We saw the resistance go quiet beyond the gates. No more arrows flew and no more magical projectiles flew through the air. And there was no more sign of the princesses putting up any resistance. The swarming armies of Hollows even came to a stop, but they did not disappear.

"Girls? I... I don't like where this is going. Why did they stop shooting? Why aren't the Hollows still attacking if they're still out there?" Pinkie Pie asked with all her spirit starting to slip. It was getting quiet. Too quiet.

"That's because they can't keep shooting." We heard Celaeno say before we all noticed she was looking out east with a telescope. "The mages are all down. All the quivers are empty. And I'm not seeing anyone coming with refills for the archers... They're done. And I think the enemy knows it."

"No... No, it can't be over! He's still out there! He has to be!" Ocellus shrieked as she rushed to the bow of the Zephyrus to get a better look. "Please... Just a little longer!"

"We're not leaving until those gates burst open...but I think this might be it!" Celaeno said while setting aside her telescope. She then spoke into the voicepipe beside the ship's helm. "Boyle, get ready. We're probably gonna have to haul anchor any second now."

"Gotcha, captain." I heard the ship's engineer reply rather softly. I think even he knew that this was the end.

Some of us watched the west while the others watched the east. It was the same on each side. Two lakes of purple ready to wash over us. And then...the waves started to approach. And I muttered to myself in disbelief. "No... No, this isn't really the end..."

"I think this is it, girls!" Rainbow Dash shouted as the tension became unbearable. This as the end. The gates would soon burst open and everyone on the other side...would be gone. We would have to flee on the wings of the Zephyrus. And Equestria would never be the same again. And when Rainbow Dash turned to look at me... I cannot recall the last time I have ever seen her look so hopeless. "I guess...he didn't make it..."

The only comfort I took was knowing that if the Hollows were still there, James was still alive. But I could not deny the truth. He had failed. We all failed. The war had been lost. Everyone around me gazed out at east and west sides of the camp. It was over. But Celaeno remained at the helm, her hands at the controls. "Wait for it... Wait for it..."

My eyes were locked onto the east gate. The instant it burst open to reveal a wall of purple would be the moment I knew it was all over. I waited...and waited... But nothing happened. I was so focused on just the gate that I did not notice what was happening over the walls. Not until Smolder finally spoke up. "Hey... Guys? Did they...stop out there?"

She was right. The charging ocean of Hollows had slowed to a shuffling stagger. While this took some of a edge off, it only made them come across as being even creepier than they already were. Like something out of a zombie novel where they slowly swarm over the target. But then...clouds. A growing cluster of purple clouds as the Hollows all collapsed in rapid succession.

The air became quiet. Too quiet. Literally no one in the camp had any idea of what to make of it. We all looked around at each in stunned confusion. Had we won? Was the enemy truly gone? But after a moment of silence, I heard the voice of Princess Luna call out from the west. All while she bellowed with the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Sound the bells! Victory is ours! The emperor is no more! Equestria is ours forevermore!"

The roar of elevation across the camp... Just the sheer energy of everyone I saw from up there on deck... The entire camp had exploded into jubilation. As for my friends and I, it took a moment for us to really grasp what was happening. Looks of confusion gradually turned into smiles of tearful relief. I was crying... Oh my gosh, I was crying so hard as I just grabbed Rainbow Dash for a hug. We were crying, we were laughing, but we did not care! It was over! It was finally over and everything was going to be just fine!

The only one of us up on deck who did not partake in the cheering was Celaeno. And I was the first to notice. She stood there behind the ship's helm while completely motionless. Big wet tears were soaking into the feathers that lined her face. She then leaned towards the voicepipe and said, "Boyle. We're not going anywhere. Get the crew up here. Our mate pulled through."

"He... He did?! Hey, mateys! Sounds like the war's over! Let's get up there!" I heard his voice echo through the pipe. And not even a minute later, all four of those harpies burst through the door at the stern of the Zephyrus. And Boyle was the first out on deck. "Oh yeah, just listen to that, mateys! You hear that? It's the cry of victory."

That dopey harpy with the life preserver around his neck got into the energy a little too much and started running up and down the deck while squawking like an excited cockatoo. Celaeno slowly made her way down from the helm towards the center of the deck all while maintaining a slow and stiff walk. The tears were flowing heavily, but she tried to keep a straight face. Her first mate turned to her and asked, "Captain? You all right there?"

