"Hey," he says gently when he feels the dampness against his skin, the warmth of her tears and the hitch in her breathing. He just holds her, dropping a kiss into her dark hair as best he can as he works through his own wave of emotion, not long in coming after hers. He'd had her, and nearly lost her, and now he has her back again--along with this place, his home, a home they can turn into something beautiful.

He doesn't have the right to be so lucky, but Darlington knows he'll hang on to all of this for as long as he can.