They sat in the living room together. He looked down at her - despite the gray in her hair she was still radiantly beautiful. Where the TV had once sat instead was a vase full of the last flowers from their garden. Still vibrant. Still meaningful. A sharp contrast to the TV - a silent black shape in the corner of the room. They'd watched the news the day before. Somehow, despite everything the news had kept going. The reporters had maintained a grim professionalism and had even continued wearing suits. Somehow, they'd even found horror as country A nuked Country C. He found that interesting in a twisted way - the shock of it all. They'd known that they were dead for decades. Furthermore, for the past few years, they'd known that they could have stopped it and hadn't. Surely, it should have been clear that if humans couldn't cooperate to stop the end of the world why should they stop while it was happening. Yet, everything they were showing had upset her and so he'd unplugged the TV and moved it into the corner. After he had moved the TV, he took down all the clocks as well and held her. Carelessly - he'd glimpsed at the time. Back then he'd had 6 hours - all the time in the world.
Mostly, they'd sat and spoken when they felt the need. Somehow, she'd fallen asleep despite everything. He'd cherished that. He held her tight to him and found himself thinking of everything else he should have done. Nothing like the end of the world to make you reassess your priorities. "I'm a failure" he whispered to himself.
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A beautiful brown eye glanced up at him. So, she hadn't been sleeping. She spoke, her voice was soft and soothing, "Would you marry me again?" He looked into her deep brown eyes and kissed her on the forehead. "You know I would." She smiled and kissed him back. They were naked - but that hardly mattered these days. However, the part of him that mattered felt the same familiar thrill run through his body.
She had regrets as well. But, she had always been better at moving on. All it seemed he could do was push them down. This wasn't new - she had always been tougher than him. A tear fell onto her - he was crying. Odd, he hadn't properly cried in years. She brushed them away and this time she was holding him while he sobbed. They cried together - something that had not done in years and they both were holding each other. "If there is anything after this, I'll find you" he choked out. "If we should get another chance I'll do it right this time. We won't die crying I promise you." He looked at his hands they were thin and weak. Once he'd been strong it was nice to think he could be again. She looked at him and softly said, "Still a dreamer even now." The words hurt. It was the first time that she had said them in years. There was a flicker then nothing but he was somehow still there. The words "I love you" had been stuck on his lips.