He went to get Rex before she could answer and then let Jessie out of Foxtails yard so she could accompany them for a night ride. Helping her up onto the saddle he them hopped up and turned Rex in the direction of the road out of the village. It was so quiet and peaceful as they headed out into the night. He put his arms around her waist and held one of her hands as he managed the reins with the other. The swaying motion from the horse gently rocked the two on board as though it was a slow dance cuddle on a large lounge chair.

He could feel her heart rate settle down through the pulses in her hand, he shifted his weight to the side as he pressed down in the stirrup to balance himself and turned to see her smiling face. He smiled back and winked at her. Her slightly parted lips beckoned for a kiss, he paused and waited to see if she wanted one. Kiss her you fool he thought to himself and without further delay he leaned forward and gently kissed her mouth. They looked into each other’s eyes glistening in the moon light and smiled again.

When he turned forward she laid her head back against his shoulder and he then tightened his grip on her, hugging her from behind. He squeezed her hand and gave Rex a short snap on the reins to induce a canter. Rex replied by hopping to the command without hesitation. With the speed of the horse pick up a notch the cool air could now be felt on the faces of the passengers. “Where are we going” she asked? “Not really sure, just that away I guess” he chuckled. “Have you never gone for a country drive just for the heck of it” he asked? “Yeah” she laughed “but in a car”. “Just think of this as a convertible” he replied. “Breath in the air and let it fill your lungs, let the view fill your soul” he continued.

“Just look at the stars, so many and so clear and bright”. “Look there” as he pointed towards the heavens revealing Cassiopeia.” “Over there is Delphinus, the sign of the dolphin, and there is Cancer, my sign and up there is Pegasus, the winged horse”. She smiled and asked if he knew where Aquarius was. “That one is in the southern hemisphere”. He replied. “What about the Grandfather constellation” she asked?
“That’s a new one to me” he said. Giggling she pointed towards the moon “up there”.
“The moon” he said puzzled. “No the two stars beside the moon”.

Pausing for a moment he said “I was looking at them while you were inside”. “So what did they tell you” she sheepishly asked? Again pausing he smiled and simply said “They tell me I am lucky”. “They look out for me” she said. “That I believe” he answered back.

As the horse tired slightly from the pace Nick pulled back and let Rex return back to an easy walk. What a scene of solitude they thought, the snow covered pines, crisp air, the stars shining through like pin holes in the curtain of night. A Kodak moment for sure and not a camera in sight. As they rounded the bend in the road they came to a clearing and Nick turned Rex to climb the bank and leap into the field. Gentle rolling drifts sparkling under the night sky. Nick stopped Rex and hopped down. He turned to Sarah, holding out his hand to help her down. “What are you up to now” she asked? “I want to show you something, the night sky” he said. “I can see the stars from here…..” she started to speak when he pulled her backwards down into the snow drift on top of him.” I mean from down here” he laughed.

As they fell the Aurora returned in all of its majestic beauty.
“O.K. I didn’t plan that but then again who am I to argue with the stars” he said.
The two lay there engrossed in wonderment at the show unfolding before them, silence emanating from the woods around them as if all life forms stopped their individual routines to bask in what can only be described as the most amazing show on earth.

The green haze flowed around them encompassing their very souls, touching each one in their own unique way. Mesmerized by the grace of the ballet before them, neither spoke a word, they just held each other tightly as the panoramic view filled the sky. Breathless and speechless, time had halted for them, visual paradise once again graced with its very presence. Sarah broke the silence when she proclaimed “This is so beautiful” as her mind searched for reasons to guard her from enjoying the moment, pretending it is not real so that she would not need to face heartache when she awoke from what must surely be a dream.

Nick sensed that she was backing away from him again and held her tighter, not wanting to let go and knowing full well he could not tell her how he was beginning to feel and just how desperately he needed her. The light showed continued for a few more minutes letting the two close friends carry on with their moment in time.

After the show was over Sarah stood up and offered a hand to Nick. He smiled and then proceeded to carve a snow angle where they lay. “What are you doing” she inquired?
“What do you think I’m doing” he smirked. “Why”? “So the people will know we were here” he laughed. With that Sarah fell back into the snow and created her own version of a horizontal Inukshuk.

Nick finished his and stood up gazing down at Sarah surrounded by the white outline of the angel she was working on. How truly gorgeous she is he thought to himself. An angel indeed and all dressed in white just to confirm his image of her. Her dark hair glistened with the flakes of snow that had found them interwoven in her beauty. She smiled and her eyes lit up as she looked up at him. He let her complete her master piece and then offered his hand to her. When they stepped back from the canvass they each saw the form of the other nestled deep in the fluffy medium and smiled. A hug followed and then the sad reality that it was time for them to return. Nick had already arranged for the use of the guest cabin back at the village and knew they would not be disturbed.

