When he was a child he had nightmares. They terrified him so bad that every night Lincoln would read him fairy tales to calm his mind.
When he was in college he had nightmares. They were caused by stressed and were easily solved by a shot of whiskey before bed.
When he was on his own he had nightmares of his past. They were cured by writing a large check to the next charity that came asking.
When he was in Fox River he had nightmares. He fought those by working harder to get him and his brother out.
When he was on the freighter he had nightmares about her. And nothing drove those from his mind. He read himself a fairy tale, he drank a bottle of whisky, he helped an old man to do his work, and he comforted his brother.
When he was in Panama nightmares coupled with guilt to ate him alive. He didn't bother to fight them. His cure was thousands of miles away.
Two months later Michael slept without nightmares. Sara had arrived in Panama days before, exhausted but free and happy. She had thrown her arms around him, allowing him to crush her to him. They didn't sleep her first night there. The second Michael spent part of the night watching her, when sleep finally caught up with him he dreamt of her, of their future. And since that night whenever Michael wraps her in his arms, he's promised a peaceful night.