Destiny's Calling

[celticgirl39]

A/N-I hope you all enjoy this one I have....


Prologue


City of Miami-15 Years Ago

She ran across the finish line with a time of two hours, fifty three minutes and nine seconds; she had done it, not only finished her first marathon ever, but in a very respectable time as well. The man at the finish line took her by the hand, asked how she was doing…did she need to see a medic…

She smiled at him as they slowly walked up and down the marathon area, her breathing and heart rate returning to normal. She would be sore in the morning, but it had been so worth the effort…she was in fact, proud of herself.

“I am fine thank you,”she replied to the man’s question. “I could use some water though.”

He nodded, “Of course…I will be right back ma’am.”

She watched as he went to one of the many volunteer tables lined up along the finish line area and grabbed a bottle of water for her.

“Here you go,” he said, handing the woman the water.

“Thank you very much.” She said.

“Will you be alright on your own now?” he asked her.

“Oh I am fine, go on.” She assured him.

He thanked her, quickly walking off to help another finisher.

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She scanned the area of Bayfront Park for her best friend Becky. It was Becky who convinced her to come to Miami and run her first marathon…Becky was running the marathon in an attempt to qualify for Boston later that spring and she didn’t want to fly to Miami for the weekend alone…

“Come on Noelle….please….please…”Becky pleaded. “You have never been to Miami before…think of the sun and sand…the handsome men.”

Noelle looked unconvinced. “Becky, I need to study…I have an Advanced Organic Midterm coming up…”

“Pleaseeeeeeee Noelle….for me?”Becky begged.

Noelle sighed. “Alright Becky…Miami does sound kind of nice…”

Becky jumped up and down, hugging Noelle, “You are the best!”She shouted. “Maybe you’ll meet someone while you are there…”

Noelle laughed at her best friend. “I am not interested in meeting anyone Becky…besides what are the odds that I would meet someone in one weekend?”

Becky looked at Noelle, “You never know what the forces have in store for you…”

Noelle chuckled at Becky and her belief in the ‘forces’ as she liked to call it and rolled her eyes at her.

It took Becky another two weeks but she also managed to get Noelle to agree to run her first marathon.

Noelle had been walking the finish line area and half of Bayfront Park before coming to the realization that Becky was not here…Becky had promised to wait at the finish line for her but she was nowhere to be found and Noelle was beginning to worry, not to mention that she was now rapidly tiring.

She looked around and found an unoccupied bench that she could rest on, while still allowing her to keep a lookout for Becky…without Becky she would not be able to get back to the hotel and Noelle had to admit she was beginning to get scared…she had never been to Miami before and she had not been paying attention to things as well as she should have when she and Becky left the hotel…she now wished she had paid attention.

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Horatio Caine walked Bayfront Park, scanning the crowd of runners that had just finished the Miami Marathon, an annual sporting event hosted by the cities of Miami and Miami Beach, as well as the county of Miami-Dade. It had become one of the fastest growing marathons in the United States, attracting runners from all over the United States as well as the elite runners from countries that included Asia, Europe and Africa.

The course itself begins on Biscayne Boulevard next to the American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat and then the course takes runners eastbound on the MacArthur Causeway, past cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami, to South Beach. From there, competitors travel northbound along the famous Ocean Drive, through the City of Miami Beach, and then westbound along the Venetian Causeway and back to the mainland and the City of Miami. Here, the Miami Half Marathon finishes and the full marathon continues southbound through the financial district, Brickell, into Coconut Grove, and then back through Brickell and downtown Miami to complete the 26 miles at Bayfront Park.

He had first decided to take a walk and observe the runners coming in before heading into the office to finish the mountain of paperwork he had left to the last minute and today being Saturday, he would be able to complete the task undisturbed.

Noelle was now scared. She looked around noticed the crowds had started to dissipate, making it all the more painfully obvious to her that Becky was nowhere to be seen.

I am so going to disown that girl as my best friend, she thought, tears threatening to spill.

------------------------------

Horatio was on his way back to his SUV when he spotted her. A lone woman, clearly a runner as she was still wearing her number on her shirt, her brown hair tied back into a ponytail looking completely lost sitting on a bench. He stopped and watched her briefly, her eyes looking up and scanning the area every so often…she was looking for someone, that was clear to him. What was also obvious was that whoever the lone woman was looking for was not coming.

