The Great Divide	WARNING!!!
 !!!!Spoilers for Victoria's Secret!!!!
 This story is set to: 
 Ice, Fumbling, Possession (piano version)- from Sarah Mclachlan's
Fumbling cd 
 I Would Die For You - from Jann Arden's Living Under June cd
 COMMENTS PLEASE!
 Thankyou Kindly,
 Jane Aldred
 trebor2@airmail.net 
  

The Great Divide 

 Victoria staggered to her feet coughing as she breathed in the heavy
fumes.
 She felt dizziness  overwhelm her and the corners of her vision turn
black
 but she fought it with all her strength.  She kicked open the twisted
door
 and fell face first into the snow.
 
 *Ahh... that feels good*  she thought.
 
 Pulling herself up she found her footing and ran through the knee deep
snow
 until the explosion knocked her back into the snow.  For a moment she
just
 lay there gasping for air as the heat from the fire burned her face.  She
 looked down at her body relieved to find all her arms and legs were
there.
 Even though the light coat she wore held little warmth her body was to
numb
 to feel the cold.  She tried to get to her feet but found that her legs
were
 shaking to violently to stand.  She felt a sob like hysterical laughter
tear
 from her mouth as the impact of what had just happened washed over her.
 Every emotion she had ever felt came at once:  relief,  joy,  terror, 
and
 panic.
 
 "I've got to get out of here before they find me" She said out loud,
 clinging to the sound of her voice.   She forced herself to stand and
began
 walking away from the wreck.
 
 Victoria didn't know how far she had been walking or for how long but she
 did know it was cold.  She couldn't remember what her feet felt like
anymore
 and her hands tingled painfully.   The frigid air burned her lungs no
matter 
 how many layers she put on her mouth and nose,  and it was getting
colder. 
 A biting wind had picked up and snow was falling like sheets.  
 
 Victoria stumbled and fell into the ever deepening snow.  Her legs
cramped
 and she rolled onto her side bringing her legs to her stomach trying to
ease
 the pain.  
 
 "This is it,"  she thought,  "I didn't think I would die like this."  Her
 mind was too thick to feel any sadness.  Blackness took her vision and
for a
 terrifying moment she felt warm all over.  In that wonderful oblivion she
 heard poem she had learnt in high school tumble lazily though her mind. 
She
 clung to that poem as time stood still.
 
 Victoria felt herself being lifted and she open her eyes trying to see
who
 the lifter was,  but all she could make out was a great white blur. 
Since
 her body wasn't with her yet she allowed herself to be carried.  She knew
it
 was a man because of the voice;  soft and deep.  Her mind was having
 problems sorting out what he was saying and in the end she gave up trying
to
 understand him and just listened to his voice.  
 
 He put her down and she felt a warm and comforting weight settle over her
 body.  For the first time in what seemed like days,   the shaking
stopped.
 The voice was talking to her again;  asking her a question.  She opened
her
 eyes wanting to see his face but she had trouble focusing on it.  He
asked
 the question again and this time some of it got though.
 
 "What.....name...,....mine....Benton Fraser."
 *Name.  He is asking for my name.*
 
 It took awhile for her to remember but she opened her mouth and pushed
out
 the word,  "Victoria".
 
 "Victoria"  he repeated after her .
 
 She nodded slowly.  He had said his name was Benton.  Her sight was
 returning and she was finally able to make out his face.  He was very
 handsome with striking blue eyes.  She felt herself drifting off again ,
 she was so sleepy........
 
 "No!"  Ben said forcefully,  "Victoria stay with me,  talk to me."
 
 The only thing that came to mind was that poem so she began reciting it
 slowly methodically,  hearing her dry voice crack as she pushed the words
 out of her mouth. She felt his gloved hands touch her face.
 
 "That's lovely"  he said gently pushing her long hair out of her face, 
"Say
 it again." 
 
 She recited that poem for hours until her voice has to hoarse to speak. 
All
 the while Ben was stroking her face, and trying to warm her freezing
fingers.
 
 "Your turn." she said.
 
 He told her about his job and his mother's death and his father's
withdrawal
 after it.  He told her about his grandmother's library and the time he
had
 been hit with a sea otter. She smiled at that story visualizing him as a 
 young boy with an otter stuck to him.  She felt like she had known him 
 forever;  he seemed so real to her,  so alive.
 
 She reached up and touched his cheek loving the feel of his cold skin.
 Gently she moved her hand to the back of his head and pulled his face
down
 so that their lips touched.  The kiss began gently but soon gentleness
 wasn't enough.  She pressed against him feeling him move against her. 
The
 heat of their desire,  for a wonderful moment,  took the cold away. 

 
 THE END