Their love was so powerful. How could she not trust him? She readily gave herself over to the passionate euphoria that had gripped her, arching her back into his mouth as he began exploring her breasts.

His hands made quick work of the corset she had on, releasing her from its confines and allowing him free reign over her now exposed flesh. With her assistance, they discarded the rest of her clothing before removing his pants.

She released a throaty moan, the sensations of growing rapture causing her power to erupt inside of her as he moved over her. She dug her fingers into his back in a desperate attempt to contain the magic that was about to explode from her core.

"It's all right, Kahlan…let it go…" he panted heavily as he placed wet hot kisses along her throat before burying his face into the crook of her neck.

With the scream of his name and the climax of her pleasure came the powerful release of her magic. The shockwave that vibrated through him propelled him over the edge, taking her with him. He tenderly kissed her as he slowly brought them back down from the heights of ecstasy.

"Richard?" she softly said with a trembling voice as she grasped his face in her hands.

"You are so beautiful, Kahlan," he tenderly replied, his breathing still ragged as he gazed into her tear-filled eyes. "That was so amazing."

"It was better than amazing," she simply said with a soft smile, relief flooding her soul with the knowledge that Richard hadn't been confessed by her magic.

"I have something better to dream about now tonight," he murmured as he pressed his lips to hers once more.

"Who said you'd be getting any sleep tonight?" she teased as she buried her hands in his long hair, keeping his face close to hers.

"Please command me, Confessor," he teased back, softly chuckling before his face grew serious, his tender kisses growing more intense. He wanted nothing more than to take her to the heights of passion and to fall over the precipice of rapture with her again and again.

*Thought we all could use a hefty dose of squee to get us through this agonizing fight for Season 3. Keep fighting! Go to to find out what you can do to help!

Ok, off to work on the sequel fic!