Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Title: Bring on the Wonder Ch.  03


Summary: The conclusion of Nate and Lizzie's story.


Keywords: inc,fic





   Their time in Atlanta was like a dream.  Nate couldn't remember the last
time he'd felt so content.  They were able to walk hand-in-hand, kiss and
flirt with each other in public and never once worry about being spotted.

   They arrived on a Monday and originally planned to stay until Thursday.
After being there only one day, they decided they wanted to stay later. 
Since Lizzie's publisher had paid for her portion of the trip, she had to
make a call and arrange to stay through the weekend.  Then they picked a
somewhat nicer hotel and indulged in room service a couple of times.  In
between the romance and solitude, they checked out neighborhoods and some
of the surrounding communities.

   "I like this area," Lizzie commented as they cruised in their rented
vehicle down a street lined with enormous trees.

   "Me too."

   It was an older neighborhood with medium to larger sized homes.  The lot
sizes were generous with a lot more mature foliage than some of the other
places they'd visited.

   "You don't think the houses might be too large for just the two of us?"

   Nate nodded.  "I suppose they are.  I was thinking that any one of these
places would have a big enough space for your art studio."

   He glanced over in time to see Lizzie's surprised expression.  "What?"

   "Aren't you going to look for anything that you want?" she asked.

   He chuckled.  "What do I need?" He shrugged and looked around.  "A room
for a gym, maybe.  An office and roads to jog on.  I can get that anywhere.
Just like finding work as an accountant."

   "I don't want you only thinking of me as we try to find a home here."

   "Lizzie, I always think of you and anything I can do to make you happy."
He reached over and squeezed her hand where it rested on her thigh.  "It's
all I want."

   "You're something else, you know that?"

   He nodded and winked at her.  "I know.  And I have to live with that
knowledge every day."

   She laughed and squeezed his hand back.

   It was Saturday and they rounded the block to find an open house another
half mile up the road.  It was a nice bungalow, unusual for this area but
the lot size allowed for the larger footprint of the house.  They wandered
through the rooms, not saying much but never letting go of each other's
hand.

   When they got to the master bedroom, on the northwest side of the house,
they both stopped and stared.

   Lizzie pointed out the window.  "That is the most amazing view we've
seen here."

   Nate had to agree.  He hadn't realized this house was so close to the
neighborhood green space with the little lake and walking paths.  The lot
on this end of the house sloped down and away, leaving a beautiful
panoramic view of the surrounding parkland over the line of the trees at
the back of the property.  There was even a small private patio outside the
bedroom, with wrought-iron railings twisted in artistic lengths.

   Nate could already see their chairs on the deck, Lizzie sitting in one
with her sketchpad on her lap, he in the other, cup of coffee and newspaper
in his hands.  He could imagine watching the sun set every night too,
holding Lizzie in his arms and whispering all the things he wanted to do to
her in bed after dark.

   "I think we should make an offer." The words were out before he'd had a
chance to think beyond his daydream.

   Lizzie laughed and jiggled his hand.  "Maybe we should check out the
rest of the house first."

   Nate turned to her with a smile and nodded.  They walked through the
rest of the house, finding and admiring the other two bedrooms, the large,
state-of-the-art kitchen, and the back deck with the beautiful, elaborate
gardens.  Downstairs, they found a wide-open living space complete with a
wet bar and wine cellar.

   "This is a nice house, Nate." Lizzie let go of his hand to walk over and
look out a window.  For a basement, it wasn't very basement-like.  The
windows were high but large, letting in an inordinate amount of light. 
"But neither of those spare bedrooms upstairs were big enough for an art
studio for me."

   Nate nodded.  "You're right.  I guess we'll just have to renovate part
of the basement into a studio for you."

   Lizzie turned from the window to look at him.  Nate met her gaze and
neither of them spoke for a long moment.  She dropped her hands from the
windowsill and twisted her fingers together.  Nate walked towards her and
pulled her hands apart to bring her fingers to his lips.

   "Boy, you just have an answer for everything, don't you?" Lizzie smiled
over his bent head.  "Quite a change from just a few weeks ago when neither
of us had answers for anything."

   Nate nodded.  "It's not that we didn't have answers.  I think it's that
we didn't want to face what the answers meant."

   Lizzie looked back and forth between his eyes.  "You're right.  And now
you're ready to face the answers?"

   "I don't know about that but I know I don't want to keep going on the
way we have been.  I'm ready for a change." He leaned closer, their noses
almost touching.  "Aren't you?"

   She stared at him for a moment longer then nodded.  "You're right.  We
should go make an offer."

   Nate kissed her and they walked back upstairs to find the realtor.

   ****

   Lizzie knew it wouldn't last, their elation over making a decision and
moving forward with their lives.  They got home and reality sank back in.
As Lizzie moved forward with her transition, Nate made arrangements to
close out his accounts.  Somewhere in the midst of moving arrangements,
packing and unwinding together, they knew they had to make time to tell
their parents.

   Lance made a suggestion as to how they should handle it.  He came over
one evening and they all dined on Chinese takeout over boxes draped with
old checkered tablecloths.

   "You need to invite them over for coffee, they'll see the boxes and
there's your conversation starter." Lance gestured with his chopsticks as
he spoke.  "The rest will just come."

   Lizzie and Nate exchanged a look.  They battled their guilt daily
already for not having even mentioned the move to their parents up to this
point.  There was a good chance they might not even be forgiven for that,
never mind their relationship.

   "Thanks, Lance, but it's going to take more than that, I'm afraid."
Lizzie smiled and lifted a dumpling from her plate.

   "Well, the longer you leave it, the worse it'll be." Lance dug around
his vegetables until he found a piece of water chestnut.  "Don't think you
can just move and then call them from Atlanta."

   Lizzie shook her head with a laugh.  "No.  We wouldn't do that.  But how
do you tell your parents you're in love with your brother?"

   "I'd start by assuring them that it doesn't have anything to do with
them."

   Nate nodded in agreement.  Lance's words made sense.  Lizzie agreed as
well but she knew that no matter how they put it, their parents were going
to be hurt and confused, maybe disgusted and angry.  Maybe even angry
enough to decide never to see them again.

   "All I know is it'll be easier for them once we're in Atlanta." Lizzie
pushed the remaining food around on her plate.  "The distance will help."

   "Easier for them?  Or for you two?"

   Lizzie glanced up at Lance before looking to her brother.  Nate met her
eyes with his own steady gaze and she felt calmness settle over her.  The
hardest part of all this was still to come but in the past several weeks,
she'd come to realize that with Nate, she knew she could face anything.  To
Lance's question, she had no firm answer except that it was a little of
both.

   The three of them finished their meals and cleaned up.  Lance offered to
come back the next weekend to help them pack but they declined.

   "I think we'll go have lunch with them on Saturday." Nate reached for
Lizzie's hand.

   She squeezed his fingers and he looked down at her with a smile.  She
stepped closer and he tucked her against his side with one arm.  They
looked up at Lance, who stood near the front door.

   "So when do you guys move?"

   "Three weeks tomorrow," Lizzie said.

   "Wow.  Coming up fast." Lance narrowed his eyes.  "Don't wait to tell
your parents.  Go for dinner tomorrow night."

   Lizzie and Nate exchanged another look but didn't say anything about it
one way or another.  They hugged Lance goodnight and watched him head down
the front walk towards his waiting vehicle.

   "He really is a good guy, isn't he?"

   Lizzie smiled at Nate's perplexed tone.  "I think he is."

   "He doesn't care at all about us being together.  I mean, he cares, but
only as a friend looking out for other friends."

   "I know what you mean."

   Nate nodded and they backed into the house, shutting the door behind
them.  They made their way upstairs to the last two rooms in the house that
hadn't been packed up, their bedroom and their shared office.  Nate went to
his computer to make sure everything was shut down for the night and Lizzie
flipped her sketchbook open.

   The page it opened to was her sketch from several weeks ago, following a
restless night.  She'd dreamt of the isolated cabin by the lake and drawn
it after waking up in the middle of the night.  Later that night, Nate had
found her and offered her comfort as only he could.  She smiled as she
traced the outline of the chimney with one finger.  So much had changed
since that lost and hopeless night.

   "What are you working on?" Nate asked after a few minutes of silence.

   "Nothing yet." She walked over to his desk and he pushed his chair back
so she could settle in his lap.  "I was just looking at this."

   He nodded as he looked down at the drawing.  "I remember.  It's very
good."

