"Look, Jamie, it's your uncle Nick," Anna said, pointing out the approaching man to her toddler.

"Hey buddy, how's it going?" Nick asked, as he reached the mother and child. He stared back at Nick with wide eyes.

"He's a little thrown off by strangers. He's at that age," Anna explained, as she turned to lead Nick into her house.

"But I'm no stranger! He sees me enough around here, he's going to begin to think that I'm his father," Nick joked. Anna turned to him, obviously not understanding his humor. Nick thought he saw a flash of anger in her eyes, but figured he was just misinterpreting the situation.

"Oh, he knows who his father is, Nick," she said steadily.

"I was just joking, Anna," Nick explained. Just at that moment, Kevin came into the hall.

"Nick, office, now," he said as he continued to march. Rolling his eyes at Anna, he followed Kevin into his office, and sat down and watched Kevin pace.

"What's up man?" Nick asked, his curiosity peaked by Kevin's gruff behavior.

"I just had a phone call from someone, and I'm debating whether I should tell you about it. I mean, you've been making so much progress in the past three months or so, and I really don't know if I should bring all this up again."

"Kev, man, just tell me what's going on before you talk yourself out of it, and then I'll have to get it out of you somehow," Nick said, rolling his eyes with a smile. Ever since Lacey had given him a 'kick in the ass' as she labeled it, he had been doing exactly as she said. He was finding his life again.

Time with family and friends, who before had been constant reminders of his grief, had been rediscovered as the endless source of unconditional love that had always been at his disposal, had been quintessential in finding what he wanted again. Returning to his old hobbies had also been a huge relief and had eaten up a lot of his spare time that was spent in wallowing. He finally felt whole again, and for the first time in two and a half years, like he had a future and was ready to face it.

"Howie just called, and he had some rather interesting news. He was signing a new deal with his record company in New York, and…Nick, he saw Cairo."

Silence. A calm before the storm.

"Cairo is dead, Kevin," Nick said softly.

"Nick, I know how you feel, but don't you want to know where she is, what she's doing, make sure that she's alright? Don't you need to know?" Kevin asked, sitting down on the desk, in front of Nick.

"No. Cairo died two and a half years ago, Kevin. I don't think that Carrie would appreciate my interference in her life."

"Okay. I just…I needed to tell you, that's all. I didn't want you to find out and feel betrayed if I didn't let you know what I'd heard. Let you make the decision about whether you wanted to do something about it or not."

"I appreciate that, but…all I want to do is move on with my life. It may seem selfish, but that's the way it's going to be, understood?"

"I understand."

* * * *

"Ms. Williams, how was your trip to New York?" Andrew Jenkins asked, meeting Carrie in the café one evening.

"It was perfect, I got all that business with the publishing company all figured out, and I'm a women of my own time from now on!" she laughed, remembering how he'd been there to witness her rant. Cairo Williams' publishing company was not taking to well to the idea that there were still royalty checks being collecting, and no new material from that author's name coming in the near future.

"Must be hard to be a celebrity like that, Carrie," he said, his eyes twinkling as he teased her.

"Now now, Mr. Jenkins, I'm not even close to being a celebrity. Just a girl who used to write and made a tidy sum doing it. But that's finally over with now and I can start with something new."

"Well, Ms. Williams, what are you going to do with all that extra time you're going to have on your hands?"

"You know what? I have no idea! I never really thought about it. What am I going to do here, on this tiny island, all winter?"

"You haven't had a winter on the island yet, Carrie. You're going to wish you'd picked up a hobby after the third week in a row you've been snowed in on this island and the ferry hasn't come since the last break in the weather. You may think twice about that whole writing thing," he said, semi-seriously.

"I'm sure I'll find something, Andrew. I'm a girl of many talents, you'll find!"

"Are you going to be going home for the holidays?"

"What holidays?"

"Thanksgiving, Carrie."

"That was last week," she said, confused.

"No, no, it's only October! Thanksgiving is not until November!" Andrew exclaimed. Eyes widening, Carrie realized her mistake.

"Oh, right! I forget how you Americans have a different Thanksgiving. It's so silly, really. I remember this one time, Nick and I could not agree on when to celebrate Thanksgiving, I felt it should be done in October, like I always did when I was a kid, but he was determined to have in on the American date. So we ended up doing it twice, and by the time Christmas rolled around, we were so sick of turkey, we couldn't even look at it!"

"Who's Nick? I've never heard you talk about him before," Andrew asked curiously, and then noted the startled look on Carrie's face. The color drained right out of her face, and she froze.

"He's…he's someone I used to know. An old friend….I haven't thought about that day…in years…"

"Are you okay, dearie? You're looking a little ill today, darling," Janice Potter strolled up to their table, holding the coffee pot.

"I'm fine, thank you, Mrs. Potter. I should be going," she said, standing up and practically running for the door. The two left behind simply stared after her, and noted one more odd occurrence from their newest friend.

* * * *

Nick sat, staring out the window, watching the waves roll in. It was a dark day, where the clouds were a threatening color of gray and the water seemed reflect their mood. White caps crashed against the shore, as if taking out some anger on the world. It was a perfect day for him, a perfect day for brooding.

One mere mention of her name, one retold story of a glimpse of her, had brought him crashing back down. He'd been on such a high, feeling so whole and healed after such a long time in pain. It had taken so long for him to admit that he could live again without feeling guilty.

But the guilt was back, as he was reminded of the horrible turn his life had taken almost three years ago. Memories taunted him, as he played the last conversation they ever had through his mind.

"Kay, honey, I'm sorry, but I just can't make it tonight. The execs called a late meeting about some press conference they want to have before the wedding."

"Don't worry about it, Nick, I just got a call from Karen and she can't make the wedding! I have to find another bridesmaid, who'll be free that day! I've already tapped out all my female friends, there is no one I can think of! This is a huge crisis!" Cairo said, ranting in her usual fashion when she was worried about something.

"What about Anna? She'll be at the wedding with Kevin anyway, he's in the wedding party, it only seems right that she should be too," he suggested.

"Nick, we've been over this. There's…something about Anna that bugs me. I can't put my finger on it, but I really don't want her in our wedding. Can you imagine in ten years, looking back at our wedding photos, and just getting this creepy chill when you look at them and all you want to do is shudder because you can see her?"

"I really don't know what this problem you have with Anna is. You know, Kay, she's part of Kevin's life, so she's part of my life. So you need to except that, grow up and get over this problem you have with her," Nick sighed. He was just so tired of her continual suspicion and distrust of one's his best friends' wife. He heard her sigh.

"Fine. I guess you're right, I am being immature. So, when are you going to be home?"

"I'm going to crash at the apartment tonight, and I'll leave early tomorrow morning. After tonight, I'm all yours until after the honeymoon is over. I would leave tonight, but I've been up all night and probably couldn't make the drive," he explained.

"Okay, well, call me when you're finished. I guess I'll go to see Anna tonight, and ask her about the wedding."

"Great! I appreciate it, Kay, really I do."

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you tomorrow, then," she said.

The Cairo he knew and loved died that night. She had been lost doing what he had asked her to do. On her way home from visiting Anna, trying to please her husband. It was his fault. He lost her and it was all his fault.