He slowly approached her, not wanting to scare her and spoke, “Ma’am, are you alright?”

Noelle looked up into the brightest pair of blue eyes that she had ever seen in her life. “Oh…yes…I am fine…”she murmured.

It was clear that she was lying. “My name is Lietenant Horatio Caine,” he said, sitting down next to her. “Are you sure everything is alright?”

Noelle turned to take a closer look at the man sitting next to her. His blue eyes unnerved her and his red hair, tousled from the gentle breeze blowing gave him an irresistable charm. He was, she figured, about six feet tall and dressed impeccably in a grey suit with a solid blue shirt.

Simply dressed, but expensive no doubt, she thought. She found him incredibly handsome.

“You are a policeman?” she asked, finally responding to him.

“Indeed I am, and I head up the Miami Dade Crime Lab.” He explained. “What is your name?”

She looked at him suspiciously but upon seeing his badge and weapon strapped to his waist, she smiled briefly. “My name is Noelle.”

“I am pleased to meet you Noelle,” Horatio responded, noticing her brown eyes, and lean build. He could smell the shampoo in her brown hair.

He found her incredibly attractive.

“Now that we know each other a little,”he said after a few minutes of silence, “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Noelle sighed. This man is going to think I am a complete idiot when I tell him, she thought. For some reason, the thought of this man thinking such a thing bothered her.

“I am sorry Lieutenant,” she began, “I know you will think I am an idiot but I don’t know my way back to the hotel…”she said, explaining that her best friend Becky had promised to wait at the finish line for her but that Becky had seemingly forgotten. “I have never been to Miami before…”

Horatio looked at the young woman, blushing as she explained her predicament her eyes on the ground, unable to look at him.

“Now, now…”he chided her, “I certainly do not think you an idiot for being lost in a strange city Noelle…and Miami can be very confusing.”
She smiled at him briefly, grateful.

Horatio knew all he had to do was ask what hotel she was staying at and take her there…yet he wasn’t ready to let her go…he was surprised to find he wanted to spend time with her, get to know her….

I will never see her again once I take her back to her hotel, the thought giving him an ache in his chest.

“How about I take you on a tour of my city?” he asked her, “then I will get you back to your hotel.”

Noelle looked at the red headed man, surprised to find she wanted to spend more time with him, not wanting to go back to the hotel just yet…

I will never see him again once he takes me back to my hotel, the thought making her sad.

Had Becky been watching the interaction between the pair, she would be smiling….the forces are at work here…

Fifteen years would pass for Horatio and Noelle before the ‘forces’ decided the time was right.

---------------------------

TBC

[deborah]

Good start. This is a very good chapter.

Deborah

[celticgirl39]

Chapter 2: Horatio and Noelle


15 years later-Present Time


Horatio Caine stood staring out the window of his office, hands on hips, deep in thought. He didn’t hear the knocking on his office door and it wasn’t until his name was called that he pulled himself out of his thoughts.

“Hey H…you alright?” a handsome young Cuban man asked. “You are thinking of her again.”

Horatio looked to the floor and smiled. “I am fine Eric,” he replied, “and yes I am indeed.”

Eric looked to his friend and mentor, “You should try and find her.”

Horatio chuckled. “I have thought about it but I only had her first name Eric…that and she came from a Canadian province.”

Eric looked at his friend and grinned. “Maybe she will run this year’s marathon.”

Horatio glanced at him and nodded. “Maybe she will Eric…now what can I do for you?” he asked, changing the subject.

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The object of Horatio’s thoughts was in fact, a lot closer then he realized…she was in Miami and had been living there for almost four years, working as head of the chemistry labs at the University of Miami.

Their paths had almost crossed several times during those four years…but the force of destiny had decided the time was not right.

The time had now come.


Leaving a bad marriage behind her, Noelle Mitchell had packed up her belongings and her young son, driving from Seattle to Miami to start her life over…a fresh beginning is what she needed…the acrimonious divorce having taken a heavy emotional toll on her. She had a new job and managed to buy a beachside condo for her and her son, Nathan. Each and every weekend the pair would head out the back door, down the stairs leading from the deck and spend the days on the beach building sandcastles and having picnics. It was not long before Noelle began to feel better, her pale face having taken on some color from being outdoors.

