by Carole Giorgio

Chapter 10 (Thursday morning)

The early morning rays of sun coaxed sapphire eyes into opening shortly before the blonde in her arms stirred. Alex lay feeling Samantha’s body rise and fall, ever so slightly with the slow, constant tempo of sleep. The dream the raven-haired beauty was focusing on, as she stared intently into the whiteness of the ceiling willing the visuals to reappear, was the same dream she always had when visiting Sedona. She knew in her heart it was time to stop denying that life existed for her before the here and now . . . before her life as she now knew it. The addition of her soulmate to this most recent adventure only increased her inner knowledge that reincarnation was not an imaginative creation cast into the world by mystics and dreamers. She was beginning to look forward to the regression promised by her moms, especially now when the dream was becoming more vivid than ever before. Last night she actually managed to see her face and she was remembering more of the dream upon awakening than she did in the past. She still felt funny about expressing her dream to anyone and kept it locked away in the deep recesses of her psyche.

Samantha stirred and she kissed the sleeping woman tenderly. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty; do you want to have an early breakfast?"

"Uh, huh." The answer was whispered and the body did not move until a few seconds later.

As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, Samantha told Alex that she was remembering having a really unusual dream. She thought the two of them were in it, but they didn’t look as they do now. "Funny thing, Alex . . . I think you were a man!" She giggled and the taller woman tickled her to increase the laughter and encourage Samantha to wake up.

"Stop . . . you’re . . . Alex." The blonde squirmed around in the bed trying to get out from under the larger woman’s strong grasp but to no avail.

When Alex finally did stop tickling, she was lying on top of the petite frame, face to face with the other half of her soul. It was more than just a desire to think that this gift from the Goddess was anything but her soulmate; the desire was quickly becoming a truth that could no longer be denied.

She leaned down the rest of the way and planted a morning kiss on first the lids of both sparkling eyes, the tip of the pert nose, and one peck on each cheek before softly placing her lips on those of her beloved.

"Hmmm, you taste good . . . But, I was trying to tell you . . ."

"That I was a man." Alex finished the sentence for her.

"It was only a dream Alex."

"You dream of men, Samantha?"

"Not just any man." The smile faded and a serious expression crossed the fair face. "If you would rather I kept my dreams to myself . . . "

"Are you capable of that?" Alex smiled, wanting the morning to go smoothly. "Keeping it to yourself?"

"Alex . . . "

"I’m kidding with you Samantha. Of course I want to hear all about your dream, but do you want to lay here and discuss dreams or get dressed and go eat breakfast?" The brunette had reacted curtly to Samantha’s mention of her dream, and she was sorry about that, but her reaction hinged on the reality of her own dream, which she was still unwilling to discuss. Her heart skipped a beat when Samantha mentioned that in her dream Alex was a man. She was a man in her dream, also. Not only was she a man, she was an Indian.

"Dreams later, I’m famished! Must have been that early morning swim." Samantha gave her lover a coy morning smile.

"At least we showered before sleeping so that little chore is out of the way. It seems to be one that takes more time than I ever remember it taking before." Alex had her lover smiling again and that was just the way she wanted this day to start out.

"We’ll be doing a lot of walking today, so be sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Lots of uneven ground around these parts, especially up at Tuzigoot and in Boynton Canyon."

"I’m excited about seeing the ancient ruins . . . " The sincerity in Samantha's voice was unmistakable.

"Yeah, well you could’ve fooled me," Alex turned and gave the blonde a crooked grin.

"Huh?" Samantha looked honestly puzzled at the statement.

"Last night . . . eh . . . early this morning, when we got into bed, I tried to give you a nice little philosophical explanation about how I felt about the Indians and you, my darling, fell quickly to sleep."

"Oh, Alex. I’m sorry, I . . . "

"It’s okay, I was tired too. My guess would be not quite as tired as you were, though. Anyhow, I’ll just have to bore you later today."

"Alex you don’t bore me . . . "

"Samantha – I’m kidding."

"I thought maybe you were but I wasn’t sure."

"No you didn’t; you thought you hurt my feelings and I was upset – I don’t get upset over little things like that," the brunette replied smiling broadly in the direction of the almost clothed beauty.

"It's just that you're so good at that 'poker face', it makes it difficult to tell when you are fooling around."

"That's part of the fun of kidding with you. You can never tell when I am. Come on – finish getting dressed. I'm going to make a quick call to the office and see how everything is going in our absence." She walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. It looked like they were going to be blessed with another beautiful day. Thanks to the Goddess for the weather and to Gary for inviting us. I think we are going to have a perfect day for sightseeing.

It seemed that the one breakfast food Samantha never tired of eating was pancakes and today was no exception. Both of the women ordered a full breakfast and then a stack of pancakes to split between them. Fully sated, they were more than ready to start on the daytime adventure Alex planned. On the way out of Sedona they stopped and purchased a couple insulated water bottles to carry around on their necks. Alex remembered to bring the digital camcorder this time so they could have some printed memories of the trip.

Finally settling into the Jeep, Alex turned to Samantha to fill her in on the first order of business. "I thought we’d go ahead and start with Montezuma’s Castle; it’s a little over a half hour from here. That way you won’t get tired of riding before we even get started."

"I won’t get tired of the drive, Alex. The scenery's too beautiful to become boring and . . . " she reached over and patted her lover’s knee. ". . . I’ve got the best company in the world."

"I’m glad you think so." The brunette smiled over at Sam. "I’ve been to most of these places quite a few times so I can tell you about them before we get there if you want. It might help pass the time."

"Sounds great, guide . . . inform away."

"Okay, let me see . . . I guess the best place to start would be with the Indians who occupied this region and who were responsible for the ancient dwelling we’re going to see. It’s funny I’ve always been drawn to these ruins and today I’m really excited about taking you there to see them."

