It was a bright, warm spring day and he had nothing but time on his hands. He hadn't really planned on thinking about her as often as he did, but he certainly would never intentionally push her out of his thoughts. He felt especially connected to her today. There was just something about the way the day felt -the air was crisp and fresh. A soothing cool breeze complemented the warm embrace of the sun… Even the sounds in the air hit his ears with such clarity, everything around him reminded him of his love for her and he still felt a strong bond. A wide assuring smile radiated from his face.

His long walk had eventually ended as he approached the lonely willow tree. It stood at the edge of a secluded pond with such a mystic, romantic, wistful essence about it. Its long drooping branches reflected the bittersweet memories of their sacred place. A place where many fond secrets, kisses, passions and tears were all shared. It was the place where he knew he was in love. The long limbs that bloomed out like the spokes of an umbrella came down with sweeping branches blowing in the wind, reminding him of her hair softly dancing in the free air. He went in to climb under its protective canopy, pulling apart a section of branches as he so often parted her hair form her face to stare deeply into her eyes. He missed her. He loved her. As he entered, her face flashed before him.

He was back in her arms. He had drawn back the shades of her soul and peered into her deep blue eyes and let his fingers tangle and get lost in her soft, loose, dark brown curls -binding him ever closer to her. Her smiled melted him completely and his nervous lips touched her soft skin. His heart raced and he could hear it pounding, yet it provided the rhythm to gracefully adorn her with kisses and sentiments of love. He was in love.

He snapped back to reality as his heart's beat literally tore him away from his thoughts. He settled into the base of the tree's trunk and once again fell back into those special times they shared together. He lazily looked up to the tall archways of the soothing green shelter that swayed along with nature and… perhaps love itself. Staring up at the cathedral ceilings that the long twisted branches formed together with the leaves, he couldn't help but to think back to her once more.

She playfully rolled on top of him as they necked and cooed and tickled about. Her laughter all but echoed from inside their sanctuary. He looked up into her sparkling eyes at her glowing face and took notice to the perfect backdrop the canopy provided for her beautiful face. They were in love.

Eventually her beautiful face and the memories that went with it slowly faded and he reluctantly pulled out his wallet. He retrieved a picture and a folded note and began to contemplate her words - Thinking back he remembered…

Together, they lay beneath the tree. Earlier that week he had told her the news, the band was getting signed to a major label. She was ecstatic for him, for the whole band. He…was scared. He knew it meant that they would see less and less of each other and as much as he'd hoped against it, his logic always won the fight and insisted that it would only tear them apart. He tried everything in his power to convince her to come along, but she wasn't having it.
“Baby, what's the matter?” she asked, but there was no answer from him, only a defeated sigh. “You all want this. Don't try to lie and say that you don't.” she continued. “This is such a fantastic opportunity that I don't want you to throw away on account of me. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you let this pass you by.”

If only he had realized the true weight of those words back then. If only he'd listened to her, but put the options in different hands. He would have never chased this silly dream, and never would have lost everything. It was so painful to think back now on choosing this over her. This dream… was it silly? Sure he'd gained so much in life, but look at the cost and everything that he'd lost.

“I just want us to be together.” He whimpered out, his heart breaking on every little word.

“Patrick, what ever is meant to be will be… I know how you feel about me, and how I feel about you and we will end up together, in the end… we'll be together.” She softly cooed, pacifying all his fears momentarily as they began to melt together.

It was a hot summer night and the humidity in the atmosphere finally broke the levee and it began to softly rain. The smell of summer was as thick as the started pouring out of their leaking hearts. Slowly, delicately, beneath the willow tree, they began to make love. And it was as if it would be the last time they ever would be able to touch one another, and show each other the fire that burned within them for each other.

A silent, lonely tear rolled down his cheek as he began to read what she had wrote.
“You've got to leave me now. You've got to go alone. You've got to chase a dream, one that's all your own… before it slips away. When you're flying high, take my heart along, I'll be the harmony to every lonely song that you'll learn to play…”

It was almost unbearable to continue as he knew what was coming from reading it so many times before, he pressed on -even admiring her handwriting and the way he thought he could tell she was crying when she wrote it by the slight squiggles here and there. He was sure some of the tear stains on the letter were from the both of them… one more thing they shared, here beneath the tree.

“When you're soaring through the air, I'll be your solid ground. Take every chance you dare, I'll still be there… when you come back down.”

His lip quivered and he tried hard to hold back the sobs that he felt rising in his throat and read on,
“I'll keep looking up, awaiting your return. My biggest fear will be that you will crash and burn and I won't feel your fire.”
For a moment he looked up, wishing she was there over him, waiting for him there like she always used to be… He thought back to a conversation they had after he reluctantly took her advice and chased his dream with out her.

“I miss you so much… it hurts.” He sighed heavily into the phone.
“I miss you too. But I've found out it's true what they say…” she smiled into the phone.
“What do they say?” he asked.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I think I'm falling harder and harder for you everyday.”
He smiled back into the phone. “Well, I hope that doesn't mean you never want me to return so that you can keep falling harder for me…”
“Yes, Patrick… you got me,” she spilled out, thick with sarcasm. “I don't ever want you to come back so that I can just keep falling for you. Are you crazy? I couldn't live without you.”

Now the tears flowed steadily past his cheeks. He missed her more than he could ever express. Why didn't he stay here with her? They could have easily made a life together, she thought she was doing him a favor by making him chase after this dream, but now he almost resented the opportunity. It caused him to miss out on her. She was gone… he could hardly bear it, but he read on.
“I'll be the other hand that always holds the line, connecting in between your sweet heart and mine. I'm strung out on that wire. I'll be on the other end to hear you when you call. Angel, you were born to fly and if you get too high, I'll catch you when you fall.”

He wanted to be mad, because she wasn't here now to catch him and he was falling. All the memories he'd shared with her underneath this tree. The good times, the bad times, the hard times, the fun times… they were all just memories and it was all they'd ever be. She wasn't ever going to be back in his arms in this secret place.

It had been about six months since she had passed away, and he still felt every emotion possible in one way or another when he thought of her. He'd been walking over to the tree about once a week since the funeral. Everyday it seemed a little easier to stay happy when he thought of her, but he began to think of how he was never going to be with her like he'd planned and it saddened him. He wished so hard that he would have known about her illness and been home to take care of her, thinking there was something he could have done, had he just known… but there was nothing he could do. He just kept a picture and her note with him at all times with the hope that it would get easier and the pain would lesson.

He pulled his knees to his chest and buried his head in his arms and sobbed a little more. He wasn't sure how much time had passed but felt a strong cool breeze beneath the tree before a warm hand startled him up from his lowered position.

“Need a friend?” A warm familiar voice called out, extending a hand to help him up, Patrick smiled wide as Pete pulled him into a hug. “It's going to be alright.” He encouraged.
“Thanks, man.” He softly let out ending the hug. The two walked out form beneath the tree and continued on their way to Patrick's house on that warm spring day. The brighter side of the day was easier to recognize in the company of someone trying to cheer you up, and Pete was just the right person.

Patrick stopped for just a moment to turn around to look at the tree once more. He looked up to the sky and let the warm sun shine over his face and he turned back to Pete to continue home.

End.

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A/N

The text in blue is part of a Nickel Creek - (Awesome soft/bluegrass band) song that I've loved for years and years and wanted to do something with. I do not own any of it, but have always loved its beauty. I just felt like spitting this little one shot out… hope you like… had to take a break from my writer's blocked other stories… just wanted to get something out there….

More updates on my others hopefully really soon!!

jimi