By Karen (kindly editited by Lucy)
Disclaimer: The characters in this story solely belong to CBS and Bellisarius Productions. This was entirely written for entertaiment purpose. I was asked for a sequel, so here you go :-) Actually, it is just one possible sequel, but it can stand for its own too (just as you please). Thanks again to all who sent their comments and feedback to my first story. I would love to get
to know what you think of this one. Please direct any feedback or comments at: KarenSp87@aol.com.
Thanks to Lucy for editing this and to Dawn who inspired this story :-)
Footsteps In The Sand
By Karen
The sand was pleasantly warm under his bare feet. It was a bright, sunny day, and Harmon Rabb Jr. walked towards the lonely beach. He took his steps slowly, savouring the soft salty air that filled his lungs with every breath. Here at this lovely part of the coast the wonderful freshness of the air and the peacefullness of the day, had overcome him with an intense feeling of relaxation. He had not felt this good for months. But still this was not the complete reason why he was in such high spirits today. Another couple of steps and he was at her side.
Silently he marvelled her slender body, resting on the large towel. She was lying on her tummy, her chin rested on her hands. Her elbows were a bit sunken into the sand and she was looking out at the sea.
"It is lovely isn't it?" she asked, without turning as he approached.
Harm knew this was not entirely a question but a statement so he just nodded in response, allowing his eyes to wander over the long deserted part of the beach and the turquoise water. A long alley of pinetrees seperated the beach from the road and shielded it against curious looks. He loved this spot. It had been a long time since he had taken somebody here. This was a special place, reserved for special occasions and special persons only.
"Your drink." Getting to his knees by her side, he offered her the glass he had brought with him.
"Thank you." She sat up and cheerfully glanced at him. Her dark sunglasses were almost hiding her eyes, but Harm could easily imagine the mischievious sparkle in them.
He handed her the glass of cool lemonade which she took from his hand. For a short moment their fingers touched. A shiver - almost unnoticable - ran over their bodies. Just like a tiny jolt of electricity. Or was it just the sudden coolness of the glass? Harm searched her eyes for an answer, but she quickly looked away, taking a sip of the cool liquid.
"You come here often?" she lightly asked after another sip just as if she had read his mind moments before.
"No, I dont." Harm sat down.
"Actually, it has been quite some time that I have been here. I've been way too busy lately and somehow..." He innocently smiled at her, "Somehow, I was lacking the right company to come here... until today."
Putting down her sunglasses, she returned his smile equally innocently, "Thats a pity."
Harm couldn't quite figure what exactly she meant: Was it a pity he couldn't come here more often or that he was lacking the right company to do so? Her voice interrupted his thinking.
"Thanks Harm." She said, placing the half emptied glass down on the sand.
"Whatfor?"
The look from her sapphire blue eyes caused a shiver to run down his spine.
"For the compliment." She replied, tilting her head slightly.
Harm threw her another smile in response. She was right. Meg indeed was to him the best company he could ever think of. There was no doubt to him that she really enjoyed their time together to the fullest extent.
"You know, it has been such a long time since I've been to such a lovely place. Thanks for inviting me Harm."
Harm could see it in her eyes that she truly was thankful for this rare occasion.
She turned her face towards him before she continued, "I really like to work, but this it is so much better..."
"Yes me too. Too bad the surf is a little too rough for swimming. But who says you can have everything?" Harm shrugged in an excusing gesture. In doing so, he accidentally touched the glass, which fell over and spilled its contents into the dry sand.
"I'm sorry." Harm grabbed the glass. "I get you a new drink... if you want."
His voice trailed off as he noticed her eyes searching his. He couldn't help but hold her glance and thus again was reminded what beautiful eyes this young woman had. They were holding each others glance for what seemed like minutes, completely unable to look anywhere else. Subconsciously their faces approached. Imperceptile at fist, but still with the same irresistable force that attracted moon to earth.
They were close to each other. Harm could feel her breath, see the cute freckled nose. But what held him as if he was in trance were those eyes of hers. How often had he imagined how it would be like to kiss her? Slowly their lips touched in a gentle kiss.