   Lizzie smiled and relaxed against his chest.  She kissed his cheek and
put her fingers to the cabin in the drawing.  "I'll have to do another one
once we've moved."

   "Good idea, sweetie." He kissed her and held her close while they stared
at the drawing for another few minutes.

   Nate yawned.  "I'm beat."

   "Me too." Lizzie closed the sketchbook, any urge to draw now gone.  She
set it on his desk and cuddled up to his chest.

   For a little while, they sat there, arms around each other, hearts
beating in time.  It was quiet in the house, no artificial noise or light
beyond Nate's desk lamp.  Noise from the street out front was almost
nonexistent.  They could almost pretend they were alone in the world.  A
few weeks ago, plagued with bleak dreams, Lizzie would have been afraid of
that very thing.  Now, she realized she only needed one thing: Nate.

   She tipped her head back and he looked down into her face.  "Let's go to
bed."

   He chuckled and pressed a brief kiss to her lips.  "It's only nine. 
You're that tired?"

   Lizzie grinned.  "No.  I'm not tired at all, but you just said you're
beat." She shivered as she watched Nate's eyes darken and his grasp around
her tightened.

   "Well then.  I'm sure I can figure out a way to get us both a good
night's rest."

   And he did just that.

   ****

   Next weekend, they took the long drive out to their childhood home in
Winnetka.  Just as they'd done last time, they held hands and spoke little.
Lizzie's leg twitched and Nate's fingers tightened more than a few times on
the steering wheel.

   "Should we eat first?" Lizzie asked.

   Nate glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.  "As opposed to...?"

   "Telling them before we eat?"

   "Is that something you want to do on a full stomach?" Nate gave her a
weak smile.

   She looked out the windshield and Nate saw the muscles of her throat
work as she swallowed.  "I think they might not want to hear it on a full
stomach."

   Nate's insides clenched at the thought of how their parents would react.
They'd agreed to lay it all out for them, be honest and clear, answer any
questions they might have.  Above all, they wouldn't fight with them.  If
the worst happened, they'd just leave and go back home.  In a short while,
they'd be moving and they'd be out of their parents' hair for good, if they
wanted it that way.

   Drawing in a deep breath, all Nate could do was squeeze Lizzie's
fingers. They'd be at their mother and father's house in a few more miles.
There was no going back.

   "I love you," Lizzie whispered as they pulled into the driveway.

   "I love you, too." He brought her hand to his lips for a kiss.

   He parked the car and they got out.  At the front door, their mother
answered after the first knock.

   "I'm amazed!" Clara exclaimed and drew them inside for hugs.  "You're on
time for once."

   They laughed and Nate knew their mother wouldn't hear the strain in
their laughter.

   "Where's Dad?" Lizzie asked.

   "He's in his den, watching the game." Clara turned and urged them
towards the kitchen.  "God, you're both too skinny.  Come eat something."

   "Mom, we're here for lunch." Nate laughed but followed his mother into
the kitchen.  "The whole point is eating."

   "Yes, well, lunch won't be ready for a bit yet.  Come have a snack and
then you can go tear your father away from the television."

   Lizzie and Nate exchanged a look as their mother moved across the
kitchen.  It didn't matter what they looked like, if they were chubby or
skeletal.  Clara liked to feed her kids.  They submitted to her
snack-administering and sat together at the kitchen table.

   "How is work, Elizabeth?" Clara asked as she set a bowl of mixed fruit
on the table between them.

   "It's great." Lizzie smiled, happy to discuss her work.  Ever since
accepting the new position, she'd been taking on new and different duties
as training for her eventual transfer.  She told her mother about the new
job and left out the part about the transfer to Atlanta for the moment.

   "That's wonderful, my dear." Clara bent to kiss her daughter on the
cheek.  "I knew you'd make a name for yourself there, but I had no idea
it'd be so fast."

   "Me either, Mom." Lizzie agreed with a nod before glancing at Nate
again.

   He couldn't help it.  He beamed with pride at the way her cheeks turned
pink with pleasure at the discussion.  He knew she'd been working her ass
off for months now and more recently, since accepting the new position. 
She came home fit to bursting with tales of her day at work and all the new
things she'd been learning.  Between that and the move, she'd changed.  She
was more relaxed and playful.  Nate would have loved her forever, no matter
what, but he'd be lying if he said the change to her demeanor didn't please
him.

   "Maybe now you can get your own place and let Nate have his house back,"
Clara said as she turned back to the counter where she was finishing up
with lunch prep.

   At that, Lizzie straightened up in her chair, the cheerful color fading
from her face.  Nate met her look and gave a slight nod.

   "Uh, I'll go get Dad." He stood up and hurried down the hall to find his
father.  He heard Lizzie speaking to their mother.

   "Mom, there's something about the job that I have to tell you..."

   Nate swallowed the lump in his throat.  It was here, the time they'd
have to come clean with their parents.  He paused in the doorway to the den
and knocked on the open door.

   "Dad?"

   "Hi, Nathaniel.  How are you, son?" Davis stood up and walked over to
give his son a hug.  "Where's your sister?"

   "In the kitchen with Mom." Nate swallowed again and gave his father a
weak smile.  "Would you come into the kitchen?  Lizzie has some news to
share."

   Davis grinned.  "Yeah?  Of course." He turned and picked up the remote
to flick the TV off.  Then he followed Nate back to the kitchen.

   "Hi, Dad." Lizzie stood up to give her father a hug.

   "Hi, sweetie." He kissed her forehead and held her at arm's length. 
"You look different.  Are you eating enough?"

   Lizzie rolled her eyes.  "Why is that the first question from both of
you?  Yes, I eat enough."

   "We just want to make sure you're taking care of yourselves." Clara
smiled over her shoulder.  "Davis, get them some drinks and sit down so
Elizabeth can tell us her news."

   "Sure.  Nate, you want a beer?"

   "No thanks.  Just iced tea is good."

   "Elizabeth?"

   "Same for me."

   Davis pulled the pitcher from the fridge and poured four glasses.  He
set Clara's on the counter, giving her a quick kiss and squeeze around her
waist with one hand.  Then he sat across the table from Lizzie and Nate,
setting their glasses down as well.

   "So what's the big news, Elizabeth?" Davis asked.

   "I was telling Mom about my new position with the publisher." Lizzie
quickly recounted what she'd already told Clara about the job.  Davis
grinned, patted her hand and gave her a hearty congratulations.

   "Thanks, Dad." Lizzie smiled and looked down at the table.  She fidgeted
for a minute until Nate touched her leg under the table.  Her eyes lifted,
flicked over his face briefly before turning to their father again.  Clara
had moved over to sit beside Davis as well.

   "What is it?" Their mother cocked her head to one side.

   "This new job came with...  conditions." Lizzie swallowed.  "Well, one
condition, really."

   "What?"

   Lizzie glanced sideways at Nate once more.  "Um.  I have to move.  To
Atlanta.  The new position is there."

   For a second, no one spoke.  Davis cleared his throat and reached for
his wife's hand.  "Elizabeth, this job is an amazing opportunity for you.
If it was in Anchorage, we'd still say you should take it."

   "Oh, I've accepted the job, Dad.  I've already been down there to look
for a place to live."

   "That's wonderful, my dear." Clara blinked a few times and Nate knew she
was holding back tears.

   He looked down.  He had a sinking feeling that the rest of this
conversation wasn't going to go well at all.

   "Of course, we'll miss you, but it's only a plane ride away," Davis
said, still holding Clara's hand.  "When do you move?"

   "In a little less than three weeks."

   "My goodness, that's soon." Clara looked up and gave her daughter a
watery smile.  "Do you need help packing?"

   "No, Nate...  um, Nate's done a lot."

   Nate could hear the catch in her voice and knew he'd have to do the
rest. She was on the verge of breaking down.

   "Well, at least Nate will get his house back." Clara gave a little
laugh. "You can start doing your own thing again."

   "Mom, Dad.  There's something else we need to tell you." Nate cleared
his throat, the words churning over and over in his head.  He needed to say
it, just say it once, out loud for them and then they could deal with
whatever came.  The were stuck though, lodged in his throat and he
struggled.

   Their father frowned.  "What is it?  What's wrong?"

   "I'm moving.  To Atlanta, as well."

   Davis frowned.  "I don't understand.  Did your office offer you a new
position there?"

   "No.  I've signed off most of my accounts here and tendered my
resignation with the firm."

