"I would like to dedicate this poem to my soulmate and best friend, Louis Stevens," Tawny announced into the microphone. Louis couldn't help but blush as he stood by the backstage curtain, the same spot he had occupied last year. He was glad he wasn't sitting in the audience, facing everyone's inquisitive stares. From where he stood, he had an uninhibited view of her, while no one else could spy on him and on his facial expressions as he listened to her. It was best this way, he figured.

Tawny's poem flowed as if straight from her heart. She was magnificent. It reminded Louis of the time she auditioned for SACCY, that brilliant and poignant recital she did. But this time, he knew that the emotions she was showing came straight out of real life, the emotions that she had for him and him only. It overwhelmed him to think that this amazing talent was dedicated to him and inspired by her love for him. Tawny always had this ability to make him feel special, but this was somehow the most forceful and by far the most public manner she had done it.

Louis breathed heavily as the emotions swept over him. He felt himself getting carried away with Tawny's words, his spirit being lifted onto the air and growing wings, ready to fly. It fluttered its wings and glided into the open sky, riding on the sweet melody emanating from her mouth. It flew over land and sea, the sunlight caressing it from above, before being guided gently back to the ground by her loving voice.

Tawny's performance was over. Louis didn't move as he slowly came back to his senses. He noticed that he had fallen onto one knee, both hands on the ground, as if he had just landed back on earth. Before he knew it, Tawny was standing in front of him, an affectionate smile on her face. Before he could move, she lowered herself onto one knee, her pose matching his, and took both of his hands in hers. Yet before she could say anything, Louis burst into tears and buried his head in her chest, letting go of his emotions. Tawny held him in her arms, caressing him, gently stroking his neck.

"Tawny, I–" Louis was frantically trying to say something, but his voice drowned in his tears.

"Shh." Tawny reassured him. "You don't have to."

"No, I…" Louis made an effort. "Now I have to, but I can't."

Tawny was still wondering what he meant by this when she turned her head to catch the MC's voice announce the next name on the program: "Louis Stevens."

She turned back to face Louis, a shocked expression on her face. "Louis, what…" she was at a loss for words. "Since when were you on the program?!" she finally whispered.

Louis had calmed down somewhat. No longer crying or struggling for breath, he responded, solemnly: "It was supposed to be a surprise, Tawny. For you. But now I can't. Look at me, I'm an emotional wreck right now." He looked down at the ground.

Tawny placed her hands on Louis's shoulders and looked straight into his eyes, forcing him to look into hers. "Louis," she said firmly, her voice containing that wondrous mixture of gentleness and forcefulness that he had come to know from her. "You can do this. I believe in you. I'll be right there next to you, holding your hand. Not physically, but…in spirit." She gave him an encouraging look as the look on his face told her he understood. In spirit. "Now you go up there and just be yourself," Tawny told him with a meaningful smile as she helped him to his feet.

Louis felt odd sensation as he stood on both feet again. He let his feet guide him slowly onto the stage and toward the microphone, where he stopped and stood still for a few seconds. He then recalled Tawny's words and glanced back at her, as she stood where he had been previously standing. He looked deeply into her eyes, as if looking for something, then snapped back, as if he had just found it. He had an uncanny déjà-vu feeling as he felt his spirit being lifted from the ground and onto the air. He thought he could hear Tawny's gentle voice, asking him: Ready to fly, Louis? He nodded. He opened his mouth and the words began to flow out, straight from his heart, as his spirit fluttered its wings and took off. It glided into the glorious blue sky, with the heavens above and the seas below. He then felt the tip of its wing gently meeting another, as he thought he could hear Tawny's magical laughter echoing across the sky. They flew together, hand in hand, and could see the light shining out of the heavens. It was then that the final verses told him that it was time to return. They made the gradual descent back to earth, never losing each other along the way as his poem came to a close.

Louis regained his senses as he realized his performance was over. He felt the urge to collapse onto the ground, just like the first time, until he suddenly thought he could feel Tawny's firm grip guiding him gently, step by step, off the stage. He just followed, looking down at his feet the whole time, until he realized she was now standing right there in front of him. She had an expression on her face that he had never seen before, a mixture of the purest elements of affection, awe, and happiness.

"Tawny," Louis whispered.

"Louis," Tawny said softly. "I had this feeling… It was like I could see the light shining out of the heavens."

It was then that Louis realized where he was, where he had just been, what he had just experienced. And as the realization kicked in, the emotions poured out, the tears streaming down his cheeks one more time. He fell onto his knees and looked up at Tawny, at the soul that had guided him twice into the sky and toward the heavens. Tawny lowered herself onto both knees and held him tightly. The two lovers just stayed there in that pose, locked in embrace, not feeling the pain on their knees one bit.