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"So you want me to do what?" Nick asks, not believing his ears.
The couple is sitting on the couch in Carrie's cabin after making the trek back on foot. Carrie didn't want to alarm Nick any further so she opted not to fly them back there, which would have been a great deal faster. She doesn't know how else to explain to Nicholas what she wants to do so she is very honest and straightforward with him. "I want you to follow these instructions and bury me at least six feet underground."
"Do you have any idea how crazy this is? Carrie, I love you with all of my heart but I am not going to help you do this. This is insane!"
"Please Nicholas! I need you to do this. If we don't go through this ritual, I may die."
"Can you please call me Nick? Nicholas is freaking me out still."
Carrie smiles. "Fine, Nick, will you please help me?"
"That's better but the answer is no. You could still die! First of all, we need a coffin, which I highly doubt you have around. And second of all, I am not going to leave you at least six feet underground for twelve hours! You'll die!"
"Nick, if this ritual is right, I won't be breathing until the end of those twelve hours! I'll be fully restored to a normal human being only at that time. Please, this is the only way we can truly be together. It would save me from this life that I despise!"
"I don't like this idea Carrie. Who knows if this will even work?"
"It will."
"How do you even know? After what happened back in that cave, I truly don't want to put you in the slightest danger. I won't be able to live with myself if I go through with this and you die."
Carrie grabs his hand and holds it in her hand. "Nick, I trust you. As you trusted me with your life when you fed me, I trust you with mine. I know you won't let me down. This is something I have to do. My friend and mentor died for me, wanting me to live the life I was meant to with you. Please, help me."
Nick looks into her eyes and sees there is no way to walk out of this conversation without agreeing to do this act of craziness. He sighs. "Fine. Let's go find a coffin."
"Carrie, there is still time to forget this idea," Nick says, standing over the six and a half feet deep hole the two had dug earlier that day.
Carrie pulls back a little from his embrace and shakes her head. "No, I have to do this. Too much has happened for me not to go through with this. Remember, dig me out exactly twelve hours after you have refilled the hole or this won't work."
"Gee, that made me feel all that much better about this." Nick pulls Carrie closer to him, kissing the top of her head. "I'm just so worried that I won't get you out in time."
"I trust you. You will."
"You could suffocate."
"I could wake up to a new life as a human being again."
"That's a big chance you're taking."
"Living a normal life with you is worth it to me. We better get moving. Help me in?" she asks, pulling away and looking down the hole where the coffin is waiting for her.
Nick sighs. "Fine. Just know I love you Carrie. Of all the past lives we must have spent together, I think I love you the most this time."
Carrie smiles with a few tears of happiness in her eyes. "I love you too Nick. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Nick kisses her tenderly then reluctantly helps her down the hole and into the coffin. With a heavy heart he lowers the lid, praying that this would actually work. He quickly fills the hole with the dirt and instantly starts the timer on his watch so the alarm would go off when it is exactly twelve hours. "Please be okay," Nick says, looking at the now filled hole. Not knowing what else to do, he sits down not far away against a tree and let's his eyes close.
"Are you really ready to do this?" Drew asks his brother.
Nick laughs. "Why wouldn't I be? She's the love of my life. She's always been the love of my life. Proposing to her is the best thing I have ever done in my life."
Drew smiles. "Well, it is time. Say good-bye to bachelorhood big brother!"
Nick gives Drew a big hug and follows him out of the room and into the church as the music continues to play.
Nick feels his stomach twist and turn until he looks up and catches the gaze of his beloved. Carrie walks down the aisle with a beautiful bouquet of red roses in hand, smiling at Nick the entire way. Once there, the two join hands and never break eye contact throughout the entire ceremony.
"Does any one person have any reason why these two should not be wed in the eyes of God? Speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest says, leaving a minute of silence to fill the church.
Suddenly, Nick sees fear creep into Carrie's eyes and turns around just in time to see that Matthew is storming towards him. Nick shoves Carrie aside and is tackled to the ground. The two fight but Matthew gets a firm grasp around Nick's throat, cutting off all air. Nick struggles but can't regain the upper hand. He feels darkness pull and tries to scream but nothing comes out. His last image is of Carrie on her knees crying, watching helplessly as Matthew strangled Nick.
Nick opens his eyes immediately and realizes that he really is being strangled. He puts his hands over the hands on his neck and struggles to get free.
