"What are you doing?"

"I'm giving those people out there a chance to hear the most beautiful voice on the planet."

He pushed some hair out of my face and brushed a feather-light kiss on my lips. I was still dumbfounded.

"Look, if you don't want to do this, just say the word and I'll tell Lynne to shove it. But I meant what I said - I'm not going out there without you."

//Do I want to do this?//

//What do you mean 'do I want to'?! Of course you do!//

"Okay. But what song are we doing?"

He met the challenge in my gaze with full on confidence. "You know which one. Is it finished?"

"I don't know - is it?"

"Yeah, it is."

He couldn't keep the grin off his face. The corner of my mouth quirked up in response. "Good."
We left the dressing room and headed back to the stage. The noise of the audience returned as they shifted about and speculated to one another as to why Savage wasn't back. I risked a glance at Dan, but he was looking rather green with nerves.

My hand settled briefly on his shoulder. "Don't be nervous."

He flashed me a faint smile and spoke to his backing musicians. They wandered further backstage, and I realized what Daniel was doing. This was our song, and we would face the crowd only with each other.

Dan took his place on his stool and picked up his guitar. I stepped forward and took the mic off the stand. A deep breath, and I was ready. The first haunting strains of the song stopped the audience's chatter abruptly as they leaned forward to listen.

I poured the words out of my heart, meaning each and every one of the words with a depth of emotion that no one but Daniel could possibly understand. I almost wanted to laugh at what they were missing.

"I knew I loved you before I met you..."

//Always, Daniel.//

"I think I dreamed you into life.
I knew I loved you before I met you.
I have been waiting all my life..."

I think my attitude of comfort even began to effect Daniel.

About mid-way through the song, he got off of the stool and made his way toward me. He might have even been enjoying himself.

It was over in far too short a time. I sang my heart out for my Daniel, threw my soul into the spotlight for the masses to see and consume. As the last chord hovered over us, the audience burst into wild applause, cameras flashed like so many supernovas, but all I saw was Dan.

He put his guitar on its stand on the side of the stage, and we stepped into the wings. He was practically glowing. His mouth was on mine in an eye-blink, devouring me tenderly, completing the circuit between us. I couldn't remember ever knowing such a complete sense of being loved.

Our lips parted after a beautiful eternity, one of Dan's hands still on my face. Emerald eyes locked with sapphire. "Did you mean it?"

I tightened my arms on him, pulling us closer together, and smiled.

"Every word."

My unspoken question hung in the air. //Did you, Dan?//

His brilliant grin mirrored mine. "Me, too."