"I know," Sam interjected. "This area feels almost like coming home, doesn’t it? I’ve never been here before and yet I feel like I have. I guess that’s what they refer to as Déjà vu."

"Yeah . . . " Alex glanced over at Sam and then continued with her explanation. "Where was I . . . the name of the Indians who lived here was the Sinagua Indians. These Indians came a long time before the Aztecs were known to be in the area, but when people first encountered Montezuma's Castle they mistakenly assumed it was built by the Aztecs."

"So, do you remember anything about these Singawa . . ."

"Sinagua Indians. Yes, I have always been interested in the ruins and the tribe. They are a very ancient tribe; history has them dating back to around 1070 AD, and their territory stretched from this area all the way to Phoenix. They were basically corn farmers, hunters, and gatherers. From the looks of the ruins they were cliff dwellers and they practiced water conservation, even then. Guess we could start taking some lessons from the ancients, huh?"

Keeping pace with the gorgeous landscapes that lined the highways since their arrival in the Sedona area, the scenery on the way to the site was spectacular. Within a short period of time, Alex was pulling into the park. The monumental structures found Samantha awe struck.

"Want to see if they are giving the tours today?" Alex asked after they paid the entrance fee and parked the Jeep.

"Sure."

They were in luck as the next scheduled tour was to begin in 10 minutes. While waiting, they picked up a few of the pamphlets used for the self-guided tours.

The guide walked them along the paved trail below the National Monument. She began by explaining that it was not a castle and that it had been abandoned close to a century before Montezuma was ever born. The structure was falsely named but still the name stuck.

She also expounded on the Sinagua Indians, telling the small group that the prehistoric people got their name from the Spanish words "sin", which means without and "agua", which means water.

"Guess that’s why they practiced water conservation," Alex leaned over and whispered into Sam’s ear.

Samantha smiled, shook her head and gave her lover a playful pat on the arm before turning back to listen to the ranger.

According to the guide, the Sinagua were one of the most ancient of tribes and historians, even today, argue over the exact years of their existence. Some believe the tribes origin started around 1000 AD, while others have said they existed as early as 500 AD. Some people believe there are no actual records of their existence until after the eruption of the volcano near today’s city of Flagstaff. It was that catastrophic event that was said to have forced them to begin assimilating elements from other cultures and strengthening their own in the process. Around 1300 AD, due to their migratory patterns, the Sinagua, as a separate tribe seemed to disappear. It was felt that they probably joined with other, stronger Indian nations around that period of time.

The attendant continued by telling the tourists that the limestone ruins were considered to be some of the best-preserved cliff ruins in the United States. The main structure reminded Samantha of a high rise apartment from hundreds of years ago. They could see that the structure was about five stories high and were informed that there were about 20 different rooms inside.

Below the ‘castle’ were more ruins of dwellings that consisted of close to 45 rooms. The bottom area was not as protected from the overhang of the cliff, and consequently, it was deteriorating more quickly than the cliff dwelling was.

When they were finished with the tour and taking pictures, Alex gave Samantha the choice of going on to Jerome or stopping at Montezuma’s Well, located a short ten minute drive away. The choice was easy and they were on their way to another of Arizona's intrinsic areas of beauty.

Within minutes after arriving at the Well, Alex knew the choice to stop here, before going to Jerome had been a good one. The tranquility of the area was mesmerizing.

"Oh Alex this is so peaceful," Samantha exclaimed as they walked down the path leading to the limestone sink.

"And to think this was caused by the collapse of a huge underground cavern."

"Do you think there are many of those still around this area?"

"Caverns?"

"Yeah."

"I don’t know Samantha. I suppose there could be; the area is riddled with rock formations. Who's to say that there aren’t more caves and caverns around, also." She put her arm around her lover’s shoulder as they walked toward the water.

Samantha stopped to read the sign as they entered the closest area to the reservoir. "Look at this . . . over one and a half million gallons of water a day flow through here. That’s a lot of water!"

"Yes, but read what it says about the flora and fauna."

Looking back down at the sign, the blonde finished reading about the underground springs and the plant and animal life that was found in the waters here and in no other waters on the face of the earth.

"This is really a special place, isn’t it Alex?"

"Yes and for once, people done something right by trying to keep it as one of our National treasures."

They stood looking out over the clear, still water, listening to the birds in the trees above them, and enjoying the soft breeze that was playing through their hair.

"I couldn’t have picked a more beautiful time of the year if I tried," Alex commented. With her arm still around the smaller woman’s shoulders, she leaned down and laid a soft kiss on the crown of Samantha's head. "I’m so blessed to be able to finally share this with you, Samantha."

The blonde looked up into sparkling blue eyes, made even brighter by the early afternoon sun. "I love you Alex. I’m glad we’re able to share this, also."

She put her arm around Alex's waist and stared across the water and into the ancient Indian dwellings. "If you look really close up into those compartments, you can almost imagine how the Indians lived so many years ago. They experienced a charmed life if you stop and think about it."

Alex gave her a puzzled look.

"I know." Samantha reacted to the question in her lover's eyes. "Day-to-day living was a lot more difficult. That's what you're thinking isn't it? But, you also need to take into account the fact that they didn't have to worry about the rent, the mortgage, or credit cards. The land supplied them with everything they needed to survive. Sure they worked at the farming, the gathering, or the hunting. But it was all here for them."

"You are such a romantic, Samantha. Only you would look at this grouping of stone homes and see the simplicity as a gift. And you wonder why I love you?" Alex gave her a quick squeeze.

"Where did you say we were going next?" Samantha asked.

"Jerome. It’s a small copper mining community about five minutes away from Tuzigoot, but it’s about 45 minutes from here. You ready?"

"Anytime you are."

