Marisa pulled the arms of the sweatshirt over her hands and hugged herself. The back deck extended a few feet beyond where she stood, but she stayed where the house's overhang protected her from the steady rain. The lake was gray, the raindrops splashing and creating a layer of mist that rose up like ash from the fires of hell.

Leslie wouldn't have done this. Leslie had never loved anyone except Mom and Marisa. And sometimes, Marisa had wondered about her sister's feelings for their mother. But she'd never doubted Leslie's love for her. She'd cared for her, protected her, guided her.

But even if Leslie hadn't been behind the kidnapping, she had stolen the firm's money. And because of that, Marisa had run away. Her life had been ruined because of something Leslie had done. Was it possible? Had Leslie done this, too?

The door opened, and a moment later, someone stood beside her.

"You okay?"

Nate, of course. She glanced at him, but he kept his gaze on the lake beyond the trees.

Marisa sighed. "I'm cold. Let's go inside."

He opened the door, and she stepped in. Brady, Rae, and Sam had moved back to the kitchen. They all looked at her.

"I'm fine." She went to the fireplace and warmed her hands. Stared at the flames. Tried not to think.

A moment later, Nate wrapped an afghan around her shoulders. "Cold out there."

"Yup."

"Probably feels pretty strange after so many years in Mexico."

"Yup."

She watched the flames, itching for a pencil and paper. To escape the nightmare for a few minutes with her fingers and her imagination. A picture filled her mind. A cabin, water dripping down the siding, the gray lake beyond, and the fire flickering through the windows. A figure entered the picture in her mind's eye, a little girl with dark hair and joyful eyes, her face lifted to the sky to catch the raindrops.

Tears dripped down Marisa's cheeks, but she couldn't move to wipe them. She let the moment fill her, overwhelm her, until a sob rose in her heart and burst out.

Nate turned her to face him, and she leaned against his sweatshirt and wept. He held her, silent, until the latest round of tears was spent. When she looked up and sniffed, Nate stared into her eyes, and she stared back. If only things could be different and she could stay with him, right in that spot, with Ana adding the music of her laughter. If only.

Nate wiped her tears with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. "You okay?"

She turned to see Brady, Rae, and Sam getting coffee, picking at muffins, and generally trying not to watch. Polite. A little awkward. She nearly laughed. "It's okay," she said to the room in general, and they all looked up. "Sorry about that."

Rae nodded gently. "You're entitled to fall apart. We don't mind. Right?" She nudged Brady, who nodded.

"Yeah. It's fine. Uh..."