   Clara shook her head.  "Why would you do that?  What's in Atlanta?"

   Nate looked at Lizzie.  Her eyes were wide and she was pale as snow. 
Now.  He needed to say it now.  All of it, all at once.

   "Lizzie will be there.  We're moving to Atlanta together."

   Silence dropped over them like a shockwave.  Lizzie reached down to
clutch Nate's fingers where they still rested on her thigh.  He returned
the gesture, more than aware of the desperate worry in her grasp.  Drawing
in a deep breath, he lifted their joined hands, overpowering Lizzie's
panicked resistance, and set their hands on the table.

   Their parents' eyes fell to their hands and Clara sucked in a sharp
breath.  "No." Her voice was barely a whisper, her face drawn taut.

   "I don't understand." This from Davis, his expression one of confusion.

   "I'm moving...  we're moving to Atlanta together." Nate drew a deep
breath.  "I'm moving because Lizzie took that job in Atlanta and we didn't
want to be apart from each other.  It's what...  it's what couples do."

   "Couples?" Davis' eyes snapped to Nate's face.  "What the hell is going
on here?"

   "Davis..." Clara's voice was weak and her husband turned to her
immediately.  "Don't."

   "Don't what?  Ask questions?  Did you hear what he just said?"

   Clara stared at her husband, her eyes pleading.  Nate and Lizzie watched
the exchange, their fingers tightening their hold.

   Davis swung his head back to pierce Nate with a stony gaze.  "You mean
to tell me that you and your sister have been carrying on like a couple in
that house?  This whole time?  Is that why you've never thought of moving
out?  Is that it?"

   Lizzie flinched as her father's voice rose.  "No.  It hasn't been that
long.  We didn't...  get together until later."

   "Jesus Christ." He dropped his head to his hands.  "This is not
happening."

   "Dad, please." Nate stopped and cleared his throat.  It was difficult to
breathe all of a sudden.  "We didn't-"

   "Don't you say anything." Davis jerked away from the table and stood up.
"Don't you defend yourself in this."

   Nate blinked, taken aback.  Whatever he might have been expecting, it
hadn't been this.  "I'm not defending myself.  I haven't done anything
wrong."

   "Nothing wrong?  Are you kidding me?" Davis gestured between them. 
"Taking advantage of your little sister like this doesn't require a
defense?"

   Lizzie spoke up again.  "Dad, it wasn't like that.  He didn't take
advantage of me.  I wanted to be with him the same way he did with me."

   "Don't say that." Davis shook his head.  "You can't mean it."

   "I do, actually." Lizzie stared hard at him when he looked her way. 
"I'm not a child and I'm not stupid enough to allow someone to take
advantage of me."

   Davis frowned.  "I never said you were stupid."

   "No, but you think I'm so naive or...  or insecure that I would fall for
it." Lizzie lifted her chin.  "I'm not stupid or naive, and I'm definitely
not insecure.  If I was, we wouldn't be here, telling you the truth about
us."

   "The truth?" This from their mother, who until now had remained mostly
silent.  She looked up, her eyes shining with unshed tears.  "The truth is
you two have been carrying on for how long like this?"

   "Nine months." Nate looked down.  "Almost ten."

   Clara stared at him and then shook her head.  "Ten months.  Ten months
and you tell us now?  And only because you're moving away."

   Lizzie looked at her mother and when she spoke, there was a catch in her
voice.  "We thought it might be easier this way."

   "Easier?  To lose both my children in one fell swoop?" Clara covered her
mouth with her hand.  Nate felt his heart twist when he saw how her fingers
trembled.  "I don't understand.  Why did this happen?" She looked back and
forth between her children.  "Did we do something wrong?"

   "Mom, this isn't your fault." Nate reached for his mother's free hand
and she let him take it.  "It's no one's fault.  There's no one to blame.
We fell in love, that's all."

   "In love?" Davis let out a dry laugh and turned away from the table. 
"You're not in love.  You're two confused kids who have been living
together for over a year and you were...  I don't know, bored or something.
You got curious and you think it's love." He turned back to face them,
pointing a finger at Nate.  "You're not moving to Atlanta, Nate.  I won't
allow it."

   Nate stared at his father, his heart sinking with each passing moment.
"I'm well past the age when you had any say in my decisions, Dad."

   "I do have a say and I say you're not going to Atlanta where you can
continue to ruin your sister's life!"

   "He's not ruining my life!" Lizzie shot to her feet, the chair
clattering on its side behind her.  "Nate completes my life, Dad.  I can't
live without him."

   Davis turned pained eyes on her.  "You don't know what you're saying."

   "Yes, I do." Lizzie straightened and drew her shoulders back.  "We
decided to come here today and tell you both the truth about our
relationship.  We knew you'd be upset but we didn't expect insults about
our maturity and intelligence."

   "Lizzie-"

   "No.  Let me finish." Lizzie looked down for a second and drew in a
breath before proceeding.  "First and foremost, you don't have any say in
the decisions we make about our own lives.  We told you we were moving
because that's what you do, you tell your family about the big decisions,
but you don't ask permission." She glanced back and forth between her
mother and father before speaking again, this time with a catch in her
voice.  "Nate did not take advantage of me.  This was something mutual that
we both walked into with open eyes."

   She turned, reaching for Nate and he stood up with her, clasping her
trembling hand in his.  They shared a brief look and faced their parents
together.  "We are adults, Dad.  We're also in love.  You don't have to
like it but you will have to accept it if you ever want to be a part of our
lives from here on out because Nate and I, we're in this for life."

   No one spoke.  Silence filled the kitchen for a long minute, then
another.  Clara was stirred to action when the single pot on the stove
boiled over.  She lifted the pot, turned off the element and faced the rest
of the family.  Nate saw her glance at Lizzie before focusing her gaze on
Davis.  Nate looked at his father and was shocked to see how pale the older
man looked.

   "I think..." Clara cleared her throat.  "I think we need some time.  I
don't know what to think of all this." She finally looked at Nate and gave
him a weak smile that made him feel like the biggest jerk in the world. 
"You caught us a little off guard."

   Nate shifted on his feet.  "There was no easy way to talk about this."

   Davis made a noise and turned away, arms crossed over his chest.  Clara
went to his side and touched his shoulder.  Without looking at their
children, she sniffed once before speaking again.  "I think it'd be best if
you two just went on home for now."

   "Mom..." Lizzie's voice was plaintive but when she said nothing else,
Nate knew it would be best if they left.

   "We'll call before we move." Nate put an arm around Lizzie's shoulders
to guide her out of the kitchen.  "Or you can call us if you want to talk."

   Neither Davis or Clara responded.  Nate and Lizzie stopped in the
kitchen doorway and faced their parents once more.

   "I love you, Mom, Dad."

   Lizzie echoed Nate's words and they walked away, no comforting response
from either parent.

   In the car, Nate started the engine with shaking hands.  He managed to
back down the driveway and down the block.  He didn't realize how far he'd
gone until the first sign for the interstate came into view.

   Then he started to shake and had to pull over to avoid running into
something.  As soon as saw the restaurant and the relatively empty lot, he
pulled off the road and parked.  Lizzie was already reaching for him when
he turned to her and for a long time, they clung to each other.

   "Oh God, Lizzie.  I've never...  I didn't think they'd..." Nate shook
his head and buried his nose in her hair.

   "I know.  I didn't think Dad would react like that.  Or Mom." Lizzie
shook her head.

   "I didn't know what to expect." Nate sighed and pulled away so he could
look into Lizzie's face.  He brushed her hair back from her face, where
he'd messed it up because of their embrace.  "I didn't expect that."

   They stared at each other for a second and then Lizzie started to laugh.
Nate blinked, surprised and then he started to laugh as well.  It wasn't
the kind of laugh you shared over a joke.  This was a laugh that seemed to
ease some of the nervous tension and energy they'd been carting around all
day.  The sudden loss of all that energy left them feeling giddy, if not
exactly relieved.

   Their laughter died and they leaned on one another for a few minutes. 
Nate pressed kisses to Lizzie's face and hair while she rubbed a hand up
and down his arm.

   Nate was the one to break the silence.  "I guess we should get home."

   "Yeah.  You're probably right."

   They still held on to each other.  After another lengthy period, they at
last separated, shared a kiss and faced forward.  Nate turned the key in
the ignition and took a deep breath before putting the car in gear.  Once
they rolled back into traffic, Nate reached for Lizzie's hand and they
laced their fingers together.

