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.Still lookingGabriel in the eyes."To.stay in contact with Kaitlyn." He said thewords as if he weren't exactly sure of their meaning."They were doingsomething to her and you had to talk to her over a long range.So you thoughtpain would help you call louder."Gabriel said nothing, but Kaitlyn felt the truth of it.That was what he'dbeen concealing when he talked to her in the isolation tank.When he gave herhis best memories.She'd felt fatigue and some kind of pain, but he'd shieldedmost of it from her."You used somebody's cigar and a piece of broken glass," Rob said, withgrowing confidence."And then later you poked at the sores some more to keepawake."Yes, Kaitlyn thought, feeling it with Rob in the web.She could tell hedidn't exactly understand what the situation was, but that he was sure aboutone thing."You love her, don't you?" he said to Gabriel.Gabriel finally seemed able to break their locked stare.He looked away, atthe carpet.His face was bleak."Yes," he said."More than anything," Rob persisted."You'd crawl on your belly over brokenglass for her.Easy.""Yes, damn you," Gabriel said."Happy now?"Rob looked at Kaitlyn.Kaitlyn's head was swimming, her body racked in so many different directionsthat she stood still.She couldn't seem to put a coherent thought together.But on top of everything else, holding her precariously in one niece, was thethought that she mustn't hurt Rob.She loved him too much to hurt him.And she knew that Gabriel's eyes on herwere saying the same thing.She now knew that it was possible to love two people at once-because youcould love them in different ways.The love she felt for Rob now was a burningtenderness, a knowledge that he was the one who'd taught her it was possibleto love, who had melted the ice of her heart.It was strong and gentle andsteady, full of admiration and the intimacy of shared likes and dislikes.Itwas golden and warm like a summer afternoon.And if it wasn't the passion and desperate depth of feeling she had forGabriel, she never wanted Rob to know.But as Rob looked at her, gazing with those clear eyes full of light, sherealized that her shields were in tatters around her.She had been awake forPage 114 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmltwo days and in agony or terror for nearly as long.She didn't have anythingleft to shield with.And she could see, she could feel, that he was seeing right inside her.Robknew."Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her after a small eternity."I didn't-I didn't feel that way-until-so many-things have happened."Kaitlyn faltered.Of all things, she wanted to make Rob all right.Althoughnow she saw that her love for him must have been changing for a long time,gradually, she didn't know how to explain that."It's probably just-I'll getover it.In a little while.""Not that, you won't," Rob said."Neither of you.I mean, I sure hope youdon't." He sounded as incoherent as Kaitlyn felt, and he kept swallowing.Buthe went on doggedly, "Kait, I love you.You know I do.But this isn'tsomething I can compete with." He stepped back."I'm not blind.You two belongtogether."He looked.distressed, Kaitlyn realized vaguely.Distressed, but notdevastated.Not ruined for life.There was so much more to Rob.And, as she watched, Anna moved up and put her hand on his back from behind.Kaitlyn looked at her over Rob's shoulder.Anna smiled tremulously.Her dark eyes were wet but glowing somewhere downinside.Suddenly a vast, rushing lightness filled Kaitlyn.As if a huge and heavyweight had been taken off her chest.She stared at Anna, and at the way Robunconsciously was leaning back against Anna's arm.And the effervescentbubbles lifted her skyward.I just had a precognition, she told Anna silently, a stream of unspoken loveand joy.You will be very happy.Your best friend says to go for it.Anna's face was bright, as if someone had set a candle behind it.You'regiving me permission?I'm giving you an order!Lewis laughed out loud.Then he said, "Didn't somebody say something aboutcleaning up? And how about some food?"Bri and Renny and Lydia seemed to recognize that as a signal.They followedhim as he started for the kitchen.Anna tugged at Rob's arm, gently, to bringhim, too.Rob looked back, once.I'm glad, he told Gabriel, and Kaitlyn could hear the truth in it.I mean, ithurts, but I'm glad for you.Take care of her.Then he was gone.Slowly, Kaitlyn turned to Gabriel.It had occured to her at the last minute that nobody had really asked him.Maybe, even if he loved her, he'd prefer that the feeling go away.Maybe hePage 115 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmldidn't want her now that everybody had had a hand in the procedure.But Gabriel was looking at her now, and she could see his eyes.She had seen those eyes dark with brooding anger and cold as ice, she'd seenhis gaze veiled like a spiderweb and shattering like agate under pressure.Butshe'd never seen them as they were now.Full of wondering joy and disbelief,and an almost frightened awe.Gabriel was trying to smile, but the expression kept breaking apart.He waslooking at her as if he hadn't seen her for years and years of searching, andhad just now walked into a room and come upon her unexpectedly.As if hewanted to look at every part of her, now that he could do it honestly.Kaitlyn remembered the things he'd given her, the sun-flooded afternoons, andthe cool healing ocean waves, and the music he'd written.He'd given hereverything that was best in him, everything he was.She wanted to give him the same back again.I don't know how you can love me.The words came softly, as if he werethinking them to himself.You've seen what I am.That's why I do love you, Kaitlyn told him.I hope you'll still love me whenyou see what I am."I know what you are, Kait.Everything beautiful and brave and gallant and." He stopped as if his throat had closed."Everything that makes me want tobe better for you.That makes me sorry I'm such a stupid mess."You looked like a knight with the shard, Kaitlyn said,moving toward him."Really?" He laughed shakily.My knight.And I never said thank you.She was almost touching him, now.Looking up into his eyes.What she couldfeel in him was something she'd only felt before when she gave him her lifeenergy.Childlike, marveling joy.Trust and vulnerability.And such love.Then she was in his arms and they weren't separate beings any longer.Theirminds were together, sharing thoughts, sharing a happiness beyond thought.Sharing everything.She never even knew whether he kissed her.It seemed a very long time later, but the sunbeams falling across the diningroom had hardly moved.Kaitlyn had her head on Gabriel's shoulder.She was sofull of peace-peace and light and hope for everything.Even the nagging holein the universe where LeShan had been was filled with light.She hoped that,somehow, he knew what had happened today and was satisfied."God make me worthy of you.Fast," Gabriel said.It was something like acommand.Kaitlyn smiled.His arms were tight around her, a feeling she never wanted tolose.But they were no longer outside time, and she could hear banging andshouting laughter from upstairs.Page 116 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"I guess we'd better see what's going on," she said.Very slowly, most reluctantly, he let her go, only keeping her hand in his
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