Jerome was a nice little sidebar. As they pulled into the once thriving mining town, Samantha noticed that the storefronts were very decorative and that a lot of the merchandise was displayed outside the stores.

"It’s mostly another one of those little artist towns now," Alex informed her as they parked on one of the narrow side streets. "I figured we could have a nice lunch before heading over to Tuzigoot."

"That sounds like an excellent idea; it looks like they have quite a few places to chose from. Have you eaten at any of them."

"No. The last time I was here it was late on a Sunday and most of the town was closed up tight. One of the things that I did remember was the fact that some of the buildings seemed to be sliding down the cliff and that others of the older buildings looked about ready to fall down. But, looking around it seems as though they are still hanging in there and still looking like they are about to collapse." She laughed, pointing Samantha in the direction of a building that had definitely seen better days.

"I feel like we’ve stepped back 100 years, Alex. The streets are narrow, and the buildings all look like turn of the century architecture. So this was a mining town?"

"Yes, and from the history of the town, it was quite bawdy. Gambling, drinking, prostitution, you name it, Jerome offered it. If I remember correctly, the mines contained copper, gold, and silver and made a few people very wealthy."

"Gold miners . . . you have to give those people credit. That must have been a horrible to way to live." Samantha did not catch the pensive look on her lover’s face when they talked about the mining of gold ore. "I don’t know why, but I have a soft spot in my heart for people who put their all into trying to better themselves like that."

"You don’t think they were just too lazy to get a real job?"

"Lazy? How could you say that Alex? Can you imagine the hardships they suffered out in the elements day after day? Just think about it – all that suffering and some of them never realized their dream."

"But what of the ones that did, Samantha. How do you feel about them?" The question was softly asked and Alex waited patiently for the answer.

"I feel if they didn’t hurt anyone on the way up and continued to be decent people, then they deserved the fruits of their labors, so to speak. If I were out in all kinds of miserable weather, battling the elements, as well as other people, who were trying to accomplish the same goal as me, and I, by the grace of the Gods hit a mother lode . . . well . . . I would certainly feel that I deserved it, especially after all that was given up along the way." She looked up into Alex's baby blues and smiled. "You know, The Unsinkable Molly Brown is one of my favorite movies."

"You are such a pushover." Alex pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek. "That’s one of the reasons I love you so much."

"One of the reasons you will not Like me is because I get very grouchy when I am hungry."

"Are you trying to tell me it’s time to eat?"

"Most definitely," the small blonde answered, pointing in the direction of the nearest restaurant.

They ate a leisurely lunch in one of the small restaurants, the walls of which were covered with pictures of Jerome as it looked in the late 1800s. In actuality the town didn’t appear much different today, but the women were assured that most of the buildings were refurbished making them definitely more habitable.

The waitress possessed a plethora of knowledge concerning the little community and even took a break pulling up a chair and sitting as she told the young women some of the history of the small mining town.

She began by telling them that back as early at the 15^th century, when the Sinagua, Hohokams, Anasazi, and Apache Indians still thrived in the area, the Spaniards made their presence known. The Indians of the region had been gracious enough to share with the newcomers and showed them their copper mines, but the Spaniards did not see any of the gold they so desperately desired. What they didn’t know was that whereas most mining towns laid claim to only one ore that brought them fame, Jerome was blessed with copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. Unfortunately for the Spaniards, in their disappointment they looked no further and moved on leaving the gold to remain in the mines. It wasn’t until the late 1800s, practically 300 years later that the potential for gold mining was realized. One of the riches mines in the area produced in excess of $1 billion dollars in the rich ores flowing from the land and the city of Jerome resided just northeast of that mine.

She spoke of the melting pot the small mining town became and the changes it underwent as it housed both the exceedingly rich and their counterparts, the exceedingly poor. She left the women to mull over their history lesson, while she went to get their food.

Upon returning with the meals, she assured them that although the town didn’t look much different today than it did all those many long years ago, looks could be deceiving, and that all the buildings were quite functionally sound and refurbished.

When they were just about finished with their meal, Alex glanced down at her watch. "Samantha, Tuzigoot is only about five minutes away and I'd like to be there around three if you’re about ready to go?"

"Hey, anytime you are, but you know we really don’t have to rush if you want to look around the town more." Her green eyes sparkled in the sunshine that was cascading in through the open-shuttered window.

"Well, it’s going to take us a while to look around the ruins and I wanted to get to Boynton Canyon before the sun set today. We have the camping trip planned for tomorrow and Saturday, and we’ll be leaving on Sunday so that doesn’t leave us much time."

Finishing off the last of her tea, Samantha smiled over at her lover. "Well, then shall we go visit an Indian ruin?"

Alex paid the tab and within five minutes after getting back into the Jeep, the women found themselves standing in front of a sign designated Tuzigoot National Monument. Unlike Montezuma’s Castle that was built into a cliff side, these ruins were constructed on a hilltop near the Verde River.

"By the Gods, Alex, this gives me chills just standing here," Samantha whispered as her small hand interlocked with that of her lover’s. "I feel as though I’ve just come back to somewhere I've been before . . . only now it’s all changed."

Alex looked down in awe at the response Samantha was having to the ruins of what seemed to have been a large village. Chills ran up and down her spine as she remembered her first reaction to the prehistoric structure. Slipping her hand from Samantha’s she put an arm around the smaller woman’s shoulders. Bending down she murmured into the blonde’s ear. "I had the exact same reaction on my initial visit here."

Emerald eyes gazed up into pools of crystal blue. "You did?"

"Yes." Alex acknowledged. "It was almost like coming home."

