Chapter 1: "The Letter"

Amanda couldn't sleep. She had too much on her mind. She came upstairs earlier to take a shower and relax, but,no matter what she tried, it didn't work. Images of Cameron were everywhere. In the night sky when she gazed at the stars, in the chapel where the fragrance of the flowers from the wedding still lingered, and in her heart where the love she felt for him still remained.

She got out of bed and went down to the kitchen, where she made herself some hot chocolate. "Cameron would laugh at me", she thought while waiting for the water to boil; "I never make anything-now look at me!"

Sipping the delicious drink, Amanda was about to go upstairs when her mom stopped her. "Feeling any better honey? Maybe all you need is a good night's rest!" said Rachel. "I'll be fine mom. Don't worry about me," replied Amanda.

" If you need to talk, I'm here for you." "I know that mom. Goodnight!"

As Amanda walked up the stairs, Rachel calls back to her. "Amanda, wait. This just came by special messenger. Must be important." Amanda wondered who it could be from. "David never does things this way-he just comes over or finds me no matter where I am." "It sounds like he annoys you somewhat!"

"Well mom, he may be Brava's backer, but he's beginning to bother me. He puts his nose where it doesn't belong and I don't like it!" "Well, Amanda, I have never met the man, but I'd like to. Please ask him to stop by soon, and I'll clear my schedule so we can have lunch. Sleep well, and I hope that letter isn't bad news!" With that Rachel goes upstairs to give the twins their bath and to read them their favorite Disney story, Beauty and the Beast.

Amanda slowly sips her hot chocolate and wonders what could be so important for a messenger to deliver this after normal business hours. She gets to her room, closes the door and sits down on the bed. She puts her drink down and opens the letter carefully. For some reason, she looks at the bottom to check out the signature and gasps-it's from Cameron. Her eyes travel to the top of the letter as she begins to read:

Amanda could not believe what she was reading. True, she had been angry and hurt when all the lies became real. But, she was slowly getting over those hurt feelings and wanted to tell him that. "But he's gone, running away like he always does" she thought; "what am I going to do without him?"

She knew what she had to do.

Chapter 2: The Search

Amanda decided right then and there that she was going to clear things up with Cameron.She couldn't think of living the rest of her life without him. Anytime she heard his name or thought of him, she felt an excitement surge through her body like she has never known before.

She got out of bed, put on some clothes and quietly left the house. Amanda didn't want her family to know where she was going; she thought for sure that Matt would criticize her choice of men. But who was he to talk?

Amanda wasn't sure where to look first. She drove around for awhile until she found her car parked in front of his apartment. She went up to his door, hesitated..then knocked. No answer. Amanda was leaving when the building's super stopped her.

"You lookin' for Sinclair? He left this morning. Paid up for the next few months and the dude says he's gotta leave. Never could quite figure him out. Just took his things and left. Didn't want his security deposit back or anything. I don't get it!"

"Sir, you think I could get into his apartment for a minute? I think I left something in there when I was here the last time!"Amanda asked.

"I guess. As long as you don't take any of the valuables out of the place."

The super opened the door, gave Amanda the key and tells her he'll be back in a few minutes. He's going next door to fix the radiator.

Amanda walked into the apartment, dropped her purse on the bed, and went up to the window to get a glimpse of the stars. You could see the slight smile come across her face as she remembered when Cameron told her that their fate was written in the stars."How did he know that?" she whispered.

She walked around the room, and all her memories of the times she spent there came back in an instant. She seemed overwhelmed by them all, and yet, they were comforting. Cameron was her heart and soul, and no matter what had happened between them, the love she felt was still there.

Amanda took one last look around and slowly closed the door, saying good-bye to the memories there. She got in her car and started to drive away."Where do I look next? He wouldn't go to Gary's and Josie's??"Amanda thought.

She turned on the radio to get her minds off of things for a bit. Even the song on the radio made her think of him.

Cameron wasn't thinking of where he was going or what he was doing next. He just knew he had to get away from Bay City fast. He needed a distraction to stop him from thinking of Amanda.Every thought he had, every plan he made over the last few months included her..Not now...Never again! He turned on the radio; he heard the words, and they made him think once more...

"No matter how hard I try,
You keep pushing me aside,
And I can't break through
There's no talking to you!"

The radio blared in Amanda's car...

"It's so sad that you're leaving,
It takes time to believe it,
But after all that's said and done,
You're going to be the lonely one."

She stopped at Carlino's for a quick bite. She knew she had to find Cameron before he left but she hadn't eaten all day. Paulina was gone for the day so a new waitress came up to take her order.

