Maybe she blames me, Caleb thought, for having to come back in time for me. For losing our child of the 21st century. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t have had to come back, she would be safe and sound in the 21st century, with everyone she knew, with everything that was familiar, with that child.
Or maybe, he thought, she was still blaming him for turning her. She had asked him, she had begged him, to turn her, and he had urged her not to. But he had relented. Did she resent him for that? For a life stuck in immortality?
Or maybe she just doesn’t love me anymore, Caleb thought, at least not like she used to. Maybe she loved the idea of me, but the reality of being here, with me, settling down for a life together – maybe it scared her away.
Whatever the reason, Caleb had to know. He couldn’t just let it go until he at least had an answer.
He set out from the house determined to find her, to discover the reason, and to do whatever he could to make wrongs right. In some ways, it was like heading off into a battle. In fact, he wished he was heading into battle instead. This, he realized, was harder. Love, caring for someone, he was realizing, could sometimes be the hardest battle of all.
Caitlin walked on the sand, barefoot, alongside the crashing waves, Ruth beside her. The day grew overcast, and the strong wind pushed back her hair. She had never felt so sad. Just at the moment when she thought she’d finally found peace, had finally found true love, she had discovered that he didn’t truly love her the way she thought he had. She’d been so stupid. Living in a fantasy all this time.
But now what? Without Caleb in her life, she felt like she had no purpose. She had no idea where to turn, or where to go next. She could go back to searching for her father, but what was the point? Whether she found him, or found the Shield, Caleb would still not be there.
She could go off in search of Sam. But again, without Caleb there, none of it really meant much to her.
Caitlin looked out at the waves, and wondered how life could be so cruel. She felt completely, utterly hopeless.
She suddenly heard a noise, and turned.
She was shocked to see Caleb walking towards her.
He walked barefoot in the sand, and in his hand he held a rope, by which he led two beautiful, white horses.
He had a small, hopeful smile on his face.
Her heart pounded in her chest, as she wondered what had happened. Had he changed his mind?
Within moments he stood just a few feet away from her. Ruth ran over to them, looked up at, and yelped. In return, the horses lifted their heads and slowly lowered them.
Caitlin couldn’t help smiling.
“I’m not sure what happened back there, or whatever I said to offend you,” he said, “but whatever it is, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not what you said,” Caitlin said. “It’s what you didn’t say.”
Caleb looked back, puzzled.
“I guess…” Caitlin added, “… I just realized that your heart was somewhere else.”
He looked even more puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Caitlin studied him, wondering if he was being truthful. She could tell that he was.
Now, she was confused.
“I… I know that you still want to be with her,” Caitlin said, now not so sure of herself. “That you regret leaving her. Sera.”
Caleb broke into a laugh.
“Is that really what you thought?” he asked. “And here I am, thinking that you were mad at me because I turned you.”
Now it was Caitlin’s turn to be confused. “Are you saying you’re not interested in her?”
Caleb laughed again. “Not in the least,” he said. “I have never felt so free as I do now, being away from her. In fact, she hadn’t even crossed my mind.”
“Then what was it?” Caitlin asked. “I saw your expression change. You became so sad. I know that I wasn’t seeing things. I thought it was because you didn’t want to be with me anymore.”
Caleb looked down for a moment, his expression darkening.
“I was thinking of Jade,” he said, somberly. “I still miss him very much.”
Caitlin felt a huge sense of relief overcome her; she felt her entire body relax, felt her heart slowly get filled up again. She had been so stupid. Why had she judged him so quickly? Why couldn’t she have given him the benefit of the doubt?
She was so mad at herself. She would’ve thought that she would’ve grown up already, after all this time, after all these misunderstandings. But she was still the same old Caitlin, fearless when it came to battle, but still overcome by fear when it came to matters of love, and when it came to expressing what was on her mind.
“Is that what that was all about?” Caleb asked. “I thought that you were upset with me over our child.”
Caitlin looked at him, confused.
“I thought you regretted leaving him, the 21st century,” Caleb continued, “and that you regretted giving it all up to come back for me.”
Caitlin suddenly understood. He had misunderstood her completely. The same way she had misunderstood him.
She shook her head.
“I do miss that child, very much, whoever he or she would have been,” she said. “But I don’t, for a second, regret coming back for you.”
The two of them came together and kissed. It was a long, comforting kiss, and when they came out of it, they both smiled.
Ruth ran over and yelped up at them. They both looked down and laughed. The tension had finally lifted, and the air had been cleared.
“Well,” Caleb smiled, “I remembered Edgartown, and so I thought I’d bring these horses, in case you’d be willing to ride with me again.”
“Willing?” Caitlin asked. “There is nothing I’d love more.”
“There is a place I’d like to take you,” Caleb said. “We could fly, but I think it’d be more romantic to ride, and to hike.”
Caitlin smiled wide. She couldn’t wait.
They both mounted the horses at the same time, Caitlin picking up Ruth as she did, and they took off at a trot along the beach.
The waves crashed all around them as they rode, and Caitlin couldn’t help thinking of Edgartown. A different time, a different continent, a different century, a different life. Yet still, somehow, it all felt so connected, as if it were right here, and as if it had only happened yesterday.
They rode and rode, along the beach, in and out of the waves. There was not a person in sight.
It eventually became late in the day, and the sun finally broke through the clouds, spreading out in a gorgeous sunset.
Caleb led them around a bend, and then turned away from the water, up to the base of a hill. He stopped, and Caitlin came up beside him.
They dismounted, and as they did, the horses galloped away.
Caitlin watched them go with concern.
“Don’t worry,” Caleb said. “They’re wild. They’ll always come when I call for them. And from here on in, we won’t need them.”
He took her hand and led her away from the beach, onto a narrow trail, winding its way up the hillside. They hiked through beautiful dune grass, lit up by the sun, Ruth on their heels. Caitlin wondered where he was taking her.
As they walked in silence, Caitlin had so many questions she wanted to ask him. But for now, she was content to just be with him. It felt so good just to be by his side, to have her life restored to her again.
Finally, they reached the hilltop, and Caitlin was awestruck by the sight.
From this vantage point, high atop the hill, on a grassy plateau, she could see for miles. She saw the ocean stretching into the horizon, and in the other direction saw endless rolling hills and fields of wildflowers.