If Only Tonight

Blurry Dividing Lines:
Chapter Thirty Five: Until We Meet Again

Looking at the piece of paper in her hand and glancing back up, Mia saw the cemmetry. She had gotten the directions right.

Her conversation with Oliver had been interesting. He hadn't sounded as surprised, Mia thought thinking back to the conversation.

"Sorry to bother you again, Oliver...but I need you to tell me where I can find Matt." Mia had asked, she had woken up this morning only to find Matthew gone. As a last resort, she had decided to call Oliver.

"He hasn't come back yet?" Oliver asked, sounding a little worried.

"No...he came back last night. He told me about his sister. This morning I woke up and he was gone." Mia explained, knowing Matthew and Oliver's close friendship, it was highly likely Oliver knew about Luciana.

"He told you about Luciana?" The older football player sounded slightly surprised...but more as thought he had suspected it to happen at some point.

"Yea..."

"Well in that case..." Oliver paused, before giving her directions.

Quietly she opened the gates, before heading inside. He had no idea she was coming. Carrying the flowers in her hand, Mia looked around to figure out where to go next.

It was then she saw him. Wearing dark aviator sun glasses, he was standing in front of a willow tree, across from two large headstones.

Deciding to come up from behind, Mia trekked around till she was directly in his shadow. He was holding a bottle, she was relieved when she saw what it was...water. Standing quietly for a few minutes, she observed that he hadn't noticed her yet.

"There you are." She said, quietly.

-----

"There you are."

Startled by the quiet voice, Matthew turned around to see her.

"How did you know I was here?" He asked, as Mia came closer.

Standing beside him she gave him a rather exasperated but sympathetic look. He felt a little guilty for having left early in the morning, but he had needed it. When she didn't give him any answer, Matthew felt his mind click.

He groaned silently. There could only be one person that would have known where he was...one person that she knew of.

"Oliver?" He asked her.

"Well, it definitely wasn't you." She muttered.

The guilt shot through him again.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, shifting weight on to his left foot, leaning slightly away from her.

"It's okay."

Matthew watched as Mia brought up her other hand. She had brought flowers.

"I'm really sorry about your sister." Mia told him, handing him the bouquet of white roses.

He felt touched. After all he had done to her at the beginning of her assignment to the team, she had put it all aside when he had agreed to be friends. Here she was sympathizing with him over the loss of his sister. He couldn't believe it.

"You didn't have to...Thank you." He whispered, taking the flowers from her.

Taking a few of the roses, he placed them on his father's grave; before placing the rest of the bouquet on his sisters.

He saw the puzzled look on Mia's face.

"My father passed away a few years ago." He told her.

She looked upset.

"I'm really sorry."

"It's okay." He assured her.

Motioning to sit down, Matthew led Mia under the willow tree.

"I don't usually tell anyone about my family." He said to her, as she took a seat beside him.

"So...why did you tell me?" She asked, looking up at him with curiosity.

He had thought about it, long and hard, since coming here this morning. No one other than his family and a few close friends knew about his sister's death or his father's.

"Because...you understand what it's like." He told her at last. "You told me about your brother..." He trailed off.

And because, I trust you...I know you would never do anything to hurt me...he thought silently.

When he had woken up this morning, he only had to look to his arm to see her holding on to him. They were both dressed in their formal wear, him in his suit, and Mia in her beautiful dress sleeping soundly beside him.

Memories of the night before had flooded him. He couldn't believe that when he had thought she wouldn't come, she had suddenly appeared and had comforted him through the night...held him through his despair.

There was a small but growing part of him that wanted to tell her how he felt. Not now, he thought, trying to smother his feelings.

He could tell a headache was on its way by the sound of his head starting to pound; he should not have drunk so much last night.

As they sat in silence, he felt her lean on to his shoulder; they both looked out to see the green grass that held the head stones of other people.

"So...you never told me what your dad was like." Mia said quietly.

Matthew smiled to himself. For now they were in another country, he could afford to pretend she was his. Tomorrow they would be leaving to go home, and all this would be a memory. He didn't know when they would be coming back...or even if they would come back to visit together.

Leaning closer to her, Matthew relaxed. For now, this is what we are; he thought.

"You would have liked him..." He started, as they sat together. Taking in the moment, he knew it would be a while before he would be back. Until we meet again, Dad...Luciana; he thought.