" What can I get you tonight Miss?" asked Kelly.

"A cup of tea with lemon and some homemade chicken soup, please, if you have it!"

"Sure do Miss.I'll be right back with your meal"

Amanda took out her datebook and started to look over the events of last week: the rehearsal dinner at 7,the wedding at 2,the luncheon and the honeymoon.... She couldn't look at it any longer. She started to cry."Stop this" Amanda thought to herself;"You've done enough of this over the last few days."

The waitress came back with her soup and tea."Anything else tonight,Miss?"

"No.... I don't think...." Amanda couldn't finish. She started to cry again,and Kelly(the waitress) gave her something from her pocket to dry her tears, which didn't want to stop flowing.

"Miss,are you alright?? I've seen you in here before and with a man who couldn't take his eyes off of you. If there's a problem between the two of you, don't let in fester any longer. My momma told me that love is a gift and once you find love, hold on to it tightly and don't let go!"

"I appreciate that ..What's your name, Kelly? But I don't think you mother would have an answer for me on this one. No one does."

"Oh miss, my momma was a smart woman. She and my dad were married for a long time. She told me that the answers for anything could always be found in the stars!!"

That comment made Amanda's eyes light up. Cameron had said that to her and often. She paid for her food, thanked Kelly for her advice, and took off in her car for a place special to both her and Cameron-somewhere she knew where her answers would be.

Cameron stopped for gas and walked over to the local truck spot before heading out of Bay City. He sat down at the table closest to the door and grabbed a menu.He didn't know if he was hungry but he hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast.

He had waited a long time before a waitress even saw him there. He had to grab one before she walked by a third time without saying anything to him.

"Are you going to take my order? I've been sitting here for 10 minutes!!"

"Keep that green shirt of yours on buddy. I'm taking care of 5 tables. I'll be right back."

"All I want is some coffee. Can I at least get a cup of coffee?" Cameron asked.

"Mister......look..I've been on my feet all day.I'll get your coffee when I get your coffee!! I can't do a million things at once." The waitress wandered off; came back a little while later....She poured Cameron some coffee and brought it back to his table. He never even looked at it. He just stared out the window, looking lost.

"I bring you your coffee and you can't even say thank you? What's with you?Looks like you lost your best friend...or some babe left you hanging. Yep...I bet that's it...Some chick walked out on you and now you're so sad...Well, cry me a river. You guys just don't get it. How did ya screw up?"

Cameron didn't care what the waitress was saying-he couldn't even hear her. He just kept thinking of the last time he saw Amanda and he knew, before he left town, that he had to go back one last time to the place he knew they both loved. He wanted to feel that love one more time,to feel what it was like to have her arms around him, to feel her close to him-feel those lips on his.

Cameron drove his car to the park, and walked carefully to the hill where they met. He closed his eyes and wished on the brightest star in the sky. Nothing would ever be the same again, but if there was any way it could be, he would never...

"Cameron,is that you?"

He turned around and there she was. His Amanda.

Chapter 3: Their Talk

"Amanda, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you! I've been all over the place.I didn't know you moved out of your apartment!…why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would you care?You've made it perfectly clear how you feel about everything that's happened..and me too..so there was really no reason to-"

"I got your letter!"

"Oh! And you came looking for me, why?"

"I don't know.I didn't want you to think that I-"

"That you what? "

"Oh,I don't know.I don't like feeling like this."

"Like what?Hurt? Betrayed?Mad as hell.?Go on! I'm a big boy! I can take it!"

"That isn't what I said. Yes,I am hurt..and betrayed…and even mad as hell!!" Amanda pauses and looks at Cameron's face,before taking a deep breath and hoping she would not regret what she was about to say…..

"But I can't help but remember being here the first time with you and knowing,at that precise moment we met,that you were my future."

Cameron is startled and taken back by what she says.He has wanted to hear this from her since Amanda found out about Josie, about everything…but then, he could only hope.And now?

"Amanda..What are you saying? That you…FORGIVE me?? That everything's back the way it was??That we can get married and things can get back to normal? You don't' know how much I've wanted to hear that!!"

"Cameron,stop! I can forgive you,and I have done that,I think. But I don't know if I could ever forget this,or even trust you again. You know how hard it is for me,to watch you and Josie and think that maybe once wasn't enough for you? I've seen the way she looks at you."

"Amanda, there is nothing going on between Josie and me.You-you are my world.You are the light in my darkest days.You fill my soul.You make me complete.How can you think that I'd ever give Josie a second look?"

