Author's Note: I apologise, but I really couldn't help myself.
The ground beneath her toes felt soft, cold, unsteady. There was nothing more that she wanted than to leave some imprint upon it, to prove to herself and anyone else that she was actually there, but every time she moved forward another step, the one behind her was erased by the tide, cleansing the sand of its imperfections and kissing her feet simultaneously, as if in apology. She wanted to scream at the water to stop, plead with the moon to quit pushing and pulling away her existence. She loved her family, but this world…It wasn't where she belonged, where she wanted to belong. It felt like she was stuck in a dream world. A part of her hoped, childishly, that if she could leave a trail of footprints, he would see them, and follow them straight to her. She wanted it so badly.
It was easy to believe she was dreaming while standing under the moon and starlit sky. Millions, billions maybe of tiny lights just blinking away in the black night. There was something about them that seemed unreal. Her body shivered delicately and wrapped its arms around her, though that hardly made up for the lack of jacket or otherwise proper clothing. She'd likely freeze if she didn't go back inside, but just for a little while longer, she wanted to keep dreaming. It was during this time, when it seemed the entire universe was visible, that she felt the most connected to him. Maybe he was near one of those lights, looking in this direction.
Her eyes drifted shut, flooding her senses with just the sound of water and waves. The wind shifted, carrying a different sound with it. A name spoken. Her eyes opened, flooding her sight with a beach washed in silvery-blue light, and a shadow stretching across it. Footprints high enough to escape the cleansing tides pressed into the sand, and someone walking toward her.
"Rose!" Tears served as nourishment to the smile blossoming on her lips. The trail of imprints behind him was real, proof that he was too, not a ghost or a phantom, un-touchable image. She choked out his name, barely making it louder than a whisper. It was taking too long for them to reach one another, so she moved to close the distance, her feet now the unsteady ones against the soft ground. It had taken forever and an eternity, but then they were there, enveloped in each other's arms.
He held her tightly, spinning her around just as he had done countless times before when they thought they'd been torn apart and subsequently reunited. Then, before any words could break the silence, he was kissing her fervently and she was moving with the same intensity, pressing her body into every inch of his, fingers entangling themselves in his hair. He made a sound deep within his throat that nearly made her faint, it was so foreign; never had she known that he had felt this much desire toward her, like she had to him.
They broke apart just as quickly only to wrap themselves more securely in the other's embrace. She didn't know what she'd do if it turned out she was still asleep. Yet, she knew she wasn't. For the first time in so long, it felt as if she were truly awake. He rocked her side to side as if to reinforce his presence.
For once, he didn't say anything. That was fine with her. There'd be plenty of time for words later.
After all, hadn't she promised she'd be alongside him forever?