Harm couldn't help but keep his eyes open during this short - almost shy - kiss. His hand brushed over her silky blonde hair.
Shivering lips departed after a period of time. A non-involved bystander - if there was any - would probably have measured it in seconds only. But to these two, it measured as if it had lasted for hours; and still it had not lasted anywhere long enough.
Harm held her face in his hands, softly brushing over her cheeks with his thumbs. Both of them drank in the eyes of the other, captured by the magic of the moment. This was the very moment when he realized he could never ever let her go.
Sensing there were no words in place right now, he caught her in a deep embrace.
She gave a happy sigh as she cuddled up to his strong chest. "I love you." She whispered softly.
"I love you too." Harm replied equally softly, looking down at her face. Two small shiny tears slid down her cheeks.
"I can't help it... I'm so happy..." she explained at Harm's questioning look.
The two of them sat close like this for a long time to follow.
"I..." Harm started after a good while, but was unable to speak any further. The strong feelings he held for her somehow kept him from finding the right words. Words he had practiced in his mind over and over again. But now this situation was different. She was no longer just an image in his memory. Now she was here; here with him.
"Meg, I wanted to ask you something." He finally stuttered uncomfortably.
"Okay. What is it?"
"I don't know how to say it..."
"Just say it. I won't bite." Though he couldn't look into her face, Harm could sense her easy chuckle.
Harm felt it was way easier to speak in court. Even with a client's career at stake, he could easily find the words spontanously enough to reject any objection made. But now and here he was helplessly struggling for the right words.
This is just Meg. There is no need to be anxious. Harm tried to calm himself. Just Meg. And maybe that was just the reason he couldn't find those words now. Just minutes ago words were so easy to find. Or had it been hours already? Harm couldn't tell. Was it because the words he was about to say mattered so much?
"Harm?"
He hadn't noticed that he had been looking at her the whole time with his mouth open, but still silent.
"Were you very dissapointed with me? Not saying good-bye?" Harm blurted out.
The same moment his tongue had formed the last syllable, Harm swallowed hard. This was not at all what he wanted to ask her. On the contrary: It was not even close to what he wanted to propose. This was almost as if he intended to ruin the perfect mood.
He saw a shadow rushing over her face. For just the wink of an eye her eyes looked right through him with an expression of painful memories. But as Harm looked again, this experession was gone.
She turned her eyes directly to his, smiling. "There's no need for...remorse..." After a deep breath that almost sounded as a sigh to Harm, she added, "It's just the way it is."
"None of us can change the past." Harm said soothingly, sensing he should not have come up with something that caused her hurtful memories.
"Yeah, it's here and now that we live." Meg suddenly said lightly. And she shook off the shadow as sudden as it had come, "And I have to thank you for this wonderful day, Harm."
"There's nothing I would like better then spending it with you."
"Actually, I wanted to ask you something else." Harm finally managed to say.
"Hmmm?" She snuggled closer to him.
Harm closed his arm tightly around her shoulder, then he took a deep breath, "Meg, would you..."
A sudden muffled noise irritated him and made him stop in the middle of the sentence.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
"Hmmm?"
The sound of the telephone made him sit upright in his chair. Harm looked around disorientated, slowly figuring where he was. The demanding sound of the phone drove him totally back to reality.
Harm barely listened to the voice on the other end of the line. His mind still was filled with the images from his dream. As Harm placed down the receiver, his eyes drifted over the desk. It was far past midnight. The office was dark. No sign of life, apart from the soft ticking of the clock on the wall was around him.
In his mind he still could hear her easy laughter and the soothing sound of waves on the white sanded beach. He desperately tried to return to the dream. The dream circling around her; around the words - yet unsaid - already ready in his head. His mind drifted back to the imaginary beach, but he couldn't find her. The sea, the sun and the soft sand it all was still there. But all he saw of her, were small footsteps in the sand, slowly filling with water as the tide drew in.
As the images faded, he muttered, "Tomorrow... tomorrow will be allright."
The End (?)