   "Do you think they'll come around?" Lizzie asked after a few miles.

   "I don't know.  I hope so." Nate squeezed her fingers.  "You did."

   Lizzie's head swiveled around and she stared at him.  "What are you
talking about?"

   With a smile, Nate brought her fingers to his lips.  "When you moved
back home.  You just needed to come around."

   Lizzie let out a soft laugh.  "Did you know that I would?"

   "I hoped and prayed that you would." Nate's hand tightened around hers.
"I was so scared I'd never see you again."

   "Oh, Nate." Now it was Lizzie's turn to kiss his hand.  "I can't imagine
what it would be like to not have you in my life.  I don't even want to
imagine it."

   "Well, lucky for you, we're stuck with each other."

   Lizzie smiled.  "Not stuck.  Blessed."

   "You're right.  You're always right."

   "Not always." Lizzie shook her head.  "I was wrong to run away." Her
face colored.  "I was wrong to sleep with Lance."

   "Sweetie, it doesn't matter now." He jiggled her hand in his until she
looked at him again, her cheeks still pink with remembered shame.  "What
happened before you came home doesn't matter.  We were both surprised by
what happened between us and neither of us knew how to deal with it."

   "That's true.  It was a surprise." A beat of silence passed.  "I guess I
can understand Dad's reaction then.  It's not like I handled it well at
first."

   Nate chuckled.  "Neither did I.  But you came home, Lizzie.  That's all
that matters now.  That and the fact that we'll always be together."

   She nodded in agreement and kissed his hand again.  "You're right again,
my love." She smiled.  "God, I wish you could have seen your face when I
came home."

   Nate chuckled.  "Was it something like this?" He pasted an exaggerated
expression of shock on his face and Lizzie laughed.

   "Close.  Were you really so shocked to see me home?"

   "Like I said, I'd hoped and prayed that I'd see you again but wishing
for something and having it actually happen are two different things."

   "I suppose so.  Once you got over your surprise you seemed better."

   "Did I?  I think I was still in shock for a couple weeks."

   Lizzie grinned and squeezed his fingers.  "I couldn't tell."

   Nate turned to look at her and gave her an identical grin in response.
"No?"

   "I was so lost in love with you that you could have grown a second head
and I might not have noticed."

   Nate couldn't speak for the sudden emotion clogging his throat.  He
pressed Lizzie's fingers and she returned the gesture.  They didn't speak
again for the rest of the drive home, words no longer required for now.

   ****

   EIGHT MONTHS AGO

   Nate came home from work at his usual time and Lizzie spent the
remaining ten minutes before that pacing through the main floor of the
house.  When she'd arrived back at the house, she'd had a momentary panic
that her key wouldn't work but Nate hadn't changed the locks.  She let
herself in, dropped her suitcases in her old room and commenced with the
pacing.

   When she heard the garage door opening, she hurried to the kitchen and
waited for Nate to walk in.  He did, carrying his briefcase in one hand and
a newspaper in the other.  He didn't notice her at first, his gaze on the
newspaper.  He turned, locked the door and tossed his keys on the counter
before looking up.

   "Lizzie."

   The way he said her name, with no inflection in it, not even surprise,
though his face showed a crazy mixture of emotion, made her heart twist.

   "Hello Nate."

   They stood there, looking at one another.  Lizzie twisted her fingers
together and glanced down.  As their gaze broke, Nate walked to the kitchen
table and set his briefcase and newspaper on its surface.

   "Where have you been?"

   "Lance's."

   He winced at the sound of the man's name.  "Does he know you're here
now?"

   Lizzie shook her head.  "He knows I'm out but he doesn't know I came
here."

   Nate pinned her with a hard look.  "Does he know why you left in the
first place?"

   "No." Lizzie could hardly speak for the tension in her body.  "He
doesn't know anything except that I needed a place to stay."

   "And now?"

   "Now what?" Lizzie could understand why he was so upset with her but she
didn't know what to say to turn this around.  She could throw herself at
his feet and beg for forgiveness or she could speak to him like an adult
until he understood.

   Nate frowned.  "Now you want to move back in?  Like nothing happened?"

   "No, Nate.  I'm not..." Lizzie stopped and drew in a deep breath before
continuing.  "I would like to move back in, if you'll let me, but I'm not
pretending that nothing happened."

   Nate's face relaxed a fraction as she spoke.  Lizzie took it as a good
sign and took a few steps closer.  He didn't step away when she moved close
enough to touch.  But she didn't touch him.

   "Nate, I'm sorry I ran away without talking to you." She cleared her
throat.  "It was stupid but what happened was so...  unexpected that I
didn't know what to do."

   "I was shocked by what happened too, Lizzie, but I didn't want to run
away."

   "I know.  I'm so sorry." Lizzie did reach for him then, putting her hand
on his arm.  "I never meant to hurt you."

   "I thought we were closer than that."

   Lizzie's eyes widened and she bit her lip.  Nate flushed, as if he'd
just heard his words.

   "I didn't mean...  That's not what I meant.  What I mean is, we were
friends.  Before.  You and I have always been able to talk."

   "I agree.  That's why I'm here now.  We need to talk."

   Nate shook his head.  "We needed to talk a month ago."

   Lizzie blinked and let her hand fall from his arm.  "Are you saying you
don't want to talk now?"

   Nate looked at her.  Lizzie met his gaze, feeling the heat rise higher
up her neck to her face with each passing second.  She gasped and turned to
walk away, to put some distance between them.  Nate grabbed her wrist and
spun her around.  They stepped together then, with Nate backing Lizzie up
until she felt the wall at her back.

   "I don't want you to talk." Nate leaned so close, Lizzie tipped her chin
up, expecting his kiss.  His breath washed over her lips and he tilted his
head to one side.  "I want you to listen." He moved his head again and his
next exhalation tickled her ear.  She shuddered.  "I love you, Lizzie.  I
don't know when or how it happened but I fell in love with you.  Not my
sister, but the woman in my arms."

   Lizzie blinked, tears stinging her eyes.  She opened her mouth but no
words came out.

   Nate kissed her ear before speaking again.  "When you left, it felt like
you'd walked off with my heart.  I could barely function without you.  I
was out of my mind with worry.  But I didn't stop loving you, or wanting
you."

   "Nate..."

   He drew back far enough to meet her gaze.  "Lizzie, please don't leave
me again.  If you do, you might as well kill me before you go because it'll
have the same effect."

   Lizzie looked into his eyes, his beautiful brown eyes, and nodded. 
"I'll never leave.  As long as you want me here, I'm yours, Nate."

   He squeezed his eyes shut and rested his forehead against hers.  His
next breath was weak and shaky and Lizzie put her hands on his shoulders,
desperate to touch him.

   "Do you mean that, Lizzie?  Really?"

   "Yes."

   He shook his head and Lizzie reached up to cup his face in her hands.

   "Nate, open your eyes."

   He didn't.

   "Look at me."

   After another second, he did as she asked and her heart squeezed at the
tears she saw glistening in his eyes.

   "Nate, I fell in love with you, too.  I knew it that night and that
scared me more than anything." She blinked back tears of her own, forging
on ahead to get the words out before emotion overcame her.  "I've never
been in love before, Nate.  Falling in love with you felt...  right.  So
right.  As if I'd been waiting all this time to feel that thing and I was
meant to feel it with you."

   She paused, drawing on her inner reserves of strength before she went
on. "But you are my brother.  I'm your sister."

   "Half-sister," he corrected in a weak voice.

   Lizzie smiled and the tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes. 
"Nate.  We can't have a relationship."

   His grip on her arms tightened and she winced.  He kissed her then, just
the quick pressure of his lips on hers.  "We can't not have a
relationship." He kissed her again, lingering a few seconds longer this
time.  "I can't not be with you, Lizzie."

   "Nate..."

   He kissed her to silence whatever protest she'd been about to voice. 
She couldn't even say for certain what it was she'd been about to say.  The
heat and softness of Nate's lips on hers erased every thought but one.

   "I love you, Nate." The words were muffled by the way his mouth covered
hers but he heard her and understood.

   Their kiss lasted another several minutes, long, lovely minutes of quick
breaths and tight grasps.  At last, Nate pulled away and pressed his cheek
to Lizzie's.  She kept her eyes closed and smiled, enjoying the feel of his
body heat, letting it warm her.

   "We need to talk."

