I loved him so much I couldn't contain my tears. I really couldn't believe it, after all these years of trying in vain to reach him, here he was, holding me in his arms. We sat down on the floor, holding hands.

I looked up at him. "It's been so hard," I sobbed. "But it was even worse watching you go through it..."

"Linda--"

"I didn't want to hurt you by being gone!" I blurted. I felt like it was my fault.

"Linda!" He looked me in the eye. "Linda, you would never hurt me, I know that. You can't help what happened to you...It's not like you left on purpose!"

"But it hurt you!"  I buried my face in his shoulder. He stroked the back of my head and rested his chin atop it.

"Linda, it's okay," He whispered in my ear. "Everything's okay now, everything's okay,"

"I just love you so much," I whispered. "Don't ever forget that,"

"I won't, I promise,"

I felt the room starting to deteriorate. "Paul, it's time for you to wake up,"

"Why?"

"Do you feel that?"

"No,"

"Your dream is falling apart, you're starting to wake up. if you don't wake up now..." I shuddered. "You need to wake up, I'm sorry,"

"Okay," He looked down at our intertwined fingers and squeezed. "I love you," He whispered and kissed me goodbye. His figure rippled and vanished, leaving me alone in the room.

<^>