Kristin Westphalen paced nervously in the waiting room. She was a doctor, she knew the symptoms, and yet… she still could hope. She’d just now found Nathan and she was NOT giving up her new life without a fight.

She thought back to a year ago. She’d been working on seaQuest for several months and she and Nathan were getting really close. She was happy for the first time in a while. Truly, completely, blissfully happy. She had a job she loved, friends who cared, and maybe a lover…

It had started so subtly. She had trouble typing. Her left hand lagged behind her right a little. She shrugged it off. After seaQuest’s loss, she noticed she had trouble walking. There were other more troubling symptoms but she tried to ignore them.

But this… ”This I can’t ignore” she thought sadly. Her reverie was interrupted by the receptionist: “Dr. Westphalen, Dr. Paradise will see you now..”

She somehow found her way home. She had no idea how. Her brain was screaming “No! No! It can’t be…”

Nathan met her at the door. “Kris! Sweetheart! What is it?” She fell into his comforting embrace.

“Nathan, I have multiple sclerosis. They can do nothing for me.” He held her close murmuring quiet endearments as she dissolved in tears.

A week later: Kristin was up with the sun. Nathan held her as they watched the sun come up. “They’ll be all right, sweetheart. Cynthia and Lucas are strong. They can carry on without us.” She tried to smile through her tears.

“There’s so much we haven’t done. I can’t stand it, Nathan!” Her voice rose in despair.

“I won’t have you die in pieces!” Nathan raged. “It’s not right, but we have to go together Kris. Wouldn’t you rather be able to choose the place and person to spend your last moments with?”

She drew a ragged breath. “Yes, love. Yes.”

He held her hand as she injected the cocktail of drugs in her arm. “I love you, Red.”

“I love you too, Sailor. We won’t suffer, you know. We’ll go to sleep and never wake.” Her breathing evened and her whiskey-brown eyes closed. She drew a
breath… and was gone. Nathan laid her gently down on the bed. She really did look peaceful.

He picked up the syringe and pressed the plunger. “I’m coming love…”

Lucas found them, along with a note explaining why…

Nathan Bridger woke suddenly. He looked around him wildly. His eyes came to rest on a still form beside him. He touched the redhead’s cheek gently. “Thank God. It was only a dream..”

Kristin snuggled closer in her sleep, knowing that she was safe and loved. Nathan went back to sleep. Only a dream…