They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. What they never tell you, however – what no one ever wants to bring up – is how much, and how deeply, it hurts. When someone you love and care for is far away from you, it’s like a piece of your heart has been torn away by some dark, unseen hand or force. The minutes are like years, and each lonely night stretches into eternity as you’re left to lie awake and wonder. Where are they now? What are they thinking about? Are they safe? Are they well? Are they thinking of you? These are questions that won’t be truly answered until the missing half of your heart walks back into your arms – or, on some unfortunate occasions, not at all.

And you worry. Even if there seems to be no rational reason to, you find yourself afraid that something will happen, no matter how impossible or how ridiculous that seems. You tell yourself over and over that everything’s fine, but despite your sound reasoning and good logic, you never quite convince yourself. It’s hard, missing someone while they’re gone, but at least you know you’ll see them again.

Unless, that is, the reason they’re missing is because they’ve been taken.

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. What they never tell you – what no one ever remembers to say – is that it can also make the heart grow stronger.
-Quoted