When they got back to the cabin Nick set Sarah up in the only bedroom and he headed for the blankets on the couch. Each comfy cozy in their respective beds they called out a goodnight to each other.

“Nick” Sarah queried? “Yes” replied Nick. “Hold me.” With that Nick smiled and lay down next to Sarah until mornings light.

Sarah awoke before Nick the next morning, gingerly climbing out of bed so as not to disturb him she stepped out of the bedroom and was greeted by Jessie. She smiled and they both went outside where the bladder filled dog darted about from tree to tree and then alongside the house where she began to dig at the snow bank just under the window to the bedroom. Sarah walked over and peered through the frosty glass at Nick asleep under the covers they shared. She stared at him, contemplating his thoughts while he slumbered, was she in them? When should she tell him she was going home tomorrow? When should she tell him she had to be home for the kids and even for her husband that she no longer had any deep feelings for? She knew she would stay with him for the sake of the kids but how she longed to be held, to feel wanted for herself, for the woman she is becoming, to be listened to, to be smiled at just for being who she is. This was certainly too much to ask of her man at home but would this be too much to ask of Nick?

A tear filled her eye as she watched him sleeping. She couldn’t ask that of Nick, no she would do as she has always done and keep it to herself. Wiping away the tear of both joy and sorrow, taking a deep breath and regaining her composer she went back into the cabin but not before collecting a loosely packed snow ball. Grinning from ear to ear she quietly opened the door and hurdled the ball of snow at him laughing and asking him if was going to sleep the day away.

Stunned, confused, wet and cold Nick sat up and once again he saw her standing in the doorway. Her face was lit up like a child’s at Christmas, her eyes, those soft, deep eyes of hers stabbed at his soul just as they have done before. “Come back to bed” he asked?
Holding open the wet sheets for her he again asked “let me hold you for awhile, the day can wait for us”.

Sarah a bit stunned herself, half expecting a snowball fight to begin paused and stared back into his eyes, gentle and soothing, would she trust him and re-enter the bed or would she put up a front and hold him at bay? Last day she thought to herself, when he broke her train of thought and held out his hand “Sarah….I need you”. She let out a deep and emotional sigh as she lay down next to him. Wrapping his arms around her as though he would never let her go, he kissed her shoulder from the spooning position they were in.

“You ran from me last night and I know it was me that caused you to flee” Nick said.
“I do not want you to feel the need to back away from me, I so sorry for letting my feelings out so soon after meeting you. I want you to understand that it has been a long time since passion has coursed through my veins and I have you to thank for returning to me the sense of being alive. You are a remarkable woman and I know that there is so much more within you, I want so desperately to be a part of your emergence when you spread your wings and take flight”.

“For a few years now I have been thinking about and even talking about having a passionate affair. One filled with romance, I will not use the term love but I think that there would need to be at least a little involved on some level. I am not interested in one night stands or casual encounters, I yearn for one woman who can be not only a friend but a great friend, lovers possibly but definitely friends first” spoke Nick softly.

“Along came you after so many pointless attempts to meet this imaginary woman I have thought about. The one who breathes when I breathe, laughs when I laugh, holds me as tight as I hold her and knows what I feel when I know what she feels” he continued.

“I know that I will not leave my wife any time soon, perhaps there is still hope for us but for now the lonely nights call out to me to search for this mysterious woman who watches me in her dreams”. “I do not know if you can understand this but I think it’s you”. “I hope you do not feel pressured in any way for you have my friendship and my respect, please just be you and talk to me”. “Tell me what you want to say and not just what you think you are allowed to say” he added.

“I do not know the woman you were before getting here but I do know the woman you are going to become and I want to be with her as she journey’s forth. Tell me everything, don’t hold back, we have not drawn any lines that could be crossed over nor have we put up any borders that are impassable. We have let ourselves evolve and bond with each other, no expectations, and no demands just a sense of belonging with and for each other”.

“Talk to me Sarah, let me share in your life as I hold you” he pleaded. “Talk to me”.

Sarah paused for a moment contemplating her story and whether or not she wanted to let Nick that far into her life. She looked him in the eyes and decided to trust him. “Why do you want to know so much about me” she asked? With a gentle chuckle he smiled and said “So I will understand what has hurt you in the past and never make those mistakes, so that I will learn what has pleased you and try to better that, so that I will know where the lines are between your privacy and what you want to share. I ask this of you because I care for you and only wish to be a positive influence on your life”.