   Lizzie's eyes popped open and let her head fall back with a dull thud
against the wall.  "Talk?  About what?"

   Nate gave her a gentle smile and touched her chin.  He raised his
fingers to stroke the curve of her cheekbone.  He traced the outline of her
brow and brought his finger down the other side of her face, stopping in
the middle of her bottom lip.  "Talk about all the ways this can't work."

   Her heart gave a horrid thump against her ribs.  She swallowed and
looked down at his hand.  She blinked a few times, desperate to keep tears
at bay.  Nate hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face back to
his.

   "And all the ways we're going to make this work."

   Lizzie's bottom lip started to tremble and Nate pulled her into the
circle of his arms.  He held her close as the tears spilled over and she
wrapped weak arms around his middle.

   After a time, he moved with her into the living room and they sat on the
couch.  Nate kept his arms around her and she settled against his chest
with a shaky sigh.  He stroked his hands up and down her sides and back,
soothing her, and eventually her tears subsided and her breathing evened
out.

   She rested her head on his arm, meeting his warm gaze.  "So what did you
want to talk about?"

   Nate smiled.  "Where to even begin?"

   They fell silent.  Lizzie shifted beside him and spoke.

   "I didn't know, when I moved in here, that we...  that I would..."

   Nate nodded.  "I didn't either.  When you started spending time with
Lance though, it almost drove me out of my mind."

   Lizzie glanced up in time to see him shake his head.

   "I still can't believe how badly I lost it."

   "Me either," she murmured, remembering their fight that night.  The
night before she'd come back early from her date and-

   "I don't regret it though, since it seemed to have been the turning
point."

   "I agree." Lizzie squirmed beside him as the memories heated her blood.
"I'm sorry for running away."

   Nate squeezed his arms around her.  "I know.  Not knowing where you'd
gone was awful."

   Lizzie shut her eyes, wanting to take back the last month of their
lives. She should have stayed, talked to him after they'd broken that
familial law.  They could have figured things out on that very night.

   She shook her head.  It wouldn't have happened that way.  There was no
chance she'd have been in a calm enough state of mind to handle that kind
of conversation.

   "I promise I'll never take off like that again, Nate.  I'm so sorry for
worrying you so much."

   When Nate didn't speak, Lizzie sat up beside him to look into his eyes.
She touched his face.  "Nate, I'm sorry."

   His dark eyes scanned her face and he nodded once.  "I know you are and
I know you won't do it again.  You know now how it would hurt me."

   "I never wanted to hurt you." She hung her head, her hand falling from
his face.  "I still don't.  Nate, how can we do this?  How can this ever
work?" Hope was dimming with every passing word.

   "Hey, Lizzie, sweetie.  Don't cry, please.  Look at me."

   She lifted her face and blinked tears from her eyes.  They slid over her
cheeks.  "Be honest, Nate.  Do you really see us having any kind of real
relationship?  Or having any chance at a normal life together?"

   He held her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing the tears from her
cheeks, to no avail.  Fresh ones spilled from her eyes even as he stroked
her skin dry.  "I don't have any answers.  All I know is that I can't live
without you.  I can't function without you near me."

   "You survived just fine before I moved in.  Except for all the takeout
and dirty laundry."

   Nate smiled at her weak attempt at levity.  "I'm not talking about diet
and cleanliness.  When you left, I realized I'd become used to your
company, your presence in the house.  I was worried, of course, but I was
lonely because I missed you, Lizzie."

   Lizzie stared at him, her tears slowing.  Nate leaned close and kissed
her.  She put her hands on his shoulders, trying to hold him to her,
wanting more.  The physical bond between them might be the only thing to
erase her doubts.  For the time being, at least.

   But Nate was having none of it.  He drew away and looked into her eyes
again.  "Lizzie, I love you.  That's how I know we'll figure out a way to
make this work."

   Lizzie dropped her eyes.  "Nate-"

   "Don't.  I know what you're thinking." He touched her chin, drawing her
gaze up.  "How can this work?  What will we tell people?  What will they
think?  How can we even feel this way?" He shrugged.  "Like I said, I don't
have all the answers.  I just know that this doesn't feel wrong.  You can't
tell me you don't feel the same way."

   Lizzie stared at him, searching his eyes and face for some sign of a
lie, for some sign of doubt.  She found none.

   "Do you love me?"

   Her question seemed to surprise Nate, probably because he'd already
confessed as much a few times over.  Then he smiled, a handsome, slow smile
that dried her tears and turned her insides to liquid fire.

   "Elizabeth Anne," he whispered, sliding his hand around to cup the back
of her head.  "I never knew what love was until you showed me.  I didn't
know I could love until you proved it to me."

   "I didn't do anything."

   "You did.  You're the most remarkable, clever, brilliant and adorable
woman I've ever known.  That you gave yourself to me that night..." He
paused, his breath catching on the last word.  He shook his head as if to
clear his mind and when he looked at Lizzie again, his eyes were very dark,
his pupils huge.  "Lizzie, you take my breath away."

   Lizzie's heart thumped hard in her chest and she leaned forward.  She
couldn't take anymore talking.  She wanted more.  She wanted to see if they
could do that again, if it would feel the same way as it had then.

   Nate didn't protest when she threw her arms around his shoulders and
crushed her lips to his.  He parted her lips with his tongue and dragged it
over and around hers.  She moaned into his mouth and felt her body heating
as he sucked on her bottom lip.

   With a swift jerk, he hauled her hips against his and twisted so that
she lay beneath him on the couch.  She pushed her fingers into his hair and
let out another moan as he drove his tongue into her mouth for another
taste.  He yanked a hand from under her body and shoved her shirt up over
her stomach.  When his fingers brushed her skin, she let out a cry, the
sensation of his touch rocking her very core.

   All of a sudden, Nate stopped kissing her.  His hands stilled and he
lifted his head.  Lizzie blinked and stared up at him.  He was breathing
hard and his hair was tousled from where she'd been clutching it.

   He needs a haircut, she thought and blinked again, dread settling into
her bones when Nate pulled away to sit up.

   "Nate?"

   "I can't do this."

   Lizzie wilted, feeling like he'd just punched her in the stomach.  Nate
glanced up and his eyes widened as he took in her expression.  He pulled
her into his arms and tightened his hold when she struggled.

   "I don't mean I can't do this, Lizzie." He pressed kisses to her
forehead and face and lips.  "I want you, you have to know that."

   She looked back and forth between his eyes and nodded.

   "All right.  Now that you understand that, let me explain."

   Lizzie giggled at his tone.  It was so like his bossy big brother voice
that he'd used for years when she was younger.  The reminder of their
familial link jolted her and she swallowed the knot of fear in her throat.

   Nate recognized the look on her face again and kissed her before
speaking.  "We are siblings.  You were right, not that either of us need to
be reminded of that."

   Lizzie nodded, still unable to speak.

   "It doesn't change how I feel about you."

   She nodded again.

   "What I meant was, I can't do this here." He waved a hand at the room.
"Here, in the living room, on the couch."

   Lizzie looked around and felt her face warming.  She felt suddenly like
a teenager again, caught by her parents making out with her boyfriend. 
Except there was no one else here.

   "That first time was incredible, Lizzie, don't ever doubt that." Nate
picked up her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers.  "But I want to make
love to you.  Not on the edge of my desk, or on the couch in a hurry.  I
want to take my time and make sure you feel everything."

   Lizzie shivered as his lips moved to the inside of her wrist and he
licked the sensitive skin there.

   "Will you come upstairs with me?" Nate licked her again.  "Or am I going
to have to drag you?"

   Lizzie smiled.  "You can catch me." And she bolted from the couch, up
the stairs before he could draw breath to laugh.

   He did catch her, just at the top of the stairs.  He hauled her into his
arms and kept moving until he reached his bedroom.  She wrapped her legs
and arms around him as he moved.  Their lips stayed locked together and she
gloried in the sensation of his tongue sliding against hers.

   After an eternity, Lizzie felt herself falling back onto a bed.  His
bed. Nate followed, not allowing their bodies to lose contact.  His mouth
moved from hers as he dragged his lips across her cheek and down the curve
of her throat.  Lizzie arched, exposing her neck to him and gasping as his
five o'clock shadow rasped over her sensitive skin.  He rubbed his lips
against the groove between her neck and collarbone before licking his way
back to her mouth.

