Katia sat with her knees tucked into her chest as she stared down at the view below her. Snow was drifting silently toward the ground in a light flurry. It sparkled against the waterfall as the light reflected off the white specks.
Katia wasn't cold though. She got to keep the jacket Saladin gave her when she went on the quest. She wasn't cold, but she shivered anyway. Anytime she thought about the quest, a chill went through her.
The four of them accomplished the impossible, and Katia was thrilled and relieved. But she didn't know how to just go back to her normal life. She changed. And more than that, she died.
Katia felt different and she knew others saw it too. They stared at her as she passed by and she could hear the whispers behind her back. It wasn't anything new to Katia, but it still made her feel like an outsider in the place that was her home. It didn't help she felt distant from her friends too. They acted normally enough, but Katia still felt like there was a gap between them.
She sighed heavily. She twirled her finger and watched as a swirl of water grew from the waterfall and danced in the air.
Katia heard a sound behind her and she whipped her head around. Nathan's mouth parted in shock and he put his arms in the air.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," Nathan apologized.
Katia let out a breath and forced a small smile. "No it's okay. I'm just a little jumpy."
Nathan walked forward and Katia made room for him on the rock she was sitting on.
"You okay?" Nathan asked after a while. "You've seemed a little off lately."
Katia shrugged her shoulders and didn't talk for a while. Nathan stayed quiet though, knowing she would speak when she was ready.
"I don't know how to describe it. I just don't feel like myself," Katia said helplessly.
"Is it what happened to you? The curse?" Nathan prodded gently. He grabbed Katia's hand and gave it a squeeze.
Katia took a breath and released it shakily. She nodded once. "Yeah. That's part of it. I keep getting random glimpses from when I was under it. I hurt people, badly. I may have even gotten them killed."
Tears fell from Katia's eyes and trailed down her cheeks. Nathan pulled Katia into his side and gave her a hug. That only made her cry harder and she buried her face in his shoulder.
"It wasn't you Katia and you have to believe that," Nathan told her firmly. "You're powerful. So powerful I'm sure you could have killed all of us easily. But you didn't. I think somehow, even then, you were fighting the curse."
Katia sighed heavily. "I like to believe that. What I remember the most is this all consuming anger. I've never felt anything like that before, and thinking about it scares me. What if it's not completely gone? What if I turn into that...monster?"
Nathan looked intently at Katia, begging her to believe him. He couldn't take seeing her think about herself in that way.
"Katia, listen to me. The curse is gone, completely. You died breaking it," Nathan told her, his voice breaking slightly. "You're not a monster. You never were. Even when you were under the curse, that wasn't you."
"I'm different though," Katia said, her tone wistful.
Nathan leaned back and made a point of looking Katia up and down. He put his finger to his chin as he pretended to think.
"Yeah I think you're right. You're stronger than before, more confident, smarter, prettier. I could keep going," Nathan said with a grin.
Katia laughed and shoved him lightly to the side. Nathan laughed too and wrapped his arm around her.
"But seriously. We're all different. None of us are the same after what we went through. But why does different have to be bad?"
Katia thought about that. Celia wasn't as burlesque as before and finally started letting her guard down and trusting people. Damien wasn't as closed off and uptight. Nathan cared even more for his friends. And Katia, though she went through a lot, became the person she always wanted to be.
"You're right," Katia said thoughtfully. "A lot of the change was good."
Nathan laughed a bit. "Yeah we have two new friends now. So much happened in such a short time."
Katia couldn't help but laugh too as she remembered how much they fought. She was sure they were going to strangle each other.
"A lot did happen," Katia said thoughtfully. "I discovered who I was. We trained. Then we were sent on this crazy quest with twists and turns. I'm put under a curse, break it, die, come back, and," Katia paused before adding the last part slowly, "find out that you loved me from the very first day."
She took her head off his shoulder and looked up to smile softly at Nathan.
"How do you remember that?" Nathan asked in wonder as he turned to look at her.
Katia knew what he meant. She was gone when he told her what he felt. Katia had no idea how she heard his words too but before she woke up, everything Nathan said seemed to replay in her mind.
