"Love Songs"

So this is just a little experiment. As you know I've been using song lyrics in my stories but some lyrics don't quite fit in anything that I'm currently working on.

These are all one shots. Each chapter tells a different story.

This story deals with Emily and her emotions after learning of Maya's possible death...

Rated T.

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Chapter 1: Love is Stronger than Death

Emily POV

I lie on my stomach on top of my bed thinking about last night, the tears still streaming down my face, unable to get those awful words my mom said out of my head, "They think it's Maya." Even though they removed a body from my backyard, I can't help but hope against hope that this really isn't happening, that she'll walk through my bedroom door and everything will be just as it was. But we all know that's not going to happen. The only thing I know for sure is that she was and always will be the love of my life…

The music in my headphones drowns out my thoughts as the words she sings resonate within me, "Love is Stronger than Death." I change the words as she sings making it personal for me and only me…

Love, love, love, love, love, love…

Me and my friend were walking in the cold light of morning. The tears blind my eyes but my soul is not deceived. In this world even winter isn't what it seems. But then, here it comes, the blue skies and here it comes springtime. When the rivers run high and the tears run dry, when everything that dies shall rise.

Love, love, love is stronger than death. Is love, love, love stronger than death?

In our lives we hunger for things we cannot touch, all the thoughts unuttered, all the feelings unexpressed play upon our hearts like the mist upon our breath. But awoken by grief, our spirits speak, "How could you believe that the life within the seed that grew arms that reached and a heart that beat and lips that smiled and eyes that cried, could ever die?"

Oh, here come the blue skies and here comes springtime. When the rivers run high and the tears run dry, when everything that dies shall rise.

Love, love, love is stronger than death. Yes, love, love, love is stronger than death. Oh Maya, love, love, love is so much stronger than death…

I open my eyes trying to find the clarity in the words but I'm wondering if I'm reading too deeply into them. I wipe my eyes calming my breathing trying to understand what all of this means. I start talking out loud thinking maybe if I hear my own voice then I can find the clarity I seek, "Oh yes Maya, our love is so much stronger than death. I will never be able to give my heart to another. And don't even try to make me."

"I won't," says a voice from behind startling me. I can't move. I know that voice. I can't look. I won't look. It's my mind playing tricks on me. And I don't find it funny at all!

"Go away! I just lost the love of my life and you're playing mind games with me!"

"No. No I'm not. It wasn't me. I'm here baby and I'm not going anywhere."

I feel the bed move. I feel a body lying next to me. I feel a hand gently caressing my back. I feel a hand move my hair to the side. I feel light fingertips caress my face. I feel warm breath against my cheek. I feel soft lips sweep against mine. I'm afraid to open my eyes. What if she's not there? What if I'm imagining her? What if my heart dies a second time?

"I love you baby. Look at me. I'm here. I'm right where I'm supposed to be. I'm right where I want to be. I'm with you."

Tears begin to stream down my face. My bottom lip starts to quiver. My entire body starts to shake. I feel welcoming arms wrap around me. I feel tender kisses on the top of my head. But I'm too afraid to look. I'm too afraid to get my hopes up. I'm too afraid to open my heart. I'm too afraid to love again…

"Baby, I'm real and I'm lying here with you in my arms holding you as close to my heart as I can. Please, baby look at me. Please baby, see me. Please baby, love me."

Those slender arms pull me in closer relaxing my body, my mind and my soul. I think I can do this. I have to do this. I can't let love leave me again. I won't allow myself to be afraid anymore…

I pull back slightly. I breathe in deeply letting my breaths out slowly. I tilt my head back. I open my eyes. I'm seeing! I'm feeling! I'm needing! I'm wanting! I'm loving so hard my heart might just explode! There, lying next to me is my beautiful, beautiful Maya…

My lips connect with hers longingly, my arms wrap around her unwilling to let anyone or anything try to take her away from me, never again.

We kiss with our hearts. We kiss with our souls. We kiss with our love, a love that most people can only dream about. We kiss until our lips fall away from each other. Not because we want the kiss to end but because we are emotionally and physically exhausted. I snuggle into my girl resting my head on her chest. I feel her steady breaths. I hear her heart beat in time to mine. She really is here. She really is real. She really is alive.

Oh love, love, love really is so much stronger than death…

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**That's it. Just a little something I wanted to say. I hope you're okay with that. Yes, no, maybe?

"Love is Stronger than Death" by Angela McClusky