Based on Sonnet 116 by the bard himself William Shakespeare
(I apologise in advance, I struggle to write Gibbs)
Sonnet 116
You showed me many things Shannon, but most of all you taught me about love. I need to remind myself just what that is, each day it gets a little harder. I don't have the people that I had around me and the people I love never seem to live very long.
I know that love can lie, that you can get so wrapped up in the other person and the passion that you think it is true love. I didn't really love any of the others, never like I loved you. With you it was real.
Love that changes isn't real love. How could something like love lead someone to alter their soul? You didn't change me Shan; you just pulled the good bits to the foreground.
I know that because you told me, when Kelly was born and I thought I was going soft. You said I was even more me than I had ever been.
You even loved my rougher edges. I would never hurt you or Kelly but I would fight to the end of the earth to protect you. I wasn't just going to let them take you, you were everything to me.
You have changed me Shannon; you have made me a better person. I can't separate my mind from yours anymore but I wouldn't have it any other way. Love is permanent. Not even if you had shot me through the heart could I ever stop loving you.
I am sorry that I put you through Hell; that I had to go away and be a hero. If I could have ever been me working in a bank I would have but you promised me you would forgive me. You promised me that we could work through it.
Some days I am lost without you, I don't know which direction to turn but have so many people depending on me. I have to use you as my North Star. Each decision is made only after considering how you would respond, what you would say. You were always so much smarter than I am.
I never deserved either of you but somehow we stole some brief moments. Maybe our family wasn't meant to be together but I will always love you both to the ends of the earth. I'm just so sorry I wasn't there at the end.
Love doesn't bow down to time, to whatever devil haunts us waiting to take our lives. I will still love you even when I am older than my father and no longer use. I bet you wouldn't care either, we would be happy and together and the rest of the world could wait.
Love can even conquer death. I don't think that if I wish hard enough the two of you will be back here with me, yet I still pray that somehow you might whenever I take a breath.
Maybe if I had died instead, Kelly would have still grown up to be the most amazing woman in the world only to be rivaled by her mother and you would have survived.
That's another sign of true love; we both know that Kelly comes first. I love her more than I love you because she is part of the both of us, don't worry; I know you feel the same.
I suppose I should stop using the present tense but I can't quite manage. I can't face losing you in my mind as I have done from my life. This is a minor setback; I will fix it I promise
Maybe I am wrong about love. I am after all just a lonely old man. Yet in my heart I have you and Kelly, you keep me strong, keep me sane.
If this isn't love then nothing is, don't ask me how I know. I just have this feeling in my gut. This feeling that I love you Shannon and I love Kelly and I don't planning on stopping any time soon.