It was on one of these Saturdays that she sat on the blanket and watched Nathan playing with his shovel and pail, smiling at how happy he had become over the last several weeks. She had been worried before leaving Seattle…he had become so withdrawn…

She wondered if Horatio Caine still lived and worked here…she had not stopped thinking about him in fifteen years…that one afternoon that they had spent together had been an incredible adventure…she felt a connection…

“I would love for you to take me on a tour.” She replied.

“Good…let’s go, there are plenty of things I want to show you.” He said grinning. Paperwork can wait.

Horatio drove her, not to tourist traps, but to some of his own personal favorite places that he enjoyed going to…they spent time at Biscayne Aquatic Preserve, The Everglades and her favorite was a long walk on an isolated part of beach…just the two of them, she telling him of her life in Canada, he telling her of his new job at the crime lab. He had taken her hand and she had felt the warmth and strength of the man…

He mentioned where he worked…he was in law enforcement but she could not remember the name of the place…besides, he would never remember me after fifteen years, she thought sadly. He was being polite…yet, the thing he had said to her, just before they parted at her hotel…

Little did Noelle realize how wrong she was…and she was about to find out.

------------------------

Horatio was exhausted. The day had been a long one, several call outs and none of them simple…all showed the promise of lengthy investigation…but for now, he could relax as he sat out on his deck, feeling the warm breeze and listening to the ocean waves tickle the shore.

He was grateful the week was almost over.

His thoughts went back to her…the one he missed…the one he had wanted so long ago and still did. He compared all his dates with women to her…he knew it was wrong and he knew it was unfair…but there was no other like Noelle. They had a connection and he knew she felt it too. He often wondered if she had thought of him.

He had fought the feeling, denied it even…for many years…causing him untold misery.

--------------------------

Noelle sat out on her deck, feeling the night air against her skin, the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, her body finally relaxing after the long day she had…one of the graduate students had made an error in his calculations, resulting in a minor lab explosion…easily dealt with but protocol required calls to the fire department and the HAZMAT team.

Once they gave the all clear only then could Noelle and the others enter the lab area once again…several long hours later.

She sighed and was grateful the week was almost over.

Her thoughts went back to him, as they did every single night…the one she missed, still, after all these years. She was not surprised her marriage failed…the only good thing coming from that was her seven year old son Nathan. She admitted she didn’t love him, but she did care for him, and that was enough for her, or so she tried to convince herself. She tried to love Tom but it just was not there and after Nathan was born Tom had also figured it out and confronted her with the fact…

“Noelle, what is going on with you?” Tom demanded. “You act like you don’t even want to be with me”!

“Tom,”she replied, “You are being silly.”

He laughed at her. “How stupid do I look Noelle?” he asked, “I am not the one you want, never have been have I?”

She looked at him in surprise, unable to say a word. He had figured it out and the expression on her face spoke volumes.

Tom looked at her, “I thought so…”he replied angrily. “I am the person you settled for.”

She could see how angry and hurt he was, and rightfully so…she had been so unfair to him…by settling.

“Tom, I-“

“Don’t bother Noelle,”he said in resignation, “I hope he is worth it.”
Tom moved out that same day.

Noelle, back to the present, stood up and went inside, looking the deck doors behind her.

Tomorrow would be another long day.

----------------------------

TBC

[NV Oracle]

A very interesting start, Celticgirl.

Can't wait to see what happens next.

Your friend
Oracle

[celticgirl39]

Chapter 3: A Chance Encounter


Noelle hated waiting…she was never known for her patience in certain matters and standing in line at the corner Starbuck’s for a simple cup of coffee was one of those things she absolutely hated waiting for.

Ten minutes later, a steaming hot cup of coffee in hand, Noelle headed out to the parking lot, on her way to her car and to work. She was busy holding her coffee in one hand while trying to dig out her car keys from her purse with the other hand that she failed to see where she was going and she bumped into a man, the force of the collision causing Noelle’s coffee cup to lose its lid and the contents spilled down her front.

