Dark hair flew behind her as she ran towards him.
He always forgot the depth of the beauty he saw in her so when reunited it was like a kick to the stomach.
She was smiling.
He knew the smile was reserved only for him and days like today.
No words could describe how he missed her every time he left.
He worked hard.
Gone were the childish dreams. They had vanished when the reality of real life set in. Never had he envisioned himself with an office job. He was a free spirit. The job he'd spent his childhood and teenage years aiming for and working towards would have taken him around the world.
He would have taken her with him.
The lives they were going to lead would have been full of adventure, full of new and exciting experiences. They would have gone where they wanted to, when they wanted to. They would have made a difference, changed the world.
'Would have' - the equally evil cousin of 'what if'.
As it was, he got to travel. Not the world, but to neighbouring cities. A junior member of the company, his responsibility was limited. He sat in on meetings, took notes and ran for coffee. It wasn't glamorous but it paid the bills.
He couldn't take her.
She stayed alone in their tiny home, counting down the long, empty nights until he returned. Three rooms. That's all they had, a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchenette/lounge. When he was there it was cosy. They had everything they needed. She had him and she was safe.
When he left he took that security with him. She didn't leave the house, she locked the doors and kept the curtains closed. When she did venture out, people looked, they whispered and they thought she couldn't hear.
"She's too young."
"She's thrown her life away and ruined his."
"She's just a silly little girl, she doesn't know what she's doing."
She had no where to go. Her friends were gone, living out their own dreams and fantasies. The truer ones made the effort, kept in touch. Some would visit on the rare occasions they returned home.
He was her life line and she his. Without each other they would be floating, lost and anchorless.
But without each other they would be free and still able to dream.
He loved her with more than his heart, more than his body and more than his soul.
She needed him more than she needed food, more than she needed water and more than she needed air.
He mounted the steps three at a time and collided with his glowing wife.
"Dave!" she shrieked as his arms enveloped her frame, seconds before his mouth crushed her own. His hands blazed a trail to her stomach, where his lips soon followed.
"Hey Baby." He murmured as much to Lane as to his unborn child. "I'm home."
Standing, he led the way through the doorway and to Lane who followed closely, the room was instantly bright. The house became once again her home.
Until the next time reality called.