"Ooh, I see where this is going! Hang on there, captain." The ship's cook said before reaching into her apron and pulling out a spare dish rag. She held it up to Celaeno and said, "Here you go, captain. Let it all out."

And boy, did she let it out. Celaeno grabbed that rag and just slumped to her knees and wailed like I had never seen. She dabbed at her face with the rag while I was left unsure if she was happy or upset. I decided it was best to leave her be. But there was someplace we all needed to be. Even though the war was officially over, we still needed an update on what was happening with our friends. We all left the Zephyrus and hurried east towards the gates.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were really showing the scars of their struggles to hold off that last siege. Their suits of armor were dented and battered all over, but still intact. And they too were filled with utter relief. That siege was nearly the end of almost all of us. Before much could happen, somepony I thought I would never see again rushed into my arms. My brother was alive and well.

Even though the war was over, there were still a few unknowns we needed answers on. The king and queen of Equestria themselves had escorted James to the Heaven's Pillar. They were still out there with him. Their daughters established a connection to them with a telepathy spell. And we quickly got the news we needed to hear most. The portal was still open, but it was closing! It world soon be gone and Equestria would be saved!

If that first wave of cheering was loud, this information only renewed the celebration around us. That was the most vital requirement for this war to be a success. If that portal fulfilled its purpose Equestria would eventfully lose everything that made it Equestria. Now we just needed a confirmation on James' status. And...what we heard from Princess Celestia was just the perfect words to hear in order to bring down the mood. "He's not well..."

None of us could say anything as the two of them walked past. Smolder muttered words of hope to herself, praying everything was going to be all right. But everyone else around me... We were not so sure. What even happened up there? Did Zecora's cure wear off at the worst possible time? The war would not truly be over until the king and queen returned with James.

All we could do then was watch the eastern sky. As did everyone else. So many of our militiamen watched from the ground once the cheering finally died down. They knew who really won this war for us. And there was no contempt among them either. And there really should not have been by then. Equestria had been saved. And from what I knew at the time... We lost no one. A war without casualties? How much more fortunate could we have possibly gotten?

At the distance we were at that time, it really should not have taken long for them to reach us from the Heaven's Pillar. And during the wait, Spitfire and Soarin came swooping over and landed before us. "Hey there. Sounds like the war's over, but our hero isn't back yet. The head of command let us know that things aren't looking good for him, so we need to be ready in case something goes wrong on their approach. Gilda. Rainbow Dash. I want you two to help us bring him in case he can't make it in on his own strength. Are you up for this?"

"Yeah, we've got this. G and I always work well together. And she's got the hands for it." Rainbow Dash replied while trying to at least bring a little levity into the situation.

Gilda chimed in too with a hopeful smile on her beak. "Count me in. I might have only one good eye for the moment, but I can still fly straight. I won't let you down."

"That's what I wanna hear. OK, eyes to the east, girls. If something goes wrong, we...whoa... Whoa, you feel that?" Spitfire started to say before we felt something through the ground. Powerful tremors that must have been coming fro far away. "Whoa, is that an earthquake?! Wait, it's not that strong... But I'm not the only one feeling this, right?"

"No, I'm getting it too, captain! Where's it coming from?!" Soarin stammered with him trying to stay off all his hooves.

It was Maud who spoke up next. And her eyes narrowed while gazing to the east. "It's not coming from below... It coming from above. Something is falling."

I then suddenly had an epiphany and turned to Gilda. "Say... You griffons have really keen eyes, right? Can you make anything out from here?"

"From over here? I dunno, but...lemme see here." Gilda retorted before lifting a hand to her brow while her right eye narrowed to focus on the distance. The sky was still too cloudy and gloomy to really throw much sun into her face and it only gave the impression we were not out of the woods yet. But Gilda then said, "I can only barely make it out, but...it's falling. Oh man, the tower is falling in huge chunks... I guess whatever happened out there was way too much for that old hunk of junk to take."

"The Heaven's Pillar is collapsing... Then it really is over." I muttered in disbelief. From what I understood, that tower was the sole surviving remnant of the empire that used to be out here. And now it would soon be nothing but rubble strewn across the plains for miles. Humanity's legacy for the future had truly reverted to a blank slate. And I felt a certain sting in my heart. Even if it needed to be done, I could not help but feel sad about it. All that history gone... Maybe that's just the academic in me, but a part of me wishes the Heaven's Pillar could have at least survived as a landmark.

