"I must have addled my brains. I thought I heard you say you loved me."
"I love you."
I tried to get up but she held me back. "Karen. I had to come here to find you. I've loved you ever since—"
"Don't talk," she urged gently.
"I've got so much to tell you. I wanted to say it so many times."
She silenced me with a soft hand and shouted to the others. I could see the lights bobbing closer as she brushed my lips. "We have a life time to say it, David."
"But so long to wait—"
"Sleep is timeless. We will be together before we go back," she whispered.
"Much will have changed before we get back," I said doubtfully. "People and ideas may be different—"
"Does it matter?"