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Title:  The Beginning of Forever
Author:  Kimberlee (kimberlee_m@hotmail.com)
Summary:  Just a little scene I've been kicking around in my head for a 
while.  :)
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Disclaimer:  The wonderful story of Christy belongs to the LeSourd family.  
This was written solely for my own amusment, and I am in no way seeking 
profit for this story.

Author's Note:  This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction, so I thought 
it best to keep it brief (although whether or not I actually did is another 
thing entirely.)  I've pulled different elements from all the different 
"Christy" media, so it isn't based soley one.  I'm sorry if it confuses 
anyone.




An hour since the wedding reception had ended, and my head was still 
reeling.  I couldn't remember ever being so happy.  The wedding had been 
perfect.  Everyone important to me had been there - my parents, Miss Alice, 
my students and their families....even David had watched from a distance.  
The only one missing was Fairlight, but somehow I knew that she'd been there 
too.  And then there was Neil - so handsome in his grandfather's kilt and 
looking as nervous as I'd ever seen him.  I knew exactly how he felt.  I'd 
woken up with the jitters myself, but the butterflies disappeared when I saw 
him waiting for me infront of the gazebo.  The look of love in Neil's eyes 
had nearly taken my breath away, it filled me with such incredible joy.

Sitting on the steps of *our* cabin, Neil and I were enjoying our first real 
moment of peace in at least a week.  My husband's strong hands were gently 
massaging the tension from my neck and shoulders as I closed my eyes - 
listening to the gurgling of the river only a few feet away.  Sighing, I 
leaned back against Neil and felt his arms enfold me.

"Penny for your thoughts....," he whispered, his lips lightly brushing my 
ear.

"Oh, where should I start?" I replied with a giggle.  "I guess I was just 
thinking about how we got here.  If someone had told me six months ago that 
I'd be married to Cutter Gap's finest physician, I never would have believed 
it."

"Believe it," Neil quipped, as he planted a kiss on the nape of my neck. I 
marvelled at how he could put an intimate note in his voice that just 
wrapped itself around my heart, but my musings were cut short by Neil  as he 
chuckled, "Incidently, you haven't forgotten that I'm Cutter Gap's ONLY 
physician, now have you?"  I playfully swatted at him as I stifled a laugh.

"Neil, I'm serious."  I stared off into the trees, momentarily lost in 
thought.  As if from far away, I heard myself murmur, "I came so close to 
marrying David...."

I turned to look at my husband, who had suddenly taken to examining the 
knots in the wooden steps.  I couldn't resist the urge to reach up and brush 
that adorable stray curl from his forehead, but it didn't bring the usual 
smile to Neil's face.  Instead, his brows furrowed and he concentrated 
harder on the knots.  Without looking up, he asked quietly,

"Why didn't you?"

Neil's question caught me a little off guard.  I fully intended to tell him, 
but not at this very moment.  I found that those knot holes were equally as 
fascinating to me as I thought for a moment about how to answer him.  When I 
finally raised my head, I found Neil studying me with such a mixture of love 
and anxiety that I felt a pang of guilt for marring such a happy moment by 
bringing up something so upsetting.  Before I could speak, Neil reverted 
back to perusing the knot holes in the porch.

"You don't.......regret your decision to marry me, do you?"  the tone of his 
voice betrayed how much he feared my answer.  This was the first time I'd 
ever seen Neil look so vulnerable...and I loved him all the more for it. 
Wanting to assuage his fears as quickly as possible, I reached out to caress 
his face - that handsome face that I wanted to see smiling down at me every 
day for the rest of my life.

"Neil, look at me."  He tentatively raised his eyes to meet mine.  "Never.  
Not for one instant have I ever regretted my decision to marry you."

Releif washed over his face as he pulled me to him - holding me close.  I 
revelled in the sense of safety and security I felt in Neil's arms.  As I 
nestled my head against his heart, I whispered,

"I'm home."

I felt Neil's breath catch and he started to tremble. It was only a moment 
or two before I felt something warm and wet fall on my arm, and I looked up 
into my husband's tear streaked face.  Those eyes - so full of emotion..... 
My hands immediately set about wiping away his tears, but Neil caught them 
in his own before they'd finished their task.

Neil took a deep breath - trying to control his emotions enough so that he 
could speak.  "Christy......I never believed anyone would say anything like 
that to me and really mean it."

I gazed into my husband's eyes, hoping he could see the his love for me 
mirrored in my eyes.  "Believe it, love."

With that, his lips sought mine - gently at first but then with increasing 
intensity.  When Neil broke the kiss, I was gasping for air, but the elation 
I felt was unparalleled.  No one had ever kissed me like that before, and I 
smiled as I thought to myself, *and now no one else ever will.*  I wrapped 
my arms around my husband and snuggled close into his embrace.  Neil sighed 
and rested his cheek on the top of my head.

"I don't know what I would have done if you had changed your mind, Lass - if 
you didn't love me."

"Well, it may have taken me a long time - and a little help from Fairlight," 
I added with a smile, "but I finally realized that marrying David would have 
been a mistake because I am completely in love with you.  I think I have 
been from the very beginning, I just couldn't see it.  But now that I know, 
I want nothing more than to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Christy...." Neil breathed my name almost as though it were a prayer as he 
leaned in to capture my lips with his.  I felt my lips grow warm beneath his 
as my head began to spin. All thought was suspended as I gave myself up to 
the flood of emotion his kiss unleashed - returning the kiss with as much 
fervor as I was able.  Neil pulled back - a little breathless.... a look of 
pure adoration in his eyes.  But that adoration was momentarily eclipsed by 
a quizzical look that furrowed my husband's brow.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well, I was just wondering....what did Fairlight have to do with it?"

I couldn't help but smile at my husband's obvious confusion as to the role 
our friend had played in forcing me to realize what everyone else already 
knew, but at that moment all I really wanted was for Neil to kiss me again.  
I wound my fingers into his curly hair and rested my forehead against his.

"I think that's a story for another time, Mr. MacNeill, wouldn't you agree?"

My own boldness surprised me, but not one tenth as much as it surprised 
Neil.  I will never forget the astonishment that registered on his face -or 
the mischevious grin that replaced it as he held me a little bit tighter.

"I believe you're right, Mrs. MacNeill, I believe you're right."