For Her

The call came late that night. The voice on the other end asks for him; he answers in the affirmative. It then proceeds to deliver the dreadful news.

At first he does not believe the voice. He asks it to repeat it self. It does, this time offering words or sympathy and comfort.

But it's to late. She is gone. There are no words of comfort, no spells, no nothing that can bring her back to him.

The phone falls to the floor with a sharp clatter; he with a soft thump. He stares blankly ahead as his brain works to understand, comprehend, believe what has happened.

DEAD

The Word rings through his mind, his body, his soul. It consumes him. He understands nothing else. It traps him in its hold till he is numb, then it releases him.

First comes the grief and the tears. It washes over him crippling him once more. The tears stain his cheeks forcing him to remember.

Then the rage. Rage so red, so hot, it burns the Word out. He begins to blame everyone and everything. How could this happen? How could Fate be so cold? He blames and blames till there is nothing left to blame.

The rage passes as the guilt begins to seep in. It starts at the skin and slowly makes its way to his core. She had done nothing to deserve this! It should have been him, not Her! She had been innocent!

As the guilt reaches his core, his thoughts take a deadly turn. He could step off a chair, pull a trigger, take pills. Anything to end this pain and join Her. He could flood the tube, cut till he bleeds out...

Suddenly a cool calming sensation washes over him. His thoughts begin to clear, his emotions begin to calm. Her voice whispers in his ear, soothing him, begging him not to join Her.

For Me. She whispers then fades.

Her words strength him. They lead him away from the Darkness and Guilt and Rage. For Her. For Her, he must continue.

Day after day he gets stronger. For Her. He tells himself. For Her. Week after week. For Her. Month after month. For Her. Year after year. For Her, he whispers.

Till one day he sees her. she looks the same as Her, walks and talks the same. But as he begins to learn about her, he realizes she is not Her. she is like Her but not Her.

Month after month and year after year. Finally he has a reason to live, a reason to fight.

He realizes that She was right all along. Her words were right, for time had passed and he had healed. However he would never forget her. Every now and then he whispers softly to the sky For Her, Thank You.

High above She gazes down at the small family. The family she could have had. But She has no regrets. He his happy and that is all that matters.

A smile tugs at Her lips as She watches him. Finally he had found peace. Finally he had found love. Finally he had healed.

She would forever gaze down to watch and protect for though he was happy She knew She would be *forever in his heart