“d**n!” she shouted in surprise and pain as the hot brown liquid came into contact with her skin.

“I am so sorry,” a male voice replied sincerely. “Stay here and I will get something to help clean you up.”

“d**n…I am going to be late for work,” she mumbled, “not only late, but with stained clothes.”

The man returned with a handful of wet paper towels, he managing to take a first good look at the woman.

“I am so sorry ma’am.” He said sincerely, taking in her features. She was somewhat unusual for Miami because she wore no makeup, her brown hair tied back into a single pigtail and her clothes, now stained, simple and inexpensive in nature-light blue cotton pants with a matching blue t-shirt.

She smiled at him in kind. “You have nothing to be sorry for,”she said,”I was not looking where I was going…”she assured him, taking the wet paper towels and attempting to clean herself up somewhat. With very little success.

“I am so sorry for getting coffee on you…”she began.
He shrugged it off, “Don’t worry about me…did you burn yourself at all?” he asked, “That coffee had to have been extremely hot.”

Noelle looked up at the man and for the first time, noticed how handsome he was. Tall and muscular, he had dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. His olive complexion added an exotic mystery to the man.

“No, I think I can manage,” she replied, “I will have to call in to work and tell them I shall be late however.”She said grinning at him. “My boss would not be impressed even though I work in a chemistry lab and end up dirty halfway through the day.”

He grinned with the woman in front of him…she certainly had a sense of humor about the whole thing thankfully. “Chemistry lab?” he inquired.

She nodded, having given up getting any cleaner. “The University of Miami…I head the lab there.”


It was then she saw he carried a weapon and badge.

“You are a policeman?” she asked groaning. “Trust me to run into a cop...”

He laughed. “Not exactly a cop…I work for the Miami Dade Crime Lab,” he said, “My name is Eric Delko.”

Miami Dade Crime Lab, she thought. That’s it…that is the place Horatio said he worked for.

“Pleased to meet you Eric Delko…my name is Noelle Mitchell.”

Noelle? That is the name of the woman Horatio had been thinking of…how common is that name? He thought.

“That is a lovely name…I have never met anyone with that name.” Eric replied.

“Why thank you Eric,”she replied as she reached for her cell phone.

“I was born in Canada, on Christmas Day in fact and my parents wanted to give me a Christmasy kind of name,” she explained. “In French, Christmas is Noel, so they found a feminine name…hence Noelle.” She replied spelling it for him.

“Amazing…a Christmas baby….”he laughed. “So you are Canadian?”

She nodded. “I am, although not for much longer,”she responded. “I moved here four years ago with my son to head up the labs at the University.”

Eric’s heart dropped. If this is THE Noelle, she had married.

“What does your husband do?” he asked.

“I am divorced…I am getting a fresh start here in Miami.”

Eric just stared at her as she called her boss to explain the situation, unsure of what to say or ask without appearing overly curious. She hung up and smiled at Eric.

“Your boss?” he asked.

She smiled. “He is fine with me being late…I need to get home and change Eric, but there is one question I would like to ask you?”

He nodded, curiousity piqued. “Ask away Noelle.”

“You mentioned that you worked for the Miami Dade Crime Lab,” she began, “and I was wondering…do you happen to know Horatio?”

He just stared at her. This is THE woman, it had to be.

Eric nodded, “He is my boss…Lieutenant Horatio Caine,” he said, his cell phone suddenly coming to life.

Noelle opened her car door and placed her bag on the passenger seat while Eric took his call. She just wanted to know how Horatio was…was he happy…did he marry…did he think of her…ever, not that she would ask that question of course. It is not likely Eric would know anyway.

“Noelle?” Eric said to her, “I have to go to a crime scene…it was so nice to meet you.”

“Of course Eric, and I am glad to have met you as well…take care and be careful.” She replied, getting into her car.

“I will Noelle,”he responded, and taking a chance, he added, “Oh, one more thing…Horatio has not been happy for a very long time…fifteen years in fact.” He said quickly, before walking to his SUV.

Noelle sat frozen in her car, watching the retreating figure. Horatio told Eric?

------------------------

Eric Delko arrived at the crime scene forty five minutes after receiving the call out. He quickly ducked under the crime scene tape, coming to a stop next to Frank Tripp, detective.

