Then they were close and she smelled him before they impacted with each other, barely slowing down as if trying to combine themselves and their cells, make two into one as they had been before all this chaos and craziness began. He smelled old and dirty, but beneath it all was the familiar Vince-scent she would know even in a gloomy, crowded room.

“Vince!” she breathed into his neck, and when she inhaled she caught a dozen untold stories on his smell. She only hoped he would have time to tell them.

He squeezed her as hard as she squeezed him. It hurt, and he groaned in pain as well, but she loved it, because it was the love of her life holding her so tight that she thought he might never let go.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” he said. He moved back a little so he could look into her face. “You’ve changed so much!”

“I’ve changed so much?” she gasped. “Why did you think the beard was a good idea?”

“Camouflage. Against the dragons.”

“There are dragons in there?” She looked past him towards the portal, and although he grinned and shook his head, the idea was not ridiculous. Nothing was anymore.

“We have to move,” he said. He looked back, still holding onto her as if afraid she would vanish as soon as he looked away. “Grace. And Mallian.”

“Oh shit, are they there?”

“More than ever before,” Vince said. He grasped her hand and urged her to return the way she’d come.

“Your arm?”

“Mallian. What about Sammi?”

“Over there, with Lilou.” She pointed.

“Who’s the guy?”

“Bone.”

“Nice name.”

“Don’t trust him.”

“Even more comforting.” Vince looked around as they ran. “Did I miss a war, or something?”

“It used to be a flooded valley. Long story.”

“How long have I been gone?”

“Too long, Vince. You can’t leave me again, ever. Ever!”

“I don’t want to, ever. How long?”

“Two years,” she said, and she feared she should have broken it more gently. Maybe over there it had only been two months.

“Feels about right,” he said. “I must have missed some great TV.”

There was so much more for both of them to ask, so many questions that might have no easy answers, but he pulled her fast, and she was surprised by how much fitter and leaner he was. It only inspired a dozen more questions.

He continued looking around as they ran, and as they closed on Sammi, Lilou and Bone, she felt Vince’s hand close tighter around hers.