Tony heard the explosion and he immediately ran out the door, adrenaline fierce in his veins. The smoke hazed lazily over the lawn and suddenly, his heart thumped to a halt.

There, amidst the wreckage of metal and broken debris, lay Michelle, lying face down on the ground.

Tony ran to her side, whispering her name, willing for her to get up, to lovingly say his name, to smile. But she remained motionless. He picked her up, holding her small body to his chest, cradling her in his arms. Tony stroked her cheek, wiping the blood on her beautiful face away. Her auburn curls as he shook her, trying to wake her up, the tears grazing his face. So when he refused to wake, he held her broken body, the tears falling freely now.

Flashback

"I'm so tired," Michelle sobbed, pressing her face against Tony's neck; he could feel her tremble as he held her, soothing her. "I'm so scared."

"It's okay," Tony whispered, stepping back and stroking her silky cheek. She hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder, her hazel eyes gleaming with her tears.

Tony had never seen Michelle this vulnerable and he didn't want to scare her, but he could feel she was aware of his closeness, and she knew he was aware of it as well.

Michelle breathed in and all of a sudden, she was kissing him with al the emotion she'd been containing fro the past year. Tony wound his arm around her waist, holding her close to him. She broke away, her eyes wild and fearful of Tony's reaction. "I'm sorry. Sorry."

Tony leaned towards her again, and he once again felt her lips on his, her body so near to him.

And in that instant, Tony Almeida knew that he loved Michelle Dessler.

And in that moment, Michelle Dessler knew that she loved Tony Almeida.

End Flashback

Tony rocked Michelle, his face nestled in her soft hair, wishing she were there with him, longing for her in agony.

Flashback

Regardless of the fact that Chappelle was most likely watching their every action and listening to their every word, Michelle looked sideways over at Tony and slid her hand over his, rubbing it tenderly with her own. He looked up at her, staring into her sweet hazel eyes, and suddenly he entwined his fingers with hers.

They leaned against the table of the holding cell, comforting each other as best they could, awaiting their impending fate.

End Flashback

Tony now interlaced his fingers with Michelle's bloody ones, picking her up, pressing his lips to her smooth forehead.

Flashback

Ignoring Saunders' men pointing their heavy guns at her behind her, Michelle slowly walked to Tony, her features relaxing as he smiled reassuringly at her. Her auburn curls swayed as she moved to him, and her beautiful face broke into a smile of pure, unhindered joy, and Tony reached out his hand to take hers.

End Flashback

Flashback

"Tony," Michelle whispered, the tears falling down her face. "Don't – I – I can't – I – "

"Michelle," he whispered, taking her lovely face in his hands and suddenly he was kissing her passionately, running his fingers through her hair, his other hand at the small of her back.

"It's time, Mr. Almeida," the guard called from the door.

Tony looked hard at Michelle, gently stepping away while she clung to him. As he walked away to face the charges, he took one last look at her broken face, the tears still raining down.

End Flashback

Flashback

"Tony," Michelle started, her expression eager and intense. "I'm ready to leave with you. I'm ready – "

He reached for her, and her body trembled, but she didn't push him away; she instead released the feelings she'd been denying endlessly since she'd come back to C.T.U. Michelle broke free and sank into his arms, pressing her face into his neck.

"I love you," she whispered into his neck.

End Flashback

Flashback

Tony grabbed Michelle's arm, holding onto it. She smiled beatifically, leaned over, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. He could smell her shampoo where her curls brushed his temple. He smiled at her, watching her walk up to the door, shrugging the strap of her pink camisole up.

"I love you," Michelle said.

"I love you," Tony said.

End Flashback

And now Michelle lay dead and broken in his arms, his lover, his best friend, his wife, gone from his world forever.

"Goodbye," he breathed into her hair, the tears staining the blood on her perfect face. "I love you. Always."

The End.