A shiver of fear runs down the spine at the thought of the black clouds on the rise in the distance, that shiver trickling through the body and spreading like a wild fire. Despite every bit of experience the man has in these situations, every time he looks the storm in the eye... he feels the fear, for he knows just how serious things will soon become.

A sigh escapes the lips of the man once more, his squinted eyes fully closing now as he tries to find shelter in the arms of his love, his angel, once again. This storm would not make him falter as it had in the past... he couldn’t allow it, not when he stood so close to the doors of his dreams, the final destination in the journey he’d been traveling throughout all of his life.

Fear slinks back up the spine, cowering as a warm sense of determination forces its way throughout the body of the man, bringing him up to a sense of invincibility as that fear withers away within. His proud eyes open once more to stare into the face of the storm, that lightning flashing in the distance lighting up his face. The angel in his arms gently pulls away to look into his distanced eyes, her look of confusion soon turning into a smile as she simply shakes her head at the man before her.

He truly was a dreamer... some things could never change.

“Dominic... come on, let’s go before the storm gets here.” came her soft whisper in his ear, but his eyes still didn’t stray from that oncoming storm. Yes, he was a dreamer... and in his eyes this oncoming storm was what he perceived to be the final obstacle in his lifelong quest to the top of the mountain.

Proud eyes close softly, the determination gently fading as his love for his angel flowed up from his heart once more. In that complex mind of his he knew... knew he shouldn’t focus so strongly on this obstacle, for in doing so would bring that fearfulness that’s tried to bring him down so very often in the past.

He knew he should focus on what lay before him, the love of his life and the angel who brought him back from the darkness. Those proud eyes, now filled with love, opened to cast their glance back at the angel. With their eyes locked in a gentle embrace, he once again allowed his face to dip downward and catch her lips with his own for one final kiss, the kiss which completed him every time.

As they parted... he knew it was time to leave, and the thunder overhead merely signified that fact. Another sigh escapes his lips as he nods to his angel, smiling down at her, and hand-in-hand they make their way back to the building on the river.

Yet as they stepped on the cobblestone which paved the back of the hotel, he lets his eyes trace their way back to the bridge over the river behind them... and he can’t help but smile at the memories they’d made. She tugs on his hand gently, a request for him to follow her inside before the storm comes... and he complies, the image of them standing on the darkened bridge still fresh in his mind.

The walk to the elevator, the time spent traveling up to their floor... it all seemed so small, all seemed too fast for him to comprehend. Everyone was rushing throughout their lives... but he felt so content with the speed they’d been going back on that bridge. Why did moments like those have to end?

The answer was clear: to make way for the incredible moments which would follow thereafter.

The door opened just as easy as it closed behind them, as they found themselves standing together in the comfortable hotel room they’d been given for the night. Thunder outside the window, a flash which lights up the darkened room... none of the turmoil outside seems to matter any longer.

The only burden being the space between their lips, and the time taken to close that space and embrace once again. Even as the storm rages outside of their shelter, even as the thunder shakes the windows and the lightning turns night to day... they find themselves able to be lost in each other’s worlds.

They find themselves completely consumed in one another’s lives.

The living room becomes the hallway, the hallway becomes the bedroom, the bedroom becomes the bed itself, and every blissful moment that happens thereafter is another moment to linger in their minds. Another moment to cherish for the rest of their lives: a moment of realization for the both of them.

This isn’t a dream, this isn’t fantasy... this is all of that turning into reality and bringing the both of them something that they could have never imagined possible. Every moment together that’s been cherished will be followed with moments similar and, incredibly, even greater than those before them throughout the rest of their lives.

This isn’t something that shall happen one night only, nor for only a season; this is the prelude to the rest of their lives.

This is more than just the calm before the storm, this is the very force which the man knows can empower him to shut that storm down. The encouragement, the dreams so close to fulfillment... with his angel by his side, he cannot fail.

The saying goes that “The hero always wins in the end”, but this man has finally seen the falsity of that statement, for it is missing one key factor: this hero cannot win without his angel there to guide him.

Finally he sees this, and finally... he’s ready to take her hand as he steps forward into tomorrow, into the place where the dreams of a child will, finally, come true. For while it’s true that not every story receives its happy ending, it’s destined that this one shall; one way or another... this one shall.

In a matter of days that child shall be able to cry out in joy at the completion of his dream... and the continuation of another. The dream for a future, for a family... this is the dream which may grow from the completion of that child’s greatest desire.

No prince can deny him that right, and no storm shall wash it away. Not this time... no, most certainly not this time.