   Lizzie slid her fingers through his hair and held his face to hers.  She
couldn't get enough of his mouth, of his kisses.  The weight of his body on
hers was glorious and being with him felt exactly like what he'd said. 
Right.

   He rolled to the side and pushed himself to his knees.  He yanked his
shirt from his pants and Lizzie sat up to start undoing the buttons.  Her
fingers were shaking so bad she couldn't manage the buttons on her own. 
Nate's hands came down over hers and together, they slid each button
through each eyelet until his shirt parted beneath her fingers.

   Lizzie sucked in her breath as she at long last laid her hands on his
skin.  She flattened her palms on his stomach and slid them higher, pausing
to circle his nipples with her thumbs.  The coarseness of his chest hair
tickled her palms and she smiled.

   "Enjoying yourself?"

   She looked up and nodded.  He grinned and bent to kiss her.  As he did,
his hands found the bottom of her sweater and she lifted her arms so he
could pull it off.  Reaching back, she undid the clasp of her bra and Nate
pulled the straps down her arms.  For a second, she felt shy, half-naked
before his probing gaze.  But he was gentle as he pressed a hand to the
center of her chest and eased her back onto the bed.

   His gaze drifted over her naked torso, taking in the fluttering pulse
beneath her chin and the rapid rise and fall of her chest.  He dragged a
finger down the side of her throat and across her collarbone.  Then he
traced the outline of one breast, circling closer and closer to her nipple
with each pass.  Lizzie caught her breath when she thought he was about to
stroke the taut peak but he switched to her other breast.  She closed her
eyes with a groan of protest.

   Nate's deep chuckle made her smile.  She knew he was having fun teasing
her and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying it as well.  After
what he'd made her feel only a few short weeks ago, she could be patient if
it meant she would feel that again.

   Without warning, Nate leaned over her and sucked her nipple into his
mouth while still tracing the puckered center of the other one.  She gasped
and put her hands at the back of his head to hold him there.

   "Oh God, that feels so good.  Don't stop, please!"

   Another deep laugh rumbled from his chest and Lizzie shuddered at the
way it vibrated between their bodies.  Nate's finger stopped circling her
breast and she felt his hands fumbling with the button at the waist of her
pants a second later.  He got the button free and rubbed his knuckles
across the skin he exposed above the elastic waist of her panties.

   Lizzie bit down on her lip and shifted restlessly beneath his touch. 
Between the suction of his mouth at her breast and the slid of his hot
fingers so close to where her body wept for him, she was going out of her
mind.

   As if sensing her turmoil, Nate taunted her some more.  He dipped his
fingers beneath the fabric of her panties before letting his palm glide
back up her stomach to her other breast.  He lifted his head and kissed a
trail across her chest to the other, neglected nipple.  Lizzie moved one
hand from his head, over his broad shoulders and down the middle of his
back, loving the way his muscles twitched at her touch.

   She reached the belt around his middle and slipped her hands inside his
pants.  His head jerked up when she dug her fingertips into his ass.  She
opened her eyes to meet his and spread her legs beneath him.  His weight
settled between her thighs and they groaned when the overheated parts of
themselves came together.

   "Nate, please."

   "Please what?" He looked down and gasped when she lifted her hips to rub
against him.

   Lizzie let out a soft laugh and moved again.  However much he teased
her, it was a glorious feeling knowing that she had the same effect on him.
While she rubbed against him, he pushed a hand back down between their
bodies and under her layers of remaining clothing.  Lizzie froze and arched
off the bed a second later when his fingers pressed between her damp folds.

   "Holy shit, Lizzie.  You're so wet."

   Lizzie smiled and nodded.  She wrapped her fingers around his wrist to
hold his hand there.  "Don't stop."

   "You're so wet for me."

   She nodded again.  Then his fingers brushed over her clit and a
full-body tremor went through her.

   "Oh God." Nate pulled his hand away and ignored her protest.  He yanked
her pants down her legs, growling in frustration when the fabric caught at
her knees and calves.  When he got them off at last, he pushed her legs
apart with his body and kissed his way across her stomach.

   Lizzie moaned and lifted her hips towards him, knowing where he was
headed.  This time, he didn't tease or tantalize.  He kissed his way down
and buried his face at the apex of her thighs.  When his tongue split her
and slid inside, she let out a wail.  It felt unbelievable.  His hot
breath, the rasp of his whiskers and the tight clamp of his lips around
her, it all sent her spiraling into ecstasy before she could draw breath.

   Nate didn't let up.  He sucked and licked her, tasting her over and over
until she couldn't stay still.  She writhed and bucked under his hold,
mindless of the tight grasp he had on her hips.  The dim thought crossed
her mind that he would leave bruises on her skin but she didn't care. 
Sensation rocked her when she thought of how badly she wanted to be marked
by him.  By Nate.  By her brother.

   "Nate!" His name fell from her lips on a cry as he brought her to climax
again.

   After a time, he moved back up her body, leaving a hot trail of kisses
and licks as he went.  He stopped and took his time at different points on
her.  He nibbled the juncture of her thigh and hip before teasing the
indent of her belly button with his tongue.  His fingers traced light
swirls over her sensitive sides until he cupped her breasts in each hand
and pressed them together so her nipples were almost touching.  Then he
sucked them into his mouth, flicking his tongue over the tips.

   All the while, Lizzie's hands didn't stop moving over his back and
shoulders.  She didn't know what she was doing except that she couldn't
stop touching him.  When he reached her lips, she sank her hands into his
hair and kissed him with all the love and passion he had awoken in her.

   "I love you."

   "I love you, too." Nate pressed light kisses all along her bottom lip
before sliding his tongue back into her mouth.  Lizzie could taste herself
on him and a punch of lust went through her.

   "Make love to me, Nate."

   Nate held his mouth over hers, their breath mingling.  His eyes searched
hers.  No matter what he'd said before about how he wanted to savor this
time together tonight, this was different for both of them.  They weren't
surprising themselves or each other with spontaneous sex on his desk.  They
were going into this with their eyes open, knowing that it would change
everything.

   Lizzie knew Nate saw the acquiescence in her eyes when he shifted and
pushed at his pants with one hand.  She reached down to help him, their
eyes never leaving each other's.  He shimmied as they pushed the pants down
and he kicked them off.  The muffled thump of his pants hitting the floor
was the only sound in the room other than their breathing.  Lizzie lifted
her chin in silent supplication.  Nate kissed her as she dragged one hand
over his hip and circled his erection with her hand.

   Nate's kiss turned hard as she stroked him once.  His tongue delved deep
and she gasped when he withdrew to bite down on her bottom lip.  Not hard,
just enough to tell her how far gone he was, how much her touch was
affecting him.  She stroked him again, rubbing her palm over the silky head
of his cock.  The liquid seeping out made her moan into his mouth and he
responded when she spread that wetness around.

   "Lizzie..."

   She heard the plea in his voice and didn't feel like waiting any longer.
She guided him to the hot, damp part of herself and let her thighs get
pushed wide apart as he moved closer.  Their eyes met as his body connected
with hers and he gave a single weak push with his hips, sheathing only the
tip of himself inside her.

   Lizzie held her breath, her hand going to his lower back.  Her other
hand was in his hair, holding their faces close together.  His lips hovered
over hers, but they didn't kiss, and neither one of them moved.  Lizzie
could feel his arms start to tremble with the force of holding still.  She
stared into his eyes, his beautiful eyes, and nodded once.

   Nate sank all the way in, the breath rushing out of both of them as one.
Inside her, she felt the pulse of his heartbeat and the responding throb of
her body around him.  Never, in her entire life, had she felt so filled. 
His body inside of hers was what she hadn't know she'd been missing.  No
wonder she'd been so freaked out after the first time.  Discovering this
kind of connection would knock anyone's world off its axis.

   Then Nate moved again and rational thought fled.  She gave herself up to
the luscious sensation of Nate filling her, retreating and then returning.
Their lips came together and he lowered himself so their bodies rubbed
along their full lengths.  He put his arms to either side of her head,
dominating her line of vision.  She didn't care.  Even when he wasn't
close, he was all she could see.

   His hips moved against hers and she wrapped one leg around his thigh. 
He kissed her lips, trailed kisses to her ear and the side of her neck
before making his way back to her mouth.  She gasped and squirmed with
every pass of his mouth over the sensitive parts of her face and his
movements stuttered every time she did.  She realized then that her inner
muscles squeezed every time she shuddered.  And Nate liked it.  So she did
it again, and again until he clamped his lips to her neck and moved hard
and fast within her.