Amanda shoots back, angrily,"Well you gave at least ONE look I can think of and that was more than enough for me!!"

"Then why are you here?I don't wanna argue anymore. That's why I'm leaving town.I cannot stay here, knowing you are so close and I don't even have a chance to hold you, or to touch you,"He takes his hand and runs his fingers across her cheek.She doesn't pull away.

"Because I love you and I won't let you leave.I am hurt.But I know I would be hurt more if I didn't fight like crazy to keep you in my life."

Cameron couldn't help but get tears in his eyes.Amanda went on….

"I know I have we have a lot of issues to deal with.But I think we can deal with them-if we are completely honest with each other. Do you think that's possible, after everything's that's happened?"

Cameron pauses, and says,"I don't know. Look where honesty got us now"

"Well, lying was much worse. You should have told me about the baby from the beginning.I would have been able to deal with it then."

"And now?You know the baby will be around! How are you going to feel about him then? Or her?"

"I'm not sure. It wouldn't be easy. Look at what happened between Sofia and Matt! Lila sure found a way to worm herself into Matt's life."

"But I won't let Josie do that. "

"How can you stop her??First, she'll be calling to let you know every little thing the baby is doing. Then it's when the baby needs something. Sofia never had a moment alone with Matt.Lila saw to that!"

"I've already said I won't let Josie do that to us."

"You won't be able to stop her!"

Cameron starts to walk off. "What's the use then? You'll never see beyond the baby. What our life could be like. All you want to do is compare us to Matt and Sofia…well; we are not like them. Never were!!"

Before she has a chance to answer,Cameron runs off.Amanda follows closely behind,telling him to stop.He is in such a hurry to get away,he doesn't see the dip in the pavement and runs right into it, falling.Amanda rushes up to see if he's ok.

"Cameron,are you alright??"

"My knee.It's my knee.I can't move it!! Cameron is in pain,but he doesn't want Amanda's pity. "Help me to my feet."

Amanda steadies Cameron enough to get him standing, but realizes that he cannot walk on his own. Struggling,she helps him to the park bench and get her cell phone out of her purse.She calls Matt and tells him Cameron is hurt and asks if he can send the car to the park.

"Matt is sending the car for us. We'll take you home."

"I have no place to call home.I turned in my keys to the building super.I am leaving town,you know."

"Yes I do.I was there."

"At my place?"

"Yes.That was before I came here. Now, we have to find you a place to stay." Amanda thinks for a moment,and then slightly grins, without Cameron seeing her. ……"I know the perfect place for you to stay."

"Just get me there. This is killing me!" he says while the pain seers through his body.

The car comes by a few minutes later, and Amanda helps Cameron into the back seat. He leans back and closes his eyes. Amanda looks at him and wants to hold him close and tell him all the things that are in her heart…but she can't. Not now.

The car slows down in front of the Cory house.

"Here??You want me to stay here?I can't do that!!"Cameron says.

"Well,you have nowhere else to go.Now your old room is still there.Mom actually put in some improvements. You'll have your own bathroom and shower, VCR..All the comforts of home!"

Cameron thinks to himself.."Except for the one thing I really need."

Amanda gets Cameron in the house. They are surprised that Matt has already called the family doctor, which, after Cameron relaxes on the sofa, takes a look at his knee.

"Well doctor,what's your diagnosis?"Amanda asks.

"Miss Cory, it looks to me like Mr. Sinclair has torn a few ligaments. He's going to need to be off his feet for a few days. I'll prescribe a mild painkiller. He can take this before he goes to bed. Then I want to see him the day after tomorrow in my office-9: 00 sharp!!"

Matt helps Amanda get Cameron to his old room. He looks around and sees that things haven't changed much. Maybe except for his feelings for Amanda-they've only gotten stronger…he wasn't really sure how she felt.

Amanda comes back from her room with an extra blanket. When she returns,Cameron is already in bed, and fast asleep. She covers him with the blanket, and tucks it in. It is then that she runs her fingers across his cheek gently-not wanting to wake him up.

She turns and is about to leave the room, when she turns around and whispers.."I love you Cameron."With that, she leaves.

Once the door is closed,Cameron opens his eyes and smiles to himself…..

"I love you too,Princess".

Chapter 4: "Therapy"

Amanda had had a difficult night. She couldn't sleep. She was afraid of what would happen if Cameron was no longer in her life and now here he was right down the hall. What was she going to do about it?He hurt her badly.She knew that he didn't love Josie, but how could she really be sure that once was enough for the two of them?

CONTINUE