(One year later)
Louis and Tawny sat on the balcony of their Berlin apartment, taking in the morning sun. Almost a year had gone by since they had settled here. Tawny had taken up a guest professorship at a Berlin university, helped certainly by her knowledge of German and her academic connections, and continued writing for dissident outlets in the US from afar. Louis, on the other hand, had joined a tech co-op in the city's bustling creative sector, with Tawny, true to form, helping him to learn the language in record time. In a way, both of them were still carrying on with the work that they had always done, just in a different place. In a place where they could remain together, without fear of being separated.
Louis took hold of Tawny's hand, looking fondly at her. "So it's been a year now since it all happened," he just said, a touch of stoic contemplation in his voice.
Tawny's eyes met Louis's. "Yeah," she responded. "Things haven't been the same since then."
They fell silent. Louis let the images run through his head one more time. It felt oddly surreal, looking back on it all from the distance of a year's time and an ocean's space.
"It's a magical thing, love, isn't it?" Louis remarked. "I never had any doubt in my mind that I would die for you in a situation like that. But then you made me realize, in that instant, that I had to stay alive for you more than I had to die for you. And in a way, the power of your love made it possible for me to do both that night. You brought me back to life after I had already parted ways with it."
"It was the power of our love, Louis," Tawny said affectionately. "It takes two to make a miracle like that happen. It was the gift of life that you gave me giving back to you."
She continued. "And you made me realize, in that instant, what it is that I owe you. I owe it to you to keep the life that you were willing to give me out of harm's way as much as possible. What made it possible for me to keep going for so long was you and your love inspiring me to carry on without fearing what could happen to me. It wasn't until I saw all that could have happened to you that I finally came to my senses. It's the least I can do to give back all that you've given me, Louis."
Louis looked deeply into Tawny's eyes, taking in the feeling of her strength flowing into his and his back into hers. "And I'll never leave you, Tawny, no matter what happens. I'll always be your loyal companion, no matter where on earth we end up next. It's the least I can do to give back all that you've given me." He gave her a reassuring look as he repeated the words he had uttered that night, now rendered even more meaningful than before. "We live together and we die together, Tawny."
Tawny looked deeply into Louis's eyes, letting his words just sink in. This time, there was no knock on the door. In fact, there was total silence, as if the whole world around them had momentarily stopped to let them treasure this moment in absolute peace. Tawny leaned in and kissed Louis, who kissed her back. The glorious morning sun shined lovingly down on them.