Contains spoilers for season 7 :)
Possible tissue alert for this one :)
Title: Solitary Rose
Author: Cindy Ryan
Spoilers: Everything up to and including season 7
Category: Oneshot, Future AU
Summary: Tony attends a service for fallen officers and remembers a happier time with Michelle
Author's notes: Things in single quotation marks are memories
The cold spring wind ruffled Tony Almeida's dark hair causing the former federal agent to hunker deeper into his black leather jacket. It'd been a long winter for most of the nation and D.C. was no different. Patches of snow glittered under the late afternoon sun.
Tony glanced at the group of approximately two hundred people that surrounded him at the foot of the National Mall.
He'd long ago toned out the speaker who stood at a podium just to the left of the long marble wall.
Despite his best efforts he still caught words.
Words that were another stab to his heart.
Honor.
Sacrifice.
Line of Duty.
Tony swallowed hard as he looked down at the single red rose clutched in his right hand. He'd received a call a month ago asking if he'd wanted to attend the dedication ceremony of a new memorial for fallen federal officers and agents.
The call had brought up a surge of memories and regrets.
He'd accepted the invitation…..it was the least he could do for her.
Now though the longer he stood there the more overwhelmed he became. So much so that he almost turned and left.
But one memory kept him there.
One that was the strongest.
The way Michelle's eyes had sparkled on their wedding day.
She'd always been beautiful but that day she'd been radiant..
Tears pricked his eyes and Tony blinked them back.
So many regrets…..
Being agents….working at CTU….they knew how precious and short life was.
She'd given him everything…..her heart….a life together…
He'd squandered it…..thrown it away…..hurt her….betrayed her….
He'd wasted so much time…..precious time with her that he'd never get back.
They'd just started to rebuild…..he'd just started to get her to trust him again….when everything was ripped away.
Tony felt something trickle down his palm and looked down to find blood dripping and mingling with the thorns of the rose.
He'd been gripping the flower so hard it'd pierced the skin.
Tony ignored it as he glanced once again at the pristine marble.
He deserved whatever pain he got.
Tony's gaze searched the lines of names for Michelle's. Finding it on the far left row he stepped forward.
With his free hand he traced the letters.
Once.
Twice.
"God, Michelle, I miss you."Tony whispered his voice thick with tears.
Over the years he'd wondered of the path not taken. If he'd accepted that job at Langley would they have kids by now?
A house in the suburbs?
Tony's fingers traced his wife's name once more.
"I love you."Tony said quietly the tears flowing freely now as he laid the rose at the bottom of the marble wall.
He wiped a hand over his face to remove the tears. Tony glanced at the wall once more before turning to leave.
As Tony left his wife's laughter worked its way into his thoughts.
A smile crossed his face at the memory.
Their honeymoon in Hawaii…..their first real vacation together.
'Tony twirled his new wife in his arms as they danced on the beach. They'd just left from a late dinner and now the moonlight playing off her ring as they moved.
'They had a dance floor at the restaurant, Tony.'
Tony grinned. 'I like this one better, Mrs. Almeida.'
Michelle laughed as she melted into his arms. 'So do I.'
'I love you.'Tony whispered as they danced further down the beach toward their hotel.
'I love you too.'
Tony swallowed the lump in his throat as he got into his rental car. As he started the car and eased it out into traffic his right hand left his jacket pocket brushing against the wedding band he still kept on a small chain.
He knew she'd always be with him no matter how dark things got.
end