"But you have to go."
Matt's words cut deep into Emily's heart, breaking it into hundreds of pieces. She felt the warm sting of tears daring to fall from her eyes. No, she wouldn't cry. Not now, not like, not in front of him. She was strong.
"I can't let anything else matter anymore." He said.
His words broke her restraints. Emily smiled sadly. In truth, she knew he was right. If she stayed behind, she would only be a distraction. In her time, she could live without worrying about the anomalies. She could live the life she was supposed to have in her own time. It was a good two hundred years before the anomalies would destroy the world, but then Emily knew she would be long gone. But hearing what would happen wasn't easy to accept. And hearing she shouldn't stay was even harder. But it was for the best, even if it wasn't what they both wanted.
Emily stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Matt. His arms slipped around her small back, pulling her in. For their first, last, and brief kiss, Emily felt more love than she ever thought she'd feel for and from one person. If she could have any moment stand still in time, this would be that moment. Emily held onto Matt tightly as the tears fell without resistance.
Matt buried his face in the side of Emily's neck. He marvels at the size of her, at the size of her courage. For everything she'd been through since slipping through the anomaly, Emily had never given up hope. She'd even accepted the fact that she could've stayed in this time with him. But she accepted the fact that it was safer for her in the past. If there would be one woman he would spend his life with, Matt would have wanted it to be Emily. He inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent one last time. He left her go quickly, not able to meet her tearful gaze. He forced himself to wait until she was between him and the anomaly before he looked up at her.
Emily faced the gateway to her home. Three years of searching. Three years of loss, of suffering, of pain. She realized some time ago that she might never return home. And the moment she had a chance to go back, she wasn't ready to take. Through the anomaly was another life she thought she'd lost. The life she didn't want anymore. The safe life.
Emily turned around, facing Matt one final time. She looked at him through her tearful vision. He held her gaze, his eyes saying nothing more than what he had already said. Emily took a step back toward the anomaly. Each step she took was like a stab to her heart, taking her further and further from Matt. Slowly, Matt's figure disappeared behind her tears and the light of the anomaly.
Emily turned slowly. She stood in the middle of the forest, back in her own time. The air was pungent with the fragrance of pine trees long gone in the future. Emily turned back to the gateway. The bright orb flickered in midair and closed. Emily stared at the empty space in agony. Her tears fell faster now. Emily dropped her knees and sobbed. Never in the time of traveling through the gateway had she ever felt so trapped, until she came home. At home that didn't belong to her anymore.