But it was then that Gilda spoke up with renewed excitement. "And...I... I see them! Yeah, I can make them out! There's three of them and they're breaking out into a glide!"

"They made it?! Oh, thank heavens!" Rarity cheered while I was glad Gilda's eye was sharp enough to make the returning trio. And in only a few minutes, they came up ahead on the horizon. The unmistakable forms of the king and queen landed just outside the open gates, but James... He was lagging behind. I was astonished that he was even capable of getting into the air on his own power after what we had heard. I expected the worst, but maybe it was not so bad...

That was what I assumed at first. It looked like James was being cautious as he slowed his glide on the final approach. Everyone around us watched with bated breath. He was up there... He was almost safe. And then...he fell. Rolled over and plummeted.

"He's freefalling! Let's go!" Spitfire called out before she and her unit of three shot forward not the air and promptly got into formation. The four of them rushed ahead and began to approach James from below. There was a collective gasp and murmur of horror around us as we watched our friend falling. But they caught him. All at once, the four of them held him on his way down before starting to descend back towards camp.

We could not contain ourselves. We all rushed forward as so many swarmed around them while a medic team was nearby and ready to wheel him to safety. But I saw him. I managed to get close enough to get a good look at his face. Trickles of blood had oozed down his face and confirmed my fears that his cranial wound had been reopened. But he was awake. And I know he saw me... I know he saw us. And before his eyes closed... Such a wonderful smile. A truly happy smile. That told me what I needed to know. Everything really was going to be just fine.

We all watched as James was placed on a stretcher and carried off for the infirmary. I heard cheers. And I heard crying. No one around us was not relieved to see him make it back. But...what was the full extent of his injuries? Would he live? And even then, would he...?

We all followed in droves. The rows outside the infirmary were thick with our allies. And all we could do was wait. I saw Sky Beak pacing outside the door, his face locked in a dreadful stare of uncertainty and impatience. The closest thing to a father James has ever had. And so many other familiar faces gathered around. Ember and Rain Shine approached and demanded entrance, but were refused. They could take no chances on this.

The waiting was unbearable. Our friends muttered to themselves and to each other just to try and ease the passing of time. I was desperate for soothing conversation and approached Applejack when I saw she was the only one not talking to anypony. But she was slumped over as she sat beside the tent that housed the infirmary. I approached carefully and asked, "Applejack...?"

"I dunno if I can do it this time, Twi..." I heard her mutter with her eyes not really looking at anything. "It's like Discord all over again, but...even worse if that makes any sense..."

I wished I could forget that time. The prevalent sense of helplessness of watching James succumb to a curse we could not identify. Wanting so desperately to see him back on his feet and not being able to help at all. And now, the situation was completely out of our hooves just like before. "I know... I know and I hate it... I wish we could do more."

"It ain't just that, Twi. When was the last time James was home? When was the last time he saw Fluttershy? Or held the fillies in his arms?" Applejack asked as I felt a pit open in my stomach. With everything that had been happening, it was easy to forget about Fluttershy. And especially so for her child. Gladesong... She is so unbelievably young... Would she even recognize her father next time she saw him? It was only then that Applejack looked right at me as tears of fear filled her eyes. "I don't think I can do it, Twi! What if he don't make it? How am I gonna tell Scootaloo and Gladesong their pa ain't comin' home no more?!"

"Stop it, all right?! Let's not worry about that until we get there!" I grabbed my family-minded friend into a very tight hug. I knew why she was scared. And family registers with her harder than most. "Look... I miss home too. I've never missed Ponyville as much as I do now. But we're almost done, all right? And they saved James once already! It'll be OK... I want to believe everything's gonna be fine now that the war's truly over..."

I felt her slowly put her arms around me before I heard Applejack start to speak. "Right... Right, sorry... I just... I know what it's like ta hafta grow up without my pa... At least I was old enough ta remember 'im. I don't want the youngin's ta go through that. Especially the toddlers."

For as somber as these words were, they still got my attention and piqued my curiosity. "Come to think of it... You never actually talked much about your parents. I mean we've known each other for a while and I've never heard you bring up your parents... Were they both from the Apple family?"

This ended up being a good move since it got Applejack's attention off of the matters at hoof. "Uh...no? Didn't I tell ya once about when I spent a spell in Manehatten with my uncle and aunt from the Orange family? My ma married inta the Apple family from there and put a good word in for me."

