Through the Fire (a Les Twins fanfic)

Chapter 34: Who We Are

And I'm not afraid to fly

Here we are, in the air, barely breathing

And we're not afraid to die

Who do we think we are?

Baby, tell me, who do we think we are?

—John Legend

Inside the O2 Arena Larry wound his way through two different brightly lit corridors with Gabby in tow.  She was quiet, but that was only because she was too angry to speak and a little in shock.

The white-tiled walls were lined with photos of famous artists that had performed at the O2 over the years.  Finally, they stopped in front of a door marked "Pit Entrance".

Gabby's stomach started doing back flips again.  "Does he even know I'm coming?"

Larry's silence was all the answer she needed.  She blinked back tears.

"I can't do this."

"Yes you can, Gabby.  Lau needs you."

"He could've called me and told me that himself."

"No.  He couldn't."  Larry pushed open the door.  "He's stubborn and you are, too.  You're both the same."  He nudged her from behind.  "Now go."

Gabby walked into the dimly lit pit and the door clicked shut behind her.   A few technicians bustled across the stage doing pre-show equipment checks.   Other than that the cavernous concert hall was completely empty.

The atmosphere was eerie and surreal.  Powerful spotlights above the stage reflected off the never-ending rows of stadium seating and flecks of dust hung suspended like floating stars in the harsh glow.

As she rounded the corner her eyes adjusted and she could make out a solemn silhouette sitting on a speaker box in the shadows, head bowed.

"Lau?"

He rose to his feet startled and came towards her.  "Gabby?"

Laurent moved in close facing her, as close as he could possibly get without actually touching her.  Although he ached to hold her in his arms he held back.

His voice was heavy with emotion.  "What are you doing here?"

She lowered her eyes to stop the tears.  "I was in the neighborhood."

When she looked up his face caught the light for a second.  Laurent was so beautiful it hurt.  She couldn't know that he was staring down at her thinking the same thing.

He dropped his head, struggling to find the right words to say.  "Gabby, I love you but I don't know how to be what you want, what you need.  I can't.  I only know how to be me."

"Lau, baby, look at me."  She cupped his face between her hands.  "Please...look at me."  His eyes finally met hers.  "I know who you are.  And you're what I need.  You're everything I ever wanted."

His hand grazed hers and they stood there like that, fingers loosely linked for what seemed like an eternity.  Laurent brushed his lips across her forehead.  Gratitude seized him.  Gabby could feel the empty hole inside her chest filling up with heat almost as if he was pouring love into her.

In that moment they both knew everything.

She used to believe that life existed everywhere all around her, that her dreams could survive out in the open.  He once thought he could sail on endlessly like a ship without an anchor searching, forever searching.

But now they understood that this space in time—this one frozen moment with them in it was all there ever was.  All the air, all the life, all the love was right here.  This was home.

And no matter where they went in the world,  love would always lead them back.

The End