“What do we have?”

“Home invasion gone bad Delko…”Frank replied, “a family of six brutalized…it’s a massacre in there.”

“Any survivors?”

“Yes, a child of about two years of age…those animals probably let her live because she would not be a good witness.”

“Thanks Frank,”Eric replied. “Anyone else here?”

“Yeah…Ryan and Calleigh are inside processing the scene while Horatio is taking the perimeter of the house.” Frank replied.

“Thanks Frank.” Eric said, heading into the house. With five bodies, Ryan and Calleigh needed all the help they could get.

-------------------------

As Eric Delko began processing the scene, on the other side of town Noelle had finally arrived at work, almost two hours late. She quickly caught up and once the labs had all been tended to she was able to sit at her desk and begin her paperwork.

The problem was that Noelle could not concentrate…at all. What an amazing coincidence I ran into Eric Delko today…what are the odds on that? She thought. Becky of course would just roll her eyes and say the word ‘forces.’

The question was what to do…if anything? She now knew where Horatio worked…she couldn’t just walk in and ask for him…could she?
Of course not, she chided herself. I would look like a complete idiot if he had no clue who I was…one afternoon spent together years ago…I am acting like a schoolgirl.

She sighed deeply and began to focus on her tasks.

--------------------

TBC

[celticgirl39]

Thanks for enjoying so far!

Celticgirl

[NV Oracle]

Enjoying this one very much also, Celticgirl. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Your friend
Oracle

[celticgirl39]

Thanks so much for enjoying!

Celticgirl

[celticgirl39]

Chapter 4: She's Here?


Eric and the team finally had processed the crime scene, five dead and one toddler, orphaned. They began just after nine in the morning and it was now almost two in the afternoon when they finally arrived back at the lab to begin processing and analying the evidence.

“This is going to take several hours,” Eric groaned to Calleigh as they placed the bags on the evidence table.

She nodded as she glanced at him. “I feel so sorry for that poor two year old child…”

Eric nodded. “I hear ya on that Cal.” He sighed. “People are so…”

“I know Eric, I know.” She replied sadly as they began to work side by side.

Ten minutes later a voice called out from the doorway of the lab, “How about some coffee?” Natalia asked the pair. “Take a quick break?”

Eric stopped what he was doing in mid-air. “Coffee…d**n it I almost forgot!” he shouted, putting the evidence on the table and walking out of the room quickly, pushing Natalia aside.

Natalia and Calleigh looked after him and then at each other in confusion.

“What was that about?” Natalia asked.

“I have no idea.” Calleigh admitted.

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Eric walked quickly down the hallway towards Horatio’s office…he was absolutely certain that this Noelle he had run into was the same one that had occupied Horatio’s heart and mind for the last fifteen years.

Fifteen years…they must have made some connection for the feelings to last that long, Eric thought, approaching Horatio’s office.

The fact she asked for Horatio…if my cell hadn’t rung, when it did…

Eric saw the office door was open and he quickly approached it, sighing in relief to find his boss sitting behind his desk, completely engrossed in paperwork.

He knocked on the door, calling out, “H…I have something I think you need to know.”

Horatio glanced up and motioned Eric into the office. “Have a seat Eric…talk to me.”

Eric entered the office, closing the door behind him.

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Just as Eric entered Horatio’s office, on the other side of town in an office at the University of Miami, sat Noelle, unable to concentrate on her task since her run in with Eric.

Her thoughts kept returning to Horatio Caine…a sweet and compassionate man fifteen years ago, she wondered what he was like now. The only things she knew for certain was that he was now a Lieutenant and, if Eric could be believed, which she did not see any reason not to believe him, his comment regarding Horatio hit home for her…

“Oh, one more thing…Horatio has not been happy for a very long time…fifteen years in fact.”

Was it possible that he had felt the same connection she had…she had felt it the moment he took her hand in his, on the beach so long ago. There is only one way to find out, she thought. Go see him.

She couldn’t…she was not brave enough.

Noelle thought of what he had said to her at the elevator…

“We will see each other again someday.”

She had no idea what to do about the situation…so she picked up the phone and called Becky.

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“What can I do for you Eric?” Horatio asked, “Problem with a case?”