"Ooooh, a country mouse and city mouse dynamic. Although I'm pretty sure I wasn't told about that time in your childhood..." I replied while trying hard to recall that conversation. And I am very sure it never even happened in the first place.

"Really? Huh... I guess the Cutie Mark Crusaders were the only ones I told that tale to... I mean even Apple Bloom wasn't around back then. But yeah, there was a bit of a culture clash deal when Ma and Pa started courtin' each other, but the Apple and Orange clans got over it..." Applejack started to explain before pausing abruptly. And I saw why. One of the medics had emerged from the infirmary with everyone around us going silent. "I'll tell ya later, Twi! I think this is something' we gotta hear..."

I think the surgeon was a little nervous about having to speak to so many at once. He hesitated while tugging at his jacket collar with his levitation magic. But after a moment of suspenseful silence, he finally willed himself to speak. "OK then... I'm pretty sure I know why you're all out here, so I'll be completely upfront with all of you. Our patient had some close calls, but...there is no lasting damage. He will be sedated for another day or so, but he's going to make a full recovery. Mr. James is going to be all right."

His tone was humble and professional, but the response he got from just about everyone around him was anything but. There were just as many cheering as there were who were openly weeping. Poor Sky Beak burst into tears and had to be consoled by Admiral Seaspray. I even saw Ember and Rain Shine holding each other in tears. Even I could not hold back my tears as I held and hugged my friends. It was truly over. The war had ended and our hero would be going home in one piece. Finally... Finally, we could all relax.

I think the one of my friends who cried the hardest was the last one we expected to just start bawling. Rainbow Dash only lasted a few seconds before she just broke down and leaned into Gilda's wing. Gilda looked a little choked up too, but managed to compose herself enough to try and comfort her old friend. "Easy there, Dash... It's gonna be all right. You heard the doc. Our big guy is gonna be OK."

"You don't know what it's like, G! This isn't the first time!" Rainbow Dash sobbed as I suddenly remembered that this was most definitely not the first time James had a close brush with death. And with every previous time, it was always her to reached him first. "This is the third time... The third time I almost lost him! It's just too much!"

That revelation threw our friend for a loop. "The third time?! I mean he told me about what happened with Nightmare Moon, but... How many fights has he gotten into?!"

"Too many. And he's truly not meant for it. He's the kind of man who would rather live life happy and away from the battlefield." Rarity replied while I saw Applejack trying to comfort Big Macintosh. He had been quiet and in the background for a while, but even he could not hold his tears. He helped save James during the previous battle when he had been struck down. Rarity dried her tears as she added, "I pray that this will be the last time... How does one even top open warfare? I just want to go home and get back to work on my craft... And to hold little Gladesong in my arms, how I miss that little bundle of joy..."

My gaze turned to Pinkie Pie and Maud Pie. And they were openly weeping while holding each other. That smile... For all those tears spilling down her face, Pinkie Pie was beaming ear to ear. Maud was as quiet and stoic as always, but her face was soaked by a torrent of tears that I never would have expected out of her. And finally... Finally, things were going back to normal.

I almost expected raucous partying to spread throughout the camp after that, but things quieted down pretty fast. Everyone was exhausted as night started to fall over the Empty Plains. Just to be certain, all Wonderbolt personnel was dispatched to the location of the Heaven's Pillar and watched the portal to insure that it would close without incident. And their arrival confirmed the tremors we felt that afternoon. The Heaven's Pillar really had collapsed and its wreckage was scattered all around its foundation for at least a couple of miles. The remains of the emperor were never found. Most likely buried in the rubble.

I heard that the portal was still present when they arrived to survey the situation, but it would not be there for much longer. I was there in the command center when they reported back that the portal was finally gone. And that was the final nail in the coffin for the war. The emperor was no more, James made it back and would make a full recovery, and now the portal to Earth was gone forever. The war, which everyone is now starting to refer to as the 'War of Preservation', has truly ended.

We all ate light that evening and turned in early. Everyone was just so tired. And I have heard that we will not be marching back. We will all be going home on a series of airlifts via airship evacuation. The wounded will go first and given that the total number of personnel in the camp is roughly five thousand, I suspect it will take at least a week for us all to finally be back home. All we can do now is wait.

