You weren’t alone,” he says, making sure I hear every word. “And you weren’t floating.”“How do you know?” I ask.“Because I was carrying you.

Don't do anything stupid, they said. Well, it's now or never, I suppose, and stupidity and confidence run a fine line.

I'll see you soon," I think as I fall, hoping she can hear me. It's as good a last thought as any, and I hold it close like a light in the darkness.

Who we are is determined by the actions we take, the words we choose to say, the people we love. And for some that love brings hope. For others, courage. And for some, the luckiest of individuals, that love brings with it a knowledge of contentment, an understanding of strength, and the reward of uncovering exactly who you are.

I will wait. For as long as it takes, I will wait, a fixed point in time, never moving on, never going back. Time will pass as if nothing at all; the months into years, the years into decades. And one day, one day out of thousands, I will see her again. Not as she will be, but as she once was. Beautiful and dangerous and mine.