Nick surveyed the broken path he was following. The sun was shinning, the snow was sparkling, and Brian's little rat of a dog was running up ahead, acting as though snow was the greatest creation of all time.

All of the trees around him were bare; their leaves fallen in the months of autumn, leaving the dark color of their trunks the only contrast to the brightness of the sky and of the snow. Nick sighed; it was so quiet and peaceful. He could smell salty air, and the promise of the ocean that was just within a few minutes hike, and it made him smile.

He heard laughter ahead of him, and the dog picked up on it, and followed the noise. Nick ran after it, knowing that Brian would kill him if the little rat got lost while he was looking after him. Through the trees, he could see two people, walking together companionably, laughing as they moved. There was something familiar about it, but he shook it off. You're just lonely, you crazy hermit, he laughed at himself. He whistled for the dog, who was a bit up ahead. The couple stopped as they heard it.

The girl turned around, searching for the source of the noise. As she did, Nick's heart jumped into his throat. Even though she was quite a few yards away, the flash of bright hair and a glimpse of blue eyes was all it took the world to stop. Frozen to the ground, frozen in time, he watched, staring endlessly, hoping, praying that he wasn't just dreaming. He listened closely to the sound of her laugh and he watched the way she moved. He was searching for a sign that would make his heart stop hammering.

Brian's dog woke him out of his trance, pulling at the leg of his pants. Looking down at the scraggly little thing, reality reminded him that he was just a lonely guy with a broken heart. Ever since Kevin had told him that she'd been seen in New York, his mind had been creating her image in other people. That must be what was happening now. There was no way that that woman could possibly be Cairo - she was out in the world somewhere, finding herself again.

Sighing with a longing that he knew would never be satisfied, Nick watched the happy couple play in the snow, slowly making their way to the small cottage beside the one that Lacey and Brian had rented.

With his head down, he followed the footprints in the snow, headed towards the rhythmic sounds of the ocean he knew lay ahead. He wanted to stare at it until the rhythm hypnotized him so that he wouldn't feel anything for a while.

* * * *

"Your family was very nice, Andrew. That was the best day I've had in a very long time," Carrie sighed, as he passed her a wine glass and sat down next to her. They were cuddled up in front of the fire, Andrew teaching her the art to playing chess. The day she had spent with Andrew and his family had truly been wonderful, and exactly what she needed - to remember what it felt like to be a part of a family like she had with Jenkinses. Even the day after, she could still feel the warmth of being in that room with them; although it could be the wine that she and Andrew had opened to enjoy on the crisp day they were spending indoors.

"They loved you! The best way into my family's heart is to constantly compliment my mom's cooking, which you successfully managed to do to the point where I now think I'm the black sheep of the family in comparison."

"You'll have to forgive me for that," she laughed. She was a little giddy from all the wine she'd had throughout the day, and having Andrew so close was playing with her senses.

"I'd forgive you for anything," he said, reaching out and twisting one of her curls around his finger.

"Andrew," she said, a hint of warning in her voice. She sat up, setting her glass down on the table. She turned to face him, taking his hands in hers. "You need to understand that while…I like you a lot, but there is still so much that I need to get straight before I even think about starting something with anyone, let alone anyone I care so much about."

"Carrie, I'm sorry honey, but I don't see what the issue is."

"Well, no, you wouldn't, because you don't understand everything there is to understand."

"Then why don't you tell me, so that I will?" he asked gently. She looked away from his gaze. It was too piercing, there was too much concern in it, and she knew that it would break her down if she didn't look away.

"I don't really know how to explain it, and even if I did, I'm not ready to talk about it."

"It will help you to get it off of your chest, Carrie. Trust me, I know," he insisted.

"It's not really something that I'm comfortable talking about right now," she said softly.

"I know you don't want to talk about this, but Carrie, aren't you ready to start living your life, and to stop hiding in a past that you will never understand?" Andrew demanded. Carrie stood up and turned her back to him.

"Why are you pushing this?" she said coldly.

"Because I don't like the fact that there is something I want that I can't have for some reason that you won't tell me," he answered. She turned around.

"I don't trust you, Andrew. I really barely know you, and that little talk we had a while ago about what happened to me was only brought on by the fact that I had a bit of a meltdown and my defenses were down. I've been on this island since the summer, so it's only been five or six months. And this had to do with a part of me that I really don't want to deal with because I don't think I'm ready to yet, and you keep pushing it! So back the fuck off, and give me a little bit of time to work it out. When I'm ready, I'll let you know!" she raged. Andrew was taken aback by her outburst - she wasn't given to many of them.

"Well, then, I guess you have to decide what you're going to do. You know where to find me," he said, grabbing his coat. Carrie watched him as he threw on his boots and slammed the door behind him.

Carrie paced the room, words she should have said echoing in her brain. She was angry and upset - how dare he push at her when she made it so clear that she did not want to be pushed? She needed to get out of the house; she needed to think. She grabbed her coat, and stepping out the back door, began to pick her way through the snow to the spot that Andrew had shown her, the hidden cove.