The two lover’s stood quietly for a few minutes looking out across the expanse of rock croppings and what was left of a two-to-three story ancient apartment complex that contained somewhere in the vicinity of 110 rooms. When they finally did begin to walk among the ruins, they did so hand-in-hand, never losing touch with one another as they walked through in an almost ritualistic haze. Few words were spoken, until they stopped just inside the doorway of one of the partially intact rooms. Alex entered first and extended her free hand to assist Samantha in walking over the debris that littered the ancient portal. As long slender fingers touched those of the smaller woman, there was a surge of electricity that passed through the lovers and with mouths agape they stared, into each other’s eyes. Looking into the emerald mirrors of Samantha’s soul, Alex, for a split second caught the glimpse of another green-eyed beauty with hair the color of spun gold and skin the color of a newborn fawn. She gasped at the vision in her mind’s eye that disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Alex did you feel that?"

"Yes, Samantha, I did." It was all the tall woman could do to keep her knees from buckling under her.

"It felt like the room was welcoming us home." She looked down at her arms and then held them out for Alex to see. "Goosebumps. Look, I’m covered with goosebumps."

Alex lifted her own arm to reveal the same reaction of her skin to the mystifying experience. There was an eerie stillness in the small room, as the two women stood, staring at each other. When the silence was broken they both began speak at once.

"Seems as though I . . ." Alex's voice cracked with emotion.

"Wow." Samantha exclaimed, as she put her arm around Alex’s waist. "Do you think we lived here before? That we were Sinagua Indians?"

"I am beginning to seriously lean in that direction. Reincarnation might just be the viable explanation to our reaction to this area. Kind of weird, isn’t it?"

"Yes, it is." Samantha looked up into a face displaying almost as much confusion as her own. "You know, Alex, it’s one thing to espouse the idea of reincarnation and a totally different experience to actually come upon a place where you feel you are actually reliving an episode from a past life." Sam shivered and Alex held her close, surrounding her in the warmth of two strong arms.

They continued to explore the ruins before entering the Visitor Center where many of the artifacts dug up in the surrounding area were housed. After spending some time studying the stone axes, pottery, primitive tools and jewelry, they decided it was time to move on if they wanted to have enough time to visit the Canyon on their way back to the resort. Travel back to Sedona would take nearly an hour, but there would still be a few hours of sunlight to allow them to experience one of the most popular of the vortex sites.

The trip back toward Sedona was introspective as each of the women focused on the energy and emotions that were summoned forth in the ruins of Tuzigoot. Each of them reviewed the memory-like feelings that, had they compared with each other, they may have found were very similar in nature. When they did speak they mostly mulled over all the information received about the surrounding area from the tour guides and the waitress in Jerome, avoiding the more personal aspects. Each was slightly afraid to voice her mind, thinking that perhaps her imagination was simply running overtime in the visited antiquities. Samantha was sure Alex would tease her about her imagination getting the best of her and call her a hopeless romantic and dreamer. Alex, on the other hand, was battling with denial of what she saw and felt in the primitive structures that were so steeped in history.

The day would have been full, even without the visit to Boynton Canyon, but Alex wanted Samantha to experience this totally balanced vortex which encompassed both the yin and the yang energies. She turned onto Dry Creek Road and drove toward the parking lot adjacent to the walking trail.

After getting out of the car Alex informed Samantha that the trail they wanted was near the 30-foot knoll she was pointing to.

"It seems as though the energy is strongest around that small hill." Alex informed her lover.

''Even the trees can't seem to decide which way to bend here, Alex. Look how twisted these Junipers are."

"They do look a bit distracted, don't they?" She placed her hand in the smaller woman's and led her up and around the tree-lined mound. "It's not difficult, but it's quite a hike up to the Indian ruins, are you up to it after all we've already done today?"

"Sure, might as well exhaust myself . . . I know I'll sleep good tonight." The petite blonde looked up into eyes that caught the rays of the late afternoon sun and sparkled as though they were sapphires with miniscule diamonds etched into them. She smiled and squeezed the strong hand of her mate as they continued on.

Pointing with her free hand, Alex brought Samantha's attention to the resort laid out below them. "The name of the establishment is Enchantment Resort. From the surroundings you can see how the name is appropriate. We're going to veer away from here a little way up that path."

At first the trail was easy and extremely well worn, but once they veered to the right it became less so. Within the span of approximately a quarter mile they approached two caves housing Indian ruins. The practice on the climbing wall came in handy as the two inched toward the shelter but the exertion was well worth the reward when they got to the top and entered the grotto.

"These are only a few of the ruins in this canyon, Samantha. This entire area is covered with old dwellings. The Sinagua built the homes to take advantage of the most available light so most of them are built facing where the sun can reach them the easiest." Alex picked the ideal season to visit Sedona or rather Samantha picked the ideal time of the year to be born. The area was void of any other hikers and there was an eerie silence surrounding the canyon as they walked among the homes of the ancient Indians.

Not satisfied with looking down on ground level the two women decided they would rock climb to the upper ruins. The trail was diminished by this time and they were pretty much on their own as they picked an area and began to climb. When they reached the ledge that had been visible from below, the vista was breathtaking.

"Come on, I've never gone any higher than here, but I've been told that the views keep getting better and better. There is a pool hidden amongst the boulders back beyond this shelf, or so I've been told." Grabbing Samantha's hand the dark-haired beauty led the way toward the back of the ledge and past a grove of prickly pear cactus. When she came upon the pool, she stopped and waited for Samantha to stand beside her. The trail had been rough and narrow, and they were unable to travel side-by-side.

"Oh, Alex." Samantha exclaimed as she looked over the clear, unruffled water of the secret pool. "It's like a magical hideaway."

"It's magical because you are standing here with me," Alex commented.

Samantha stood on a small flat rock, which allowed her the height to look directly into eyes that were a perfect match for the late afternoon sky. "I love you more than you'll ever know," she professed as she threw her arms around Alex's neck and hugged her tightly before giving the raven-haired beauty a passionate kiss.

