Feeling: wordy
Listening to: Evanescence - "Anywhere" (on loop)
Reading/Watching: nothing

This is the entry I wanted to put up last night, but couldn't, because Diaryland was down.

Every time I hear a certain song, it makes this image play in my head, so I decided to write it out. The song is Evanescence's "Anywhere," from their Origin album, and if you don't have the mp3, finditfinditfinditnow. I'll put the lyrics in full at the end:

Miles of green. That was his first impression. Closer to the ground, the view was speckled with browns, blacks, the white of stone and spatterings of flowers, but from the battlement of this ancient castle, it looked like a rippling blanket of vibrant, endless green.

The wind caught everything and teased through it, whipping around weathered stone and whistling into his ears. At its peak, he could scarcely hear above the roar. It tangled in his beard, stung his open eyes, and pulled his long coat out behind him as if wishing to divest him of all but the wild green and wilder wind.

A breathless laugh came from the woman next to him. �Isn�t it fantastic? This has to be the best idea I ever had.�

He looked at her incredulously. �You ever had? I suggested we climb to the top of the castle.�

�Yes, but I said we had to go to Ireland,� she shot back, but the dimples quivering at the corners of her mouth gave lie to her sharp tone. She closed her eyes and turned back into the wind as it picked up again, letting it strip back her long curls and string them out behind her like a copper flag. A delighted smile lit her face. �It�s so alive,� she cried over the whistling. �I could almost take off into it. It might never carry me down.�

He laughed and put a hand on her wrist, pretending to restrain her. �Probably best not to test that theory.�

She turned, eyes sparkling. �I have an idea. Let�s do the Titanic thing.�

One eyebrow quirked. �The� Titanic� thing?�

�Yeah, you hang on to me and let me lean over the edge.� She demonstrated by placing both his hands onto her waist and turning back to the wall. He held on as she swayed into the furious wind.

His arms tightened, and he leaned forward against her back until he could speak into her ear. From there, her hair brushed his cheek, and he could smell the remnants of perfume. �See, I wasn�t sure whether you meant the thing on the front of the boat, or the thing in the car with the windows all steamed up,� he teased.

He felt her laugh, although he couldn�t hear it. Her fingers threaded with his, and removed them from her waist as she twisted to look at him, laughing, �Not so fast, Leonardo.� Then she let him go and planted her palms on top of the wall, closing her eyes again.

Realizing that the moment� whatever it had been� was over, he reluctantly stepped away, leaning on his hands in a replica of her pose. �This place is amazing,� he said, practically having to shout to be heard.

Her lips were moving, eyes closed, and he realized she was singing. He leaned closer to try to hear.

�I have dreamt of a place for you and I... no one knows who we are there,� she sang, adding faint rhythm to the wind�s roar. The next phrase was lost to him, and he closed his eyes briefly to clear them of stung tears. When he opened them again, he saw her lips shaping words, and recognized them without having to hear.

He smiled, leaning to speak in her ear. �I remember that song.�

Eyes still closed, she replied, �Always been one of my favorites. I pictured standing on top of a mountain, singing it into the sky. This is about as close as it gets.� Then she looked at him, and grinned. �I�m glad you came with me. I�ve missed you.�

Glancing down at the ground, hundreds of feet below, gave him a rush of vertigo. It took a minute to answer. �I missed you, too.�

�But I didn�t miss that beard.� She tilted her head, eyes still twinkling. �It just doesn�t suit you, Saunders. I liked you much better clean-shaven.� He laughed, and she continued, �But the smile is the same. It�s good to see it. You should do it more often.� She lightly bumped her shoulder into his. �That�s an order.�

Still grinning, he nodded once. �Yes, sir.�

�And I think I should move here,� she added, turning to face him. Her hair blew across her face, and she impatiently tucked it behind one ear. �It�s impossible to imagine being anywhere else. I have decided, having seen other countries, that America sucks. I am officially deporting myself.�

�You can�t deport yourself, you have to be deported. And that�s when they send you back to your home country. You�d have to immigrate.�

�Hmm. Sounds like a lot of work.� Her mouth twitched. �Okay, so nevermind: Texas it is. Dammit.� She turned her head to look across the verdant hills once more. �Was there anything else ever invented that�s this beautiful?�

Looking at her, he said slowly, �I don�t think so.�

One eye squinted against the wind as she glanced at him. Then she stood up straight. �You�re losing your scarf; look out.� One runaway end was flapping in the wind until it was nearly off his neck entirely.

She caught it, one end in each hand, pulling it back until it was looped taut around the back of his neck, and suddenly he realized she was standing very close, hands tangled in the scarf. Her eyes didn�t move from his.

He froze. The wind was blowing her hair in her face again, so without thinking, he raised one hand to tuck it back in place, and suddenly his fingers were on her cheek. She was still hanging onto his scarf.

Her eyes crinkled slightly, and her chin tipped up. �For goodness sakes, Saunders. What are you waiting for?�

So he stopped waiting. Her lips were cool, but warmed under his. Her hands relinquished the scarf, and went around his neck. And the roaring engulfed them both, but he couldn�t be sure how much of it was wind, or music, or the blood pounding in his ears.

When the kiss ended, she stayed close, eyes shut, and sang again, softly, the words lost in the wind, but he knew what they would be.

Dear my love, haven�t you wanted to be with me
And dear my love, haven�t you longed to be free
I can�t keep pretending that I don�t even know you
When at sweet night, you are my own.
Take my hand...

We�re leaving here tonight
There�s no need to tell anyone
They only hold us down
So by the morning light
We�ll be halfway to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name

I have dreamt of a place for you and I
No one knows who we are there
All I want is to give my life only to you
I�ve dreamt so long, I cannot dream anymore
Let�s run away; I�ll take you there.

We�re leaving here tonight
There�s no need to tell anyone
They only hold us down
So by the morning light
We�ll be halfway to anywhere
Where no one needs a reason

Forget this life, come with me
Don�t look back, you�re safe now
Unlock your heart, drop your guard
No one�s left to stop you.

We�re leaving here tonight
There�s no need to tell anyone
They only hold us down
So by the morning�s light
We�ll be halfway to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name.

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