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Sam's heart raced as he drove closer to the airport departures exit. He'd begged to take her alone, begged to get a few more minutes with her before he had to say his final goodbye. When her parents agreed he felt like he'd won some prize only to have his stomach drop at the realization that he wouldn't be seeing her anymore. He was walking her to goodbye.
They walked in silence, her small soft hand wrapped around his larger calloused one as he pulled her luggage with the other. This was really it. It was really over.
He's fought gallantly, slayed all the dragons in his path, rescued the damsel in distress only to have it all dissolve in a matter of months. And his body was left embattled and bruised while his heart was eviscerated. But it didn't matter. He had no regrets. How could he when he got to be with her? He wouldn't focus on the pain of losing her. Instead, he'd focus on the fact that she never belonged here. That she was destined to be greater, do greater things than this small town could offer. And he'd stand on the sidelines silently cheering her on every step of the way.
Because she was liquid gold, worth more than he could afford. More precious than he could hold. He could only remember how she felt running through his fingers. The fleeting memory of a fading time when she was his. No one could ever take that away from him.
And after they checked her bag and saw that her flight was scheduled to board soon he stiffened.
She looked over to him and hugged him tightly, sighing as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered into his shirt as he felt warm liquid pool there and heard her sniffle. He closed his eyes and gulped down the emotion that was threatening to tear him apart. Letting his hands wander he loosened his grip from her waist as his hand moved to her stomach and up her sides before settling on her back where he ran soothing circles. He'd do it all again if it meant he could hold her like this. She was perfection and he counted himself lucky to have spent a minute much less two years in her presence. He considered himself blessed to be loved by her. So he'd accept that he couldn't hold her like this again, that their intimate touches were only memories. That this body she'd allowed him to touch, rub, kiss, taste and lick would no longer be his. This body that took months to learn and master would go to someone else. And in time this heart that was purer and more real than any other he had the privilege of knowing would undoubtedly go to someone else too. It killed him. It was pure unadulterated pain and yet he still couldn't stop the grin forming because he got to hold her one last time.
One last time was all they had now. But they knew what came next. They were masters at saying goodbye. Of holding each other close and crying together as the word caved in around them. Still, it didn't make this any easier. This wasn't fair. He wanted more time. Needed more. But he was resigned to the fact that if he had 1,000 years more, it would still never be enough. He wanted forever.
He saw her lift her head up to meet his gaze and his chest tightened. What could he say? What words could he string together to tell her how much she means to him? How could he ever relay the impact she had on his life. He could thank her but that wasn't enough. She changed him, made every piece of his life better. She taught him how to be himself, how to love fully and freely. He'd had to grow up quickly, learn to be a man sooner than he should have, but she taught him how to be her man. And being Mercedes Jones' man was greater than any award or trophy or prize he could ever get.
She squeezed his hand and he knew he had to let her go. And there it was. The time had come to say the words he had been dreading since he found out about her recording contract. But looking at her now the words were stuck in his throat.
They were simple. It was just one word.
Two little syllables.
But he couldn't do it. Sighing he closed his eyes and whispered his last words to her. "Thank you."
She smiled sadly and wiped the tears from his eyes. Reaching up she placed a kiss on his cheek. "No Sam Evans. Thank you." He could hear the tears in her voice and it just about broke his heart. She hugged him quickly one last time before getting in line.
He had a million more words to say to her but as he watched her form diminish in the security line he knew 'thank you' was all he could handle for now. And hearing her response was all he could stomach without fighting his instinct to join her on the plane.
He stood rooted in that spot for an hour. He watched people hug their loved ones and wave them goodbye. He watched couples rejoice in each other and kiss their
hellos. He watched until he had the strength to move. Then he took a small step towards the parking lot. That was all he could muster for now.
Sam's heart was broken, but soon it would harden. Soon it would numb. It would no longer ache for her. It would find someone else too. Someone who wouldn't rip all the stars out of the sky. Someone who wouldn't make his heart race with one smile or slow with one tear. Someone who would never have all of it because it would always belong to Mercedes whether she wanted it or not. And to him that was the greatest tragedy of all.