"Stupid Nicholas. How could you think that I would vanish from your life just like that? Once I kill you, Caroline will be mine, as she always should be. This time, I will make sure you never come back!" Matthew yells, fighting to keep his grip on Nick's neck. "Where have you hidden my ring?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Nick manages to get out in between trying to breathe.
"My ring! I need it to be in sunlight and for my powers. Where did you put it?" Nick remains silent, having no clue what he is talking about. "If you don't know, I bet Caroline does. Where is she? I'm surprised she left you alone."
'Don't tell him,' Nick tells himself. 'He'll ruin it.'
"I don't know," he gets out.
"Liar! I know you are lying! She has it doesn't she? Don't worry. Once I am finished with you, I will find her and punish her for all she has done to me. She'll regret the day she ever left me!"
Mustering all of his energy, Nick slams his elbow into Matthew's side and manages to get out of his grasp. Gasping for breath, Nick puts a few feet between the two, looking at Matthew who is doubled over in pain. He quickly checks his watch and realizes that the twelve hours are up in ten minutes. 'Great! What am I going to do with this bastard around still?'
With little warning, Matthew charges at Nick and tackles him to the ground. The two struggle for what seems like an eternity to Nick while in the back of his mind, he is worried that he won't get to Carrie in time. Suddenly, his alarm on his watch goes off. 'Crap! I have to get to her now!' he thinks as he tries to figure out a way to end this fight. He gets the upper hand and successfully pins Matthew down to the ground. 'Now what?' he wonders as he slowly realizes that the sky is getting brighter and brighter. 'The sun!'
Instantly, he feels Matthew try to throw Nick off of him to no success. "NO!!!" Matthew screams as he feels the sun's rays penetrate his body and tear him apart. Nick, alarmed as to what is happening, quickly stands up and backs away from Matthew, who seems to be falling apart, literally. "NO!!!" Matthew screams once more before his entire body turns into dust, just as Leonard's had. Nick could just stare at the spot where Matthew once was. Suddenly, Nick hears his watch go off again and is reminded that Carrie is depending on him to get her out in time. He grabs the shovel and begins digging as fast as he could.
When he finally hits the coffin, he flips open the lid and pulls an unmoving Carrie out, holding her in his arms. He feels for a pulse and panics because he doesn't find one. 'I killed her!' he thinks, feeling tears form in his eyes. He places her on the level ground and then pulls himself out of the hole. Quickly, he sits on the ground and pulls her onto his lap. "Please Carrie, don't leave me like this. I need you. I love you."
Nick notices how pale she looks and decides to try CPR. After a few breaths, Nick sighs with relief as he feels Carrie to begin to breathe very softly. "Come on Carrie, you can do it. You're strong! Please?"
Slowly, Carrie begins to breathe more deeply and her pulse becomes stronger, bringing a smile to Nick's face. Carrie opens her eyes and smiles slightly at the man holding her. "I told you it would work. I love you Nick, forever and always."
Nick laughs and kisses her softly. "I love you Carrie, forever and always. I am never going to let you go again!"
Carrie laughs a little. "I don't want to be going anywhere else anytime soon. Don't worry. I'm here to stay with you this time around."
Li claps his hands and exits the shadows where he has been watching the scene. "That you are Caroline."
"Li?" she asks, confused as to why he is revealing himself to Nick.
Li approaches the two but stops in his tracks as he realizes who Nicholas really is. "Nick?"
Nick tears his gaze from Carrie and looks up at the man. "How do you know my name? Do I know you?"
"Umm, no. I just assumed you were Carrie's soul mate. You've gone through quite a lot for her."
Nick smiles. "She's definitely worth it."
"I would have to agree with you and I know her mentor would second that. How are you feeling Caroline?"
Carrie looks at Li and smiles. "A great deal better. It's odd to actually breathe again though. However, it is nice to feel warmth now and not the constant coldness. How can I ever thank you?"
"We can talk about that later. I'll find you when the time is right. I better get going. Lots of things to do today! Will you two be returning to the cabin?"
"No, I think it's time to return to the city where it's a lot safer for us," Nick says, not wanting to stay a moment longer near these woods.
"Understandable. Good luck you two."
Li gives Carrie a hug and a kiss on the cheek then walks off into the shadows from which he came. She stares for a while, wondering when she would find out about what Li meant.
"Ready to go?" Nick asks.
"Sure. Let's get out of here!"
As the two drive away, Li smiles, happy that his friend's last request is fulfilled. He destroys all evidence of what happened the past few nights here in the woods and vanishes.