   "Oh, yes.  Yes!" She wasn't even aware of what was coming out of her
mouth.  She just knew she didn't want him to stop doing this.  She never
wanted him to stop.

   Nate lifted his head and locked their lips together, his kiss passionate
and fierce as he moved faster with every stroke.  Lizzie gasped, tried to
pull her mouth away to breathe but he wouldn't let her.  Stars burst behind
her eyelids and she arched beneath him, feeling her orgasm closing in on
her.  But Nate beat her to it.  He wrenched his mouth from hers to bury his
face against her neck, thrusting hard into her and deep for several long
strokes.  As he kept moving, spending himself within her, she let go,
sliding over the edge with a cry.

   They moved together for a time after they climaxed.  Their movements
were relaxed, their kisses light but every touch went straight to Lizzie's
heart.

   A few more minutes passed before Nate rolled off of her.  Lizzie turned
to her side, tucking a pillow under her cheek and smiling at him.

   "Thank you, Nate."

   He rolled his head to look at her.  "For what?"

   "For loving me like you just did." Lizzie hated the warmth that rose in
her cheeks at her confession.

   Nate smiled and turned to his side to they lay nose-to-nose.  He put his
hand on her hip and stroked his thumb over her skin in slow circles.  For a
long while, they just stared at each other.  Lizzie didn't realize she'd
dozed off until Nate's warm kisses to her shoulder woke her.  She rolled
over and stretched her arms out, making a satisfied sound at the way her
muscles ached in delightful places.

   "Did I sleep for long?"

   Nate shook his head and kissed her again.  "Are you hungry?"

   Her grumbling stomach answered for her.  They both laughed, shared
another kiss and then threw on some clothes before heading down to the
kitchen.  They ate, talked, and went back upstairs to make love again.

   The rest of the night passed in much the same fashion.  They would enjoy
each other's bodies, snooze, eat, talk, and love some more.  Their talks
were what Lizzie would come to cherish later.

   They talked about what happened before she'd run away.  She confessed
about everything that passed between Lance and herself in the month they'd
spent apart, hating herself for the look of pain on Nate's face as she did.
But he gathered her into his arms, kissed away her tears and told her it
didn't matter.  Just like every relationship they'd had before now didn't
matter.  Lizzie accepted his forgiveness, the biggest worry she'd been
carrying since deciding to come back home.

   They also talked about the future, and how they'd handle their lives
together from now on.  There were no hard and fast answers but they knew
they could be themselves at home at least.  They thought at first they
would 'come out' to their parents right away but Lizzie talked Nate out of
that.  They ended up agreeing that no matter how in love they were, or how
committed they felt this very night, neither one of them could see what the
future would hold.  It didn't make sense to confess all until they were
positive it was for life.

   After that, they spent the quiet hours talking about their dreams, their
adventure stories from college and travel.  They shared horror stories from
their dating past and laughed over family memories.  And in the darkest
hour, they held each other close and just stared into each other's eyes. 
That was when Lizzie fell asleep, safe in Nate's arms, satisfied with his
love and devotion.

   Perhaps it wasn't such a shock that she'd fallen in love with her
brother.  Who else would have spent his entire life devoted to her
happiness and well being?

   ****

   ONE YEAR LATER

   Nate came into the kitchen from the garage, newspaper in one hand,
briefcase in the other.  His eyes were down on the page, not paying
attention to his surroundings.  Then the voices registered and he looked
up. He heard Lizzie and another familiar voice, one that made him smile. 
He set his things down and walked around the table, the living room coming
into view.

   "Hey!" Lance stood up from the couch and came around to shake Nate's
hand.  "We were wondering when you'd get home."

   "I left too late and traffic on the interstate was monstrous." Nate
clasped Lance's larger hand.  "What brings you all the way to Atlanta?"

   "I missed you guys." Lance winked and moved aside so Nate could embrace
Lizzie.

   They shared a quick kiss and hug and both walked back to the couch to
sit down.  Lance took the chair across from them and smiled.

   "You could have called.  It's a long flight." Nate smiled.

   Lance shrugged and reclined in the chair.  "I don't mind the flight. 
Actually, I drove in from Birmingham.  I was in town there visiting family
and thought I'd take the two hour drive to visit my friends."

   "We're glad you did.  Right, baby?" Lizzie patted Nate's thigh.  "We
don't have anything planned for dinner though so we'll have to take you to
our favorite Italian place."

   "Sounds great." Lance jumped to his feet and rubbed his hands together.
"Let's go."

   With a laugh, Nate and Lizzie stood up.

   Lance drove them in his vehicle and they spent a few hours at the
restaurant talking and catching up.  It was so late by the time they were
done, Nate offered to let Lance crash for the night before driving back to
Birmingham.

   "We have the guest room all finished now," Lizzie said when they got
back home.  She showed Lance to the room, on the opposite side of the house
from the master suite.  He thanked her and they walked back out to the
kitchen to join Nate for a drink.

   One drink turned into two, and then three.  Before they knew it, it was
two in the morning and Nate could barely keep his eyes open.  He said
goodnight to Lance and the big man headed off to his guest room to sleep.

   In their own room, Nate and Lizzie managed to stay up a little longer to
talk.

   "He was sitting on the front step when I got home." Lizzie covered a
wide yawn with one hand.  "I can't believe he's thinking of moving back to
Birmingham.  He's always complained about his family."

   Nate chuckled.  "Well, maybe it was all talk.  Family is family."

   "Yeah."

   They fell silent, relaxing in each other's arms and Nate knew the
direction of her thoughts.  His went the same way.

   They'd been living in Atlanta for six weeks now and they still hadn't
heard from their parents.  Their mother had sent a bouquet of flowers to
Lizzie to congratulate her on her new job.  Lizzie had called their house
before moving day to thank Clara and to pass along their new address in
Atlanta.  Other than that, they'd heard nothing.  Definitely nothing from
Davis.

   Nate sighed and turned his face to Lizzie's hair.  He drew in a deep
breath, letting Lizzie's warmth and familiar scent soothe him.  As
difficult as it had been with regards to their parents, they were happy
here.  Since Clara hadn't cut off complete contact with them, he still held
out hope that they'd come around.

   "Do you think they told everyone else?"

   Nate squeezed Lizzie tighter when he heard the sad note in her voice. 
"I don't know, sweetie.  If they had, I think we would have heard from
someone by now, if only so they could ask questions."

   They didn't have a large family.  Davis had only one brother, who'd
married twice and had no children.  Clara had two sisters, but rarely saw
Isabel, the globetrotting travel writer.  Occasionally Isabel would stop in
for visits but their closest family was Juliette, Phil and their kids.

   They didn't talk for much longer.  Sleep took over and they let it.

   In the morning, Lance slept in late and they took their time making
breakfast.

   "Thank God it's Saturday," Lizzie said around her umpteenth yawn.  "I
can't believe we stayed up and drank so much."

   "Yeah.  Lance is a terrible influence." Nate stirred the hash browns in
the pan before him.  "Might not be such a good thing if he does move to
Alabama."

   "I heard that," came the responding grumble from the hallway.

   Nate and Lizzie turned to see the big man stumble into the kitchen
wearing only his pants.  Lizzie laughed when he sagged into a kitchen
chair, his weight making it creak ominously.

   "Coffee?"

   Lance nodded and then braced his head with one upturned hand as Lizzie
rose to get him coffee.  Not much talking went on as breakfast was prepared
and served.  After eating, they were all a little more lively, but not by
much.  Lance asked if he could shower before leaving and while he was in
the bathroom, Lizzie went to her studio and Nate cleaned up the kitchen. 
When the phone rang, he dried a hand and reached over to answer it.

   "Hello?"

   "Hi, Nate."

   Nate froze, the cloth in his hand dripping soapy water on the floor. 
"Dad."

   "How are you, son?"

   "I'm...  fine." Nate put the cloth in the sink and dried both his hands.
"How are you?  How's Mom?"

   "We're good." Davis cleared his throat.  "How is Elizabeth?"

   Nate smiled.  "She's doing great, Dad.  Her new job keeps her pretty
busy so she's tired most nights when she gets home but she loves it."

   "That's good.  That's real good, son.  I'm glad."

   "Me too."

   They fell silent and Nate sat down at the kitchen table.  He waited for
his father to speak again, pretty much struck mute at the fact that he'd
even called.