"I guess some things just aren't meant to go unheard," Katia told Nathan. "And you know what? I felt the same exact way and still do."
Nathan looked directly into her chocolate brown eyes as she looked up at his deep blue ones. His face broke into a beautiful smile, mirroring the one on Katia's face. He had nothing but love for her in his eyes.
Nathan glanced quickly at Katia's soft lips and back at her eyes. Slowly, without thinking, Katia and Nathan moved closer to the other and met in the middle, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss. His rough ones moved with her soft ones in perfect synchronization.
In that one kiss, every single feeling they had for each other was shared, all the moments they went through together. It was a kiss of discovery, passion, and blissful happiness. They broke away with even wider smiles and life glowing in their eyes.
"I love you Katia," Nathan whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers.
"I love you Nathan," Katia whispered back with a smile on her face.
"Forever?" He asked quietly.
"Forever and always," Katia promised as they shared one more kiss.
***
Katia and Nathan stayed for a while longer in their own special spot before jumping off the cliff and flying down. They were walking hand in hand through the outskirts of the city when Nathan suddenly stopped.
"That means you're my girlfriend right?" Nathan asked.
Katia rolled her eyes and laughed a bit. "I sure hope so. If I'm not, you better do something about that."
Nathan's lips quirked up in a smile. He missed Katia's humor. "Then just to make things official, Katia will you be my girlfriend?"
Katia pretended to be surprised and Nathan laughed. She nodded her head. "I'd love to," she told him.
Nathan let out a happy whoop and Katia slapped his arm playfully. But she couldn't help but look at him in awe. Nathan looked like the happiest guy in the world and she couldn't believe that someone could love her so much.
The two of them walked back to their cabin with their hands intertwined. It was such a simple thing, but it made Katia's heart beat erratically. As soon as they stepped foot through the door, they were assaulted by shouts and yells.
"Finally!"
"Where were you guys?"
"We've been waiting forever!"
"Merry Christmas!"
It was hard to make out what everyone said, but what Amanda shouted caught Katia's attention the most.
"It's Christmas?" Katia said in surprise.
Laura teleported right in front of Katia so that she was only inches from her face. "How can you forget Christmas?" Laura shouted.
Katia jumped back in surprise. She tripped on the carpet but Nathan, who was across the room, blasted some wind at Katia's back and righted her up.
"Thanks," Katia gasped gratefully and then turned to Laura with a joking glare. "I was sorta busy saving the world so Christmas kind of slipped my mind."
Laura rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "Fine. We'll let it go this time. But you still owe us presents."
She dragged Katia on to the couch and pushed her down between Suki and David. There was a knock on the door and Laura groaned loudly.
"I want to give Katia our presents! Why does something always interrupt?" She shouted in exasperation.
Amanda rolled her eyes and went to the door. She opened it revealing Jason and a grinning Asher.
"You two really are related," Laura snapped as Amanda moved to let the boys in. "Katia just got here."
"Merry Christmas to you too," Jason said with an amused smile.
Laura was about to bite a retort back but Jason placed a present in her face. Her eyes went wide before narrowing suspiciously. Finally she took it without a word. Katia hugged her brother. She tried to run from Asher but he caught her and ruffled her hair.
"Merry Christmas kitkat!" He exclaimed.
Katia was going to chew him out for messing up her hair, but Laura was back with a handful of presents.
"Open them!" She instructed while shoving them into Katia's arms.
"Sorry. In case you couldn't tell, she loves Christmas," Suki apologized.
Laura nodded her head. "Damn right I do."
Katia laughed and finally obliged Laura and began opening each present.
Laura got her a photo album full of pictures. There were already some from the first night Katia spent with them. It was enchanted so that she could draw whatever she wanted to on the cover and her doodles would move like they had minds of their own.
Asher and Jason combined gifts to get Katia a Polaroid camera from Aevria that could capture moving images. Suki gave her a cute sweater, and Amanda gave her a stylish dress. Both of them could change colors to whatever Katia desired. Mike and David combined their presents together so that Katia now had a pair of shoes which were surprisingly cute. She had no idea they had a good sense of style.