Sarah held Nick’s arms as she spoke “When I was growing up my parents fought quite a bit. At first not around me but as time went on their fights became more important to them then I was. They divorced of course by the time I was eight and I went to live with my mom. After a little while her new boyfriend moved into her room....and then mine”. Sarah paused for a moment and pulled on Nick’s arms as tight as she could. “Nick I wasn’t even ten at the time and it went on for four years before I finally had the courage to tell someone. I thought that by opening up to my mom and telling her what was happening to me that my mother could put a stop to the abuse”. Nick held her tighter and placed his head next to hers while a sickening feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.

“Nick” she paused “My mom did not believe me and then abandoned me giving me up to my dad like a piece of discarded furniture. She said I was lying and told me that I was making up everything just to get back at her because of the divorce. She said her boyfriend wouldn’t do those things, so she sent me to live with my dad because she did not want anything to do with me anymore”.

“The abuse stopped or at least I thought it would when I moved in with my dad but a new type of abandon began. My father was controlling, he had to make every decision for me; it was like a prison” she continued. “I felt so alone, I couldn’t have friends from school or participate in normal events or outings like the other kids. No one to turn to for my mom convinced me I was a liar and my dad showed me that I had no feelings or ideas of my own”. “Grown ups my *** was all I could think. Who were these people to have a child? Sometimes I wished I was never born”. Sarah started to cry, her emotions spilling forth in front of him. “Nick” she sobbed softly “How is it that I can talk to you when I never expose this side of myself to others”? Nick kissed the top of her shoulder and with a caring voice said “Sarah, sweetheart no one should ever have to endure any form of abuse especially a child” this he could relate to flashing back to his memories of how his son was tormented at the hands of his ex.

Sarah continued to purge her soul “When I was fifteen my dad gave me up to the court system and I was sent to a foster home to live with strangers”. “I used to dream about a day when my prince would come into my life and rescue me from the emptiness that filled my heart”. “Then on one day he did. The same prince I now run from. The father of my children, the man who opposes my quest for knowledge, say’s I’m wasting my time and tells me what I should think. Don’t misinterpret my words for I love my kids with all my heart and want to be an everyday part of their life. I want them to know that they will never be abandoned, that they will never have to feel alone. At the same time though I also feel this need to better myself and maybe help others. I’m attending college, enrolled in the assaulted women’s and children’s advocacy and psychology program”.

“You must think me a horrible woman. Why can’t I be happy with what I have”?

Nick kissed her neck this time and pulled her as close as he could when she started to sob again. “No sweet heart you are definitely not a horrible person.” His words were soothing to her ears as she closed her eyes and listened to his voice. “Everyone needs to be loved, wanted even desired from the very young to the very old. Each day we all wish to belong to something greater then ourselves, to have a sense of self purpose and self worth”. ”Being lonely is a natural thing for as a species we are inherently social creatures and therefore require others and when we cannot find that within our circle of loved ones then we are faced with the questions of social conscience….”he continued. “Sarah, are you asleep”? With no reply he smiled and kissed her as softly as he could and whispered the words “dream away sweet heart, live out your dreams and fantasies and just maybe one day they will come true”. Not wanting to interrupt her he continued talking with her while she slumbered in his arms hoping against hope that his words would continue to comfort her on a subconscious level until he to felt the warmth of her soothing him when he to drifted off to the land of peace.

While in their dream state each soul called out to the wolf, beckoning answers, requesting solutions to their individual plights and humbling asking “is this a dream”?
Flashbacks entered their minds, the song playing while in front of the window, the pilot, the stars, and the aurora, the snow falling gently around them, the walk and the otters. Wake me not each thought if this is just a dream for I never want to leave paradise.

Pulling each other closer as though aligning the magnetic poles of their souls their hearts beat as one. Dreaming as one they again shared visions of the wolf, the keeper of social conscience, and the guardian of freedom and in its purest form the wolf smiled upon them blessing them with eyes of blue, forgiving them with an all knowing glance. Turning from them the wolf returned to the shadows, leaving the lovers to reflect upon themselves their own journey’s course.

Waking up to the loving gentle touch of Nick’s hand on her shoulder she smiled and pulled his hand down to her lips, kissing it softly and slowly. Pulling her close, restraining his emotions and even holding back the tear of joy he felt for her he said “The day has waited long enough. Let’s see what adventure is in store for us next”. She smiled, “It doesn’t matter what adventure has in store for us but rather what we have in store for adventure”.

