Megan

Megan scarcely left Zander’s side after their tearful hospital reunion. Their relationship blossomed quickly. But this time they both knew they were sure. They'd saved each other and in doing so, tore down any illusions that they could ever be just friends. Zander hadn't even been willing to let Megan go back to her room for the remainder of their hospital stay. He ordered a bed be brought to his room for her.

Secretly, Megan found Zander’s display of authority irresistibly sexy. Maybe there was something to having enough money to order around hospital staff? However, Zander's authority didn't hold the same clout once they returned to the James’ Estate.

Devon and Sam were unimpressed with Zander’s demands. They had no sympathy for his open affection for Megan, ordering them back to their separate rooms to "recover.” Sam and Devon were eventually relieved of their hall monitors duties when Cara arrived.

Sam’s father had stayed on as well to make sure everyone was getting the care they needed. And when Zander’s strength returned everyone sat down with him to address the disturbing truths Megan had uncovered while they’d been stranded in the forest.

Megan had been nervous telling everyone about Zander’s secret without his permission, but she knew he needed help and refused to see him suffer any longer. In the end Zander was grateful. Everyone rallied around him as Megan knew they would if he’d only asked.

Cara decided to move back into the James’ Estate. Having Cara, her cheerful fiancé and the children around only helped speed Zander’s recovery.

Sam’s father extended his stay in Ireland, taking the reins of Cor-Tec until Zander could get back on his feet. Thomas Connors implemented some major changes in the company as well, increasing personnel and support three-fold when he found out how overworked Zander had been.

Things with Sam and Devon were good, too. They had their own happy news to celebrate. After things calmed down with Zander and Megan’s rescue, they revealed they’d discovered the reason for Sam’s mysterious stomach flu. She was pregnant!

Megan had shrieked with joy when they told her. Sam was still shocked but it made her decision to slow down her overzealous university schedule pretty easy. Devon of course was over the moon. Megan had no doubt her friends would be incredible parents. And as her study abroad semester drew to a close she found she had gained so much more in Ireland than she’d ever imagined possible.

* * *

To celebrate Zander’s recovery and the end of Megan’s internship in Ireland, the two of them drove to Torc Falls. Megan wanted to conquer her fear of the place. Both she and Zander had admitted to each other that they still had nightmares where they were left freezing in the misty mountainside. She hoped coming back with Zander to celebrate making it through their ordeal together would help.

Zander parked in the waterfall’s visitor lot and Megan took his hand. They walked side-by-side on the gentle path that led to the falls until it narrowed into stairs. Zander let Megan go in front of him as they made their way down to the rushing base of the waterfall.

“I can’t believe this is where ye wanted to come on yer last weekend in Ireland,” Zander remarked, taking the stairs down to the gushing falls easily on his mended knee.

“What can I say?” Megan replied. “This place brought us together.”

“Aye,” Zander laughed. “Nearly killed us, but I suppose it was worth it.”

Megan turned around and stuck her tongue out at him. Zander pulled her close, plying her with kisses that made her toes curl. Sometimes Megan couldn’t believe the change in him. It was like she was living a dream. Since the accident he’d stopped living his life in fear and he’d become the man she knew he was all along.

“Thank you for coming here with me,” she whispered in his arms.

“Ye know I’ll go anywhere with ye, doll face.”

Megan grinned and then continued their trek down the stairs, Zander chatting merrily behind her.

“Don’t forget there’s still so much more to see,” he said. “I want to take ye to see the caves and the Aran Islands. And I think you’ll absolutely love Skeillg Michael.”

“We’ll get to do all of those things when I come back for summer break,” Megan said. “You’ll have three months to dazzle me.”

“I was thinking maybe ye could stay longer?” Zander replied.

“How much longer?” she asked as they reached the base of the falls.

“Like maybe forever?”

Megan turned around and almost lost her balance. Zander was down on one knee, blinding ring in hand. 

“No more maybes, doll face. What do ye say?”

“Yes! I say yes!” she squealed leaping into his arms.

Zander

Zander slipped the gargantuan diamond onto Megan’s finger and kissed her under the waterfall that had torn them apart and remade them. He’d never known love could feel so freeing, and as he held Megan in his arms, he knew he was done with maybes. Now his word was together, because there was nothing he couldn’t accomplish with this amazing woman by his side.