Suddenly a small point of light became visible to Cam in the darkness that had enveloped him. He became aware of soft hands on his bare chest before receiving a terrific jolt. His whole body convulsed at the shock and both eyes opened – even the swollen one. Dazed, he could make out Mare holding her ear to his chest – apparently in search of a heartbeat. She looked as relieved as Cam felt. He was alive.<br/><br/>The sense of well-being that had washed over him before became a raging flood of emotion that Cam had never felt before. A weak but profoundly genuine smile emerged as he looked up into her emerald eyes. One of his hands reached up to touch the long blond hair that dangled down, which he gently tucked behind one of her ears. His hand lingered in her hair as he spoke.<br/><br/>“Folgora,” he said softly, intoning the ancient Roman goddess of lightning. The two of them had talked about her when they were traveling in the desert a few days ago. “That was the name of my car when I was a Gearhead. That’s how I knew about her. That’s how I know… that you are…” his voice trailed off.<br/><br/>Lying down as he was his blood pressure had stabilized. With the help of a burst of adrenaline he found the strength for what came next.<br/><br/>The hand in her hair gently guided her face towards his. Seeing no resistance, he brought their lips together for the second time. Instinctually and without any conscious thought his other hand reached out to find the small of her back. Once there, he gently guided her body to his as they kissed, his arms wrapping tightly around her as they lay together on the floor. Cam was so overwhelmed with his feelings for her that the rest of the world disappeared around them.<br/><br/>All of the time and torture he had endured suddenly became worthwhile. Even if the moon crashed into the earth at that moment, Cam wouldn’t care. He would have traded the entire world for that moment.