Moments passed and neither one of the women wanted to break the embrace and shatter the atmosphere. Finally Alex pulled away. "There are supposed to be some fascinating ruins up past that hole in the rock wall." She pointed slightly above them. "I'm told they are beyond this rock ledge over here to the right.

"I'm directly behind you Alex. Go ahead and lead the way."

The rock ledge narrowed and then they were facing a sheer cliff side with no where to go but up. "Do you feel like you have enough rock wall climbing lessons to tackle this, Samantha?"

"It's now or never, my love. Time I put some of that practicing into real life."

Very carefully, slowly, and in single file, they kept climbing higher, up a large tree stump and holding onto small ledges as they proceeded approximately 20 feet to the top of yet another ledge. Pulling themselves up and into standing positions, they beheld a view that was usually only seen by airplane pilots, adventurous hikers such as themselves, and angels. With hearts pounding from the climb and the thin atmosphere, the two women looked out over the expanse of trees and red rock onto a wonderland of the imagination. There was not a telephone or electricity pole in sight, or any other significant trace of a civilization that was only a heartbeat away. They stood in silence, taking in the spectacular vista of the canyon in all its radiant splendor.

"I feel so close to . . ."

"Heaven." Alex finished the sentence for her. "This makes me wish I could set up house and live here forever." She pulled Samantha closer as they stood almost as one figure, high on a ledge overlooking the canyon, small creatures dwarfed by the enormity and awed by the majesty of the tall trees and the red rock.

When they finally turned around toward the cliff they came face-to-face with the mouth of the upper ruins.

"You know I didn't think about it before, but we don't even have a phone with us. We've brought no equipment, no food, and we're almost out of water. If something were to happen . . ."

"Nothing's going to happen, Alex. We've been very careful getting up this high and we'll be careful getting down. Now is not the time to start worrying about what we didn't bring."

"You're right. Let's go explore this archaic home."

As they were turning to walk toward the threshold of the dwelling, a clap of thunder came from out of no where and the sky opened up drenching them before they could take cover.

"Where did that come from?" Alex asked as she turned back around, looked up and over the outcropping that protected the ancient home from just such a downpour.

"I don't know. I guess we were looking in the wrong direction," Samantha giggled. "At least it won't last long, or the storms never seem to. But the scheduling is a little off. They usually occur close to noon."

They stood, wrapped around each other, watching as the droplets continued to fall giving the landscape an entirely different appearance. Shimmers of mist arose, as the cool liquid hit the hot vegetation and rocks. The sky did not darken, and the sunlight played with the water as it tripped over the red rock and dripped off the trees. True to Samantha's words the rain did not last but maybe five minutes and as quickly as it came, it disappeared, leaving in it's wake the rush of a clean crisp breeze as it swept through the canyon.

Once again they turned toward the entrance to the dwelling, and as Alex reached out a hand to her partner, the sense of electricity, unlike any she had ever experienced before today, made an encore performance. Trying to recapture the image that darted before her eyes earlier, she held out her other hand to complete the circuit and looked into Samantha's pools of emerald green. When their eyes met, the shadows in the cave seemed to disappear leaving them standing in a sunlit room free of the debris that now surrounded them. Alex stared into the same beautiful eyes that she always did when looking at her Destiny, but the face before her was not Samantha's.

This stranger, staring back at Alex, had darker hair and her skin was a light brownish/red color. Except for the eyes, the features were definitely those of a stranger, but the feeling of attachment was strong. As soon as she loosened her hold on the small blonde's hands the image disappeared and the room returned to its semi-shadowed state.

"Alex." Samantha whispered. "I think I'm dreaming with my eyes wide open. I just imagined a vision of a gorgeous Indian brave, with hair as black as coal and beautiful bronze skin. But, Alex . . . his eyes . . . they were identical to yours! Is that crazy or what?"

"Did you say 'he', Samantha?"

The brunette sat down on the nearest large rock and looked up into the face of confusion.

"What's the matter Alex? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you feeling okay?" She knelt down beside the seated woman and started to take her hands.

"No."

"Alex?"

"Every time I touch you in one of these ruins I get a glimpse of a person who has the essence of you but the looks of a stranger. The only recognizable feature is the eyes and they are unmistakably yours. I thought I was having some sort of hallucination, but now it seems that you have been having one of your own."

"That woman at the crystal shop said I possessed psychic abilities, maybe you do too, or maybe the two of us together . . . "

"Samantha that sounds crazy; you know that don't you?"

Samantha put her head into Alex's lap. "It might sound crazy, but Alex it's been happening. Stranger things have happened. Maybe we lived here before, you know, in another lifetime."

"I have to admit it's getting harder and harder to find fault with that reasoning. Wait until Mom hears about this; she'll eat it up." She ran her hands through the fine blonde hair at her fingertips then leaned down and gave Samantha a kiss. "All my life I've fought my mother's beliefs, trying to find a truth of my own to live by. As it's turning out hers is the truth I will probably end up living with. That regression is beginning to sound better and better to me as the days progress."

Samantha stood, a huge smile covering her face. "I am so happy to hear you say that, Alex. I'm really looking forward to the regression and now you're honestly ready to embark on it and not doing it simply because it's something I want to experience."

"But you said the Indian you saw was a male."

"We can come back as either sex you know." She smiled up at her lover.

"Yes, I know that. It's a little bit of a shock, that's all; first your dream and now this."

"You were as beautiful a man as you are a woman Alex. What I don't understand is why the blue eyes on an Indian."

"Maybe you were just seeing what was already comfortable to you, so you would know it was really me."

"Perhaps . . ." Sam paused, reliving the episode in her mind's eye. "The combination was awesome."

Alex took the blonde's face into her hands and tilted it until their eyes met. This time it was only Samantha looking back, not the beautiful Indian maiden she had glimpsed earlier.