Eric shook his head, “No, it actually has nothing to do with a case…it is personal.”

Horatio looked at the young man sitting in front of him, “I’m listening.”

“Before I got the call out, I was at a Starbuck’s getting some coffee.” Eric began to explain, “But before I got into the store, I ran into a young woman coming out of the place, she spilling coffee all over herself.”

“Was she injured at all Eric?”

Eric shook his head. “She said she was fine and I got her some wet paper towels to help her…”

“Go on.”

“Well, we began chatting; making small talk…she having a sense of humor about it all and I introduced myself.” Eric continued. “She told me her name was Noelle.”

Eric tried to hide a grin as he saw Horatio almost come alive before his eyes. “Noelle…my Noelle?”

Eric nodded, grinning at his boss.

“How do you-?” Horatio began.

“She mentioned she was from Canada as we talked H,” Eric interrupted, “but I became certain it was her when she asked about you.”

Horatio was stunned into silence. Noelle was here, in Miami…but for how long…he could not handle seeing her again just to have her leave…that time at the airport was still as excruciatingly painful today, just thinking about it…

They stood at the security gate, her outgoing flight back to Calgary, Alberta, Canada departing shortly.

He took her in his arms, kissing her forehead, not wanting her to leave, but knowing she had to.

He could feel her warm tears soak through his shirt as he stroked her hair, neither saying a word but enjoying the moment…their last moment together.

“Flight 4552 departing Miami to Calgary, this is the call for final boarding…” the cheerful voice over the loudspeaker announced. “Final boarding call for Flight 4552.”

“I have to go now,”she whispered, pulling out of his embrace.

“Horatio,” she whispered. “I love you…I always will.”

And then she was gone.

He called out her name and she stopped, turning to face him briefly.

He could see the tears streaming down her face as she looked at him once more before heading down the gangplank to her waiting plane.

“Don’t go.” He whispered.

An ache settled in his chest, surrounding his heart…it had been broken.

That ache would remain for fifteen years.

“She lives here H…has lived here for about four years now.” Eric added, breaking Horatio from the past.

“Lives here?” he asked. “Lives…here…” he murmured.

Eric nodded. “She works for the University of Miami…heads the chemistry labs up there.”

Horatio stared out the window and Eric knew that he was thinking of whether to go see her or not.

“She asked about you H.” Eric repeated, standing up and opening the door to the office. “You know what you need to do.”

Eric smiled as he closed the door behind him and went off in search of Calleigh.

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Noelle hung up the phone after talking to her still best friend Becky…the girl was incorrigible, squealing about ‘destiny’ and coming full circle as Noelle explained her meeting Erick Delko that morning…

“Noelle…you have to go…you absolutely have to!”

“Becky…I cannot… ”

“Don’t you dare Noelle…you have been thinking of him for fifteen years now,” Becky argued. “This is Destiny…Destiny has decided, and the time is now!”

“I cannot just walk into the Crime Lab and ask for him…he must be a very busy-“

“Noelle…you have loved him for fifteen years…you have done nothing but talk about him to me,”Becky countered. “My God Noelle, even Tom figured out you are in love with someone else!”

Noelle sighed. “Becky…”

“Noelle, my dear, sweet friend,” she interrupted her voice softer, gentler. “For fifteen years you have denied your feelings for this Horatio…how has that been working for you so far?”

Silence.

“I thought so.” Becky said softly. “You know what you need to do…”

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TBC

[celticgirl39]

No one seems to care for this one so I will stop posting to it.


Celticgirl

[deborah]

that is too bad. I like it but then I have already read it all the way through. It really is very good. They just don't know what they are missing.

Deborah

[gonsy]

Hey, maybe it's me but it seems that a little patience is needed here. There's a lot to catch up on fanfics, some people is in vacation, and so on.

Gonsy

[tenfour]

Yeah we are in holiday time here so can't always catch up on time, last time I came back it took me a full week to catch up on reading stuff I'd missed...and fanfic is pretty busy...I've also read it and really loved the story...would be sad if you stopped...

[sanne]

I came back from my vacation yesterday and just now started to catch up with the FanFiction I've missed while being away. I like this story so far.

Sandra