“Falling into a black hole would not be pleasant, having your limbs torn asunder and all the while appearing to your friends to be frozen in time just as you fell in”

“My view is that you don't just talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies, as well. And the diplomacy involves talking to your enemies. You don't reward your enemies necessarily, by talking to them if you're tough and you know what you're doing. You don't appease them. Talking to an enemy is not, in my view, appeasement. I made 15 trips to Syria in 1990-1991 at a time when Syria was on the list of countries who are state sponsors of terrorism. And the 16th trip, guess what? Lo and behold, Syria changed 25 years of policy and agreed for the first time in history to come sit at the table with Israel, which is what Israel wanted at the time. And, thereby, implicitly recognized Israel's right to exist. Now, all I'm saying is that would never have happened if we hadn't been sufficiently dedicated that we were going to keep at it.”

“Sorry. I know we shouldn't be doing this. I know we were supposed to be friends for a while first, but God, I've missed you so much. I think about you all the time.”

“So,” he began, after several minutes of silence, “how much did it kill you having to text me?”I chuckled. “A lot. I was just glad I didn’t throw away the receipt – I didn’t fancy digging through bags of rubbish.”Danny threw me another half-smile. “So you didn’t throw it out after all? I knew it!”I rolled my eyes. “Your arrogance astounds me … could you be anymore conceited?”“Could you be anymore attracted to me?” He quipped back.I scoffed at him. “In your dreams! Do you really get girls like this?”He quirked an eyebrow and flashed me that adorable crooked grin. “Many. Why – you jealous?”“Hardly,” I shot back at him, “you’re not my type so don’t flatter yourself.”He shrugged. “One hour with me turning on the charm and you’d be singing a different tune … trust me on that.”I laughed. “You know there’s a fine line between being charming and being cocky … and you my friend, fall into the latter. And it’s not something to be proud of – it’s not an attractive quality.”Danny smirked yet again. “Ouch. You really know how to insult a guy. Are you always this pleasant?”“Are you always this obnoxious?” I retorted back.“Ooh touché. You know – if I didn’t know any better – I’d almost mistake your frostiness for flirting.” He flashed me another half-smile and threw me a knowing look.I rolled my eyes again. “Well you would, wouldn’t you Mr Overly-sure-of-himself?”I watched as his confidence seemed to go into overdrive. “Say what you will, but I know you’re secretly charmed by me.”I shrugged. “Whatever … just don’t be too disappointed when I don’t fall at your feet.”He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. “Well, try not to be too surprised when you do.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Don’t hold your breath.”

“Danny looked stunned. “But what about the people who care about you?”I shook my head. “They shouldn’t waste their time … I’m not gonna change. I can’t be fixed Danny!” I wiped ferociously at the tears that were falling down my cheeks and threw him a challenging look. “I’m not trying to fix you Darcie.” Danny told me softly, his eyes boring into mine. “But you have to realise that everyone’s a little bit broken and all they need is someone to help fill in the holes and cracks – that’s all.”

“Have you ever met someone for the first time, but in your heart you feel as if you’ve met them before?”

“Cold air rises from the ground as the sun goes down.  The eye-burning clarity of the light intensifies. The southern rim of the sky glows to a deeper blue, to pale violet, to purple, then thins to grey.  Slowly the wind falls, and the still air begins to freeze.  The solid eastern ridge is black; it has a bloom on it like the dust on the skin of a grape.  The west flares briefly.  The long, cold amber of the afterglow casts clear black lunar shadows.  There is an animal mystery in the light that sets upon the fields like a frozen muscle that will flex and wake at sunrise.”