   When Davis spoke again, his voice was gruff.  "Your mother and I were
thinking it was past time for us to visit you two."

   Nate's eyes widened and he sat back in the chair, shock not even
beginning to cover his range of emotions at the moment.  Lizzie walked back
into the kitchen at that moment, some brushes in hand.  She spotted him,
saw his expression and came right to his side.

   Dad, he mouthed and she sank into the chair next to his.

   "You want to visit?"

   "Yes.  We would like to, if that's all right with the two of you.  We
were thinking maybe for Thanksgiving."

   "Thanksgiving."

   Lizzie blinked and reached out to grab Nate's hand.  She looked into his
eyes and nodded enthusiastically.  Nate squeezed her hand and nodded in
reply.

   "I think that's a great idea.  We'd love to see both of you for
Thanksgiving."

   "Well, all right then.  Your mother will give you a call with the
details once she books it."

   "Great, Dad.  I'll let Lizzie know."

   "OK." A beat of silence passed.  "I love you, son."

   Nate looked down, a welling of emotion clogging his throat.  He coughed
and nodded.  "I love you too, Dad." When he looked up again, Lizzie was
crying silent tears.  "Give Mom my love and tell her we're really looking
forward to your visit."

   "I will, son.  You take care."

   "OK.  Bye, Dad."

   "Bye."

   He hung up the phone and Lizzie all but jumped into his arms.  They
clung to each other and Nate tangled the fingers of one hand in her hair.
He relayed his father's end of the conversation to her and when she sat
back, she was smiling.

   "They're really coming?"

   He nodded.  "So it would seem."

   They smiled and cried together until Lance walked in and told them to
give it a rest.

   ****

   Thanksgiving weekend rolled around and Lizzie found herself nervous as
she awaited Nate's return from the airport.  He'd left almost two hours ago
to pick up their parents and they should have been back by now.  She paced
the living room, paused, checked her outfit, then resumed pacing.

   At last, the front door opened and she rushed into the front hall.  The
first person through the door was her mother and Lizzie couldn't stop
herself from rushing to her.  She wrapped her mother in a hug that was
returned in full.

   "I've missed you, Mom."

   Clara patted her on the back.  "I've missed you too, my dear." She took
hold of Lizzie's shoulders and moved back.  "You're still too skinny."

   Lizzie laughed, elated at her mother's calm tone and the familiar
reprimand.  Then she saw her father and gave him a shy smile.

   "Hi, Dad."

   He didn't speak.  He came forward and wrapped her in his arms.  She
blinked back tears and hugged him back.  Beside them, Clara and Nate spoke
in quiet tones and the front door closed.

   "Can you guys take this elsewhere?  I need to take the suitcases to the
guest room."

   Lizzie looked over in time to see Nate wink as he lifted their parents'
bags.  She stepped out of her father's arms and Nate walked past.

   "Let me give you guys a tour." She took her mother's hand and started in
the kitchen.

   They made their way around the house and ended on the back terrace,
where a warm breeze was sweeping through the yard.

   "What a lovely view," Clara said as she faced the park and lake beyond.

   "It's what sold us on this place when we first came here." Lizzie
smiled. Nate joined them outside in another minute and they all chatted as
they took a short stroll around the yard and garden.

   Later that evening, after dinner and the kitchen clean-up was done, they
sat around the dining room table, silence descending.

   Their father cleared his throat, interrupting the quiet.  "Your mother
and I wanted to come visit sooner, but we figured you might want to get
settled first."

   Lizzie glanced at Nate and nodded at her father's words.

   Davis shook his head and reached for Clara's hand.  "That's not entirely
true.  It took us some time to get used to the idea of you two."

   "We understand," Nate said and clasped Lizzie's hand in his.  She kept
her eyes on their parents.

   Davis looked at his son and said nothing for a long moment.  "I'll be
honest.  I don't know that I'll ever get used to the idea."

   Lizzie winced and Nate squeezed her fingers.

   "But your mother and I agreed, we can't live without you in our lives."

   "We feel the same way." Nate smiled.  "It's why we wanted to be honest
with you.  About us."

   Davis nodded.  "I know.  I'm sorry for how I reacted.  You didn't
deserve that.  Neither of you did." He stopped, glanced at his wife and
cleared his throat.  "I'm proud of you two."

   "We both are," Clara added, giving them a broad smile.  "You've made a
wonderful home here together and anyone can see how happy you two are."

   Lizzie and Nate looked at each other and for a second, Lizzie was lost
in Nate's eyes.  They were happy.  Their lives were complicated and busy
and since moving they'd had a few good shouting matches.  But they were
well-matched and respectful of each other.  More than anything, they were
in love.

   Nate drew her hand up and kissed her knuckles.  Her cheeks warmed and
she couldn't look at their parents for a minute.

   "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted." Clara stood up.
"I think I'll turn in.  Davis?"

   "I'm with you, my dear." He faced his kids and smiled.  "Good night, you
two.  Don't stay up too late." He pinned Lizzie with a mock serious look.
"Your mother has every intention of waking you at dawn to ensure you learn
how to make a full Thanksgiving dinner."

   "Oh, hush, Davis." Clara swatted at him while Nate and Lizzie laughed.
She smiled at her daughter.  "Not dawn.  Maybe seven at the earliest." She
winked and walked out of the dining room, Davis right behind her.

   "Good night, Mom, Dad."

   Lizzie and Nate smiled at each other and shared a quiet laugh.

   Nate brushed her hair over one shoulder.  "Are you tired?"

   She shook her head.

   "Do you want to sit outside with me for a bit?"

   "Sure."

   They walked outside to the terrace and Lizzie sprawled on top of Nate
when he sat in the long lounge chair.  For a while, neither spoke.  They
held each other, stroked each other's exposed skin and watched the stars as
they brightened, one-by-one, in the inky sky.

   Lizzie tipped her head to one side to look into Nate's face.  "Did you
think they'd come around this fast?"

   Nate shook his head.  "No.  I didn't."

   "I'm so glad they're here."

   "Me too.  Even with what Dad said, I think their being here is a good
sign."

   "Of course it is." Nate squeezed his arms around her.  "But it's far
from perfect."

   "Oh, please." Lizzie moved around and sat up, her legs on either side of
Nate's.  He put his hands on her waist, drawing her forward so she rested
on his chest.  "I never expected the situation to be perfect but this is a
lot better than it was."

   "You're right." He grinned and slid his hands lower to cup her bottom.
"You're always right."

   "Not always." Lizzie couldn't help the way her breath caught on the
second word.

   Nate's hands moved back up, under her shirt and the touch of his hands
on her bare skin caused a familiar reaction in her body.  One she always
welcomed.

   "I love you, Nate."

   "And I love you, Lizzie." He lifted her hand and kissed her palm before
pressing it over his heart.  "With all my heart."

   She melted and sagged on his chest, her nose pressed to his throat. 
"Take me upstairs, Nate.  Make love to me tonight."

   He cupped her face in his hand, forcing her to move back and look into
his eyes.  "No."

   She smiled.  "No?"

   He shook his head, his eyes never leaving her face.  He stared at her,
his eyes taking in every feature, every blink, every twitch of her lips. 
Then he kissed her, teasing her with the tip of his tongue.

   "I will love you for the rest of my life."

   That's when she felt the cold ring slipping down her finger and over her
knuckle.  How he'd managed to wriggle it on without her noticing right
away, she'd never know.  She glanced down, the vision of the small
midnight-blue sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds blurring.

   "We can't be married, not legally, but I'll say the words anyway."

   Lizzie gasped, choking back a sob.  This was so wholly unexpected that
she couldn't breathe.

   "Lizzie, you bring light to my life and give me such joy, that I don't
have enough words to describe it."

   She looked up at him and saw tears swimming in his beautiful brown eyes.

   "I will love you for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness
and health, until my dying day." He leaned forward to brush her lips with a
kiss so gentle she almost didn't feel it.  "I will spend every day until
then making you happy, giving you everything you want and granting your
every wish.  Will you let me?"

   She still couldn't speak.  She could only hope he'd let her repeat the
same beautiful words to him later, when she was able.  She nodded and threw
her arms around him.  As he drew her close, his hold tightening almost too
much, she found some words.

   "I will, Nate.  I will always love you."

   He exhaled, his arms trembling around her.  They held each other and
cried silent, happy tears as they did.

   After a time, they pulled apart and kissed.  Then Nate took her inside
to make love to her on the first night of the rest of their lives.




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