Chapter 12:

She nudged Will gently as his head turned in the direction of the noise.

"It's sounds like my dad's car."

"Well let's go and surprise him. He'll be desperate to find you. You went missing in a river – for all he knows, you could be dead."

She sighed, knowing he was right, and although she badly wanted to see her dad, the fear of losing Will overrode even that basic instinct.

"You won't forget me, will you?" she asked, suddenly terrified.

"Never, I promise."

She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. "I love you."

He smiled at her. "I love you too."

--

"Dad!" Saffi was up and running full pelt towards the figure by the car.

As he darted after her, the figure grew closer and clearer, revealing a middle-aged man with Saffi's eyes, and the same shaped face, who flung his arms around his daughter in delight, his desperate eyes filling with emotion and relief.

"Saffi!"

By the time he reached her, Saffi was dragging her dad by the hand towards him.

She gestured towards him smiling. "This is Will."

Her Dad smiled at him, respect and gratefulness evident in his eyes. He reached out to shake Will's hand.

"Thank-you, for everything you've done for my daughter."

"Dad." Saffi looked embarrassed by her dad's formality. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked gently.

"To go?" Saffi's face fell in confusion.

He nodded. "You can't stay here forever."

"Can't we just stay for a few more days?" she pleaded.

"I'm afraid not. I've got to get back to work."

Saffi's dad climbed into the car, allowing them a few final moments of privacy.

"This is it then." She murmured. "I knew – I hoped it would never have to end."

"Everything ends sometime or other. Even the best things."

"I don't want it to end." She swallowed as her heart expanded, beating a tattoo on her chest, aching and swollen in its desperation.

Will wrapped his arms around her tightly, and for a few brief seconds, the world stopped spinning as they clung together, neither wanting to let go and finish what they'd started.

When he finally let go, there were tears streaking down Saffi cheeks. He knew the same desolation, the same ripped-apart emotion was reflected in his own face.

Saffi brushed the tears away wildly, letting Will take her hand, and in that instant, impulsively, she leant forward and kissed him on the lips.

Fireworks exploded in her head, exciting every atom of her being, sending bliss spiralling through her skull. Her mind melted and was re-made before her eyes, clearer, purer, fused with part of him.

It was a moment that lasted seconds, but laid low a life age of the earth, time stopping in its entirety. The world stopped revolving, the birds stopped singing, the breeze failed, the river stopped flowing, every heartbeat in the world stopped, pulsing around them for a few seconds.

Then it was over, and she was staring into his eyes.

And she had to go.

She pressed a little piece of paper into his hands and clambered into the car.

The car sped off into the distance, leaving him staring forlornly as it grew smaller and smaller.

His whole being felt numb. He was torn apart, maybe never to be re-made. Maybe he would never feel whole again.

He glanced down at the paper she had pressed into his hands.

A number stared back at him from the paper. Eleven digits. Her phone number.

He smiled slightly. Maybe he hadn't lost her forever.