"Samantha," the soft contralto was almost inaudible as a slight wind circled through the remains of a long ago abode. "I've been having a recurrent dream, and it's been more vivid since we've been here. In my dream I am an Indian brave. The reality of this has shaken my belief system, or rather I guess I should say has stabilized it in my Mother's corner. It's one thing to believe in reincarnation and another to actually be shown who we might have been in a former life."

"But Alex that's such a gift." Samantha continued to stare into the sapphire pools of her lover's soul, searching deeper for the understanding she knew lay just below the surface.

"Honey, I think we'd better start back down before the sun begins to set. I don't want to have to spend the evening up here, even if we once called this place home. It's a bit unsettling." Alex tried her best to put a little levity into a situation where she felt none. At this point in time she wasn't sure how she was going to handle the visions and dreams. At least she wouldn't have to go through the experience alone, and Samantha seemed to think it a great adventure. She mentally reprimanded and reminded herself that the Universe only gave what one was able to handle and that we are not given the truths until we truly want to know the answers. Perhaps it was her time and the situations were simply being put into motion to play out at her convenience.

"It might take us a little longer to get back, Samantha, but I think I saw a path leading downward once we get off this ledge. I'm afraid the rocks might be a little slippery now after the rain."

"I don't know." The blonde squatted down and picked up a handful of pebbles that had been out in the cloudburst. "These seem dry already. I think the rocks welcomed the rain and soaked it in immediately. But if you want to take the path, that's fine with me; we'll get a different view that's for sure." She stood up and brushed her hands on her shorts. "Want me to go first?"

"No, I'll go first." Alex suggested.

"Right, so you can be there at the bottom if I need to be caught." Samantha smiled at her lover, remembering the first night they met.

"I always intend to be there waiting, Samantha." Alex smiled back and began her descent.

The suggestion to take the path, instead of climbing all the way down to where they started, did take them a little longer. But, as Samantha pointed out they were met with new and interesting sights, including getting a closer look at the mountain manzanita and a glimpse of a small pack of mule deer grazing in the shrubbery ahead of them. A short distance down the path after the first ledge, Samantha bent over and picked up a naturally shaped walking cane lying on the ground next to one of the manzanita trees.

"Am I allowed to take this with me, or would it be considered destroying the landscape?"

"Why don't you use it for hiking while we're here in Sedona and then when we're ready to leave you can decide if you want to take it or leave it here."

"Sounds like a plan. That way I have some time to talk to my conscience." Looking over at Alex she took on a serious demeanor. "You know that I will be absolutely famished by the time we get to the car?"

"There is no doubt in my mind." Alex replied.

Samantha leaned into the staff and they continued making their way toward the bottom of the path and the parking lot.

By the time they reached the Jeep the sun was well on it's way to setting. It had been hours since they had eaten or drank anything and both of the women were parched and hungry as well as being exhausted from climbing and hiking around the ruins and the canyon. The day had been warm and the combination of sun and exertion was catching up with them. Some people only took in one or two attractions in a day; they, on the other hand, visited a castle, a well, ruins, a town, and hiked in the canyon.

Alex suggested they order a pizza, and a couple salads, and take everything back up to the rooms. She received no argument from Samantha. Twenty minutes outside of town Alex put in the call and by the time they arrived at the pizza shop, their order was ready to be picked up.

The first thing they did when they got to the rooms was change out of their clothes into nightshirts. Alex began getting the food out and drinks poured, while Samantha fooled with the channels on the television. There was a satellite connection in all the rooms, and within minutes the blonde had tuned in an old Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant movie, 'An Affair to Remember.' With the pizza sitting on the coffee table in front of them, they relaxed, watched TV and ate.

Alex never intended for them to watch the entire film, but it was obvious by the look of enchantment on Samantha's face that the television would not be getting turned off until 'The End' came on the screen. With the pizza and salads gone, Samantha cuddled over next to Alex and the tall woman put her arms around the smaller, as the blonde nestled, her back to Alex's chest.

"I just love this movie." Samantha tilted her head and looked up into her lover's eyes.

"Okay, I'm watching." Alex answered.

"Simply watching? Don't you think it's one of the most romantic movies you've ever seen?"

Alex placed a gentle kiss on the silky crown before her. "To tell you the truth, I don't think I've ever watched it all the way to the end."

"Alex! How could you not?"

"Easy . . . you pick up the clicker . . . " which she did with a grin, "and . . ." she rested her finger above the red power button, her eyebrow arching as she looked down at the disbelieving face looking back up at her during the commercial, "you push this button to turn off the . . . "

"Alex don't you DARE!" Samantha screamed.

The brunette threw up her arms in surrender. "Okay, okay . . . I was only kidding." She put the remote down on the table beside the couch and placed both arms around the woman reclining on her.

"You are going to see the end tonight." Samantha determined.

The dark-haired woman laughed quietly. "I had a funny feeling you were going to say that."

Forty-five minutes later Alex received a sharp jab in the ribs and jolted upright. "Whatcha do that for?"

"Because you're snoring, and if you don't stop, neither of us will get to hear the end of this movie!"

"All right . . . you have my attention."

"Where did you fall asleep?"

"Damn, Samantha, I don't know."

"Did you hear them make the promise on the boat?"

"The one to meet one another?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Good, now please stay awake, Alex, and watch this."

"I'm trying, Honey, but it was a long day and I did all the driving."

"It's only a little longer, Alex."

During the next commercial Alex got up, stretched her legs, and refreshed their drinks, while Samantha gabbed on about the parts of the movie she missed, due to falling asleep. About the time Sam caught her up to the where the film was now, the feature was coming back on.

The scene opened with a shot of the Empire State Building, and Alex could feel Samantha tensing up, so she gently rubbed the smaller woman's shoulders and whispered in her ear. "If this movie upsets you so, why do you continue to watch it?"

