"Forever and Ever"
Emma and Dean roamed about in their tree house, removing old ornaments and stringing up new ones.
Emma looked over her shoulder, then turned back to her work. "Do you ever feel bored from day to day?"
Dean winced, then turned around in surprise. "Do you?"
After a moment's pause, Emma shook her head. "Not really," she said pleasantly. "I guess a part of me figures that I should be, you know? After all, it's just us here." She narrowed her eyes and made a teasing grin. "And it's not like you and I have any character flaws or layers or anything like that. We're a couple of pretty dull people, aren't we?"
"The dullest of the dull."
"And we're leading a pretty routine life on this island, right?"
"That we are."
"It's the same thing day after day, week after week…year after year." Her voice quieted a tad. "And yet, I find that I'm actually still having fun here."
Dean smiled, feeling something warm within.
"I still like swimming around the ocean, sledding down the hills, sliding into the pools, and camping out at night." Emma quieted as a realization came to her. "I used to simply accept this place as my home, but I think I've begun to embrace it now."
Dean studied her with a calm affection. "When did that happen?"
She giggled, easing back against a wall. "I'm not even sure."
A bit of silence lingered between them.
Emma licked her lips and looked upward. "I mean, I love this island…but I still want to leave."
Dean nodded, speaking softly. "I think I pretty much feel the same," he admitted. He folded his arms, letting his gaze drop to the floor. "Do you think that'll ever change?"
She squinted, looking a little confused.
"Do you think the day might come when we won't want to leave?" Dean wondered. "How long do you figure it would take? 20 years?"
Emma paused to think about it, then shook her head slowly.
"30?"
She glanced away, lifting her hands to her hips. "We'd both be over 50 years old by then." Emma made a brave little smile as that number sank in, knowing she'd actually hit that age someday. She liked her youth, but she wasn't the type of person who was afraid of getting older — and falling in love had only strengthened her courage. But Dean hadn't asked if she was afraid to get old. He'd asked how long it would take for them to shun civilization. "No," she muttered. "I think we'd still be open to leaving at age 50."
Dean shrugged. "How about when we're 60, then?"
Emma chuckled, closing her eyes.
"70?" He took her into his arms and began a slow dance. "I can see it now. We'll hobble up to the shore on our canes and say, 'Ah, screw the outside world. We're home.' "
Emma leaned in closer, watching Dean with a gentle smile. Her voice dropped to just above a whisper. "I've never loved anyone the way that I love you."
A rumble of thunder arrived, and a slow downpour followed.
Emma looked outside, then turned back to him. "Come on," she said, pulling his shirt over his head.
"What are we doing? Where are we going?"
Once all of their clothes had been removed, Emma and Dean stepped onto the beach and continued their dance in the rain. The pair held hands while swaying back and forth, grinning as they looked each other in the eye.
"Know what, Mr. McMullen?" Emma beamed. "Whether we stay on this island, or we manage to leave, I know that there's one thing for sure I can count on."
"And what's that?"
"You and I are going to be together forever and ever."
The next morning, Emma and Dean walked onto the beach hand in hand. A wave of sunlight welcomed them.
Upon looking outward, the pair saw something that they hadn't seen in over five years. They saw a ship, holding still in the distance.
Dean and Emma froze in their tracks.
The vessel was quite far from where the couple stood — almost as far as they were when they'd first spotted the island. It appeared to be in the area momentarily. The ship looked like it could depart at any moment.
Emma and Dean eyed each other in awe, then looked forward again while standing side by side. Both wondered if they could reach it before it left.