My eyes wondered around, but not really absorbing anything in. I couldn't believe it. He was gone. He was gone and he was never coming back. How could someone you love vanish so quickly? I could feel my tearstained face. His blood still on my hands. I could've saved him. I didn't even tried. It was my entire fault.

Nothing processed through my mind. My world seemed to be spinning. I glanced up at Emily when I saw her walk out. I couldn't let her see me cry. I couldn't. But just seeing her beautiful face, my eyes weld up. I couldn't take it. Nothing was going right. I should have been there. I should have been there the last five years. Maybe none of this would have happened.

I could hear her footsteps walking towards me. But they were faint, distant. I looked past her as she neared. The tears wanted to spill form my eyes and onto my cheeks. But, I didn't want them to. I was not the kind of man who would cry. But, I couldn't help it. They wanted to come.

I placed my fist on my mouth. Begging for them to stay behind. But, as soon as she got down and placed her hands on my knees, I knew they would come. My pain would show and I couldn't hide it. I melted away at her touch. How I loved her. How I loved my father. But, I never got to tell him that.

She placed her hand on my head as she sat near me. Her touch was the only thing I could feel. I couldn't feel the wind. I couldn't feel the cold. I couldn't feel my wet face. It all drifted into a small space. I couldn't reach it. They were locked away.

My hands wrapped around her and hugged her back as I let myself go. I let the tears come. I let them drain from inside me. It seemed to ease the pain that was growing in me just a little. I could still picture my fathers dead body laying on the table.

Her hands squeezed the back of my head. She was hurting, too. I could tell. Not as much as me, but still. I wasn't alone in this desolate place my mind took me.

As she kissed the top of my head, she whispered comforting words to me. Words that were drowned out by sobs. Were they my own?

She we sat there. I slowly rocked back and forth as my sobs rattled my soul. Our pain entwined, connecting our souls for a brief moment.

But it was soon over when my radio went off. We pulled back for a moment, our foreheads pressed together. But, I was thrown back into reality without mercy. I pulled back and wiped my eyes. I cleared my throat as she slipped away and I stood up.

I remembered speaking words to Hawkin's, but they were blown away the moment I looked back on Emily. She was leaning against the house, her hair blown in front of her face. And I knew right then. I loved her. I always had. I also know that I might not make this out alive.

I made my way over to her. Without hesitation, I placed my hand behind her head and kissed her. And that kissed sent me soaring. I suddenly had new strength. New determination. I wasn't going to die. I would make my father proud. We were going to save Jericho.

I wanted the kiss to last forever, but I had a job to do. Our lips separated, but our faces didn't. Our eyes locked together for a moment and our souls connected. With one last touch of her cheek, I turned and briskly walked away, my cheeks still shimmering.