"Wait until the end; you'll understand." Samantha whispered back, not taking her eyes off the television screen.

A few minutes elapsed and Cary Grant found his way to Deborah Kerr's apartment to take her a present his aunt had left for Terry, Deborah Kerr's character. She was sitting on the couch and didn't even bother to get up to answer the door . . . it was open.

Sam started crying in the middle of a very strained conversation between the two characters and continued to sniffle as Cary Grant walked from room to room, desperately looking for something, and jabbering on like a babbling fool. When he found what he was searching for, Samantha let out a deep sob, tears falling uncontrollably down her wet face.

The scene following was, indeed, heart wrenching, but Alex could not help but smile through glistening eyes as she listened while Deborah Kerr spoke, and in unison with her, Samantha mouthed and whispered in a voice cracking with emotion, "It was nobody's fault but my own. I was looking up. It was the nearest thing to Heaven. You were there."

The blonde turned her head and looked up at Alex. "Isn't that the most beautiful proclamation of love you've ever heard?" Samantha asked, tears still streaming down her face, as she sobbed trying to catch her breath.

"You find that entertaining? Look at you? You're pitiful!" She drew the smaller woman close and wiped away the tears with her nightshirt. "What a chick flick!"

"Alex!"

"I'm only kidding, Samantha. It was a beautiful story and I'm glad you woke me up to see the end. How many times have you seen it?"

"I don't know, maybe six or eight."

"Six or eight times? All the way through?"

"Yes, I love the end!"

"You're too much . . . do you think we could go take a shower now? I feel gritty from traipsing through all those ruins today, and you certainly could use a little water on that face of yours." She grinned at Samantha as she pulled her up from the couch and headed her in the direction of the bathroom.

"I totally agree we need to get the dust off," Samantha agreed turning her head to face Alex, but continuing toward the bathroom. "But how about a Jacuzzi instead? I have a feeling we, at least I'm going to have sore muscles in the morning."

"Jacuzzi it is." Alex gave no argument. "But, if we're going to do that, how about a glass of wine?"

"You don't have to twist my arm for that." Samantha smiled as she watched Alex turn and head in the opposite direction. "I'll get the mood setters," she called after her lover.

After she sprinkled some of the scented bubbling oil into the tub and turned the water on, she strategically placed and lit a few of the candles she had purposely left in the bathroom for just such an occasion. By the time Alex came back, the atmosphere of the room was set. The vanilla wafting through the air from both the candles and the bubbles gave the room the fragrant aroma of a candy shop with the most tempting of confections resting with her eyes closed, her head against a water pillow up to her neck in bubbles.

Alex quietly placed the glasses on the edge of the tub, took off her nightshirt and barely rippled the water as she stepped into the warm liquid and over to where Samantha was sitting. For a minute she simply sat next to the rhythmically breathing blonde, staring through the soft candlelight flickering onto the features of the face she couldn't imagine not waking up to each morning. I am so lucky you came into my life, Samantha. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with some of the time, but with you by my side I can't go wrong. I will love you forever, my Destiny, and after what I glimpsed today, I do believe I've loved you before.

The raven-haired beauty leaned over and gently kissed Samantha on the ear before whispering, "You smell good enough to eat."

"Hmmm . . . it's the candles." Samantha mumbled as she turned her head, without opening her eyes, to receive a kiss.

Alex covered Samantha's partially opened mouth with her own, allowing her tongue entrance to the inviting warmth beyond her lover's lips.

"No," The raven-haired beauty murmured without relinquishing her prize. "The sweetness is definitely you."

Samantha smiled and pulled away slightly. "You're prejudiced."

"You bet your sweet ass I am." Alex grinned as she pulled the smaller woman onto her lap. "Even in this candlelight I can see that you got yourself some sun today. You're not sore are you?"

"No. It's just a little pink. You, on the other hand, are bronzing up again." Samantha ran her fingers over Alex's strong shoulders and down her biceps, picking an arm out of the bubbling water and examining the tan that her lover so easily acquired. "I wish I could tan as quickly as you do."

"I like you exactly as you are," Alex insisted, pulling her closer, their breasts touching as they floated on the water.

Samantha ran her fingers through Alex's dark tresses on either side of her head, her arms ending up around the taller woman's neck. "I never want to be without your arms around me, Alex. Does that sound ridiculous?"

"Not to my ears it doesn't," came the instant reply.

"I hope we never tired of looking at each other, touching each other, talking to each other. I know things are still really new for us, but Alex something in my heart tells me I'll never grow tired of being with you."

"Well you keep listening to that something, my Destiny, because that something is absolutely right." Strong hands gently filtered through golden locks until her hands were cradling Samantha's head. She drew the smaller woman closer and into a passionate kiss, feeling the blonde's nipples hardening despite the warmth of the tub's gently flowing waters.

Alex allowed one arm to travel down her lover's back, engulfing the firm buttocks and then changing direction to swirl gracefully around to mingle with the soft golden curls surrounding Samantha's nether lips. Even in the water she could feel the difference between the tub's liquid and the silky fluid coming from her soul mate's excitement. The sound of a soft moan and the feel of the erect nub in Samantha's depths made her smile to know the affect she had on her lover.

Ever so slowly she entered Samantha one finger at a time, slowly, methodically, increasing speed and force as Samantha's body indicated. "I love being inside you, Samantha," she whispered softly and received another moan in return as Samantha tightened her grip on the taller woman's neck.

"Gods Alex . . ." Samantha almost screamed.

Alex placed her thumb on the swollen nub so that with each rise and fall of the smaller woman's body the nub would be stroked, increasing Samantha's … as Alex expertly brought her to climax.

"Alex . . . "

"What my love?"

"Oh, Alex . . . ahhhhh . . ." The blonde pushed down against Alex's upwardly rising fingers as they reentered her body with ease.