"Mike's hidden talent is gift buying," David explained when he saw Katia's slightly shocked expression.
"Thanks guys these are amazing!" Katia said gratefully. She went around and gave each of her friends a hug. "You will have your presents in two days."
"Two days?" Laura yelled dramatically.
"I can get it today and probably end up giving you a candy bar," Katia offered.
"No it's okay I was just joking," Laura quickly answered, and Katia laughed.
Nathan plopped down on the couch next to Katia. They were sitting closely side by side with their legs touching despite there being more than enough room.
"I'll give you my gift later," Nathan told her.
Katia nodded and without thinking laced her fingers through his. It was a subtle gesture but it didn't escape Laura's attention. Her eyes went wide and she opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Katia cut in.
"I have an announcement!" She yelled and gave Laura a look telling her not to say a word. "Nathan and I are a couple!"
The girls squealed and the boys patted Nathan on the back. Katia was pulled into a number of hugs before she ended up by Nathan who casually wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"At least you told us," Suki said before staring hard at Amanda and David. "We had to catch these two kissing."
Amanda's face flushed red and David smiled sheepishly. Katia knew that if Amanda could turn invisible like Suki, she'd have been long gone.
The doorbell suddenly rang and everyone turned to it in confusion. Amanda slunk back gratefully from the attention as Laura went to go get the door.
"Are we expecting anyone else?" She asked.
Nathan jumped up and ran up beside her. "Right! Sorry I totally forgot to mention. I invited Celia and Damien. I hope that's fine."
Katia grinned widely and went to go get the door with Nathan and Laura. Everyone else behind her though looked a little apprehensive. No one really knew Damien but he had a reputation of being a weird one. But they knew a lot about Celia and they weren't good things, especially after her fight with Katia.
"Hey guys!" Nathan greeted, entirely oblivious to the awkward tension behind him.
"Hi!" Celia replied before catching sight everyone of staring at them. "Um Merry Christmas."
Katia pulled Celia and Damien into a hug before ushering them inside. They stood there in the entrance while everyone just stared at them. Katia exchanged a glance with Nathan.
"So I'm pretty sure you guys know each other, but everyone this is Damien and Celia," Katia said. Then she went around the room introducing everyone else.
Silence continued to pervade the room, but Laura, as always, was the one to break it. Damien shifted nervously and accidentally brushed into her arm.
"Whoa your body is so hot!" She exclaimed. Then she rolled her eyes when she caught everyone staring. "You know what I mean."
"He does control fire," Katia pointed out.
Laura's face took on a look of concentration and then lit up with an idea. She pulled on Damien's shirt and began leading him into the kitchen.
"Come with me," she said, not really giving him much of a choice.
Damien looked back at Katia and Nathan with a slight look of fear. But Katia just shrugged her shoulder with an apologetic smile. With the tension finally broken, everyone started talking again and they made room for Celia on the couch.
A little while later Laura came back with Damien and in their hands were skewers of marshmallows and a bowl of graham crackers and chocolate.
"This guy is pretty useful," Laura stated as they passed around the snacks to everyone.
Damien rolled his eyes but his lips were quirked up in a small smile. He took a seat between Celia and Laura and nodded in appreciation at his cooking. Katia tried to make more room on the couch and gasped as Nathan pulled her into his lap. He left a quick peck on her cheek and the room immediately erupted into cheers.
"Stop it! You guys are the worst!" Katia exclaimed.
She told Nathan to let her go, but he only tightened his arms around her. Katia squirmed a bit, but she really liked being in Nathan's arms and he knew.
"I love you," Nathan whispered into her ear.
"I love you too," Katia whispered back.
Everyone was talking in their own conversations. Celia and Damien were warming up to her friends. They were all laughing and joking around with each other. Katia leaned her head back against Nathan and smiled contently. Everything they went through was worth it, even if just for this moment.
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Author's Note: This is the last chapter! I'm kind of sad it's over. Thanks to everyone who's read my first story, voted, and commented! It's been fun :)
I was listening to Perfect for me by Ron Pope and I just thought it was the perfect song for Nathan and Katia! If you want to keep updated on my other stuff fan me! I'm working on something new right now. See you!