Rarity was across from me in her cot and was out well before I could really get a conversation out of her. I too am just...so tired. So overwhelmed by everything that has been happening. But at least now, I... I feel like I can finally breathe easy for the first time in weeks. And we will be going home very soon. I never thought I would ever miss Ponyville this much, especially after I thought the town was just crazy when I first moved in a while ago... I miss...everything about it. I miss the wonderful scent of wood in the library... And I miss Spike...

That settles it. I am going to set aside this journal as soon as I am done and write out a letter for Spike and send it out first thing in the morning. I have never gone without seeing my little friend for this long and I am sure he misses all of us. I just want to go home... To go back to how things used to be.

I am so tired... I need to stop here so I can make sure I am still awake enough to write out that letter to Spike. And then I can sleep easy tonight. Just a little longer and we can all go home.

Mission accomplished. That was the message I had our radioman send back to Canterlot at the first opportunity. And yet, I feared we acted too soon. There were a few unknowns we still needed confirmation on. But those answers came soon enough. James returned alive and was stabilized in the infirmary. The Heaven's Pillar was confirmed to have collapsed. And we received visual confirmation of the instant the portal that was linked to Earth closed forever. Only then did I know for certain that we had succeeded. War is not in our nature, but the overwhelming satisfaction of a victory rings true to everyone regardless of species.

Mother, Father, Luna, and I drank heavily from a fresh batch of the finest wine that night. An exquisite brand that was being saved specifically for such an occasion. Even Nightmare Moon found the strength to leave her bed and join us before long. Bandaged and battered, but so much better off than when she was first brought in from the battlefield. My sister of the night even caught us by surprise as she shuffled into the common area. "It's been so noisy out there today... I could hardly hope to sleep."

"Glad to have you with us, child. Please, take a seat and join us. This is a time of celebration." Mother replied while pouring Nightmare Moon a glass. It soothed my heart to see her having completely accepted the unexpected black sheep of the royal family. Mother had always been a stubborn one and slow to trust those with dark histories. To be fair, it astounds me how much the two of them have in common. Nightmare Moon always took after her mother much more than her father.

Nightmare Moon let out a long sigh of relief once she was seated before us. "I have heard... Victory is ours. The portal is gone. And...he shall be just fine... Praise the stars..."

It was then that Luna asked, "Now that you are here, sister... Have you tried to peer into his dreaming mind since his return? Are his thoughts stable?"

"It's funny that you mention that..." Nightmare Moon replied while taking a sip of her wine. "I actually was asleep recently and did try to visit him. And yet...I could not. He dreams, yet I cannot reach him... His dreaming mind repels me when I try to push through."

I assumed that he was just that exhausted to the point of being in a state so restful that it could not be considered sleep. I spoke out to her, "I can assure you that the surgeons have confirmed there is no lasting cognitive damage. Whatever's keeping you out, I'm sure it's only temporary. He should awaken sometime tomorrow."

"Yes, I know... I do not fear for him. I just wish I could speak to him." She replied before turning her gaze towards our parents. Luna and I too turned our attention to them. The deed was done. The crisis they had to intervene in had been resolved. And now...they would need to depart soon.

Mother and Father soon paused in their drinking to notice our stares. Father then asked, "Something on your minds, my dears?"

Luna spoke first. "I suppose...you will be heading out tonight?"

I expected Father to be nonchalant about it like so many times before. With every departure it had always been with a smile. It was their duty and lot in life to observe Equestria from a distance. But not this time. Both he and Mother looked less than pleased over the contemplation of their imminent departure. Mother then said, "You know of the power we possess. It is not to be used freely."

"But it's not your power that will be missed, Mother. It is you and Father who we will wish to see again." Nightmare Moon replied with her eyes displaying such a gaze of displeasure. She then pleaded, "It has been more than a millennium since we last laid eyes on you... Must you truly disappear to the shadows once more? Especially now that Equestria is more aware of you than ever before?"

Whenever Mother and Father revealed themselves to us during particularly harrowing trials, there were always very few witnesses. But not this time. At least five thousand of our people had seen and met them very recently. They would surely tell stories about the mighty king and queen of Equestria once they returned home. They would be known far and wide in due time. They would surely become legends among the people of Equestria.

"I will be honest with you all. Your mother and I have been discussing this topic heavily in recent days. And as of right now...we are not going anywhere. Not yet. Certainly not until our boy is awake. It would not do to leave without saying goodbye to our champion." Father explained while starting to regain his smile. He then added, "And I must say... Never before have I been more hesitant in just returning to the wilds to observe from afar. Much has changed in Equestria since we last revealed ourselves. Much to see and much to do."