"Come for me Samantha." It became a mantra that Alex whispered into her lover's ear as it passed by her lips in both the upward and downward direction.

The raven-haired beauty increased the speed and pressure of her movements. In anticipation of orgasm, Samantha's fingers dug into Alex's back, her arms squeezing their bodies together until there was not even room for water to pass between them. She held Alex in a grip while shuddering with the release of emotions that seemed to travel from her very depths throughout her entire being.

With the release of all her tensions, she crumpled in a heap, her head resting on a strong shoulder. A final shudder and squeeze before her entire body went limp on Alex.

"Think you'll sleep good tonight, my love?" Alex asked, relishing in the knowledge that Samantha was completely sated.

"No doubt about it, but do I have to get out of the tub?"

"Most definitely. You'll shrivel up and be a wrinkled mess by morning if you sleep here." She picked up the glasses on the side of the tub and handed one to Samantha.

"Oh, this will definitely put the crowning touches on making sure I sleep like a log." The blonde took the goblet and clanked it on Alex's. "Thank you for a wonderful day and a marvelous ending."

"My pleasure." Alex smiled. "Any time."

Minutes later they were snuggled comfortably in the middle of the king size bed, surrounded by the extra room they only used when making love.

"I really did have a great time today, Alex." Samantha cuddled her head into her lover's chest.

"I did too, Samantha. I've always enjoyed the ruins, but today was definitely a new experience. Maybe it's time I consciously started getting in touch with my higher self. I've fooled around with meditative manifestations occasionally but never really seriously.

"Meditative manifestations?" Samantha pushed up on one elbow, a confused look on her face.

"Didn't Mom use that term in any of her books?" Alex asked.

"Gee, I don't seem to recall it, but then there are so many new ideas she relates, it's hard to remember them all with only one reading. I was thrilled when she came out with the tapes, but now I don't seem to have the time to sit and listen."

"You don't have to sit and listen," Alex retorted. "Samantha, all you have to do is call her."

Samantha scooted around on the bed until she was sitting up, her left hand playing with the strands of hair covering Alex's forehead.

"I don't want to be bothering her with trivial stuff like that, I'm sure she has much more . . ."

"Don't be silly!" Alex interrupted. "She eats it up! You're a writer; how do you feel when someone wants to discuss your stories with you?"

"But Alex, I'm just a novice . . . Mom is . . . "

"Is a person with a very large ego, and she loves you. Questions from you would only serve to make her more impossible to live with . . . " mischief sparkled in the sapphire eyes looking up into her angel's face. "But since Kelley is the one doing the living with, what do I care." Alex reached up and pulled Samantha down on top of her. "We need to get some sleep tonight, my Destiny. I have an extremely busy next couple of days planned for us."

"I know, it's just we have so many subjects we haven't breached yet and . . . "

"And we have a lifetime to thoroughly analyze them all." With Samantha's lips so close there was no way this conversation was going to end without a kiss.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Samantha remembered something she negated to ask earlier in the day.

"Oh, Alex . . . I forgot to ask you this morning . . . how are things at home? How's Rainbow?"

"Samantha Riley, can you say, Mood Breaker?" The dark-haired beauty grinned into solemn emerald eyes and gave her sunshine a quick peck on the cheek.

"Everything is fine, Samantha. There were a few things Kim needed to discuss with me but they weren't urgent. Angel is getting along pretty good with the 'rent a therapist' but sometimes tends to overstep her boundaries and needs to be reeled back just a little. There was a hint of something else in Kim's voice, but she insisted everything was fine and for us not to worry about anything and have a nice vacation."

"Rainbow . . . Alex did you ask about Rainbow?"

"Rainbow who?"

Samantha punched her playfully in the abdomen.

"Ouch! Of course I asked about Rainbow. Kim said she's as spoiled as ever and insists on sleeping in bed with her. She thinks she's grown some since we've been gone."

"Oh, I hope not too much," Samantha whined. "Maybe she won't remember us when we get home."

"Of course she will; that's ridiculous. No one pampers that little ball of fluff like you do, Samantha." She stroked the fine golden hair and gently squeezed her lover closer.

"Okay, enough talk for tonight or I'll never get you out of bed in the morning. It's time to go to sleep Samantha."

"Good night, Alex."

"Sweet dreams, Honey."

With Samantha back in her sleeping position and safe in the recess of Alex's arm it seemed like only seconds before the small blonde was breathing the constant breath of sleep. Alex closed her eyes and replayed the highlights of the day's activities on her mind's screen. She willed herself to conjure forth the image of the fair-haired Indian maiden who carried the soul of her Destiny in her eyes and then placed the tall, dark-haired brave beside her. So, I was an Indian warrior. That's fine with me, as long as I ended up with the most beautiful young woman in the village. She smiled inwardly and gave her beloved a slight squeeze.

Samantha made a purring sound as she snuggled even closer to her heart's desire.

"I love you Samantha." Alex whispered.

"Hmm, love you, too." Samantha answered.

It never ceased to amaze the dark beauty that no matter how deeply her lover slept, a whispered word of affection always received an answer. It was as though they were bound together no matter what the state of mind. She smiled again and closed her eyes, offering her nightly meditation of thanks to the Goddess for allowing her to – once again – find Samantha. In a world full of lost souls the Goddess had certainly been looking out for their two solitary spirits as they stumbled through life in search of one another.

Alex was now sure the Universe was involved in their meeting and perhaps even in the making of this trip to one of the most mystical and spiritual areas of the United States. Her mother always told her that growth and knowledge were two of the main reasons souls returned to this earth time and time again. Today the daughter was finally beginning to understand the messages her mother began instilling in her from birth, and before joining her mate in sleep, she sent out a silent thank you to the mother she had chosen for this stay on the small planet we call Earth.

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