Out on the porch Nick soaked up the crisp afternoon air in a deep breath, slowly exhaling he turned his site to the village occupants and smiled. “Nick”, came Sarah’s call from the doorway “You know I’m leaving tomorrow don’t you”? She have informed and asked.
“I know” he said half heartbroken but ever so glad to have had even this brief moment of time with the woman of his dreams. Walking up behind him she hugged him “I don’t want to go” she started but he interrupted her by pulling her hands up to his lips, kissing each. “Shall we get Rex and go find the truck”? He asked. “Yes I guess I’ll need a ride tomorrow, won’t I”? With that a devilish grin grew upon Nick’s face “Hmmmm” he thought to himself “I can’t remember where we left it” he laughed.

“There are a few people in the village I want to thank before we leave” she said. They walked over to Fox Tail’s home and while Nick spoke with him Sarah spoke with his wife.” I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I should go and change back into my own clothes” Sarah began to say when she was stopped by the handing of a bag of dirty clothes. “Sarah the clothes do not make the woman, the woman makes the clothes and you my dear are the perfect accessory to that ensemble. Keep them as a token of our friendship”. Sarah cried as she hugged her new friend.

Foxtail and Nick said their goodbyes as they saddled Rex for the journey ahead.
Sarah hugged Foxtail and headed for Shoshanna’s home.
Puzzled Nick looked over at Fox Tail for answer’s but was met with a slow head shake depicting the answer no “She walks that path alone my friend. Let her be, she must decide for herself”. Nick accepted his friend’s words without question as he watched her climb the steps of the wise woman’s porch, returning his attention back to the tack only after she entered the home. “Come here Jessie” Nick called out.

“Shoshanna I just wanted to…” “Shhh my child. You do not need to thank me for you are now your own guide; you control your own destination. Spread your wings into the wind and let them dry before you attempt flight. Take the time to observe your surroundings and rejoice in the beauty that you see and in the moments that you feel for you are alive. You have such a vast untapped strength; you will accomplish many great things. Those who will try to put you down only do so because they already fear you and know that your confidence will only get stronger”. “You are the Dove in Dawn”. “Go now, he waits for you”. “That is all I have to say”. Amazed with her wisdom she just smiled and mouthed the words “thank you” anyway.

Watching her face as she approached he read her like the subtle changes of subject status on a text messaging server. Smiling he asked “Shall we”? Smiling back at him she tossed one foot in the stirrup and climbed aboard Rex “I want to drive this time”. “Keep it in first gear” he replied laughing at the situation unfolding before him. “Okay where does the key go”? She asked and as Nick was about to reply she snapped the reins and kicked at Rex’s sides. Rex leapt forward almost tossing him out of the back seat. “Funny girl” Nick said regaining his balance. “Head down that way out of the village” he pointed.
Jessie step to and followed the trio along the trail.

Rex settled into a canter as they rode along the plowed roadway, winding through the terrain strewn with trees as tall as buildings and the sun shining down on them from just past midday’s perch. It was late afternoon when they arrived at the snow bank that lost the contest with the truck. Guiding Rex through the gap they could see the field this time in an orange hew as the shadows and wisps of light danced across the undulating drifts like flames flickering in a camp fire. Jessie bound up ahead and rendezvoused with the 4X4.

Nick opened the door and inserted the key. Turning the engine over repeatedly he tried to start heart of the beast. “Snow must have blown into the intake” he said. “We will need to build a fire and try to dry it out”. They picked some wood from the forests edge and built a fire in front of the truck. Darkness had descended upon them and the stars shown with an impeccable brilliance. They tried the truck again but to no avail, it just wouldn’t catch.

After making a shelter and refueling the fire they sat and ate what previsions were left, talking and listening to one another’s stories. Nick once again tried the truck and this time it fired up, a touch of despair entered his heart as he knew time was drawing nearer to her departure. “Looks like we are not stuck after all” he said. Looking into his eyes she knew to that he did not want let her go. “Spend the night here with me under the stars”? He asked.

“Nick I want to so badly but I’m also confused and don’t know which way is up. Part of me wants to jump through hoops with you while the other part needs to protect me from myself”. “I know this doesn’t make sense but I’m afraid of falling for you if I haven’t already”. “Please I need time to sort things out” she explained.
“Of course, let’s pack up and get you back the cabin”. He replied.

The drive back to the cabin was bitter sweet as they held hands barely speaking a word, each wondering what the other thought yet not expressing themselves to each other. Keeping a slow pace for Rex to maintain they followed the fire route down the mountain.
When they reached the cabin Nick helped Sarah with the luggage as he did on the first night with the acceptation that this time he bid her a good night with a kiss to her cheek calling for Jessie to stay with her. He then retreated back to his cabin with and Rex.