This lit a beacon of hope in my heart. I leaned over the table and asked, "You will be staying with us?!"

"No promises, child. We have not yet come to a decision." Mother said firmly with her glass rising to her lips for another sip of that fine wine. But she then smiled at us and said, "But that choice is not off the table yet. We shall see."

We decided to leave it at that. It would not be wise to pressure Mother and Father into making that choice. It was up to them. Although the rest of the conversation was quite subdued. And for good reason. Nightmare Moon was still recovering from her injuries, but the rest of us had run ourselves absolutely ragged that afternoon. Luna and I stared death in the face... I truly thought that was the end. For the first time in far too long, I was convinced I was going to die that day. And we all needed to rest.

However, my heart would not allow me to sleep alone. Not this night. Once the encampment had fallen silent as all those around us had settled in for a dearly needed night of undisturbed sleep, I left my chambers and entered the common area of the command center. And for the first time during the war, it was empty. The sensor station's crystal map panels had become dim now that the sensor crystals had been retrieved and the panels shut off. The war was over. There would be no danger approaching us from any direction now.

The silence of the night during a newfound peacetime was almost...terrifying. I had grown so accustomed to there always being activity even in the dead of night due to the risk of a midnight assault by the enemy. But now there was no enemy. We were safe. And as I processed this, I felt such a profound sense of peace. But there was somewhere I needed to be. Somewhere I wanted to be.

I ascended the stairs nearby. And once I entered the loft, there he was. Just like the past few days, my beloved was in bed with a number of medical devices sustaining and monitoring his vital signs. He was alone. No one was there to guard him because it was no longer necessary. There was no reason for our people to be wary of him anymore. The war was over. It was no longer possible to see him as a potential threat.

The humming and soft beeping of the devices around my beloved sleeping James provided a calming ambience as I drew near. He looked so at ease while asleep. And just like when he was first brought in... I could see that smile. It was much more subtle by then, but there was indeed a calm smile upon his lips. I think he was happy... He looked almost delirious with joy when he closed his eyes.

And yet... Neither Luna nor Nightmare Moon could reach his dreaming mind. I wish I had the power they had so that I too could venture into his thoughts while he dreams. Where we could be together even in sleep. We were so close...yet he felt so far away. Just...like before...

"I did not wish this for you when we brought you to this world, my love... Once again, I have unknowingly orchestrated suffering for you..." I whispered to my beloved as I allowed my words to become more profound than I usually speak with. My heart was heavy now that I was seeing him after the dust had settled. He would live...yet he was not awake to speak to me. I even tried to rouse him with my hoof upon his wrist, but nothing came of it. His fractured mind would not wake so easily.

The only comfort I could take in his suffering was knowing that this was not truly my doing. I failed him by failing Discord, forcing him through a harrowing trial that he only narrowly survived. This time... Just terrible circumstances I could never have predicted. I could not bring myself to leave his side, but I was so very tired... Ever so carefully, I stepped across him before placing myself between him and the window beyond. I draped my wing across him, whispering to him. "All I wanted for you was to be happy in my world... To belong amongst my people like your forbearers had once been. I never wanted to have to see you take up the sword... Certainly not to bury the sins of those who came before you... This should not have been your war to fight, my love... My sunshine..."

He did not awaken. And I could not stay awake for much longer. I would remain by his side until it was time for the sun to rise. Even out here, I have not neglected my most basic duties. But I still had one more thing to say to him... Something precious and dear. "We dearly need to sleep... But let me...tell you something. Something I hope you remember..."

I began to sing. A familiar lullaby that I had spoken to him only once before. A means to soothe him as much as it was to lull me into slumber as well. "You are my sunshine... My only sunshine. You make me happy...when skies are gray..."

The tears came so quickly. So heavily. But I continued to whisper to him in song. "You'll never know, dear...how much I love you... Please don't take my sunshine away..."

How I wanted him to hear me... How I wish he knew I was there... "I'll always love you...and make you happy. For you are my sunshine... My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray... You'll never know, dear...just how much I love you... Please don't take...my sunshine away..."

My eyes were so tired... The tears were too much. I needed to sleep. And I never let go of him. I held my beloved, praying that tomorrow would be when he would return to us in both body and soul... Even as I pleaded one last time...

"Please don't take...my sunshine away..."